4. NOFO - Rachel Carson NWR - F16AS00064 - 12-22-2015.pdf

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge

Shrublands, Saltmarsh and Species Management

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 15.630

Notice of Funding Opportunity This is an announcement for issuing a single source financial assistance award to the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve for a period not to exceed five years. This announcement is for notification purposes only.

I. Description of Funding Opportunity Site Name and Location: Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge 321 Port Road, Wells, ME 04090

Rachel Carson NWR is a special place; located where the northern boreal forest meets the eastern deciduous forest, where the Gulf of Maine’s 9 foot tides pump energy into the second largest salt marsh system in Maine, where the sandy mid-Atlantic coast meets the rocky Maine shore and a special because of our namesake who started the modern environmental movement.

Situated along 50 miles of coastline in York and Cumberland counties, the refuge consists of eleven divisions between Kittery and Cape Elizabeth. Wildlife comes first on all national wildlife refuges.

Under CFDA 15.630 – Coastal Program. This CFDA number is authorized under the following:

Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956,16 U.S.C. 742a-c, 747e-742j; Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1958, 16 U.S.C. 661 667(e).

The purpose of this Cooperative Agreement is for Rachel Carson NWR and Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve to manage shrublands, saltmarsh and species. This will be accomplished by:

• Cooperative Research

• Surveys

• Outreach

• Saltmarsh, shrublands and species specific appraisals

II. Award Information Funding of $40,000 will be provided by the refuge in the initial year of this agreement. We will target $30,000 in each of the subsequent agreement years recognizing that the Service cannot commit funding prior to congressional appropriation. Each new funding year will be a modification of this cooperative agreement. The project is year around with seasonally determined undertakings (e.g., tracking of New England Cottontail is limited to proper snow conditions).

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will be substantially involved in projects under this funding opportunity. In particular the Service will be responsible for program design and implementation.

The refuge will supervise all cooperative efforts. Refuge staff will: (A) participate and collaborate jointly with every phase of operations in carrying out the scope of work and training personnel (B) provide all work assignments and review and approve all products, C) review and evaluate progress and developed in conjunction with WNERR (D) participate in WNERR and NOAA program activities.

III. Basic Eligibility Requirements Eligible Applicants:

U.S. non-profit, non-governmental organizations with 501c3 Internal Revenue Status (IRS) must provide a copy of their Section 501c3 status determination letter received from the IRS.

Federal law mandates that all entities applying for Federal financial assistance must have a valid Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number and have a current registration in the System for Award Management (SAM). See Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 25 for more information. Exemptions: The SAM registration requirement does not apply to individuals submitting an application on their own behalf and not on behalf of a company or other for-profit entity, state, local or Tribal government, academia or other type of organization.

A. DUNS Registration

Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, DUNS #: 828792382

B. Entity Registration in SAM

Register in SAM online at http://www.sam.gov/. Once registered in SAM, entities must renew and revalidate their SAM registration at least every 12 months from the date previously registered. Entities are strongly urged to revalidate their registration as often as needed to ensure that their information is up to date and in synch with changes that may have been made to DUNS and IRS information. Foreign entities who wish to be paid directly to a United States bank account must enter and maintain valid and current banking information in

SAM.

C. Excluded Entities

Applicant entities or their key project personnel identified in the SAM.gov Exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted or excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits will not be considered for Federal funding, as applicable to the funding being requested under this Federal program.

D. Cost Sharing or Matching:

This cooperative agreement is not based on cost sharing, matching or cost participation.

IV. Application Requirements To be considered for funding under this funding opportunity, an application must contain:

A. A completed, signed and dated Application for Federal Assistance form. All other applicants to discretionary programs and for single source awards must use the SF-424, Application for http://www.sam.gov/

Federal Assistance form (http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1). Do not include other Federal sources of funding, requested or approved, in the total entered in the “Federal” funding box on the Application for Federal Assistance form. Enter only the amount being requested under this program in the “Federal” funding box. Include any other Federal sources of funding in the total funding entered in the “Other” box.

B. Project Summary Shrublands, Saltmarsh and Species Management in Wells, Maine which shall include:

• Habitat and species stability through shrubland creation, invasive species control, shore and marsh bird monitoring, salt marsh evaluation and restoration as well as direct species management;

• Representative species conservation including suite of species utilizing similar habitat parameters

• Coordinating and communicating program objectives and outcomes

• Workforce to accomplish salt marsh integrity index, saltmarsh sparrow monitoring, piping plover protection, water quality assessment along with New England cottontail and migratory bird habitat improvement

Work will take place on refuge, WNERR, and joint interest lands. The estimated cost for this task is $40,000.

C. Project Narrative

1. Statement of Need: Neither WNERR nor Rachel Carson NWR have the resources to accomplish all of our tasks independently. Several years ago, WNERR and Rachel Carson NWR started working together following an Executive Order (13158) directing us to work together seamlessly. In previous agreements there were shared resources and personnel and joint efforts on management needs; we have continued to work closely on shared concerns.

2. Project Goals and Objectives: The mission of the WNERR is to protect and study estuarine systems. The mission of the System is to administer a national network of lands and waters for the conservation, management, and where appropriate, restoration of the fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats within the United States for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans. The missions are complementary and directly overlap with resource, conservation and management. Refuge goals are to perpetuate trust resources, conserve fish, wildlife and plants and conserve representative ecosystems and foster an understanding of these goals compliments the national estuarine research focus on research, education, training and stewardship.

3. Project Activities, Methods and Timetable: Shrublands, Saltmarsh, and Species Management is directly aligned with the organizational goals. We will jointly benefit from salt marsh research, demonstration projects and species monitoring, ecosystem resiliency from living coasts and shrubland restoration, protection of T&E species, and conveying results to attentive audiences. Most work will be accomplished during field seasons. Workforce will assist with characterizing salt marshes reported in active voice utilizing Praeto Curve to suggest corrective actions for a suite of circumstances.

Protection of piping plovers and least terns on refuge and WNERR beaches will utilize the successful three prong approach of outreach, predator control and law enforcement.

There will be interpretative assistance with historic districts (Service and WNERR) along with characterizing invasive plant species on GIS file overlays; invasive removal and other management actions

4. Stakeholder Coordination/Involvement: We work with partners on every management program. Projects will share personnel with Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Maine Audubon, University of New Hampshire and others with over lapping goals.

5. Project Monitoring and Evaluation: We monitor everything we do, evaluate and take steps to improve. Monitoring protocols are established for Rachel Carson NWR in our Inventory Monitoring Plan which is available on ServeCat.

6. Description of Entities Undertaking the Project: Wells National Estuarine Research

Reserve is one of 28 reserves nationwide. The program is a NOAA/State partnership.

We have worked closely with WNERR for 20 years. Their website provides a wealth of information on the organization and the qualifications of the Director, Research Coordinator, Education Director, Coastal Training Program Coordinator as well as stewardship. The educational background is available as their PhD dissertations.

7. Sustainability: This cooperative effort is undertaken to accomplish our mutual needs to manage species, ecosystems and habitats. Our effort will strengthen our knowledge and sustain critters and the lands upon which they depend. This agreement will not provide for any of the project areas in perpetuity. Species and ecosystems will require management attention during and after the timeframe for this agreement.

8. Literature Cited N/A

9. Map of Project Area: Complete maps are available on refuge website;

www.fws.gov/refuges/rachel_carson. WNERR is a 2000 acre site, 1600 of those acres are an overlay on Rachel Carson NWR. The web site map is searchable.

D. Budget Form

Complete the Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF 424A) or Budget Information for Construction Programs (SF 424C) form. Use the SF 424A if your project does not include construction and the SF 424C if the project includes construction or land acquisition. The budget forms are available on the Internet at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15. When developing your budget, keep http://www.fws.gov/refuges/rachel_carson http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 in mind that financial assistance awards and subawards are subject to the Federal cost principles in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, as applicable to the recipient organization type. Links to the full text of the Federal cost principles are available on the Internet at http://www.ecfr.gov/.

Multiple Federal Funding Sources: N/A

E. Budget Justification Justification:

Budget will be disbursed throughout period of performance. WNERR will invoice the Service for costs incurred for workforce to accomplish mutually beneficial tasks. Joint project costs will be determined as needed and identified as project matures to point of funding.

Required Indirect Cost Statement:

WNERR is an eligible entity that has never established a rate and will use the 10% de minimus rate.

F. Single Audit Reporting Statements: As required in Title 2 of the Code of Federal

Regulations Part 200, Subpart F, all U.S. states, local governments, federally-recognized Indian tribal governments, and non-profit organizations expending $750,000 USD or more in Federal award funds in a fiscal year must submit a Single Audit report for that year through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse’s Internet Data Entry System. All U.S. state, local government, federally-recognized Indian tribal government and non-profit applicants must provide a statement regarding if your organization was/was not required to submit a Single Audit report for the organization’s most recently closed fiscal year and, if so, state if that report is available on the Federal Audit Clearinghouse Single Audit Database website (http://harvester.census.gov/sac/) and provide the EIN under which that report was submitted.

Include these statements at the end of the Project Narrative in a section titled “Single Audit Reporting Statements”.

G. Assurances: Include the appropriate signed and dated Assurances form available online at http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15. Use the Assurances for Construction Programs (SF 424D) for construction and land acquisition projects Use the Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF 424B) for all other projects. Signing this form does not mean that all items on the form are applicable. The form contains language that states that some of the assurances may not be applicable to your organization and/or your project or program.

H. Certification and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities: N/A

I. Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Applicants must notify the Service in writing of any actual or potential conflicts of interest that are known at the time of application or that may arise during the life of this award, in the event an award is made. Conflicts of interest include any relationship or matter which might place the recipient, the recipient’s employees, or the recipient’s subrecipients in a position of conflict, real or apparent, between their http://www.ecfr.gov/ http://www.ecfr.gov/ http://www.ecfr.gov/ http://harvester.census.gov/sac/ http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 responsibilities under the award and any other outside interests. Conflicts of interest may also include, but are not limited to, direct or indirect financial interests, close personal relationships, positions of trust in outside organizations, consideration of future employment arrangements with a different organization, or decision-making affecting the award that would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts to question the impartiality of the applicant, the applicant’s employees, or the applicant’s future subrecipients in the matter. Upon receipt of such a notice, the Service Project Officer in consultation with their Ethics Counselor will determine if a conflict of interest exists and, if so, if there are any possible actions to be taken by the applicant to reduce or resolve the conflict. Failure to resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the Service may result in the project not being select for funding.

Application Checklist

□ Evidence of non-profit status: If a non-profit organization, a copy of their Section 501(c)(3) or (4) status determination letter received from the Internal Revenue Service.

□ SF 424, Application for Federal Assistance: A complete, signed and dated SF 424, SF 424-Mandatory, or SF 424-Individual form.

□ Project narrative

□ Single Audit Reporting statement: If a U.S. state, local government, federally-recognized Indian tribal government, or non-profit organization, statements regarding applicability of and compliance with Single Audit reporting requirements.

□ SF 424 budget form: A complete SF 424A Budget Information form.

□ Budget justification

□ Federally-funded equipment list: If Federally-funded equipment will be used for the project, a list of that equipment.

□ NICRA: When applicable, a copy of the organization’s current Negotiated Indirect Cost

Rate Agreement.

□ SF 424 Assurances form: Signed and dated SF 424B Assurances form.

□ Conflict of Interest statement, when applicable.

Failure to provide complete information may cause delays, postponement, or rejection of the application.

V. Submission Instructions Download the Application Package linked to this Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov to begin the application process. Downloading and saving the Application Package to your computer makes the required government-wide standard forms fillable and printable. Completed applications may be submitted by mail, by email, electronically through Grants.gov, or as otherwise described in the Grants.gov funding opportunity.

To submit an application by e-mail:

Format all of your documents to print on Letter size (8 ½” x 11”) paper. Format all pages to display and print page numbers. Scanned documents should be scanned in Letter format, as black and white images only. Where possible, save scanned documents in .pdf format. E-mail your application to the Service program point of contact identified in the Grants.gov funding opportunity.

The required SF 424 Application for Federal Assistance and Assurances forms and any other required standard forms MUST be signed by your organization’s authorized official. The Signature and Date fields on the standard forms downloaded from Grants.gov are pre-populated with the text “Completed by Grants.gov upon submission” or “Completed on submission to Grants.gov”. Remove this text (manually or digitally) before signing the forms.

VI. Application Review Each fiscal year, for every entity receiving one or more awards in that fiscal year, the Service conducts a risk assessment based on eight risk categories. The result of this risk assessment is used to establish a monitoring plan for all awards to the entity in that fiscal year. The Service’s risk assessment form is available on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/forms/3-2462.pdf.

VII. Award Administration

Domestic Recipient Payments: Prior to award, the Service program office will contact you/your organization to either enroll in the U.S. Treasury’s Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) system or, if eligible, obtain approval from the Department of the Interior to be waived from using ASAP.

Transmittal of Sensitive Data: Recipients are responsible for ensuring any sensitive data being sent to the Service is protected during its transmission/delivery. The Service strongly recommends that recipients use the most secure transmission/delivery method available. The Service recommends the following digital transmission methods: secure digital faxing; encrypted emails; emailing a password protected zipped/compressed file attachment in one email followed by the password in a second email; or emailing a zipped/compressed file attachment. The Service strongly encourages recipients sending sensitive data in paper copy to use a courier mail service. Recipients may also contact their Service Project Officer and provide any sensitive data over the telephone.

Award Terms and Conditions: Acceptance of a financial assistance award (i.e., grant or cooperative agreement) from the Service carries with it the responsibility to be aware of and comply with the terms and conditions applicable to the award. Acceptance is defined as the start of work, drawing down funds, or accepting the award via electronic means. Awards are based on the application submitted to and approved by the Service and are subject to the terms and conditions incorporated into the notice of award either by direct citation or by reference to the following: Federal regulations; program legislation or regulation; and special award terms and conditions. The Federal regulations applicable to Service awards are available on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/grants/. If you do not have access to the Internet and require a full text copy of the award terms and conditions, contact the Service point of contact identified in the Agency Contacts section below.

http://www.fws.gov/grants/

Recipient Reporting Requirements:

Financial and Performance Reports: Interim financial reports and performance reports may be required. Interim reports will be required no more frequently than quarterly, and no less frequently than annually. A final financial report and a final performance report will be required and are due within 90 calendar days of the end date of the award. Performance reports must contain: 1) a comparison of actual accomplishments with the goals and objectives of the award as detailed in the approved scope of work; 2) a description of reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate; and 3) any other pertinent information relevant to the project results.

Significant Developments Reports: Events may occur between the scheduled performance reporting dates that have significant impact upon the supported activity. In such cases, recipients are required to notify the Service in writing as soon as the following types of conditions become known:

• Problems, delays, or adverse conditions that will materially impair the ability to meet the objective of the Federal award. This disclosure must include a statement of any corrective action(s) taken or contemplated, and any assistance needed to resolve the situation.

• Favorable developments that enable meeting time schedules and objectives sooner or at less cost than anticipated or producing more or different beneficial results than originally planned.

The Service will specify in the notice of award document the reporting and reporting frequency applicable to the award.

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Recipients are responsible for notifying the Service Project Officer in writing of any actual or potential conflicts of interest that may arise during the life of this award. Conflicts of interest include any relationship or matter which might place the recipient, the recipient’s employees, or the recipient’s subrecipients in a position of conflict, real or apparent, between their responsibilities under this award and any other outside interests. Conflicts of interest may also include, but are not limited to, direct or indirect financial interests, close personal relationships, positions of trust in outside organizations, consideration of future employment arrangements with a different organization, or decision-making affecting the award that would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts to question the impartiality of the Recipient, the Recipient’s employees, or the Recipient’s subrecipients in the matter. Upon receipt of such a notice, the Service Project Officer in consultation with their Ethics Counselor will determine if a conflict of interest exists and, if so, if there are any possible actions to be taken by the Recipient, the Recipient’s employee(s), or the Recipient’s Subrecipient(s) that could reduce or resolve the conflict. Failure to resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the Service may result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR 200.338, Remedies for Noncompliance, including termination of this award.

Other Mandatory Disclosures: Recipients and their subrecipients must disclose, in a timely manner and in writing, to the Service or pass-through entity all violations of Federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting this award. Failure to make required disclosures can result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR 200.338, Remedies for noncompliance, including suspension or debarment (See 2 CFR 200.113, 2 CFR Part 180, and 31 U.S.C. 3321).

VIII. Agency Contacts Ward Feurt, Refuge Manager, Rachel Carson NWR 321 Port Road Wells, ME 04090 1-(207)-646-9226 ext. 25 ward_feurt@fws.gov mailto:ward_feurt@fws.gov