FY24 Clean Ports ZE Tech Deployment Sample Proj Narrative.docx

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

2024 Clean Ports Program: Zero-Emission Technology Deployment Competition Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

EPA-R-OAR-CPP-24-04

Project Narrative Sample Format

Instructions: The project narrative should substantially comply with the instructions, format, and content described below. It should also address the evaluation criteria in Section V.A. of the NOFO. The project narrative, including the cover page, workplan, budget table, and budget detail, must not exceed a maximum of 25 single-spaced typewritten pages. Pages in excess of the 25-page limit will not be reviewed. The EPA recommends applicants use the Calibri font, a font size of 11, and 1-inch margins.

Supporting materials, such as project team biographies, Statutory Partnership agreements, and negotiated indirect cost rate agreements can be submitted as attachments and are not included in the 25-page limit. Supporting materials should also be submitted using the Optional Attachments form, as described in Section IV.B. of the NOFO.

Applicants should ensure that their project narratives are written clearly using understandable terms. Doing so will help ensure that the evaluation team members understand the purpose, outputs, and outcomes of the proposed project. Applicants are not required, but are highly encouraged, to use the project narrative format below, including the cover page.

PLEASE DELETE THIS INSTRUCTION PAGE AND INSTRUCTIONS UNDER EACH SECTION FROM YOUR FINAL PROJECT NARRATIVE.

(1) Cover Page:

The cover page should include the following information. Applicants are required to use the Supplemental Application Cover Sheet, located in the Supplemental Application Template (“3. Cover Sheet for App_ZE” tab) on the Clean Ports Program website.

Address (Street, City, State, Zip):

Contact Name, Title/Role, Phone Number, and Email Address:

__ Port authority __ State, regional, or local agency with jurisdiction over a port authority or a port __ Tribal agency with jurisdiction over a port authority or a port __ Air pollution control agency __ Private entity meeting the requirements in Section III.A. [Please indicate your Statutory Partner]: _________

EPA Funding Requested

[As noted in Section II.B. of the NOFO, each Tier A application can request up to $500 million, each Tier B application can request up to $150 million, and each Tier C application can request up to $50 million.]

[If the applicant would like to be considered for partial funding, the applicant should indicate whether the project is scalable, and if so, the minimum amount of funding the applicant would accept, which is at or above the minimum threshold described in Section III.C.]

Name of Port(s) (or other project location and port(s) served):

Name of Port Authority, if applicable:

County, City, State:

Percent of time/activity in each county:

[The applicant should indicate whether the application meets the requirements for a small water port project or dry port project as described in Section I.B. and Section II.B. of the NOFO] __ Small water port __ Dry port

[Project periods can be up to 4 years.]

Please indicate which of the following ZE port equipment and infrastructure types are included in the project:

__ Drayage trucks __ Cargo handling equipment & other nonroad __ Locomotives __ Vessels __ Electric vehicle supply equipment __ Vessel shore power infrastructure __ Hydrogen fueling infrastructure __ Solar or wind power generation __ Battery energy storage system __ Other (please specify)

__ Yes __ No

(2) Workplan:

Applicants should ensure that the workplan addresses the evaluation criteria in Section V.A. of the NOFO. Applicants should use the section and subsection numbers and headings below which correspond with the evaluation criteria in Section V.A. of the NOFO. The workplan should be written clearly using understandable terms.

Section 1 - Project Summary and Approach (42 possible points from Section V.A. of the NOFO) This section should contain a detailed project description of the following information:

a. Overall Project and Proposed Impact (15 possible points) Provide a detailed project summary and description of the proposed activities to be undertaken, consistent with Section I.B. “Program Goals and Objectives” of the NOFO. Include details of every activity for which the applicant is seeking funding. This section should include details about how the activities will meet the program goals to (1) build a foundation for the port(s) to transition to fully ZE operations, positioning the port(s) to serve as a catalyst for transformational change across local freight operations; and (2) reduce mobile source pollution in near-port communities, especially disadvantaged communities.

Applications should primarily only include information in Section 1.a. of their workplan that will not be covered by another section of their workplan. Applicants should include information in the cover page of the project narrative about whether their project is scalable and the minimum amount of funding they would accept. This flexibility may provide a benefit to the applicant in the event that the EPA cannot fund the full project amount.

Applicants should include a summary of the equipment and infrastructure to be purchased and explain how the project serves a port based on the definition in Section I.B. and guidance on ineligible costs in Section III.D. (Note: Further details about the target fleet and infrastructure should be explained under Section 1.e of the workplan). For applicable Build America, Buy America (BABA) requirements (see Section VI.D.), applicants should describe domestic sourcing implementation plans and discuss any anticipated challenges with sourcing any specific products domestically.

Applicants should also explain the merits and viability of the proposed technologies for successful deployment. For each proposed technology, applicants should describe the location of prior deployments, the date and duration of prior deployments, and, to the extent possible, any known details about the extent to which the proposed technology met applicable safety, performance, and durability expectations for successful deployment. Applications including examples of at least three successful prior deployments in regular port-related service may be scored more favorably than those with examples of non-port-related service or examples that only include prior pilot/demonstration phase projects.

Applicants should explain how the proposed technologies will work in concert with each other, with existing and planned future assets, and with supporting investments (e.g., in systems management, workforce training, etc.) to facilitate a transition to fully ZE port operations. Applicants requesting funding for eligible fueling infrastructure costs should also describe the extent to which long-term fueling needs (e.g., for additional ZE equipment) will be considered when installing infrastructure.

b. Partnerships and Collaboration (7 possible points) Applicants should discuss their approach for promoting and/or obtaining collaboration and support from Statutory Partners and/or Collaborating Entities in performing the project. List the organizations that will be involved in the project and what each of the groups’ roles will be in the project’s staffing, funding, design, and implementation.

· Eligible private entities applying with a Statutory Partnership (as defined in Section III.A.) should describe each Statutory Partner’s roles and responsibilities in the project. Eligible private entities must attach a signed copy of the Statutory Partnership Agreement described in Appendix B.

· Applicants applying in coordination with Collaborating Entities (as defined in Section III.A.) should describe for each entity: the type of collaboration/support proposed, how the applicant will ensure that it will materialize during project performance, and what role it will play in the overall project. Any letters demonstrating evidence of collaboration and support from Collaborating Entities may be attached as letters of commitment under optional attachment documents listed in Section IV.B.

· If an applicant includes mandatory cost share contributions from either Statutory Partners or Collaborating Entities, they are strongly encouraged to include in their applicable Statutory Partnership Agreement or letter of commitment a description of the financial contributions being made by the Statutory Partner or Collaborating Entity and the role that the contribution will play in the proposed project.

Under this section, the applicant should explain their plans for making subawards, as necessary and appropriate (see Appendix A) to enhance project effectiveness and/or efficiency. An example of a collaboration or partnership that would be considered under this criterion would be a proposal by an applicant (a single entity) to use Clean Ports funding to make subawards to one or more identified governmental or nonprofit subrecipients that would work collaboratively with the applicant to implement an overarching project. Applicants, not the EPA, will select their subrecipients and the applicant must demonstrate in its proposal and/or agreements and letters of commitment that the project partners are willing to accept the subaward and have the capacity to effectively administer and perform the agreement. Selected applicants who propose to make subawards must follow proper procedures in making subawards and will be expected to make the subawards consistent with their proposal. The EPA’s award will include a term and condition requiring the applicant to make the subawards consistent with their proposal.

IF THE APPLICANT INTENDS TO PROVIDE EPA FUNDS TO ANY COLLABORATING ORGANIZATION, PLEASE CAREFULLY REVIEW PROVISIONS ON “CONTRACTS AND SUBAWARDS.”

If the applicant does not plan on partnering or collaborating with other groups in project performance, the applicant should demonstrate its ability to effectively perform and complete the project without such collaboration.

Applicants are also encouraged to explain any partnerships with utilities and/or other state and local agencies on charging infrastructure development, to ensure that new equipment purchased with EPA funding can be powered during and after the period of performance. This may include, but is not limited to, demonstration of coordination and/or consultation with utilities on project feasibility including (1) charging needs; (2) upgrades needed; (3) costs; (4) rates for future service, and (5) timeframe for necessary upgrades. For applicants’ convenience, the EPA has created a sample template to guide applicants in their discussion with utilities, which is available on the Clean Ports Program website (See Section IV.C.2, Section 9 “Utility Partnership Template”). Applicants are not required to complete this template, or provide the information indicated in the template, but may do so as additional demonstration of robust engagement with their utility.

If applicable, applicants should discuss who or what entities or organization(s) will retain ownership of any vehicles, vessels and/or equipment purchased with funding from this project.

Applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which the application demonstrates that they will work in partnership with appropriate partners to effectively and efficiently implement the proposed project. Applicants that do not plan on partnering with other groups will be evaluated based on the extent to which they demonstrate how they will be able to effectively perform and complete the project without such collaboration.

c. Coordination with Complementary Initiatives (7 possible points) Applicants should describe the extent of any coordination between their project and other programs or larger initiatives to support the proposed project activities or to help achieve the broader program goals of reducing port emissions and transitioning the port(s) to ZE operations. Applicants will be evaluated based on the extent and quality of the coordination with described complementary programs or initiatives (including any expected resources) with respect to supporting the proposed project activities or broader program goals, as well as the likelihood the initiatives will materialize during grant performance. Applicants demonstrating confirmed initiatives (e.g., grants already awarded) will score higher than those with only prospective initiatives (e.g., grant applications under consideration but not awarded).

Examples could include, but are not limited to:

· Connection between the proposed project and the Department of Energy’s Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs Program (H2Hubs) program.

· Connection between the proposed project and the upcoming National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor Strategy.

· Connection between proposed electric infrastructure elements and broader community charging needs, for example, making the charging infrastructure publicly accessible.

· How the project complements projects funded – or projects under consideration for funding – under other programs such as the EPA’s Climate Pollution Reduction Grant Program or the Maritime Administration’s Ports Infrastructure Development Program.

· How the project coordinates with projects at other sites. For example, ports connected by a National Zero-Emission Freight Corridor could coordinate to ensure that sufficient infrastructure exists at both ports to support charging and refueling of anticipated ZE truck trips. Ports could also coordinate on bulk procurement of ZE technologies to drive down prices.

· Use of leveraged resources from state, Tribal, local, and private sources, including businesses or other organizations, to implement the project. Applicants are encouraged to include a description of the anticipated leveraged resources within the applicable attached Partnership Agreements and/or letters of commitment.

d. Project Risk Mitigation (7 possible points) Provide a detailed description of how the applicant will ensure the success of the project. Applicants should also discuss any potential barriers to successful project implementation, and strategies for overcoming those barriers. At a minimum, the application should:

· Identify and discuss key risks that could reasonably lead to delays or interruptions in the project or impact its cost and effectiveness,

· Discuss the extent to which the deployment of purchased ZE technology may be affected by these risks, and

· Identify the strategies that will be used to mitigate each risk and discuss their likely adequacy.

The following are examples of key risk elements relevant to a ZE technology deployment project:

· Technical Risks – including, but not limited to, technology readiness and availability, systems integration, infrastructure, and engineering.

· Financial Risks – including, but not limited to, project finance, market and regulatory structures, commercial business models, and credibility and terms of non-federal cost share sources.

· Security Risks – including, but not limited to, preliminary identification of cybersecurity (hardware, software, data), physical security, and internal and external threats, and response planning.

· Organizational Risks – including project team makeup, project management structure, and similar elements.

· Execution Risks – including potential engineering, schedule, procurement, construction, permitting, safety, interconnection timelines and utility provider capacity, timelines for effective engagement with labor and the surrounding community, availability of qualified personnel, and similar elements.

Applications that sufficiently identify risks and mitigation strategies in their proposal will be scored more favorably. If an applicant does not believe that there are potential risk elements or cannot identify potential strategies to overcome those barriers, they should indicate this in the application and provide a clear justification why their proposal is not likely to be adversely impacted.

e. Applicant Fleet and Infrastructure Description (6 possible points) Applicants should use the “Other Attachments” form in Grants.gov to upload an .xlsx file of their applicant fleet and infrastructure description (does NOT count towards the 25-page limit). The purpose of the applicant fleet and infrastructure description is to describe in detail the specific vehicles, equipment, vessels and supporting infrastructure to be purchased. Applicants are required to use the fleet and/or infrastructure description found in the Supplemental Application Template (“4a. New Fleet Description” tab and “5. Infrastructure” tab) on the Clean Ports Program website.

For the fleet description, applicants should describe, to the extent possible, the specific ZE mobile source equipment proposed for funding, including: equipment type (e.g., onroad); vehicle or equipment sub-type (e.g., short haul combination); vocation (e.g., drayage); technology type (e.g., battery electric); equipment owner; place of performance; vehicle class (onroad vehicles only); vehicle GVWR (onroad vehicles only); vehicle or equipment manufacturer; vehicle or equipment model; vehicle or equipment model year; vehicle or equipment total battery capacity (kWh; if applicable); and fuel cell capacity (kW; if applicable).

For electric vehicle supply equipment and other electric charging equipment (other than vessel shore power), applicants should describe, to the extent possible: the type of charger (e.g., Level 2) and whether it is ENERGY STAR certified (applicants planning to use Direct Current (DC) fast charger infrastructure are encouraged, but not required, to use EPA ENERGY STAR certified DC fast chargers where applicable); the manufacturer and model; the maximum power output (kW); the number of charging units; the project location; the port(s) served by the charger; and whether the charger and associated equipment, housing and all accessories are BABA compliant.

For shore power equipment, applicants should describe, to the extent possible: the type of shore power connection (e.g., high voltage shore power connection); the total voltage service provided; the manufacturer and model; the estimated number of vessel calls to berth where the shore power will be installed; the estimated average hotel hours per vessel call; the estimated number of vessel berths that can be served by the shore power pedestal; the maximum power output (kW); the estimated annual total energy provided (MWh); the number of shore power pedestals; the project location; and whether the equipment, housing, and all accessories are BABA compliant.

For hydrogen fueling stations, applicants should describe, to the extent possible: the type of station (e.g., liquid); the type of hydrogen storage (e.g., above ground); the total hydrogen storage tank(s) capacity; the manufacturer and model of the dispenser pedestal, hydrogen storage tank, hydrogen compressor, and hydrogen cooling system; the project location; the port(s) served by the fueling station; and whether the fueling station and related equipment, housing, and all accessories are BABA compliant. Applicants are encouraged to use hydrogen with low lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions (e.g., electrolytic green hydrogen) and to describe, if known, their planned source of hydrogen.

For solar and wind power generation systems, applicants should describe, to the extent possible: the type of energy generation (e.g., solar); the manufacturer and model of the power generation system; the generation capacity of the power system; the project location; the port(s) served by the power generation system; and whether the power generation system and related equipment, housing, and all accessories are BABA compliant.

For battery energy storage systems, applicants should describe, to the extent possible: the type of battery; the manufacturer and model name; the total energy capacity (kWh or MWh); the maximum continuous discharge AC power (kW); the maximum continuous discharge DC power (kW); the number of units; the project location; the port(s) served by the battery energy storage system; and whether the battery energy storage system and related equipment, housing, and all accessories are BABA compliant.

Applicants will be scored on the quality, completeness, and detail of the information provided.

Section 2 - Environmental Results—Outcomes, Outputs and Performance Measures (25 possible points from Section V.A. of the NOFO)

a. Expected Project Outputs and Outcomes (5 possible points) Identify the expected quantitative and qualitative outcomes and outputs of the project as defined in Section I.C.2. and 3. of the NOFO. 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 the following. However, the EPA will not penalize or withhold a benefit from an applicant who provides information in another format.

Example of Outputs and Outcomes Table: ZE Technology Deployment Anticipated Outputs and Outcomes

Net reductions in gallons of diesel fuel used annually or over the lifetime of the drayage trucks.

Number of existing drayage trucks (with internal combustion engines) scrapped

Number and type of infrastructure systems installed

Capacity (kW) of charging systems installed

Number and type of community engagement activities undertaken

b. Performance Measures and Plan (5 possible points) Applicants should describe the proposed performance measures, which will be the mechanism to track, measure, and report progress towards achieving the expected outputs and outcomes. Applicants should describe their plan for tracking and measuring progress toward achieving the expected project outputs and outcomes and how the results of the project will be evaluated, as described in Section I.C. of the NOFO and Section 2.a. of the workplan.

These performance measures will help gather insights and will be the mechanism to track progress concerning successful processes and output and outcome strategies and will provide the basis for developing lessons to inform future recipients. It is expected that the description of performance measures will directly relate to the project outcomes and outputs (see Section I.C.), including, but not limited to:

· Overseeing subrecipients, and/or contractors and vendors;

· Tracking and reporting project progress on expenditures and purchases; and

· Tracking, measuring, and reporting accomplishments and proposed timelines/milestones.

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

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

· 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?

· What are the expected locations (county) of the outputs and outcomes?

c. Timeline and Milestones (5 possible points) The applicant should include a detailed timeline for the project including milestones for specific tasks such as bidding, procurement, installation, and reports, along with estimated start and completion dates. Applicants should also include a timeline for when funded equipment and infrastructure will become operational. Applicants should include scheduled time for semi-annual and final report preparation in the project timeline.

d. Scrappage (10 possible points) Applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which they plan to scrap existing equipment. Applicants that scrap one equivalent vehicle/piece of equipment for every ZE vehicle/piece of equipment purchased are eligible to receive full points. Partial points may be awarded under this criterion for applicants that plan to scrap less than one vehicle/piece of equipment for every new ZE vehicle/piece of equipment (i.e., partial scrappage). Applicants with projects dedicated to shore power infrastructure (i.e., projects that do not include the purchase of mobile equipment) will receive a neutral score, which is half of the total points available for this sub-criterion.

Applicants committing to voluntary scrappage should provide, to the extent possible, details on the existing equipment that they plan to scrap, including vehicle class and GVWR (onroad vehicles only), manufacturer, model, model year, and remaining life. Applicants are encouraged to use the sample format for scrappage information found in the Supplemental Application Template (“4b. Scrappage Information” tab) on the Clean Ports Program website.

Applicants will also be evaluated on the quality of their plans to scrap the existing equipment and should describe any plans for voluntary scrappage of existing internal combustion engine equipment that will occur. Applicants should provide, to the extent possible, details related to requirements for the ownership, usage, and remaining life, of the equipment, as described in Appendix C.

Section 3 - Programmatic Capability and Past Performance (15 possible points from Section V.A. of the NOFO)

a. Past Performance and Reporting Requirements (10 possible points) Submit a list of up to five federally funded and/or non-federally funded assistance agreements that the applicant is performing or has performed within the last three years. Assistance agreements include grants and cooperative agreements but not contracts. These assistance agreements should be awarded directly to the applicant. For each of the agreements, include:

· Project title

· Assistance agreement number

· Federal funding agency and assistance listing number (formally known as the CFDA number)

· Brief description of the agreement – no more than two sentences

For each listed agreement, explain whether and, if applicable, how the applicant was able to successfully manage and complete the work.

For each listed agreement the applicant should also describe their history of meeting the reporting requirements under the agreement(s). This should include:

· Whether the applicant submitted acceptable final reports under those agreements;

· The extent to which the applicant adequately and timely reported on its progress towards achieving the expected outputs and outcomes under those agreements; and

· If progress was not being made, whether the applicant adequately reported why not.

Note: In evaluating applicants under the past performance factors in Section V.A. of the NOFO, the 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 the applicant does not have any relevant or available past performance or past reporting information, the applicant should indicate this in the application and will receive a neutral score for these factors, which is half of the total points available for this sub-criterion in Section V.A. of the NOFO. If the applicant does not provide any response for these items, or if submitted information is found to be inaccurate, a score of 0 for these factors may be received.

b. Staff Expertise (5 possible points) Include information on the applicant’s organization, including a description of staff knowledge, expertise, qualifications, and resources and/or the ability to obtain them, to successfully achieve project goals. Biographical sketches, including resumes or curriculum vitae for key staff, managers, and any other key personnel can be included as an optional project team biography attachment, as listed in Section IV.B. of the NOFO. The optional attachment does not count towards the 25-page limit of the project narrative.

Section 4 – Environmental Justice and Disadvantaged Communities (23 possible points from Section V.A. of the NOFO)

To advance environmental justice through this program, applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which project benefits are taking place in disadvantaged communities and the extent to which applicants or their project partners have participated in or will participate in meaningful community engagement.

For purposes of this competition and the evaluation of applications, “disadvantaged communities” are defined as meeting both of the following criteria:

1. Any county that includes at least one of the following:

A. Any census tract that is identified as disadvantaged in the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) version 1.0;

B. Any census block group that is at or above the 90th percentile for any of EJScreen’s Supplemental Indexes when compared to the nation or state; and/or C. Any geographic area within Tribal lands as included in EJScreen.

AND

2. Any county that meets at least one of the following:

A. Contains at least one designated nonattainment area or maintenance area for any of the following National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Data is sourced from the EPA's Green Book of Nonattainment Areas for Criteria Pollutants:

a. PM2.5 1997 Standard (Annual: 15 μg/m3, 24-hour: 65 μg/m3)

b. PM2.5 2006 Standard (Annual: 15 μg/m3, 24-hour: 35 μg/m3)

c. PM2.5 2012 Standard (Annual: 12 μg/m3, 24-hour: 35 μg/m3)

d. Ozone (O3) 2008 Standard (8-hour: 0.075ppm)

e. Ozone (O3) 2015 Standard (8-hour: 0.070ppm); and/or B. Contains at least one census tract where the modeled ambient diesel PM concentration from the 2019 Air Toxics Screening Assessment is above the 80th percentile (0.38 μg/m3 for 2019) for census tracts nationwide. The 80th percentile is a programmatic cutoff designed to help evaluate those areas that are most likely to have higher concentrations of diesel PM in the year of analysis (i.e., the year for which data are available); this level was not chosen based on risk or other health-based criteria or thresholds. AirToxScreen is a screening tool and there are limitations and uncertainties associated with it; see: AirToxScreen Limitations.

Counties that qualify in whole or in part as disadvantaged communities under one or more of the criteria listed above are identified on the EPA’s Clean Ports Program Disadvantaged Community County List, found on the Clean Ports Program website. This list also identifies whether counties qualify as extreme or severe nonattainment areas. For evaluation criteria 4.a. and 4.b., applicants should demonstrate the extent to which the project takes place in a disadvantaged community by providing the following Port Location Information for each project site:

· Facility Name. If Site is not a port, please indicate port(s) served.

· City, State, Zip Code

· County

· Description of project activity

· Share of project activity

· Does county contain PM2.5 or Ozone nonattainment area? (Y/N) If so, does it contain a severe or extreme nonattainment area? (Y/N)

· Does county contain PM2.5 or Ozone maintenance area? (Y/N)

· Does county contain high ambient diesel PM concentration? (Y/N)

Applicants are required to provide this information using the Supplemental Application Cover Sheet, located in the Supplemental Application Template (“3. Cover Sheet for App_ZE” tab) on the Clean Ports Program website. This template will automatically identify whether the project is located in a disadvantaged community based on the county provided and the criteria above.

a. Disadvantaged Communities: Nonattainment Areas (7 possible points) Applicants should describe the extent to which projects are located in counties that meet the disadvantaged communities definition based on meeting the criterion that they contain ozone or PM2.5 nonattainment or maintenance areas. Applicants should also describe the extent to which projects are located in severe or extreme nonattainment areas. Information for this part of the workplan must be provided using the Supplemental Application Cover Sheet, located in the Supplemental Application Template (“3. Cover Sheet for App_ZE” tab) on the Clean Ports Program website. Note that a list of counties that meet these criteria can be found on the Clean Ports Program website.

Projects that take place in counties that contain severe or extreme nonattainment areas will receive more points than projects that do not. If projects will take place in more than one county, applicants should describe the percentage of the project activity that will occur in counties containing nonattainment areas or maintenance areas. Partial points may be awarded under this criterion based on the percentage of time that the project takes place in one of these counties.

b. Disadvantaged Communities: Areas with Air Toxics Concerns (5 possible points) Applicants should describe the extent to which projects are located in counties that meet the disadvantaged communities definition based on meeting the criterion that they contain areas with air toxics concerns. Information for this part of the workplan must be provided using the Supplemental Application Cover Sheet, located in the Supplemental Application Template (“3. Cover Sheet for App_ZE” tab) on the Clean Ports Program website. Note that a list of counties that meet these criteria can be found on the Clean Ports Program website.

If projects will take place in more than one county, applicants should describe the percentage of the project activity that will occur in counties containing air toxics concerns. Partial points may be awarded under this criterion based on the percentage of time that the project takes place in one of these counties.

c. Community Engagement Prior to Application and During Project (7 possible points) This section should include details about how the activities will meet the program goal to help ensure that meaningful community engagement is a standard practice at the port(s). Applicants should describe the quality and extent of meaningful engagement with near-port communities, particularly disadvantaged communities. Meaningful engagement means seeking out and facilitating the involvement of people potentially affected by the project; informing them about the project; educating them about the benefits of the project to the surrounding community; giving them an opportunity to participate in the project, contribute, and provide feedback; and enabling them to influence decisions about future projects that may affect their environment and/or health. Meaningful engagement is a process, not a single event.

Community engagement can include engagement prior to application, in which input was sought and the proposed project is responsive to comments and concerns of near-port communities. Examples of community engagement prior to application include, but are not limited to:

· Results from a community engagement process with local residents to discuss port operations and community concerns and interests related to ZE technology deployment, such as a charrette, focus group, key person interview, public hearing, and/or survey.

· Any efforts prior to the application to build community consensus around the proposed project, meet the interests of port stakeholders, and/or identify community priorities and benefits related to the project.

See additional examples below under community engagement during the project and in criterion d. Long-term Community Engagement.

Applicants may explain any hurdles that prevented the applicant from engaging with the public.

Community engagement can also include plans to meaningfully engage with near-port communities, especially disadvantaged communities, during the execution of the proposed project.

Examples of community engagement during the project include, but are not limited to:

· A communications plan that presents a process for disseminating information to the community

· Forums to understand how the community sees potential benefits of the project and how they can engage (e.g., health benefits, new employment opportunities)

· Tabling events, briefings, workshops, forums, and other outreach to present the planned project for early input and to share results

· A hotline or text updates

· A clear point of contact for the public, communicated via regular newsletters, social media posts, and other outreach conveying project updates

· Hiring community members as staff or consultants, to contribute their expertise throughout the project period

· Site visits to share updates and to provide opportunities for community members to interact with port staff

· Honoraria to incentivize community members to participate in program activities, and mitigation stipends to cover expenses like childcare, transportation, or internet access

Applicants will score higher if they can describe how they have engaged with the community prior to application, as well as how they will engage with the community during the project.

Applicants that provide specific details on the process as well as time and resource commitments will score higher than just providing letters of support. Applicants should consult the Environmental Justice Primer for Ports and the Ports Primer for Communities as resources for conducting meaningful community engagement.

d. Long-Term Community Engagement (4 possible points) This section should include details about how project activities will meet the program goal to help ensure that meaningful community engagement is a standard practice at the port(s). Applicants should either (1) describe an established long-term policy or process for meaningful community engagement (as defined in Section 4.c. of the workplan), particularly with disadvantaged communities, to get community input on port operations and projects that impact air quality and address community concerns or, if they do not have such a policy or process in place, (2) describe their plans to establish such a policy or process before the end of the project period. Examples of long-term community engagement include, but are not limited to:

· A community engagement liaison or equity program director who is responsible for assisting port staff with their long-term community engagement

· A community advisory committee or other standing forum for two-way engagement that includes representation from local residents and/or local community groups

· A clear point of contact in a public forum (e.g., hotline, website) for community issues, feedback, and complaints

· A community benefits agreement/commitment (other than those specific to workforce development described in Section 6 of the workplan)

· A budget to support community engagement training for staff

Section 5 – Project Sustainability (10 possible points from Section V.A. of the NOFO) This section should include details about how the activities will meet the program goal to help ensure that emissions reduction planning is a standard practice at the port(s). Applicants should describe the ability of the applicant and project partners to promote and continue efforts to reduce emissions from ports after EPA funding for this project has ended through the development of a mobile source inventory and/or plan to reduce mobile emissions as described below:

a. Baseline port mobile source inventory for greenhouse gases, PM2.5 and/or NOx (5 possible points) The application should describe the publicly available baseline port mobile source emissions inventory for greenhouse gases, PM2.5 and/or NOx that the applicant or project partners completed after 2019 or commit to completing one before the end of the project period and describe their plan for doing so.

b. Plan to reduce port mobile source emissions (5 possible points) The application should describe the publicly available plan to reduce port mobile source emissions that includes specific greenhouse gases, PM2.5 and/or NOx emission targets that the applicant or project partners finalized after 2019 or commit to completing one before the end of the project period and describe their plan for doing so.

Section 6 – Job Quality and Equitable Workforce Development (10 possible points from Section V.A. of the NOFO)

Section 133 of CAA will generate jobs at ports and in communities surrounding ports (including low-income and disadvantaged communities) for the installation and maintenance of human-operated equipment and technology, as well as new and modified port operations. To ensure these workers can effectively carry out the activities in the statute, and in alignment with Executive Order 14082: Implementation of the Energy and Infrastructure Provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the EPA is committed to supporting the creation of high-quality, family-sustaining jobs in port communities, as applicable to fulfill the goals of the statute. Accordingly, applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which they commit to supporting high-quality jobs and expanding access to training and employment for people in low-income and disadvantaged near-port communities.

In addition to their own job quality commitments, applicants should describe the extent to which they anticipate needing partners, such as contractors and subcontractors, to deliver the project and how they plan to encourage those partners to support high-quality jobs and equitable workforce pathways on the project. If an applicant does not yet know all of their project partners, they may include information about how the following components will be addressed in their bidding process. Note that workforce development related to the project activities is an eligible use of program funds, and applicants may request funding to be used to support workforce training as well as safety planning and protocol development as part of their proposal.

a. Supporting high quality jobs (6 possible points) Applications will be evaluated on the extent to which the project will support high-quality jobs for workers on the project and a workforce that can deliver on the goals of the statute. Applicants are encouraged to review the eight Good Jobs Principles and Good Jobs Toolkit developed by the U.S. Department of Labor and Department of Commerce when developing their application. Examples of how applicants can demonstrate how they will support high-quality jobs include, but are not limited to:

· Training workers on new equipment/infrastructure: The extent to which applicants and/or their project partners have a robust plan for developing the necessary skilled workforce to install, operate, and maintain the proposed equipment/infrastructure. This could involve partnerships with equipment manufacturers, utilization of Registered Apprenticeship Programs, Joint Labor-Management Training Programs, partnerships with community colleges or technical schools, and other high-quality training models. Applicants should be specific and include details such as the workers that will be impacted, skills they will focus on, the number of hours of training, training partners, and other pertinent details.

· Worker safety: Applicants’ plan to keep workers safe on this project, including how workers will be prepared to operate the equipment safely. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate how workers and/or their representatives will be involved in developing and overseeing safety/health plans. Examples of information applicants may provide includes, but is not limited to, how workers will be trained on high-voltage equipment and other topics related to the equipment/infrastructure; describing how safety protocols will be updated considering new equipment/infrastructure; and new personal protective equipment that will be needed.

· Worker and labor engagement: The extent to which, consistent with the law, the applicant will engage with workers and/or their representatives on implementing the project successfully and in a timely manner.1 Examples of how this can be demonstrated include, but are not limited to:

· Creating work groups, surveys, or other mechanisms for formally soliciting, accepting, and incorporating worker feedback on the project;

· Partnering with a labor union on the proposed project;

· Describing the extent to which workers on the project are or will be represented by a collective bargaining agreement or other agreement that promotes positive labor-management relations.

Federal funds awarded under this program may not be used to support or oppose union organizing, whether directly or as an offset for other funds.

· Pay and benefits: Competitive pay and benefits that support a high-quality, well-qualified workforce that can carry out the activities in the statute.

· Describe whether individuals employed to operate equipment and maintain technology will be paid at least the local prevailing wage for that occupation, and how those wages will be determined. Applicants may also include a description of additional benefits, such as retirement contributions, predictable schedules and paid time off, protections from harassment and discrimination, supportive services for workers with barriers to employment, and other characteristics of a high-quality job.

b. Expanding access to high-quality jobs, including for people in low-income and disadvantaged near-port communities (4 possible points) Applications will be evaluated on how their project demonstrates engagement with low-income and disadvantaged near-port communities that may be affected by the investment, including through training and job opportunities. Applicants should describe the extent to which the proposed project will expand participation from workers in near-port communities. This can include the leveraging of other resources outside of this grant. Examples of such strategies may include, but are not limited to:

· Benchmarks and goals to train and/or hire individuals from low-income and disadvantaged communities, in alignment with applicable law;

· Creating mentorship programs for apprentices or new hires that come from low-income and disadvantaged communities to promote retention and advancement;

· Partnering with the local public workforce system or community-based organizations to support recruitment, hiring, and retention of workers

Applicants may attach any letters of commitment from applicable labor and workforce development organizations they plan to collaborate with as optional attachments (does not contribute to the workplan 25-page limit).

Section 7 – Project Resilience to Climate Impacts (5 possible points from Section V.A. of the NOFO)

Applicants should identify specifically how grant-funded technologies (equipment, vehicles, infrastructure, etc.) will be protected from extreme weather and other climate-related events. The EPA will evaluate applications based on the quality and extent to which the project assesses and implements adaptation considerations described below to help ensure that the project achieves its expected outcomes even as the climate changes.

Adapting to climate change involves actions by individuals, businesses, governments, and others to build resilience into human and natural systems and reduce their vulnerability to unavoidable climate impacts. Adaptation should reduce the long-term costs of responding to these impacts. Projects can demonstrate consideration of climate change adaptation through measures taken to anticipate, prepare for, and avoid adverse impacts of climate change. For example, assessing project vulnerability to climate impacts can be incorporated into project planning, design, and project oversight, such as siting decisions and operational plans. Measures taken to avoid damages could include ensuring fleets and equipment are protected from impacts such as flooding, sea level rise, wildfire, heat, and drought, and protecting infrastructure from storm damage. In the port setting, such measures may include elevating areas where equipment will be stored or charged above tidal surge level, housing equipment inside structures resistant to wind and wave action, and using stormwater channeling techniques to reroute flows away from equipment.

Section 8 – Budget (20 possible points from Section V.A.