FY2018 NOCP Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) vfinal draft 10-23-17sl4.pdf

OMB Control Number: 1018-0109 Expiration Date: 11/30/2018

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: We are collecting this information in accordance with the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act, Title VII, Subtitle D, Section 7404, Public Law 105-178, 16 U.S.C. 777g-1, Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act, Public Law 109- 059, and the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act (Public Law 114-94). Your response is required to obtain or retain a benefit. We will use the information you provide to conduct a review and to select projects for funding. We may not conduct or sponsor, and you are not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget control number. We estimate that it will take applicants under this program about 37 hours to complete an application. We estimate it will take recipients under this program about eight hours to complete required reporting and recordkeeping. All burden estimates include the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather data needed and complete and review the submission. You may send comments on the burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program

National Outreach and Communication Program Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 15.653

Notice of Funding Opportunity for Federal Fiscal Years 2018-2022 Funding Opportunity Number: F18AS00004

I. Description of Funding Opportunity

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) is seeking proposals from applicants to implement the National Outreach and Communication Program (NOCP) for sportfishing and boating. This program was established by the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-178) in an attempt to reverse declining trends in participation rates in angling and boating. The primary purposes of the NOCP are to: 1) improve communications with anglers, boaters, and the general public regarding angling and boating opportunities; 2) reduce barriers to access and participation in angling and boating activities; 3) advance the adoption of sound angling and boating practices in the U.S.; 4) promote conservation and the responsible use of the nation’s aquatic resources; and 5) further safety in angling and boating. The law requires the Secretary of the Interior to develop and implement a national plan for the NOCP in cooperation and consultation with the Sport Fishing and Boating Partnership Council (Council). The Council developed the National Outreach and Communication Program Strategic Plan (Strategic Plan). An on-line version of the Strategic Plan is available at http://www.fws.gov/sfbpc/doc/1998strategicoutreachplan.ppt.

The NOCP is funded by the Sport Fish Restoration and Boating Trust Fund (Trust Fund). The NOCP’s funding levels are currently authorized through fiscal year (FY) 2020. The projected funding levels for FY 2021 and FY 2022 are contingent upon future programmatic reauthorizations. The Service will http://www.fws.gov/sfbpc/doc/1998strategicoutreachplan.ppt enter into a cooperative agreement with a successful applicant for a length of time ranging up to five years.

Proposals should seek to implement objectives identified in the Strategic Plan, consistent with the broader purposes of the NOCP.

References to “you” or “your” in this announcement refer to applicants completing the application and any potential subgrantee, if applicable. References to “we” or “us” in this announcement typically refer to the Service.

II. Award Information

The Service expects approximately $11.5 - $11.9 million will be available annually for the NOCP in FY 2018-2022. Detailed estimates of the Trust Fund and the NOCP funding can be found at:

https://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/GrantPrograms/SFR/SFR-ReceiptsForecast.pdf. The final amount available annually may range above or below the current estimates. Approximately $11.5 million is expected to be available for funding in FY 2018.

The Service will enter into a cooperative agreement with the successful applicant for a period of three to five fiscal years dependent upon the project selected and the NOCP’s continued authorization. There is no specific minimum or maximum award amount. Applications are reviewed and scored based on the ranking criteria given in Section V.

The Service will work closely with the award recipient to implement the NOCP as a cooperative agreement. Under a cooperative agreement, there is a participatory relationship between the Service and the recipient during the award, with shared performance responsibilities. More specifically, cooperative agreements require substantial involvement of the Service with the award recipient. As appropriate, the Service will:

• Participate and collaborate jointly with the recipient in carrying out agreed upon strategies of the NOCP and provide guidance on the development of programs and initiatives;

• Participate in relevant recipient(s) work teams and work groups;

• Consult with the recipient on development of annual workplans and priorities; and

• Closely monitor progress toward collaboratively established goals on a quarterly basis.

Substantial Service involvement does NOT include functions such as: awarding funds, assigning a project officer, reviewing and approving reports, processing payments, monitoring to ensure project is completed on time, performing any other routine administrative or monitoring activities.

You may submit applications by mail, email, or through Grants.gov by November 23, 2017, 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. Proposals submitted by mail must be postmarked no later than this date. If you choose to submit your proposal by mail, you are encouraged to send it via certified mail to ensure its receipt. You are not allowed to make changes or additions to applications after the application deadline except as requested by a Service official for purposes such as clarifying proposed costs, https://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/Subpages/GrantPrograms/SFR/SFR-ReceiptsForecast.pdf correcting limited errors in your proposal or as otherwise requested. Contact the Agency Contact for more information (see Section VIII, Agency Contact).

We expect to announce the award selections by January 31, 2018.

III. Basic Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants: Applications from all entities with experience in addressing the purpose of the NOCP and strategies identified in the Strategic Plan are encouraged to apply. You must include documentation of your organization’s previous experience in major national marketing campaigns to targeted audiences to achieve increased awareness, participation, and behavior change in fishing and boating activities. The documentation must be adequate for proposal reviewers to verify accuracy and focus on the Strategic Plan objectives.

Federal law mandates that all entities applying for Federal financial assistance must have a valid Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number and have a current registration in the System for Award Management (SAM). Please see Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 25 for more information. Exemptions: The SAM registration requirement does not apply to individuals submitting an application on their own behalf, and not on behalf of a company or other for-profit entity, state, local or Tribal government, academia or other type of organization.

A. DUNS Registration: Request a DUNS number online at Dun & Bradstreet Registration. For technical difficulties, contact Dun & Bradstreet by email at: govt@dnb.com, or by calling the Government Customer Resource Center at voice phone: 866-705-5711 or TTY line: 877- 807- 1679 (hearing impaired customers only). Once assigned a DUNS number, entities are responsible for maintaining up-to-date information with Dun & Bradstreet.

B. Entity Registration in SAM: Register in SAM online at www.sam.gov. Once registered in SAM, entities must renew and revalidate their SAM registration at least every 12 months from the date previously registered. Entities are strongly urged to revalidate their registration as often as needed to ensure that their information is up to date and in synch with changes that may have been made to DUNS and IRS information.

Note: The official U.S. government website address for SAM is www.sam.gov. There is NO COST to access or register in SAM. There are third-party vendors who charge a fee in exchange for registering entities in SAM. Please be aware that you can register to do business with the U.S.

government FOR FREE directly in SAM at www.sam.gov.

C. Excluded Entities: Applicant entities or their key project personnel identified in the SAM Exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted or excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits will not be considered for Federal funding, as applicable to the funding being requested under this Federal program. The Service conducts a review of the SAM Exclusions database for all applicant entities and their key project personnel prior to award.

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform mailto:govt@dnb.com http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/

D. Cost Sharing or Matching: There is no minimum required cost share for the NOCP. You are encouraged to identify other potential non-federal funding sources to leverage or enhance your ability to implement strategies of the Strategic Plan. Cost share is a ranking criteria identified in Section V. In-kind contributions are allowed. If you plan to include in-kind contributions as part of your project proposal, then it must be included in the proposal narrative.

Applicants may attribute some or all of their allowable indirect costs as voluntary committed cost-share/match.

IV. Application Requirements

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

A. Application for Federal Assistance: A completed, signed and dated Application for Federal Assistance form (Standard Form 424). Note that the proper forms are part of the Grants.gov application package for this NOFO. The forms are also available at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1. Do not include other Federal sources of funding, requested or approved, in the total entered in the “Federal” funding box on the Application for Federal Assistance form. Enter only the amount being requested under this program in the “Federal” funding box. Include any other Federal sources of funding in the total funding entered in the “Other” box.

B. Project Summary: Briefly summarize the project, in two pages or less. Include the title of the project, geographic location, and a brief overview of the need for the project. Goal(s), objectives, specific project activities, anticipated outputs and outcomes can also be included in this section.

C. Project Narrative: The project narrative must provide sufficient information so reviewers may verify that the proposed activities will implement the objectives identified in the Strategic Plan.

The narrative must also provide adequate information to determine if the proposed activities are eligible for funding.

1. Statement of Need: Describe why this project is necessary and relevant to the objectives of the Strategic Plan and include supporting information (e.g., previous research, literature citations, etc.). Please summarize previous or on-going efforts of you or your organization, and other organizations or individuals that are relevant to the proposed work. Explain the successes or failures of past efforts and how your proposed project builds on them. If you have received funding previously (from the Service or any other entity) for this specific project work or activities, provide a summary of the funding, the associated activities and products/outcomes.

2. Project Goal(s) and Objectives: State the long-term, overarching goals of the proposed project and link those goals to the identified objectives of the Strategic Plan. Clearly state the objectives under each goal of this project. Objectives are the specific outcomes to be accomplished in order to reach each stated goal. The http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1 project objectives must be specific, measurable, realistic, and attainable within the project’s proposed project period.

3. Project Activities, Methods and Timetable: List the proposed project activities and describe how they relate to the project’s stated objectives. Activities are the specific actions to be undertaken to fulfill the project objectives and reach each project goal. Describe how the project fulfills strategies identified in the Strategic Plan. The project narratives must be detailed enough for reviewers to make a clear connection between the activities and the proposed project costs. The narrative must provide enough detail so that reviewers are able to determine project compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act.

Provide a detailed description of the methods used to carry out each activity.

Provide a timetable indicating roughly when activities or project milestones are to be accomplished. Include any resulting tables, spreadsheets or flow charts within the body of the project narrative (do not include as separate attachments).

4. Stakeholder Coordination/Involvement: As applicable, describe how your organization has coordinated with, and involved other relevant organizations or individuals in planning the project, and detail how they will be involved in conducting project activities, disseminating project results and incorporating your results and products into their activities. If you or your organization has examples of previous efforts and stakeholder coordination to accomplish the objectives, please include them in your narrative.

5. Project Monitoring and Evaluation: Detail the monitoring and evaluation plan for the project that align with the strategies of the Strategic Plan. Please detail monitoring and evaluation plans for each as appropriate. Describe how findings will be fed back into decision making and project activities throughout the project period.

6. Description of Entities Undertaking the Project: Provide a brief description of the applicant organization and all participating entities and individuals. Identify which of the proposed activities each agency, organization, group, or individual is responsible for conducting or managing. Provide complete contact information for the individual within the organization that will oversee/manage the project activities on a day-to-day basis.

Please provide a brief (two pages maximum), descriptive overview of key personnel overseeing each proposed activity. The overview should include their education, experience and other skills that make them qualified to carry out the proposed project and key project components. To prevent unnecessary transmission of Personally Identifiable Information, do not include Social Security numbers, the names of family members, or any other personal or sensitive information including marital status, religion or physical characteristics on the description of key personnel qualifications.

7. Sustainability: As applicable, describe which project activities will continue beyond the proposed project period, who will continue the work or act on the results achieved and how and at what level you expect these future activities will be funded.

8. Literature cited: Please include references to any applicable literature cited in the project proposal.

D. Budget Form:

Complete the Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF 424A) form, or the Budget Information for Construction Programs (SF 424C) form. Use the SF 424A if your project does not include construction and the SF424C if the project includes construction. The budget forms are available on the internet at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1.

When developing your budget, keep in mind that financial assistance awards and subawards are subject to the Federal cost principles in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, as applicable to the recipient organization type. Links to the full text of the Federal cost principles are available on the Internet at http://www.ecfr.gov/.

Note on Multiple Federal Funding Sources: If the project budget includes multiple Federal funding sources, you must show the funds being requested from this Federal program separately from any other requested or secured Federal sources of funding on the budget form. Enter the funds being requested from this Federal program in the first row of the Budget Summary section of the form and then enter funding related to other Federal programs in the subsequent row(s). Be sure to enter each Federal program’s CFDA number in the corresponding fields on the form. The CFDA number for this Federal program appears on the first page of this funding opportunity.

E. Budget Justification:

In a separate narrative titled “Budget Justification”, explain and justify all requested budget items and associated costs. Detail how the SF 424 Budget Object Class Category totals were determined and demonstrate a clear connection between costs and the proposed project activities. For personnel salary costs, include the base-line salary figures and the estimates of time (as percentages) to be directly charged to the project. Describe resources you used to develop cost estimates for your project. Describe any item that under the applicable Federal cost principles requires the Service’s approval and estimate its cost.

If Federally-funded equipment will be used for the project, provide a list of that equipment, including the Federal funding source. Please also address the following:

1. Match and other partner contributions: Identify the cash and in-kind contributions that you, a partner, or other entity contribute to the project and describe how the contributions directly and substantively benefits completion of the project.

2. Program Income: Program income is gross income earned by you or your subgrantees that is directly generated by a grant-supported activity, or earned as a result of the grant, during the grant period. Estimate the amount of program income that the project is likely to generate, if any. If necessary, indicate the method or combination of methods (deduction or addition) of applying your expected program income. You should request the approval for the additive method prior to the deadline and include documentation of your method and approval in this section and in attachments. Note that program income which is not approved for use as additive prior to the obligation of NOCP funds will be applied using the deductive method.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1 http://www.ecfr.gov/

Required Indirect Cost Statement: Recipients that do not have an approved indirect cost rate cannot charge indirect costs to their Federal award. All applicants except individuals applying for funds separate from a business or non-profit organization he/she may operate must include in the budget justification narrative one of the following statements and attach any required documentation identified in the applicable statement:

“We are:

1. U.S. state agency receiving more than $35 million in direct Federal funding each year with an indirect cost rate of [insert rate]. We submit our indirect cost rate proposals to our cognizant agency. A copy of our most recently approved rate agreement/certification is attached.

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

3. A [insert your organization type; U.S. states and local governments, please use one of the statements above or below] that has previously negotiated or currently has an approved indirect cost rate with our cognizant agency. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate]. [Insert either: “A copy of our most recently approved but expired rate agreement is attached. In the event an award is made, we will submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after the award is made.” or “A copy of our current, approved rate agreement(s) is attached.”]

4. A [insert your organization type] that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate]. In the event an award is made, we will submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after the award is made.

5. A [insert your organization type] that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency and has an indirect cost rate that is lower than 10%. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate; must be lower than 10%]. However, in the event an award is made, we will not be able to meet the requirement to submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after award. We request as a condition of award to charge a flat indirect cost rate of [insert rate; must be lower than 10%] of [insert a clear description of the direct cost base against which your rate is charged (e.g., salaries and fringe benefits; or modified total direct costs). However, please note that your organization cannot charge indirect costs in excess of the indirect costs that would be recovered if applied against modified total direct costs as defined in 2 CFR 220.68]. We understand that we must notify the Service in writing immediately if we establish an approved rate with our cognizant agency at any point during the award period.

6. A [insert your organization type] that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency and has an indirect cost rate that is 10% or higher. Our indirect cost rate is [insert your organization’s indirect rate; must be 10% or higher]. However, in the event an award is made, we will not be able to meet the requirement to submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after award. We request as a condition of award to charge a flat de minimis indirect cost rate of 10% of modified total direct costs as defined in 2 CFR 220.68. We understand that we must notify the Service in writing immediately if we do establish an approved rate with our cognizant agency at any point during the award period. We understand that additional Federal funds may not be available to support an unexpected increase in indirect costs during the project period and such changes are subject to review, negotiation, and prior approval by the Service.

7. A [insert your organization type] that is submitting this proposal for consideration under the [insert either “Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Program” or Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Network”], which has a Department of the Interior-approved indirect cost rate cap of [insert program rate]. If we have an approved indirect cost rate with our cognizant agency, we understand that we must apply this reduced rate against the same direct cost base as identified in our approved indirect cost rate agreement. If we do not have an approved indirect cost rate with our cognizant agency, we understand that the basis for direct costs will be modified total direct cost base defined in 2 CFR 200.68 “Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC)”. We understand that we must request prior approval from the Service to use MTDC base instead of the base identified in our approved indirect cost rate agreement, and that the Service approval of such request will be based on: 1) a determination that our approved base is only a subset of the MTDC (such as salaries and wages); and 2) that use of the MTDC base will still result in a reduction of the total indirect costs to be charged to the award. In accordance with 2 CFR 200.405, we understand that indirect costs not recovered due to voluntary reduction to our federally negotiated rate are not allowable for recover via any other means.

8. A [insert your organization type] that will charge all costs directly.

All applicants are hereby notified of the following:

• Recipients without an approved indirect cost rate are prohibited from charging indirect costs to a Federal award. Accepting the 10% de minimis rate as a condition of award is an approved rate.

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

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

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

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

Applicants who are individuals applying for funds separate from a business or non-profit organization he/she may operate are not eligible to charge indirect costs to their award. If you are an individual applying for funding, do not include any indirect costs in your proposed budget.

For more information on indirect cost rates, see the Service’s Indirect Costs and Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreements guidance document on the Internet at https://www.fws.gov/grants/atc.html.

Negotiating an Indirect Cost Rate with the Department of the Interior: Entities that do not have a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) must first have an open, active Federal award before they can submit an indirect cost rate proposal to their cognizant agency. The Federal awarding agency that provides the largest amount of direct funding to your organization is your cognizant agency, unless otherwise assigned by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). If the Department of the Interior is your cognizant agency, your indirect cost rate will be negotiated by the Interior Business Center (IBC). For more information, contact the IBC at:

Indirect Cost Services Acquisition Services Directorate, Interior Business Center U.S. Department of the Interior 650 Capitol Mall, Suite 7-400 Sacramento, CA 95814 Phone: 916-930-3803 Email: Through https://www.doi.gov/ibc/contactus/ibcfeedback web form.

Internet address: https://www/doi.gov/ibc/services/finance/indirect-cost-services

F. Single Audit Reporting Statements: As required in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Subpart F, all U.S. states, local governments, federally-recognized Indian tribal governments, and non-profit organizations expending $750,000 USD or more in Federal award funds in a fiscal year must submit a Single Audit report for that year through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse’s Internet Data Entry System. All U.S. state, local government, federally-recognized Indian tribal government and non-profit applicants must provide a statement regarding whether your organization was/was not required to submit a Single Audit report for the State’s most recently closed fiscal year and, if so, state if that report is available on the Federal Audit Clearinghouse Single Audit Database website (https://harvester.census.gov/facweb) and provide the EIN under which that report was submitted. Include these statements at the end of the Project Statement in a section titled “Single Audit Reporting Statements.”

G. Assurances: Include the appropriate signed and dated Assurances form available at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1. Use the Assurances for Construction Programs (SF424D) for construction and land acquisition projects. Use the Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF424B) for all other projects. The form includes a statement that some of the assurances may not be applicable to your organization and/or your project or program. Signing this form does not make you or your organization https://www.fws.gov/grants/atc.html https://www.doi.gov/ibc/contactus/ibcfeedback https://www/doi.gov/ibc/services/finance/indirect-cost-services http://www.ecfr.gov/ http://www.ecfr.gov/ http://www.ecfr.gov/ https://harvester.census.gov/facweb http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html%23sortby=1 subject to laws that are otherwise not applicable to you or your organization. Changing, crossing out, or making notations on the form before signing has no impact on the applicability of law.

H. Certification and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities: Under Title 31 of the United States Code, Section 1352, an applicant or recipient must not use any federally appropriated funds (both annually appropriated and continuing appropriations) or matching funds under a grant or cooperative agreement award to pay any person for lobbying in connection with the award.

Lobbying is defined as influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress connection with the award. Submission of an application also represents the applicant’s certification of the statements in 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A- Certification Regarding Lobbying. If you/your organization have/has made or agrees to make any payment using non-appropriated funds for lobbying in connection with this proposal AND the Federal share exceeds $100,000, complete and submit the SF LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form available at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/post-award-reporting-forms.html#sortby=1. See 43 CFR, Subpart 18.100 for more information on when additional submission of this form is required.

I. Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Applicants must notify the Service in writing of any actual or potential conflicts of interest that are known at the time of application or that may arise during the life of this award, in the event an award is made. Conflicts of interest include any relationship or matter which might place the recipient organization, the recipient organization’s employees, or the recipient organization’s subrecipients in a position of conflict, real or apparent, between their responsibilities under the award and any other outside interests. Conflicts of interest may also include, but are not limited to, direct or indirect financial interests, close personal relationships, positions of trust in outside organizations, consideration of future employment arrangements with a different organization, or decision-making affecting the award that would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts to question the impartiality of the applicant organization, the applicant organization’s employees, or the applicant organization’s future subrecipients in the matter. Upon receipt of such a notice, the Service Project Officer in consultation with their Ethics Counselor will determine if a conflict of interest exists and, if so, if there are any possible actions to be taken by the applicant to reduce or resolve the conflict. Failure to resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the Service may result in the project not being selected for funding.

J. Required Overlap/Duplication Statement: Applicants must provide a statement that addresses if there is any overlap between the proposed project and any other active or anticipated projects in terms of activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel. If any overlap exists, applicants must provide a description of the overlap in their application.

Applicants must also state if the proposal submitted for consideration under this program is/is not in any way duplicative of any proposal that was/will be submitted for funding consideration to any other potential funding source (Federal or non-Federal). If such a circumstance exists, applicants must detail when the other duplicative proposal(s) were submitted, to whom (entity name and program), and when funding decisions are expected to be announced. If at any time a proposal is awarded funds that would be duplicative of the funding requested from the Service, applicants must notify the Service point of contact of this funding opportunity immediately.

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=683823273fc0da6a1060883eda593fb8&mc=true&node=pt43.1.18&rgn=div5 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=683823273fc0da6a1060883eda593fb8&mc=true&node=pt43.1.18&rgn=div5 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=683823273fc0da6a1060883eda593fb8&mc=true&node=pt43.1.18&rgn=div5 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/post-award-reporting-forms.html#sortby=1

Application Checklist

We request that you label all sections and number pages consecutively.

□ Evidence of non-profit status: If a non-profit organization, a copy of your organization’s Section 501(c)(3) or (4) status determination letter received from the Internal Revenue Service.

□ SF 424, Application for Federal Assistance: A complete, signed and dated SF 424, SF 424-Mandatory, or SF 424-Individual form.

□ Project Summary

□ Project Narrative

□ Timetable

□ Description of key personnel qualifications

□ Single Audit Reporting Statement: If a U.S. state, local government, federally-recognized Indian tribal government, or non-profit organization, statements regarding applicability of and compliance with Single Audit reporting requirements.

□ SF 424 budget form: A complete SF 424A or SF424C Budget Information form

□ Budget justification

□ Federally-funded equipment list: If Federally-funded equipment will be used for the project, a list of that equipment.

□ Indirect cost statement

□ NICRA: When applicable, a copy of the organization’s current Negotiated Indirect

Cost Rate Agreement.

□ SF 424 Assurances form: Signed and dated SF 424D or SF424D Assurances form.

□ SF LLL form: If applicable, completed SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form.

□ Conflict of Interest statement, when applicable.

□ Overlap/Duplication Statement

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

Submission Instructions Applicants may submit applications by mail, email, or through Grants.gov by the stated deadline. The deadline for receipt is November 23, 2017, 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. Applications sent by mail must be postmarked by the deadline. The Service recommends that you submit your application early enough to address any unforeseen technical complications. The Service will not consider applications received electronically or postmarked after the deadline.

Intergovernmental Review: Before submitting an application, U.S. state and local government applicants should visit the following website (http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc/) to determine whether their application is subject to the state intergovernmental review process under Executive Order (E.O.) 12372 “Intergovernmental review of Federal Programs.” E.O.

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

Download the Application Package linked to this Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov to begin the application process. Downloading and saving the Application Package to your computer makes the required government-wide standard forms fillable and printable. Completed applications may be submitted by mail, by email, electronically through Grants.gov, or as otherwise described in the Grants.gov funding opportunity. Please select ONE of the submission options:

To submit an application by mail:

Number all pages of your printed application. Mail one, single-sided, unbound copy (do not staple or otherwise permanently bind pages) of your complete application to the Service program point of contact identified in the Grants.gov funding opportunity.

The required SF 424 Application for Federal Assistance and Assurances forms and any other required standard forms MUST be signed by your organization’s authorized official. The Signature and Date fields on the standard forms downloaded from Grants.gov are pre-populated with the text “Completed by Grants.gov upon submission” or “Completed on submission to Grants.gov”. Remove this text (manually or digitally) before signing the forms.

To submit an application by e-mail:

Format all of your documents to print on Letter size (8 ½” x 11”) paper. Format all pages to display and print page numbers. Scanned documents should be scanned in Letter format, as black and white images only. Where possible, save scanned documents in .pdf format. E-mail your application to the Service program point of contact identified in the Grants.gov funding opportunity.

The required SF 424 Application for Federal Assistance and Assurances forms and any other required standard forms MUST be signed by your organization’s authorized official. The Signature and Date fields on the standard forms downloaded from Grants.gov are pre-populated with the text “Completed by Grants.gov upon submission” or “Completed on submission to Grants.gov”. Remove this text (manually or digitally) before signing the forms.

To submit an application through Grants.gov:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc/)

Go to the Grants.gov “Apply for Grants” page (http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html) for an overview of the process to apply through Grants.gov. You/your organization must complete the Grants.gov registration process before submitting an application through Grants.gov.

Registration can take between three to five business days, or as long as two weeks if all steps are not completed in a timely manner.

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

V. Application Review

To be considered, applicants must submit a complete project proposal by the stated deadline. Project proposals must include all of the required forms and supporting material requested.

The overall objective of the Strategic Plan is to retain and recruit recreational boating and fishing participants while, at the same time, encouraging a conservation ethic and respect for the aquatic resource. Applications will be reviewed and ranked according to the applicant’s abilities to achieve the following five specific Strategic Plan objectives, as well as their ability to contribute non-federal funding to the overall cost of the proposed project. There are a total of 120 points possible per application. The objectives and ranking criteria are as follows:

Criteria 1- Objective #1 - Create a top-of-mind recreational boating and fishing campaign to develop awareness, trial and continued participation. (20 points possible)

Criteria 2- Objective #2 - Educate people as to how and where to boat and fish. (20 points possible)

Criteria 3- Objective #3 - Target market segments and create messages which address each segment’s specific needs. (20 points possible)

Criteria 4- Objective #4 - Educate stakeholders on marketing, outreach and implementation of national strategies to targeted user groups. (20 points possible)

Criteria 5- Objective #5 - Make availability of and access to boating and fishing locations easy and simple. (20 points possible)

Criteria 6 – Project cost share - Does the project include private, state, local or other sources of non-federal funds that reduce the overall federal percentage participation in the project? In-kind contributions are allowed. (20 points)

Review and Selection Process:

Project selection is a four-step process: application acceptance, application ranking, application selection risk, and applicant risk assessment.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

Application acceptance - The Service will accept applications via mail, email, and/or Grants.gov for review any time after publication of the notice and prior to the application deadline. We determine that applications are complete, substantial, and eligible. You may revise and resubmit your application until the identified application deadline.

Application ranking –A National Review Panel of up to eight Service program specialists completes the review, scoring, and ranking of the applications using criteria stated previously.

The Service program specialists will include representatives from different programs and with diverse expertise. After the application ranking, you may be asked to revise the project scope and/or budget.

Application selection - The National Review Panel provides the scores, ranking, and award recommendation to the Service Director.

Prior to participating in any review or evaluation process, all panel members must sign and return to the program office point of contact the “Department of the Interior Conflict of Interest Certification” form. For a copy of this form, contact the Service point of contact identified in the Agency Contacts section below.

Prior to award, the Service reviews the selected applicant’s statement regarding potential overlap or duplication in terms of activities, funding, or time commitment of key personnel and makes a determination regarding Service funding. Depending on the circumstances, modification of the application; modifications of other pending applications; or an active award may be necessary, or the Service might choose to not fund the proposed project.

The Service Director makes the final award selections. Applicants may be requested to revise the project scope and/or budget before an award is made.

Risk Assessment - Each fiscal year, for every entity receiving one or more awards in that fiscal year, the Service conducts a risk assessment based on eight risk categories. The result of this risk assessment is used to establish a monitoring plan for all awards to the entity in that fiscal year. The Service’s risk assessment form is available on the Internet at https://www.fws.gov/grants/pdfs/FWSForm3- 2462Web01-06-17.pdf.

Prior to approving an award with a Federal funding amount that exceeds or is expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold, as adjusted (see 2 CFR 200.88), the Service must review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (currently FAPIIS; https://www.fapiis.gov/fapiis/index.action) to determine if, at a minimum, the information found in the system for the applicant demonstrates a satisfactory record of Federal award performance and integrity and business ethics (see 2 CFR 200.205(a)(2)). The Service must also report to FAPIIS if an applicant subject to this review is found not qualified for a particular award due to its prior record of integrity or performance under Federal awards (see 2 CFR 200.212).

VI. Award Administration https://www.fws.gov/grants/pdfs/FWSForm3-2462Web01-06-17.pdf https://www.fws.gov/grants/pdfs/FWSForm3-2462Web01-06-17.pdf https://www.fws.gov/grants/pdfs/FWSForm3-2462Web01-06-17.pdf https://www.fws.gov/grants/pdfs/FWSForm3-2462Web01-06-17.pdf https://www.fapiis.gov/fapiis/index.action

Award Notices: Successful applicants will receive written notice in the form of a notice of award document. Notices of award are typically sent to recipients by e-mail. If e-mail notification is unsuccessful, the documents will be sent by courier mail. Award recipients are not required to sign or return the Notice of Award document. The notice of award document will include instructions specific to each recipient on how to request payment. If applicable, the instructions will detail any additional information/forms required and where to submit payment requests. Applicants whose projects are not selected for funding will receive written notice, most often by e-mail, within two weeks of the Service’s final project selection decision

We expect to announce the grant selections by the end of January 2018.

Domestic Recipient Payments: Prior to award, the Service program office will contact you/your organization to either enroll in the U.S. Treasury’s Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) system or, if eligible, obtain approval from the Department of the Interior to be waived from using ASAP.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements: Once we have selected a project for funding, compliance with all applicable Federal laws, regulations, and policies, including environmental laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act, the Endangered Species Act, the National Historic Preservation Act, and applicable executive orders must be satisfied before we can approve an award and make funding available.

All financial assistance awards are subject to Federal financial administration requirements. The Service will work with applicants to ensure that all financial arrangements comply with these requirements. The rules that apply to different grant recipients, including 2 CFR 200, are government-wide regulations.

Transmittal of Sensitive Data: Recipients are responsible for ensuring any sensitive data being sent to the Service is protected during its transmission and delivery. The Service strongly recommends that recipients use the most secure transmission and delivery method available. The Service recommends the following digital transmission methods: secure digital faxing; encrypted emails; or emailing a password-protected zipped or compressed file attachment in one email followed by the password in a second email. The Service strongly encourages recipients sending sensitive data in paper copy to use a courier mail service. Recipients may also contact their Service Project Officer and provide any sensitive data over the telephone.

Award Terms and Conditions: Acceptance of a financial assistance award from the Service carries with it the responsibility to be aware of and comply with the terms and conditions applicable to the award. Acceptance is defined as the start of work, drawing down funds, or accepting the award via electronic means. Awards are based on the application approved by the Service and are subject to the terms and conditions incorporated into the notice of award either by direct citation or by reference to the following: Federal regulations; program legislation or regulation; and special award terms and conditions. The Federal regulations applicable to Service awards are available on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/grants/. If you do not have access to http://www.fws.gov/grants/ the Internet and require a full text copy of the award terms and conditions, contact the Service point of contact identified in the Agency Contacts section below.

Recipient Reporting Requirements Financial and Performance Reports:

Final Reports: Recipients are required to submit final financial and performance reports no later than 90 calendar days after the award period of performance end date or termination date, whichever comes first. For awards lasting 12 months or less, the final reports will be the only financial and performance reports required, except in unusual circumstances or if waived.

Interim Reports: For awards that last longer than 12 months, recipients are required to submit interim financial and performance reports no less frequently than annually and no more frequently than quarterly, except in unusual circumstances or if waived. Requiring a higher frequency of reporting than annual reporting will be based on the Service’s assessment of higher or other unusual circumstance.

Quarterly and semiannual interim reports are due within 30 calendar days of the reporting period end date. Annual interim reports are due within 90 calendar days of the reporting period end date.

Recipients must use the Standard Form 425, Federal Financial Report for financial reporting, available on the Internet at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/post-award-reporting-forms.html#sortby=1.

Performance reports must contain: 1) a comparison of actual accomplishments with the goals and objectives of the award as detailed in the approved scope of work; 2) a description of reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate; and 3) any other pertinent information relevant to the project results.

Significant Deviations Reports: Events may occur between the scheduled performance reporting dates that have significant impact upon the supported activity. In such cases, recipients are required to notify the Service in writing as soon as the following types of conditions become known:

• Problems, delays, or adverse conditions that will materially impair the ability to meet the objective of the Federal award. This disclosure must include a statement of any corrective action(s) taken or contemplated, and any assistance needed to resolve the situation; and

• Favorable developments that enable meeting time schedules and objectives sooner or at less cost than anticipated or producing more or different…