glfmsp rfa final 4 8 15.pdf

U.S. EPA GREAT LAKES NATIONAL PROGRAM OFFICE

Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program

2015 Request for Applications

Federal Agency Name: Environmental Protection Agency Funding Opportunity Title: Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Request for Applications Announcement Type: Request for Applications Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-R5-GL2015-1 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66.469

INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

This Request for Applications (RFA) solicits applications from eligible entities for a cooperative agreement to be awarded pursuant to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Action Plan II (http://glri.us/actionplan/pdfs/glri-action-plan-2.pdf). Applications are requested for a project to complete chemical analysis in support of the Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program. This RFA is the first Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (“GLRI” or “Initiative) for

FY2015.

Funding/Awards: Approximately $6.5 million may be awarded as a cooperative agreement under this RFA, contingent upon funding availability, the quality of applications received and other applicable considerations. However, EPA expressly reserves the right to make no awards under this RFA. Proposed projects must be limited to the specified project duration. Awards may be fully or incrementally funded. All incrementally funded awards will be subject to the availability of funding, future appropriations, satisfactory performance of work, and other applicable considerations.

Authorization for GLRI funding is contained in applicable appropriations acts, including the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, Public Law 113-235. EPA has authority to award grants and cooperative agreements for planning, research, monitoring, outreach and implementation projects in furtherance of the GLRI and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Nonfederal governmental entities, including state agencies, interstate agencies, federally-recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations, and local governments as defined in 2 CFR 200 and or 2 CFR 1500; institutions of higher learning (i.e., colleges and universities); and non-profit organizations are eligible to apply for funding under this RFA.

Individuals, foreign organizations and governments, nonprofit organizations exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying, and “for-profit” organizations are not eligible.

Important Dates:

April 17, 2015 - Applications must be received by EPA via Grants.gov (the preferred method), mail, overnight delivery, hand delivery, or courier service by 5:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time / 6:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. See Section IV for further submission information.

May 2015 – EPA will notify finalist.

June 2015 – EPA will make official award.

Other Application Information: For your convenience, an RFA web page has been created at http://www2.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-fish-monitoring-and-surveillance-program-rfa where you will find information relating to the RFA process as well as a link to frequently asked questions (FAQs). We encourage all applicants to sign up for our mailing list and register with us at http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/maillist. Further submittal information is described in Section IV.

U.S. EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Request for Applications: EPA-R5-GL2015-1

CONTENTS

I. Application Information

II. Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

IV. Application and Submission Information

V. Application Review and Selection Process, including Criteria

VI. Award Administration

VII. Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information

Appendix I – Grants.gov instructions ........................................................................................... I-1

Appendix II – Budget Sample......................................................................................................II-1

U.S. EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Request for Applications: EPA-R5-GL2015-1

I. APPLICATION INFORMATION

Background, Authority, and Funded Activities:

The President, Congress, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in conjunction with other federal departments and agencies, have made restoring the Great Lakes a national priority. The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (“GLRI” or “Initiative”) builds on the prior efforts of federal, state, and local agencies; Indian tribes; businesses; public interest groups;

interested citizens; and others to develop a collaborative and comprehensive approach to restoring the Great Lakes. Information about the Initiative can be found at http://glri.us/.

This RFA is expected to result in the award of a cooperative agreement to help implement the GLRI. Cooperative agreements are assistance agreements in which EPA expects to have substantial involvement in completing the project. Authorization for GLRI funding is contained in applicable appropriations acts, including the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, Public Law 113-235.

EPA has authority to award grants and cooperative agreements for planning, research, monitoring, outreach and implementation projects in furtherance of the GLRI and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA). (The statutory authority to take action to implement the U.S. responsibilities under GLWQA is contained in Section 118(c) of the Clean Water Act. The principal goal of GLWQA is the restoration and maintenance of the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Great Lakes ecosystem.) Funded activities must advance protection and restoration of the Great Lakes ecosystem in support of: (i) the GLRI Action Plan (see http://glri.us/actionplan/pdfs/glri-action-plan-2.pdf) and (ii) EPA’s Strategic Plan.1 For projects with international aspects, the above statutes are supplemented, as appropriate, by the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 102(2)(F).

This RFA solicits applications from eligible entities for a cooperative agreement to be awarded pursuant to the statutory authorities referenced above and the GLRI Action Plan. Up to $6.5 million, approximately $1.3 million per year, may be awarded under this RFA for 1 project contingent on the quality of applications received, funding availability and other applicable considerations.

All projects will be evaluated as described in Section V, which also highlights factors that may result in more favorable evaluations, including:

1 See EPA’s Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2014-2018; Goal 2: Protecting Americas Waters; Objective 2: Protect and Restore Watersheds and Aquatic Ecosystems (Protect, restore, and sustain the quality of rivers, lakes, streams, streams, and wetlands on a watershed basis, and sustainably manage and protect coastal and ocean resources and ecosystems). The Plan is available at: http://www2.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan .

Ability to conduct ultra-trace analysis of organic contaminants in aquatic biota; and

A plan to widely circulate results and information to the Great Lakes community.

Minority Academic Institutions:

All eligible applicants, as defined in Section III, including Minority Academic Institutions (MAIs) as described below, are strongly encouraged to apply for funding under this competition. For purposes of this solicitation, the following are considered MAIs:

1. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as defined by the Higher Education Act (20

U.S.C. Sec. 1061). A list of these schools can be found at:

http://www.ed.gov/edblogs/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/;

2. Tribal Colleges and Universities, as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec.

1059(c)). A list of these schools can be found at:

http://www.ed.gov/edblogs/whiaiane/tribes-tcus/tribal-colleges-and-universities/;

3. Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C.

Sec.1101a(a)(5). There is no list of HSIs. HSIs are institutions of higher education that, at the time of application submittal, have an enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students that is at least 25% Hispanic students at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application for this grant; and

4. Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act [20 U.S.C. Sec. 1059g(a)(2)]. There is no list of AANAPISIs. AANAPISIs are institutions of higher education that, at the time of application submittal, have an enrollment of undergraduate students that is not less than 10 % students who are Asian American or Native American Pacific Islander.

Subawardees and/or Contractors:

If you name subawardees/ subgrantees and/or contractor(s), including individual consultants, in your application as partners to assist you with the proposed project, pay careful attention to the information in Section III regarding "Coalitions" and to the “Contracts and Subawards” provisions at: http://www.epa.gov/ogd/competition/solicitation_provisions.htm (incorporated by reference in Section IV.J).

RFA Terms:

For purposes of this RFA:

1. The term “output” means an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to an environmental goal and objective that will be produced or provided over a period of time or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative, but must be measurable over the term of the cooperative agreement funding period. An output for a contaminant monitoring and surveillance project would be, e.g., the number of new compounds for which an analytical method has been developed, the number of compounds detected, or the establishment of a trend.

2. The term “outcome” means the result, effect or consequence that will be achieved by carrying out an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature, must be quantitative, and may not necessarily be achievable within a cooperative agreement funding period. As an example, an outcome for a contaminant monitoring and surveillance project would be the incorporation of chemical monitoring and surveillance information into actions that will protect human health and the environment.

Funding Opportunity for the Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program:

General Background: While levels of certain persistent toxic chemicals (e.g., polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)) have been significantly reduced in the Great Lakes ecosystem over the past 30 years, these chemicals continue to be present at levels above those considered safe for humans, warranting fish consumption advisories in all five Great Lakes and their connecting channels. New (or emerging) persistent toxic chemicals (e.g., flame retardants) are also being found in the Great Lakes ecosystem that may present a threat to human health and the environment.

The Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program (GLFMSP) is one of a few long-term contaminant monitoring programs in the Great Lakes. Collectively, these programs address the science and monitoring responsibilities of the United States and Canada to identify and assess the spatial and temporal trends in the atmosphere, aquatic biota, wildlife, water and sediments.

The Great Lakes Fish Monitoring Program (GLFMP began in 1970 as a cooperative effort by EPA, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (no longer participating), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (now the Biological Resources Division of U.S. Geological Survey – no longer participating) and the eight Great Lakes States to monitor and better define the fish contaminant problem in the Great Lakes. The GLFMP has, since its inception, served as a model for interagency cooperation, coordination with other U.S. monitoring and surveillance programs, and coordination with Environment Canada (EC). In 2007, following a peer review, the GLFMP became the Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program (GLFMSP) to reflect the shift in program priority from fillet analysis to emerging chemical surveillance.

The GLFMSP program consists of two core elements: 1) to monitor legacy and “emerged” contaminants at set locations in each of the Great Lakes (Table 1) and; 1a) to conduct surveillance of emerging chemicals Tables 2a & b) in whole predator fish at the set GLFMSP sampling locations. Special studies can also be conducted as part of the GLFMSP and can aid and or augment the interpretation of information generated by the core elements of the program.

Applications submitted in response to this RFA must address both core elements to be considered eligible.

Element 1, the Open Lakes Trend Monitoring Program for whole fish, is directed at monitoring contaminant trends in the open water of the Great Lakes and evaluating the impacts of contaminants on the fishery. The program provides for collection and analysis of whole-fish composites of:

lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in the size range from 600 mm to 700 mm from Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, the eastern basin of Lake Erie, and Lake Superior and walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) in the size range of 400 mm to 500 mm from the western basin of Lake Erie.

Composites of each species, consisting of five whole individual fish, are analyzed for contaminants to assess temporal trends in organic contaminants in the open waters of the Great Lakes, using fish as biomonitors (Table 1). These data can also be used to assess the risks of such contaminants on the health of this important fishery, and on the wildlife that consume them.

Element 1A, the Emerging Chemical Surveillance Program, screens fish tissue for emerging chemicals according to their persistent, biocumulative, and/ or toxic chemical properties. This program utilizes samples collected for Element 1 and mega-composites from each lake (representing all samples from a given lake). These data can be used to determine the presence of a contaminant of interest in top predator fish, help to identify and guide state and federal monitoring programs in the development of their analyte lists and priority setting, and improving the Element 1 component of the program by allowing the incorporation of contaminants of concern to be added to the routine analyte list. Additionally, identification of a chemical of interest through Element 1A may result in the PI’s access to the GLFMSP historical archive of tissue for a retrospective analysis. The archive contains both whole fish and sport fish fillet samples.

Information generated by the GLFMSP is used by the Great Lakes scientific community and other monitoring and surveillance programs to corroborate results and generate collaborative monitoring and surveillance. In addition, the agencies responsible for issuing health advice associated with fish consumption rely on information generated by the GLFMSP to aid in the prioritization of their limited funds, with particular emphasis on emerging contaminant surveillance. It is expected that the recipient of this cooperative agreement, if awarded, will cooperate and participate in discussions with state and tribal health agencies regarding chemical contaminant surveillance and prioritization.

The Environment Canada National Fish Contaminant Monitoring and Surveillance Program is a critical partner to EPA’s GLFMSP. Both programs support activities identified in the 2012 GLWQA, report jointly through the State of the Lakes Ecosystem Conference Reports and the International Joint Commission, and will be collecting and reporting at two joint locations for the first time under the 2012 GLWQA. For this reason, any data generated pursuant to this cooperative agreement, if awarded, will be provided to EPA and to EC according to the data release policy located at http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/monitoring/fish/links.html.

Special studies conducted as part of the GLFMSP are directed at properly gauging the efforts of remediation and reduction efforts in the Great Lakes. These special studies will support, enhance, and inform the GLFMSP core elements. Examples of the types of special studies that may be proposed include:

Stable isotope analysis to identify changes over time in food web structure;

Analysis of chemicals in additional species, such as forage fish. Samples will be provided by EPA;

Analysis of EPA-provided archived tissue for emerging contaminants to identify and confirm trends;

Comparison of individual and composite analyses. Samples will be provided by EPA;

Analysis of chemicals in fish from additional sites. Samples will be provided by EPA;

Gut content analysis;

Bioaccumulation and biomagnifications studies for emerging chemicals;

Omega 3 Fatty Acid analysis;

Selenium analysis;

Bioaffects; and Participation in Coordinated Science and Monitoring Initiative

(http://epa.gov/research/scievents/lakesci11/activities.htm).

Additional samples necessary to complete work through the special studies component of the GLFMSP may not be included as part of the GLFMSP sampling agreements and may be the responsibility of the Principal Investigator (PI). The GLFMSP manager will make every attempt to acquire the necessary additional samples, but this cannot be guaranteed.

Additional Information to Assist with Comparability and Continuity:

Applicants are encouraged to use sampling and analytical methods that are comparable to the analytical methods and sampling methods previously used by the GLFMSP (http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/glindicators/fishtoxics/fishc.html) to ensure comparability and continuity in data sets; however, development and optimization of methods are also encouraged.

Method development by the Principal Investigator (PI) may be necessary as the analyte list is modified. Existing methods should be used when possible. The annual number of GLFMSP composites to be analyzed is between 50 and 60 (Table 1), plus any necessary additional quality assurance samples, including spikes, duplicates and other typical quality assurance samples. An additional 10 to 20 samples per year may also be necessary for comparison studies between EC, or other partnering labs, for cross-comparison across the basin. Prior to the receipt or analysis of any environmental samples, the award recipient will need to demonstrate comparability with existing data sets collected under this program through the analysis of a minimum of 10 check samples. These data will be received and evaluated by the EPA Project Officer prior to analysis of actual environmental samples. At the discretion of the EPA Project Officer, the PI may need to conduct a pre-award performance evaluation through the analysis of a standard reference sample to be provided by the EPA Project Officer. Potential PIs are recommended and encouraged to provide suggestions for changes and/or improvements to the GLFMSP collections; however, continuity between the historical GLFMSP and future data is required.

Table 1. Element 1 & 1A sampling locations.

Lake

Estimated Number of Composite Samples

Sample Type

Location and Grid Number

Year Size

Superior 10 + 1 mega lake composite per site

Lake Trout Apostle Islands #1311 Even 600 – 700 mm

Keewenaw Pt. #4028 Odd 600 – 700 mm

Michigan 10 + 1 mega lake composite per site

Lake Trout Saugatuck #2210 Even 600 – 700 mm

Sturgeon Bay #0906 Odd 600 – 700 mm

Huron 10 + 1 mega lake composite per site

Lake Trout Rockport # 0710 Even 600 – 700 mm

Port Austin #141 Odd 600 – 700 mm

Erie 10 + 1 mega lake composite per site

Walleye Middle Bass Island #0904

Even 400 – 500 mm

Lake Trout Dunkirk # 0424* Odd 600 – 700 mm

Ontario 10 + 1 mega lake composite per site

Lake Trout Oswego #0623* Even 600 – 700 mm

North Hamlin # 0713 Odd 600 – 700 mm

*Data generated at these locations will be provided to EC according to the cooperative agreement’s data release policy and within 10 months of receipt of sample to address EC reporting requirements. Individual lake trout data will be provided by EC to the PI in even years at Dunkirk #424 and Oswego#623 in odd years to augment GLFMSP data.

Table 2a. List of chemicals to be analyzed in fish for from the Open Water Trend Monitoring element of the GLFMSP and estimated Method Detection Limit (MDL) expressed as ng/g wet fish tissue.

Analyte MDL, ng/g Analyte MDL, ng/g

PCB congeners 0.002 – 1.0 pp,-DDT 0.66

PCB co-planars 0.002 – 1.0 pp,-DDE 0.74

Total PCB pp,-DDD 0.52

Total HBCD* - Total DDT

Omega 3 fatty acids PBB-153 0.1 - .2

Mirex 1.52 PFCs

Toxaphene & homologs 24.6 Percent Moisture

PBDEs 0.001 – .10 PCDD/Fs 0.3 - 25

Hg 0.521 Fraction lipid 5%

*This compound is to be analyzed in both archived tissue, to be provided by EPA, and in routine samples collected as part of the GLFMSP.

Table 2b. List of chemicals to be analyzed in fish from the Emerging Contaminant Surveillance Element of the GLFMSP and estimated Method Detection Limit (MDL) expressed as ng/g wet fish tissue.

Analyte* MDL, ng/g NP and their ethoxylates

PCN 0.2-6.0

HBCD

*A scan for of additional analytes, such as musk fragrances, APEs, pharmaceuticals and other personal care products (pseudo-persistence), other flame retardants, etc., will be required each year in support of the GLFMSP and Great Lakes States’ health advisory programs. Potential PIs are encouraged to recommend additional or alternative analytes for emerging chemical surveillance and /or for retrospective analysis in support of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

Beginning in 2015, EPA and EC will be jointly collecting and analyzing contaminants in fish from the Dunkirk Lake Erie site and the Oswego, Lake Ontario Site. Sample analysis numbers will not be revised, but additional data from Environment Canada will be provided to the GLFMSP in even years (Lake Erie) and Odd Years (Lake Ontario) to augment GLFMSP Data. Data provided by EC will be for individual lake trout. Inversely, GLFMSP data will be provided to the EC program in odd years (Lake Erie) and Lake Ontario (even years) according to the specification for timely reporting and according to the GLFMSP data release policy. A comparability study of these data was conducted by the program managers and showed that over a 5 year period of comparison

(2008-12), data comparability ranged from ±3 – 36% across both locations for all parameters. The range in differences between programs was similar in magnitude to the range in intra-annual coefficients of variation for the parameters observed in both programs. Despite differences in measurements between programs (composite samples v. individuals) the intra-annual variation was, for the most part, comparable between EC and the EPA.

Goals and Objectives: EPA expects to provide up to approximately $6.5 million for one cooperative agreement over a 5-year period, consisting of incremental funding of about $1.3 million per year, to support the GLFMSP. The goals of the GLFMSP are to track the overall effectiveness of Great Lakes source reduction and remediation activities and prioritize future Great Lakes toxic reduction efforts. These goals are accomplished through the following objectives:

Monitor, with a specified degree of confidence, temporal trends in bioaccumulative organic chemicals in the Great Lakes using top predator fish as biomonitors;

Screen, with a specified degree of confidence, top predator fish for new compounds of concern entering the Great Lakes ecosystem;

Assess potential human exposure to persistent, bioaccumulative and or toxic chemicals found in top predator fish in the Great Lakes.

Applicants are expected to conduct activities in support all of these objectives through the five main elements of the GLFMSP (Sample Collection; Sample Analysis; Quality Assurance and Quality Control; Data Management, Interpretation, Statistical Analysis, and Report Writing; and Research), as detailed in Section IV.C.2.b.

Required Activities:

To be eligible under this request, applicants must demonstrate how they will:

Analyze homogenized fish tissue from all 10 GLFMSP stations. A Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) will need to be approved by the GLNPO Quality Assurance Manager prior to analysis of any samples. EPA’s guidance on QAPPs can be located at http://www.epa.gov/region03/esc/qa/qapp.htm;

Conduct retrospective analysis of archived tissue for HBCD and other compounds of interest;

Perform chemical analyses to retain comparability and continuity with historical GLFMSP data. The GLFMSP’s Quality Assurance Project Plan and Standard Operating Procedures (http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/monitoring/fish/links.html) detail the analytical methodology currently used in the GLFMSP;

Submit quality-assured analytical results within 10 months or less of receipt of samples in their laboratory (i.e., submit data on all 2015 samples to the GLFMSP Data Manager by October 2016);

Communicate and Collaborate with the GLFMSP manager to revise and redefine the contaminants included in Element 1A (Emerging Contaminant Surveillance) according to state and tribal health department priorities.

Ineligible Activities Sampling and analysis for contaminants beyond the scope of delisting criteria for generation of Beneficial Use Impairment data.

Outputs must include one or more of the following and must link to the GLRI Action Plan’s Measures of Progress or goals and objectives:

A quantification of persistent toxic chemicals in Great Lakes fish tissue samples, with attention to continuity and consistency of those measurements, so that trend data are not biased by changes in program operations or personnel;

An evaluation of the spatial and temporal trends of persistent toxic chemicals in Great Lakes fish tissue;

The discovery of new emerging chemical threats to the Great Lakes;

Sample collection, sample analysis, data management, data interpretation, statistical analysis, and report writing;

Development of Great Lakes scientists through the education of graduate and undergraduate students in Great Lakes ecosystem science;

Dissemination of results via peer-reviewed journal articles and other media.

Applicants must also demonstrate how their proposed project will achieve one or more of the following outcomes:

Increased understanding of persistent toxic chemical trends in Great fish tissue;

Increased understanding of how concentrations and trends of persistent toxic chemicals in Great Lakes fish tissue relate to other media such as air, water, and sediment;

Increased understanding of the effects of persistent toxic chemicals on the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

Amounts, Targets, and Number of Projects: Approximately $6.5 million in EPA funding is expected to be awarded under this RFA for 1 project. Project funding under this RFA will be based on the quality of applications received, the availability of funding, and other applicable considerations. Please note, however, that the specified maximum amount in Section I that will be awarded for a project establishes the limit for the EPA funding; applications seeking funding in excess of that amount will be rejected. In addition, an application for a multi-phase project will be treated as a request for the full amount for all phases. If that combined amount exceeds the specified maximum, the application will be rejected.

EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards pursuant to this RFA.

Anticipated Project Start and End Dates: This Request for Applications instructs applicants to submit certifications and other documentation required for a full and complete funding package so that their projects could, if selected, proceed expeditiously. Applications should specify a start date on or around August 3, 2015 and must specify an end date no later than September 30, 2020.

Award Funding: The award will be made incrementally and is based on funding availability, future appropriations, satisfactory performance of work, program priorities, and other applicable considerations.

Funding Type: A successful applicant will be awarded a cooperative agreement2. A cooperative agreement is an assistance agreement that is used when there is substantial federal involvement with the recipient during the performance of an activity or project. EPA awards cooperative agreements for those projects in which it expects to have substantial interaction with the recipient throughout the performance of the project. EPA will negotiate the precise terms and conditions of “substantial involvement” as part of the award process. Federal involvement may include close monitoring of the recipient’s performance; collaboration during the performance of the scope of work; review of proposed procurements in accordance with 2 CFR 200 and or 2 CFR 1500; reviewing qualifications of key personnel; and/or review and comment on the content of printed or electronic publications prepared. EPA does not have the authority to select employees or contractors employed by the recipient. The final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient.

Future Funding: Selection or award of funding under this RFA is not a guarantee of future funding.

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

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Applicant Eligibility (CFDA 66.469): Non-federal governmental entities, including state agencies, interstate agencies, federally-recognized Indian tribes and tribal organizations, and local governments as defined in 2 CFR Section 200.64; institutions of higher learning; and nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply for funding under this RFA. Individuals, foreign organizations and governments, nonprofit organizations exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying, and “for-profit” organizations are not eligible. A “nonprofit organization,” as defined at 2 CFR Section 200.70, is any corporation, trust, association, cooperative, or other organization that: (1) is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable, or similar purposes in the public interest; (2) is not organized primarily for profit; and (3) uses its net proceeds to maintain, improve, and/or expand its operations. Applicants must meet all eligibility criteria at the time of their submission, 2 While the award being offered pursuant to this RFA will be a cooperative agreement, throughout the remainder of the RFA the terms “grant” and “cooperative agreement” are synonymous.

including an active registration in both the System for Award Management (SAM) and Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS).

Coalitions: Groups of two or more eligible applicants may choose to form a coalition and submit a single application under this RFA; however, one entity must be responsible for the grant.

Coalitions must identify which eligible organization will be the recipient of the grant and which eligible organization(s) will be subawardees of the recipient. Subawards and subgrants must be consistent with the definitions of those terms in 2 CFR 200 and/or 2 CFR 1500. The recipient must administer the grant, will be accountable to EPA for proper expenditure of the funds and reporting, and will be the point of contact for the coalition. As provided in 2 CFR 200 and/or 2 CFR 1500, subrecipients or subgrantees are accountable to the recipient or grantee for proper use of EPA funding.

Coalitions may not include for-profit organizations that will provide services or products to the successful applicant. For-profit organizations are not eligible for subawards. For-profit organizations are eligible to receive contracts. Any contracts for services or products funded with EPA financial assistance must be awarded under the competitive procurement procedures of 2 CFR 200 and/or 2 CFR 1500, as applicable. The regulations also contain limitations on consultant compensation. (Please see 2 CFR 200 and 2 CFR 1500, as applicable.) For additional information, please review the following Federal Register:

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-7867.pdf .

Eligible Activities: Unless specifically excluded under this RFA, assistance is available to eligible applicants for planning, research, monitoring, outreach, and implementation of the GLRI and GLWQA. Proposed projects must also either: (i) protect, enhance, and/or restore the Great Lakes, including projects impacting connecting waterways such as Lake St. Clair and the St.

Lawrence River (at or upstream from the point at which the St. Lawrence River becomes the international boundary between Canada and the United States); or (ii) protect Great Lakes ecosystem health, including human health. Information about the GLRI can be found at http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/glri. Applications for other activities will be rejected.

Ineligible Activities: If an application is submitted that includes any ineligible activities, including, but not limited to, those listed below and in Section I, that portion of the application will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects the application, render the entire application ineligible. The following are ineligible activities:

Sampling and analysis at Areas of Concern for the purpose of developing or otherwise addressing Beneficial Use Impairments.

Match or Cost-Share: There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement as a condition of eligibility under this RFA. However, see Section IV.C.2.b.iii and Section V for additional information regarding applicants who propose voluntary matches and additional funds/resources to support the project.

Although cost-sharing/matching is not required as a condition of eligibility under this competition, pursuant to Section V of this RFA, EPA will consider voluntary cost-sharing/matching and other leveraging as a part of the criterion for collaboration and plans.

Leveraging generally refers to situations where an applicant proposes to provide its own additional funds/ resources or those from third party sources to support or complement the project they are awarded under the competition which are above and beyond the EPA grant funds awarded. Any leveraged funds/resources, and their source, must be identified in the proposal (See Section IV of the RFA). A letter of support should also be included in the application package to document any proposed leveraging. Leveraged funds and resources may take various forms as noted below.

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

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

Section 200.306);

A voluntary cost share must be eligible and allowable;

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

The recipient is legally obligated to meet any proposed voluntary cost share that is included in the approved project budget. If the proposed voluntary cost share does not materialize during grant performance, then EPA may reconsider the legitimacy of the award and/or take other appropriate action as authorized by 2 CFR 200 and/or 1500.

Other leveraged funding/resources that are not identified as a voluntary cost share should not be included in the budget and the costs need not be eligible and allowable project costs under the EPA assistance agreement. While this form of leveraging should not be included in the budget, the grant workplan should include a statement indicating that the applicant expects to produce the proposed leveraging consistent with the terms of the announcement and the applicant's proposal. This form of leveraging may be met by funding from another federal grant, from an applicant's own resources, or resources from other third party sources. If applicants propose to provide this form of leveraging, EPA expects them to make the effort to secure the leveraged resources described in their proposals. If the proposed leveraging does not materialize during grant performance, then EPA may reconsider the legitimacy of the award and/or take other appropriate action as authorized by 2 CFR Parts 200 or 1500.

Threshold Eligibility Criteria: These are requirements that if not met by the applicant by the time of application submission will result in elimination of the application from consideration for funding. Only applications for eligible activities from eligible entities (see above definitions of applicant eligibility, eligible activities, and ineligible activities) that meet these criteria by the time of application submission will be evaluated against the ranking factors in Section V of this RFA. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified by e-mail within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

1. a. Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this RFA or else they will be rejected. Where a page limit is stated for the Narrative Proposal in Section IV, pages in excess of the limitation will not be reviewed.

b. Applications must be submitted to EPA through http://www.grants.gov (or any approved alternate means as discussed in Section IV.B). Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their applications are received by the deadline identified in Section IV. Faxed submissions will not be accepted.

c. An application received after the deadline will be considered late and rejected without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate and document that its application was late due solely to EPA mishandling or technical problems attributable to Grants.gov.

2. Applicants may submit more than one application under this RFA so long as each application is for a different project and is separately submitted.

3. Applications seeking funding in excess of $6.5 million over 5 years will be rejected. In addition, an application for a multi-phase project will be treated as a request for the full amount for all phases. If that combined amount exceeds the specified maximum, the application will be rejected.

4. Applications exceeding the maximum end date of September 30, 2020 will be rejected.

5. Applications that do not address both Elements 1 and 1A, all 3 objectives, and all Required Activities, as defined in Section I of this announcement, will be rejected.

Applicants should contact the applicable individuals listed in Section VII with any questions about the threshold eligibility requirements.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. How to Obtain an Application Package:

Applicants can download individual grant application forms from EPA’s Office of Grants and Debarment website at: http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/application.htm.

B. Mode of Application Submission:

Applicants, except in the limited circumstances noted below, must submit their applications electronically through http://www.grants.gov, and the application must be submitted by the applicant’s authorized official representative as explained in the Appendix I grants.gov instructions. Applicants who do not have the technical capability to apply electronically through www.grants.gov must contact Michael Russ (312-886-4013 / GLRI-RFA@epa.gov as soon as possible to request alternate submission instructions. Any applications submitted through alternate means must still comply with all the requirements, instructions and deadlines in this

RFA.

All applications must be prepared and include the information as described below in Section IV.C “Content of Application Package Submission.” Applications must meet the submission requirements specified below and be received by the submission deadline.

For technical questions about electronic submittal of applications via http://www.grants.gov contact the Grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 or email Grants.gov at support@grants.gov. For calls from outside the United States, please dial 606-545-5035 to speak with a Contact Center representative. For questions regarding EPA’s receipt of your application, see the general RFA contact information in Section VII of this RFA.

C. Content of Application Package Submission:

1. Necessary Grant Application Forms:

All application submissions must contain: a) completed and signed grant application forms (listed in Appendix I) and b) a Narrative Proposal (including the Summary Information Page, Workplan, and Detailed Budget Narrative), as described below.

Application materials, including attachments, must be submitted as pdfs. The grant application forms are available at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/application.htm.

2. Narrative Proposal:

Narrative Proposals (including the Summary Information Page, Workplan, and Detailed Budget Narrative) must include the items below in the requested order. Each Narrative Proposal must be formatted for 8½” x 11” paper and should use no smaller than an 11-point Times New Roman font with 1” margins. Do not use a “double column” (aka newspaper) format. Readability is of paramount importance. Do not include more than one application in any file. Please do not zip the file or use a zip extension for your file because it will not be accepted.

Do not include confidential business information in your application.

A. Summary Information Page:

Funding Opportunity Number. The RFA number is EPA-R5-GL2015-1.

i. Project Title. Please limit to 60 characters. EPA reserves the right to change the project title for its administrative convenience.

ii. Applicant Information. Include applicant (organization) name, address, contact person, phone number, and e-mail address. Do not include private information.

iii. Proposed Funding Request. The total dollar amount requested from EPA-make sure it is within the limits specified or your application will be rejected.

iv. Project Duration. Provide beginning and ending dates. See “Anticipated Start and End Dates” in Section II.

v. Brief Project Description. Summarize the proposed project in 100 words or less in a clear and succinct manner in PLAIN LANGUAGE, including expected outputs, outcomes and environmental benefits resulting from implementation of the project. Include environmental KEY TERMS that could be used as search terms (e.g., water quality, toxins, mercury, etc.). Do not use acronyms. Should the proposal be selected and a grant awarded, this description may be posted to the EPA Web. EPA reserves the right to make unilateral changes to conform to posting requirements. See http://glri.us/projects/index.html for examples.

vi. Project Location. Specify a single, representative project location within the

Great Lakes basin, including 8- or 12-digit HUC code (available from http://water.usgs.gov/wsc/reg/04.html) and latitude and longitude specifying decimal degrees (available from http://apply.glnpo.net/map ). Please identify a single, representative location within the Great Lakes basin even if the work will be done at multiple locations or by applicants who are located outside the Great Lakes basin. Please include the reason for the location you identify if that is not self-evident.

B. Work Plan. The Work Plan for each proposed project must explicitly describe how the proposed project meets the guidelines established in Sections I-III of this RFA (including the threshold eligibility criteria in Section III) and must address each of the evaluation criteria set forth in Section V. Each Work Plan should be organized in the order and with the headings and information requested below. Details and associated point values for each section of the workplan are described in RFA Section V.A (Application Review) below.

i. Project Summary and Approach

ii. Technical Ability and Sample Analysis

1. Element 1

2. Element 1A

3. Special Studies and Research

iii. Data management, Interpretation, Statistical analysis, and Report writing

iv. Quality Assurance and Quality Control

v. Results

1. Outputs

2. Outcomes

vi. Collaboration and Plans

vii. Programmatic Capability and Past Performance

1. PI past history of managing agreements

2. Institution past history of managing agreements

3. PI history of meeting reporting

4. Institution history of meeting reporting requirements

5. Past Project expenditure rate

6. Staff Expertise

viii. Education/Outreach

ix. Budget

1. Detailed Budget Narrative

2. Expeditious Spending and Sufficient Progress in the use of

GLRI Funds

C. Other Attachments. The additional attachments listed in Appendix I are not part of the Narrative Proposal and are not included in the 20 page limit; however, they may, as appropriate, be considered during evaluations. For additional information about each of these attachments, see the descriptions contained in Appendix I.

D. Submission: Eligible applicants must submit applications through http://www.grants.gov per the instructions in Appendix I or through any approved alternate method as discussed above in Section IV.B.

E. Submission Deadline: Applications must be received by EPA through http://www.grants.gov by 5:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time / 6 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, on April 17, 2015.

F. Notification: Within two weeks after the due date, EPA intends to post a link to project information (including title and identification number) to:

http://www2.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-fish-monitoring-and-surveillance-program-rfa.

ALL APPLICANTS SHOULD CHECK THIS POSTING TO VERIFY THAT

THEIR SUBMISSIONS HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN EPA’S DATABASE. See Section VII for contact information if you do not receive a confirmation or if your project is not posted. All applicants will be contacted following selections to tell them whether or not they have been selected. Selection information will also be posted to a page linked to:

http://www2.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-fish-monitoring-and-surveillance-program-rfa.

G. Information provided to EPA. Before applying for an award, applicants should be aware that under Public Law No. 105-277, data produced under an award, and any information provided to EPA, is subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

H. Communications. See:

http://www.epa.gov/ogd/competition/solicitation_provisions.htm for general provisions regarding communications with applicants. Submit questions using the form available from http://www2.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-fish-monitoring-and-surveillance-program-rfa.

EPA will respond to questions received through April 10, 2015, but cannot guarantee that it will respond to questions received thereafter.

I. Intergovernmental Review: Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of

Federal Programs, may be applicable to awards resulting from this announcement.

Applicants selected for funding may be required to provide a copy of their application to their State Point of Contact (SPOC) for review, pursuant to Executive Order 12372. This review is not required before submitting an application and not all states require such a review. A listing of State Point of Contacts (SPOC) may be viewed at:

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

J. Additional Provisions For Applicants Incorporated Into RFA. Additional provisions that apply to this RFA and/or awards made under this RFA, including but not limited to those related to confidential business information, application assistance and communications, management fees, contracts and subawards under grants, and duplicate funding can be found at:

http://www.epa.gov/ogd/competition/solicitation_provisions.htm.

These, and the other provisions that can be found at the website link, are important, and applicants must review them when preparing proposals for this RFA. If you are unable to access these provisions electronically at the website above, please communicate with the EPA contact listed in this RFA to obtain the provisions.

V. APPLICATION REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

A. Application Review:

Applications meeting the threshold eligibility criteria in Section III will be evaluated based on the criteria set forth below. Applicants should directly and explicitly address these criteria as part of their Narrative Proposal and application submission. Each submittal will be rated under a point system, with a total of 105 points possible. Applicants will be evaluated based on the quality and extent to which the work proposed will address the criteria; the failure to provide applicable information in the application may affect the score assigned for a criterion.

1) Project Summary and Approach (5 points)

Describe with specificity the nature of the proposed project including what will be done, by whom, how, and when it will be accomplished. Outline the steps to be taken and the significant milestones to be achieved to complete the proposed project as well as the estimated dates of these achievements, including the submittal of the final report.

Include a statement of the project’s relevance to the Great Lakes, particularly (1) the needs and priorities of the GLRI Action Plan II (http://glri.us/actionplan/pdfs/glri-action-plan-2.pdf), or

(2) Great Lakes protection and restoration pursuant to Objective 2.2 (Protect and Restore Watersheds and Aquatic Ecosystems) of the Fiscal Year 2014-2018 EPA Strategic Plan (http://www2.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan). (It is sufficient for the purpose of clause

(ii) to include a general statement of how the project will…