2022 JV Flex Fund NOFO Final.docx

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

GLRI JV Flex Fund

Science Needs for Bird Habitat Conservation in the Upper Mississippi / Great Lakes Joint Venture Region 3 https://umgljv.org/

Fiscal Year: 2022

NOFO Number: F22AS00315

Due Date for Applications: 5/31/2022

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT:

OMB Control Number: 1018-0100, Expiration Date: 7/31/2021 We are collecting this information in accordance with the authorizing legislation identified above. Your response is required to obtain or retain a benefit. We will use the information you provide to conduct a competitive review and select projects for funding and, if awarded, to evaluate performance. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. We estimate that it will take you on average about 40 hours to complete an initial application, about 3 hours to revise the terms of an award, and about 8 hours per report to prepare and submit financial and performance reports, including time to maintain records and gather information. Actual time for these activities will vary depending on program-specific requirements. You may send comments on the burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

Table of Contents

A. Program Description This section contains the full program description of the funding opportunity. It may be as long as needed to communicate to potential applicants the areas in which funding may be provided. It describes the Federal awarding agency's funding priorities or the technical or focus areas in which the Federal awarding agency intends to provide assistance. As appropriate, it may include any program history (e.g., whether this is a new program or a new or changed area of program emphasis). This section may communicate indicators of successful projects (e.g., if the program encourages collaborative efforts) and may include examples of projects that have been funded previously. This section also may include other information the Federal awarding agency deems necessary and must include citations for authorizing statutes and regulations for the funding opportunity, at a minimum. Enter program specific text in the sub-headers of this section.

A1. Authority

In the text box below, enter the specific citation(s) of the program’s authority to award financial assistance for the purposes and activities described in this Funding Opportunity. At a minimum, programs must enter the applicable financial assistance authority citations as they appear in the Service’s “FA Authorities by Assistance Listing” SharePoint list. Enter any other programmatic authorities, as applicable.

Migratory Bird Joint Ventures 15.637 authorizing statutes related to this agreement include: Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 742a-754; Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958, 16 U.S.C.661-667(e); Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C, 2901-2911; and Migratory Bird Treaty Act, (16U.S.C. 709a); Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (16 U.S.C. 1531-43).

Assistance Listing Number:

The program’s Assistance Listing Number populates based on data entry on FOA Key Attributes screen. It also appears on Publication Setup-Synopsis screen.

15.637

A2. Background, Purpose and Program Requirements:

In the text box below, provide a full programmatic description of the funding opportunity. Per 2 CFR §200.202, “Program Planning and Design”, prior to announcing a Notice of Funding Opportunity, the Federal program must establish clear goals and objectives that facilitate the delivery of meaningful results as the basis for measuring program performance. Describe the program’s funding priorities or technical focus areas in which the program intends to provide assistance. As appropriate, include any relevant program history (e.g., whether this is a new program or a changed area of program emphasis). This section may communicate indicators of successful projects (e.g., if the program encourages collaborative efforts) and may include examples of projects that have been funded previously. Where appropriate, include specific program goals, indicators, targets, baseline data, data collection, or expected outcomes with an expected timeline for accomplishment. Where applicable, this should also include any performance measures or independent sources of data that may be used to measure progress.

The goal of the Joint Venture (JV) is to assist partners in implementing effective science-based bird habitat conservation projects in the Upper Mississippi / Great Lakes Joint Venture (UMGLJV) region (Michigan and Wisconsin, plus portions of Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Nebraska and Ohio).

The JV has identified priority evaluation needs to fill information gaps and test planning assumptions (https://umgljv.org/science/). Proposals should focus on monitoring and applied research that improves understanding of factors limiting “focal species” population abundance, such as land-use and environmental variation related to climate change. Improved understanding of the ecological services provided by bird habitats and related social concerns for targeting conservation (e.g., JV decision support tools) is highly relevant. In addition, projects to address conservation priorities in State Wildlife Action Plans (SWAPs; https://www.fishwildlife.org/afwa-informs/state-wildlife-action-plans) should be highlighted. Thus, proposal objectives should directly relate to information needs identified in JV Habitat Conservation Strategies and SWAPs. Please clearly identify the plan(s) and evaluation objectives you are addressing and cite the information need(s) identified by the JV and or SWAP. Applicants should also describe the entire scope of the project and explain how JV funded activities will be leveraged against other partner investments towards the success of the entire project. Proposals developed in coordination with the JV bird-group committees will be viewed favorably.

Following are themes prominent in UMGLJV planning documents, with focus on priority species (JV focal species https://umgljv.org/planning/#focal-species) and increasing conservation effectiveness:

1) Test planning assumptions, determine factors most limiting population growth during the full annual cycle, and build / refine models to more effectively target bird habitat conservation;

2) Improve understanding of focal species habitat selection, survival, migration and wintering chronology, and human influences on migrating and wintering populations;

3) Assess trends in bird densities and vital rates in breeding and nonbreeding areas to better predict carrying capacity with environmental variation (e.g., climate change); and

4) Improve understanding of regional human dimensions related to enjoyment of birds, bird habitats, ecological services provided by bird habitats, and how to most effectively grow public support for bird habitat conservation.

We encourage you to discuss proposal ideas for the UMGLJV region with Science Coordinator Greg Soulliere (phone 517-351-4214, Greg_Soulliere@fws.gov).

B. Federal Award Information

This section provides sufficient information to help an applicant make an informed decision about whether to submit a proposal. Relevant information could include the total amount of funding that the Federal awarding agency expects to award through the announcement; the anticipated number of Federal awards; the expected amounts of individual Federal awards (which may be a range); the amount of funding per Federal award, on average, experienced in previous years; and the anticipated start dates and periods of performance for new Federal awards. This section also should address whether applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awards.

This section also must indicate the type(s) of assistance instrument (e.g., grant, cooperative agreement) that may be awarded if applications are successful. If cooperative agreements may be awarded, this section either should describe the “substantial involvement” that the Federal awarding agency expects to have or should reference where the potential applicant can find that information (e.g., in the funding opportunity description in A. Program Description—Required or Federal award administration information in Section D. Application and Submission Information). If procurement contracts also may be awarded, this must be stated.

Enter program specific text in the sub-headers of this section.

B1. Total Funding

The program may include the estimated total amount of funding to be awarded through this announcement. This is an optional field.

Estimated Total Funding: $200,000

Enter any related narrative in the text box below the Estimated Total Funding field as needed.

The UMGLJV will issue one or more grants annually under this NOFO, with a total funding amount of up to $200,000. Multi-year grants may be issued contingent on funding with a multi-year funding maximum of $100,000. Total funding amount may not be utilized if insufficient or inadequate proposals are received.

B2. Expected Award Amount

If the program has established maximum and/or minimum values for individual award amounts, enter those in the Maximum and Minimum Award fields below. These are required fields. If your program does not have an established maximum and/or minimum values and these values do not apply, enter $0 in the corresponding field(s).

Maximum Award: $100,000 If the program has established maximum and/or minimum values for individual award amounts, enter those in the Maximum and Minimum Award fields below. These are required fields. If your program does not have an established maximum and/or minimum values and these values do not apply, enter $0 in the corresponding field(s).

Minimum Award: $25,000

B3. Expected Award Funding and Anticipated Dates

In the text field below enter information on the expected amounts of individual Federal awards (which may be a range); the amount of funding per Federal award, on average, experienced in previous years; and the anticipated start dates and periods of performance for new Federal awards. This section also should address whether applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awards.

Expected Award Funding: $25,000-$100,000

Expected Award Date: October 1, 2022

Multi-year grants may be issued contingent on funding with a multi-year funding maximum of $100,000.

B4. Number of Awards

In the Expected Number of Awards field enter the numeric value for the number of awards anticipated to be approved for this announcement. If the program does not have an anticipated number of awards to be approved enter zero in this field.

Expected Number of Awards: 4-6

B5. Type of Award

Select the Type of Award below by choosing the appropriate assistance instrument from the drop-down list. If the program is authorized to issue grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts, select all values from the dropdown. The values must be selected one at a time. Each Funding Instrument Type will be added in the Funding Instrument Type field.

If you are awarding cooperative agreements, you must also enter text in the following text field to describe the substantial involvement the Service expects to have in the performance of the agreement, or reference where the potential applicant can find that information elsewhere in this document (e.g., in section I. Program Description above). For cooperative agreement awards, we must include a clear statement about the Service’s anticipated substantial involvement in those projects. Here is suggested text to use to begin the substantial involvement statement: “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) will be substantially involved in projects under this funding opportunity. In particular, the Service will be responsible for the following: [insert the specific project-related activities to be performed by Service staff].”

Funding Instrument Type: Grants, Cooperative Agreements

If the program may also award procurement contracts related to this announcement, you must state that and provide any available details on contract procedures and/or announcement(s) in the following text field.

Cooperative agreements may be issued to Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network partners, therefore using the CESU indirect cost rate cap (currently 17.5%). To qualify as a Cooperative Agreement, the narrative must explicitly describe how the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be substantially involved in the performance of the agreement. Here is suggested text to use: “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) will be substantially involved in projects under this funding opportunity. In particular, the Service will be responsible for the following: [insert the specific project-related activities to be performed by Service staff].”

C. Eligibility Information

This section addresses the considerations or factors that determine applicant or application eligibility. This includes the eligibility of particular types of applicant organizations, any factors affecting the eligibility of the principal investigator or project director, and any criteria that make particular projects ineligible. Federal agencies should make clear whether an applicant's failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of an application deadline will result in the Federal awarding agency returning the application without review or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude the Federal awarding agency from making a Federal award. Enter program specific text in the sub-headers of this section.

C1. Eligible Applicants Identify the types of entities that are eligible to apply by selecting the checkbox for the type of entity. Multiple checkboxes may be selected. If there are no restrictions on eligibility, you may simply indicate that all potential applicants are eligible. In the text box below the checkbox selection indicate if there are restrictions on eligibility. It is important to be clear about the specific types of entities that are eligible, not just the types that are ineligible. For example, if the program is limited to nonprofit organizations subject to 26 U.S.C. §501(c)(3) of the tax code (26 U.S.C. §501(c)(3)), the announcement should say so.

Similarly, it is better to state explicitly that Native American tribal organizations are eligible than to assume that they can unambiguously infer that from a statement that nonprofit organizations may apply. Programs may also express eligibility by exception (e.g., open to all types of domestic applicants other than individuals). In the textbox specifically reference any documentation applicants must submit to support an eligibility determination (e.g., if the program limits eligibility to only non-profits with a specific IRS status, state in the field below that proof of 501(c)(3) status as determined by the Internal Revenue Service or an authorizing tribal resolution is required). To the extent that any program funding restriction could affect the eligibility of an applicant or project, the announcement must either restate that restriction in the text box in this section or provide a cross-reference to its description as it appears elsewhere in this template.

If checkbox 25-Others is selected you must complete the text box, Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification.

Federal, State, and local government agencies Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Nonprofits having a 501 (c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education Private institutions of higher education Interstate and intrastate entities

C2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Select “Yes” or “No” in the required Cost Sharing/Matching Requirement field to indicate if recipient cost sharing or matching is required. If the program has a cost sharing or match requirement, you must also enter a complete description of the requirement in the text field. Required cost sharing may be a certain percentage or amount or may be in the form of contributions of specified items or activities (e.g., provision of equipment). It is important to be clear about any restrictions on the types of cost (e.g., in-kind contributions) that are acceptable as cost sharing or match. Cost sharing as an eligibility criterion includes requirements based in statute or regulation as described in 2 CFR §200.306 or those imposed by administrative decision of the funding bureau or office. Include specific reference to the appropriate section(s) of this announcement stating any pre-award requirements for submission of letters or other documentation to verify commitments to meet cost-sharing requirements if a Federal award is made. Programs without a required cost sharing or matching requirement may enter clarifications regarding voluntary committed cost sharing or other related information in the following text field, as applicable.

Does the program have a cost sharing or matching requirement? No

C3. Other

Excluded Parties: FWS conducts a review of the SAM.gov Exclusions database for all applicant entities and their key project personnel prior to award. The Service cannot award funds to entities or their key project personnel identified in the SAM.gov Exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted or otherwise excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits, as their ineligibility condition applies to this Federal program.

In the text box below, insert a description of any other criteria that have the effect of making an application or project ineligible for Federal awards, as applicable. If there are other eligibility criteria (i.e., criteria that have the effect of making an application or project ineligible for Federal awards, whether referred to as “responsiveness” criteria, “go-no go” criteria, “threshold” criteria, or in other ways), clearly state those in the following text field. Include reference(s) to the regulation of requirement that describes the restriction, as applicable. State any limit on the number of applications an applicant may submit under the announcement and make clear whether the limitation is on the submitting organization, individual investigator/program director, or both. Specify any eligibility criteria for beneficiaries or for program participants other than Federal award recipients.

Foreign Entities or Projects:

The following text will be included in the NOFO.

State Sponsors of Terrorism: This program will not fund projects in countries determined by the U.S. Department of State to have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism and therefore are subject to sanctions restricting receipt of U.S. foreign assistance and other financial transactions.

Office of Foreign Assets Control Sanctions: This program will not fund projects in countries subject to comprehensive sanction programs administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Asset Control without proper licenses.

In-Country Licenses, Permits, or Approvals: Entities conducting activities outside the U.S. are responsible for coordinating with appropriate U.S. and foreign government authorities as necessary to obtain all required licenses, permits, or approvals before undertaking project activities. The Service does not assume responsibility for recipient compliance with the laws, regulations, policies, or procedures of the foreign country in which they are conducting work.

Excluded Parties:

The DOI conducts a review of the SAM.gov Exclusions database for all applicant entities and their key project personnel prior to award. The DOI cannot award funds to entities or their key project personnel identified in the SAM.gov Exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted or otherwise excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits, as their ineligibility condition applies to this Federal program.

D. Application and Submission Information

This section informs potential applicants how to get application forms, kits, or other materials needed to apply. Enter program specific text in the sub-headers of this section.

D1. Address to Request Application Package Download the Application Package linked to this Funding Opportunity on GrantSolutions to begin the application process. Using the “Search Grants” tab, enter Funding Opportunity Number. Downloading and saving the Application Package to your computer makes the required government-wide standard forms fillable and printable. Submit completed applications electronically through GrantSolutions.

Applicants should reach out to the technical and administration contacts listed elsewhere in this document if they have questions about their applications.

n the following text field, specify if this funding opportunity contains everything needed or if applicants must go elsewhere to complete all documentation requirements. You may provide an Internet address where materials are available. However, high-speed Internet access is not yet universally available, and applicants may have additional accessibility requirements; you should consider providing a way for potential applicants to request paper copies of materials, such as a U.S. Postal Service mailing address, telephone number, Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD), Text Telephone (TTY) number, and/or Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) number.

This funding opportunity contains everything needed to apply.

To request a paper application package and other information materials, please contact UMGLJV Joint Venture Coordinator Doug Gorby Phone 517-351-8286, douglas_gorby@fws.gov

USFWS – UMGLJV

Michigan Field Office 2651 Coolidge Road, Suite 101 East Lansing, MI 48823 (Please be sure to follow up with Doug by phone or email if requesting anything through mail.)

Program Website Link https://umgljv.org/

D2. Content and Form of Application Submission SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance All applicants must submit the Standard Form (SF)-424, Application for Federal Assistance. This form is available with the announcement on Grants.gov and in GrantSolutions. The form must be complete and signed by an Authorized Representative. For all applicants except private citizens, the Authorized Representative’s signature on a standard application form submitted to the Service represents their certification that the entity’s financial management system meets 2 CFR §200.302 financial management requirements. The non-Federal entity’s financial management system must be sufficient to:

1. Permit the preparation of required reports;

2. Trace funds to a level of expenditures adequate to establish that the entity has used such funds per Federal statutes, regulations, and terms and conditions of the Federal award;

3. Provide for the requirements in 2 CFR §200.302(b); and

4. Comply with §200.334 Retention requirements for records, §200.335 Requests for transfer of records, §200.336 Methods for collection, transmission, and storage of information, and §200.337 Access to records.

When completing the SF-424 Application form, enter only the amount requested from this Federal program in Box 18a, Estimated Federal Funding. Include any other Federal sources of funding in Box 18e. Estimated Other Funding and identify any such sources and amounts in the required Budget Narrative (see below). For individuals applying as a private citizen (i.e., unrelated to any business or nonprofit organization you may own or operate in your name), do NOT include your Social Security Number on this or any other document to be submitted with your application! When completing the SF-424 Application form, individuals must enter in Box 8b. Employee/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN) the substitute number “444-44-4444” and in Box8c. For organizational DUNS substitute number “123456789”. For UEI substitute the number "000123456789".

SF 424B, Assurances for Non-Construction Programs Select this option if the program anticipates receiving applications from individuals applying as private citizens or any entity the Service has approved to be waived from SAM.gov registration requirements. The form number and title and the following standard text will be inserted.

SF 424B, Assurances for Non-Construction Programs Individuals applying for and receiving funds separate from a business or non-profit organization he/she may own or operate, and entities waived from the SAM.gov registration requirements by the funding bureau or office must submit the signed and dated SF-424B, Assurances for Non-Construction Programs form. All required application forms are available with this announcement on Grants.gov and in GrantSolutions.

Enter any additional program-specific instructions for completing the form in the text field below the standard text.

SF 424D, Assurances for Construction Programs Select this option if the announcement is for Construction. The form number and title and the following standard text will be inserted.

SF-424D, Assurances for Construction Programs Any applicant requesting support for a construction projects must submit as signed and dated SF- 424D, Assurances for Construction Programs form. All required application forms are available with this announcement on Grants.gov and in GrantSolutions Project Abstract Summary All applicants must submit the Project Abstract Summary form. This form is available in with the announcement.

Project Narrative

· Project title;

· Description of entity(ies) undertaking the project;

· Statement of need: Describe why this project is necessary (significance/value) and include supporting information. Summarize previous or on-going efforts (of you/your organization, and other organizations or individuals) that are relevant to the proposed work. Explain the successes or failures of past efforts and how your proposed project builds on them. Describe how this project relates to UMGLJV Implementation Plans. If you have received funding previously (from the Service or any other entity) for this specific project work or site, provide a summary of the funding, associated activities and products/outcomes;

· Goals and objectives: State the long-term, overarching goal(s) of the program/project. State the objectives of the project. Objectives are the specific outcomes to be accomplished in order to reach the stated goal(s). The project objectives must be specific, measurable, and realistic (attainable within the project’s proposed project period);

· Activities, Methods, and Timetable: List the proposed project activities and describe how they relate to the stated objectives. Activities are the specific actions to be undertaken to fulfill the project objectives and reach the project goal(s). The proposed project activities narrative must be detailed enough for reviewers to make a clear connection between the activities and the proposed project costs. Provide a timetable indicating roughly when activities or project milestones are to be accomplished. Include any resulting tables, spreadsheets or flow charts within the body of the project narrative. The timetable should not propose specific dates but instead group activities by month for each month over the entire proposed project period;

· Information to support environmental compliance review requirements: For projects being conducted within the United States, the narrative must provide enough detail so that reviewers are able to determine project compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Provide a detailed description of the method(s) to be used to carry out each activity A list of federally Endangered and Threatened species in your project area can be found on the following FWS website https://ipac.ecosphere.fws.gov/ (you do not need an IPAC account to see the list of species for your project location(s)). ; Comment by Mcnicoll, Jennifer L.: A list of federally Endangered and Threatened species in your project area can be found on the following FWS website https://ipac.ecosphere.fws.gov/ (you do not need an IPAC account to see the list of species in your project location(s)).

· Description of stakeholder coordination or involvement: As applicable, describe how you/your organization has coordinated with and involved other relevant organizations or individuals in planning the project, and detail if/how they will be involved in conducting project activities, disseminating project results and/or incorporating your results/products into their activities;

· If applicable (not necessarily applicable for research projects), describe the project monitoring and evaluation plan, including description of assessment tools to be used;

· Information on key project personnel: Provide a brief description of the applicant organization and all participating entities and/or individuals. Identify which of the proposed activities each agency, organization, group, or individual is responsible for conducting or managing;

· Anticipated future funding needs where this grant would be used to complete a portion of a longer-term and or broader project, if applicable;

· Details and supporting documentation on the project location;

· Sustainability: If applicable, describe which project activities will continue beyond the proposed project period, who will continue the work or act on the results achieved, and how and at what level you expect these future activities will be funded;

· Literature Cited

SF-424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs Applicants must complete and submit the SF-424A Budget Information form for Non-Construction Programs or Projects. All required application forms are available with this announcement on GrantSolutions. Federal award recipients and subrecipients are subject to Federal award cost principles in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 200. Applicants must show funds requested from this Federal program separately from any other Federal sources of funding. In “Section A – Budget Summary” on the SF-424A form enter the funding requested from this Federal program in the first row. Identify any other Federal funding sources and amounts in the required Budget Narrative (see below).

SF-424C, Budget Information for Construction Program.

Select this option if the announcement is for construction. The form number and title and the following standard text will be inserted. Enter any additional program-specific instructions for completing the form in the text field below the standard text.

SF-424C, Budget Information for Construction Program Applicants must submit the appropriate SF-424C Budget Information form for Construction Programs or Projects. All required application forms are available with this announcement on GrantSolutions. Federal award recipients and subrecipients are subject to Federal award cost principles in 2 CFR 200. Applicants must show funds requested from this Federal program separately from any other Federal sources of funding. Identify any other Federal funding sources and amounts in the required Budget Narrative (see below).

SF-429 Request to Acquire, Improve, or Furnish Real Property Applicants seeking approval to acquire real property under an award must complete and submit the SF-429, “Real Property Status Report (Cover Page)” and the SF-429-B, “Real Property Status Report Attachment B (Request to Acquire, Improve, or Furnish)”. These forms are required if the real property is acquired with Federal funds, with recipient cost share or matching funds, or as an in-kind contribution under the award. The SF-429 forms are not available with this announcement on Grants.gov; they are available on the Grants.gov Post-Award Reporting Forms page. Please submit these completed forms as attachments to your application.

Budget Narrative In addition to the following standard statement, provide any additional program specific budget narrative instructions in the text field after the standard statement. If the program will consider requests to replace previously purchased telecommunications or video surveillance equipment that is now prohibited per 2 CFR §200.216 but needed to carry out the proposed project, please provide instructions for such in the text field after the standard statement.

Describe and justify requested budget items and costs. Detail how the SF-424 Budget Information, Object Class Category totals were determined. For personnel salary costs, include the baseline salary figures and the estimates of time. Describe any proposed item of cost that requires prior approval under the Federal cost principles, including any anticipated subawarding, transferring or contracting out of any work under the award. See 2 CFR §200.407 for more information. If equipment purchased previously with Federal funds is available for the project, provide a list of that equipment and identify the Federal funding source. Identify any cash or in- kind contributions that a partner or other entity will contribute to the project and describe how the contributions directly and substantively benefit completion of the project. For in-kind contributions, identify the source, the amount, and the valuation methodology used to determine the total value. See 2 CFR §200.306 for more information.

Add any program-specific instructions for items of cost that require prior approval (2 CFR §200.407) Please contact the Region 3 Joint Venture Assistant Coordinator, Anna Sidie-Slettedahl (anna_sidie-slettedahl@fws.gov), for examples of completed budget justifications.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure Per the Financial Assistance Interior Regulation (FAIR), 2 CFR §1402.112, applicants must state in their application if any actual or potential conflict of interest exists at the time of submission.

a. Applicability.

1. This section intends to ensure that non-Federal entities and their employees take appropriate steps to avoid conflicts of interest in their responsibilities under or with respect to Federal financial assistance agreements.

2. In the procurement of supplies, equipment, construction, and services by recipients and by sub recipients, the conflict of interest provisions in 2 CFR§200.318 apply.

b. Notification.

1. Non-Federal entities, including applicants for financial assistance awards, must disclose in writing any conflict of interest to the DOI awarding agency or pass- through entity in accordance with 2 CFR §200.112.

2. Recipients must establish internal controls that include, at a minimum, procedures to identify, disclose, and mitigate or eliminate identified conflicts of interest. The recipient is responsible for notifying the Financial Assistance Officer in writing of any conflicts of interest that may arise during the life of the award, including those that have been reported by sub recipients.

c. Restrictions on lobbying. Non-Federal entities are strictly prohibited from using funds under a grant or cooperative agreement for lobbying activities and must provide the required certifications and disclosures pursuant to 43 CFR §18 and 31 USC §1352.

d. Review procedures. The Financial Assistance Officer will examine each conflict of interest disclosure on the basis of its particular facts and the nature of the proposed grant or cooperative agreement, and will determine whether a significant potential conflict exists and, if it does, develop an appropriate means for resolving it.

Enforcement. Failure to resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the government may be cause for termination of the award. Failure to make required disclosures may result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR §200.339, Remedies for noncompliance, including suspension or debarment (see also 2 CFR §180).

Uniform Audit Reporting Statement All U.S. states, local governments, Indian tribes, institutions of higher education, and non- profit organizations expending $750,000 USD or more in Federal award funds in the applicant’s fiscal year must submit a Single Audit report for that year through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse’s Internet Data Entry System, in accordance with 2 CFR 200 subpart F. U.S. state, local government, Indian tribes, institutions of higher education, and non- profit applicants must state if your organization was or was not required to submit a Single Audit report for the most recently closed fiscal year. If your organization was required to submit a Single Audit report for the most recently closed fiscal year, provide the EIN associated with that report and state if it is available through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse website.

Certification Regarding Lobbying Applicants requesting more than $100,000 in Federal funding must certify to the statements in 43CFR Part 18, Appendix A-Certification Regarding Lobbying. If this application requests more than $100,000 in Federal funds, the Authorized Official’s signature on the appropriate SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance form also represents the entity’s certification of the statements in 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A.

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities Applicants and recipients must not use any federally appropriated funds (annually appropriated or continuing appropriations) or matching funds under a Federal award to pay any person for lobbying in connection with the award. Lobbying is influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any U.S. agency, a Member of the U.S. Congress, an officer or employee of the U.S. Congress, or an employee of a Member of the U.S. Congress connection with the award. Applicants and recipients must complete and submit the SF-LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” form if the Federal share of the proposal or award is more than $100,000 and the applicant or recipient has made or has agreed to make any payment using non- appropriated funds for lobbying in connection with the application or award. The SF-LLL form is available with this Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov. See 43 CFR, Subpart 18.100 for more information on when additional submission of this form is required.

Overlap or Duplication of Effort Statement Applicants must provide a statement indicating if there is any overlap between this Federal application and any other Federal application, or funded project, in regard to activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel. If no such overlap or duplication exists, state, “There are no overlaps or duplication between this application and any of our other Federal applications or funded projects, including in regard to activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel”. If any such overlap exists, provide a complete description of overlaps or duplications between this proposal and any other federally funded project or application in regard to activities, costs, and time commitment of key personnel, as applicable. Provide a copy of any overlapping or duplicative proposal submitted to any other potential funding entity and identify when that proposal was submitted, to whom (entity name and program), and when you anticipate being notified of their funding decision. When overlap exists, your statement must end with “We understand that if at any time we receive funding from another source that is duplicative of the funding we are requesting from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in this application, we will immediately notify the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service point of contact identified in this Funding Opportunity in writing.”

D3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Registration:

This requirement does not apply to individuals applying for funds as an individual (i.e., unrelated to any business or nonprofit organization you may own, operate, or work within), or any entity with an exception to bypass SAM.gov registration with prior approval from the funding bureau or office in accordance with bureau or office policy. All other applicants are required to register in SAM.gov prior to submitting a Federal award application and obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) which will replace Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet in April 2022. A Federal award may not be made to an applicant that has not completed the SAM.gov registration. If an applicant selected for funding has not completed their SAM.gov registration by the time the program is ready to make an award, the program may determine the applicant is not qualified to receive an award. Applicants registering in SAM.gov prior to April 2022 may still be required to obtain a DUNS number prior to completing the registration process within SAM.gov. Federal award recipients must also continue to maintain an active SAM.gov registration with current information through the life of their Federal award(s). See the “Submission Requirements” section of this document below for more information on SAM.gov registration. There is no cost to register with Dun & Bradstreet or SAM.gov. There are third-party vendors who will charge a fee in exchange for registering entities with Dun & Bradstreet and SAM.gov; please be aware you can register and request help for free.

Register with the System for Award Management (SAM) Applicants can register on the SAM.gov website. The “Help” tab on the website contains User Guides and other information to assist you with registration. The Grants.gov “Register with SAM” page also provides detailed instructions. Applicants can contact the supporting Federal Service Desk for help registering in SAM. Once registered in SAM, entities must renew and revalidate their SAM registration at least once every 12 months from the date previously registered. Entities are strongly encouraged to revalidate their registration as often as needed to ensure their information is up to date and reflects changes that may have been made to the entity’s IRS information. If applicable, foreign entities who want to receive payment directly to a U.S. bank account must enter and maintain valid, current banking information in SAM.

D4. Submission Dates and Times

Funding Opportunities must identify due dates and times for all submissions in accordance with 2 CFR 200, Appendix I, Section D (4). Review and address all 2 CFR 200-Appendix I requirements in the following text field. Please note that we must clearly state deadlines in terms of date and time, what the deadline means and if it varies depending on submission method, and the effect of missing the deadline (e.g., does the program provide a short grace period or allow applicants to ask for more time with reasonable explanation for missing it).

Format the information in the “Application Due Date Explanation” field so that it is easy to understand and use. A tabular format or checklist may be more helpful than narrative paragraphs. This includes not only submission dates and times for full applications but also any preliminary submission requirements (e.g., letters of intent, white papers, or pre-applications). We must also describe any other submissions of information before Federal award that are separate from the full application. If the funding opportunity is a general Notice of Funding Opportunity that is open for a period of time with no specific due dates for applications, state that clearly in this section.

For applications submitted electronically through Grants.gov or GrantSolutions always use 11:59 p.m. ET. Grants.gov and GrantSolutions will accept applications through 11:59 p.m. ET on the “Due Date for Applications” field, no matter what time you enter in the “Due Application Due Date Explanation” field.

Note: If the “Due Date for Applications” is completed, GrantSolutions will automatically use the same date to populate the “Closing Date” field found under Publication Setup > Package 1 and in the Header “Due Date for Applications” field of the full text of the NOFO. If you populate the Publication Setup > Package 1, “Closing Date” field first the date entered will automatically populate the NOFO Content D4, “Due Date for Applications.” The field updated last will be the due date that is written to all due date fields. If this field is not completed Programs must complete the Application Due Date Explanation.

Application Due Date Explanation instructions: Programs that have multiple deadlines or receive applications on a rolling basis throughout the year may enter the last day of the current fiscal year (e.g. 09/30/2021) and then provide further clarifications in the “Application Due Date Explanation” field.

Due Date for Applications: 05/15/2022

Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.

D5. Intergovernmental Review An intergovernmental review may be required for applications submissions from a U.S. state or local government prior to submission. Applicants must contact their State’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to comply with the state’s process under Executive Order 12372. The State Single Point of Contact list is available on the OMB Office of Federal Financial Management website.

D6. Funding Restrictions

The following standard indirect costs statements will be included in the announcement. Programs must include information on any program-specific funding restrictions in the text field following the standard indirect costs statements. This will allow an applicant to develop an application and budget consistent with program requirements.

Examples are whether construction is an allowable activity, if there are any limitations on direct costs such as foreign travel or equipment purchases, and if there are any legislatively authorized limits on indirect costs (or facilities and administrative costs). There may also be funding restrictions listed in the program’s SAM.gov Assistance Listing profile. You must also state if the award will or will not allow reimbursement of pre-Federal award costs.

Any program that anticipates issuing cooperative agreements to Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network partners that will qualify as CESU projects and therefore will be subject to the CESU indirect cost rate cap (currently 17.5%), MUST clearly state so in the Funding Opportunity. Programs cannot cap indirect costs to successful CESU partner university applicants if the Funding Opportunity does not explicitly state that awards to such universities will be subject to the CESU indirect cost rate cap.

In addition to program specific text for Funding Restrictions, the following text on Indirect Costs will be included on all NOFOs.

Indirect Costs: Individuals Individuals applying for and receiving funds separate from a business or non-profit organization they may operate are not eligible to charge indirect costs to their award. If you are an individual applying for funding, you must not include any indirect costs in your proposed budget.

Indirect Costs: Organizations The Federal awarding agency that provides the largest amount of direct funding to your organization is your cognizant agency for indirect costs, unless otherwise assigned by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). If the Department of the Interior (DOI) is your organization’s cognizant agency, the Interior Business Center (IBC) will negotiate your indirect cost rate. Contact the IBC by phone 916-930-3803 or using the IBC Email Submission Form. See the IBC Website for more information.

Organizations must have an active Federal award before they can submit an indirect cost rate proposal to their cognizant agency. Failure to establish an approved rate during the award period renders all costs otherwise allocable as indirect costs unallowable under the award. Recipients may not shift unallowable indirect costs to another Federal award unless specifically authorized to do so by legislation.

Required Indirect Cost Statement to be submitted by Organization:

U.S. state or local government entities receiving more than $35 million in direct Federal funding must include the following statement in their application and attach a copy of their most recently negotiated rate agreement:

· We are a U.S. state or local government entity receiving more than $35 million in direct Federal funding. We submit our indirect cost rate proposals to our cognizant agency.