EPA-R3-CBP-23-07_Watershed Modeler_20230403_Final Clean.pdf

OVERVIEW

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

TITLE: Chesapeake Bay Program Office Fiscal Year 2023 Request for Applications for:

Chesapeake Bay Watershed Modeler

ACTION: Request for Applications (RFA)

RFA #: EPA-R3-CBP-23-07

ASSISTANCE LISTING #: 66.466

IMPORTANT DATES

April 3, 2023 Issuance of RFA May 18, 2023 Application submission deadline (see Section IV for more information) June 16, 2023 Approximate date for EPA to notify applicant(s) of results June 30, 2023 Approximate date for selected applicant to submit revised federal cooperative agreement application August 15, 2023 Approximate date of award/Project start date

COVID-19 Update: EPA is providing flexibilities to applicants experiencing challenges related to COVID-

19. Please see the Flexibilities Available to Organizations Impacted by COVID-19 clause in Section IV of EPA’s Solicitation Clauses.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

II. AWARD INFORMATION

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

APPENDIX A. APPLICATION FORMAT

APPENDIX B. BUDGET GUIDANCE

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

FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

1. About the Chesapeake Bay Program The Chesapeake Bay is North America's largest and most biologically diverse estuary. A resource of extraordinary productivity, it is worthy of the highest levels of protection and restoration. Authorized by Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 117, 33 USC Section 1267, the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) is responsible for supporting the Executive Council through a number of actions, including the coordination of federal, state, and local efforts to restore and protect living resources and water quality of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. CWA Section 117 also authorizes EPA to provide assistance grants to support the goals of the program.

The CBP is a unique regional partnership that has led and directed the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay since 1983. Today, the CBP partners include the states of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia; the District of Columbia; the Chesapeake Bay Commission (a tri-state legislative body); and EPA, representing the federal government. The partnership’s work is guided by the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, which establishes the plan for collaboration across the Bay’s political boundaries and establishes goals and outcomes for the restoration of the Bay, its tributaries, and the lands that surround them.

2. About the CBP Partnership The CBP partnership is guided at the direction of the Chesapeake Executive Council (Executive Council), which, through its leadership, establishes the policy direction for the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay and exerts its leadership to rally public support for the Bay effort and signs directives, agreements, and amendments that set goals and guide policy for Chesapeake Bay restoration. The Executive Council is established by CWA Section 117. To ensure implementation of the Executive Council’s Chesapeake Bay Agreements, the CBP partnership has several committees, teams, and workgroups comprised of participating partners.

The Principals' Staff Committee (PSC) acts as the senior policy advisors to the Executive Council, accepting items for their consideration and approval and setting agendas for Executive Council meetings. The PSC translates the restoration vision by setting policy and implementing actions on behalf of the Executive Council. The PSC also provides policy and program direction to the Management Board.

The Management Board provides strategic planning, priority setting, and operational guidance through implementation of a comprehensive, coordinated, accountable implementation strategy for the CBP. It directs and coordinates all of the goal teams and workgroups under it.

The Goal Implementation Teams (GITs) include federal and non-federal experts from throughout the watershed. Thus, academic, federal, and state scientists and experts, advocacy organizations, environmental managers and others become active members of the broad restoration partnership.

As described above, the CBP partners include federal agencies, seven watershed jurisdictions, and many non-federal organizations; however, work funded under this RFA is intended to support the seven watershed jurisdictions and other non-federal partners.

https://www.chesapeakebay.net/what/what-guides-us/watershed-agreement

Pursuant to CWA Section 117(b)(2), 33 USC Section 1267(b)(2), CBPO is the office within EPA charged with providing support to the Council in the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay. The CBPO and CBP, mentioned above, are two distinct entities.

For additional background information on the CBP achievements and commitments, see the CBP partnership’s website located at http://www.chesapeakebay.net/.

3. Role of the CBP GITs and Workgroups

The committees, teams, and workgroups that will be supported by the activities of this RFA include:

CBP Modeling Workgroup Aspects of the work described in the Scope of Work will be under the technical guidance of the CBP Modeling Workgroup, which is charged with the responsibility to provide state-of-the-art decision-support modeling tools to the CBP partnership that are developed and applied through community and participatory principles. Modeling Workgroup members are comprised of scientists, engineers, and technical managers from throughout the CBP partnership.

The responsible planning and management of resources to provide the best available decision-support modeling tools requires the Modeling Workgroup members and participants to adhere to the core values of:

• Integration - Integration of the most recent science and knowledge in air, watershed, and coastal waters to support ecosystem modeling for restoration decision-making.

• Innovation - Embracing creativity and encouraging improvement in the development and support of transparent and robust modeling tools.

• Independence – Making modeling decisions on the basis of the best available evidence and using the most appropriate methods to produce, run, and interpret models, independent of policy considerations.

• Inclusiveness - Commitment to an open and transparent process and the engagement of relevant partners that results in strengthening the CBP partnership’s decision-making tools.

CBPO Modeling and Land Data Teams The Chesapeake Bay Program Office (CBPO) supports the CBP partnership bodies described above.

Within the CBPO, The Modeling Team and Land Data Team are two of the technical teams of federal and academic scientists who support the Modeling Workgroup, Land Use Workgroup, Water Quality GIT (WQGIT), and others. The Modeling Team develops and operates the watershed and estuarine models used in decision making. The Land Data Team produces land use and related spatial products so support the modeling and other CBP priorities.

Land Use Workgroup The Land Use Workgroup will provide technical support for aspects of the work done under the RFA particularly for generation and interpretation of meter-scale land use, hydrography, and geomorphology data. The Land Use Workgroup is supported by the Land Data Team at the CBPO. The Land Use Workgroup directly involves stakeholders in the generation of land use data for modeling. The challenge is to assemble a more accurate baseline dataset using local information to the extent possible while estimating historic land use acreages in a clear, transparent, and logical fashion. Goals include creating a temporally, spatially, and categorically consistent and accurate land use dataset from 1982 to http://www.chesapeakebay.net/ https://www.chesapeakebay.net/who/group/modeling_team https://www.chesapeakebay.net/who/group/land-use-workgroup

2022 for all jurisdictions in the Chesapeake Bay watershed using the best available data at all scales and approving methods for projecting future land use conditions for all jurisdictions in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Water Quality Goal Implementation Team While the Modeling Workgroup and Land Use Workgroup are the technical leads in the work done under the RFA, the overall direction will be under the WQGIT. The role of the WQGIT is to evaluate, focus, and accelerate the implementation of practices, policies, programs that will restore water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries to conditions that support living resources and protect human health. The WQGIT reports to the Management Board and Principals’ Staff Committee.

Functions of the WQGIT include:

• Provide a forum for discussion, exchange of information, and evaluation among federal, state, and local agencies, river basin commissions, industry groups, universities, and other interested parties on water quality goals, data, modeling, authorities, and restoration efforts.

• Evaluate and promote strategies to reduce nutrient, sediment, and chemical contaminant loads from municipal, industrial and onsite wastewater; agricultural lands and animal operations;

urban and suburban stormwater; forested lands; tidal and in-stream sediment; and air emissions.

• Promote consistent, uniform, and transparent processes to model, track, report, and verify water quality restoration efforts.

• Identify, define, quantify, and incorporate pollutant reduction and conservation practices into the Chesapeake Bay Program decision support system.

• Provide technical expertise and leadership to support the development, implementation, and tracking of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL, Watershed Implementation Plans, and two-year milestones that support long-term Bay restoration goals.

B. Scope of Work This RFA is seeking insightful, expert, and cost-effective applications from eligible applicants to apply a state-of-the-science, fine-scale Watershed Model (WSM) of the Chesapeake watershed. The purpose of the WSM is to assess the Chesapeake Bay watershed flows and nutrient-sediment loads under all conditions of watershed management and under existing and future climate conditions. The WSM scenarios, as directed by Chesapeake Bay decision-makers, will provide support for management strategies to achieve Chesapeake Bay TMDL water quality standards. Achievement of the Chesapeake TMDL water quality standards under 2035 climate conditions will be assessed by the Phase 7 WSM now under development. The Phase 7 WSM will be completed and fully operational by December 2025.

The work includes three years of development, calibration, and application of a fully operational, state-of-the science, fine-scale WSM by December 2025 for the entire Chesapeake watershed. The final three years of the WSM work included a year-long review comprehensive CBP review of the Phase 7 WSM in 2026 and application of Phase 7 scenarios and analysis responsive to CBP management needs in 2027 and 2028. The WSM and all its ancillary models will be open-source, public domain, and freely available.

Assessment of the quality and sufficiency of the WSM calibration, structure, and function will be determined by the CBP Modeling Workgroup. Documentation of the WSM’s calibration and development work will proceed over the 2023-2025 period and be reviewed by the Modeling Workgroup.

https://www.chesapeakebay.net/who/group/water-quality-goal-implementation-team

The WSM review year of 2026 will be a full review by CBP technical and decision-making groups. The watershed modeler will actively engage in the review and provide information as requested and directed by the CBP. Modifications and changes to the WSM will be made as requested during the 2026 review process. During the year of review, the watershed modeler will engage and work with various groups and decision-makers to develop initial management scoping scenarios in preparation for implementation in Years 2027-2028. The review process, scoping, and implementation will be overseen by the Modeling Workgroup.

In 2027, the management scoping scenarios developed in 2026 or earlier will be established as management scenarios under the direction of local environmental decision-makers and the CBP.

Documentation of the management scenario work over 2026 will be reviewed by the Modeling Workgroup. Ultimately, the ongoing documentation of the WSM project from 2023 to 2027 will be organized into a final WSM report to be reviewed and accepted by the Modeling Workgroup and EPA project officer (PO).

While the CBP partnership is comprised of federal and non-federal organizations, any activities funded under this RFA will not directly benefit the federal partners. The recipient(s) of the cooperative agreement awarded under this RFA may work directly with federal agencies, but the nature of that work will result only in direct, significant benefits to the non-federal agencies, partners, and the general public. Any indirect and incidental benefits to EPA are not the purpose of the cooperative agreement related to this RFA.

EPA is issuing this RFA to support the CBP partnership’s continuing mission of evaluating the effectiveness of management actions taken to reduce nutrient and sediment pollutant loads and to improve Chesapeake Bay water quality through the seven watershed jurisdictions’ watershed implementation plans (WIPs). The WSM mission includes enhancing and maintaining the accountability of systems dependent on tracking, verifying, reporting, and quantifying the estimated pollutant load reduction potential of practices, treatments, and technologies implemented throughout the watershed and assessing their collective influence on Chesapeake Bay tidal water quality. The resultant data are used by the CBP Partnership to:

• Assess achievement of their two-year milestones;

• Assess progress towards implementing their WIPs;

• Determine management effectiveness of locally-implemented nutrient and sediment pollutant load reduction and prevention practices, treatments, and technologies;

• Report Bay and watershed restoration actions to the public;

• Project Chesapeake Bay water quality conditions based on implemented and planned pollutant load reduction actions;

• Support establishment of target pollutant loads to address 2035 climate change risks to the

Chesapeake’s water quality and living resources;

• Support adaptive management by the CBP partnership; and

• Support Executive Council directives, e.g., those related to climate change and environmental justice.

Application submissions should be oriented towards demonstrating:

• Experience and knowledge in development, calibration, validation, and scientific and management applications of complex, linked environmental WSMs.

• Experience and knowledge in working with multi-institutional and multi-agency teams on collaborative development, calibration, validation, and scientific and management application of complex linked environmental models.

• Experience and knowledge in model research and model development programs focused on the watershed processes.

• Experience and knowledge of the Chesapeake Bay Program and its technical and decision-making workgroups.

• Demonstrated ability to develop full, detailed, and accurate simulation of the effects of watershed nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment, and how climate change increases in temperature, greater precipitation volumes and intensities and other climate change related factors can be simulated in watersheds to accurately represent processes and management actions

• Providing assurance of complete web-accessibility of the resultant supporting data, model code, and documentation to the partnership-oriented, implementation-focused structure of the CBP Partnership through open source and public domain products.

• Note: In addition to the examples of tasks listed above, applicants may propose additional tasks that they believe are important to accomplishing the activities.

EPA plans to award one six-year cooperative agreement under this RFA. The total estimated funding under this solicitation is approximately $1,377,000 overall, with an estimated $229,500 available for the first year and each year thereafter. There is no guarantee of funding throughout this period or beyond.

To support this activity, the selected applicant will provide staff who, for matters of efficiency, will be located at the U.S. EPA CBPO located in Annapolis, Maryland. Office space, valued at $9,400 per person per year, will be provided by EPA as in-kind assistance under the cooperative agreement and is considered matchable funding.

If your organization has an interest and the skills to accomplish the activities described above and is eligible to receive a federal assistance agreement as described in Section III of this announcement, we encourage you to apply. Each eligible application will be evaluated using the criteria described in Section V. The activities are multi-year projects (up to six years), and the application should have a work plan and budget for the first year and a projected work plan and estimated budget detail for Years 2-6.

C. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage & Anticipated Outcomes and Outputs Pursuant to Section 6a of EPA Order 5700.7A1, “Environmental Results under EPA Assistance Agreements,” EPA must link proposed assistance agreements to the Agency’s Strategic Plan. EPA also requires that grant applicants and recipients adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7A1, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements, accessible at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements).

1. Linkage to EPA’s Strategic Plan The activities to be funded under this solicitation support the FY 2022-2026 EPA Strategic Plan. Awards made under this solicitation will support Goal 5: Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities, Objective 5.2 Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds of the Strategic Plan.

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 https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan

EPA Order 5700.7A1 also requires that grant applicants adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements. Applicants must include specific statements describing the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined outputs and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the project will contribute to the priorities described above.

2. Outputs The term “output” means an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to an environmental goal and objective that will be produced 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 potential outputs under the Scope of Work of this announcement may include but are not limited to the following:

• Support the Modeling Workgroup, WQGIT, and other technical and management/policy CBP groups as needed.

• Provide fine-scale WS models, analysis tools, scenarios, and other materials to support the Chesapeake Bay protection and restoration efforts and address the needs and requirements of CBP decision-makers and managers responding to water quality protection, climate change, and other challenges in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

• Improve the CBP’s WSM and CBP’s management decisions through the successful application of the applicant’s skill, knowledge, and experience in developing quantitative fine-scale WS assessments of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

• Demonstrate feasibility and utility of using the state-of-the-science, fine-scale WSM approaches using model segments of 100K NHD (~1 km2) for the entire Chesapeake watershed.

• Refine the WSM to estimate future climate conditions providing CBP managers with essential information about how to respond to climate change challenges.

• Lead the interagency and multiple-academic partner-based Chesapeake Bay watershed modeling team’s cooperative and collaborative efforts to develop and verify the next generation of Chesapeake Bay watershed models and related simulation tools.

• Develop, adapt, and operate software systems to calibrate and validate the Chesapeake Bay watershed models.

• Initiate positive changes during model development, calibration, and validation in response to partnership and stakeholder information needs and requests.

Progress reports and a final report will also be required outputs for these activities, as specified in Section VI.C., Reporting, of this announcement.

3. Outcomes The term “outcome” means the result, effect, or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may be qualitative and environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature but must also be quantitative. They may not necessarily be achievable within an assistance agreement funding period. Examples of potential outcomes under the Scope of Work of this announcement may include but are not limited to the following:

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf

• Investment in traditional, green, or nature-based infrastructure leading to reduced nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment delivered to tidal Bay waters appropriate to respond to future climate change and other water quality challenges to achieve Bay water quality standards.

• Amount of habitat restored as represented by achievement of the Chesapeake living-resource-based water quality standards and water quality standards of other tidal Chesapeake TMDLs and assessments.

• Increased knowledge and strategies to improve local economies, human health, and environmental goals through a restored Chesapeake Bay, with particular attention to improvements that can be made to underserved communities.

• Improved knowledge about Chesapeake Bay critical load of nutrients under 2035 climate change conditions and future climate change conditions through achievement of water quality standards in all Chesapeake tributaries.

• Improved CBP decision-making and leadership in responding to climate change conditions and other future water quality challenges.

D. Authorizing Statutes and Regulations This grant is made pursuant to CWA Section 117(d), 33 U.S.C. Section 1267(d), which authorizes EPA to issue grants and cooperative agreements for the purposes of protecting and restoring the Chesapeake Bay's ecosystem. This project is subject to the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) Uniform Grants Guidance (2 C.F.R. Part 200) and EPA-specific provisions of the Uniform Grants Guidance (2 C.F.R.

Part 1500).

E. Minority Serving Institutions:

EPA recognizes that it is important to engage all available minds to address the environmental challenges the nation faces. At the same time, EPA seeks to expand the environmental conversation by including members of communities which may have not previously participated in such dialogues to participate in EPA programs. For this reason, EPA strongly encourages all eligible applicants identified in Section III, including minority serving institutions (MSIs), to apply under this opportunity. For purposes of this solicitation, the following are considered MSIs:

1. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1061(2)). A list of these schools can be found at Historically Black Colleges and Universities;

2. Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1059c(b)(3) and (d)(1)). A list of these schools can be found at American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities;

3. Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1101a(a)(5)). A list of these schools can be found at Hispanic-Serving Institutions;

4. Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions; (AANAPISIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1059g(b)(2)). A list of these schools can be found at Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions; and

5. Predominately Black Institutions (PBIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act of 2008, 20 U.S.C.

1059e(b)(6). A list of these schools can be found at Predominately Black Institutions.

https://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/whiaiane/tribes-tcus/tribal-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/whiaiane/tribes-tcus/tribal-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/hispanic-initiative/hispanic-serving-institutions-hsis/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1XVkOWKMDORm53pvU0L8EPsrJC94&msa=0&ie=UTF8&t=m&z=3&source=embed&ll=40.58644586187275%2C-148.28228249999984 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1XVkOWKMDORm53pvU0L8EPsrJC94&msa=0&ie=UTF8&t=m&z=3&source=embed&ll=40.58644586187275%2C-148.28228249999984 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1wlIi3j7gtlNq_w-0NKAb2bF2VmY&ie=UTF&msa=0&ll=37.35160769312532%2C-96.17229800000001&z=4

F. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation Additional provisions that apply to sections III, IV, V, and VI of this solicitation and/or awards made under this solicitation, can be found at EPA Solicitation Clauses. These provisions are important for applying to this solicitation and applicants must review them when preparing applications for this solicitation. If you are unable to access these provisions electronically at the website above, please contact the EPA point of contact listed in this solicitation (usually in Section VII) to obtain the provisions.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Funding Amount and Expected Number of Awards The total estimated federal funding under this solicitation is approximately $1,377,000 for one cooperative agreement. Funding will be awarded incrementally in the amount of $229,500 per year for six years depending on funding availability, satisfactory performance, Agency priorities, and other applicable considerations.

To support this activity, the selected applicant will provide staff who, for matters of efficiency, will be located at the U.S. EPA CBPO located in Annapolis, Maryland. Office space will be provided by EPA as in-kind assistance under the cooperative agreement. Until amended, the EPA in-kind amount is $9,400 per person per year. Applicants must include in-kind funding in the calculation of the cost share for this opportunity (see Appendix A).

EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no award under this announcement or award less than the estimated funding amounts above. EPA makes no commitment of annual funding amounts for any fiscal year(s), as funds may be limited based on these applicable considerations.

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

B. Award Type EPA has determined that a cooperative agreement is the appropriate funding vehicle for this project.

Cooperative agreements are used under circumstances where substantial involvement is anticipated between EPA and the recipient during performance of the activities. EPA awards cooperative agreements for those projects in which it expects to have substantial interaction with the recipient throughout the performance of the project. EPA will negotiate the precise terms and conditions of “substantial involvement” as part of the award process. Federal involvement may include close monitoring of the recipient’s performance; collaboration during the performance of the scope of work in accordance with 2 C.F.R. 200.317 and 2 C.F.R. 200.318, as appropriate; review of proposed procurements; review of qualifications of key personnel; and/or review and comment on the content of printed or electronic publications prepared. EPA does not have the authority to select employees or contractors employed by the recipient. The final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient.

For this project, federal involvement would typically be in the form of participation with other CBP partners and stakeholders in an advisory capacity to the grantee. The participation is expected to include involvement through the Modeling Workgroup, various CBP Goal Implementation Teams, and related committees and workgroups (on which EPA also participates to ensure that all the recommendations for technical work support the CBP partners). All work conducted is to support the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and the Chesapeake Bay TMDL.

C. Partial Funding

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

D. Expected Project Period

The expected project period for the cooperative agreement is six years, with funding provided on an annual basis. No commitment of funding can be made beyond the first year. The expected start date for the award resulting from this RFA is August 15, 2023.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

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

A. Eligible Applicants

Under CWA Section 117(d), funds are available for technical and general assistance grants to nonprofit organizations, State, tribal (federally recognized) and local governments, colleges, universities, and interstate agencies. For-profit organizations are not eligible to submit applications in response to this

RFA.

B. Cost-Share or Matching Requirements Pursuant to CWA Section 117(d)(2)(A), 33 U.S.C. Section 1267(d)(2)(A), the agency shall determine the cost-share requirements for awards. The Assistance Listing Number, 66.466, states that assistance agreement applicants must commit to a cost-share ranging from 5 percent to 50 percent of eligible project costs as determined at the sole discretion of EPA. For this RFA, EPA has determined that an applicant must provide a minimum of 5 percent of the total cost of the project as the non-federal cost-share.

Cost-share may be in the form of cash or in-kind contributions. Involvement from foundations, watershed groups, private sector, eligible governmental, as well as non-conventional partners can help with the match. The match must be met by eligible and allowable costs and is subject to the match provisions in grant regulations. Applications that do not demonstrate how the 5 percent match will be met will be rejected.

C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria All applications will be reviewed for eligibility and must meet the eligibility requirements described in Sections III.A., B., and C. to be considered eligible. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

1. Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this solicitation or else they will be rejected. However, where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to the application, or parts thereof, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed. Applicants are advised that readability is of paramount importance and should take precedence in application format, including selecting a legible font type and size for use in the application.

2. In addition, initial applications must be submitted through Grants.gov as stated in Section IV of this solicitation (except in the limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed for as explained in Section IV) on or before the application submission deadline published in Section IV of this solicitation. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV of this solicitation to ensure that their application is timely submitted. Please note that applicants experiencing technical issues with submission through Grants.gov should follow the instructions provided in Section IV, which include both the requirement to contact Grants.gov and email a full application to EPA prior to the deadline.

3. Applications submitted outside of Grants.gov will be deemed ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was due to EPA mishandling or technical problems associated with Grants.gov or SAM.gov. An applicant’s failure to timely submit their application through Grants.gov because they did not timely or properly register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov will not be considered an acceptable reason to consider a submission outside of Grants.gov.

4. Applications must be for projects linked to the strategic goal outlined in Section I.C.1.

5. For an application to be considered eligible for funding, project-related work included in the application must take place within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which includes portions of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, and all of the District of Columbia.

6. Applications must show how they will meet the 5 percent cost-share requirement of Section

III.B.

7. Applications requesting funding over the maximum funding available will be rejected.

8. 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.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

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

A. How to Obtain an Application Package

Applicants can download individual grant application forms from the application package available in the Workspace associated with this opportunity on Grants.gov.

B. Submission Process

1. Requirement to Submit Through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures

Applicants must apply electronically through Grants.gov under this funding opportunity based on the Grants.gov instructions in this announcement. If your organization has no access to the internet or access is very limited, you may request an exception for the remainder of this calendar year by following the procedures outlined here. Please note that your request must be received at least 15 calendar days before the application due date to allow enough time to negotiate alternative submission methods.

Issues with submissions with respect to this opportunity only are addressed in section 3. Technical Issues with Submission below.

2. Submission Instructions

a. SAM.gov (System for Award Management) Registration Instructions

Organizations applying to this funding opportunity must have an active SAM.gov registration. If you have never done business with the Federal Government, you will need to register your organization in SAM.gov. If you do not have a SAM.gov account, then you will create an account using login.gov (1) to complete your SAM.gov registration. SAM.gov registration is FREE. The process for entity registrations includes obtaining Unique Entity ID (UEI), a 12-character alphanumeric ID assigned an entity by SAM.gov, and requires assertions, representations and certifications, and other information about your organization. Please review the Entity Registration Checklist for details on this process.

If you have done business with the Federal Government previously, you can check your entity status using your government issued UEI to determine if your registration is active. SAM.gov requires you renew your registration every 365 days to keep it active.

Please note that SAM.gov registration is different than obtaining a UEI only. Obtaining an UEI only validates your organization's legal business name and address. Please review the Frequently Asked Question on the difference for additional details.

Organizations should ensure that their SAM.gov registration includes a current e-Business (EBiz) point of contact name and email address. The EBiz point of contact is critical for Grants.gov Registration and system functionality.

Contact the Federal Service Desk for help with your SAM.gov account, to resolve technical issues or chat with a help desk agent: (866) 606-8220. The Federal Service desk hours of operation are Monday - Friday 8am - 8pm ET.

b. Grants.gov Registration Instructions

Once your SAM.gov account is active, you must register in Grants.gov. Grants.gov will electronically receive your organization information, such as e-Business (EBiz) point of contact email address and UEI.

Organizations applying to this funding opportunity must have an active Grants.gov registration.

Grants.gov registration is FREE. If you have never applied for a federal grant before, please review the Grants.gov Applicant Registration instructions. As part of the Grants.gov registration process, the EBiz point of contact is the only person that can affiliate and assign applicant roles to members of an https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.epa.gov/grants/exceptions-grantsgov-submission-requirement https://login.gov/ https://intranet.epa.gov/ogd/competition/compet/grants_gov_instructions_open_or_simplified_on_after_june_2022.htm#1 https://www.fsd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=51a2fa061b0bcd500ca4a97ae54bcb18 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0051214&sys_kb_id=dd40f4ef1b9641d0937fa64ce54bcb7a&spa=1 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0051214&sys_kb_id=dd40f4ef1b9641d0937fa64ce54bcb7a&spa=1 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html organization. In addition, at least one person must be assigned as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). Only person(s) with the AOR role can submit applications in Grants.gov. Please review the Intro to Grants.gov-Understanding User Roles and Learning Workspace - User Roles and Workspace Actions for details on this important process.

Please note that this process can take a month or more for new registrants. Applicants must ensure that all registration requirements are met in order to apply for this opportunity through Grants.gov and should ensure that all such requirements have been met well in advance of the application submission deadline.

Contact Grants.gov for assistance at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov to resolve technical issues with Grants.gov. Applicants who are outside the U.S. at the time of submittal and are not able to access the toll-free number may reach a Grants.gov representative by calling 606-545-5035. The Grants.gov Support Center is available 24 hours a day 7 days a week, excluding federal holidays.

c. Application Submission Process

To begin the application process under this grant announcement, go to Grants.gov and click the red "Apply" button at the top of the view grant opportunity page associated with this opportunity.

The electronic submission of your application to this funding opportunity must be made by an official representative of your organization who is registered with Grants.gov and is authorized to sign applications for Federal financial assistance. If the submit button is grayed out, it may be because you do not have the appropriate role to submit in your organization. Contact your organization's EBiz point of contact or contact Grants.gov for assistance at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

Applicants need to ensure that the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) who submits the application through Grants.gov and whose UEI is listed on the application is an AOR for the applicant listed on the application. Additionally, the UEI listed on the application must be registered to the applicant organization's SAM.gov account. If not, the application may be deemed ineligible.

d. Application Submission Deadline

Your organization's AOR must submit your complete application package electronically to EPA through Grants.gov no later than <<<May 18, 2023>>> 11:59 PM ET. Please allow for enough time to successfully submit your application and allow for unexpected errors that may require you to resubmit.

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

3. Technical Issues with Submission

If applicants experience technical issues during the submission of an application that they are unable to resolve, follow these procedures before the application deadline date:

1) Contact Grants.gov Support Center before the application deadline date.

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2) Document the Grants.gov ticket/case number.

3) Send an email with the RFA number EPA-I-R3-CBP-23-07 in the subject line to Autumn Rose

(rose.autumn@epa.gov) before the application deadline time and date and must include the following:

a. Grants.gov ticket/case number(s)

b. Description of the issue

c. The entire application package in PDF format.

Without this information, EPA may not be able to consider applications submitted outside of Grants.gov.

Any application submitted after the application deadline time and date deadline will be deemed ineligible and not be considered.

Please note that successful submission through Grants.gov or email does not necessarily mean your application is eligible for award.

EPA will make decisions concerning acceptance of each application submitted outside of Grants.gov on a case-by-case basis. EPA will only consider accepting applications that were unable to submit through Grants.gov due to Grants.gov or relevant SAM.gov system issues or for unforeseen exigent circumstances, such as extreme weather interfering with internet access. Failure of an applicant to submit prior to the application submission deadline date because they did not properly or timely register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov is not an acceptable reason to justify acceptance of an application outside of Grants.gov.

4. Application Materials

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 – The project narrative should be prepared as described in

Appendix A of the announcement.

6) Budget Narrative Attachment Form – The budget narrative should include a spreadsheet that shows each year’s cost for the salaries, fringe benefits, total salaries/wages, travel expenses, equipment, supplies, contractual expenses, other cost, and indirect cost. A multi-year budget detail template is available at https://www.epa.gov/restoration-chesapeake-bay/chesapeake-bay-program-grant-guidance. For more information, please refer to EPA’s Office of Grants and Debarment’s budget detail guidance at https://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2019-g02 and indirect cost guidance located at https://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2018-g02-r.

7) Other Attachment Form – The applicant’s Indirect Cost Rate Agreement should be included, as applicable.

mailto:rose.autumn@epa.gov https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.epa.gov/restoration-chesapeake-bay/chesapeake-bay-program-grant-guidance https://www.epa.gov/restoration-chesapeake-bay/chesapeake-bay-program-grant-guidance https://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2019-g02 https://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2018-g02-r

C. Project Narrative Requirements

Each application will be evaluated using the criteria referenced in Section V.B. of this announcement, all of which must be addressed. The project narrative shall not exceed 15 pages in length; one page being one-sided, single-spaced, and typed. Font size should be no smaller than 10 and typed on 8 ½” x 11" paper. Note that the 15 pages include resumes or curriculum vitae and letters of support. The 15-page limit does not include documentation of non-profit status, cost-share letters of commitment, the SF- 424, SF-424A, budget detail, Key Contacts Form, or 4700-4 form. If you submit more than 15 pages for the project narrative, the additional pages will be discarded and will not be reviewed. See Appendix A for additional instructions.

D. Other Application Information

1. Intergovernmental Review

Please review the Intergovernmental Review clause included as part of the EPA Solicitation Clauses. This program MAY be subject to Executive Order 12372--Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs. See this link for information and instructions: https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-region-3-grants-and-audit-management-branch-intergovernmental-review-process-and-single. Further information regarding this requirement will be provided if your application is selected for funding.

2. Funding Restrictions

a. Administrative Cost Cap Requirement under Statutory Authority

Recipients applying for CBP assistance agreements must adhere to the requirements for “Administrative Costs” under the CWA Section 117 (d)(4), 33 U.S.C. Section 1267 (d)(4), which states that administrative costs shall not exceed 10 percent of the annual grant award (annual grant award = federal share plus cost-share). Appendix B: Administrative Cost Cap Worksheet is provided as an example of a method to calculate the 10-percent limitation. You are not required to submit Appendix B with your application.

b. Allowable Costs

All costs incurred under this program must be allowable under 2 CFR Part 200 Subpart E. In accordance with applicable law, regulation, and policy, any recipient of funding must agree to comply with restrictions on using assistance funds for unauthorized lobbying, fund-raising, or political activities (i.e., lobbying members of Congress or lobbying for other federal grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts). See e.g. 2 CFR 200.450. Funds generally cannot be used to pay for travel by federal agency staff. Proposed project activities must also comply with all state and federal regulations applicable to the project area. The applicant must also review the solicitation for any other programmatic funding restrictions applicable to this program. If awarded funding, the recipient must refer to the terms and conditions of its award for other funding restrictions applicable to its award. It is the responsibility of the recipient to ensure compliance with these requirements. In addition, please see 2 CFR 200 for information on pre-award costs.

https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-region-3-grants-and-audit-management-branch-intergovernmental-review-process-and-single https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-region-3-grants-and-audit-management-branch-intergovernmental-review-process-and-single https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200?toc=1 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=df0298e9bb3c2b42c5e5f4f2454a6eb6&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1450&rgn=div8 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=3a9d37ee65a29390f40e14c2786e60e6&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl

E. Coalition Coverage

Groups of two or more eligible applicants may choose to form a coalition and submit a single application under this RFA; however, one entity must be responsible for the grant. Coalitions must identify which eligible organization will be the recipient of the grant and which eligible organization(s) will be subrecipients of the recipient (the “pass-through entity”). Subawards must be consistent with the definition of that term in 2 CFR 200.1 and comply with EPA’s Subaward Policy. The pass-through entity that administers the grant and subawards will be accountable to EPA for proper expenditure of the funds and reporting and will be the point of contact for the coalition. As provided in 2 CFR 200.332, subrecipients are accountable to the pass-through entity for proper use of EPA funding. For-profit organizations are not eligible for subawards under this grant program but may receive procurement contracts. Any contracts for services or products funded with EPA financial assistance must be awarded under the competitive procurement procedures of 2 CFR Part 200 and/or 2 CFR Part 1500, as applicable.

The regulations at 2 CFR 1500.10 contain limitations on the extent to which EPA funds may be used to compensate individual consultants. Refer to the Best Practice Guide for Procuring Services, Supplies, and Equipment Under EPA Assistance Agreements for guidance on competitive procurement requirements and consultant compensation. Do not name a procurement contractor (including a consultant) as a “partner” or otherwise in your application unless the contractor has been selected in compliance with competitive procurement requirements.

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

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

A. Evaluation Process

After EPA…