Science Support Office for the International Ocean Discovery Program

The International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) will serve to advance basic research in the marine geosciences and will be supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and several international partners.  IODP builds on a rich legacy of scientific ocean drilling pioneered by NSF in the 1960's with the Deep Sea Drilling Project, which provided a test of the plate tectonic hypothesis and a basic reconnaissance of deep sea sediments and crustal rocks.   This was followed in 1985 by the Ocean Drilling Program, which focused on examination of Earth, ocean and climate processes. The current Integrated Ocean Drilling Program commenced in 2003 and has served as an expanded program of scientific ocean drilling based on "Earth, Oceans and Life: Scientific Investigations of the Earth System Using Multiple Drilling Platforms and new Technologies; Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Initial Science Plan, 2003 - 2013" (http://www.iodp.org/initial-science-plan ).  IODP, expected to commence October 1, 2013 with the science plan available at http://www.iodp.org/Science-Plan-for-2013-2023/, builds upon lessons learned in the previous programs to build a multi-platform international program based on cooperation rather than integration. IODP planning for JOIDES Resolution operations will be conducted under a Facilities Governing Board rather than an integrated Science Advisory Structure, and management and funding for JOIDES Resolution operations will occur independently of the other IODP drilling platforms. The Facilities Governing Board (FGB) will be made up of scientists and governmental representatives of nations contributing to JOIDES Resolution operations, as well as representatives of the JOIDES Resolution science operator. The Facilities Governing Board will be advised by a Proposal Evaluation Panel (PEP), a Site Characterization Panel (SCP), and an Environmental Protection and Safety Panel (EPSP), and will be further served by a Site Survey Databank (SSDB). The FGB and its advisory panels will be utilized for proposal review by other science operators in IODP. The IODP Science Support Office will provide logistical support for the Facilities Governing Board and its advisory panels, manage and archive IODP Proposals and oversee their external review, and manage the SSDB.

This solicitation seeks the services of a qualified organization to provide the IODP Science Support Office. The award, to be administered as a Cooperative Agreement, is intended to cover an initial five year period beginning on October 1, 2013.  A Program Review will be held prior to completion of the initial period and the results will guide a decision to re-compete or renew the Cooperative Agreement for a second five year period.