National Outreach and Communications Program Grant.gov Final Posting March 2016.doc

National Outreach and Communications Grant Program FY 2013-2017 Notice of Availability of Funding and Requests for Applications

Program Overview Information

Federal Agency Name:

U.S. Department of Interior

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division of Program and Partnership Support Funding Opportunity Title:

National Outreach and Communications Program Request for Proposals

Announcement Type:

Announcement of availability of funding for a cooperative agreement for fiscal years 2013 – 2017.

Funding Opportunity Number:

F13AS00045

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number:

15.653

Dates:

Applicants must submit applications through www.grants.gov (grants.gov) by the deadline. The deadline for receipt is January 31, 2013, 11:59 p.m. EST. The Service recommends that you submit your application early enough to address any unforeseen technical complications. Please note: Validation or rejection of your application by Grants.gov may take up to 2 business days after submission. Please consider this process in developing your submission timeline. The Service will not consider applications received after the deadline. No facsimile or electronic mail applications will be accepted.

We expect to announce the awards in March 2013.

Additional Information:

The National Outreach and Communication Program was established by the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-178) and has been reauthorized by Congress in subsequent years. The purpose of the program is to improve communications with anglers, boaters, and the general public regarding angling and boating opportunities, to reduce barriers to participation in angling and boating, to advance the adoption of sound angling and boating practices, to promote conservation and the responsible use of the nation’s aquatic resources, and to further safety in angling and boating. Since its inception in 1998, the program has funded more than $140 million in awards.

Funding Opportunity Description:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is seeking proposals from applicants to implement the National Outreach and Communication Program. This program was established by the Sportfishing and Boating Safety Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-178) and has been reauthorized by Congress in subsequent years. The program is current authorized through fiscal year 2014. Funding for fiscal years 2015-2017 years is contingent upon reauthorization of this program. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will enter into a cooperative agreement with successful applicant(s) for a length of time(s) ranging from one to five years.

Proposals must seek to implement strategies identified in the National Outreach and Communication Program’s strategic plan. Specifically, proposals must implement strategies to address the following purposes of the National Outreach and Communication Program which are:

· Improve communications with anglers, boaters, and the general public regarding angling and boating opportunities;

· Reduce barriers to participation in angling and boating;

· Advance the adoption of sound angling and boating practices in the U.S.;

· Promote conservation and the responsible use of the nation’s aquatic resources, and;

· Further safety in angling and boating.

An on-line version of the Strategic Plan for the National Outreach and Communication Program is available at http://www.fws.gov/sfbpc/doc/1998strategicoutreachplan.ppt.

Applications are ranked by an independent panel based on the experience and ability of the applicant to successfully implement programs that address these strategies.

II. Award Information:

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service expects approximately $11.5 - $14 million will be available annually for the National Outreach and Communication Program in fiscal years 2013-2017, pending its continued authorization. Approximately $12.2 million is expected to be available for funding in fiscal year 2016. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will enter into a cooperative agreement with the successful applicant(s) for a period of one to five fiscal years dependent upon the program’s current and continued authorization. There is no specific minimum or maximum award amount.

III. Eligibility Information:

A. Eligible applicants

Applications from all entities with experience in addressing strategies identified in the National Outreach and Communication Program’s strategic plan are encouraged to apply.

Federal law (2 CFR Part 25, Central Contractor Registry and Data Universal Numbering System) mandates that all entities applying for Federal financial assistance must have a valid Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number and have a current registration in the Central Contractor Registry (CCR). The CCR functionality was consolidated into the System for Award Management (SAM) in September 2012. Exemptions: The SAM registration requirement does not apply to individuals submitting an application on their own behalf and not on behalf of a company or other for-profit entity, State, local or Tribal government, academia or other type of organization. Applicants selected for funding must maintain these registrations throughout the length of their award.

Additional information on DUNS and SAM registration processes is as follows:

DUNS Registration

Request a DUNS number online at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. U.S.-based entities may also request a DUNS number by telephone by calling the Dun & Bradstreet Government Customer Response Center, Monday – Friday, 7 AM to 8 PM CST at the following numbers:

U.S. and U.S Virgin Islands: 1-866-705-5711

Alaska and Puerto Rico: 1-800-234-3867 (Select Option 2, then Option 1)

For Hearing Impaired Customers Only call: 1-877-807-1679 (TTY Line)

Once assigned a DUNS number, entities are responsible for maintaining up-to-date information with Dun & Bradstreet.

Entity Registration in SAM

Register in SAM online at http://www.sam.gov/. Once registered in SAM, entities must renew and revalidate their SAM registration at least every 12 months from the date previously registered. Entities are strongly urged to revalidate their registration as often as needed to ensure that SAM is up to date and in synch with changes that may have been made to DUNS and IRS information. Foreign entities who wish to be paid to a bank account in the United States must enter and maintain valid and current banking information in SAM.

Entities that had an active record in CCR have an active record in SAM. Such entities do not need to do anything in SAM unless a change in business circumstances requires updates to your Entity record(s) or the Entity record is due to expire. SAM will send notifications to migrated Entity users via email 60, 30, and 15 days prior to expiration of the Entity record. To update or renew your Entity records(s) in SAM your Entity user(s) will need to create a SAM User Account and link their account(s) to your migrated Entity record(s). Entities migrated from CCR can find complete instructions on accessing their SAM Entity records online at http://www.sam.gov/.

Excluded Entities

Applicant entities identified in the SAM.gov Exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted or excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits will not be considered for Federal funding, as applicable to the funding being requested under this Federal program B. Cost-Sharing or Matching

There is no cost-share requirement for the National Outreach and Communication Program. Applicants are encouraged to identify other potential non-federal funding sources to leverage or enhance the ability of the applicant to implement strategies associated with the program’s strategic plan. In-kind contributions are allowed.

IV. Application and Submission Information A. Address to Request/Submit Application Package

You may download the application package for the National Outreach and Communication Program on grants.gov here: https://apply07.grants or by searching by CFDA 15.653. Application forms are available through the Grants.gov website or by contacting:

Brian Bohnsack, PhD

Recreational Boating and Fishing Liaison

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Division of Program and Partnership Support

Mailstop AEA-3103

4401 Fairfax Drive

Arlington, VA 22203

703-358-2435

Brian_bohnsack@fws.gov Completed applications should be submitted online at www.Grants.gov through the NOCP Funding Opportunity.

B. Content and Form of Application Applications submitted from funding from the National Outreach and Communication Program must include:

1. Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424) It is encouraged that you list the project area Congressional district(s) in box 16 of areas potentially affected by proposed efforts.

2. Budget Information, i.e., estimated costs to attain the project objectives (applicants must use Standard Form(s) 424A and/or 424C as appropriate or present the information in a similar table). The various activities or components of each project should be broken down by cost and by funding source. You must provide sufficient detail for reviewers to understand the proposed costs.

3. Statement of Assurances of Compliance with Applicable Federal Laws, Regulations and Policies (Standard Form 424D).

4. A project statement written as a concise statement to identify and describe:

a. The need for the proposed project

b. Discrete, quantifiable and verifiable objectives to be accomplished during a specific time period;

c. Expected results or benefits in terms of project activities focused on implementing the focus areas identified in the National Outreach and Communication Program’s strategic plan.

d. The approaches planned to be used in meeting the objectives, including specific procedures, proposed schedules for these procedures, key personnel and cooperators;

5. A description, with appropriate documentation (if applicable) of how the proposed project addresses each of the planned actions associated with each strategy.

In general, application packages should be arranged in the following order:

1. SF 424

2. SF 424A (or budget table)

3. SF 424C (or budget table)

4. SF 424D

5. Project Statement

6. Ranking Criteria Information

Applications should be formatted to print on 8.5” x 11” paper, with 1” margins at the top, bottom and sides and page numbers at the bottom of the page (starting with the Project Statement). Fonts should be legible, i.e., preferably 12 point Arial, Times New Roman, or other commonly used fonts.

In accepting Federal funds, applicants must comply with all applicable Federal laws, regulations, and policies.

C. Submission Dates and Times

Final applications must be received and validated by Grants.gov on or before January 31, 2013. Please note: Validation or rejection of your application by Grants.gov may take up to 2 business days after submission. Please consider this process in developing your submission timeline. Applications received after the deadline will be rejected. No facsimile or electronic mail applications will be accepted.

D. Intergovernmental Review

The National Outreach and Communication Program is subject to Executive Order 12372 “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs”. Governmental organizations that apply for this program should alert their Single Point of Contacts (SPOCs) that they have submitted a proposal for funding from this program. If you, as an applicant, are required to submit materials to a SPOC, indicate the date of this submittal (or the date of contact if no submittal is required) on the Standard Form 424.

V. Application Review Information A. Criteria

Applications will be reviewed and ranked according to the applicant’s abilities to address programs/actions that address the National Outreach and Communication Program’s strategic plan and additionally their ability to encompass the following areas:

· Provide for public/private and public/public partnerships. Will the project be completed with partners contributing to the overall project?

· Use of innovative techniques. Does the project use innovative techniques?

· Project cost share percentage. Does the project include private, local or other sources of funds that reduce the overall federal percentage participation in the project?

B. Review and Selection Process Project selection is a three-step process: application acceptance, application ranking, and application selection.

· Application acceptance- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will review proposals to determine if the all of the required information is submitted. Applicants will be asked to provide additional clarifying statements and/or documents if needed.

· Application ranking- A panel of experts from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will review all applications and evaluate the applicant’s ability to implement strategies/issues identified in the National Outreach and Communication Program’s strategic plan.

· Application selection: The review panel will make a funding recommendation to the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The final selection of award recipients is determined by the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

VI. Award Administration Information A. Award Notices

Successful applicant(s) will receive a letter informing them that their application was selected for funding and the remaining process needed to complete the cooperative agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

When a proposal is selected for funding, compliance with all applicable Federal laws, such as the Endangered Species Act, and applicable Executive Orders must be satisfied before the Service can approve the award and make funding available through a cooperative agreement with the applicant.

All organizations must obtain a Data Universal Number (DUNS), a unique identifying number, before applying for federal assistance. On June 27, 2003, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published a Federal Register notice (68 FR 38402) that announced its final policy on the use of a universal identifier by financial assistance applicants. The policy requires applicants applying for Federal grants or cooperative agreements to obtain a DUNS number. Organizations can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling a DUNS number request line at 1-866-706-5711 or on-line at http://www.dnb.com.

All financial assistance awards are subject to Federal financial administration requirements. The Division of Program and Partnership Support will work with successful applicants to ensure that all financial arrangements comply with these requirements.

Several resources are available to find out more about the Federal rules and regulations, including administrative requirements and cost principles, you may review. An excellent source is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration Toolkit (http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/subpages/toolkit/toolkit.pdf). The rules that apply to different recipients are detailed here:

Table 1. Federal Financial Administrative Guidance

48 CFR 31 (Federal Acquisition Regulations-Contracts with Commercial Organizations)

2 CFR 230 (Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations)

2 CFR 215 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Other Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals and Other Non-Profit Organizations)

OMB Circular No. A-133 (Audits of States, Local Government and Non-Profit Organizations)

2 CFR 220 (Cost Principles for Educational Institutions)

2 CFR 215 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Other Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals and Other Non-Profit Organizations) OMB Circular No. A-133 (Audits of States, Local Government and Non-Profit Organizations)

43 CFR 18 (New Restrictions on Lobbying)

2 CFR 225 (Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments)

OMB Circular No. A-102 (Grants and Cooperative Agreements with State and Local Governments)

OMB Circular No. A-133 (Audits of States, Local Government and Non-Profit Organizations)

C. Reporting

Reporting requirements include retention and access requirements that are specified in 43 CFR 12.82. Additional details regarding new requirements, guidance, consequences, etc. are available in the document “Interim Guidance for Financial and Performance Reporting” located at http://wsfrprograms.fws.gov/subpages/toolkitfiles/intgdrpt.pdf VII. Agency Contacts

The National Outreach and Communication Program is administered by the Division of Program and Partnership Support. Information can be obtained by contacting:

Brian Bohnsack, PhD

Recreational Boating and Fishing Liaison

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Division of Program and Partnership Support

Mailstop AEA-3103

4401 Fairfax Drive

Arlington, VA 22203

703-358-2435

Brian_Bohnsack@fws.gov VIII. Other Information The Federal government is not bound to financially support any project until an authorized Service financial officer has approved the award. Further, funding for this program is contingent upon its reauthorization by Congress.

OMB Control Number 1018-0109

PAPERWORK REDUCTION STATEMENT: The Paperwork Reduction Act requires us to tell you why we are collecting this information, how we will use it, and whether or not you have to respond. We will use the information that we collect to evaluate the applications submitted to acquire funding for the National Outreach and Communication Program. Your response is required to receive funding. A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB Control Number. We estimate that it will take an average of 50 hours to complete this application. The average estimated annual burden associated with writing and submitting required performance reports is 6 hours. You may send comments regarding the burden estimates or any aspect of this information to the Information Collection Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS 222 ARLSQ, 4401 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22203.