EPA-I-R4-SFL-2023-01 Revised.pdf

AGENCY:

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY, REGION 4

TITLE:

2023 SOUTH FLORIDA PROGRAM

ACTION: REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS (RFA)

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER (FON): EPA-I-R4-SFL-2023-01

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 66.484

RFA OPENS: May 18, 2023 RFA CLOSES: July 14, 2023 ANTICIPATED DATE OF SELECTION: November 2023 ANTICIPATED AWARD: April 2024

The closing date and time for receipt of applications is 11:59pm Eastern Time (ET) on July 14, 2023, and application packages must be submitted electronically to the EPA through Grants.gov to be considered for funding.

If you are interested in applying for this south Florida competitive announcement, EPA Region 4 is offering a pre-budget webinar to discuss requirements and assist in the development of the 424A budget sheet and scope of work budget. Please reach out to Jennifer Shadle at shadle.jennifer@epa.gov no later than June 7, 2023, for an invitation to the South Florida Developing Your Budget webinar to be held the week of June 12, 2023.

CONTENTS BY SECTION

I. Funding Opportunity Description II. Award Information III. Eligibility Information IV. Application Submission Information V. Application Evaluation and Review Information VI. Award Administration Information VII. Agency Contacts

Appendices

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. South Florida Program

The EPA South Florida Program provides competitive grants to address the immediate and emerging ecological pressures and threats to south Florida waters including fresh waters, estuaries, bays, and coral reef, central to south Florida’s economic and ecological wellbeing. Aquatic ecosystems play a vital role https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html mailto:shadle.jennifer@epa.gov supporting healthy and resilient estuaries, coastal, inland, and near-shore infrastructure by providing food, habitat, nutrient removal, water filtration, storm attenuation, carbon storage, shoreline stabilization, and other financial and tangible benefits.

This RFA solicits applications for the South Florida Program region that includes the 16-county area covered by south Florida Water Management District as well as the Florida Keys, Florida Reef Tract, Caloosahatchee Estuary, Indian River Lagoon, St. Lucie Estuary, Florida Bay, and Biscayne Bay. Please refer to the map located in Appendix D.

This RFA supports the Special Studies/Research component for the South Florida Program. Special Studies are projects that provide information specific to management questions and concerns, inform policy, and provide understanding of south Florida aquatic ecosystems. Examples of eligible projects include, but are not limited to:

• supporting monitoring, research, or innovative restoration efforts for key species (e.g. coral, seagrass, sponges, mangroves, etc);

• research, investigation, and demonstration projects to mitigate harmful algal blooms;

• residential canal pollution reduction demonstration projects;

• stormwater pollution reduction demonstration projects;

• water quality and benthic habitat monitoring;

• research, investigation and management strategies to address contaminants of emerging concern such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and/or microplastics;

• identifying and understanding cause-effect relationships of pollutants in the environment;

• addressing specific management questions and concerns to sensitive ecosystems;

• applying innovative approaches, methods, or techniques for preventing, treating, and handling pollution from entering waterbodies; and

• investigating localized water quality impacts from potential pollution sources.

Applications specifically addressing priorities identified in Section B, Scope of Work to Address the Priority Action Items, within this area will receive additional consideration on the Rationale and Relevance to Management criterion, as described in Section V., during evaluation.

Proposed projects benefitting underserved communities will be evaluated as per part V of this announcement. The term “underserved communities” refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, examples of which are identified in Section 2 of the Biden Administration’s Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities.

B. Scope of Work

The EPA Region 4 anticipates awarding $8,000,000 in Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) to approximately fifteen applicants with funding ranging from a minimum of $250,000 to a maximum of $650,000 per application. Applications must address one or more of the Priority Action Items listed below and describe the importance of protecting and restoring south Florida aquatic ecosystems. Applicants may submit an application for one or more of the priorities areas below.

The EPA strongly encourages applicants to identify partnerships within their scope of work which will support the priority or priorities addressed in their application. Please see Section V of this announcement for the evaluation criterion that addresses partnerships. As part of the application evaluation, the EPA will consider the mutual interests of each partner(s), how partnering with these entities will achieve the goals of the project, and whether partners are contributing monetary and/or in-kind for the project.

FY23 South Florida Program RFA Priorities:

Aquatic Habitat Restoration in South Florida [up to $650,000 per project]

• Demonstrate proof of concept habitat restoration to reestablish, rehabilitate, or enhance coral reef (including diadema and other benthic species), oyster reef, seagrass (submerged aquatic vegetation), sponge, mangrove, or other aquatic or wetland ecosystems. Demonstration (“test or prove”) of activities to improve water quality in south Florida, such as within residential canals or other aquatic systems, that may include restoration demonstration projects and design; reconnecting hydrology;

pilot projects proving or testing feasibility or efficacy of innovative technologies; education and outreach program for canal homeowners and marinas; collecting bathymetric data for restoration;

and monitoring to evaluate effectiveness of canal restoration techniques. Water quality results should be disseminated to the public as part of the outreach and education component. Innovative technologies or management practices identified must comply with all applicable regulations and water quality standards.

• Enhance seagrass monitoring networks to assess and quantify environmental impacts from land-based and upstream pollution; assess ecological conditions and functions; evaluate effectiveness of management actions; identify critical habitats threatened by water quality; evaluate potential sources of seagrass decline; and development of seagrass restoration activities and strategies.

• Identify and map habitat areas of particular concern for seagrass protection, restoration, and management required to support fisheries/marine mammal populations. Support the development of seagrass conservation and restoration plans.

• Develop innovative approaches to coral reef restoration activities (such as structure, coral species diversity, invertebrates, and other reef associated species) including consideration of culture, genetics, diversity, and scaling up such approaches.

Addressing Climate Resiliency through Nature Based Infrastructure [up to $650,000 per project]

• Prepare for and adjust to current and projected impacts of climate change. Activities may include, but not be limited to, developing climate adaptation plans; identifying potential impacts of climate change; assessing vulnerability of aquatic ecosystems; advancing nature-based solutions; identifying adaptive measures such as green infrastructure; and identifying mean to restore projects to maintain ecosystem function while providing storm attenuation and flood deterrence benefits.

• Assess vulnerability and propose projects to increase climate resiliency. Such projects may include adaptability planning, mapping ecosystem(s) carbon sequestration potential; investigating environmental stressors impacts on carbon sequestration; educating decision makers and the public regarding the importance and economic value of these threatened ecosystems; and evaluating flood potential of climate change with regards to impervious surfaces, reclamation of shorelines, and green infrastructure.

• Investigate opportunities to improve wastewater systems beyond advanced treatment standards and repurpose purified wastewater for beneficial use in south Florida. This may include an updated review of innovative wastewater treatment technologies or processes such as reverse osmosis, omni-processing and/or nanofiltration, pilot projects to test or prove the effectiveness of innovative technologies for removing pharmaceuticals, polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) and other contaminants of emerging concern, or feasibility studies on potable reuse of wastewater in south Florida.

Water Quality Monitoring and Modeling [up to $400,000 per project]

• Develop new or apply currently accepted models to investigate the connectivity between inland waters and the loading of associated pollutants to Florida’s coasts (e.g., stormwater, sewage overflows, river inputs.)

• Conduct alternative analyses or “mining” of the existing suite of water quality data and satellite imagery to determine if water quality improvements, hot-spots, or specific sources contributing to water quality degradation can be identified. Consider incorporating other monitoring tools, such as satellite imagery or forecast modeling, to provide additional information about regional trends.

• Enhance water quality to quantify environmental impacts from land-based and upstream pollution;

detect harmful algal blooms; assess changes of ecological conditions and functions; evaluate effectiveness of management actions / best management practices; and determine causes of water quality decline.

• Develop a nutrient loading model to demonstrate nutrient and contaminant loadings from regional sources into coastal waters including those surrounding the Florida Keys.

• Conduct nutrient loading analyses to assess the relative contribution of local anthropogenic sources of nitrogen and phosphorus (wastewater, stormwater, liveaboards, etc.) vs. natural sources of nutrients (upwelling, rainwater) to nearshore waters including the Florida Keys; include analysis of changes in anthropogenic nutrient loading over time compared to former nutrient loading estimates conducted before wastewater upgrades and other corrective actions were implemented.

• Evaluate nutrient loadings and transport into and from Lake Okeechobee and the surrounding watershed to freshwater and coastal ecosystems focused on impacts to Caloosahatchee Estuary and Indian River Lagoon.

• Establish water quality monitoring transects within nearshore “halo zone” waters (within 500 meters of shore) to determine the geographic extent of the impact of local, land-based anthropogenic nutrients within the Florida Keys. Identify the optimal distance from shore for measuring the 'endpoint' of land-based vs. regional water quality impacts to inform appropriate water quality targets and the effectiveness of local efforts to reduce pollution to adjacent marine waters.

• Identify the transport and movement of nutrients (fertilizers) and pesticides to and between groundwater systems. Assess the amount, fate, and transport of pollutants such as fertilizers, pesticides (including herbicides), etc. as they disperse into groundwater, surface water, or water supplies. For example, research and/or monitor shallow injection wells to determine if effluent is impacting nearby aquatic ecosystems.

Support Local Community-Based Projects to Protect Waterways and Aquatic Habitat [up to

$400,000 per project]

• Design and implement an education and outreach project that inspires individual action or coordination to protect and restore water quality and natural resources. Projects may include seasonal fertilizer reduction programs, boater education, education on washing vehicles/boats, boater pump-out education, marina best management practices, or any such focus area that will lead to environmental improvement.

• Establish educational grant programs to improve environmental literacy education for K-12 students in underserved and overburdened communities with a priority focus on funding field trips to facilitate access to publicly protected lands and natural resources.

• Develop environmental education programs to address land-based sources of pollution.

• Provide the information and tools necessary to improve watershed conditions, develop meaningful partnerships and build stewardship among community members.

• Educate and facilitate climate resilience in underserved communities who have been left behind as part of other efforts.

Florida Reef Tract Coral Health [up to $450,000 per project]

• Develop innovative techniques to treat or mitigate the effects of coral diseases impacting the coral species on Florida’s Coral Reef. Projects may include identifying and propagating coral species that have demonstrated resistance to coral disease; developing intervention techniques; or developing and demonstrating on the ground coral restoration techniques.

• Develop a water quality monitoring program at coral reef restoration sites. A program should be designed to effectively capture both episodic events and seasonal changes in water quality at these restoration sites.

• Develop innovative approaches to evaluate and monitor coral reef health, such as remote sensing or large-scale data analysis of current coral monitoring programs.

Nutrient Management to Reduce Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and Sargassum [up to $500,000 per project]

• Support research and development of tools and nutrient control technologies that help promote progress towards preventing, mitigating, and reducing HABS such as red tide or microcystins/cyanobacteria using current and new scientific approaches or technologies.

• Support research and development of innovative tools and nutrient control technologies that promote new scientific approaches towards preventing, mitigating, and reducing red tide, microcystins/cyanobacteria and sargassum blooms impacting South Florida beaches, canals, and nearshore waters.

• Determine the effectiveness of existing nutrient treatment technologies, evaluate the scale-up of emerging nutrient treatment technologies; and develop new technologies, and management practices to control nutrients in their watersheds.

• Develop nutrient management strategies for HAB control and provide evaluations of such tools to resource managers.

Stormwater/Nutrient Pollutant Reduction Projects [Up to $500,000 per project]

• Investigate stormwater and extreme weather impacts from roads, bridges, and impermeable surfaces that contribute to degraded water quality and ecological impacts.

• Identify and develop innovative best management practices, develop or demonstrate innovative green infrastructure.

• Analyze and quantify the volume and composition (e.g., nutrients, silt, emerging contaminants, marine debris, metals and oils, and other pollutants) of stormwater runoff.

• Investigate the cost and effectiveness of stormwater regulations, treatment, and disposal methodologies for reducing nutrient, marine debris and stormwater pollutant loading.

• Develop innovative programs for trash prevention and removal focusing on management activities to reduce trash from entering waterways; innovative trash removal programs; innovative debris removal from extreme storm events; (e.g., after storm events); and educational/outreach campaigns and partnerships that modify behavioral practices to reduce trash in Florida’s waterways.

• Monitor the efficacy of stormwater treatment systems associated with road elevation and other coastal resiliency and sea-level rise adaptation projects to ensure adequate protection of surface waters. Evaluate if a higher level of service is necessary for stormwater treatment systems and identify more efficient technologies, green infrastructure, or best management practices that may be employed, particularly in areas with restricted land availability, such as the Florida Keys and urban environments.

• Demonstrate “test or prove” activities to improve water quality in marine residential canals that may include canal master planning; canal restoration demonstration projects and design; pilot projects proving or testing feasibility or efficacy of innovative technologies; education and outreach program for canal homeowners and marinas; collecting bathymetric data for restoration; and monitoring to evaluate effectiveness of canal restoration techniques. Water quality results should be disseminated to the public as part of the outreach and education component. Innovative technologies or management practices identified must comply with all applicable regulations and water quality standards.

C. The EPA Strategic Plan & Anticipated Outcomes, Outputs, and Performance Measures

Pursuant to Section 6a of the EPA Order 5700.7A.1, “Environmental Results under the EPA Assistance Agreements,” the EPA must link proposed assistance agreements to the Agency’s Strategic Plan. The EPA also requires that grant applicants and recipients adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements in accordance with this EPA Order.

http://intranet.epa.gov/ogd/policy/order/5700.7.pdf

1. Linkage to the EPA Strategic Plan: All applications submitted for funding under this announcement must identify how they support the goals and objectives of the EPA 2022–2026 Strategic Plan Goals.

Goal 5 Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities. Provide clean and safe water for all communities and protect our nation’s waterbodies from degradation

Objective 5.2: Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds Goal 2 Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights. Achieve tangible progress for historically overburdened and underserved communities and ensure the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income in developing and implementing environmental laws, regulations, and policies.

Objective 2.1: Promote Environmental Justice and Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal, State, and Local levels.

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

Examples of outputs for projects include:

• Evaluation of the effectiveness of efforts to reduce or eliminate sources of pollution and to evaluate progress toward achieving and maintaining water quality and protecting and restoring coral reef habitat and other living resources.

• Characterization of sources and causes of water quality impairment within a watershed that will allow the development of management/action/restoration plan(s).

• Developing quantifiable metrics to evaluate progress towards restoring waters and aquatic habitat.

• Preparation and timely delivery of semi-annual (for IIJA funded projects), annual, and draft/final project reports that document results of the special study project.

• Preparation and timely delivery and sharing of research findings through presentations and publications to benefit the scientific community and public.

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

3. Outcomes: The term “outcome” means the result, effect, or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may be qualitative and environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature, but may be quantitative. They may not necessarily be achievable within an assistance agreement funding period. Projects to be funded with this announcement are expected to produce outcomes related to the outputs identified in the application and scope of work.

https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-03/fy-2022-2026-epa-strategic-plan.pdf

Examples of expected outcomes that may occur because of the technical/scientific information generated by the special studies projects associated with this announcement include:

• Increase knowledge of managers and elected officials concerning negative impacts of pollutants on water quality and living biological resources, which should lead to the development and implementation of action plans that will reduce pollutant loading and result in the conservation of natural resources.

• Improve water quality.

• Restore seagrass, sponge, oyster, or mangroves habitats.

• Restore and recover Florida’s Coral Reef.

• Reduce pollutant loading to waters in the project area.

4. Performance Measures: The applicant should also develop performance measures expected to be achieved through the proposed activities and they should be described in the application. 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.

D. Minority Serving Institutions (MSI)

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 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 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

E. Statutory Authority

The statutory authority for this action is the Clean Water Act (Section 104(b)(3)), which authorizes the award of assistance agreements for Water Quality and Watershed Management: Experiments, Studies, Surveys, Demonstrations, Research, Trainings, and Investigations. A demonstration project must involve new or experimental 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. A project that is accomplished through the performance of routine, traditional, or established practices, or a project that is simply intended to carry out a task rather than transfer information or advance the state of knowledge, however, worthwhile the project might be, is not a demonstration.

The South Florida Program competitive grants are supported by the 2023 Congressional Explanatory Statement which provides the following:

The Committees recommend at least $2,000,000 to monitor coral health in South Florida;

$1,150,000 to enhance water quality and seagrass monitoring in the Caloosahatchee Estuary and Indian River Lagoon, especially with respect to assessing the impact of Lake Okeechobee discharges and harmful algal blooms; $1,150,000 to enhance water quality and seagrass monitoring in Florida Bay and Biscayne Bay, especially with respect to assessing the impact of Everglades Restoration projects and harmful algal blooms; and $1,000,000 for the expansion of the water quality and ecosystem health monitoring and prediction network which will use vetted, modern procedures for long-term monitoring of Florida waters, including Molecular, Algal, Ocean Floor, and Seagrasses.

Congress provided an additional $3.2 million to the South Florida Program through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), in which Congress provided to states, tribes, local governments, and communities to protect and restore natural habitats with a focus on climate resilience. Implementation of IIJA funding opportunities prioritizes funding for communities which are underserved and overburdened. These communities tend to be disproportionally at risk from climate change impacts, water quality issues, and lack educational opportunities. The EPA recognizes the disproportionate impact of pollution and climate stress on communities with environmental justice concerns. The agency will prioritize partners protecting and restoring water quality using new or innovative approaches, methods, or technologies with green infrastructure, nature-based solutions, and resilient infrastructure less vulnerable to flooding and the effects of the changing climate in low-income and underserved communities.

F. 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.

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

Section II. Award Information

A. Funding Amount: The total estimated funding expected under this competitive announcement is approximately $8,000,000 including both regular appropriations and IIJA funds. The funding will range from $250,000 to a maximum of $650,000 per grant award.

B. Partial Funding: In appropriate circumstances, the EPA reserves the right to partially fund applications by funding discrete portions or phases of proposed projects. If the 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 applications and application, or portion thereof, was evaluated and selected for award;

therefore, maintaining the integrity of the competition and selection process.

C. Number of Awards: The EPA anticipates awarding approximately 15 assistance agreements under this announcement ranging in value from approximately $250,000 to a maximum of $650,000 per grant award, subject to the availability of funds, quality of evaluated applications, and other applicable considerations. The EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards under this announcement or to make fewer awards than expected.

The total amount of funding and number of awards depends on funding availability, the quality of proposals received, and other applicable considerations. If additional funding becomes available, the EPA may select and award additional projects under this announcement. Unless pre-award costs are specifically approved by the EPA, recipients should not incur project costs, including non-federal match, until they receive an award document from the EPA. The project period will be two to five years. All priority areas identified in this RFA (Section I.B) are applicable to both regular appropriations and IIJA funding.

The actual award amounts and projects under each of the priorities described in Section I may differ from the estimated amounts for many reasons including the number of meritorious applications received, agency priorities, and funding availability. In addition, the EPA reserves the right to increase or decrease (including decreasing to zero) the total number and amount of awards under each priority or change the ratio of assistance agreements it awards among the priorities.

The anticipated award amounts and the relative allocations for the SFL priorities are approximations that are subject to change based upon a number of considerations including, but not limited to, the EPA’s determination that different amounts or allocations would better advance protection and restoration of the south Florida ecosystems, funding availability, Agency priorities, and other applicable considerations.

D. Project Period: The EPA recommends project start date in the timeframe of January 1, 2024, to June 1, 2024. Proposed project and budget periods can range from two to five years for this funding announcement.

E. Funding Type: The EPA intends to award cooperative agreements under this solicitation.

Cooperative agreements provide for substantial involvement between the EPA and the selected applicant(s) in the performance of the work supported. Although the EPA will negotiate precise terms and conditions relating to substantial involvement as part of the award process, the anticipated substantial federal involvement for these projects may include:

• Close monitoring of the successful applicant’s performance to verify the results proposed by the applicant

• Collaboration during performance of the scope of work

• In accordance with 2 CFR 200.317 and 2 CFR 200.318, review of proposed procurement;

• Approving qualifications of key personnel (the EPA will not select employees or contractors employed by the award recipient) and

• Review and comment on reports prepared under the cooperative agreement (the final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient).

The 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.

F. FKNMS Projects: For projects selected within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS), there will be substantial involvement between the EPA Region 4, the FKNMS Water Quality Protection Program (WQPP), and the recipient during performance of the activity with coordination and collaboration to achieve the goals under the WQPP program. The successful applicant will be expected to participate and present project updates at the FKNMS Water Quality Protection Program meetings. If necessary, include and identify travel funds in the budget to attend these meetings.

G. Additional Awards: The EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this RFA, consistent with Agency policy and guidance, if additional funding becomes available after (or at the time) original selections are made.

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

A. Eligible Entities:

In accordance with Assistance Listing Number 66.484, applications will be accepted from States, local governments, territories, Indian Tribes, and possessions of the U.S. (including the District of Columbia);

public and private universities and colleges; hospitals; laboratories; public or private nonprofit institutions; and intertribal consortia.

Non-profit organizations 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. The term includes tax-exempt nonprofit neighborhood and labor organizations. 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.

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.

For-profit organizations are not an eligible entity for this funding opportunity. Additionally, non-profit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply.

B. Ineligible activities:

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

C. Leveraging, Cost Sharing or Matching:

No matching funds are required under this competition. Although cost-sharing or matching is not required as a condition of eligibility under this competition, under Section V of this announcement EPA will evaluate proposals based on a leveraging criterion.

1. Leveraging: Leveraging is generally when an applicant proposes to provide additional funds/resources or those from third party sources to support or complement the project they are awarded under the competition which are above and beyond the EPA grant funds awarded. Any leveraged funds/resources, and their source, must be identified in the applications and application (See Section IV.B.10 of the announcement). Leveraged funds and resources may take various forms as noted below.

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

• A voluntary cost share is subject to the match provisions in the grant regulations 2 CFR Part 200 as applicable.

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

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

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

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

D. Threshold Criteria

These are requirements that if not met by the time of application submission will result in elimination of the application from consideration for funding. 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. Only applications from eligible entities (see Section III.A) which meet all criteria will be evaluated against the ranking factors in Section V of this announcement. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration based on the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

1. All applications must address one or more of the Priority Action Items listed in Section I.B and describe the relevance to environmental resource impacts in south Florida

2. Applications must not exceed the allowable project amount with the maximum limit being established as the highest of the Priority Action Items as identified as outlined in the priorities in Section I. B.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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 because they did not timely or properly register in or 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.

6. Applicants may submit multiple applications under this announcement but each one must be for a different project. If an applicant submits more than one application for the same project, the EPA will review the last version received in Grants.gov and any previous applications for the same project will be deemed ineligible.

Section IV. Application Submission Information

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

Applicants must explicitly address the following sections as part of their application package submittal.

A. Coalition Coverage

Groups of two or more eligible applicants may choose to form a coalition and submit a single application under this RFA; however, one entity must be responsible for the grant administration.

Coalitions must identify which eligible organization will be the recipient of the grant and which eligible organization(s) will be subrecipients of the recipient (the “pass-through entity”). Subawards must be consistent with the definition of that term in 2 CFR 200.1 and comply with the EPA’s Subaward Policy.

The pass-through entity that administers the grant and subawards will be accountable to the EPA for proper expenditure of the funds and reporting and will be the point of contact for the coalition. As provided in 2 CFR 200.332, subrecipients are accountable to the pass-through entity for proper use of EPA funding.

For-profit organizations are not eligible for subawards under this grant program but may receive procurement contracts. Any contracts for services or products funded with EPA financial assistance must be awarded under the competitive procurement procedures of 2 CFR Part 200 and/or 2 CFR Part 1500, as applicable. The regulations at 2 CFR 1500.10 contain limitations on the extent to which EPA funds may be used to compensate individual consultants. Refer to the Best Practice Guide for Procuring Services, Supplies, and Equipment Under EPA Assistance Agreements for guidance on competitive procurement requirements and consultant compensation. Do not name a procurement contractor (including a consultant) as a “partner” or otherwise in your application unless the contractor has been selected in compliance with competitive procurement requirements.

B. Application Information

To simplify the review process, obtain the maximum degree of comparison, and provide a fair and equitable evaluation of applications, reviewers will rely on the content of the entire application for evaluation purposes. Therefore, it is important that all applications are complete and substantially https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-11/documents/gpi-16-01-subaward-policy_attachments.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/documents/best-practice-guide-for-procuring-services-supplies-equipment.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/documents/best-practice-guide-for-procuring-services-supplies-equipment.pdf comply with the standard format as described in detail in this Section. For completeness of your grant application, please refer to the Application Submission Checklist (Appendix A). In addition to the forms listed in Section IV.D., each application must consist of the following components below:

1. Application Cover Page (see Appendix B for a sample)

2. A one-page project application summary (single spaced)

3. Application Proposal (16-page maximum double spaced)

C. Format of Application

The application proposal should be readable in PDF or MS Word and consolidated into a single file and include the information below in Sections IV.C.1.-14. Please note that there is a page limit for the application. In addition to addressing the components listed below, applicants should ensure their application also addresses the evaluation criteria listed in Section V of this solicitation.

The application proposal must be no more than sixteen (16) double-spaced 8.5 x 11-inch pages (a page is one side of paper). The page limit does not include documents specifically excluded from the page limit as noted below. Pages should be consecutively numbered for ease of reading. It is recommended that applicants use a standard 12-point type with 1-inch margins and that applicants format their application as described below. Applicants are advised that readability is of paramount importance and should take precedence in selection of an appropriate font for use in the application. Additional pages beyond the 16-page limit will not be reviewed. If a single-spaced application is submitted, it will only be reviewed up to the equivalent of the 16-page double-spaced page limit for applications [eight (8) single-spaced pages are the equivalent of the 16-page double-spaced application page limit; any excess pages whether single or double spaced will not be reviewed]. Attachments may not exceed 13 pages, please reference Section IV. C. 15 for more details.

Application proposals that do not substantially comply with the requirements above may be deemed ineligible.

1. Application Proposal

a. Situation, Need, and Previous Efforts - Discuss notable gaps in knowledge or capabilities, why the proposed project should be performed, review significant work by yourself or by others in the proposed area of interest (include reference citations). Describe how this project relates to long term management strategy.

b. Objective(s) - State what is to be studied, measured, observed, or developed, and the anticipated results. State hypotheses, as relevant, that the proposed special study is designed to test.

c. Applications, Benefits, and Importance - Describe how the anticipated results, will contribute to expected benefits and their utility to the priority action items and/or resource managers.

2. Methods and Approach

a. Description of Major Tasks – Clearly describe set of tasks that must be performed to accomplish the objective(s) and describe each task. State the tasks in the same order as the hypotheses they are designed to test. Experimental design must be described with statistical tests, if applicable, for hypotheses proposed. All projects collecting data will be required to submit a QA plan to the EPA for approval prior to collection of data.

b. Environmental Impact - State and explain any potential short-term impacts that your project will have on the environment, including the type and duration such as water quality and sample collection impacts.

3. Project Management

a. Administration - Describe the administrative responsibilities and authority of the Principal Investigator.

b. Roles and Responsibilities - Describe the team composition (including names and affiliations of key individuals) and the assignments of team members to major tasks. Provide specific estimates of the time each member will work on the project.

4. Support Requirements and Conditions

a. Permit or Cooperation Required - Proposed projects must comply with all state and federal regulations applicable to the project area. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure compliance. If a permit(s) or clearances from any government agency or organization is required for execution of the project please provide the name of the agency, the method of obtaining the clearance or permit, and the time required or state "none".

b. Data or Facility Access - If access is required to data or facilities held by another organization, please identify the data or facility, the nature and type of access required, the methods of obtaining such access, and the effect of being denied access or state “none”.

5. Project Schedule

a. Milestone and Deliverable Schedule - Provide a project schedule to include all milestones and deliverables for each task under section 2 above. Describe what items of data are to be delivered.

State the format in which data will be presented. Provide a monthly or quarterly schedule for all deliverables.

b . Each project requires two types of reports from the principal investigator, a semi-annual performance report and a Final Performance Report to include accomplishments and deliverables as outlined in the approved scope of work. Applicants should include these reports in their proposed project deliverables, as described below.

The principal investigator shall provide semi-annual performance reports to the Project Officer on March 30th and September 30th of each year. These reports will consist of updates on progress toward work objectives, justification, approach, results to date, any problems encountered, actions taken to resolve problems, discussion of remaining tasks, and expenditures to date.

Principal investigators shall prepare a draft final report summarizing the objectives, methods, approach, results, and significance of the study. The draft final report will be reviewed by the Technical Officer and returned with comments. The principal investigator will address the comments and submit to Mr. Ade Adesiji at adesiji.adekunle@epa.gov.

6. Environmental Results – Outputs, Outcomes, and Results (see Section I. C)

a. Outputs (project products) - List the outputs expected to be produced through the completion of the proposed project; Outcomes (project objectives) - List the outcomes of the project to be accomplished as a result of the project outputs; Describe how project products (outputs) and objectives (outcomes) support the EPA 2022-2026 Strategic Plan.

b. Tracking Outputs and Outcomes - Describe your approach for measuring and tracking your progress toward achieving the expected project output(s) and project outcome(s).

7. Programmatic Capability and Past Performance

Submit a list of federally funded assistance agreements (assistance agreements include Federal grants and cooperative agreements but not Federal contracts) that your…