NT-24-01: National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil Spill Occurrence Rates | M24AS00313

Opportunity Information: Apply for M24AS00313

NT-24-01: National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil Spill Occurrence Rates (Funding Opportunity Number M24AS00313) is a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) discretionary funding opportunity that will be awarded as a cooperative agreement under CFDA 15.423 (Environment). The project centers on updating and improving the national data and analytics BOEM relies on to understand how often oil spills occur in offshore energy activities and related transport, and what factors are driving those spills over time. The work is meant to strengthen federal spill-risk assessment, improve preparedness and response planning, and support better-targeted regulatory decisions by grounding them in current, quality-controlled spill occurrence rates.

The study has three main goals. First, it aims to update oil spill rates for key sources relevant to offshore operations: OCS platforms, OCS pipelines, and U.S. barges. Second, it seeks to deliver spill information that can be used directly in BOEMs Offshore Environmental Cost Model (OECM), which depends on credible spill frequency and exposure data when estimating potential environmental and economic consequences. Third, it requires analysis of spill trends and causal (the announcement spells it as "casual") factors, meaning the project should not only refresh the numbers but also examine what is changing over time and why spill frequency or size may be shifting.

The specific scope of work is data-heavy and method-focused. Applicants are expected to compile oil spill data and perform quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) to ensure the dataset is complete, consistent, and defensible. The project then calls for examining historical spill occurrences alongside the volume of oil handled, which is essential because spill rates are typically interpreted relative to how much product is produced, transported, or otherwise moved through the system. In addition to volume handled, the study must analyze other potential exposure variables (for example, operational activity measures or infrastructure factors) that could help explain differences in spill likelihood across time, regions, or asset types. Using these exposure measures, the project must estimate spill occurrence rates and normalize them, such as expressing spills per unit volume handled and potentially per other exposure metrics, to make comparisons more meaningful and reduce distortion from changes in activity levels. Finally, the work must include analyses of trends and contributing factors, provide the relevant inputs or summaries needed for the OECM, and produce a final report that is Section 508 compliant and formatted to BOEM specifications (meaning it must be accessible to users with disabilities and follow federal accessibility standards).

Eligibility is tied to BOEMs authority under the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, which allows BOEM to enter into cooperative agreements with states affected by OCS energy development and, under 43 U.S.C. 1457(b), with a state or political subdivision (including agencies) or an eligible not-for-profit organization when the agreement serves mutual interests in carrying out BOEM programs and when all parties contribute resources toward the objectives. Consistent with that authority, the opportunity is open to state governments, public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, and nonprofits with IRS 501(c)(3) status other than institutions of higher education, as well as certain other eligible entities as described in the notice. BOEM also signals a preference for cooperative research arrangements, encouraging partnerships among state agencies, public universities, and nonprofits in affected states. Other non-federal organizations may participate as partners, but their roles, tasks, and budgets are expected to be fully integrated into the primary applicants proposal.

A key staffing requirement is that the applying organization must provide a staff member to serve as the Principal Investigator (PI). That implies BOEM expects the lead institution to maintain direct accountability for technical leadership, deliverables, and coordination with BOEM under the cooperative agreement model, which generally involves substantial federal involvement compared to a standard grant.

Key administrative details include an original closing date of August 2, 2024, an award ceiling of $485,000, and an opportunity category of discretionary. The opportunity was created June 3, 2024, and is administered by BOEM. Overall, the grant is geared toward producing an updated, quality-controlled national spill dataset and a set of normalized spill occurrence rates and trend analyses that BOEM can immediately use in its modeling, risk assessment, and offshore spill management decision-making.

• The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in the environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NT-24-01: National Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil Spill Occurrence Rates" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 15.423.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-06-03.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-08-02. (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 $485,000.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Others.

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