EPA-I-R10-PS-2022-001 Revised.pdf

2022 Request for Applications: Puget Sound Action Agenda, Tribal Implementation Lead 2.0

Overview

1. Federal Agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – Region 10

2. Funding Opportunity Title: Puget Sound Action Agenda – Tribal Implementation Lead 2.0

3. Announcement Type: Request for Applications (RFA)

4. Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-I-R10-PS-2022-001

5. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 66.121

6. Statutory Authority: The statutory authority for the assistance agreement to be funded under this announcement is Section 320(g) of the Clean Water Act (Public Law 33.U.S.C.1251-1387).

7. Dates: The closing date and time for receipt of proposal submissions is March 11, 2022, on or before 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (ET) in order to be considered for funding. Proposal packages must be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov

(http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/home.html) no later than the closing date and time.

Below is a detailed anticipated schedule for this Funding Opportunity:

January 21, 2022: Applicants should have a current registration or have applied for registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) as well as having or applied for a Dun and

Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Number System (DUNS) registration. The process for obtaining both could take a month or more and both are required for applying to this funding opportunity.

Applicants must be registered with www.grants.gov.

February 2, 2022: EPA Region 10 hosts a webinar to address questions about the RFA.

March 11, 2022: Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by March 11, 2022 by

11:59 PM (EST). See section IV of this RFA for more details.

April 8, 2022 Anticipated date that selected successful applicants will be notified and requested to develop and submit a complete application for assistance and negotiate a final work plan and budget for the proposal

May 20, 2022: Anticipated date to submit revised grant application, work plan, and budget completed and submitted to EPA.

July 1, 2022: Anticipated award date, subject to Federal FY2022 appropriation.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/home.html http://www.grants.gov/

Contents Overview

Contents

Funding Opportunity Description

A. Programmatic Background

B. Program Goals and Objectives

C. EPA’s Strategic Plan Linkages, Environmental Results, and Logic Models

Award Information

A. Number and Amount of Awards

B. Start Date and Length of Project Period

C. Funding Type

D. Other Award Provisions

Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants – See CFDA 66.121

B. Non-Federal Match Requirement

C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria

D. Funding Restrictions

Application and Submission Information

A. Submission and Limited Exception Procedures

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

C. Submission Dates and Times

D. Coalition Coverage

E. Webinar on this Solicitation

Application Review Information

A. Application Review Criteria

B. Review and Selection Process

Award Administration Information

A. Award Notification

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirement

C. Reporting Requirement

D. Disputes

Agency Contacts

Other Information

A. Riparian Buffers

B. Quality Assurance

C. Peer Review

D. Data Access and Information Release

E. Annual Grantee Conference

F. WQX Requirement

Appendix A. Measuring Environmental Results: Logic Models, Outputs, and Outcomes

Funding Opportunity Description This RFA solicits proposals from eligible applicants to act, in coordination with Puget Sound federally-recognized tribes, the Puget Sound Partnership (“Partnership” or PSP) and Management Conference, EPA, and other relevant parties, as the Tribal Implementation Lead (TIL) for the 2018-2022 Puget Sound

Action Agenda, and subsequent updates of the Action Agenda.

Section I.A. below provides background on the institutional setting and frameworks within which the TIL will function as a collaborative and engaged principal. The TIL will be expected to develop and sustain mechanisms to integrate and represent its program within this context.

A. Programmatic Background

1. Puget Sound NEP overview

EPA, Washington State, Tribes, local governments, nonprofit organizations, and academia have partnered for over 30 years to protect and restore Puget Sound through the Clean Water Act (CWA)

Section 320 National Estuary Program (NEP). CWA Section 320 requires each NEP to establish a

“Management Conference” to include representatives of each State and foreign nation located in part or whole in the estuarine zone of the estuary for which the conference is convened, Tribes, regional agencies, appropriate federal agencies, local governments, affected industries, academic institutions, and the public.

Section 320 also requires the Management Conference to develop a “Comprehensive Conservation and

Management Plan” (CCMP) and to develop plans for its coordinated implementation. Management

Conferences use a collaborative, consensus-building approach to implement CCMPs. Moreover, each

MC ensures that the CCMP is uniquely tailored to the local environmental conditions and is based on local input, thereby supporting local priorities.

The Puget Sound Partnership has been designated by the EPA and Washington State as the lead State agency for the Management Conference for the Puget Sound NEP under CWA Section 320. The Puget

Sound Partnership is defined in State legislation to include the Leadership Council, Ecosystem

Coordination Board, Science Panel and Executive Director with staff.

2. Puget Sound Action Agenda

The Puget Sound NEP’s approved CCMP is the Puget Sound Action Agenda. In 2008, the Puget Sound

Partnership published the first Puget Sound Action Agenda, a strategy to clean up, restore, and protect

Puget Sound. EPA requests that each NEP review and update its CCMP every three to five years to keep the CCMP current and relevant. Accordingly, there have been multiple updates to the Puget Sound

Action Agenda since 2008, including in 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. The current (2018-2022) Action

Agenda, and previous versions of the Action Agenda, can be viewed at http://www.psp.wa.gov/action_agenda_center.php.

The Puget Sound Partnership is currently developing the next update to the Action Agenda – the 2022-

2026 Action Agenda. The purpose of the 2022-2026 Action Agenda is to concentrate efforts, energy, and investment on key transformational changes that will enable collective progress toward the statutory goals and system of progress measures, known as Vital Signs, that guide Puget Sound recovery. Desired outcomes and strategies to advance progress toward those desired outcomes have been defined for the

2022-2026 Action Agenda. The 2022-2026 Action Agenda will also include “actions,” where “actions” https://www.epa.gov/nep/overview-national-estuary-program http://www.psp.wa.gov/action_agenda_center.php describe the activities that will be a shared focus for implementing each strategy from 2022-2026. For example, this could include restoration and acquisition; program development, improvement, or implementation; education; outreach; research; legislative or policy improvements; or other types of activities. For more information on the 2022-2026 Action Agenda development process, see the Puget

Sound Partnership Action Agenda update website and 2022-2026 Action Agenda development fact sheets, such as the fact sheet on “Identifying Actions for Puget Sound Recovery.”

The 2022-2026 Action Agenda “actions” are intended to guide partner implementation and innovation and will inform the focus of public and private funding and implementation support by the boards and regional partners. Subawards made under the TIL 2.0 program must implement tribal priorities within the Action Agenda.

3. 2021 EPA/NEP Puget Sound Funding Model

Figure 1 shows a conceptual diagram of EPA’s current intended allocation of its Puget Sound appropriation toward implementation of the Puget Sound Action Agenda (“2021 Funding Model” or

“Funding Model”)1.

Figure 1. 2021 EPA/NEP Puget Sound Funding Model Structure. Source: 2-25-20 EPA Region 10

Geographic Programs Section Puget Sound Management Conference webinar.

Figure 1 shows that in the 2021 Funding Model, a major component of EPA’s allocation is for a Tribal

Implementation Lead program (“Tribal Implementation Award” in Figure 1). Other major components of the allocation are for a Habitat Strategic Initiative Lead (SIL) Award, a Shellfish SIL, a Stormwater SIL, Puget Sound Partnership base program funding, and funding for Implementation Strategies and Science.

Another key component of the Funding Model is the Puget Sound Tribal Capacity Program. EPA intends that these major entities responsible for implementing the Action Agenda under the Funding Model

1 The 2021 Funding Model was preceded by a 2016 Funding Model, which reflected a largely similar allocation scheme.

https://psp.wa.gov/2022AAupdate.php https://pspwa.app.box.com/s/jqlp2tvk1z8tc5m4f07nv0iqbejfkrjj work together to maintain a high degree of awareness, communication, and coordination with each other. This will help to maximize synergies, leveraging, efficiencies, and shared best practices in implementing the Action Agenda.

As demonstrated in EPA’s Funding Models for Puget Sound, significant, dedicated support for Tribal implementation of Tribal priorities in the Action Agenda, and Tribal capacity to engage and lead in the collaborative Puget Sound Management Conference, has been a cornerstone of EPA’s Puget Sound allocation since 2010. This dedicated funding reflects EPA’s ongoing commitment to the 1984 EPA Indian

Policy and federal trust and treaty responsibilities to Tribal Nations; recognition of Tribal stewardship and knowledge of the Puget Sound ecosystem since time immemorial; and Puget Sound Tribes’ status as co-managers of resources in Washington State.

This Tribal Implementation Lead (TIL) 2.0 RFA continues this commitment to supporting implementation of tribal priorities within the Action Agenda. We designated it as “TIL 2.0” to differentiate it from the previous generations of this program (the first generation or cycle of this program, funded with FY10-15 funds, was known as the Tribal Lead Organization (Tribal LO) program, and the second cycle, funded with FY16-21 funds, was known as the Tribal Implementation Lead (TIL) program); the Tribal

Implementation Lead 2.0 program is intended to build off these two predecessors.

EPA’s implementation of our funding models, and other aspects of our Puget Sound program, are described in the 2021 report, “EPA Geographic Program Funding at Work on Puget Sound Recovery,”

(EPA-910-K-21-001, February 2021).

4. Climate Resilience and Environmental Justice

EPA has long recognized broad national environmental priorities including the importance of integrating resilience to changing climate conditions into projects and planning, as well as addressing issues of environmental justice (EJ). In coordination with EPA under this cooperative agreement, the TIL 2.0 should develop practices and mechanisms to advance progress in these priority areas through its programs.

Climate change poses risks to human health, the environment, cultural resources, the economy and quality of life. These changes are expected to create further challenges to protecting human health and welfare and the environment. Projects supported under this program, in implementing tribal priorities within the Action Agenda, could contribute to helping communities and ecosystems become more sustainable and resilient to the effects of climate change; could be designed to ensure that project outcomes are met even as climate changes; and could increase decision makers’ ability to anticipate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from the impacts of a changing climate. For example, EPA has long recognized the important role of green infrastructure in ecosystem restoration and in fostering climate resilient communities. More recently, Executive Order 14052, dated November 15, 2021, “Implementation of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act,” (Act) establishes as a priority “building infrastructure that is resilient and that helps combat the crisis of climate change.” Protecting natural infrastructure and pursuing green infrastructure will be a core element in achieving such resilience and is an emphasis of the Puget Sound NEP. Information and resources on climate resilience and green infrastructure can be found here: https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure.

Regarding environmental justice, EPA has long had a focus on this topic, both in a general sense, as well as its specific relationship to EPA’s relationships with sovereign Tribal governments. For example, in https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-02/documents/puget-sound-geographic-funding-report-2021.pdf https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/11/18/2021-25286/implementation-of-the-infrastructure-investment-and-jobs-act https://www.epa.gov/green-infrastructure

2014, EPA developed an “EPA Policy on Environmental Justice for Working with Federally-Recognized

Tribes and Indigenous Peoples.”

B. Program Goals and Objectives This Request for Applications (RFA) implements the Tribal Implementation Award component of EPA’s

2021 Funding Model. The program developed by the selected recipient will be part of the structure reflected in Figure 1 and will be expected to operate in a collaborative manner with other entities in the

Funding Model structure.

The overall goal of the TIL 2.0 program is to support implementation of tribal priorities in the Puget

Sound Action Agenda, and to coordinate and integrate this program with Funding Model and

Management Conference partners who also support Action Agenda implementation. The TIL 2.0 is expected to establish and implement processes and mechanisms that promote communication, coordination, and integration of the activities funded under the TIL program with other Action Agenda implementation efforts, particularly those led by PSP and the Strategic Initiative Leads. In developing its program, the TIL 2.0 must also consider and address climate resilience and environmental justice considerations identified in Section I.A.4. above.

EPA anticipates that the following three objectives are needed to achieve the TIL 2.0 program goals:

• Make and Manage Subawards. Develop and carry out a system for making subawards to federally-recognized Tribes in the Puget Sound basin and authorized consortia of these Tribes;

• Management Conference Participation and Partner Engagement. Develop and implement mechanisms for engaging with Management Conference and Funding Model partners; and

• Manage the Cooperative Agreement. Adaptively manage the TIL 2.0 cooperative agreement with EPA.

Specific activities supportive of these objectives are described in the following sections. Applicants should describe how they will address these objectives in their applications and are encouraged to be innovative and build from the factors and considerations described below.

1. Make and Manage Subawards

Under the TIL 2.0 program, as with previous cycles of this program, only Federally recognized Tribes in the greater Puget Sound basin, and authorized consortia of these Tribes, are eligible for subawards.

Subaward projects funded under the TIL 2.0 program must implement actions in the approved Action

Agenda and must be demonstrated to be of high tribal priority.

Within these broad parameters, the applicant’s program to make and manage subawards should address the following factors and considerations:

• How solicitations for tribal and tribal consortia subaward proposals will be developed and managed, what criteria and review processes will be used to process proposals and make decisions on whether to fund them or not, and how this subaward cycle will be documented and managed.

• How collaborative, supportive relationships with the subaward population will be established, maintained, and demonstrated. This also includes comprehensive working understanding of tribes’ highest priority environmental concerns and how these are represented in the Puget

Sound Action Agenda. What existing knowledge, relationships, and mechanisms the applicant https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/epa-policy-environmental-justice-working-federally-recognized-tribes-and https://www.epa.gov/environmentaljustice/epa-policy-environmental-justice-working-federally-recognized-tribes-and organization has for working with the federally recognized tribes of the greater Puget Sound basin and their authorized consortia.

• How subaward performance will be monitored, and what systems will ensure that subawards are made expeditiously and performed effectively, and that subaward funds are drawn down timely such that unliquidated obligations are minimized. Monitoring subaward performance is intended to ensure that the subawards are achieving the objectives of the program, expected outputs and outcomes, and other subaward requirements (e.g., see Section VIII of this RFA).

• How detailed working knowledge of the Action Agenda and its implementation and other programmatic background provided with this RFA will be developed and maintained; and how this knowledge will be used to support the subrecipients under this program. Support to subrecipients could take a variety of forms, including email and other written materials, webinars, workshops, trainings, or other types of information sessions, or links to support provided by PSP, SILs, or other Management Conference partners.

• How technical and administrative support during subaward conduct will be provided to subawardees. This includes technical capacity to review and ensure subaward workplans are feasible and appropriate to meet outputs and outcomes, and to be a resource to subrecipients who may seek technical support throughout the conduct of their projects. This also includes support for compliance with EPA grant requirements that pass through to subrecipients (e.g., relating to quality assurance, peer review, and other program requirements such as those mentioned in Sections VI and VIII of this RFA). Again, support could take a variety of forms, including email and other written materials, webinars, workshops, trainings, or other types of information sessions, or links to support provided by PSP, SILs, or other Management

Conference partners.

• How subaward work products and reports will be made available and/or proactively shared for the benefit of both the TIL subrecipient and broader recovery community. This may include program-wide analyses and syntheses of work products along specific themes or lines (e.g., analyses/syntheses of TIL contributions to habitat restoration); highlighting individual subrecipient work products, etc. This may also include convening conferences, workshops, or other venues for sharing lessons learned, best practices, or other focus areas among subrecipients and other practitioners. Finally, this may also entail supporting and encouraging subrecipients to share their work products and activities through conferences, workshops, professional associations, journal publications, and other venues.

• How climate resilience and environmental justice will be reflected and, as appropriate, integrated into the subaward program. This may include activities to study, evaluate, model, plan, and prepare for the impacts of climate change on Puget Sound ecosystem protection and restoration activities, and other considerations noted in Section I.A.4. of this solicitation. This may also include applying TIL 2.0 technical expertise to helping sub-awardees integrate climate change adaptation and resilience into project design and implementation.

2. Management Conference Participation and Partner Engagement

As explained in Section I.A.1 above, all National Estuary Programs such as the Puget Sound NEP are guided by a Management Conference2.

2 EPA states that NEP Management Conferences, in general, are “made up of diverse stakeholders including citizens, local, state, and Federal agencies, as well as with non-profit and private sector entities. Using a consensus-

As further indicated in the 2021 EPA/NEP Funding Model (Figure 1), the TIL 2.0 program will be administering this program within the context of other implementation entities, within the larger Management Conference framework. We expect the TIL 2.0 program entity to establish mechanisms and practices through which it will engage within and integrate its activities. The applicant’s program to engage and participate with Management Conference partners should address the following factors and considerations:

• The applicant organization’s overall institutional commitment to being an active and collaborative partner in the Puget Sound Management Conference and in Action Agenda implementation, and the specific formal and informal activities and roles through which that commitment is communicated and represented within Management Conference forums

• How the TIL 2.0 role would fit into that overall institutional commitment, and what specific formal and informal mechanisms and activities would be used to coordinate the institution’s

Management Conference activities. For example, if different departments at the applicant organization have Management Conference roles, then how will those departments coordinate, communicate, and collaborate.

• How the TIL 2.0 would work with the Puget Sound Partnership (PSP), the SILs, and other

Management Conference recovery partners in the implementation of the Action Agenda. This should include specific staffing plans for engaging with SIL 2.0 teams, in coordinating forums such as the Awards Coordination Group, the Award Managers Group, the Action Agenda

Coordination Group, the Strategic Initiative Advisory Teams (SIATs), the Implementation

Strategy interdisciplinary teams (IDTs), Local Integrating Organizations (LIOs), and other appropriate forums.

• How TIL 2.0 program activities would be reported into established Management Conference accountability mechanisms, such as the Puget Sound Info platform, and other platforms or processes led by the Puget Sound Partnership. This should also include how TIL 2.0 subaward products and activities would be tagged or mapped onto Action Agenda activities and onto the adaptive management framework that supports Action Agenda implementation, known as the

Progress Measures Framework, and which includes the Puget Sound Vital Signs, Indicators, and

Targets. This is so connections between the TIL 2.0 portfolio of activities and the Action Agenda and its supporting adaptive management framework can be clearly and readily articulated, summarized, and communicated.

• How the TIL 2.0 program would, in an ongoing basis, interface, communicate, coordinate, and be accountable to the federally-recognized Puget Sound Tribes whose Action Agenda priorities the TIL 2.0 program supports. Potential important forums in this regard include existing relationships between the applicant and each Tribal government; the Tribal Management

Conference forum, the Partnership-Tribal Coordination Council (PTCC), the Treaty Rights at Risk

Initiative, and other structures and forums.

3. Manage the Cooperative Agreement

The TIL will be expected to comply with all terms and conditions, policies, and requirements relating to managing federal assistance agreements. The TIL will also need to ensure and support their subrecipient building approach and collaborative decision-making process, each MC works closely together to implement the CCMP. The MC ensures that the CCMP is uniquely tailored to the local environmental conditions, is based on local input, and supports local priorities” http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/nep/. For Puget Sound specifically, the Management Conference is described on p. 2, Appendix A, of the 2018-2022 Puget Sound Action Agenda (Error!

Hyperlink reference not valid.https://psp.wa.gov/action_agenda_center.php).

http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/nep/ community in complying with all terms and conditions, policies, and requirements relating to federal assistance that flow down to them from the TIL 2.0 award. In addition, the selected applicant is expected to adaptively manage the TIL 2.0 program by periodically developing and applying insights and lessons learned from past experiences with Action Agenda implementation programs to ongoing conduct of the program. The applicant’s program to manage the cooperative agreement arising from this RFA should address the following factors and considerations:

• Working with the EPA Project Officer to establish, staff, and sustain regular and robust mechanisms for communicating on the TIL 2.0 cooperative agreement. This may include regular

(e.g., weekly or biweekly) check-ins with the EPA Project Officer; dedicated conversations to support semiannual progress reporting requirements; and other mechanisms.

• Mechanisms and systems to proactively manage and track grant and subaward funds to ensure compliance with targets that EPA may specify regarding unliquidated obligations.

• Mechanisms and systems to manage and track compliance of all aspects of the grant and subaward conduct to ensure compliance with all EPA Terms and Conditions. This includes required semiannual progress reporting (both from subawardees to TIL, and from TIL to EPA);

completing all required closeout processes (both from subawardees to TIL, and from TIL to

EPA).

• Update workplans annually with incremental funding awards, develop communications about the program, represent the program at conferences and events, and cover close-out, synthesis, and presentation activities.

• Mechanisms and processes to periodically affirm that the organization’s senior leadership is kept informed and supports the direction and conduct of this program, and that the direction and conduct of this program is well integrated into and coordinated with the organization’s strategic goals as well as with the organization’s commitment to collaborative engagement in the Puget Sound Management Conference and Action Agenda implementation.

• Processes to periodically compile and address feedback on the program and adjusting if needed to strengthen achievement of program objectives. This may include obtaining or compiling feedback and communication from subrecipients on any aspect of program administration and support; reviewing the history of Tribal LO and TIL 1.0 program outputs and synthesizing themes, lessons learned, and recommendations for ongoing management of the program. This may also include obtaining or compiling feedback from key recovery, Funding Model, and

Management Conference partners, relating to TIL 2.0 program goals, objectives, progress, and the degree to which these are known and communicated.

C. EPA’s Strategic Plan Linkages, Environmental Results, and Logic

Models Pursuant to paragraph 6.a. of EPA Order 5700.7A1, “Environmental Results under EPA Assistance

Agreements,” EPA must link proposed assistance agreements to EPA’s strategic goals (see EPA Order

5700.7A1, Environmental Results under EPA Assistance Agreements, https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements). EPA also requires that applicants and recipients adequately describe environmental outputs, environmental outcomes, and performance measurements to be achieved under assistance agreements. These linkages, outputs, outcomes, and performance measures are described below.

1. Linkage to EPA Strategic Plan

The activities to be funded under this solicitation support EPA’s Draft FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan

(https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan). Awards made under this solicitation will support

Goal 5 – Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities, Objective 5.2 – Protect and Restore

Waterbodies and Watersheds of the Draft Plan (https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan).

2. Environmental Results: Outputs, Outcomes, and Performance Measures

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

Examples of expected outputs from the activities and project(s) conducted by Tribal Implementation

Lead selected under this solicitation may include, but are not limited to, the following examples:

• Draft and final plans for a subaward cycle that includes a solicitation phase, a proposal review process and phase, a subaward contracting phase, a subrecipient monitoring and support phase, and a closeout phase.

• Draft and final plans for coordinating with PSP, SIL, and other Management Conference recovery partners

• Draft and final plans for supporting subaward applicants in identifying connections between their Tribal priorities and the activities, strategies, and other content of the Puget Sound Action

Agenda

• Documentation of subaward monitoring activities

• Memos, presentations, reports, or other documentation of activities to synthesize the TIL program, its products, successes, challenges, opportunities that can inform adaptive management of the TIL program

• Documentation of compliance with award terms and conditions, as appropriate (e.g., documentation of applicant quality assurance and quality management systems; a record of submitted progress reports; etc.)

Examples of outputs that could be generated by subawards awarded by the Tribal Implementation Lead selected under this solicitation may include, but are not limited to, the following examples:

• Products associated with routine subrecipient reporting, such as semi-annual progress and final reports

• Publications, presentations, reports, or other products produced under the subawards

• Programs or projects to target riparian protection and restoration

• Incentive programs to achieve net reduction in shoreline armoring

• Coordinated investment strategies developed/ implemented to maximize cross agency effectiveness for habitat restoration and protection

• Invasive species control programs to preserve / restore native vegetation in important habitat areas

• Number of volunteer stewards who are trained in oil spill response. The number of volunteers would be reported as a quantifiable output.

• Public outreach and education activities conducted to help reduce unregulated pathogen pollution

• Inspection and/or enforcement activities for pathogen pollution control

• Climate change adaptation and resiliency planning or project construction to address stormwater impacts

• Toxics reduction programs to reduce pollutant loading of stormwater runoff

• Low impact development, LID, project design and construction.

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

The term “outcome” means the result, effect or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may be qualitative and environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature, but must also be quantitative. They may not necessarily be entirely achievable within an assistance agreement funding period. Activities and projects to be funded under this announcement are expected to produce programmatic and /or environmental outcomes including but not limited to:

• Action Agenda projects implemented by Tribes are recognized, reported and highlighted within

Action Agenda implementation tracking systems

• The Puget Sound Management Conference has a substantive understanding and appreciation of the body of Action Agenda implementation efforts led by Tribes, and Tribes’ role in implementing the Action Agenda

• Measurable progress toward targets established for Vital Signs and Indicators of greatest importance to Tribes (e.g., chinook salmon) is reported in State of the Sound reports, and

Tribes’ role in this progress is identified and understood. The following are examples of potentially relevant indicators, but the exact indicators would need to be determined on a case by case basis:

o Reduction in the number of water bodies on Washington’s Impaired Waters list o Stormwater management programs established and functioning in majority of priority

Puget Sound watersheds o Measurable reduction of stormwater pollutants in marine water quality monitoring o Measurable reduction of toxicity levels in marine species o Net increase in acres of native riparian vegetation o Increased forested upland acreage in conservation status o Improved ecosystem function observed in priority habitat areas o Net increases of harvestable shellfish bed acreage o Pollution Identification and Correction programs functioning in all Puget Sound counties, enabling better response to new pollution source detection o Fewer conditional closures of shellfish beds impacted by pathogen or nutrient runoff o Existing commercial, tribal, and recreational shellfish harvest areas are protected and preserved, resulting in improved public health

The applicant should also develop performance measures they expect to achieve through the proposed activities and describe them in their proposal. These performance measures will help gather insights and will be the mechanism to track progress concerning successful process and output and outcome strategies and will provide the basis for developing lessons to inform future recipients. It is expected that the description of performance measures will include defined benchmark or change in status, either in programmatic function or environmental condition, and that the performance measures be time constrained and/or quantifiable such as the following:

• Performance Measure Example 1 (for Tribal Implementation Lead): Subaward recipients complete projects within the stated timeframe and unliquidated obligations are minimized.

• Performance Measure Example 2 (for subawards managed by TIL): Number of feet of shoreline armoring removed.

The following are questions to consider when developing output and outcome measures of quantitative and qualitative results:

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

• How will progress in achieving the expected results (including outputs and outcomes) be measured, and how will the planned approach use resources effectively and efficiently?

To ensure your application supports implementation of both the Puget Sound Action Agenda and EPA’s national strategic plan objectives, you should carefully consider the underlying logic of your proposed tasks, outputs, and outcomes, and how they support the objectives of this solicitation. You may include a more formal graphical logic model with your application. A logic model summarizes the major elements of your project, and connects strategic objectives to your proposed resources, activities, outputs, and outcomes. You may also describe the underlying logic of your proposed program of work in narrative form.

See Appendix A for information on environmental results and logic models.

Award Information

A. Number and Amount of Awards EPA anticipates awarding one cooperative agreement from this RFA, subject to the availability of funds, the quality of proposals received, and other applicable considerations. Funding for the award is expected to be provided incrementally over a five-year period with an initial amount of approximately

$7,000,000 to $10,000,000 for the first year and subsequent incremental funding through year five.

Incremental funding after the initial award is subject to future appropriations, satisfactory performance of work, and other applicable considerations. The total estimated funding for this competitive opportunity is up to approximately $50,000,000 for the five-year period.

B. Start Date and Length of Project Period The successful applicant should plan for projects to begin on or after July 1, 2022. EPA will accept proposals for a five-year funding period. The proposal must clearly demonstrate how the project will be sustained for the time frame proposed.

C. Funding Type The successful applicant will be issued a cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement is an assistance agreement that is used when there is substantial federal involvement with the recipient during the performance of an activity or project. EPA will negotiate the precise terms and conditions of

“substantial involvement” as part of the award process. Federal involvement may include close monitoring of the recipient’s performance; collaboration during the performance of the scope of work;

in accordance with 2 C.F.R. 200.317 and 2 C.F.R. 200.318, as appropriate, review of proposed procurements; reviewing qualifications of key personnel; and/or review and comment on the content of printed or electronic publications prepared. EPA does not have the authority to select employees or contractors employed by the recipient. The final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient.

In addition, under the award to be made under this RFA, EPA involvement may include: (1) negotiating the initial Scope of Work for the cooperative agreement and also annual amendments when incremental funding is applied for. EPA may re-negotiate annual work plans and budgets so long as the revised workplans and budget are consistent with the scope of work of the agreement and the solicitation and

EPA’s annual federal budget; (2) monitor the project management and execution throughout the assistance agreement’s project and budget period; (3) provide technical assistance and coordination as requested or needed by the recipient; and (4) review and approve technical deliverables.

D. Other Award Provisions EPA reserves the right to reject all proposals and make no award under this announcement or to a make a smaller award than expected. In addition, EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with Agency policy and guidance, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than 6 months after the original selection decisions.

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

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

A. Eligible Applicants – See CFDA 66.121 All federally recognized Indian Tribes located within the greater Puget Sound basin and any consortium of these eligible Tribes are eligible to apply. The greater Puget Sound basin is defined as all watersheds draining to the U.S. waters of Puget Sound, southern Georgia Basin, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

An eligible Intertribal consortium is one that demonstrates that: 1) a majority of its members meet the eligibility requirements for this program; 2) all members that meet the eligibility requirements authorize the consortium to apply for and receive the grant; and 3) only members that meet the eligibility requirements will benefit directly from the grant project and the consortium agrees to a grant condition to that effect.

An Intertribal consortium must have adequate documentation of the existence of the partnership and the authorization of the member Tribes to apply for and receive assistance. Documentation that demonstrates the existence of the partnership of Indian Tribal governments may consist of Tribal

Council resolutions, Intertribal consortia resolutions in conjunction with a Tribal Council resolution from each member Tribe, or other written certification from a duly authorized representative of each Tribal government that clearly demonstrates that a partnership of Indian Tribal governments exists. An

Intertribal consortium resolution is not adequate documentation of the member Tribes’ authorization of the consortium unless it includes a written certification from a duly authorized representative of each

Tribal government.

https://intranet.epa.gov/ogd/competition/compet/competition_announcement_boiler_plate_provisions_and_guidance.pdf

B. Non-Federal Match Requirement The Clean Water Act, at §320(g)(3)(a)(II), provides that the Federal share of a grant under this program for a fiscal year shall not exceed 50% of the aggregate costs of implementing the project. For this RFA, this means that applicants must be able to show in their proposals that they will be able to provide and/or coordinate match for this project such that they or other members of the Management

Conference will spend an equal amount of nonfederal funds on implementing these projects during the budget period. Applicants should identify how they plan to coordinate match, and/or the source(s) of the anticipated non-federal match together with the nature of the projects funded with the non-federal match. If applicable, proposals must show that the projects providing the nonfederal match are

“committed” and that they have not been used to provide nonfederal match for any other federal financial assistance. The match can come from expenditures to implement the Action Agenda/CCMP in the aggregate.

Forms of Match: The match requirement may be met in the form of cash or in-kind contributions. In-kind contributions include volunteer or donated time, equipment, expertise, salaries, other verifiable costs, etc. and are subject to the regulations governing matching fund requirements at 2 C.F.R. Part 200.

The match must be for allowable project costs. Matching funds are considered assistance agreement funds and are included in the total award amount and should be used for the reasonable and necessary expenses of carrying out the work plan. All assistance agreement funds are subject to federal audit. Any restrictions on the use of assistance agreement funds (examples of restrictions are outlined in Section

III.D of this announcement) also apply to the use of matching funds. Other Federal assistance agreements may not be used as match without specific statutory authority. If matching requirements for incremental funding awarded under this RFA change as a result of future legislation on restoration of

Puget Sound or otherwise, EPA will make appropriate adjustments to match requirements in the terms and conditions of the cooperative agreements.

C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria Proposals must meet the threshold eligibility criteria listed below by the time of a proposal’s submission or they will be eliminated from consideration for funding. Only proposals meeting all of the criteria will be evaluated against the ranking factors in Section V.A. Applicants whose proposals are deemed ineligible as a result of the threshold review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

1. Proposals must substantially comply with the proposal submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement or else they will be rejected.

However, where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to the narrative proposal, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed.

2. Proposals must demonstrate that subaward projects will implement actions that are in the approved Action Agenda and that are demonstrated to be of high tribal priority.

3. Initial proposals must be submitted through Grants.gov as stated in Section IV of this announcement (except in the limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed for as explained in Section IV) on or before the proposal submission deadline published in Section IV of this announcement. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV of this announcement to ensure that their proposal is timely submitted.

4. Proposals submitted after the submission deadline will be considered late and deemed ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was late due to EPA mishandling or because of technical problems associated with Grants.gov or relevant

SAM.gov issues. An applicant’s failure to timely submit their proposal through Grants.gov because they did not timely or properly register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov will not be considered an acceptable reason to consider a late submission. Applicants should confirm receipt of their proposal with the EPA Puget Sound Program contact, Melissa Whitaker, at

Whitaker.Melissa@epa.gov as soon as possible after the submission deadline. Failure to do so may result in your proposal not being reviewed.

5. Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements as described in Section III. A above.

6. Applicants must demonstrate how they will meet the match requirements as described in

Section III.B above.

7. Proposals with international work plan elements must demonstrate that they directly and primarily benefit U.S. waters, resources, or policy interests to restore and protect the greater

Puget Sound ecosystem.

8. Applicants must demonstrate that their subaward program will provide the opportunity for all

19 Federally recognized Indian Tribes located within the greater Puget Sound basin, and any authorized consortium of these eligible Tribes, to obtain funding.

D. Funding Restrictions Actions required under NPDES Phase l and ll stormwater permits existing at the time of this announcement will generally not be funded. Applicants proposing stormwater-related activities in

Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) areas must include a statement certifying that the work proposed for funding is either not required under a current stormwater discharge permit or it strategically supports Puget Sound targets and environmental outcomes that would otherwise not accrue. EPA may re-evaluate this restriction as future permit changes are made.

Award funds may not be used for matching funds for other federal assistance agreements, lobbying or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. Award funding must be authorized by the statutory authority (e.g. Section 320(g) of the Clean Water Act) and may not be used to sue the federal government or any other government entity. In accordance with applicable law, regulation, and policy, any recipient of funding must agree to comply with restrictions on using assistance funds for unauthorized lobbying, fund-raising, or political activities (i.e., lobbying members of Congress or lobbying for other federal grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts). EPA reserves the right to make final decisions regarding actions or costs incurred that are contrary or damaging to the intent and purposes of the Puget Sound National Estuary program (NEP), the Puget Sound Action Agenda and

Management Conference, for which award funds may not be used.

All costs incurred under this program must be allowable under 2 C.F.R. 200, Subpart E.

If an application is submitted that includes any ineligible activities, that portion of the application will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects the application, render the entire application ineligible.

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

A. Submission 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 IV.A.2. Technical

Issues with Submission below.

1. Submission Instructions and Deadline

The electronic submission of your application must be made by an official representative of your institution who is registered with Grants.gov and is authorized to sign applications for Federal assistance. For more information on the registration requirements that must be completed in order to submit an application through grants.gov, go to Grants.gov and click on "Applicants" on the top of the page and then go to the "Get Registered" link on the page. If your organization is not currently registered with Grants.gov, please encourage your office to designate an Authorized Organization

Representative (AOR) and ask that individual to begin the registration process as soon as possible.

Please note that the registration process also requires that your organization have a DUNS number and a current registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) and the process of obtaining both could take a month or more. Applicants must ensure that all registration requirements are met in order to apply for this opportunity through grants.gov and should ensure that all such requirements have been met well in advance of the submission deadline. Registration on Grants.gov, SAM.gov, and DUNS number assignment is FREE. Please see RAIN-2021-G01 for information about EPA's implementation of the upcoming Government-wide transition from DUNS to Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

Applicants need to ensure that the AOR who submits the application through Grants.gov and whose

DUNS is listed on the application is an AOR for the applicant listed on the application. Additionally, the

DUNS listed on the application must be registered to the applicant organization's SAM account. If not, the application may be deemed ineligible.

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

"Applicants" on the top of the page and then…