Funding opportunity: Ship-based Technical Support in the Arctic (STARC)

The NSF Office of Polar Programs is requesting proposals to enhance marine science and technical services provided to NSF-supported research cruises on U.S. Coast Guard cutter (USCGC) Healy. U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) provides basic services that will be augmented by the awardee to the level provided by the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) for supporting academic research.

This solicitation is for an awardee to perform two primary functions:

  1. to plan, coordinate, and deliver science technical support onboard the USCGC Healy, augmenting the role of the USCG marine science technicians 
  2. to coordinate with NSF, USCG, and the academic community to provide for the operation, maintenance and upgrade of science equipment installed or used on the USCGC Healy.

ship USCG Healy in the background
Credit: NyxoLyno Cangemi / U.S. Cost Guard
The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB-20) is in the ice Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018, about 715 miles north of Barrow, Alaska, in the Arctic. The Healy is in the Arctic with a team of about 30 scientists and engineers aboard deploying sensors and autonomous submarines to study stratified ocean dynamics and how environmental factors affect the water below the ice surface for the Office of Naval Research. The Healy, which is homeported in Seattle, is one of two ice breakers in U.S. service and is the only military ship dedicated to conducting research in the Arctic.

The awardee is expected to coordinate support among qualified providers as appropriate for specific cruises, utilizing the capabilities and equipment available through the UNOLS system. Ship-based science support will be planned and provided in close coordination with the research teams and USCG personnel with input and approval from NSF.

The deadline to apply is March 1, 2022. Learn more about the solicitation and how to apply on the STARC solicitation page. 

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