FY 20_NCWCG Program_NOFO_FINAL.pdf

National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program Fiscal Year 2020 Notice of Funding Opportunity

Notice Overview

Federal Agency Name Department of the Interior, United States Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Program (WSFR) and National Wildlife Refuge System, Division of Habitat and Resource Conservation

Funding Opportunity Title National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number 15.614

Announcement Type Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2020

Funding Opportunity Number

F19AS00132

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement We are collecting this information in accordance with the Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection and Restoration Act, Title III, Section 301, Public Law 101-646, 104 Stat. 4778, November 29, 1990 (Title 16, United States Code (U.S.C.), Part 3951-3956). Your response is required to obtain or retain a benefit. We will use the information you provide to evaluate your application for potential award of Federal funding through this program and, if awarded, to evaluate performance. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. We estimate that it will take you about 40 hours to complete an initial application, three hours to revise the terms of an award, and eight hours to prepare and submit performance reports, including time to maintain records, and gather information. You may send comments on the burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

OMB Control Number 1018-0100 (expires: 7/31/2021)

Submission Deadline and Other Information You can apply for funding up to the application deadline. The deadline for receipt is Friday, June 28, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. PDT. We recommend that you submit your application early enough to address any unforeseen technical complications, and verify that all documents have been received by your WSFR Regional Office before the deadline. We will not consider applications received after the deadline. We expect to announce the selected projects by January 2020.

Contents

Notice Overview

Federal Agency Name

Funding Opportunity Title

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number

Announcement Type

Funding Opportunity Number

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement

OMB Control Number

Submission Deadline and Other Information

I. Description of Funding Opportunity

II. Award Information

Award Amount

Funding Restrictions

Eligible Activities

Ineligible Activities

III. Basic Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants

DUNS Registration

Entity Registration in the System for Award Management (SAM)

Excluded Entities

Cost Sharing or Matching

Other

IV. Application Requirements

Standard Form (SF)-424

Project Summary

Project Statement (7 Page Limit)

Need

Objectives

Expected Results

Approach

Project Location

Useful Life

Program Income

Allocation of Costs

Timeline

Compliance

State Trust Fund

Relationship to Other Projects and/or Other Federal Grants

Public Involvement and Interagency Coordination

Budget Form

Budget Narrative

Letters of Commitment (No Page Limit)

Required Indirect Cost Statement

Single Audit Reporting Statements

Assurances

Certification and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

Conflict of Interest Disclosures

Required Overlap/Duplication Statement

Responses to Ranking Criteria (20 Page Limit)

Drawings/Maps/Photographs (No Page Limit)

Application Checklist

V. Submission Instructions

Submission Deadline

Intergovernmental Review

Electronic Submission Instructions

VI. Application Review

Scoring Criteria

Criterion 1: Wetlands conservation

Criterion 2: Maritime forests on coastal barriers

Criterion 3: Long-term conservation

Criterion 4: Coastal watershed management

Criterion 5: Conservation of threatened and endangered species

Criterion 6: Benefits to fish

Criterion 7: Benefits to coastal-dependent or migratory birds

Criterion 8: Prevent or reduce contamination

Criterion 9: Catalyst for future conservation

Criterion 10: Partners in conservation

Criterion 11: Federal share reduced

Criterion 12: Education/outreach program or wildlife-oriented recreation

Criterion 13: Other factors

Review and Selection Process

VII. Award Administration Information

Federal Award Notices

Domestic Recipient Payments

Transmittal of Sensitive Data

Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Award Terms and Conditions

Reporting Requirements

Final Reports

Interim Reports

Other Mandatory Disclosures

VIII. Agency Contacts

Service Headquarters

Region 1

Region 2

Region 3

Region 4

Region 5

Region 7

Region 8

Attachment A: Clarification of Select Ranking Criteria in 50 CFR 84.32 and General Program Questions

General Questions and Answers

50 CFR 84.32 (a)(1) (Criterion 1):

50 CFR 84.32 (a)(2) (Criterion 2):

50 CFR 84.32 (a) (Criteria 5, 6, and 7):

50 CFR 84.32 (a)(10) (Criterion 10):

50 CFR 84.32 (a)(11) (Criterion 11):

50 CFR 84.32 (a)(12) (Criterion 12):

50 CFR 84.32(b)(4) (Additional considerations):

I. Description of Funding Opportunity

References to “you” in this NOFO refer to the State, Commonwealth, or Territory agency completing the application and any sub-recipient, if applicable. References to “we,” “our,” or “us” in this NOFO refer to the Service.

The Coastal Wetlands Planning, Protection, and Restoration Act (Title III, Section 301, Public Law 101-646, 16 U.S.C. 3951-3956) (Act) established the National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant (NCWCG) Program to acquire, restore, and enhance wetlands in coastal areas through competitive matching grants to eligible State agencies. The Program is funded by revenues collected from excise taxes on sport fishing equipment, electric motors and sonar, import duties on fishing tackle, yachts and pleasure craft, and a portion of gasoline tax attributable to motorboats and small engines. Revenues are deposited into and appropriated from the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund. The primary goal of the NCWCG Program is the long-term conservation of coastal wetland ecosystems. The Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (P.L. 114-94) authorizes funding for the NCWCG Program through Fiscal Year 2021.

Coastal wetlands are valued because they protect against flooding, help maintain water quality, and provide habitat for wildlife. Coastal environments are also important economically, generating billions of dollars annually through recreational and commercial fishing, boating, and tourism.

WSFR’s mission is to work through partnerships to conserve and manage fish and wildlife and their habitats for the use and enjoyment of current and future generations. WSFR’s vision is of healthy, diverse, and accessible fish and wildlife populations that offer recreation, economic activity, and other societal benefits, in addition to sustainable ecological functions. WSFR’s guiding principle is that society benefits from conservation-based management of fish and wildlife and their habitats and opportunities to use and enjoy them. The NCWCG Program aligns with WSFR’s mission, vision, and guiding principle, and supports three of the Department of the Interior’s priorities including:

1) Creating a conservation stewardship legacy second only to Teddy Roosevelt through land acquisition promoting protection and enhancement of high-priority coastal wetland ecosystems;

2) Utilizing our natural resources by allowing fish- and wildlife-based recreation and public use and enjoyment, as appropriate;

3) Restoring trust with our local communities through partnering with eligible State agencies and their partners on local projects.

The Final Rule establishing the requirements for participation in the NCWCG Program was published in the Federal Register July 30, 2002 (67 Federal Register (FR) 49264). The Program regulations are in Title 50 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 84. Additional information about the NCWCG Program is available online here.

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2002/07/30/02-19065/national-coastal-wetlands-conservation-grant-program http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2012-title50-vol9/xml/CFR-2012-title50-vol9-part84.xml http://www.fws.gov/coastal/CoastalGrants

II. Award Information

The NCWCG Program provides eligible State agencies with grants to protect and restore valuable coastal wetlands resources. Projects can include:

1) Acquisition of a real property interest (e.g., conservation easement or fee title) in coastal lands or waters (coastal wetlands ecosystems) from willing sellers or partners for long-term conservation;

2) Restoration, enhancement, or management of coastal wetlands ecosystems; or

3) A combination of acquisition, restoration, enhancement, and management.

All projects must ensure long-term conservation (at least 20 years) of coastal resources. We score and rank applications based on criteria published in 50 CFR 84.32.

Award Amount We expect that approximately $17 million will be available for grants through the NCWCG Program in FY 2020. Awards typically range from $125,000 (there is no specific minimum) to a maximum of $1,000,000.

Funding Restrictions Eligible Activities

1) Acquisition of a real property interest in coastal lands or waters from willing sellers or partners (coastal wetlands ecosystems), provided that the terms and conditions will ensure the real property will be managed for long-term conservation; and

2) The restoration, enhancement, or management of coastal wetlands ecosystems, provided that restoration, enhancement, or management will be administered for long-term conservation.

Ineligible Activities

1) Projects that primarily benefit navigation, irrigation, flood control, or mariculture;

2) Acquisition, restoration, enhancement or management of lands to mitigate habitat losses;

3) Creation of wetlands where wetlands did not previously exist;

4) Enforcement of fish and wildlife laws and regulations, except when necessary for the accomplishment of approved project purposes;

5) Research;

6) Planning as a primary project focus;

7) Operations and maintenance, including long-term invasive species management;

8) Acquisition and/or restoration of upper portions of watersheds where benefits to the coastal wetlands ecosystem are not significant and direct; and

9) Projects providing less than 20 years of conservation benefits.

Note: This list is not comprehensive. If you have questions about the eligibility of specific activities, contact your WSFR Regional Office (see Section VIII, Agency Contacts).

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Additional Eligibility Information The primary purpose of the NCWCG Program is to help eligible State agencies acquire, restore, enhance, and/or manage coastal wetlands ecosystems. Recreation and outreach or education activities necessary for meeting these purposes are eligible for Program funding up to a combined maximum of 10 percent of project costs, including the Federal share and matching funds. Such activities must be “site-specific” and “substantive” to receive points under Ranking Criterion 12 (50 CFR 84.32(a)(12)(i)). Any proposed recreation or outreach/education activities must be described and justified in the application.

Planning and related activities are ineligible as a primary project focus (50 CFR 84.20(b)(6)), but may be allowable as a minimal component of a project. Monitoring necessary for meeting Program purposes is eligible, such as evaluating results of project activities and measuring impacts on targeted resources (50 CFR 84.12(b)). Research is not eligible for funding. Planning, engineering, design, permitting, and monitoring costs necessary for completion of site-specific project objectives are eligible for funding up to a combined maximum of 30 percent of project costs, including the Federal share and required match. Any proposed activities involving planning, engineering, design, permitting, or monitoring must be described and justified in your application.

Contact your WSFR Regional Office for more detailed guidance on specific proposed costs involving recreation, outreach/education activities, planning, design, permitting, or monitoring (see Section VIII, Agency Contacts).

Review 50 CFR 84.20 for more information on eligible and ineligible activities, or contact your WSFR Regional Office (see Section VIII, Agency Contacts).

III. Basic Eligibility Requirements Eligible Applicants Participation is limited to State agencies or entities designated as eligible by the Governor of a coastal State. The eligible agency is usually a State natural resource or fish and wildlife agency.

If you are uncertain of your eligibility, please contact your WSFR Regional Office (see Section VIII, Agency Contacts).

Eligible coastal States are States bordering the Great Lakes (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin); States bordering the Atlantic, Gulf (except Louisiana), and Pacific coasts. Louisiana is not an eligible coastal State for this Program as provided in the Act (16 U.S.C. 3955 (b)(1)).

Here is the list of eligible States: Alabama, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawai’i, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=6bb807aedef6b0eade81862a8c0ff119&mc=true&node=se50.9.84_132&rgn=div8 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=6bb807aedef6b0eade81862a8c0ff119&mc=true&node=se50.9.84_120&rgn=div8 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=6bb807aedef6b0eade81862a8c0ff119&mc=true&node=se50.9.84_112&rgn=div8 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=6bb807aedef6b0eade81862a8c0ff119&mc=true&node=se50.9.84_120&rgn=div8

Federal law mandates that all entities applying for Federal financial assistance must have a valid Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and have a current registration in the System for Award Management (SAM). See 2 CFR 25 for more information.

DUNS Registration Request a DUNS number here. For technical difficulties, contact Dun & Bradstreet by email at:

govt@dnb.com, or by calling the Government Customer Resource Center at voice phone: 866- 705-5711 or TTY line: 877-807-1679 (hearing impaired customers only). Obtaining a DUNS number is free for all entities doing business with the U.S. Government. Once assigned a DUNS number, you are responsible for maintaining up-to-date information with Dun & Bradstreet.

Entity Registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) Register in SAM online. Effective June 2017, you can no longer access SAM using Internet Explorer Versions older than IE11. You either need to upgrade to an Internet Explorer version of IE11 or higher, or access SAM with another supported browser type (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.). Once registered in SAM, you must renew and revalidate your SAM registration at least every 12 months from the date previously registered. You are advised to revalidate your registration as often as needed to ensure that your information is up to date and in sync with changes that may have been made to DUNS and Internal Revenue Service information. We may not make a Federal award if you have not completed the SAM.gov registration.

Note: The official U.S. Government website address for SAM is https://sam.gov/SAM/. There is no cost to register in or access SAM. Some third-party vendors charge a fee for registering entities in SAM; please be aware that you can register to do business with the U.S. Government for free directly in SAM.

Prohibition on Issuing Awards to Entities that Require Internal Confidentiality Agreements Domestic (U.S.) non-Federal entities requiring their employees or contractors to sign internal confidentiality agreements or statements that prohibit, or otherwise restrict, such employees or contractors from lawfully reporting waste, fraud, or abuse to a designated investigative or law enforcement representative of a Federal department or agency authorized to receive such information are not eligible to compete for or receive a Federal award. See Pub. L. 113-235, Title VII, Division E, Section 743 (128 STAT. 2391) for more information.

Excluded Entities If you or your key project personnel are identified in the SAM exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted or excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits, you will not be considered for Federal funding under this Program. We conduct a review of the SAM exclusions database for all applicants and key project personnel prior to award.

Cost Sharing or Matching If you have established a fund that is used for acquiring coastal wetlands, other natural areas, or open space, you may receive up to 75 percent of total project costs through the NCWCG Program up to the maximum award of $1,000,000. If you have not established such a fund, you may receive up to 50 percent of total projects costs through the NCWCG Program. In https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr25_main_02.tpl http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform mailto:govt@dnb.com https://sam.gov/SAM/ https://sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.congress.gov/113/plaws/publ235/PLAW-113publ235.pdf https://www.congress.gov/113/plaws/publ235/PLAW-113publ235.pdf accordance with 48 U.S.C. 1469(a), the Regional Director will waive the first $200,000 of match required as per this NOFO in any grant to the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and the Territories of American Samoa, Guam, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The maximum Federal participation rate of 75 percent is based on total project costs, i.e., the amount requested from the NCWCG Program plus the amount of non-Federal cost share. Other funds that are related to the project or are part of a larger project but are not Federal or designated as cost share are not included in total project costs when calculating the maximum Federal participation rate. Cost share requirements are detailed in 50 CFR 84.46.

To be paid up to 75 percent of total project costs, you must provide either a description of the State trust fund (in sufficient detail for us to make an eligibility determination), or a statement that eligibility has been previously approved and there has been no change in the fund.

To receive points under ranking Criterion 11 (50 CFR 84.32 (a)(11)), at least some of the non- Federal match must be provided in cash. Direct costs identified in the SF-424 are only considered to meet the definition of cash match if they are provided in the form of U.S.

currency. See Attachment A. Clarification of Select Ranking Criteria in 50 CFR 84.32 and General Program Questions for more information.

Note: If you propose to use the value of donated land as all or a portion of the non-Federal cost share, you should explain in the Project Statement why the land is necessary to accomplish the project objectives. You should include information on all parcel(s) proposed for acquisition or restoration with NCWCG Program funds and the match parcel(s) in adequate detail for each ranking criterion so reviewers can make informed scoring decisions.

You must document all third-party matching funds with a signed letter of financial commitment from an authorized representative of the match provider. The letter must detail the amount of matching funds or value of donated land and/or services. You are responsible for ensuring availability of the full amount of the non-Federal match provided on the SF-424.

Other Although only eligible State agencies can apply for and receive grants through this Program, we encourage partnering with tribes, Federal agencies, other State agencies, non-governmental organizations, local governments and others. Please note that any contributions from Federal sources cannot be used or counted as non-Federal match unless authorized by Federal statute (such as Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program, or REPI, funds).

IV. Application Requirements You can download the application package for the NCWCG Program here, by entering Funding Opportunity Number F19AS00132. You can also download application forms through the WSFR toolkit under “Forms.” If you have trouble applying, contact your WSFR Regional Office (see Section VIII, Agency Contacts).

To be considered for funding under this funding opportunity, an application must contain:

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=cb577fe674093491123a536aab07fea3&mc=true&node=se50.9.84_146&rgn=div8 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=37a84c1295a302bd72d62ad8a5fef693&mc=true&n=pt50.9.84&r=PART&ty=HTML#sp50.9.84.c https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms_apps_idx.html http://fawiki.fws.gov/display/WTK/Forms http://fawiki.fws.gov/display/WTK/Forms

Standard Form (SF)-424 A completed Application for Federal Assistance form (SF-424). Do not include other Federal sources of funding, requested or approved, in the total entered in the “Federal” funding box on the SF-424. Enter only the amount being requested under this Program in the “Federal” funding box. Include any other Federal sources of funding in the total funding entered in the “Other” box.

Project Summary Briefly summarize the project in one page or less. Include the title of the project, geographic location, and a brief overview of the need for the project. You may also include goals, objectives, specific project activities, anticipated outputs and outcomes in this section.

Project Statement (7 Page Limit) Provide a Project Statement containing the elements listed below (50 CFR 84.22(c)). You may combine your responses as necessary; separate headings or sections for responses to each element are not required. As identified below, due to the Project Statement page limit, some responses may be included in your Budget Narrative instead of the Project Statement.

Need The need for the proposed project(s) within the purpose of the Program.

Objectives Discrete, quantifiable, and verifiable objectives to be accomplished during a specific time period. Objectives reference specific outcomes to be accomplished in order to reach the stated goal(s). The project objectives should be specific, measurable, attainable within the period of performance, realistic, and time-bound. Note: If your objectives include management of lands for recreational as well as conservation purposes, you must demonstrate that any anticipated recreational activities will not degrade habitat values of targeted lands.

Expected Results Expected results or benefits from accomplishing the objectives.

Approach Clearly describe the approach or activities to be used in meeting the objectives, including specific procedures, methods, schedules, key personnel, and cooperators. Please include (if applicable):

a. Any organization that will act as a sub-recipient and their role(s) in meeting the project objectives; for any key personnel, describe the education, experience and skills that make them qualified to carry out the proposed project (do not include resumes or curriculum vitae);

b. What organization will hold title to the real property being acquired or restored?

c. How will long-term management (20 years or longer) of acquired or restored lands be accomplished (e.g., through long-term support provided by an endowment)?

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=511f2cc60fa3db7431e38952473fa82b&mc=true&n=sp50.9.84.b&r=SUBPART&ty=HTML#se50.9.84_122

d. What type of ownership interest is involved (e.g., fee-simple, easement, combination, etc., and the related acres)?

e. What organization (or individual) will manage the real property interest?

f. What will be involved in the restoration? Why did you choose that approach? How likely is the proposed restoration technique to succeed? How much maintenance is involved, who will conduct it, and who will support it? Please provide examples of your success in implementing the proposed restoration approach in similar nearby ecosystems, if available.

g. Is the project ready to implement? For example, in the case of acquisitions, have the landowners supplied willing seller letters? For restoration projects, are the landowners willing to allow and maintain the proposed restoration, and have required permits been obtained or initiated? Are restoration designs completed or underway? Attach any relevant documents that address these elements.

Project Location Maps or other geographic aids may be attached. Please include GPS Coordinates in degrees, minutes, and seconds, if available (maps and other diagrams may be provided separately from the Project Statement).

Useful Life Propose a useful life for each structure that costs at least $25,000 to build or the alternation, renovation, or repair of a structure if it increases the market value by at least $25,000. You must reference a standard or recognizable method for estimating useful life when the value of the structure is over $100,000. If the value is under $100,000, no supporting documentation is required. You may provide this and other budget-related responses in the Budget Narrative instead of the Project Statement, which is limited to seven pages.

Program Income Estimate the amount of program income that the project is likely to generate, if any. Indicate the method of applying and disposing of the program income. You may provide this and other budget-related responses in the Budget Narrative instead of the Project Statement, which is limited to seven pages.

Allocation of Costs Identify the method used for allocating costs in multipurpose projects and facilities. You may provide this and other budget-related responses in the Budget Narrative instead of the Project Statement, which is limited to seven pages.

Timeline Describe significant milestones in completing the project and any accomplishments to date.

Compliance For projects conducted in the United States, a summary of anticipated Federal compliance requirements. Be sure to address all applicable compliance requirements including those involving the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA), Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and all other applicable Federal laws, regulations, and policies. In the summary, describe any compliance activities for your proposed project that have already been completed or are currently underway.

State Trust Fund Include either a description of the State trust fund that supports or justifies your request for a 75 percent Federal share in sufficient detail for us to make an eligibility determination, or a statement that eligibility has been previously approved by us and no change has occurred in the fund.

Relationship to Other Projects and/or Other Federal Grants If applicable, list other current, interrelated coastal acquisition, restoration, enhancement and management actions, the agencies involved, the relationship to the proposed project, and how the application fits into comprehensive natural resource plans for the area. If applicable, identify any relationship between this project and other work funded by Federal grants that is planned, anticipated, or underway.

Public Involvement and Interagency Coordination Provide a description of public involvement or interagency coordination on coastal wetlands conservation projects that has occurred or is planned that relates to the application (specify the organizations or agencies involved and dates of involvement).

Budget Form Complete the Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424A) form, Budget Information for Construction Programs (SF-424C) form, or submit the equivalent or greater level of information in another format. Use the SF-424A if your project does not include construction or land acquisition and the SF-424C if the project includes construction or land acquisition. When developing your budget, keep in mind that Federal financial assistance awards and sub-awards are subject to the Federal cost principles. A link to the full text of the Federal cost principles is available here.

Note on Multiple Federal Funding Sources: If your project budget includes multiple Federal funding sources, you must show the funds being requested from this Federal program separately from any other requested or secured Federal sources of funding on the budget form.

For example, enter the funds being requested from this Federal program in the first row of the Budget Summary section of the form and then enter funding related to other Federal programs in the subsequent row(s). Be sure to enter each Federal program’s CFDA number in the corresponding fields on the form. The CFDA number for the NCWCG Program is 15.614.

Budget Narrative In a separate narrative titled “Budget Narrative,” explain and justify all requested budget items/costs. Detail how the SF-424 Budget Object Class Category totals were determined and demonstrate a clear connection between costs and the proposed project activities. The justification for each budget category should be a brief general description of the costs that https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=b702201a3768a68d64a61c7835ddad66&mc=true&n=pt2.1.200&r=PART&ty=HTML make up that category, yet provide enough detail to demonstrate that the applicant has a financial plan for implementation of the proposed objectives. Describe any item that requires our approval and estimate its cost (e.g., equipment, other capital expenditures, pre-award costs (50 CFR 84.47(c)), etc.; see 2 CFR 200.407). Also include:

1) In-Kind Match – Include the source, the amount, and the valuation methodology used to arrive at the total (see Attachment A. Clarification of Select Ranking Criteria in 50 CFR

84.32 and General Program Questions for more information);

2) Program Income, if any – Include the source, amount, and the requested method of crediting the program income (e.g. deductive, additive, matching); and

3) When applicable, a copy of your current Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA). WSFR prefers you submit a copy of your NICRA annually to your WSFR Regional Office; please verify your current NICRA is not already on file with the WSFR Regional Office before attaching it.

Letters of Commitment (No Page Limit) All letters of financial commitment are due with the application by the Friday, June 28, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. PDT deadline. We will not consider letters received after the deadline. Omission of letters of commitment may negatively impact scoring of your application. Include:

1) Signed letter(s) of financial commitment from an authorized representative of all third-party match provider(s) detailing the amount of matching funds or value of donated land and/or services.

2) In projects with land acquisition, we encourage you to include a letter or statement that describes current negotiations regarding the potential sale of the property to help reviewers determine the feasibility of the proposed project compared with other projects.

Required Indirect Cost Statement If you do not have an approved NICRA you cannot charge indirect costs to your Federal award.

You must include in your budget narrative one of the following statements and attach to your application any required documentation identified in the applicable statement. Prior to attaching the NICRA to your application, please verify whether your current NICRA is already on file with the WSFR Regional Office; if it is, please do not attach it to your application.

“We are:

1) A U.S. State entity receiving more than $35 million in direct Federal funding each year with an indirect cost rate of [insert rate]. We submit our indirect cost rate proposals to our cognizant agency. A copy of our most recently approved rate agreement or certification is on file with the WSFR Regional Office (attach it ONLY if your NICRA is not on file);

2) A U.S. State entity receiving less than $35 million in direct Federal funding with an indirect cost rate of [insert rate]. We are required to prepare and retain for audit an indirect cost rate proposal and related documentation to support those costs;

3) A U.S. State entity that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate]. In the event an award is made, https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=511f2cc60fa3db7431e38952473fa82b&mc=true&n=pt50.9.84&r=PART&ty=HTML#se50.9.84_147 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=6e27fd9dac42ba49c55bc0cb8e6d68a6&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1407&rgn=div8 we will submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after the award is made;

4) A U.S. State entity that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency and has an indirect cost rate that is lower than 10%. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate; must be lower than 10%]. However, in the event an award is made, we will not be able to meet the requirement to submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after award. We request as a condition of award to charge a flat indirect cost rate of [insert rate; must be lower than 10%] of [insert a clear description of the direct cost base against which your rate is charged (e.g., salaries; salaries and fringe benefits; or modified total direct costs). However, please note that your organization cannot charge indirect costs in excess of the indirect costs that would be recovered if applied against modified total direct costs as defined in 2 CFR 200.68]. We understand that we must notify the Service in writing immediately if we establish an approved rate with our cognizant agency at any point during the award period.

5) A U.S. State entity that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency and has an indirect cost rate that is 10% or higher. Our indirect cost rate is [insert your organization’s indirect rate; must be 10% or higher]. However, in the event an award is made, we will not be able to meet the requirement to submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after award.

We request as a condition of award to charge a flat de minimis indirect cost rate of 10% of modified total direct costs as defined in 2 CFR 200.68. We understand that we must notify the Service in writing immediately if we do establish an approved rate with our cognizant agency at any point during the award period. We understand that additional Federal funds may not be available to support an unexpected increase in indirect costs during the project period and such changes are subject to review, negotiation, and prior approval by the Service; or

6) A U.S. State entity that will charge all costs directly.”

Please note the following:

• If you do not have an approved indirect cost rate you are prohibited from charging indirect costs to a Federal award. Accepting a flat de minimis rate as a condition of award is an approved rate.

• Failure to establish an approved rate during the award period renders all costs otherwise allocable as indirect costs unallowable under the award.

• You may not charge to your Service award any indirect costs calculated against the portion of total direct project costs paid by any other Federal funding source or non- Federal partner.

• You must have prior written approval from us to transfer unallowable indirect costs to amounts budgeted for direct costs or to satisfy cost-sharing or matching requirements under the award.

• You are prohibited from shifting unallowable indirect costs to another Federal award unless specifically authorized to do so by legislation.

For more information on indirect cost rates, see the Service’s NICRA guidance document.

https://www.fws.gov/grants/pdfs/USFWSIndirectCostsGuidance01-06-17.pdf

To obtain a NICRA you must first have an open, active Federal award and submit an indirect cost rate proposal to your cognizant agency. The Federal awarding agency that provides the largest amount of direct funding to your organization is your cognizant agency, unless otherwise assigned by OMB. If the Department of the Interior is your cognizant agency, your indirect cost rate will be negotiated by the Interior Business Center (IBC). For more information, contact the IBC at:

Indirect Cost Services Acquisition Services Directorate, Interior Business Center U.S. Department of the Interior 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 7-400 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 916-930-3803 Email: Through Interior Business Center’s web form Internet address: Interior Business Center - Indirect Cost Negotiation Services

Single Audit Reporting Statements As required in 2 CFR 200, Subpart F, a non-Federal entity expending $750,000 USD or more in Federal award funds in a fiscal year must submit a Single Audit Report for that year through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse’s Internet Data Entry System. You must provide a statement indicating whether your organization was required to submit a Single Audit Report for the organization’s most recently closed fiscal year and, if so, whether that report is available on the Federal Audit Clearinghouse Single Audit Database website. If you were required to submit a Single Audit Report, provide the EIN under which that report was submitted. Include these statements in a section titled “Single Audit Reporting Statements.”

Assurances If not already on file with your WSFR Regional Office, include the appropriate signed and dated Assurances form, which is available here. If a current Assurances form is already on file in your WSFR Regional Office, please do not attach it to your application. Use the Assurances for Construction Programs form (SF-424D) for construction and land acquisition projects and use the Assurances for Non-Construction Programs form (SF-424B) for all other projects. The form includes a statement that some of the assurances may not be applicable to your organization and/or your project or program. Signing this form does not make you or your organization subject to laws that are otherwise not applicable to you. Changing, crossing out, or making notations on the form before signing has no impact on the applicability of law. Note: Effective February 2, 2019, recipients may now submit and certify their Assurances form when creating, updating, or renewing their SAM registration. If you have submitted the form as part of your SAM registration or renewal, please do not include an additional copy in this application.

Certification and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities Under 31 U.S.C. 1352, you must not use any federally-appropriated funds (both annually appropriated and continuing appropriations) or matching funds under a grant or cooperative agreement award to pay any person for lobbying in connection with the award. Lobbying is defined as influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a member of https://www.doi.gov/ibc/contactus/ibcfeedback https://www.doi.gov/ibc/services/finance/indirect-cost-services https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?node=sp2.1.200.f https://harvester.census.gov/facweb/ https://fawiki.fws.gov/display/WTK/Forms https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2011-title31/pdf/USCODE-2011-title31-subtitleII-chap13-subchapIII-sec1352.pdf

Congress in connection with the award. Submission of an application also represents your certification of the statements in 43 CFR 18, Appendix A-Certification Regarding Lobbying. If you/your organization have/has made or agrees to make any payment using non-appropriated funds for lobbying in connection with this application and the Federal share exceeds $100,000, complete and submit the SF LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form. See 43 CFR 18.100 for more information on when additional submission of this form is required.

Conflict of Interest Disclosures You must notify us in writing of any actual or potential conflicts of interest that are known at the time of application or that may arise during the life of this award, in the event an award is made. Conflicts of interest include any relationship or matter which might place you, your employees, or your sub-recipients in a position of conflict, real or apparent, between responsibilities under the award and any other outside interests. Conflicts of interest may also include, but are not limited to, direct or indirect financial interests, close personal relationships, positions of trust in outside organizations, consideration of future employment arrangements with a different organization, or decision-making affecting the award that would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts to question the impartiality of you, your employees, or your future sub-recipients in the matter. You must notify us in writing in your application if any key project personnel, including sub-recipient and contractor personnel, are known to be related to, married to, or have a close personal relationship with any Federal employee in or associated with the NCWCG Program or who otherwise may be involved in the review and selection of the application. Upon receipt of such a notice, we will determine in consultation with an Ethics Counselor if a conflict of interest exists and, if so, if there are any possible actions to be taken by the applicant to reduce or resolve the conflict. Failure to disclose and resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the Service may result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR 200.338, Remedies for Noncompliance, including termination of the award.

Required Overlap/Duplication Statement You must provide a statement that addresses whether there is any overlap between the proposed project and any other active or anticipated projects in terms of activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel. If no such overlap or duplication exists, state, “There is no overlap or duplication between this application and any of our other Federal applications or funded projects in regard to activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel.” If any such overlap exists, provide a complete description of overlap or duplication between this application and any other federally funded project or application in regard to activities, costs, and time commitment of key personnel, as applicable. Provide a copy of any overlapping or duplicative application submitted to any other potential funding entity and identify when that application was submitted, to whom (entity name and program), and when you anticipate being notified of their funding decision. When overlap exists, your statement must end with “We understand that if at any time we receive funding from another source that is duplicative of the funding we are requesting from the Service in this application, we will immediately notify the Service point of contact identified in this NOFO in writing.”

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=683823273fc0da6a1060883eda593fb8&mc=true&node=pt43.1.18&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=dd822c6a40d2100f945c64b19a8f6ca5&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1338&rgn=div8

Responses to Ranking Criteria (20 Page Limit) Provide a description with appropriate documentation of how the proposed project addresses each of the 13 numeric ranking criteria in 50 CFR 84.32 (see section VI, Application Review, for ranking criteria). We recommend that you address each ranking criterion individually with a brief statement or table.

If land is proposed as match, include information on both the parcel(s) proposed for acquisition or restoration with NCWCG Program funds and the match parcel(s) in adequate detail for each ranking criterion so reviewers can make informed scoring decisions. Activities provided as cost share including land acquisition are part of the project and must be eligible activities.

Drawings/Maps/Photographs (No Page Limit) We recommend that you include and identify drawings or photographs of the proposed project that characterize the following:

a. Existing state of the project area;

b. Proposed project area (in one or more maps, photographs, or images);

i. Detail which areas will be part of the grant funded activities, delineating the project boundaries;

ii. Detail which areas are part of the cost share, if applicable;

iii. Detail what restoration activities will take place and where, if applicable;

iv. Detail which areas, if any, are part of a larger effort that will be funded outside of this grant and cost share application;

v. Detail wetland types (please include National Wetlands Inventory, State

Wetlands Map, or other wetland delineation, if available); and

vi. Any other information that will assist reviewers to identify project components or factors involved with ranking.

c. Two maps of the project location: a map of the State showing the general location of the application and a map of the project site.

Application Checklist

• SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

• Project Summary

• Project Statement (7 page limit)

• Completed SF-424A, SF-424C, or equivalent budget information

• Budget Narrative

• Letters of Commitment signed by an authorized entity with budgetary authority

• If not already on file with WSFR, provide a copy of your organization’s current NICRA

• Indirect Cost Statement

• Single Audit Reporting statement

• If not already on file with WSFR, a completed SF-424B or SF-424D Assurances form

• If applicable, provide a completed SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form

• Conflict of Interest Disclosure, when applicable

• Required Overlap/Duplication Statement

• Responses to Ranking Criteria (20 Page Limit) https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2012-title50-vol9/xml/CFR-2012-title50-vol9-part84.xml

• Drawings/Maps/Photographs (No Page Limit)

Applications should be formatted to print on 8.5” X 11” paper, with 1” margins at the top, bottom, and both sides, and page numbers at the bottom of the page. Fonts should be legible, i.e., preferably 12 point Arial, Times New Roman, or other commonly used font. Please number your pages starting with the Project Statement.

Failure to provide complete information may cause delays, postponement, or rejection of the application.

V. Submission Instructions

Submission Deadline Grant application packages are due to your WSFR Regional Office (see Section VIII, Agency Contacts) on or before Friday, June 28, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. PDT. We recommend that you submit early enough to address any unforeseen technical complications. All letters of financial commitment are due with the application by the deadline. We will not consider applications or letters received after the deadline.

Intergovernmental Review Before submitting an application, you should visit the White House State Point of Contact List to determine whether your application is subject to the State intergovernmental review process under Executive Order (E.O.) 12372 “Intergovernmental review of Federal Programs.” E.O.

12372 was issued to foster intergovernmental partnership and strengthen federalism by relying on State and local processes for the coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance and direct Federal development. The E.O. allows each State to designate an entity to perform this function. You may contact your State’s designated entity for more information on the process your State requires to be followed when applying for assistance. States that do not have a designated entity have chosen not to participate in the review process.

Electronic Submission Instructions

1) Go to Grants.gov.

2) Click the “Apply for a grant using Workspace” button and read the instructions provided.

3) The following are items that need to be done before your grant application package can be submitted electronically through Grants.gov:

a. You must register as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and have a user ID and password. You can register here;

b. You must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view files on the web. You can download Adobe Acrobat Reader here.

4) Standard forms such as the SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, SF-424C, and SF-424D are fillable forms in Grants.gov or may be obtained from the WSFR Toolkit here and uploaded.

5) All forms and attachments mentioned above must be submitted through Grants.gov.

Please do not assign application attachment file names longer than 20 characters, including spaces. Assigning file names longer than 20 characters may create issues in the automatic interface between Grants.gov and the Service’s financial assistance management system.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/SPOC-July2018.pdf http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html http://get.adobe.com/reader/otherversions/ http://fawiki.fws.gov/display/WTK/Toolkit+Homepage

You are strongly encouraged to submit a single file in PDF format comprising your entire application package. The file should include required documents in the following order:

Standard Forms (SF-424, and SF-424C, SF-424D or a budget with the same or greater level of detail), Budget Narrative, Project Statement, response to ranking criteria, maps and photos, and letters of financial commitment. Please omit your NICRA and SF-424B or SF-424D Assurances form from your application unless a copy is not currently on file with your WSFR Regional Office. Your single PDF application file should be emailed to your WSFR Regional mailbox (see Section VIII, Agency Contacts) by the deadline. You are strongly encouraged to work with your WSFR Regional Office prior to submission to ensure your application is eligible and complete.

For further information or questions on electronic submission, contact your Regional WSFR Office.

VI. Application Review Scoring Criteria Criteria for reviewing and ranking projects were established in the Final…