Foa_Content_of_F24AS00186.pdf

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

FWS - Ecological Services https://fws.gov/service/john-h-prescott-marine-mammal-rescue-assistance-grant-program

F24AS00186 Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program Fiscal Year: 2024

F24AS00186

Due Date for Applications: 03/15/2024

Table of Contents A. Program Description

A1. Authority

A2. Assistance Listing Number

A3. Background, Purpose and Program Requirements

A4. Funding Opportunity Goals

B. Federal Award Information

B1. Total Funding

B2. Expected Award Amount

B3. Expected Award Funding and Anticipated Dates

B4. Number of Awards

B5. Type of Award

C. Eligibility Information

C1. Eligible Applicants

C2. Cost Sharing or Matching

C3. Other

D. Application and Submission Information

D1. Address to Request Application Package

D2. Content and Form of Application Submission

D3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

D4. Submission Dates and Times

D5. Intergovernmental Review

D6. Funding Restrictions

D7. Other Submission Requirements

E. Application Review Information

E1. Criteria

E2. Review and Selection Process

E3. CFR – Regulatory Information

E4. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

F. Federal Award Administration Information

F1. Federal Award Notices

F2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

F3. Reporting

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)

G1. Program Technical Contact

G2. Program Administration

G3. Application System Technical Support

H. Other Information

A. Program Description A1. Authority Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Act—John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program (16 U.S.C. 1421f-1)

A2. Assistance Listing Number 15.683 A3. Background, Purpose and Program Requirements The John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue and Response Grant Program (Prescott Grant Program) provides financial assistance to eligible marine mammal stranding participants and stranding network collaborators to provide (A) the recovery, care, or treatment of sick, injured, or entangled marine mammals; (B) responses to marine mammal stranding events that require emergency assistance; (C) the collection of data and samples from living or dead stranded marine mammals for scientific research or assessments regarding marine mammal health; (D) facility operating costs that are directly related to activities described in (A), (B), or (C); and (E) development of stranding network capacity, including training for emergency response, where facilities do not exist or are sparse. Successful applications will be those aimed at helping support these actions. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) Prescott Grant Program will provide support for response to the stranding of wild populations of species under the Department of the Interior’s management authority per section 3(12) of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Under this Funding Opportunity, the Service will select projects for funding based on how well and to what extent they support the species-specific priority activities, which are listed below under Species-Specific Funding Priorities. For the purposes of this program, priority is to be given to applications focusing on marine mammal strandings.

For the purpose of this funding program, the term "stranding" means an event in the wild in which—

A. a marine mammal is dead and is—

(i) on a beach, shore, or land of the United States; or

(ii) in waters under the jurisdiction of the United States (including any navigable waters); or.

B. a marine mammal is alive and is—

(i) on a beach, shore, or land of the United States and unable to return to the water;

(ii) on a beach, shore, or land of the United States and, although able to return to the water, is in need of apparent medical attention; or

(iii) in the waters under the jurisdiction of the United States (including any navigable waters), but is injured, entangled, or needs assistance; or

(iv) in the case of polar bears and Pacific walruses stranded on land due to insufficient ice, in need of assistance for the (A) the protection or welfare of the mammal, or (B) the protection of the public health and welfare.

Species-Specific Funding Priorities:

Proposals must address at least one of the species-specific priorities identified for the current grant cycle as it pertains to species under the authority of the Department of the Interior (i.e., West Indian manatees, sea otters, Pacific walruses, and polar bears) within waters of the United States. An applicant may submit more than one proposal (but no more than one proposal per category) or a single proposal may address more than one species, but the proposal(s) still must address at least one species-specific priority per species identified in the proposal(s). If more than one priority is identified, list first the priority that most accurately reflects the main objectives of the proposal.

The purpose of the priority list, as informed by Service staff responsible for marine mammal conservation and management efforts, is to guide applicants in proposal development by identifying those proposals that will best compete during the grant cycle for these limited funds, and to provide reviewers with guidance for their evaluations. The identified species-specific priorities will best ensure successful implementation of the Prescott Grant Program by providing funding for (A) the recovery, care, or treatment of sick, injured, or entangled marine mammals;

(B) responses to marine mammal stranding events that require emergency assistance; (C) the collection of data and samples from living or dead stranded marine mammals for scientific research or assessments regarding marine mammal health; (D) facility operating costs that are directly related to activities described in (A), (B), or (C); and (E) development of stranding network capacity, including training for emergency response, where facilities do not exist or are sparse.

New construction projects will not be considered; however, projects that involve construction for build-outs, alterations, upgrades, and renovations may be considered.

Applicants are encouraged to describe (in detail) all cooperative efforts among their existing partnerships. These efforts include, but are not limited to, in-kind contributions, shared resources/equipment, and/or monetary donations in relationship to the marine mammals identified within the Prescott Grant application. All cooperative efforts described within the application will be considered during the competitive selection process.

Proposals will be pooled by species and/or stranding region according to the priority addressed by the applicant. If a proposal does not clearly identify a priority or addresses a different priority than the one indicated by the applicant, it will not receive further consideration. Proposals will compete for funds within the appropriate species priority category, as identified in the proposal.

The following are the species-specific funding priorities for this grant cycle; they are not listed in any particular order, and each is of equal importance. We support these activities for the purpose of enhancing the marine mammal response community’s ability to assist stranded, entangled, and injured marine mammals and provide medical treatment and rehabilitation for potential release.

These activities will also improve the community’s knowledge of the treatment and care of distressed marine mammals and the potential cause of stranding events.

For West Indian Manatee (Antillean sub-species) in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, funding will be prioritized for projects addressing one or more of the following areas:

1. Enhance capability of stranding and entanglement response, including training, planning, outreach, and improvement of equipment and resource availability;

2. Transport for live strandings of manatees, including equipment costs, rescue transport trucks and contracts for transport (air or land transports);

3. Increase response efforts for manatees in distress in areas of low rescue capacity, including training, equipment and resource availability;

4. Improve and expand existing facilities for medical treatment, rehabilitation, and/or necropsies, including build-outs, alterations, upgrades, and renovations;

5. Enhance access for veterinary care, including on-site (lab or field) equipment or instruments for more rapid assessment of medical condition or monitoring of treatment response;

6. Improve collection and archiving of specimens to support studies of life history parameters, threats and overall population health;

7. Enhance post-release monitoring of survival for individuals released from rehabilitation or on-site from strandings (e.g., satellite tags and ARGOS support).

For West Indian Manatees (Florida sub-species), funding will be prioritized for projects addressing one or more of the following areas:

1. Enhance capability of stranding and entanglement response including training and improvement of equipment and resource availability to assist with captures, rehabilitation, and carcass recoveries;

2. Upgrade new or existing facilities for medical treatment, rehabilitation and/or necropsies including build-outs, alterations, and renovations;

3. Improve or upgrade transport for live manatees, including rescue trucks, boats, and associated equipment;

4. Provide contingency support for manatee care, rescue/transport response, and training opportunities in conjunction with other federally authorized partners;

5. Enhance post-release monitoring of survival for individuals released from rehabilitation or on-site from strandings (e.g., satellite tags and ARGOS support);

6. Improve understanding of current and past mortality events along the Atlantic Coast, such as changes in habitat use due to reduced food availability and associated impacts at the management unit level.

For Southern Sea Otters in the Southwest, funding will be prioritized for projects addressing one or more of the following areas:

1. Collect carcasses;

2. Conduct necropsies;

3. Enhance readiness for oil spill response (includes planning, training, and purchasing equipment);

4. Enhance stranding and entanglement response capabilities;

5. Upgrade operations to handle, stabilize, diagnose, treat, surrogate-rear (in the case of stranded pups), release, and conduct post-release monitoring;

6. Upgrade existing facilities (including build-outs, alterations, and renovations) and equipment to handle, stabilize, diagnose, treat, surrogate-rear (in the case of stranded pups), release, and conduct post-release monitoring;

7. Reduce sources of anthropogenic mortality (such as boat strikes, fishing gear entrapment/entanglement, intentional shootings) and disturbance;

8. Improve understanding of other sources of mortality (such as shark bites, harmful algal blooms, disease) and how to reduce impacts to the wild population.

For Northern Sea Otters in the Pacific Northwest, funding will be prioritized for projects addressing one or more of the following areas:

1. Collect and process carcasses or euthanize, as needed;

2. Conduct necropsies; compile and prepare results;

3. Lead and enhance stranding and entanglement response capabilities; compile and prepare results;

4. Enhance readiness for oil spill response (includes training and purchasing equipment);

5. Improve understanding of disease-caused mortalities, including sources and pathways of pathogens, such as microcystins and the protozoal parasite Sarcocystis neurona; or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI);

6. Improve understanding of health factors involving stranded sea otters;

7. Increase rehabilitation facility capacity for sea otters in the Pacific Northwest;

8. Conduct outreach and education to the public regarding what to do if one finds a stranded sea otter.

For Northern Sea Otters in Alaska, funding will be prioritized for projects addressing one or more of the following areas:

1. Collect data related to health parameters to allow comparisons among sea otter populations that vary in their population status relative to local carrying capacity; projects focused on Southeast Alaska and Southwest Alaska stocks will be priorities;

2. Improve understanding of stranding events, stranding frequency, and their impact on the relevant stock and put these in the context of population status and local carrying capacity; of particular interest are events affecting Southwest Alaska and Southeast Alaska stocks;

3. Improve understanding of incidences of anthropogenic mortality (such as boat strikes, fishing gear entrapment/entanglement, intentional shootings, small spills or contaminants) and disturbance and ways to reduce their occurrence;

4. Improve understanding of the impacts of natural sources of mortality (such as predation, harmful algal blooms or pathogen exposure) on relevant sea otter stock;

5. Enhance readiness for oil spill response (includes planning, training, and purchasing equipment);

6. Enhance readiness for entanglement response (includes planning, training, and purchasing equipment);

7. Investigate large or unusual strandings, particularly those associated with strandings or mortalities of other species.

For Pacific Walruses, funding will be prioritized for projects addressing one or more of the following areas:

1. Collect data related to health parameters (such as impacts of traveling greater distances to obtain food);

2. Enhance readiness for oil spill response (included planning, training, and purchasing equipment);

3. Enhance readiness for entanglement response (included planning, training, and purchasing equipment);

4. Enhance response capability for the protection or welfare of the walruses, or the protection and welfare of public health, particularly to reduce disturbances at large on-shore aggregations and monitor such events.

For Polar Bears, funding will be prioritized for projects addressing one or more of the following areas:

1. Collect data related to health parameters;

2. Conduct tissue sampling for genetic analyses;

3. Enhance readiness for oil spill response (includes planning, training, and purchasing equipment);

4. Enhance readiness for entanglement response (includes planning, training, and purchasing equipment);

5. Enhance response capability for the protection or welfare of the polar bear, or the protection of public health and welfare particularly to reduce the potential for human-polar bear interactions, such as improving management of attractants to reduce the overlap of polar bears and human activity.

Section 408(b)(4)(A) of the MMPA requires that, to the greatest extent practicable, funds provided as grants under this section be distributed equitably among the stranding regions. For the purpose of this funding program, the term “stranding region” refers to one of the four geographic regions that covers those areas where West Indian manatees, sea otters, Pacific walruses, and polar bears occur:

South Atlantic-Gulf stranding region for manatees throughout the southeast and parts of the Caribbean (including Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands);

California stranding region for southern sea otters in California;

Pacific Northwest stranding region for northern sea otters along the northern coast of the Pacific Ocean; and Alaska stranding region for polar bears, walruses, and northern sea otters in Alaska.

In addition, per section 408(b)(4)(B) the MMPA allows that, in determining priorities among these regions, the Service may consider: (i) equitable distribution within the stranding regions, including the subregions (including, but not limited to, the Gulf of Mexico); (ii) any episodic stranding, entanglement, or mortality events, except for unusual mortality events, that occurred in any stranding region in the preceding year; (iii) any data with respect to average annual stranding, entanglements, and mortality events per stranding region; (iv) the size of the marine mammal populations inhabiting a stranding region; (v) the importance of the region’s marine mammal populations to the well-being of indigenous communities; and (vi) the conservation of protected, depleted, threatened, or endangered marine mammal species.

Final selections will take into account the program focus and priorities, conservation benefit of proposed activities, stranding needs of the species, and past examples of working with partners exchanging information and/or resources.

A4. Funding Opportunity Goals The intended outcomes of this funding activity are to (A) support the recovery, care, or treatment of sick, injured, or entangled marine mammals; (B) respond to marine mammal stranding events that require emergency assistance; (C) collect data and samples from living or dead stranded marine mammals for scientific research or assessments regarding marine mammal health; (D) support facility operating costs that are directly related to (A), (B), or (C); and (E) development of stranding network capacity, including training for emergency response, where facilities do not exist or are sparse.

Implementation of the Prescott Grant Program will also help to foster the Services relationship with partners who are closest to the resources (e.g., state agencies, Tribes, established/authorized rescue/rehabilitation networks, local communities, aquaria, researchers) by providing needed support for their response efforts. These efforts, in turn, may provide information important to the Services management of these trust resources as well as enhance the scientific database and our knowledge of their needs in order to improve efforts to rescue, treat, rehabilitate, and release these species back to the wild.

B. Federal Award Information B1. Total Funding Estimated Total Funding $1,120,000

B2. Expected Award Amount Maximum Award $150,000 Minimum Award $1,000

B3. Expected Award Funding and Anticipated Dates Expected Award Funding $83,000 Expected Award Date July 01, 2024 Award amounts in the previous (2023) funding cycle ranged from $11,250 to $150,000.

B4. Number of Awards Expected Number of Awards The Service expects to award $1,120,000 through this funding opportunity.

Section 408(b)(7) of the MMPA states that “No grant made under the grant program for a single award may exceed $150,000 in any 12-month period”. These funds will be awarded on a competitive basis.

Recipients under this program may request funding for a subsequent grant cycle of a previously funded project. However, these requests are subject to the same submission, review, and approval requirements as all new applications. Receiving an award under this Funding Opportunity does not guarantee the recipient access to Service funding to continue the project in subsequent years or to support any other project in the future. In addition, activities in a new proposal cannot overlap with the activities and projects identified in a currently open Service Prescott Grant unless the award balance is at least 75 percent spent by the time of new award.

The funding amount and number of awards may change based on FY 2024 appropriations.

B5. Type of Award Funding Instrument Type G - Grant CA - Cooperative Agreement Grants or cooperative agreements may be established to cover a period of up to 3 years;

however, the total Federal share of the award is fixed at the maximum of $150,000 regardless of the performance period. In addition, activities covered under funding for a 3-year performance period may not be funded in any subsequent grant cycle prior to the end of the 3-year period of performance.

The Service may be substantially involved in some projects under this funding opportunity. The following list provides examples of some of the ways in which the Service may be substantially involved:

• Provide available data and expertise related to the species and proposed project;

• Coordinate site visits with the recipient;

• Participate in rescue and transport operations;

• Participate and collaborate jointly with the recipient in carrying out the scope of work;

• Help select project staff or trainees;

• Limit recipient discretion with respect to scope of work, staffing, mode of operations, and other management processes;

• Provide close monitoring or operational involvement during performance;

• Serve as a liaison between the recipient and other potential partners;

• Reserve the right to immediately halt an activity if detailed performance specifications are not met.

C. Eligibility Information C1. Eligible Applicants Eligible Applicants 99 – Unrestricted (i.e. open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in the text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" Additional Information on Eligibility Subject to the requirements in Section C3 in the NOFO.

C2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement Yes Percentage of Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement The matching requirement provided in section 408(f)(1) of the MMPA states that the “non- Federal share of a project conducted with funds awarded under the grant program under this section shall be not less than 25 percent of such project”. Section 408(f)(2) further states that the Service “may apply to the non-Federal share of a project conducted with a grant under this section the amount of funds, and the fair market value of property and services, provided by non- Federal sources and used for the project.” Third-party in-kind contributions means the value of non-cash contributions (i.e., property or services) that: (a) benefit a federally assisted project or program; and (b) are contributed by non-Federal third parties, without charge, to a non-Federal entity under a Federal award. (see 2 CFR 200.96)

The Prescott Grant Program requires cost sharing in order to leverage the limited funds available for this program and to encourage partnerships among government, private organizations, non-profit organizations, stranding participants, and academia to address the needs of marine mammal health and stranding response. You must provide a minimum cost share of 25 percent of total project costs (Federal share of project costs cannot exceed $150,000 and 75 percent of the total). For example, if the total project costs were $125,000, then the Federal cost share would be 75 percent of $125,000 or $93,750 and your cost share would be $31,250 (25 percent of $125,000); similarly, if the proposed total budget for your project is $80,000, the government portion would be $60,000 and your 25 percent contribution would be $20,000. Applications that do not comply with these cost share requirements will not be considered for this funding cycle.

Cost share above 25 percent of the total costs may be considered; however, this obligation will be binding.

The Service will determine the appropriateness of all cost sharing proposals, including the valuation of in-kind contributions, according to the regulations codified at 2 CFR 200.306. An in-kind contribution is a non-cash contribution, donated or loaned, by a third party to the applicant. In general, the value of in-kind services or property to fulfill the cost share requirement will be assessed at fair market value for the services or property provided. Thus, the value is equivalent to the cost for the applicant to obtain such services or property if it had not been donated, or to obtain such services or property for the period of the loan. In-kind services or property used to fulfill the cost-share requirement must be documented. If we decide to fund your application, we will require you to account for the total amount of cost share included in the Notice of Award document.

C3. Other Eligible Prescott Grant Program applicants must be a U.S. "eligible marine mammal stranding participant" that is not an employee of the Department of the Interior or Department of Commerce. The term "eligible marine mammal stranding participant" means a person who is authorized under MMPA section 104(c) for response to injured or distressed marine mammals or for scientific research regarding marine mammal health, or under MMPA section 112(c) to take marine mammals as described in MMPA section 109(h) in response to a stranding. To be eligible for Prescott Grants under this NOFO, such authorizations must have been issued by the Service.

Eligible entities also include Federal, state, or local government employees operating in the course of their official duties as indicated under MMPA section 109(h). Applicants may reach out to the Service for technical assistance to clarify and/or document applicability of the exemption under MMPA section 109(h). For marine mammals that are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), eligibility includes authorization under ESA section 10(a)(1)(A) (except for polar bears as long as authorization has been provided under the MMPA), or exemptions to take prohibitions under 50 CFR 17.21 or 50 CFR 17.31.

Specifically, applicants must satisfy either #1 or #2 below:

1. A participant in a marine mammal stranding network (which is not an entity of a state, local, or eligible federal government employee) and in good standing. To be in good standing means:

a. The applicant has authorization issued by the Service under MMPA section 104(c) for response to injured or distressed marine mammals or for scientific research regarding marine mammal health, or under MMPA section 112(c) to take marine mammals as described in MMPA section 109(h) in response to stranded marine mammals (live or dead animal response). For marine mammals, other than polar bears, that are listed under the ESA, the applicant also has authorization under ESA section 10(a)(1)(A) or is otherwise exempt through 50 CFR 17.21 or 50 CFR 17.31.

b. All the Principal Investigators associated with the Prescott Grant Program application who hold or have held authorizations under the MMPA and, if listed, the ESA have fulfilled all requirements, including but not limited to, reports and publications and have fulfilled the terms of any enforcement actions. Noncompliance with MMPA/ESA permit or MMPA cooperative agreement actions will be considered on a case-by-case basis in terms of meeting this requirement.

c. All stranding participants have complied with the terms and conditions of any permit or cooperative agreement issued under the MMPA and, if listed, ESA.

d. The responsible stranding participant cooperates with the Service regarding the timely submission of data and materials collected, when requested.

e. The stranding participant is not under current enforcement investigation for activities involving the take of marine mammals contrary to MMPA and ESA regulations and do not have a notice of violation pending resolution.

f. If no take occurs from the actions (e.g., strictly training, education, outreach) and therefore authorization is not required under the MMPA and/or ESA (if listed) applicant must clearly state why take will not occur.

Or,

2. The entity is a state, local, or eligible federal government employee (but not an employee of the Department of the Interior or Department of Commerce) participating pursuant to MMPA section 109(h) (16 U.S.C. 1379(h)) and, if listed, exempt by 50 CFR 17.21 or 17.31.

Unsatisfactory performance under prior or current Federal awards may result in your application not being considered for funding for this fiscal year in this program. The Service evaluates the risk posed by applicants as required in 2 CFR 200.205 to make this determination.

Other Eligibility Criteria The following additional criteria apply to the Service’s Prescott Grant Program funding opportunities and must be satisfied, and the appropriate documentation must be included in the package for a proposal to be considered for funding:

Permits and Approvals – It is the applicant's responsibility to obtain all necessary Federal, state, and local government permits and approvals. The applicant must include in the application package:

1. A copy of the current authorization or pending request for renewal of an existing authorization under the MMPA and ESA (if applicable). Receipt of required MMPA (and ESA, if applicable) authorization is required prior to awarding of funds. In addition, authorizations must be valid for the entire duration of the performance period of the award.

2. If the proposed activity or data collection involves intrusive research or if animals must be held after rehabilitation has been completed (prevented from release), the applicant must obtain MMPA (and ESA, if applicable) authorization that would be valid for the entire period of performance under the award before funds may be awarded. Intrusive research is considered to be a procedure conducted for bona fide scientific research involving: a break in or cutting of the skin or equivalent; insertion of an instrument or material into an orifice; introduction of a substance or object into the animal's immediate environment that is likely either to be ingested or to contact and directly affect animal tissues (i.e., chemical substances); or a stimulus directed at animals that may involve a risk to health or welfare or that may have an impact on normal function or behavior.

3. If the proposed activities fall under the jurisdiction of a facility’s Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), the applicant must provide a copy of their request for IACUC approval or a copy of the approved IACUC. Verification of IACUC approval will be required prior to awarding of funds (as required by the Animal Welfare Act and its relevant implementing regulations at 9 CFR 2.30-2.31).

4. If proposed activities will take place within a National Wildlife Refuge, National Park, Marine Sanctuary, National Seashore, State Park, or other Federal or state-designated protected areas, it is the applicant’s responsibility to request and obtain from the appropriate Federal, state, and local government agencies any necessary permits or letters of agreement for conducting the proposed activities at such sites.

5. Applications will be reviewed to determine if sufficient environmental documentation has been provided to determine the appropriate level of environmental analysis needed to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Proposal activities may be categorically excluded, or an Environmental Assessment (EA) may be necessary. For those applications needing an EA, affected applicants will be informed and will be requested to assist in the preparation of an EA by providing all necessary information to complete the assessment (prior to the award).

6. In addition, activities in a new proposal cannot overlap with the activities and projects identified in a currently open Service Prescott Grant unless the award balance is at least 75 percent spent by the time of new award.

Foreign Entities or Projects:

State Sponsors of Terrorism: This program will not fund projects in countries determined by the U.S. Department of State to have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism and therefore are subject to sanctions restricting receipt of U.S. foreign assistance and other financial transactions.

Office of Foreign Assets Control Sanctions: This program will not fund projects in countries subject to comprehensive sanction programs administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Asset Control without proper licenses.

In-Country Licenses, Permits, or Approvals: Entities conducting activities outside the U.S.

are responsible for coordinating with appropriate U.S. and foreign government authorities as necessary to obtain all required licenses, permits, or approvals before undertaking project activities. The Service does not assume responsibility for recipient compliance with the laws, regulations, policies, or procedures of the foreign country in which they are conducting work.

Excluded Parties:

The DOI conducts a review of the SAM.gov Exclusions database for all applicant entities and their key project personnel prior to award. The DOI cannot award funds to entities or their key project personnel identified in the SAM.gov Exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted or otherwise excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits, as their ineligibility condition applies to this Federal program.

https://www.state.gov/j/ct/list/c14151.htm https://www.state.gov/j/ct/list/c14151.htm https://www.state.gov/j/ct/list/c14151.htm http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Pages/default.aspx http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Pages/default.aspx

D. Application and Submission Information D1. Address to Request Application Package Contact the Service Program Technical Contact identified in this Funding Opportunity to request a paper application package if you do not have access to the internet to download the application package forms.

Program Website Link https://fws.gov/service/john-h-prescott-marine-mammal-rescue-assistance-grant-program

D2. Content and Form of Application Submission SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

All applicants must submit the Standard Form (SF)-424, Application for Federal Assistance. This form is available with the announcement on Grants.gov and in GrantSolutions. The form must be complete and signed by an Authorized Representative. For all applicants except individuals and commercial entities, the Authorized Representative’s signature on a standard application form submitted to the Service represents their certification that the entity’s financial management system meets 2 CFR §200.302 financial management requirements. The non-Federal entity’s financial management system must be sufficient to:

1. Permit the preparation of required reports;

2. Trace funds to a level of expenditures adequate to establish that the entity has used such funds per Federal statutes, regulations, and terms and conditions of the Federal award;

3. Provide for the requirements in 2 CFR §200.302(b); and

4. Comply with §200.334 Retention requirements for records, §200.335 Requests for transfer of records, §200.336 Methods for collection, transmission, and storage of information, and §200.337 Access to records.

If this application requests more than $100,000 in Federal funds, the Authorized Representative’s signature on or submission of the SF-424 form in GrantSolutions also represents their certification of the statements in 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A-Certification Regarding Lobbying.

When completing the SF-424 Application form, enter only the amount requested from this Federal program in Box 18a, Estimated Federal Funding. Include any other Federal sources of funding in Box 18e. Estimated Other Funding and identify any such sources and amounts in the required Budget Narrative (see below). For individuals applying as a private citizen (i.e., unrelated to any business or nonprofit organization you may own or operate in your name), do NOT include your Social Security Number on this or any other document to be submitted with your application! When completing the SF-424 Application form, individuals must enter in Box 8b. Employee/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN) the substitute number “444-44-4444.”

Individuals may register in SAM.gov but are not required to have a SAM.gov registration. For individuals without a SAM.gov registration enter in Box 8c. the substitute Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) “KA5HQCLKUVW1".

Project Abstract Summary (OMB Number 4040-0019) Applicants must complete and submit the Project Abstract Summary form. The Project Abstract Summary form must provide a brief award description. The description must be in plain https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.302 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.302 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR4acc10e7e3b676f/section-200.334 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR4acc10e7e3b676f/section-200.335 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR4acc10e7e3b676f/section-200.336 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR4acc10e7e3b676f/section-200.337 language that the public can understand without viewing the full application proposal. It should include a brief, simple description of the project purpose, activities to be performed, deliverables and expected outcomes, intended beneficiaries, and subrecipient activities, if known at the time of submission.

Do not include personally identifiable, sensitive, or proprietary information in the award description as this is available to the public. Use only English characters, numbers, punctuation, and standard symbols. Use of non-English, non-standard characters (also referred to as special or extended ASCII characters) will result in the award description failing to be reported correctly to USASpending.gov. Award descriptions are limited to 4,000 characters or less. Applicants should check the length of the award description and proofread for proper grammar and spelling.

For applicants applying through Grants.gov: Applicants must download and complete the Grants.gov “Project Abstract Summary” form from the full text announcement. To submit the Grants.gov “Project Abstract Summary” form with the application, applicants must add the form as an attachment to the Grants.gov “Attachments” form that is included in the application package.

For applicants applying through GrantSolutions-Grants Management Module (GS-GMM):

Applicants must enter the information in the Project Abstract Summary screen. Do not upload a document in place of entering the information directly into GS-GMM Project Abstract Screen.

Project Narrative Applicants must submit a proposal that includes all of the information listed below (indicated page limits are to be used as a guide):

The application package must describe the project activities completely and accurately. The project description should be a clear statement of all work to be undertaken and must include detailed information in the following sections:

Goals and Objectives (one half-page limit): Identify the Prescott Grant Program Category and the species-specific priority (see Program Description - Species-Specific Funding Priorities of this document) relevant to the project. State expected project accomplishments and their significance to marine mammals, health, stranding and entanglement response, medical treatment, and rehabilitation. Objectives should be attainable within the specified time period and with the available monetary and human resources. Objectives should be simple, understandable, and as specific and quantitative as possible. Stranding data should be used, when appropriate, to justify the proposed actions and link them to the purposes of the Prescott Grant Program.

Project Management (one-page limit): Describe how the proposed project will be organized and managed, including financial management of the project. Provide a description of the entity(ies) undertaking the project, indicating the Principal Investigator as well as any other partners and their respective roles. An application may only have one designated Principal Investigator. Other project participants or organizations that will have a significant role in conducting the project should be listed as Co-Investigators. Organizations or individuals that support the project should be referred to as Cooperators. If any portion of the project will be conducted through subcontracts, follow the procurement guidance found in 2 CFR Part 200.

Describe how provisions for competitive subcontracting will be met, if applicable. If the contractor has been identified, please provide a statement of their qualifications or background.

Also describe how governmental and non-governmental entities will participate in the project and the nature of their participation.

Project Participant Qualifications (one-page limit): Provide a list of all personnel that will be involved in the project, identifying the Principal Investigator, Co-Investigators, collaborators, and other personnel and their project duties and responsibilities, and a brief description or Curriculum Vitae (CV) that demonstrates their expertise and experience to perform their designated duties, including knowledge of the marine mammal species that is/are the subject of the project. Resumes, CVs, and other supporting documents may be used to describe qualifications and demonstrate experience with the marine mammal species (or another similar marine mammal species) that is/are the subject of this application.

Project Facility History (one half-page limit): Outline the facility’s involvement with the target species, including current protocols of the husbandry and veterinary care programs of the facility.

Project Description (three-page limit): Describe the scientific or technical plan of activities that will be accomplished to meet the proposed project goals and objectives. Include detailed descriptions of activities, collaborators, milestones, and expected products resulting from the completed project. The description should include:

i. Project activities and relation to goals and objectives. List the proposed project activities and describe how they relate to the stated goals and objectives. Activities are the specific actions to be undertaken to fulfill the project objectives and reach the project goal(s). The proposed project activities narrative must be detailed enough for reviewers to make a clear connection between the activities and the proposed project costs.

ii. Methods and procedures. Provide a detailed description of the method(s) and procedures to be used to carry out each activity.

iii. List of activities and participants. Provide a list of the activities that will be conducted by Co-Investigators, Cooperators, subcontractors, volunteers, etc. Describe the oversight of volunteers and how their staff time will be used to complete project activities. The Principal Investigator is responsible for all technical oversight and implementation of the approved work plan.

iv. Milestones and timelines. List project milestones and a description of the specific activities and associated timelines necessary to meet them. Describe the timelines in increments (e.g., month one, month two, etc.), rather than by specific dates. Please provide an explanation if dates are necessary (e.g., pupping or calving season). Make sure the timelines are reasonable and reflect your overall project period. Specify the quantitative and/or qualitative evaluation criteria to determine the relative success or failure of the project in achieving the stated project goals, objectives, and milestones.

Include any resulting tables, spreadsheets, or flow charts within the body of the project narrative (do not include as separate attachments).

v. Outcomes, Results, and Products. Identify the outcomes, results, or products, and how they relate to the Prescott Grant Program (those actions under chosen Category A or B and species-specific funding priorities) and how they will be applied and/or made available to any appropriate user groups through outreach and education efforts. The narrative must provide sufficient detail for reviewers to make a clear connection to the purposes of the Prescott Grant Program and the applicability/effectiveness of the outreach and education efforts.

Environmental Impacts (one-page limit): Discuss whether any negative environmental, biological, social, political, or economic impacts are expected as a result of the proposed activities. If any negative impacts are anticipated, describe what steps will be taken to minimize or mitigate these impacts. This narrative must provide enough detail so that reviewers are able to determine the level of analysis required under NEPA.

Statement of Need for Federal Assistance (one half-page limit): Demonstrate the need for government financial assistance. Describe why this project is necessary (significance/value) and include supporting information. Summarize previous or ongoing efforts that are relevant to the proposed work. Explain the successes or failures of past efforts and how your proposal builds on them. If you have received funding previously (from the Service or any other entity) for this specific project work, provide a summary of the funding, associated activities, and products/outcomes. List all other sources of funding that are or have been sought for the project.

Federal, State, and Local Government Programs and Activities: List any Federal, state, or local government programs or activities that this project would affect and reference any corresponding documentation (i.e., permits, approvals, and environmental assessments).

Stakeholder Coordination or Involvement (one half-page limit). Describe how you/your organization has coordinated with and involved other relevant organizations or individuals in planning the project, and detail if/how they will be involved in conducting project activities, disseminating project results and/or incorporating your results/products into their activities.

Provide a data sharing plan that includes a description of the types of data and information expected to be created during the course of the project, the tentative date by which data will be shared, and methods for providing data access.

Project Monitoring and Evaluation Plan (one-page limit). Detail the monitoring and evaluation plan for the project. Building on the stated project objectives, identify what you will measure (i.e., quantitative/quantifiable indicators) and how you will measure (e.g., methods, sample size, survey tools). Reference the stated project timetable and budget information.

Identify the products/services to be delivered and how/to whom they will be delivered. Detail the expected direct effect(s) of the project on the species. Describe the resources and organizational structure available for gathering, analyzing, and reporting monitoring and evaluation data.

Partnerships (one half-page limit). Describe in detail the existing partnerships your organization currently plans to work with to accomplish the goals and objectives described in your proposal. This section should clearly identify what resources will be shared across the existing partnerships and identify any potential new partnerships that may be formed if selected for funding.

Sustainability (one half-page limit). As applicable, describe which project activities will continue beyond the proposed project period, who will continue the work, and how and at what level you expect these future activities will be funded.

Literature Cited (no page limit). List any literature cited in support of the proposal request.

Note: All of the proposed work described in the funding request does not need to be completed in a single year; 2–3 year projects are allowable. However, the proposal and implementation schedule should include all project activities that would be supported by the funding request amount listed in the proposal, without an assumption for additional funding for multi-year projects.

2. Appendices (fifteen-page limit) Additional material may be provided including: tables, charts, graphs, maps, photographs, slide shows, and other pictorial presentations.

SF-424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs Applicants must complete and submit the SF-424A Budget Information form for Non- Construction Programs or Projects. All required application forms are available with this announcement on Grants.gov or in GrantSolutions. Federal award recipients and subrecipients are subject to Federal award cost principles in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 200. Applicants must show funds requested from this Federal program separately from any other Federal sources of funding. In “Section A – Budget Summary” on the SF-424A form enter the funding requested from this Federal program in the first row. Identify any other Federal funding sources and amounts in the required Budget Narrative (see below). In the SF-424A “Contractual” category total, do not combine estimated subawards and contractual costs. Use the “Contractual” category to reflect estimated contractual costs only. Enter estimated subaward costs in the SF-424A “Other” category. Provide a separate description and total estimated costs for both contractual and subaward costs in the required Budget Narrative (see below).

Budget Narrative Applicants must include a budget narrative that describes and justifies requested budget items and costs. In your budget narrative, describe how the SF-424 Budget Information, “Object Class Category” totals were determined. For personnel salary costs, generally describe how estimates were determined by identifying what type of staff will support the project and how much time they will contribute to the project (in hours or workdays). Describe any proposed items of cost that require prior approval under the Federal award cost principles, including any anticipated subawarding, transferring, or contracting out of any work under the award. Provide a separate description and total estimated costs for both contractual and subaward costs. If equipment previously purchased with Federal funds is available for the project, provide a list of that equipment and identify the Federal funding source. Identify any third-party cash or in-kind contributions that a partner or other entity will contribute to the project and describe how the contributions directly and substantively benefit completion of the project. For in-kind contributions, identify the source, the amount, and the valuation methodology used to determine the total value. See 2 CFR §200.306 for more information. Please note the prohibitions on certain telecommunications and video surveillance services or equipment in 2 CFR 200.216. The Department of the Interior’s Unmanned Aircraft web page provides a list of approved unmanned aircraft and related equipment and software.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure Per the Financial Assistance Interior Regulation (FAIR), 2 CFR §1402.