EPA-G2023-ORD-I1 (FINAL).pdf

OVERVIEW INFORMATION

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Science Advisor, Policy, and Engagement Office of Research and Development Innovative Water Technology Grant Program

TREATMENT TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATIONS

USING PRACTICAL AND AFFORDABLE MANGANESE

TREATMENT FOR SMALL DRINKING WATER

SYSTEMS

This is the initial announcement of this funding opportunity.

Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-G2023-ORD-I1

Assistance Listing Number: 66.521

Solicitation Opening Date: September 29, 2023 Solicitation Closing Date: November 15, 2023: 11:59:59 pm Eastern Time

Table of Contents

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Introduction

B. Background C. Authority and Regulations D. Specific Research Areas of Interest/Expected Outputs and Outcomes E. References F. Special Requirements G. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

II. AWARD INFORMATION

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants B. Cost Sharing C. Other

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Grants.gov Submittal Requirements and Limited Exception Procedures B. Application Package Information C. Content and Form of Application Submission D. Submission Dates and Times E. Funding Restrictions

F. Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Peer Review B. Relevancy Review C. Past Performance History Review D. Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS) Review E. Evaluation of the Scientific Data Management Plan F. Funding Decisions

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Award Notices B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

For Updates and Additional Information see https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-funding-opportunities.

View research awarded under previous solicitations at https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-grant-areas.

A. Introduction

Ensuring clean and safe drinking water is important for protecting human health and the environment. While Manganese (Mn) occurs naturally in groundwater and surface water, higher concentrations, previously considered safe, have been found to potentially lead to negative neurological health impacts in vulnerable populations (World Health Organization, 2021). In addition to health concerns, aesthetic issues such as water color and taste, and Mn accumulation in the distribution systems make Mn treatment a priority for many drinking water utilities. Small utilities find Mn treatment challenging due to the complexities of the treatment process, costs, and aging infrastructure. Several technologies have proven to be effective in Mn removal (U.S.

EPA, 2021); however, small utilities find it challenging to implement many of these technologies. This Request for Applications (RFA) seeks research demonstrations that evaluate the effectiveness of common Mn treatment technologies in small drinking water systems and provide states, Tribes and small utilities with an improved ability to adopt and implement common Mn treatment technologies.

The Innovative Water Technology Grant Program’s goal is to accelerate “the development and deployment of innovative water technologies that address pressing drinking water supply, quality, treatment, or security challenges of public water systems, areas served by private wells, or source waters.” Under the program, EPA shall make grants “(1) to develop, test, and deploy innovative water technologies; or (2) to provide technical assistance to deploy demonstrated innovative water technologies.”

EPA recognizes that it is important to engage all available minds to address the environmental challenges the Nation faces. At the same time, EPA seeks to expand the environmental conversation by including members of communities which may have not previously participated https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-funding-opportunities https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-funding-opportunities https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-grant-areas https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-grant-areas in such dialogues to participate in EPA programs. For this reason, EPA strongly encourages all eligible applicants identified in Section III, including minority serving institutions (MSIs), to apply under this opportunity.

For purposes of this solicitation, the following are considered MSIs:

1. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1061(2)). A list of these schools can be found at Historically Black Colleges and Universities;

2. Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1059c(b)(3) and (d)(1)). A list of these schools can be found at American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities;

3. Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1101a(a)(5)). A list of these schools can be found at Hispanic-Serving Institutions;

4. Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions; (AANAPISIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1059g(b)(2)). A list of these schools can be found at Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions; and

5. Predominately Black Institutions (PBIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act of 2008, 20 U.S.C. 1059e(b)(6). A list of these schools can be found at Predominately Black Institutions.

B. Background

Manganese (Mn) is a mineral that naturally occurs in water, air, soil, and rocks, and is an essential trace element in the human diet. While Mn is prevalent throughout the United States in groundwater and surface water, concentrations are influenced by the local chemical environment.

Dissolved forms of Mn, mostly Mn+2 (Mn II), tend to be the most common Mn in groundwater due to lower levels of dissolved oxygen, whereas surface water can contain particulate, colloidal, and other types of dissolved Mn, each of which requires different treatment processes. When present at concentrations of concern, Mn becomes a treatment challenge for small and large drinking water treatment systems throughout the United States.

Although there are health benefits of Mn at lower concentrations, recent evidence suggests that exposure to Mn in drinking water at levels previously considered to be safe may cause cognitive (Luccini et al., 2017; Wasserman et al., 2006) and motor (Luccini et al., 2017; Rodrigues et al., 2016) deficits in children. Due to the number of studies attributing negative health effects to Mn, the World Health Organization reissued a provisional guideline of 0.08 mg/L to be protective of infants, the most vulnerable population (World Health Organization, 2021). Given potential health risks, Mn has also been listed on the Contaminant Candidate List 5 (CCL5) and may require future regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) (U.S. EPA, 2022). EPA’s federal secondary maximum contaminant level (SMCL) is currently 0.05 mg/L and the EPA federal lifetime health advisory level (HAL) is 0.3 mg/L.

https://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/whiaiane/tribes-tcus/tribal-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/whiaiane/tribes-tcus/tribal-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/hispanic-initiative/hispanic-serving-institutions-hsis/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1XVkOWKMDORm53pvU0L8EPsrJC94&msa=0&ie=UTF8&t=m&z=3&source=embed&ll=40.58644586187277%2C-148.28228249999984 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1wlIi3j7gtlNq_w-0NKAb2bF2VmY&ie=UTF&msa=0&ll=37.35160769312532%2C-96.17229800000001&z=4

Mn in drinking water can also be an aesthetic issue because it can leave reddish/black stains on tubs, showers, toilets, plumbing fixtures, and laundry. The Water Research Foundation Mn Treatment Guidance manual (Brandhuber et al., 2013) recommends that utilities treat water to

0.015 - 0.02 mg/L to prevent Mn from accumulating in the distribution system. In addition to aesthetic and health concerns, Mn may create interference with the commonly used free chlorine test method resulting in biased high disinfectant readings within the system (Brandhuber et al., 2022).

Small public water systems, (serving 10,000 or fewer customers) frequently lack the resources and capacity to adopt and maintain Mn treatment systems given the diminishing economies of scale and limited resources. These limitations can result in greater rates of noncompliance in small systems compared with larger systems, as measured by the number of violations issued.

This is mostly due to the technical, financial, and managerial challenges faced by these systems.

From a financial perspective, they have small customer bases and therefore often lack the revenue needed to install, maintain, and operate additional treatment processes. In many small systems, treatment is limited to disinfection. This highlights the need for affordable technologies that reduce the production of disinfection byproducts in addition to other contaminants such as Mn. For small, rural, and Tribal systems located in areas with high levels of Mn in source waters, fostering the development of affordable, efficient, and user-friendly Mn treatment technologies will better equip these systems to address health and aesthetic concerns.

Several treatment processes are available to remove Mn, and selection depends on the Mn form (oxidation state and size) and the source water characteristics, such as pH, alkalinity, and the levels of organic carbon, ammonia, and other reduced contaminants (Tobiason et al., 2016). Mn treatment processes include combinations of physical, chemical, and biological mechanisms. For raw waters containing particulate Mn, such as rivers, coagulation and clarification can remove Mn without the addition of a strong oxidant. For raw waters containing soluble Mn (predominantly Mn II), the Mn must be oxidized to form particulate Mn and then physically removed, often by filtration. At surface water treatment plants, strong oxidants, such as chlorine dioxide and potassium permanganate, may be applied prior to coagulation so that particulate Mn may be removed through downstream processes. Microfiltration and ultrafiltration can remove colloidal Mn. Another option is sorption to a manganese oxide surface (e.g., greensand media) and catalytic oxidation by free chlorine or potassium permanganate. The oxidant may be fed to the filter influent (continuous regeneration) or to the backwash water (intermittent regeneration).

Biofiltration is another approach that utilizes bacteria to oxidize Mn at the media surface.

Biofiltration tends to be more reliable for groundwater, which tends to have more stable Mn concentrations over time even though substantial variability may exist among wells within a wellfield. Lakes and reservoirs can have seasonally high Mn due to thermal stratification in the summer and fall months. Oxidant addition and filter operations may need to be adjusted to accommodate increased raw water Mn concentrations.

In both chemical and biological oxidation processes, Mn precipitates accumulate on the media and the filter must be backwashed regularly to maintain flow. The backwash waste stream contains Mn residuals that require disposal, often to the sewer or a lagoon. The Mn residual waste stream may become a source of Mn within the treatment plant if not adequately managed.

Implementing treatment will not immediately address issues related to legacy Mn that has accumulated in the distribution system, thus, systems might consider unidirectional flushing, ice pigging (forcing ice through the system to remove debris), and main rehabilitation to improve water quality at customers’ taps.

Case studies of treatment techniques and/or best management practices at small systems are valuable for demonstrating a process and communicating lessons learned. For example, Lytle et

al. (2020) conducted a pilot study at a small system using a reactor they had developed and demonstrated at other small systems to treat groundwater containing elevated ammonia and iron.

The implementation of a reactor concept from the lab to the field, first at pilot and then at full-scale (Lytle et al., 2013, Lytle et al., 2015), was helpful for the small systems that participated in the studies and has been useful for other systems with similar water quality to adapt the approach for their site-specific needs.

C. Authority and Regulations

The authority for this RFA and resulting award is contained in America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018, 42 U.S.C. 300j-1a.

For research with an international aspect, the above statute is supplemented, as appropriate, by the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 102(2)(F).

Note that a project’s focus is to consist of activities relating to (1) developing, testing, and deploying innovative water technologies; or (2) providing technical assistance to deploying demonstrated innovative water technologies. Further note applications dealing with any aspect of or related to hydraulic fracking will not be funded by EPA through this program.

Additional applicable regulations include: 2 CFR Part 200, 2 CFR Part 1500, and 40 CFR Part 40 (Research and Demonstration Grants).

D. Specific Research Areas of Interest/Expected Outputs and Outcomes Note to applicant: The term “output” means an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work products related to an environmental goal or objective, that will be produced or provided over a period of time or by a specified date. 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.

The activities to be funded under this solicitation support EPA’s FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan (https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan). The award made under this solicitation will support Goal 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities, Objective 5.1: Ensure Safe Drinking Water and Reliable Water Infrastructure, of the Plan. All applications must be for projects that support the goal and objective identified above. The proposed research award supports the Innovative Water Technology Grant Program’s objective to provide technical assistance for the deployment of demonstrated innovative water technologies by conducting Mn https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title42-section300j-1a&num=0&edition=prelim treatment demonstrations in small systems to evaluate the effectiveness of common Mn treatment technologies. The resulting demonstrations will inform states, tribes, communities’ consultants, and state regulators enabling more effective Mn management in small, rural, and tribal systems.

EPA also requires that grant applicants adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7A1, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements, https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements). Applicants must include specific statements describing the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined outputs and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the project will contribute to the goal(s) and objective(s) described above.

To enhance the ability of small water systems to evaluate treatment options for effective Mn treatment implementation, EPA is soliciting research and demonstration projects on the effectiveness of common Mn treatment technologies that are easily implementable and affordable for small drinking water systems. At a minimum, applicants should partner with two small drinking water system utilities: one surface and one groundwater supplied system. The EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR) 4 data shows the nationwide occurrence of Mn in groundwater and surface water [see Eaton (2021) for a summary of national Mn occurrence]. This dataset, available at: https://www.epa.gov/dwucmr/instructions-using-microsoft-excel-access-fourth-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-rule, provides public water system identification and zip codes, including source water type and population category and may be helpful to applicants in selecting utilities to partner with.

Researchers should work directly with small, rural, and/or Tribal drinking water utilities to evaluate performance, sustainability, and economic viability of Mn treatment technologies over time. In selecting technologies, consideration should be given to ease of use and maintenance requirements in addition to capital, operations and maintenance costs, given the technical, financial, and managerial capacity typically available at small water utilities. Demonstrations should involve technologies, methods, or approaches, where the results of the project will be disseminated so that others can benefit from the knowledge gained in the project. Thus, technologies should be selected that have the widest potential for adoption so that demonstration results are transferrable to other areas. If possible, preference should be given to technologies that are able to treat the widest range of contaminants and should consider geographic variations in source water quality including presence of commonly co-occurring contaminants such as iron, arsenic, ammonia, strontium, and natural organic matter in source water and their impacts on Mn removal. In addition, applicants should consider technologies that can achieve the Water Research Foundation Mn Treatment Guidance manual aesthetic threshold of <0.02 mg/L (Brandhuber et al., 2013).

Research Areas EPA is interested in applications that incorporate both research areas described below.

Applications which do not address both research areas #1 and #2 may not be rated as highly under the evaluation process described in Section V as those that do. In addition, applicants https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/dwucmr/instructions-using-microsoft-excel-access-fourth-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-rule https://www.epa.gov/dwucmr/instructions-using-microsoft-excel-access-fourth-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-rule which do not partner with a minimum of two small drinking water system utilities: one surface and one groundwater supplied system, will not be rated as highly under the evaluation process described in Section V as those that do. Last, in accordance with the Innovative Water Technology Grant Program, the proposed research should have the potential to: (A) reduce ratepayer or community costs or costs of future capital investments; (B) significantly improve human health or the environment; or (C) provide additional drinking water supplies with minimal environmental impact. Projects that do not have the potential to address either A, B or C may not be rated as highly under the evaluation process described in Section V as those that do.

1. Treatment: Research to evaluate the performance and sustainability of Mn treatment technologies over time. Consideration should be given to ease of use and maintenance requirements.

Research questions that can be addressed may include, but are not limited to:

• How can common manganese treatment technologies be enhanced or improved with respect to affordability, efficiency, ease of use, energy costs, and transferability, especially for small, rural, and Tribal systems?

• What technologies have the additional benefit of treating commonly co-occurring contaminants?

• In surface water systems, what effect do seasonal fluctuations in Mn have on selection of a given treatment technology? What are the effects when source waters are rotated or changed?

o How can automation and process control monitoring systems be used to manage fluctuations in Mn levels?

• How will the distribution system respond to the Mn treatment systems studied?

o What monitoring approach is needed given the potential lag time for treatment effects to be observed?

o Can Mn treatment technologies potentially create new problems within the distribution system such as corrosion control and disinfection byproducts formation?

2. Costs and Capacity: Research to evaluate the economic viability of Mn treatment technologies over time. Consideration should be given to capital, operations, and maintenance costs, given the technical, financial, and managerial capacity typically available at small water utilities.

Research questions that can be addressed may include, but are not limited to:

• How can chemical costs be optimized?

• How can Mn residuals be affordably and sustainably managed?

• How can new Mn treatment processes be affordably maintained over time?

o Given the technical and financial capacity at small, rural, and tribal utilities, what are the training and educational requirements needed to effectively operate and maintain the technologies?

o What field testing and monitoring approaches work best for monitoring Mn levels in raw source water, treated water and the distribution system?

Expected Outputs and Outcomes

Expected outputs:

Some examples of desirable outputs are listed below:

• Reports, including of performance and costs of Mn treatment process upgrades (capital, operation, and maintenance) and add-on processes currently in operation that consistently remove Mn to low levels that are at or approaching the limit of technology.

• In-depth case studies of Mn treatment systems, packaged for transferability, including documentation and training recommendations for small, rural, and tribal communities.

• Assessment of the consistency in meeting Mn aesthetic limits including technology performance statistics.

• A technical description of each technology explaining how the process works, its contaminant removal mechanism, benefits compared to conventional processes, and lessons learned in implementing the technology.

• Workshops and webinars to disseminate information to states, utilities, scientists, and other stakeholders.

• Peer reviewed publications.

• Planning/guidance documents for small utilities to mitigate and reduce risks associated with Mn.

• Descriptions of analytical methods used (e.g., instrumentation, standard operating procedures, quality control procedures and results).

Expected Outcomes:

The resulting demonstrations will inform states, Tribes, communities’ consultants, and state regulators enabling more effective Mn management in small, rural, and Tribal systems. This includes increased ability to implement Mn treatment technologies based on source water characteristics, capital, operations and maintenance costs, and maintenance requirements enabling more effective management of Mn removal in small systems.

Collaboration and Engagement Plan A collaboration and engagement plan is required. See Section IV.C.5.iii.e. Collaboration and cooperative partnerships are strongly encouraged in the design and execution of the proposed research. Applications should, at minimum, describe how: a) applicants will work in partnership with appropriate partners (utilities, technical assistance providers, states, tribes, academia, non-profit organizations, and associations) to effectively design and implement the proposed project and b) demonstrate how project results are transferable and will address the needs and concerns of small, rural and tribal water systems along with other stakeholders such as states and technical assistance providers.

The collaboration and engagement plan should:

• Describe the type of collaboration/engagement proposed and what role it will play in the overall project including the degree of partner and/or stakeholder input or engagement in the conceptualization, design, methods, analyses, and implementation of the research.

This includes the degree to which the plan addresses engagement with utilities (at a minimum, two small drinking water system utilities: one surface and one groundwater supplied system), technical assistance providers, states, tribes, academia, non-profit organizations, and associations to ensure their meaningful participation with respect to the design, project planning, and performance of the project.

• Describe how the collaboration/engagement will enhance the overall impact of the project such that the project results are applicable and useable by utilities, technical assistance providers, states, tribes, academia, non-profit organizations, and associations.

This includes the capacity of the project to effectively communicate results that are transferable and address the needs and concerns of small, rural, and tribal water systems along with other stakeholders such as states and technical assistance providers.

• Describe how the collaboration/engagement will materialize during project. Describe the partner(s)’ intent to participate in the proposed research including evidence of support of an active partnership with utilities, technical assistance providers, states, tribes, academia, non-profit organizations, and/or associations (e.g., letter(s) of intent or support from water utility managers, site managers or operators, technical assistance providers, states, tribes, academia, non-profit organizations, and associations). Any letters demonstrating evidence of collaboration and support should be included as part of section IV.C.5.viii.a.

Letters of Intent/Letters of Support.

In addition, applicants may cooperate with a private entity, including a farmer, farmer cooperative, or manufacturer of water technologies. For-profit organizations are not eligible for subawards under this grant program but may receive procurement contracts. See “Coalitions” under Section IV.E Funding Restrictions. Applicants that do not plan on collaborating/engaging with other groups in project performance must still include a collaboration and engagement plan in their application describing how they will be able to effectively perform and complete the project without such collaboration.

E. References

Brandhuber, P., Alexander, M. T., Arora, H., Meteer, L., Malkov, V., & Pei, Y. (2022). Free Chlorine Residual Measurement and Manganese Interference: Is the DPD Method a Fair Judge? Opflow, 48(9), 26-30.

Brandhuber, P., Clark, S., Knocke, W. & Tobiason, J. (2013) Guidance for the Treatment of Manganese (WRF 4373). Water Research Foundation, Denver, CO.

Eaton, A. (2021). Assessment of manganese occurrence in drinking water in the United States. ACS ES&T Water, 1(11), 2450-2458.

Lucchini, R., Placidi, D., Cagna, G., Fedrighi, C., Oppini, M., Peli, M., & Zoni, S. (2017).

Manganese and developmental neurotoxicity. Neurotoxicity of Metals, 13-34.

Lytle, D., White, C., Williams, D., Koch, L., & Nauman, E. (2013). Innovative biological water treatment for the removal of elevated ammonia. Journal‐American Water Works Association, 105(9), E524-E539

Lytle, D., Williams, D., Muhlen, C., Riddick, E., & Pham, M. (2020). The removal of ammonia, arsenic, iron and manganese by biological treatment from a small Iowa drinking water system. Environmental science: water research & technology, 6(11), 3142-3156.

Lytle, D., Williams, D., Muhlen, C., Pham, M., Kelty, K., Wildman, M., Lang, G, Wilcox, M, & Kohne, M. (2015). The Full‐Scale Implementation of an Innovative Biological Ammonia Treatment Process. Journal‐American Water Works Association, 107(12), E648-E665.

Rodrigues, E., Bellinger, D., Valeri, L., Hasan, M., Quamruzzaman, Q., Golam, M., Kile M., Christiani D., Wright R., & Mazumdar, M. (2016). Neurodevelopmental outcomes among 2-to 3-year-old children in Bangladesh with elevated blood lead and exposure to arsenic and manganese in drinking water. Environmental Health, 15, 1-9.

Tobiason, J., Bazilio, A., Goodwill, J., Mai, X., & Nguyen, C. (2016). Manganese removal from drinking water sources. Current Pollution Reports, 2, 168-177.

U.S. EPA, Environmental Protection Agency (2022). Contaminant Candidate List 5. Retrieved from: https://www.epa.gov/ccl/contaminant-candidate-list-5-ccl- 5#:~:text=The%20CCL%205%20includes%2066,disinfection%20byproducts%2C%20and%20w aterborne%20pathogens.

U.S. EPA, Environmental Protection Agency (2021). Addressing Manganese in Drinking Water with the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (EPA 816-F-21-001 September 2021). Retrieved from: https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-09/addressing-manganese-with-the-dwsrf-and-case-studies_final_2.pdf

Wasserman, G., Liu, X., Parvez, F., Ahsan, H., Levy, D., Factor-Litvak, P., Kline, J., van Geen, A., Slavkovich, V., Lolacono, N., Cheng, Z., Zheng, Y., & Graziano, J. (2006). Water manganese exposure and children’s intellectual function in Araihazar, Bangladesh.

Environmental health perspectives, 114(1), 124-129.

World Health Organization (2021). Manganese in drinking water: background document for development of WHO guidelines for drinking-water quality (No. WHO/HEP/ECH/WSH/2021.5).

World Health Organization.

https://www.epa.gov/ccl/contaminant-candidate-list-5-ccl-5#:%7E:text=The%20CCL%205%20includes%2066,disinfection%20byproducts%2C%20and%20waterborne%20pathogens https://www.epa.gov/ccl/contaminant-candidate-list-5-ccl-5#:%7E:text=The%20CCL%205%20includes%2066,disinfection%20byproducts%2C%20and%20waterborne%20pathogens https://www.epa.gov/ccl/contaminant-candidate-list-5-ccl-5#:%7E:text=The%20CCL%205%20includes%2066,disinfection%20byproducts%2C%20and%20waterborne%20pathogens https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-09/addressing-manganese-with-the-dwsrf-and-case-studies_final_2.pdf https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2021-09/addressing-manganese-with-the-dwsrf-and-case-studies_final_2.pdf

F. Special Requirements

It is EPA Policy to ensure that the results of EPA-funded extramural scientific research are accessible to the public to the greatest extent feasible consistent with applicable law; policies and Orders; the Agency’s mission; resource constraints; and U.S. national, homeland and economic security. This entails maximizing, at no charge, access by the public to peer-reviewed, scientific research journal publications or associated author manuscripts, and their underlying digital research data, created in whole or in part with EPA funds, while protecting personal privacy;

recognizing proprietary interests, confidential business information, and intellectual property rights; and avoiding significant negative impact on intellectual property rights, innovation, and U.S. competitiveness.

Applications submitted under this announcement shall include a Scientific Data Management Plan (SDMP) that addresses public access to EPA-funded scientific research data. See the SDMP clause in Section IV for details on the content of an SDMP. Applicants will also be asked to provide past performance information on whether journal publications or associated author manuscripts, and the associated underlying scientific research data and metadata, under prior assistance agreements were made publicly accessible. These items will be evaluated prior to award.

Reasonable, necessary and allocable costs for data management and public access may be included in extramural research applications and detailed in the budget justification described in Section IV.

Agency policy and ethical considerations prevent EPA technical staff and managers from providing applicants with information that may create an unfair competitive advantage.

Consequently, EPA employees will not review, comment, advise, and/or provide technical assistance to applicants preparing applications in response to EPA RFAs. EPA employees cannot endorse any particular application.

Multiple Investigator applications may be submitted as: (1) a single Lead Principal Investigator (PI) application with Co-PI(s) or (2) a Multiple PI application (with a single Contact PI). If you choose to submit a Multiple PI application, you must follow the specific instructions provided in Sections IV and V of this RFA. For further information, please see the EPA Implementation Plan for Policy on Multiple Principal Investigators (https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-grants-guidance-and-policies).

This solicitation provides the opportunity for the submission of applications for projects that may involve human subjects research. All applications must include a Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS; described in Section IV.C.5.iii.c of this solicitation). If the project involves human subjects research, it will be subject to an additional level of review prior to funding decisions being made as described in Sections V.D and V.F of this solicitation.

These awards may involve the collection of “Geospatial Information,” which includes information that identifies the geographic location and characteristics of natural or constructed https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-grants-guidance-and-policies https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-grants-guidance-and-policies features or boundaries on the Earth or applications, tools, and hardware associated with the generation, maintenance, or distribution of such information. This information may be derived from, among other things, a Geographic Positioning System (GPS), remote sensing, mapping, charting, and surveying technologies, or statistical data.

G. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

Additional provisions that apply to sections III, IV, V, and VI of this solicitation and/or awards made under this solicitation, can be found at EPA Solicitation Clauses. These provisions are important for applying to this solicitation and applicants must review them when preparing applications for this solicitation. If you are unable to access these provisions electronically at the website above, please contact the EPA point of contact listed in this solicitation (usually in Section VII) to obtain the provisions.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

It is anticipated that a total of approximately $1 million will be awarded under this announcement, depending on the availability of funds, quality of applications received and other applicable considerations. The EPA anticipates funding one award under this RFA. Requests for amounts in excess of a total of $1,000,000 in federal funding, including direct and indirect costs, will not be considered. In addition, a minimum non-federal cost share/match of 35% of the total project costs which is equivalent at a minimum to 53.846% of the federal funds awarded (which may include in-kind contributions - see Section III.B. for more details), must be included. The minimum 35% non-federal cost share/match, equal to a minimum of $538,462 (assuming the applicant requests $1,000,000 in EPA funds) must be included. Including matching, total project costs can exceed $1,538,462 (if the applicant proposes more than the minimum required non-federal cost share/match), however, the federally-funded portion of the budget must not exceed $1,000,000. Applications which do not demonstrate how the applicant will provide the minimum non-federal cost share/match will be deemed ineligible. The total project period requested in an application submitted for this RFA may not exceed 4 years.

The EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards under this RFA. The EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with Agency policy, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made.

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

In appropriate circumstances, EPA reserves the right to partially fund applications by funding discrete portions or phases of proposed projects. If EPA decides to partially fund an application, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any applicants or affect the basis upon which the application, or portion thereof, was evaluated and selected for award, and therefore maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process. Awards may be fully or incrementally funded, as appropriate, based on funding availability, satisfactory performance, and other applicable considerations.

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

EPA intends to award only grants under this announcement.

Under a grant, EPA scientists and engineers are not permitted to be substantially involved in the execution of the research. However, EPA encourages interaction between its own laboratory scientists and grant Principal Investigators after the award of an EPA grant for the sole purpose of exchanging information in research areas of common interest that may add value to their respective research activities. This interaction must be incidental rather than substantial to achieving the goals of the research under a grant. Interaction that is “incidental” does not involve resource commitments by EPA.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Note: Additional provisions that apply to this section can be found at EPA Solicitation Clauses.

A. Eligible Applicants

Public water systems, institutions of higher education (IHEs), research institutions or foundations, regional water organizations and certain nonprofit organizations as further described below, located in the U.S. or its territories or possessions are eligible to apply. Profit-making firms and individuals are not eligible to apply.

Public water system, as defined by 42 U.S.C. 300f(4), means a system for the provision to the public of water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances, if such system has at least fifteen service connections or regularly serves at least twenty-five individuals.

Such term includes (i) any collection, treatment, storage, and distribution facilities under control of the operator of such system and used primarily in connection with such system, and (ii) any collection or pretreatment storage facilities not under such control which are used primarily in connection with such system.

A Regional Water Organization, for purposes of this RFA, is an association or similar incorporated non-profit or governmental entity that represents or coordinates the operations of public water systems in a defined geographic area under a compact, charter or binding contractual agreement.

Consistent with the definition of Nonprofit organization at 2 CFR § 200.1, the term nonprofit organization means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization that is operated mainly for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purpose in the public interest and is not organized primarily for profit; and uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the operation of the organization. Note that 2 CFR § 200.1 specifically excludes Institutions of Higher Education from the definition of non-profit organization because they are separately defined in the regulation. While not considered to be a nonprofit organization(s) as defined by 2 CFR § 200.1, public or nonprofit Institutions of Higher Education are, nevertheless, eligible to submit applications under this RFA. As provided at 42 U.S.C. 300j-1a(a)(2)(E) and 42 U.S.C. 300j-1(e)(8)(A) eligibility is limited to “. . . nonprofit organizations that provide to small public water systems onsite technical assistance, circuit-rider technical assistance programs, multistate, regional technical assistance programs, onsite and regional training, assistance with implementing source water protection plans, and assistance with implementing monitoring plans, rules, regulations, and water security enhancements.” For-profit colleges, universities, trade schools, and hospitals are ineligible.

Nonprofit organizations that are not exempt from taxation under section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code must submit other forms of documentation of nonprofit status; such as certificates of incorporation as nonprofit under state or tribal law. Nonprofit organizations exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that lobby are not eligible for EPA funding as provided in the Lobbying Disclosure Act, 2 U.S.C. 1611.

Foreign governments, international organizations, and non-governmental international organizations/institutions are not eligible to apply.

National laboratories funded by Federal Agencies (Federally-Funded Research and Development Centers, “FFRDCs”) may not apply. FFRDC employees may cooperate or collaborate with eligible applicants within the limits imposed by applicable legislation and regulations. They may participate in planning, conducting, and analyzing the research directed by the applicant, but may not direct projects on behalf of the applicant organization. An award recipient may provide funds through its assistance agreement from the EPA to an FFRDC for research personnel, supplies, equipment, and other expenses directly related to the research.

Federal Agencies may not apply. Federal employees are not eligible to serve in a principal leadership role on an assistance agreement. Federal employees may not receive salaries or augment their Agency’s appropriations through awards made under this program unless authorized by law to receive such funding.

The applicant institution may enter into an agreement with a Federal Agency to purchase or utilize unique supplies or services unavailable in the private sector to the extent authorized by law. Examples are purchase of satellite data, chemical reference standards, analyses, or use of instrumentation or other facilities not available elsewhere. A written justification for federal involvement must be included in the application. A letter of intent from the Federal Agency, documenting commitment, should be included.

Potential applicants who are uncertain of their eligibility should contact Ron Josephson in the Office of Research and Development (ORD), phone: 202-564-7823, email:

josephson.ron@epa.gov.

B. Cost sharing

As required under 42 U.S.C. 300j-1a(e), each applicant must contribute a minimum non-federal cost share/match of 35% of the total allowable project costs. This is equivalent at a minimum to 53.846% of the federal amount. Cost share may include in-kind contributions. In order to be eligible for funding consideration, applicants must demonstrate in their applications how they will meet the required minimum cost share/match in accordance with 2 CFR §200.306.

mailto:josephson.ron@epa.gov

The cost share/match may be provided in cash or can come from in-kind contributions, such as the use of volunteers and/or donated time, equipment, etc., subject to the regulations governing matching fund requirements at 2 CFR §200.306.

All contributions, including cash and third party in-kind, shall be accepted as cost sharing or matching when such contributions meet all of the following criteria: (1) Are verifiable from the non-Federal entity's records; (2) Are not included as contributions for any other Federal award;

(3) Are necessary and reasonable for proper and efficient accomplishment of project or program objectives; (4) Are allowable under Subpart E—Cost Principles of 2 CFR Part 200; (5) Are not paid by the Federal Government under another Federal award, except where the Federal statute authorizing a program specifically provides that Federal funds made available for such program can be applied to matching or cost sharing requirements of other Federal programs; (6) Are provided for in the approved budget when required by the Federal awarding agency; and (7) Conform to other provisions of 2 CFR Part 200, as applicable.

Any restrictions on the use of grant funds (examples of funding restrictions are described in Section IV.E of this announcement) also apply to the use of cost share/matching funds.

C. Other

All applications will be reviewed for eligibility and must meet the eligibility requirements described in Sections III.A., B., and C. to be considered eligible. 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.

a. Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this solicitation or else they will be rejected. However, where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to the application, or parts thereof, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed. Applicants are advised that readability is of paramount importance and should take precedence in application format, including selecting a legible font type and size for use in the application.

b. In addition, initial applications must be submitted through Grants.gov as stated in Section IV of this solicitation (except in the limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed for as explained in Section IV) on or before the application submission deadline published in Section IV of this solicitation. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV of this solicitation to ensure that their application is timely submitted. Please note that applicants experiencing technical issues with submitting through Grants.gov should follow the instructions provided in Section IV, which include both the requirement to contact Grants.gov and email a full application to EPA prior to the deadline.

c. Applications submitted outside of Grants.gov will be deemed ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was due to EPA mishandling or technical problems associated with Grants.gov or SAM.gov. An applicant’s failure to timely https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ submit their application through Grants.gov because they did not timely or properly register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov will not be considered an acceptable reason to consider a submission outside of Grants.gov.

If an applicant submits more than one application under this announcement, each application must be submitted separately, and the scope of work proposed in each application must be significantly different from the other application(s) in order for them to all be deemed eligible. If applications are submitted with scopes of work that do not significantly differ, then EPA will only accept the most recently submitted application and all other applications will be deemed ineligible.

In order to be deemed eligible, the application must include a Collaboration and Engagement Plan (see Section IV.C.5.iii.e) that demonstrates collaboration/engagement with partner(s)/stakeholder(s) in the design and execution of the proposed research or how the applicant will be able to effectively perform and complete the project without such collaboration/engagement.

In addition, applications which do not provide the required non-federal cost share/match will be deemed ineligible. Also, applications exceeding the funding limits or project period described herein will be rejected without review. See Section II. Further, applications that fail to demonstrate a public purpose of support or stimulation (e.g., by proposing research which primarily benefits a Federal program or provides a service for a Federal agency) will not be funded.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Note: Additional provisions that apply to this section can be found at EPA Solicitation Clauses.

Formal instructions for submission through Grants.gov are in Section F.

A. Grants.gov Submittal Requirements and Limited Exception Procedures

Applicants must apply electronically through Grants.gov under this funding opportunity based on the grants.gov instructions in this announcement. If your organization has no access to the internet or access is very limited, you may request an exception for the remainder of this calendar year by following the procedures outlined here. Please note that your request must be received at least 15 calendar days before the application due date to allow enough time to negotiate alternative submission methods. Issues with submissions with respect to this opportunity only are addressed in section F. Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements below.

B. Application Package Information

Use the application package available at Grants.gov (see Section IV.F. “Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements”). Note: With the exception of the current and pending support form (available at https://www.epa.gov/research-grants/research-funding-opportunities-https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.epa.gov/grants/exceptions-grantsgov-submission-requirement how-apply-and-required-forms), all necessary forms are included in the electronic application package. Make sure to include the current and pending support form in your Grants.gov submission.

C. Content and Form of Application Submission

The application is made by submitting the materials described below. Applications must contain all information requested.

1. Standard Form 424

The applicant must complete Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance.

Instructions for completion of the SF-424 are included with the form. However, note that EPA requires that the entire requested dollar amount appear on the SF-424, not simply the proposed first year expenses. The form must contain the signature of an authorized representative of the applying organization. Note that a minimum non-federal cost share/match of 35% of the total project costs which is equivalent at a minimum to 53.846% of the federal funds awarded must be included.

2. Key Contacts, EPA Form 5700-54

The applicant must complete the “Key Contacts” form found in the Grants.gov application package.