15 th NOAA Science Advisory Board Meeting

1. 15th NOAA Science Advisory Board Meeting NOAA Program Review Team Recommendations for Grants Administration Rimas T. Liogys NOAA Finance and Administration

2. Program Review Team(PRT) • High priority VADM Lautenbacher to improve the business of scientific management at NOAA • Grants Administration one of the highest priorities • FY03 NOAA Budget Allocations – Grant Related Actions • Grants Process Improvements – Recurring Nondiscretionary & Noncompetitive Grant Programs • Grants Process Improvements – Competitive grant programs & Federal Register Notices (FRNs) • All PRT action plans for grants administration at: http://www.accessnoaa.noaa.gov/laut_letter.html

3. NOAA Grants Profiles 20 Year Grants History by Number of Awards 20 Year Grants History by Federal Share $$

4. Total Funding - $906,095,700 Total Awards - 1,498 Non-Discretionary (67%) Non-Discretionary (40%) Earmarks 162 (11%) Earmarks $256.7 (28%) Competitive $117.5 (13%) Mandated/ Statute $350.9 (39%) Competitive 659 (44%) Mandated/ Statute 427 (29%) Institutional $141.9 (16%) Discretionary (60%) Institutional 154 (10%) Non- Competitive 96 (6%) Non- Competitive $39.0 (4%) Discretionary (33%) • Non-Discretionary • Mandated/limited by statute, e.g., IJ, Anadromous,CZM • Earmarks ** • Discretionary • Competitive • Institutional (e.g. Sea Grant) • Non-Competitive NOAA Grants ProfilesFY 02 by Type ** Technically discretionary - treated as non-discretionary

5. Federal Share $906M Number of Awards (1498) NESDIS (1.04%) NESDIS (1.54%) NWS (0.85%) NFA (3.10%) NWS (1.47%) NFA (0.53%) OAR (24.70%) NMFS (32.87%) OAR (31.78%) NMFS (33.71%) NOS (37.43%) NOS (30.97%) NOAA Grants ProfilesFY 02 by Line Office

6. PRT #38 • Commit to spending 50% of new research funds within the external community (e.g., universities, private sector) via competitive proposals and peer review.

7. Grants Process Improvements – Competitive Programs • Start earlier publish Federal Register Notices w/common NOAA ground rules • Set stretch cycle times or milestones for each step of the grants process & then track & report on the progress • Challenge all involved to look for opportunity to eliminate or streamline steps &/or be more efficient with those that are necessary • Evaluate measures & improve for following cycle

8. Competitive Programs – con’t • FY 2004 FRNs ready 9 weeks (45 b.d.) ofPres Budget • Funding Uncertainty Guidance in FRN • Best Practices/Milestone Schedules provided • Standard application period – 6-9 weeks (30-45 b.d.) • Submittal to GMD 8 – 12 weeks (40 – 60 b.d.) from date applications rec’d (merit reviews, selections, doc prep) • GMD processes within 7 weeks (35 b.d.)

9. Competitive Programs – con’t • NOAA Research Council tasked to review and recommend improvements for the following: • PROPOSAL REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS • EVALUATION CRITERIA • SELECTION CRITERIA

10. PRT #46 • NOAA Grants Management Advisory Committee to be reconstituted and charged with the responsibilities to streamline, implement and oversee the NOAA grants process and products. • Responsible and accountable for the effective execution of the total NOAA end-to-end grants process between the Program Offices and the NOAA Grants Management Division.

11. Grants Management Advisory Committee (GMAC) • Customer service • The efficient & effective processing of grants • Tracking & ensuring implementation of NOAA Program Review. Two working groups are following: • Grants budget oversight • Examining & improving end to end grants process between Program Offices & GMD • Providing a forum to communicate & assess the impact of new legislation, procedures, & policy changes.

12. PRT # 47 Implement 5 short-term recommendations to improve grants process. Determine if they could be applied to recurring projects executed via contracts: • Do pre-work on recurring grants appl. prior to Approp; • Enactment of annual Approp., meet with Congressional Approp. staff on clarifications; • Streamline distribution of funds; • Set upper limits/cycle times for program offices & NOAA Grants Office (to include OGC & OIG clearance & Congressional notification); & • Facilitate Grantee submission complete & accurate appl. - use automation & training

13. PRT# 49 Improve acknowledgment & recognition of agency grant support: • Clearly written description of each grant • Standard information be furnished to the NOAA Office of Public Affairs as part of the regular grants process • Office of Public Affairs develop press releases • Each grant requires NOAA attribution. • At close out or periodically, results of project should be publicized, attribution to NOAA as sponsoring org.

14. PRT #50 Ensure that a “commitment to education and outreach” is included in its standard criteria in the grants selection process for merit reviews, where appropriate (e.g., not precluded by law).

15. Grants On Line – How NOAA Can Comply with Public Law 106-107 • Purpose: Grants On Line system provide all applicants direct online electronic application submission (front office system) • ONR w/NOAA – go live early FY2004 (Oct/Dec) • NOAA - review, process, award, & monitor applications electronically (back office system) • NOAA: Complete back office system requirements late FY2004 & go live early FY2005 (Oct/Dec)