HBCU_2019_NOFO.pdf

U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service

Financial Assistance

Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Program Title Historically Black Colleges and Universities

(HBCU) – Historic Preservation Fund Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: P20AS00007 Announcement Type Initial CFDA Number: 15.904

Issue Date: October 8, 2019 Application Due Date: February 4, 2020 Time AM/PM Zone 11:59 PM Eastern

Announcement Type: rolling Notice of Funding Opportunity for discretionary grant agreements.

Applications may be submitted at any time up to the closing date of the announcement. Applications received will be reviewed following a merit review process as outlined in Section E of this announcement.

Agency Contact Information Questions and Requests Name Megan J. Brown Name STLPG Staff Address State, Tribal, Local, Plans

& Grants Division National Park Service 1849 C Street, NW Mail Stop 7360 Washington, DC 20240

Address State, Tribal, Local, Plans & Grants Division National Park Service 1849 C Street, NW Mail Stop 7360 Washington, DC 20240

Phone 202-354-2020 Phone 202-354-2020 Email STLPG@nps.gov Email STLPG@nps.gov

Table of Contents

Section A: Program Description

Section B: Federal Award Information

Section C: Eligibility Information

Section D: Application and Submission Information

Section E: Application Review Information

Section F: Federal Award Administration Information

Section G: Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

Section H: Other Information:

Appendix A – Budget Justification Worksheet Instructions

Section A: Program Description

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

Funding Opportunity Title: Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) – Historic Preservation Fund

Funding Opportunity Number: P20AS00007

Catalog Of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 15.904

Legislative Authority:

• 54 USC 301 et seq. (National Historic Preservation Act)

• Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2019, enacted as Public Law 116-6

Federal Regulations: 2 C.F.R. § 200, 2 C.F.R. § 1402

Program Background Information and Objectives:

In 1988, the National Park Service established the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Preservation grant program to document, preserve, and stabilize structures on HBCU campuses. The HBCU grant program exists to repair historic structures on campuses of Historically Black Colleges and Universities that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places either individually or as contributing to a National Register historic district. Projects must meet major program selection criteria and all work must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation.

FY2019 Public Law 116-6 provides $8million for the HBCU Grant Program.

Department of the Interior Priorities:

This program supports the following Department of the Interior (DOI) priorities:

• Modernizing our infrastructure: Remove impediments to infrastructure development and facilitate private sector efforts to construct infrastructure projects serving American needs;

• Restoring trust with local communities: Expand the lines of communication with Governors, state natural resource offices, Fish and Wildlife offices, water authorities, county commissioners, Tribes, and local communities.

Section B: Federal Award Information

Anticipated Federal Funding:

Based on prior years data, NPS anticipates between $4 million and $15 million in available funding per fiscal year for the entire program. Appropriations from multiple fiscal years may be combined dependent on receipt of sufficient applications and timing of appropriations.

Non-Federal Entity Cost Share:

Non-Federal cost share is not required for this agreement but will be considered as a competitive factor.

Estimated Number of Agreements to be Awarded:

Based on prior year data, NPS anticipates between 7 and 25 agreements per fiscal year. The actual number of awards will depend on the number of meritorious applications and the availability of appropriated funds.

Estimated Amount of Funding Available Per Award:

The award size will depend on the number of meritorious applications and the availability of appropriated funds. Based on prior year data, NPS anticipates the average dollar amount of awards made under this announcement to be between $75,000 and $500,000. The largest award made under this program will be $500,000.

Anticipated Start Date:

Projects receiving funding through this Notice of Funding Opportunity will start once funding has been secured and awards have been made. Agreements are not effective until fully executed with signature from the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer (FAAO). Do not anticipate a start date sooner than on or about 120 days following the application deadline.

Anticipated Term of the Agreement:

Agreement terms for funded projects are estimated to range between two to three years, depending on the negotiated project statement of work. Continuation funding (funding for the second and subsequent budget periods) is contingent on: (1) availability of funds appropriated by Congress and future year budget authority; (2) progress towards meeting the objectives of the approved application; (3) submission of required reports; and (4) compliance with the terms and conditions of the award.

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

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

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

Substantial Involvement:

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

Other Information:

1. Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are not eligible.

2. Projects funded under this program constitute “undertakings” as defined by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (54 U.S.C. 306108). Accordingly, after the grant is awarded, the National Park Service will work with the grantee to complete the consultation process prior to receiving funds from their grant account.

Depending on the project, additional federal reviews may be required under other laws such as, the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (ARPA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA).

3. Any historic property receiving development assistance through the program will be required to place a preservation covenant/easement/agreement on the property ranging from 5 to 20 years determined by the amount of grant, to protect the federal investment and characteristics which made the property historic.

4. Administration costs necessary to complete and administer the program cannot exceed

25% of total cost (primary and subgrants combined). This limitation for the Historic Preservation Fund is by statute, 54 U.S.C. 302902.

5. Preparation of architectural/engineering plans and specifications not to exceed 20% of the total project cost.

Section C: Eligibility Information

Announcement Closing Date: February 4, 2020 at 11:59PM Eastern.

Applications will be reviewed and evaluated as they are received and may be submitted at any time up until the closing date of this announcement. An applicant's failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the closing date of this announcement will result in the application being excluded from consideration. This includes but is not limited to late and incomplete application packages.

Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov.

1. Eligible Applicants

• All accredited HBCU institutions.

https://nces.ed.gov/COLLEGENAVIGATOR/?s=all&sp=4&pg=1

• Buildings or structures already listed in the National Register of Historic Places as of the published deadline for submitting grant applications are eligible for a grant award.

They may be individually listed or as contributing to at National Register Historic District.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Non-Federal cost sharing is not required to be eligible for an award under this NOFO but will be considered as a competitive factor.

3. Eligible costs Eligible costs under this award are as described in this Notice, 2 CFR 200, and the Historic Preservation Fund Grants Manual (HPF Manual).

For this program they also include:

• Projects under the eligible program areas as defined by the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA);

• Administrative costs necessary to complete and administer the grant requirements;

• Rehabilitation of properties;

o Eligible properties include historic districts, buildings, sites, structures and objects listed in the National Register of Historic Places, o All work must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation, and o All projects receiving repair assistance must enter into a preservation agreement/covenant/easement.

• Projects must substantially mitigate the threat and include steps to mitigate future damage;

• Cost for establishing/administering an easement/covenant for the property;

• Cost for any required audits or financial requests;

• Cost for the production of a project sign;

• Costs for public notice of grant opportunity;

• Costs associated with required training or reporting; and

• Any other costs as determined eligible by the NPS in accordance with the OMB circulars, NPS policies, and the Historic Preservation Fund Grants Manual.

https://nces.ed.gov/COLLEGENAVIGATOR/?s=all&sp=4&pg=1

4. What Is Not Funded

• Construction of new buildings

• Acquisition of collections or historic sites

• Conservation of collections

• Long-term maintenance or curatorial work beyond the grant period

• Reconstructing historic properties (recreating all or a significant portion that no longer exists)

• Moving historic properties or work on moved historic properties that are no longer eligible for listing in the NRHP

• Cash reserves, endowments, revolving funds, or fund-raising costs

• Work performed prior to announcement of award

• Work on sites owned by the NPS

• Lobbying or advocacy activities

• Costs for work already completed or funded through other federal programs

• Administrative costs may not be over 25% of project budget

• Miscellaneous costs, contingencies, reserves, and overhead

5. NPS Oversight The NPS will provide oversight of this grant project through the following NPS reviews:

• Review and approval of interim and final reporting to include compliance with 2 CFR 200

• Review and approval for compliance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Guidelines and

Standards for Historic Preservation

• Review and approval for compliance with Sections 106 (54 U.S.C. § 306108) and 110f (54

U.S.C. § 306107) of the National Historic Preservation Act in coordination with the appropriate State Historic Preservation Office;

• Review and approval for compliance with the National Environmental Protection Act

(NEPA).

• Any other reviews as determined by the NPS based on program needs or financial/programmatic risk factors (i.e. Draft National Register nomination if required, etc.)

Section D: Application and Submission Information

1. Application Package All application materials, including photographs, become the property of the National Park Service and may be reproduced by NPS without permission but with appropriate credit given for any such use. Additional materials not specifically requested by NPS, and materials sent separately from the application, will be discarded.

The Application Package contains several mandatory forms, which must be submitted with your proposal through opportunity number P20AS00007 on grants.gov.

Documents 1 through 7 will be available within the “Manage Workspace” Page

1. SF-424 (Application for Financial Assistance)

2. SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs)

3. SF-424B (Assurance for Non-Construction Programs)

*Please note: ALL applicants must fill out the SF-424A and SF-424B, they are mandatory for all grant applications.

4. SF-424C (Budget Information for Construction Programs)

5. SF-424D (Assurance for Construction Programs)

6. SF-LLL (Disclosure of Lobbying Activities), if anticipated award is over $100,000

7. Attachments Form

Documents 8 through 11 can be found on the “Related Documents” tab within the Grants.gov opportunity.

8. Project Description Worksheet

9. Budget Justification Worksheet

a. Do you have policies and procedures in place that meet the financial management standards in 2 CFR 200.302? NPS may ask for copies of policies if selected for funding.

b. Do you have a single audit and was it submitted to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse? If no, do you have another type of audit or other annual financial statement?

c. Can you certify that there will be no overlap of Federal Funding?

d. Attach a complete set of financial statements including:

i. Balance sheet/Statement of Financial Position

ii. Statement of Revenue and Expense/Statement of Activities

iii. Statement of Cash Flow

10. Project Images Worksheet

11. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement or De Minimis Indirect Cost Rate Certification (Submit if applicable, see below)

12. IRS Letter of Determination (Submit if applicable, see below)

13. Letters of Support (Submit if applicable, see below)

14. Property Owner’s Permission (Submit if applicable, see below)

2. Contents and Form of Application Submission You must complete the mandatory forms and any applicable optional forms, in accordance with the instructions below, as required by this NOFO. Do not include any proprietary or personally identifiable information (PII). A complete application should include:

• Standard Form 424 (SF 424) – Application for Federal Assistance o Complete this form as much as possible with all applicable information. Please note: You must provide your ZIP Code + 4, four zeroes (0000) is not acceptable.

Your DUNS and Bradstreet Number (DUNS) must match the DUNS Number under your SAM.gov record.

• Standard Form 424A and 424C – Budget Information o The project budget shall include detailed information on all cost categories and must clearly identify all project costs. Unit costs shall be provided for all budget items including the cost of work to be provided by contractors or sub-recipients.

All costs shown in the budget documents should match what is discussed in the project description worksheet. Cost categories can include, but are not limited to, those costs items included on the SF424A and SF424C.

o NOTE: No more than 25% of the entire budget may be applied towards administrative costs (defined below), plus indirect costs.

o Administrative costs are: Allowable, reasonable, and allocable costs related to the overall management of activities directly related to finance (accounting, auditing, budgeting, contracting), general administrative salaries and wages (grant administration, personnel, property management, equal opportunity) and other “overhead” functions (general legal services, general liability insurance, depreciation on buildings and equipment, etc.) not directly attributable to specific program areas identified in the grant agreement. All administrative costs reported must be absolutely necessary for project and/or program implementation, such as the cost items identified in the final grant agreement or items otherwise approved in writing by the NPS Awarding Officer (AO).

• Standard Form 424B and D - Assurances o By downloading this form on the “Manage Workspace” page, this form will be marked as “passed” and will be considered completed and marked as “Read Only”. You do not need to re-upload it on the attachments form.

• Standard Form LLL - Disclosure of Lobbying Activities o In accordance with 43 C.F.R. § 18 and 31 U.S.C. § 1352 this form must be completed and signed if the amount of the Federal award is anticipated to exceed $100,000.00.

o If you are not participating in any lobbying activities, simply put “N/A” in the appropriate sections.

• Attachments Form o The Attachments Form is where the required organizational chart, indirect cost rate, certification of qualified staff and review board statement, and any other relevant documents are attached as part of the grant application.

o All files attached to the attachments form should be in either .pdf or .doc format.

No other formats will be reviewed.

• Project Description Worksheet o Project descriptions must address each of the evaluation criteria and applications will be reviewed against this rubric as part of the merit evaluation process. NPS will evaluate and consider only those applications that separately address each of the five criteria listed in Section E.

o A suggested Project Description Worksheet format is included under the “Related Documents” tab on grants.gov which includes all character limits.

• Budget Justification Worksheet o All costs listed in the SF-424A must correspond to the activities in the Project Description and must be outlined in the Budget Justification Worksheet.

However, do not include your cost breakdown as part of the narrative Project Description.

o Costs must be broken out into Federal and matching funds by cost center such as personnel, fringe benefits, travel, administrative costs, etc.

o If matching share is included in your budget, please list the sources of non- Federal match as well as if the match is secured or unsecured.

o The following questions must be answered in your budget justification:

Do you have policies and procedures in place that meet the financial management standards in 2 CFR 200.302? NPS may ask for copies of policies if selected for funding.

Do you have a single audit and was it submitted to the Federal Audit Clearinghouse? If no, do you have another type of audit or other annual financial statement?

Can you certify that there is no overlap in Federal Funding?

a) All applicants must provide a statement to identify whether or not any overlap exists between the proposed project and any other active or anticipated project(s) in terms of activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel, including any application that was submitted for funding consideration to any other potential funding source (Federal or non-Federal).

b) The statement and the description of overlap or duplication should be provided as a separate attachment to the application.

c) If no overlap or duplication exists, a sample statement to satisfy this requirement might be: “[Insert Applicant Name] affirms that no overlap or duplication exists between the proposed project in this application and any other active or anticipated project in terms of activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel, including any application that was submitted for funding consideration to any other potential funding source (Federal or non-Federal).”

d) If any overlap or duplication does exist, applicants must provide a description of the overlap including when the overlapping or duplicative proposal(s) were submitted, to whom (entity and program), and when funding decisions are expected to be announced.

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

Attach a complete set of financial statements including:

a) Balance sheet/Statement of Financial Position

b) Statement of Revenue and Expense/Statement of Activities

c) Statement of Cash Flow o Please note: Maximum hourly wages charged to this grant for personnel and consultants may not exceed 120% of the salary of a Federal Civil Service GS-15, Step 10. Current salary tables for your location can be found on the Office of Personnel Management website: https://www.opm.gov.

• Project Images Worksheet o Provide photos of the potential affected context/sites/districts.

o Photos should show current conditions and immediate threat.

o May also be elevations, plans, or other images o Color or black and white photos are both accepted o Photographs should clearly describe the community and the historic site involved in the project.

• Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, if applicable o If your proposed budget includes indirect costs, the rate as proposed must meet the requirements of 2 CFR Part 200, Section 200.414 and 2 CFR Part 200, Appendix III through Appendix VII as applicable. A negotiated indirect cost rate agreement must be provided with your proposal.

o If selecting use of 10% de minimis rate because of no prior negotiated indirect cost rate a De Minimis Indirect Cost Rate Certification must be submitted.

o If your proposed budget includes indirect costs, please submit either:

Your organization’s Indirect Cost Rate Negotiation Agreement, or DeMinimis Indirect Cost Rate Certification.

If selecting use of 10% de minimis rate because of no prior negotiated indirect cost rate a De Minimis Indirect Cost Rate Certification must be submitted. Proposals that fail to document their indirect costs will have those costs disallowed.

o Indirect and direct administrative costs may not exceed 25% of the total project budget as defined in 54 USC 301 et seq.

o Proposals that fail to document their indirect costs will have those costs disallowed.

• Proof of Non-Profit Status, if applicable o Please attach your organization’s current Proof of Non-Profit Status if your organization is a non-profit.

• Letter of Owner Consent, if applicable o If your project is doing work to or preparing a National Register nomination for a property and the owner is different than the applicant, then the applicant must include written permission from the owner to complete the project and any applicable easements or covenants with the application. If this is anticipated as part of the project, indicate the plan for obtaining this owner consent as part of the project.

o The letter of owner consent must be written within 60 days of the application due date and pertain to this particular application.

o You cannot re-use previous letters of owner consent.

• Letters of Support, if applicable o Letters of support should be submitted if defining specific partner support or matching funds. These letters must submitted with your application via grants.gov as part of the attachments form. Letters received in any other manner may not be considered. All letters must be addressed to: Megan Brown, Chief of State, Tribal, Local, Plans & Grants Division, NPS.

o Please do NOT mail any letters. They must be submitted with your application.

Letters not submitted via grants.gov may not be considered.

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

(a) Other budget information

(b) Financial capability

(c) Evaluation of risk

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

3. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) Each applicant (unless exempt under 2 CFR §25.110) is required to:

(a) Be registered in SAM.gov;

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

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

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

A financial assistance agreement will not be made with a non-Federal entity until the non- Federal entity has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements.

If a non-Federal entity has not fully complied with the requirements by the time that an agreement is ready for award, a determination may be made that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award. That determination may be used as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant.

In addition, in order to submit an application through Grants.gov an applicant must have an active SAM registration and register for submission permissions through the Grants.gov website.

Utilize the following link to guide you through this process:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html *Please note: registration in these systems can take several weeks. Extensions due to incomplete registrations in these systems will NOT be provided.

4. Submission Dates and Times Applicants are held responsible for their proposals being submitted to the National Park Service.

Applications must be received by February 4, 2020 at 11:59PM Eastern. Applicants are encouraged to submit the application well before the deadline.

Application preparation time may take several weeks, so please start the application process as soon as possible. Applications received after the deadline will not be reviewed or considered for award. If it is determined that a proposal was not considered due to lateness, the applicant will be notified during the selection process.

5. Intergovernmental Review This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order (EO) 12372 “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.” Applicants subject to EO 12372 must contact their State’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to find out about and comply with the State’s process. The names and addresses of the SPOC’s are listed in the OMB’s home page at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SPOC-February-2019.pdf

6. Funding Restrictions Costs incurred by the applicant prior to the start date of the period of performance of a signed Federal award are only allowable with written approval by a Financial Assistance Awarding Officer and may only be counted toward their cost share requirement.

7. Other Submission Requirements Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov to the National Park Service by February 4, 2020 at 11:59PM Eastern. Applications submitted by other means or not received by the deadline will NOT be considered.

https://www.sam.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SPOC-February-2019.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SPOC-February-2019.pdf

After you submit your application you should receive three emails from grants.gov.

1. The first email will be a confirmation that you have submitted your application.

2. The second email will confirm receipt of your application by the grants.gov system.

3. The third will indicate that the application has either been successfully validated by the system or rejected due to errors. If your application is rejected due to errors, please contact grants.gov immediately. Your application must be validated in order for your application to be forwarded to NPS and be considered for funding.

In the event the applicant experiences difficulties in completing their application, please contact:

STLPG@nps.gov or 202-354-2020. Technical issues with Grants.gov should be resolved by calling 1-800-518-4726 or visiting their online help desk. Document any issues with submission carefully.

START THIS PROCESS EARLY DON’T DELAY!

mailto:STLPG@nps.gov

Section E: Application Review Information

1. Criteria NPS will evaluate and consider only those applications that separately address each of the merit review criteria. Each applicant is required to provide a detailed project description, in accordance with section D.2., of the following criteria elements.

Criterion 1 20 Points Significance

Describe the historic resource(s) in the proposed project and the role played in the Historic Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) experience. Discuss National Register significance and the integrity of the resource. Describe how the project will result in the recognition, understanding, and preservation the HBCU story.

Criterion 2

Severity of Threat to Property

Describe the current condition of the historic property and explain how it is threatened or endangered. The source(s), nature, extent, and severity of the threat, danger or damage to the property must be clearly and convincingly argued.

Criterion 3

Mitigation of Threat to Property

Projects must substantially mitigate or eliminate the threat, danger, or damage described must have a clear public benefit (for example, historic places open for visitation or public use). Please clearly state what preservation activities will be undertaken as part of this project and address the following points:

1. Describe the key project activities and products to be supported by this grant and the non-Federal match if provided.

2. Describe how the work will significantly diminish or eliminate the threat, danger, or damage to the historic property.

3. Explain any pre-project planning or research, such as Historic Structures Reports, on which project decisions are based.

4. List the key type of personnel undertaking the work and briefly describe the qualifications you will require. Consultants must be selected competitively and their qualifications reviewed and approved by the Federal agency overseeing the grant.

5. Describe how the project will have a clear public benefit.

6. Explain how your organization will ensure continued maintenance of the historic property. This includes current and future maintenance plans.

7. If this application is for one component of a larger project, has that project begun? If so, what work has been completed? Has the ongoing work been reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office?

8. If the building will have a new use after the grant funded work is complete, what is that use?

9. Is any new construction planned in the vicinity of the historic property?

10. Will this project also involve the use of Federal Historic Preservation Tax Credits?

Criterion 4

Feasibility

The project must be feasible (i.e. able to be completed within the proposed activities, schedule, and budget described in the application). The application must:

1. Describe how the project will result in the recognition, understanding, and preservation of associated resources. Describe any public-private partnerships involved in the project and how these partnerships will sustain and continue to support the resource(s) after the grant project is complete. Describe how the public will be actively involved in the project.

Provide a timeline for project completion. Should your application be successful, the period of support will be negotiated by you and the funding agency, but is typically 2-3 years. No work undertaken before a grant is awarded will be supported by grant funds. Timeline should not include specific dates, e.g. “Month 1: planning Month 2: Research.” Work should not be scheduled to begin prior to Summer 2020.

Criterion 5

Department of the Interior Priorities

Please discuss how the subgrant program will support at least one of the following Department of the Interior (DOI) priorities:

• Modernizing our infrastructure: Remove impediments to infrastructure development and facilitate private sector efforts to construct infrastructure projects serving American needs;

• Restoring trust with local communities: Expand the lines of communication with Governors, state natural resource offices, Fish and Wildlife offices, water authorities, county commissioners, Tribes, and local communities.

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

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

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

b. Comprehensive Merit Review All applications that satisfactorily pass the initial review will be eligible for the Comprehensive Merit Review. Each criteria element will be scored on a 0-20 point scale with the following suggested range:

The scoring of each criterion must be based on the strengths and weaknesses of the application materials. To assist in assigning an appropriate score, the following will be used as a guideline:

Rating Descriptive Statement

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

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

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

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

Poor The likelihood of successfully meeting the Government's requirements.

Significant weaknesses are demonstrated and clearly outweigh any strength presented.

Description Criterion

Criterion 2 Criterion 3 Criterion 4 Criterion 5

20 20 20 20 20 Superior 16 16 16 16 16 Good 12 12 12 12 12 Satisfactory 8 8 8 8 8 Marginal 4 4 4 4 4 Poor 0 0 0 0 0 Not

Acceptable

Not Acceptable

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

c. Selection The Selection Official may consider the merit review recommendation, program policy factors, and the amount of funds available to select applications for funding. All proposals for funding will be considered using the criteria outlined above.

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

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

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

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

Section F: Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notices Upon being selected for the award, successful applicants will receive a notification of the selection of their application for funding. NPS will notify the applicants selected for award on or about 120 days following the application deadline. A notice of selection is not an authorization to begin performance on an agreement. This notice will detail the next steps in the awarding process. Once all clearances and reviews have been conducted, a grant agreement will be sent for signature.

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

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

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

a. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) By accepting Federal financial assistance, the non-Federal entity agrees to abide by the applicable Federal regulations in the expenditure of Federal funds and performance under this program: 2 C.F.R. Part 200 - Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements For Federal Awards

b. Standard Award Terms and Conditions Acceptance of a Federal financial assistance award from the Department of the Interior carries with it the responsibility to be aware of and comply with the terms and conditions of the award. Acceptance is defined as the start of work, drawing down funds, or accepting the award via electronic means. Awards are based on the application submitted to, and as approved by the Financial Assistance Awarding Officer. All financial assistance awards are subject to the terms and conditions incorporated either directly or by reference in the award document. Code of Federal Regulations/Regulatory Requirements, as applicable, are listed within Appendix B of this announcement (Contact the Financial Assistance Awarding Officer with any questions regarding the applicability of any terms and conditions).

• 2 C.F.R. Part 175 - Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000

• 2 C.F.R. Parts 182 & 1401 - Government-wide Requirements for a Drug-Free

Workplace

• 2 C.F.R. Parts 180 & 1400 - Government-wide Debarment and Suspension (Non-procurement)

• 43 CFR. 18 - Restrictions on Lobbying http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=63fa3a961cf535c2c8382c1da1d0f279&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=63fa3a961cf535c2c8382c1da1d0f279&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5

c. Order of Precedence Any inconsistency in the agreement shall be resolved by giving precedence in the following order: (a) Any national policy requirements and administrative management standards; (b) 2 C.F.R. Part 200, in its entirety; (c) requirements of the applicable OMB Circulars and Treasury regulations; (d) special terms and conditions; (e) all agreement sections, documents, exhibits, and attachments; (f) and the non-Federal entity’s project proposal.

d. Modifications The agreement may be modified by written agreement signed by both the non-Federal entity’s Authorized Representative and the Financial Assistance Awarding Officer.

Administrative changes (i.e. Financial Assistance Awarding Officer name change, etc.)

which do not change the statement of work, agreement amount, etc., or otherwise affect the non-Federal entity may be signed unilaterally by the Financial Assistance Awarding Officer.

Additionally, a unilateral modification may be utilized if it should become necessary to impose remedies for non- compliance, suspension or termination of the agreement in accordance with 2 CFR 200, Section 200.338 – 200.342.

All other changes shall be made by means of a bilateral modification to the agreement. No oral statement made by any person, or written statement by any person other than the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer shall be allowed in any manner or degree to modify or otherwise effect the terms of the agreement.

e. Payments All applicants must be registered in the System for Awards Management (SAM) prior to award under this NOFO. Instructions for registering for SAM are located at http://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM. All applicants must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times while they have an active Federal award or an application under consideration.

All applicants must also be registered with, and willing to process all payments through, the Department of the Treasury Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) system.

All non-Federal entities with active NPS financial assistance agreements must be enrolled in ASAP under the appropriate Agency Location Code(s) (ALC) and the Data Universal Number System (DUNS) Number prior to the award of funds. If a non-Federal entity has multiple DUNS numbers they must separately enroll within ASAP for each unique DUNS Number and/or Agency. Note that if your entity is currently enrolled in the ASAP system with an agency other than NPS, you must enroll specifically with NPS in order to process payments.

f. Award Instrument Information Projects will be funded, subject to the availability of funds, by issuance of a grant agreement.

The final award agreement will identify the amount of funding provided by NPS, any cost share to be provided by the non-Federal entity, a detailed Statement of Work (SOW) for the project, a project plan, and detailed project budget.

http://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM

An agreement issued and signed by the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer obligates NPS funds. Notification of a successful proposal does not constitute authority to incur costs.

g. Funding Restrictions All funding is contingent upon the availability and appropriation of funds by the United States Congress.

h. Cost Principles:

Costs must be allowable in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles referenced in 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E – Cost Principles.

i. Pre-award Costs:

Must comply with 2 CFR Part 200.458 and requires written approval from the Financial Assistance Awarding Officer.

3. Reporting

a. Financial Status Reports:

A report of expenditures is required as documentation of the financial status of awards according to the official accounting records of the non-Federal entity’s organization. The financial information will be reported by completing and submitting the Federal Financial Report (FFR), SF425. At a minimum, financial reports will be required annually and shall be submitted within 90 calendar days after the end of the annual reporting period. The Financial Assistance Awarding Officer may designate a reporting schedule requiring more frequent reporting based on the assessment of risk. The reporting requirements will be defined within the grant agreement. A final FFR shall be submitted no more than 90 calendar days after the end date of the agreement.

The FFR can be downloaded at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/post-award-reporting-forms.html

The NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer will review the report for patterns of cash expenditures and assess whether performance or financial management problems exist.

Before submitting the FFR to the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer, non-Federal entities must ensure that the information submitted is accurate, complete, and consistent with the non-Federal entity’s accounting system. The non-Federal Entity Authorized Certifying Official’s signature on the FFR certifies that the information in the FFR is correct and complete and that all outlays and obligations are for the purposes set forth in the agreement documents, and represents a claim to the Federal Government. Filing a false claim may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.

b. Performance Reports:

A report of performance is required as documentation of performance towards the accomplishments of the Federal award and detailing project activity and participant profile information. At a minimum, performance reports will be required semi-annually and shall be submitted within 30 calendar days after the end of the reporting period. The Financial https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/post-award-reporting-forms.html

Assistance Awarding Officer may designate a reporting schedule requiring more frequent reporting based on the assessment of risk. The reporting requirements will be defined within the grant agreement. A final performance report shall be submitted no more than 90 calendar days after the end date of the agreement.

In accordance with 2 C.F.R. 200 § 200.328, the performance reports shall contain brief information on:

(1) A comparison of actual accomplishments to the objectives of the Federal award established for the period. Where the accomplishments of the Federal award can be quantified, a computation of the cost (for example, related to units of accomplishment) may be required if that information will be useful. Where performance trend data and analysis would be informative to the Federal awarding agency program, the Federal awarding agency should include this as a performance reporting requirement;

(2) The reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate; and

(3) Additional pertinent information including, when appropriate, analysis and explanation of cost overruns or high unit costs.

Before submitting the performance report to the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer, non-Federal entities must ensure that the information submitted is accurate, complete, and consistent with the non-Federal entity’s financial report. Filing false information may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.

c. Non-Compliance:

Failure to comply with the reporting requirements contained in an agreement may be considered a material non-compliance with the terms and conditions of the award. Non-compliance may result in withholding of future payments, suspension or termination of the agreement, recovery of funds paid under the agreement, and the withholding of future awards. The specific information regarding type, frequency and means of submission of post-Federal award reporting requirements will be contained in the award document.

4. Reporting Matters Related to Recipient Integrity and Performance:

If the total value of your currently active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from all Federal awarding agencies exceeds $10,000,000 for any period of time during the period of performance of this Federal award, then you as the recipient during that period of time must maintain the currency of information reported to the System for Award Management (SAM) that is made available in the designated integrity and performance system (currently the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)) about civil, criminal, or administrative proceedings in accordance with Appendix XII to 2 C.F.R. 200.

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Section G: Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

Agency Contact Information:

Name: Megan Brown, Chief, State, Tribal, Local, Plans & Grants Division Address: National Park Service, 1849 C Street, NW, MS 7360, Washington, DC 20240 Phone: 202-354-2020 E-mail: STLPG@nps.gov

Questions and Requests pertaining to this Notice of Funding Opportunity shall be submitted to:

Name: State, Tribal, Local, Plans & Grants Staff Address: National Park Service, 1849 C Street, NW, MS 7360, Washington, DC 20240 Phone: 202-354-2020 E-mail: STLPG@nps.gov

Questions relating to the grants.gov registration process, system requirements, how an application form works, or the submittal process must be directed to grants.gov at 1-800-518- 4726 or support@grants.gov. Please only contact the grants.gov help desk for questions related to grants.gov.

Section H: Other Information:

1. Program Information In 1988, the National Park Service established the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Preservation grant program to document, preserve, and stabilize structures on HBCU campuses. The HBCU grant program exists to repair historic structures on campuses of Historically Black Colleges and Universities that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places either individually or as contributing to a National Register historic district. Projects must meet major program selection criteria and all work must meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation.

Find out more: go.nps.gov/HBCU

General program information is available at the State, Tribal, Local, Plans & Grants Division website at www.nps.gov/stlpg

2. Proprietary and Personally Identifiable Information

a. Notice of Potential Disclosure under Freedom of Information Act Applicants should be advised that identifying information regarding all applicants, including applicant names and/or points of contact, may be subject to public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, whether or not such applicants are selected for negotiation of award. Applicants must identify any proprietary information within their applications.

b. Personally Identifiable Information In responding to this Notice of Funding Opportunity, applicants must ensure that Protected Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is not included in the following documents: Project Abstract, Project Narrative, Biographical Sketches, Budget or Budget Justification. These documents will be used by the Merit Review Committee in the review process to evaluate each application. PII is defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as:

Any information about an individual maintained by an agency, including but not limited to, education, financial…