This measure captures a range of efforts by NOAA’s Aquaculture Program that together will lead to a more efficient federal permitting process. These efforts include: working with federal partners under the White House/OSTP's Subcommittee on Aquaculture to coordinate and streamline inter-agency permitting, working with industry partners to establish and manage offshore aquaculture pilot projects, conducting spatial analysis and developing siting tools, developing engineering solutions, efforts to assess and reduce risk (e.g., entanglement) from aquaculture operations, conducting programmatic environmental reviews to reduce burden on individual applicants, and drafting/revising guidance to permit applicants to improve application quality. We will also continue to support, as requested, any Congressional initiative to develop aquaculture legislation.

Deploy, maintain, and operate the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) - a mission critical, prioritized, nationwide interoperable broadband network for first responders throughout the nation, with adoption by firefighters, paramedics, law enforcement officers, and other public safety personnel.

This measure shows the number of environmental reviews (ESA Section 7 formal consultation, MMPA incidental harassment authorization, EFH consultation) that exceed regulatory, statutory, or otherwise agreed-upon deadlines. Under the ESA and MSA, Federal agencies must consult with NOAA when any project or action might affect an ESA-listed marine species or a critical habitat. Under the MMPA, NMFS issues incidental harassment authorizations, which allow for the otherwise prohibited incidental “take” of marine mammals resulting from lawful activities (such as military readiness training, seismic surveys, or coastal construction).

The indicator reflects how well the focus area of the manufacturing USA (formerly National Network for Manufacturing Innovation) Institutes matches a real national need and is intended to measure the extent to which the industrial partners perceive that they are receiving value from the existence of the Institute. Non-Federal partners dedicate resources when they believe that there will be economic benefit. Non-Federal sources include industry partners of all sizes, state and local governments, economic development entities, institutions of higher education, private organizations and individuals. Investment includes cash and in-kind resources provided.

The number of new and existing minority business enterprises (MBE) assisted through an MBDA program. A MBE is a business enterprise that is at least 51% owned and controlled by one or more socially or economically disadvantaged individual; and the management and daily business operations of which are controlled by one or more socially or economically disadvantaged individuals.

Deploy, maintain, and operate the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) - a mission critical, prioritized, nationwide interoperable broadband network for first responders throughout the nation, with adoption by firefighters, paramedics, law enforcement officers, and other public safety personnel.

Transition Federal users from the 1755-1780 band in a timely manner in order to facilitate access for commercial wireless services (e.g., 5G), which provide great benefit to our Nation’s economy and quality of life.

An Economic Benefit is a dollar value of all financial/contractual transactions, capacity investments and increases in sales to MBEs via the assistance of MBDA programs, services and resources.