National Oceanographic Partnership Program
Encyclopedia
The National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) is an innovative collaboration of U.S. federal government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...

 agencies that fund research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...

 partnerships in academia
Academia
Academia is the community of students and scholars engaged in higher education and research.-Etymology:The word comes from the akademeia in ancient Greece. Outside the city walls of Athens, the gymnasium was made famous by Plato as a center of learning...

, government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...

, industry
Industry
Industry refers to the production of an economic good or service within an economy.-Industrial sectors:There are four key industrial economic sectors: the primary sector, largely raw material extraction industries such as mining and farming; the secondary sector, involving refining, construction,...

, and non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...

s.

NOPP adds integrative value to the individual oceanography
Oceanography
Oceanography , also called oceanology or marine science, is the branch of Earth science that studies the ocean...

 (ocean science), resource management
Resource management
In organizational studies, resource management is the efficient and effective deployment of an organization's resources when they are needed. Such resources may include financial resources, inventory, human skills, production resources, or information technology...

 and ocean education missions of the federal agencies and their partners in common pursuit of the wise use of the ocean
Ocean
An ocean is a major body of saline water, and a principal component of the hydrosphere. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by ocean, a continuous body of water that is customarily divided into several principal oceans and smaller seas.More than half of this area is over 3,000...

s and the maintenance of their health.

Overview

NOPP was established by the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....

 Public Law 104-201 in Fiscal Year 1997 for two general purposes:
  • To promote the national goals of assuring national security
    National security
    National security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the state through the use of economic, diplomacy, power projection and political power. The concept developed mostly in the United States of America after World War II...

    , advancing economic development
    Economic development
    Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...

    , protecting quality of life
    Quality of life
    The term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, and politics. Quality of life should not be confused with the concept of standard of...

    , and strengthening science education and communication through improved knowledge of the ocean; and
  • To coordinate and strengthen oceanographic efforts in support of those goals by:
    • identifying and carrying out partnerships among federal agencies, academia, industry, and other members of the oceanographic scientific community in the areas of data, resources, education, and communication, and
    • reporting annually to Congress on the Program.


The National Oceanographic Partnership Program Office (NOPPO) was set up to assist in the management of NOPP and provide daily administrative support. Using competitive procedures, a contract for the operation of the NOPPO was awarded to the Consortium for Ocean Leadership in 2008.

Strategic plan

The NOPP Ten-Year Strategic Plan identifies four goals, to be completed in 2014, on which NOPP has already taken significant action:
  • Achieve and Sustain an Integrated Ocean Observing System
    Integrated Ocean Observing System
    The Integrated Ocean Observing System is an organization of systems that routinely and continuously provides quality controlled data and information on current and future states of the oceans and Great Lakes from the global scale of ocean basins to local scales of coastal ecosystems...

     (IOOS)
  • Promote Lifelong Ocean Education
  • Modernize Ocean Infrastructure
    Infrastructure
    Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...

     and Enhance Technology Development
  • Foster Interagency Partnerships to Increase and Apply Scientific Knowledge

Purpose

NOPP brings together the public and private sectors to support large, comprehensive projects to promote sharing of resources, and to foster community-wide innovative advances in ocean science, technology, and education. On average, 11 new projects are started each year. Since 1997, NOPP has invested more than $310 million to support 132 research and education projects involving more than 250 public and private institutions. A comparable amount of in-kind
Gifts in kind
Gifts in kind is a kind of charitable giving in which, instead of giving money to buy needed goods and services, the goods and services themselves are given. The motivations for GIK vary, but include:...

 support has been committed by the research and education community.
NOPP promotes lifelong education. It sponsors the National Ocean Sciences Bowl
National Ocean Sciences Bowl
The National Ocean Sciences Bowl is a national, high-school science competition sponsored by the National Oceanographic Partnership Program and managed by the which started in the 1970s. It uses a quiz-bowl format, with lockout buzzers and extended team challenge questions to test students on...

, a national academic competition for high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....

 students conducted by the Consortium for Ocean Leadership. The NOSB competition is intended to increase knowledge of the oceans on the part of high school students, their teachers, and communities.

Modernizing ocean infrastructure is another high priority of NOPP. The federal oceanographic research and survey fleet consists of sophisticated research vessel
Research vessel
A research vessel is a ship designed and equipped to carry out research at sea. Research vessels carry out a number of roles. Some of these roles can be combined into a single vessel, others require a dedicated vessel...

s that permit scientists to survey and conduct research on the complex ocean, seafloor
Seabed
The seabed is the bottom of the ocean.- Ocean structure :Most of the oceans have a common structure, created by common physical phenomena, mainly from tectonic movement, and sediment from various sources...

, and sub-sea floor environment. The fleet capacity and capabilities must be evaluated to see how they can support agency missions and national priorities. In 2007, NOPP published and widely disseminated the Federal Oceanographic Fleet Status Report.

Governance

NOPP is governed by the National Ocean Research Leadership Council (NORLC), whose activities and functions merged in April 2007 with the Interagency Committee for Ocean Science and Resource Management Integration (ICOSRMI), which was established in December 2004 upon release of the Ocean Action Plan.

The ICOSRMI, which consists of federal agencies involved in conducting or funding ocean research, developing ocean research policy, and managing ocean-related resources, is charged with establishing NOPP policies and implementing its procedures, including projecting selection, fund allocation, and maintaining four different bureaus:
  • The Interagency Working Group on Ocean Partnerships (IWG-OP) plans and implements partnerships among federal agencies relating to research opportunities, such as publication of annual broad-agency funding announcements and managing of research awards. Using the guidance provided by Charting the Course for Ocean Science in the United States for the Next Decade: An Ocean Research Priorities Plan and Implementation Strategy, the IWG-OP continues to use NOPP as a standing forum for discussion of ideas and priorities within that report.
  • The Interagency Working Group on Facilities (IWG-F) reviews and evaluates federal infrastructure regarding facilities, such as ships, necessary to conduct ocean research and observation. This group also evaluates future needs and plans for future investments in ocean-related facilities.
  • The Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel (ORRAP) was called on in the Ocean Action Plan (OAP) to provide independent advice and guidance to ICOSRMI. Members are individuals from the National Academies, state government, academia, and ocean industries, representing marine science, marine policy, and other related fields, which now specifically include resource management.
  • The NOPP Program Office is overseen by the IWG-OP, which speaks on behalf of the ICOSRMI. The NOPP Office serves four main functions to the NOPP: meeting support for NOPP committees, project management
    Project management
    Project management is the discipline of planning, organizing, securing, and managing resources to achieve specific goals. A project is a temporary endeavor with a defined beginning and end , undertaken to meet unique goals and objectives, typically to bring about beneficial change or added value...

    , reporting on NOPP annually to Congress, and NOPP outreach.

Funded projects

Overall investment in NOPP-funded activities has increased significantly since the program’s inception in 1997 to more than $310M total. Since FY 1997, NOPP has funded 132 projects, including 21 renewal projects.

Using a peer review
Peer review
Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility...

 process, NOPP identifies and funds the most scientifically and technically meritorious research that clearly demonstrates public-private partnership
Public-private partnership
Public–private partnership describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more private sector companies...

s in the areas of interest each year.

In FY 2008, 11 research projects were funded on three topics:
  • Sensors for Measurement of Biological, Bio-Optical or Chemical Properties of the Ocean
  • Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)
  • Exploration and Research of Northern Gulf of Mexico
    Gulf of Mexico
    The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...

     Deepwater Natural and Artificial Hard Bottom Habitats with Emphasis on Coral Communities: Reefs, Rigs and Wrecks.


Descriptions of NOPP-funded projects can be found online http://www.nopp.org/Dev2Go.web?id=205279.

Participating agencies

  • Executive Office of the President
    • Council on Environmental Quality
      Council on Environmental Quality
      The Council on Environmental Quality is a division of the Executive Office of the President that coordinates federal environmental efforts in the United States and works closely with agencies and other White House offices in the development of environmental and energy policies and initiatives...

    • Office of Management and Budget
    • Office of Science and Technology Policy
      Office of Science and Technology Policy
      The Office of Science and Technology Policy is an office in the Executive Office of the President , established by Congress on May 11, 1976, with a broad mandate to advise the President on the effects of science and technology on domestic and international affairs.The director of this office is...

    • United States Domestic Policy Council
      United States Domestic Policy Council
      The Domestic Policy Council of the United States is the principal forum used by the President of the United States for considering domestic policy matters, excluding economic matters, which are the domain of the National Economic Council...

  • Marine Mammal Commission
    Marine Mammal Commission
    The Marine Mammal Commission is an independent agency of the U.S. government, established under Title II of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.The Marine Mammal Commission provides independent oversight of the marine mammal conservation policies and programs being carried out by other American...

  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • National Science Foundation
    National Science Foundation
    The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...

  • Smithsonian Institution
    Smithsonian Institution
    The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...

  • United States Arctic Research Commission
  • United States Department of Agriculture
    United States Department of Agriculture
    The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...

  • United States Department of Commerce
    United States Department of Commerce
    The United States Department of Commerce is the Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with promoting economic growth. It was originally created as the United States Department of Commerce and Labor on February 14, 1903...

    • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
      National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
      The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...

  • United States Department of Defense
    United States Department of Defense
    The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...

    • United States Army Corps of Engineers
      United States Army Corps of Engineers
      The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...

    • United States Coast Guard
      United States Coast Guard
      The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...

    • Joint Chiefs of Staff
      Joint Chiefs of Staff
      The Joint Chiefs of Staff is a body of senior uniformed leaders in the United States Department of Defense who advise the Secretary of Defense, the Homeland Security Council, the National Security Council and the President on military matters...

    • Office of Naval Research
      Office of Naval Research
      The Office of Naval Research , headquartered in Arlington, Virginia , is the office within the United States Department of the Navy that coordinates, executes, and promotes the science and technology programs of the U.S...

  • United States Department of Energy
    United States Department of Energy
    The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...

  • United States Department of Health and Human Services
    United States Department of Health and Human Services
    The United States Department of Health and Human Services is a Cabinet department of the United States government with the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is "Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America"...

    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
      Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
      The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are a United States federal agency under the Department of Health and Human Services headquartered in Druid Hills, unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, in Greater Atlanta...

    • Food and Drug Administration
      Food and Drug Administration
      The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...

  • United States Department of Homeland Security
    United States Department of Homeland Security
    The United States Department of Homeland Security is a cabinet department of the United States federal government, created in response to the September 11 attacks, and with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the United States and protectorates from and responding to...

    • National Institutes of Health
      National Institutes of Health
      The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...

  • United States Department of Interior
    • Minerals Management Service
      Minerals Management Service
      The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement , formerly known as the Minerals Management Service , was an agency of the United States Department of the Interior that managed the nation's natural gas, oil and other mineral resources on the outer continental shelf...

    • United States Geological Survey
      United States Geological Survey
      The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...

  • United States Department of Justice
    United States Department of Justice
    The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...

  • United States Department of State
    United States Department of State
    The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...

  • United States Department of Transportation
    United States Department of Transportation
    The United States Department of Transportation is a federal Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transportation. It was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, and began operation on April 1, 1967...

    • United States Maritime Administration
  • United States Environmental Protection Agency
    United States Environmental Protection Agency
    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...


See also

  • Census of Marine Life
    Census of Marine Life
    The Census of Marine Life was a global network of researchers in more than 80 nations engaged in a 10-year scientific initiative to assess and explain the diversity, distribution, and abundance of life in the oceans...

  • GOOS
    GOOS
    GOOS is a global system for sustained observations of the ocean comprising the oceanographic component of the Global Earth Observing System of Systems...

  • Integrated Ocean Drilling Program
    Integrated Ocean Drilling Program
    The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program is an international marine research program. The program uses heavy drilling equipment mounted aboard ships to monitor and sample sub-seafloor environments...

  • Integrated Ocean Observing System
    Integrated Ocean Observing System
    The Integrated Ocean Observing System is an organization of systems that routinely and continuously provides quality controlled data and information on current and future states of the oceans and Great Lakes from the global scale of ocean basins to local scales of coastal ecosystems...

  • Joint Ocean Commission Initiative
    Joint Ocean Commission Initiative
    The Joint Ocean Commission Initiative is a bipartisan, collaborative group in the United States that aims to "accelerate the pace of change that results in meaningful ocean policy reform." The Joint initiative was established by the members of two major U.S.-based oceans commissions: the Pew...

  • National Ocean Sciences Bowl
    National Ocean Sciences Bowl
    The National Ocean Sciences Bowl is a national, high-school science competition sponsored by the National Oceanographic Partnership Program and managed by the which started in the 1970s. It uses a quiz-bowl format, with lockout buzzers and extended team challenge questions to test students on...

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