EPA-OW-OWM-26-01_RSTNOFO_final(1).pdf

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Applications Due: Friday, August 14, 2026

Office of Water

Technical Assistance and Training for Rural, Small and Tribal Municipalities and Wastewater Treatment Systems

Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-OW-OWM-26-01 i

Contents

1. Basic Information

A. Executive Summary B. Key Information C. Key Dates D. Funding Details E. Agency Contact Information F. Other Funding Considerations

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. Project Narrative Description C. Applicants Using Contractors D. Release Copies of Applications E. Coalition Coverage F. 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

Other Evaluation Factors

D. Risk Review

7. Award Notices

8. Post-Award Requirements and Administration

A. Administrative and National Policy Requirements ii

B. Reporting C. Subaward and Executive Compensation Reporting

9. Other Information

A. Additional Provisions for Applicants

1. Basic Information U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Water

Technical Assistance and Training for Rural, Small and Tribal Municipalities and Wastewater Treatment Systems

For more information visit our website here.

A. Executive Summary

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting applications under the authority of the Clean Water Act (CWA) section 104(b)(8) to provide Technical Assistance and Training for Rural, Small and Tribal Municipalities and Wastewater Treatment Systems. The program supports small, rural, and Tribal communities’ efforts to identify water challenges, develop plans, build technical, financial, and managerial capacity, comply with CWA requirements, and access water infrastructure funding.

Through this Notice of Funding Opportunity under the Clean Water Act, EPA will achieve greater protection of public health and the environment through an increase in trained water sector personnel, access to funding and financing for wastewater treatment facilities, and Clean Water Act compliance. This action advances the Administration’s priorities, including to Make America Healthy Again, by improving water quality and reducing exposure risks, and enabling responsible economic growth for small, rural, and tribal communities through improved wastewater infrastructure. In partnership with States, Tribes, and local governments and grounded in sound science and the law, EPA will deliver cleaner water, stronger infrastructure, and long-term environmental stewardship for all Americans.

The proposed activities support the Agency’s Powering the Great American Comeback Initiative’s Pillar 1:

Clean Air, Land, and Water for Every American. Priority Areas identified in this opportunity are:

(1) Technical assistance and training for rural, small, and Tribal municipalities for planning, developing and acquisition of financing/funding for eligible projects and activities.

• Technical assistance and training for rural, small, and Tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater systems to help improve water quality and to achieve and maintain compliance.

(2) Technical assistance and training focused specifically on Tribes for planning, developing and acquisition of financing/funding, to help improve water quality and achieve and maintain compliance, and/or to support emerging contaminants project development.

(3) Information dissemination, technical assistance and training focused specifically on decentralized wastewater treatment systems to support planning, development and acquisition of financing.

B. Key Information:

Opportunity Number:

EPA-OW-OWM-26-01

Assistance Listing:

66.446

Announcement Type:

Initial

Funding Available:

$25,500,000

Number of Awards:

6-12 https://www.epa.gov/small-and-rural-wastewater-systems/training-and-technical-assistance-ta-program-rural-small-and https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-administrator-lee-zeldin-announces-epas-powering-great-american-comeback

Eligible entities for this grant program include nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education that can provide technical assistance and training to rural, small, and Tribal municipalities, publicly owned wastewater treatment works, and decentralized wastewater treatment systems.

Assisting systems with their technical, managerial, and financial capacity to achieve long-term compliance is a key priority for the Agency. Infrastructure construction projects such as repairing water or sewer lines, adding new equipment, or upgrading, retrofitting, or rehabilitating existing equipment are not eligible for funding under this announcement.

C. Key Dates:

July 13, 2026 2:00 pm ET Webinar

August 14, 2026 11:59 pm ET Application Submission Deadline

November 2026 Anticipated Notification of Selection

February 2027 Anticipated Award Notification

D. Funding Details:

It is anticipated that up to 12 awards will be made under this announcement. The amount of funding is expected to be between $1,000,000 and $3,000,000 per award, 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-three year project period.

E. Agency Contact Information:

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

Technical Contact: Grace Persico; RuralSmallTribalNOFO@epa.gov

Eligibility Contact: Grace Persico; RuralSmallTribalNOFO@epa.gov

Electronic Submissions Contact: Grants.gov: support@grants.gov; 1-800-518-4726

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, July 31, 2026 and written responses will be posted on EPA’s website. Please note answers to frequently asked questions https://www.epa.gov/small-and-rural-wastewater-systems/training-and-technical-assistance-ta-program-rural-small-and

(FAQs), including relevant definitions, are available at the same website. EPA strongly recommends interested applicants refer to the FAQs webpage prior to submitting a question.

F. Other Funding Considerations Up to $25,500,000 may be awarded under this NOFO, depending on Agency funding levels, the quality of applications received, agency priorities, satisfactory performance of work, and other applicable considerations. Funding each year is not guaranteed. See the table below for anticipated funding levels by priority area.

Priority Area # Of Awards Anticipated

Funding Range/Award Funding Available

1. Acquisition of Finance/Funding

2-3 awards $1,000,000-$3,000,000 $7 million

2. Protect Water Quality and Compliance Assistance

2-4 awards $1,000,000-$3,000,000 $10 million

3. Tribal 1-3 awards $1,000,000-$2,000,000 $4.25 million

4. Decentralized 1-3 awards $1,000,000-$2,000,000 $4.25 million

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 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:

• Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs).

• Nonprofit organizations.

Assistance under this program is available to public or private nonprofit organizations, subject to CWA 104(w), and the regulations at 2 CFR 200. Nonprofit organization, as defined by 2 CFR Part 200, means any 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 net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the organization's operations. Note that 2 CFR Part 200 specifically excludes the following types of organizations from the definition of nonprofit organization because they https://www.epa.gov/small-and-rural-wastewater-systems/training-and-technical-assistance-ta-program-rural-small-and https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(Institution%20of%20Higher%20Education%20(IHE)) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(Nonprofit%20organization) are separately defined in the regulation: (i) institutions of higher education - Institutions of Higher Education are defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001. Nonetheless, institutions of higher education who otherwise qualify as nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply as indicated in the Office of Management and Budget’s July 2017 Frequent Questions on the Uniform Grant Guidance. Nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in prohibited lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply. For profit organizations and hospitals are not eligible.

(1) Other Eligibility Requirements

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

1. Eligible activities include technical assistance and training only. Infrastructure construction projects such as repairing water or sewer lines, adding new equipment, or upgrading, retrofitting or rehabilitating existing equipment are not eligible for funding under this announcement.

2. An applicant must meet the eligibility requirements in Section 2 of this announcement at the time of application submission. Please see Section 6 for additional threshold criteria.

3. Under this competition, only one application may be submitted for each Priority Area per applicant. If an applicant submits more than one application for a single Priority Area, EPA will contact them before the review process begins to determine which application(s) will be withdrawn. If the applicant is unable to communicate a decision within two business days of being contacted by the EPA, the EPA will accept the application received by Grants.gov first.

Additional information regarding the one application per applicant requirement may be found in the FAQ document

Applications must address the requirements in the Priority Area for which they are applying, and all five project narrative components listed in Section 3.B.

B. Cost Sharing Any cost share proposed by an applicant is voluntary. Applicants will not be scored or evaluated solely on the inclusion of voluntary committed cost share if they choose to propose it.

Voluntary committed cost sharing is a binding requirement of Federal award. Applicants who propose voluntary cost share must include the costs/contributions on the SF-424, SF-424A Budget Information form, and Budget Detail.

If an applicant proposes voluntary cost share the following apply:

1. A voluntary committed cost share is subject to the match provisions in the grant regulations

(2 CFR 200.306).

2. A voluntary committed cost share may only be met with eligible and allowable costs.

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

4. The recipient is legally obligated to meet any proposed voluntary cost share that is included in the approved budget.

https://www.epa.gov/system/files/documents/2022-08/AWIA_TA_FAQ_List%2022.pdf https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ecfr.gov%2Fcurrent%2Ftitle-2%2Fsection-200.306&data=05%7C02%7CPersico.Grace%40epa.gov%7C69ff25b5d00a44f3ace908de06754cdf%7C88b378b367484867acf976aacbeca6a7%7C0%7C0%7C638955298021847981%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=PVp%2FkiY8rEvDppj0kYyAURvOC9NYiGS72Td1U2NPZIQ%3D&reserved=0

3. Program Description A. Purpose, Priorities, and Activities Purpose:

EPA is soliciting applications from eligible applicants for projects in four Priority Areas as discussed in further detail below. While EPA expects to make at least one award in each area, there is no guarantee that this will be done, and EPA may redistribute the awards per area based on the quality of applications received and other applicable considerations. The first Priority Area is to provide technical assistance and training to assist rural, small and Tribal municipalities with planning, developing, and acquiring funding/financing of eligible projects described in [33 U.S.C.

Section 1383(c)] so that they can achieve and maintain compliance with the CWA and to build their financial and managerial capacity over the long term. The second Priority Area is to provide technical assistance and training to assist small, rural, and Tribal publicly owned treatment works or decentralized wastewater systems with improving water quality and achieving and maintaining compliance, ensuring sustained operations and maintenance over the long run. For the third Priority Area, EPA is soliciting applications to provide technical assistance and training for Tribal communities to support them with planning and acquiring financing, and achieving and maintaining Clean Water Act Compliance. The fourth Priority Area is to provide technical assistance and training activities specifically and exclusively for decentralized systems to support them with planning and acquiring financing, and for technical, managerial, and financial capacity building.

Technical assistance and training activities provided to these systems, communities, and decentralized system owners should be made available nationally in rural and urban communities and to all personnel of these systems, including personnel of tribally owned and -operated systems. Eligible activities include technical assistance and training only. Infrastructure projects such as repairing water or sewer lines, adding new equipment, or upgrading, retrofitting or rehabilitating existing equipment, are not eligible for funding under this announcement.

The proposed activities support the Agency’s Powering the Great American Comeback Initiative’s Pillar 1: Clean Air, Land, and Water for Every American.

This program funds Clean Water technical assistance providers who will provide support to rural, small, and Tribal municipalities and governments to return to compliance and to secure financing and funding for their Clean Water State Revolving Funds (CWSRF) eligible projects, though applicants may support communities in applying for other financing and funding besides the CWSRF. The program supports these communities with protecting and maintaining water quality compliance while also tackling long-standing water quality and water infrastructure challenges.

Priority Areas: The EPA’s Office of Wastewater Management (OWM) mission is to protect public health and the environment by supporting the Clean Water Act and related statutes. OWM promotes effective and responsible wastewater treatment, disposal, infrastructure, and management and by encouraging the protection and restoration of watersheds. Awards made through this funding opportunity will increase the ability of Americans to access clean and safe water and strengthen water infrastructure. Activities will ensure that wastewater facilities and systems can be operated in a safe and efficient manner. These efforts should aim for measurable results, clearly showing tangible benefits in communities.

The Notice of Funding Opportunity is being offered under Federal Assistance Listing 66.446.

Each narrative must address the following five sections.

• 1. Priority Areas: Each application must explicitly identify and thoroughly address one and only one of the Priority Areas listed in Section 3.A.(1).

• 2. Geographic Area and Targeted Municipalities and Systems: Applications should clearly describe the specific geographic scope of the proposed work (e.g., whether it will be regional, state-wide, multi-state, national or other as appropriate) and the rural, small and/or Tribal municipalities and treatment systems being targeted for technical assistance and training. The EPA seeks applications that provide both national and regional support to effectively address the program's objectives. Applicants should provide a rationale for the targeted geographic area and why they are well qualified and positioned to support municipalities and systems in this area. Applicants should describe factors to identify municipalities and/or systems that are in the greatest need of receiving information (e.g., permit violations, future permit limits, wastewater or decentralized infrastructure needs, etc.). The description should include the applicant’s qualifications for working with such systems and any prior relevant experience.

If Tribally-owned treatment works or decentralized water systems are a focus of the proposed work, applicants should describe how they will reach out to those entities in the defined geographic area and how they will provide technical assistance and training to these systems.

Applicants can either generally describe types of municipalities and systems they will support in their geographic area and/or they can provide the specific names of the municipalities, Tribes, and systems. Applicants should identify communities with which they have current or recent experience working within their targeted geographic area.

• 3. Technical Assistance and Training Approach: Applicants should describe in detail their existing experience and proposed approach for providing technical assistance and training to rural, small, and Tribal municipalities, treatment works and/or communities served by onsite/decentralized wastewater treatment systems in the targeted geographic area.

Applicants should describe a thorough and flexible approach that tailors the training and technical assistance techniques and resources to address the specific needs of the target audience identified in the application. There should be a stronger emphasis on providing technical assistance aimed at helping regulated entities return to compliance, along with efforts to connect these entities to EPA funding programs and other financing options that address water quality and/or water infrastructure challenges. There should be a stronger focus on technical assistance than training within the proposed activities. The application should describe the applicant’s proposed strategies to identify and work with rural, small, and Tribal municipalities, treatment works and/or communities served by onsite/decentralized wastewater treatment systems. The application should discuss how the applicant will use the most appropriate techniques to address the needs of rural, small and Tribal communities that have wastewater and/or decentralized system concerns. For example, different approaches may be appropriate for publicly owned treatment works versus decentralized wastewater treatment systems. Likewise, within the targeted communities and defined geographic area, unique needs or issues may differ for audiences based on location, system-type, experience or level, or other factors.

Applicants should describe their relevant experience in providing technical assistance towards projects for the prevention, reduction, and elimination of pollution, including specific examples relevant to the application priority area. Examples of relevant experience may include but are not limited to:

• Ability to engage with and provide technical assistance to rural, small and/or Tribal communities

• Wastewater treatment operation or construction, such as primary and secondary treatment, advanced treatment, sewer system, combined sewer overflow correction

• Onsite/decentralized wastewater treatment systems maintenance

• Sewer collection systems evaluation surveys

• Planning and assessment, such as feasibility studies, asset management, and capital improvement plans

• Project development, such as preparation of preliminary engineering reports and environmental reviews

• Applying for funding and financing, such as rates and revenue analysis and financial planning

• Program management support, such as bid support and domestic preference and Davis-Bacon assistance

• Other relevant CWSRF eligible projects as noted in Clean Water State Revolving

Fund Eligibilities.

The applicant should identify and use existing publicly available technical assistance and training materials for the rural, small, and Tribal communities in their geographic area to build on proven best practices and to increase efficiencies of grant funds awarded. The applicant should take into consideration how state and local regulations and policies impact the accessibility of financing/funding or the implementation of national standards in the targeted geographic area.

Technical assistance and training approaches identified in the application may take different forms, including face-to-face and on-site technical assistance or training, or remote training.

The applicant should disseminate information to rural, small, and Tribal municipalities and municipalities that meet the affordability criteria established under [33 U.S.C. Section 1383(i)(2)] by the State in which the municipality is located with respect to planning, design, construction, and operation of publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems. Face-to-face training may include but is not limited to classroom training, workshops, system site visits and circuit-riders to provide on-site technical assistance to individual systems. Remote technical assistance and training which may include but is not limited to webcasts, video conferencing, hotlines, online courses, and other forms of distance learning.

Applicants should indicate in their applications an estimate as to what portion of the technical assistance and training would be on-site face-to-face and what portion would be remote. There should be a stronger emphasis on providing technical assistance aimed at https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf/overview-clean-water-state-revolving-fund-eligibilities https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf/overview-clean-water-state-revolving-fund-eligibilities helping regulated entities return to compliance, along with efforts to connect these entities to EPA funding programs and other financing options that address water quality and/or water infrastructure challenges. No applications should be limited to training only.

The applicant should provide an estimate of the number of technical assistance and training activities throughout the project period, as well as the types of technical assistance and training activities that are projected to be offered within the geographic area based on the specific need(s) in the area. Applicants should provide as much detail as possible (e.g., 5 site visits to conduct a wastewater needs assessment; 10 operation and maintenance trainings for Tribal communities; etc.).

• 4. Consultation and Coordination with State, Territorial and Tribal Governments: Consultation and communication with the appropriate state, territory, local, and/or Tribal government authorities is required.

Communication with the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF), other funding sources as applicable, and/or the territory or Tribal funding authorities is required for applications that address planning, development, and acquisition of financing. Applications must include a description of the process to notify CWSRF programs and/or Tribal and territorial funding authorities. The CWSRF state contacts can be found at State CWSRF Program Contacts.

Likewise, the applications must include a description of the process to communicate with the appropriate regulatory authority (such as the state or territorial primacy agency or EPA regional direct implementation coordinator) in each state, Tribe, or territory in which the assistance is to be provided. The EPA issues all National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories (except the U.S. Virgin Islands), and on most federal and Tribal lands. Other states have been delegated authority by the EPA to issue their own permits. Applicants should describe a plan to regularly communicate with their local state and/or EPA regional NPDES program; further details may be found at NPDES permits.

Applicants must indicate how they will:

(i) notify the state, territory, or the EPA to identify communities, municipalities, Tribal governments, and systems in greatest need of assistance; and

(ii) keep those agencies informed regarding the implementation and outcome of technical assistance and training activities.

Routine and regular communication with the EPA regional and state decentralized wastewater treatment system contacts is required when decentralized systems are supported. For a list of decentralized wastewater treatment system EPA regional contacts and State contacts, please visit: Contact Us About Septic Systems.

Applications should also include a discussion of how the applicant will report on and disseminate results, effective compliance strategies and resources developed (such as tools, videos, and training materials) where the project is conducted and to entities similarly situated to those served by the project.

• 5. Partnerships: Applicants are not required to identify partnerships but effective partnerships with other technical assistance providers and experienced professionals or organizations may be important for the success of projects. Applicants should identify https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf/state-cwsrf-program-contacts https://www.epa.gov/npdes-permits https://www.epa.gov/npdes-permits appropriate and necessary partnerships to successfully conduct the project and include a clear description of the roles of specific partners, or planned partners, in the project’s components/tasks. If you choose not to partner, applications will be evaluated based on how the applicant demonstrates their ability to reach their objectives without the use of partners.

(1) Priority Areas Priority Area 1 - Acquisition of Financing/Funding: Technical assistance and training for rural, small, and Tribal municipalities for planning, developing and acquisition of financing/funding for eligible projects and activities.

The goals of the technical assistance and training activities under this priority area are to assist rural, small and Tribal municipalities with planning, developing, and acquiring funding/financing of eligible projects described in [33 U.S.C. Section 1383(c)]. These activities should happen in consultation with states as appropriate. Providing technical assistance to obtain funding/financing can ultimately help communities or regulated entities protect water quality and/or comply with CWA requirements, while also tackling long-standing water quality and water infrastructure challenges. These efforts should aim for measurable results, clearly showing tangible benefits in communities.

Applications under Priority Area 1 should explicitly describe the approach to provide technical assistance to rural, small, and Tribal municipalities to acquire funding/financing. Applicants should specifically describe their approach to increase the number of applications submitted for funding through their technical assistance and training activities. Applicants must state their defined geographic area and describe the process of consultation with the state, Tribes, or territories to identify priorities and targeted communities for technical assistance and training in the defined geographic area.

Rural, small, and Tribal wastewater systems often common face financial challenges in maintaining their infrastructure and meeting compliance requirements. These challenges include but are not limited to: (1) lack of adequate revenue or access to financing; (2) aging infrastructure and deferred maintenance yielding more emergency repairs; (3) lack of planning for infrastructure upgrades or the ability to respond to and recover from natural disasters (e.g., floods or tornadoes); and (4) difficulty meeting existing or new regulatory requirements and affording appropriate treatment technologies. As a result, some systems may experience frequent or long-term compliance challenges, while others may be in compliance now but lack the financial and funding capacity to maintain compliance.

Applicants should describe their proposed approach to help communities build their technical, managerial and financial capacity to address current compliance needs and to achieve long-term sustainability of their infrastructure. Technical capacity refers to the physical infrastructure of the system, including, but not limited to, the adequacy of the system’s infrastructure (i.e., treatment, pumping, and collection) and the ability of system personnel to adequately operate and maintain the system and to apply necessary technical knowledge (e.g., certified operators). Managerial capacity refers to the management structure and practices of the system, including, but not limited to, ownership accountability, staffing and organization, and effective linkages and communication with customers and regulatory agencies. Financial capacity refers to the financial resources of the community, including, but not limited to, revenue sufficiency, user rate-setting, rate collection, non-payment shut-off policies, creditworthiness, fiscal controls, operational budgeting, and planning.

Technical assistance and training for the planning, development, and acquisition of financing can assist the communities to access funding for the range of projects and activities that are described under the CWSRF program. However, applicants may support communities in applying for other financing and funding besides the CWSRF. Table 1 below provides a summary of eligible technical assistance activities to assist municipalities for acquisition of financing and funding. A more detailed description of CWSRF eligible activities is available. The applicant can provide any of the types of technical assistance described below as best meets the needs of the community in the targeted geographic area.

Table 1 Planning, Development and Acquisition of Financing/Funding Technical assistance can be provided to rural, small, and Tribal communities for the planning, developing, and acquisition of financing/funding:

1 for the construction of publicly owned treatment works.

2 for the construction, repair, or replacement of decentralized wastewater treatment systems that treat municipal wastewater or domestic sewage.

3 for the implementation of nonpoint source management program plans established under Clean Water Act Section 319.

4 for the development or implementation of Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans established under CWA Section 320.

5 for measures to manage, reduce, treat, or recapture stormwater or subsurface drainage water.

6 for measures to reduce the demand for publicly owned treatment works capacity through water conservation, efficiency, or reuse.

7 for watershed projects meeting the criteria in CWA Section 122.

8 for measures to increase energy efficiency for publicly owned treatment works.

9 for projects for reusing or recycling wastewater, stormwater, or subsurface drainage water.

10 for measures to increase the security of publicly owned treatment works.

Examples of eligible Priority Area 1 activities include but are not limited to:

• Provide technical assistance and training regarding a project’s (or projects’) inclusion on state Intended Use Plans (IUPs) for the CWSRF program, or funding from other funding programs, and support with funding application submission.

• Provide technical assistance to publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems by conducting analyses on the potential benefits of partnerships and collaboration with other systems.

• Provide technical assistance and training to improve the knowledge and skill competency of wastewater system personnel in the areas of managerial and financial capacity.

• Provide technical assistance and training on planning, design, and project development activities with the intention of receiving funding applications. This includes development of preliminary engineering reports, facilities plans and specifications.

https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf/clean-water-state-revolving-fund-cwsrf-factsheets https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf/clean-water-state-revolving-fund-cwsrf-factsheets https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title33-section1329&num=0&edition=prelim https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title33-section1330&num=0&edition=prelim https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title33-section1274&num=0&edition=prelim

• Provide technical assistance to municipalities to find available financing for water harvesting and water reuse, water audits, and water conservation plans reasonably expected to result in a capital project.

• Provide technical assistance to municipalities to find available financing for stormwater infrastructure projects, including infrastructure that use filtration, infiltration, and evapotranspiration to treat and soak up rainwater where it falls and support with funding application submission.

• Provide training sessions for managers and board members in asset management, fiscal planning, communicating effectively with system customers, and other sustainable management topics.

• Provide technical assistance and training to develop financial assessments and rate analyses.

• Provide technical assistance and training on workforce development.

The EPA also encourages applicants to propose additional types of activities that may achieve the objectives of this NOFO.

All applications under Priority Area 1 must address Section 4.B. Project Narrative Components.

All eligible applications under Priority Area 1 will be evaluated based on the criteria in Section 6 including how well and thoroughly Priority Area 1 is addressed.

Priority Area 2 - Protect Water Quality and Compliance Assistance: Technical assistance and training for rural, small, and Tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater systems to help improve water quality and to achieve and maintain compliance.

The goals of the technical assistance and training activities under this priority area are to assist small, rural, and Tribal publicly owned treatment works or decentralized wastewater systems with improving water quality and achieving and maintaining compliance, ensuring sustained operations and maintenance over the long run. The proposed activities should focus on providing technical assistance that emphasizes helping regulated entities achieve compliance and stay there, while also tackling long-standing water quality and water infrastructure challenges. These efforts should aim for measurable results, clearly showing tangible benefits in communities.

Rural, small, and Tribal wastewater systems often face common challenges including: (1) a lack of expertise to assess current operations and identify short- and long-term opportunities for improvement; (2) frequent turnover of operations personnel; (3) personnel who lack necessary technical, financial or managerial skills; (4) limited rate bases; (5) aging infrastructure; (6) lack of knowledge of existing or new regulatory and permit requirements; and (7) lack of knowledge of newer techniques to reduce discharges, assess and improve operations, and analyze infrastructure alternatives to meet wastewater quality goals.

For this Priority Area, applicants should describe their proposed approach for providing technical assistance and training for personnel who operate or manage small, rural, and Tribal systems (including decision makers such as trustees, board members, or system owners). Applicants should also describe how they intend to strengthen the technical, financial, and managerial capacity of personnel and enable them to comply with the regulatory requirements applicable to their system. Technical capacity refers to the physical infrastructure of the system, including, but not limited to the adequacy of the system’s infrastructure (i.e., treatment, pumping, and collection) and the ability of system personnel to adequately operate and maintain the system and to apply necessary technical knowledge (e.g., certified operators). Managerial capacity refers to the management structure and practices of the system, including, but not limited to, ownership accountability, staffing and organization, and effective linkages and communication with customers and regulatory agencies. Financial capacity refers to the financial resources of the community, including, but not limited to, revenue sufficiency, user rate-setting, rate collection, non-payment shut-off policies, creditworthiness, fiscal controls, operational budgeting, and planning.

Applicants must state their defined geographic area and should describe the process of consultation with relevant parties to identify priorities and targeted communities for technical assistance and training in the defined geographic area and for identifying the communities most in need of technical assistance and training

Examples of eligible Priority Area 2 activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide on-site technical assistance or training to diagnose and trouble-shoot system operational and compliance-related problems and identify solutions.

• Provide training to decision makers and board members on CWA requirements and their responsibilities.

• Provide technical assistance/training to improve operation and maintenance performance at local facilities or local lagoon facilities (e.g., assessment of the system’s overall strengths and areas for improvement, asset management, energy management, extreme weather, natural hazard and security risk assessment and risk mitigation, rate design, communications with local officials, effective utility management, and training on nutrient removal technology).

• Provide training on reviewing existing operation and maintenance plans, practices, and resources (i.e. financial, workforce, etc.) and develop improvement recommendations to ensure those plans enable municipalities to maintain compliance with the Clean Water Act.

• Provide technical assistance by supporting the development of asset management plans, which support compliance by optimizing resource allocation, improving system reliability, and enhancing decision-making through preventive maintenance and data-driven strategies.

• Provide training on operator certification and continuing education units (CEUs).

Applicants should describe how they will obtain state approval for CEU credits for their training courses.

• Provide technical assistance to decentralized systems on forming Responsible Management Entities (RMEs) developing long-term business plan(s).

• Provide one-to-one technical assistance and/or develop a regular schedule of visits or circuit rider program to rural, small, and Tribal communities with lagoons facing non-compliance issues.

EPA also encourages applicants to propose additional types of activities that may achieve the objectives of this NOFO.

All applications under Priority Area 2 must address Section 4.B Project Narrative Components. All eligible applications under Priority Area 2 will be evaluated based on the criteria in Section 6 including how well and thoroughly Priority Area 2 is addressed.

Priority Area 3 - Tribal:

Technical assistance and training focused specifically on Tribes for planning, developing and acquisition of financing/funding, to help improve water quality and achieve and maintain compliance, and/or to support emerging contaminants project development.

While the other Priority Areas in this announcement include Tribes, the goal of the technical assistance and training activities under this priority area specifically and exclusively targets Tribal needs to support them with planning and acquiring financing, and achieving and maintaining Clean Water Act Compliance.

The EPA is committed to (1) upholding the United States’ trust responsibility to federally recognized1 American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages and (2) supporting Tribal nations as they protect and steward their waters.

Due to a variety of factors, Tribal communities are more likely than other populations in the United States to lack access to adequate wastewater services. To ensure success, Tribal water infrastructure programs need resources and support to build technical, managerial, and financial capacity of their wastewater systems.

Applicants must state their defined geographic area and describe the process of coordination with Tribes, the Indian Health Service, and EPA Regions for technical assistance and training in the defined geographic area.

Examples of eligible Priority Area 3 activities may include, but are not limited to:

• Provide training on Clean Water Indian Set Aside, Indian Health Service, CWSRF and other Tribal specific funding information.

• Perform on-site technical assistance or trainings that focus on improving performance (e.g., training on nutrient removal technologies, asset management, development of maintenance schedules, rate structures, extreme weather, natural hazards, security risk assessment and risk mitigation, energy efficiency opportunities, and assessments of proper management of small publicly owned treatment works).

• Provide technical assistance for publicly owned treatment works and/or decentralized wastewater treatment system personnel in the areas of technical, managerial, and financial capacity.

• Provide operator technical assistance and training on Clean Water Act compliance.

• Provide technical assistance via creation of preliminary engineering evaluations to assess topics such as wastewater treatment, storage, conveyance systems, and identify low-cost alternative analyses, innovative technologies and management techniques.

• Provide training on reviewing existing operation and maintenance plans, practices, and

1 ln 1994, Congress enacted Public Law 103-454, the Federally Recognized Indian Tribe List Act (108 Stat.

4791, 4792), which formally established three ways in which an Indian group may become federally recognized: (1) by Act of Congress, (2) by the administrative procedures under 25 C.F.R. Part 83, or (3) by decision of a United States court. See https://www.bia.gov/faqs/how-federal-recognition-status-conferred https://www.bia.gov/faqs/how-federal-recognition-status-conferred resources (i.e. financial, workforce, etc.) and develop improvement recommendations to ensure those plans enable municipalities to maintain compliance with the Clean Water Act.

EPA also encourages applicants to propose additional types of activities that may achieve the

All applications under Priority Area 3 must address Section 4.B Project Narrative Components. All eligible applications under Priority Area 3 will be evaluated based on the criteria in Section 6 including how well and thoroughly Priority Area 3 is addressed.

Priority Area 4 - Decentralized Systems:

Information Dissemination, Technical Assistance and Training focused specifically on decentralized wastewater treatment systems to support planning, development and acquisition of financing.

While the other Priority Areas in this announcement encourage interested applicants to support decentralized systems in their defined geographic area, the goals of the technical assistance and training activities of this priority area specifically and exclusively targets decentralized community needs to support them with planning and acquiring financing, and for technical, managerial, and financial capacity building. Applicants should ensure that organizations develop long-term operation and maintenance plans enabling systems to operate as designed during the planned life of the infrastructure.

Decentralized wastewater treatment systems such as septic or small community cluster systems, are used to treat and dispose of small volumes of wastewater onsite, usually from houses and businesses located in suburban and rural locations not served by a centralized public sewer system. Septic systems treat wastewater from household plumbing fixtures (e.g., toilet, shower, laundry, etc.) through both natural and technological processes. Decentralized wastewater treatment systems may face significant maintenance and management challenges, ultimately impacting human and environmental health. Many of these issues fall into several categories: (1) lack of information on system location, performance, age, maintenance history; (2) improper design or siting; (3) lack of owner knowledge of proper preventative maintenance techniques; (4) lack of long-term management; and (5) lack of owner/service provider knowledge of advanced treatment and dispersal technologies.

Approximately one in five households in the United States depend on individual onsite or small community cluster systems (decentralized wastewater treatment systems) to treat their wastewater. Homeowners face many challenges in maintaining their wastewater treatment and commonly have difficulty obtaining the assistance needed to keep their systems in good working order. These challenges often include lack of information about resources and a need for technical assistance on:

• Decentralized wastewater treatment system ownership, system construction, operation, maintenance, and/or testing;

• Local and state health regulations;

• Local water quality and quantity concerns; and/or

• Emergency contacts and procedures.

Applicants must state their defined geographic area and describe the process of consultation with the state, Tribes, or territories and local decentralized regulatory entities to identify priorities and targeted communities for technical assistance and training in the defined geographic area, Examples of Priority Area 4 activities include but are not limited to:

• Provide training on accessing funds for communities with decentralized wastewater system projects, specifically on getting onto state CWSRF IUPs.

• Provide communities support with project planning, siting, and design.

• Provide technical assistance and training to communities in establishing RMEs and supporting their long-term viability. Information can be found at Using Responsible Management Entity and the Handbook for Managing Onsite and Clustered Systems.

• Provide training to leaders, service providers, and regulatory officials to assist in consideration of funding access/mechanisms, construction alternatives, highlighting the importance of maintenance and management, and to facilitate a properly trained workforce (e.g., certification of installers and operators).

• Develop and/or provide information, technical assistance, and training to organizations that work with decentralized wastewater system owners (e.g., county public health offices).

The EPA also encourages applicants to propose additional types of activities that may achieve the

All applications under Priority Area 4 must address Section 4.B Project Narrative Components. All eligible applications under Priority Area 4 will be evaluated based on the criteria in Section 6 including how well and thoroughly Priority Area 4 is addressed.

(2) Environmental Results

Applicants are required to describe how funding will help EPA achieve outputs and outcomes under Pillar 1: Clean Air, Land, and Water for Every American, 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 are an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to an environmental goal or objective that will be produced or provided over time or by a specified date.

Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable during the…