EPA-OCSPP-OPP-2024-005_modification.pdf

FEDERAL AGENCY: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TITLE: Pesticides Health Care Initiative: National and Community Based Health Care Provider Training for Pesticide Illness

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: Section 20 of Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), 7 U.S.C. 136r which authorizes the Agency to issue assistance agreements for research, public education, training, monitoring, demonstration, and studies.

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Notice of Funding Opportunity

ASSISTANCE LISTING: 66.720 (PRIA 5: Farm Worker and Health Care Provider Training and Education Grants)

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: EPA-OCSPP-OPP-2024-005

ACTION: Notice of Funding Opportunity, Amendment No. 1

DATE: October 3, 2024

SUMMARY: This Notice revises the anticipated notification of selection and anticipated award dates.

Accordingly,

• Page numbering has been updated throughout document to reflect this amendment.

• Important Dates section now notes that the anticipated notification of selection date is March 2025 and the anticipated award date is June 2025.

US Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Pesticide Programs

Funding Opportunity Announcement:

Pesticides Health Care Initiative: National and Community Based Health Care Provider Training for Pesticide Illness

EPA-OCSPP-OPP-2024-005

Funding Opportunity No. EPA-OCSPP-OPP-2024-005

Federal Agency and Office Name: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), Pesticide Re-evaluation Division (PRD)

Funding Opportunity Title: Pesticides Health Care Initiative: National and Community Based Health Care Provider Training for Pesticide Illness

Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Opportunity

Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-OCSPP-OPP-2024-005

Assistance Listing Number: 66.720 (PRIA 5: Farm Worker and Health Care Provider Training and Education Grants)

IMPORTANT DATES

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Closes - APPLICATIONS DUE – December 19, 2024 Anticipated notification of selection – March 2025 Anticipated award – June 2025

Application packages must be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (www.Grants.gov) no later than December 19, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).

Applications received after the closing date and time will not be considered for funding.

To allow for efficient management of the competitive process, EPA requests submittal of an informal notice of an Intent to Apply by October 31, 2024, to OPPGA@epa.gov. Please include the number of this announcement (EPA-OCSPP-OPP-2024-005) on the subject line of the email notice. Submission of Intent to apply is optional; it is a process management tool that will allow EPA to better anticipate the total staff time required for efficient review, evaluation, and selection of submitted applications. Please note that in order to be considered for funding, complete application packages must be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (www.Grants.gov) by the closing date and time noted above.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:OPPGA@epa.gov http://www.grants.gov/ https://Grants.gov

Contents

SECTION I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Background

B. Definitions

C. Scope of Work and Objectives

1. Purpose and Scope

2. Objectives

3. Activities to be Funded

D. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage, Anticipated Outputs/Outcomes, & Performance Measures .12

1. Linkage to EPA Strategic Plan

2. Outputs

3. Outcomes

4. Performance Measures

E. Statutory Authority

F. Human Subjects Studies

G. Minority Serving Institutions

Section II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. What is the amount of funding available?

B. Partial Funding

C. How many agreements will EPA award in this competition?

D. What is the project period for awards resulting from this solicitation?

E. Funding Type

Section III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Entities

B. Threshold Eligibility Criteria

C. Cost Sharing or Matching

Section IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Grant-related Technical Assistance

B. Requirement to Submit through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures

C. Submission Deadline & Instructions: SAM.gov, Grants.gov, Submission Process, and Technical Issues with Submission (See Appendix A)

D. Application Materials

E. Narrative Proposal

1. Cover Page

2. Table of Contents

3. Executive Summary

4. Proposed Project Workplan

F. Submission Dates and Times

Section V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Evaluation Criteria

B. Review and Selection Process

C. Additional Provisions Incorporated by Reference

Section VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Award Notification

B. Pre-award Costs

C. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

D. Reporting Requirements

E. Debriefings

F. Disputes

G. Copyrights

H. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

Section VII. AGENCY CONTACT AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

APPENDIX A – Submission Instructions

SAM.gov (System for Award Management) Registration Instructions

Grants.gov Registration Instructions

Application Submission Process

Technical Issues with Submission

APPENDIX B – Budget Detail Instructions and Descriptions

APPENDIX C – Application Proposal Checklist (optional)

SECTION I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

Note: An EPA grantee is providing grant-related technical assistance for applicants to this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). The details about grant-related technical assistance are found in Section IV.A.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA or the Agency) is soliciting proposals from eligible applicants for a cooperative agreement to improve health care providers’ (HCPs) ability to prevent, recognize, treat, manage, and report pesticide-related illness. EPA also aims to ensure that HCPs consider the social determinants of health, cultural context, and vulnerabilities of patients at high risk of pesticide-related illness. EPA intends to award one cooperative agreement under this solicitation. The total estimated funding expected to be available for awards under this competitive opportunity is up to $2.1 million over five years. EPA expects to award an estimated $200,000 for the first project year and no more than $500,000 per year over the remaining four years of the agreement. Funding is dependent upon Agency appropriations, funding availability, Agency priorities, and other applicable considerations. With this award, EPA seeks to expand on the progress of previous projects and incorporate partnerships to ensure that the program has national reach and local applicability.

A. Background EPA’s mission is to protect human health and the environment for all with an emphasis on communities adversely and disproportionately affected by environmental harms. Objective 7.1 of EPA’s FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan is to ensure chemical and pesticide safety in order to protect the health of families and communities. EPA complements risk assessment and risk management processes inherent in pesticide registrations with several cooperative agreements including the training of health care providers (HCPs) on how to recognize and treat illness related to pesticide exposure.

Pesticide-related illnesses are widely misdiagnosed and underreported.1 This may owe, in part, to limited training opportunities for HCPs on occupational and environmental health. HCPs may be

1 1. Harchelroad, F., et al. Treated vs Reported Toxic Exposures: Discrepancies Between a Poison Control Center and a Member Hospital. Veterinary and Human Toxicology. April 1990, Vol. 32, pp.156–159.

2. Chafee-Bahamon, C., et al. Patterns in Hospitals’ Use of a Regional Poison Information Center. American Journal of Public Health. April 4, 1983. Vol. 73, pp. 396–400.

3. Veltri, et al. Interpretation and Uses of Data Collected in Poison Control Centres in the United States. Medical Toxicology and Adverse Drug Experience. November– December 1987. Vol. 6, pp. 389–97.

4. Mehler L. N., et al. California Surveillance for Pesticide-Related Illness and Injury: Coverage, Bias, and Limitations. Journal of Agromedicine. 2006. Vol. 11(2), pp. 67–79.

5. U.S. House of Representatives. Hidden Tragedy: Underreporting of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses. Committee on Education and Labor. Washington: Government. 2008.

6. Ruser, J. W. Examining Evidence on Whether BLS Undercounts Workplace Injuries and Illnesses. Monthly Labor Review. August 2008. Pp. 20–32.

7.Calvert, G., et al. Acute pesticide poisoning among agricultural workers in the United States, 1998– 2005. Journal of Industrial Medicine. 2008. Vol. 51 (12), pp. 883–898.

unaware of the unique circumstances and effects of pesticide exposures. Thus, HCPs may not follow healthcare protocols relevant to pesticide exposure, such as taking occupational health histories to determine patients’ risk of pesticide illness, correctly diagnosing a condition, or reporting pesticide exposures and illnesses to public health authorities.

Socioeconomic factors further complicate the care and treatment of patients with pesticide-related illnesses. Certain populations are disproportionately burdened by pesticide-related illness and its misdiagnosis. Farmworkers, for instance, are at elevated risk of exposure due to their occupation. This population is largely comprised of people of color and immigrants with limited English proficiency, low incomes, and limited access to healthcare.

For several decades, EPA has funded and supported efforts to improve HCP’s ability to recognize, treat, and manage pesticide-related illness. EPA collaborates with the Centers for Disease Control on the Sentinel Event Notification System for Occupational Risk (SENSOR) Pesticides program that collects data on acute pesticide poisoning incidents and publishes reports for healthcare providers. From 1998 to 2003, EPA led the National Strategies for Health Care Providers: Pesticides Initiative (HCPPI), which developed guidelines for training HCPs on pesticide-related illness. Subsequent cooperative agreements put the HCPPI’s recommendations into practice. Between 2005 and the present, grantees have developed and disseminated pesticide educational resources for HCPs; developed HCP trainings and continuing education units;

revised medical and nursing curricula to include environmental and occupational health; trained HCPs; and collaborated with organizations including Federally Qualified Health Centers and Pediatric Environmental Health and Safety Units.

In 2022, Congress passed the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act of 2022 (PRIA 5). That law reserved funding for technical assistance and training of HCPs on the recognition, treatment, and management of pesticide-related illnesses. PRIA 5 also required EPA to solicit stakeholder input in the formulation of the HCP training cooperative agreement. On September 25, 2023, EPA published a Request for Information (RFI) seeking feedback from the public on the proposed design of this agreement. The RFI posed specific questions on the proposed program design to ensure that training and technical assistance appropriately considers the cultural context, social determinants of health (SDOH), and vulnerabilities of populations at high-risk of pesticide-related illness. EPA received 16 comments from individuals and organizations, including non-profit farmworker organizations, medical associations, university medical school programs, and health care practitioners. Feedback collected through the RFI helped shape this Notice of Funding Opportunity.

B. Definitions Community-based organization – A non-governmental organization that has demonstrated effectiveness as a representative of a community or a significant segment of a community and that helps members of that community or segment obtain environmental, educational, or other social services. A community-based organization must be a nonprofit or not for profit corporation in good standing under state or tribal law with authority to enter into binding legal agreements. The community-based organization need not be tax exempt under the Internal Revenue Code but may use documentation of tax- exempt status to demonstrate that it is a nonprofit. Such organizations may include, for example, organizations serving farmworker communities.

Health care providers (HCPs) – Persons involved in some capacity with healthcare and/or the treatment of patients. This may include direct healthcare providers (e.g., physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses etc.). It may also include those who work alongside direct health care providers to address SDOH or promote awareness of health issues, such as community health workers (promotores de salud), outreach staff, social workers, and patient navigators. Other clinic staff (e.g., front-desk and triage staff) may also be considered HCPs.

Populations at high risk of pesticide-related illness – Groups of individuals that, because of their occupation, living conditions, patterns of food and water consumption, cultural practices, or other factors, are at an increased risk of pesticide-related illness in comparison to the general population. This may include farmworkers, pesticide applicators/handlers, landscapers, and their relatives; Tribal communities where pesticides are used; people in jails, prisons, or immigration detention facilities where pesticides are applied; custodial workers; warehouse workers; and public housing residents.

C. Scope of Work and Objectives

1. Purpose and Scope

The purpose of this cooperative agreement (or agreement) is to help improve HCP’s ability to prevent, recognize, treat, manage, and report pesticide-related illness at the national, state, and local levels. The five-year agreement awarded under this program aims to ensure that HCPs are considering SDOH, cultural context, and vulnerabilities of patients at high risk of pesticide-related illness. The agreement should also strengthen collaboration among HCP organizations and organizations serving populations at high risk of pesticide-related illness.

2. Objectives

This cooperative agreement will have two main objectives:

Objective 1: Administer a national training and technical assistance program to improve the prevention, recognition, treatment, management, and reporting of pesticide-related illness by HCPs – particularly those serving patient populations at high risk of pesticide-related illness.

Objective 2: Administer a partnership program to inform the Objective 1 activities and ensure they have both national reach and local applicability.

Organizations that are partnered to fulfill Objective 2, must meet at least two of the following criteria:

• Non-profit, community-based organization;

• Demonstrated experience providing training, technical support, and/or resources to HCPs;

• Demonstrated experience working locally or at the state level with a community at high risk of pesticide-related illness; serving as “trusted messengers” to that community;

• Demonstrated experience working within the cultural context of patients at high risk of pesticide-related illness.

3. Activities to be Funded

The recipient of this agreement must address the following underlined categories to deliver training to HCPs, provide technical assistance to HCPs, develop resources for HCPs, and administer a partnership program. To further illustrate activities that may be funded, t examples are provided under each identified category. The examples do not represent an exhaustive list:

Training

• Training HCPs on the prevention, recognition, treatment, and management of pesticide-related illness;

• Training HCPs in the use of occupational and environmental health screening tools and conducting community outreach and screening on pesticide exposure;

• Delivering pesticide-related Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and trainings to HCPs—particularly those who serve populations at high risk of pesticide-related illness, such as farmworkers;

• Developing and/or adapting pesticide CEUs and trainings for HCPs;

• Developing and delivering training for HCPs on reporting pesticide-related illness;

• Involving HCPs in the development of training or training materials;

• Adapting trainings to fit specific health care centers’ approach to training

(e.g., a team-based approach to care that provides basic training for all staff along with role-specific training as used in community health care centers);

• Developing training on cultural competence and humility that includes topics, such as:

o Recognizing the specific needs of various cultures, genders, religions, socio-economic statuses, citizenship status, etc.;

o Understanding the importance of building trust and rapport with farmworker patients;

o Providing interpretation/translation and bilingual/multilingual information;

• Developing teaching materials to support HCPs that serve agricultural communities with an emphasis on educating HCPs on Worker Protection Standard (WPS) provisions, such as:

o Designated Representative – a worker’s right to designate a person (e.g., a

HCP) to request and obtain, on behalf of the worker, a copy of the pesticide application and hazard information required by § 170.309(h) in accordance with § 170.311(b).

o Agricultural employer duties to provide emergency assistance in accordance with § 170.309(f).

Technical Assistance

• Providing technical assistance to health centers to improve systems to screen for and document occupational and environmental factors associated with pesticide illness;

• Providing technical assistance to health centers on ways to incorporate information on the recognition and management of pesticide exposure into their electronic medical record systems;

• Providing technical assistance to health centers to improve systems for reporting pesticide-related illness;

• Providing technical assistance to health centers to better capture occupational and environmental health data in electronic health records;

Resource Development

• Promoting and building on the tools and materials developed through past

EPA projects, including but not limited to:

• Recognition and Management of Pesticide Poisonings Manual

• National Pesticide Practice Skills Guidelines Medical and Nursing

Practice

• Creating a repository for materials and reports created under previous agreements;

• Involve HCPs in the development or adaptation of resources;

• Developing educational resources focused on topics such as:

o SDOH, particularly occupational and environmental factors, low literacy levels, limited formal education, language, immigration status, limited ability to access to health insurance, financial responsibilities, and discrimination;

o Materials on how to respond quickly and appropriately to the signs and symptoms of acute and chronic low-dose exposure to pesticides;

o Bilingual, culturally contextual educational materials to help health care providers offer information and education to farmworkers and farmworker family members about ways to protect themselves from pesticide exposure and/or heat stress;

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-E/part-170 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/chapter-I/subchapter-E/part-170 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/section-170.309#p-170.309(h) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/part-170/section-170.311#p-170.311(b) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-40/part-170#p-170.309(f) https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/pesticide-poisoning-handbook-complete-document https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyNET.exe/2000JJGY.TXT?ZyActionD=ZyDocument&Client=EPA&Index=2000+Thru+2005&Docs=&Query=&Time=&EndTime=&SearchMethod=1&TocRestrict=n&Toc=&TocEntry=&QField=&QFieldYear=&QFieldMonth=&QFieldDay=&IntQFieldOp=0&ExtQFieldOp=0&XmlQuery=&File=D%3A%5Czyfiles%5CIndex%20Data%5C00thru05%5CTxt%5C00000009%5C2000JJGY.txt&User=ANONYMOUS&Password=anonymous&SortMethod=h%7C-&MaximumDocuments=1&FuzzyDegree=0&ImageQuality=r75g8/r75g8/x150y150g16/i425&Display=hpfr&DefSeekPage=x&SearchBack=ZyActionL&Back=ZyActionS&BackDesc=Results%20page&MaximumPages=1&ZyEntry=1&SeekPage=x&ZyPURL https://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ZyNET.exe/2000JJGY.TXT?ZyActionD=ZyDocument&Client=EPA&Index=2000+Thru+2005&Docs=&Query=&Time=&EndTime=&SearchMethod=1&TocRestrict=n&Toc=&TocEntry=&QField=&QFieldYear=&QFieldMonth=&QFieldDay=&IntQFieldOp=0&ExtQFieldOp=0&XmlQuery=&File=D%3A%5Czyfiles%5CIndex%20Data%5C00thru05%5CTxt%5C00000009%5C2000JJGY.txt&User=ANONYMOUS&Password=anonymous&SortMethod=h%7C-&MaximumDocuments=1&FuzzyDegree=0&ImageQuality=r75g8/r75g8/x150y150g16/i425&Display=hpfr&DefSeekPage=x&SearchBack=ZyActionL&Back=ZyActionS&BackDesc=Results%20page&MaximumPages=1&ZyEntry=1&SeekPage=x&ZyPURL o Case studies specific to patient populations at high risk of pesticide-related illness;

o Common pesticides and symptoms of pesticide-related illness in target geographic areas, for specific crops, and/or in particular patient populations;

o Understanding and working within the cultural context of patient populations at high risk of pesticide-related illness;

o Effective HCP communication with patients at high risk of pesticide-related illness;

o Use of Electronic Health Records systems to effectively track pesticide-related illness across a patient population;

o Reporting requirements in target states or geographic areas;

o Different avenues for reporting pesticide-related illness that consider

SDOH, cultural context, and vulnerabilities that may make patient populations wary of reporting pesticide-related illness;

o Addressing obstacles to reporting among providers;

• Disseminating educational resources to healthcare providers—particularly those who serve populations at high risk of pesticide-related illness;

Partnership Program

• Creating a structure by which all collaborators contribute to the continuous monitoring and evaluation of activities for the entire lifecycle of the project;

• Creating a partnership program that involves community-based organizations serving populations at high-risk of pesticide-related illnesses, such as farmworker serving organizations;

• Utilizing the partnership program to bridge communication between vulnerable communities and HCPs;

• Incorporating HCPs as collaborators to expand HCP knowledge on medical symptoms and research on pesticide-related illnesses;

• Collaborating with organizations that have extensive knowledge of farmworker health issues rather than creating new research or information gathering efforts;

• Building sustainable networks that link HCPs who serve populations at high risk of pesticide illness to experts on occupational and environmental health;

• Expanding the reach of the project by partnering with a wide variety of organizations;

• Working with organizations, such as:

• Federally Qualified Health Centers

• Migrant Health Centers

• Community Health Centers

• Rural Health Clinics

• Indian Health Service

• Pediatric Environmental Health and Safety Units

• Pesticide Safety Education Programs

• National Pesticide Information Center

• Farmworker serving or advocacy organizations

• Environmental justice organizations

• Medical schools, nursing programs, and physicians assistant programs

• National academic accrediting boards

• Primary care associations, professional associations, and other HCP networks

If the activities the successful applicant has proposed involve the collection and/or use of environmental data, a full quality assurance/quality control plan would have to be negotiated with EPA after selection. The submission of a written Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) to EPA for approval may thus be required under this announcement, depending upon the successful applicant’s project design. If EPA determines that a QAPP is necessary, no environmental data activities may begin until EPA approves a QAPP.

QAPPs are not required with applications.

D. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage, Anticipated Outputs/Outcomes, and Performance Measures Pursuant to Section 6a of EPA Order 5700.7A1, “Environmental Results under EPA Assistance Agreements,” EPA must link proposed assistance agreements to the Agency’s Strategic Plan.

EPA also requires that applications and recipients of grants and cooperative agreements adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7A1, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements).

1. Linkage to EPA Strategic Plan

The activities to be funded under this announcement support the FY2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan. Awards made under this solicitation will support Goal 7 which aims to “Ensure Safety of Chemicals for People and the Environment” by increasing “the safety of chemicals and pesticides and prevent pollution at the source;” and specifically, Objective 7.1, which aims to “Ensure Chemical and Pesticide Safety” by protecting “the health of families, communities, and ecosystems from the risks posed by chemicals and pesticides.”

EPA also requires that grant applicants adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7A1, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements). Applicants must describe the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined outputs and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the project will contribute to the goals and objectives described above.

https://www.epa.gov/grants/implementation-quality-assurance-requirements-organizations-receiving-epa-financial https://www.epa.gov/grants/implementation-quality-assurance-requirements-organizations-receiving-epa-financial https://www.epa.gov/grants/linking-assistance-agreements-environmental-results https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-03/fy-2022-2026-epa-strategic-plan.pdf https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-03/fy-2022-2026-epa-strategic-plan.pdf https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements

2. Outputs

The term “output” means an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work products related to an environmental goal and objective, 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. The anticipated outputs of this cooperative agreement are to successfully accomplish activities under each of the categories listed in Section I.C.3. Activities to be Funded (e.g., Training, Technical Assistance, Resource Development, and Partnership Program), as well as any additional activities proposed by the applicants.

Examples of anticipated outputs from the cooperative agreement to be awarded under this announcement include, but are not limited to:

Training

• Number of accredited continuing education courses developed and/or adapted on the prevention, recognition, treatment, management, and/or reporting of pesticide-related illness.

• Number of HCPs that effective training sessions are delivered to on the prevention, recognition, treatment, management, and/or reporting of pesticide-related illness.

Technical Assistance

• Number of health centers receiving technical assistance on screening for and documenting occupational and environmental factors associated with pesticide illness.

• Number of health centers receiving technical assistance on the reporting of pesticide related illness.

Resource Development

• Number of tools and educational resources developed for HCPs on the prevention, recognition, treatment, management, and/or reporting of pesticide related illness.

• Number of tools and educational resources adapted for HCPs serving specific populations at high risk of pesticide related illness.

• A marketing plan that accompanies each resource and tool developed.

• Number of HCPs and health centers that educational resources are disseminated to on the prevention, recognition, treatment, management, and/or reporting of pesticide related illness.

• A website that is updated and maintained for access to pesticide related resources and links to partners.

Partnership Program

• Number of partnerships developed and maintained.

• Number of strategic meetings organized and facilitated to promote the prevention, recognition, treatment, management and reporting of pesticide related illness.

3. Outcomes

The term “outcome” means the result, effect, or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health related, or programmatic in nature, but must be quantitative and correlate with the objectives of the workplan. They do not have to be achieved within the assistance agreement funding period.

Examples of anticipated outcomes from the cooperative agreement to be awarded under this announcement include, but are not limited to:

• An overall increase in the recognition and treatment of pesticide related illness and injury by those involved in providing health care to populations at high risk of pesticide related illness.

• An increase in the awareness of pesticide reporting requirements, the importance and need to report pesticide illness, and the different avenues for reporting (e.g., state reporting systems, National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC), EPA, existing surveillance programs, etc.).

• An increase in the rate of reporting of pesticide-related illnesses.

• Greater HCP consideration for the SDOH, cultural context, and vulnerabilities of patients at high risk of pesticide-related illness.

• Increased HCP screening for occupational and environmental health.

• Improved communication with populations at high risk of pesticide related illness.

• An establishment of sustainable networks focused on improving the prevention, recognition, treatment, management, and reporting of pesticide related illness.

• Improved health of populations at high risk of pesticide-related illness.

4. Performance Measures

The applicant should also develop performance measures they expect to achieve through the proposed activities and describe them in their application. These performance measures will help gather insights and will be the mechanism to track progress concerning successful processes and output and outcome strategies and will provide the basis for developing lessons to inform future recipients. Additional details on reporting requirements are included in Section VI.D.

Descriptions of performance measures should directly relate to project outcomes and outputs, which will include tracking, measuring, and reporting actual accomplishments against proposed outputs/outcomes and timelines/milestones. The following are questions to consider when developing output and outcome measures of quantitative and qualitative results:

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

• How does the plan measure progress in achieving the expected results (including outputs and outcomes) and how will the approach use resources effectively and efficiently?

The description of performance measures should include:

• Overall five-year and annual goals, objectives, examples of outputs (including projects, programs and resources) and outcomes.

• Regular reports that document all activities and efforts on project implementation, and track and measure progress achieved toward the outputs, outcomes and milestones met in the overall five-year plan and each annual plan including customer satisfaction measures.

• A final report that demonstrates the success of the program provides lessons learned, suggests how to carry the program forward and build on its success, and feedback from stakeholders on needed tools and resources.

E. Statutory Authority The statutory authority for this action is Section 20 of Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), 7 U.S.C. 136r which authorizes the Agency to issue assistance agreements for research, public education, training, monitoring, demonstration, and studies. The Pesticide Registration Improvement Act of 2022 (PRIA 5) amended FIFRA. Section 703(a)(1)(H) of PRIA 5 reserved funding for fiscal years 2023-2027 for HCP training. In line with the PRIA 5 requirements, this cooperative agreement will fund a program to improve the prevention, recognition, treatment, management, and reporting of pesticide-related illness.

F. Human Subjects Studies Questions about Human Subjects Studies should be directed to the Human Subjects Research Review Official.

G. Minority Serving Institutions 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 https://www.epa.gov/scientific-leadership/forms/contact-us-about-programs-office-science-advisor https://www.epa.gov/scientific-leadership/forms/contact-us-about-programs-office-science-advisor 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.A., including minority serving institutions (MSIs), to apply under this opportunity.

Section II. AWARD INFORMATION A. What is the amount of funding available?

The total estimated funding expected to be available for awards under this competitive opportunity is up to $2.1 million over five years. EPA expects to award an estimated $200,000 for the first project year and no more than $500,000 per year for the remaining four years.

Funding is dependent upon Agency appropriations, funding availability, Agency priorities, and other applicable considerations.

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

C. How many agreements will EPA award in this competition?

EPA intends to award one cooperative agreement under this solicitation.

EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this solicitation, consistent with Agency policy and guidance, if additional funding becomes available after the original selection(s) is made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than six months after the original selection decisions.

D. What is the project period for awards resulting from this solicitation?

The project period for awards resulting from this solicitation is estimated to begin in June 2025, with an estimated completion date of June 2030.

E. Funding Type EPA intends to award one cooperative agreement under this solicitation. Cooperative agreements provide for substantial involvement between the EPA Project Officer and the selected applicant(s) in the performance of the work supported. Although 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 (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).

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.

Section III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION A. Eligible Entities Eligibility is limited to nonprofit organizations with demonstrated experience in providing technical assistance and training to HCPs who serve farmworker populations, in accordance with 66.720 PRIA 5: Farm Worker and HCP Training and Education Grants.

Nonprofit organization, as defined by 2 CFR 200.70, means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative or other organization that: (1) is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable or similar purposes in the public interest; (2) is not organized primarily for profit; and (3) uses its net proceeds to maintain, improve and/or expand its operations. Note that 2 CFR Part 200.1 specifically excludes the following types of organizations from the definition of “nonprofit organization” because they are separately defined in the regulation: (i) institutions of higher education; and (ii) state, local and federally-recognized Indian tribal governments.

Individuals and for-profit organizations are also not eligible to apply.

While not considered to be a “nonprofit organization(s)” as defined by 2 CFR 200.1, Institutions of Higher Education are, nevertheless, eligible to submit applications under this NOFO as part of a coalition as long as the lead organization meets the eligibility criteria above. Hospitals operated by state, tribal, or local governments or that meet the definition of nonprofit at 2 CFR

200.1 are also eligible to be subrecipients. For-profit colleges, universities, trade schools, and hospitals are ineligible.

Groups of two or more nonprofit organizations may choose to form a coalition and submit a single application for this assistance agreement. However, one entity must be responsible for the cooperative agreement. Coalitions must identify which eligible organization will be the recipient of the assistance agreement, and which nonprofit organization(s) will be subrecipients.

EPA awards funds to one eligible applicant as the recipient even if other eligible applicants are named as partners or co-applicants or members of a coalition or consortium. The recipient is accountable to EPA for the proper expenditure of funds. The coalition agreement must also specify roles in performing the scope of work for the agreement.

Coalitions are not required in applications, and EPA is not specifically encouraging coalitions.

Coalitions are not the same as the partnership program specified in Objective #2 of Section 1.C.2.

Organizations applying for a cooperative agreement as a coalition with another organization must have entered into a written agreement designating a member of the coalition to be the lead organization. The lead organization will be accountable to EPA for proper expenditure of funds and responsible for the performance of the assistance agreement and liability claims for recovery of unallowable costs. The lead organization will be EPA’s point of contact for the agreement. As provided in 2 CFR 200.332, subrecipients (organizations in the coalition who are not the lead organization and receive subawards from the lead organization) are accountable to the lead organization for proper use of EPA funding.

Subrecipients must be consistent with the definition of “subaward” in 2 CFR 200.1 and comply with EPA’s Subaward Policy, including that every organization that receives a subaward have a “unique entity identifier” (DUNS number).

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. Threshold Eligibility Criteria Threshold eligibility criteria are requirements that if not met by the time of application submission, will result in the elimination of the application from consideration for funding.

Only applications from eligible applicants (see Section III.A.) that meet all these criteria will be evaluated against the ranking criteria in Section V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION of this announcement. If necessary, EPA may contact applicants to clarify threshold eligibility https://www.epa.gov/grants/grants-policy-issuance-gpi-16-01-epa-subaward-policy-epa-assistance-agreement-recipients https://www.epa.gov/grants/best-practice-guide-procuring-services-supplies-and-equipment-under-epa-assistance https://www.epa.gov/grants/best-practice-guide-procuring-services-supplies-and-equipment-under-epa-assistance questions prior to making an eligibility determination. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration due to the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

The threshold eligibility criteria for application content and submission are as follows:

1. Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION of this announcement or else they will be rejected.

2. Where a page limit is expressed in Section IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION with respect to the application, or parts thereof, 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.

3. In addition, initial applications must be submitted through Grants.gov as stated in Section IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION 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 application 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 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.

4. 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 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.

5. The proposal must address both objectives described in Section I.C.2.

6. Submissions must contain specific outputs and outcomes and state how those will be measured and documented.

7. Applications must not exceed a performance period of five years or request a funding level of more than $2.1 million for the full performance period.

8. Applicants must be nonprofit organizations (or may represent units of government and

Institutions of Higher Education) with demonstrated experience in providing technical assistance and training to HCPs who serve farmworker populations as described in Section III.A.

9. EPA will consider only one application from each eligible applicant.

10. Ineligible activities: If an application is submitted that includes any ineligible activities/costs (e.g., trainee stipends, fundraising costs, or any expenses related to alcohol), that portion of the application will be ineligible for funding and may, depending http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://Grants.gov https://Grants.gov on the extent to which it affects the application, render the entire application ineligible for funding. Allowable costs are those costs necessary and reasonable for the performance of the grant that are consistent with the policies and procedures that apply uniformly to both EPA grant activities and other activities of an organization. Unallowable costs are those that EPA will not reimburse as part of a grant or cooperative agreement.

C. Cost Sharing or Matching No cost sharing/matching funds, voluntary cost sharing or leveraged resources are required as a condition of eligibility under this competition. Voluntary cost sharing if proposed, will not be considered during the evaluation of proposals.

Applicants are not required to but may also choose to commit to a voluntary cost share.

Voluntary cost sharing is when an applicant voluntarily proposes to legally commit to provide costs or contributions to support the project beyond what is required by the mandatory cost share. Voluntary cost shares must be included in the budget detail portion of the project narrative and on the applicant’s SF-424 and SF-424A forms. In addition, the applicant must describe in the application how and when the applicant will obtain the voluntary cost share and how the funding will be used. Voluntary cost share contributions must be for eligible costs.

Applicants may use their own funds or other sources for voluntary cost share if the standards of 2 CFR Part 200, as applicable, are met. If the source of an applicant’s proposed cost share is a named project partner, the applicant must provide a letter of commitment from the named project partner. Note that even if a project partner provides a letter of commitment, it is the grant recipient who is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the voluntary cost share is met.

Successful applicants who include voluntary cost share will be legally obligated to provide the proposed voluntary cost share that is included in the approved project budget. If the proposed voluntary cost share does not materialize during the performance period of the grant or cooperative agreement, the EPA may reconsider the legitimacy of the award and/or take other appropriate action as authorized by 2 CFR Part 200.

Section IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION A. Grant-related Technical Assistance An EPA grantee is providing technical assistance for applicants to this NOFO. Technical assistance will be available for activities including, but not limited to, preparing an application and navigating SAM.gov. Further details on technical assistance that will be available through EPA’s technical assistance grantee can be found on EPA’s Pesticides Cooperative Agreement page. Receiving technical assistance does not guarantee that applicants will be selected for funding.

https://www.epa.gov/pesticides/pesticide-cooperative-agreements

B. Requirement to Submit through Grants.gov 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 on the Exceptions to the Grants.gov Submission Requirements webpage. 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 Appendix A - Technical Issues with Submission.

C. Submission Deadline & Instructions: SAM.gov, Grants.gov, Submission Process, and Technical Issues with Submission (See Appendix A) Your organization’s Authorized Official Representative (AOR) must submit your complete application electronically to EPA through Grants.gov no later than December 19, 2024 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Please allow for enough time to successfully submit your complete application and allow for unexpected errors that may require you to resubmit. For more information on how to submit your application, including SAM.gov and Grants.gov registration processes, please see Appendix A.

Applications submitted through Grants.gov will be time and date stamped electronically. Please note that successful submission of your application through Grants.gov does not necessarily mean your application is eligible for award. Any application submitted after the application deadline time and date deadline will be deemed ineligible and not be considered.

D. Application Materials The following forms and documents are required under this announcement:

• Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424).

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

• EPA Key Contacts Form (5700-54).

• Pre-award Compliance Review Report (4700-4).

• Project Narrative Attachment Form: Use this to submit your Project Narrative, prepared as described below in Section IV.E. Narrative Proposal. Additional information about the budget is in Appendix B.

• Brief resumes (not to exceed two pages each) for the project coordinator and key staff.

The following documents are optional:

• Letters of Support – May be included in the application if the project narrative describes partnerships or coalitions. A letter of support should clearly state the intent and the https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.epa.gov/grants/exceptions-grantsgov-submission-requirement https://www.grants.gov/ https://Grants.gov https://Grants.gov https://Grants.gov https://Grants.gov https://Grants.gov contribution or in-kind services brought to the project. Letters of recommendation will not be considered.

• Application proposal checklist (see Appendix C).

E. Narrative Proposal The Narrative Proposal must have all parts in sequential order, as…