Request for Proposals
Operating in the Arctic: Supporting USCG Challenges through Research
National Center for Island, Maritime, and Extreme Environment Security
Initial submission deadline: Tuesday, 22 February 2011
For further information, please go to:
https://www.hsuniversityprograms.org/arcticworkshop.cfm
Or contact:
Margo Edwards
Email: margo [at] soest.hawaii.edu
The National Center for Island, Maritime, and Extreme Environment
Security (CIMES), based at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, announces
a competitive research opportunity to address maritime domain awareness
(MDA) challenges. This effort, entitled "Operating in the Arctic:
Supporting USCG Challenges through Research" and sponsored by the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), invites qualified researchers to
propose innovative research that will enable maritime stakeholders to
achieve greater situational awareness within the arctic maritime domain,
including the Bering Strait.
One of the greatest capability gaps in the Arctic Ocean remains the lack
of MDA in this remote and inhospitable environment. Although increased
awareness may be achieved through regulatory measures (e.g., required
Automatic Identification System and Long Range Identification and
Tracking) for adventurers, maritime stakeholders remain challenged in
their ability to detect hazards and law enforcement struggles to carry
out Search and Rescue (SAR) operations in a timely manner or to respond
to other maritime events. CIMES endorses MDA approaches with wide
mission appeal, especially focused on sensors for improved MDA, research
and development to support oil spill technology in the Arctic, and
enhanced communications for effective high latitude maritime operations.
CIMES encourages proposals for research that will minimize technological
risk, for example by integrating sensors that are already in place and
linking them to ongoing research projects. Research and development
approaches for communications, including fusing information into a
useable Common Operating Picture, are also encouraged. Proposals should
specifically address improving MDA and oil spill detection, tracking,
and recovery in the Arctic. The total anticipated funding for this
announcement is $600,000 for one to five research projects.
There will be a two-stage application process. Initial submissions will
consist of a white paper wherein research ideas are outlined and
collaborations defined. This white paper must not exceed three pages in
length including any figures and references. No attachments will be
allowed. The white paper will define the research areas to be addressed,
the approaches to be undertaken, and the estimated cost and duration of
the project. The skill sets of key participants are to be summarized and
potential links to other disciplines identified. White papers must be
submitted in PDF electronic format to CIMES via email
(arctic [at] cimes.hawaii.edu) by 5:00 p.m. HST on Tuesday, 22 February 2011.
Applicants are encouraged to review the discussions and results of a
workshop sponsored by DHS that identified user requirements and possible
scientific solutions to capability gaps. Further information is
available at: https://www.hsuniversityprograms.org/arcticworkshop.cfm.
No more than ten of the first-round white papers will be invited to
submit a full proposal. Invitations from the CIMES office to write full
proposals will be given no later than 7 March 2011. Full proposals,
including a detailed budget, will be due 8 April 2011. Details for the
Round 2 proposals will be provided to successful first-round applicants.
A panel of internal and external reviewers, including maritime
stakeholders, will evaluate the final proposals. The following are the
merit-based criteria for evaluation during both stages of the
application process: relevance (weighting 25%), scientific quality
(25%), feasibility (25%), appropriateness of budget (15%), and
qualifications of proposed investigators (10%). CIMES will forward the
best proposals to DHS, which will evaluate the proposals based on
mission relevance.
Initial submission deadline: Tuesday, 22 February 2011.
For further information, please go to:
https://www.hsuniversityprograms.org/arcticworkshop.cfm.
Or contact:
Margo Edwards
Email: margo [at] soest.hawaii.edu