NOAA-NMFS-HCPO-2024-25198 NOFO Report.pdf

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

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Table of Contents Executive Summary

Full Text of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

II. Award Information

III. Eligibility Information

IV. Application and Submission Information

V. Application Review Information

VI. Award Administration Information

VII. Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information

Executive Summary Federal Agency Name Fisheries Habitat Conservation Program Office (HCPO) Funding Opportunity Title FY 2024 Atlantic Salmon Habitat Restoration Partnership Grants Announcement Type Competitive Funding Opportunity Number

NOAA-NMFS-HCPO-2024-25198

Assistance Listing Number(s) 11.463 Dates Applications will be accepted and considered on a rolling basis as they are received annually. To assure consideration for funding in the current federal fiscal year, applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on April 1, 2024. To assure consideration for funding in subsequent fiscal years, applications must be received by 11:59 p.m on March 31, 2025, and March 31, 2026. Applications received after these deadlines may be processed and considered for funding in the current fiscal year or in the next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds.

Applications must be received by www.Grants.gov.

Funding Opportunity Description The principal objective of the Atlantic Salmon Habitat Restoration Partnership Grants solicitation is to support the recovery of the Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic salmon. Proposals submitted under this solicitation will be evaluated based on alignment with program priorities, including: 1) consistency with priority habitat restoration actions identified in the 2019 “Recovery Plan for the Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)” and the “Species in the Spotlight Priority Actions: 2021-2025” 5-year action plan for Atlantic salmon; 2) improvement of fish passage and connectivity between the Gulf of Maine and freshwater spawning and rearing habitats within designated Critical Habitat, in locations with river-specific stocks or within a river that hosts a wild or naturally reared run of Atlantic salmon; 3) incorporation of proven restoration techniques, focusing on removal of barriers as the highest priority. Proposals may include the following types of activities:

feasibility studies; planning and assessments directly linked to restoration implementation; engineering design and permitting; on-the-ground implementation; pre- and post-removal implementation monitoring; stakeholder engagement, or a combination thereof.

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Proposals selected through this solicitation may be funded through multi-year cooperative agreements. NOAA anticipates typical federal funding for awards will range from $100,000 to $700,000 over three years. NOAA will not accept proposals with a federal funding request of less than $100,000 or more than $1.5 million total over three years. NOAA anticipates up to $700,000 will be available under this solicitation in FY24 to support the first year of selected projects. Funds will be administered by the Community-based Restoration Program within the NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation. Awards are dependent upon the amount of funds Congress makes available to NOAA in the FY24 - FY26 budgets.

Full Text of Announcement I. Funding Opportunity Description A. Program Objective The principal objective of the Atlantic Salmon Habitat Restoration Partnership Grants solicitation is to support the recovery of the Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic salmon. Proposals submitted under this solicitation will primarily be evaluated based on their ability to demonstrate how the proposed habitat restoration actions will contribute to the recovery of the Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic salmon, identified by NMFS as a “Species in the Spotlight” (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/atlantic-salmon-protected#spotlight).

B. Program Priorities The principal objective of the Atlantic Salmon Habitat Restoration Partnership Grants solicitation is to support the recovery of the Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic salmon, designated by NMFS as a Species in the Spotlight. Highest priority will be given to habitat restoration proposals that:

1. Propose activities that are consistent with priority habitat restoration actions identified in the 2019 “Recovery Plan for the Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar)” [hereafter, 2019 Recovery Plan] and the “Species in the Spotlight Priority Actions: 2021-2025” 5-year action plan for Atlantic salmon.

Applicants should describe how proposed actions contribute toward the goal of attaining 30,000 accessible and suitable habitat units within the three Salmon Habitat Recovery Units (SHRUs) in Maine. Proposed actions should address the biological criteria for downlisting and delisting outlined in the 2019 Recovery Plan, with a focus on criteria for accessible and suitable habitat and productivity. Priority actions may use tools such as the U.S.

Geological Survey baseflow mapping (https://usgs.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=eb8d1922d4984488a0c283933504fee6) to indicate whether their proposed project is located in a reach with higher base flow quantities than other reaches in the region (additional information on this topic can be found in section IV.B.).

2. Improve fish passage and restore connectivity between the Gulf of Maine and freshwater spawning and rearing habitat within federally designated Critical Habitat for the Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment. Priority will be given to project sites that are located within rivers that have been designated as Critical Habitat for Atlantic salmon, located in habitat with features of climate resilience, and are located within rivers where a river-specific stock is present (i.e., the Sheepscot, Penobscot (including lower tributaries such as the Ducktrap), Narraguagus, Pleasant, Machias, East Machias, or Dennys Rivers) or that host a wild or naturally-reared run of Atlantic salmon (e.g., the Kennebec River).

3. Provide sustainable and lasting benefits for Atlantic salmon and the ecosystems on which they depend. Proposals that incorporate proven restoration techniques and focus on removal of barriers will receive highest priority. For example, dam removals will receive higher priority than installation of structures that require operations and maintenance, such as fish ladders. Barrier removals are identified as a priority in the 2019 Recovery Plan for Atlantic salmon.

C. Program Authority The Secretary of Commerce is authorized under the following statutes to provide grants and cooperative agreements for habitat restoration and conservation: Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, 16 U.S.C. 661, as amended by the Reorganization Plan No. 4 of 1970; Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Reauthorization Act of 2006, 16 U.S.C. 1891a; and Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. 1535.

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/atlantic-salmon-protected#spotlight) https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/atlantic-salmon-protected#spotlight) https://usgs.maps.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=eb8d1922d4984488a0c283933504fee6

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II. Award Information A. Funding Availability NOAA anticipates typical federal funding awards will range from $100,000 to $700,000 over three years. NOAA will not accept proposals with a federal funding request of less than $100,000 or more than $1.5 million over three years.

NOAA anticipates up to $700,000 will be available under this solicitation in FY 2024. Dependent on the level of funding made available by Congress, NOAA anticipates an additional $1.5 million may be available over the next two years (FY 2025 - FY 2026) to support selected awards, for a maximum of $2.2 million awarded under this solicitation.

Funds will be administered by the Community-based Restoration Program within the NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation. The exact amount of funds that may be awarded will be determined in pre-award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA. Any funds provided to successful applicants for subsequent-year funding requests will be determined by progress towards stated milestones and availability of funding at the discretion of the NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation and the NOAA Grants Management Division (GMD).

NOAA or the Department of Commerce are not responsible for direct costs of application preparation if programs fail to receive funding or are canceled because of other agency priorities. Publication of this announcement does not oblige NOAA to award any specific project or to obligate any available funds. There is no guarantee that sufficient funds will be available to make awards for all top-ranked applications. The number of awards to be made as a result of this solicitation will depend on the number of eligible applications received, the amount of funds requested, the merit and ranking of the applications, and the amount of funds made available by Congress in FY24 and subsequent fiscal years.

B. Project/Award Period NOAA anticipates that the period of performance for most awards will be for 3 years. Award periods may be extended, at the discretion of NOAA and based on project needs, up to the extent legally allowable. This is typically a maximum award length of five years. The earliest anticipated start date for awards will be October 1, 2024. Both federal and non-federal match pre-award costs will be considered during pre-award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA. Incurring pre-award costs before NOAA GMD offers a grant is at the applicant's own risk.

C. Type of Funding Instrument Selected applications will be funded through cooperative agreements, as described in 2 C.F.R. Sec. 200.24, meaning that NOAA expects to be substantially involved in many aspects of the awards. Substantial involvement may include, but is not limited to, collaboration on the scope of work, providing assistance with technical aspects of the habitat restoration project, review and comment on design plans, and review of procurement materials to the extent authorized by 2 C.F.R. Sec. 200.325.

III. Eligibility Information A. Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants are institutions of higher education, non-profits, commercial (for profit) organizations, and state, local and Native American tribal governments. Applicants must propose work within one or more Salmon Habitat Recovery Units (SHRUs) in the state of Maine. Physical and/or mailing addresses for applicant organizations are not required to be located within the SHRU boundaries. The SHRUs encompass the full range of the Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic salmon, including: 1) Merrymeeting Bay, which covers the Androscoggin and Kennebec, and extends east to include the Sheepscot, Pemaquid, Medomak, and St. George watersheds; 2) Penobscot Bay, which covers the entire Penobscot basin and extends west to and includes the Ducktrap watershed;

and 3) Downeast Coastal, including all coastal watersheds from the Union River east to the Dennys River.

Applications from federal agencies or employees of federal agencies will not be considered. Federal agencies are strongly encouraged to work with states, non-governmental organizations, municipal and county governments, and others that are eligible to apply.

B. Cost Share or Matching Requirement

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There is no statutory matching requirement for this funding. Though not required, applicants are strongly encouraged to combine NOAA federal funding with formal matching contributions or informal leverage from a broad range of sources in the public and private sectors. Non-federal match funds may be optionally included within the application to demonstrate stakeholder support for the proposed work. NOAA also desires cost sharing to encourage partnerships among government, community, industry, and academia. To this end, applicants should note that cost sharing is an element considered in the Evaluation Criteria under "Project Costs" (Section V.A.4).

Match is entered on federal forms, recorded on award documents, and becomes a legally binding component of the award. Leverage refers to all other funding support that contributes to completion of the project(s). Leverage can be either federal or non-federal in origin, and can include funds expended toward the project(s) either before or during the award period. Federal sources cannot be considered for formal matching funds, but can be described in the budget narrative to demonstrate additional leverage and collaboration. Formal match to NOAA funds can come from a variety of public and private sources and can include third party in-kind goods and services and volunteer labor.

Applicants should refer to 2 C.F.R. § 200.306 for explanations of match funds, which must be used during the award period, generally.

Applicants whose proposals are selected for funding will be bound by the percentage of match reflected in the award document signed by NOAA's Grants Management Division, unless amended based on extenuating circumstances.

NOAA is under no obligation to amend the matching contributions once agreed to by the recipient. Successful applicants should be prepared to carefully document matching contributions, including the overall number of volunteers and third party in-kind participation hours devoted to habitat restoration projects. Applicants are permitted to combine contributions from non-federal partners, as long as such contributions are not used to match any other federal funds and are available within the project period stated in the application. Letters of commitment for any secured resources that will be used as non-federal match for an award under this solicitation should be submitted as an attachment to the application (see Section IV.B).

C. Other Criteria that Affect Eligibility Applications submitted through Grants.gov must be submitted by the due date and time provided in Section IV.D.

Applications received after this deadline may be processed and considered for funding in the current fiscal year or in the next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds. Paper applications received later than seven business days following the post-mark due date and time may be considered for funding in the next fiscal year. Submission time should be documented by the applicant by electronic submission to Grants.gov, a U.S. Postal Service postmark, or a delivery service receipt. Applicants should consider the possibility of unforeseen impacts from natural hazards that could affect internet access and use of Grants.gov on or before application due dates. Applicants should be aware that localized hazardous weather, monthly scheduled Grants.gov weekend maintenance, or other situations that impact the ability to submit application packages may not result in changes to the application deadline. Information regarding electronic submission through Grants.gov and regarding submitting paper applications is contained in Section IV.G. All applications MUST contain ALL required forms and proposals will be reviewed for eligibility, completeness, and responsiveness to this funding announcement. Failure to submit forms may result in disqualification from this competition. See Section IV.G for more details.

As mentioned above, NOAA will not accept proposals with a federal funding request of less than $100,000 or more than $1.5 million over the entire award.

The following information describes ineligible project proposal types and activities:

1. Activities that are required by a separate local, state, or federal consent decree, court order, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) exemption or license condition, statute, or regulation are not eligible. Applicants planning to combine grant or matching funds with mitigation should review the Compensatory Mitigation for Losses of Aquatic Resources Final Rule at 73 Fed. Reg. 19594 (April 10, 2008). NOAA plans to follow the approach adopted by some other federal agencies on Page 19636 that describes scenarios where mitigation credits may or may not be obtained in association with federal financial incentives.

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2. Effectiveness monitoring and research are not eligible project types. The NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation values effectiveness monitoring and research, but funds are not included within this funding opportunity to support monitoring and research focused projects. Effectiveness monitoring is longer-term than implementation monitoring, and often requires detailed field investigations of multiple physical, biological, and geochemical processes.

Implementation monitoring, as discussed in Section IV.B and V.A.2(c), is an eligible activity, as is the tracking of performance measures and metrics. To find out more about effectiveness monitoring and regional contacts with which to discuss ideas, visit https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/habitat-conservation/monitoring-and-evaluation-restoration-projects. Proposals for effectiveness monitoring that do not qualify for other NOAA competitive funding may be eligible for NOAA’s Broad Agency Announcement, posted on Grants.gov.

IV. Application and Submission Information A. Address to Request Application Package Complete application packages, including required federal forms and instructions, can be found on www.Grants.gov. If a prospective applicant is having difficulty downloading the application forms from www.Grants.gov, contact www.Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@Grants.gov. If an applicant does not have internet access, application materials may be requested from Amanda Cousart, the competition manager at amanda.cousart@noaa.gov.

B. Content and Form of Application A complete, standard NOAA financial assistance application package should be submitted, as described below. Each proposal must include the following federal application forms. The Standard Form (SF)-424 family and form instructions are available in the Grants.gov application package, but may be downloaded from:

https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family

1) Standard Form (SF)-424: Application for Federal Assistance.

2) SF-424A: Budget Information for Non-construction Programs. Selected applications will require an SF-424A for each funding year.

3) SF-424B: Assurances for Non-construction Programs

4) CD-511: Certification Regarding Lobbying

5) SF-LLL (if applicable): Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

In addition to the federal application forms, NOAA recommends the following components as part of a complete application package. Page limits assume an 11- or 12-point font and 1-inch margins. Components should be organized into a maximum of three flattened PDF files outlined below, with a maximum length of 75 combined pages. It is recommended that file sizes not exceed 100MB in order to preserve the applicant’s formatting.

Additional information on formatting attachments can be found here: https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/format-and-write/format-attachments.htm

1. Project Summary, Project Narrative, and Data Management Plan (20 page limit)

2. Budget Narrative (10 page limit)

3. Supplemental Materials and Project Design (45 page limit)

Reviewers will only evaluate the first 75 pages of the submitted materials. The application should follow the organization of the evaluation criteria (see Section V.A) to receive a consistent review against competing applications. The information provided below may help to address the evaluation criteria.

1. Project Summary, Project Narrative, and Data Management Plan (20 page limit).

NOAA recommends the following components for the Project Summary (2 page limit).

1) Applicant Organization

2) Project Title https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/habitat-conservation/monitoring-and-evaluation-restoration-projects https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/habitat-conservation/monitoring-and-evaluation-restoration-projects https://www.Grants.gov mailto:support@Grants.gov mailto:amanda.cousart@noaa.gov https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/format-and-write/format-attachments.htm https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/format-and-write/format-attachments.htm

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3) Brief Project Description, as follows:

a) Consistency with the 2019 Recovery Plan. Describe how the proposed actions will contribute to the recovery of Atlantic salmon, including the expected outcomes and measurable impacts of the project on the Gulf of Maine DPS of Atlantic salmon and the ecosystem on which it depends. Applicants should describe how proposed actions will contribute toward the goals of increasing salmon abundance, habitat productivity, and of attaining 30,000 accessible and suitable habitat units within the SHRU(s). Proposed actions should address the biological criteria for downlisting and delisting outlined in the 2019 Recovery Plan, with a focus on criteria for accessible and suitable habitat and productivity. Proposed activities will use tools such as the U.S. Geological Service baseflow mapping in Maine StreamStats.

b) Location of Project Sites. Include the geographic coordinates, SHRU(s), watershed, and the nearest town. If multiple sites are proposed, please include information for all sites. Outline whether the proposed site(s) is / are located within a river that has been designated as Critical Habitat for Atlantic salmon, is located in a habitat with features of climate resilience, whether that river hosts a wild or naturally reared run of Atlantic salmon, and whether a river-specific stock is present (i.e., does the project occur within the Sheepscot, Penobscot (including lower tributaries such as the Ducktrap), Narraguagus, Pleasant, Machias, East Machias, or Dennys Rivers).

c) Sustainability of Restoration Approach. Describe the proposed techniques and how the approach will result in sustainable and lasting benefits for the Gulf of Maine DPS of Atlantic salmon and the ecosystems on which they depend.

4) Timeline. Provide a timeline of all project activities. This includes all work to be supported with requested NOAA funds, and any non-federal formal matching contributions or informal leverage.

5) Permits and Approvals. Identify and list all consultations, permits, and regulatory approvals necessary for the proposed project(s) and their status (e.g., not applied for; pending; secured).

6) Landowner(s). Include name and address (if privately owned) or public agency contact for each proposed project.

7) Funding Request. Outline the total request for NOAA funds for each year of the project period. If non-federal matching contributions are proposed, include the status of the funds (e.g., not applied for; pending;

secured). If other financial support beyond NOAA federal funds and non-federal match funds will be used to complete the proposed work, outline the sources and amount of these leveraged funds. If you have submitted (or plan to submit) your proposal to other relevant funding opportunities, please identify the funding source and/or title(s) of the competition(s), amount of funds requested, and approximate decision date(s) for anticipated award selection. If space is limited, provide a summary here and include a full description in the Supplemental Materials.

NOAA recommends the following components for the Project Narrative (16 page limit).

As mentioned above, the application should follow the organization of the Evaluation Criteria (see Section V.A) to receive a consistent review against competing applications. Provide sufficient background and contextual information for reviewers to independently assess the significance of the proposed project. See suggestions below for components to include to address the five Evaluation Criteria.

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a) Importance and Applicability. Describe the extent to which the proposed actions align with the stated Program Objective (Section I.A) and Program Priorities (Section I.B). Highlight how the proposed actions are consistent with the 2019 Recovery Plan and the “Species in the Spotlight Priority Actions: 2021-2025” 5-year action plan. The proposal should describe the expected outcomes and measurable impacts, in relation to the goals of increasing abundance, habitat productivity, and the restoration of 30,000 accessible and suitable habitat units in each SHRU. The narrative should outline whether projects are located within designated Critical Habitat for the Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment. Additionally, the proposal should indicate whether the project occurs in a river that hosts a wild or naturally reared run of Atlantic salmon, and whether that run is composed of a river-specific stock (i.e., whether the project occurs within the Sheepscot, Penobscot (including lower tributaries such as the Ducktrap), Narraguagus, Pleasant, Machias, East Machias, or Dennys Rivers).

The proposal should succinctly describe the historic condition of the restoration site(s) and identify any other restoration efforts planned or completed within the watershed for the benefit of Atlantic salmon. Applicants should describe the quality of the habitat and features of the site that may confer resilience to future effects of climate change (for example, stream reaches with high baseflow in comparison to other streams in the region). Stream reaches with higher baseflow tend to have higher flow volumes during low flow periods and they also tend to have cooler water during the warm season and warmer water during the cold season. Projects within or providing access to stream reaches with higher baseflow may provide suitable habitat with more longevity considering future effects of climate changes (i.e. climate resiliency). Other site and/or watershed features that may affect climate resiliency could include proximity to lowhead dams that can elevate river temperatures (or the comparative absence), watershed riparian land cover that can affect stream temperature, etc.

Furthermore, applicants should describe the proposed techniques and how the approach will result in sustainable and lasting benefits for Atlantic salmon (e.g. a river specific stock and/or naturally reared or wild population of salmon) and the ecosystem on which they depend.

b) Technical/Scientific Merit. Proposals should describe in detail the actions to be undertaken. If page limits are restrictive, focus the application on the technical aspects of the proposed actions and on those actions with highest priority funding needs. For each restoration site, applicants should clearly identify the project phase(s) proposed (e.g., feasibility study, engineering, implementation) and proposed restoration techniques. Proposals that include multiple restoration sites should fully describe the proposed restoration activity at each site within the project narrative section. For applicants proposing feasibility and design activities, a detailed scope of services or tasks should be included in the proposal. Applicants should describe the overall habitat restoration goals of the feasibility and design activities, a description of the quantity, quality and resiliency of the habitat, and how support for the proposed activity would catalyze subsequent on-the-ground restoration.

For proposals including fish passage techniques, please indicate whether there are other dams or obstructions upstream or downstream of the target barrier and whether the target barrier is a partial or complete barrier. Applicants should highlight any synergies with other fish passage improvement efforts in the watershed, including improvements at hydropower dams. Applicants proposing to install devices or movable control structures should submit a summary management plan that specifies the entity responsible for the operation and maintenance of the structure(s), and how they will be operated and maintained throughout the life of the structure(s) to ensure lasting habitat benefits.

The project narrative should include a timeline with key milestones identified and detail how the project(s) will be completed within the specified time period. This includes identifying all consultation and permitting requirements and their status (e.g. not applied for, pending, secured), as well as a commitment to quickly provide information needed by NOAA to analyze project impacts under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA, see Section VI.B.2) and the Endangered Species Act. For projects with NEPA documents completed or under development, please indicate the status and level of NEPA review (CE, EA, or EIS), lead Federal agency, contact information for the lead agency person, and where public copies of the document are available. Applications should identify annual/interim milestones that correspond to funding increments.

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Applicants should include a Monitoring Plan for proposed activities. Proposals that include barrier removal techniques that meet the definition of “fish passage” must incorporate the monitoring parameters found in the NOAA Restoration Center Implementation Monitoring (Tier 1) Guidance, available at:https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/habitat-conservation/resources-noaa-restoration-center-applicants#restoration-monitoring-and-data-management. All applications, regardless of proposed restoration approach, should include sufficient, cost-effective monitoring metrics that assess whether activities were carried out as designed. Plans should: 1) include parameters that evaluate short-term structural changes at the project site(s) (e.g. as-built surveys), and may also include a basic measure of effectiveness (e.g. presence/absence of target species); 2) propose pre-implementation data collection, when applicable; 3) include parameters with quantitative or clearly defined targets; and 4) include parameters with targets that can be evaluated within approximately one year post-implementation. Proposals requesting funding for pre-implementation activities, such as feasibility studies, planning, or design, should describe how pre-restoration monitoring meets the requirements listed above.

For applicants proposing non-barrier restoration projects as a means to improve freshwater productivity, applicants should provide substantive evidence (e.g. published studies or data from the region) that demonstrates the site is suitable for the restoration method proposed.

To protect the federal investment, the narrative should describe future management, beyond the award period, including mechanisms to protect, maintain, or sustain the restoration site(s) so the effects of the funded project(s) can benefit Atlantic salmon and the ecosystems on which they depend, into the future. Applicants should indicate landowner support, and also describe how the proposed restoration design, methodology, and techniques account for, or provide for, resilience to extreme weather events or adaptation to potential climate change impacts at the project site(s).

c) Project Costs. Applicants should follow the guidance under section 2. Budget Justification, as fully described below after the Data Management Plan guidance.

d) Applicant Qualifications. This section should fully describe the applicant’s ability to develop and/or manage habitat restoration projects. Applicants should include descriptions of: past relevant experience of the applicant organization, project staff and/or partners, including experience with habitat restoration design, construction, monitoring, and environmental compliance; the ability of the applicant to work with stakeholders; and the ability to effectively manage federal awards. Include brief resumes or curriculum vitae (CV) for up to three (3) key personnel, as described under the Supplemental Information section below.

e) Outreach and Education. The project narrative should demonstrate that the proposed actions have the support of a diverse set of stakeholders, and should include a brief, effective outreach strategy to encourage long-term stewardship for restored resources and to generate a community conservation ethic. Letters of support should be included in the Supplemental Information section.

NOAA recommends the following components for the Data Management Plan (2 page limit).

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/habitat-conservation/resources-noaa-restoration-center-applicants#restoration-monitoring-and-data-management https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/habitat-conservation/resources-noaa-restoration-center-applicants#restoration-monitoring-and-data-management

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Proposals submitted in response to this announcement should include a Data Management Plan of up to two pages. NOAA provides the following Data Management Guidance for this program. The Data Management Plan should follow the Guidance for Data Management Plans at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/habitat-conservation/resources-noaa-restoration-center-applicants#restoration-monitoring-and-data-management. A typical plan should include descriptions of the types of environmental data and information expected to be created during the course of the project; the tentative date by which data will be shared; the standards to be used for data/metadata format and content;

methods for providing data access; approximate total volume of data to be collected; and prior experience in making such data accessible. The costs of data preparation, accessibility, or archiving may be included in the proposal budget unless otherwise stated in the Guidance. Accepted submission of data to the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) is one way to satisfy data sharing requirements; however, NCEI is not obligated to accept all submissions and may charge a fee, particularly for large or unusual datasets. Final Data Management Plans may be developed in coordination with NOAA as part of NOAA’s substantial involvement, as described in Section II.C. See also Section VI.B.of this Announcement. NOAA’s Data and Publication Sharing Directive for NOAA Grants, Cooperative Agreements, and Contracts is available athttps://nosc.noaa.gov/EDMC/PD.DSP.php.

2. Budget Narrative (10 page limit)

Reviewers will evaluate project costs by reviewing the budget narrative. Project costs should be divided into the following categories, also referred to as SF-424A Object Classes: Personnel, Fringe Benefits, Travel, Equipment, Supplies, Contractual, and Other. The sum of funds requested under these Object Classes should be recorded as Total Direct Costs. The costs required for organizational operation that cannot be easily associated with an individual project or program should be recorded as Indirect Costs. Organizations with a federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) should include a copy of the approved NICRA in section 3 (Supplemental Materials and Project Designs). Organizations without a NICRA may claim the 10% de minimis rate for calculating indirect charges on the Modified Total Direct Costs or may negotiate a rate, as outlined below (see 2 C.F.R. § 200.1 for definitions). Refer to Sections IV.F. and VI.B. of this announcement for more information about indirect costs. All Object Class costs in the budget narrative should equal those entered on the SF-424A. These totals should also be recorded on the SF-424A. NOAA staff will review budget information in recommended applications to determine if costs are allowable, allocable, reasonable, necessary, and realistic.

For projects with contractual components, applicants must follow procurement standards set forth in 2 C.F.R. § 200.317-200.327. If the proposal is considered for funding, NOAA Grants Management Division reviewers will be looking for information on the procurement methods used for each contract, as defined in 2 C.F.R. §

200.320. Applicants are encouraged to provide separate budgets for each contract, and they must provide budgets for each contract in excess of $250,000, to determine whether proposed costs are reasonable, necessary, allowable, and allocable. For contracts that are not yet in place at the time of submitting the proposal, the budget narrative must include an explanation of how contractual costs were estimated and what procurement methods they will use to select contractors.

In addition to dividing the budget narrative into Object Classes, separating costs by milestone or purpose may be valuable to reviewers. Award costs should be divided into annual funding requests to show anticipated expenditure rates. If NOAA funding will be used to complete part of a broad-scale project, a budget overview for the entire project should be provided to demonstrate how the NOAA request relates to the overall project budget and how NOAA funds are needed for successful implementation.

https://nosc.noaa.gov/EDMC/PD.DSP.php

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If a project has been submitted for funding consideration elsewhere, applicants should include the amount requested or secured from other funding sources, and whether the funds are federal or non-federal in origin.

Applicants should clearly indicate if funds are proposed as official, non-federal match, or if the funds are informal leverage. Applicants should refer to 2 C.F.R. § 200.306 for explanations of match funds, which must generally be used during the award period. Match is entered on federal forms, recorded on award documents, and becomes a legally binding component of the award. Leverage refers to all other funding support that contributes to completion of the project(s). Leverage can be either federal or non-federal in origin, and can include funds expended toward the project(s) either before or during the award period. The NOAA Restoration Center has provided guidance regarding the level of detail required to determine if costs are allowable, allocable, reasonable, necessary, and realistic in the “Supplemental Instructions” at:

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/habitat-conservation/resources-noaa-restoration-center-applicants

3. Supplemental Materials and Project Designs (45 page limit)

All supplemental materials should be combined into a single PDF, including a cover page that lists all of the documents and associated page numbers. The cover page does not count toward the 45 page limit. The compiled PDF should be uploaded under the “Other Attachments Form” in Grants.gov.

a) Site location map, such as a US Geological Survey topographic quadrangle map or aerial photo with site location(s) highlighted;

b) Brief resumes or curriculum vitae (CV) for up to three (3) key personnel (maximum of 1 page per person) and any examples of projects similar in scope and nature that have been successfully completed by the project team;

c) Letter documenting private landowner or public land manager support of the project(s) proposed for the owned site(s); and

d) Other relevant supporting materials, such as: letters of support to document stakeholder support;

federally Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreements; data management plan, (if applicable) Monitoring Plan; site photos, etc.

e) If available, project designs and basis of design reports should be included in the application in order for reviewers to comprehensively assess the technical merit of the proposed restoration. Relevant sections of construction specifications, scopes of work for services, and cost estimates may also be provided. Please do not attach feasibility studies or watershed plans. The critical components of those documents should be summarized in the Project Narrative. Please remember that reviewers will only evaluate a maximum of 75 pages for each application package.

Proposals submitted in response to this Announcement must include a Data Management Plan (up to 2 pages). See Section VI.B., Administrative and National Policy Requirements, below for additional information on what the plan should contain.

Environmental Compliance Questionnaire for NOAA Federal Financial Assistance Applicants: This program does not use this questionnaire, except as described in Section VI.B.4.

C. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) To enable the use of a universal identifier and to enhance the quality of information available to the public as required by the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act, 31 U.S.C. 6101 note, to the extent applicable, any proposal awarded in response to this announcement will be required to use the System for Award Management (SAM), which may be accessed online at SAM.gov.

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/habitat-conservation/resources-noaa-restoration-center-applicants https://SAM.gov

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Each applicant, unless the applicant has an exception approved by the federal awarding agency under 2 C.F.R. § 25.110(d), is required to: (1) Be registered in SAM before submitting its application; (2) Provide a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in its application; and (3) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency. NOAA may not make a federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time NOAA is ready to make a federal award, NOAA may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a federal award to another applicant.

Applicants should allow a minimum of two weeks to complete the SAM registration; registration is required only once, but must be periodically renewed. On April 4, 2022, the federal government began using a new UEI number provided by SAM. The organization’s Employer Identification Number (EIN) will be needed to receive a UEI, which is provided by SAM. If an entity is already registered in SAM.gov, the new UEI has already been assigned and is viewable in SAM.gov. This includes inactive registrations.

D. Submission Dates and Times The application deadline is April 1, 2024 at 11:59 PM Eastern time. To assure consideration for funding in subsequent fiscal years, applications must be received by 11:59 p.m on March 31, 2025, and March 31, 2026.

Applications received after these deadlines may be processed and considered for funding in the current fiscal year or in the next fiscal year, subject to the availability of funds.

E. Intergovernmental Review Applications submitted by state and local governments are subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." Any applicant submitting an application for funding is required to complete item 19 on SF-424 regarding clearance by the State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) established as a result of EO 12372. To find out about and comply with a State's process under EO 12372, contact the official listed in Section VII of this announcement for referral information. The information can also be reviewed at:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/SPOC-list-as-of-2023.pdf

F. Funding Restrictions Both federal and match pre-award costs incurred up to 90 days prior to the award start date may be requested and will be considered during pre-award negotiations between the applicant and NOAA. Incurring pre-award costs before the NOAA GMD provides an award document (previously via NOAA Grants Online and currently through eRA Commons on Form CD-450) is at the applicant's own risk. The earliest date for receipt of awards for this funding opportunity is anticipated to be October 1, 2024.

The budget may include indirect (facilities & administrative [F&A]) costs if the applicant has an established indirect cost rate with the federal government. As defined at 2 C.F.R. § 200.1, indirect (F&A) costs are incurred for a common or joint purpose benefiting more than one cost objective, and not readily assignable to the cost objectives specifically benefited, without effort disproportionate to the results achieved (e.g., lights, rent, water, and insurance).

A copy of the current, approved negotiated indirect (F&A) cost agreement with the federal government should be included with the application. In addition, an eligible applicant under 2 C.F.R. § 200.414(f), may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC). An applicant may also describe all costs as direct costs in the budget narrative, or establish a new rate through the Department of Commerce by contacting Michele Mazzocchetti, Grants Officer at NOAA Grants Management Division, 1325 East-West Highway, 9th Floor, Silver Spring, MD 20910, or at michele.mazzocchetti@noaa.gov. Applicants may elect to propose the reduction of part, or all, of allowable indirect costs as a component of cost sharing.

G. Other Submission Requirements mailto:michele.mazzocchetti@noaa.gov

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Applicants should submit applications electronically through www.Grants.gov. Users of Grants.gov will be able to create an online application workspace to submit the application. If an applicant has problems accessing the online workspace at Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or support@Grants.gov. All applicants must be registered with eRA Commons and obtain both a Signing Official (SO) and a project director/principal investigator (PD/PI) account. Applicants should ensure that the PI’s username is included in field 4 on the SF424 form. Additional information on the application processes related to the eRA system can be found on the website for this funding opportunity. Additional information is available at this location:

https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/prepare-to-apply-and-register/systems-and-roles.htm.

Applications must be submitted by the due date and time provided in Section IV.D. Late applications may be considered for funding in the current fiscal year and in subsequent fiscal years, if funding is available. We highly recommend that applicants do not wait until the application deadline to begin the application process through Grants.gov, as registration with SAM is required (Section IV.C.), and several steps are required to verify the staff allowed to submit applications in Grants.gov.

After electronic submission of the application, applicants will receive an automatic acknowledgment from Grants.gov that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. Applications submitted through Grants.gov will be accompanied by THREE automated responses (the first confirms receipt; the second validates that the submission is acceptable and timely; and the third confirms that the application has been forwarded to NOAA for further processing). If all notifications are not received, applicants should follow up with both the Grants.gov help desk and the NOAA Restoration Center to confirm NOAA receipt of the complete submission. After submitting the application package, applicants should download a copy of the submitted application for offline record-keeping and to verify the contents of the submission zip file. Grants.gov recommends downloading the submitted application via the Details tab of the workspace and verifying the contents of each file in the zip (https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs.html).

Submission time will be documented by electronic submission to Grants.gov, a U.S. Postal Service postmark, or a delivery service receipt for paper applications. Applications submitted via the U.S. Postal Service must have an official postmark; private metered postmarks are not acceptable. Applications received later than seven business days following the closing date may be considered for funding in the current fiscal year or future fiscal years, subject to the availability of funds.

H. Address for Submitting Proposals Electronic applications are strongly encouraged; however, paper applications will also be considered. Paper applications should be sent to: NOAA Restoration Center, NOAA Fisheries (F/HC3), 1315 East West Highway, Rm.

14875, Silver Spring, MD 20910. ATTN: 2024 Atlantic Salmon Habitat Restoration Partnership Grants. All applications MUST contain ALL required forms. Failure to submit forms may result in disqualification from this competition. Applicants are responsible for tracking their own applications. Proposal application packages, including all letters of collaboration or support, shall be submitted together in one package. Please notify the contact official in Section VII of this announcement by email regarding any paper submissions by mail, and/or for any technical difficulties using Grants.gov.

V. Application Review Information Evaluation Criteria Reviewers will assign scores to applications ranging from 0 to 100 points based on the following five standard NOAA evaluation criteria and respective weights specified below. Applications that best address these criteria will be most competitive.

1. Importance/relevance and applicability of proposed projects to the program goals Maximum Points: 40

This criterion ascertains whether there is intrinsic value in the proposed work and/or relevance to NOAA, federal, regional, state, or local activities.

For this competition, applications will be evaluated based on the following:

mailto:support@Grants.gov https://grants.nih.gov/grants/how-to-apply-application-guide/prepare-to-apply-and-register/systems-and-roles.htm https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs.html

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a) Consistency with Recovery Plan. How great is the potential of the proposed actions to restore or enhance habitat for the benefit of Atlantic salmon? Proposed actions should be consistent with priority habitat restoration actions identified in the 2019 Recovery Plan and supporting plans, including the “Species in the Spotlight Priority Actions: 2021-2025” 5-year action plan for Atlantic…