Interagency Partnerships
Collaborative leadership driving the success of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System through strategic partnerships across federal agencies, research institutions, and international organizations.
Interagency Ocean Observation Committee (IOOC)
The Interagency Ocean Observation Committee (IOOC) is currently managed by the Consortium for Ocean Leadership. The IOOC provides critical leadership and coordination for the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS).
IOOS Summit 2012
In November 2012, the IOOC convened the U.S. IOOS Summit to reflect on a decade of progress since the Ocean.US Workshop in 2002, which first laid the groundwork for IOOS. With a solid foundation in place, the Summit focused on planning for the next decade across technical, scientific, and management areas.
Ocean Policy Committee (OPC)
The Ocean Policy Committee (OPC) coordinates federal action on ocean matters. Led by the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality, it brings together federal agencies to advance ocean science, technology, and policy.
Key Responsibilities:
- Engages and collaborates with the ocean community
- Coordinates federal activities in ocean and coastal waters
- Identifies priority ocean science and technology needs
- Coordinates resources and expertise to improve federal investments
National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP)
The National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) supports collaborative research across federal, state, tribal, academic, private, and nonprofit sectors. NOPP helps coordinate interagency initiatives in ocean research and education.
Formerly operating under the Interagency Working Group on Ocean Partnerships (IWG-OP), NOPP became an independent interagency committee in 2015. It now works closely with the Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology (SOST) to identify and lead collaborative research priorities.
NOPP Biodiversity Ad-Hoc Group
Formed in 2008, the Biodiversity Ad-Hoc Group—now a
subcommittee under NOPP—is co-chaired by US IOOS, NASA, and BOEM. The group meets quarterly to:
- Advance U.S. and global Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON) initiatives
- Coordinate investments in marine biological observing systems
- Enhance access to biological data
Ongoing Agenda Items
Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS)
U.S. Animal Telemetry Network
Deep-sea corals and 'omics communities
Collaboration and Funding
Since 2009, IOOS has worked closely with NOPP to support interagency funding announcements on shared priorities, host community-wide MBON discussions, and guide development in marine sensor technologies.
Key Milestone Efforts:
2010
NOPP-IOOS Funding Announcement
Expanded regional coastal and ocean observing capabilities
2013
NOPP-MBON Announcement
Piloted long-term biodiversity monitoring initiatives