EPA-R5-GL2024-WLEBTA_FINAL.pdf

Issued: September 25, 2024

U.S. EPA GREAT LAKES NATIONAL PROGRAM OFFICE

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

2024 Request for Applications for Technical Assistance and Outreach to Farmers on Nutrient Management in the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEBTA)

Federal Awarding Agency Name: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) Funding Opportunity Title: Enhance Technical Assistance and Outreach to Farmers on Nutrient Management in the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEBTA) Announcement Type: Request for Applications (RFA) - Initial Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-R5-GL2024-WLEBTA Assistance Listing Number: 66.469 Award Range: $300,000 - $1,000,000

Key Dates

Applicant webinar October 9, 2024

See RFA website for details

Deadline for submitting questions via email November 15, 2024

Closing Date and Deadline for submitting applications. Application packages must be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (see

Section IV for details.)

November 22, 2024

Expected notification to selected applicant. February 2025 (estimated)

Expected announcement of award. March 2025 (estimated) https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/2024-notice-funding-opportunity-technical-assistance-and-outreach-farmers https://www.grants.gov/

Table of Contents

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

I.A. Background on the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

I.B. Background on Nutrient Management in the WLEB

I.C. RFA Purpose and Explanation of Approach

I.D. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage

I.E. Outcomes, Outputs, and Performance Metrics

I.F. Statutory Authority

I.G. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

I.H. Encouraging Minority Serving Institutions to Compete

II. AWARD INFORMATION

II.A. Funding Amount and Expected Number of Awards

II.B. Award Type

II.C. Expected Project Period

II.D. Pre-Award Costs

II.E. Partial Funding Provision

II.F. Additional Awards

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

III.A. Eligible Applicants

III.B. Cost Sharing/Match Requirements

III.C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

IV.A. Requirement to Submit through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures

IV.B. Submission Instructions

IV.C. Technical Issues with Submission

IV.D. Content and Form of Application Submission

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

V.A. Evaluation Process

V.B. Evaluation Criteria

V.C. Review and Selection Process

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

VI.A. Award Notification

VI.B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

VI.C. Reporting

VII. AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

Appendix I: Budget Narrative Guidance

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

This Request for Applications (RFA) solicits applications from eligible entities for grants to be awarded pursuant to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan1. This RFA is a competitive grant funding opportunity under Focus Area 3 of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (“GLRI”). The purpose of the RFA is to increase adoption of nutrient management in the western Lake Erie basin watershed (“WLEB”) by increasing technical assistance and outreach to farmers. EPA expects to award approximately $4 million for 5-10 grants ranging from $300,000 to $1,000,000. The number of grants and total amount awarded is contingent upon funding availability, the quality of applications received, Agency priorities, and other applicable considerations. There is no match requirement.

Eligible applicants can be a single entity or a lead entity with collaboration through subawards to other eligible applicant(s). Successful applicants may also procure services through contracts with for profit firms or individual consultants.

This funding opportunity will only provide grants for projects that are geographically within the WLEB, defined as encompassing the following USGS Hydrologic Unit Codes. Projects do not need to span the entire area; any subset within these watershed boundaries are eligible:

04100001 Ottawa 04100002 River Raisin 04100003 St. Joseph 04100004 St. Marys 04100005 Upper Maumee 04100006 Tiffin 04100007 Auglaize 04100008 Blanchard 04100009 Lower Maumee 04100010 Cedar-Portage

The term “subaward” means an award of financial assistance by any legal agreement made by the Principal Recipient to an eligible subrecipient. Applicant activities and project subawards funded under this RFA must address the objectives and commitments identified within the GLRI Action Plan III as well as any subsequent GLRI Action Plans that may be in effect during the time of the award. Additionally, the successful applicant must comply with requirements in 2 CFR Parts 200 and 1500 applicable to “pass-through entities” as well as EPA’s Subaward Policy and General Term and Condition (T&C) Establishing and Managing Subawards.

Note – Prior to naming a contractor (including consultants) or subrecipient in your application as a “partner”, please carefully review Section IV.D. Contracts and Subawards, of EPA’s Solicitation Clauses that are incorporated by reference in this announcement (See Section I.G.). EPA expects recipients of funding to comply with competitive procurement contracting requirements as well as EPA’s rule on Participation by Underserved

1 The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Action Plan III covers federal fiscal years 2020-2024. EPA expects to issue GLRI Action Plan IV covering federal fiscal years 2025 to 2029.

https://www.glri.us/documents https://www.epa.gov/grants/grants-policy-issuance-gpi-16-01-epa-subaward-policy-epa-assistance-agreement-recipients https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-general-terms-and-conditions-effective-october-1-2022-or-later https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-general-terms-and-conditions-effective-october-1-2022-or-later https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses

Business Enterprises in EPA Programs set forth in 40 CFR Part 33. The Agency does not accept justifications for sole source contracts for services or products available in the commercial marketplace based on a contractor’s role in preparing an application.

Other Application Information: For your convenience, an RFA web page has been created at https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/2024-notice-funding-opportunity-technical-assistance-and-outreach-farmers , where you will find information relating to the RFA process as well as a link to frequently asked questions (FAQs). We encourage all applicants to sign up for our mailing list and register with us at www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-news-email-list . Further submittal information is described in Section IV.

I.A. Background on the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (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 and protecting the Great Lakes ecosystem.

Information about GLRI can be found at www.glri.us.

Consistent with the Assistance Listing Number 66.469, this RFA is expected to result in the award of one or more grants and/or cooperative agreements, as appropriate, to help implement the GLRI. EPA’s authority to make awards covers both outreach and implementation projects in furtherance of the GLRI and Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA). (The principal goal of GLWQA is the restoration and maintenance of the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Great Lakes ecosystem.) The statutory authority to carry out certain U.S. responsibilities under GLWQA and for GLRI funding is contained in the Clean Water Act Section 118 (c)(7), as amended by Public Law 114-322. Any environmental activities ultimately funded through this RFA must advance protection and restoration of the Great Lakes ecosystem in support of: 1) the most current GLRI Action Plan1 and 2) EPA’s Strategic Plan.

I.B. Background on Nutrient Management in the WLEB

Curbing delivery of excess nutrients to Lake Erie, which fuels harmful algal blooms (HABs), is a key commitment under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) with Canada. Accordingly, nutrient reduction and HABs are a funding priority under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI).

The GLWQA is an agreement between the U.S. and Canada to restore and protect the waters of the Great Lakes. It’s a framework for identifying binational priorities and actions to improve water quality. Under the Nutrients Annex (Annex 4) of the GLWQA, the U.S. and Canada committed to take action to address HABs in Lake Erie. After an evaluation of phosphorus loads and lake ecosystem response, it was decided that phosphorus loads to the western basin of the lake would need to be reduced by 40%. Reduction targets were formally adopted by the U.S. and Canada in February 2016. More information is available at:

https://www.epa.gov/glwqa/lake-erie-nutrients.

HABs threaten drinking water supplies and cause beach closings and other water quality impairments in multiple areas of the Great Lakes. The most pronounced HAB problems occur in western Lake Erie, because of high nutrient loads from tributaries, and because it is very shallow and warm.

https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/2024-notice-funding-opportunity-technical-assistance-and-outreach-farmers https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/2024-notice-funding-opportunity-technical-assistance-and-outreach-farmers http://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-news-email-list http://www.glri.us/ https://www.glri.us/documents https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan https://www.epa.gov/glwqa/lake-erie-nutrients

The western basin of Lake Erie experiences cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms each summer. The blooms span hundreds of square miles, can form mats and scums, and often contain toxins.

The watershed that drains to the western basin, known as the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB), spans 7 million acres in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. The primary land use is agriculture (80% cropland, primarily corn and soybeans). The WLEB is home to 2 million people spanning 29 counties.

Reducing phosphorus loading from the WLEB is expected to substantially reduce the extent of HABs.

However, this will take many years, because of the magnitude of reduction needed; the buildup of legacy phosphorus in fields and streambanks; and the increasing challenge of managing nonpoint source runoff in the face of climate-driven increases in precipitation timing and intensity.

Pursuant to the GLWQA, state and federal agencies developed action plans that outline strategies for phosphorus reduction in Lake Erie. These plans emphasize a systems approach to reduce nutrient loads from agricultural sources. Improving management of manure and fertilizers to minimize nutrient losses is a critical first step.

Here we are defining nutrient management as planning for and/or managing the amount, placement, and timing of plant nutrients (both nitrogen and phosphorus) to obtain optimum yields and minimize the risk of surface and groundwater pollution. To ensure effective nutrient management, experts recommend using the "Four Rs" framework:

Right source: Matching fertilizer type to crop needs.

Right amount: Using the correct application rate to match amount of fertilizer type to crop needs.

Right placement: Using the proper method for application to keep nutrients where crops can use them.

Right timing: Applying at the correct time to make nutrients available when crops need them.

The ability to implement these practices, and to what degree, is often specific to individual farming operations and is affected by many competing factors, including costs, risks, and practical considerations.

Furthermore, challenges that hinder adoption include lack of knowledge, capacity limitations, lack of market drivers or economic incentives, and societal norms, among others. We acknowledge there are multiple challenges facing farmers to voluntarily change their nutrient management practices. Increasing the amount and availability of direct support and outreach is one way to help overcome those challenges.

With the buildup of legacy phosphorus in fields and streambanks, an important additional practice in conjunction with nutrient management is to consider managing cropland to draw down nutrients that are stored in the soils. Once nutrient management is instituted on a farm, drawdown practices can be an important companion.

I.C. RFA Purpose and Explanation of Approach

The purpose of this RFA is to increase adoption of nutrient management in the WLEB by increasing technical assistance and outreach to farmers2. For example, grant recipients could hire or support field staff, or recruit other trusted advisors to help farmers develop and implement economically sound nutrient management practices to avoid loss of nutrients in surface or subsurface runoff. This can include newly applied nutrients as well as ways to drawdown phosphorus that has built up in the soil over time from past applications. Key objectives include:

• Improve management of manure or commercial fertilizers to reduce nutrient losses from agricultural livestock and/or cropland operations.

• Prevent new applications that exceed crop needs.

• Reduce phosphorus runoff to local waterways.

• Increase capacity to provide technical assistance and outreach to farmers.

• Engage landowners and farm managers who currently are not participating in conservation and nutrient management certification programs.

There are currently many programs available to farmers for soil and water conservation efforts and the amount of federal and state funding available in the WLEB has more than doubled since 2015. Optimal effectiveness of the dollars and execution of these programs is dependent on the ability to maintain and enhance local staff technical assistance capacity. Local field staff must build relationships with farmers in their community which takes time. In many cases, the demand for assistance exceeds the funding available, and staff have limited capacity to invest time in building relationships or trying to reach new farmers. Furthermore, opportunities exist to broaden the reach by leveraging non-government entities that farmers trust, such as fertilizer applicators, conservation agronomists, and certified crop advisors.

EPA works in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to direct GLRI funding to priority watersheds for phosphorus reduction, including the Maumee River watershed. GLRI funds are used by NRCS to provide technical and financial assistance to implement conservation practices. EPA complements this work by funding programs at the watershed scale with various entities who can enlist and support farmers in conservation efforts. These programs can support direct implementation of conservation practices, outreach and education, and building programmatic capacity. The intent of this funding opportunity is to complement other programs and not duplicate efforts. We anticipate that building capacity at the local level will lead to greater adoption of nutrient management in the watershed and greater participation in other programs such as the NRCS WLEB Initiative, NRCS Regional

Conservation Partnership Program, H2Ohio, Michigan Agriculture Environmental Assurance Program, and the 4R Stewardship Program. We also expect that voluntary adoption outside of these programs will occur. The level of adoption needed to reach nutrient reduction goals is far more than any one program can support, and leveraging resources to make these programs more successful will ultimately lead to achievement of the environmental goals.

For example, the RFA supports projects that do one or more of the following:

• Provide technical assistance to prevent overapplication and loss of fertilizers from farm fields, particularly manure.

• Build capacity of Soil and Water Conservation Districts to provide engineering services, 2 For the purposes of this RFA, farmer is defined as: A person who is in general control of the farming operation on the farm, including the landowner or any eligible producer, operator, lessor, group, or nonpublic legal entity that individually or collectively has the authority to make and implement conservation planning decisions for the land involved.

administrative support, and establish relationships with their community.

• Increase participation in state and federal conservation programs and/or 4R nutrient stewardship programs.

• Support direct outreach and farmer education by extensions, industry, and farm bureaus. Target outreach to operations that are at high risk of nutrient losses or impacts to waterways.

• Develop innovative technical assistance approaches that reach new farmers, modernize technical assistance delivery, and cultivate the next generation of technical assistance providers.

• Incentivize fertilizer retailers, conservation agronomists, and certified crop advisors to promote minimal fertilizer application, precision technology, and subsurface placement of nutrients.

• Foster community learning, relationship-building, and development of peer-to-peer networks to advance regional knowledge and identify and overcome barriers.

I.D. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage Section 6a of EPA Order 5700.7 requires EPA to link proposed assistance agreements to our Strategic Plan. EPA also requires grant applicants and recipients to adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements. See EPA Order 5700.7, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements (www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015- 03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf).

The activities to be funded under this solicitation support the FY 2022-2026 Strategic Plan. Awards made under this solicitation will specifically support Goal 5 “Ensure Clean and Safe Water for All Communities,” Objective 5.2 – Protect and Restore Waterbodies and Watersheds.

I.E. Outcomes, Outputs, and Performance Metrics The applicant should consider the following questions when developing outcomes, outputs, and performance metrics:

• What are the measurable short-term and long-term environmental results the funded projects will achieve?

• How will you measure progress in achieving environmental objectives?

• How will you know whether your efforts are succeeding or need improvement?

For this RFA:

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 achievable within a grant funding period. For example:

• Adoption of nutrient management is widely expanded in the watershed;

• Farmers’ awareness and implementation of field nutrient drawdown practices is increased;

• Nutrient loads from agricultural runoff in the WLEB is reduced;

• Improved water quality in watersheds and ultimately, Lake Erie;

• Increased communication, development of partnerships and peer networks, and trust building with local organizations, community leaders, and agricultural landowners and managers.

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

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. For example:

• Developing a Quality Management Plan or other quality documentation;

• Preparing and submitting award progress reports; and/or

• Outreach and event materials.

Measures of Progress and Metrics Include numeric targets for performance metrics whenever possible. The project must report, at a minimum, the number of acres receiving technical assistance on nutrient management, per GLRI Action Plan III measure of progress 3.1.2. A secondary measure for the project would be 3.1.1. Indicate method used to calculate the numeric value. If unable to estimate numerical result, please indicate in your application how the project will support the measure.

The Applicable Measure of Progress from GLRI Action Plan III are:

3.1.1. Estimated pounds of phosphorus reductions from conservation practice implementation throughout Great Lake watersheds.

3.1.2. Acres receiving technical or financial assistance on nutrient management in priority watersheds.

In addition, one or more of following metrics are encouraged to be considered for applications to this

RFA:

Number of jobs created: The number of individuals hired to directly work on the project (non-volunteers). Jobs should be directly engaged in grant activities, supported by grant funding, or leveraged funding, and shouldn't have existed prior to the grant.

Number of outreach events: The number of field days and/or training events held.

Number of farmers reached: The number of farmers who attended the event(s). This should not include government or industry representatives.

Acres with improved nutrient management: The number of cropland acres with nutrient management practices applied by participating farmers.

Total acres managed by participating farmers: The total number of cropland acres managed by participating farmers. This metric would be greater than or equal to the “acres with improved nutrient management” metric.

Number of farmers implementing new/modified practices: The number of farmers implementing new or modifying their existing nutrient management practices – with or without federal, state, local financial assistance. This should be equal to or greater than the “Number of farmers receiving government agency cost share or financial assistance” metric.

Number of participants receiving government agency cost share or financial assistance: The number of participants enrolled in a federal, state, or local government cost share or financial assistance program as a result of this project. Specify how you will track enrollment. This should be equal to or less than the “Number of farmers implementing new/modified practices” metric.

Dollar value of government agency cost share or financial assistance leveraged: The dollar value of federal, state, or local government agency cost share or financial assistance directly leveraged by the project participants.

Acres covered by government agency technical or financial assistance: The number of acres project participants enrolled in a federal, state, or local government agency cost share or financial assistance program.

Number of nutrient management plans implemented: The number of nutrient management plans implemented by participating farmers.

Acres with new nutrient management plans: The number of acres with new nutrient management plans that are now eligible for implementation funding under USDA NRCS conservation programs or other federal, state, and local conservation programs.

I.F. Statutory Authority GLRI’s statutory authority to award cooperative agreements is contained in the Clean Water Act, Section 118(c)(7), as amended by Public Law 114-322. 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.

I.G. 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 (Section VII) to obtain the provisions.

I.H. Encouraging Minority Serving Institutions to Compete 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. EPA also 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.

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 Tribal College or University

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 Predominantly Black Institutions.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

II.A. Funding Amount and Expected Number of Awards EPA expects to award approximately $4 million for 5-10 grants ranging from $300,000 to $1,000,000.

The actual award amounts and number of grants and/or cooperative agreements awarded may differ from the estimated amounts for many reasons including the number of meritorious applications received, Agency priorities, and funding availability. In addition, EPA reserves the right to increase or decrease (including decreasing to zero) the total number and amount of awards.

II.B. Award Type EPA intends to award approximately 5-10 grants under this solicitation. However, EPA reserves the right to award projects as cooperative agreements if we feel EPA’s substantial involvement will be needed.

Cooperative agreements provide for substantial involvement between EPA and the selected applicant(s) in the performance of the work supported. Although EPA will negotiate precise terms and conditions relating to substantial involvement as part of the award process, the anticipated substantial federal involvement for these cooperative agreements may include:

1. Close monitoring of the successful applicant’s performance to verify the results proposed by the applicant;

2. Collaboration during performance of the scope of work;

3. In accordance with 2 C.F.R. § 200.317 and 2 C.F.R. § 200.318, review of proposed procurements;

4. Approving qualifications of key personnel (EPA will not select employees or contractors employed by the award applicant);

5. Reviewing and commenting on content of subaward solicitations; and

6. Reviewing and commenting on reports prepared under the cooperative agreement (the final decision on the content of reports rests with the applicant).

https://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/ https://msiexchange.nasa.gov/institutions?qp%5B0%5D=categories__name&qo%5B0%5D=is&qv%5B0%5D=Tribal%20College%20or%20University 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

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. EPA staff will not direct, recommend or suggest that pass-through entities make subawards to particular entities. EPA personnel may, if requested by the successful applicant, serve as a technical advisor on the review of projects to the extent permitted by Section 10(b) of the EPA Subaward Policy. EPA staff may also approve the substantive terms of subawards to ensure compliance with legal or policy requirements.

II.C. Expected Project Period For this RFA, it is EPA’s expectation that the award, including all subawards, will have a total period of performance of up to four years (e.g., March 2025 – March 2029). The expected start date for the award resulting from this RFA is March 1, 2025.

II.D. Pre-Award Costs As provided in 2 C.F.R. § 1500.9, applicants may incur pre-award costs 90 calendar days prior to award provided they include such costs in their application and the costs meet the definition of pre-award costs in 2 C.F.R. § 200.458. This definition of pre-award costs are those costs incurred prior to the effective date of the award directly pursuant to the negotiation and in anticipation of the award where such costs are necessary to comply with the proposed delivery schedule or period of performance and are in conformance with the appropriate statute and cost principals. Costs incurred prior to EPA advising the successful applicant of their initial selection do not comply with this requirement. The approval of pre-award costs should be reflected in the budget period on the assistance agreement and if applicable, under a term and condition of the assistance agreement. Pre-Award costs incurred more than 90 calendar days prior to award require the approval of the EPA Award Official. Applicants incur pre-award costs at their own risk (i.e., EPA is under no obligation to reimburse such costs if for any reason the applicant does not receive an award or if the award is less than anticipated and inadequate to cover such costs).

II.E. 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. Awards may be fully or incrementally funded, as appropriate, based on funding availability, satisfactory performance, and other applicable considerations.

II.F. 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.

Awards may be fully or incrementally funded, as appropriate, based on funding availability, satisfactory performance, and other applicable considerations.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

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

https://www.epa.gov/grants/grants-policy-issuance-gpi-16-01-epa-subaward-policy-epa-assistance-agreement-recipients

III.A. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants can be a single entity or a lead entity with collaboration through subawards to other eligible applicant(s). Successful applicants may also procure services through contracts with for profit firms or individual consultants.

Applicant Eligibility: In accordance with Assistance Listing 66.469, qualified non-federal entities eligible to apply for grants include non-federal governmental entities: State agencies; any agency or instrumentality of local government; interstate agencies; and federally recognized tribes and tribal organizations. Institutions of Higher Education and non-profit organizations are also eligible to apply.

Non-profit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible applicants as provided in the Lobbying Disclosure Act, 2 U.S.C. 1611. ‘For profit’ organizations, federal agencies, foreign entities, and individuals are not eligible applicants.

Non-profit Definition: Consistent with the definition of Nonprofit organization at 2 CFR § 200.1, the term nonprofit organization means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization that is operated mainly for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purpose in the public interest and is not organized primarily for profit; and uses net proceeds to maintain, improve, or expand the operation of the organization. The term includes tax-exempt nonprofit neighborhood and labor organizations. Note that 2 CFR 200.1 specifically excludes Institutions of Higher Education from the definition of non-profit organization because they are separately defined in the regulation. For-profit colleges, universities, trade schools, and hospitals are ineligible.

Nonprofit organizations that are not exempt from taxation under Section 501 of the Internal Revenue

Code must submit other forms of documentation of nonprofit status such as certificates of incorporation as nonprofit under state or tribal law.

III.B. Cost Sharing/Match Requirements

There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement as a condition of eligibility under this RFA. Although cost-sharing/matching is not required as a condition of eligibility under this competition, under Section V of this announcement EPA will take leveraging into account when evaluating proposals using the criteria in Section V.

Leveraging is generally when an applicant proposes to provide its own additional funds/resources or those from third party sources to support or complement the project they are awarded under the competition which are above and beyond the EPA grant funds awarded. Any leveraged funds/resources, and their source, must be identified in the proposal. Leveraged funds and resources may take various forms as noted below.

Voluntary cost share is a form of leveraging. Voluntary cost sharing is when an applicant voluntarily proposes to legally commit to provide costs or contributions to support the project when a cost share is not required. Applicants who propose to use a voluntary cost share must include the costs or contributions for the voluntary cost share in the project budget on the SF-424 and SF-424A forms. If an applicant proposes a voluntary cost share, the following apply:

1. A voluntary cost share is subject to the match provisions in the grant regulations (2 CFR 200.306).

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

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

4. The recipient is legally obligated to meet any proposed voluntary cost share that is included in the approved project budget. If the proposed voluntary cost share does not materialize during grant performance, then EPA may reconsider the legitimacy of the award and/or take other appropriate action as authorized by 2 CFR 200.

Other leveraged funding/resources that are not identified as a voluntary cost share. This form of leveraging may be met by funding from another federal grant, from an applicant's own resources, or resources from other third-party sources. This form of leveraging should not be included in the budget and the costs need not be eligible and allowable project costs under the EPA assistance agreement.

While this form of leveraging should not be included in the budget, the project narrative should include a statement indicating that the applicant is expected to produce the proposed leveraging consistent with the terms of the announcement and the applicant's proposal. If applicants propose to provide this form of leveraging, EPA expects them to make the effort to secure the leveraged resources described in their proposals. If the proposed leveraging does not materialize during grant performance, then EPA may reconsider the legitimacy of the award and/or take other appropriate action as authorized by 2 CFR Parts 200 or 1500.

III.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 consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination. Only applications from eligible entities (see Section III.A.) that meet the following threshold eligibility criteria will be evaluated under these threshold criteria:

i. Applicant activities and project subawards funded under this RFA must be eligible for funding.

ii. Applications must be implemented within the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB), defined as encompassing the following USGS Hydrologic Unit Codes. Projects do not need to span the entire area; any subset within these watershed boundaries are eligible:

04100001 Ottawa

04100002 River Raisin

04100003 St. Joseph

04100004 St. Marys

04100005 Upper Maumee

04100006 Tiffin

04100007 Auglaize

04100008 Blanchard

04100009 Lower Maumee

04100010 Cedar-Portage

iii. Applications must describe how their program will either: (i) protect, enhance, and/or restore the Great Lakes or (ii) protect Great Lakes ecosystem health, including human health.

iv. Applications must describe how applicant activities and project subawards funded under this RFA will address and link to the relevant objectives and Measures of Progress identified within the current GLRI Action Plan, including plans to adjust the linkages in the event of a new GLRI Action Plan being administered during the term of the award.3

v. 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. 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.

vi. In addition, initial 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 application submission deadline published in Section IV of this announcement. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV of this announcement to ensure that their application is timely submitted. Please note that applicants experiencing technical issues with submitting through Grants.gov should follow the instructions provided in Section IV, which include both the requirement to contact Grants.gov and email a full application to EPA prior to the deadline.

vii. Applications submitted outside Grants.gov and/or 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.

viii. Applications seeking funding below or above the specified amount of EPA funding will be rejected.

ix. Applications focused only on monitoring and research will not be considered.

Ineligible activities: If an application is submitted which 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. Ineligible activities include:

i. Research activities, meaning any systematic investigation principally for the purpose of expanding general knowledge or developing a new solution to a problem.

ii. Activities that EPA cannot fund under the above-described statutory authority;

3 The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Action Plan III covers federal fiscal years 2020-2024. EPA expects to issue GLRI Action Plan IV covering federal fiscal years 2025 to 2029.

https://glri.us/documents https://www.grants.gov/ https://sam.gov/content/home https://sam.gov/content/home

iii. Applicant activities and subaward activities occurring outside the WLEB.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

IV.A. 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 IV.C. Technical Issues with Submission below.

IV.B. Submission Instructions

1. 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 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 Questions for additional details on the difference.

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.

2. Grants.gov Registration Instructions https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.epa.gov/grants/exceptions-grantsgov-submission-requirement https://sam.gov/content/home https://login.gov/ 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

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 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.

3. 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 for 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.

4. Application Submission Deadline

Your organization's AOR must submit your complete application package electronically to EPA through Grants.gov no later than November 22, 2024, 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.

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLxg5Tu3qHA https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsPRj4ILn7Y https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LsPRj4ILn7Y mailto:support@grants.gov mailto:support@grants.gov

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.

IV.C. 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 and time (November 22, 2024, 11:59 PM ET):

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

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

3. Send an email with the {Funding Opportunity Number} in the subject line to GLRI-RFA@epa.gov before the application deadline date and time and include the following:

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

b. Description of the issue; and

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…