18-05.pdf

OVERVIEW

AGENCY: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

TITLE: National Brownfields Training Conferences Co-Sponsorship FY2019-2024

ACTION: Request for Proposals (RFP)

RFP NO: EPA-OLEM-OBLR-18-05

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CDFA) NO.: 66.814

DATES: The closing date and time for receipt of proposal submissions is October 19, 2018, 11:59 p.m.

(ET). Proposals must be submitted electronically through https://www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on

October 19, 2018 to receive consideration. Proposals received after 11:59 p.m. (ET) on October 19, 2018, will not be considered.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals from eligible entities for financial assistance to assist non-federal personnel (states, tribes, local governments, non-profits, industry and community groups) in participating in three National Brownfields Training

Conferences to be planned and held over a five-year period, beginning in 2019. The National

Brownfields Training Conferences provide training, research and technical assistance to communities to facilitate the inventory of brownfield sites, site assessments and remediation of brownfield sites, community involvement, and site preparation. The successful applicant will be the primary non-federal co-sponsor for the conference. EPA will be the primary federal co-sponsor.

For the purposes of this notice, the term “grant” refers to the cooperative agreement that EPA will award to a successful applicant. Please refer to Section 2.B. for a description of EPA’s anticipated substantial involvement in the financial assistance agreements awarded under these guidelines.

NOTE: If you name subrecipients and/or contractors (including consultants) in your proposal who may assist you with the proposed project, pay careful attention to the information in Sections 1.D. and 4.F.

regarding the types of subawards EPA allows and the need to follow competitive procurement procedures to select contractors.

FUNDING/AWARDS: The total estimated funding available under this competitive opportunity

(excluding program income from registration fees) is approximately $2,400,000. EPA anticipates awarding one cooperative agreement under this announcement to support up to three conferences at approximately $800,000 in grant funding per conference. The cooperative agreement will be funded incrementally, and the Agency anticipates the performance period will begin on or about December 1, 2018 and extend until November 30, 2024. In FY2019, EPA anticipates that the amount of funding will not exceed $800,000 per conference. Additional funds may be added in each subsequent year of the agreement, subject to satisfactory performance, the availability of funds, and other applicable considerations. (Refer to Section 2.A) https://www.grants.gov/

CONTENTS BY SECTION:

1. Funding Opportunity Description

2. Award Information

3. Eligibility Information

4. Application and Submission Information

5. Application Review Information

6. Award Administration Information

7. Agency Contact

Appendix 1 – National Brownfields Training Conference Educational Program Example

SECTION 1 – FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

1.A. Description of Grant

One of the major efforts under EPA’s Brownfields Program is to build partnerships and outreach among federal agencies, states, tribes, municipalities, communities, and other entities. Since 1996, EPA has brought together various stakeholders from all areas of government, communities, and academia, private business and nonprofit to exchange ideas about brownfields assessment, cleanup and redevelopment through a national Brownfields training conference. As authorized by EPA Ethics Advisory 96-15, the

Agency co-sponsored 15 National Brownfields Training Conferences. Attendance has ranged from more than 500 attendees in 1996 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to over 5,000 in attendance at the 2011 conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Typical conference attendance is between 2000-3000 participants.

EPA anticipates this funding opportunity will result in one cooperative agreement to an eligible non-federal recipient to promote research and provide training and technical assistance to communities and other brownfields stakeholders through the National Brownfields Training Conferences. The nonfederal recipient will co-sponsor three conferences, to be held during FY2019-2024, provided EPA grant funds are available. Brownfields-related conference topics may include:

• Brownfields inventory, planning, assessment and cleanup approaches, policies and technologies

• Brownfields redevelopment activities

• Use of environmental insurance

• Community engagement activities for finding solutions to brownfields challenges

• Sustainability of brownfield’s revitalization, greenspace preservation, and site preparation for green buildings

• Equitable development and environmental justice approaches for brownfields revitalization

• Financing brownfields assessment, cleanup, and subsequent redevelopment activities

• Community involvement

• Health impacts of brownfields

• Best practices for brownfields revitalization at the state, tribal and local levels of government

• Best practices for industry and community groups interested in brownfield revitalization.

Applicants may also propose other brownfields- related topics for the conferences.

1.B. Co-Sponsorship to Develop, Plan and Implement National Brownfields Training

Conferences

Co-sponsorship

Funds awarded under this announcement will provide financial support to a non-Federal co-sponsor to:

(1) provide logistical support for the three conferences including collection of registration fees; (2) make substantive contributions to the development of the conference educational programming; (3) conduct conference outreach directed towards non-federal attendees; (4) ensure diverse attendance by non-federal stakeholders; and (5) evaluate conference results.

Co-sponsoring each National Brownfields Training Conference will be a challenging experience requiring significant coordination with EPA, other federal agencies, and non-federal stakeholders. Co-sponsoring the conferences requires the grant recipient to:

• Organize and provide all conference logistics (e.g. secure facilities, handle registration, audio visual, identify and manage speakers, arrange for hotel agreements) for each conference.

• Develop the content of the educational program by working with stakeholders to ensure it meets the research, training and technical assistance interests of the nonfederal participants.

• Assist states, tribes, local governments, non-profits, industry and community groups to participate in national conferences.

• Market the conference to potential participants.

• The nonfederal co-sponsor may charge conference attendees a registration fee to participate in each conference. EPA anticipates that direct EPA funding will not be sufficient to cover all of the costs necessary to successfully carry out the non-federal co-sponsor’s responsibilities.

The Agency will provide the successful applicant with mailing lists, other conference-related materials and data produced for previous National Brownfields Training Conferences.

Developing, Planning and Implementing National Brownfields Training Conferences

For planning purposes, EPA anticipates that National Brownfields Training Conferences will attract approximately 2500 participants; approximately 10% of participants will be federal government.

participants. Paying for federal travel is not an eligible cost under the cooperative agreement. Historical attendance for the 2011 through 2017 National Brownfields Training Conferences is below:

Participant Category 2011 count count count count

Federal Government 669 164 229 172

State and Tribal Government 374 261 265 302

Non-Profit 625 283 362 352

Local Government 803 616 652 446

Private Sector 2140 645 653 676

Exhibitors 749 417 296 296

Total 5360 2386 2604 2244

Under this grant, the recipient will be responsible for organizing and managing non-federal participation in each National Brownfields Training Conference. This includes all:

1. Conference logistics, including conference venues and hotels

2. Conference outreach and communications

3. Educational program

4. Plenary sessions and speakers

5. Stakeholder involvement

6. Registration

7. Conference evaluation

More specifically, EPA expects applicants to submit a proposal that effectively addresses the above elements as further described below. Applicants may also propose other features within funding limitations that will enhance the effectiveness of National Brownfields Training Conferences. EPA’s expectations for the recipient are outlined below. Please refer to Section 4.E. for additional instructions on how to describe your approach to carry out Brownfields Training Conferences.

1. Conference logistics, including conference venues and hotels. Applicants should provide a precise plan for securing venues and arranging for hotels, audio visual support, logistical services, transportation and security. EPA’s substantial involvement will include providing advice and recommendations on conference locations but the final decision will be made by the successful applicant. Note, however, that the terms and conditions of the cooperative agreement will allow

EPA to disapprove any location.

2. Conference outreach and communications. Applicants proposals should include a detailed description of a robust outreach strategy that includes marketing, news media relations, web site development, social media initiatives and coordination with other co-sponsors.

3. Educational program. Applicants’ proposals should explain how they will design and execute conference educational programs and associated activities such as conference themes, presentation selections, session organization and selection of non-federal speakers. EPA and other federal agencies will consult with the successful applicant on the content of the educational program and select federal presenters. Applicants should explain how their approach ensures a diverse and nationally-applicable educational program agenda that will blend the priorities of

EPA and non-federal stakeholders related to current and relevant brownfields and land revitalization topics.

Note that for EPA to meet its statutory obligations to evaluate proposals using the criteria at

CERCLA 104(k)(5)(C) the Agency intends to ensure that the Brownfields Training Conferences serve as forums to:

• address/facilitate the identification and/or reduction of threats to the health and welfare of sensitive populations (e.g., children, pregnant women, minority or low-income communities).

• promote sustainable reuse of brownfields, subsequent use/reuse of existing infrastructure, energy efficiency or siting a facility that generates renewable energy on a brownfield, and prevention of future brownfields.

• incorporate sustainable reuse themes that foster protection and restoration of the quality of the natural environment, improve the quality of life for the community, broaden prospects for future generations, and help reduce resource consumption.

• incorporate educational information to stimulate economic development, including:

o the creation of jobs and increases to the local tax base in brownfields communities.

o how to identify and attract private funds as capital investment for environmental assessment or remediation, and subsequent reuse, of an area in which one or more brownfields properties are located, including brownfields adjacent to a body of water or a federally designated flood plain.

Educational program information for the 2017 Brownfields Training Conference is included in

Appendix 1 for reference. This information is provided to give applicants an understanding of the scope, scale and organization of the most recent conference. Applicants are not required to duplicate the format or approach taken in any prior conference and are encouraged to propose alternatives that will enhance the effectiveness of the educational program.

4. Plenary sessions and speakers. Applicants should describe their approach to working with EPA to design plenary sessions to ensure that the interests of non-federal stakeholders are effectively served. EPA is interested in applicants’ approaches to selecting and, if necessary, compensating non-federal plenary speakers and panelists. As the lead federal co-sponsor for the Brownfields

Training Conferences, EPA will make final decisions on federal speakers and panelists.

5. Stakeholder involvement. Applicants proposals should include a description of how they will identify and involve non-federal stakeholders in conference planning and provide travel scholarships to ensure a diverse stakeholder base participates in and attends the conferences.

EPA expects applicants to propose a detailed plan for a cost-effective travel scholarship program that addresses all relevant considerations (e.g. eligibility, reimbursement policies, documentation). Please note that travel scholarships may not be given to federal employees and

EPA will not select travel scholarship recipients.

The non-federal co-sponsor for Brownfields Training Conferences has historically managed independent events sponsored by non-federal stakeholders. Please note that EPA funds may not be used for entertainment (i.e., receptions) and that these independent events must be privately financed. Additionally, the non-federal co-sponsor has historically provided an exhibit hall for a wider range of stakeholders including commercial vendors, government agencies, community based nonprofit organizations and trade associations. Applicants’ proposals should address whether they intend to manage independent events and provide an exhibit hall. Please note that if the successful applicant uses EPA funding (including program income from registration fees) for an exhibit hall, any fees collected from commercial vendors and other exhibitors will be subject to EPA regulations governing program income at 2 CFR 200.307 and 2 CFR 1500.7.

6. Registration. EPA expects applicants’ proposals to include a detailed registration plan that describes how the applicant intends to manage the registration process. The plan should include a registration system for the conference, which has the capability to track and collect all registration fees and provide for the registration and payment information for all conference hotels.

Applicants should include a proposed registration fee structure in their plan. Registration fees need to cover anticipated expenses associated with conference registration and all on-site logistics, without significantly discouraging participation by community and non-profit stakeholders. Applicants should propose a fee structure that takes into account a diverse stakeholder community with significantly different abilities to pay.

The table below, which is provided for informational purposes only, shows the registration fees charged for the 2013, 2015 and 2017 National Brownfields Training Conferences. Applicants may propose a different fee structure as necessary to cover expenses that must be borne by registration fees.

Stakeholder Group 2013, 2015, 2017

Registration Fees

Academia / Students $50

Non-profits and community groups $125

Environmental Justice groups $125

Local Government $200

State and Tribal Government $200

Federal Government $200

Private Sector $300

All conference registration fees will be considered program income for the purposes of 2 CFR

200.307 and 2 CFR 1500.7.

7. Conference Evaluation. EPA expects applicants to propose an evaluation plan for each conference that includes collecting information from conference participants to evaluate performance and content and using results to improve subsequent conferences.

1.C. Eligible Uses of Grant Funds

Eligible uses of grant funds include direct costs necessary to conduct research, training and technical assistance identified in the approved workplan. This includes costs for personnel, technical experts, materials, supplies, facilities rentals, audio visual equipment, registration, managing conference logistics, non-federal travel, and conference event transportation expenses.

1.D. Ineligible Uses of Grant Funds

The recipient may not use EPA financial assistance for entertainment (including receptions), fundraising, lobbying or other expenses that are unallowable costs under applicable OMB Cost Principals. Please refer to

2 CFR Part 215 (universities) 2 CFR Part 220 (governments) and 2 CFR Part 225 (non-profit organizations).

Funds awarded under Section 104(k)(7) of CERCLA are intended for research, training and technical assistance activities set forth in the cooperative agreement. Funds may not be used for:

1. Projects that duplicate grants awarded under other EPA Brownfields grant programs described in CFDA Nos. 66.818, Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Funds, and

Cleanup Grants and 66.815, Brownfields Job Training Grant or other federally funded environmental training, research, or technical assistance programs in their target community(ies). Please see the EPA’s Brownfields website for more details, http://www.epa.gov/brownfields.

2. Travel for federal employees.

3. Conducting site assessments or actual cleanups.

4. Construction and land acquisition.

5. Foreign travel.

6. Federal cost-share requirement (for example, a cost share required by other federal funds) unless authorized by statute.

7. Management Fees or similar charges in excess of the direct costs in the budget for the brownfields grant. The term “management fees” or similar charges refers to expenses added to the direct costs to accumulate a reserve fund for ongoing business expenses, unforeseen liabilities, or for other similar costs that are not allowable under the brownfields grant provisions.

8. The payment of an administrative costs in excess of five (5) percent of total direct EPA grant funding.

Under CERCLA § 104(k)(5)(B), the recipient of the cooperative agreement funded under this announcement and any subrecipients may use up to 5% of the amount of federal funding, including added program income, for this cooperative agreement for administrative costs, including indirect costs under 2 CFR 200.414. As required by 2 CFR 200.403(d), the CAR and sub-recipients must classify administrative costs as direct or indirect consistently and may not classify the same types of cost in both categories.

a. Eligible cooperative agreement and subaward administrative costs subject to the 5% limitation include direct costs for:

i. Costs incurred to comply with the following provisions of the Uniform Administrative

Requirements for Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards at 2 CFR

Parts 200 and 1500, other than those identified as programmatic.

a. Record-keeping associated with equipment purchases required under 2 CFR 200.313;

b. Preparing revisions and changes in the budgets, scopes of work, program plans, and other activities required under 2 CFR 200.308;

c. Maintaining and operating financial management systems required under 2 CFR

200.302;

d. Preparing payment requests and handling payments under 2 CFR 200.305;

e. Financial reporting under 2 CFR 200.327.

f. Non-federal audits required under 2 CFR 200 Subpart F; and

g. Closeout under 2 CFR 200.343 with the exception of preparing the recipient’s final performance report. Costs for preparing this report are programmatic and are not subject to the 5% limitation on direct administrative costs.

b. Pre-award costs for preparation of the proposal and application for this cooperative agreement (including the final work plan) or applications for subawards are not allowable as http://www.epa.gov/brownfields direct costs but may be included in the recipient or subrecipient’s indirect cost pool to the extent authorized by 2 CFR 200.460.

1.E. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage

The activities to be funded under this announcement support EPA’s FY 2018-22 Strategic Plan. Awards made under this announcement will support Goal 1 (Core Mission: Deliver real results to provide

Americans with clean air, land, and water, and ensure chemical safety.), Objective 1.3 (Revitalize Land and Prevent Contamination). Specifically, the activities to be funded under this announcement will be linked to EPA’s strategic plan consistent with EPAs current priorities for cleaning up contaminated sites and returning land back to communities. Applicants must explain in their proposal how their project will further these current priorities.

(View EPA’s Strategic Plan online at: http://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan.html.)

1.F. Measuring Environmental Results: Anticipated Outputs/Outcomes

Pursuant to EPA Order 5700.7 “Environmental Results under EPA Assistance Agreements,” EPA requires that all grant applicants and recipients adequately address environmental outputs and outcomes. Outputs and outcomes differ both in their nature and in how they are measured.

Applicants must discuss environmental outputs and outcomes in their proposed workplan.

1. Outcomes. The term “outcome” refers to 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 environmental, behavioral, health related or programmatic in nature, must be quantitative, and may not necessarily be achievable within an assistance agreement funding period.

EPA anticipates outcomes from the project expected to be awarded under this announcement will include increasing the capacity of governmental entities, nonprofit organizations, and brownfields stakeholders to:

a. Increase the assessment, cleanup, and reuse of brownfields;

b. Better inform and equip communities with capacity to effectively address and be involved in brownfields activities;

c. Focus attention on the environmental and human health conditions in low income communities and socio-economically disadvantaged communities unable to draw on alternative sources of funding for assessment or cleanup of brownfields and their subsequent redevelopment.

d. Improve community involvement, communication, and the development of partnerships among differing stakeholders;

e. Enable communities to stimulate economic and other beneficial reuses of brownfields sites in order to improve environmental conditions and human health.

2. Outputs. The term “output” refers to an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work products related to an environmental goal or 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.

http://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan.html

EPA anticipates the outputs from the project expected to be awarded under this announcement will include:

a. Three National Brownfields Training Conferences (expected) during the performance period for the cooperative agreement;

b. An increase in new attendees to each conference held during the performance period;

c. Positive feedback in participant evaluations from their conference experiences.

1.G. Supplementary Information

The statutory authority for this action is Section (104)(k)(7) of the Comprehensive Environmental

Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) of 1980, as amended by the Brownfields

Utilization, Investment, and Local Development Act of 2018.

As required by 2 CFR § 200.113, non-federal entities or applicants for a Federal award must disclose, in a timely manner, in writing to the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity all violations of

Federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the Federal award. Failure to make required disclosures can result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR §

200.338, including suspension and debarment.

SECTION 2 – AWARD INFORMATION

2.A. What is the amount of available funding?

The total estimated funding available under this competitive opportunity (excluding program income from registration fees) is approximately $2,400,000, subject to the availability of funds, quality of proposals received, and other applicable considerations. EPA expects to award approximately

$800,000 in FY2019 to support the first of three National Brownfields Training Conferences.

The cooperative agreement awarded will be funded incrementally over the performance period (see

Section 2.D, below). Additional funds may be added in subsequent years of the agreement to fund the second and third conferences, subject to satisfactory performance, availability of funds, and other applicable considerations.

EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this competition, consistent with Agency policy and guidance, if additional funding becomes available. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than six months from the date of original selection decisions. EPA reserves the right to make no awards under this announcement.

2.B. How many agreements will EPA award in this competition?

EPA anticipates award of one cooperative agreement resulting from this announcement, subject to availability of funds and the quality of the proposals received.

Cooperative agreements permit the EPA’s Project Officer to be substantially involved in overseeing the work performed by the selected recipient. Although EPA will negotiate precise terms and conditions relating to substantial involvement as part of the award process, the anticipated substantial federal involvement for this project may include:

• Close monitoring of the recipient’s performance to verify the results.

• Collaborating during performance of the scope of work.

• In accordance with 2 CFR 200.318, as appropriate, review of proposed procurements.

• Reviewing qualifications of key personnel. (EPA will not select employees or contractors employed by the award recipient).

• Reviewing and commenting on reports prepared under the cooperative agreement. (The final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient.)

• Reviewing outputs and outcomes to ensure substantial progress has been made in accordance with the cooperative agreement terms and conditions.

• Consultation with the recipient on conference location, facilities, educational program and associated conference activities, planning for outreach and stakeholder involvement, conference evaluation and registration. The recipient will make final decisions on these matters with the exception of federal speakers and presenters at the conferences.

• Approval of project phases, such as conference location selection to ensure that conferences are not held in settings that create the appearance of lavish expenditure of EPA funds and that facilities are adequate to accommodate anticipated attendance, prior to the implementation of each National Brownfields Training Conference.

2.C. Will proposals be partially funded?

In appropriate circumstances, EPA reserves the right to partially fund proposals by funding discrete activities, portions, or phases of proposed projects. If EPA decides to partially fund a proposal, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any applicants 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.

2.D. What is the project period for award(s) resulting from this solicitation?

The estimated project period for the award resulting from this solicitation is December 1, 2018 through

November 30, 2024. EPA anticipates that three National Brownfields Training Conferences will take place during this project period. All project activities must be completed within the negotiated project performance period.

SECTION 3 – APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY

3.A. Eligible Entities

In accordance with CFDA 66.814, the following entities are eligible to apply for the National

Brownfields Training Conferences Co-Sponsorship FY2019-2024 cooperative agreement:

• General Purpose Unit of Local Government (as defined under 2 CFR 200.64).

• Land Clearance Authority or other quasi-governmental entity that operates under the supervision and control of, or as an agent of, a general purpose unit of local government.

• Government entity created by State Legislature.

• Regional Council or group of General Purpose Units of Local Government.

• Redevelopment Agency that is chartered or otherwise sanctioned by a State.

• State.

• Indian Tribe other than in Alaska. (The exclusion of Alaskan tribes from grant eligibility is statutory at CERCLA §104(k)(1)). Intertribal Consortia are eligible for funding in accordance with EPA’s policy for funding intertribal consortia published in the Federal Register on

November 4, 2002, at 67 Fed. Reg. 67181. (This policy also may be obtained from your EPA

Regional Job Training Coordinator listed)

• Alaskan Native Regional Corporation, Alaska Native Village Corporation and the Metlakatla

Indian Community. (Alaskan Native Regional Corporation and Alaska Native Village

Corporation as those terms are defined in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C.

1601 and following).)

• A nonprofit organization exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue

Code).

• A limited liability corporation in which all managing members are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or limited liability corporations whole sole members are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.

• A limited liability partnership in which all general partners are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or limited liability corporations whose sole members are 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.

• A qualified community development entity as defined in section 45D(C)(1) of the Internal

Revenue Code.

• Other nonprofit organizations. For purposes of this grant program, the term “other nonprofit organization” means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization that is operated mainly for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purpose in the public interest; is not organized primarily for profit; and uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the operation of the organization without regard to the organizations status as a tax exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code. Public and nonprofit private educational institutions are eligible to apply. However, nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply.

Individuals and for-profit organizations are not eligible to apply.

3.B. Required and Voluntary Cost Share/Leveraging

Cost sharing or matching is required as a condition of eligibility for award. Applicants must provide a cost-share of at least five (5) percent of the amount of EPA funding they request. The cost share may be in the form of a contribution of money, labor, material, or services from a non-federal source. If the cost share is in the form of a contribution of labor, material, or other services, it must be incurred for an eligible and allowable expense under the grant and not for ineligible expenses.

In addition to the required cost share, applicants may propose other additional voluntary financial or in-kind commitment of resources (e.g., leveraging) that may improve their scoring under the

“Leveraging” evaluation criterion in Section 5.A. of this solicitation.

The applicant’s required cost share will be governed by 2 CFR 200.306., Applicants must propose eligible and allowable costs to meet the cost share requirement. As authorized by 2 CFR 200.307(e)(3) and 2 CFR 1500.7(b) EPA will allow the successful applicant to use program income to either satisfy the required and/or voluntary cost share or to add the program income to the amount of EPA funding to use for the same purpose and under the same conditions as the cooperative agreement.

Leveraging is when an applicant proposes to provide its own additional funds/resources or those from third party sources to support or complement the project they are awarded which are above and beyond the EPA grant funds awarded. Any leveraged funds/resources, and their source, must be identified in the proposal. Leveraged funds and resources may take various forms as noted below.

Voluntary cost share is a form of leveraging. Voluntary cost sharing is when an applicant voluntarily proposes to legally commit to provide costs or contributions to support the project when a cost share is not required. An applicant may also propose a voluntary cost share or “over match” when there is a required cost share and the applicant proposes to legally commit to provide costs or contributions above the costs or contributions needed to satisfy a required cost share. Applicants who propose to use a voluntary cost share must include the costs or contributions for the voluntary cost share in the project budget on the SF-424. If an applicant proposes a voluntary cost share, the following apply:

• A voluntary cost share is subject to the match provisions in the grant regulations (2 CFR

200.306, as applicable).

• A voluntary cost share may only be met with eligible and allowable costs.

• The recipient may not use other sources of federal funds to meet a voluntary cost share unless the statute authorizing the other federal funding provides that the federal funds may be used to meet a cost share requirement on a federal grant.

• The recipient is legally obligated to meet any proposed voluntary cost share that is included in the approved project budget. If the proposed voluntary cost share does not materialize during grant performance, then EPA may reconsider the legitimacy of the award and/or take other appropriate action as authorized by 2 CFR 200.338.

Other leveraged funding/resources that are not identified as a voluntary cost share. This form of leveraging may be met by funding from another federal grant, from an applicant's own resources, or resources from other third-party sources. This form of leveraging should be discussed in the proposal, but should not be included in the budget narrative or table. Costs covered by this form of leveraging need not be eligible and allowable project costs under the EPA cooperative agreement. While this form of leveraging should not be included in the budget, if selected, the grant work plan should include a statement indicating that the applicant is expected to produce the proposed leveraging consistent with the terms of the announcement and the applicant's proposal. If an applicant proposes to provide this form of leveraging, EPA expects the applicant to make the effort to secure the leveraged resources described in their proposal. If the proposed leveraging does not materialize during grant performance, then EPA may reconsider the legitimacy of the award and/or take other appropriate action as authorized by 2 CFR Parts 200 or 1500.

3.C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria

Proposals must meet the following “threshold criteria,” by the time of proposal submission. Threshold criteria are evaluated on a pass or fail basis. Only those proposals that specifically address and pass

Items 1-5 below will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria in Section 5.A. of this announcement.

EPA will notify applicants who do not meet the Threshold Eligibility Criteria within 15 calendar days of the “fail” determination.

The threshold criteria are:

1. Applicant Eligibility. Provide information that demonstrates how you are an eligible entity or other nonprofit organization as described above. If you are an organization exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or other nonprofit organization, you must provide documentation, as an attachment to the proposal, indicating nonprofit status.

Failure to do so may render your proposal ineligible for review.

2. Proposals must address all seven areas described in Section 1.B:

a. Conference logistics

b. Conference outreach and communications

c. Educational program

d. Plenary sessions

e. Stakeholder involvement

f. Conference evaluation

g. Registration and collection of fees

3. Proposals must demonstrate how the applicant will meet the minimum 5 % cost-share as described in Section 3.B, Cost Sharing or Matching, of this announcement.

4. All proposal and application materials must be submitted in English.

5. In addition, proposals must substantially comply with the proposal submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section 4 of this announcement or they will be rejected. Pages exceeding the page limits described in Section 4 for the Cover Letter and Narrative Proposal, and attachments not specifically required, will not be reviewed.

In addition, proposals must be received through www.grants.gov as specified in Section 4 on or before the proposal submission deadline published in Section 4 of this announcement. Proposals received through www.grants.gov after the submission deadline will be considered late and deemed ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was late due to EPA mishandling or because of technical issues associated with grants.gov or relevant SAM.gov system issues. An applicant’s failure to timely submit their proposal through

Grants.gov because they did not timely or properly register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov will not be considered as acceptable reason to consider a late submission. Applications submitted through Grants.gov will be time and date stamped electronically. If you have not received a confirmation of receipt from EPA (not Grants.gov) within 30 days of the proposal deadline, please contact Patricia Overmeyer at (202)-566-2774 or overmeyer.patricia@epa.gov. Failure to do so may result in your proposal not being reviewed.

Ineligible activities: 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.

For purposes of the threshold eligibility review, EPA, if necessary, may seek clarification of applicant information and/or consider information from other sources, including EPA files.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ mailto:overmeyer.patricia@epa.gov

SECTION 4 – APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

4.A. How to Obtain an Application Package

This RFP can be obtained at www.grants.gov or through the EPA’s Brownfields Program website at www.epa.gov/brownfields.

4.B. Requirement to Submit Through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures

Applicants, except as noted below, must apply electronically through www.grants.gov under this funding opportunity based on the www.grants.gov instructions in this announcement. If an applicant does not have the technical capability to apply electronically through www.grants.gov because of limited or no Internet access which prevents them from being able to upload the required application materials to www.grants.gov, the applicant must contact OGDWaivers@epa.gov or the address listed below in writing (e.g., by hard copy, email) at least 15 calendar days prior to the submission deadline under this announcement to request approval to submit their application materials through an alternate method.

Mailing Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Jessica Durand

USEPA Headquarters

William Jefferson Clinton Building

1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N. W.

Mail Code: 3903R

Washington, DC 20460

Courier Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Jessica Durand

Ronald Reagan Building

1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

Rm # 51278

Washington, DC 20004

In the request, the applicant must include the following information:

Funding Opportunity Number (FON)

Organization Name and DUNS

Organization’s Contact Information (email address and phone number)

Explanation of how they lack the technical capability to apply electronically through www.grants.gov because of 1) limited Internet access or 2) no Internet access which prevents them from being able to upload the required application materials through www.grants.gov.

EPA will only consider alternate submission exception requests based on the two reasons stated above and will timely respond to the request -- all other requests will be denied. If an alternate submission method is approved, the applicant will receive documentation of this approval and further instructions on how to apply under this announcement. Applicants will be required to submit the documentation of approval with any initial application submitted under the alternative method. In addition, any submittal through an alternative method must comply with all applicable requirements and deadlines in the announcement including the submission deadline and requirements regarding proposal content and page limits (although the documentation of approval of an alternate submission method will not count against any page limits).

If an exception is granted, it is valid for submissions to EPA for the remainder of the entire calendar year in which the exception was approved and can be used to justify alternative submission methods for application submissions made through December 31st of the calendar year in which the exception was http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.epa.gov/brownfields http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:OGDWaivers@epa.gov approved (e.g., if the exception was approved on March 1, 2018, it is valid for any competitive or non-competitive application submission to EPA through December 31, 2018). Applicants need only request an exception once in a calendar year and all exceptions will expire on December 31st of that calendar year. Applicants must request a new exception from required electronic submission through www.grants.gov for submissions for any succeeding calendar year. For example, if there is a competitive opportunity issued on December 1, 2018, with a submission deadline of January 15, 2019, the applicant would need a new exception to submit through alternative methods beginning January 1, 2019.

Please note that the process described in this section is only for requesting alternate submission methods. All other inquiries about this announcement must be directed to the Brownfields Contact listed in Section 7. Queries or requests submitted to the email address identified above for any reason other than to request an alternate submission method will not be acknowledged or answered.

4.C. Submission Instructions

The electronic submission of your application must be made by the Authorized Organization

Representative (AOR) of your institution who is registered with www.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 www.grants.gov, go to 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 www.grants.gov, please encourage your office to designate an 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 an unique entity identifier

(e.g., 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 www.grants.gov and should ensure that all such requirements have been met well in advance of the submission deadline. Registration on www.grants.gov, www.sam.gov, and DUNS number assignment is FREE.

Applicants need to ensure that the AOR who submits the application through www.grants.gov and whose unique entity identifier (e.g., DUNS number) is listed on the application is an AOR for the applicant listed on the application. Additionally, the DUNS number listed on the application must be registered to the applicant organization’s SAM account. If not, the application may be deemed ineligible.

To begin the application process under this grant announcement, go to 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 www.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 www.grants.gov. Go to www.grants.gov and then click on “Search Grants” at the top of the page and enter the Funding Opportunity Number, EPA-OLEM-OBLR-18-05, or the CFDA number that applies to the announcement (CFDA 66.814), in the appropriate field and click the

“Search” button.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html

Please Note: All applications must now be submitted through Grants.gov using the “Workspace” feature. Information on the “Workspace” feature can be found at the Grants.gov Workspace Overview

Page.

Proposal Submission Deadline: Your organization’s AOR must successfully submit your complete application package electronically to EPA through www.grants.gov no later than October 19, 2018, 11:59 p.m. ET. Please allow for enough time to successfully submit your application process and allow for unexpected errors that may require you to resubmit.

Application Materials

The following forms and documents are required under this announcement:

Mandatory Documents

1. Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424)

2. Cover Letter and Narrative Proposal. See Section 4.E. for details on the content of the Cover

Letter and Narrative Proposal, and the associated page limits – use Project Narrative Attachment form to submit the documents as one file.

3. Required Attachments. See Section 4.E. of this announcement – use Project Narrative

Attachment form to submit documents as one file, or use optional Other Attachments form.

Applications submitted through www.grants.gov will be time and date stamped electronically. If you have not received a confirmation of receipt from EPA (not from www.grants.gov ) within 30 days of the proposal deadline, please contact Patricia Overmeyer at overmeyer.patricia@epa.gov. Failure to do so may result in your proposal not being reviewed.

4.D. Technical Issues with Submission

1. Once the application package has been completed, the “Submit” button should be enabled. If the

“Submit” button is not active, please call www.grants.gov for assistance at 1-800-518-4726.

Applicants who are outside the U.S. at the time of submittal and are not able to access the toll-free number may reach a www.grants.gov representative by calling 606-545-5035. Applicants should save the completed application package with two different file names before providing it to the

AOR, to avoid having to re-create the package should submission problems be experienced or a revised application needs to be submitted.

2. Submitting the application. The application package must be transferred to www.grants.gov by an

AOR. The AOR should close all other software before attempting to submit the application package. Click the “submit” button of the application package. Your Internet browser will launch, and a sign-in page will appear. Note: Minor problems are not uncommon with transfers to www.grants.gov. It is essential to allow sufficient time to ensure that your application is submitted to www.grants.gov BEFORE the due date identified in Section 4 of the solicitation.

The www.grants.gov support desk operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except federal holidays.

https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:overmeyer.patricia@epa.gov http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

A successful transfer will end with an on-screen acknowledgement. For documentation purposes, print or screen capture this acknowledgement. If a submission problem occurs, reboot the computer

– turning the power off may be necessary – and re-attempt the submission.

Note: www.grants.gov issues a “case number” upon a request for assistance.

3. Transmission difficulties. If transmission difficulties that result in a late transmission, no transmission, or rejection of the transmitted application are experienced, and following the above instructions do not resolve the problem so that the application is submitted to www.grants.gov by the deadline date and time, follow the guidance below. The Agency will make a decision concerning acceptance of each late submission on a case-by-case basis. All emails, as described below, are to be sent to Patricia Overmeyer at overmeyer.patricia@epa.gov with the FON in the subject line. If you are unable to email, contact Patricia Overmeyer at 202-566-2774. Be aware that EPA will only consider accepting applications that were unable to transmit due to www.grants.gov or relevant www.sam.gov system issues or for unforeseen exigent circumstances, such as extreme weather interfering with Internet access. Failure of an applicant to submit timely because they did not properly or timely register in www.sam.gov or www.grants.gov is not an acceptable reason to justify acceptance of a late submittal.

a. If you are experiencing problems resulting in an inability to upload the application to www.grants.gov, it is essential to call www.grants.gov for assistance at 1-800-518-4726 before the application deadline. Applicants who are outside the U.S.