SECOORA will submit a proposal in response to the US Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) FY 2020 Notice of Funding Opportunity. This opportunity will cover the 5-year period June 1, 2021 through May 31, 2026 and will sustain critical observing, modeling, product, and service activities while also seeking opportunities to add new multidisciplinary projects.  To develop the proposal, SECOORA will solicit Letters of Intent (LOIs) from a broad stakeholder base, conduct a two part LOI evaluation, and assemble our IOOS 5-year proposal from the top ranking LOIs  

SECOORA’s Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System – Strategic Operational Plan, which is based on the needs of the region and the ability to make significant progress in priority areas, will serve as a guide for the SECOORA proposal. LOIs should address at least one of the SECOORA focus areas: Coastal Hazards and Climate Variability; Ecosystems, including Water Quality and Living Marine Resources; and, Marine Operations. All proposed projects should mirror the priorities in this document.

General Information

Links will be added throughout the proposal development process.

1. Review Panel Term of Reference
2. LOI Solicitation (PDF)
   • LOIs Due May 26, 2020 by 11:59 PM ET
   • LOI Template (Word Document)
   • LOI Submission Form – (website)
     • Please Note: Rather than the submission process noted in previous communications, those wishing to submit should now go to egrants.secoora.org.  You must complete the registration process in order to upload an LOI. This is a two part verification registration system (phone and email confirmations are required).  Once you have registered, please complete the required fields and upload your LOI as a PDF.  All content requirements remain the same, this change only impacts how the LOI is submitted.
3. Weighted Criteria for Evaluation of Submitted LOIs
4. IOOS Notice of Funding Opportunity: FY 2021 Implementation of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS®)

Background Information

1. Frequently Asked Questions (Google Doc)
2. Regional Coastal Ocean Observing System – Strategic Operational Plan
3. SECOORA Data Management and Communications (DMAC) Plan 

Proposal Development Timeline

Subject to change.

• December 2019
  • Approve 5 Year Proposal Process  
• February 2020
  • Solicit nominees for Comprehensive Review Panel
  • Advertise proposal process to members
• March 2020 (Board Call)
  • Board approval of slate for Comprehensive Review Panel
  • March 23, 2020 Release LOI solicitation
• April 2020
• May 2020 
  • May 26, 2020  at 11:59 PM LOIs are due
  • IOOS Notice of Funding Opportunity is released
• June 2020
  • Subject Matter Expert reviews due back to SECOORA
• July 2020
  • SECOORA staff assembles all Subject Matter Expert reviews
  • Comprehensive Review Panel review begins
• July – August 2020
  • Comprehensive Review Panel ranks LOIs
  • Identify proposal writing team and begin writing proposal
• September – October 2020
  • Proposal writing
  • Final proposal draft
• November 2020
  • Board endorses proposal
  • SECOORA submits proposal