Adam RollinsThis story was originally published in the Government Contracting Pipeline newsletter from Strategic Partnerships, Inc. To have the latest government contracting news stories from across the country delivered straight to your inbox, click here to subscribe.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Department of Commerce (DOC) will distribute $101.5 million to modernize U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Regional Associations.
IOOS provides critical data collection along ocean, coastal and Great Lakes waters. Regional associations use this data to increase coastal community resilience and address climate change. The funds will help expand the capabilities of community partners to make sure all collected data is freely available.
Some of the notable recipients receiving funding include:
The Mid-Atlantic Regional Association Coastal Ocean Observing System (MARACOOS) will receive $48.8 million to support two initiatives. MARACOOS will allocate $43.8 million toward establishing itself as a national coordination point for all IOOS Regional Associations. As the coordination point, MARACOOS will support efforts in ecosystem change management and place-based planning, water level and wave observation and monitoring, and optimization of product development and delivery.
The remaining $5 million will strengthen data information delivery services and equitable service delivery for coastal resilience needs across 10 states. Plans include expanding ocean acidification and water quality sensing for ocean forecasting systems, developing tailored community-driven data tools and expanding the communications program.
The Alaska Ocean Observing System will use $7.7 million for two initiatives. The association will start with a $5 million effort to support community-led and co-developed projects. Plans include deploying buoys and moorings, providing workshop and monitoring support for harmful algal blooms and fisheries, supporting regional observing networks and data management. The remaining $2.7 million will fill gaps in the Alaska Water Level Watch Network. The association will expand tool coverage for converting elevation data into a common reference system.
The Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System (GCOOS) will spend $5 million to support projects in and around the Gulf of Mexico. The association will fill observation gaps in existing networks, build additional asset networks and enhance regional technical capacity to improve coastal resilience. Projects will include equipping frontline and Indigenous communities with data about coastal dangers and developing multilingual program materials.
Photo courtesy Toby Speight
