EPA-R5-GL2021-ZMB.pdf

EPA GREAT LAKES NATIONAL PROGRAM OFFICE

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative 2021 Request for Applications

Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program: Zooplankton, Mysis, and Benthic Components

FEDERAL AGENCY NAME: Environmental Protection Agency FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TITLE: Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program: Zooplankton, Mysis, and Benthic Components ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Request for Applications

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: EPA-R5-GL2021-ZMB

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 66.469

INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

This Request for Applications (RFA) solicits applications from eligible entities for a cooperative agreement to be awarded pursuant to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (“GLRI” or “Initiative”) Action Plan III. Applications are requested for a project to complete sample collection and analyses in support of the Zooplankton, Mysis, and Benthic components of the Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program (GLBMP).

Under this competition, approximately $6,750,000 may be awarded for one cooperative agreement over approximately five years, consisting of incremental funding of about $1,350,000 per year. Applications should specify a start date on or around January 17, 2022 and should specify an end date that will allow for the collection, processing, and analysis of the 2022-2026 field seasons. All incrementally funded awards will be subject to the availability of funding, future appropriations, satisfactory performance of work, and other applicable considerations.

The statutory authority of the GLRI to award cooperative agreements is contained in the Clean Water Act, Section 118(c)(7), as amended by Public Law 114-322. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has authority to award grants and cooperative agreements for planning, research, monitoring, outreach and implementation projects in furtherance of the GLRI and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Governmental entities, including state agencies, interstate agencies, Indian tribes, local governments, institutions of higher learning (i.e., colleges and universities), and non-profit organizations (as defined in 2 CFR Part 200) are eligible to apply for funding under this RFA.

https://www.glri.us/ https://www.glri.us/action-plan https://www.epa.gov/glwqa

Request for Applications Page 2 of 48 Version Date: August 27, 2021

Timeline 8/30/2021 Request for Applications (RFA) posted 10/29/2021 Applications must be submitted to EPA through

Grants.gov by 10:59 p.m. Central Time / 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time in order to be considered for funding

December 2021 EPA will begin notifying finalists January 2022 EPA will begin making the official award

For your convenience, the 2021 RFA for Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program:

Zooplankton, Mysis, and Benthic Components webpage has been created with information relating to the RFA process. We encourage all applicants to sign up for our mailing list and register with us at Great Lakes News Email List.

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 Solicitation Clauses.

https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/2021-rfa-great-lakes-biology-monitoring-program-zooplankton-mysis-and-benthic https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/2021-rfa-great-lakes-biology-monitoring-program-zooplankton-mysis-and-benthic https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-news-email-list https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses

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ACRONYMS

AOR Authorized Organization Representative CBI Confidential Business Information CFR Code of Federal Regulations CSMI Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative DBE Disadvantaged Business Enterprises DUNS Data Universal Numbering System EPA Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act FAQ Frequently Asked Questions FON Funding Opportunity Number FTE Full Time Equivalent FY Fiscal Year GL Great Lakes GLBMP Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program GLNPO Great Lakes National Program Office GLRI Great Lakes Restoration Initiative GLWQA Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement GSA General Services Administration HUC Hydrologic Unit Code IDC Indirect Cost LOS Letters of Support MBE Minority Business Enterprises MSI Minority Serving Institution NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NHPA National Historic Preservation Act OGD Office of Grants and Debarment PBI Predominantly Black Institution Q&A Question & Answer R5 Region 5 RFA Request for Applications SAM System for Award Management SBA Small Business Administration SF Standard Form SHPO State Historic Preservation Office SMDP Scientific Data Management Plan STEM Science, technology, engineering, and math TCU Tribal Colleges and Universities THPO Tribal Historic Preservation Office USC United States Code UTF Unicode Transformation Format

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Application Information

II. Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

IV. Application & Submission Information

V. Application Review & Selection

VI. Award Administration

VII. Agency Contacts

Appendix I - Budget Information

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I. APPLICATION INFORMATION

A. PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The GLRI builds on the prior efforts of federal, state, and local agencies; Indian tribes;

businesses; public interest groups; interested citizens; and others to develop a collaborative and comprehensive approach to restoring the Great Lakes. Information about the Initiative can be found at GLRI.us.

This RFA solicits applications from eligible entities for a cooperative agreement to be awarded pursuant to the statutory authorities referenced above and the GLRI Action Plan III. Up to $6,750,000 may be awarded under this RFA over approximately five years, consisting of incremental funding of about $1,350,000 per year, contingent on the quality of applications received, funding availability, future appropriations, satisfactory performance of work, and other applicable considerations. Funding each year is not guaranteed. The application should include an annualized budget and budget detail narrative for the project, and a detailed workplan covering each year of the project.

All projects will be evaluated as described in Section V.

B. PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

Applicants must propose program activities that support the following general goals of the program: 1) the continued documentation of the status and trends of the ecological health of the open waters of the Great Lakes based on zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic fauna analysis; 2) determination of the impacts of changing lower food web communities on fisheries; 3) special studies for the pelagic lower food web (zooplankton and Mysis) coincident with the Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative (CSMI)1 five-year rotation; and 4) whole-lake benthic fauna assessment coincident with the CSMI five-year rotation. These project activities must also support the following objectives as described below: Sample Collection and Project Design;

Taxonomic Analysis; Data Management; Data Interpretation, Statistical Analysis and Report Writing; and Applied Research.

1 The Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative (CSMI) is a joint United States and Canadian effort to provide environmental managers with needed information on each Great Lake. The lakes are visited one per year in a five-year rotation. In 2022, CSMI will be focused on Lake Huron. In subsequent years (2023-2026), CSMI will focus on Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Michigan, and Lake Superior.

http://glri.us/ https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2019-10/documents/glri-action-plan-3-201910-30pp.pdf

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SAMPLE COLLECTION AND PROJECT DESIGN

Applicants should describe their plans to collect zooplankton and Mysis samples on all five Great Lakes in spring and summer, starting in summer 2022 through summer 2026.

Applicants should also describe their plans to collect benthic samples during summer, along with two Lake Erie benthic sampling locations in the spring. In addition, applicants should describe how they intend to carry out intensive synoptic assessments of the zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic communities annually on the CSMI intensive lake; these assessments should include studies of the zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic community abundances and distributions, as well as quagga mussel percent coverage, biomass, and/or density using benthic video data.2

CSMI Rotation 2022 Lake Huron 2023 Lake Ontario 2024 Lake Erie 2025 Lake Michigan 2026 Lake Superior

Applicants should describe how they intend to maintain comparability and continuity with historic sampling procedures. Applicants may suggest modifications to historic sampling procedures with supporting rationale. The supporting rationale should demonstrate how the different sampling procedures will still maintain continuity between historical data and the data collected under this project.

TAXONOMIC ANALYSIS

Applicants should describe their plans to identify, enumerate, and determine biovolume for zooplankton and Mysis, and identify, enumerate, and determine weights for benthic fauna. Applicants should document their taxonomic expertise and their capability to hire and train taxonomists. Applicants should demonstrate how they intend to maintain comparability and continuity of taxonomic analysis with historic identifications.

Applicants may suggest modifications to historic taxonomic procedures with supporting rationale. The supporting rationale should demonstrate how the different taxonomic procedures will still maintain continuity between historical data and the data collected under this project.

2 Species lists and historic analytical procedures are available in the current SOPs posted at the 2021 RFA for Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program: Zooplankton, Mysis, and Benthic Components website.

https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/2021-rfa-great-lakes-biology-monitoring-program-zooplankton-mysis-and-benthic https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/2021-rfa-great-lakes-biology-monitoring-program-zooplankton-mysis-and-benthic

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Prior to the analysis of any zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic samples, the award recipient will need to demonstrate comparability and consistency with existing species identification procedures through the analysis of a minimum of 10 archived samples, provided by EPA.3

DATA MANAGEMENT

Applicants should describe their plans (and capability) to contribute to the management, maintenance, and future enhancements of comprehensive databases for zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic community data. Historic data currently reside in the Great Lakes Environmental Database (GLENDA) and/or other databases managed by EPA. These databases incorporate much of the station, location, physical and limnological data.

GLNPO will provide existing database structures and taxonomic lists for zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic organisms. Applicants may suggest modifications to the existing database structures with supporting rationale. The supporting rationale should demonstrate how different databases will maintain continuity between historical data and the data collected under this project and improve the applicant’s ability to assess long-term trends in zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic communities. The database(s) should be able to incorporate historic datasets from 1983 to 2020, as well as data collected during this cooperative agreement.

An electronic copy of all final verified data shall be transferred to GLNPO in a format that is consistent with data submission protocols specified in GLNPO SOPs (e.g., Standard Operating Procedure for Zooplankton Analysis). Applicants should demonstrate how they will submit final verified data within 18 months of receipt of samples in their laboratory (e.g., submit data on all samples collected in August 2022 by February 2024).

In addition, applicants should plan to prioritize the deep zooplankton tows (100-m tows with 153 µm mesh) and Mysis net tows, such that those final verified data will be submitted within a 12-month period of receipt of samples in their laboratory. Applicants should also discuss project elements and processes that allow field and lab data to be efficiently managed and interpreted year-to-year.

DATA INTERPRETATION, STATISTICAL ANALYSIS, AND REPORT WRITING

Applicants should describe their plans to ensure that the monitoring and assessment information generated is made available to the Great Lakes community in a wide variety of formats, including peer-reviewed journals and internet products. Applicants are expected to discuss how this dissemination will occur using data collected year-to-year, with a focus on fisheries and water quality managers. Additionally, it is important that

3 These data will be received and evaluated by the EPA Technical Lead for species consistency prior to analysis of actual environmental samples.

https://cdx.epa.gov/ https://cdx.epa.gov/

Request for Applications Page 8 of 48 any new information generated be placed in a historical perspective so that determinations may be made of how the zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic communities are changing over time. The successful applicant is expected to integrate recent and historical data to provide interpretation of changes to the biological communities.

Applicants should demonstrate how they will work with the EPA Project Officer and Technical Lead to report on the status and trends of the zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic communities in the Great Lakes in a timely fashion and support the development of ecosystem indicator reports.

Applicants should also discuss how their work will increase understanding of the biological health of the Great Lakes and the implications for ecosystem and fisheries management. The advancement of scientific knowledge may include the development of zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic community-based indicators, application of ecosystem models, identification of stressor-state relationships, and the further education of graduate students in taxonomy and Great Lakes ecosystem research.

APPLIED RESEARCH

Applicants should discuss how monitoring will be flexible enough to adequately track, monitor, and investigate:

• large scale changes of significant components of the Great Lakes lower food web that are affected by new species invading the Great Lakes;

• fluctuations of the state of the biological community; and

• responses of the zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic communities to oligotrophication of the offshore waters of Lakes Michigan, Huron, Erie (eastern basin) and Ontario, global climate change, and the rates and mechanisms of predation.

Applicants should also discuss how additional special studies and/or enhancements to the long-term monitoring program will be implemented. As an example, applicants may discuss how the monitoring design may contribute to the CSMI.

C. GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL RESULTS AND STRATEGIC PLAN INFORMATION

This RFA is expected to result in the award of one cooperative agreement, as appropriate (hereafter collectively referred to as “grant”), to support the GLRI Action Plan III, Focus Area 5 (Foundations for Future Restoration Actions), Objective 5.2. Conduct comprehensive science programs and projects, and Measure 5.2.1 Annual Great Lakes monitoring conducted and used to prioritize GLRI funding decisions.

https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2019-10/documents/glri-action-plan-3-201910-30pp.pdf

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EPA has authority to award cooperative agreements for planning, research, monitoring, outreach and implementation projects in furtherance of GLRI and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA4). Funded activities must advance protection and restoration of the Great Lakes ecosystem in support of: (i) the GLRI Action Plan III and (ii) EPA’s Strategic Plan.

Projects must also either: (i) protect, enhance, and/or restore the Great Lakes and its connecting river systems (St. Marys River, St. Clair River including Lake St. Clair, Detroit River, Niagara River, and St. Lawrence River at the international boundary or upstream from the point at which this river becomes the international boundary between Canada and the United States); or (ii) protect Great Lakes ecosystem health, including human health. Applications for other activities will be rejected.

The activities to be funded under this solicitation support EPA’s FY 2018-22 EPA Strategic Plan. Awards made under this solicitation will support Goal 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment; deliver a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment for all Americans and future generations by carrying out the Agency’s core mission. and Objective 1.2: Provide for Clean and Safe Water; ensure waters are clean through improved water infrastructure and, in partnership with states and tribes, sustainably manage programs to support drinking water, aquatic ecosystems, and recreational, economic, and subsistence activities. All applications must be for projects that support the goals and objectives identified above.

D. OUTPUTS AND OUTCOMES

EPA requires grant applicants and recipients adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements. 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.

For purposes of this RFA:

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 over the term of the grant funding period. Projects should include all of the following and must link to the GLRI Action Plan III Measures of Progress or goals and objectives:

The term “outcome” means the result, effect or consequence that will be achieved by carrying out an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature, must be quantitative, and may not necessarily be

4 The principal goal of GLWQA is to restore and protect the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Great Lakes ecosystem.

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2019-10/documents/glri-action-plan-3-201910-30pp.pdf https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf

Request for Applications Page 10 of 48 achievable within a grant funding period. Projects should demonstrate how their proposed project will achieve all the following outputs and outcomes.

OUTPUTS MUST INCLUDE ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING AND APPLICATIONS MUST LINK PROPOSED

OUTPUTS TO THE GLRI ACTION PLAN III MEASURES OF PROGRESS OR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:

• a quantification of Great Lakes ecosystem health based on zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic fauna analyses consistent with current methodologies;

• an evaluation of the temporal trends of ecosystem health based on zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic communities in the Great Lakes;

• provision of data and information for use in the Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program annual report and presentations at Great Lakes stakeholder meetings and scientific conferences;

• investigation of the response of Great Lakes zooplankton and benthic communities to anthropogenic stressors;

• assessment of the abundance and health of Mysis in the Great Lakes;

• estimates of quagga mussel percent coverage, biomass, and/or density, based on analysis of video data collected on summer surveys and lake-intensive CSMI surveys;

• sample collection, taxonomic analysis, data management, data interpretation, statistical analysis, and report writing;

• development of Great Lakes scientists through the education of graduate and undergraduate students in taxonomy and Great Lakes ecosystem science;

• dissemination of results via peer-reviewed journal articles and other media;

• development of State of the Great Lakes indicator reports that use data generated through the zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic sampling programs;

• targeted studies for lake-by-lake assessment of zooplankton and Mysis communities coincident with the CSMI that complement the long-term monitoring program design; or

• an intensive lake-by-lake synoptic assessment of benthos communities coincident with the

CSMI that complements the long-term benthos monitoring program design.

OUTCOMES SHOULD INCLUDE:

• increased understanding of biological health of the Great Lakes lower food web and the relationship to fisheries and water quality management;

• increased understanding of the spatial and temporal trends of zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic communities to inform each GLWQA Annex 2 Lakewide Action and Management Plan increased understanding of the changes occurring to the zooplankton community and the implications for larval and forage fish;

• enhancement of indicators, based on zooplankton and benthic communities, of the health of the Great Lakes;

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• surveillance for new aquatic invasive species within the zooplankton and/or benthic community;

• enhanced understanding of the changes in nutrient cycling related to changing zooplankton and benthic fauna abundance and composition; and

• increased understanding of the impacts of dreissenid mussels and nutrient load changes on the zooplankton and benthic communities and primary production.

E. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

The Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program (GLBMP) was established in 1983 to assess and investigate the ecological health of the Great Lakes. The program benefits federal, state, and tribal fisheries and water quality managers by focusing on whole-lake responses to changes in loads of anthropogenic substances, and more recently, aquatic invasive species. Sampling is typically focused on the relatively homogeneous offshore waters of each lake. Zooplankton has been an integral part of the program since its inception. Benthic sampling was added to the program in 1997. Mysis were added to the program in 2006. The community structure of the biota has been rapidly changing in many areas of the Great Lakes in recent decades. More information on the Great Lakes biology monitoring program can be found at EPA’s Great Lakes Monitoring website.

Zooplankton and benthic fauna identification and enumeration have historically provided the information needed to link primary production in the lakes to fish communities. Mysis are an important food source to pelagic forage fish. In the Great Lakes, all these components have undergone dramatic changes in recent decades, with potentially great impacts on fish reproduction and growth.

EPA is seeking applications for funding to support the Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program.

F. STATUTORY AUTHORIZATION

EPA’s statutory authority to award grants and cooperative agreements is contained in the Clean Water Act Section 118(c)(7) as amended by Public Law 114-322 and includes authority to make awards in furtherance of the GLRI.

G. INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES

For projects with international aspects, the above statutes are supplemented, as appropriate, by the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 102(2)(F).

https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-monitoring https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-monitoring https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2011-title42/html/USCODE-2011-title42-chap55-sec4321.htm

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H. MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS (MSIS)

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/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/whiaiane/tribes-tcus/tribal-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/whiaiane/tribes-tcus/tribal-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/hispanic-initiative/hispanic-serving-institutions-hsis/ https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1XVkOWKMDORm53pvU0L8EPsrJC94&msa=0&ie=UTF8&t=m&z=3&source=embed&ll=40.58644586187277%2C-148.28228249999984 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1XVkOWKMDORm53pvU0L8EPsrJC94&msa=0&ie=UTF8&t=m&z=3&source=embed&ll=40.58644586187277%2C-148.28228249999984 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1wlIi3j7gtlNq_w-0NKAb2bF2VmY&ie=UTF&msa=0&ll=37.35160769312532%2C-96.17229800000001&z=4 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1wlIi3j7gtlNq_w-0NKAb2bF2VmY&ie=UTF&msa=0&ll=37.35160769312532%2C-96.17229800000001&z=4

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II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AVAILABLE FUNDING & PROJECT PERIODS AVAILABILITY

Approximately $6,750,000 in EPA funding is expected to be awarded under this RFA for one project. The maximum award for this award is $6,750,000. Applications seeking more than $6,750,000 of EPA funding will be rejected. Any application for a multi-phase project will be treated as one application and the application will be rejected if the combined amount requested for the multi-phase project is more than $6,750,000. EPA expects to provide up to $6,750,000 for one cooperative agreement over a five-year period, consisting of incremental funding of about $1,350,000 per year.

This anticipated project period for the funding opportunity is approximately five years.

This Request for Applications instructs applicants to submit certifications and other documentation required for a full and complete funding package so that their projects could, if selected, proceed expeditiously. Applications should specify a start date on or around January 17, 2022 and should specify an end date that will allow for the collection, processing, and analysis of the 2022-2026 field seasons.

B. PARTIAL FUNDING PROVISION

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

C. ADDITIONAL AWARDS

EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this solicitation, consistent with Agency policy and guidance, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than 6 months after the original selection decisions.

D. FUNDING TYPE

EPA intends to award a cooperative agreement under this solicitation. Cooperative agreements provide for substantial involvement between the EPA Project Officer and the selected applicant(s) in the performance of the work supported, technical assistance, network guidance, use of the R/V Lake Guardian as appropriate, provision of historic data, evaluation of project progress, and quantification and reporting of results. Although EPA will negotiate precise terms and conditions relating to substantial involvement as part of the award process, the anticipated substantial federal involvement for these projects may include:

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

• collaboration during performance of the scope of work;

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

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

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

EPA does not have the authority to select employees or contractors employed by the recipient.

The final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient.

E. FUTURE FUNDING

Selection or award of funding under this RFA is not a guarantee of future funding.

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III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY (ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER 66.469)

Qualified non-federal entities eligible to apply for grants include non-federal governmental entities, nonprofit organizations, and institutions. This includes state agencies; any agency or instrumentality of local government; interstate agencies; federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations; colleges and universities; non-profit organizations; and other public or non-profit private agencies, institutions, and organizations.

Individuals, foreign organizations and governments, nonprofit organizations exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying, and “for-profit” organizations are not eligible.

B. THRESHOLD ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

These are requirements that if not met by the applicant by the time of application submission will result in elimination of the application from consideration for funding. Only applications for eligible activities from eligible entities that meet these criteria by the time of application submission will be evaluated against the ranking factors in Section V of this RFA.

1. Unless specifically excluded under this RFA, assistance is available to eligible applicants for planning, research, monitoring, and implementation of the GLRI and GLWQA.

Proposed projects must also either: (i) protect, enhance, and/or restore the Great Lakes and the connecting river systems of St. Marys River, St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair, Detroit River, Niagara River, and St. Lawrence River at the international boundary or upstream from the point at which this river becomes the international boundary between Canada and the United States; or (ii) protect Great Lakes ecosystem health, including human health. Applications for other activities will be rejected.

2. Applicants must propose program activities that support the following general goals of the program: 1) the continued documentation of the status and trends of the ecological health of the open waters of the Great Lakes based on zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic fauna analysis; 2) determination of the impacts of changing lower food web communities on fisheries; 3) special studies for the pelagic lower food web (zooplankton and Mysis) coincident with the Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative (CSMI) five-year rotation; and 4) whole-lake benthic fauna assessment coincident with the CSMI five-year rotation. These project activities must also support the following objectives as described in Sections I and IV: Sample Collection and Project Design; Taxonomic Analysis; Data Management; Data Interpretation, Statistical Analysis and Report Writing; and Applied Research.

3. Applications must include one or more of the following outputs and applications must link proposed outputs to the GLRI Action Plan III Measures of Progress or goals and objectives:

https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-restoration-initiative-glri

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• a quantification of Great Lakes ecosystem health based on zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic fauna analyses consistent with current methodologies;

• an evaluation of the temporal trends of ecosystem health based on zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic communities in the Great Lakes;

• provision of data and information for use in the Great Lakes Biology Monitoring Program annual report and presentations at Great Lakes stakeholder meetings and scientific conferences;

• investigation of the response of Great Lakes zooplankton and benthic communities to anthropogenic stressors;

• assessment of the abundance and health of Mysis in the Great Lakes;

• estimates of quagga mussel percent coverage, biomass, and/or density, based on analysis of video data collected on summer surveys and lake-intensive CSMI surveys;

• sample collection, taxonomic analysis, data management, data interpretation, statistical analysis, and report writing;

• development of Great Lakes scientists through the education of graduate and undergraduate students in taxonomy and Great Lakes ecosystem science;

• dissemination of results via peer-reviewed journal articles and other media;

• development of State of the Great Lakes indicator reports that use data generated through the zooplankton, Mysis, and benthic sampling programs;

• targeted studies for lake-by-lake assessment of zooplankton and Mysis communities coincident with the CSMI that complement the long-term monitoring program design;

or

• an intensive lake-by-lake synoptic assessment of benthos communities coincident with the CSMI that complements the long-term benthos monitoring program design.

4. Applications seeking funding in excess of $6,750,000 over the proposed project duration will be rejected. In addition, an application for a multi-phase project will be treated as a request for the full amount for all phases. If that combined amount exceeds the specified maximum, the application will be rejected.

Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified by email within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

C. SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE

1. Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this RFA or else they will be rejected. Where a page limit is stated for the Narrative Proposal in Section IV, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed.

2. In addition, applications must be submitted through Grants.gov as stated in Section IV of this announcement (except in the limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed for as explained in Section IV) on or before the

Request for Applications Page 17 of 48 application submission deadline published in Section IV of this announcement.

Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV of this announcement to ensure that their application is timely submitted.

3. Applications submitted after the submission deadline will be considered late and deemed ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was late due to EPA mishandling or because of technical problems associated with Grants.gov or relevant SAM.gov system issues. 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 late submission. Applicants should confirm receipt of their application as soon as possible after the submission deadline by sending an email to GLRI-RFA@EPA.gov and put “EPA-R5-GL2021-ZMB” in the subject of the email. Failure to do so may result in your application not being reviewed.

D. INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES

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

E. MATCH OR COST-SHARE

There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement as a condition of eligibility under this RFA.

F. ENCOURAGING MINORITY SERVING INSTITUTIONS TO COMPETE

EPA recognizes that scientific, technical, engineering and mathematical (STEM) competence is essential to the Nation's future well-being in terms of national security and competitive economic advantage. For instance, the health and vitality of the economy is predicated, in part, on the availability of an adequate supply of scientists, technicians, engineers and mathematicians, to develop innovative technologies and solutions. In other words, this country must engage all available minds to address the challenges it faces. Minorities, women, and persons with disabilities historically have been under-represented in the STEM fields. For this reason, EPA strongly encourages all eligible applicants including, women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to apply.

G. NONPROFIT DEFINITION

Non-profit organization, as defined by 2 CFR 200.70, means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative or other organization that: (1) is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable or similar purposes in the public interest; (2) is not organized primarily for profit; and (3) uses its net proceeds to maintain, improve and/or expand its operations. Note that 2 CFR 200.70 specifically excludes Institutions of Higher Education from the definition of non-profit organization because they are separately defined in the regulation. While not considered to https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ mailto:GLRI-RFA@EPA.gov?subject=EPA-R5-GL2021-ZMB

Request for Applications Page 18 of 48 be a non-profit organization(s) as defined by 2 CFR 200.70, public or nonprofit Institutions of Higher Education are, nevertheless, eligible to submit applications under this RFA. Hospitals operated by state, tribal, or local governments or that meet the definition of nonprofit at 2 CFR

200.70 are also eligible to apply as nonprofits or as instrumentalities of the unit of government depending on the applicable law. For-profit colleges, universities, trade schools, and hospitals are ineligible.

H. COALITIONS

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 subawardees of the recipient. Subawards and subgrants must be consistent with the definitions of those terms in 2 CFR 200.92. The recipient that administers the grant 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 200.331(d), subrecipients or subgrantees are accountable to the recipient or grantee for proper use of EPA funding.

Coalitions may not include for-profit organizations that will provide services or products to the successful applicant. For-profit organizations are not eligible for subawards. For-profit organizations are eligible to receive 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 also contain limitations on consultant compensation. (Please see 2 CFR Part 200 and 2 CFR Part 1500, as applicable.) For additional information, please review the Federal Register.

I. PARTNERSHIPS, CONTRACTORS AND SUBAWARDS

EPA awards funds to one eligible applicant as the recipient even if other eligible applicants are named as partners or co-applicants or members of a coalition or consortium. The recipient is accountable to EPA for the proper expenditure of funds.

Funding may be used to provide subawards of financial assistance, which includes using subawards to fund partnerships, provided the recipient complies with applicable requirements for subawards including those contained in 2 CFR Part 200 and the EPA Subaward Policy. EPA has also posted EPA Subaward Policy Additional Resources for applicants to consult.

Applicants must compete contracts for services and products, including consultant contracts, and conduct cost and price analyses, to the extent required by the procurement provisions of the regulations at 2 CFR 200.318. Applicants are not required to identify subrecipients and/or contractors (including consultants) in their application. However, if they do, the fact that an applicant selected for award has named a specific subrecipient, contractor, or consultant in the proposal/application EPA selects for funding does not relieve the applicant of its obligations to https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2004-04-07/pdf/04-7867.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=565a4f532b3ae1937cae0f5d1b898fa0&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5 https://www.epa.gov/grants/grants-policy-issuance-gpi-16-01-epa-subaward-policy-epa-assistance-agreement-recipients https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-subaward-policy-additional-resources https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=4d1620e4940b12fedfced8d97cd0a2d4&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_1318

Request for Applications Page 19 of 48 comply with subaward and/or competitive procurement requirements at 2 CFR 200.331 as appropriate. Please note that applicants may not award sole source contracts to consulting, engineering or other firms assisting applicants with the application solely based on the firm's role in preparing the application.

Successful applicants cannot use subawards to avoid requirements in EPA grant regulations for competitive procurement by using these instruments to acquire commercial services or products from for-profit organizations to carry out its assistance agreement. The nature of the transaction between the recipient and the subrecipient must be consistent with the standards for distinguishing between vendor transactions and subrecipient assistance found at 2 CFR 200.330, the definitions of subaward at 2 CFR 200.92 and subrecipient at 2 CFR 200.93, and Appendix A to the EPA Subaward Policy. EPA will not be a party to these transactions. Applicants acquiring commercial goods or services must comply with the competitive procurement standards in 2 CFR 200.317-326 and cannot use a subaward as the funding mechanism. Applicants acquiring commercial goods or services should reference the Best Practice Guide for Procuring Services, Supplies, and Equipment Under EPA Assistance Agreements.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=4d1620e4940b12fedfced8d97cd0a2d4&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5#se2.1.200_1331 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=565a4f532b3ae1937cae0f5d1b898fa0&mc=true&n=pt2.1.200&r=PART&ty=HTML#se2.1.200_1330 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=565a4f532b3ae1937cae0f5d1b898fa0&mc=true&n=pt2.1.200&r=PART&ty=HTML#se2.1.200_192 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=565a4f532b3ae1937cae0f5d1b898fa0&mc=true&n=pt2.1.200&r=PART&ty=HTML#se2.1.200_193 https://www.epa.gov/grants/grants-policy-issuance-gpi-16-01-epa-subaward-policy-epa-assistance-agreement-recipients https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=565a4f532b3ae1937cae0f5d1b898fa0&mc=true&n=pt2.1.200&r=PART&ty=HTML#sg2.1.200_1316.sg3 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=565a4f532b3ae1937cae0f5d1b898fa0&mc=true&n=pt2.1.200&r=PART&ty=HTML#sg2.1.200_1316.sg3 https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/documents/best-practice-guide-for-procuring-services-supplies-equipment.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2021-03/documents/best-practice-guide-for-procuring-services-supplies-equipment.pdf

Request for Applications Page 20 of 48

IV. APPLICATION & SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS

Additional provisions that apply to this solicitation and/or awards made under this solicitation including the clause on Reporting and Use of Information Concerning Recipient Integrity and Performance can be found on the EPA Solicitation Clauses page. These, and the other provisions that can be found at the website link, are important, 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 communicate with the EPA contact listed in this solicitation to obtain the provisions.

ASSISTANCE & COMMUNICATIONS

EPA staff will not 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 criteria5. EPA will respond to questions received by the application submission deadline but cannot guarantee responses to questions received thereafter.

B. GRANTS.GOV SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

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 c. Technical Issues with Submission below.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

The electronic submission of your application must be made by an official representative of your institution who is registered with grants.gov and is authorized to sign applications for Federal assistance. For more information on the registration requirements that must be completed in order to submit an application through grants.gov, go to Grants.gov and click on "Applicants" on the top of the page and then go to the "Get Registered" link on the page. If your organization is not currently registered with Grants.gov, please encourage your office to designate an

5 In accordance with EPA’s Assistance Agreement Competition Policy, EPA Order 5700.5A1 and EPA Solicitation Clauses.

https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.epa.gov/grants/exceptions-grantsgov-submission-requirement https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57005a1-epas-policy-competition-assistance-agreements

Request for Applications Page 21 of 48

Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and ask that individual to begin the registration process as soon as possible. Please note that the registration process also requires that your organization have a DUNS number and a current registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) and the process of obtaining both could take a month or more. 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 submission deadline. Registration on Grants.gov, SAM.gov, and DUNS number assignment is FREE. Please see RAIN-2021-G01 for information about EPA's implementation of the upcoming Government-wide transition from DUNS to Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

Applicants need to ensure that the AOR who submits the application through Grants.gov and whose DUNS is listed on the application is an AOR for the applicant listed on the application.

Additionally, the DUNS listed on the application must be registered to the applicant organization's SAM account. If not, the application may be deemed ineligible.

To begin the application process under this grant announcement, go to Grants.gov and click on "Applicants" on the top of the page and then "Apply for Grants" from the dropdown menu and then follow the instructions accordingly.6

You may also be able to access the application package for this announcement by searching for the opportunity on Grants.gov. Go to Grants.gov and then click on "Search Grants" at the top of the page and enter the Funding Opportunity Number, EPA-R5-GL2021-ZMB, or the assistance listing number that applies to the announcement (66.469), in the appropriate field and click the Search button.

Note: All applications must be submitted through Grants.gov using the "Workspace" feature. Information on the Workspace feature can be found at the Grants.gov Workspace Overview Page.

APPLICATION SUBMISSION DEADLINE

Your organization’s Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) must submit your complete application electronically to EPA through Grants.gov no later than 10:59 p.m. Central Time / 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time on October 29, 2021.