2015rfpp2grant.pdf

FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Chemical Safety and

Pollution Prevention, Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Regional Pollution Prevention Program

Offices

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TITLE: Fiscal Year 2015 Pollution Prevention Grant Program

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Pollution Prevention Act of 1990, Section 6605, Public Law 101-508

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Request for Proposals (RFP)

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER: 66.708

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: EPA-HQ-OPPT-2015-002

SUBMISSION DATE: Proposals are due Thursday, May 14, 2015, 11:59 pm, (ET). EPA will receive proposals electronically through Grants.gov. Proposals will be date and time stamped. Proposals must be submitted on time in order to be considered for funding.

SUMMARY OF ANNOUNCEMENT

EPA annually releases Pollution Prevention (P2) grant funds to state entities, federally-recognized tribes and intertribal consortia for the purpose of delivering technical assistance and/or training to businesses.

P2 grant funding encourages businesses to adopt strategies and solutions that can significantly reduce or eliminate pollution from the source. EPA anticipates awarding approximately $3.97 million in P2 grant funding during Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 to states and tribes.1 Awards may be funded in the form of grants and/or cooperative agreements and will be issued and managed by EPA’s Regional Pollution Prevention

Program Offices (herein referred to as the Regions). The amount of grant funding released is dependent upon Congressional appropriation and the quality of proposals received.

CONTENTS BY SECTION

Section I Funding Opportunity Description

Section II. Award Information

Section III. Eligibility

Section IV. Proposal and Submission Information

Section V. Proposal Evaluation and Review Information

Section VI. Award Administration Information

Section VII. Agency Contacts

1 FY 2015 represents the period from October 1, 2014 – September 30, 2015. Region 4 will cap individual awards within a range between $60,000 to $80,000. Region 6 will cap individual awards at

$180,000.

http://www.grants.gov/

APPENDICES

Appendix A Sample Cover Page

Appendix B Guidance for Addressing Environmental Results and Measurements

Appendix C Project Timeline Samples

Appendix D Itemized Budget Detail Guidance and Sample

FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

I. Funding Opportunity Description: Under this announcement, the Regions are publicizing a competitive funding opportunity for state entities and federally-recognized tribes and intertribal consortia to submit P2 project proposals that may qualify them for FY 2015 P2 grants.2 Proposals favored for funding are those that help businesses adopt and implement approaches or tools, utilize outreach material or attend training in best management practices for the purpose of reducing or eliminating hazardous pollutants from air, water and land. Under the authority of the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 (PPA), the Regions anticipate approximately $3.97 million will be released through grants and/or cooperative agreements.3 Applicants are strongly encouraged to read this announcement as it provides important new information on the goals of the program, offers updated agency grant policies and program requirements, and provides revised evaluation criteria.

A. Purpose of P2 Grant Projects: Projects are to provide businesses with technical advice, on-site technical assistance, classroom training, professional certification, etc. Projects should highlight: 1) the business recipient of the technical assistance/training activity; 2) the type of technical assistance and/or training activity; 3) how, when and where the technical assistance/training will be provided; and 4) how the technical assistance/training will be assessed to measure environmental performance, and environmental and human health concerns.

Examples of acceptable P2 grant activities may include, but are not limited to: 1) Providing on-site P2 training for small to mid-sized businesses to large manufacturers on Lean and Green; 2) Helping businesses set up environmental management system protocols; 3) Offering P2 workshops to businesses;

4) Offering technical advice to state agencies or state university staff who in turn use this information to train businesses on best management practices; 5) Providing certification seminars to businesses; 6)

2 State entities refers to state agencies, state colleges or universities. Colleges or universities that are agencies or instrumentalities of a state government are eligible. Colleges or universities that are not chartered as a part of state government are not eligible. Colleges and universities must include documentation demonstrating that they are chartered as a part of a state government. Documentation may include, but is not limited to: a state constitutional reference, college/university charter, W-7 tax form that has confirmed the college or university to serve as an instrumentality of a state. Federally-recognized tribes and intertribal consortia must meet the requirements for treatment in a manner similar to a state. These requirements are referenced in 40 CFR 35.663 and 40 CFR 35.504 respectively.

3 Assistance agreements under this announcement are awarded under the authority of §6605 of the PPA of 1990, Public Law 101-508, 42 U.S.C. 13104, 40 CFR 35.340 and 35.660. Refer to http://epw.senate.gov/PPA90.pdf for more information.

http://epw.senate.gov/PPA90.pdf

Supporting recognition programs to honor businesses that adopt, implement and promote P2, etc.

B. National P2 Emphasis Areas for FY 2015: EPA’s national P2 Program is retooling the P2 grant program to address three topic areas suitable for expansion in the business community and ready for immediate implementation. The three topic areas are referred to as national P2 emphasis areas. Under each topic area, examples are provided to explain the types of activities that may be considered.

Applicants are to select one or more of the emphasis areas as the focus of their P2 grant proposals.

1. Climate Change Mitigation/Prevention of Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Implement P2 projects that achieve significant and measureable reductions of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and/or energy efficiency through technical assistance to businesses.

Examples of projects under this national emphasis area may include, but are not limited to:

Implementing pollution prevention activities that could support energy efficiency measures for businesses that States are considering for their §111(d) plan.4

Implementing and measuring energy use/GHG reductions through combined heat and power projects for businesses, could involve a multi-sector approach.

Implementing and measuring energy use/GHG reductions through implementation of pump and generator efficiencies for businesses, could involve a multi-sector approach.

Involving college and university engineering departments to identify opportunities to reduce heat loss in targeted industries.

Focusing on Economy, Energy and Environment (E3) assessments concerning GHG reductions through process and materials substitution as well as chemical substitutions for hydrofluorocarbons and other highly potent GHGs.

Offering training and other assistance to businesses and technical assistance providers to help identify and implement substitutions for chemicals and substances with significant environmental impacts including highly potent GHG chemicals.

Offering technical assistance to businesses to reduce their energy consumption from industrial processes such as lighting, hot water use, compressed air, natural gas, etc.

4 Under §111 of the Clean Air Act (CAA) EPA has the broad authority to issue standards, regulations or guidelines that address greenhouse gas emissions released by new and existing electric utility power plants, including modifications to those plants. Under §111(d) of the CAA, EPA has the authority to establish air emission guidelines while the states have the authority to design and support environmental programs to carry out those guidelines in order to realize air emission reductions. P2 grants may be used to support measures to help carry out those guidelines.

http://www2.epa.gov/e3

2. Food Manufacturing: Implement pollution prevention projects that support more sustainable food manufacturing resulting in reduced greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, hazardous materials generation and use, and/or business costs.

Examples of activities under this national emphasis area may include, but are not limited to:

Implementing and measuring water conservation techniques (e.g., use of high volume, low pressure washing systems that reuse water; implement alternatives to wastewater conveyance by transferring solids and particulate matter using augers or conveyors or manually to minimize loadings to wastewater systems).

Implementing and measuring reduction of energy use and energy efficiency.

Implementing and measuring green chemistry solutions (e.g., reduce quantity and toxicity of cleaning products or food processing chemicals).

Implementing and measuring reduced air emissions and water discharges (e.g., focus on Clean

Air Act §112(r) requirements to prevent ammonia refrigeration leaks and other accidental releases – http://www2.epa.gov/rmp.

Establishing food-manufacturing roundtables to exchange information, ideas, and technology information among food manufacturers.

Focusing Economy, Energy and Environment (E3) assessments on source reduction of food waste at one facility or at multiple points in the supply chain through more efficient food processing and handling of products.

3. State or Community Approaches to Hazardous Materials Source Reduction: Implement state or community-based approaches to hazardous materials source reduction activities that result in reduced generation and use of hazardous materials.5

Examples of activities under this national emphasis area may include, but are not limited to:

Assisting businesses to improve material practices that reduce the risk of release of hazardous chemicals during a storm or other event.

Identifying and targeting businesses within environmental justice communities or communities at high risk of flooding or natural disasters that use hazardous materials and provide P2 assessment and training.

5 The term community defined under this emphasis area applies the definition used under the agency’s cross-agency strategy action plan on communities. For more information, click on:

http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-02/documents/communities-action-plan-fy15.pdf.

http://www2.epa.gov/rmp http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-02/documents/communities-action-plan-fy15.pdf

Amplifying Toxic Release Inventory (TRI)-P2 reporting and using TRI P2 data to target similar businesses or operations for similar P2 opportunities in hazardous materials source reduction.

Creating community partnerships (between businesses and local municipalities, schools, etc.) to identify and reduce use of hazardous materials.

Creating training and other assistance methods to teach businesses to identify and reduce the use of hazardous chemicals in their facilities through source reduction techniques and/or practices, e.g., participating in EPA’s Safer Choice program, using Safer Choice-labeled products, or using EPA’s Safer Chemical Ingredients List.

Creating regional manufacturing roundtables.

Developing community-based Economy, Energy and Environment (E3) projects that would result in reduced generation and use of hazardous substances, pollutants, and/or contaminants and increase efficiency by manufacturers.

Promoting remanufacturing of certain higher-value used solvents into commercial-grade products to extend their useful life and reduce the manufacturing and use of virgin solvents, resulting in economic efficiencies, fewer hazardous releases, as well as increased energy conservation and reduced GHG emissions.

C. EPA Regional P2 Priorities: Each Region has developed a set of priorities that may expand upon the national emphasis areas noted above and/or may highlight specific environmental issues, projects, and/or programs of particular interest to the Region. Applicants are to select one or more of the Region’s priority areas as part of their proposal. Work proposed in multiple Regions will not be considered.6

Region 1 (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)

The Region does not intend to identify regional priorities outside of the national emphasis areas; we are identifying the following regional priorities that align with the national emphasis areas:

Aligning with the Climate Change Mitigation & State and Community Approaches to Hazardous

Materials Source Reduction under the National P2 Emphasis Areas o Promote projects that achieve results in one or more of the four P2 metrics (e.g., metric tons of carbon equivalents; gallons of water; pounds of hazardous materials; and dollars) with particular emphasis on reducing hazardous materials through P2 practices (e.g., source reduction through green chemistry and engineering, green procurement, etc.) The projects should focus on manufacturing and commercial operations that impact local communities, especially in communities that: a) bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial and commercial operations; and/or b) are susceptible to flooding.

o Assess business profiles in communities designated by Federal Emergency Management Agency or FEMA on national insurance maps as high risk for flooding or are otherwise prone to natural

6 Applicants residing in one Region may propose work in a different Region. In this circumstance, proposals must be sent to the Region where the work will take place.

http://www2.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventory-tri-program/pollution-prevention-p2-and-tri http://www2.epa.gov/saferchoice http://www2.epa.gov/saferchoice/safer-ingredients disasters. Develop and implement outreach strategies based on these profiles designed to result in source reduction and improved preparedness for natural disasters.

o Relying on existing regulatory requirements, best practices and source reduction approaches, identify tools and information to be used in outreach to businesses in these high flood risk or otherwise vulnerable communities, emphasizing the importance of source reduction of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants that might release in the event of floods, thereby posing risks to human health or the environment.

o Assess the need to customize sector outreach tools and disaster preparedness tools and most effective and efficient methods of distributing these tools including online training (e.g. webinars and or self-paced online training modules).

o Convene roundtable conversations of federal, state, local and business and industry partners and community groups to increase source reduction opportunities and preparedness levels of businesses in flood-prone communities and or communities with a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial and commercial operations.

Aligning with the Food Manufacturing/Processing National P2 Emphasis Area:

Projects in the food processing/manufacturing sector to assist businesses can include, but are not limited to:

o Implement and measure water conservation techniques.

o Implement and measure reduction of energy use (energy efficiency).

o Implement and measure green chemistry solutions that reduce quantity and toxicity of cleaning products or food processing chemicals.

o Implement and measure reduced air emissions and water discharges e.g., focus on Clean Air

Action § 112(r) requirements to prevent ammonia refrigeration leaks and other accidental releases

(http://www2.epa.gov/rmp).

o Establish a food manufacturing roundtable to exchange information, ideas, and technology information among food manufacturers.

o Projects that include Economy, Energy and Environment (E3) assessments on source reduction of food waste and reductions of energy and water conservation at one facility or at multiple points in the supply chain through more efficient food processing and handling of product.

o Convene roundtable conversations regarding any of the following opportunities in food processing:

Reduce hazardous substances pollutants or contaminants at the source

Conservation of energy, water and raw materials

Reduction of food and solid waste (reported separately from P2 results)

Improved environmental compliance http://www2.epa.gov/rmp

Partners to be convened include: federal agencies (U.S. EPA, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Food and Drug Administration), state agencies, trade & professional associations, academia (especially state colleges and universities), business and industry representatives and other key partners including manufacturing extension programs and economic development.

o Develop and promote case studies on food manufacturing/processing businesses demonstrating excellence in applying source reduction practices and operations that have achieved results in any of the four P2 metrics.

Region 2 (NJ, NY, PR, VI)

Promote projects that:

o Achieve quantifiable, measurable results in energy conservation, water conservation, reducing the generation and use of hazardous materials (e.g., toxics in products and processers), and saving money. Results need to be in one or more of the following metrics:

metric tons of carbon equivalents gallons of water pounds of hazardous materials dollars o Address the above criteria and focus on reducing hazardous materials through P2 practices (e.g., green chemistry and engineering, green procurement, etc.). The projects should focus on manufacturing and commercial operations that impact local communities, especially in communities that:

bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial and commercial operations, and are susceptible to flooding.

Region 3 (DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV)

Promote projects that support:

o P2 technical assistance programs with the goal of achieving measurable P2 results from businesses.

o P2 projects that assist businesses to Lean and Green their operations with the goal of achieving measurable P2 results. Of particular interest are collaborative projects to implement the Economy, Energy and Environment (E3) initiative, or to pilot a by-product synergy network that addresses hazardous materials.

http://www.epa.gov/lean/environment/ http://www.e3.gov/ http://www.e3.gov/

Region 4 (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN)

Promote projects that support:

o P2 technical assistance and strategies for the manufacturing sector that achieve measureable results in reduction of hazardous waste, conservation of water and/or energy, reduction in greenhouse gases, and cost savings. Of particular interest are amplifying projects that support the

National Emphasis Areas as defined above and utilize existing tools/programs such as the

Economy, Energy and Environment (E3) framework and the Investing in Manufacturing

Communities Partnership.

o Connections among green building, neighborhood connectivity, and/or construction sectors.

Projects should focus on hazardous waste reduction, cost savings, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, energy efficiency and reducing air emissions associated with transportation and water conservation. Projects that will not be considered under this topic area include those that seek to use funds for equipment and supplies that will be used to retrofit buildings (e.g., changing out lighting, windows etc.) or building systems upgrades.

Region 4 will cap individual awards within a range between $60,000 to $80,000.

Region 5 (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI)

The Region does not intend to identify regional priorities outside of the national emphasis areas; we are identifying the following regional priorities that align with the national emphasis areas:

o Support P2 technical assistance to businesses that achieve measureable results in reduction of hazardous waste, conservation of water and/or energy, reduction in greenhouse gases, and cost savings in one or more of the three P2 national emphasis areas as defined above.

o Include P2 technical assistance to businesses in overburdened and underserved communities in one or more of the three P2 national emphasis areas as defined above.

Region 6 (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX) o Use P2/source reduction techniques and strategies for any business, as referenced in the Pollution

Prevention Act (e.g., energy efficiency, Lean and Green techniques) and achieve measurable results by reducing pollution and hazardous waste, limiting water use, saving money, reducing greenhouse gases and/or conserving energy.

o Support impacted vulnerable communities.

o Achieve P2 results in high impact sectors such as petrochemical industry, resource extraction, entertainment (sports, hospitality, parks) and agriculture.

o Integrate P2 into emerging environmental challenges (drought, weather variability, peak demand).

http://www2.epa.gov/e3 http://www.eda.gov/challenges/imcp/ http://www.eda.gov/challenges/imcp/ o Provide education and training that help businesses manage materials in a more sustainable way including an emphasis on measurable source reduction.

Region 6 will cap individual awards at $180,000. Proposals requesting over $180,000 will not be considered.

Region 7 (IA, KS, MO, NE) o Attain powerful, demonstrable, achievable, viable P2 performance outcomes (greenhouse gases, water, toxics/pollutants, and savings).

o Support more sustainable water systems – water quality as it relates to discharges and water quantity as it relates to consumption.

o Support the enhancement of formal P2 curricula. At the university baccalaureate level, this shall require a baseline consideration that the course is in the catalogue of an accredited engineering curriculum and has a minimum credit value of at least three hours. For courses at less than a baccalaureate level there will be commensurate standards requiring accreditation and professional, licensed oversight.

o Support an established Economy, Energy & Environment (E3) program in Region 7 in which

EPA Region 7 is already an existing partner.

Region 8 (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY) o Provide pollution prevention technical assistance for businesses to address state environmental priorities and reduce greenhouse gases, hazardous waste, increase energy and water efficiency, and save money while leading to measurable environmental outcomes.

o Demonstrate new, innovative practices that promote measurable pollution prevention/source reduction efforts.

Region 9 (AZ, CA, HI, NV, AS, GU) o Integrate green chemistry principles and concepts into product or process redesign, manufacturing, policy or procurement. Focus should be on practical approaches (tools, training, technical assistance, etc.) that help the public and private sectors apply the concepts of green chemistry in making operational and strategic decisions. Projects should consider how to reduce use of or exposure to EPA's Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) work plan chemicals where final assessments indicate significant risk.

http://www.epa.gov/oppt/existingchemicals/pubs/workplans.html o Support environmentally preferable purchasing or public access to information on chemicals in products, in order to influence regional or national markets.

o Support source reduction technical assistance for businesses, with a focus on reduction in hazardous materials use and reduction of wasted food.

Region 10 (AK, ID, OR, WA) o Prevent the production and/or emission of greenhouse gases by integrating energy/fuel efficiency and/or chemical substitution support into P2 technical assistance.

o Support state priorities like safer chemical alternatives, Lean and the Environment, P2 planning, and toxics initiatives to assist businesses.

o Provide technical assistance to businesses involving cross regional and national P2 initiatives, including Economy, Energy and the Environment (E3).

D. Program Requirements:

1. Eligible Applicants: Section 6605 of the PPA and applicable parts of 40 CFR Part 35, Subparts A and B (40 CFR 35.340 et seq. and 35.660 et seq.) authorizes EPA to award grants and cooperative agreements to the fifty states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin

Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the U.S. (40 CFR

35.345), any agency or instrumentality of a state, including state colleges/universities, federally-recognized tribes that meet the requirements for treatment in a manner similar to a state (40 CFR 35.663) and intertribal consortia (40 CFR 35.504).7

2. Definition of P2: For purposes of this announcement, P2 does not include any practice which alters the physical, chemical, or biological characteristics or the volume of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant through a process or activity which itself is not integral to and necessary for the production of a product or the providing of a service (refer to PPA

Section 6603 and 40 CFR 35.343 and 35.662). Recycling of discarded materials cannot serve as a basis for P2 grant funding and is more suited to grants awarded by EPA’s Office of

Resource Conservation and Recovery. For more information on recycling and related programs, go to: http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/.

3. Examples of P2: The P2 Program encourages providing technical assistance on source

7 Colleges or universities that are agencies or instrumentalities of a state government are eligible.

Colleges or universities that are not chartered as a part of state government are not eligible. Colleges and universities must include documentation demonstrating that they are chartered as a part of a state government. Documentation may include: a state constitutional reference, college/university charter, W-

7 tax form that has confirmed the college or university to serve as an instrumentality of a state.

http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/ reduction to businesses. It discourages a focus on reducing non-hazardous pounds of pollution and materials. P2 can be accomplished via training or technology modifications; technical assistance on modifying processes or procedures and extending the life of non-discarded hazardous materials; training on redesigning products that use fewer materials; or training on the substitution of raw materials to support a more environmentally preferable method. For more information, applicants may locate summaries of previously awarded P2 grants by going to: http://www.epa.gov/oppt/p2home/pubs/grants/index.htm#p2grant.

4. Statutory Criteria8: As mandated in PPA 6605(b) and EPA's P2 regulations within 40 CFR

35.342 and 35.661, a P2 grant proposal must address and will be evaluated on whether it:

a. Makes specific technical assistance available to businesses seeking information about source reduction opportunities, including funding for experts to provide on-site technical advice to businesses and to assist in the development of source reduction plans;

b. Targets assistance to businesses for whom lack of information is an impediment to source reduction; and

c. Provides training in source reduction techniques. Such training may be provided through local engineering schools or other appropriate means.

5. Cost Sharing and Matching Requirements: P2 grant recipients, as required under Section

6605(b) of the PPA, must provide at least a 50 percent match of the total allowable project cost. Refer to Section III.A.

6. Proposal Funding Period: One to three years.

7. Statutory Measurement Provisions and Environmental Results Policy: As authorized under Section 6605 of the PPA (Public Law 101-508, 42 U.S.C 13104), the Agency “shall establish appropriate means for measuring the effectiveness of the State grants made under this section in promoting the use of source reduction techniques by businesses.” This topic relates to Section V.A – environmental results evaluation criterion 2c.

a. To comply with PPA Section 6605 and EPA’s Environmental Results Policy Order, 5700.7A1, applicants are required to provide qualitative and quantitative estimates of expected outcomes and outputs of P2 grant project activities, and develop a plan for tracking and measuring their progress towards achieving the expected outcomes and outputs. For specific guidance on what is required, please refer to Appendix B.

b. For expected outcomes specifically, applicants are required to provide a plan for itemizing any and all facility-level results with the corresponding facility implementation activities

(or state why this would be burdensome or present a confidentiality concern). This is authorized under PPA Section 6605 and satisfies the 5700.7A1 requirement to develop a

8 Statutory criteria will be used to evaluate proposals along with other evaluation criteria noted in Section

V.A.

http://www.epa.gov/oppt/p2home/pubs/grants/index.htm#p2grant plan to track and measure progress towards achieving expected outcomes. Further explanatory guidance is in Appendix B.

8. Alignment with EPA’s Strategic Plan: Proposals are required to commit to working towards the five long-term P2 targets provided in the Agency’s FY 2014-2018 Strategic Plan.

The P2 Program’s targets are located under Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and

Preventing Pollution, Objective 4.2: Promote Pollution Prevention.

Strategic measures:

o By 2018, reduce 600 million pounds of hazardous materials cumulatively through pollution prevention.

o By 2018, reduce 7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2Eq.)

cumulatively through pollution prevention.

o By 2018, reduce 6.9 billion gallons of water use cumulatively through pollution prevention.

o By 2018, save $1.3 billion in business, institutional, and government costs cumulatively through pollution prevention improvements.

o By 2018, increase the number of safer chemicals and safer chemical products cumulatively by 1,900 products as recognized by the Design for the Environment program.9

To view the Plan, click here: EPA's FY 2014-2018 Strategic Plan. Refer to pp. 35-36 and p.72 for information related to P2.

9. Engaging Partners in P2 Grant Work: Applicants who develop strong relationships with other environmental or business assistance providers can greatly enhance their opportunity for securing state and federal resources in the future.

a. Types of Partnerships: Partnerships may include university-based technical assistance and cooperative extension programs, and other environmental assistance programs offered within the state or tribe. Partnerships are also encouraged among trade organizations, federal programs and with regional and national programs such as with the Pollution

Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx) Centers, EPA's Office of Enforcement and

Compliance Assurance (OECA) Compliance Assistance Centers, EPA's Small Business

Environmental Assistance Programs (SBEAPs), the Department of Commerce’s National

Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership

Program, the Department of Energy's (DOE) Industrial Assessment Centers, etc.10 By

9 In March 2015, EPA’s Design for the Environment Program will be renamed the Safer Choice Program.

10 If a partnership is formed with another federal program, the cash or in-kind contribution may not be used by the applicant to supplement the match requirement provided under this announcement. For more information on Cost Sharing and Matching Requirements, please refer to Section III.A.

http://www.epa.gov/dfe/ http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-09/documents/epa_strategic_plan_fy14-18.pdf http://www2.epa.gov/saferchoice developing such partnerships, applicants can leverage outside expertise.

b. Making Use of P2Rx Centers: EPA annually allocates a portion of its state and tribal assistance grant funding to maintain the development and dissemination of peer-reviewed

P2 content to promote P2 practices by state and local governments as well as institutions and businesses through P2Rx Centers. The Centers promote networking through regional and national listservs, websites, webinars and conferences. The Centers also support P2 measurement work through the National P2 Results database system. To prevent duplication of P2 grant efforts, the Regions strongly encourage applicants to explore opportunities for collaboration with their regional P2Rx Center. Applicants should contact their Center to find out what kind of information or services may be available to assist in their proposed work. For more details on P2Rx, please visit http://www.p2rx.org.

II. Award Information: The Regions anticipate approximately $3.97 million will be available in FY

2015 to issue P2 grants and cooperative agreements to eligible applicants. As in previous years, individual P2 grant awards are expected to be in the range of $20,000-$180,000. The dollar amount and the quantity of grants issued will depend upon Congressional appropriation and the quality of proposals received. Under this announcement, it is anticipated that approximately 60 proposals will be submitted and approximately 40 awards will be issued. The Regions anticipate that final selections will be made

180 days after this announcement is published. Each Region reserves the right to reject all proposals and issue no awards, or issue fewer awards than anticipated. All awards will be consistent with the applicable

EPA regulations and grant policies. In addition, each Region reserves the right to issue additional awards under this announcement, if additional funding becomes available. Additional awards will be made no later than six months from the date of the original selections.

A. Partial Funding: In appropriate circumstances, Regions may reserve the right to partially fund proposals by funding discrete activities, portions, or phases of a proposal. Regions which decide to partially fund proposals will do so in a manner that will not prejudice any applicant or affect the basis upon which a proposal or a portion thereof will be evaluated or selected for an award and therefore maintain the integrity of the competition, evaluation and selection process.

Partial funding allows for flexibility in awarding P2 grant funds. In order to be considered for partial funding, applicants will draft budgets that have clearly delineated activities or phases with separate budget estimates for each activity/phase of a project. The proposals will include budgets that estimate costs for each category (e.g., labor, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contractors, and other direct costs or indirect costs). The budgets will itemize these costs under each project and will identify activities (and corresponding estimated costs) covered by the 50 percent match. Refer to Section III.A for additional information on the match requirement.

B. Incremental Funding: P2 grant funding also may be issued as multi-year awards divided into year-long increments. For example, an applicant may request $90,000 in total funding to be evenly divided in increments of $30,000 each year over a three-year period. In keeping with this example, the applicant will provide as part of their proposal a three-year budget detailing how funds will be used for each of the three years. The Region will have the discretion to fund any or all of the three years. If incremental http://www.p2rx.org/ funding is offered, use of such funding is not guaranteed. Incremental funding will be contingent upon a range of factors, including federal funding availability in subsequent years, programmatic and performance history of the grantee, programmatic priorities of the Region and/or other evaluation factors.

C. Funding Restrictions: Applicants will clearly demonstrate how P2 grant funds will promote source reduction techniques by businesses.11 Funding may only be used for the purposes set forth in the grant agreement and will be consistent with EPA’s statutory authority (PPA Section 6605) under the P2 grant program and with agency regulations (refer to 40 CFR 35.340 or 35.660, as applicable). Grant funds will not fund Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) purchasing activity. Grant funds will not be used as matching funds for other federal grants, lobbying, or support intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, agency grant funds will not be used to sue the federal government or any other government entity.

All costs incurred under this program must be allowable under 2 CFR Part 200 Subpart E. In accordance with applicable law, regulation, and policy, any recipient of funding must agree to comply with restrictions on using assistance funds for unauthorized lobbying, fund-raising, or political activities (i.e., lobbying members of Congress or lobbying for other federal grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts). See e.g. 2 CFR 200.450. Funds generally cannot be used to pay for travel by federal agency staff. Proposed project activities must also comply with all state and federal regulations applicable to the project area. The applicant must also review the solicitation for any other programmatic funding restrictions applicable to this program. If awarded funding, the recipient must refer to the terms and conditions of its award for other funding restrictions applicable to its award. It is the responsibility of the recipient to ensure compliance with these requirements. In addition, please see 2 CFR §1500.8 for information on pre-award costs. If necessary, the Region will subtract the proposed ineligible costs from the final approved budget.

D. Types of Assistance Agreements: P2 grant funds will be issued in the form of grants and/or cooperative agreements under the authority of PPA, Section 6605. The Region will not be substantially involved in the performance of grants. However, if a cooperative agreement is awarded the Region may have substantial technical interaction with the grant recipient. Under this type of agreement, the Region may: review and approve project phases, review proposed work of sub-grantees and contractors collaborating with the grant recipient; review and approve proposed procurements in accordance with 2

CFR 317 and 2 CFR 318; monitor the operation of the projects; approve qualifications of key personnel;

closely monitor the grant recipient's performance; approve any proposed changes to the work plan and/or budget; and review and comment on tasks or deliverables and reports or publications prepared under the cooperative agreement.

III. Eligibility: Eligible applicants include the fifty states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin

Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the U.S. (40 CFR 35.345), any agency or instrumentality of a state, including state colleges/universities, federally-recognized tribes that meet the requirements for treatment in a manner similar to a state (40 CFR 35.663) and intertribal

11 Applicants will need to note a connection to aiding businesses in their proposals. Applicants may refer to the EPA P2 Grant Program Frequently Asked Questions page for more information – http://epa.gov/p2/pubs/grants/ppis/FAQP2RFP.pdf.

http://epa.gov/p2/pubs/grants/ppis/FAQP2RFP.pdf consortia (40 CFR 35.504).12

A. Cost Sharing and Matching Requirements: P2 grant recipients, as required under Section 6605(c) of the PPA, must provide at least a 50 percent match of the total allowable project cost. For example, the federal government will provide half of the total allowable cost of the project and the recipient will provide the other half. Cost sharing and matching contributions may include dollars, in-kind goods and services (such as volunteered time, photocopying and printing services, etc.) and/or third party contributions consistent with 40 CFR 31.24 or 40 CFR 30.23. In the budget, the use of the matching funds must be documented. Note: The match requirement may be applied at the time of award or at specified intervals during the project period. The grant applicant must document in the budget the type of match to be applied and how it will be used. The grant project officer in the Region will monitor the grant recipient’s compliance. If the match requirement is not met or is not applied at specified intervals during the project period, federal funding will cease and the recipient may be subject to an enforcement action, whereby EPA may, for example, disallow costs.13

Note: Cost sharing and matching requirements for proposals under $200,000 for Insular area applicants (the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands) are waived as a matter of law as authorized by the Omnibus Territories Act of 1977, as amended, 48 U.S.C.

Section 1469a. Insular area applicants with proposals that require a cost share of $200,000 or greater are advised to contact EPA to determine if cost share requirements will be waived in whole or in part. For more information, contact the applicable Region noted in Section VII.

B. Special Requirements for States, Tribes, Intertribal Consortia and Insular Area Applicants

Using Performance Partnership Grant (PPG) Agreements: Applicants from states, federally-recognized tribes and insular areas that intend to include P2 grant funds in a PPG will need to address the following:

1. PPG Requirement for States: States that include P2 grant funds in PPGs must describe and implement the commitments of P2 workplans as part of PPG agreements. Refer to 40 CFR

35.138.

2. PPG Requirement for Tribes: Tribes that include P2 grant funds in PPGs must describe and implement grant commitments of P2 workplans as part of PPG agreements. If tribes successfully incorporate P2 workplans into PPGs, the match requirement for the P2 portion of the work will be reduced from 50 percent to 5 percent. The reduction in match applies to the first two years of PPG agreements. If PPG commitments significantly differ from P2 grant commitments, then tribes will need to consult with their EPA Regional Administrator (RA) or delegated EPA official (refer to 40 CFR 35.535(b)). After the first two years, the RA or delegated EPA official will determine through objective assessment whether the tribes meet

12 Colleges or universities that are agencies or instrumentalities of a state government are eligible.

Colleges or universities that are not chartered as a part of state government are ineligible. Colleges and universities must include documentation demonstrating that they are chartered as a part of state government in their proposals. Documentation may include: state constitution, university charter, case law that has confirmed the college or university as a state agency or instrumentality of a state, etc.

13 For additional information on cost share or matching requirements, refer to 2 CFR 200.306.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2014-title2-vol1/pdf/CFR-2014-title2-vol1-sec200-306.pdf the socioeconomic indicators to provide a cost share greater than 5 percent. If the

RA/delegated EPA official determines that tribes meet such indicators, the cost share shall increase up to a maximum of 10 percent of the total allowable cost of the project. However, the RA/delegated EPA official may waive the cost share if socioeconomic indicators indicate that making such an increase will impose undue hardship upon the tribes (refer to 40 CFR

35.536(d)).

C. Threshold Program Requirements: Proposals must meet the Threshold Program

Requirements provided below at the time of submission in order to be considered for funding. The

Region will evaluate proposals based on these preliminary requirements. If applicants are found ineligible, emails or letters will be sent within 15 calendar days after the Region reaches its decision.

Proposals must include the following items in order to be eligible to review.

1. Proposals must substantially comply with all P2 grant program requirements. These are numbered 1-9 in Section I.D;

2. Proposals must address one or more of the national P2 emphasis areas (Section I.B);

3. Proposals must address one or more of the Region’s priority areas. (Section I.C);

4. If a proposal includes ineligible tasks or activities (i.e., those not considered to be pollution prevention) 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.

D. Threshold Submission Requirements: This section addresses how applicants should prepare and submit proposal packages in ordered to be considered for funding.

1. Proposal packages must substantially comply with the submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement in order to be considered for funding or else they will be rejected.

2. Proposals must be submitted through Grants.gov as stated in Section IV of this announcement

(except in limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed for as explained in Section IV) on or before the proposal submission deadline. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV by the submission deadline.

3. Proposals submitted 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 problems associated with Grants.gov or System for Award Management (SAM)/SAM.gov 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 an acceptable reason to consider a late submission. Applicants should confirm receipt of their proposals with their applicable Region http://www.sam.gov/ noted in Section VII as soon as possible after the submission deadline – failure to do so may result in proposals not being reviewed.

4. Applicants must adhere to the page limit requirement of 10 pages or less (Section IV.C.4).

IV. Proposal and Submission Information

A. Submission Deadline: Proposals are due Thursday, May 14, 2015, 11:59 pm (ET).

B. Requirement to Submit Proposals through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures:

Applicants, except as noted below, must apply electronically through Grants.gov under this funding opportunity based on the grants.gov instructions in this announcement.

If an applicant does not have the technical capability to apply electronically through grants.gov because of limited or no internet access which prevents them from being able to upload the required application materials to 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 Barbara Perkins

USEPA Headquarters

William Jefferson Clinton Building

1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

Mail Code: 3903R

Washington, DC 20460

Courier Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Barbara Perkins

Ronald Reagan Building

1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

Rm # 51267

Washington, DC 20004

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

o Funding Opportunity Number (FON) o Organization Name and DUNS o Organization’s Contact Information (email address and phone number) o Explanation of how they lack the technical capability to apply electronically through

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 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 http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:Grants.gov mailto:OGDWaivers@epa.gov 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 31 of the calendar year in which the exception was approved (e.g., if the exception was approved on March 1, 2015, it is valid for any competitive or non-competitive application submission to EPA through December 31, 2015). Applicants need only request an exception once in a calendar year and all exceptions will expire on December 31 of that calendar year. Applicants must request a new exception from required electronic submission through Grants.gov for submissions for any succeeding calendar year. For example, if there is a competitive opportunity issued on December 1, 2015 with a submission deadline of January 15, 2016, the applicant would need a new exception to submit through alternative methods beginning January 1, 2016.

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 Agency Contact listed in

Section VII of the announcement. 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.

C. Grants.gov Submission Instructions: The electronic submission of your proposal 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.