Opportunity Information: Apply for M24AS00303
AK-24-03, the Alaska Coastal Marine Institute (CMI) opportunity, is a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) funding announcement that supports targeted research in Alaska marine and coastal environments tied to offshore energy and mineral activities on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The program stems from a long-standing partnership created in 1993 through a Memorandum of Agreement between BOEM (U.S. Department of the Interior) and the University of Alaska (UA). BOEM is responsible for managing OCS energy and mineral development in a way that is both environmentally and economically responsible, and its Environmental Studies Program, required under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, generates the science needed to understand how BOEM decisions may affect natural systems and coastal communities and how impacts can be avoided or reduced. CMI functions as the mechanism that lets BOEM work directly with UA researchers to produce defensible science that informs BOEM planning, leasing, permitting, and environmental review for Alaska OCS activities, including conventional energy, emerging renewable energy, and potential marine mineral development.
The core purpose of this opportunity is to fund studies that improve understanding and prediction of environmental, socioeconomic, and cultural processes relevant to offshore activity, especially where information gaps limit sound decision-making. BOEM frames CMI work around several types of projects: field or observational scientific studies that clarify marine, coastal, or human environments that may be affected by exploration and extraction; modeling efforts that strengthen the ability to forecast environmental or social outcomes from OCS-related activities; experimental studies that isolate causes and effects and explain key processes; projects that build or improve data-sharing mechanisms, protocols, or systems so agencies and stakeholders can access and use reliable information; and synthesis efforts that pull together existing scientific and socioeconomic knowledge to provide clear background and context for OCS decision needs.
For 2024, BOEM is specifically requesting proposals focused on the Lower Cook Inlet Planning Area, which narrows the geographic scope and signals a near-term management need in that region. Within that area, BOEM highlights priority research needs grouped into three broad themes. Under fate and effects of contaminants, the agency is looking for work on carbonate chemistry and organism responses to better assess coastal and ocean acidification risks and impacts on biological resources; improved understanding of oil-spill fate and weathering in both open-water and ice conditions, including refinements to spill modeling algorithms that are used for planning and response; and better characterization of sea-ice structural properties such as extent, thickness, movement/velocity, seasonality, and frequency of occurrence, with explicit attention to frazil ice and submerged ice that can complicate operations and alter spill behavior and ecosystem exposure. Under biology, priorities include research on how climate change is altering marine ecosystem function, methods to separate natural variability from human-caused impacts in estuarine and marine systems, and studies that clarify immigration and emigration pathways for adult and juvenile salmon, reflecting the importance of salmon to ecology, subsistence, and regional economies. Under marine mammals, BOEM is seeking improved knowledge of when and where baleen whales occur in lower Cook Inlet and Shelikof Strait, as well as analyses of vessel-traffic impacts in Cook Inlet on Cook Inlet belugas and other sensitive or protected populations, including ESA-listed humpback whale stocks, the Northeast population of fin whales, North Pacific right whales, and the Southwest sea otter population, with emphasis on collision risk and disturbance to critical behaviors like foraging, breeding, calving, and pupping.
Administratively, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement, which typically means BOEM expects substantial involvement in project coordination, technical direction, or integration of results into agency decision workflows. The eligible applicant category is public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and the announcement indicates a single-source cooperative agreement with the University of Alaska, meaning the opportunity is structured around the established BOEM-UA partnership rather than open competition among many institutions. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.421, with an award ceiling of $250,000. The funding opportunity number is M24AS00303, and the original closing date is May 2, 2024. Overall, the grant is designed to produce applied, decision-relevant science for Lower Cook Inlet that helps BOEM anticipate and manage environmental and human-environment effects associated with offshore energy and mineral activities in Alaska.Apply for M24AS00303
- The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "AK-24-03: Alaska Coastal Marine Institute" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.421.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-04-02.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-05-02. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): AK-24-03 Alaska Coastal Marine Institute (CMI) - BOEM
What is the AK-24-03 Alaska Coastal Marine Institute (CMI) funding opportunity?
AK-24-03 is a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) funding announcement that supports targeted research in Alaska marine and coastal environments tied to offshore energy and mineral activities on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). It operates through the Alaska Coastal Marine Institute (CMI), which is the mechanism BOEM uses to work directly with University of Alaska (UA) researchers to produce science that informs BOEM decision-making in Alaska.
Which federal agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), within the U.S. Department of the Interior.
What is CMI and how does it relate to BOEM?
CMI (the Alaska Coastal Marine Institute) is the established program mechanism that enables BOEM to collaborate directly with University of Alaska researchers. The partnership dates back to a 1993 Memorandum of Agreement between BOEM and UA.
Why does BOEM fund research like this?
BOEM manages OCS energy and mineral development with environmental and economic responsibility. Its Environmental Studies Program, required under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, produces the science BOEM needs to understand how decisions may affect natural systems and coastal communities, and how impacts can be avoided or reduced. CMI-funded projects are intended to produce defensible, decision-relevant science for BOEM planning, leasing, permitting, and environmental review.
What is the core purpose of this grant?
The core purpose is to fund studies that improve understanding and prediction of environmental, socioeconomic, and cultural processes relevant to offshore activity, especially where information gaps limit sound decision-making for OCS-related actions.
What kinds of projects does BOEM support under this CMI opportunity?
BOEM frames CMI work around several project types: (1) field or observational studies of marine, coastal, or human environments that may be affected by exploration and extraction; (2) modeling efforts to strengthen forecasting of environmental or social outcomes from OCS-related activities; (3) experimental studies that isolate cause-and-effect and explain key processes; (4) projects that build or improve data-sharing mechanisms, protocols, or systems so agencies and stakeholders can access and use reliable information; and (5) synthesis efforts that compile existing scientific and socioeconomic knowledge to provide clear context for OCS decision needs.
What geographic area is emphasized for 2024 proposals?
For 2024, BOEM is specifically requesting proposals focused on the Lower Cook Inlet Planning Area, indicating a near-term management need in that region.
What are the main research themes BOEM is prioritizing?
Within the Lower Cook Inlet Planning Area, BOEM groups priority research needs into three broad themes: (1) fate and effects of contaminants, (2) biology, and (3) marine mammals.
Under "fate and effects of contaminants," what topics are priorities?
BOEM highlights three main priorities: (1) carbonate chemistry and organism responses to assess coastal and ocean acidification risks and impacts on biological resources; (2) improved understanding of oil-spill fate and weathering in open-water and ice conditions, including refinements to spill modeling algorithms used for planning and response; and (3) better characterization of sea-ice structural properties (extent, thickness, movement/velocity, seasonality, frequency of occurrence), with explicit attention to frazil ice and submerged ice due to operational complications and effects on spill behavior and ecosystem exposure.
What biology-focused research is BOEM looking for?
BOEM priorities under the biology theme include: (1) research on how climate change is altering marine ecosystem function; (2) methods to separate natural variability from human-caused impacts in estuarine and marine systems; and (3) studies that clarify immigration and emigration pathways for adult and juvenile salmon, reflecting salmon importance to ecology, subsistence, and regional economies.
What marine mammal research is requested?
BOEM is seeking improved knowledge of when and where baleen whales occur in lower Cook Inlet and Shelikof Strait, along with analyses of vessel-traffic impacts in Cook Inlet on Cook Inlet belugas and other sensitive or protected populations. The announcement emphasizes collision risk and disturbance to critical behaviors such as foraging, breeding, calving, and pupping.
Which protected or sensitive species are specifically mentioned?
The opportunity references Cook Inlet belugas and other sensitive or protected populations, including ESA-listed humpback whale stocks, the Northeast population of fin whales, North Pacific right whales, and the Southwest sea otter population.
Does the opportunity include renewable energy and marine minerals, or only conventional energy?
The announcement indicates BOEM uses CMI science to support Alaska OCS activities that include conventional energy, emerging renewable energy, and potential marine mineral development.
What type of award instrument is expected?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity using a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that the award is a cooperative agreement?
The announcement notes that a cooperative agreement typically means BOEM expects substantial involvement in project coordination, technical direction, or integrating results into BOEM decision workflows.
Who is eligible to apply?
The eligible applicant category is public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.
Is this an open competitive opportunity for multiple universities?
The announcement indicates a single-source cooperative agreement with the University of Alaska, structured around the established BOEM-UA partnership rather than open competition among many institutions.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is M24AS00303.
What CFDA number is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.421.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $250,000.
What is the application closing date?
The original closing date is May 2, 2024.
What outcomes is BOEM trying to achieve with this funding?
The grant is designed to produce applied, decision-relevant science for Lower Cook Inlet that helps BOEM anticipate and manage environmental and human-environment effects associated with offshore energy and mineral activities in Alaska, supporting planning, leasing, permitting, and environmental review.
How does this research connect to BOEM decision-making?
CMI studies are intended to directly inform BOEM planning and regulatory responsibilities by improving understanding of systems that may be affected by OCS activities and by providing tools (like improved models and data systems) and syntheses that support environmental review and impact avoidance or reduction.
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