ARPA Statewide Planning Research and Networks NOFO.pdf

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• Federal Agency Name: Economic Development Administration (EDA or the Agency), U.S.

Department of Commerce (DOC).

• Federal Funding Opportunity Title: FY 2021 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Statewide Planning, Research, and Networks Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

• Announcement Type and Date: ARPA Statewide Planning, Research, and Networks NOFO publishing EDA’s application submission requirements and application review procedures under EDA’s Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) program, as authorized by sections 209 and 703 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 3121 et seq.) (PWEDA). Effective date: July 22, 2021.

• Funding Opportunity Number: EDA-HDQ-ARPRN-2021-2006986

• Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.307, Economic Adjustment Assistance

• Dates: There are no application submission deadlines. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the publication of a new ARPA Statewide Planning, Research, and Networks NOFO, cancellation of this ARPA Statewide Planning, Research, and Networks NOFO, or all available funds have been expended.

While EDA encourages eligible applicants to submit their applications as soon as possible, EDA strongly advises eligible applicants to submit complete applications no later than October 31, 2021 so that EDA can review and process the application in time to achieve the objectives of the grant program. Submission by October 31, 2021 is not a guarantee of funding. Any award is subject to the availability of funds. See Section E of this NOFO regarding EDA’s review process.

For Statewide Planning grants, States must accept or reject the grant within 45 days of the date of transmission from EDA of an invitation letter.

• Eligible Applicants: Pursuant to section 3(4)(A) of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. § 3122(4)(A)) and 13 C.F.R. § 300.3 (Eligible Recipient), eligible applicants under the EAA program include a(n): (i) District Organization of an EDA-designated Economic Development District (EDD);

(ii) Indian Tribe or a consortium of Indian Tribes; (iii) State, county, city, or other political subdivision of a State, including a special purpose unit of a State or local government engaged in economic or infrastructure development activities, or a consortium of political subdivisions; (iv) institution of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher education; or (v) public or private non-profit organization or association acting in cooperation with officials of a general purpose political subdivision of a State unless EDA waives the cooperation requirement.

For Statewide Planning grants, eligible applicants are limited to the Governor’s Office, or equivalent, of a State, who may designate an eligible applicant type described above to apply for and administer the award. Under section 3(10) of PWEDA the term “State” includes the fifty States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.

Under its EAA program, EDA is not authorized to provide grants or cooperative agreements to individuals or to for-profit entities. Requests from such entities will not be considered for funding.

• Funding Opportunity Description: Subject to the availability of funds, awards made under this NOFO will help develop coordinated state-wide plans for economic development and data, tools, and institutional capacity to evaluate and scale evidence-based economic development efforts, including through communities of practice and provision of technical assistance among existing and new EDA grantees.

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT TEXT

FY 2021 EDA ARPA Statewide Planning, Research, and Networks Notice of Funding Opportunity

A. Program Description

1. Overview and Program Information

2. Additional Program Information

3. EDA Investment Priorities

4. Statutory Authorities for EDA’s Programs

B. Federal Award Information

1. What Funding Is Available Under this Announcement?

2. What Type of Funding Instrument Will Be Used to Make Awards? How Long Will a

Project’s Period of Performance Be?

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Applicable Disaster Declaration

3. Cost Sharing or Matching

D. Application Submission Information for Applicants

1. Address to Request Application Package

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

4. Submission Dates and Times

5. Intergovernmental Review

6. Other Submission Requirements

E. Application Review Information

1. Evaluation Criteria

2. Review for Eligibility and Completeness (Technical Review)

3. Investment Review Committee (IRC)

4. Due Diligence

5. Grants Officer’s Decision

6. Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) Review

F. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notification

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

3. DOC Financial Assistance Standard Terms and Conditions

4. DOC Pre-Award Notification Requirements

5. Reporting

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

Atlanta Regional Office Austin Regional Office Chicago Regional Office Denver Regional Office Philadelphia Regional Office Seattle Regional Office

H. Other Information

1. Right to Use Information

2. Freedom of Information Act Disclosure

3. Notice of Government-Wide Procurement Restriction

4. Past Performance and Non-Compliance with Award Provisions

5. Certifications Required by Annual Appropriations Acts for Corporations and for Awards over $5 Million

6. EDA’s Non-Relocation Policy

7. Audit Requirements

I. Instructions for Application Submission via Grants.gov

1. Register Early and Submit Early

2. Field Limitations and Special Characters

3. Verify That Your Submission Was Successful

4. Grants.gov Systems Issues

Appendix A Full Application Checklist

Appendix B Budget Template and Gantt Chart Samples

A. Program Description

1. Overview and Program Information

The ARPA Statewide Planning, Research, and Networks NOFO is part of EDA’s multi-phase effort to respond to the coronavirus pandemic as directed by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. Specifically, this NOFO seeks to build regional economies for the future through two primary avenues: a) Statewide Planning and b) Research and Networks.

a. Statewide Planning

Through grants provided to States, EDA will fund a variety of activities among which the State may choose one or more to fund1:

• Developing economic development plans that identify new or existing industry clusters that would benefit from specific infrastructure, studies, and/or workforce investments to facilitate rapid expansion of such industry clusters. These plans should facilitate the creation of new, or build upon existing, partnerships that have the potential to expand economic development assets such as Economic Development Districts (EDDs), regional workforce skills, and industry bases to create sustainable forward-looking economies designed to position regions to thrive in a prosperous future. These plans can be designed specifically to facilitate future applications to EDA’s ARPA Build Back Better Regional Challenge NOFO, which EDA anticipates releasing at approximately the same time as this NOFO, by at a minimum identifying projects that could promote the establishment or expansion of an industry clusters. For States negatively impacted by the downturn in the coal economy, EDA expects that the plans developed under this activity will specifically address the economic effects of the transition away from coal and expansion or creation of industry clusters to support affected communities. Pre-existing relevant plans that support this activity may be incorporated by reference.

• Bringing together potentially disparate existing local and regional plans, such as Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies (CEDS), or state and local plans under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), into one holistic and inclusive state-wide plan or a plan that encompasses multiple regions within a state or across state lines including strengthening links between urban and rural areas. Any such plan should adhere to EDA’s CEDS guidelines, take into account the needs of all populations, including Tribal, other indigenous communities, or other underserved communities, including rural communities and persistent poverty communities, and consider positive responses to current and long-term market dynamics driving the state’s economic well-being and global competitiveness.

• Analyzing the needs of persistent poverty communities and formulating strategies to decrease disparities between these areas and more prosperous areas within a State.

1 To the extent that a State sub-awards any of these funds, the State is responsible as a “pass-through entity” as provided at 2 C.F.R. § 200.332.

• Facilitating coordination with Tribes or other indigenous communities regarding State, regional, or local planning efforts that intersect with the Tribes’ interests and are supported by impacted Tribal communities.

• Hiring disaster recovery coordinators, including possibly extending the terms of disaster recovery coordinators hired by local Economic Development Districts pursuant to EDA’s CARES Act funding.

• Supporting statewide broadband data collection and mapping efforts and developing statewide broadband deployment and technical assistance plans.

• Conducting a statewide skills assessment and analysis to help inform workforce development and training needs based on employers’ demand for skills, including coordination with the state labor market information agency and the state workforce development board.

• Cataloging state innovation and entrepreneurship assets including mechanisms to access capital and equity financing to support business development and expansion and gaps in access to capital for underserved rural and urban communities.

• Undertaking a statewide supply chain and logistics assessment to increase efficiencies.

• Identifying state assets and economic resources and developing action plans that will benefit the state’s economy in a regional and global marketplace.

• Other related activities as approved by EDA.

Statewide Planning grants cannot fund construction, though feasibility studies are permissible provided they fall within the scope of one of the above activities.

Each State must identify in its Statewide Planning application the proposed activities to be undertaken. For Statewide Planning only, EDA will invite States to apply using specific streamlined procedures. Application submission and review information in Sections D and E and Appendix A is therefore inapplicable to Statewide Planning applications.

b. Research and Communities of Practice Challenge

Through Research and Communities of Practice awards, EDA will fund data, tools, and institutional capacity for evaluating and scaling evidence-based economic development efforts and for creating Communities of Practice to connect and provide technical assistance to existing EDA grantees like University Centers, the Revolving Loan Fund network, the Build to Scale network, Economic Development Districts, Tribal partners, and new grantees under the ARPA Build Back Better Regional and Jobs Challenges.

i. Research Program

For Research awards, EDA solicits applications for investments that support research and evaluation projects2 related to economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. EDA will support the development of tools, recommendations, and resources that shape Federal economic development policies and inform economic development decision-making. Awards will provide

2 This work is similar to the work EDA solicits under its FY 2021-23 Research and Evaluation National Technical Assistance NOFO.

critical, cutting-edge research and best practices to regional, state, and local practitioners in the economic development field, thereby enhancing understanding and implementation of economic development concepts throughout the country. EDA is specifically interested in research projects that will enable real-time research into EDA’s ARPA programs, especially those related to the new Jobs Challenge, Build Back Better Regional Challenge, Indigenous Communities NOFO, and travel and tourism programs. See also section D.2 for more detail on the evaluation parameters EDA seeks.

ii. Communities of Practice Challenge

For the Communities of Practice Challenge, EDA seeks to fund nationwide communities of practice that focus on key groups of economic development stakeholders and provide technical assistance to those groups, including developing methods to increase information and practice sharing, strengthening networks, and accelerating economic recovery. As communities and organizations face depleted institutional resources and are stressed with coronavirus-related demands, they have been unable to connect with and learn from peers across the industry to evaluate and nurture strategies needed to rebuild a more equitable and resilient economy. The Communities of Practice Challenge seeks to connect EDA grantees from the below identified groups of stakeholders (cohorts) with others within the same group or possibly also across multiple groups as well as to provide those cohorts technical assistance.

EDA intends to fund awards that specifically support and provide technical assistance to the following three cohorts focused on grantees applying for the following EDA ARPA competitions:

• Build Back Better Regional Challenge (BBBRC) Participants – Under a separate NOFO, the Build Back Better Regional Challenge NOFO, EDA is seeking to fund 20-30 transformational clusters of projects that benefit their respective geographic regions and are aligned around a holistic approach to building and scaling a strategic industry cluster.

Led by a lead institution, these regional growth clusters will spur economic diversification and competitiveness through job creation, capacity building, private investment, and more. Although comprised of several distinct projects, each regional growth cluster should be interconnected and work to drive regional economic diversification and competitiveness at a transformational scale within its region. The grantee selected to provide technical assistance for this cohort would be expected to provide technical assistance to the broader group of 50-60 Phase 1 finalists in helping lay the foundation for economic transformation.3 The grantee would also be expected to develop a community of practice for selected BBBRC participants and to continue to provide technical assistance through implementation.

• Jobs Challenge Grantees – Under a separate NOFO, the Jobs Challenge NOFO, EDA has designed a program to help get Americans back to work by developing and strengthening regional systems to train workers with in-demand skills. A regional

3 Note that the grantee providing technical assistance to BBBRC participants under this NOFO cannot also be paid as a consultant by finalists selected by EDA under Phase 1 of the BBBRC NOFO nor will they be part of EDA’s formal evaluation of any applicant.

employer-driven worker training system should connect and coordinate key regional stakeholders, including state and local governmental entities, workforce development boards, employers, employer-facing organizations, education and training providers, community-based organizations (CBOs), worker-serving organizations (WSOs), labor unions, and sponsors of Registered Apprenticeship Programs and other work-and-learn models. The grantee selected to provide technical assistance for this cohort would help prospective grantees connect to and coordinate with such key regional stakeholders and develop a community of practice for grantees selected under the Jobs Challenge NOFO.

The grantee would also be expected to develop a community of practice for selected Jobs Challenge awardees and to continue to provide technical assistance through implementation.

• Coal Community Grantees – EDA funds communities negatively impacted by the downturn in the coal economy through many of its programs, including a $300 million commitment and the annual Assistance to Coal Communities (ACC) funding. The grantee selected to provide technical assistance for this cohort in developing projects eligible for EDA funding, including under the $300 million ARPA coal commitment, is expected to develop a community of practice for current and prospective coal grantees.

There are other cohorts for which EDA is principally interested in establishing interconnectedness across and between existing or future grantees through the development of communities or networks of practice:

• Economic Development Districts (EDDs) – EDA funds a network of nearly 400 EDDs that facilitate regional growth through, among other things, working collaboratively with local partners to draft CEDS.

• Tribal Partners – EDA has funded a network of over 50 Tribal partners who similarly work to facilitate local growth by developing and implementing Tribal economic development plans. This grantee would also be expected to provide assistance to tribal entities that have not applied to EDA grant programs before and to help guide tribal entities through EDA’s ARPA competitions.

• University Centers (UC) – EDA has funded a network of over 60 UCs to build regional economic ecosystems that support innovation and high-growth entrepreneurship, resiliency, and inclusiveness by providing expertise and technical assistance to economic development stakeholders in their regions such as EDDs, entrepreneurs, and local businesses.

• Revolving Loan Funds (RLFs) – EDA has funded a network of nearly 800 RLF awards operated by non-profits, universities, states, and local governments.

• Build to Scale (B2S) Grantees – EDA’s B2S grantees have over time developed numerous innovative models for commercializing new technologies or establishing investment funds.

• Other Cross-Cutting/Stakeholder Groups – EDA supports regional economic development, and there are many different types of groups that are potentially critical to regional economic development ecosystems. To the extent there are additional stakeholder groups not identified above, such as Economic Development Organizations or persistent poverty counties, that are significant in number and critical to healthy economic development ecosystems, EDA will consider applications that seek to support other networks/communities of practice; however, the applicant organization(s) must https://www.eda.gov/edd/ https://www.eda.gov/edd/ https://www.eda.gov/tribal/ https://www.eda.gov/tribal/ https://www.eda.gov/programs/university-centers/ https://www.eda.gov/programs/university-centers/ https://www.eda.gov/rlf/ https://www.eda.gov/rlf/ https://www.eda.gov/oie/buildtoscale https://www.eda.gov/oie/buildtoscale connect their mission and their community of stakeholders to foundational economic development principles to demonstrate their level of importance to regional economic development ecosystems.

The Community of Practice Challenge seeks applications to build, launch, and operate a nationwide network supporting one or more of the above-mentioned cohorts designed to:

• establish and strengthen communication and collaboration between and among core groups within a cohort, including building urban-rural linkages;

• develop, organize, and disseminate best practices to accelerate the work and impacts of members across a cohort;

• increase awareness among core groups of stakeholders as well as reach new partners that were otherwise not benefiting from members’ work within the cohort;

• support initiatives to address cross-cutting issues such as environmental justice, equity and inclusion, increasing access by underserved communities, communities specially impacted by the downturn in the coal economy, or other areas of emphasis from EDA’s Investment Priorities;

• serve as an industry liaison and convener for Federal stakeholders, for instance to distribute grant notifications, research and data, and critical industry requirements; and

• advance economic development in partnership with EDA and the other successful applicants for this challenge.

For the EDD-related Community of Practice only, EDA will also consider applications that would support new or current EDD networks that are co-extensive with EDA’s six Regions, so long as those projects would fulfill the programmatic intent described above.

2. Additional Program Information

EDA has determined that the projects solicited under this Statewide Planning, Research, and Networks NOFO are inherently in compliance with EDA’s requirement that each project be consistent with the region’s current CEDS or CEDS-equivalent. This is because activities funded under this NOFO will support effective regional planning. As such, specific discussion of the linkage to a CEDS is not required in applications submitted under this NOFO (including question B.3.a of Form ED-900).

Applications submitted under this NOFO should indicate if other Federal funds have been secured or requested to support any portion of the project for which an EDA investment is proposed. Applications should describe how the EDA investment will complement, leverage, or otherwise align with other public and private investments to accomplish the planned deliverables and outcomes. Where other Federal funding may be involved in the project, the applicant should provide the Federal program name and contact information within the application to facilitate interagency coordination and avoid duplication of resources.

Prospective applicants should note that section C sets out eligibility criteria for applications, and only applications meeting the eligibility criteria will be considered. EDA will evaluate and select applications according to the evaluation criteria set forth in section E.

EDA may make changes or additions or cancel the ARPA Statewide Planning, Research, and Networks NOFO at any time. All changes will be communicated via Grants.gov.

3. EDA Investment Priorities

All projects considered for EDA funding under this ARPA Statewide Planning, Research and Networks NOFO must be consistent with EDA’s Recovery and Resilience Investment Priority.

Applicants may also demonstrate that a project is consistent with any of EDA’s other Investment Priorities. EDA’s Investment Priorities can be found at https://www.eda.gov/about/investment-priorities/. The priorities may be updated from time to time. Any future revisions will be reflected on EDA’s website on January 15, April 15, July 15, or October 15 of each year.

4. Statutory Authorities for EDA’s Programs

The statutory authority for the EAA program is section 209 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. § 3149). The statutory authorization of supplemental appropriations for economic disaster recovery activities is section 703 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. § 3233). Additional programmatic authority is provided by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Pub. L. 117-2).

Applicant eligibility and program requirements are set forth in EDA’s regulations (codified at 13 C.F.R. Chapter III), and all applicants must address these requirements. EDA’s regulations are accessible at the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations website at https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/ECFR?page=browse. Under “Browse,” select “Title 13 – Business Credit and Assistance”, then “Go”, then “300-399”.

B. Federal Award Information

1. What Funding Is Available Under this Announcement?

Under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2), Congress provided EDA with $3,000,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2022, to “prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus and for necessary expenses for responding to economic injury as a result of coronavirus.” Of the funds provided, EDA anticipates awarding $90,000,000 under this NOFO: $59,000,000 for Statewide Planning grants and $31,000,000 for Research and Communities of Practice Challenge awards.

EDA’s Regional Offices will award and administer Statewide Planning grants to States (as defined under PWEDA) within each EDA Regional Office’s geographic region. EDA’s Headquarters Office will award and administer Research and Communities of Practice awards.

Publication of this NOFO does not obligate DOC or EDA to award any specific grant or cooperative agreement or to obligate all or any part of available funds. The granting of any award is subject to the availability of funds at the time of award as well as to DOC priorities at the time of award. Neither DOC nor EDA will be held responsible for application preparation costs. If an applicant is awarded funding, neither DOC nor EDA is under any obligation to provide any future funding in connection with that award or to make any future award(s).

Amendments or renewals of an award to increase funding or to extend the period of performance are at the sole discretion of DOC and EDA.

https://www.eda.gov/about/investment-priorities/ https://www.eda.gov/about/investment-priorities/ https://www.eda.gov/about/investment-priorities/ https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/ECFR?page=browse https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/ECFR?page=browse https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/ECFR?page=browse

Statewide Planning grants will be for up to $1 million each. EDA expects Research awards will range from $200,000 to $600,000 each. EDA expects Community of Practice Challenge awards will range from $2 million to $6 million each.

Depending on demand under this NOFO, EDA may exercise its discretion to adjust the total amount available under this NOFO and other American Rescue Plan Act NOFOs to ensure funds are used to maximum effect or to adjust to unforeseen changes in recovery efforts.

2. What Type of Funding Instrument Will Be Used to Make Awards? How Long Will a Project’s Period of Performance Be?

Funding Instrument: EDA expects to award grants for Statewide Planning. EDA may award grants or cooperative agreements for the Research and the Communities of Practice Challenge.

EDA will award a cooperative agreement on a case-by-case basis if substantial agency involvement is required. For a cooperative agreement, the nature of EDA’s “substantial involvement” (to be included in the terms and conditions of the award) will generally be collaboration between EDA and the recipient on the scope of work. However, other possible examples of EDA’s “substantial involvement” may include, but are not limited to: (i) authority to halt immediately an activity if detailed performance specifications are not met; (ii) stipulation that the recipient must meet or adhere to specific procedural requirements before subsequent stages of a project may continue; (iii) involvement in the recipient’s selection of key personnel;

and (iv) operational involvement and monitoring during the project to ensure compliance with statutory requirements.

Period of Performance: For Statewide Planning grants, EDA expects the period of performance to range in duration from 12 to 30 months. For Research and Communities of Practice awards, the period of performance will depend on the nature of the project for which the grant or cooperative agreement is awarded. Typically, such projects range in duration from 12 to 24 months but, given the current on-going economic conditions, EDA expects some projects may require a period of performance of approximately 48-60 months. EDA expects that all projects will proceed efficiently and expeditiously, and EDA encourages applicants to clearly document how quickly they will be able to start and complete the proposed project scope of work. EDA’s American Rescue Plan appropriations are available for making awards through September 30, 2022, though performance under the award may extend to no later than September 30, 2027.

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants for Research and Community of Practice Challenge awards include a(n):

a. District Organization;

b. Indian Tribe or a consortium of Indian Tribes;

c. State, county, city, or other political subdivision of a State, including a special purpose unit of a State or local government engaged in economic or infrastructure development activities, or a consortium of political subdivisions;

d. Institution of higher education or a consortium of institutions of higher education;

or

e. Public or private non-profit organization or association acting in cooperation with officials of a political subdivision of a State.4, 5

Eligible applicants for Statewide Planning grants are a Governor’s Office, or equivalent, of a State, or an eligible applicant type described above that is designated in writing by the Governor’s Office. Under section 3(10) of PWEDA the term “State” includes the fifty States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.6

2. Applicable Disaster Declaration

EDA has determined that economic injury from the coronavirus pandemic constitutes a “Special Need,” and eligibility may be established on that basis without reference to the other economic distress criteria. This determination of nationwide eligibility for these funds is consistent with the March 13, 2020 emergency declaration for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic pursuant to the Stafford Act for all states, tribes, territories, local governments, and the District of Columbia (https://www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/disaster-declarations#).

3. Cost Sharing or Matching

Statewide Planning grants will be awarded at a 100% federal grant rate. No matching share is required for Statewide Planning grants.

For Research and Communities of Practice awards, given the extent of the economic impact and in accordance with the agency’s statutory authority under section 703 of PWEDA, EDA generally expects to fund 100% of eligible project costs. Applications that propose matching share, however, may be considered more competitive in the evaluation process. See section E.1 of this NOFO.

Applications that propose matching share must document that the matching share will: (i) be committed to the project for the period of performance, (ii) be available as needed, and (iii) not be conditioned or encumbered in any way that may preclude its use consistent with the requirements of EDA investment assistance. To meet these requirements, applications must include for each source of matching share a commitment letter or equivalent document signed by an authorized representative of the organization providing the matching funds.

Documented in-kind contributions may serve as matching share, but they must be eligible project costs and meet applicable Federal cost principles and uniform administrative requirements.

4 See Section 3 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. § 3122) and 13 C.F.R. § 300.3.

5 EDA, at its sole discretion, may waive the cooperation requirement for projects of a significant regional or national scope. See 13 C.F.R. § 301.2.

6 42 U.S.C. § 3122.

https://www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/disaster-declarations https://www.fema.gov/disasters/coronavirus/disaster-declarations

Examples of in-kind contributions can include space, equipment, or services.7 Funds from other Federal financial assistance awards may be considered matching share funds only if authorized by statute, which may be determined by EDA’s reasonable interpretation of the statute.8

D. Application Submission Information for Applicants

For Statewide Planning, applications must follow the format prescribed in the EDA invitation letter and accept or reject the grant within 45 days of the date of transmission from EDA. The application submission requirements specified in this section apply only to applications for Research and the Communities of Practice Challenge.

For Research and the Communities of Practice Challenge, applications must include the materials listed in section D.2.a of this NOFO to be considered for funding. EDA intends to review an application expeditiously upon receipt of the complete application. EDA may seek additional information or documentation from the applicant to clarify information presented in the application. EDA may also, in its sole discretion, continue review of applications with minor defects or errors, while the applicant supplies the missing information. Please see section E of this NOFO for more information on EDA’s review and selection process.

EDA strongly encourages potential applicants to consult with the appropriate POC listed in section G of this NOFO to discuss whether proposed projects align with EDA’s Investment Priorities, eligibility requirements, and other requirements outlined in this NOFO. This consultation is limited to clarification of technical matters involving proposed projects.

1. Address to Request Application Package

An electronic version of the Research and the Communities of Practice Challenge application may be obtained at Grants.gov using Funding Opportunity Number “EDA-HDQ-ARPRN-2021- 2006986”. To accommodate applicants’ accessibility requirements, a paper version of the application may be obtained by contacting the appropriate POC listed in section G of this NOFO.

All Research and Communities of Practice Challenge applicants must apply through Grants.gov unless they request and receive authorization to submit a paper application package by contacting the appropriate POC listed in section G. As noted above, Statewide Planning applicants must follow the application procedures outlined in EDA’s invitation letter.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

The tables in section D.2.a below describe the EDA and Federal grant assistance forms and other documentation required for a complete application for Research and Communities of Practice Challenge applications and may serve as a checklist for applicants in preparing their submissions.

7 See Section 204(b) of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. § 3144) and the definition of “In-Kind Contribution” at 13 C.F.R. § 300.3.

8 See the definition of “Local Share or Matching Share” at 13 C.F.R. § 300.3. See also 2 C.F.R. § 200.306.

All relevant forms must be signed electronically by the applicant’s Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR); please see section I of this NOFO for information on AOR requirements.

The preferred electronic file format for attachments is Adobe portable document format (PDF);

however, EDA will accept electronic files in Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, or Microsoft Excel formats. EDA will not accept paper, facsimile, or email transmissions of applications except as described below in section D.4.b. Please refer to important information on submitting your application provided in section D.4.

All documentation and data submitted should be current and applicable as of the date submitted.

Applicants are encouraged to contact the appropriate contact listed in section G for technical assistance before submitting an application.

Research and Communities of Practice Challenge applications must include the following documents:

Project Design and Substance Executive Summary Project Narrative Applicant Capacity and Project Management Budget Narrative and Staffing Plan Schedule of Major Milestones and Deliverables Resumes of Key Personnel Matching Share Documentation (as applicable)

Forms and Supporting Documentation ED-900A (Additional EDA Assurances for Construction or Non-Construction Investments) SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance) SF-424A (Budget Information Non-Construction Programs) CD-511 (Certification Regarding Lobbying) SF-LLL (Disclosure of Lobbying Activities) (if applicable)9 Organizational Documentation (if applicable)10 Indirect Cost Rate (ICR) Documentation (if applicable)11

a. Project Design and Substance

Document Executive Summary Project Narrative Applicant Capacity and Project Management

9 Form SF-LLL is only required if the applicant or co-applicant has engaged the services of a registered lobbyist in connection with its proposed project.

10 Only certain types of eligible entities are required to submit organization documents, and the documentation required varies by eligible entity type. See section D.2.b.ii(1).

11 Applicants that do not have a current ICR agreement with a Federal agency are not required to submit this documentation and may elect to adopt a de minimis ICR. See section D.2.b.ii(2).

Budget Narrative and Staffing Plan Schedule of Major Milestones and Deliverables Resumes of Key Personnel Matching Share Documentation (as applicable)

The application must clearly articulate the overall goals of the project, the specific and distinct Scope of Work and concrete activities that will be accomplished under it, specifically addressing whether the applicant is applying for Research or the Communities of Practice Challenge.12 The application also must demonstrate each applicant’s capability to implement the proposed activities in accordance with the requirements of this NOFO. Applications will be evaluated based on the Evaluation Criteria outlined in section E. Applicants should carefully adhere to the word or page limits specified for each section of the application. Pages beyond the specified page limit for each section will not be read or considered.

i. Executive Summary

The Executive Summary should be a clear, concise, and descriptive summary of the proposed project. This should be no more than 500 words and, if selected for funding, may be used in a public announcement or on EDA’s website.

ii. Project Narrative

The Project Narrative should address all activities that will be undertaken using the funds requested under this NOFO, a summary of how these activities support the overall project’s goals, and a clear vision for the final report. Applications must clearly describe how the proposed project aligns with one or more of EDA Investment Priorities.

The Project Narrative may not exceed 12-single sided, 8.5x11-inch pages, with a minimum 12-point font and 1-inch margins. Within the Project Narrative, applicants should address the following elements depending on application type:

Applications for Research must address the following sub-criteria:

• Justification for why the proposed project will provide a specific benefit to the nation’s economic development community and economic recovery from the pandemic;

• Description of how the proposed project is original and innovative, and will add to the body of knowledge supporting decisions made on economic development;

• Description of how the proposed project will measure the results of the particular areas of focus from EDA’s ARPA grant competitions such as the Jobs Challenge, Build Back Better Regional Challenge, Indigenous Communities Challenge, and travel and tourism programs;

12 Note that the grantee providing technical assistance to BBBRC participants under this NOFO cannot also be paid as a consultant by finalists selected by EDA under Phase 1 of the BBBRC NOFO nor will they be part of EDA’s formal evaluation of any applicant.

o Applicants should include the key outcome measures that they will evaluate and their proposed methodology. Applicants should also provide previous evaluation projects they have completed if available.

o Applicants that propose to measure the results of more than one EDA ARPA grant competition should include measures that permit comparisons across competitions, to the extent practicable.

• Description of how the proposed project will promote better understanding of economic development research, policy, and implementation;

• Description of how the proposed project will increase understanding of economic development principles and achieve improved economic development outcomes;

• Description of how the proposed project will support initiatives to address cross-cutting issues such as environmental justice, equity and inclusion, increasing access by underserved communities, communities specially impacted by the downturn in the coal economy, or other areas of emphasis from EDA’s Investment Priorities;

• Explanation of how the proposed project supports EDA’s mission to lead the Federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing and supporting American regions for growth and success in the global economy; and

• Clear plan for ensuring products/services produced by the proposed project will remain available to the economic development community, and updated as necessary, without continued EDA financial support.

Applications for the Community of Practice Challenge must address the following sub-criteria:

• Description of the Community of Practice(s) that will be established and the systems that will be used to facilitate the Community of Practice;

• Description of how the proposed Community of Practice(s) increases the economic development capacity of the identified stakeholder group(s) and enhances the intended impacts of the cohort they are proposing to support;

• Description of how the grantee is well suited to support the identified Community of Practice(s);

• Discussion of how the proposed project will stimulate economic development in distressed regions;

• Explanation of how the proposed project supports EDA’s mission to lead the Federal economic development agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing and supporting American regions for growth and success in the global economy;

• Clear plan for ensuring products/services produced by the proposed project will remain available to the economic development community, and updated as necessary, without continued EDA financial support;

• Discussion of how the proposed Community of Practice(s) will promote inclusion of historically underserved populations and geographies, advancing equity in access to services provided through grantees funded via EDA’s various ARPA competitions;

and

• Explanation of the qualifications and relevant expertise of the applicant to successfully develop and sustain a Community of Practice(s).

iii. Applicant Capacity and Project Management

Applications must include a separate section on applicant capacity, including project management experience, that addresses the applicant’s ability to perform all activities that will be undertaken using the funds requested under this NOFO, a summary of how these activities support the overall project’s goals, and a clear vision for the final deliverables, including required final reports.

The Applicant Capacity and Project Management section may not exceed 5 single-sided, 8.5x11-inch pages, with a minimum 12-point font and 1-inch margins. (Note: resumes for key personnel should be included under Resumes for Key Personnel and will not count against the page limitations of this section.) Within the Applicant Capacity and Project Management section, applications should address how the applicant will be able to work collaboratively with Federal partners and economic development organizations, and demonstrate:

• Subject matter expertise in the various aspects of a regional ecosystem including, economic development, workforce development, planning, and others.

• Functional expertise in the major components of the work, including leadership and facilitation of projects related to robust programmatic content, actionable recommendations, and toolkits.

• Experience coordinating with Federal project managers and collaborating with various partners (including a discussion of the extent of participation of government agencies, private sector interests, education providers, non-profits, community and labor groups, workforce boards, utilities, etc.). This competency includes the governance structure of the project and should be as specific as possible regarding roles and responsibilities.

iv. Budget Narrative and Staffing Plan

Applications must include a Budget Narrative that describes the costs associated with each line item on Form SF-424A. There is a sample budget template in Appendix B that applicants may use.

Applications must also include a Staffing Plan listing all positions proposed to be charged to the project whether as federal or non-federal costs. The Staffing Plan must include the position titles, salaries, percentage of time dedicated to the project, and amount of salary charged to the project for each staff member assigned to the project. The sum of all salaries charged to the project must equal the amount on the “Personnel” budget line item on Form SF-424A. The Staffing Plan should provide a description of how the personnel will carry out the proposed project, including the adequacy and previous performance of the proposed team to carry out project activities.

v. Schedule of Major Milestones and Deliverables

Applications must include a schedule detailing the expected start and end date of all major milestones and deliverables (e.g., what data points, what analysis, etc.) described in the Project

Narrative. The schedule should be outlined in months (e.g., “One month from award…”), such that an evaluator could easily discern in how many months the Applicant could start the project from the date of project award, in how many months each of the key project milestones and deliverables will be accomplished from the date of project award, and the anticipated number of months after the date of project award that the project will be completed, generally not to exceed a 48-month award period. Applications should incorporate preparation of the final report and presentation into the project timeline and period of performance.

This is best conveyed through a Gantt Chart. There is a sample Gantt Chart in Appendix B that applicants may use.

vi. Resumes of Key Personnel

Applications must include the resumes of key project staff, each of which should not exceed two pages in length. Resumes should be compiled and uploaded together as one PDF file.

vii. Matching Share Documentation (as applicable)

If matching share is provided, applications must include commitment letters or equivalent documents that demonstrate that all matching funds (whether cash or in-kind) from all sources (i.e., any applicant, any co-applicants, and any other sources of matching funds) referenced in the application will be unencumbered, unrestricted, and committed at the time of award and that are signed by authorized representatives of the sources of the matching funds. Authorized representatives must have the authority to execute documents and to obligate and expend funds on behalf of their respective organizations.

b. Forms and Supporting Documentation

i. Forms

Applications must include the following forms, either per applicant or per application, as noted:

Form Description Number

ED-900A Additional EDA Assurances for Construction or Non-Construction Investments

One per applicant

SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance One per applicant SF-424A Budget Information—Non-Construction

Programs One per application

CD-511 Certification Regarding Lobbying One per applicant SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable)13 One per applicant

13 Form SF-LLL is only required if the applicant or co-applicant has engaged the services of a registered lobbyist in connection with its proposed project.

ii. Supporting Documentation

Applications must include the following supporting documentation, as applicable:

Documentation Number

Organizational Documentation (if applicable)

For each applicant, depending on entity type

ICR Documentation (if applicable)

For each applicant

(1) Organizational Documentation

Each applicant and co-applicant must provide documentation that supports each applicant’s or co-applicant’s organizational status as an eligible entity where applicable (section C.1 of this

NOFO).

• States, Indian tribes, cities or other political subdivisions of States, and institutions of higher education that are 100% publicly-controlled are not required to submit organizational documentation.

• Nonprofit organizations must submit documentation that demonstrates their status as nonprofit organizations. This must include articles of incorporation, bylaws, certificate of good standing, and a copy of the most recent (not older than 18 months) IRS Form 990 (Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax) (without attachments or schedules).

• Other entities, including institutions of higher education that are not 100% publicly-controlled, must provide documentation that demonstrates their organization type.

(2) Indirect Costs (if applicable)

If indirect costs are included in the budget, the applicant must include documentation to support the indirect cost rate it is using (unless claiming the 10 percent de minimis indirect cost rate, discussed below), as well as details about how the applicant calculated estimated indirect costs (i.e., how the applicant calculated modified total direct costs as defined in the appropriate negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) or at 2 C.F.R. § 200.1, as appropriate).

For most applicants, this will entail the submission of a copy of the applicant’s current approved NICRA. The maximum dollar amount of allocable indirect costs for which EDA will reimburse a recipient shall be the lesser of the (1) line-item amount for the Federal Share of indirect costs contained in the EDA approved budget for the award, or (2) Federal Share of the total allocable indirect costs of the award based on either (a) the indirect cost rate approved by EDA (or applicable cognizant Federal agency), provided that the cost rate is current at the time the costs were incurred and provided that the rate is approved on or before the award end date, or (b) other acceptable documentation as indicated below.

If the applicant does not have a current or pending NICRA, it may propose indirect costs in its budget; however, the applicant must prepare and submit an allocation plan and rate proposal for approval within 90 days from the award start date (unless claiming the 10 percent de minimis indirect cost rate, discussed below). See 2 C.F.R. part 200 Apps. III, IV, V, VI, VII for guidance.

The allocation plan and the rate proposal…