LWCF FY22 Cycle 3 NOFO - Planning - P22AS00411.docx

National Park Service

LWCF-PGL - State and Local Assistance Division

P22AS00411

Table of Contents

A. Program Description This section contains the full program description of the funding opportunity. It may be as long as needed to communicate to potential applicants the areas in which funding may be provided. It describes the Federal awarding agency's funding priorities or the technical or focus areas in which the Federal awarding agency intends to provide assistance. This section also may include other information the Federal awarding agency deems necessary and must include citations for authorizing statutes and regulations for the funding opportunity, at a minimum. Enter program specific text in the sub-headers of this section.

Authority:

In the text box below, insert complete legislative authority citation(s) for the statute(s) that authorize the program to issue financial assistance awards for the purpose and activities described in this Funding Opportunity. The statutes listed here must also appear in the program’s SAM.gov Assistance Listing (CFDA) profile (currently at beta.SAM.gov). If your program has a new authorizing statute that does not appear in the SAM.gov Assistance Listing (CFDA) profile, please contact the Bureau’s CFDA Coordinator (currently michelle_maher@nps.gov).

54 U.S.C. 2003 Assistance Listing:

Select the program’s Assistance Listing (CFDA).

15.916 Program Background, Objectives, and Goals:

In the text box below,provide a full programmatic description of the funding opportunity. Describe program’s funding priorities or technical focus areas in which the program intends to provide assistance. As appropriate, include any relevant program history (e.g., whether this is a new program or a changed area of program emphasis). This section may communicate indicators of successful projects (e.g., if the program encourages collaborative efforts) and may include examples of projects that have been funded previously. All funding opportunities must specifically identify the Department of the Interior Secretarial Priorities addressed by the program or opportunity, and a brief description of how the program or opportunity meets each priority. The Department does not expect programs to meet all of the Department’s FA priorities; list only those clearly supported by the program or opportunity.

This notice of funding opportunity is to advise the State lead agencies for Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) of the availability of funds for projects to develop or update their State-wide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) or supporting elements. The LWCF Act requires each state to develop and maintain a SCORP for overall program eligibility for LWCF grants.

The LWCF State and Local Assistance Program was enacted in 1964 to assist in preserving, developing and assuring accessibility to present and future generations of U.S. citizens and visitors “such quality and quantity of outdoor recreation resources as may be available and are necessary and desirable for individual active participation in such recreation and to strengthen the health and vitality of the citizens of the United States.” This is accomplished in part by assuring statewide coordination and planning for outdoor recreation resources.

The LWCF State and Local Assistance program is implemented by the National Park Service (NPS) in partnership with designated lead agencies in each of the 50 States as well as American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Each fiscal year Congress allocates money from the LWCF for this program, which is in turn allocated to the States based on a legislative formula. To be eligible for the funding, States must have a current SCORP in place that assesses demand and need for outdoor recreation resources and sets priorities for the use of LWCF funds. Projects selected for LWCF funding should address priority needs or goals of the SCORP. The NPS must review and approve each State’s SCORP, which is updated at least once every 5 years.

The authority for the LWCF State and Local Assistance Program specifically is found at 54 U.S.C. 200305. The full text of the Act can be viewed here:

prelim@title54/subtitle2/chapter2003&edition=prelim">http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title54/subtitle2/chapter2003&edition=prelim The LWCF Grant Assistance Manual, v. 71 (March 11, 2021) establishes the eligibility, procedural, and programmatic requirements for LWCF grants. A copy of the Manual can be found at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/lwcf/upload/lwcf_manual.pdf. Chapter 2 of the Manual outlines the SCORP process and requirements.

Secretary of the Interior Priorities: This program supports priorities of the Secretary of the Interior, including Executive Order (EO) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, and EO 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.

B. Federal Award Information This section provides sufficient information to help an applicant make an informed decision about whether to submit a proposal. Relevant information could include the total amount of funding that the Federal awarding agency expects to award through the announcement; the anticipated number of Federal awards; the expected amounts of individual Federal awards (which may be a range); the amount of funding per Federal award, on average, experienced in previous years; and the anticipated start dates and periods of performance for new Federal awards. This section also should address whether applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awards.

This section also must indicate the type(s) of assistance instrument (e.g., grant, cooperative agreement) that may be awarded if applications are successful. If cooperative agreements may be awarded, this section either should describe the “substantial involvement” that the Federal awarding agency expects to have or should reference where the potential applicant can find that information (e.g., in the funding opportunity description in A. Program Description—Required or Federal award administration information in Section D. Application and Submission Information). If procurement contracts also may be awarded, this must be stated.

Enter program specific text in the sub-headers of this section.

B1. Total Funding In the numeric field below, enter the total amount of funding that the program expects to award through this funding opportunity.

Estimated Total Funding $1,000,000

B2. Expected Award Amount If the program has established maximum and/or minimum values for individual award amounts, enter those in the fields below. If either of these values does not apply, enter $0 in the corresponding field(s). In the text field, enter a description of the expected amounts of individual awards (which may be a range); the amount of funding per award, on average, experienced in previous years; and indicate whether applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awards.

Maximum Award $250,000 Minimum Award $25,000

States may request up to 10 percent of their annual apportionment, or $250,000, whichever is less, for the federal share of a SCORP grant. In past years the ceiling was $100,000 but this has been increased in light of the increased funding available due to the Great American Outdoors Act.

B3. Anticipated Award Funding and Dates In the text field below enter information on the expected amounts of individual Federal awards (which may be a range); the amount of funding per Federal award, on average, experienced in previous years; and the anticipated start dates and periods of performance for new Federal awards.

Anticipated Award Date September 24, 2022 Assuming that a submitted application is actionable, a grant will be awarded approximately 60 days after receipt. So, award date will vary depending on when it is received, but the target is no later than September 24. Most grants funded in this round will have an initial term of October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2024. The typical SCORP grant is one to two years but can vary depending on the negotiated project statement of work. Agreements are not effective until executed by an NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer (FAAO). Project proposals should include a timeline with discrete benchmarks for completing the project within the initial period of performance. The NPS has the authority to extend awards if circumstances warrant, such as unforeseen problems that would prevent the project from being completed within the original award period. In order to qualify for an extension, grant recipients must be in good standing (i.e., up-to-date on all progress and financial reports), have demonstrated progress during the initial award period, and have a revised program plan that supports the claim that additional time is likely to result in successful completion of the project.

B4. Number of Awards In the text field below enter information on the anticipated number of Federal awards. If the program has established minimum and maximum values for the anticipated total number of awards, enter those values in the maximum and minimum fields below. If either of these values does not apply, enter “0” in the corresponding field(s) and then enter an alternate description of the anticipated number of awards in the following text field.

Expected Number of Awards

B5. Type of Award Select the Type of Award below by choosing the appropriate assistance instrument(s) from the drop-down list.

If you are awarding cooperative agreements, you must also enter text in the following text field to describe the substantial involvement the National Park Service (NPS) expects to have in the performance of the agreement, or reference where the potential applicant can find that information elsewhere in this document (e.g., in section I. Program Description above). Here is suggested text to use to begin the substantial involvement statement: “The National Park Service (NPS) will be substantially involved in projects under this funding opportunity. In particular, the NPS will be responsible for the following: [insert list of the specific project-related activities to be performed by NPS staff.]”

If the program may also award procurement contracts related to this announcement, you must state that and provide any available details on contract procedures and/or announcement(s) in the following text field.

Funding Instrument Type G - Grant LWCF Awards are given as grants. A Grant is 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.

No substantial involvement on the part of the National Park Service is anticipated for LWCF grants.

C. Eligibility Information This section addresses the considerations or factors that determine applicant or application eligibility. This includes the eligibility of particular types of applicant organizations, any factors affecting the eligibility of the principal investigator or project director, and any criteria that make particular projects ineligible. Federal agencies should make clear whether an applicant's failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of an application deadline will result in the Federal awarding agency returning the application without review or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude the Federal awarding agency from making a Federal award. Enter program specific text in the sub-headers of this section.

C1. Eligible Applicants Identify the types of entities that are eligible to apply by selecting the checkbox for the type of entity. Multiple checkboxes may be selected. If there are no restrictions on eligibility, you may simply indicate that all potential applicants are eligible. In the text box below the checkbox selection indicate if there are restrictions on eligibility. It is important to be clear about the specific types of entities that are eligible, not just the types that are ineligible. For example, if the program is limited to nonprofit organizations subject to 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) of the tax code (26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3)), the announcement should say so. Similarly, it is better to state explicitly that Native American tribal organizations are eligible than to assume that they can unambiguously infer that from a statement that nonprofit organizations may apply. Programs may also express eligibility by exception (e.g., open to all types of domestic applicants other than individuals). In the textbox specifically reference any documentation applicants must submit to support an eligibility determination (e.g., if the program limits eligibility to only non-profits with a specific IRS status, state in the field below that proof of 501(c)(3) status as determined by the Internal Revenue Service or an authorizing tribal resolution is required). To the extent that any program funding restriction could affect the eligibility of an applicant or project, the announcement must either restate that restriction in the textbox in this section or provide a cross-reference to its description as it appears elsewhere in this template.

If checkbox 25-Others is selected you must complete the text box, Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification.

Eligible Applicants 00 – State governments Additional Information on Eligibility Explanation required if “Others” is selected.Explanation required if “Others” is selected.

In accordance with 54 U.S.C. 200305(a), only the State lead agency for LWCF is eligible to submit applications in response to this announcement. In this context “States” include the 50 U.S. States, as well as American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The State lead agency may apply for a SCORP grant even if the program is otherwise ineligible for LWCF grants (i.e., because they don’t have a currently approved SCORP). The NPS cannot make planning grants to entities other than the state lead agency. Applications submitted to this funding opportunity announcement by an entity other than the state lead agency will automatically be rejected without consideration.

C2. Cost Sharing or Matching Select the appropriate value from the list to indicate if recipient cost sharing or matching is required. If the program has a cost sharing, cost matching, or cost participation requirement, you must also enter a complete description of the cost sharing or matching requirement in the following text field. Required cost sharing may be a certain percentage or amount or may be in the form of contributions of specified items or activities (e.g., provision of equipment). It is important to be clear about any restrictions on the types of cost (e.g., in-kind contributions) that are acceptable as cost sharing or match. Cost sharing as an eligibility criterion includes requirements based in statute or regulation as described, in 2 CFR §200.306 or those imposed by administrative decision of the funding bureau or office. Include specific reference to the appropriate section(s) of this announcement stating any pre-award requirements for submission of letters or other documentation to verify commitments to meet cost-sharing requirements if a Federal award is made. Programs without a required cost sharing or matching requirement may enter clarifications regarding voluntary committed cost sharing or other related information in the following text field, as applicable.

Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement Yes In accordance with 54 U.S.C. 200305(c), LWCF grants must be matched with non-Federal funds at a minimum ratio of 1:1, with the following exception: for DOI grants, 48 U.S.C. § 1469a(d) waives the 1:1 matching requirement for the jurisdictions of American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Matching funds must be in hand or committed at the time of application. The funds may be derived from state, local, non-governmental, or private sources in the form of cash or the value of in-kind contributions. Further information about eligible sources of match and other cost-sharing requirements can be found in Chapters 2 and 5 of the LWCF Manual as well as at 2 C.F.R. 200.306. Cost share contribution amounts and their source(s) shall be shown on the SF-424-A and annotated in the budget narrative (reference section D, Application and Submission Information).

The following costs may not be counted toward the non-Federal matching share (not inclusive):

· Unless defined as an eligible pre-award cost for a planning grant in the LWCF Manual, any project costs that were incurred before the grant start date.

· Any funds or in-kind contributions that have been previously used to satisfy the matching requirements of this program or that that have been or will be used to satisfy another Federal grant, including LWCF acquisition or construction grants.

· Any funds originating from Federal sources or the value of in-kind contributions such as services that were or will be acquired with other Federal funds, unless the authorizing legislation for those funds provides that they may be counted as the non-Federal contribution for another Federal grant program.

Further, excepting situations where federal funds are being contributed as the non-federal share as per the above, in accordance with 54 U.S.C. 200305(f)(1) LWCF grant projects may not include funds from other Federal sources in their budgets, even if all programs’ match requirements are met. Exceptions can be made for Federal funds with authorizing legislation that includes language that waives the 50% ceiling on the Federal share of the total project cost.

C3. Other In the text box below, insert a description of any other criteria that have the effect of making an application or project ineligible for Federal awards, as applicable. If there are other eligibility criteria (i.e., criteria that have the effect of making an application or project ineligible for Federal awards, whether referred to as “responsiveness” criteria, “go-no go” criteria, “threshold” criteria, or in other ways), clearly state those in the following text field. Include reference(s) to the regulation of requirement that describes the restriction, as applicable. State any limit on the number of applications an applicant may submit under the announcement and make clear whether the limitation is on the submitting organization, individual investigator/program director, or both. Specify any eligibility criteria for beneficiaries or for program participants other than Federal award recipients.

Excluded Parties:

NPS conducts a review of the SAM.gov Exclusions database for all applicant entities and their key project personnel prior to award. The NPS cannot award funds to entities or their key project personnel identified in the SAM.gov Exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/ restricted or otherwise excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits, as their ineligibility condition applies to this Federal program.

Foreign Entities or Projects Select the applicable option from the list of values to indicate if the program provides funding for entities or projects in foreign countries.

This program does not provide funding to foreign entities or for projects conducted outside the United States.

D. Application and Submission Information This section informs potential applicants how to get application forms, kits, or other materials needed to apply. Enter program specific text in the sub-headers of this section.

D1. Address to Request Application Package In the following text field, specify if applicants must go elsewhere to complete all documentation requirements, such as an Internet address where additional materials are available. Applicants should also be able to request paper copies of application materials by contacting the Awarding Agency using the information provided in Section G of this announcement.

The Application Package can be accessed and downloaded from the Synopsis page of this announcement in Grants.gov. The Standard Forms are embedded in the application package. You may also contact the Agency lead for assistance (see Section G of this NOFO).

D2. Content and Form of Application Submission Project Narrative In this section provide the description of the program-specific requirements for project narrative statements, and should specifically address content and form or format requirements for:

- Pre-applications, letters of intent, or white papers required or encouraged (see Section D.4), including any limitations on the number of pages or other formatting requirements similar to those for full applications.

- The application as a whole. For all submissions, this would include any limitations on the number of pages, font size and typeface, margins, paper size, number of copies, and sequence or assembly requirements. If electronic submission is permitted or required, this could include special requirements for formatting or signatures.

- Component pieces of the application (e.g., if all copies of the application must bear original signatures on the face page or the program narrative may not exceed 10 pages). This includes any pieces that may be submitted separately by third parties (e.g., references or letters confirming commitments from third parties that will be contributing a portion of any required cost sharing).

- Information that successful applicants must submit after notification of intent to make a Federal award, but prior to a Federal award. This could include evidence of compliance with requirements relating to human subjects or information needed to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S.C. 4321-4370h)

Provide a narrative description of the project that outlines the scope of work, including a timeline with anticipated benchmarks, and planned results/outcomes. There should be sufficient detail to help support the review of the budget information and the described work should align with the budget detail.

SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance Applicants must submit the appropriate Standard Form (SF)-424, Application for Federal Assistance. Individuals applying as a private citizen (i.e., unrelated to any business or nonprofit organization you may own or operate in your name), must complete the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance-Individual form. All other applicants must complete the standard SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance. The required application forms are available with this announcement on Grants.gov. The SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance must be complete, signed, and dated. Do not include any proprietary or personally identifiable information. Please note: Enter only the amount requested from this Federal program in the “Federal” funding box on the SF-424 Application form. Include any other Federal sources of funding in the “Other” box and provide details on those Federal source(s) and funding amount(s) in the required Budget Narrative (see the “Budget Narrative” section below).

Authors may need to provide additional applicant instructions if multiple SF 424 forms are included in the application kit for different applicant types. Instructions should be entered in the program specific language in this section to require the appropriate SF 424 type required to be submitted by applicant type.

The following header will display if this checkbox is selected: SF 424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs Applicants must submit the appropriate SF-424 Budget Information form and Budget Narrative. For non-construction programs or projects, applicants must complete and submit the SF-424A, “Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs” form. All of the required application forms are available with this announcement on Grants.gov. Federal award recipients and subrecipients are subject to Federal award cost principles in 2 CFR 200.

The following header will display if this checkbox is selected: SF-424C, Budget Information for Construction Programs The following header will display if this checkbox is selected: SF 424B, Assurances for Non-Construction Programs Any applicant organization that has not completed the financial assistance certifications and representations within their SAM.gov registration must submit the appropriate signed and dated Assurances form. All of the required application forms are available with this announcement on Grants.gov.

The following header will display if this checkbox is selected: SF 424D, Assurances for Construction Programs The following header will display if this checkbox is selected: Request to Acquire, Improve, or Furnish Real Property Detailed Budget Narrative In addition to the following standard statement, provide any additional program specific budget narrative instructions in the text field after the standard statement. To assist applicants with a detailed a budget, a sample detailed budget worksheet may be attached and referenced within the below text field.

The project budget shall include detailed information on all cost categories and must clearly identify all estimated project costs. Unit costs shall be provided for all budget items including the cost of work to be provided by contractors or sub-recipients. In addition, applicants shall include a narrative description of the items included in the project budget, including the value of in-kind contributions of goods and services provided to complete the project when cost share is identified to be included (reference section C of this announcement). Cost categories can include, but are not limited to, those costs items included on the SF424A or SF424C.

Provide a narrative description of the items included in the project budget. The budget narrative should clearly identify all project costs, and should align with the scope of work identified in the project narrative. Provide detailed information on all cost categories, including the value of in-kind contributions of services provided to complete the project to be counted for matching purposes. Unit costs shall be provided for all budget items including the cost of work to be provided by contractors or sub-recipients. Cost categories can include, but are not limited to, the budget object classes included on the SF-424A.

Project Abstract Summary Please complete and submit with your application package the Project Abstract Summary form with the following information:

· Funding Opportunity Number;

· Goals and Objectives of your proposed project;

· Summary of Project Activities;

· Performance Goals including milestones and expected outcomes;

· Who will benefit from your project.

This information will be transmitted to USASpending.gov and be viewable by the public.

Conflict of Interest Disclosure Per the Financial Assistance Interior Regulation (FAIR), 2 CFR §1402.112, applicants must state in their application if any actual or potential conflict of interest exists at the time of submission.

(a) Applicability.

(1) This section intends to ensure that non-Federal entities and their employees take appropriate steps to avoid conflicts of interest in their responsibilities under or with respect to Federal financial assistance agreements.

(2) In the procurement of supplies, equipment, construction, and services by recipients and by sub recipients, the conflict of interest provisions in 2 CFR §200.318 apply.

(b) Notification.

(1) Non-Federal entities, including applicants for financial assistance awards, must disclose in writing any conflict of interest to the DOI awarding agency or pass-through entity in accordance with 2 CFR §200.112.

(2) Recipients must establish internal controls that include, at a minimum, procedures to identify, disclose, and mitigate or eliminate identified conflicts of interest. The recipient is responsible for notifying the Financial Assistance Officer in writing of any conflicts of interest that may arise during the life of the award, including those that have been reported by sub recipients.

(c) Restrictions on lobbying. Non-Federal entities are strictly prohibited from using funds under a grant or cooperative agreement for lobbying activities and must provide the required certifications and disclosures pursuant to 43 CFR §18 and prelim@title31/subtitle2/chapter13&edition=prelim">31 USC §1352.

(d) Review procedures. The Financial Assistance Officer will examine each conflict of interest disclosure on the basis of its particular facts and the nature of the proposed grant or cooperative agreement, and will determine whether a significant potential conflict exists and, if it does, develop an appropriate means for resolving it.

(e) Enforcement. Failure to resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the government may be cause for termination of the award. Failure to make required disclosures may result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR §200.339, Remedies for noncompliance, including suspension or debarment (see also 2 CFR §180).

Uniform Audit Reporting Statement All U.S. states, local governments, federally recognized Indian tribes, institutions of higher education, and non- profit organizations expending $750,000 USD or more in Federal award funds in the applicant’s fiscal year must submit a Single Audit report for that year through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse’s Internet Data Entry System, in accordance with 2 CFR 200 subpart F. U.S. state, local government, federally recognized Indian tribes, institutions of higher education, and non-profit applicants must state if your organization was or was not required to submit a Single Audit report for the most recently closed fiscal year. If your organization was required to submit a Single Audit report for the most recently closed fiscal year, provide the EIN associated with that report and state if it is available through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse website.

Authors may need to provide additional instructions pertaining to single audit reporting based on legislative or program requirements. If applicable, provide the additional instructions within the text box below. Text field can be left blank if additional instructions are not needed.

Certification Regarding Lobbying Applicants requesting more than $100,000 in Federal funding must certify to the statements in 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A-Certification Regarding Lobbying. If this application requests more than $100,000 in Federal funds, the Authorized Official’s signature on the appropriate SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance form also represents the entity’s certification of the statements in 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A.

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities Applicants and recipients must not use any federally appropriated funds (annually appropriated or continuing appropriations) or matching funds under a Federal award to pay any person for lobbying in connection with the award. Lobbying is influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any U.S. agency, a Member of the U.S. Congress, an officer or employee of the U.S. Congress, or an employee of a Member of the U.S. Congress connection with the award. Applicants and recipients must complete and submit the SF-LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” form if the Federal share of the proposal or award is more than $100,000 and the applicant or recipient has made or has agreed to make any payment using non-appropriated funds for lobbying in connection with the application or award. The SF-LLL form is available with this Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov. See 43 CFR, Subpart 18.100 and 31 USC 1352 for more information on when additional submission of this form is required.

Authors may need to provide additional instructions pertaining to disclosure of lobbying activities based on legislative or program requirements. If applicable, provide the additional instructions within the text box below. Text field can be left blank if additional instructions are not needed Overlap or Duplication of Effort Statement If the project proposed in this application is funded through another Federal financial assistance award, in part or in whole, the applicant must provide a statement detailing the potential funding overlap in regards to activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel. Provide a copy of any overlapping or duplicative proposal submitted to any other potential funding entity and identify when that proposal was submitted or copy of Federal financial assistance award covering activities covered under this proposal. The statement and the description of overlap or duplication, when applicable, may be provided within the proposal or as a separate attachment to the application. Any overlap or duplication of funding between the proposed project and other active or anticipated projects may impact selection and/or funding amount. If no such overlap or duplication exists, state, “There are no overlaps or duplication between this application and any of our other Federal applications or funded projects”

D3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Registration: This requirement does not apply to individuals applying for funds as an individual (i.e., unrelated to any business or nonprofit organization you may own, operate, or work within), or any entity with an exception to bypass SAM.gov registration with prior approval from the funding bureau or office in accordance with bureau or office policy. All other applicants are required to register in SAM.gov prior to submitting a Federal award application and obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) which replaces the Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet in April 2022. A Federal award may not be made to an applicant that has not completed the SAM.gov registration. If an applicant selected for funding has not completed their SAM.gov registration by the time the program is ready to make an award, the program may determine the applicant is not qualified to receive an award. Federal award recipients must also continue to maintain an active SAM.gov registration with current information through the life of their Federal award(s).

Register with the System for Award Management (SAM) Applicants can register on the SAM.gov website. The “Help” tab on the website contains User Guides and other information to assist you with registration. The Grants.gov “Register with SAM” page also provides detailed instructions. Applicants can contact the supporting Federal Service Desk for help registering in SAM. Once registered in SAM, entities will be assigned a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Entities must renew and revalidate their SAM registration at least once every 12 months from the date previously registered. Entities are strongly encouraged to revalidate their registration as often as needed to ensure their information is up to date and reflects changes that may have been made to the entity’s IRS information. There is no cost to register with SAM.gov. There are third-party vendors who will charge a fee in exchange for registering entities with SAM.gov; please be aware you can register and request help for free. If applicable, foreign entities who want to receive payment directly to a U.S. bank account must enter and maintain valid, current banking information in SAM.

Enter any program specific language regarding DUNS/SAM.

D4. Submission Dates and Times Funding Opportunities must identify due dates and times for all submissions in accordance with 2 CFR 200, Appendix I, section D (4). Review and address all of the 2 CFR 200-Appendix I requirements in the following text field. Clearly state deadlines in terms of date and local time (Please Note: Grants.gov uses Eastern Time); what the deadline means and if submission method affects it; and the effect of missing a deadline. If the funding opportunity is a rolling announcement that is open for a period of time with no specific due dates for applications, this section should say so. Format the information in this section so that it is easy to understand and use. A tabular format or checklist may be more helpful than narrative paragraphs.

This includes not only submission dates and times for full applications but also any preliminary submission requirements (e.g., letters of intent, white papers, or pre-applications). Describe any other submissions of information before Federal award that are separate from the full application.

Due Date for Applications 08/10/2022 Application Due Date Explanation Applicants are responsible for their proposals being submitted to the National Park Service. To be processed in this funding cycle, complete applications must be submitted by Wednesday, August 10, 11:59 PM ET. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Applications sent by facsimile, email, or mail delivery will not be accepted. Applications submitted to Grants.gov after the deadline will not be accepted. The receipt date and time stamp given by Grants.gov will establish whether the application met the deadline. An applicant's failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of the application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration during this cycle. This includes but is not limited to late and incomplete application packages.

You are encouraged to submit the application well before the deadline and not wait until the last minute. The uploading and transfer process can take a while, especially when Grants.gov is getting heavy use. In addition, after the application is submitted it gets validated before it is forwarded to the NPS. Normally this happens within a few minutes to a couple of hours, but it can take Grants.gov up to a day or two to validate or reject an application. You can monitor your application’s status by email. You will receive four (4) emails from Grants.gov in the submittal process: the first confirms successful receipt and contains a Grants.gov tracking number; the second confirms that the application has been validated; the third confirms the application was “received” by the agency, and the fourth assigns an NPS tracking number. If you do not get the first email, you should assume the application did not successfully submit to Grants.gov. If you do not receive all four emails, you should assume the application was not actually forwarded to NPS, notwithstanding the email about receipt, in which case you should let your NPS program officer know. Sometimes there are glitches that prevent actual transmission, for example, applications that contain large files (exceeding 25MG) may not get forwarded to the DOI system. Most problems occur at the validation step so you should always check the second email; if there was a problem it should be described in this email. Technical difficulties with application submittal should be directed to the Grants.gov help desk. NPS staff can confirm receipt of submission, but cannot resolve issues with Grants.gov or extend the application deadline due to difficulties with submission via Grants.gov.

D5. Intergovernmental Review An intergovernmental review may be required for applications submissions from a U.S. state or local government prior to submission. Applicants must contact their State’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to comply with the state’s process under Executive Order 12372.

D6. Funding Restrictions You must include information on funding restrictions in order to allow an applicant to develop an application and budget consistent with program requirements. Examples are whether construction is an allowable activity, if there are any limitations on direct costs such as foreign travel or equipment purchases, and if there are any legislatively authorized limits on indirect costs (or facilities and administrative costs). There may also be funding restrictions listed in the program’s SAM.gov Assistance Listing (CFDA) profile. You must also state if the award will or will not allow reimbursement of pre-Federal award costs. Any program that anticipates issuing cooperative agreements to Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units (CESU) Network partners that will qualify as CESU projects and therefore will be subject to the CESU indirect cost rate cap (currently 17.5%), MUST clearly state so in the Funding Opportunity. Programs cannot cap indirect costs to successful CESU partner university applicants if the Funding Opportunity does not explicitly state that awards to such universities will be subject to the CESU indirect cost rate cap.

In addition to program specific text for Funding Restrictions, the following text on Indirect Costs will be included on all NOFOs.

The following header will display if this checkbox is selected: Indirect Costs: Individuals The following header will display if this checkbox is selected: Indirect Costs: Organizations The Federal awarding agency that provides the largest amount of direct funding to your organization is your cognizant agency for indirect costs, unless otherwise assigned by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). If the Department of the Interior is your organization’s cognizant agency, the Interior Business Center will negotiate your indirect cost rate. Contact the Interior Business Center by phone 916-930-3803 or using the IBC Email Submission Form. See the IBC Website for more information.

Organizations must have an active Federal award before they can submit an indirect cost rate proposal to their cognizant agency. Failure to establish an approved rate during the award period renders all costs otherwise allocable as indirect costs unallowable under the award. Recipients must have prior written approval from the Service to use amounts budgeted for direct costs to satisfy cost-share or match requirements or to cover unallowable indirect costs. Recipients shall not shift unallowable indirect costs to another Federal award unless specifically authorized to do so by legislation.

Authors may need to provide additional instructions pertaining to indirect costs for organizations based on legislative or program requirements. If applicable, provide the additional instructions within the text box below. Text field can be left blank if additional instructions are not needed.

Required Indirect Cost Statement to be submitted with Application.

All organizations must include the applicable statement from the following list in their application, and attach to their application any documentation identified in the applicable statement:

We are:

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

· A U.S. state or local government entity receiving less than $35 million in direct Federal funding with an indirect cost rate of [insert rate]. We have prepared and will retain for audit an indirect cost rate proposal and related documentation.

· A [insert your organization type; U.S. states and local governments, do not use this statement] that has previously negotiated or currently has an approved indirect cost rate with our cognizant agency. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate]. [Insert either: “Attached is a copy of our most recently approved but expired rate agreement. In the event an award is made, we will submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after the award is made.” or “Attached is a copy of our current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement.”]

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

· A [insert your organization type] that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency and has an indirect cost rate that is lower than 10%. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate; must be lower than 10%]. However, if we receive an award we will not be able to meet the requirement to submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after award. We request as a condition of award to charge a flat indirect cost rate of [insert rate; must be lower than 10%] against [insert a clear description of the direct cost base against which your rate is charged (e.g., salaries; salaries and fringe benefits; or modified total direct costs). However, please note that your organization cannot charge indirect costs in excess of the indirect costs that would be recovered if applied against modified total direct costs as defined in §2 CFR 200.68]. We understand that we must notify the Service in writing if we establish an approved rate with our cognizant agency at any point during the award period.

· A [insert your organization type] that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency and has an indirect cost rate that is 10% or higher. Our indirect cost rate is [insert your organization’s indirect rate; must be 10% or higher]. However, if we receive an award we will not be able to meet the requirement to submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after award. We request as a condition of award to charge a flat de minimis indirect cost rate of 10% to be charged against modified total direct project costs as defined in 2 CFR §200.68. We understand that we must notify the Service in writing if we establish a negotiated rate with our cognizant agency at any point during the award period. We understand that additional Federal funds may not be available to support an unexpected increase in indirect costs during the project period and that such changes are subject to review, negotiation, and prior approval by the Service.

· A [insert your organization type] that is submitting this proposal for consideration under the “Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Network”, which has a Department of the Interior-approved indirect cost rate cap of 17.5%. If we have an approved indirect cost rate with our cognizant agency, we understand that we must apply this reduced rate against the same direct cost base as identified in our approved indirect cost rate agreement per 2 CFR §1402.414. If we do not have an approved indirect cost rate with our cognizant agency, we understand that we must charge indirect costs against the modified total direct cost base defined in 2 CFR §200.68 “Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC)”. We understand that we must request prior approval from the Service to use the 2 CFR 200 MTDC base instead of the base identified in our approved indirect cost rate agreement. We understand that Service approval of such a request will be based on: 1) a determination that our approved base is only a subset of the MTDC (such as salaries and wages); and 2) that use of the MTDC base will still result in a reduction of the total indirect costs to be charged to the award. In accordance with 2 CFR §200.405, we understand that indirect costs not recovered due to a voluntary reduction to our federally negotiated rate are not allowable for recovery via any other means.

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

D7. Other Submission Requirements You must provide detailed submission instructions, including the format of submission (i.e., paper or electronic), for each type of required submission. Do not require applicants to submit in more than one format. Indicate if applicants have more than one choice for how to submit an application and provide detailed instructions for each option, including where to send the application. For postal mail submissions, provide a complete mailing address.