alaska bed bugs comp grant 050615.pdf

U.S. EPA, Region 10 Addressing Bed Bugs in Rural Alaska

Request for Proposal (RFP)

FY 2015

Agency: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Title: Addressing Bed Bugs in Rural Alaska Action: Request for Proposals (RFP) RFP Number: EPA-R10-PTU-15-01

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) No: 66.716 66.716, Grants are awarded to support research, development, monitoring, public education, training, aid, demonstrations, and studies assistance relating to the protection of public health and the environment from pesticides and potential risk from toxic substances.

Dates:

The closing date for receipt of proposal packages is Monday, June 22, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. Alaska Daylight Time (AKDT). Proposals received after the closing date and time will not be considered for funding. Final applications will be requested from those eligible entities whose proposal has been successfully evaluated and preliminarily recommended for award.

Summary:

This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits proposals for a project that will support Alaska Native Village communities in their efforts to combat bed bug infestations. The Addressing Bed Bugs in Rural Alaska grant will break down barriers to effective bed bug management. Proposals should include the following components:

Identify appropriate roles of various organizations and regulatory agencies with respect to bed bugs

Identify the bed bug treatment, education, and outreach services needed in rural Alaska Provide communities in rural Alaska with effective tools and accurate information to address bed bugs when an infestation occurs (the grantee will be encouraged to work with EPA to ensure that educational materials contain the most up-to-date information on effective bed bug management)

Use integrated pest management principles in the approach to dealing with bed bugs

The project should develop replicable products and materials that can be used in other Alaskan communities.

Funding/Awards:

The total estimated funding expected to be available for award under this competitive opportunity is approximately $70,000 for the first year and up to $30,000 for the second year, depending on funding availability, satisfactory performance, and other applicable considerations. EPA anticipates awarding one assistance agreement from this announcement, subject to availability of funds and quality of proposals received. The estimated project period for the award resulting from this solicitation will begin in October 2015. Proposed project period may be up to two years.

Who is Eligible to Apply:

EPA has limited eligibility for assistance under this program to federally-recognized Indian tribal governments, Native American organizations, Alaska Native Villages, and intertribal consortia located in Region 10.

Contents

I. Funding Opportunity Description A. Background B. Scope of Work C. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage and Anticipated Outcomes/Outputs D. Statutory Authorization

II. Award Information A. Award Funding B. Funding Type C. Partial Funding Provision D. Additional Awards Clause

III. Eligibility Information A. Eligible Entities B. Cost Sharing or Matching C. Other Threshold Eligibility Criteria

IV. Proposal and Submission Information A. How to Obtain Proposal Package B. Content of Proposal Submission C. Submission Dates and Times D. Mode of Proposal Submission E. Additional Provisions For Applicants Incorporated Into The Solicitation

V. Proposal Review Information A. Evaluation Criteria B. Review and Selection Process C. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

VI. Award Administration Information A. Award Notices B. Instructions for Final Application Submission C. Administrative and National Policy Requirements D. Reporting Requirements E. Additional Provisions For Applicants Incorporated Into The Solicitation

VII. Agency Contacts

Appendix A Grants.gov Submission Instructions

I. Funding Opportunity Description A. Background

The increase in bed bugs (Cimex lectularius) in the United States can be attributed to greater travel, lack of public knowledge about preventing infestations, increased resistance of bed bugs to pesticides, and ineffective pest control practices. While bed bugs are not known to transmit or spread disease, they can cause other public health issues. Itchy bites and lost sleep are the first of many potential ill effects that result from having bed bugs. Many people who have bed bugs struggle with the cost of treatment, negative social stigma of having bed bugs, and feeling of helplessness when their efforts to get rid of bed bugs don't work. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) all consider the bed bug a public health pest.

The Addressing Bed Bugs in Rural Alaska grant will help Alaska Native Village communities combat bed bug infestations. Limited access to pest control professionals, treatment equipment, prevention supplies, and bed bug expertise coupled with a high prevalence of shared community spaces makes rural communities throughout Alaska particularly vulnerable to the threat of bed bug infestations. For more information on bed bugs, go to http://www2.epa.gov/bedbugs.

B. Scope of Work

The Addressing Bed Bugs in Rural Alaska grant will break down barriers to effective bed bug management. Proposals must include the following components:

Identify appropriate roles of various organizations and regulatory agencies with respect to bed bugs

Identify bed bug treatment, education, and outreach services needed in rural Alaska Provide communities in rural Alaska with effective tools and accurate information to address bed bugs when an infestation occurs (the grantee will be encouraged to work with EPA to ensure that educational materials contain the most up-to-date information on effective bed bug management)

Use integrated pest management principles in the approach to dealing with bed bugs

The project should develop replicable products and materials that can be used in other communities throughout Alaska.

Activities may include, but are not limited, to:

Develop and/or distribute culturally appropriate educational materials to community members Ensure that all educational materials contain accurate, up-to-date information in coordination with

EPA

Train tribal organizations, tribal leaders and health clinic, hotel, and school staff on appropriate bed bug responses Deliver supplies such as interceptors, laundry bags, etc.

Develop instructions/tools/kits to build simple heat treatment units Develop a village action plan that lists the steps to take at the first sign of an infestation that includes options for treatment and a list of resources available statewide Purchase treatment equipment for a community to share Identify how pesticides for bed bugs are being used and disposed of throughout the state

C. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage and Anticipated Outcomes/Outputs

1. Linkage to EPA Strategic Plan All proposals must support Goal 4 of EPA’s 2014-2018 Strategic Plan (available at http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-09/documents/epa_strategic_plan_fy14-18.pdf), ensuring the safety of chemicals and preventing pollution. EPA’s strategic plan objective under Goal 4 is to reduce the risk and increase the safety of chemicals that enter our products, our environment, and our bodies. Further, all proposals must align with EPA’s 2014-2018 Strategic Plan Cross-Agency Strategy of working to make a visible different in communities. This strategy works to align community-based activities to provide seamless assistance to communities while maximizing efficiency and results. It also expands support of community efforts to reduce and prevent harmful exposures and health risks to children and underserved, overburdened communities. A strong proposal will build on existing partnerships to create lasting, inclusive, collaborative community relationships that include government and other public and private entities.

2. Outputs The term “output” means an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product 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 an assistance agreement funding period.

Examples of expected outputs from the project funded under this solicitation may include, but are not limited to the following: number of people trained, number of villages served, number of presentations conducted, number of materials distributed, identification of gaps in services, etc.

Progress reports and a final report will also be a required output, as specified in Section VI.D. of this announcement, “Reporting Requirements.”

3. Outcomes 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.

The project to be funded under this announcement is expected to produce at least one, and preferably all, of the following outcomes: reduction in misuse of pesticides, increased understanding of bed bug identification and options for treatment, stronger network of organizations that provide bed bug related services, increased adoption of preventive practices, greater frequency of monitoring for bed bugs, higher level of community awareness of the risks of bed bugs, etc.

4. Performance Measures The applicant should develop performance measures to describe what the project will achieve. These performance measures should be described in the proposal and will be the mechanism to track progress of successful output and outcome strategies. Performance measures should consider:

a. How does the plan measure progress in achieving the expected results (including outputs and outcomes)? For example, a grantee may look at changes in the number of complaints or caseloads to track the reduction of misuse of pesticides.

b. How will the approach use resources effectively and efficiently?

D. Statutory Authorization

The statutory authority for this action is Section 20 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Section 20 of FIFRA authorizes the Agency to issue assistance agreements for research, public education, training, monitoring, demonstration, and studies.

II. Award Information

A. Award Funding

The total estimated funding expected to be available for award under this competitive opportunity is approximately $70,000 for the first year and up to $30,000 for the second year, depending on funding availability, satisfactory performance, and other applicable considerations.

EPA anticipates awarding one assistance agreement under this announcement, subject to the availability of funds and quality of evaluated proposals. EPA reserves the right to reject all proposals and make no award under this announcement.

The estimated project period for the award resulting from this solicitation will begin on October 1, 2015.

Proposed project period may be up to two years.

B. Funding Type

Successful applicants will be issued a grant or cooperative agreement as appropriate. 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; in accordance with 40 CFR 30.44(e) or 31.36(g), as appropriate, review of proposed procurements; reviewing qualifications of key personnel;

and/or review and comment on the content of printed or electronic publications prepared. EPA does not have the authority to select employees or contractors employed by the recipient. The final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient.

C. Partial Funding Provision

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

D. Additional Awards Clause

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 selection is made. Any additional selection for awards will be made no later than six months after the original selection decision.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Entities

Consistent with the Applicant Eligibility Section of CFDA No. 66.716, EPA has limited eligibility for assistance under this program to federally-recognized Indian tribal governments, Native American organizations, Alaska Native Villages, and intertribal consortia located in EPA Region 10.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

There is no statutory or regulatory match requirement under CFDA 66.716. Although cost sharing/matching is not required as a condition of eligibility under this competition, under Section V of this announcement EPA will evaluate proposals based on a leveraging criterion.

Leveraging is generally when an applicant proposes to provide its own additional funds/resources or those from third party sources to support or complement the project they are awarded under the competition which are above and beyond the EPA grant funds awarded. Any leveraged funds/resources, and their source, must be identified in the proposal (See Section IV of the announcement). Leveraged funds and resources may take various forms as noted below.

Voluntary cost share is a form of leveraging. Voluntary cost sharing is when an applicant voluntarily proposes to legally commit to provide costs or contributions to support the project when a cost share is not required. Applicants who propose to use a voluntary cost share must include the costs or contributions for the voluntary cost share in the project budget on the SF-424. If an applicant proposes a voluntary cost share, the following apply:

A voluntary cost share is subject to the match provisions in the grant regulations (2 CFR 200.306).

A voluntary cost share may only be met with eligible and allowable costs.

The recipient may not use other sources of federal funds to meet a voluntary cost share unless the statute authorizing the other federal funding provides that the federal funds may be used to meet a cost share requirement on a federal grant.

The recipient is legally obligated to meet any proposed voluntary cost share that is included in the approved project budget. If the proposed voluntary cost share does not materialize during grant performance, then EPA may reconsider the legitimacy of the award and/or take other appropriate action as authorized by 2 CFR 200.

Other leveraged funding/resources that are not identified as a voluntary cost share- this form of leveraging may be met by funding from another federal grant, from an applicant's own resources, or resources from other third party sources. This form of leveraging should not be included in the budget and the costs need not be eligible and allowable project costs under the EPA assistance agreement. While this form of leveraging should not be included in the budget, the grant work plan should include a statement indicating that the applicant is expected to produce the proposed leveraging consistent with the terms of the announcement and the applicant's proposal. If applicants propose to provide this form of leveraging, EPA expects them to make the effort to secure the leveraged resources described in their proposals. If the proposed leveraging does not materialize during grant performance, then EPA may reconsider the legitimacy of the award and/or take other appropriate action as authorized by 2 CFR Parts 200 or 1500.

C. Other Threshold Eligibility Criteria

These are requirements that if not met by the time of proposal submission will result in elimination of the proposal from consideration for funding. Only proposals from eligible entities 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 as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

1. Applicants must be eligible (see Section III.A.) to receive funding under this announcement.

2. Proposals must support Goal 4 of EPA’s 2014-2018 Strategic Plan as described in Section I, ensuring the safety of chemicals and preventing pollution.

3. Proposals in excess of $70,000 for the first year, and/or in excess of $30,000 for the second year will not be reviewed.

4. Proposed projects must serve Alaska Native Village communities.

5. Proposals 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 assistance agreement

6. Proposals must address each of the components described under Scope of Work in Section I.

7. Proposals must substantially comply with the proposal submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement or else they will be rejected. However, where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to the proposal, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed.

8. In addition, initial proposals must be submitted through 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 proposal 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 proposal/application is timely submitted.

9. Proposals 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 Grants.gov or relevant SAM.gov system issues. An applicant’s failure to timely submit their proposal/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 proposal with Derrick Terada at terada.derrick@epa.gov as soon as possible after the submission deadline.

Failure to do so may result in your proposal not being reviewed.

10. Ineligible activities: If a proposal is submitted that includes any ineligible tasks or activities, that portion of the proposal will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects the proposal, render the entire proposal ineligible for funding.

IV. Proposal and Submission Information

A. How to Obtain Proposal Package

Applicants may download the application package from Grants.gov. Please see Appendix A for additional instructions on accessing the package.

B. Content of Proposal Submission

The following forms and documents are required to be submitted under this announcement:

1. Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal Assistance Complete the form (available at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/application.htm).There are no attachments. Please be sure to include organization telephone number and email address.

Please note that the organizational Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number must be included on the SF-424. Organizations may obtain a DUNS number at no cost by calling the toll-free DUNS number request line at 1-866-705-5711.

2. Standard Form SF 424A – Budget information Complete the form (available at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/application.htm). There are no attachments. The total amount of federal funding requested for the project period should be shown on line 5(e) and on line 6(k) of SF-424A, the amount of indirect costs should be entered on line 6(j). The indirect cost rate (i.e., a percentage), the base (e.g., personnel costs and fringe benefits), and the amount should also be indicated on line 22.

3. Narrative Proposal The Narrative Proposal (including sections A-C below) cannot exceed a maximum of 10 single-spaced typewritten pages, including the Summary Page. Pages in excess of 10 pages will not be considered. Supporting materials such as resumes and letters of support, can be submitted as attachments and are not included in the 10-page limit.

A.) Summary Page (recommended not to exceed one page)

a. Project Title

b. Applicant Information. Include applicant (organization) name, address, contact person, phone number, fax and e-mail address.

c. Funding Requested. Specify the amount you are requesting from EPA.

d. Total Project Cost. Specify total cost of the project. Identify funding from other sources, including cost share or in-kind resources.

e. Project Period. Provide beginning and ending dates. (Projects are anticipated to begin

October 1st, 2015 and end no later than September 30th, 2017.)

B.) Narrative Proposal Work Plan

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

a. Project Summary/Approach: The approach should contain the following components:

i. Detailed project summary, description of specific actions and methods to be undertaken and the responsible institutions, including estimated timeline for each task.

ii. Description of the associated work products to be developed.

iii. Explanation of project benefits to the public, and specifically the potential audience(s) served.

iv. Description of the roles of the applicant and partners, if any.

In this section, make sure you explain how the project strategy will address all the requirements in Section I.B (Scope of Work) and I.C. (EPA Strategic Plan Linkage and Anticipated Outcomes/Outputs).

b. Service Area: Provide a description of where and to what extent the proposed project will serve. In evaluating applicants under this factor in Section V, projects that serve, or have a potential to serve, a greater number of Alaska Native Village communities will score better.

c. Environmental Results – Outcomes, Outputs, and Performance Measures

Identify the expected quantitative and qualitative outputs and outcomes of the project (See Section I.C.), including what measurements will be used to track your progress towards achieving the expected outcomes and how the results of the project will be evaluated. Make sure the expected project outputs and outcomes align with the scope of work in Section I.B. and support Goal 4 of EPA’s 2014-2018 Strategic Plan.

d. Programmatic Capability and Past Performance

Submit a list of federally or non-federally funded assistance agreements (assistance agreements include grants and cooperative agreements but not contracts) similar in size, scope and relevance to the proposed project that your organization performed within the last three years (no more than five agreements, and preferably EPA agreements) and describe (i) whether, and how, you were able to successfully complete and manage those agreements and (ii) your history of meeting the reporting requirements under those agreements including whether you adequately and timely reported on your progress towards achieving the expected outputs and outcomes of those agreements (and if not, explain why not) and whether you submitted acceptable final technical reports under the agreements.

In addition, provide information on your organizational experience and plan for timely and successfully achieving the objectives of the proposed project, and your staff expertise/qualifications, staff knowledge, and resources or the ability to obtain them, to successfully achieve the goals of the proposed project.

In evaluating applicants under these factors in Section V, EPA will consider the information provided by the applicant and may also consider relevant information from other sources, including information from EPA files and from current/prior grantors (e.g., to verify and/or supplement the information provided by the applicant).

If you do not have any relevant or available past performance or reporting information, please indicate this in the proposal and you will receive a neutral score for these factors (a neutral score is half of the total points available in a subset of possible points). If you do not provide any response for these items, you may receive a score of 0 for these factors.

e. Collaboration/Partnerships and Leveraged Resources (See Section III.B. also)

Describe how you will use or build upon your existing relationships with other organizations to achieve the outcomes of the project. Demonstrate how you will coordinate the use of EPA funding with other federal and/or non-federal sources of funds/resources to leverage additional resources beyond the grant funds awarded to carry out the proposed project and/or that EPA funding will complement activities relevant to the proposed project carried out by the applicant with other sources of funds or resources. Describe the type and amount of leveraging proposed, how you will obtain the leveraged resources, the likelihood the leveraging will materialize during grant performance, the strength of the leveraging commitment, and the role the leveraged funds/resources will play in the overall project. Selected applicants are expected to abide by their proposed leveraging commitments during grant performance and the failure to do so may affect the legitimacy of the award.

C.) Detailed Budget Narrative In addition to the SF-424A, provide a detailed itemized budget proposal, justifying the expenses for each of the following categories being performed within the grant/project period. Indicate what portion of the cost will be paid by EPA, and what portion will be paid by the applicant or other partners (if applicable). Break the budget out by year.

a. Personnel: Indicate salaries and wages by job title of all individuals who will be supplemented with these funds.

b. Fringe Benefits: Indicate all mandated and voluntary benefits to be supplemented with these funds.

c. Travel: Indicate number of individuals traveling, destination, number of trips, and reason for travel.

d. Equipment: Identify items to be purchased, such as bed bug treatment equipment, in support of work plan objectives. Provide an estimated cost for each item. Make sure you can support your cost estimate. EPA policy defines equipment as items costing $5,000 or greater. Indicate if your organization’s definition differs.

e. Supplies: Indicate any items to be purchase that will be used in support of bed bug project work plan objectives

f. Contractual: Indicate any proposed contractual items that are reasonable and necessary to carry out the work plan objectives. Please note that contracts must be competed in accordance with 40 CFR 30.44 or 31.36 as applicable.

g. Other: Include items here that cannot be placed in the more specific categories.

Examples could be sub-grants, postage, or printing. If you are applying for a training project, the itemization should include a cost breakdown of trainee tuition and fees, book allowances, stipends, and travel.

h. Total Direct Charges: Summary of all costs associated with each object-class category

i. Total Indirect Costs: Provide documentation of a federally approved indirect cost rate (percentage) reflective of proposed project/grant period. If the organization has no approved rate, the applicant should indicate if the organization is in negotiations with their cognizant federal agency to obtain a new rate. If the organization does not have a current negotiated rate, EPA may apply a flat rate of 10% of direct salaries and wages.

j. Total Cost: Indicate overall figure of all direct and indirect costs.

4. Attachments. These are optional and are not included in the 10-page limit.

A.) Resumes. Provide resumes or curriculum vitae for all key personnel.

B.) Timetable that details each project objective.

C.) Negotiated indirect cost rate agreement.

D.) Support Letters. Specifically indicate how the supporting organization will assist in the project.

C. Submission Dates and Times

Your organization’s authorized official representative (AOR) must submit your complete proposal electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) no later than Monday, June 22 at 11:59 p.m. AKDT. Proposals received after the closing date and time will not be considered for funding. Final applications will be requested from those eligible entities whose proposal has been successfully evaluated and preliminarily recommended for award

D. Mode of Proposal Submission

All applicants must submit their initial application packages electronically through Grants.gov unless the applicant has an approved exception. Applicants must submit a complete, detailed proposal to include all of the documents described in Section IV.B. above. See Appendix A for Grants.gov submission instructions.

E. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated Into the Solicitation

Additional provisions that apply to this solicitation and/or awards made under this solicitation, including but not limited to those related to confidential business information, contracts and sub awards under grants, and proposal assistance and communications, can be found at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/competition/solicitation_provisions.htm. These, and the other provisions that can be found at the website link, are important, and applicants must review them when preparing proposals for this solicitation. If you are unable to access these provisions electronically at the website above, please communicate with the EPA contact listed in this solicitation to obtain the provisions.

V. Proposal Review Information Only eligible entities whose proposals meet the eligibility criteria in Section III of this announcement will be reviewed according to the evaluation criterion set forth below. Applicants should explicitly address these criteria as part of their proposal package submittal. Each proposal will be rated under a points system, with a total of 100 points possible.

A. Evaluation Criteria

Criteria Total

Possible Points

1. Project Summary/Approach: Under this criterion, the Agency will evaluate the following factors:

a. (15 points) the extent and quality to which the proposal narrative includes a well-conceived strategy for addressing all of the requirements in Section I.B.

(Scope of Work) and I.C. (EPA Strategic Plan Linkage and Anticipated Outcomes/Outputs)

b. (10 points) the extent and quality to which the proposal’s goals are realistic and will be actually implemented by project end

c. (5 points) whether the proposal sets forth a reasonable time schedule for the execution of the tasks associated with the project(s)

2. Service Area: Under this criterion, the Agency will evaluate the extent to which the proposed project will reach or has the potential to reach a large number of Alaska Native Village communities. Projects that have greater coverage will score better on this criterion.

3. Environmental Results – Outcomes, Outputs, and Performance Measures:

Under this criterion, the Agency will evaluate how well the expected project outputs and outcomes align with the requirements in Section I.B. (Scope of Work) and I.C.

(EPA Strategic Plan Linkage and Anticipated Outcomes/Outputs). The Agency will also evaluate the effectiveness of the applicant’s plan for tracking and measuring its progress toward achieving expected project outputs and outcomes.

4. Programmatic Capability: Under this criterion, the Agency will evaluate the following factors:

a. (5 points) the organization’s experience related to the proposed project

b. (5 points) the staff expertise, qualifications, knowledge, and resources, or the ability to obtain them, to successfully achieve the goals of the proposed project.

Total

Possible Points

5. Past Performance: Under this criterion, the Agency will evaluate the applicant’s technical ability to successfully complete and manage the proposed project taking into account the applicant’s:

a. (5 points) past performance in successfully completing and managing the assistance agreements identified in the narrative proposal as described in Section IV.C. of the announcement

b. (5 points) history of meeting the reporting requirements under the assistance agreements identified in the narrative proposal as described in Section IV.B. of the announcement including whether the applicant submitted acceptable final technical reports under those agreements and the extent to which the applicant adequately and timely reported on their progress towards achieving the expected outputs and outcomes under those agreements and if such progress was not being made whether the applicant adequately reported why not

In evaluating applicants under this criterion, the Agency will consider the information provided by the applicant and may also consider relevant information from other sources including agency files and prior/current grantors (e.g., to verify and/or supplement the information supplied by the applicant). If you do not have any relevant or available past performance or reporting information, please indicate this in the proposal and you will receive a neutral score for these sub-factors (a neutral score is half of the total points available in a subset of possible points). If you do not provide any response for these items, you may receive zero points for these factors.

6. Collaboration/partnerships and leveraged resources (15 points):

a. (5 points) How the applicant will use or build upon their existing relationships with other organizations to achieve the outcomes of the project.

b. (5 points) How the applicant will coordinate the use of EPA funding with other federal and/or non-federal in-kind services or funds to leverage additional resources beyond the grant funds awarded to carry out the proposed project

c. (5 points) How EPA funding will complement activities relevant to the proposed project carried out by the applicant with other sources of funds or resources.

Applicants will be evaluated based on the type and amount of leveraging proposed, how the applicant will obtain the leveraged resources, the likelihood the leveraging will materialize during grant performance, the strength of the leveraging commitment, and the role the leveraged resources will play to support the proposed project activities.

Total

Possible Points

7. Budget:

a. (5 points) Whether the proposed project budget is appropriate to accomplish the proposed goals, objectives, and measureable environmental outcomes

b. (3 points) Whether the budget narrative provides details of the budget designated for each major activity and justifies the proposed costs

c. (2 points) Whether the proposed approach, procedures, and controls exist for ensuring that awarded grants funds will be expended in a timely and efficient manner.

An applicant’s budget and budget narrative must account for both federal funds and any non-federal funds (e.g., any required or voluntary cost share/match if applicable).

Applicants must precisely describe in their budget narrative how they will account for any required or voluntary cost share/match and what role EPA funding will play in the overall project.

B. Review and Selection Process

Each proposal will be evaluated by a review team, which will include EPA staff and one or more external reviewers, using the evaluation criteria described above. Proposals will first be evaluated against eligibility factors listed in Section III. Only those proposals which meet all the eligibility factors will be evaluated using the evaluation criteria listed above.

Each proposal will be given a numerical score and will be rank-ordered according to the numerical score.

A list of top-scoring proposals will be provided to the Approval Official based on this ranking.

Final funding decisions will be made by the Approval Official based on the scores and rankings provided by the EPA evaluation team. In making the final funding decisions, the Approval Official may also consider programmatic priorities. Once final decisions have been made, a funding recommendation will be developed and forwarded to the EPA Award Official.

C. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

EPA anticipates the announcement and award of the grant will take place before October 1, 2015. See Section VI.A. for information on anticipated timeline for proposal notifications.

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

Following evaluation of proposals, all applicants will be notified regarding their status.

EPA anticipates notification to successful applicant(s) will be made via telephone or electronic or postal mail by July 20th, 2015 at 5 pm AKDT. The notification will be sent to the original signer of the proposal or the project contact listed in the proposal. This notification, which informs the applicant that its proposal has been selected and is being recommended for award, is not an authorization to begin work. The official notification of an award will be made by the EPA Region 10 grant management office. Applicants are cautioned that only a grants officer is authorized to bind the Government to the expenditure of funds;

selection does not guarantee an award will be made. For example, statutory authorization, funding or other issues discovered during the award process may affect the ability of EPA to make an award to an applicant. The award notice, signed by an EPA grants officer, is the authorizing document and will be provided through electronic or postal mail. The successful applicant may need to prepare and submit additional documents and forms (e.g., work plan), which must be approved by EPA, before the grant can officially be awarded. The time between notification of selection and award of a grant can take up to 90 days or longer.

EPA anticipates notification to unsuccessful applicant(s) will be made via email or postal mail by July 20th, 2015 at 5 pm AKDT. The notification will be sent to the original signer of the Standard Form (SF) 424.

B. Instructions for Final Application Submission

Generally, following EPA’s evaluation of proposals, all applicants will be notified regarding their status.

Final applications and forms will be requested, as necessary, from those eligible entities whose proposal has been successfully evaluated and preliminarily recommended for award. Those entities will be provided with instructions and a due date for submittal of the final application package.

C. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

A listing and description of general EPA regulations applicable to the award of assistance agreements may be viewed at: http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/applicable_epa_regulations_and_description.htm.

Applicants must comply with the Intergovernmental Review Process and/or consultation provisions of Executive Order 12372 or Section 204 of the Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act, if applicable, which are contained in 40 CFR Part 29. If applicable, further information regarding this requirement will be provided if your application is selected for funding.

D. Reporting Requirements

Semi-annual progress reports and a detailed final report will be required. Semi-annual reports summarizing technical progress, planned activities for reporting period, and a summary of expenditures are required. The final report shall be completed within 90 calendar days of the completion of the period of performance. The final report should include: summary of the project or activity, advances achieved, and costs of the project or activity. In addition, the final report shall discuss the problems, successes, and lessons learned from the project or activity that could help overcome structural, organizational or technical obstacles to implementing a similar project elsewhere. The schedule for submission of semi-annual reports will be established by EPA after the award.

E. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

Additional provisions that apply to this solicitation and/or awards made under this solicitation, including but not limited to those related to DUNS, SAM, copyrights, disputes, and administrative capability, can be found at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/competition/solicitation_provisions.htm. These, and the other provisions that can be found at the website link, are important, and applicants must review them when preparing proposals for this solicitation. If you are unable to access these provisions electronically at the website above, please communicate with the EPA contact listed in this solicitation to obtain the provisions

F. Disputes

Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005) which can be found at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/competition/resolution.htm. Copies of these procedures may also be requested by contacting the person listed in Section VII of the announcement.

VII. Agency Contacts

As necessary, please contact:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 Attn: Derrick Terada Pesticides and Toxics Unit (OCE-084) 1200 6th Ave, Suite 900 Seattle, WA 98101 Email: terada.derrick@epa.gov

All questions or comments must be communicated in writing via postal mail or email to the contact person listed above. Written responses to frequently asked or general questions will be posted on the EPA’s website at: http://yosemite.epa.gov/R10/ECOCOMM.NSF/Pesticides/R10-PTU-15-01.

Appendix A Grants.gov Submission Instructions

a. Requirement to Submit Through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures

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 OGDWaivers@epa.gov or the address listed below in writing (e.g., by hard copy, email) 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 Barbara Perkins USEPA Headquarters William Jefferson Clinton Building 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N. W.

Mail Code: 3903R Washington, DC 20460

Courier Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Barbara Perkins Ronald Reagan Building 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

Rm # 51267 Washington, DC 20004

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

Funding Opportunity Number (FON) Organization Name and DUNS 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 www.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 proposal 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, 2015, it is valid for any competitive or non-competitive application submission to EPA through December 31, 2015). 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 December 1, 2015 with a submission deadline of January 15, 2016, the applicant would need a new exception to submit through alternative methods beginning January 1, 2016.

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 in order to submit an application through Grants.gov, go to http://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 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 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 in order 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.

To begin the application process under this grant announcement, go to http://www.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 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html

You may also be able to access the application package for this announcement by searching for the opportunity on http://www.grants.gov. Go to http://www.grants.gov and then click on “Search Grants” at the top of the page and enter the Funding Opportunity Number, EPA-R10-PTU-15-01or the CFDA number that applies to the announcement (CFDA 66.716), in the appropriate field and click the Search button. Alternatively, you may be able to access the application package by clicking on the Application Package button at the top right of the synopsis page for the announcement on http://www.grants.gov. To find the synopsis page, go to http://www.grants.gov and click “Browse Agencies” in the middle of the page and then go to “Environmental Protection Agency” to find the EPA funding opportunities.

Application Submission Deadline: Your organization’s AOR must submit your complete application package electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) no later than Monday, June 22 at 11:59 p.m. AKDT. Please allow for enough time to successfully submit your application process 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. For additional instructions on completing and submitting the electronic application package, click on the “Show Instructions” tab that is accessible within the application package itself.

Application Materials

The following forms and documents are required under this announcement:

Mandatory Documents:

1. Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

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

3. Narrative Proposal (Project Narrative Attachment Form) prepared as described in Section IV.B.3.

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