EPA-OW-OGWDW-25-01.pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Applications Due: Monday, October 6, 2025

Office of Water, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water

Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program

Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-OW-OGWDW-25-01 i

Contents

1. Basic Information

A. Executive Summary:

B. Key Information:

C. Key Dates:

D. Funding Details:

E. Agency Contact Information:

2. Eligibility

A. Eligible Applicants

(1) Other Eligibility Requirements

B. Cost Sharing

3. Program Description

A. Purpose, Priorities, and Activities B. Program Goals and Objectives C. Statutory Authority D. Funding Type

4. Application Contents and Format

A. Application Forms B. Applicants Using Contractors C. Release Copies of Applications D. Coalition Coverage E. Other Program Specific Application Information

5. Submission Requirements and Deadlines

A. Submission Dates and Times B. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) C. Submission Instructions D. Technical Issues with Submission E. Intergovernmental Review

6. Application Review Information

A. Responsiveness Review B. Review Criteria C. Review and Selection Process D. Risk Review

7. Award Notices

8. Post-Award Requirements and Administration

A. Administrative and National Policy Requirements B. Reporting C. FFATA and FSRS Reporting

9. Other Information ii

A. Additional Provisions for Applicants

1. Basic Information U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Water, Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water

Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program https://www.epa.gov/dwcapacity/midsize-and-large-drinking-water-system-infrastructure-resilience-and-sustainability

A. Executive Summary:

The Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) section 1459F authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish the Midsize and Large Drinking Water System Infrastructure Resilience and Sustainability Program. This grant program assists medium and large size public water systems with protecting drinking water sources from natural hazards, extreme weather events, and cybersecurity threats.

Eligible applicants for this grant program include public water systems that serve a population of 10,000 people or more. Projects or programs that may be funded through this opportunity are those which aim to increase the resilience of a water system to natural hazards, extreme weather events, or reduce cybersecurity threats.

C. Key Dates:

September 5, 2025 NOFO Questions Submission

Deadline

October 6, 2025 11:59 pm ET Application Submission Deadline

October 6, 2025 11:59 pm ET Application Submission Deadline (Local Time)

March 2026 Anticipated Notification of Selection

May 2026 Anticipated Award Notification

D. Funding Details:

It is anticipated that up to 6 award(s) will be made under this announcement. Awards are expected to be between $1,187,500 and $2,375,000, depending on Agency funding levels, the quality of applications received, agency priorities, and other applicable considerations. Awards funded under this opportunity are expected to have a one to four year project period.

E. Agency Contact Information:

Further information, if needed, may be obtained from the EPA contact(s) indicated below.

B. Key Information:

Opportunity Number:

EPA-OW-OGWDW-25-01

Federal Assistance Listing:

66.488

Announcement Type:

Initial

Funding Available:

$9,500,000

Number of Awards:

https://www.epa.gov/dwcapacity/midsize-and-large-drinking-water-system-infrastructure-resilience-and-sustainability https://www.epa.gov/dwcapacity/midsize-and-large-drinking-water-system-infrastructure-resilience-and-sustainability

Technical Contact: Claudette Ojo, Resiliencygrant@epa.gov

Note to Applicants: In accordance with EPA’s Assistance Agreement Competition Policy (EPA Order 5700.5A1) and consistent with the provisions in the announcement, EPA will respond to questions from individual applicants regarding threshold eligibility criteria, administrative issues related to the submission of the application, and requests for clarification about any of the language or provisions in the announcement. In accordance with the Policy, EPA cannot meet with individual applicants to discuss draft applications, provide informal comments on draft applications, or provide advice to applicants on how to respond to ranking criteria. Applicants are responsible for the contents of their applications.

Please note that applicants should raise any questions they may have about the solicitation language to the contact identified above as soon as possible so that any questions about the solicitation language may be clarified prior to submitting a proposal. In addition, if necessary, EPA may clarify threshold eligibility issues with applicants prior to making a final eligibility determination.

Questions about this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) must be submitted in writing via e-mail and must be received by the Agency Contact identified above by 11:59 PM Eastern Time, September 5, 2025 and written responses will be posted on EPA’s website at (https://www.epa.gov/dwcapacity/midsize-and-large-drinking-water-system-infrastructure-resilience-and-sustainability). Please note answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) are available at (https://www.epa.gov/dwcapacity/midsize-and-large-drinking-water-system-infrastructure-resilience-and-sustainability). EPA strongly recommends interested applicants refer to the FAQs webpage prior to submitting a question.

F. Other Funding Considerations Up to $9,500,000 may be awarded under this NOFO over approximately one to four years, contingent on the quality of applications received, funding availability, future appropriations, satisfactory performance of work, and other applicable considerations. Funding each year is not guaranteed. The applications should include an annualized budget and budget detail narrative for the project, and a detailed workplan covering each year of the project.

The EPA anticipates awarding approximately four assistance agreements under National Priority Area 1, ranging from approximately $1,000,000 to no more than $1,187,500. It is anticipated that the total amount of all awards under National Priority Area 1 will be approximately $4,750,000 in federal funds, with project periods of one to four years, depending on the amount requested and the overall size and scope of the project(s).

The EPA anticipates awarding approximately two assistance agreements under National Priority Area 2 ranging from approximately $2,000,000 to no more than $2,375,000. It is anticipated that the total amount of all awards under National Priority Area 2 will be approximately $4,750,000 in federal funds, with project periods of one to four years, depending on the amount requested and the overall size and scope of the project(s).

SDWA 1459F(f)2 authorizes 50 percent of the total amount of federal funding available under this announcement to be awarded to eligible midsize community water systems, and 50 percent of the total amount of federal funding available under this announcement to be awarded to eligible large size community water systems. It is anticipated that a total of six assistance agreements, each with a project period of up to four years, will be awarded under this announcement.

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 mailto:Resiliencygrant@epa.gov https://www.epa.gov/dwcapacity/midsize-and-large-drinking-water-system-infrastructure-resilience-and-sustainability https://www.epa.gov/dwcapacity/midsize-and-large-drinking-water-system-infrastructure-resilience-and-sustainability https://www.epa.gov/dwcapacity/midsize-and-large-drinking-water-system-infrastructure-resilience-and-sustainability https://www.epa.gov/dwcapacity/midsize-and-large-drinking-water-system-infrastructure-resilience-and-sustainability any applicants or affect the basis upon which the application was evaluated and selected for award to maintain the integrity of the competition and selection process.

Selection or award of funding under this NOFO is not a guarantee of future funding. EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than 6 months after the original selection decisions.

2. Eligibility A. Eligible Applicants Only these types of organizations may apply:

• A public water system that serves a community with a population of 10,000 or more.

The Safe Drinking Water Act 42 USC Section 300f(4)(A) defines a public water system as, “a system for the provision to the public of water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances, if such system has at least fifteen service connections or regularly serves at least twenty-five individuals. Such term includes (i) any collection, treatment, storage, and distribution facilities under control of the operator of such system and used primarily in connection with such system, and (ii) any collection or pretreatment storage facilities not under such control which are used primarily in connection with such system.”

(1) Other Eligibility Requirements

Applications must meet the following threshold criteria to be considered eligible:

• An applicant must meet the eligibility requirements in Section 2 of this announcement at the time of application submission.

• Applicants must demonstrate in their application how they will meet the minimum cost share requirement of 10% of the total project cost (federal plus non-federal match) for the project.

• Applications must address one, and only one, of the two National Priority Areas listed in Section 3. Applications that address more than one National Priority Areas in a single application will not be reviewed.

• Applications for awards under National Priority Area 1 cannot request more than $1,187,500 in federal funds; and applications for awards under National Priority Area 2 cannot request more than $2,375,000 in federal funds. Applications that request more than the maximum amount of federal funds for the National Priority Area it addresses will not be reviewed.

• Applications must address at least one program or project for increasing drinking water system resilience to natural hazards, extreme weather events, or reducing cybersecurity vulnerabilities, as described in Section 3. Funding must be used for the planning, design, construction, implementation, operation, or maintenance of a program or project that increases resilience of drinking water systems to natural hazards and extreme weather events or reduces cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

• Applications must include a description of the natural hazard risk(s), extreme weather event(s), or potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities to be addressed by the proposed program or project.

• Applications must include documentation prepared by a Federal, State, regional, or local government agency of the natural hazard risk, risk for extreme weather events, or potential cybersecurity vulnerability to the area where the proposed program or project is to be located.

• Applications must include a description and the date(s) of any recent natural hazards, extreme weather events, or cybersecurity events that have affected the water system.

Applicants that have not experienced a recent natural hazard, extreme weather event, or cybersecurity event must indicate that in the application and may describe, if applicable, their assessment of potential future risks of natural hazards, extreme weather events, or cybersecurity events, that may affect the water system.

• Applications must include a description of how the proposed program or project would improve the performance of the public water system under the anticipated natural hazards, extreme weather events, and cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

• Applications must include an explanation of how the proposed program or project is expected to enhance the resilience of the public water system to the anticipated natural hazards or extreme weather events, or to reduce cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

• Applications must demonstrate that proposed projects will occur in communities with a population of 10,000 individuals or more.

• Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section 5 of this announcement or else they will be rejected.

However, where a page limit is expressed in Section 4 with respect to the application, or parts thereof, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed. Section 4 establishes a 15-page, single-spaced Project Narrative page limit. 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.

• 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.

Please see Section 6 for additional threshold criteria.

B. Cost Sharing Applicants must demonstrate in their proposal how it will meet the minimum cost share requirement of 10% of the total project cost (federal plus non-federal match) to be considered eligible. Selected recipients must comply with 2 CFR 200.306 when meeting a cost share requirement. All grant funds are subject to federal audit. Any restrictions on the use of grant funds also apply to the use of cost-share/match. Applicants that do not demonstrate how they will meet the minimum cost-share/match requirement in their application submission will not be considered for funding.

3. Program Description A. Purpose, Priorities, and Activities Purpose: The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support infrastructure projects that increase the resilience of midsize and large drinking water systems to natural hazards, extreme weather events, and that reduce cybersecurity threats. This program aims to enhance the ability of a public water system to prepare for and withstand the effects of natural hazards, extreme weather events, and cyber security threats.

Program Office Priorities: The EPA’s Office of Ground Water and Drinking Water’s (OGWDW) mission is to protect public health and the environment by ensuring safe drinking water and protecting sources of drinking water, including groundwater. Awards made through this funding opportunity will increase the ability of Americans to access clean and safe drinking water, support states who share responsibility for ensuring safe drinking water through cooperative federalism, and will strengthen the cybersecurity of water systems through the incorporation of modern technologies which may include artificial intelligence. These activities will ensure that water facilities can be operated in a clean and efficient manner with American-made resources.

B. Program Goals and Objectives The activities to be funded under this funding announcement support Pillar 1: Clean Air, Land, and Water for Every American, sub pillar 1 C. Water, Pillar 3: Permitting Reform, Cooperative Federalism, and Cross- Agency Partnership, and Pillar 4: Make the United States the Artificial Intelligence Capital of the World of Administrator Zeldin's Five Pillars. All applications must be for projects that support the pillars identified above.

This Notice of Funding Opportunity is being offered under Federal Assistance Listing 66.488.

The EPA is soliciting applications from eligible public water systems for projects in midsize and large communities that serve a population of 10,000 or more individuals to increase drinking water system resilience to natural hazards, extreme weather events, and reduce cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

For the purposes of this grant program, the term “resilience,” as defined in Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) section 1433(h), means the ability of a community water system or an asset of a community water system, for example the equipment, buildings, land, people, and other components needed to deliver safe and clean water, to adapt to or withstand the effects of a natural hazard without interruption to the corresponding function, or if the function is interrupted, to rapidly return to a normal operating condition. The term “natural hazard” means a natural event, such as an earthquake, tornado, flood, hurricane, wildfire, drought, freezing or hydrologic change that threatens the functioning of a community water system, as defined in Section 1433(h) of the SDWA. A midsize community is identified in Section 1459F(f)(2) of the SDWA as one that has a population of equal to or greater than 10,000 individuals and fewer than 100,000 individuals, and a large community is identified as one that has a population equal to or greater than 100,000 individuals.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.306

When considering natural disasters, extreme weather events, and cybersecurity threats, a public water system may consider and ensure that resilience-building activities address future conditions, such as:

increasing or decreasing temperatures, changes in precipitation, and, where applicable, sea-level rise.

Projects must also occur in communities with a population of 10,000 people or more.

There are two National Priority Areas in which applicants may apply for funding under this opportunity.

The goal of the first National Priority Area is to increase drinking water system resilience in midsize communities by implementing resilience projects informed by drinking water system plans. The goal of the second National Priority Area is to improve drinking water system resilience in large communities by implementing resilience projects that may include infrastructure improvements and/or optimization of mitigation measures at a drinking water system.

National Priority Areas

Each application submitted under this announcement must address one, and only one, of the National Priority Areas described below. The cover page of each application package must clearly indicate the National Priority Area addressed in the application. If an applicant submits an application addressing more than one National Priority Area, it will be rejected.

Regardless of which National Priority Area is being applied to, applications submitted under this announcement must address at least one of the activities described below. The cover page of the application package must clearly indicate the activities being proposed for funding in the application.

As prescribed by SDWA 1459F, funding must be used for the planning, design, construction, implementation, operation, or maintenance of a program or project that increases resilience of public water systems to natural hazards and extreme weather events or reduces cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

Examples of possible projects include, but are not limited to the following:

• Conservation of water or the enhancement of water use efficiency (e.g., conducting water audits, installing water metering, and water reuse).

• Modification or relocation of existing drinking water system infrastructure made, or that is at risk of being significantly impaired by natural hazards or extreme weather events, including risks to drinking water from flooding; (e.g., building flood protection infrastructure, elevation of electrical panels at a lift station to prevent flooding damage, physical hardening, elevation of treatment plants, and reinforcement of water towers to prevent tornado damage).

• Design or construction of new or modified desalination facilities to serve existing communities.

• Enhancement of water supply though watershed management and source water protection (e.g., developing and implementing watershed plans, conducting source water assessments, and public education).

• Enhancement of energy efficiency in the conveyance or treatment of drinking water (e.g., energy use monitoring, energy audits, and technology upgrades).

• Development and implementation of measures to increase the resilience of the drinking water system to natural hazards and extreme weather events; or to reduce cybersecurity vulnerabilities (e.g., conducting cyber risk assessment and implementing priority cybersecurity practices, infrastructure and technological improvements, larger capacity water storage tanks, relocation or deepening of wells, updating extreme weather or natural disaster risk and resilience assessments, and improving emergency response plans based on the findings of a risk and resilience assessment).

• Formation of regional water partnerships to collaboratively address documented water shortages (e.g., informal or formal agreement between two or more public water systems to address shared drinking water system issues of drought, flooding, contamination, etc.).

To obtain necessary support for the anticipated resiliency projects in a community, public education and outreach about the effects of natural hazards, extreme weather events and cybersecurity vulnerabilities on the access to and availability of safe drinking water is critical. It is also important for the grantee to inform the community members about drinking water resiliency projects prior to the start of the project and provide updates as the project proceeds. All applications should describe the proposed approach to provide public education and conduct outreach.

National Priority Area 1: Midsize Community Infrastructure Investments for Drinking Water System Resilience

Under this National Priority Area, the EPA is soliciting applications from public water systems that serve communities with a population between 10,000 and 100,000 individuals for projects that enable midsize drinking water systems to implement measures to improve resiliency.

National Priority Area 2: Large Community Infrastructure Investments for Drinking Water System Resilience

Under this National Priority Area, the EPA is soliciting applications from public water systems that serve communities with a population of 100,000 individuals or more for projects that enable large drinking water systems to implement measures to improve resiliency.

Examples of Eligible Activities for both National Priority Areas

Examples of eligible activities under various types of natural hazards, extreme weather events, and cybersecurity vulnerabilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Multiple Threats

• Training and exercising an emergency response plan;

• Measures to address power outages (e.g., defining power needs for key assets, purchasing a backup power generator, and securing generators to mitigate hazard activity);

• Measures to reinforce incoming power supply and plan or establish alternate or on-site power supply;

• Diversify options for water supply and expand current sources such as through design or construction of a water reuse or desalination facility; and

• Source water protection planning (e.g., public education and watershed conservation initiatives, application of best management practices, or land use restrictions measures).

Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities

• Implementing or updating drinking water system operation technology (e.g., bolstering of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Human Machine Interface (HMI), programmable logic controllers (PLCs) or Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) systems);

• Implementing or updating physical security to protect facility and IT assets (e.g., installation of locks, doors, video cameras, etc.);

• Implementing or updating cybersecurity measures to protect drinking water system cyber assets and network(s) (e.g. installation of cyber locks, multifactor authentication, firewalls, virtual private networks and segmentation);

• Implementing, developing, and/or redeveloping drinking water system cyber security best practices (e.g., establishment of offsite back-ups of critical data, development of an incident response plan, and incident action checklist); and

• Staff cybersecurity awareness training.

Flooding

• Physical hardening (e.g., waterproofing electrical components, dry floodproofing/sealing of structures to prevent floodwater penetration, installing wind resistant features);

• Installation of flap valves on low-lying overflow pipes to protect finished water;

• Securing or elevating chemical/air tanks to prevent floating and content release;

• Elevating, relocating or floodproofing instrumentation, electrical controls, pumps; and

• Moving assets to higher ground and developing alternative ways to access facilities, or building flood barriers such as berms, levees, dikes, and seawalls to protect critical infrastructure.

Earthquake

• Performing an engineering risk analysis and cost estimates pursuant to established standards for evaluating existing structures;

• Retrofitting occupied utility buildings to prevent collapse;

• Seismically retrofitting water tanks (e.g., anchoring to foundations);

• Installing automatic shutoff valves on tanks; and

• Designing upper casing on wells to resist loads or locating outside of a seismic zone.

Drought

• Implementing a leak detection and repair program to reduce lost water;

• Interconnecting with other water systems and water reuse;

• Adding raw water storage and aquifer recharge;

• Developing a conservation program with public outreach; and

• Coordinating water usage with neighboring irrigation districts and communities.

Wildfire

• Instituting high fire danger procedures such as smoking bans and fire bans;

• Removing fuel sources (brush/trees) to create a buffer zone around utility infrastructure;

• Installing fire-resilient building materials;

• Installing backflow valves on service connections, fireproof concrete meter boxes, and brass meters to prevent contamination of distribution pipes; and

• Installing water lines at greater depths and upgrading to hardened materials.

Tornado

• Designing new facilities, control rooms and offices to withstand high winds;

• Reinforcing water tower legs and welds;

• Removing sources of potential flying debris and bolting down chemical tanks; and

• Securing and anchoring any trailers or temporary structures.

Extreme Weather Events

• Preparation of risk assessments and extreme weather event projection mapping;

• Implementation of inclement weather or water system disruption communications alert system;

and

• Development of hazard mitigation plans for extreme weather events.

EPA’s Hazard Mitigation Guide for Natural Disasters for Water and Wastewater Utilities is a useful resource for identifying a range of practical examples of mitigation projects to address the impacts of earthquakes, tornados, floods, drought, wildfires and power outages. EPA’s Cybersecurity for the Water Sector guidance website can assist communities with identifying and implementing cyber security enhancement strategies at various scales of their water systems.

Results

Applicants are required to describe how the requested funding will help EPA achieve outputs and outcomes in their responses to the criteria in Section 6. Outputs and outcomes specific to each project will be identified as deliverables in the negotiated workplan if the application is selected for award.

Recipients will be expected to report progress toward the attainment of expected project outputs and outcomes during the project performance period. Outputs and outcomes are defined as follows:

Outputs

The EPA requires that grant applicants adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7A1, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements, https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements). Environmental outputs (or deliverables) refer to an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to an environmental goal or objective, that will be produced or provided over a period of time or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable during an assistance agreement funding period.

Examples of anticipated environmental outputs from the grants expected to be awarded under this announcement may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• An increased number of public water systems in communities with a population of 10,000 individuals or more that are resilient and ready for extreme weather events, natural disasters, and cybersecurity attacks. This includes, but is not limited to, more systems with updated emergency response plans that outline their water systems’ preparedness and responses to natural hazards, adverse weather events and cybersecurity attacks.

• An increased number of customers in communities with a population of 10,000 individuals or more with information about drinking water conservation measures, achieved through outreach and public education.

https://www.epa.gov/waterutilityresponse/hazard-mitigation-natural-disasters https://www.epa.gov/waterresilience/epa-cybersecurity-water-sector https://www.epa.gov/waterresilience/epa-cybersecurity-water-sector https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements

• An increased number of public water systems in communities with a population of 10,000 individuals or more with bolstered systems and assets, such as improved Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) networks, that are resilient to cybersecurity threats and attacks.

Outcomes

Environmental outcomes are 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. Outcomes should be quantitative and may not necessarily be achieved within an assistance agreement funding period. Outcomes may be short-term (changes in behavior, practice, or decisions), intermediate (changes in behavior, practice, or decisions), or long-term (changes in condition of the natural resource). Examples of anticipated outcomes from grants expected to be awarded under this announcement, may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Decrease in average water usage rates indicating enhanced sustainability and effective use of water resources due to implementation of water reuse measures.

• Percentage decrease in operation and maintenance costs of a public water system in a midsized or large community due to more energy-efficient water production.

• Number of customers with increased access to drinking water services; acreage of expanded flood control and water supply infrastructure; and quantity of improved water strategies that impact affected community(ies), especially during water-and extreme weather-related events.

C. Statutory Authority The statutory authority for the awards expected to be made under this announcement is Section 1459F of the SDWA and Assistance Listing 6.488, which authorizes the EPA to provide grants to assist communities with a population of 10,000 individuals or more to increase their drinking water system resilience to natural hazards and extreme weather events, and reduce cybersecurity vulnerabilities. (42 USC 300j-19g)

D. Funding Type It is anticipated that grants will be funded under this funding opportunity.

4. Application Contents and Format A. Application Forms The following forms and documents are required under this announcement:

Mandatory Documents:

1. Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

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

3. EPA Key Contacts Form 5700-54

4. EPA Form 4700-4 Preaward Compliance Review Report

5. Project Narrative Attachment Form: use this to submit your Project Narrative

6. Documentation prepared by a Federal, State, regional, or local government agency of the natural hazard risk, potential cybersecurity vulnerability, or risk for extreme weather events to the area where the proposed program or project is to be located (Project Narrative Attachment Form) - not included in the 15-page Project Narrative page limitation

Optional Documents:

7. Other Attachments Form – Biographical Sketches

8. Other Attachments Form – Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, if applicable

9. Other Attachments Form – Supporting documentation demonstrating readiness to proceed, such as permits, easements, rights-of-way, and relocations necessary to carry out the project or activity.

Project Narrative

The Project Narrative must include sections a-c below. The Project Narrative (covering sections a-c below) is limited to no more than fifteen (15) typewritten, single spaced 8.5x11-inch pages (a page is one side of a piece of paper) including the cover page and executive summary. Pages should be consecutively numbered for ease of reading. It is recommended that applicants use no smaller than a 11-point Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins. Readability is of paramount importance. Do not use a “double column” (aka newspaper) format. Do not include more than one application in any file. Additional pages beyond the 15-page limit will not be considered.

The following documents do not count towards the 15-page Project Narrative limitation. These include, as mentioned in Section 4.A., numbers 6-9 (6. Supporting documentation of the known natural hazard, potential cybersecurity vulnerability, or risk for extreme weather events, 7. Biographical Sketches, 8.

Negotiated Indirect Rate Cost Agreement, and 9. Supporting documentation demonstrating readiness to proceed)

The application’s Project Narrative must be typewritten and must include the information listed below. If a particular item is not applicable, clearly state this in the Project Narrative.

1. Cover Page (included in the page limit)

a) Funding Opportunity Number. The NOFO number is EPA-OW-OGWDW-25-01.

b) Project Title

c) Applicant Information: Include applicant (organization) name, address, contact person, phone number, and e-mail address. Do not include private information.

d) National Priority Area from Section 3 addressed in the application (applicants must address only one National Priority Area per application package).

e) Short 2-3 sentence description of the proposed program or project with identification of the natural hazard, extreme weather event or cybersecurity vulnerability to be addressed.

f) Proposed Funding Request: The total dollar amount requested from EPA - make sure it is within the limits specified or your application will be rejected.

2. Executive Summary: Provide a brief summary of the proposed project (should not exceed one page).

This should include a brief description of the proposed project and the anticipated environmental outputs and outcomes.

3. Workplan: The workplan must address the following elements:

a) Project Description:

Describe your approach for increasing drinking water system resilience to natural hazards, extreme weather events or reducing cybersecurity vulnerabilities in a community with a population of 10,000 individuals or more, through one or more of the eligible programs or projects described in this announcement (see Sections I.B and I.C). Provide details indicating how the community served meets the criteria of a population of 10,000 individuals or more.

Describe the program or project to be planned, designed, constructed, implemented, operated, or maintained and the natural hazard risk, extreme weather event, or cybersecurity vulnerability to be addressed, and if there have been any recent natural hazard events, extreme weather events or cybersecurity vulnerabilities that have affected the system. Explain how the project supports improving the performance of the drinking water system and increasing the resilience of the drinking water system to anticipated natural hazards, extreme weather events, or cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Describe the approach to provide public education and conduct outreach. Describe how the proposed project benefits the midsize or large community.

b) Expeditious Project Readiness to Proceed:

Demonstrate that the project will be ready to proceed expeditiously upon award of funding.

Describe past and current practices being implemented to increase the resilience to natural hazards, extreme weather events or to reduce cybersecurity vulnerabilities of public water systems. Describe the completed project planning and design phases if relevant. As appropriate, demonstrate that any land, easements, rights-of-way, and relocations necessary to carry out the project or activity have been obtained.

Submission of supporting documentation demonstrating this readiness to proceed may be included as optional attachments and are not subject to the Project Narrative page limitation.

c) Environmental Results and Measuring Progress:

i. Stated Objective – List the objective of the project.

ii. Results of Activities (Outputs) - Describe the anticipated products/results which are expected to be achieved from accomplishment of the project and describe an approach for tracking and reporting your progress toward achieving the expected project output(s) (examples of outputs can be found in Section 3 of this announcement).

iii. Projected Environmental Improvement (Outcomes) - List the anticipated environmental improvements that will be accomplished as a result of the project.

These improvements are changes or benefits to the environment or public health which are a result of the accomplishment of the work plan commitments and outputs. Describe an approach for tracking and reporting progress toward achieving the expected project outcome(s) (examples of outcomes can be found in Section 3 of this announcement).

d) Milestone Schedule:

Provide a projected milestone schedule for the proposed project period (one to four years).

The milestone schedule should provide a breakout of the project activities into phases with associated tasks and a timeframe for completion of tasks and an approach for ensuring that awarded funds will be expended in a timely and efficient manner. The project start date will follow award acceptance by the successful applicant.

e) Detailed Budget Narrative:

Provide a detailed budget and estimated funding amounts for each project component/task.

This section provides an opportunity for a narrative description of the budget or aspects of the budget found in the SF-424A such as “other” and “contractual.” Please see EPA’s Budget Development Guidance which includes a sample budget.

i. Applicants must itemize costs related to personnel, fringe benefits, contractual costs, travel, equipment, supplies, other direct costs, indirect costs and total cost. All subgrant funding should be located in the “other” cost category. Total costs must include both federal and any non-federal funds; indicate what portion of the cost will be paid by EPA and what portion of the cost will be paid with non-federal funds, if any. Describe itemized costs in sufficient detail for EPA to determine the allowability of costs for each project component/task, as well as the cost-effectiveness and reasonableness of all costs.

f) Programmatic Capability/Experience:

i. Organizational Experience - Provide a brief description of your organization and experience related to the proposed project, and your organization’s infrastructure as it relates to its ability to successfully implement the proposed project.

ii. Staff Expertise/Qualifications - Provide a list of key staff and briefly describe their experience/expertise/qualifications, knowledge, and resources or the ability to obtain them, to successfully achieve the goals of the project, including demonstrated knowledge of state and local regulations and policies relevant to the program or project. Include an estimate of the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) workers (based on 2080 hours per year/FTE). A biographical sketch must be submitted for each major project manager, support staff member or other major project participant. Biographical sketches are not counted in the page limit. Full resumes may be included as an appendix to the application narrative and are not counted in the page limit.

g) Past Performance:

Briefly describe federally funded and/or non-federally funded assistance agreements (assistance agreements include grants and cooperative agreements but not contracts) that your organization performed within the last three years (no more than five agreements, and preferably EPA agreements) and:

i. Describe whether, and how, you were able to successfully complete and manage those agreements.

ii. Describe your history of meeting the reporting requirements under those agreements including submitting acceptable final technical reports.

iii. Describe how you documented and/or reported on whether you were making progress towards achieving the expected results (i.e., outputs and outcomes) under https://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2019-g02 https://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2019-g02 those agreements. If you were not making progress, please indicate whether, and how, you documented why not.

Note: In evaluating an applicant’s past performance, the Agency will consider the information provided by the applicant and may also consider relevant information from other sources, including information from EPA files and/or from current and prior federal agency grantors (e.g., to verify and/or supplement the information provided by the applicant). If you do not have any relevant or available past performance information, please indicate this in the application, and you will receive a neutral score for these factors under Section 6. Failure to provide any programmatic past performance or reporting information, or to include a statement that you do not have any relevant or available past performance or reporting information, may result in a zero score for these factors (see also Section 6).

h) Documentation of the known natural hazard, potential cybersecurity vulnerability, or risk for extreme weather events (not included in the 15-page Project Narrative page limitation):

Submit documentation prepared by a prepared by a Federal, State, regional, or local government agency of the natural hazard risk, potential cybersecurity vulnerability, or risk for extreme weather events to the area where the proposed program or project is to be located. Examples of documentation include, but are not limited to, evidence of a disaster declaration, local government hazard mitigation planning document, FEMA flood map, Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, or USGS earthquake hazard map.

This documentation is to be submitted separately using a Project Narrative Attachment form. The documentation is not subject to the Project Narrative page limitations specified for the application.

i) Quality Assurance/Quality Control (not included in the Project Narrative work plan page limit):

Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) (not included in the page limit) – If you plan to collect or use environmental data or information, explain how you will comply with the Quality Assurance/Quality Control requirements (see Section 4.E. Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) of this announcement for additional information.)

Note: The applicant should also provide in the Project Narrative any additional information, to the extent not already addressed above, that addresses the review criteria in Section 6.

B. Applicants Using Contractors Applicants must compete contracts for services and products, including consultant contracts, and conduct cost and price analyses, to the extent required by the procurement provisions of the regulations at 2 CFR Part 200.

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. If an applicant selected for award has named a specific subrecipient, contractor, or https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/subject-group-ECFR45ddd4419ad436d consultant in the application, it does not relieve the applicant of its obligations to comply with subaward and/or competitive procurement requirements.

The EPA will not consider the qualifications, experience, and expertise of named subrecipients and/or named contractor(s) during the application evaluation process unless the applicant provides documentation that it has complied with these requirements.

For additional guidance, applicants should review EPA’s Best Practice Guide for Procuring Services, Supplies, and Equipment Under EPA Assistance Agreements, EPA’s Subaward Policy, and EPA’s Subaward Policy Frequent Questions. The EPA expects recipients of funding to comply with competitive procurement contracting requirements in 2 CFR Parts 200 and 1500 as well as the EPA’s rule on Participation by Disadvantaged Business Enterprises in EPA Programs in 40 CFR Part 33.

Applicants should:

• clearly indicate which portion(s) of the application are confidential, privileged, or sensitive information, or

• state ‘n/a’ or ‘not applicable’ if the application does not have confidential, privileged, or sensitive information;

• not include trade secrets or commercial or financial information that is confidential or privileged, or sensitive information that would invade another individual’s personal privacy (e.g., an individual’s salary, personal email addresses, etc.);

• be aware that if such information is included, it will be treated in accordance with 40 CFR § 2.203.

C. Release Copies of Applications EPA recommends that applicants do not include confidential business information (CBI) in applications.

However, if CBI is included, it will be treated in accordance with 40 CFR Part 2, Subpart B. Applicants must clearly indicate which portion(s) of their application they are claiming as CBI. EPA will evaluate such claims in accordance with 40 CFR Part 2. If no claim of confidentiality is made, information may be made available to the public by EPA without further notice to the applicant. See 40 CFR 2.203(a), 41 Fed. Reg.

36,907.

D. Coalition Coverage A coalition is formed when two or more eligible applicants coordinate to submit a single application.

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

E. Other Program Specific Application Information Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC)

Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) requirements may apply to these grants (see 2 CFR 1500.12).

QA/QC requirements apply to the collection of environmental data. Environmental data are any measurements or information that describe environmental processes, location, or conditions; ecological https://www.epa.gov/grants/best-practice-guide-procuring-services-supplies-and-equipment-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/grants/best-practice-guide-procuring-services-supplies-and-equipment-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/grants/grants-policy-issuance-gpi-16-01-epa-subaward-policy-epa-assistance-agreement-recipients https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-04/epa_subaward_policy_frequent_questions.pdf https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2023-04/epa_subaward_policy_frequent_questions.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200#p-200.1(Subaward) https://www.epa.gov/grants/grants-policy-issuance-gpi-16-01-epa-subaward-policy-epa-assistance-agreement-recipients https://www.epa.gov/grants/grants-policy-issuance-gpi-16-01-epa-subaward-policy-epa-assistance-agreement-recipients https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-XV/part-1500/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR4b883541179e9d8/section-1500.12 or health effects and consequences; or the performance of environmental technology. Environmental data include information collected directly from measurements, produced from models, and compiled from other sources such as databases or literature. Successful applicants should allow enough time and resources for this process. EPA can assist successful applicants in determining whether QA/QC is required for the proposed project. If QA/QC is required for the project, the successful applicant may work with EPA QA/QC staff to determine the appropriate QA/QC practices for the project. The Agency’s Enterprise Quality Management Division (EQMD) webpage contains information, including documents to assist in the development and implementation of a suitable Quality System. For further information, see Section I, Agency Contact for Agency Contact information for referral to an EPA QA/QC staff.

Successful applicants must ensure all water quality data generated in accordance with an EPA approved Quality Assurance Project Plan, either directly or by subaward, are transmitted into the Agency’s Water Quality Exchange (WQX) data system (formerly known as STORET) annually or by project completion.

More information about WQX and WQXweb, including tutorials, can be found at https://www.epa.gov/waterdata/water-quality-data-wqx.

Data Sharing

All recipients of these assistance agreements may be required to share any data generated through this funding agreement as a defined deliverable in the final workplan.

Compliance with other applicable statutes, regulations, and policies

If proposals include the use of funds for an infrastructure project located in the United States, all iron, steel, manufactured goods, and construction materials must be domestically made.