FY18_TAG-RFA_final_amend1_01-30-19.pdf

AGENCY: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

TITLE: 2018 Targeted Airshed Grant Program

ACTION: Request for Applications (RFA)

RFA NUMBER: EPA-OAR-OAQPS-18-08

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NO: 66.956

IMPORTANT DATES

October 15, 2018 RFA OPENS

February 7, 2019 RFA CLOSES – APPLICATIONS DUE

April 8, 2019 ANTICIPATED NOTIFICATION OF SELECTION

June 7, 2019 ANTICIPATED AWARD

The closing date and time for receipt of application submissions is February 7, 2019, at 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time (ET) to be considered for funding. Application packages must be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) no later than February 7, 2019, at

11:59 p.m. ET to be considered for funding.

To allow for efficient management of the competitive process, EPA requests submittal of an informal notice of an Intent to Apply to Deborah Elmore at elmore.deborah@epa.gov November 16, 2018.

Submission of Intent to Apply is optional; it is a process management tool that will allow EPA to better anticipate the total staff time required for efficient review, evaluation, and selection of submitted applications.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible entities to compete for financial assistance through the Targeted Airshed Grant Program. This program will assist local, state and/or tribal air pollution control agencies to develop plans and conduct projects to reduce air pollution in nonattainment areas that EPA determines are the top five most polluted areas relative to ozone (O3), annual average fine particulate matter (PM2.5), or 24-hour PM2.5 National Ambient Air

Quality Standards (NAAQS). The overall goal of the Targeted Airshed Grant Program is to reduce air pollution in the nation’s areas with the highest levels of ozone and PM2.5 ambient air concentrations.

FUNDING/AWARDS:

The total estimated funding for this competitive opportunity is approximately $40,000,000. EPA anticipates awarding a total of approximately 8-12 assistance agreements from this announcement, subject to availability of funds, the quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations

(see Section II. Award Information). Both the maximum number of applications per nonattainment area and requested federal funding per application correlates with how often the nonattainment area is included on the three “Areas Ranked as the Top Five Most Polluted Areas” lists described in Section

I.A. of this solicitation. The total number of applications an eligible applicant may submit and total federal funding an eligible applicant may request are listed in the table “Maximum Number of

Applications Submitted and Requested Federal Funding by Potential Applicants” in Section I.A.

http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:elmore.deborah@epa.gov

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Background

B. Scope of Work

C. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage and Anticipated Outcomes, Outputs and Performance Measures

D. Statutory Authority

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. What is the amount of funding available?

B. Partial Funding

C. How many agreements will EPA award in this competition?

D. What is the project period for awards resulting from this solicitation?

E. Funding Type

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Entities

B. Voluntary Cost Sharing or Matching Funds

C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Requirements to Submit Through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures

B. Grants.gov Application Submission Instructions (see Appendix A.)

C. Content of Application Package Submission

D. Submission Dates and Times

E. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Evaluation Criteria

B. Review and Selection Process

C. Other Factors

D. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Award Notices

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirement

C. Reporting Requirement

D. Disputes

E. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

Appendix A – Grants.gov Submission Instructions

Appendix B – Budget Detail Sample

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Background

EPA received funding in the 2010, 2015, 2016 and 2017 Appropriations Acts to reduce air pollution in the nation’s areas with the highest levels of ozone or fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure. Exposure to these pollutants are associated with numerous adverse human health effects, including increased respiratory symptoms, hospitalization for heart or lung diseases, and even premature death. For more information about ozone and PM2.5 pollution standards, please visit NAAQS.

Congress has again directed EPA in the 2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act to make funds available for competitive grants to reduce air pollution in nonattainment areas that the Agency determines are ranked as the top five most polluted areas relative to the ozone, annual PM2.5, or 24-hour PM2.5 standards. Using air quality information from EPA’s air quality database, the Office of Air and

Radiation (OAR) has identified the following areas as the top five most polluted areas for 8-hour average ozone, the top five most polluted areas for annual average PM2.5, and the top five most polluted areas for 24-hour PM2.5 as of the end of the 2017 data reporting period.

Nonattainment Areas Ranked as the Top Five Most Polluted Areas for Ozone, Annual PM2.5, and 24-hour PM2.5 Standards based on 2015-2017 Air Quality Measurements

Ozone Nonattainment Areas (2015 8-hour standard of 70 parts per billion):

Area Design Value

Los Angeles South Coast Air Basin, CA 112

Morongo Indian Reservation, CA 101

Los Angeles & San Bernardino Counties (W. Mojave), CA 96

San Joaquin Valley, CA 92

Riverside County (Coachella Valley), CA 88 (tie)

Uinta Basin, UT 88 (tie)

PM2.5 Nonattainment Areas (2012 annual standard of 12 micrograms per cubic meter):

San Joaquin Valley, CA 22.2

Plumas County, CA 15.1

Los Angeles-South Coast Air Basin, CA 14.7

Allegheny County, PA 13.0

West Silver Valley, ID 12.4

PM2.5 Nonattainment Areas (2006 24-hour standard of 35 micrograms per cubic meter):

Fairbanks, AK 85

San Joaquin Valley, CA 72

Oakridge, OR 46

Los Angeles-South Coast Air Basin, CA 39

Salt Lake City, UT 37 (tie)

Liberty-Clairton, PA 37 (tie) https://www.epa.gov/criteria-air-pollutants/naaqs-table

The total estimated federal funding for this competitive opportunity is approximately $40,000,000.

EPA anticipates awarding a total of approximately 8 – 12 assistance agreements from this announcement, subject to availability of funds, the quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations. For each nonattainment area, eligible applicants (see Section III.A) can submit no more than the total number of applications listed in the table directly below for each nonattainment area so long as each application is different and separately submitted. The maximum amount of requested federal funding per application shall not exceed $5,000,000 per application. The maximum number of applications allowed per nonattainment area correlates with how often the nonattainment area is included on the three “Areas Ranked as the Top Five Most Polluted Areas” charts above. The numbers in the table apply to eligible entities as described in sub-section II.A. Eligible

Entities.

Maximum Number of Applications Eligible Entities Can Submit per Nonattainment Area

Areas

Total Times on

Nonattainment

Lists

Maximum

Number of

Applications

Allegheny County, PA 1 2

Liberty-Clairton, PA 1 2

Fairbanks, AK 1 2

Oakridge, OR 1 2

West Silver Valley, ID 1 2

Los Angeles-San Bernardino Counties

(West Mojave Desert), CA 1 2

Los Angeles-South Coast Air Basin, CA 3 4

Morongo Band of Mission Indians, CA 1 2

Plumas County, CA 1 2

Riverside County (Coachella Valley), CA 1 2

Salt Lake City, UT 1 2

Uinta Basin, UT 1 2

San Joaquin Valley, CA 3 4

B. Scope of Work

OAR’s Targeted Airshed Program is soliciting applications from eligible entities, as described in

Section III of this announcement, to design projects to meet the goals of the program in the areas that the Agency has determined are the top five most polluted relative to the ozone, annual PM2.5, or 24-hour PM2.5 standards. The goal of the Targeted Airshed Program is to implement programs, projects, and approaches that: demonstrate documentable reductions of ozone and/or PM2.5 concentrations in the designated areas; demonstrate documentable reductions in precursor emissions of ozone, which include nitrogen oxides (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and/or direct or precursor emissions of PM2.5, which include sulfur dioxide (SO2), NOx, VOCs, and ammonia; and are replicable elsewhere. Proposed activities must be for emission reduction activities deemed necessary to assist with compliance with the NAAQS for these pollutants, and that demonstrate the potential for inclusion in the affected jurisdiction’s SIP or TIP submission to EPA intended to meet those standards. To the extent possible, proposed projects should utilize technologies that meet or exceed the latest emissions standards for the respective pollutant(s), or are the most stringent, least polluting technologies and/or activities. Proposed activities can complement but cannot replicate activities already being funded with an existing CAA Section 103 or 105 grant or Diesel Emissions

Reduction Act (DERA) grant being carried out in the applicant’s nonattainment area. Proposed activities must be for projects to carry out emission reductions; proposals only including planning exercises will not be considered. Proposed activities must be designed to achieve quantifiable reductions in ozone precursor emissions and/or direct PM2.5 or PM2.5 precursor emissions in one or more of the designated nonattainment areas identified above in Section I.A. by addressing one or more of the following priority emissions-generating or emissions-reducing activities:

• Industrial;

• transportation (vehicle, marine, locomotive);

• land use;

• residential, commercial, agricultural, aqua-cultural, and/or natural resource management;

• municipal operations (including municipal energy, water, and solid waste facilities);

use or supply of green power products, on-site renewables, combined heat and power, clean residential heating, and other clean energy supply options; and/or,

• other innovative activities that generate measurable reductions of ozone and/or PM2.5 air pollution.

Proposed projects must address emissions in the nonattainment area and be suitable for SIP or TIP adoption. They should focus on local communities rather than large geographic areas, to promote higher success rates in reducing air pollution and maximizing public health benefits. Projects should also focus on vulnerable communities and/or at-risk populations that may be disproportionately impacted in adverse ways (e.g., increased asthma rates, etc.) by ozone or PM2.5 pollution.

Environmental justice (EJ) concerns, as used in this solicitation, generally relate to issues that have resulted in some communities and/or populations being more adversely, disproportionately impacted by environmental issues because of race, color, national origin or income, including tribal and indigenous communities. In addition, some communities experience multiple environmental burdens, such as poor air quality, lead paint in homes, nearby sites contaminated by hazardous waste, or heavy local use of pesticides, among others. Applicants should consider partnering with impacted communities in planning activities to ensure that communities are meaningfully involved in the proposed project.

In addition to the above, applications submitted under this announcement should:

• establish approaches and practices that will achieve ongoing, significant ozone and/or PM2.5 reductions, considering the major emission sources;

• ensure the proposed project will help the designated area make progress towards attainment of the NAAQS and continue to achieve ongoing emission reductions;

• build and leverage partnerships across multiple stakeholder groups, including impacted communities to expand the impact of the project; and,

• create models of success that could be replicable in the airshed or other jurisdictions and/or demonstrate technologies or practices that can achieve greater emission reductions than those currently utilized.

Where relevant, applicants should also describe how the proposed project would help to complement research, planning, or implementation activities supported by other EPA grants, such as DERA grants, PM2.5 Monitoring Network grants, and EJ grants.

C. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage and Anticipated Outcomes, Outputs and Performance

Measures

Pursuant to Section 6a of EPA Order 5700.7, “Environmental Results under EPA Assistance

Agreements,” EPA must link proposed assistance agreements to the Agency’s Strategic Plan. EPA also requires that grant applicants and recipients adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7, Environmental Results under

Assistance Agreements, http://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-

03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf).

1. Linkage to EPA Strategic Plan. The activities to be funded under this announcement support EPA’s FY 2018-22 Strategic Plan. Awards made under this announcement will support

Goal 1 “Core Mission: Deliver real results to provide Americans with clean air, land, and water, and ensure chemical safety”; Objective 1.1: “Improve Air Quality.” Under this objective, EPA will “Work with states and tribes to accurately measure air quality and ensure that more Americans are living and working in areas that meet high air quality standards.”

Applicants must explain in their application how their project will further this objective.

Please read EPA’s FY 2018-2022 Strategic Plan for more information.

EPA also requires that grant applicants adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7A1, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements, www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-

03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf). Applicants must include specific statements describing the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined outputs and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the project will contribute to the priorities described above. Specifically, the proposed activities must reduce emissions, thereby reducing local and regional air pollution of criteria pollutants.

2. Outputs. The term “output” means an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to emissions reduction activities that will be realized or provided over time or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable during an assistance agreement funding period.

Examples of outputs from the project(s) to be funded under this announcement may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• wood-burning appliances replaced;

• vehicle miles traveled reductions;

• kilowatt hours saved;

• creation of a program designed to improve community quality of life;

• progress toward environmental justice objectives;

http://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf http://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-02/documents/fy-2018-2022-epa-strategic-plan.pdf http://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf http://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf

• a documented commitment to continue to identify and address air quality issues in the nonattainment area;

• a publicly available community engagement plan for meaningful engagement of the affected communities;

• dissemination of project/technology information via list serves, websites, journals and outreach events; and/or

• adoption of a program, policy or activity that supports increased use of strategic energy and air quality management practices.

Quarterly progress reports and a final technical report will also be a required output, as specified in Section VI.C of this announcement, “Reporting Requirement” and in accordance with the

Terms and Conditions outlined in the award.

3. Outcomes. The term “outcome” means the result, effect or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that will achieve emissions reductions.

Outcomes may be qualitative and environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature, but must be quantitative. They may not necessarily be achievable within an assistance agreement funding period.

Projects funded under this announcement are expected to result in emissions reductions of ozone precursors and/or direct PM2.5 or PM2.5 precursors. Ozone precursors include NOx, CO and VOCs. PM2.5 precursors include NOx, VOCs, SO2 and ammonia. These projects should result in one or more of, but are not limited to, the following environmental outcomes:

• Tons of air pollution reduced annually and over the lifetime of the project (specifying the total years), including the emission reductions for each of the following pollutants, as relevant to the project:

• PM2.5,

• NOx,

• VOCs,

• SO2, and/or

• ammonia

• Annual and lifetime gallons of gasoline or diesel fuel saved;

• Costs per ton of pollution reduced.

Other potential outcomes may include, but are not limited to:

• Documented improved ambient air quality;

• Contributions towards compliance with SIP or TIP and/or NAAQS;

• Community engagement and partnership;

• An increased understanding of the environmental or economic effectiveness of the implemented technology;

• Increased public awareness of project and results;

• Widespread adoption of the implemented technology;

• Demonstration and deployment of zero and near-zero emission vehicles and engines;

and/or

• Health benefits achieved (health benefits may be measured by numbers of illnesses, health care costs, missed work/school days avoided, and/or reduced mortality from air pollution).

4. Performance Measures. The applicant should also develop performance measures they expect to achieve through the proposed activities and describe them in the application. These performance measures will help gather insights and will be the mechanism to track progress concerning successful process, outcome, and output strategies and will provide the basis for developing lessons to inform potential future recipients. The description of the performance measures will directly relate to the project’s outcomes and outputs, including but not limited to:

• overseeing project partners, subrecipients, and/or contractors and vendors;

• tracking and reporting project progress on expenditures, purchases, and other fiscal activities;

• tracking and reporting actual accomplishments versus proposed outputs/outcomes and proposed timelines/milestones; and

• measuring and reporting on emission reductions.

The outcomes and performance measures should include an estimate of ozone precursors and/or direct PM2.5 or PM2.5 precursor emissions, including NOx, VOC, direct PM2.5, SO2, and ammonia, that will be reduced both annually and over the lifetime of the project, including the assumptions used to make those estimates. Both annual and lifetime emissions reduced from the project should be included, specifying the anticipated total number of years of the life of the project. The annual and lifetime emission reductions should be provided for each of the relevant individual pollutants and not a sum of all pollutants. If the proposed project includes multiple activities or technologies that achieve significantly different emission reductions (i.e., replacing school buses and wood burning appliances), the anticipated emissions reduced should be provided separately for each activity. If an applicant is unable to calculate ozone precursor and/or PM2.5 reductions, they may include estimates of other quantifiable outputs that have a direct relationship with ozone and/or PM2.5 levels. Examples of such outputs are described above. Applicants are encouraged to take advantage of existing EPA tools (i.e., Diesel

Emissions Quantifier, Burn Wise Wood Stove Emissions Calculator, etc.) for calculating emissions reductions for each pollutant being addressed. Additional information on the quantification used to calculate these emission reductions, including the key assumptions that were used for any existing calculator tool or the citations of any studies or reports, may be included in an optional attachment to the application. Questions about how to calculate emissions reductions from other types of projects should be directed to the applicable air emissions point of contact or the Agency contact listed in Section VII. of this RFA.

The following are questions to consider when developing output and outcome measures of quantitative and qualitative results:

1) How does the plan measure progress in achieving the expected results (including outputs and outcomes) and how will the approach use resources effectively and efficiently?

2) What are the measurable short term and longer term results the project will achieve?

https://www.epa.gov/air-emissions-inventories/air-emissions-points-contact https://www.epa.gov/air-emissions-inventories/air-emissions-points-contact

D. Statutory Authority

The statutory authority for this action is Public Law 115-141 which authorizes EPA to award targeted airshed grants for projects designed to reduce air pollution in nonattainment areas that the Agency determined are ranked as the top five most polluted areas relative to ozone, annual and 24-hour PM2.5 standards.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. What is the amount of funding available?

The total estimated funding expected to be available for awards under this competitive opportunity is approximately $40 million.

B. Partial Funding

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

C. How many agreements will EPA award in this competition?

EPA anticipates awarding a total of approximately 8-12 cooperative agreements from this announcement, subject to availability of funds, the quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations. See Section I.A. on both the total number of applicants an eligible applicant may submit per designated area and total federal funding an applicant can request per application.

In addition, EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with

Agency policy, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than six months from the date of the original selections. In addition, EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards under this announcement or to make fewer awards than anticipated.

D. What is the project period for awards resulting from this solicitation?

The estimated project period for awards resulting from this solicitation will begin in June 2019.

Proposed project periods may be up to five years from the project start date.

E. Funding Type

The funding for selected projects will be in the form of a grant or cooperative agreement depending upon the nature of the proposed activity and the extent of EPA involvement. Cooperative agreements permit substantial involvement between the EPA Project Officer and the selected applicants in the performance of the work supported. Although EPA will negotiate precise terms and conditions relating to substantial involvement as part of the award process, the anticipated substantial federal involvement for this project will be:

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

• Collaboration during performance of the scope of work;

• In accordance with 2 CFR 200.317 and 2 CFR 200.318, review of proposed procurement;

• Approving qualifications of key personnel (EPA will not select employees or contractors employed by the award recipient);

• Review and comment on reports prepared under the cooperative agreement (the final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient).

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Entities

Entities eligible to submit applications under this announcement are those air pollution control agencies, as defined by Section 302(b) of the CAA, that: (a) have responsibilities for the prevention and control of air pollution for one or more nonattainment areas identified in Section I.A. of this announcement, and (b) have an active air program grant under Section 103 or 105 of the CAA to carry out those responsibilities.

B. Voluntary Cost Sharing or Matching Funds

No matching funds are required under this competition. Although cost-sharing/matching is not required as a condition of eligibility under this competition, under Section V of this announcement EPA will evaluate proposals based on a leveraging criterion.

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

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

• A voluntary cost share is subject to the match provisions in the grant regulations (2 CFR Part

200 as applicable).

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

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

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

If a proposed voluntary cost-share is to be provided by a named third-party, a Leveraged Funds

Commitment Letter should be attached to the application which should explain the level of voluntary funding. Leverage Funds Commitment Letters will not count towards the 15-page Project Narrative page limit.

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

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

200 as applicable.

C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria

These are requirements that, if not met by the time of application submission, will result in elimination of the application from consideration for funding. Only applications from eligible entities (see above) that meet all of these criteria will be evaluated against the ranking factors in Section V. of this announcement. If necessary, EPA may contact applicants to clarify threshold eligibility questions prior to making an eligibility determination. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration due to the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

1. Application Content and Submission

a. Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement or else they will be rejected.

b. Where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to the Project Narrative, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed.

c. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov as stated in Section IV of this announcement

(except in the limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed for as explained in Section IV) on or before the application submission deadline published in Section

IV of this announcement. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in

Section IV of this announcement to ensure that their application is timely submitted.

Applications submitted after the submission deadline will be considered late and deemed ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was late due to https://www.grants.gov/

EPA mishandling or because of technical problems associated with Grants.gov or relevant

SAM.gov system issues. Applicants’ failure to timely submit their application through Grants.gov because they did not timely or properly register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov will not be considered an acceptable reason to consider a late submission.

2. Applications must further EPA’s current priorities for improving air quality, which focus on improving air quality to ensure more Americans are living and working in areas that meet high air quality standards. (See Section I.C.)

3. Proposed activities must be for emission reduction activities that will assist in complying with the

NAAQS for these pollutants, and that demonstrate the potential for inclusion in the affected jurisdiction’s SIP or TIP submission to EPA intended to meet those standards.

4. Proposed activities must take place in at least one of the nonattainment areas identified in Section

I.A of this announcement.

5. Proposed activities must be designed to achieve quantifiable reductions in direct PM2.5, ozone precursors and/or PM2.5 precursor emissions (NOx, CO, VOC, direct PM2.5, SO2 and ammonia) in one or more of the designated nonattainment areas identified in Section I.A by addressing one or more of the priority emissions-generating or emissions-reducing activities listed in Section I, Part

B.

6. Proposed activities can complement, but cannot replicate, activities already being funded with an existing CAA §103 or 105 or DERA grant being carried out in an applicant’s nonattainment area.

7. Proposed activities must be to implement emission reductions; applications only including planning exercises will not be considered.

8. Ineligible activities: If an application is submitted that includes any ineligible tasks or activities, that portion of the application will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects application, render the entire application ineligible for funding.

9. The maximum amount of federal funding that may be requested by an applicant in an application must not exceed the funding amount listed in Section I.A. Applications requesting more federal funding than the specified amount will be rejected.

10. Applicants can submit no more than the total number applications listed in Section I.A. If an applicant submits more applications than what is listed, EPA will contact the applicant to determine which application(s) to withdraw.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Requirements to Submit Through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures

Applicants, except as noted below, must apply electronically through Grants.gov under this funding opportunity based on the grants.gov instructions in this announcement and Appendix A. If an applicant does not have the technical capability to apply electronically through grants.gov because of limited or https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ no internet access which prevents them from being able to upload the required application materials to

Grants.gov, the applicant must contact OGDWaivers@epa.gov or the address listed below in writing

(e.g., by hard copy, email) at least 15 calendar days prior to the submission deadline under this announcement to request approval to submit their application materials through an alternate method.

Mailing Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Jessica Durand

USEPA Headquarters

William Jefferson Clinton Building

1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N. W.

Mail Code: 3903R

Washington, DC 20460

Courier Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Jessica Durand

Ronald Reagan Building

1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

Rm # 51278

Washington, DC 20004

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

• Funding Opportunity Number (FON)

• Organization Name and Unique Entity Identifier (e.g., DUNS)

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

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

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

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

If an exception is granted, it is valid for submissions to EPA for the remainder of the entire calendar year in which the exception was approved and can be used to justify alternative submission methods for application submissions made through December 31 of the calendar year in which the exception was approved (e.g., if the exception was approved on March 1, 2018, it is valid for any competitive or non-competitive application submission to EPA through December 31, 2018). Applicants need only request an exception once in a calendar year and all exceptions will expire on December 31 of that calendar https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:OGDWaivers@epa.gov year. Applicants must request a new exception from required electronic submission through Grants.gov for submissions for any succeeding calendar year. For example, if there is a competitive opportunity issued on December 1, 2017 with a submission deadline of January 15, 2018, the applicant would need a new exception to submit through alternative methods beginning January 1, 2018.

Please note that the process described in this section is only for requesting alternate submission methods. All other inquiries about this announcement must be directed to the Agency Contact listed in

Section VII of the announcement. Queries or requests submitted to the email address identified above for any reason other than to request an alternate submission method will not be acknowledged or answered.

B. Grants.gov Application Submission Instructions (see Appendix A.)

An applicant’s authorized official representative (AOR) must submit its complete application electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov) no later than February 7, 2019, by

11:59 pm Eastern Time.

C. Content of Application Package Submission

The application package must include all of the following materials:

1. Grant Application Forms. Please complete the forms as appropriate.

a. Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance. Please note that the organizational

Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number must be included on the SF-424. Organizations may obtain a DUNS number at no cost by calling the toll-free DUNS number request line at 1-866-705-5711.

b. Standard Form 424A, Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs

c. Standard Form 424B, Non-Construction Programs

d. Standard Form 6600-06, Certification Regarding Lobbying

e. EPA Form 4700-4, Pre-Award Compliance Review Report for All Applicants Requesting

Federal Financial Assistance

f. EPA Form 5700-54, Key Contacts Form

2. Project Narrative. The project narrative must explicitly describe how the proposed project meets the guidelines established in Sections I-III of this announcement, including the threshold eligibility criteria in Section III.C, and must address each of the evaluation criteria set forth in

Section V. The Project Narrative (a. through h. below) cannot exceed a maximum of 15 single-spaced typewritten pages, including the Summary Page. Excess pages will not be reviewed.

Supporting materials, such as resumes and letters of support, can be submitted as attachments and are not included in the 15-page limit. The project narrative should use commonly understandable terms to ensure reviewers have a strong understanding of the purpose, focus and expected outcomes of the proposed project. A person unfamiliar with the technical aspects of the project, including the given technology, activities or location, should be able to fully comprehend the proposal without any research.

a. Summary Information Page (recommended not to exceed one page)

i. Project Title

ii. Applicant Information: include applicant (organization) name, address, contact person, phone number, fax and e-mail address.

iii. Total Project Cost:

a. Total cost of the project.

b. Amount of funding requested from EPA.

c. Funding from other sources, including any voluntary leveraged cost-share or in-kind resources.

iv. Project Period: Provide beginning and ending dates. (Projects are anticipated to begin in

June 2019 end no more than five years after the project start date.)

v. Short Project Description: Briefly describe your project in 1-2 sentences.

vi. Place of Performance: List the primary nonattainment area(s) where the emission benefits of the project will be realized.

vii. Unique Entity Identifier (e.g., DUNS number.)

b. Project Summary and Approach. This section should contain a detailed project description of the following information:

i. A detailed project summary and description of the specific approach(es), activity(ies) and/or technology(ies) to be undertaken. The summary should include the associated products to be developed and explanation of project benefits both to the public and the potential audience(s) served.

ii. How the activities in the application will achieve ongoing, significant reductions of ozone, direct PM2.5 and/or precursor emissions in the designated nonattainment area(s), as described in Section I.A. This may include how the applicant has considered the various technology or activity options to reduce emissions from a given source to arrive at the chosen proposed project.

iii. A description of the applicant’s analysis of the emissions inventory for the nonattainment area. The applicant should provide specific emissions inventory data of the source category(ies) of the proposed project, as well as other key relevant source categories. How the project is expected to help the designated area make progress toward attainment should be described, including the impacts of the anticipated emission reductions on both that source category as well as the overall emissions inventory of the designated area.

iv. A description of how the proposed activity is an innovative, well-conceived strategy for achieving the greatest amount of emission reductions possible from a given source, supporting the lowest emission activities available. This includes providing information about the source category, including individual emissions levels from the current technologies or activities compared to the anticipated emission reductions from the proposed project.

v. How the application supports EPA’s Strategic Plan, as described in Section I.C.1.

c. Community Benefits, Engagement and Partnerships.

Community Benefits

The proposed project should maximize public health benefits, including providing information on how communities located near the project will benefit and how communities will be engaged in the project. The Project Narrative should include a discussion of how the proposed project will address the needs and concerns of affected communities, including any communities or populations that have faced or are facing environmental justice concerns (as defined in Section I.B), and/or other interested parties, groups or populations that have been adversely affected by environmental burdens. A description of the current environmental impacts or burdens located around the proposed project should be included explaining how the communities are potentially vulnerable to these environmental burdens.

To the extent possible, the applicant should use an analytical or comparable tool such as

EPA's EJSCREEN, to describe the vulnerable communities located near the proposed project, as well as the environmental burdens these communities face. EJSCREEN is a mapping and screening tool that combines environmental and demographic indicators based on nationally consistent data. Demographic data are updated annually based on the

American Community Survey. If appropriate, the applicant is highly encouraged to supplement the results from its analysis with other relevant, locally-derived information to describe other environmental harms and risks that may not be found in EJSCREEN or other tool, and cite these other sources.

EJSCREEN is accessible at https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen, which includes instructions and resources. In addition, prior to submittal of the final application, applicants can submit questions or request a tutorial on how to use EJSCREEN by contacting the EPA Agency

Contact listed in Section VII.

Community Engagement and Partnerships

Details of applicant’s plans for engaging the community on the proposed project should be included. Engagement should include any previous, current, and/or future efforts for working with the affected communities located near the proposed project. Information on how the proposed project is supported by the community should be included. Applicants should discuss their approach to incorporate ongoing community input throughout the design and performance of the project, including specific methods and activities to engage the community. Community engagement and partnership efforts should include multiple stakeholder groups that represent a broad spectrum of the community, such as grassroots, neighborhood, school and faith-based organizations, city councils, business, local governments and other key local partners. Recent involvement of project partners, community members and/or organizations working together on projects should be highlighted. Applicants may submit Partnership Letters in the application attachments, which do not count towards the 15-page Project Narrative page limit. These Partnership

Letters should demonstrate strong, long-term involvement throughout the project.

d. Project Sustainability. The applicant should include a detailed discussion of its organization’s and/or project partner’s ability to promote and continue efforts to reduce emissions after EPA funding for this project has ended. Include information on how the applicant and/or key partners will continue to identify and address air quality issues in the affected community, including monitoring, quantification of emissions and activities to take to reduce emissions. Describe how the proposed project may help implement other new or different strategies, activities or approaches to reduce emissions in the nonattainment area.

https://www.epa.gov/ejscreen

e. Environmental Results—Outcomes, Outputs and Performance Measures.

Expected Project Outputs and Outcomes

Identify the expected quantitative and qualitative outcomes and outputs of the project (see

Section I.C) including what performance measurements, timeline of milestones and other means will be used to track, measure and report progress towards achieving the expected outcomes and outputs and how the results of the project will be evaluated. Include activities to involve the community. Specific outputs and outcomes should be provided, and may include short and longer-term activities. In addition to a narrative discussion of the outputs and outcomes, the applicant is encouraged to include a table such as:

Anticipated Outputs and Outcomes

Outputs Outcomes

Example of Outputs and Outcome Table

Anticipated Outputs and Outcomes

Outputs Outcomes

-Replace 10 diesel fueled school buses with battery-electric zero tailpipe emission buses

-Replace 500 non-certified wood burning appliances with EPA certified cleaner burning devices

-Short term: School Bus Annual

Emissions = X tons of NOx, Y tons of PM2.5. Z tons of CO, etc.

Woodstove Annual Emissions = X tons of NOx, Y tons of PM2.5. Z tons of VOCs, etc.

-Long-term: School Bus Lifetime

Emission Reductions (over X years)

= X tons of NOx, Y tons of PM2.5. Z tons of CO, etc.

Lifetime Emission Reductions (over

X years) = X tons of NOx, Y tons of

PM2.5. Z tons of VOCs, etc.

-Diesel Fuel Reduced = X gallons annually and Y gallons lifetime

Anticipated air emission reductions directly from the project both annually and over the total life of the project should be included in the outcomes. Applicants should provide the quantification used to calculate these emission reductions, as described in Section 1.C, in an optional attachment (the optional attachment does not count towards the 15-page limit of the project narrative). In addition, providing separate emission reductions by individual pollutant should be provided, as well as by each type of activity.

Performance Measures

Describe what performance measurements, timeline of milestones and/or other means will be used to track, measure and report progress towards achieving the expected outputs and outcomes and how the results of the project will be evaluated, as described in Section 1.C.

Performance Plan

Describe their plan for tracking and measuring progress toward achieving the expected project outputs and outcomes, as described in Section I.C.

Time Schedule and Tasks

Include a detailed timeline for the project, including milestones for specific tasks such as bidding, procurement, key activities and submitting EPA reports. Applicants should schedule time for EPA Quarterly and Final Report preparation into the project timeline.

f. Programmatic Capability and Past Performance.

Management, Completion and Reporting Requirements

Submit a list of federally funded assistance agreements similar in size, scope and relevance to the proposed project that your organization performed within the last three years.

Assistance agreements include federal grants and cooperative agreements but not federal contracts. Please reference no more than three assistance agreements. EPA agreements are preferred. For each agreement, include:

• Project title and brief description of the agreement

• Assistance agreement number

• Federal funding agency and CFDA number of the grant program

For each of the assistance agreements listed, the applicant should describe:

• Whether and how the applicant was able to successfully complete and manage the agreement.

• The applicant’s history of meeting the reporting requirements under the agreement.

This should include whether the applicant submitted acceptable final technical reports under those agreements and the extent to which the applicant adequately and timely reported on its progress towards achieving the expected outputs and outcomes under those agreements. If such progress was not made, the applicant should provide an adequate explanation. and indicate whether, and if so, how, the applicant documented its reason for the lack of progress.

In evaluating applicants under these factors in Section V, EPA will consider the information provided by the applicant and may also consider relevant information from other sources, including information from EPA files and from current/prior grantors (e.g., to verify and/or supplement the information provided by the applicant). If you do not have any relevant or available past performance or past reporting information, please indicate this in the proposal and you will receive a neutral score for these factors (a neutral score is half of the total points available in a subset of possible points). If you do not provide any response for these items, you may receive a score of 0 for these factors.

Organizational Experience and Plan

Include information on your organizational experience for timely and successfully achieving the objectives of the proposed project.

Staff Expertise

Include information on the applicant’s organization,…