15-01-CAC-LGAC-final102014.pdf

OVERVIEW

AGENCY: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

TITLE: Chesapeake Bay Program Office Fiscal Year 2015 Request for Proposals for

Citizens Advisory Committee and Local Government Advisory Committee

Support

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Initial Announcement

RFP NUMBER: EPA-R3-CBP-15-01

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER: 66.466

IMPORTANT DATES

October 14, 2014 Issuance of RFP

December 1, 2014 Proposal Submission Deadline (see Section IV for more information)

December 19, 2014 Approximate date for EPA to notify applicants of results

January 20, 2015 Approximate date for applicant to submit federal cooperative agreement application

March 23, 2015 Approximate date of award

EPA will consider all proposals that are postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service, hand-delivered, sent through an official delivery service (with documentation indicating EPA acceptance from said delivery service), or submitted via Grants.gov on or before 5:00 EST on December 1, 2014.

Any proposals postmarked, hand-delivered, or submitted via http://www.grants.gov/ after the due date and time will not be considered for funding. No proposals will be accepted by facsimile or e-mail.

SUMMARY

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Chesapeake Bay Program Office (CBPO) is announcing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for supporting both the:

1. Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC); and

2. Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC).

The CAC, which is composed of residents and citizen stakeholders, serves to advise the

Chesapeake Executive Council (Executive Council) and the Principals’ Staff Committee (PSC), and provides assistance to the Management Board and all of the Goal Implementation Teams

(GITs) as needed in the implementation of any agreements signed by the Executive Council, including the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement(see http://www.chesapeakebay.net/chesapeakebaywatershedagreement/page).

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.chesapeakebay.net/chesapeakebaywatershedagreement/page

The LGAC, which consists of local elected government officials, serves to advise and provide assistance to the Chesapeake Bay partnership as it relates to increasing local government involvement in the implementation of actions to restore and protect the Chesapeake Bay. As with

CAC, the LGAC advises the Executive Council and PSC while providing assistance to the

Management Board and all GITs as needed.

FUNDING/AWARDS: This RFP will cover the project period up to and including six years from an expected start date of March 23, 2015. CBPO plans to award one cooperative agreement under this RFP. The total estimated funding for six years is approximately $2,100,000 to

$3,300,000, with an estimated $350,000 to $550,000 available for the first year and in each subsequent year. Budgets in subsequent years are expected to increase slightly due to increased travel and personnel costs. This total estimated funding includes $1,050,000 to 1,650,000 for

CAC support (Activity 1) and $1,050,000 to $1,650,000 for LGAC support (Activity 2). There is no guarantee of funding throughout this period or beyond. The final aggregate amount is dependent on the availability of federal funds.

FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

II. Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

IV. Proposal and Submission Information

V. Proposal Review Information

VI. Award Administration Information

VII. Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information (Appendices)

I: FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Background

1. About the Chesapeake Bay Program The Chesapeake Bay is North America's largest and most biologically diverse estuary. A resource of extraordinary productivity, it is worthy of the highest levels of protection and restoration. Authorized by Section 117 of the Clean Water Act, CBP is responsible for supporting the Executive Council through a number of actions, including the coordination of federal, state, and local efforts to restore and protect living resources and water quality of the

Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. Section 117 also authorizes EPA to provide assistance grants to support the goals of the program.

CBP is a unique regional partnership that has led and directed the restoration of the Chesapeake

Bay since 1983. The CBP partners include the seven watershed jurisdictions (Delaware, the

District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia); the

Chesapeake Bay Commission, a tri-state legislative body; EPA, representing the federal http://www.chesapeakebay.net/partnerorganizations.aspx http://www.state.md.us/ http://www.state.pa.us/ http://www.state.va.us/ http://www.chesbay.state.va.us/ government; and participating citizen, local government, and scientific and technical advisory groups.

The CBP partnership is guided at the direction of the Executive Council, which, through its leadership, establishes the policy direction for the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake

Bay and exerts its leadership to rally public support for the Bay effort and signs directives, agreements, and amendments that set goals and guide policy for Chesapeake Bay restoration.

The PSC acts as the senior policy advisors to the Executive Council, accepting items for their consideration and approval and setting agendas for Executive Council meetings. The PSC also provides policy and program direction to the Management Board.

The Management Board provides strategic planning, priority setting, and operational guidance through implementation of a comprehensive, coordinated, accountable implementation strategy for the CBP. It directs and coordinates all of the goal teams and workgroups under it.

The GITs include federal and non-federal experts from throughout the watershed. Thus, academic experts, advocacy organizations, and others become active members of the broad restoration partnership.

As described above, the CBP partners include federal agencies, seven watershed jurisdictions, and many non-federal organizations; however, work funded under this RFP will support the seven watershed jurisdictions and other non-federal partners.

Pursuant to Section 117(b)(2) of the Clean Water Act, 33 USC 1267 (b)(2), CBPO is the office within EPA charged with providing support to the Council in the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay. CBPO and CBP mentioned above are two distinct entities.

2. 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and Executive Order 13508

On June 16, 2014, the Chesapeake Executive Council, CBP’s governing body signed a new voluntary Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement that will guide the CBP partnership’s work into the future. For the first time, Delaware, New York, and West Virginia signed the agreement as full CBP partners in the overall effort. This agreement is one of the most comprehensive restoration plans developed for the Chesapeake region, providing greater transparency and accountability of all CBP partners. With 10 interrelated goals and 31 outcomes, this watershed-wide accord advances the restoration, conservation, and protection of all the lands and waters within the 64,000-square-mile watershed by promoting sound land use, environmental literacy, stewardship, and a diversity of engaged citizens. Additionally, the goals and outcomes aim to better protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay's living resources, water quality, and vital habitats.

President Obama’s Executive Order (EO) 13508, issued in May 2009, called for a new strategy and a “new era of shared federal leadership” for restoring and protecting the Chesapeake Bay.

When it was issued, the EO strategy built upon existing CBP goals and identified a set of goals and outcome measures. Since that time, federal and CBP jurisdictional partners worked collaboratively to better align the EO and CBP partnership’s goals, the results of which are reflected in the new Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.

This cooperative agreement will help fulfill the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement commitments as described by the Stewardship Goal and its Citizen Stewardship and Local

Leadership outcomes.

B. Scope of Work

This RFP is seeking cost-effective proposals from eligible applicants for supporting both the:

1. Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC); and

2. Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC).

The CAC advises the EC and PSC and provides assistance to the Management Board and all of the GITs, as needed, in the implementation of any agreements signed by the EC, including the

2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. The LGAC advises the EC and PSC on how to effectively engage and provide support to local governments, which are key players in implementing the goals set by the CBP partnership, and also provides assistance to the

Management Board and the GITs, as needed. LGAC members engage their fellow local government officials in key aspects of the Bay restoration and ways local governments can help achieve Bay and local goals. In doing so, LGAC is able to share the views and insights of local elected officials with the EC, PSC, and other members of the Chesapeake Bay partnership.

CBPO plans to award one cooperative agreement under this RFP. The total estimated funding for six years is approximately $2,100,000 to $3,300,000, with an estimated $350,000 to $550,000 each year. There is no guarantee of funding throughout this period or beyond. The final aggregate amount is dependent on the availability of federal funds. This total estimated funding includes $1,050,000 to $1,650,000 for CAC support (Activity 1) and $1,050,000 to $1,650,000 for LGAC support (Activity 2).

If your organization or team of organizations has an interest in this project, has the skills to accomplish the activities, and is eligible to receive a federal assistance agreement as described in

Section III of this announcement, we encourage you to submit a proposal. Each eligible proposal will be evaluated using the criteria described in Section V. The activities are multi-year projects

(up to six years), and the proposal should have a work plan and budget for the first year and a projected work plan and estimated budget detail for each of the subsequent five years.

Activity 1: Support for the Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC)

Estimated Funding: Approximately $ 175,000 – $275,000 annually for six years ($1,050,000 -

$1,650,000 total).

CAC provides advice to and takes direction from the Executive Council and the PSC and assists the Management Board, GITs, and workgroups, as needed, in the implementation of any agreements signed by the Executive Council, including the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Agreement. CAC members communicate with their constituencies to increase understanding of

CBP efforts to restore and protect the Bay. The CAC membership is broad-based with a cross-section of individuals and organizations, including civic groups, whose foci include conservation, business, industry, agriculture, recreation, seafood, and development. The CAC members provide the CBP partnership with a non-government perspective on the Bay cleanup effort and how CBP policies affect citizens who live and work in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

This RFP is seeking cost-effective proposals from eligible applicants to support the CAC and its efforts. The successful applicant for this RFP will demonstrate in their proposal how the two activities (Activity 1: CAC and Activity 2: LGAC) will be coordinated to minimize duplication of efforts and to maximize the impact and effectiveness of CAC and LGAC.

The following is a list of the types of tasks to support CAC. Applicants may consider these activities as well as describe alternative approaches to providing the requested support to CAC and the larger partnership. The following list is in no particular order.

Work with governors’ offices (or mayor’s office for the District of Columbia) to develop and maintain an active and engaged membership.

Develop reports and talking points for the chair of CAC to advise the Executive Council at their annual meeting.

Respond to requests for support from the Executive Council and PSC.

Participate with and contribute to the Management Board, GITs, and workgroups to help the CBP partnership meet its goals, mandates, and agreements.

Participate in development of, and subsequently advise on the implementation of, management strategies for the citizen stewardship and diversity outcomes of the

Stewardship goal (and other goals and outcomes as appropriate) of the 2014 Chesapeake

Bay Watershed Agreement.

Review and update CAC bylaws as needed and as determined by CAC and/or based on changes that may be needed due to the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.

Endeavor to understand and consider all aspects and views of an issue or topic primarily using both quarterly meetings, by inviting interested/affected subject matter experts and stakeholders to share information and electronic distributions techniques to share appropriate information.

Share information, when appropriate and applicable, about the Chesapeake Bay watershed with those groups whom individual members may be affiliated.

Develop tools and outreach and communication products to assist and inform citizens in

Bay protection and restoration efforts.

Inform elected officials and other decision-makers external to the CBP partnership to facilitate their ability to act effectively on behalf of the Bay watershed.

Coordinate and facilitate advice of CAC members to CBP partnership management about the Small Watershed and Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction grant programs.

Serve as the administrator for CAC, which includes arranging quarterly meetings, facilitating information-sharing among CAC members and their constituencies, and coordinating efforts with the CBP partnership’s councils, boards, teams, and workgroups.

Activity 2: Support for the Local Government Advisory Committee (LGAC)

Estimated Funding: Approximately $175,000 – $275,000 annually for six years ($1,050,000 -

$1,65,000 total).

LGAC provides advice to and takes direction from the Executive Council and PSC and assists the Management Board, GITs, and workgroups, as needed, in the implementation of any agreements signed by the Executive Council, including the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Agreement. LGAC advises and assists the CBP partnership and also plays an important role in communicating with peer local governments on strategies to promote local implementation strategies to meet Bay goals. The LGAC members hold regular forums to discuss policy direction, explore techniques to achieve restoration, and advise the CBP partnership about technical assistance needs of peer local governments. The RFP is seeking cost-effective proposals from eligible applicants to support LGAC. The successful applicant for this RFP will demonstrate in their proposal how the two activities (Activity 1: CAC and Activity 2: LGAC) will be coordinated to minimize duplication of efforts and to maximize the impact and effectiveness of CAC and LGAC.

The following is a list of the types of tasks to support LGAC. Applicants may consider these activities as well as describe alternative approaches to providing the requested support to LGAC and the larger partnership. The following list is in no particular order.

Work with governors’ offices (or mayor’s office for the District of Columbia) to develop and maintain an active and engaged membership.

Develop reports and talking points for the chair of LGAC to advise the Executive

Council.

Respond to requests for support from the Executive Council and PSC.

As the administrator of LGAC, participate with and contribute to the Management Board, GITs, and workgroups to help the CBP partnership meet its goals, mandates, and agreements.

Participate in the development of, and subsequently advise on the implementation of, the local leadership outcome of the Stewardship goal (and other goals and outcomes as appropriate) of the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.

Review and update LGAC bylaws as needed and/or based on changes that may be needed due to the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.

Organize quarterly LGAC sessions that address strategic policy topics that relate to implementation of Bay goals, including the headwater states (Delaware, New York, and

West Virginia). These sessions should represent the diverse interests of local governments throughout the watershed.

Seek opportunities for and facilitate LGAC representatives in peer-to-peer interaction to share and discuss strategies for meeting Bay and local goals.

Seek opportunities to more effectively understand obstacles to implementing restoration activities and policies facing local governments.

Develop tools and outreach and communication products to assist and inform local governments in and of Bay protection and restoration efforts.

Coordinate and facilitate advice of LGAC members to CBP partnership management about the Small Watershed and Innovative Nutrient and Sediment Reduction grant programs.

Obtaining Additional Information

For additional background information on the CBP achievements and commitments, see the CBP

Partnership’s website located at http://www.chesapeakebay.net/ or call 1-800-YOUR-BAY to receive information by mail.

http://www.chesapeakebay.net/

C. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage & Anticipated Outcomes and Outputs

Pursuant to Section 6a of EPA Order 5700.7, “Environmental Results under EPA Assistance

Agreements,” EPA must link proposed assistance agreements to the Agency’s Strategic Plan.

EPA also requires that grant applicants and recipients adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements, http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/award/5700.7.pdf).

1. Linkage to EPA’s Strategic Plan

The overall objective of this cooperative agreement is to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem through continued technical support to address water-quality restoration goals and maintain public awareness of Chesapeake Bay restoration. Under EPA’s FY2014–2018 Strategic

Plan, this objective supports Strategic Goal #2: Protecting America’s Waters; Objective 2.2:

Protect and Restore Watersheds and Aquatic Ecosystems; specifically, Improve the Health of the

Chesapeake Bay Ecosystem. The project funded under this announcement must be linkable to these strategic goals. Specifically, the proposed activities will support assessment of the seven

Bay watershed jurisdictions’ (DC, DE, MD, NY, PA, VA, WV) achievement of their two-year milestones, reporting to the public on progress of implementing the jurisdictions’ watershed implementation plans (WIPs), and improving adaptive management by the jurisdictional partner agencies.

2. Outputs

The term “output” means an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to an environmental goal and objective that will be produced or provided over a period of time or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable during an assistance agreement funding period. Expected outputs from both Activities 1 and 2, except where noted, may include the following:

Arrange for quarterly meetings and provide all administrative, logistical, and qualitative support, including ensuring membership attendance.

Develop materials that assist CAC in providing clear and actionable citizen advice to the

Executive Council and PSC.

Develop materials that assist LGAC in providing clear and actionable local-government-official advice to the Executive Council and PSC.

Participate with and contribute to the Management Board, GITs, and workgroups.

Facilitate additional opportunities for peer-to-peer interaction among local government officials regarding strategies to achieve Bay and local goals.

Provide advice and input into the Small Watershed and Innovative Nutrient and Sediment

Reduction grant programs.

Develop tools and outreach and communication materials for citizens (Activity 1, CAC) or local governments (Activity 2, LGAC) in Bay protections and restoration efforts.

For Activity 1 (CAC), participate in the development of management strategies for the

Stewardship outcomes for the citizen stewardship and diversity goals of the 2014

Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement.

http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/award/5700.7.pdf

For Activity 2 (LGAC), participate in the development of management strategies for the

Stewardship outcomes related to the local leadership and diversity goals of the 2014

Chesapeake Watershed Agreement.

Progress reports and a final report will also be required outputs as specified in Section VI(C) of this announcement, “Reporting Requirement.”

3. Outcomes

The term “outcome” means the result, effect, or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may be qualitative and environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature but must also be quantitative. They may not necessarily be achievable within an assistance agreement funding period. Examples of potential outcomes under Activities

1 and 2 of this announcement may include but are not limited to the following:

Amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and/or sediment reduced or prevented.

Reduction in volume and pollutant load or runoff.

Changes made to regulations, codes, and/or ordinances.

Increased knowledge and strategies to improve local economic and environmental goals.

Improved collective knowledge about how the Bay is cleaned up, resulting in the reduction in the amount of pollution and nutrients in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and improvement to the living resources of the Bay.

Improved citizen stewardship, increased capacity of local leadership, and diversity of minority stakeholder groups in the Chesapeake watershed cleanup efforts.

Increased interaction and information transfer between local government officials and ultimately greater engagement in strategies to restore the Bay.

D. Authorizing Statutes and Regulations

The cooperative agreement made as a result of this announcement is authorized under the Clean

Water Act, Section 117(d). Under Section 117(d) (1) of the Act, EPA has the authority to issue grants and cooperative agreements for the purposes of protecting and restoring the Chesapeake

Bay's ecosystem. This project is subject to EPA’s General Grant Regulations: 40 CFR Part 30 for

Grants and Cooperative Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and other

Nonprofit Organizations and 40 CFR Part 31 Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments.

II: AWARD INFORMATION

A. Funding Amount and Expected Number of Awards

CBPO plans to award one cooperative agreement under this RFP. Funding for the activities listed above is approximately $350,000 to $550,000 annually for FY2015 through FY2020, depending on funding availability, satisfactory performance, and other applicable considerations. The total estimated funding for the two activities for six years is approximately $2,100,000 to $3,300,000.

EPA reserves the right to reject all proposals and make no award under this announcement.

EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with

Agency policy and guidance, if additional funding becomes available after the original selection is made. Any additional selection for awards will be made no later than six months after the original selection decision.

B. Award Type

EPA has determined that a cooperative agreement is the appropriate funding vehicle for this project. Cooperative agreements are used under circumstances where substantial involvement is anticipated between EPA and the recipient during performance of the activity. EPA awards cooperative agreements for those projects in which it expects to have substantial interaction with the recipient throughout the performance of the project. EPA will negotiate the precise terms and conditions of “substantial involvement” as part of the award process. Federal involvement may include close monitoring of the recipient’s performance; collaboration during the performance of the scope of work); review of proposed procurements (in accordance with

40 CFR 30.44(e) or 31.36(g), as appropriate; review of key personnel; and/or review and comment on the content of printed or electronic publications prepared. EPA does not have the authority to select employees or contractors employed by the recipient. The final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient.

For this project, federal involvement would typically be in the form of participation with other

CBP partners and stakeholders in an advisory capacity to the grantee. This participation is expected to include involvement through the various CBP Goal Implementation Teams and related committees and workgroups (on which EPA also participates to ensure that all the recommendations for technical work support the CBP partners). All work conducted is to support the efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.

C. Partial Funding

In appropriate circumstances, EPA reserves the right to partially fund proposals by funding discrete portions or phases of proposed projects. If EPA decides to partially fund a project, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice the applicant or affect the basis upon which the proposal or portion thereof was evaluated and selected for award and therefore maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process.

D. Expected Project Period

The expected project period for the cooperative agreement is six years, with funding provided on an annual basis. No commitment of funding can be made beyond the first year. The expected start date for the award resulting from this RFP is March 23, 2015.

E. Pre-Award Costs

Recipients may incur otherwise eligible and allowable pre-award costs up to 90 days prior to award at their own risk without prior approval of EPA’s award official. Pre-award costs must comply with 40 CFR 30.25(f) (1)(i - iv) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular

A-122, Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations, Attachment B, Item 36, for universities and non-profit organizations; with the aforementioned regulations and with OMB Circular A-21, Cost Principles for Educational Institutions, Section J.36, for universities; and, with OMB

Circular A-87, Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments, Attachment B, Item 31 for governmental organizations. If EPA determines that the requested pre-award costs comply with the relevant authorities, and that the costs are justified as allocable to the project, then these costs may be included as allowable expenditures at the time that the assistance award document is prepared.

However, if for any reason EPA does not fund the proposal or the amount of the award is less than the applicant anticipated, then EPA is under no obligation to reimburse the applicant for these costs incurred. Thus, applicants incur pre-award costs at their own risk. Costs incurred more than 90 days prior to award require the approval of EPA Region 3’s grant official.

III: ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

Nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, colleges, universities, and interstate agencies are eligible to submit proposals in response to this RFP. For-profit organizations are not eligible to submit proposals in response to this RFP.

B. Cost-Share or Matching Requirements

Pursuant to Clean Water Act 117(d)(2)(A), the agency shall determine the cost-share requirements for awards. The CFDA Number 66.466 states that assistance agreement applicants must commit to a cost-share ranging from 5 percent to 50 percent of eligible project costs as determined at the sole discretion of EPA. For this RFP, EPA has determined that an applicant must provide a minimum of five percent of the total cost of the project as the non-federal cost-share.

Cost-share may be in the form of cash or in-kind contributions. Involvement from foundations, watershed groups, private sector, eligible governmental, as well as non-conventional partners can help with the match. This match must be met by eligible and allowable costs and is subject to the match provisions in grant regulations. Proposals that do not demonstrate how the five percent match will be met will be rejected.

C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria

Only proposals from eligible entities (see Section III.A above) that meet the following threshold eligibility criteria will be evaluated against the criteria in Section V.B. Applicants must meet the following threshold criteria to be considered for funding. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified in writing within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

1. Proposals must substantially comply with the proposal submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement, or else they will be rejected.

Where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to the narrative proposal, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed.

2. In addition, proposals must be postmarked, hand-delivered, sent through an official delivery service (with documentation indicating EPA acceptance from said delivery service), or submitted through www.grants.gov as specified in Section IV of this announcement on or before the proposal submission deadline published in Section IV.

Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their proposal reaches the designated person/office specified in Section IV by the submission deadline. Proposals sent after the submission deadline will be considered late and returned to the sender without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was late due to EPA mishandling or because of technical problems associated with www.grants.gov.

Applicants should confirm receipt of their proposal with Tim Roberts at 410-267-5770 or roberts.timothy-p@epa.gov as soon as possible after the submission. Failure to do so may result in your proposal not being reviewed.

3. The project funded under this announcement must be linked to the strategic goal outlined in Section I.C.1.

4. For a proposal to be considered eligible for funding, substantive project-related work included in the proposal must take place within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which includes portions of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West

Virginia, and all of the District of Columbia.

5. Proposals must show how they will meet the five percent cost-share requirement of

Section III.B.

6. Proposals requesting funding for more than the maximum of the cumulative funding range for the activity will be rejected.

7. If a proposal is submitted that includes any ineligible tasks or activities, that portion of the proposal will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects the proposal, render the entire proposal ineligible for funding.

IV: APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. How to Obtain a Proposal Package

Applicants can download individual grant application forms from EPA’s Office of Grants and

Debarment website at: http://www.epa.gov/ogd/forms/forms.htm.

To obtain a hard copy of materials, please send an email or written request to the Agency contact listed in Section VII of this announcement. Do not submit a full federal grant application in http://www.grants.gov_/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:roberts.timothy-p@epa.gov http://www.epa.gov/ogd/forms/forms.htm response to this RFP. If your proposal is selected for funding, an EPA project officer will request an application from you, negotiate the work plan and budget, and oversee the process of awarding the cooperative agreement.

B. Content and Form of Proposal Submission

Each proposal will be evaluated using the criteria referenced in Section V.B. of this announcement. You must submit a single-spaced proposal of up to 15 pages in length by the date and time specified in Section IV.C below. The format for this proposal is contained in Appendix

A of this announcement. Review the directions for the preparation of the proposal. Proposals that are not prepared in substantial compliance with the requirements in Appendix A will not be considered for funding and will be returned to the applicant.

The proposal package must include all of the following materials:

1. Standard Form (SF)-424, Application for Federal Assistance – Complete the form.

There are no attachments. Please be sure to include organization fax number and email address in Block 8 of SF-424. Please note that the organizational Dunn and Bradstreet

(D&B) Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number must be included on the SF-

424. Organizations may obtain a DUNS number at no cost by calling the toll-free DUNS number request line at 1-866-705-5711 or visiting their website at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.

2. SF-424A, Budget Information – Complete the form. There are no attachments. The total amount of federal funding requested for the project period should be shown on line 5(e) and on line 6(k) of SF-424A, the amount of indirect costs should be entered on line 6(j).

The indirect cost rate (i.e., a percentage), the base (e.g., personnel costs and fringe benefits), and the amount should also be indicated on line 22.

3. Narrative Proposal – The format for this proposal is contained in Appendix A of this announcement. Review the directions for the preparation of the proposal.

Requirements for Narrative Proposal — See Appendix A

All proposal review criteria in Section V must be addressed in the proposal. The proposal shall not exceed 15 pages in length. Pages refer to one side of a single-spaced, typed page. Font size should be no smaller than 10 and the proposal must be submitted on 8 ½” x 11" paper. Note that the 15 pages include all supporting materials, including resumes or curriculum vitae and letters of support. With the exception of documentation of non-profit status, cost-share letters of commitment, and the SF-424, if you submit more than 15 pages, the additional pages will be discarded and will not be reviewed. See Appendix A for additional instructions.

C. Submission Dates and Times

EPA will consider all submissions that are postmarked by the U.S. Postal Service, hand-delivered, include official delivery service documentation indicating EPA receipt from a delivery service, or submitted via http://www.grants.gov/ on or before 5:00 p.m. EST on

December 1, 2014. All submissions postmarked, hand delivered, or submitted via http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform http://www.grants.gov/ after the deadlines specified above will not be considered for funding.

No proposals will be accepted by facsimile or e-mail.

D. Intergovernmental Review

Applicants must comply with the Intergovernmental Review Process and/or consultation provisions of Section 204, Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act, if applicable, which are contained in 40 CFR Part 29. This program is eligible for coverage under

Executive Order (EO) 12372, An Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs. An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her state for more information on that state's required process for applying for assistance if the state has selected the program for review. Single Points of Contact can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. Further information regarding this requirement will be provided if your proposal is selected for funding.

E. Funding Restrictions

Administrative Cost Cap Requirement under Statutory Authority

Grantees applying for CBP assistance agreements must adhere to the requirements for

“Administrative Costs” under the Clean Water Act, Section 117 (d)(4), which states that administrative costs shall not exceed 10 percent of the annual grant award (annual grant award = federal share plus cost-share). Appendix B: Administrative Cost Cap Worksheet is provided as an example of a method to calculate the 10-percent limitation. You are not required to submit

Appendix B with your proposal.

Allowable Costs

EPA assistance agreement funds may only be used for the purposes set forth in the cooperative agreement and must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Federal funds may not be used for cost sharing for other federal grants (except where authorized by statute), lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, federal funds may not be used to sue the federal government or any other government entity. All costs identified in the budget must conform to applicable Federal Cost Principles contained in the

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Cost Principles, Office of Management and Budget

(OMB) Circular A-122, Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations, for non-profit organizations; OMB Circular A-21, Cost Principles for Educational Institutions for universities;

and, OMB Circular A-87, Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments for governmental organizations. During the grant negotiation, any ineligible costs outlined in the proposal (i.e. lobbying activities) will be excluded in the final grant award.

Programmatic Capability and Past Performance

Applicants must submit a list of federally and/or non-federally funded assistance agreements as specified in Appendix A. In evaluating this evaluation criteria, EPA will consider the information provided by the applicant and may also consider relevant information from other sources, including information from EPA files and from current/prior grantors (e.g., to verify and/or supplement the information provided by the applicant). In addition, applicants must provide information on their organizational experience and plan for timely and successfully http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html achieving the objectives of the proposed project and their staff expertise/qualifications, staff knowledge, and resources, or the ability to obtain them, to successfully achieve the goals of the proposed project.

F. Submission Methods and Instructions

You may submit proposal in one of two ways: If you wish to apply electronically via http://www.grants.gov/ , please follow the appropriate instructions under “Grants.gov

Electronic Submission Instructions” below. If you wish to apply with a hard copy submission, please follow the instructions under “Hard Copy Submission Instructions” below. EPA encourages applicants to submit their proposal materials electronically through http://www.grants.gov. Please only use one form of submission.

Grants.gov Electronic Submission Instructions

The electronic submission of your application must be made by an official representative of your institution who is registered with Grants.gov and is authorized to sign applications for Federal assistance. For more information on the registration requirements that must be completed in order to submit an application through grants.gov, go to http://www.grants.gov and click on

“Applicants” on the top of the page and then go to the “Get Registered” link on the page. If your organization is not currently registered with Grants.gov, please encourage your office to designate an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and ask that individual to begin the registration process as soon as possible. Please note that the registration process also requires that your organization have a DUNS number and a current registration with the System for

Award Management (SAM) and the process of obtaining both could take a month or more.

Applicants must ensure that all registration requirements are met in order to apply for this opportunity through grants.gov and should ensure that all such requirements have been met well in advance of the submission deadline. Registration on grants.gov, SAM.gov, and DUNS number assignment is free.

To begin the application process under this grant announcement, go to http://www.grants.gov and click on “Applicants” on the top of the page and then “Apply for Grants” from the dropdown menu and then follow the instructions accordingly. Please note: To apply through grants.gov, you must use Adobe Reader software and download the compatible Adobe Reader version. For more information about Adobe Reader, to verify compatibility, or to download the free software, please visit http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html

You may also be able to access the application package for this announcement by searching for the opportunity on http://www.grants.gov. Go to http://www.grants.gov and then click on

“Search Grants” at the top of the page and enter the Funding Opportunity Number, EPA-R3-

CBP-15-01, or the CFDA number (66.466) that applies to the announcement, in the appropriate field and click the Search button. Alternatively, you may be able to access the application package by clicking on the Application Package button at the top right of the synopsis page for the announcement on http://www.grants.gov. To find the synopsis page, go to http://www.grants.gov and click “Browse Agencies” in the middle of the page and then go to http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

“Environmental Protection Agency” to find the EPA funding opportunities. The full funding announcement is also available at http://www.epa.gov/region03/chesapeake/grants.htm.

Proposal Submission Deadline Your organization’s AOR must submit your complete proposal electronically to EPA through

Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) no later than 5 p.m. EST on December 1, 2014. Please allow for enough time to successfully submit your application process and allow for unexpected errors that may require you to resubmit.

Please submit all of the application materials described in Section IV.B above (SF-424, SF-

424A, and Narrative Proposal). For additional instructions on completing and submitting the electronic application package, click on the “Show Instructions” tab that is accessible within the application package itself.

If you have not received a confirmation of receipt from EPA (not from Grants.gov) within 30 days of the proposal/application deadline, please contact the person listed in Section VII of this announcement. Failure to do so may result in your proposal/application not being reviewed.

Hard Copy Submission Instructions

Please submit three complete, unbound copies of the proposal package that is described in

Section IV.B (SF-424, SF-424A, and Narrative Proposal). The hard copies of the proposal should be double-sided, if possible. The proposal must be mailed or delivered to:

Tim Roberts

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Chesapeake Bay Program Office

410 Severn Ave., Suite 109

Annapolis, MD 21403

(EPA-R3-CBP-15-01)

G. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

Additional provisions that apply to this solicitation and/or awards made under this solicitation, including but not limited to those related to confidential business information, contracts and subawards under grants, and proposal assistance and communications, can be found at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/competition/solicitation_provisions.htm. These, and the other provisions that can be found at the website link, are important, and applicants must review them when preparing proposals for this solicitation. If you are unable to access these provisions electronically at the website above, please communicate with the EPA contact listed in this solicitation to obtain the provisions.

V: APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Evaluation Process

After EPA reviews proposals for threshold eligibility purposes as described in Section III, CBPO will conduct a merit evaluation of each eligible proposal. Reviews will be performed by a team http://www.epa.gov/region03/chesapeake/grants.htm http://www.epa.gov/ogd/competition/solicitation_provisions.htm of professionals from EPA and other CBP partner organizations with a working knowledge of the technical analysis and programmatic evaluation needs of CBP partnership. All reviewers will sign a conflict of interest statement indicating they have no conflict of interest.

The evaluation criteria below apply to both Activity 1 and Activity 2 of this RFP.

B. Evaluation Criteria: Maximum score: 185 points combined

Criteria Points

1. Organizational Capability and Program Description: Under this criterion, reviewers will evaluate the application based on:

a. The quality of the proposal and how it demonstrates the ability to timely and successfully achieve the relevant activity to support the CBP partners as described in Section I.B. This includes, but is not limited to, how well the proposal demonstrates how the applicant will: facilitate or coordinate CAC and LGAC participation with and contribute to the Management Board, GITs, and workgroups to help the Chesapeake Bay program meet its goals, mandates and agreements; and participate in the development of the

Stewardship goal outcomes for citizen stewardship, local leadership, and diversity (and other goals and outcomes as appropriate) (25 points).

b. How well the proposal demonstrates that the applicant has the skill, experience, and resources in:

i. Arranging quarterly meetings, including making travel arrangements, obtaining meeting space, etc.; preparing agendas, briefing materials and summaries; drafting position statements;

preparing reports and other materials as needed for committees;

and updating websites for advisory committees. (20 points).

ii. Gathering information and providing advice on behalf of both citizens and local elected officials to senior decision-makers, such as the Chesapeake Executive Council or Principals’ Staff

Committee. (20 points).

2. Programmatic Capability and Environmental Results Past Performance:

Under this criterion, reviewers will evaluate the applicant based on their programmatic capability to successfully perform the proposed activity taking into account the applicant’s:

a. Past performance in successfully completing federally- and non-federally-funded assistance agreements (assistance agreements include federal grants and cooperative agreements but not federal contracts) similar in size, scope, and relevance to the proposed project within the last three years (no more than five, and preferably EPA agreements). Successful completion of federally-funded assistance agreements also includes your organization’s history of meeting reporting requirements and submission of acceptable final technical reports under those agreements (10 points).

b. Extent and quality to which applicant adequately documented and/or reported on their progress in achieving the expected results (e.g., outcomes and outputs) under federal agency assistance agreements performed within the last three years and, if such progress was not being made, whether the applicant adequately documented and/or reported why not (10 points).

c. Staff expertise/qualifications, staff knowledge, and resources, or the ability to obtain experienced and qualified staff to successfully achieve the goals of the proposed project (10 points).

Note: In evaluating applicants under Items a. and b. of these criteria, the reviewers will consider the information provided by the applicant and may also consider relevant information from other sources, including Agency files and prior/current grantors (e.g., to verify and/or supplement the information supplied by the applicant). If you do not have any relevant or available past performance, please indicate this in the proposal and you will receive a neutral score for these subfactors; a neutral score is half of the total points available in a subset of possible points. If you do not provide any response for these items, you may receive a score of zero for these subfactors.

3. Cost-effectiveness: Under this criterion, reviewers will evaluate the application based on the degree to which the proposal is cost-effective, considering the following factors: organizational overhead (indirect costs) and ability to perform the duties within the operational range of budgets provided by

CBPO.

4. Transferability of Results to Similar Projects and/or Dissemination to the

Public: Under this criterion, reviewers will evaluate the application based on the degree to which the proposal includes an adequate plan to:

a. Gather information and lessons learned from the project(s) (20 points).

b. Transfer the documentation/information/data/results/recommendations to

CBP partners and stakeholders in the Chesapeake Bay watershed in a timely manner (20 points).

c. Document and distribute results to the appropriate audience or summarize information so that CBPO can disseminate in a timely manner (10 points).

5. Timely Expenditure of Grant Funds: Under this criterion, reviewers will evaluate the application based on the approach, procedures, and controls for ensuring that awarded grant funds will be expended in a timely and efficient manner.

C. Review and Selection Process

Eligible proposals will be evaluated and ranked using the criteria stated in Section V.B. above by a panel of reviewers from EPA and other CBP partner organizations with a working knowledge of the technical analysis and programmatic evaluation needs of the CBP partnership. The review team will then forward the highest-ranked proposals to the director or deputy director of CBPO for final selection. In making the final funding decisions, the selection official may also consider programmatic goals and priorities, as described in the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Agreement, Chesapeake Bay Executive Order Action Plan, Bay TMDL, and the Bay TMDL’s associated WIPs and milestones. Information about the Watershed Agreement, Executive Order, and Bay TMDL are available on the following websites:

http://www.chesapeakebay.net/chesapeakebaywatershedagreement/page,…