The purpose of this notice is to invite Non-

Governmental Organizations with non-profit 501(c)(3) status, with

expertise and experience in supporting coral reef management in U. S.

and associated waters to submit a multi-year proposal for establishing

a

credit:

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partnership for up to four years with the NOAA CRCP at both a

national and international level to further the conservation of coral

reefs.

This document describes the coral reef conservation partnership

that the CRCP envisions, identifies the qualities that NOAA desires in

a partner, and describes criteria under which

applications will be evaluated for funding consideration.

Partnerships

selected through this notice will be implemented through a multi-year

cooperative agreement of up to four years in length.

CRCP funding of up

to $600,000 pursuant to section 6403 of the Coral Reef Conservation Act

(CRCA) (16 U.S.C.

6401 et seq.) is expected to be available for

initiating this partnership in FY 200 9. Applications must include a

generalized four year work program and a more specific work plan and

budget for activities to be funded in FY 2009, in conformance with the

requirements in Section IV below.

Annual federal CRCP funding is

anticipated to increase up to $1,000,000 for the subsequent three years

of the agreement.

However, annual funding levels and any increases over

FY 2009 levels will be dependent upon future budgets appropriated by

Congress, partnership success, and CRCP annual priorities.

The CRCP

requires the partnership to match NOAA cash contributions at a minimum

of a 1:1 level overall, and will give priority to those partnerships

that can provide cash match for project implementation funds.