Final FY17 WPD RFP - White Blotch Regional Priority.pdf

Federal Agency Name: US Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4

Funding Opportunity Title: FY17 Region 4 Catastrophic Coral Disease

Announcement Type: Request for Proposals (RFP)

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 66.461

Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-R4-WPD-17-01

Proposal submission

All proposals must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov as explained further in Section

IV. Proposals must be submitted on or before July 31, 2017 at 11:59 PM EST and late proposals will not be considered for funding.

Questions submission

Questions about this RFP must be submitted in writing via e-mail and must be received by the

Agency Contact identified in Section VII, AGENCY CONTACTS, before July 21, 2017. Written responses to frequently asked or general questions will be posted on the EPA’s website at:

http://www.epa.gov/wetlands/wetland-program-development-grants.

Evaluation of Proposals: Following the EPA’s evaluation of proposals, all applicants will be notified regarding their status. Final application(s) will be requested from the eligible applicants whose proposal(s) have been preliminarily recommended for award. The applicants will be provided with instructions and a due date for submittal of the final application packages.

Note to Applicants: If you name subawardees/subgrantees and/or contractor(s) in your proposal to assist you with the proposed project, pay careful attention to the information in the

CONTRACTS AND SUBAWARDS provisions found at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses .

SUMMARY

This EPA, Region 4, Water Protection Division funding opportunity has a Regional Priority focus of supporting investigation(s) of the extent and cause(s) of a recent catastrophic coral disease outbreak in the Florida Reef Tract (FRT) that is impacting high priority tourism reefs off southeast Florida and in the Florida Keys. The proposals received under this RFP must focus projects on this specific Regional Priority of addressing the White Blotch Coral

Disease Outbreak within the FRT and Florida Keys.

Implementation of the wetland program is not an eligible project under this announcement.

An implementation project is one that is accomplished through the performance of routine, traditional, or established practices, or a project that is simply intended to carry out a task rather than transfer information or advance the state of knowledge. All monitoring and mapping projects should transfer information or advance the state of knowledge and therefore are eligible under this grant.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is soliciting proposals from eligible applicants to address the Regional Priority Area as described in the Summary and Section I, FUNDING

OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION of this announcement. States, tribes, local government agencies, interstate agencies, and intertribal consortia are eligible to apply under this http://www.epa.gov/wetlands/wetland-program-development-grants https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses announcement, as further described herein. Universities that are agencies of a state government are eligible, but must include documentation demonstrating that they are chartered as part of a state government in the proposal submission. Non-profit organizations are not eligible to compete under this RFP.

This document describes the grant selection and award process for eligible applicants interested in applying under this announcement. The total amount of federal funding available under this announcement is approximately $500,000 depending on Agency funding levels, which may vary from year to year, and other applicable considerations. Funding priority will be given to projects that address the Priority described in Section I, C. It is anticipated that up to three awards, ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 in federal funds, will be made.

The EPA reserves the right to increase or decrease (including to zero) the total number of awards and dollar amounts it awards. Such change may be necessary as a response to the quality of proposals received by the EPA, the amount of funds awarded to the selected applicants, or budget availability.

All applicants must describe in their proposal how they will contribute the required minimum cost share/matching funds (see Section III.B for information on the minimum non-federal 25 percent cost share/match requirement).

Important Dates:

07/31/17 Proposals must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov on or before

11:59 P.M. EDT. See Section IV for further information.

08/30/17 The EPA anticipates selecting proposals for awards. Successful applicants will be requested to submit full grant applications and workplans for selected projects to be funded.

09/30/17 The EPA anticipates issuing grants to recipients.

The dates above are anticipated dates and may be subject to change. See Section IV for further information on submission methods and dates, submission through Grants.gov, and alternative submission methods if necessary and approved.

Contents of this Request for Proposals:

I. Funding Opportunity Description

II. Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

IV. Proposal and Submission Information

V. Proposal Review Information

VI. Award Administration Information

VII. Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The goals of this RFP is to support an investigation(s) of the extent and cause of the persistent coral disease described as “white blotch” currently impacting nearly half of the reef building coral species (21 of 43 species; 2 threatened endangered species, Endangered Species Act) in Southeast

Florida and the Florida Keys.

Urgency: During the course of only a couple of years, white blotch has decimated nearly 95% of the living pillar coral (Dendrogyra cylindrus) community and destroyed one of the area’s oldest living corals (330+ years). White blotch disease was first identified as a localized coral disease off Miami in late 2014 that subsequently traveled southward towards Biscayne

National Park in 2015. Data collected in 2016/17 identified the disease traveling up the coast approximately 90 miles to the northern extent of the Florida Reef Tract off Stuart, FL, and in a southerly direction, approximately 50 miles to threaten the reef systems of the upper Florida

Keys. While coral diseases are not uncommon in reef systems and persist in approximately 6% of a coral community; the high incidence, persistence, and alarming coral mortality associated with white blotch disease has left coral managers struggling to identify funding and technical resources to investigate and manage this ongoing event. The Florida Reef Tract is the 3rd largest barrier reef in the world and an area of national ecological significance that harbors extraordinary biodiversity. It is also a significant driver of South Florida’s multi-billion-dollar eco-tourism economy that includes sport fishing, recreational boating, and diving activities.

The statutory authority for this RFP is Section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act (CWA), 33

U.S.C. §1254(b)(3). Section 104(b)(3) of the CWA restricts the use of these funds to developing or refining wetland programs by conducting or promoting the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects (including health and welfare effects), extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution. Projects that are demonstrations must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches. The EPA expects that the results of the project will be disseminated so that others can benefit from the knowledge gained in the demonstration project.

Implementation projects are not eligible for funding under this announcement. A project that is accomplished through the performance of routine, traditional, or established practices, or a project that is simply intended to carry out a task rather than transfer information or advance the state of knowledge, however worthwhile the project might be, is not considered a demonstration project.

Aquatic resource mapping as part of a project to develop or refine a state/tribal/local government program to research, investigate, experiment, train, demonstrate, survey, and study the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution is eligible for funding.

Aquatic resource mapping and monitoring projects are eligible for funding under this announcement as they are considered studies or investigations that develop or refine state/tribal/local government wetland programs.

Funds received through the competition cannot be used to fund proposal tasks to implement a wetland program, for fundraising, honorarium, or to fund the purchase of land or conservation easements. Proposal tasks that are or might be required by a previous or pending permit, e.g., CWA Section 404 permit, CWA Section 402 permit, CWA Section 401 certification, or federal, state, tribal, or local government regulatory requirement(s) are not eligible for funding because they are implementation tasks. Implementation of individual mitigation projects, mitigation banks, or in-lieu-fee mitigation programs are not eligible for funding. Funds cannot be used to construct wetlands used for wastewater treatment, unless those constructed wetlands are to be demonstrations and considered “waters of the United States” protected by the Clean Water Act.

Purchase of vehicles (including boats, motor homes, etc.) and office furniture is not eligible for funding under this program. The lease of vehicles is eligible for funding under this program but must be described in the budget detail.

Additional details on ineligible activities are provided under Section III (D), “Ineligible

Activities”, of this announcement.

Proposed projects must comply with all state and federal regulations applicable to the project area. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure compliance. Under the competition, each proposed project must be able to be completed within the project period.

Funds awarded under this announcement for appropriate meetings/training workshops may be used by recipients to promote participation and to support the travel expenses of non-federal personnel. Assistance funds may be used by the successful applicant to defray transportation and subsistence expenses for non-federal attendees at training sessions, roundtables, or work group meetings. The applicant will select meeting locations, secure meeting facilities (e.g., meeting rooms, accommodations, audio-visual equipment), and develop meeting agendas and materials.

The successful applicant will use its logos on any materials it provides; the EPA will use its logos on any materials it provides. The applicant is solely responsible for determining a methodology for selecting and funding reimbursement requests and providing a report on how participating non-federal attendees benefited from the meetings. The EPA will not participate in the selection or approval of individuals who receive travel assistance.

B. ENVIRONMENTAL RESULTS AND LINKAGE TO STRATEGIC PLAN

This project supports the EPA’s 2014-2018 Strategic Plan. Awards made under this announcement will support Goal 2: Protecting America’s Waters, Objective 2.2: Protect and

Restore Watersheds and Aquatic Ecosystems, Increase Wetlands of the EPA Strategic Plan

(available at http://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan.html ).

Goal 2: Protecting America’s Waters -- Protect and restore our waters to ensure drinking water is safe, and that aquatic ecosystems sustain fish, plants, and wildlife, and economic, recreational, and subsistence activities.

Objective 2.2: Protect and Restore Watersheds and Aquatic Ecosystems -- Protect the quality of rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands on a watershed basis, and protect urban, coastal, and ocean waters.

All proposed projects must demonstrate the linkage to the Strategic Plan and include specific statements describing the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined outputs, and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that demonstrate how the project will contribute to the overall goal of restoring and protecting ecosystems. Additional information regarding the EPA’s Strategic Plan and discussion of environmental results can be found at: http://www2.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements.

http://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan.html http://www2.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements

Outputs (deliverables/products) refer to an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to an environmental goal or objective, that will be produced or provided over a period of time or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable during the assistance agreement funding period.

Development of protocols and assessment criteria that can be used to identify restoration and protection priorities (Voluntary Restoration/Protection Core

Element);

Development of maps directly, or by supporting aquatic resource mapping coalitions (All Core Elements);

Development of sampling and assessment protocols to determine disease extent in coral colonies (Monitoring and Assessment Core Element);

Development of a report on the health and condition of certain coral species of concern at the population scale (Monitoring and Assessment Core Element);

Development of methods or strategies to incorporate protective biocriteria into

EPA-approved water quality standards;

Development of methods and studies to determine the extent and cause(s) of catastrophic die-back and declining health of coral communities, and development of appropriate responses and remedies (Monitoring and Assessment

Core Element); and

Development of a subaward program to help fund research, investigations, experiments, trainings, studies, surveys and demonstration project(s) by local, university, or nonprofit organizations (all of the Core Elements).

Outcomes (objectives/goals) are the result, effect, or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes are used as a way to gauge a project’s performance. Outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health-related or programmatic in nature. For instance, if there is great need to improve the knowledge and decision-making ability, with respect to environmental issues, of local and state government officials who are in the position of creating laws, ordinances, permits, etc. In this context, certain efforts designed to improve decision-making and behavioral changes can be viewed as environmental outcomes (results) if the grantee can show or measure the improvement in the knowledge of decision-makers who are in the position to create environmental institutional changes that are necessary to restore or protect the environment. In such instances, outcomes are not measured typically by environmental or water quality indicators, but rather by the institutional indicators that lead to the adoption and application of laws and regulations and the active management of programs necessary to provide environmental protection.

Outcomes must be quantitative and may not necessarily be achieved within an assistance agreement funding period. Outcomes may be short term (changes in learning, knowledge, attitude, or skills), intermediate (changes in behavior, practice, or decisions), or long-term

(changes in condition of the natural resource).

Examples of anticipated outcomes from the assistance agreements to be awarded under this announcement include, but are not limited to:

Increased understanding of resource condition;

Improved resource protection efforts;

Increased understanding of the impacts of activities such as harbor dredging, temperature changes, etc., on resource health and viability;

Improved resource inventories and baseline condition assessments for coral reef communities;

Improved understanding of extent and root cause(s) of disease outbreak and catastrophic decline in coral colonies;

Development and implementation of appropriate remedies and solutions to coral disease outbreak; and

Improved data to use in modeling potential hydrologic change, ecosystem/biogeographic shifts.

As part of the proposal workplan, applicants must describe how the project will result in the protection of aquatic resources and link the anticipated outputs and outcomes to the Agency’s

Strategic Plan. Further information is located in Section IV.C, CONTENT OF PROPOSAL

SUBMISSION, of this RFP. Additional information regarding the EPA’s definition of environmental results in terms of outputs and outcomes can be found at:

http://www2.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements.

C. PRIORITY AREA

Under this RFP, and as described under the Summary Section, the EPA is seeking to support an investigation(s) of the extent and cause of the persistent coral disease described as “White

Blotch” currently impacting nearly half of the reef building coral species (21 of 43 species; 2 threatened endangered species under the Endangered Species Act) in Southeast Florida and the

Florida Keys. Therefore, proposals received under this RFP must address this Regional Priority

Area.

Effective partnerships are important for the success of projects under this announcement.

Proposals will be evaluated based on their partnerships as described in Section IV.C.3.B.10, Partnership Information, and Section V, PROPOSAL REVIEW INFORMATION, partnership criteria.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. AMOUNT OF FUNDING

The EPA anticipates approximately $500,000 in federal funding to be available for one to three assistance agreements under this announcement, depending on funding availability and other applicable considerations. Awards for the selected projects will likely range from $50,000 to

$500,000 in federal funds The EPA will fund a maximum of 75 percent of the total project cost

(see Section III.B, COST SHARING/MATCH REQUIREMENTS, for information on minimum non-federal cost share/match requirement).

It is anticipated that the assistance agreements awarded under this announcement will have one to three-year project periods.

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

The EPA reserves the right to increase or decrease (including to zero) the total number of awards and dollar amounts it awards. Such changes may be necessary as a response to the quality of proposals received by the EPA, the amount of funds awarded to the selected applicants, or budget availability.

The EPA reserves the right to make no awards under this announcement, or make fewer awards than anticipated. In addition, the EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with Agency policy and guidance, if additional funding becomes available after the selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than six months after the original selection decisions.

B. TYPE OF FUNDING

It is anticipated that grants and cooperative agreements may be funded under this announcement.

When cooperative agreements are awarded, the EPA will have substantial involvement with the project workplans and budgets. Although the EPA will negotiate precise terms and conditions relating to substantial involvement as part of the award process, the anticipated substantial federal involvement for projects selected may include:

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

2. Collaboration during the performance of the scope of work;

3. In accordance with the applicable regulations at 2 CFR 200 Subpart D (200.317 through

200.326) as appropriate, review of proposed procurements;

4. Approving qualifications of key personnel (the EPA does not have authority to select employees or contractors employed by the recipient); and

5. Review and comment on content of publications (printed or electronic) prepared under the cooperative agreement (the final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient).

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

States, tribes, local government agencies, universities that are agencies of a state, interstate agencies, and intertribal consortia are eligible to apply under this announcement. Tribes must be federally-recognized, although “Treatment as a state” status is not required.

Past recipients include, but are not limited to: regulatory agencies, water quality agencies, planning offices, wild and scenic rivers agencies, departments of transportation, fish and wildlife or natural resources agencies, agriculture departments, forestry agencies, coastal zone management agencies, park and recreation agencies, non-point source or storm water agencies, resource conservation districts, city or county, and other state/tribal/local government agencies.

Please note:

Intertribal consortia must meet the requirements of 40 CFR §35.504 (a) and (c)

(http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=ee8aaaeb886b62da5acc07bba026ab76&mc=true&node=se40.1.35_1504&rgn= div8). This section states that an intertribal consortium is eligible to receive grants only if the consortium demonstrates that all members of the consortium meet the eligibility requirements for the grant and authorize the consortium to apply for and receive http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=ee8aaaeb886b62da5acc07bba026ab76&mc=true&node=se40.1.35_1504&rgn=div8 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=ee8aaaeb886b62da5acc07bba026ab76&mc=true&node=se40.1.35_1504&rgn=div8 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=ee8aaaeb886b62da5acc07bba026ab76&mc=true&node=se40.1.35_1504&rgn=div8 assistance. An intertribal consortium must submit to the EPA adequate documentation of:

(1) the existence of the partnership between Indian tribal governments, and (2) authorization of the consortium by all its members to apply for and receive the grant(s) for which the consortium has applied.

Interstate agencies are defined in CWA Section 502(2) as “an agency of two or more states established by or pursuant to an agreement or compact approved by the Congress, or any other agency of two or more states, having substantial powers or duties pertaining to the control of pollution as determined and approved by the Administrator.”

(Administrator refers to the head of the EPA.)

Universities must include documentation demonstrating that they are chartered as a part of a state government in their proposal. Documentation may include such things as: state constitution, university charter, or case law that has confirmed the university as a state agency. Universities that are not chartered as a part of a state government are not eligible to apply for assistance under this RFP. Please note: If the applicant has applied to previous RFPs, they will still need to submit this documentation with their proposal.

Non-profit organizations are not eligible to compete under this RFP.

B. COST SHARING/MATCH REQUIREMENTS

All applicants, except as noted below, must describe in their proposal submission how they will contribute a minimum of 25 percent of the total project cost in cost share/matching funds in accordance with 2 CFR 200.306. The cost share/match must be for allowable costs and may be provided by the applicant or partner organization or institution (subawardees). The cost share/match may be provided in cash or by in-kind contributions. In-kind contributions often include salaries or other verifiable costs and this value must be carefully documented. In the case of salaries, applicants may use either minimum wage or fair market value.

If the cost share/match is provided by a partner organization (subawardee), the applicant is still responsible for proper accountability and documentation. A partner organization’s indirect cost/fringe generally may be used as cost share/match. Please note that an applicant’s and any subawardee’s indirect cost/fringe charges must be in accordance with a federally negotiated indirect cost rate under 2 CFR 200.414. Other federal grants may not be used as cost share/ match without specific statutory authority. All grant funds are subject to federal audit.

The total project cost is the sum of the total requested federal share and applicant cost share/match. The minimum cost share/match is determined by dividing the total project cost by four as illustrated by the following formula:

Total Project Cost ($) = minimum cost share/match ($)

For example, if the total project cost (sum of federal and non-federal funds) is $100,000 the applicant must be able to provide $25,000 in cash or in-kind contributions as cost share/match.

OR

Total Federal Funds Requested ($) = minimum cost share/match ($)

For example, if the total federal funds requested are $75,000 the applicant must be able to provide $25,000 in cash or in-kind contributions as cost share/match.

If a tribe or intertribal consortium includes this funding within an approved Performance

Partnership Grant (PPG), the cost share/match requirement may be reduced to 5 percent of the allowable cost of the workplan budget for the first two years in which the tribe or intertribal consortium receives a PPG. After two years, the cost share/match may be increased up to 10 percent of the workplan budget, or decreased to 0 percent (as determined by the Regional

Administrator based on economic indicators). See Section III.E, PERFORMANCE

PARTNERSHIP GRANTS, for additional information.

For example, if the total project cost for tribal/intertribal consortium in a PPG is $100,000 the tribe/intertribal consortium must be able to provide a $5,000 in-cash or in-kind contribution as cost share/match for the first two years with a 5 percent minimum cost share/ match requirement.

Total Project Cost ($) = minimum 5% tribal PPG cost share/match ($)

Where the stated purpose is to include funds in a PPG, a tribe or intertribal consortium may prepare a budget and proposed workplan based upon the assumption that the EPA will approve the waiver amount for PPGs under 40 CFR 35.536. If the tribe or intertribal consortium does not or cannot include the funds as part of an approved PPG, or chooses to withdraw the funds from their PPG, the tribe or intertribal consortium must then meet the 25 percent cost share/match requirements identified above and, as applicable, negotiate a revised workplan with the EPA contact identified in Section VII, AGENCY CONTACTS. The tribe must also provide a new budget with the final grant application based upon the program’s cost share/match requirement and the federal award will be reduced accordingly. The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that all workplan activities for a project which is competitively awarded will be implemented in accordance with the same budget and as described in the original proposal. Tribes should indicate in their proposal submission if they anticipate including this project, if selected for funding, into an already existing PPG or if they intend to create a new PPG that would include this wetland project.

Please contact the EPA Regional grant contact person listed in Section VII, AGENCY

CONTACTS, of this RFP if you have any questions about calculating cost share/match.

In order to be considered for funding, all applicants must describe in their proposal submission how they will contribute the appropriate cost share/match requirement. In addition, if an applicant cannot meet the appropriate cost share/match by the time of award, they will not be eligible to receive funding.

C. THRESHOLD ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

These are requirements that if not met by the time of the proposal submission will result in elimination of the proposal from consideration for funding. Only proposals that meet all of these criteria will be evaluated against the ranking factors in Section V of the announcement.

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.

1. Applicants must meet the eligibility requirements in Section III. A, ELIGIBLE

APPLICANTS, of this announcement.

2. Applicants must demonstrate in their proposal submission how they will meet the cost share/match requirements in Section III.B, of this announcement.

3. Projects must be performed within the state of Florida, in EPA Region 4, specifically, to be eligible to apply for funding. Inter-jurisdictional watershed projects must primarily be implemented in EPA Region IV. Applicants need not be located within the boundaries of the EPA Region to be eligible to apply for funding so long as the project will be performed within the geographic boundaries of the Region.

4. Proposals must substantially comply with the proposal submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV, PROPOSAL AND SUBMISSION

INFORMATION, of this announcement, or else they will be rejected. However, where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to the proposal, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed. If a single-spaced proposal is submitted, it will only be reviewed up to the equivalent of the 20 page double-spaced page limit for the proposal specified in Section IV.C.3, Proposal Workplan, of the announcement (Section IV.C.3 establishes a 20 page double-spaced proposal workplan page limit which would be the equivalent of 10 single-spaced pages; any single-spaced pages in excess of 10 will not be reviewed).

5. All applicants must demonstrate in their proposal how their proposed project will address the White Blotch coral disease urgency and priority of this solicitation as described in Section I of this announcement.

6. All proposals submitted under this solicitation must conduct or promote the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects (including health and welfare effects), extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of White Blotch coral disease as described in Section I., of this announcement.

7. Demonstration projects must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches, where the results of the project will be disseminated so that others can benefit from the knowledge gained in the demonstration project. A project that is accomplished through the performance of routine, traditional, or established practices, or a project that is simply intended to carry out a task rather than transfer information or advance the state of knowledge, however worthwhile the project might be, is not a demonstration and all or parts of the proposal will be eliminated from consideration. Such projects are implementation projects and are not eligible for funding under this announcement. Individual project tasks that are for program implementation are not eligible for funding. See Section D., below, on ineligible activities.

8. Proposals must be submitted through Grants.gov as specified in Section IV, PROPOSAL AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION, 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 proposal 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 proposal is timely submitted.

9. Proposals 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 the EPA mishandling or because of technical problems attributable to Grants.gov or relevant Sam.gov system issues. An applicant’s failure to timely submit their proposal through Grants.gov because they did not timely or properly register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov will not be considered an acceptable https://grants.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ reason to consider a late submission. Applicants should confirm receipt of their proposal with Jennifer Shadle as soon as possible after the submission deadline— failure to do so may result in your proposal not being reviewed.

10. Applicants may submit more than one proposal under this RFP

D. INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES

If a proposal is submitted that has ineligible tasks, that portion of the proposal will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects the proposal, render the entire proposal ineligible for funding.

1. Funds cannot be used to fund program implementation tasks.

2. Funds cannot be used for fund-raising, honorarium, or for the purchase of land or conservation easements.

3. Proposal tasks that are or might be required by a previous or pending permit, e.g., CWA Section 404 permit, CWA Section 402 permit, CWA Section 401 certification, or federal, state, tribal, or local government regulatory requirement(s) are not eligible for funding because they are implementation tasks.

4. Funds cannot be used to construct wetlands used for wastewater treatment, unless those constructed wetlands are to be demonstrations and considered “waters of the

United States” protected by the Clean Water Act.

5. Implementation of individual mitigation projects, mitigation banks, or in-lieu-fee mitigation programs are not eligible for funding. Proposals that carry out studies that maybe part of an in lieu fee program/instrument are eligible for funding but the actual creation of an in lieu fee instrument is not eligible for funding.

6. Purchase of vehicles (including boats, motor homes) and office furniture is not eligible for funding under this program. The lease of vehicles is eligible for funding under this program but must be described in the budget detail and clearly linked to project activities.

7. If a project involves restoration, it must qualify as a demonstration project. Only education and training on restoration, or restoration involving new or experimental methods are eligible. (See also section C.7, above on limitations for demonstration projects).

E. PERFORMANCE PARTNERSHIP GRANTS (PPG)

Funds may be included in a PPG. The PPG should be created and in place before the time of grant award or created concurrently with the award of the wetland grant funds. The proposed project under this grant announcement must have a project period that is within the PPG project period. It cannot be longer than the PPG project period. A PPG enables entities to combine funds from more than one environmental program grant into a single grant with a single budget. Under this competition, state and interstate agency proposals must first be selected under the competitive grant process described in this RFP and, in accordance with 40 CFR 35.138, the workplan commitments that would have been included in the workplan must be included in the PPG workplan. Similarly, tribal and intertribal consortia proposals must first be selected under this competitive grant process in accordance with 40 CFR 35.535. If a proposed PPG workplan differs significantly from the workplan approved for funding under this competition, the Regional

Administrator must consult the National Program Office (see 40 CFR 35.535). The purpose of this consultation requirement is to address the issue of ensuring that a project which is awarded funding under this competition is implemented as described once commingled with other grant programs in a PPG. For further information, see the final rules on Environmental Program Grants for state and interstate agencies at 40 CFR Part 35, Subpart A and tribes and intertribal consortia at 40 CFR Part 35, Subpart B. The rules are also available at: http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&rgn=div6&view=text&node=40:1.0.1.2.32.1&idno=40 (state) and http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=36b93a1b033dd72618e9867c2032b53b&rgn=div6&view=text&node=40:1.0.1.

2.32.2&idno=40 (tribal). Local governments are not eligible for PPGs.

IV. PROPOSAL AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. HOW TO OBTAIN A PROPOSAL PACKAGE

Applicants can download individual grant application forms, including Standard Forms (SF) 424 and SF 424A, from the application package associated with this opportunity on Grants.gov.

B. FORM OF PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

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

Applicants, except as noted below, must apply electronically through Grants.gov under this funding opportunity based on the grants.gov instructions in this announcement. If an applicant does not have the technical capability to apply electronically through Grants.gov because of limited or no internet access which prevents them from being able to upload the required application materials to Grants.gov, the applicant must contact OGDWaivers@epa.gov or the address listed below in writing (e.g., by hard copy, email) at least 15 calendar days prior to the submission deadline under this announcement to request approval to submit their application materials through an alternate method.

Mailing Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Barbara Perkins

USEPA Headquarters

William Jefferson Clinton Building

1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N. W.

Mail Code: 3903R

Washington, DC 20460

Courier Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Barbara Perkins

Ronald Reagan Building

1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

Rm # 51267

Washington, DC 20004

In the request, the applicant must include the following information:

Funding Opportunity Number (FON)

Organization Name and DUNS

Organization’s Contact Information (email address and phone number)

Explanation of how they lack the technical capability to apply electronically through

Grants.gov because of 1) limited internet access or 2) no internet access which prevents them from being able to upload the required application materials through www.Grants.gov.

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&rgn=div6&view=text&node=40:1.0.1.2.32.1&idno=40 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&rgn=div6&view=text&node=40:1.0.1.2.32.1&idno=40 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=36b93a1b033dd72618e9867c2032b53b&rgn=div6&view=text&node=40:1.0.1.2.32.2&idno=40 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=36b93a1b033dd72618e9867c2032b53b&rgn=div6&view=text&node=40:1.0.1.2.32.2&idno=40 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=36b93a1b033dd72618e9867c2032b53b&rgn=div6&view=text&node=40:1.0.1.2.32.2&idno=40 http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:Grants.gov mailto:OGDWaivers@epa.gov http://www.grants.gov/

EPA will only consider alternate submission exception requests based on the two reasons stated above and will timely respond to the request -- all other requests will be denied. If an alternate submission method is approved, the applicant will receive documentation of this approval and further instructions on how to apply under this announcement. Applicants will be required to submit the documentation of approval with any initial application submitted under the alternative method. In addition, any submittal through an alternative method must comply with all applicable requirements and deadlines in the announcement including the submission deadline and requirements regarding proposal content and page limits (although the documentation of approval of an alternate submission method will not count against any page limits).

If an exception is granted, it is valid for submissions to EPA for the remainder of the entire calendar year in which the exception was approved and can be used to justify alternative submission methods for application submissions made through December 31 of the calendar year in which the exception was approved (e.g., if the exception was approved on March 1, 2017, it is valid for any competitive or non-competitive application submission to EPA through December

31, 2017). Applicants need only request an exception once in a calendar year and all exceptions will expire on December 31 of that calendar year. Applicants must request a new exception from required electronic submission through Grants.gov for submissions for any succeeding calendar year. For example, if there is a competitive opportunity issued on December 1, 2017 with a submission deadline of January 15, 2018, the applicant would need a new exception to submit through alternative methods beginning January 1, 2018.

Please note that the process described in this section is only for requesting alternate submission methods. All other inquiries about this announcement must be directed to the Agency Contact listed in Section VII of the announcement. Queries or requests submitted to the email address identified above for any reason other than to request an alternate submission method will not be acknowledged or answered.

2. 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 http://www.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 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.

Applicants need to ensure that the AOR who submits the application through Grants.gov and whose DUNS number is listed on the application is an AOR for the applicant listed on the application. Additionally, the DUNS number 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 http://www.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. Please note: To apply through grants.gov, you must use Adobe Reader software and download the compatible Adobe Reader version. For more information about Adobe Reader, to verify compatibility, or to download the free software, please visit http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html.

You may also be able to access the application package for this announcement by searching for the opportunity on http://www.grants.gov. Go to http://www.grants.gov and then click on “Search

Grants” at the top of the page and enter the Funding Opportunity Number, EPA-R4 -WPD-17-01, or the CFDA number that applies to the announcement (CFDA 66.461), in the appropriate field and click the Search button. Alternatively, you may be able to access the application package by clicking on the Application Package button at the top right of the synopsis page for the announcement on http://www.grants.gov. To find the synopsis page, go to http://www.grants.gov and click “Browse Agencies” in the middle of the page and then go to “Environmental Protection

Agency” to find the EPA funding opportunities.

Please note that Grants.gov is strongly encouraging users to sign up for and use their

“Workspace” feature when applying for opportunities. Grants.gov will be phasing out the

“legacy” application process, so EPA recommends that all applicants begin using Workspace as soon as possible so they are prepared when the “legacy” application process is no longer available.

Application Submission Deadline: Your organization’s AOR must submit your complete application package electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) on or by

July 31, 2017. Please allow for enough time to successfully submit your application process and allow for unexpected errors that may require you to resubmit.

Please submit all of the application materials described below using the grants.gov application package that you downloaded using the instructions above. For additional instructions on completing and submitting the electronic application package, click on the “Show Instructions” tab that is accessible within the application package itself.

3. Application Materials:

The following forms and documents are required under this announcement:

Mandatory Documents:

1. Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

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

3. Proposal Narrative (Project Narrative Attachment Form)-prepared as described in Section

IV.C.3 of the announcement

Optional Documents:

4. Other Attachments, if applicable http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/

Applications submitted through grants.gov will be time and date stamped electronically. If you have not received a confirmation of receipt from EPA (not from Grants.gov) within 30 days of the application deadline, please contact Jennifer Shadle, at shadle.jennifer@epa.gov and reference the RFP FON. Failure to do so may result in your application not being reviewed.

4. Technical Issues with Submission

1. Once the application package has been completed, the “Submit” button should be enabled.

If the “Submit” button is not active, please call Grants.gov for assistance at 1-800-518-4726.

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. Applicants should save the completed application package with two different file names before providing it to the AOR to avoid having to re-create the package should submission problems be experienced or a revised application needs to be submitted.

2. Submitting the application. The application package must be transferred to Grants.gov by an AOR. The AOR should close all other software before attempting to submit the application package. Click the “submit” button of the application package. Your Internet browser will launch and a sign-in page will appear. Note: Minor problems are not uncommon with transfers to Grants.gov. It is essential to allow sufficient time to ensure that your application is submitted to Grants.gov BEFORE the due date identified in

Section IV of the solicitation. The Grants.gov support desk operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except Federal Holidays.

A successful transfer will end with an on-screen acknowledgement. For documentation purposes, print or screen capture this acknowledgement. If a submission problem occurs, reboot the computer – turning the power off may be necessary – and re-attempt the submission.

Note: Grants.gov issues a “case number” upon a request for assistance.

3. Transmission Difficulties. If transmission difficulties that result in a late transmission, no transmission, or rejection of the transmitted application are experienced, and following the above instructions do not resolve the problem so that the application is submitted to www.Grants.Gov by the deadline date and time, follow the guidance below. The Agency will make a decision concerning acceptance of each late submission on a case-by-case basis. All emails, as described below, are to be sent to Jennifer Shadle with the FON in the subject line.

If you are unable to email, contact Jennifer Shadle at shadle.jennifer@epa.gov. Be aware that

EPA will only consider accepting applications that were unable to transmit due to www.Grants.gov or relevant www.Sam.gov system issues or for unforeseen exigent circumstances, such as extreme weather interfering with internet access. Failure of an applicant to submit timely because they did not properly or timely register in SAM.gov or

Grants.gov is not an acceptable reason to justify acceptance of a late submittal.

a. If you are experiencing problems resulting in an inability to upload the application to

Grants.gov, it is essential to call www.Grants.gov for assistance at 1-800-518-4726 before the application deadline. 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. Be sure to obtain a case number from Grants.gov. If the problems stem from mailto:shadle.jennifer@epa.gov http://www.grants.gov/ unforeseen exigent circumstances unrelated to Grants.gov, such as extreme weather interfering with internet access, contact Jennifer Shadle at shadle.jennifer@epa.gov.

b. Unsuccessful transfer of the application package: If a successful transfer of the application cannot be accomplished even with assistance from Grants.gov due to electronic submission system issues or unforeseen exigent circumstances, send an email message to shadle.jennifer@epa.gov prior to the application deadline.