NFPP NOFO F23AS00249 Updated 03032023.docx

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

FWS - Fisheries https://www.fws.gov/program/national-fish-passage

F23AS00249 National Fish Passage Program Base Funding Fiscal Year 2023 Fiscal Year: 2023

F23AS00249

Due Date for Applications: 12/31/2023

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. As appropriate, it may include any program history (e.g., whether this is a new program or a new or 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. 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, enter the specific citation(s) of the program’s authority to award financial assistance for the purposes and activities described in this Funding Opportunity. At a minimum, programs must enter the applicable financial assistance authority citations as they appear in the Service’s “FA Authorities by Assistance Listing” SharePoint list. Enter any other programmatic authorities, as applicable.

The following statute authorizes the Service to issue financial assistance awards under this program: Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act- Cooperation of agencies (16 U.S.C. §661).

Assistance Listing Number:

The program’s Assistance Listing Number populates based on data entry on FOA Key Attributes screen. It also appears on Publication Setup-Synopsis screen. If you need to change it, click the Edit button, and then select the correct Assistance Listing Number from the list of values.

15.685 Background, Purpose and Program Requirements:

In the text box below, provide a full programmatic description of the funding opportunity. Per 2 CFR §200.202, “Program Planning and Design”, prior to announcing a Notice of Funding Opportunity, the Federal program must establish clear goals and objectives that facilitate the delivery of meaningful results as the basis for measuring program performance. Describe the 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. Where appropriate, include specific program goals, indicators, targets, baseline data, data collection, or expected outcomes with an expected timeline for accomplishment. Where applicable, this should also include any performance measures or independent sources of data that may be used to measure progress.

The National Fish Passage Program (NFPP) is a voluntary program that provides direct technical and financial assistance to partners to remove instream barriers and restore aquatic organism passage and aquatic connectivity for the benefit of Federal trust resources. In doing so, NFPP aims to maintain or increase fish populations to improve ecosystem resiliency and provide quality fishing experiences for the American people. Activities that restore fish passage also support the modernization of the country’s infrastructure such as road culverts, bridges, and water diversions contributing to enhanced community resilience to the impacts from climate change and other public safety hazards. NFPP funds a variety of project types including, but not limited to, dam removals, culvert replacements, floodplain restoration, and the installation of fishways. This funding is available through annual appropriations to the NFPP and is separate from NFPP funding provided through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law).

The NFPP is delivered through the Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program (FAC) across all States and territories. FAC staff coordinate with project partners, stakeholders, and other Service programs to identify and collaboratively implement projects within regional priority areas. Project work plans are developed strategically, in coordination with partners, and with substantial involvement from FAC staff. Projects must be based upon sound scientific principles, advance the Service mission, and promote biological diversity. Applicants seeking funding under this program should contact the regional NFPP Coordinator that corresponds to the location of the project for additional information on regional priorities and coordination with FAC staff prior to applying for funding. Contacts are listed at end of this announcement.

We use our staff and cooperative partnerships to provide: (1) information on habitat needs of fish and other aquatic species; (2) methods for fish to bypass barriers; (3) technical engineering support to develop or review project designs and recommend the most cost-effective techniques; (4) assistance to partners in planning and prioritizing fish passage projects; and (5) assistance in fulfilling environmental compliance requirements.

Activities proposed under this award may include project planning and feasibility studies, engineering and design, permitting, on-the-ground fish passage restoration, near-term implementation monitoring, project outreach, and capacity to manage these project-related activities.

Federal awards under NFPP occur on a rolling basis, starting in March 2023. NFPP collaboratively identifies potential projects throughout the federal fiscal year (October 1-September 30) via active engagement with partners. The period of performance for the majority of projects funded under this program is two years, starting on the date the award is signed by the Service. Projects must be designed accordingly.

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 The program may include the estimated total amount of funding to be awarded through this announcement. This is an optional field.

Estimated Total Funding $9,200,000 Enter any related narrative in the text box below the Estimated Total Funding field as needed.

The estimated funding is from annual appropriations and does not represent funds provided under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or Fisheries Restoration and Irrigation Mitigation Act. A separate announcement was issued for NFPP projects under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, under Funding Opportunity Number F23AS00078. A separate announcement will be issued for NFPP projects under the Fisheries Restoration and Irrigation Mitigation Act.

B2. Expected Award Amount If the program has established maximum and/or minimum values for individual award amounts, enter those in the Maximum and Minimum Award fields below. These are required fields. If your program does not have an established maximum and/or minimum values and these values do not apply, enter $0 in the corresponding field(s).

Maximum Award $2,000,000 Minimum Award $500 If zero is entered in the maximum and/or minimum, you must enter an explanation of the estimated funding for an award in the text box.

B3. Expected Award Funding and Anticipated 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. This section also should address whether applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awards.

Expected Award Funding $1,000,000 Expected Award Date May 01, 2023 Federal awards under NFPP occur on a rolling basis, starting in March 2023. NFPP collaboratively identifies potential projects throughout the federal fiscal year (October 1-September 30) via active engagement with partners. The period of performance for the majority of projects funded under this program is two years, starting on the date the award is signed by the Service. Projects must be designed accordingly.

B4. Number of Awards In the Expected Number of Awards field enter the numeric value for the number of awards anticipated to be approved for this announcement. If the program does not have an anticipated number of awards to be approved enter zero in this field.

Expected Number of Awards In the text field below provide an alternate description of the anticipated number of awards.

The number of awards will be based on the number of projects and the cost of projects. We expect between 75 and 150 awards.

B5. Type of Award Select the Type of Award below by choosing the appropriate assistance instrument from the drop-down list. If the program is authorized to issue grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts, select all values from the dropdown. The values must be selected one at a time. Each Funding Instrument Type will be added in the Funding Instrument Type field.

If you are awarding cooperative agreements, you must also enter text in the following text field to describe the substantial involvement the Service 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). For cooperative agreement awards, we must include a clear statement about the Service’s anticipated substantial involvement in those projects. Here is suggested text to use to begin the substantial involvement statement: “The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) will be substantially involved in projects under this funding opportunity. In particular, the Service will be responsible for the following: [insert the specific project-related activities to be performed by Service staff].”

Funding Instrument Type G - Grant CA - Cooperative Agreement PC – Procurement Contract O - Other

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.

This program uses cooperative agreements as the primary assistance instrument, but staff may also use grants, procurement instrument, inter-intra agency agreement or Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Units in accordance with Federal regulations. Projects are developed strategically, in coordination with partners, and with substantial involvement of FAC staff.

In the case of cooperative agreements, the Service participates and collaborates jointly with the recipient partner, volunteer, scientist, technician, or other personnel, in carrying out the scope of work including but not limited to:

· Training recipient personnel or detailing Federal personnel to work on the project effort;

· Reviewing and approving one stage of work before the next stage can begin;

· Reviewing and approving, prior to recipient action, proposed modifications or sub-awards;

· Helping select project staff or trainees;

· Directing or redirecting the work because of interrelationships with other projects;

· Immediately halting an activity if detailed performance specifications are not met; and

· Limiting recipient discretion with respect to scope of work, organizational structure, staffing, mode of operations, and other management process, coupled with close monitoring or operational involvement during performance under the award.

In the case of a procurement contract instrument or other instrument type as the primary assistance instrument, refer to section G for list of regional contacts or visit our website to find the nearest Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office: https://www.fws.gov/our-facilities and more information on the National Fish Passage Program: https://www.fws.gov/program/national-fish-passage.

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 text box 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 04 – Special district governments 05 – Independent school districts 06 – Public and State controlled institutions of higher education 07 – Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) 08 – Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities 11 – Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) 12 – Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education 13 – Nonprofits without 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education 20 – Private institutions of higher education 21 – Individuals 22 – For profit organization other than small businesses 23 – Small businesses 25 – Others (see text field entitled “Additional Information on Eligibility” for clarification) Additional Information on Eligibility Explanation required if “Others” is selected.

For eligible applicants to receive funding, NFPP projects must be implemented in coordination with FAC staff. FAC Program staff work collaboratively with potential applicants to identify common conservation priorities. We strongly suggest that all potential applicants work with the local FAC Program staff to ensure that their project meets conservation needs of the Service. Projects are considered for funding throughout the year, depending on the availability of funds. Applicants must ensure that activities occurring outside the United States, or its territories are coordinated as necessary with appropriate U.S. and foreign government authorities and that any necessary licenses, permits, or approvals are obtained prior to undertaking proposed activities. The Service does not assume responsibility for recipient compliance with the laws and regulations of the country in which the work is to be conducted.

C2. Cost Sharing or Matching Select “Yes” or “No” in the required Cost Sharing/Matching Requirement field to indicate if recipient cost sharing or matching is required. If the program has a cost sharing or match requirement, you must also enter a complete description of the requirement in the 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. Programs that require match and may award funds to insular areas must note in the text field below that the required match is waived for awards to insular areas per 48 U.S.C. §1469a(d). For more information, see the Department’s DOI-PGM-PAN-0022. 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 No Percentage of Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement Enter a complete description of the cost sharing or matching requirement in the text field.

The National Fish Passage Program seeks to secure 50 percent of project costs from partners on a regional basis, not necessarily project basis. Contact the appropriate Service NFPP Regional Coordinator for additional information. Applicants may attribute some or all of their allowable indirect costs as voluntary committed cost-share/match, however recipients may only charge to the Federal award the indirect costs calculated against the allowable direct costs charged to the Federal award. Recipients may not charge to the Federal award indirect costs calculated against: 1) any portion of the recipient’s direct costs that are proposed as voluntary committed cost-share/match; or 2) any portion of the direct costs charged to any other Federal or non-Federal partner.

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.

Fish passage projects are not eligible for NFPP funding if they are for any Federal or State compensatory mitigation. Fish passage projects are not eligible for funding if fish passage is a condition provided by existing Federal or State regulatory programs. Projects funded under NFPP are voluntary.

Foreign Entities or Projects:

The following text will be included in the NOFO.

State Sponsors of Terrorism: This program will not fund projects in countries determined by the U.S. Department of State to have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism and therefore are subject to sanctions restricting receipt of U.S. foreign assistance and other financial transactions.

Office of Foreign Assets Control Sanctions: This program will not fund projects in countries subject to comprehensive sanction programs administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Asset Control without proper licenses.

In-Country Licenses, Permits, or Approvals: Entities conducting activities outside the U.S. are responsible for coordinating with appropriate U.S. and foreign government authorities as necessary to obtain all required licenses, permits, or approvals before undertaking project activities. The Service does not assume responsibility for recipient compliance with the laws, regulations, policies, or procedures of the foreign country in which they are conducting work.

Excluded Parties:

The DOI conducts a review of the SAM.gov Exclusions database for all applicant entities and their key project personnel prior to award. The DOI 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.

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 this funding opportunity contains everything needed or if applicants must go elsewhere to complete all documentation requirements. You may provide an Internet address where materials are available. However, high-speed Internet access is not yet universally available, and applicants may have additional accessibility requirements; you should consider providing a way for potential applicants to request paper copies of materials, such as a U.S. Postal Service mailing address, telephone number, Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD), Text Telephone (TTY) number, and/or Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) number.

Contact local FAC field Program or Service Regional staff prior to applying. To be considered for funding under this funding opportunity, an application must be submitted to the Service region where the project is located. If you have a proposed project that meets the Application Review Information criteria (Section E), please contact your regional and local FAC office before submitting an application in GrantSolutions. Please refer to section G for list of regional contacts or, visit our website to find the nearest Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office: https://www.fws.gov/our-facilities and more information on the National Fish Passage Program: https://www.fws.gov/program/national-fish-passage.

Program Website Link https://www.fws.gov/program/national-fish-passage

D2. Content and Form of Application Submission SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance All applicants must submit the Standard Form (SF)-424, Application for Federal Assistance. This form is available with the announcement on Grants.gov and in GrantSolutions. The form must be complete and signed by an Authorized Representative. For all applicants except individuals and commercial entities, the Authorized Representative’s signature on a standard application form submitted to the Service represents their certification that the entity’s financial management system meets 2 CFR §200.302 financial management requirements. The non-Federal entity’s financial management system must be sufficient to:

1. Permit the preparation of required reports;

2. Trace funds to a level of expenditures adequate to establish that the entity has used such funds per Federal statutes, regulations, and terms and conditions of the Federal award;

3. Provide for the requirements in 2 CFR §200.302(b); and

4. Comply with §200.334 Retention requirements for records, §200.335 Requests for transfer of records, §200.336 Methods for collection, transmission, and storage of information, and §200.337 Access to records.

If this application requests more than $100,000 in Federal funds, the Authorized Representative’s signature on or submission of the SF-424 form in GrantSolutions also represents their certification of the statements in 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A-Certification Regarding Lobbying.

When completing the SF-424 Application form, enter only the amount requested from this Federal program in Box 18a, Estimated Federal Funding. Include any other Federal sources of funding in Box 18e. Estimated Other Funding and identify any such sources and amounts in the required Budget Narrative (see below). For individuals applying as a private citizen (i.e., unrelated to any business or nonprofit organization you may own or operate in your name), do NOT include your Social Security Number on this or any other document to be submitted with your application! When completing the SF-424 Application form, individuals must enter in Box 8b. Employee/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN) the substitute number “444-44-4444.” Individuals may register in SAM.gov but are not required to have a SAM.gov registration. For individuals without a SAM.gov registration enter in Box 8c. the substitute Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) “KA5HQCLKUVW1".

Provide any additional program-specific instructions for completing the SF-424 form, as applicable.

Project Abstract Summary (OMB Number 4040-0019) Do not remove the standard text below. All applicants must submit the Project Abstract Summary (OMB Number 4040-0019).

Applicants must complete and submit the Project Abstract Summary form. The Project Abstract Summary form must provide a brief award description. The description must be in plain language that the public can understand without viewing the full application proposal. It should include a brief, simple description of the project purpose, activities to be performed, deliverables and expected outcomes, intended beneficiaries, and subrecipient activities, if known at the time of submission.

Do not include personally identifiable, sensitive, or proprietary information in the award description as this is available to the public. Use only English characters, numbers, punctuation, and standard symbols. Use of non-English, non-standard characters (also referred to as special or extended ASCII characters) will result in the award description failing to be reported correctly to USASpending.gov. Award descriptions are limited to 4,000 characters or less. Applicants should check the length of the award description and proofread for proper grammar and spelling.

For applicants applying through Grants.gov: Applicants must download and complete the Grants.gov “Project Abstract Summary” form from the full text announcement. To submit the Grants.gov “Project Abstract Summary” form with the application, applicants must add the form as an attachment to the Grants.gov “Attachments” form that is included in the application package.

For applicants applying through GrantSolutions-Grants Management Module (GS-GMM): Applicants must enter the information in the Project Abstract Summary screen. Do not upload a document in place of entering the information directly into GS-GMM Project Abstract Screen.

Project Narrative In this section, describe the program’s project narrative requirements. Indicate any restrictions on length, as applicable. At a minimum, programs must require the following

· Project title

· Description of entity(ies) undertaking the project

· Statement of need that addresses: the specific concern, problem, or issue to be addressed or opportunity to be leveraged; the consequences of not addressing the need; and how the proposed project aligns with the Service program’s goals

· Project objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound, and any milestones that must be reached to achieve objectives

· Activities, including detailing for each who is carrying out the activity, what is involved, how will it be carried out (method), and when and where the activity will be carried out

· Timeline of when significant project events or milestones are anticipated

· Sufficient information to support environmental compliance review requirements. Note: while the environmental compliance laws are primarily applicable to projects carried out in the U.S., projects carried out on the high seas are subject to compliance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and projects outside the U.S. on any property on the UNESCO World Heritage List or the in-country equivalent of the U.S. National Register of Historic Places are subject to compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act

· Information on key project personnel, including details on their expertise, skill, or significance to the project

· Project location details and supporting documentation such as maps, GIS data, or geopolitical data, as applicable.

Programs may also require the following, as applicable:

· Description of stakeholder coordination or involvement

· Expected deliverables

· Project monitoring and evaluation plan, including description of assessment tools

· Anticipated future funding needs

· Any other program- or project-specific narrative requirements.

Project Narrative

· Project title

· Description of entity(ies) undertaking the project

· Statement of need – Explain why the project is necessary and how it aligns with the Service program’s goals.

· A need statement will identify the specific conservation concern, problem, issue, or opportunity to be addressed.

· A need statement will provide evidence such as results from surveys, research or other data to demonstrate that the need is real and not perceived.

· A need statement will identify the negative result of taking no action.

· Purpose – Describe the desired future state that addresses the need in whole or part.

· Project objectives – Objectives state the desired outcome of the proposed project in terms that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound, and any milestones that must be reached to achieve objectives.

· Objectives are meant to be realistic targets or benchmarks that, if achieved, will resolve the project need.

· Objectives are written in an active tense and use action verbs such as construct, survey, train, research, establish, repair, conduct, provide, acquire.

· Methods/Approach – Describes the methods used to achieve the stated objectives. For cooperative agreements, please specify the tasks/deliverables where the Service will be substantially involved in carrying out the objectives of the award.

· Approach describes the specific conservation actions or efforts necessary to accomplish project objectives.

· Approach answers the question of “how” the objectives will be accomplished by describing the actual work that will be done.

· Approach will demonstrate that the agency will use sound design, appropriate procedures, and accepted fish and wildlife conservation, management, or research principles.

· Any deliverables resulting from the funding should be noted in this section.

· Timeline or milestones – Describe significant milestones in completing the project and any accomplishments to date.

· Information to support environmental compliance review requirements – the Service has the responsibility for making the final determination regarding compliance with Federal laws. Note: while the environmental compliance laws are primarily applicable to projects carried out in the U.S., projects carried out on the high seas are subject to compliance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and projects outside the U.S. on any property on the UNESCO World Heritage List or the in-country equivalent of the U.S. National Register of Historic Places are subject to compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act

· National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) – provide any information that may be relevant to compliance with NEPA. o Endangered Species Act (ESA) – provide any information that may be relevant to compliance with the ESA.

· National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) – provide any information that may be relevant to compliance with NHPA, such as locations of historic or cultural properties.

· Other Permits – list and provide the current status of any other required Federal permits.

· Description of stakeholder coordination or involvement including a description of the role other stakeholders will undertake in the project.

· Required project monitoring and evaluation plan with specific performance metrics, including a description of the assessment tools to be used.

· Information on key project personnel, including details on their expertise, skill, or significance to the project

· Principal investigator (Research)

· Recipient project lead

· Project location details and supporting documentation such as maps, GIS data, or geopolitical data, as applicable.

· Provide a general description of where the work will be conducted.

SF-424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs.

If the program will fund non-construction projects or wants applicants requesting funding for both construction and non-construction activities to use the SF-424A form, select the SF-424A checkbox. The form number and title and the following standard text will be inserted. Enter any additional program-specific instructions for completing the form in the text field below the standard text.

SF-424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs Applicants must complete and submit the SF-424A Budget Information form for Non-Construction Programs or Projects. All required application forms are available with this announcement on Grants.gov or in GrantSolutions. Federal award recipients and subrecipients are subject to Federal award cost principles in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 200. Applicants must show funds requested from this Federal program separately from any other Federal sources of funding. In “Section A – Budget Summary” on the SF-424A form enter the funding requested from this Federal program in the first row. Identify any other Federal funding sources and amounts in the required Budget Narrative (see below). In the SF-424A “Contractual” category total, do not combine estimated subawards and contractual costs. Use the “Contractual” category to reflect estimated contractual costs only. Enter estimated subaward costs in the SF-424A “Other” category. Provide a separate description and total estimated costs for both contractual and subaward costs in the required Budget Narrative (see below).

SF-424C, Budget Information for Construction Program.

If the program will fund only construction projects or wants applicants requesting SF-424A “Construction” category costs to also submit the SF-424C to provide a detailed cost breakdown of the proposed construction costs, select the SF-424C checkbox. Such programs must provide specific instructions for applicants on how to use the two forms together in the text field below. The form number and title and the following standard text will be inserted. Enter any additional program-specific instructions for completing the form in the text field below the standard text.

SF-424C, Budget Information for Construction Program Applicants must submit the appropriate SF-424C Budget Information form for Construction Programs or Projects. All required application forms are available with this announcement on Grants.gov and in GrantSolutions. Federal award recipients and subrecipients are subject to Federal award cost principles in 2 CFR 200. Applicants must show funds requested from this Federal program separately from any other Federal sources of funding. Identify any other Federal funding sources and amounts in the required Budget Narrative (see below).

SF-429 Request to Acquire, Improve, or Furnish Real Property.

If the program will fund acquisition of real property, select the SF-429 checkbox. if applicants The form number and title and the following standard text will be inserted. Enter any program-specific instructions for completing the form in the text field below the standard text.

SF-429 Request to Acquire, Improve, or Furnish Real Property Applicants seeking approval to acquire real property under an award must complete and submit the SF-429, “Real Property Status Report (Cover Page)” and the SF-429-B, “Real Property Status Report Attachment B (Request to Acquire, Improve, or Furnish)”. These forms are required if the real property is acquired with Federal funds, with recipient cost share or matching funds, or as an in-kind contribution under the award. The SF-429 forms are not available with this announcement on Grants.gov; they are available on the Grants.gov Post-Award Reporting Forms page. Please submit these completed forms as attachments to your application.

Budget Narrative For budget narrative requirements, include the standard text below and then enter any additional program-specific requirements in the text field after the standard statement. If the program will consider requests to replace previously purchased telecommunications or video surveillance equipment that is now prohibited per 2 CFR §200.216 but needed to carry out the proposed project, please provide instructions for such in the text field after the standard statement.

Applicants must include a budget narrative that describes and justifies requested budget items and costs. In your budget narrative, describe how the SF-424 Budget Information, “Object Class Category” totals were determined. For personnel salary costs, generally describe how estimates were determined by identifying what type of staff will support the project and how much time they will contribute to the project (in hours or workdays). Describe any proposed items of cost that require prior approval under the Federal award cost principles, including any anticipated subawarding, transferring, or contracting out of any work under the award. Provide a separate description and total estimated costs for both contractual and subaward costs. If equipment previously purchased with Federal funds is available for the project, provide a list of that equipment and identify the Federal funding source. Identify any third-party cash or in-kind contributions that a partner or other entity will contribute to the project and describe how the contributions directly and substantively benefit completion of the project. For in-kind contributions, identify the source, the amount, and the valuation methodology used to determine the total value. See 2 CFR §200.306 for more information. Please note the prohibitions on certain telecommunications and video surveillance services or equipment in 2 CFR 200.216. The Department of the Interior’s Unmanned Aircraft web page provides a list of approved unmanned aircraft and related equipment and software.

Add any program-specific instructions for items of cost that require prior approval (2 CFR §200.407). If the program has a mandated recipient administrative costs cap, insert related budget narrative instructions provided in FWS-PAN-0003.

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 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.

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, 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, 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.

Certification Regarding Lobbying Applicants requesting more than $100,000 in Federal funding must certify to the statements in 43CFR 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 for more information on when additional submission of this form is required.

Overlap or Duplication of Effort Statement Applicants must provide a statement indicating if there is any overlap between this Federal application and any other Federal application, or funded project, in regard to activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel. 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, including in regard to activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel”. If any such overlap exists, provide a complete description of overlaps or duplications between this proposal and any other federally funded project or application in regard to activities, costs, and time commitment of key personnel, as applicable. Provide a copy of any overlapping or duplicative proposal submitted to any other potential funding entity and identify when that proposal was submitted, to whom (entity name and program), and when you anticipate being notified of their funding decision. When overlap exists, your statement must end with “We understand that if at any time we receive funding from another source that is duplicative of the funding we are requesting from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in this application, we will immediately notify the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service point of contact identified in this Funding Opportunity in writing.”

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 as a financial assistance recipient in SAM.gov prior to submitting a Federal award application and obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). 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). Entities already registered in SAM.gov should review their registration to confirm that they are registered as a financial assistance recipient, which requires completion of the SAM.gov “Financial Assistance General Certifications and Representations”. See the “Submission Requirements” section of this document below for more information on SAM.gov registration.

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.