2025 MCL Funding Opportunity Announcement rev 3 1April2025.pdf

W912EF-25-2-RPA-0001

Funding Opportunity Announcement

Natural Resources Training and Education at Mill Creek

Funding Agency : Funding Instrument: Cooperative Agreement

US Army Corps of Engineers, Walla Walla District 201 N Third Ave

Walla Walla WA 99362

Funding Opportunity No: W912EF-25-2-RPA-0001

CFDA No: 12.010 Program Title: Youth Conservation Services

Issue Date: April 2, 2025 Application Due Date: May 2, 2025

Overview:

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is seeking organizations to enter into a cooperative agreement for outdoor education and training, flood control infrastructure maintenance, effective environmental and recreational resource management, enhanced public engagement, and training/education opportunities – along with other related services.

USACE is particularly interested in organizations that offer challenging education and job-training experiences for young adults, and support for formal post-high school education. This agreement aims to provide effective resource management, enhance public engagement, and offer training and education, all while promoting responsible stewardship of public lands and resources and developing future water and natural resource professionals.

Statutory Authority: Water Resources Development Act of 2000, Title 33, Part 2339, Section 213(a), Public Law 106-106-541, 114 Stat. 2593 (codified as amended at 33 U.S.C. § 2339).

Estimated Total Funding: $32,000.00 Estimated Number of Awards: 1 (one)

Contents of Full Text Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description V. Application Review Information II. Award Information VI. Award Administration Information III. Eligibility Information VII. Agency Contacts IV. Application Information VIII. Other Information Contact Information: Questions relating to Grants.gov including the registration process and system requirements should be directed to the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726. For assistance with the requirements of this Funding Opportunity Announcement, please contact victoria.l.conway@usace.army.mil.

Instructions to Applicants:

The complete funding opportunity announcement, application forms, and instructions are available for download at Grants.gov.

Applications in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement shall be submitted by the application due date. Applications may be submitted by mail, email, or via the internet through Grants.gov.

Applicants shall have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number, register with the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), and if submitting application via the internet, register with Grants.gov.

See Section IV of the Funding Opportunity Announcement for complete application submission information.

mailto:victoria.l.conway@usace.army.mil

Section I: Funding Opportunity Description

1. Introduction:

The USACE, Walla Walla District, develops and operates water resources and public lands within the Mill Creek Project area, delivering engineering solutions to support the nation's water resources and public safety. The goal of this cooperative agreement is to provide flood control infrastructure maintenance, effective environmental and recreational resource management, enhance public engagement, and training and education opportunities

This cooperative agreement will help further USACE's national objectives, aligning with our mission to provide vital public engineering services, and priorities of water resources management, environmental sustainability, and public safety. Specifically, the purpose of this agreement is to offer job training/experience for college age youth (ages 18+) interested in working in the natural resources field and will entail three, one-week sessions over a five-month period.

2. Education and Stewardship Objectives:

The Corps stewardship covers a wide range of opportunities that allow work in a natural resource-oriented environment, as well as acquisition of strong ethics regarding proper management and use of public land resources. By utilizing these opportunities participants will receive technical, applied, and practical job training/skills and education otherwise not available.

Work projects may include maintenance services on Corps lands consisting of but not limited to, flood risk reduction through flood control infrastructure maintenance that includes vegetation and debris removal, park maintenance, vegetation management, invasive species management, recreation trail construction, refurbishment, and maintenance, landscaping, and prescribed burning. Specific sites where work may be conducted include: lands, infrastructure, and waters managed by Mill Creek.

Each specific project proposed under this Agreement will be individually evaluated by both parties to make certain that it meets the education and stewardship objectives set forth herein, and that it will not displace any government workers nor impair existing contracts for service.

3. Benefits:

Training future members of the natural resources community so that they will have the experience necessary to complete their education. The recipient will benefit by learning outdoor ethics and work skills. They will gain exposure to tasks that benefit the environment and aid in improving public lands and water. The recipient may take advantage of resource opportunities available only under a cooperative agreement.

4. Responsibilities:

a. The Recipient will:

• Recruit, select, and enroll eligible participants and refer appropriate participants to

USACE in accordance with available funds, Federal regulations, needs of participants, and the terms of this Agreement. Enrollees shall be at least 18 years of age.

• Indemnify USACE against any liability for damage to life or property arising from the actions or omissions of Recipient’s employees, contractors, or agents. Such protection from damage may be provided by commercial insurance or self-insurance. USACE shall be liable for its actions and omissions in accordance with the Federal Tort Claims Act, as applicable.

• Reserve the right to terminate or reassign enrollees to other activities in accordance with the enrollee's program objectives. Reasonable notice of reassignments will be provided to USACE.

• Provide crews available for scheduling work at mutually agreed times during the performance period.

• Provide a supervisor to direct work who will be responsible for all supervision and discipline of participants assigned to scopes of work under this agreement.

• Assure that training accomplishments are documented for each participant under this agreement. These records shall be available to USACE for review.

• Ensure that each enrollee is properly equipped and dressed for work to be accomplished. This will include a work jacket, work shirt, work trousers, hard hat, gloves, and a pair laced safety work boot, if required.

• Perform work in accordance with EM 385-1-1, “U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Safety and Health Requirements Manual,” and FED-OSHA regulations. EM 385- 1-1 can be downloaded from: http://www.usace.army.mil/Safety-and- Occupational-Health/Safety-and-Health-Requirements-Manual/.

• Arrange for transportation to and from work sites, ensure participants bring food and water as required for rest breaks, and provide for first aid and other customary supervisory care of the participants at the work sites.

• Provide basic hand tools such as shovels, loppers, hand saws, wheelbarrows, rakes, etc.

• Provide basic gas-powered tools such as string trimmers, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, etc. and associated trainings with these tools.

• Provide applicable Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for recipient supplied tools.

• Ensure that all tools and equipment provided by USACE are returned to USACE in a like condition as when loaned, except for normal wear and tear.

• Act in conformance with State and Federal laws and regulations pertaining to Wage and Hours.

b. The Mill Creek Office will:

• Submit project information in support of scopes of work, including objectives and locations, diagrams, specifications, location maps, schedules, and other required details.

• Supply sufficient materials as applicable, heavy equipment and special tools not provided by the recipient including additional required personal protective equipment, or special labor support, as required to perform each scope of work.

• Ensure there is sufficient work to productively occupy the enrollees during scheduled work hours.

• Assign a Mill Creek employee to serve as a point of contact (POC) and resource advisor for the duration of this scope of work, to provide technical assistance to the crew supervisor, provide specific task instruction, instructions on the proper use of tools and materials, demonstrate task completion, and otherwise engage and encourage the work crew.

• Coordinate work schedules to accommodate participation in education, vocational training, counseling, or related activities.

c. Performance Reports

Recipient shall submit performance progress reports and financial reports monthly (in the months when work occurs). Report shall contain a narrative of worked performed during the http://www.usace.army.mil/Safety-and-Occupational-Health/Safety-and-Health-Requirements-Manual/ http://www.usace.army.mil/Safety-and-Occupational-Health/Safety-and-Health-Requirements-Manual/ season and detail how goals and objectives were met.

d. Modifications

• Modifications to this agreement may be proposed by either party, but neither party shall implement a change until the change has been negotiated and approved by the Government’s Grants Officer. Change proposals shall be submitted in writing and shall detail the technical, schedule, and financial impacts of the proposed modification. Only the Grants Officer has the authority to act on behalf of the Government to change this agreement.

• Revision of budget/program plans: Recipient shall request prior approval for plan changes in accordance with 2 CFR § 200.308.

• The Grants Officer may unilaterally issue modifications for minor or administrative matters, such as changes in key personnel, paying office, etc.

e. Subawards

• The Recipient shall apply to each subaward the administrative requirements of 2 CFR 200 applicable to the particular type of subrecipient.

• Recipients awarding contracts under this agreement shall ensure that contracts awarded contain, at a minimum, the provisions 2 CFR Part 1120 and Appendix II to CFR Part 200.

f. Procurement

The Recipient’s systems for acquiring goods and services under this agreement shall comply with 2 CFR 200.

Section II: Award Information

1. Type of Award Instrument - A single cooperative agreement.

2. Substantial Involvement – USACE will provide a work site for the recipient to practice natural resources education and training, guidance in the form of educational presentations and review of protocols and reports. USACE will also supply some tools for some of the activities to be returned to USACE at the end of the period of performance.

3. Funding – $32,000.00.

4. Period of Performance – May 12, 2025 through October 31, 2025 (5 months)

Section III: Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants – Non-Federal public and non-profit entities.

2. Cost Sharing – Not required.

Section IV: Application and Submission Information

1. Address to Request Application Package The complete funding opportunity announcement, application forms, and instructions are available for download at Grants.gov. USACE is not responsible for any loss of internet connectivity or for an applicant’s inability to access documents posted at the referenced website.

The administrative point of contacts is Brooke Moore (509) 527-7913, brooke.n.moore@usace.army.mil and Victoria Conway (509) 527-7449, victoria.l.conway@usace.army.mil

2. Content and Form of Application Submission All mandatory forms and any applicable optional forms must be completed in accordance with the instructions on the forms and the additional instructions below.

a. SF 424 - Application for Federal Assistance

b. SF 424 A – Budget Information for Nonconstruction Programs

c. Program Narrative – Brief program description illustrating applicant’s ability to meet the goals and objectives described in Section I of the announcement.

d. Attachment E - Certs and Acknowledgments

e. Certificate of Authority

3. Application shall be submitted no later than 10:00 AM PT, May 2, 2025

4. Submission Instructions Applications may be submitted by e-mail or Grants.gov. Choose one of the following submission methods:

a. E-mail:

Format all documents to print on Letter (8 ½ x 11”) paper. E-mail proposal to Victoria.l.conway@usace.army.mil.

b. Grants.gov: https://www.grants.gov/:

Applicants are not required to submit proposals through Grants.gov. However, if applications are submitted via the internet; applicants are responsible for ensuring that their Grants.gov proposal submission is received in its entirety.

All applicants choosing to use Grants.gov to submit proposals must be registered and have and account with Grants.gov. It may take up to three weeks to complete Grants.gov registration. For more information on registration, go to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html.

Section V: Application Review Information

1. Criteria The following criteria shall serve as the standard against which any response to this announcement will be evaluated.

a. Initial Review The Government will perform an initial review to determine that the applicant is (1) eligible in accordance with Section III of the announcement; (2) all information required by Section IV has been submitted; and (3) all mandatory requirements are satisfied.

b. Merit Review The application and program narrative will be evaluated on whether the applicant demonstrates the ability to meet the goals and objectives of the program. Specifically, the narrative will be evaluated to ensure the Applicant:

(1) Demonstrated the ability to successfully execute training/education programs for young adults

(2) Has experience with conservation programs mailto:victoria.l.conway@usace.army.mil

(3) Has adequate management capability and adequate financial and technical resources to execute the program.

(4) Has a satisfactory record of executing Government programs (if a prior recipient).

(5) Has a record of integrity and business ethics.

c. Budget Review Budget realism and reasonableness of costs. Submit a preliminary budget estimate based on the information in Sections I and II.

2. Review and Selection Process Proposals will undergo a multi-stage evaluation procedure. First, the proposals will be screened to confirm all required submittals and information have been received, and the applicant is eligible to receive Federal awards. Second, a technical team from within USACE will review the proposals and budget review to determine if the merit criteria have been met. Third, the program manager will review recommendations from the technical team to reach a final decision for award.

3. Anticipated Award Date:

Announcement Issue Date: April 2, 2025 Announcement Due Date: May 2, 2025 Estimated Award Date: May 12, 2025

Section VI: Award Administration Information

1. Award Notices Written notice of award will be given in conjunction with issuance of a cooperative agreement signed by a Grants Officer. The cooperative agreement will contain the effective date of the agreement, the period of performance, funding information, and all terms and conditions. The recipient is required to sign and return the document before work under the agreement commences. Work described in this announcement shall not begin without prior authorization from a Grants Officer.

2. Administrative Requirements The cooperative agreement issued as a result of this announcement will be administered in accordance with the administrative requirements in 2 CFR 200.

3. Reporting Recipient will be required to submit progress, financial, and property reports quarterly, semiannually, or annually as stipulated in the terms and conditions of the final cooperative agreement.

Section VII: Agency Contact

Victoria Conway, Grants Specialist, Contracting Division USACE, Walla Walla District

ATTN: CECT- NWW

201 N Third Ave.

Walla Walla WA 99362

Tel: 509-527-7449 Fax: 509-527-7802

E-mail: Victoria.l.conway@usace.army.mil

Section VIII: Other Information

1. Only Grants Officers are legally authorized to bind the Government to an agreement.

2. Responses should reference Program Announcement W912EF-25-2-RFP-0001.

3. Questions regarding the proposal submission should be submitted no later than April 25,2025.

Questions received after this date may not be answered.