Seabed Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization in the Pacific

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Office of Ocean and Polar Affairs, is offering the Seabed Mapping, Exploration, and Characterization in the Pacific funding opportunity under opportunity number DFOP0019432 and Assistance Listing Number 19.017. The program is funded with FY25 Economic Support Funds under the Foreign Assistance Act and is part of a broader U.S. Government initiative undertaken with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Department of the Interior. The initiative is intended to advance seabed mapping and exploration in Pacific Island Countries, provide environmental baseline information, locate and characterize habitats and resources within national jurisdiction, support ocean resource management, and strengthen regulatory frameworks. Priority countries include the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Tonga, and other Pacific Island Countries. The project goal is to support responsible seabed mineral management in the Central and Western Pacific by generating high-quality scientific data that Pacific Island Country governments can use to assess and make informed decisions on private sector seabed mineral development applications. Activities may include ocean mapping, seabed and water column exploration, habitat and resource characterization, environmental studies, and data management and analysis. The selected U.S.-based entity is expected, in coordination with relevant U.S. Government agencies, to complete two to four mapping and exploration expeditions and deliver resulting data to Pacific Island Country governments and the U.S. Government. Objectives also include strengthening government capacity to assess, approve, and oversee private sector seabed exploration applications and establishing partnerships among U.S. private sector entities, Pacific Island Country governments, and the U.S. Government. The Department anticipates one to three cooperative agreement awards, with individual awards ranging from $2 million to $7 million and total available funding of $7 million, subject to availability of funds. The anticipated project period is September 30, 2026 through March 30, 2031, and proposed projects should be completed in 54 months or less. Cost sharing or matching is not required and is not an eligibility factor. Voluntary cost sharing is permitted, but it will not result in a more favorable competitive ranking. Funding restrictions include prohibitions on construction or renovations, projects primarily intended for the applicant's institutional growth, projects seeking funds for personal use, profit under the award, generally expenses outside the approved period of performance, certain advocacy activities, alcoholic beverages, and unapproved entertainment costs. Funds also may not be made available to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, and additional federal compliance requirements apply. Eligible applicants are U.S.-based for-profit organizations or businesses, U.S.-based public, private, or state educational institutions, and U.S.-based nonprofit organizations, including think tanks and civil society or nongovernmental organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status. For-profit applicants may be subject to additional review and may not earn profit under the assistance award. Applicants must have a Unique Entity Identifier and valid SAM.gov registration unless an applicable exemption is approved. Only one proposal may be submitted per organization; if an organization submits more than one proposal, all proposals from that institution will be considered ineligible. Applicants must not have a disqualifying SAM.gov exclusion or current debt to the U.S. Government. They must also have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships and relevant in-country relationships and must demonstrate experience administering successful and preferably similar projects. Prior seabed mapping, deep-sea exploration, or characterization experience in the Central or Western Pacific is expected. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov or MyGrants. Required materials include the applicable SF-424 forms, a summary page of no more than one page, a proposal of no more than 15 pages, a detailed line-item budget where applicable, a separate budget justification narrative, one-page CVs or resumes for key personnel, applicable partner letters of support, and the latest Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement when NICRA charges are included. The proposal must address the proposal summary, organizational experience, problem statement, measurable goals and objectives, activities, methods and design, schedule and timeline, key personnel, project partners, monitoring and evaluation, risk analysis, and sustainability. Applications and supporting documents must be in English, budgets must be in U.S. dollars, pages must be numbered, and the specified page, font, spacing, and margin requirements must be followed. Eligible applications first undergo a Technical Eligibility Review and then a Merit Review Panel scored on a 100-point scale. Review criteria are Quality and Feasibility of the Program Idea, 30 points; Organizational Capacity and Record on Previous Grants, 20 points; Program Planning and Ability to Achieve Objectives, 15 points; Monitoring and Evaluation Plan, 15 points; Budget, 10 points; and Sustainability, 10 points. Equivalent scores may be resolved by preference for the applicant with the lower indirect cost rate. The Department also conducts a risk review addressing financial stability, management systems and standards, performance history, audit findings, and ability to implement award requirements. Final selection authority resides with an OES senior-level official, and decisions may also consider programmatic and policy alignment and geographic distribution. Applications are due August 14, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. The notice states that questions and answers or FAQs will be posted on Grants.gov and MyGrants on August 10, 2026 and, in the submission section, states that questions must be submitted by August 7, 2026. A later section states a question submission deadline of August 14, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST, creating an internal inconsistency in the notice; applicants should rely on the earlier August 7 date unless the Department provides an official clarification or update. Grant application and technical submission questions may be directed to Corinna Anderson at andersoncb@state.gov and Andrew Judaprawira at judaprawiraaj@state.gov. Grants.gov technical support is available at support@grants.gov or +1 (800) 518-4726, and the MyGrants ILMS help desk is available at +1 (888) 313-4567. Unsuccessful applicants are expected to be notified by August 31, 2026. The anticipated project start date is September 30, 2026, and the notice does not state that this funding opportunity recurs on an annual, biennial, quarterly, or other regular schedule.

Ensure strong technical expertise in seabed exploration and demonstrate partnerships with Pacific Island stakeholders; align proposal with stated evaluation criteria including feasibility and measurable outcomes; provide detailed budget justification and monitoring plan