What's Different
For members of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and Earth Institute research communities, submitting proposals to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Global Programs (OGP) through the Cooperative Institute for Climate Applications and Research (CICAR) has specific benefits and requirements.

1) Getting Started
The process for PIs interested in submitting proposals to NOAA under CICAR begins with deciding whether or not a particular research project addresses CICAR research themes:

• Theme I: Earth System Modeling – including but not limited to:
• Developing computer models and methodologies to forecast climate variability
• Using computer models to study the climate system in the past, present, and future
• Studying the role of the oceans in climate

• Theme II: Modern and Paleoclimate Observations – including but not limited to:
• Studying Earth’s climate history by developing, collecting, analyzing, and archiving of paleoclimate data such as marine sediments, tree rings, corals, and glaciers
• Collecting and analyzing modern ocean observations to understand ocean processes and to improve ocean models

• Theme III: Climate Variability and Change Application Research – including but not limited to:
• Providing climate information for decision makers in the areas of health, policy, water resources, and agriculture
• Studying the communication between forecasters and users of forecasts to develop tools and ways of communicating climate information to the user community

Before preparing a formal proposal to NOAA, the PIs are encouraged to consult with the CICAR director to make a determination as to the appropriateness of proposals to be channeled through CICAR.

NOTE: PIs are advised to contact their Division Administrator for proposal submission guidelines in accordance with the LDEO Office of Contracts and Grants requirements.

2) Benefits
CICAR’s research partnership with NOAA allows for greater funding liquidity for individual PI proposals.

PIs submitting proposals to NOAA under CICAR are considered Federal Applicants and, as such, are exempt from filing the government forms (#424 Application for Federal Assistance, Certification of Debarment, and #424A Budget Information) required of non-Federal Applicants

NOTE: The Lamont office of contracts and grants maintains stewardship for all cicar proposals.

3) Requirements
Proposals funded under CICAR have specific reporting requirements:

• CICAR’s Joint Institute Annual Performance Report is due at NOAA offices September 30 of each year through 2008
• For each award, the PI is responsible for preparing a brief project performance report containing:
• A comparison of the actual accomplishments to the objectives established for the period
• The reasons for the slippage if established objectives were not met
• The reporting period for this requirement shall mean annually (or any portion thereof) through June 30
• Your project performance report is due August 1 of each year and may be sent directly to the CICAR director

NOTE: The June 30 reporting requirement is in addition to other reports that may be requested by your Federal Program Manager. If an annual report is submitted to a Federal Program Manager, you may use it as a basis for the CICAR report.