The West Florida mapping project was re-developed into a new RFP (III.5) in November 2019 in order to refine the goals to include framework development and a Gulf-wide focus. A single Center of Excellence was awarded to develop this framework.
RFP III was announced in January 2019 for $2 million in Centers of Excellence grants across three RA disciplines. As in prior RFPs, disciplines 2 and 5 were eligible, with the addition of RA 1 (Coastal and deltaic sustainability, restoration, and protection, including solutions and technology that allow citizens to live in a safe and sustainable manner in a coastal delta in the Gulf Coast Region).
Announced in 2016, RFP II focused on funding one Center of Excellence grant for a collaborative effort between researchers, managers, fishing stakeholders, and a non-profit that addressed RA discipline 5. The PMT refined the goal to prioritize activities contributing to marine fisheries management in order to complement RFP I and target limited program resources.
RFP I was released in February 2015 to address coastal fisheries, and wildlife ecosystem research and monitoring in the Gulf Coast Region.