EPA-OA-OCHP-20-01.pdf

FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) OFFICE OF CHILDREN’S

HEALTH PROTECTION

TITLE: CHILDREN’S HEALTHY LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

ACTION: REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (RFA)

FUNDING OPPORTUITY NUMBER (FON): EPA-OA-OCHP-20-01

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NO: 66.609

COVID-19 Update: EPA is providing flexibilities to applicants experiencing challenges related to

COVID-19. Please see the Flexibilities Available to Organizations Impacted by COVID-19 clause in Section IV of EPA’s Solicitation Clauses.

DATES: The closing date and time for receipt of application submissions is June 1, 2020 by

11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET).

SUMMARY: The purpose of the Children’s Healthy Learning Environments Grant Initiative is to provide capacity building to address children’s environmental health in school and childcare settings. The Children’s Healthy Learning Environments Grant Initiative provides funding directly to organizations to support school- and/or childcare center-based capacity building projects that help school communities understand and address local environmental and public health issues that affect children. Capacity building projects are projects that improve the organization’s long-term effectiveness and sustainability through management practices, implementation, and dedication to achieving results towards children’s environmental health.

The physical environments in which children develop play a critical role in their health, development, and safety. Children, from the fetal stage through adolescence, are in a dynamic state of growth as their nervous, respiratory, reproductive and immune systems develop and mature. Because of these developing systems, children are more vulnerable to permanent and irreversible damage from environmental hazards than adults. Distinct environments like childcare and school-based settings have unique characteristics related not only to the degree and route of exposure but also to the timing of exposures. Reducing exposures to unhealthy school and childcare settings through the adoption of healthy indoor environment best practices can lead to improving children’s health, attendance, concentration, and performance.

FUNDING/AWARDS: Under this competition, EPA intends to award two cooperative agreements to a U.S. state agency, public nonprofit institution/organization, Federally

Recognized Indian Tribal government, U.S. territory and possession, private nonprofit institution/organization, or a consortium of such institutions. The total estimated funding for the awards is in the range of $290,000 to $315,000, and EPA expects to split the funding evenly among two awardees.

COST-SHARING REQUIREMENT: Cost-sharing is not required.

https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses

PROJECT PERIOD: All projects should have an anticipated start date of November 1, 2020.

Proposed project periods may be up to 2 years.

Contracts, Subawards and “Partnerships” Prior to naming a contractor or subrecipient as a

“partner” or otherwise in your applications, please carefully review the “Contracts and subawards” solicitation provision available at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses. Refer to EPA’s Best Practice Guide for Procuring Services, Supplies, and Equipment

Under EPA Assistance Agreements and Subaward Policy and supplemental Frequent Questions for additional guidance.

CONTENTS BY SECTION

SECTION l: Funding Opportunity Description

SECTION II: Award Information

SECTION III: Eligibility Information

SECTION IV: Application and Submission Information

SECTION V: Application Review Information

SECTION VI: Award Administration Information

SECTION VII: Agency Contact

APPENDIX A: Detailed Budget

SECTION I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background

EPA’s mission is to protect human health and the environment. Exposure to environmental hazards in learning environments can negatively impact the health of children and staff, and may affect attendance, concentration and performance, as well as lead to potential liability claims. Promoting healthy learning environments can potentially result in improved academic performance and reduced absenteeism, improved student and teacher morale, and saving money through resource conservation efforts.

The physical environments in which children develop play a critical role in their health, development, and safety. Children, from the fetal stage through adolescence, are in a dynamic state of growth as their nervous, respiratory, reproductive and immune systems develop and mature. Because of these developing systems, children are more vulnerable to permanent and irreversible damage from environmental hazards than adults. Distinct environments like childcare and school-based settings have unique characteristics related not only to the degree and route of exposure but also to the timing of exposures. For instance, in school settings, young children are more susceptible to the adverse effects from use of cleaning chemicals because they may be more likely to be exposed – they spend more time indoors, they have more hand-to-mouth behavior – and their smaller and still developing bodies may be more susceptible.

https://www.epa.gov/grants/best-practice-guide-procuring-services-supplies-and-equipment-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/grants/best-practice-guide-procuring-services-supplies-and-equipment-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses https://www.epa.gov/grants/grants-policy-issuance-gpi-16-01-epa-subaward-policy-epa-assistance-agreement-recipients

Environmental health hazards that affect children include, but are not limited to: 1) air pollutants, both indoor and ambient; 2) toxic chemicals, such as lead, mercury, arsenic, organochlorines, such as polychlorinated biphenyls, and dioxins; 3) endocrine disruptors; 4) environmental tobacco smoke; 5) pests and pesticides; 6) ultraviolet radiation; 7) water pollution; 8) brominated flame retardants; 9) radon; 10) carbon monoxide; 11) asbestos; and

12) other biological and chemical hazards of concern identified by EPA.

Since 1997, when the Office of Children’s Health Protection was established, EPA focused on children’s health protection, undertaking a variety of efforts to improve the environments where children live, learn and play. EPA has sponsored research to evaluate the impacts of environmental exposures on children’s health, ensured that children’s health protection is a key component of our risk assessments and regulatory decision-making, and supported efforts to promote the measurement and tracking of environmental health disparities. EPA has launched projects to improve school environments, promote healthy homes, address indoor and outdoor air quality, and reduce children’s exposures to chemicals, pesticides, and radiation.

EPA has developed tools to enable citizens, communities, governmental and non-governmental agencies to take steps toward protecting children from environmental health threats. EPA has worked with healthcare providers to identify, prevent and reduce environmental threat to children. EPA has also provided international leadership in the protection of children worldwide.

EPA’s partnerships with other federal agencies; state and local governments; tribes; non-governmental organizations; healthcare providers; academia; and others are essential to achieving our children’s health protection goals. It is only through our combined efforts that we can achieve the goals of making the health protection of children a fundamental goal of public health and environmental protection.

B. Scope of the Work

Under this competition, EPA is accepting applications from eligible applicants for projects that build capacity of decision-makers to address children’s environmental health in school and childcare environments. Projects may demonstrate, implement or expand innovative methods and approaches to prevent and reduce exposures in schools and childcare settings. Capacity-building programs eligible for funding under this solicitation should be multi-media (involving multiple environmental health hazards) and holistic (involving multiple stakeholders and built on strong partnerships). For the purposes of this solicitation, schools include public, private, charter, parochial and K-12 schools; childcare settings include early care and education, such as nurseries, preschools, pre-kindergartens, centers, child development programs, Head Start, Early Head Start, and in-home childcare facilities. Decision-makers are those adults who have authority for school or childcare facilities or who control or influence resources used for school or childcare facilities.

While this RFA is intended primarily for capacity building, it may also fund outreach and education as part of capacity building. EPA strongly encourages applicants to use existing quality, authoritative children’s environmental health training and outreach materials rather than developing new ones, because many quality materials are available, and some are under-utilized.

EPA will consider funding translation of existing materials or the development of new outreach, education, guidance or technical assistance documents only where the applicant demonstrates that there is a need (e.g., that existing quality materials are not available). The applicant must specify what steps they have taken to determine this need (e.g., you may cite a conference where this need was discussed, the results of inquiries made within your community or with educational institutions, or a research paper or other published document). If the applicant does not yet know which materials will be used as part of the project, the applicant must identify what steps it will take to search for and select those materials.

Examples of Activities: EPA’s expectation is that the awards under this grant initiative will help to advance children’s health protection well beyond the period of performance of the grants.

We strongly encourage collaborative partnerships among key stakeholders. Below are some examples of the types of projects and activities applicants may submit under this competition – these are examples only, and this list is not intended to be all-inclusive.

i) Develop and deliver guidance, technical assistance, training or other support (e.g., financial) to school districts to assist them in implementing school environmental health programs, including:

a) Assessments of school conditions;

b) Identification of priority issues;

c) Prevention of potential hazards; and/or

d) Preparing for and responding to emergency situations involving environmental hazards (e.g., chemical spills, wildfires, floods).

ii) Develop and implement training programs to promote awareness and action to address children’s environmental health and health hazards in schools and/or childcare settings.

Novel approaches to training are encouraged, e.g., just-in-time training; collaboration to provide training through stakeholders’ existing training portals; scenario-based simulation training, etc. Note: Training materials should not be developed anew but should use or build upon already existing materials to the extent possible.

iii) Develop and implement outreach and training activities to promote the adoption of comprehensive program to improve indoor air quality that address the reduction and elimination of indoor air pollutants and asthma triggers through proactive policies and staff practices. Training materials need not be developed anew; applicants are encouraged to use or build upon already existing materials to the extent possible.

iv) Launch or expand an existing healthy schools or healthy childcare program to address multiple environmental and safety hazards.

v) Develop and implement a local plan to increase community support and resources to protect children from environmental health risks in school and childcare settings by coordinating with existing groups and community coalitions address children’s environmental health issues (such as asthma, lead poisoning, school chemical cleanouts, etc.) to leverage resources and reduce duplication of efforts. Fundraising is not permitted under this grant.

vi) Establish a communication network with school districts, boards, officials, associations, and related groups and representatives to promote environmental health conditions and practices in schools.

vii) Create a public-private partnership to develop resources and provide services to reduce chemical exposures and promote children’s health in school and childcare settings.

viii) Provide training and technical assistance regarding chemical cleanouts and chemical management plans.

Proposed projects should reflect multi-media and holistic approaches for reducing environmental exposures. Applications should also demonstrate a broad reach and collaborative problem-solving with appropriate partners and, describe how this project’s objectives create sustained activities that continue beyond the completion of the grant project period.

This funding is not intended to conduct research and cannot be used to fund human subject research.

NOTE: Grant activities must relate to gathering or transferring information or advancing awareness and demonstrating changes in attitudes and behaviors of those participating.

Applications should emphasize this “learning” concept, rather than trying to “fix” an environmental problem using a well-established method. All the eligible activities listed above promote learning and understanding and are acceptable activities. Examples of unacceptable grant applications involve performing large-scale clean-ups, treatments, routine recycling services, and major disposal and/or energy recovery projects.

For projects that will support demonstration activities, the project must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches; where the results of the project will be shared so that others can benefit from the knowledge gained. A project that is accomplished through the performance of routine, traditional, or well-established practices, or a project that is simply intended to carry out a task rather than transfer information or advance the state of knowledge, however worthwhile the project might be, is not a demonstration. The applicant must clearly explain in the applications how the technologies, methods, or approaches used are new or experimental and how the project otherwise meets the requirements of a demonstration as described in this RFA. If your project uses technologies, methods or approaches that have been used previously in other geographic areas and/or business sectors, then your application must include an explanation as to how your demonstration project is different from such prior projects and is a true demonstration. You must also explain what will be learned from the demonstration project. If your project is truly a demonstration and complies with other eligibility factors, then it will be considered for funding. Remember, your project doesn’t have to include demonstration activities. But if it does, then those activities must comply with the details listed above.

C. EPA Strategic Plan Linkages, Anticipated Outcomes and Outputs and Performance

Measures

Linkage to EPA’s Strategic Plan

Pursuant to Section 6a of EPA Order 5700.7A1, “Environmental Results under EPA Assistance

Agreements,” EPA must link proposed assistance agreements to the Agency’s Strategic Plan.

EPA’s Strategic Plan is available at: https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan.html/.

The activities to be funded under this announcement are intended to further EPA’s Strategic

Goal 2: More Effective Partnerships, Objective 2.2: to increase transparency and public participation by listening to and collaborating with impacted stakeholders and providing effective platforms for public participation and meaningful engagement.

Anticipated Outputs and Outcomes

EPA requires that grant applicants and recipients adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7A1, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements (https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-

57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements). Applicants must include specific statements describing the environmental results of the program in terms of well-defined outputs and, to the extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the project will contribute to the strategic goal described above.

The term “output” means an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work products related to an environmental goal and objective, that will be produced or provided over a period of time or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable during the assistance agreement funding period.

The term “outcome” means the result, effect or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health-related or programmatic in nature, but must be quantitative. They may not necessarily be achievable within an assistance agreement funding period.

Expected Outputs and Outcomes

Examples of outputs under the awards expected to be made include, but are not limited to:

1. Final project report that documents activities and quantifies results

2. Educational, training, or outreach materials developed

3. Multi-stakeholder partnerships/collaborations established

4. Areas and sources posing highest risks and action plan for reducing risk identified https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan.html/

5. New policies, guidance or protocols to reduce environmental hazards in schools, childcare centers developed and/or adopted

6. Measures to assess progress established

7. IAQ management or environmental health plans, programs and trainings implemented.

Examples of outcomes under the awards expected to be made include, but are not limited to:

1. Reduction in illness, learning disabilities, absenteeism, or asthma attacks

2. Improvements in physical, behavioral, or social functioning

3. Reduction in environmental health or safety risks affecting children

4. Reduction in children’s exposure to environmental contaminants

5. Reduction in costs associated with new policy and guidance that support healthy learning environments, e.g., energy and resource conservation measures and improved facility maintenance

6. Greater teacher retention and job satisfaction

7. Increased awareness among students about the school environment and resource sustainability

8. Reduction in unintentional injuries

During the evaluation process for applications, EPA will determine if each work plan contains well-defined educational and environmental outputs and outcomes, adequately describes the applicant’s plan and approach for tracking and measuring progress towards achieving the outputs and outcomes, and clearly explains how the applicant will achieve the expected outputs and outcomes. Proposed outputs and short-term outcomes must be completed and be reported to EPA within the project period. See Section 5(A) for evaluation criteria.

Performance Measures. The applicant should develop performance measures related to the proposed activities and describe them in their application. The following are questions to consider when developing output and outcome measures of quantitative and qualitative results:

What are the measurable short term and longer term results the project will achieve?

How does the plan measure progress in achieving the expected results (including outputs and outcomes)?

How will the approach use resources effectively and efficiently?

D. Statutory Information

Statutory Authority: EPA expects to award these grants under the following grant authorities:

Clean Air Act, Section 103; Solid Waste Disposal Act, Section 8001; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 20; Clean Water Act, Section 104; Toxic Substances

Control Act, Section 10; Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 1442; and National Environmental

Policy Act, Section 102.

SECTION II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Number and Amount of Award

The total estimated funding expected to be available for awards under this competitive opportunity is approximately $275,000. EPA anticipates award of approximately 2 cooperative agreements under this announcement, each award not to exceed approximately $145,000 subject to the availability of funds, quality of evaluated applications, and other applicable considerations. The two grants are expected to cover two complementary portions of the

United States, such as East/West or two non-overlapping geographic areas in different parts of the U.S. Ideally, grantees will provide impact to multiple schools, childcare centers, and/or school districts in multiple geographic areas (e.g., reaching 7 school districts located within 5 counties or 3 states). The selected grantees are expected to routinely communicate with one another to share implementation approaches, content, materials, evaluation approaches and other information to promote learning between the two groups and to increase overall effectiveness and efficiency.

EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards, or make fewer awards than anticipated, under this announcement. In addition, EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with Agency policy and guidance, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than six months after the original selection decisions.

EPA reserves the right to partially fund applications by funding discrete portions or phases of proposed projects. If EPA decides to partially fund an application, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any applicants or affect the basis upon which the application, or portion thereof, was evaluated and selected for award, and therefore, maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process.

B. Start Date and Length of Project Period

The estimated initial project period for the award resulting from this solicitation will be

November 1, 2020-October 31, 2022. Proposed project periods are for 2 years.

C. Funding Type

The successful applicant will be issued a cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement is an assistance agreement that is used when there is substantial federal involvement with the recipient during the performance of an activity or project. EPA awards cooperative agreements for those projects in which it expects to have substantial interaction with the recipient throughout the performance of the project. EPA will negotiate the precise terms and conditions of “substantial involvement” as part of the award process. Federal involvement may include:

Close monitoring of the recipient’s performance;

Collaboration during the performance of the scope of work;

Review of proposed procurements in accordance with 2 CFR 317 and 2 CFR 318, as appropriate;

Review of the qualifications of key personnel (EPA does not have the authority to select employees or contractors employed by the recipient);

Review and comment on mid-year and yearly reports prepared under the cooperative agreement (the final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient); and

Participation in periodic telephone conference calls to share ideas, project successes and challenges, etc., with EPA and with other entities awarded under this solicitation.

SECTION III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

Assistance under this competition is available to States or state agencies, territories, city or township governments, county governments, the District of Columbia, American Indian Tribes

(federally recognized), and possessions of the U.S. It is also available to public and private universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, other public or private nonprofit institutions, and 501(c)(3) organizations. Nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the

Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying

Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply for funding. For-profit organizations are generally not eligible for funding.

B. Matching Funds

Although cost-sharing or matching is not required as a condition of eligibility under this competition.

C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria

Applications must meet the following threshold criteria to be eligible for funding consideration under this solicitation. Failure to meet any of the following criteria in the application will result in disqualification of the application for funding consideration. Only applications from eligible entities (see above) that meet all of these criteria will be evaluated against the ranking factors in Section V of this announcement. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration because of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

(1) Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement or else they will be rejected. Where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to the workplan, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed.

(2) Applications must be submitted through the Grants.gov website: https://www.grants.gov as stated in Section IV of this announcement (except in the limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed for as explained in Section IV) on or before the https://www.grants.gov/ application submission deadline published in Section IV of this announcement. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV of this announcement to ensure that their application is timely submitted.

(3) Applications submitted after the submission deadline will be considered late and deemed ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was late due to EPA mishandling or because of technical problems associated with the

Grants.gov website (https://www.grants.gov/) or relevant SAM.gov (https://www.sam.gov / ) system issues. An applicant’s failure to timely submit their application through Grants.gov because they did not timely or properly register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov will not be considered an acceptable reason to consider a late submission. Applicants should confirm receipt of their application with Becky Cook-Shyovitz (cook-shyovitz@epa.gov) as soon as possible after the submission deadline—failure to do so may result in your application not being reviewed. NOTE: Successful submission and receipt of an application does not guarantee its eligibility for review.

(4) The applicant must be an eligible organization as described in Section III (A) above and state in its application how it meets that eligibility criterion.

(5) Applicants may submit only one application under this solicitation. If an applicant submits more than one, EPA will contact them to determine which one to withdraw.

(6) A project must further EPA’s Strategic Goal 2: More Effective Partnerships, Objective 2.2: to increase transparency and public participation and must consist of activities authorized under one or more of the following EPA authorities: Clean Air Act, Section 103; Safe Drinking Water

Act, Section 1442; Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 20; Clean Water

Act, Section 104; Toxic Substances Control Act, Section 10; Solid Waste Disposal Act, Section

8001; National Environmental Policy Act, Section 102. Note that a project’s focus is to consist of activities within the statutory terms of EPA’s financial assistance authorities; specifically, the statute(s) listed above. These activities should relate to the gathering or transferring of information or advancing the state of knowledge. Proposals should emphasize this “learning” concept, as opposed to “fixing” an environmental problem via a well-established method.

(7) Applications must not be used for the purposes of routine program implementation, implementation of routine environmental protection or restoration measures, meeting any legal mandate (such as federal, state, or local regulations or settlement agreements), land acquisition, purchase of vehicles, or completion of work which was to have been completed under a prior grant.

D. Ineligible Activities

If an application is submitted that includes any ineligible tasks or activities, that portion of the application will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects http://www.sam.gov/ http://grants.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:cook-shyovitz@epa.gov https://www.sam.gov/ the application, render the entire application ineligible for funding. Activities and tasks ineligible for funding in the Children’s Healthy Learning Environments Grant Initiative include:

(1) Technical training of environmental management professionals;

(2) Environmental “information” and/or “outreach” projects that have no additional educational component, as described in Section I (B);

(3) Advocacy promoting a particular point of view or course of action;

(4) Lobbying or political activities as defined in 2 CFR Section 200.450;

(5) Non-educational research and development; or

(6) Construction projects–EPA will not fund construction activities such as the acquisition of real property (e.g., buildings) or the construction or modification of any building.

SECTION IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Requirement to Submit Through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedure

Applicants, except as noted below, must apply electronically through Grants.gov under this funding opportunity, based on the Grants.gov instructions in this announcement. If an applicant does not have the technical capability to apply electronically through Grants.gov because of limited or no internet access which prevents them from being able to upload the required application materials to Grants.gov, the applicant must contact OMS-ARM- OGDWaivers@epa.gov or the address listed below in writing (i.e., by email or hard copy) at least 15 calendar days prior to the submission deadline under this announcement to request approval to submit their application materials through an alternate method.

Mailing Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Jessica Durand

USEPA Headquarters

William Jefferson Clinton Building

1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N. W.

Mail Code: 3903R

Washington, DC 20460

Courier Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Jessica Durand

Ronald Reagan Building

1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

Rm # 51278

Washington, DC 20004

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

• Funding Opportunity Number (FON)—EPA- OA-OCHP-20-01 mailto:OMS-ARM-OGDWaivers@epa.gov mailto:OMS-ARM-OGDWaivers@epa.gov

• Organization Name and DUNS Number

• Organization’s Contact Information (email address and phone number)

• Explanation of how they lack the technical capability to apply electronically through

Grants.gov because of 1) limited internet access or 2) no internet access which prevents them from being able to upload the required application materials through Grants.gov.

EPA will only consider alternate submission exception requests based on the two reasons stated above and will timely respond to the request -- all other requests will be denied. If an alternate submission method is approved, the applicant will receive documentation of this approval and further instructions on how to apply under this announcement. Applicants will be required to submit the documentation of approval with any initial application submitted under the alternative method. In addition, any submittal through an alternative method must comply with all applicable requirements and deadlines in the announcement including the submission deadline and requirements regarding application content and page limits (although the documentation of approval of an alternate submission method will not count against any page limits).

If an exception is granted, it is valid for submissions to EPA for the remainder of the entire calendar year in which the exception was approved and can be used to justify alternative submission methods for application submissions made through December 31 of the calendar year in which the exception was approved (e.g., if the exception was approved on March 1, 2019, it is valid for any competitive or non-competitive proposal submission to EPA through

December 31, 2019). Applicants need only request an exception once in a calendar year and all exceptions will expire on December 31 of that calendar year. Applicants must request a new exception from required electronic submission through Grants.gov for submissions for any succeeding calendar year. For example, if there is a competitive opportunity issued on

November 15, 2019 with a submission deadline of January 15, 2020, the applicant would need a new exception to submit through alternative methods beginning January 1, 2020.

Please note that the process described in this section is only for requesting alternate submission methods. All other inquiries about this announcement must be directed to the

Agency Contact listed in Section VII of the announcement. Queries or requests submitted to the email address identified above for any reason other than to request an alternate submission method will not be acknowledged or answered.

B. Submission Instructions

The electronic submission of your application must be made by an official representative of your institution who is registered with Grants.gov and is authorized to sign applications for

Federal assistance. For more information on the registration requirements that must be completed to apply through Grants.gov, go to https://www.grants.gov/ and click on

“Applicants” on the top of the page and then go to the “Get Registered” link on the page. If your organization is not currently registered with Grants.gov, please encourage your office to http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ designate an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and ask that individual to begin the registration process as soon as possible. Please note that the registration process also requires that your organization have a Unique Entity Identifier (e.g. DUNS Number) and a current registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) and the process of obtaining both could take a month or more. Applicants must ensure that all registration requirements are met to apply for this opportunity through grants.gov and should ensure that all such requirements have been met well in advance of the submission deadline. Registration on Grants.gov, SAM.gov and DUNS Number assignment is FREE.

Applicants need to ensure that the AOR who submits the application through Grants.gov and whose Unique Entity Identifier (e.g. DUNS Number) is listed on the application is an AOR for the applicant listed on the application. Additionally, the DUNS number listed on the application must be registered to the applicant organization’s SAM account. If not, the application may be deemed ineligible.

To begin the application process under this grant announcement, go to Grants.gov and click on

“Applicants” on the top of the page and then “Apply for Grants” from the dropdown menu and then follow the instructions accordingly. Please note: To apply through Grants.gov, you must use Adobe Reader software and download the compatible Adobe Reader version. For more information about Adobe Reader, to verify compatibility, or to download the free software, please visit Adobe Software Compatibility

( https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.htms ) on

Grants.gov.

You may also be able to access the application package for this announcement by searching for the opportunity on Grants.gov . Go to Grants.gov and then click on “Search Grants” at the top of the page and enter the Funding Opportunity Number, EPA-OA-EE-20-11, or the CFDA number that applies to the announcement (CFDA 66.950), in the appropriate field and click the Search button.

Please Note: Applications submitted through Grants.gov beginning January 1, 2018 must be submitted using the “Workspace” feature. Information on the Workspace feature can be found at the https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html.

Application Submission Deadline: Your organization’s AOR must submit your complete application package electronically to EPA through Grants.gov no later than June 1, 2020 at

11:59PM EST. Please allow for enough time to successfully submit your application package and allow for unexpected errors that may require you to resubmit.

Please submit all of the application materials described below using the Grants.gov application package that you downloaded using the instructions above.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.htms

Application Materials

The following forms and documents are required under this announcement:

(1) Standard Form 424 (SF-424), Application for Federal Assistance. Please note that the organizational DUNS Number must be included on the SF-424.

(2) Standard Form 424A (SF424A) Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs

(3) EPA Key Contacts Form 5700-54

(4) EPA Form 4700-4 Pre-award Compliance Review Report

(5) Project Narrative (Project Narrative Attachment Form) prepared as described in Section IV

(E) (6) below

Applications submitted through Grants.gov will be time and date stamped electronically. If you have not submitted a confirmation of receipt from EPA (NOT from the Grants.gov website) within 30 days of the application deadline, please contact Becky Cook-Shyovitz (cook-shyovitz.becky@epa.gov). Failure to do so may result in your application no being reviewed.

C. Technical Issues with Submission

(1) Once the application package has been completed, the “Submit” button should be enabled.

If the “Submit” button is not active, please call Grants.gov for assistance at 1-800-518-4726.

Applicants who are outside the U.S. at the time of submittal and are not able to access the tollfree number may reach a Grants.gov representative by calling 606-545-5035. Applicants should save the completed application package with two different file names before providing it to the AOR to avoid having to re-create the package should submission problems be experienced, or a revised application needs to be submitted.

(2) Submitting the application

The application package must be transferred to Grants.gov by an AOR. The AOR should close all other software before attempting to submit the application package. Click the “submit” button of the application package. Your Internet browser will launch, and a sign-in page will appear.

Note: Minor problems are not uncommon with transfers to Grants.gov. It is essential to allow sufficient time to ensure that your application is submitted to Grants.gov BEFORE the due date identified in Section IV of the solicitation. The Grants.gov support desk, 1-800-518-4726, or support@grants.gov operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except Federal Holidays.

A successful transfer will end with an on-screen acknowledgement. For documentation purposes, print or screen capture this acknowledgement. If a submission problem occurs, reboot the computer – turning the power off may be necessary – and re-attempt the submission.

Once you have submitted, you will receive the following communications:

Submission Receipt Email mailto:support@grants.gov http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:cook-shyovitz.becky@epa.gov mailto:cook-shyovitz.becky@epa.gov

This email confirms successful receipt of your application by the Grants.gov system and indicates application status is "Received." This will include a tracking number, which will have the following format: GRANTxxxxxxxx Submission Validation Email –OR– Rejection with Errors Email This email Indicates that your application was either successfully validated or rejected by the Grants.gov system prior to transmission to the grantor agency. If your application is rejected with errors, you may resolve these errors and attempt to submit again if the submission deadline has not already passed.

Received by Agency Email Once your application package has passed validation, it is available for the awarding agency (EPA) to retrieve to perform further review and award determination. (Please note that Grants.gov does not review application content for award determination). After the EPA confirms receipt of your application, Grants.gov will send you a third email to indicate the Received by Agency status.

If you do not receive the above emails, please contact Grants.gov for assistance at 1-800-518- 4726 before the application deadline. Applicants who are outside the U.S. at the time of submittal and are not able to access the toll-free number may reach a Grants.gov representative by calling 606-545-5035.

Note: Grants.gov issues a “case number” upon a request for assistance. Save this number in case you encounter additional problems.

(3) Transmission Difficulties

If transmission difficulties that result in a late transmission, no transmission or rejection of the transmitted application are experienced, and following the above instructions does not resolve the problem so that the application is submitted to Grants.gov by the deadline date and time, follow the guidance below. EPA will decide concerning acceptance of each late submission on a case-by-case basis. All emails, as described below, are to be sent to Becky Cook-Shyovitz with the FON (EPA- OA-OCHP-20-01) in the subject line. If you are unable to email, contact Becky

Cook-Shyovitz at 202-564-5340. Be aware that EPA will only consider accepting applications that were unable to transmit due to Grants.gov or relevant SAM.gov system issues or for unforeseen exigent circumstances, such as extreme weather interfering with internet access.

Failure of an applicant to submit by the deadline because they did not properly or timely register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov is not an acceptable reason to justify acceptance of a late submittal.

(a) If you are experiencing problems resulting in an inability to upload the application to

Grants.gov, it is essential that you call Grants.gov for assistance at 1-800-518-4726 before the application deadline. Applicants who are outside the U.S. at the time of submittal and are not able to access the toll-free number may reach a Grants.gov representative by calling 606-545-5035. Be sure to obtain a case number from

Grants.gov. If the problems stem from unforeseen exigent circumstances unrelated to http://grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://sam.gov/ http://sam.gov/

Grants.gov, such as extreme weather interfering with internet access, contact Becky

Cook-Shyovitz (cook-shyovitz.becky@epa.gov) as soon as internet access is available and explain the circumstances.

(b) Unsuccessful transfer of the application package

If a successful transfer of the application cannot be accomplished even with assistance from Grants.gov due to electronic submission system issues or unforeseen exigent circumstances, and you have already attempted to resolve the issue by contacting

Grants.gov, send an email message to Becky Cook-Shyovitz (cook-shyovitz.becky@epa.gov ) prior to the application deadline. The email message must document the problem and include the Grants.gov case number as well as the entire application in PDF format as an attachment.

(c) Grants.gov rejection of the application package

If a notification is received from Grants.gov stating that the application has been rejected for reasons other than late submittal promptly, send an email to Becky Cook-

Shyovitz (cook-shyovitz.becky@epa.gov ) with the Funding Opportunity Number (EPA-

OA-OCHP-20-01) in the subject line within one business day of the closing date of this solicitation. The email should include any materials provided by Grants.gov and attach the entire application in PDF format

Please note that successful submission through the Grants.gov website or via email does not necessarily mean your application is eligible for award.

D. Format of Application Submission

Applications must include the information described below, and it is highly recommended that applications follow the format provided. Please follow the instructions and do not submit additional items or forms. Please do not refer to websites or online tools in your application as the reviewers will evaluate only the materials provided in the application.

The required contents of the application package are described in detail below. Pages in excess of the page limits noted will not be reviewed. “One page” refers to one side of a single-spaced typed page. The pages must be letter-sized (8 ½ X 11 inches); recommended font size is no smaller than 10 point; and margins no less than 1 inch are recommended.

E. Contents of Submission:

A complete application package must contain all the information outlined below.

1. Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal Assistance. Please note that the organizational DUNS Number must be included on the SF-424A.

2. Standard Form (SF) 424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs.

3. EPA Key Contacts Form 5700-54. The Key Contacts form should also be completed for major sub-agreements. Do not include information for consultants or other contractors.

4. EPA Form 4700-4, Pre-award Compliance Review Report http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:cook-shyovitz.becky@epa.gov

5. Project Narrative

a. Work Plan—not to exceed 12 single spaced pages total

Executive Summary—recommended 1 page

Detailed Project Description

Project Evaluation

b. Detailed Budget—no page limit

c. Appendices—no page limit

Timeline

Logic Model

Partnership Letter of Commitment (only if you have partner organizations making a commitment to the project and please, NO letters of endorsement or recommendation)

Project Narrative Instructions You must include a project narrative, which will consist of a work plan that describes your proposed project, a detailed budget and appendices. The work plan must address the requirements in Section I of this solicitation as well as any applicable threshold eligibility requirements in Section III and each of the evaluation criteria set forth in Section V. Your application should use ordinary terms to provide reviewers with an understanding of the purpose and expected outcomes of your project. A person unfamiliar with your project, its location/setting, and its topics should be able to read the application and understand it without further research. Your application will be scored based on the ranking factors identified in Section V.

(1.) Work Plan. The Work Plan must not exceed a maximum of 12 single-spaced typed pages;

excess pages will not be reviewed. The workplan must include the items listed under Detailed Project Description (2). Supporting materials, such as appendices, resumes and commitment letters, can be submitted as attachments and are not included in the 12-page limit.

(a) Executive Summary: Provide a concise overview (recommended one page) of your application in the following format. Detailed explanation should be provided in the Detailed

Project Description (2), not here. The primary purpose of this part of the work plan is to help reviewers determine the eligibility of the applicant/application. Please provide the following information:

Organization

Name of Organization

Point of Contact for Organization, Mailing and Email Address

How your organization meets the eligibility requirement described in

Section III (A).

Project Objectives, Outputs and Outcomes-Concisely list

Link to EPA Strategic Plan Briefly describe the project’s link to the EPA Strategic Plan as outlined in Section I (C).

Brief Project Description

Please provide the following information:

Project Title

Project Period--Provide beginning and ending dates.

A Brief Synopsis of the Project.

-Include the goals, objectives, outputs and outcomes of the program by the end of years one and two.

-Number Reached. Include the estimated number of schools/childcare centers/professionals/etc. to be reached as well as the expected demographics of the audiences reached.

-How the funds will be used. Specify how these funds will be used in the project. Note: The form 424A and the Detailed Budget are where you will include your full allocation of costs.

(2) Detailed Project Description

The detailed project description must explicitly describe how the proposed project meets the guidelines established in Sections I-III of this announcement (including threshold eligibility criteria in Section III (C)) and must address each of the evaluation criteria set forth in Section V.

Reviewers look at many applications when scoring them, so providing information in the order listed prevents information from being overlooked. Additionally, the project description and work plan should use ordinary terms to provide reviewers with an understanding of the purpose and the expected outcomes of the project. A reviewer unfamiliar with the project should be able to read the work plan and understand it without further research.

This section of the work plan should describe the goals, objectives, outputs and outcomes of the program.