FY-2020 NOFO_Fully Executed(Signed).DEC13_Grant.gov Copy.pdf

U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service

Financial Assistance

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Program Title American Battlefield Protection Program Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: P20AS00026 Announcement Type: Initial CFDA Number: 15.926

Issue Date: 12/20/2019 Application Due Date: 01/31/2020 Time AM/PM Zone 11:59 PM PT

Agency Contact Information Questions and Requests

Name ABPP Staff Name ABPP Staff Address 1849 C St NW, MS 7228 Address 1849 C St NW, MS 7228

Phone 202-513-7126 Phone 202-513-7126 Email abpp@nps.gov Email abpp@nps.gov mailto:abpp@nps.gov

Table of Contents

Section A: Program Description Section B: Federal Award Information Section C: Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Section D: Application and Submission Information

1. Application Package

2. Contents and Form of Application Submission

3. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

4. Submission Dates and Times

5. Intergovernmental Review

6. Funding Restrictions

7. Other Submission Requirements

Section E: Application Review Information

1. Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

3. Evaluation of Applicant Risk

4. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

Section F: Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notices

2. Program Requirements

3. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

4. Reporting

Section G: Federal Awarding Agency Contacts Section H: Other Information:

Appendix A - Application Package Forms Appendix B - NPS Standard and Special Award Terms and Conditions

Section A: Program Description

Federal Agency Name: Department of the Interior, National Park Service

Funding Opportunity Title: Battlefield Preservation Planning Grants

Funding Opportunity Number: P20AS00026

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 15.926

Legislative Authority: 54 U.S.C. § 308102

Federal Regulations: 2 CFR § 200, 2 CFR § 1402

Program Background Information and Objectives:

The American Battlefield Protection Program supports the identification, research, evaluation, interpretation, and protection of historic battlefields and associated sites on a national, State, and local level.

Under this Funding Opportunity, grant funds are awarded to state, local, and tribal governments, other public entities, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations. Projects must relate to planning, interpreting, and protecting sites where historic battles were fought on American soil during the armed conflicts that shaped the growth and development of the United States, in order that present and future generations may learn and gain inspiration from the ground where Americans made their ultimate sacrifice.

Secretary of the Interior Priorities:

This program supports the following Secretary of the Interior Priorities:

• “Foster relationships with conservation organizations advocating for balanced stewardship and use of public lands.”

• “Expand the lines of communication with Governors, state natural resources offices, Fish and Wildlife offices, water authorities, county commissioners, Tribes, and local communities.”

The program supports the priorities listed above by providing financial and technical assistance to conservation or preservation organizations as well as state, local, and tribal governments for projects and partnerships related to local and regional community needs and interests. Grant funds support battlefield planning, interpretation, and protection projects.

Section B: Federal Award Information

Anticipated Federal Funding:

The amount of funding available per award for this NOFO will be determined once final appropriations have been made. This NOFO will be cancelled if appropriations are insufficient to support new awards.

Non-Federal Entity Cost Share:

Non-Federal cost share is not required for this agreement and will not be used as a factor in the merit review of applications under this announcement.

Estimated Number of Agreements to be Awarded:

Based on prior year data, NPS anticipates approximately 20 agreements under this NOFO. The actual number of awards will depend on the number of meritorious applications and the availability of appropriated funds.

Estimated Amount of Funding Available Per Award:

The amount of funding available per award for this NOFO will be determined as part of the application review process based on applications received and funding made available through appropriations. Based on prior year data, NPS anticipates an estimated range of $10,000.00 to $100,000.00 for each award.

Anticipated Start Date:

Projects receiving funding through this NOFO will start once funding has been secured and awards have been made. Pre-award costs are not allowable unless specified in the written grant agreement.

Anticipated Term of the Agreement:

Agreement terms for funded projects are estimated to last two years, depending on the negotiated project statement of work. Agreements are not effective until fully executed with signature from the NPS Financial Assistance (FA) Awarding Officer.

Type of Agreement:

Grant Agreement - A legal instrument of financial assistance between The National Park Service and a non-Federal entity that, consistent with 31 U.S.C. § 6302, 6304:

(1) Is used to enter into a relationship the principal purpose of which is to transfer anything of value from the Federal awarding agency to the non-Federal entity to carry out a public purpose authorized by a law of the United States (see 31 U.S.C. § 6101(3)); and not to acquire property or services for the Federal awarding agency’s direct benefit or use;

(2) Is distinguished from a cooperative agreement in that it does not provide for substantial involvement between the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity and the non-Federal entity in carrying out the activity contemplated by the Federal award.

Substantial Involvement:

No substantial involvement on the part of the National Park Service is anticipated.

Data Availability:

1) Applicability. The Department of the Interior is committed to basing its decisions on the best available science and providing the American people with enough information to thoughtfully and substantively evaluate the data, methodology, and analysis used by the Department to inform its decisions.

2) Use of Data. The regulations at 2 CFR 200.315 apply to data produced under a Federal award, including the provision that the Federal Government has the right to obtain, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the data produced under a Federal award as well as authorize others to receive, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use such data for Federal purposes.

3) Availability of Data. The recipient shall make the data produced under this award and any subaward(s) available to the Government for public release, consistent with applicable law, to allow meaningful third party evaluation and reproduction of the following:

(a) The scientific data relied upon;

(b) The analysis relied upon; and

(c) The methodology, including models, used to gather and analyze data.

Conflict of Interest:

1) Applicability.

(a) This section intends to ensure that non-Federal entities and their employees take appropriate steps to avoid conflicts of interest in their responsibilities under or with respect to Federal financial assistance agreements.

(b) In the procurement of supplies, equipment, construction, and services by recipients and by subrecipients, the conflict of interest provisions in 2 CFR 200.318 apply.

2) Requirements.

(a) Non-Federal entities must avoid prohibited conflicts of interest, including any significant financial interests that could cause a reasonable person to question the recipient's ability to provide impartial, technically sound, and objective performance under or with respect to a Federal financial assistance agreement.

(b) In addition to any other prohibitions that may apply with respect to conflicts of interest, no key official of an actual or proposed recipient or subrecipient, who is substantially involved in the proposal or project, may have been a former Federal employee who, within the last one (1) year, participated personally and substantially in the evaluation, award, or administration of an award with respect to that recipient or subrecipient or in development of the requirement leading to the funding announcement.

(c) No actual or prospective recipient or subrecipient may solicit, obtain, or use non-public information regarding the evaluation, award, or administration of an award to that recipient or subrecipient or the development of a Federal financial assistance opportunity that may be of competitive interest to that recipient or subrecipient.

3) Notification.

(a) Non-Federal entities, including applicants for financial assistance awards, must disclose in writing any conflict of interest to the DOI awarding agency or pass-through entity in accordance with 2 CFR 200.112, Conflicts of interest.

4) Recipients must establish internal controls that include, at a minimum, procedures to identify, disclose, and mitigate or eliminate identified conflicts of interest. The recipient is responsible for notifying the Financial Assistance Officer in writing of any conflicts of interest that may arise during the life of the award, including those that have been reported by subrecipients.

Restrictions on Lobbying. Non-Federal entities are strictly prohibited from using funds under this grant or cooperative agreement for lobbying activities and must provide the required certifications and disclosures pursuant to 43 CFR Part 18 and 31 USC 1352.

5) Review Procedures. The Financial Assistance Officer will examine each conflict of interest disclosure on the basis of its particular facts and the nature of the proposed grant or cooperative agreement, and will determine whether a significant potential conflict exists and, if it does, develop an appropriate means for resolving it.

6) Enforcement. Failure to resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the

Government may be cause for termination of the award. Failure to make required disclosures may result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR 200.338, Remedies for Noncompliance, including suspension or debarment (see also 2 CFR Part 180).

Other Information:

Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awards. Applications to renew or supplement existing projects must explain in full the specific, discrete project that can be accomplished within a two year grant period that is part of a larger, ongoing project.

Projects funded under this program constitute “undertakings” as defined by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (54 U.S.C. 306108). See Section F of this NOFO for more information.

Section C: Eligibility Information

Application Due Date: January 31, 2020, 11:59 PM PT An applicant's failure to meet any eligibility criterion by the time of the application deadline will result in the application being excluded from consideration. This includes but is not limited to late or incomplete application packages, ineligible sites or activities, and not having an active registration with the System for Awards Management (SAM).

1. Eligible Applicants In accordance with the Battlefield Preservation Assistance provisions of the American Battlefield Protection Program within the National Park Service and Related Programs (54 U.S.C. § 308102), this funding opportunity is limited to:

• State and local governments

• Public and State controlled institutions of higher education

• Private institutions of higher education

• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education

• Federally recognized Native American tribal governments

• Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments)

• Native Hawaiian organizations including any organization that serves and represents the interests of Native Hawaiians, has as a primary and stated purpose the provision of services to Native Hawaiians, and has expertise in Native Hawaiian affairs.

Applicants who previously received an NPS grant, but did not meet the conditions of the grant agreement, including reporting and deliverables, may be penalized in the review process. If an applicant has questions about their eligibility, they should contact the Awarding Agency using the information provided in Section G of this NOFO.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Non-Federal cost sharing is not required to be eligible for an award under this NOFO. Voluntary committed cost sharing will not be used as a factor during the merit review of applications.

3. Eligible Activities Eligible activities must focus on battlefields or associated sites located in the United States. The table below includes examples of activities that are eligible and ineligible for funding. This is not an exhaustive list. Ineligible activity costs may be dis-allowed during the budget review process.

Please address any eligibility questions to NPS using the information provided in Section G of this NOFO.

ACTIVITY ELIGIBILE NOT ELIGIBLE

Lobbying and Fundraising

None. Any activity that can be construed as lobbying or fundraising, including the preparation of grant applications, fundraising meetings, development office staff, and lobbying.

ACTIVITY ELIGIBILE NOT ELIGIBLE

Capital Projects None.

The purchase, construction, maintenance, or renovation of buildings, facilities or land.

Consultation and Partnerships

Costs for meetings, consultation, consensus building, development of MOUs and other agreements related to battlefield preservation and planning.

Consultations or partnerships that do not relate to battlefield preservation.

Collections Stewardship

Artifact processing, conservation, or analysis for research or interpretation.

One-time curation fees for artifacts recovered as a direct result of grant activities.

The purchase of display cases, storage furniture, or storage materials.

Acquisition of collections.

General collections care or management activities for artifacts that were not recovered from or directly related to a battlefield.

Education Internships/fellowships.

Production of print or digital educational materials and media, including curriculum development.

Purchase of materials, supplies, software, and equipment related directly to project activities.

General educational activities or materials not related to the specific battlefield project.

Historical Documentation

Research, mapping, surveys, and studies related to battlefields and associated sites.

Nominations, updates, and boundary expansions for national and state historic registers.

Oral history activities and supplies.

Research or documentation activities with no connection to battlefield preservation.

Exhibitions, Media, and Signage

Development, fabrication, and installation of exhibits or signage that do not impact historic properties or archeological resources.

Interpretive plans, designs, and media.

Any type of bricks and mortar preservation work, construction, or landscape restoration.

Capital improvements.

ACTIVITY ELIGIBILE NOT ELIGIBLE

Land Acquisition

None. Any acquisition of fee simple or interest in land.

Payment of rent on properties or land.

Planning Research or strategic planning for battlefield management, preservation, stabilization, heritage tourism, or past/future battlefield land acquisition.

Feasibility and impact studies.

Preparations for mitigation of the impact of natural and man-made disasters on battlefield collections and properties.

Planning costs not directly related to the specific battlefield project.

Public Programs and Outreach

Activities and physical or digital products specific to the project;

may include press releases, brochures, or other announcements of project activities.

Interpretive program development, including audience-focused studies and evaluation.

Public meetings & events, including landowner and stakeholder outreach.

Volunteer program development.

Battle reenactments.

General cultural and historic interpretation or education not related to battlefields.

General advertising or public relations costs designed for promotional activities other than those related to the specific project.

Social activities, ceremonies, receptions, or entertainment.

Survey and Inventory

Archeological identification and evaluation following a systematic research design.

Cultural landscape inventories and reports.

KOCOA and other military terrain analyses.

Maritime survey.

Remote sensing.

Large-scale archeological excavation or recovery of artifacts or human remains that may harm the battlefield’s integrity.

Metal detector survey or artifact collection without a systematic research design and curation strategy.

Section D: Application and Submission Information

1. Application Package An application package is included within Appendix A of this NOFO. The Application Package contains seven mandatory forms that must be submitted with your proposal: SF-424 (Application for Financial Assistance), SF-424A (Budget Information), SF-424B (Assurances), SF-LLL (Lobbying), Project Narrative Attachment, Budget Narrative Attachment, and Other Attachments. The Other Attachments form must be used to attach additional supporting documents, as applicable. The Application Package can be accessed and downloaded from the “Package” tab of this announcement on Grants.gov. Applicants may also request paper copies of application materials by contacting NPS using the information provided in Section G of this

NOFO.

2. Contents and Form of Application Submission You must complete the mandatory forms and any applicable optional forms in accordance with the instructions below. Do not include any proprietary or personally identifiable information. A complete application must include:

1) SF-424 - Application for Financial Assistance

2) SF-424A - Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs

3) SF-424B - Assurances – Non-Construction Programs

4) SF-LLL – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

5) Project Narrative (via the Project Narrative Attachment Form)

6) Budget Narrative (via the Budget Narrative Attachment Form)

7) Map (via the Other Attachments Form)

8) Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (as applicable, via the Other Attachments Form)

9) Supporting Documents (as applicable, via the Other Attachments Form)

1) Standard Form 424 (SF 424) – Application for Federal Assistance

Complete this form with all applicable information. The starred/yellow highlighted fields are required. Include the primary person to be contacted on matters involving this application (box f), who should be different from the authorized representative. An Authorized Representative is a person who has the authority to legally bind your organization to an agreement. The authorized representative must sign and certify this form.

2) Standard Form 424A (SF 424A) – Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs The project budget shall include detailed information on all cost categories and must clearly identify all project costs. The estimated budget must align with the projected scope of work presented in the project narrative. In addition, applicants shall include a narrative description of the items included in the project budget (see Part 6 – Budget Narrative, below), including the value of in-kind contributions of goods and services provided to complete the project when cost share is included. Cost categories can include, but are not limited to, those costs items included on the SF-424A. Round all numbers to the nearest dollar amount, even if exact costs are known. If any costs are not applicable to the project, fill-in $0.00. Check that the amounts listed on the SF-424A match those on the Budget Narrative before submitting.

3) Standard Form 424B (SF 424B) – Assurances – Non-Construction Programs

This form must be signed by an authorized representative and submitted with the application. Submission of the electronic application acknowledges that the organization certifies compliance with relevant Federal requirements to the same extent as the signature does on a paper application.

4) Standard Form LLL – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities In accordance with 43 CFR § 18 and 31 U.S.C. § 1352 this form must be completed and signed by an authorized representative if the amount of the Federal award is anticipated to exceed $100,000.00. For Federal funding requests that are anticipated to be under $100,000.00, applicants must still sign and submit this form, but may fill in sections with “N/A” or “Not Applicable”.

5) Project Narrative – Proposal Submission Format

Using the provided section headings, write a narrative that addresses the prompts listed below (Items A-G). Answers to all items are required. Limit the narrative to 5 numbered pages, including all text and references. Use at least 1- inch margins on all sides and a font size of at least eleven points. Be concise but provide sufficient detail that a reviewer will be able to answer the review criteria provided in Section E, Paragraph 1 of this NOFO. Other supporting documents such as maps, figures, resumes, and letters of support or commitment may be submitted as separate attachments via the Other Attachments Form (see Part 9 below). Only include information that is pertinent to the proposal. Submit the Project Narrative as a single .pdf via the Mandatory Project Narrative Attachment Form available through the funding opportunity announcement on www.Grants.gov.

A. Preservation Opportunity:

Summarize the project by identifying the battle or battles involved, the location of the project, and the objectives of the project. Explain what makes this site important to preserve, whether at a local, national, or regional level, why this project is necessary for this site, and how the project will contribute to important preservation needs that might not otherwise be addressed. Discuss how the project takes a new or unusual approach to identifying, researching, evaluating, interpreting, and protecting historic battlefields and associated sites, or focuses on a site, conflict, or story that is underrepresented.

B. Objectives and Activities:

Describe the activities or work tasks needed to accomplish project objectives and explain how they will lead to an intended outcome. Identify all resulting products, such as a final technical report, surveys, maps, GIS, or public outreach materials.

Discuss how this project’s proposed methods and activities will follow or advance best preservation practices, including, but not limited to, meeting any applicable Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Archeology and Historic Preservation.

C. Administration and Implementation:

Explain how the project objectives and activities identified above will be achieved in two years by providing a tentative task schedule. List key project personnel, describe their roles on the project, and explain how their experience and qualifications are appropriate for the project. Identify if new staff or contractors will be required, and provide brief position descriptions or describe the criteria that will be used to hire these individuals or services. Identify any property owner permissions and Federal, State, local, or tribal permits that will be required and describe plans for obtaining them. Attach and clearly label all relevant supporting documentation as .pdfs via the Other Attachments Form available through the funding opportunity announcement on www.Grants.gov.

D. Partnerships and Engagement:

Identify all project partners and briefly describe their involvement. Partners may include State or Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, community organizations, landowners, or local, state, tribal, or Federal government representatives. Describe how the project will engage with key stakeholders, communities, or audiences.

Explain how the proposed partnerships, support, or public engagement strategies will strengthen the project’s preservation objectives.

E. Secretary of the Interior Priorities:

Briefly explain how the proposed project will:

1) Advocate or plan for balanced stewardship and use of public lands or foster relationships with organizations that do, and/or

2) Expand lines of communication with Governors, state natural resources offices, Fish and Wildlife offices, water authorities, county commissioners, Tribes, and local communities.

F. Current or Recent Grant Performance:

As applicable, list any previously awarded ABPP grants from the last five years (include grant numbers and project titles). Also provide a brief (2-3 sentence) summary of whether or not the project(s) are/were successful and why.

G. Statement of Overlap:

Applicants must provide a statement to identify whether or not any overlap exists between the proposed project and any other active or anticipated projects in terms of activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel, including any application that was submitted for funding consideration to any other potential funding source (Federal or non-Federal). If no overlap or duplication exists, a sample statement to satisfy this requirement might be: “[Insert Applicant Name] affirms that no overlap or duplication exists between the proposed project in this application and any other active or anticipated project in terms of activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel, including any application that was submitted for funding consideration to any other potential funding source (Federal or non-Federal).”

If at any time a proposal is awarded funds that would be overlapping or duplicative of the funding requested from NPS, the applicant must immediately notify the NPS point of contact. Any overlap or duplication of funding between the proposed project and other active or anticipated projects may impact selection and/or funding amount.

6) Budget Narrative – Proposal Submission Format:

Using the section headings provided below (Items A-L), write a narrative budget justification that addresses both grant funds requested and any cost share provided and is aligned with the Budget Categories in Section B of the SF-424A. Provide unit costs for all budget items including any contracts or sub-awards. For each line item, explain how you arrived at the figures provided and why these items are necessary to accomplish the grant objectives. There is no page limit or required format for the budget narrative.

Round all numbers to the nearest dollar amount, even if exact costs are known. If any cost categories are not applicable to your project, write $0.00 or N/A. Check that the amounts listed in the Budget Narrative match those on Section B of the SF-424A before submitting. Inconsistencies will result in delays in processing the application. Submit the Budget Narrative as a single .pdf via the Mandatory Budget Narrative Attachment Form available through the funding opportunity announcement on www.Grants.gov.

A. Personnel:

Provide the title, unit of time, quantity, cost per unit of time and resultant dollar amount for each of the personnel included in the total line item dollar amount.

Personnel are part of your organization. Consultants and independent contractors should be listed under Category F. Contractual. (Example: J. Smith, Curator, 40 hours/week for 50 weeks at $20.00/hr = $40,000).

B. Fringe Benefits:

For each position description included above, provide the fringe benefits rate and dollar amount.

C. Travel:

Provide the unit of measure, quantity, cost per unit and resultant dollar amount for each of the following travel details: airfare, lodging, per diem, ground transportation, housing stipend and/or transportation stipend. Also provide a statement that the proposed travel and per diem costs do not exceed current maximum Federal rates (found at https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates), or that the proposed travel and per diem costs are in line with the applicant’s written travel policy.

i. Under GSA requirements, the first and last travel days of any trip must be calculated at 75% of the full per diem rate (Example: For a 3 day trip to a location with a GSA per diem rate of $100.00, the total allowable per diem is $75 (Day 1) + $100 (Day 2) + $75 (Day 3) = $250).

ii. The Federal allowable mileage rate of 58 cents per mile should be applied to any personally owned vehicle use.

All travel costs must adhere to applicable regulations and conditions including 2 CFR Part 200.474.

D. Equipment:

Equipment is defined in 2 CFR Part 200.33 as “tangible personal property (including information technology systems) having a useful life of more than one year and a per-unit acquisition cost which equals or exceeds $5,000.” List any equipment being purchased with Federal funds, provide quotes or estimates obtained to support the cost amount, and include a written justification as to why this equipment is necessary for the proposed project. Applicants must demonstrate how purchasing permanent equipment is less expensive than renting. If funded, applicants are required to maintain records demonstrating that a competitive bidding process was used to purchase such services or equipment. Recipients who purchase equipment must adhere to applicable regulations and conditions including 2 CFR Part 200.313 and 2 CFR Part 200.439.

E. Supplies:

Provide a description, quantity, cost per unit, and resultant dollar amount for any consumable supplies, raw materials, and expendable equipment (items costing less than $5,000 and/or having an estimated useful life of less than 1 year). “General office supplies” or “miscellaneous supplies” are not acceptable line items.

F. Contractual:

Provide the contract/sub-award description, unit of time, quantity, cost per unit of time and resultant dollar amount for each contract/sub-award. Describe how contract services will be obtained. Award recipients will be required to submit documentation showing that a competitive selection process or other appropriate method of procurement allowable under 2 CFR 200.320 was used for contracts over $3,000, as well as any sub-awards.

G. Construction:

Construction costs are unallowable under this NOFO. Do not include any costs under this category and instead write $0.00 or N/A.

H. Other Costs:

Provide the description, quantity, cost per unit and resultant dollar amount for each item that does not fit within one of the other budget categories. “Miscellaneous,” “overhead,” and “contingency” are not acceptable line items.

I. Total Direct Charges:

List the subtotal of budget categories A – H.

J. Indirect Costs:

Provide the indirect cost rate percentage, type (negotiated or 10% de minimis), associated base (modified total direct costs), and resultant indirect amount. If indirect costs are included, applicants must include a copy of the current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement and apply the approved rate accordingly. Provide an explanation if the associated base differs from budget category I (Total Direct Charges). If electing the 10% de minimis rate, include a statement asserting that a negotiated indirect cost rate has never been received and the applicant is electing to charge a de minimis rate of 10%. Proposals that fail to document their indirect costs may have those costs disallowed.

K. Total Federal Funding Request:

List the total amount of Federal funds being requested. Check that this amount matches those listed on the SF-424 and SF-424A before submitting the application.

Inconsistencies will result in delays in processing the application.

L. Non-Federal Share of Budget (only applicable if cost share is provided):

Provide the details of the non-Federal share of the budget, including description, source, quantity, cost per unit and resultant dollar amount for each item. Award recipients will be required to fulfill any matching commitments they agree to and inability to do so may result in a reduction of the Federal award. Non-Federal cost share is not required for this agreement and will not be used as a factor in the merit review of applications under this announcement.

7) Map:

Provide at least one map of the project area indicating the location of the relevant battlefield(s), any areas where proposed work will occur (e.g. portions of a battlefield where survey will take place), and identifying known archeological or historical resources in the area that could be related to or affected by the proposed project. Submit the map(s) as a clearly named single .pdf via the Other Attachments Form available through the funding opportunity announcement on www.Grants.gov.

8) Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (as applicable):

If the proposed budget includes indirect costs, provide a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement. The rate as proposed must meet the requirements of 2 CFR Part 200, Section

200.414 and 2 CFR Part 200, Appendix III through Appendix VII, as applicable. Submit the document as a clearly named single .pdf via the Other Attachments Form available through the funding opportunity announcement on www.Grants.gov.

9) Other Supporting Documents (as applicable):

Provide any materials outside of the Project Narrative text to support effective merit review of your proposal. These may include resumes or CVs of key project personnel (2 pages maximum per resume); position descriptions, quotes, or statements of work for staff, consultants, or contractors to be hired as part of the project; letters of commitment from identified project partners; letters of support from additional potential partners and logical stakeholders; images of the battlefield; or plans and designs related to project work. Supporting documents should be clearly labeled and should relate to the specific scope of work proposed in the Project Narrative. Submit all supporting documents as clearly named .pdfs via the Other Attachments Form available through the funding opportunity announcement on www.Grants.gov.

If selected for award, NPS reserves the right to request additional or clarifying information for any reason deemed necessary, including, but not limited to:

(a) Other budget information

(b) Financial capability

(c) Evaluation of risk

(d) Name and phone number of the Designated Responsible Employee for complying with national policies prohibiting discrimination (See 43 CFR § 17).

3. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

Each applicant (unless exempt under 2 CFR §25.110) is required to:

(a) Be registered in SAM;

(b) Provide a valid unique entity identifier in its application (currently a DUNS number);

(c) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application under consideration by a Federal awarding agency.

Registration processes for SAM can be found at https://www.sam.gov.

A financial assistance agreement will not be made with an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time that an agreement is ready for award, a determination may be made that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award. That determination may be used as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant.

In order to submit an application through Grants.gov an applicant must have an active SAM registration and register for submission permissions through the Grants.gov website. Utilize the following link to guide you through this process:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html

4. Submission Dates and Times Applicants are held responsible for their proposals being submitted to the NPS. Applications must be received by Friday, January 31, 2020, 11:59 PM PT. Applicants are encouraged to submit the application well before the deadline. Application preparation time may take several weeks, so start the application process as soon as possible. Applications received after the deadline will not be reviewed or considered for award. If it is determined that a proposal was not considered due to lateness, the applicant will be notified during the selection process.

5. Intergovernmental Review This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order (EO) 12372 “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.” Applicants subject to EO 12372 must contact their State’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to find out about and comply with the State’s process. The names and addresses of the SPOC’s are listed in the OMB’s home page at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/SPOC-Feb.-2018.pdf.

6. Funding Restrictions Costs incurred by the applicant prior to the start date of the period of performance of a signed Federal award are only allowable with written approval by an NPS Financial Assistance (FA) Awarding Officer.

https://www.sam.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/SPOC-Feb.-2018.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/SPOC-Feb.-2018.pdf

7. Other Submission Requirements Applications must be submitted electronically via www.grants.gov by the deadline identified in Paragraph 4 above. Applications submitted by other means or not received by the deadline will not be considered. If, due to extraordinary circumstances, an applicant is unable to submit their proposal through Grants.gov, ABPP may approve submission by other means. Failure on the applicant’s part to register in Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS), SAM.gov, or Grants.gov in a timely manner does not constitute extraordinary circumstances. Applications that are not submitted through Grants.gov will only be accepted if the applicant has received prior approval from the ABPP office and they are submitted by the deadline.

Proof of timely submission shall be the date and time that Grants.gov receives the application.

An electronic time stamp is automatically generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The applicant will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application.

Applicants should print this receipt and save it as proof of timely submission. Applicants using dial-up connections should be aware that transmission may take some time before Grants.gov receives it. Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission message. Some applicants abort the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring;

please be patient and give the system time to process the application. In the event the applicant experiences technical difficulties with submission, please first contact the Grants.gov Help Desk toll free at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

START THIS PROCESS EARLY, DON’T DELAY!

mailto:support@grants.gov

Section E: Application Review Information

1. Criteria Proposals submitted under this announcement are evaluated through a merit review process.

Each applicant is required to provide a detailed narrative, in accordance with Section D, Paragraph 2, Part 5 of this NOFO, and will be evaluated based on the following weighted criteria:

Criterion 1 Preservation Opportunity 20 Points Total

• How important is this site to preserve? (This question is not limited to consideration of

National Register of Historic Places significance criteria. Reviewers should evaluate how the application defines importance, which may be at the local, regional, or national level).

• How well would this project address a significant preservation need that might not otherwise be fulfilled?

• Does this project propose a new or unusual approach to identifying, researching, evaluating, interpreting, and protecting historic battlefields and associated sites, or focus on a site, conflict, or story that is underrepresented?

Criterion 2 Objectives and Activities 20 Points Total

• Are project objectives, activities, and products clearly described in detail?

• How suitable are the proposed activities and deliverables for meeting the project objectives and intended outcome?

• Are project objectives and activities compatible with the applicable Secretary of the

Interior’s Standards? Will the project otherwise follow or advance best practices in preservation?

• Do the project objectives and activities align with the program goal of identifying, researching, evaluating, interpreting, and protecting historic battlefields and associated sites?

Criterion 3 Administration and Implementation 20 Points Total

• Are budget items described in detail, reasonable, and necessary?

• Do the proposed budget and activities make sense for a two year project?

• Are the roles and responsibilities of all project personnel (staff and contractors) clearly defined, and are key personnel qualified?

• Does the applicant have applicable permissions from property owners and permits from

Federal, State, local, or tribal governments, or a clear plan to obtain them within the project timeframe?

• Does the applicant demonstrate, through this application and/or past performance record, the ability to meet administrative and technical grant requirements?

Criterion 4 Partnerships and Engagement 20 Points Total

• Has the applicant involved logical and appropriate partners, stakeholders, advisors, and/or communities in project planning? Do supporting materials reflect this?

• Did the applicant describe the roles of project partners clearly?

• Is there a viable strategy for engagement with relevant stakeholders, audiences, and/or communities throughout the project?

• Will the proposed partnerships strengthen the project’s preservation objectives?

Criterion 5 Secretary of the Interior Priorities 20 Points Total How effectively will this project meet one or more of the following priorities?

• Advocate or plan for balanced stewardship and use of public lands or foster relationships with organizations that do; and/or

• Expand the lines of communication with Governors, state natural resource offices, Fish and

Wildlife offices, water authorities, county commissioners, Tribes, or local communities.

2. Review and Selection Process NPS personnel, and in some cases independent reviewers, will review all proposals. All proposals for funding will be considered using the criteria outlined above. A summary of the review panel comments may be provided to the applicant if requested.

a. Initial Review Prior to conducting the comprehensive merit review, an initial review will be performed to determine whether: (1) the applicant is eligible for an award; (2) the information required by the NOFO has been submitted; (3) all mandatory requirements of the NOFO are satisfied;

and (4) the proposed project is responsive to the program objectives of the NOFO (program determination). If an applicant fails to meet the requirements or objectives of the NOFO, or does not provide sufficient information for review, the applicant will be considered non-responsive and eliminated from further review.

b. Comprehensive Merit Review All applications that satisfactorily pass the initial review will be eligible for the Comprehensive Merit Review. Each criteria element will be scored based on the strengths and weaknesses of the application narrative against the specific questions listed under each criteria element in Paragraph 1 of this section. To assist in assigning an appropriate score, the following numerical rating values may be assigned:

20 Superior (100 % of weighted average) 16 Good (80 % of weighted average) 12 Satisfactory (60 % of weighted average) 8 Marginal (40 % of weighted average) 4 Poor (20 % of weighted average) 0 Not Acceptable (No score)

Rating Descriptive Statement 20 Superior: Applicant fully addresses all aspects of the criterion, convincingly demonstrates that it will meet the Government's performance requirements, and demonstrates no weaknesses.

16 Good: Applicant fully addresses all aspects of the criterion, convincingly demonstrates a likelihood of meeting the Government's requirements, and demonstrates only a few minor weaknesses.

12 Satisfactory: Applicant addresses all aspects of the criterion and demonstrates the ability to meet the Government's performance requirements. The Application contains weaknesses and/or a number of minor weaknesses.

8 Marginal: Applicant addresses all aspects of the criterion and demonstrates the ability to meet the Government's performance requirements. The Application contains significant weaknesses and/or a significant number of minor weaknesses.

4 Poor: Applicant addresses some aspects of the criterion and demonstrates some doubt in the likelihood of successfully meeting the Government's requirements.

Significant weaknesses are demonstrated and clearly outweigh any strength presented.

0 Not Acceptable: Applicant does not address all aspects of the criterion and the information presented indicates a strong likelihood of failure to meet the Government's requirements.

c. Selection The Selection Official may consider the merit review recommendation, program policy factors, and the amount of funds available to select applications for funding.

d. Discussions and Award The Government may enter into discussions with a selected applicant for any reason deemed necessary, including, but not limited to: (1) only a portion of the application is selected for award; (2) the Government needs additional information to determine that the applicant is capable of complying with the requirements of DOI Financial Assistance Regulations, and/or

(3) additional specific terms and conditions are required. Failure to satisfactorily resolve the issues identified by the Government may preclude award to the applicant.

3. Evaluation of Applicant Risk In accordance with 2 CFR § 200.205, applications selected for funding will be subject to a pre-award risk assessment which may include a review of information contained within the applicant’s proposal, past audits, Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS), and/or past performance on previous Federal financial assistance awards.

Negative information that leads to an applicant being designated as “Medium Risk” or “High Risk” may result in specific conditions, as identified in 2 CFR § 200.207, being incorporated into the final award.

4. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates Estimated date of Federal Award: September 2020 Estimated date of notifying successful and unsuccessful applicants: August 2020

Section F: Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notices Upon being selected for the award, successful applicants will receive a notification of the selection of their application for funding. NPS will notify the applicant selected for award by September 2020. A notice of selection is not an authorization to begin performance on an agreement. This notice will detail the next steps in the awarding process. Once all clearances and reviews have been conducted, a grant agreement will be sent for signature.

Work cannot begin before the non-Federal entity receives a fully executed copy of the grant agreement which contains the signature of the NPS FA Awarding Officer. Any pre-award costs incurred prior to the receipt of a signed agreement or written notice signed by an NPS FA Awarding Officer authorizing pre-award costs, is at the applicant’s own risk. A grant agreement signed by an NPS FA Awarding Officer is the only authorizing document to begin performance.

Organizations whose applications have not been selected will be advised as promptly as possible.

2. Program Requirements Projects funded under this program constitute “undertakings” as defined by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (54 U.S.C. 306108).

a. NPS Responsibilities The NPS encourages Applicants to design projects to avoid Adverse Effects on historic properties and adhere to the appropriate Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines.

Upon receipt of applications, the NPS ABPP will fulfill its responsibilities under Section 106 following processes described in its Nationwide Programmatic Agreement (PA), which is available upon request (see the contact information provided in Section G of this NOFO).

For eligible activities listed in Stipulation III.A.1 (“Programmatic Exclusions”), NPS shall assume there is no potential to cause effect to historic properties (“No Effect”). For eligible activities that NPS determines do not meet the definition of a Programmatic Exclusion, the NPS will consult with the Applicant, State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and other appropriate consulting parties. NPS and the SHPO will make best efforts to expedite reviews through a finding of No Adverse Effect when they concur that project plans and specifications or scopes of work can be modified to ensure adherence to the Standards and avoid, minimize, or mitigate effects on historic properties.

b. Recipient Responsibilities All grant-funded activities must adhere to the terms and conditions of the Grant Agreement and approved scope of work. The Grant Agreement may require the Recipient to meet any or all of the following conditions, depending on the proposed project activities:

• Ensure that project work will meet, as applicable, the Secretary of the Interior’s

Standards for Archeology and Historic Preservation and relevant state standards and guidelines;

• Ensure that work will be carried out by a professional that meets or exceeds the Secretary of the Interior’s Professional Qualification Standards;

• Submit a plan or research design to the applicable State or Tribal Historic Preservation Office for review at least 30 days prior to commencing activities involving ground disturbance, artifact recovery, or alterations to historic properties;

• Submit a draft technical report to the applicable State or Tribal Historic Preservation Office and the NPS for review;

• Deposit all archeological materials and appropriate field and research materials collected as a result of archeological investigations for permanent curation with a curation facility which meets the requirements in 36 CFR Part 79, Curation of Federally Owned and Administered Archeological Collections, and provide the NPS with a copy of the curation agreement…