NOFO - 2021 State ANS Mgmt Plan DOI-FWS - V6.docx

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service State and Interstate Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plan Grant Program https://www.fws.gov/fisheries/ Notice of Funding Opportunity – Fiscal Year 2021 Funding Opportunity Number F21AS00436 Closing Date: August 31, 2021 [Important note: the pre-proposal process will occur outside of Grant Solutions similar to how it has occurred in the past; for 2021, pre-proposals are due 3 weeks after posting of the NOFO. Once advised of the final funding level, grant application packages can be submitted via GrantSolutions.]

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT STATEMENT:

OMB Control Number: 1018-0100, Expiration Date: 7/31/2021 We are collecting this information in accordance with the authorizing legislation identified above. Your response is required to obtain or retain a benefit. We will use the information you provide to conduct a competitive review and select projects for funding and, if awarded, to evaluate performance. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. We estimate that it will take you on average about 40 hours to complete an initial application, about 3 hours to revise the terms of an award, and about 8 hours per report to prepare and submit financial and performance reports, including time to maintain records and gather information. Actual time for these activities will vary depending on program- specific requirements. You may send comments on the burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

A. Program Description A1. Authority Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act, 16 U.S.C. §4701-4741. Section 4724 of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990, as amended (16 U.S.C. 4701-4741) (Act), authorized and provided general guidance for the development of State and Interstate Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Management Plans.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 15.608 – State and Interstate Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plan Grant Program A2. Background, Purpose and Program Requirements The Fish and Aquatic Conservation Program’s Branch of Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) intends to award funding for its 2021 State and Interstate Aquatic Nuisance Species Management Plan (SIANSMP) Grant Program. Section 4724 of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990, as amended (16 U.S.C. 4701-4741) (Act), authorized and provided general guidance for the development of State and Interstate Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Management Plans. The Act enables State governors to submit these plans to the ANS Task Force for approval.

These comprehensive ANS Management Plans identify technical, enforcement, or financial assistance activities needed to eliminate or reduce the environmental and public health and safety risks associated with ANS. ANS Management Plans focus on feasible, cost-effective management practices and measures to be undertaken by States to prevent and control ANS infestations in an environmentally sound manner.

Once an ANS Management Plan is reviewed and approved by the ANS Task Force, the Act authorizes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) to provide cost-share grants for the implementation of the approved plans.

This Program has a two-stage application process (see sections D2 and E2, for more details).

· Stage One - the “Preliminary National Review” - is managed by the Service Headquarters office. The pre-proposal process will occur outside of Grant Solutions similar to how it has occurred in the past; for 2021, pre-proposals are due 3 weeks after posting of the NOFO.

· Stage Two - the “Regional Office Review and Grant Processing” - is managed by the Service Regional Offices (See the program administration contacts under section G below).

B. Federal Award Information B1. Total Funding Estimated Total Funding: $4,084,000 B2. Expected Award Amount Maximum Award: $120,000 Minimum Award: $5,000 B3. Expected Award Funding and Anticipated Dates For FY 2021, the Service’s SIANSMP Grant Program plans to allocate $4,084,000 for implementation of the 44 ANS Task Force approved State and Interstate ANS Management Plans. Available funding will be evenly distributed based on requested funding amounts and the number of ANS Task Force approved plans. The funding for each plan is estimated to be approximately $92,800 if proposals are successfully submitted for all 44 currently approved plans (41 State and 3 interstate). Eligible applicants must meet pre-award review and application requirements. The pre-proposal process will occur outside of Grant Solutions similar to how it has occurred in the past; for 2021, pre-proposals are due 3 weeks after posting of the NOFO. Once advised of the final funding level, grant application packages can be submitted via GrantSolutions.

B4. Number of Awards Expected Number of Awards: Approximately 44 B5. Type of Award Funding Instrument Type: Grants

C. Eligibility Information C1. Eligible Applicants Eligible applicants are any State, or group of States and Tribes involved in an interstate organization, with an approved ANS Management Plan. For eligibility questions, please contact the appropriate agency contact identified in section G. Unless the hosting entity of an approved plan has an unforeseen change, the currently eligible applicants are:

WI Department of Natural Resources

Additional Information on Eligibility To be considered for funding, applicants must work directly with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Aquatic Invasive Species Program and represent one of the currently 44 ANS Task Force approved State or Interstate ANS Management Plans. Section 1204 of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 restricts the award to States with ANSTF-approved State or Interstate ANS Management Plans.

C2. Cost Sharing or Matching Does the program have a cost sharing or matching requirement? Yes Percentage of Cost Sharing/Matching Requirement: 25% Section 4724 (b)(3)(a) of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 as amended (16 U.S.C. 4701-4741), requires those entities applying for funds under this Program to provide a 25% cost share. Applicants may attribute some or all of their allowable indirect costs as voluntary committed cost-share or match.

C3. Other Section 4724 (b)(3)(a) of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 as amended (16 USC 4724 (b)(4)) states that “administrative costs for activities and programs carried out with a grant in any fiscal year shall not exceed 5% of the amount of the grant in that year.”

Excluded Parties: FWS conducts a review of the SAM.gov Exclusions database for all applicant entities and their key project personnel prior to award. The Bureau 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 D1. Address to Request Application Package All eligible applicants are State agencies, and those with high speed internet may download the necessary application materials through the new GrantSolutions system. However, if any State needs to have the Notice of Funding Opportunity sent to them, they should contact the appropriate agency contact in section G below.

D2. Content and Form of Application Submission This Program has a two-stage application process. Each stage requires specific documentation, as detailed below.

Stage One Application Requirements - Preliminary National Review After the Funding Opportunity is posted within GrantSolutions (and posted on Grants.gov), Stage One, the pre-proposal stage, of the grant process is handled outside of GrantSolutions. For 2021, pre-proposals are due 3 weeks after posting of the NOFO. Eligible entities must submit an approximately 3-page pre-proposal that contains:

1. Funding opportunity number F21AS00436

2. Program narrative that outlines the ANS Management Plan activities to be conducted with the requested funding, including:

a. Narrative description of each activity pertaining to zebra and/or quagga mussels or other aquatic invasive species and the funding requested;

b. A linkage of each activity to its designated action within the SIANSMP implementation table;

c. A prioritization of all the proposed activities; and

d. A timeline for the performance of each activity in the pre-proposal.

3. A Budget in tabular form: Budget must show individual entries for each proposed activity as well as Federal and non-Federal cost share (25%) and that administrative costs will not exceed 5% of the total budget (See section C2 and C3 above).

a. MS Word or Excel Spreadsheet is acceptable; please note – the SF 424A - Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs can also be used but is not necessary at Stage One.

4. Budget narrative: Brief narrative describing how the budget numbers were derived.

Pre-proposals are submitted outside of the GrantSolutions system to the Program Technical Contacts (see G, page 16). For 2021, pre-proposals are due 3 weeks after posting of the NOFO.

Stage Two Application Requirements - Regional Office Review and Grant Processing The Service’s Headquarters AIS office will notify applicants by email, when they are approved to move to Stage Two and submit a complete grant application.

Applicants notified that they can submit their complete application must work with their appropriate Regional offices to submit the following within the GrantSolutions system:

SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance Applicants must submit the appropriate Standard Form (SF)-424, “Application for Federal Assistance”. Individuals applying as a private citizen (i.e., unrelated to any business or nonprofit organization you may own or operate in your name), must complete the SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance-Individual” form. All other applicants must complete the standard SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance”. The required application forms are available with this announcement on Grants.gov. The SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance must be complete, and signed and dated. Please note: Enter only the amount requested from this Federal program in the “Federal” funding box on the SF-424 Application form. Include any other Federal sources of funding in the “Other” box and provide details on those Federal source(s) and funding amount(s) in the required Budget Narrative (see Budget Narrative heading below in this section).

SF 424B, Assurances for Non-Construction Programs When requesting support for a non-construction project, individuals applying for and receiving funds separate from a business or non-profit organization he/she may own or operate and any entity waived by the Service from the SAM.gov registration requirements must submit a signed and dated SF-424B, “Assurances for Non-Construction Programs” form. All of the required application forms are available on with this announcement on Grants.gov.

Project Narrative Statement of Need: Describe why this project is necessary (significance/value) and include supporting information. Summarize previous or on-going efforts (of you/your organization, and other organizations or individuals) that are relevant to the proposed work. Explain the successes or failures of past efforts and how your proposed project builds on them. If you have received funding previously (from the Service or any other entity) for this specific project work or site, provide a summary of the funding, associated activities and products/outcomes.

Project Goals and Objectives: State the long-term, overarching goal(s) of the program/project. State the objectives of the project. Objectives are the specific outcomes to be accomplished in order to reach the stated goal(s). The project objectives must be specific, measurable, and realistic (attainable within the project’s proposed project period).

Project Activities, Methods and Timetable: List the proposed project activities and describe how they relate to the stated objectives. Activities are the specific actions to be undertaken to fulfill the project objectives and reach the project goal(s). The proposed project activities narrative must be detailed enough for reviewers to make a clear connection between the activities and the proposed project costs. For projects being conducted within the United States, the narrative must provide enough detail so that reviewers are able to determine project compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Provide a detailed description of the method(s) to be used to carry out each activity. Provide a timetable indicating roughly when activities or project milestones are to be accomplished. Include any resulting tables, spreadsheets or flow charts within the body of the project narrative (do not include as separate attachments). The timetable should not propose specific dates but instead group activities by month for each month over the entire proposed project period.

Stakeholder Coordination/Involvement: As applicable, describe how you/your organization has coordinated with and involved other relevant organizations or individuals in planning the project, and detail if/how they will be involved in conducting project activities, disseminating project results and/or incorporating your results/products into their activities.

Project Monitoring and Evaluation: Detail the monitoring and evaluation plan for the project. Building on the stated project objectives, which must be specific and measurable, identify what you will measure (i.e., quantitative/quantifiable indicators) and how you will measure (e.g., methods, sample size, survey tools). Reference the stated project timetable (i.e., process indicators) and budget information (i.e., input indicators). Identify the products/services to be delivered and how/to whom they will be delivered (i.e., output indicators). Detail the expected direct effect(s) of the project on beneficiaries (i.e., outcome indicators). Include any available questionnaires, surveys, curricula, exams/tests or other assessment tools to be used for project evaluation. Describe the resources and organizational structure available for gathering, analyzing and reporting monitoring and evaluation data. If applicable, describe how project participants and beneficiaries will participate in monitoring and evaluation activities. Describe how findings will be fed back into decision making and project activities throughout the project period.

Description of Entities Undertaking the Project: Provide a brief description of the applicant organization and all participating entities and/or individuals. Identify which of the proposed activities each agency, organization, group, or individual is responsible for conducting or managing. Provide complete contact information for the individual within the organization that will oversee/manage the project activities on a day-to-day basis.

SF-424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Program Applicants must submit the appropriate SF-424 Budget Information form and Budget Narrative. For non-construction programs or projects, applicants must complete and submit the SF-424A, “Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs” form. All of the required application forms are available with this announcement on Grants.gov. Federal award recipients and subrecipients are subject to Federal award cost principles per the Service’s General Award Terms and Conditions. Applicants must show funds requested from this Federal program separately from any other Federal sources of funding. In the “Budget Summary” section of the appropriate SF-424 budget form, use the first row for funding requested from this Federal program. Use subsequent row(s) for funding requested from this Federal program. Use subsequent row(s) for other Federal funding. Enter each Federal program’s CFDA number(s) in the corresponding fields on the form. The CFDA number(s) for this program appears on the first page of this announcement.

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.

Budget Narrative Describe and justify requested budget items and costs. Detail how the SF-424 Budget Information, Object Class Category totals were determined. For personnel salary costs, include the baseline salary figures and the estimates of time. Describe any item of cost that requires prior approval under the Federal cost principles. See 2 CFR 200.407 “Prior written approval (prior approval)” for more information. If equipment purchased previously with Federal funds is available for the project, provide a list of that equipment and identify the Federal funding source. Identify any 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, include the source, the amount, and the valuation methodology used to determine the total value. See 2 CFR 200.306 “Cost sharing or matching” for more information.

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 part 18 and 31 U.S.C. 1352.

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

(e) Enforcement. Failure to resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the government may be cause for termination of the award. Failure to make required disclosures may result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR 200.338, Remedies for noncompliance, including suspension or debarment (see also 2 CFR part 180).

Single Audit Reporting Statement All U.S. states, local governments, federally recognized Indian tribal governments, 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. U.S. state, local government, federally recognized Indian tribal government, 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 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A-Certification Regarding Lobbying. If this application requests more than $100,000 in Federal funds, the Authorized Official’s signature on the appropriate SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance) form, also represents the entity’s certification of the statements in 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A.

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities Applicants and recipients must not use any federally appropriated funds (annually appropriated or continuing appropriations) or matching funds under a Federal award to pay any person for lobbying in connection with the award. Lobbying is influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any U.S. agency, a Member of the U.S. Congress, an officer or employee of the U.S. Congress, or an employee of a Member of the U.S. Congress connection with the award. Applicants and recipients must complete and submit the SF-LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” form if the Federal share of the proposal or award is more than $100,000 and the applicant or recipient has made or has agreed to make any payment using non- appropriated funds for lobbying in connection with the application or award. The SF-LLL form is available with this Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov. See 43 CFR, Subpart 18.100 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 regards 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 regards 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 regards 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 individual (i.e., unrelated to any business or nonprofit organization you may own or operate) or any entity with an exception approved by the funding bureau or office in accordance with bureau or office policy. All other applicants are required to obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet and then register in SAM.gov prior to submitting a Federal award application. Federal award recipients must continue to maintain an active SAM.gov registration with current information through the life of their Federal award(s). See the “Submission Requirements” section of this document below for more information on SAM.gov registration. We may not make a Federal award 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 that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award. The program can use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant. There is no cost to register with Dun & Bradstreet or SAM.gov. There are third-party vendors who will charge a fee in exchange for registering entities with Dun & Bradstreet and SAM.gov; please be aware you can register and request help for free.

Obtain a DUNS Number Request a DUNS Number through the Dun & Bradstreet website. The official website address is http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. For technical difficulties, send an email to the D&B SAM Help Desk. Please ensure that you are able to receive emails from SAMHelp@dnb.com. The Grants.gov “Obtain a DUNS Number” webpage also provides detailed instructions. Once assigned a DUNS number, your organization must maintain up-to-date information with Dun & Bradstreet. Applicants must enter their DUNS number in the “Organizational DUNS” field on the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance form.

Register with the System for Award Management (SAM) Register on the SAM.gov website. “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. You can also contact the supporting Federal Service Desk for help registering in SAM. Once registered in SAM, entities must renew and revalidate their SAM registration at least once every 12 months from the date previously registered. Entities are strongly encouraged to revalidate their registration as often as needed to ensure their information is up to date and reflects changes that may have been to the entity’s DUNS or IRS information.

D4. Submission Dates and Times Due Date for Applications: [Applications can be submitted after Stage One is completed and each applicant has been notified of their final funding level.] For FY2021, this should be approximately mid-May, with all funding being awarded by August 31, 2021.

Application Due Date Explanation Submission deadlines are determined based upon the date the grant program is entered into the GrantSolutions system, but will be earlier then the funding opportunity’s closing date. For 2021, pre-proposals are due 3 weeks after posting of the NOFO. Once advised of the final funding level, grant application packages can be submitted via GrantSolutions.

D5. Intergovernmental Review Prior to application submission, U.S. state and local government applicants should visit the OMB Office of Federal Financial Management website and view the “State Point of Contact (SPOC) List” to determine whether their application is subject to the state intergovernmental review process under Executive Order (E.O.) 12372 “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.” States not on the list do not participate in the intergovernmental review process, and therefore do not have a SPOC. If you are located within a State that does not have a SPOC, you may send application materials directly to a Federal awarding agency. If your state is on the list, contact the designated entity for more information on the state’s prior review requirements for Federal assistance applications.

D6. Funding Restrictions Section 4724 (b)(3)(a) of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 as amended (16 USC 4724 (b)(4)) states that “administrative costs for activities and programs carried out with a grant in any fiscal year shall not exceed 5% of the amount of the grant in that year.”

Indirect Costs: Individuals Individuals applying for and receiving funds separate from a business or non-profit organization he/she may operate are not eligible to charge indirect costs to their award. If you are an individual applying for funding, you must not include any indirect costs in your proposed budget. Individuals are not required to submit any of the following statements regarding indirect costs.

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

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

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

We are:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

D7. Other Submission Requirements Applications should be submitted electronically using the GrantSolutions system. If an eligible applicant cannot use GrantSolutions for a legitimate reason, application by email may be possible, but would require prior approval.

E. Application Review Information E1. Criteria To be considered for funding, applicants must work directly with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Aquatic Invasive Species Program and represent one of the currently 44 ANS Task Force approved State or Interstate ANS Management Plans. Section 1204 of the Nonindigenous Aquatic Nuisance Prevention and Control Act of 1990 restricts the award to States with ANSTF-approved State or Interstate ANS Management Plans. The purpose of the State and Interstate ANS Management Plans is listed in the authorizing legislation and aligns with the priorities of the Department of the Interior’s Invasive Species Task Force (and accompanying Strategic Plan). If there is any question about the eligibility for funding, please contact the appropriate agency contact (see section G). Eligible applicants compete for the available pot of funding by their having met the pre-award requirements through the intensive, collaborative, multi-stage plan development process and meeting the 25% cost-share and 5% limitation on administrative costs.

E2. Review and Selection Process The funding available under this grant program will be distributed based on requested funding amounts and the number of ANS Task Force approved plans. All eligible applicants must meet the pre-award review and application requirements.

Stage One Process – Preliminary National Review During this stage, the pre-proposals are screened to make sure they meet the application requirements. The pre-proposals are not evaluated through a merit review process because the “merit” of a project is considered prior to applications being received by the Service during a plan’s rigorous, multi-stage development and review process; thus no criteria or scores are used to evaluate the pre-proposals.

To be considered for funding, the pre-proposals must include all of the requirements for Stage One, detailed in section D2 of this funding opportunity. In addition, pre-proposals from eligible applicants will be reviewed to determine:

· Do the activities outlined in the pre-proposal align with/support the goals, objectives, strategies, and actions of their respective plans?

· Does the proposal show any progress from the previous year’s proposal (i.e. that the proposal is not an exact copy of the previous year’s proposal).

· Does the pre-proposal identify the 25% cost-share?

· Does the pre-proposal indicate the 5% limitation on administrative costs?

If an eligible applicant is found to be missing any part of the pre-proposal requirements, the Grant Program Manager for Stage One will work with the applicant to acquire any missing information. Ineligible applicants will be contacted and given an explanation on why they are considered ineligible.

Once all pre-proposals have been received and reviewed, those determined acceptable will move to Stage Two of the process. The Service’s Headquarters AIS office will notify each successful applicant of the funding amount they are eligible to apply for in the Stage Two of the grant process via the GrantSolutions system.

Stage Two Process – Regional Office Review and Grant Processing In this stage, applicants are notified that they are approved to submit a complete application for a specified funding amount; this notification indicates that the applicant has passed Stage One and is not the final award letter. No merit review is conducted at this stage; the merit review for the State ANS Management Plans is incorporated earlier during the rigorous, multi-stage plan development process. The Service’s Regional AIS Coordinators, along with the Regional Contracting staff, will assist applicants with the remaining part of the grant process before any funding is awarded (see section G below). Please note that the grant process procedures may vary depending on the Service Region managing your award.

Prior to award, the program will review any applicant statement regarding potential overlap or duplication between the project to be funded and any other funded or proposed project in terms of activities, funding, or time commitment of key personnel. Depending on the circumstances, the program may request modification to the application, other pending applications, or an active award, as needed to eliminate any duplication of effort, or the Bureau may choose not to fund the selected project. The program may not make a Federal award 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 Bureau is ready to make an award, the program may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award. The program can use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.

Prior to award, the program will evaluate the risk posed by applicants as required in 2 CFR 200.205. Programs document applicant risk evaluations using the Bureau’s “Financial Assistance Recipient Risk Assessment” form. Prior to approving awards for Federal funding in excess of the simplified acquisition threshold (currently $250,000), the Bureau is required to review and consider any information about or from the applicant found in the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System. The Bureau will consider this information when completing the risk review. The Bureau uses the results of the risk evaluation to establish monitoring plans, recipient reporting frequency requirements, and to determine if one or more of the specific award conditions in 2 CFR 200.207 should be applied the award.

E3. CFR – Regulatory Information See the Service’s General Award Terms and Conditions for the general administrative and national policy requirements applicable to Service awards. The Service will communicate any other program- or project-specific special terms and conditions to recipients in their notices of award.

E4. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates The program is announced once the funding opportunity is entered into GrantSolutions. All funding should be awarded by 8/31/2021.

F. Federal Award Administration Information F1. Federal Award Notices Following review, applicants may be requested to revise the project scope and/or budget before an award is made. Successful applicants will receive written notice in the form of a notice of award document. Notices of award are typically sent to recipients by e-mail. If e-mail notification is unsuccessful, the documents will be sent by courier mail (e.g., FedEx, DHL or UPS). Awards are based on the application submitted to and approved by the Service and are subject to the terms and conditions incorporated into the Notice of Award either by direct citation or by reference to the following: Federal regulations; program legislation or regulation; and special award terms and conditions. Recipient acceptance of a Federal award from the Service carries with it the responsibility to be aware of and comply with all terms and conditions applicable to the award. Recipients indicate their acceptance of the Federal award by starting work, drawing down funds, or accepting the award via electronic means.

F2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements See the DOI Standard Terms and Conditions for the administrative and national policy requirements applicable to DOI awards.

Data Availability Per the Financial Assistance Interior Regulation (FAIR), 2 CFR §1402.315:

(a) All data, methodology, factual inputs, models, analyses, technical information, reports, conclusions, valuation products or other scientific assessments in any medium or form, including textual, numerical, graphic, cartographic, narrative, or audiovisual, resulting from a financial assistance agreement is available for use by the Department of the Interior, including being available in a manner that is sufficient for independent verification.

(b) The Federal Government has the right to:

(1) Obtain, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the data, methodology, factual inputs, models, analyses, technical information, reports, conclusions, or other scientific assessments, produced under a Federal award; and

(2) Authorize others to receive, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use such data, methodology, factual inputs, models, analyses, technical information, reports, conclusions, or other scientific assessments, for Federal purposes, including to allow for meaningful third-party evaluation.

See the Service’s General Award Terms and Conditions for the general administrative and national policy requirements applicable to Service awards. The Service will communicate any other program- or project-specific special terms and conditions to recipients in their notices of award.

F3. Reporting Financial Reports All recipients must use the SF-425, Federal Financial Report form for financial reporting. At a minimum, all recipients must submit a final financial report. Final reports are due no later than 90 calendar days after the award period of performance end date or termination date. For awards with periods of performance longer than 12 months, recipients are required to submit interim financial reports on the frequency established in the Notice of Award. The only exception to the interim financial reporting requirement is if the recipient is required to use the SF 270/271 to request payment and requests payment at least once annually through the entire award period of performance. We will describe all financial reporting requirements in the Notice of Award.

Performance Reports Performance reports must contain a comparison of actual accomplishments with the established goals and objectives of the award; a description of reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate; and any other pertinent information relevant to the project results. Final performance reports are due no later than 90 calendar days after the award period of performance end date or termination date. For awards with periods of performance longer than 12 months, recipients are required to submit interim performance reports on the frequency established in the Notice of Award.

Significant Developments Reports Events may occur between the scheduled performance reporting dates that have significant impact upon the supported activity. In such cases, recipients are required to notify the Bureau in writing as soon as the recipient becomes aware of any problems, delays, or adverse conditions that will materially impair the ability to meet the objective of the Federal award. This disclosure must include a statement of any corrective action(s) taken or contemplated, and any assistance needed to resolve the situation. The recipient should also notify the Service in writing of any favorable developments that enable meeting time schedules and objectives sooner or at less cost than anticipated or producing more or different beneficial results than originally planned.

Real Property Reports Recipients and subrecipients are required to submit status reports on the status of real property acquired under the award in which the Federal government retains an interest. The required frequency of these reports will depend on the anticipated length of the Federal interest period. The Bureau will include recipient-specific real property reporting requirements, including the required data elements, reporting frequency, and report due dates, in the Notice of Award when applicable.

Conflict of Interest Disclosures Recipients must notify the program immediately in writing of any conflict of interest that arise during the life of their Federal award, including those reported to them by any subrecipient under the award. Recipients must notify the program in writing if any employees, including subrecipient and contractor personnel, are related to, married to, or have a close personal relationship with any Federal employee in the Federal funding program or who otherwise may have been involved in the review and selection of the award. The term employee means any individual engaged in the performance of work pursuant to the Federal award. Recipients may not have a former Federal employee as a key project official, or in any other substantial role related to their award, whose participation put them out of compliance with the legal authorities addressing post-Government employment restrictions. See the U.S. Office of Government Ethics website for more information on these restrictions.