2025-05-113_CNMP NOFO Final.pdf

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Final Notice of Funding Opportunity

AGENCY: Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, Department of Defense

ACTION: Notice of Funding Opportunity Number OLDCC-25-F-0002

NOTICE: The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub. L. 117-103) provides $75 million for this program to remain available until September 30, 2025.

SUMMARY: This Notice of Funding Opportunity announces the availability for State and local governments and Indian Tribes to obtain funding under the competitive Community Noise Mitigation Program through the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation to install noise mitigation insulation at covered facilities, including the installation of air conditioning. To the extent practicable and as appropriate, the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation developed the selection criteria and other information to be consistent with the Federal Aviation Administration’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP) policies and guidance associated with noise mitigation projects. This Notice includes proposal requirements, the deadline for submitting proposals, and criteria that will be used to select proposal respondents that will have the opportunity to apply for a grant under this program.

The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation may award grants under this Notice for the purpose of reducing the impact of military fixed-wing aviation noise on “covered” facilities.

Covered facilities include hospitals, daycare facilities, schools, facilities serving senior citizens, and private residences. These facilities must be located either within one (1) mile of a military installation or another location at which military aircraft are stationed (one mile is determined from the location’s outermost boundary), or within an area experiencing a day-night average sound level of 65 decibels or greater due to military fixed-wing aviation noise, based on documentation and analyses prepared in accordance with Department of Defense Instruction 4165.57, Air Installations Compatible Use Zones, the National Environmental Policy Act, or 14 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.) Part 150 (see resources at https://oldcc.gov/our-programs/community-noise-mitigation). Note: Under the statutory language, Congress directed the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation to use the day-night average sound level (DNL) to qualify proposers for a grant. The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation recognizes that proposers in the State of California generally use the Community Noise Equivalent Level (CNEL) and is working to address this issue with Congress for future grant opportunities.

Funding under this program requires a ten percent (10%) non-Federal project cost contribution from the proposer (Grantee). This funding can also be used to meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s non-Federal local match requirement associated with grants issued to airport sponsors under the Airport Improvement Program for noise mitigation with no additional non- Federal project cost contribution required.

Community Noise Mitigation Program

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In accordance with the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub. L. 117-103), the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation shall coordinate with the Department of Transportation via the Federal Aviation Administration to minimize duplication of efforts with any other noise mitigation program compliant with 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 150.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

a. Federal Awarding Agency: Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, Department of Defense.

b. Funding Opportunity Title: Community Noise Mitigation Program.

c. Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Opportunity.

d. Funding Opportunity Number: OLDCC-25-F-0002

e. Assistance Listing Number: 12.029.

g. Key Dates: The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation will hold two pre-proposal webinars at 3 p.m. EDT on May 29, 2025 and 3 p.m. EDT of June 12, 2025, to review goals and objectives of this Notice of Funding Opportunity and answer questions from interested respondents. Details about participation in the pre-proposal webinars are available at the Community Noise Mitigation Program link (https://oldcc.gov/our-programs/community-noise-mitigation).

Complete proposals for Community Noise Mitigation Program grants must be submitted to the funding opportunity number on Grants.gov by 5 p.m. PDT on July 9, 2025 (the Proposal Deadline). After the Proposal Deadline is reached, the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation will screen proposals to ensure completeness and eligibility. Complete proposals from eligible entities will be referred to a Community Noise Mitigation Program Review Panel to evaluate against the criteria in Section E., paragraph 1. of this Notice. The Review Panel will submit a final proposal ranking to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations and Environment for approval. The Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations and Environment will return an approved list to the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation Director to invite a formal grant application in August 2025. Once an application is approved and finalized, the Director will issue a grant award to the proposer (Grantee), which the Grantee must countersign. Generally, a Grantee will have five (5) years after the date of the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation award to expend the funds.

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This Notice identifies the criteria established for the selection of noise mitigation project(s) under the Community Noise Mitigation Program, which is intended to facilitate the installation of sound insulation in covered facilities. Through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub. L. 117-103), $75 million in funding was made available, with $56,250,000 allocated for funding at or near active-duty military installations and $18,750,000 allocated for funding at or near guard or reserve installations. The first grant competition for these funds resulted in the award of 10 grants for $13,084,552. The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation must obligate the remaining funds through a counter-signed grant agreement no later than close of business on September 30, 2025.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

OLDCC intends to make awards totaling not less than $51,724,201 to projects located at or near active military installations and not less than $10,191,247 to projects located at or near reserve component installations. Proposals will be competitively scored by a Community Noise Mitigation Program Review Panel using the selection criteria provided in Section E., paragraph

1. of this Notice. The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation will only accept proposals for funding through Grants.gov until 5 p.m. PDT on July 9, 2025, (the Proposal Deadline). The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation will then invite successful respondents to complete a grant application on or about early August 2025, based on their proposal’s ranking by the Community Noise Mitigation Program Review Panel. These applications will be invited in the order of the ranked proposals.

The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation will determine the final amount of each award. Final award amounts depend on the recommendation of the Community Noise Mitigation Program Review Panel, the availability of appropriations, and due diligence by the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation based on the provisions of 2 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 200 – Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in the review of an invited grant application, including consideration of the reasonableness, allowability, and allocability of the proposed funding.

All proposed projects must include a timeline with a demonstrated capacity to expend the funding and complete all proposed noise mitigation activities within a fifty-four (54) month maximum period of performance. If a Grantee is using the funds for non-Federal local match for grants issued by the Federal Aviation Administration under the Airport Improvement Program, the Grantee must fully execute an award with the Federal Aviation Administration within twelve

(12) months of receiving a Community Noise Mitigation Program award to ensure both that all Community Noise Mitigation Program grant funds are expended within five (5) years of award and all Federal Aviation Administration grant obligations are timely met.

A completed project is one that can, within the period of performance:

Demonstrate it has attained a post-construction acoustical testing average room interior noise level below a day-night average sound level of 45 decibels within noise contour zones of day-night average sound level 65 – 75 decibels (subject to limitations on local building standards); or, For installations not located on a civil airport, demonstrate it has attained a post-construction acoustical testing average room interior noise level reduction of between 10

– 30 decibels within noise contour zones of day-night average sound level 75 decibels and above; or, When a guard or reserve component installation involves a military tenant or use at a civil airport, and Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation funding was used as the Grantee’s non-Federal local match to obtain a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration, the Grantee must provide evidence to the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation that they completed all required closeout documentation for the Federal Aviation Administration in accordance with FAA Order 5100.38D "Airport Improvement Program Handbook" for the grant issued by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Community Noise Mitigation Program Grantees will be subject to terms and conditions as specified by the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (available at https://oldcc.gov/grant-terms-and-conditions). Additional information about grant management and administration is available at https://oldcc.gov/grant-management-administration. Funding is limited, so project cost overruns are the responsibility of the Grantee. The Grantee’s ten percent (10%) non-Federal project cost contribution must be available for expending and under the control of the potential Grantee or otherwise integrated into the project implementation approach prior to proceeding with the project. Projects must be executed in accordance with an approved timeline submitted with the application and referenced in the grant agreement.

The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation may terminate an award for cause, including failure to comply with the approved timeline; noncompliance with other grant terms and conditions; or failure to obtain a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration under the Airport Improvement Program in instances where Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation funding is to be used to meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s non-Federal local match requirement.

All grants will be administered in accordance with 2 C.F.R. Part 200 and awards under this Notice will be issued in the form of a grant agreement, as described by Title 31 U.S. Code § 6304.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Proposers The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation may award grants under this Notice to entities of State or local government as well as Indian Tribes. “State,” “local government,” and “Indian Tribe” are defined in 2 C.F.R. § 200.1. Sections 200.331-200.333 of 2 C.F.R. also prescribe how State and local governments and Indian Tribes that receive funding under the Community Noise Mitigation Program may act as pass-through entities. Proposals must be submitted by a State or local government or Indian Tribe on behalf of any proposed sub-recipient. An airport sponsor submitting a proposal must be owned by a State or local government or Indian Tribe to receive a Community Noise Mitigation Program grant.

The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation will accept proposals from any location meeting the eligibility criteria for the Community Noise Mitigation Program. Multiple proposals are allowable and encouraged. Proposals for noncontiguous sites, i.e., properties that are in different noise contour ranges as defined in Section G. of this Notice, should be submitted in separate proposals. A single proposal should not include requests to directly undertake a Community Noise Mitigation project and use Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation funding to meet the non-Federal local match requirement to obtain a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration under the Airport Improvement Program. If a proposer is submitting multiple proposals for consideration, they must rank them by priority with one (1) being the highest priority. Each submitted, prioritized proposal will be scored separately for funding consideration. To receive an award, an eligible proposer must submit both a successful proposal and an acceptable grant application.

2. Local Project Cost Share Contribution (Non-Federal) The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (Pub. L. 117-103), requires Grantees to contribute local project cost share (non-Federal project cost contribution) of not less than ten percent (10%) of the total funding required. Providing a non-Federal project cost contribution greater than ten percent (10%) does not impact scoring.

Match Example: Total Funding Required $11,000,000 Federal $9,900,000 Non-Federal $1,100,000

The non-Federal cost contribution may not count as a source of non-Federal match for other Federal awards that may be used to execute the proposed noise mitigation project under this program. The ability to use other Federal funds as a source for non-Federal cost contribution for this program will be determined by the authority and appropriation providing those funds and whether the relevant grantor provides approval. All proposals that include other Federal funds as a funding match source must provide the effective date of the relevant Federal funding agreement. A selected Grantee must provide evidence that the Grantee’s non-Federal project cost contribution will be available within twelve (12) months of award.

In cases when the Grantee intends to use Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation funding to meet the non-Federal local match requirement to obtain a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration under the Airport Improvement Program, the ten percent (10%) local cost share under the Community Noise Mitigation Program is not required.

Expenses proposed as a source for non-Federal project cost contribution must be incurred and expended within the proposed project period of performance, commencing from the date of award, or no earlier than December 27, 2020, the date Congress first provided funding for the program, and no later than five (5) years after the grant award.

3. Eligible Noise Mitigation Projects Projects are eligible for funding under the Community Noise Mitigation Program if they meet the following criteria:

are a “covered” facility, which includes hospitals, daycare facilities, schools, facilities serving senior citizens, and private residences;

are impacted by military fixed-wing aviation noise, meaning they are:

located within one (1) mile of a military installation or another location at which military aircraft are stationed or within a day-night average sound level of 65 decibels or greater of a military installation (Note. In these scenarios, the day-night average sound level is the only acceptable metric to demonstrate this criterion); or located in an area impacted by military aviation noise within one (1) mile of a military installation or another location at which military aircraft are stationed or within a day-night average sound level of 65 decibels or greater (Note. In these scenarios, the day-night average sound level is the only acceptable metric to demonstrate this criterion);

demonstrate military fixed-wing aviation noise impacts based on documentation and analyses prepared in accordance with Department of Defense Instruction 4165.57 Air Installation Compatible Use Zones, the National Environmental Policy Act, or 14 C.F.R Part 150:

for Department of Defense locations, have a current Air Installation Compatible Use

Zone (AICUZ) study or noise contours from a National Environmental Policy Act document with a signed Record of Decision. Department of Defense Air Installation Compatible Use Zone Studies older than five (5) years require validation (in writing) by the military installation commander that they are representative of current operations;

for civil airport locations with a military use or tenant, including guard and reserve installations, have a current Noise Exposure Map (NEM) or noise contours from a National Environmental Policy Act document with a signed Record of Decision.

Airport Noise Exposure Maps older than five (5) years require validation (in writing) by the airport sponsor that they are representative of current operations;

are located where work has not yet commenced, unless the Grantee intends to use Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation funding to meet the non-Federal local match requirement to obtain a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration under the Airport Improvement Program; and, are construction ready.

Construction ready means proposals must demonstrate that a project is ready to commence within twelve (12) months of award and be completed within a fifty-four (54) month period of performance. Documentation should include, or provide the status of, letters of commitment from relevant stakeholders (e.g., status of structure owner participation agreements), pre-construction acoustical testing results, design and cost estimates, procurement procedures, a project timeline outlining receipt of Federal Aviation Administration financial assistance (if relevant), the status of federal and state/local environmental planning, and other relevant information depending on the scope of work proposed. Before project activities commence, Grantees must receive confirmation from OLDCC that the project complies with the National Environmental Policy Act and obtain any necessary permitting.

The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation will review projects in compliance with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, and Executive Orders.

Eligible community noise mitigation projects include only noise mitigation activities outside of a military installation or federally-owned property.

4. Eligible Noise Mitigation Project Activities Activities described below are eligible for Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation funding under the Community Noise Mitigation Program if they meet the criteria indicated.

Refer to Section G. of this Notice for a list of terms and definitions associated with the eligible noise mitigation activities described in this section:

Sound attenuating rooms which can consist of standard treatment packages (i.e., window and door replacement) and secondary treatment packages (e.g., caulking, weather stripping, installation of storm doors and windows, or ventilation packages).

o Sound insulation treatments are designed to reduce interior noise levels, due to military fixed-wing aircraft noise, in covered facilities. Thus, a covered facility must experience existing interior noise levels that are 45 decibels or greater, with the windows and doors closed, to be considered eligible. The proposer must be able to demonstrate that the sound insulation treatment will achieve a reduction of interior noise levels as follows:

For covered facilities in locations where the noise contours are between day-night average sound level 65 – 74 decibels, (subject to limitations on local building standards) the sound insulation treatment must provide a reduction of at least 5 decibels and bring the average interior noise level below 45 decibels; or, For covered facilities in locations where the noise contours are located in day-night average sound level of 75 decibels or higher, the sound insulation treatment must provide a reduction between 10 – 30 decibels.

When these locations involve a military use or tenant at a civil airport location, the civil airport sponsor will be required to adhere to all eligibility requirements in FAA Order 5100.38D, Airport Improvement Program Handbook and additional supporting documentation may be needed for the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation to coordinate with the Federal Aviation Administration to make a final eligibility determination.

o In cases where sound insulation treatment (e.g., new doors, windows, or ventilation packages) will be installed, workmanship and product warranty information must be provided to the structure owner.

o Improvements to address inadequate maintenance necessary to complete otherwise eligible work under a noise mitigation project are allowable.

All covered facilities to be mitigated must have been first built prior to December 27, 2020, unless a recent basing action/mission change occurred after December 27, 2020, and resulted in new or altered noise contours. In the case of new or altered noise contours, all covered facilities to be mitigated must have been built prior to the signed Record of Decision issued by the Department of Defense based on the analysis prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act.

Applying Block Rounding as defined in Section G. of this Notice may be allowable for residences only if the proposer provides supporting information for the Office of Local

Defense Community Cooperation to make a determination that the circumstances to apply block rounding are appropriate.

Ventilation systems or central air conditioning systems are allowable only in buildings that do not currently have a ventilation or central air conditioning system, or if the existing system requires upgrade and/or modifications based upon insulation activities.

Phased projects with cycles of design/bid/construction over the period of performance are allowable, but the first phase of the construction activities must begin within twelve (12) months of award.

Purchasing real property is allowable only when Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation funding will be used to meet the non-Federal local match requirement to obtain a grant from the Federal Aviation Administration under the Airport Improvement Program and where mobile homes are occupied in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular 150/5100-17, “Land Acquisition and Relocation Assistance for Airport Improvement Program Assisted Projects.”

5. Disallowed Noise Mitigation Project Activities The following activities are not eligible for grants under the community noise mitigation program:

Block Rounding for anything other than residences.

Building Code Corrections. If it is determined while designing a sound insulation project that a building needs improvements to conform to local building codes, Grantees can apply these costs to their non-Federal match requirement.

Comfort or attractiveness improvements.

Demonstration Programs. This may include installation of unproven methods of reducing sounds such as installing white noise generators in classrooms.

Follow-on replacement. Follow-on replacement of windows, doors, equipment, or any items installed for noise reduction that appear to have met their useful life. Installation of noise reduction activities is limited to the initial installation only.

General building maintenance.

Condemnation.

Mitigation of interior noise less than 45 decibels. Noise mitigation inside the day-night average sound level 65 decibel or higher contour where the interior noise level is less than 45 decibels.

Mitigation in lower noise contours. Noise mitigation of covered structures in noise contours lower than the day-night average sound level of 65 decibels, unless it can be demonstrated that the structure is within one (1) mile of a military installation or another location at which the military operates fixed-wing aircraft, and the interior noise level is greater than 45 decibels.

Mobile Homes or Portable Classrooms. Sound insulation treatment for mobile homes and portable classrooms are not viable noise mitigation projects since mobile homes and portable classrooms are not permanent structures, and their design and construction are unlikely to achieve adequate noise level reduction. (Permanent modular buildings are not included in this category.)

Installation of noise monitoring equipment or systems.

Non-Aircraft Noise Mitigation. The mitigation must be based on aircraft noise associated with a military installation or another location at which the military operates fixed-wing aircraft.

Acquisition of land or easements, except as otherwise noted.

Mitigation inside the installation Clear Zone or civil airport Runway Protection Zone.

Installation of a berm or exterior noise barrier.

6. Eligible Costs Projects submitted must ensure all associated costs are eligible for Community Noise Mitigation Program funding. Proposals with ineligible costs will not be considered or scored.

Eligible Federal costs are limited to:

Supplies and labor directly associated with eligible noise mitigation activities;

Post-construction acoustical testing costs; and, Contingency allowances, not to exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the total allowable costs before any bids are received, and ten percent (10%) after any construction contract has been awarded, may be included in proposal; however, grant payments are made on a reimbursable basis.

Non-Federal project cost contribution may include the types of activities listed above as well as:

Community engagement activities and outreach; and Costs associated with project operations and administration, including, but not limited to, pre-inspections, legal fees, planning, pre-construction acoustical testing, permits, environmental studies, project design, title and escrow, and project oversight.

All project costs must have been incurred and/or expended after December 27, 2020, including any planning, pre- and post-acoustical testing and design costs claimed as non-Federal project cost contribution.

D. PROPOSAL AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Proposal Submission Package Proposals must be submitted electronically as described in Section D., paragraph 4.

2. Content and Form of Proposal Submission Each interested respondent must submit a complete proposal, including a completed but unsigned Standard Form 424, through Grants.gov not later than the Proposal Deadline (see Section D., paragraph 4.). Please refer to the instructions provided with the Grants.gov Notice of Funding Opportunity on how to complete the Standard Form 424.

A proposal should be written to the criteria below and may not exceed twenty-one (21) pages (single-sided, single-spaced with 1-inch margins, 11-point Times New Roman font), including all maps, drawings, and attachments. The unsigned Standard Form 424, real property information, and documents showing the availability of any other participating Federal or non-e

Federal funding do not count against the twenty-one (21) page limit and shall be included as an appendix. Proposals that exceed the twenty-one (21) page limit will not be considered. Any studies, websites or documents referenced to support a proposal should be summarized within the twenty-one (21) page limit. A proposal shall include the following information:

A. Cover Page: All submissions must include a cover page that includes the information and only the information specified in Part A. of Section D. of this Notice. Submitters may access at their discretion a template to use for this Cover Page from this web link https://oldcc.gov/our-programs/community-noise-mitigation.

1. Proposing Entity Name & Contact Information. Include entity name and primary point of contact name, e-mail address, organization address, and the organization’s Unique Entity Identifier (“Unique Entity ID” obtained from SAM.gov).

2. Project Name. Name the proposal based on entity name and associated military installation. If multiple proposals are coming from one entity, number them in priority order (e.g., 1-Johnson County-Fort Blue).

3. Grants.gov Workspace ID (assigned to proposers once they log into Grants.gov and create a workspace based on a grant opportunity number).

4. Installation Type. State whether the proposer is seeking to mitigate noise caused by miliary fixed wing aircraft assigned to an active military installation, or a reserve or guard component.

5. Location Type. State whether the installation is located on a civil airport.

6. Covered Facility Type. Indicate what type(s) of covered facilities are proposed to be mitigated (hospitals, daycare facilities, schools, facilities serving senior citizens, and/or private residences).

7. Funding Type Request. Identify if the proposer is seeking funds for direct mitigation (which requires a ten percent (10%) non-Federal project cost contribution), or to meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s non-Federal local match requirement associated with an airport sponsor’s grant request under the Airport Improvement Program.

8. Indicate the status of the availability of cost contributions and other project funding. This includes the non-Federal project cost contribution, and if relevant, any Federal Aviation Administration grant funding. State whether:

A. All proposed non-Federal project cost share contributions are currently available and under the control of the potential Grantee;

B. All proposed non-Federal project cost share contributions are not currently under the control of the potential Grantee but will be available for use based upon the project implementation schedule; and/or, C. Proposed non-Federal project cost contributions include funding from another Federal grant source (not Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, to include the Federal Aviation Administration) have or have not already been awarded.

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B. Project Need: Description of the cause of the noise as it relates to eligibility for this program. Information may include a description of the installation’s mission, including the name of the installation or civil airport location.

C. Military Installation or Civil Airport Noise Contour Validation/Execution Support:

Either (1) a letter from the active installation or guard / reserve Commander (or Military Department Headquarters), validating that the Air Installation Compatible Use Zone is current, or (2) a letter from the civil airport sponsor validating that the Noise Exposure Map, prepared pursuant to 14 C.F.R. Part 150, or noise contours in an analysis, prepared pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act, represent current operations. Include in the letter the type of military fixed-wing aircraft operating from the installation.

The letter of support must detail the active installation or guard / reserve Commander’s willingness to support the community’s execution of the project, including assisting the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation with any technical review and execution of required compliance documentation for the proposed project, to include the National Environmental Policy Act.

D. Compatible Land Use Background: The status and description of studies, such as (but not limited to) civil airport noise compatibility plans, installation / community-driven compatible use studies, or establishment of a Noise Compatibility Program for civil airport locations. This should include a description of activities that have been undertaken by the community to reduce the impacts of noise or make lands compatible within the established noise contours prepared in accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act, Department of Defense Instruction 4165.57, Table 2, and 14 C.F.R. Part 150, Table 1 in Appendix A.

This should also include a description of the current land use around an installation or civil airport within a day-night average sound level of 65 decibels and greater on the applicable noise contour map, or within one mile from the location’s outermost boundary.

This description should identify the percentage of undeveloped land within these noise contours and the percentage of the undeveloped land that is protected as compatible (e.g., zoning, conservation, etc.) in accordance with Department of Defense Instruction 4165.57, Table 2 or 14 C.F.R. Part 150, Appendix A – Noise Exposure Maps, Table 1 for civil airport locations (see resources at https://oldcc.gov/our-programs/community-noise-mitigation).

E. Project Description: Narrative summary of the proposed activities to be undertaken with the combination of Community Noise Mitigation Program funds, non-Federal project cost contribution, and any other sources. The description must include:

1. An explanation of the overall strategy and approach to prioritizing noise mitigation activities within the noise contour footprint (day-night average sound level of 65 decibels and greater) and how the specific project addresses lowering noise levels within covered facilities based on the severity of noise;

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2. A list of entities involved in implementing the Community Noise Mitigation Program along with roles and responsibilities (e.g., State or local governments, etc.).

F. Project Information: A demonstration of the technical feasibility of the project to include summaries of pre-construction acoustical testing results, a post-construction acoustical test plan identifying Sound Transmission Class (STC) or Outdoor-to-Indoor Transmission Class (OITC) ratings for existing structures, and the materials recommended to attenuate each structure. If the following activities have not been completed, the proposer can describe their plan for addressing the status (to include how the activities fit within the proposed Project Implementation Schedule) and the methodology the proposer plans to use to address the activities (to include achieving construction ready status within twelve (12) months). The more responsive the proposal is to a need in these areas, the higher the score.

Pre-Construction Acoustical Testing Results o Proposers must summarize their methodology for pre-construction acoustical testing, the results, and the suggested materials recommended to attenuate each type of structure.

Must include acoustical contractor statement of qualifications.

One or more of these statements may be attached as appendices and do not count towards the total page count.

Pre-construction acoustical testing must be complete for a ten percent (10%) sample of typical structures and/or rooms to demonstrate that the interior noise levels are above 45 decibels.

For one-of-a-kind structures, it is likely that no two rooms are the same. Therefore, applicants will do pre-construction acoustical testing in all variations of rooms. If identical rooms are present in these structures, then a minimum of two rooms should be tested.

Site Assessment (Property Survey) for Covered Facilities (site assessment data does not count towards page limitation and should be included as an appendix) o Proposers must present a list of real property data for each covered facility proposed for noise mitigation as part of this project, including the type of covered facility, address, primary structure-built date, existing zoning and status of structure owner participation agreements. For each of these structures, proposers must also present information about the construction type, layout, and the number and type of rooms being considered for sound insulation treatments. Refer to Section G. of this Notice for more details.

o In cases where the proposer is requesting funds to mitigate noise from a civil airport location where military fixed-wing aircraft operate, they must follow the Federal Aviation Administration Order 5100.38D, Airport Improvement Program Handbook regarding the definition of habitable areas.

Post-Construction Acoustical Testing Plan e o Proposers must summarize, within the proposal, their post-construction acoustical testing plan that includes their post-construction acoustical testing methodology, estimated noise level reduction goals, and their plan for additional attenuation if goals are not achieved.

Construction contractor statement of qualifications. One or more of these statements may be attached as appendices and do not count towards the total page count.

Identification of Sound Attenuation Goal. Identify what the interior noise level reduction goal is for each covered facility (45 decibel within a day-night average sound level 65 – 75 decibel noise contour zone or specify a target decrease between 10 – 30 decibels within noise contour zones of day-night average sound level 75 decibels and above). Explain how the decrease in noise will be achieved and what Sound Transmission Class materials will be used in each covered facility. Not all structures must be tested, depending on the type of structures in the program boundary. The sampled structures must be the same structures used for pre-construction acoustical testing.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued an Advisory Circular 150/5000-9, “Guidelines for Sound Insulation of Structures Exposed to Aircraft Noise” which provides standards and procedures for the development and implementation of sound insulation programs intended to mitigate aircraft noise around airports. These guidelines include acoustical engineering principles, standardized acoustical testing methodology to identify structures that may be non-compatible with aviation noise, determining noise level reductions and establishing boundaries based on noise contours and other considerations, and developing plans to conduct pre- and post-construction acoustical testing. This Advisory Circular is for use by airport operators or sponsors, airport consultants or contractors, and the Federal Aviation Administration. However, all potential applicants should reference this Advisory Circular to develop proposals when seeking a grant from the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation under the Community Noise Mitigation Program.

G. Support Letters: Letters of support from all necessary stakeholders. Necessary stakeholders consist of entities such as installation commanders, civil airport sponsor, and/or entities that are executing and/or funding the project. Letters of support do not count towards page count maximum and must be included as appendices.

H. Budget and Sources of Funds: All submissions must include a project budget section that identifies the information below. Budgets that fail to include these categories will receive lower scores.

Proposals must provide a reasonable, allowable, and allocable project budget that demonstrates an understanding of eligible costs. Provide a preliminary breakdown of sources and uses for the proposed project(s) including, but not limited to, cost of project administration and activity soft and hard costs. Identify e the uses of project funding, including a total project cost estimate, with major cost elements broken out for project administration, permitting, inspection, renovation/insulation activities (materials and labor), utilities, and contingency costs.

If soft costs (i.e., costs that are not direct construction costs) required for the planning, design, and execution are identified as part of the project budget, they must be funded as part of the local cost share portion of the project. The Federal and non-federal amounts identified in this budget section should match the amounts identified in Box 18 of the Standard Form 424 (in Grants.gov).

An overview of all funding sources, including non-federal project cost contribution source funding, that demonstrates a firm commitment (within twelve

(12) months of award) and unconditioned availability (including any eligibility of federal funds to be counted as the funding contribution) to complete the project is required.

For projects requiring contributions from individual project participants (e.g., structure owners), provide the mechanism for securing these funds. This may include establishing a line of credit to backstop the anticipated contributions from project participants and an escrow account to deposit contributions. Contributions from structure owners are considered as program income.

The proposing entity must also state its capability to secure a surety bond (e.g., a bid guarantee, performance bond, or payment bond) prior to the commencement of installation of insulation or construction activity as defined by 2 C.F.R. § 200.326.

The proposing entity must state that it acknowledges that any cost overruns will be the obligation of the proposer.

I. Project Implementation Schedule: Provide a detailed project timeline that includes, at a minimum, any community engagement, procurement of contractors, development of project guidelines, project entitlements, environmental regulatory requirements, as applicable (including the National Environmental Policy Act and permits), construction period, pre- and post-acoustical testing, and project completion. Discuss the project execution strategy and identify milestones. The proposer must demonstrate that the proposed construction portion of the project can commence within twelve (12) months upon receipt of a grant, that the grant funds will be spent steadily and expeditiously once the project commences, and the project can be completed within no more than fifty-four

(54) months following the grant award. If a proposer is using the funds for non-Federal local match for grants issued by the Federal Aviation Administration under the Airport Improvement Program, the proposer must secure at least partial Federal Aviation Administration grant funds by September 30, 2026, or demonstrate to the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation continued viability of this grant Award during the remainder of the period of performance. Incomplete or inaccurate construction schedules will result in a proposal being removed from further consideration. If a proposer is submitting multiple proposals, they must demonstrate how each submitted proposal fits within a combined timeline.

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J. Review of pre-construction requirements: Proposals must include the status of any known federal and state/local requirements (e.g., National Environmental Policy Act (42 U.S.C. §§ 4321 et seq.)) and a detailed plan for supporting their completion or completing them directly. If awarded a grant, the Grantee must work with the installation to prepare environmental analyses and documentation. Construction and ground disturbance may not begin for a grant project until the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation determines that the National Environmental Policy Act and other pre-construction documentation is complete and is of sufficient quality to inform a reliable conclusion about the potential environmental impacts of the project.

If environmental review was already completed by another agency or the associated military installation for the proposed project, this documentation must be of sufficient quality for the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation to adopt or otherwise use it for its independent determination under applicable laws.

If awarded a grant, the Grantee may also be required to comply with other environmental laws with requirements that support but are independent of the National Environmental Policy Act, including but not limited to Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

If the grant issued from Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation is to be used to meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s non-Federal local match requirement for a grant under the Airport Improvement Program, the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and related Federal environmental laws apply to the actions taken by the Grantor and the Federal Aviation Administration. The Grantee acknowledges it will cooperate with and support the efforts of the Grantor and the Federal Aviation Administration to comply with National Environmental Policy Act prior to grant execution.

K. Planning and Permitting Approvals: Based on State statute and project scope, projects may require review and approval by other entities. If applicable, proposers must identify whether the proposed projects will be subject to inclusion in State, regional, metropolitan, or local planning approval regimes, or a certification from relevant agencies (e.g., Metropolitan Planning Organization) that projects will be included in any required planning document. The proposer should demonstrate that conformance with applicable State, regional, and/or local planning requirements is attainable within twelve (12) months of grant award. Specific mention of long lead-time permits to include those requiring multi-agency consideration or approval must be presented in the proposal within the context of this twelve (12) month period.

L. Grants Management: Include evidence of the intended Grantee’s capacity to manage Federal grants (where applicable), or method for securing sufficient administrative capacity for the purposes of executing the noise mitigation project. For example, this could be a summary of past Federal funding received, the existence of project staff with federal grant management experience that will manage the project, etc.

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M. Submitting Official: Documentation that the Submitting Official is authorized by the proposer to submit a proposal and subsequently apply for assistance.

N. Attachments: Any additional attachments should be included in compliance with the overall application page limit as set forth at the start of this section unless an exception is noted in A through M above.

Proposals must be complete upon submission. Proposals deemed to be incomplete or late will not be reviewed. To the extent practicable and subject to the page count restrictions of the proposal, the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation encourages respondents to provide data and evidence of all project merits within the application.

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) Each Applicant is required to be registered in SAM before submitting its proposal, provide a valid unique entity identifier (UEI), and continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or a proposal/application under consideration by the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation. First-time entities applying for Federal funding must register at SAM.gov.

Grants.gov advises prospective applicants to begin the SAM registration and renewal processes as early as possible because it can take up to 10 business days, and in some cases longer, to complete all required organization registration processes and be fully registered in SAM.

If an applicant has not fully complied with this requirement, the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation will determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and proceed to make a federal award to another applicant.

4. Submission Dates and Times The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation will accept proposals through Grants.gov for the Community Noise Mitigation Program through 5 p.m. PDT on July 9, 2025, (the Proposal Deadline). After being screened to ensure completeness and eligibility, proposals will be scored by a Community Noise Mitigation Program Review Panel to establish an overall ranked listing.

The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation will then provide the list to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment for approval. Once approved, the Assistant Secretary will return an approved list to the Director, Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation, to invite a formal grant application in early August 2025.

5. Intergovernmental Review This program is covered under Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,” to foster intergovernmental partnership and strengthen Federalism by relying on state and local processes for the coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance and direct Federal development. The Order allows each state to designate an entity to perform this function. The official list of those entities is available at:

https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/SPOC-list-as-of-August- 2024.pdf. Applicants located in states that provide a designated entity should contact the listed point of contact for their state for more information on complying with the state’s process under e

Executive Order 12372. States that do not provide a designated entity have chosen not to participate in the intergovernmental review process. Applicants located in states without a designated entity may submit the proposal directly via Grants.gov.

6. Funding Restrictions See Section C. for information on eligibility for the Community Noise Mitigation Program.

For civil airport locations with a military use or tenant, the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation may award funds to be used to meet the Federal Aviation Administration’s non- Federal local match requirement for a grant under the Airport Improvement Program. In these situations, the airport sponsor will follow Federal Aviation Administration policies and procedures for program implementation.

7. Other Submission Requirements The Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation will hold two pre-proposal webinars at 3 p.m. EDT on May 29, 2025 and 3 p.m. EDT of June 12, 2025, to review the Notice of Funding Opportunity and answer questions from interested respondents. Details about participation in the pre-proposal webinars are available on OLDCC.gov at the Community Noise Mitigation Program link (https://oldcc.gov/our-programs/community-noise-mitigation).

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Selection Criteria (Total Points: 100)

The proposed scoring criteria, with relative weights (the more responsive the proposal is to a need in these areas, the higher the score), are:

A. Prioritization of Covered Facilities (0 - 40 points) Scoring will be based on two…