NOFO-AFE16.pdf

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Wildlife Without Borders – African Elephant Conservation Fund

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 15.620

Funding Opportunity Number: F16AS00021

Submission Deadline: January 15, 2016

Notice of Funding Opportunity and Application Instructions

I. Description of Funding Opportunity

The African Elephant Conservation Fund is accepting project proposals for the conservation of the

African elephant (Loxodonta africana spp.). In 1988, Congress passed the African Elephant

Conservation Act in response to the alarming decline of African elephant populations. The Act provides for the establishment of the African Elephant Conservation Fund to provide financial assistance to support projects that will enhance sustainable conservation programs to ensure effective, long-term conservation of African elephants.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) also supports African elephant conservation projects in Central

Africa through the Wildlife Without Borders Africa (WWB-Africa) Program. Applicants working in the following countries: Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the

Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and São Tomé and Príncipe should submit to WWB-Africa instead of the African Elephant fund if the proposal fits the description of any of the priorities listed in the separate Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Wildlife Without Borders –

Africa Program (F15AS00466). Do not submit the same proposal to both funds - only submit your proposal to one program. However, in order to maximize funding opportunities, USFWS staff may move proposals between the WWB-Africa Program and the African Elephant Conservation Fund.

The African Elephant Conservation Fund supports projects that promote conservation through:

∙ Enhanced protection of at-risk elephant populations;

∙ Efforts to decrease human-elephant conflict;

∙ Habitat conservation and management;

∙ Protected area/reserve management in important elephant range;

∙ Strengthening local capacity to implement conservation programs;

∙ Transfrontier elephant conservation;

∙ Wildlife inspection, law enforcement, and forensics skills;

∙ Conservation education and community outreach;

∙ Applied research necessary to inform protection and management, including surveys and monitoring;

∙ Development and execution of elephant conservation management plans;

∙ Development of innovative technologies that have the potential to improve elephant protection;

∙ Compliance with applicable treaties and laws that prohibit or regulate the taking or trade of elephants or regulate the use and management of elephant habitat;

∙ Reducing demand for and trafficking of illegal ivory products.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=279162 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=279162 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=279162

Proposed project work should occur within the range of the African elephant, or, if work is to be conducted outside of the range, the proposal must explain how the work will benefit elephants in

Africa.

Proposals must identify immediate threats to elephant survival and support direct conservation activities to eliminate or reduce those threats. Applicants may submit proposals from any project sites with indigenous elephant populations, but the following important elephant populations will be considered priorities:

CENTRAL and WEST ∙ TRIDOM region: including Minkebe, Djoua-Belinga, Ivindo, Mwagne, Odzala-Kokoua, Ngombe FMU, Ntokou Pikounda, Mengame Dja, Nki, Boumba Bek ∙ Greater Sangha-Ndoki region: Lobeke, Dzanga, Ndoki-Likouala aux Herbes, Nouabale-

Ndoki, Lac Tele ∙ Central African coast: Gamba complex-Loango-Moukalaba Doudou-Mayumba-Conkouati ∙ Lope-Waka-Birougou ∙ Maiko-Okapi-Ituri forest ∙ W-Arly-Pendjari

EAST and SOUTHERN

∙ Northern Botswana-Khaudum-Caprivi-Hwange ∙ Selous-Mikumi-Niassa ∙ Moyowosi-Kigosi/Ugalla/Katavi-Rukwa/Ruaha-Rungwa ∙ Luangwa-Zambezi Valley ∙ Laikipia-Samburu ∙ Greater Limpopo Transfrontier Conservation Area (Kruger, Gonarezhou) ∙ Tsavo-Amboseli-Chyulu

Priority will also be given to ecologically or evolutionarily unique populations, defined by at least one of the following conditions: (a) the population is reproductively isolated and differs markedly in its genetic characteristics from other elephant populations; (b) the population persists in an ecological setting unusual for elephants; or (c) the loss of the population would result in a significant gap in elephant range.

II. Award Information

This program will use grants or cooperative agreements as the assistance instrument. The type of assistance instrument to be used is the decision of USFWS. The amount of funding available for the African Elephant Conservation Fund is approximately $1,400,000 USD.

Due to the limited funding available, successful proposals are usually less than $50,000, but support for the aforementioned priority sites could be considered for up to $200,000 if the proposal represents a unified work plan including the wildlife authority and key partners.

Applicants must demonstrate financial need. Projects must show long-term sustainability and significant buy-in from host country governments. The amount of funding requested must match scope of the activities, the anticipated results, and the length of the project period.

The standard period of performance for projects is two years. If the applicant wishes to request a shorter or longer period of performance, it should be noted and the proposal and timetable should describe activities for the entire proposed period of performance. The period of performance for all funded projects begins on the date the award is signed by USFWS. Past and present recipients of awards under this program are eligible, but must submit new proposals to compete for funding each fiscal year.

Cooperative Agreements

Under cooperative agreements, substantial involvement by USFWS should be expected and may include participating and collaborating jointly with the recipient or other personnel in carrying out the scope of work including training recipient personnel or detailing Federal personnel to work on the project effort;

reviews and approves one stage of work before the next stage can begin; reviews and approves, prior to recipient action, proposed modifications or sub-awards; helps select project staff or trainees; directs or redirects the work because of interrelationships with other projects; has power to immediately halt an activity if detailed performance specifications are not met; and limits recipient discretion with respect to scope of work, organizational structure, staffing, mode of operations and other management processes, coupled with close monitoring or operational involvement during performance under the award. Before submitting a proposal for a cooperative agreement rather than a grant, please contact USFWS Program

Officer to verify that this is the appropriate mechanism.

III. Basic Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants:

Applicants can be individuals; multi-national secretariats; state and local government agencies; non-profit, non-governmental organization; and public and private institutions of higher education. U.S. non-profit, non-governmental organizations must submit documentary evidence of their Section 501 (c) (3) non-profit status.

Federal law (2 CFR Part 25, Central Contractor Registry and Data Universal Numbering System) mandates that all entities applying for Federal financial assistance must have a valid Dun & Bradstreet

Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number and have a current registration in the System for Award

Management (SAM). Exemptions: The SAM registration requirement does not apply to individuals submitting an application on their own behalf and not on behalf of a company or other for-profit entity, State, local or Tribal government, academia or other type of organization.

A. DUNS Registration

Request a DUNS number online at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. U.S.-based entities may also request a DUNS number by telephone by calling the Dun & Bradstreet Government Customer

Response Center, Monday – Friday, 7 AM to 8 PM CST at the following numbers:

U.S. and U.S Virgin Islands: 1-866-705-5711 http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform

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

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

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

B. Entity Registration in SAM

Register in System for Award Management online at http://www.sam.gov/. Once registered in

SAM, entities must renew and revalidate their SAM registration at least every 12 months from the date previously registered. Entities are strongly urged to revalidate their registration as often as needed to ensure that their information is up to date and in synch with changes that may have been made to DUNS and IRS information. Foreign entities who wish to be paid directly to a

United States bank account must enter and maintain valid and current banking information in

SAM.

C. Excluded Entities

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

D. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost sharing is not required. If cost share or match is included, it may be in the form of cash or in-kind contributions, and it must be verifiable. Applicant and partner contributions cannot be included as contributions for any other federally assisted project or program. Funds provided by another U.S. Federal Government agency or another Service award cannot be reported as matching contributions, but should be noted and explained in detail. A match shown during one year may not be repeated as a match in a subsequent proposal.

IV. Application Requirements - To be considered for funding under this opportunity, an application must contain:

Proposals should be ten (10) pages or less and must be submitted in English. Pages should be numbered. Application summary, figures, tables, maps, curriculum vitae, and required forms do not count toward the ten-page limit.

A. Federal forms SF-424 and SF-424b

1. Completed, signed and dated Application for Federal Assistance form (SF-424). Do not include other Federal sources of funding, requested or approved, in the total entered in the “Federal” funding box on the Application for Federal Assistance form.

Enter only the amount being requested under this program in the “Federal” funding http://www.sam.gov/ box. Include any other Federal sources of funding in the total funding entered in the

“Other” box.

Additional instructions for completing the SF-424 can be found at http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/sf-424-instructions.pdf

2. Completed, signed and dated Assurances - Non-Construction form (SF-424b).

The SF-424 and SF-424b forms are located here:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1. Look for the form name - Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) and Assurances for Non-

Construction Programs (SF-424B).

For U.S. recipients applying through Grants.gov, downloading and saving the

Application Package to your computer make the required government-wide standard forms fillable and printable.

For foreign recipients, your organization’s authorized official MUST sign required forms.

B. Project Summary

This section should answer the question, “What is the purpose of this project?” BRIEFLY summarize the project, in one page or less. This section should be a stand-alone summary of your project. It may be shared with the public. Include the title of the project, and a brief overview of the need for the project. Goal(s), objectives, specific project activities, anticipated outputs and outcomes can also be included in this section.

The following table format is recommended as a summary of the species’ status:

Population name Existing estimates of range, population size, or abundance

Threats to the population that the project is working to reduce, eliminate or mitigate

[identify population from list above, or by its geographic boundaries]

[best available estimates of number of individuals (including uncertainty) or occupied range (km

[threat text]

C. Project Narrative

1. Statement of Need: This section should answer the question, “Why is this project necessary?” The statement of need should clearly identify the targeted species or habitat, a description of the direct threats that adversely affect the targeted species/habitat at the project site, a justification for which threat(s) is the most important http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/sf-424-instructions.pdf http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/sf-424-instructions.pdf http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1 to address, and the specific activities and threats that the project will implement and address.

Describe why this project is necessary and include supporting information. Summarize previous or ongoing efforts (of your organization as well as other international, national, regional, and/or local organizations or individuals) that are relevant to the proposed work.

Explain how your proposal differs from past work or builds upon it. Explain the successes or failures of past efforts and how your proposal builds upon those.

If you have received grants previously (from USFWS or any other donor) for this work or this specific site, provide a summary of those activities and accomplishments so that reviewers can better understand the proposal in context. A table may be the most efficient way to convey this information: including columns for donor, reference number, amount funded, year of activity, and bullet points of major activities, outcomes, or products. Projects with funding from any other government source or eligible for any other government source should add a section describing the activities supported and the added value of USFWS support. Please note how the proposal differs or builds upon funding available from other major donors.

2. Project Goals and Objectives: This section should answer the question, “What do you want to achieve and how are you going to do it?”

As an example, the following format is recommended:

GOAL:

Objective 1.

Activity 1.1 Activity 1.2

Objective 2.

Activity 2.1

Objective 3.

Activity 3.1 Activity 3.2 Activity 3.3

A goal is the long-term outcome that you want to achieve in order to successfully conserve the target species.

Objectives are the specific outcomes that you want to achieve in order to reach your stated goal(s), and should reflect a desired change in capacity, threat, or species status. Your objectives must be attainable within the project period and should be specific, capable of being measured, realistic, and results-orientated. Objectives should form the basis for the project’s Monitoring and Evaluation section. A recommended reference for identifying and developing appropriate objectives and measures of success is the Conservation Measures

Partnership website (Internet link:

http://www.conservationmeasures.org/initiatives/standards-for-project-management).

3. Project Activities, Methods and Timetable: This section should answer the question, “How are you going to achieve your objectives?” State the proposed project activities and http://h describe how implementation will enable the project team to achieve the stated objectives.

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.

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.

Activities that meet one or more of the following conditions will strengthen your proposal:

a. Activities that are feasible and likely to be successfully implemented as stated;

b. Activities that apply the best scientific and /or technical information and methods available;

c. Activities that include the participation of local partners in project activities, including meaningful involvement of government, community or civil society stakeholders; and

d. Activities resulting in benefits continuing beyond the period of performance of the grant.

Provide a timetable indicating roughly (over a 12- or 24-month timeframe), when activities or project milestones are to be accomplished. If there are multiple agencies, organizations, or individuals involved, it may be helpful to include a column showing which party will be responsible for each activity. 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 rather list activities described in Section 3, for each month over a 12- or 24-month period. To view a sample project table go to http://www.fws.gov/internation/pdf/sample-timetable.pdf.

For projects being conducted in 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. For projects being conducted on the high seas, the narrative should provide enough detail so that reviewers are able to determine project compliance with Section 7 of Endangered Species Act. Provide a detailed description of the method(s) to be used to carry out each activity.

http://www.fws.gov/internation/pdf/sample-timetable.pdf

4. Stakeholder Coordination/Involvement: This section should answer the question, Who are you going to be working with?” Describe any coordination with local resource managers and other relevant organizations or individuals in planning your project, conducting project activities, or disseminating project results. Where multiple groups are working in the same site, or are listed as stakeholders in the proposal, clarify which entity is responsible for each activity. Letters of endorsement specifically referring to this proposal and to the proposed collaboration from each partner organization will strengthen your proposal and may be requested by reviewers.

If the project can demonstrate a strong partnership with the wildlife authority and national or species- or site-specific plans or priorities, providing this information will strengthen the proposal.

5. Project Monitoring and Evaluation: This section should answer the question, “How will we know that the project is working successfully?” For each of your Project Objectives in the previous section, identify what you will measure (i.e., indicators), and how you will measure it (i.e., monitoring methods, sample sizes, survey tools).

Note that outputs (or products) should generally NOT be used as indicators, including

USFWS performance reports. Indicators should reflect a change in capacity, human behavior, threat, or status of the target species. If the current status of the indicator is known, and the applicant identifies the indicator’s desired status or qualitative condition, providing this information will strengthen the proposal.

The following table format is recommended:

Objective Indicator:

(i.e., what you will measure to track your progress toward achieving the objective)

Monitoring Method (i.e., how you will measure the indicator)

Current

Status, if known

Desired

Status

USFWS values projects that report both the success and failures of efforts as a means by which an applicant can improve their performance and provide lessons learned to improve our efforts to conserve wildlife. Projects have a higher likelihood of being selected that advance the practice of conservation by being designed and implemented in a way that the effectiveness of activities can be credibly assessed and shared.

6. Description of Entities Undertaking the Project: This section should answer the question, “Who will be executing the project and what are their specific qualifications?”

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. Provide brief (<1 page) curricula vitae for key personnel, identifying their qualifications to carry out project activities. To prevent unnecessary transmission of

Personally Identifiable Information, do not include Social Security numbers, the names of family members, or any other personal or sensitive information including marital status, religion or physical characteristics on the description of key personnel qualifications.

Where multiple groups are working in the same site, or are listed as stakeholders in the proposal, letters of endorsement specifically referring to this proposal and to the proposed collaboration from each partner organization will strengthen your proposal, and may be requested by reviewers. If the project can demonstrate a strong partnership with the wildlife authority and national or species- or site-specific plans or priorities, providing this information will strengthen the proposal.

7. Sustainability: This section should answer the question, “What is your long-term plan for this project beyond the FWS funding period?” Describe which project activities will continue beyond the time period described in your proposal, who will continue the work or act on the results you have achieved, and any ideas you have for future funding.

8. Literature Cited.

9. Map of Project Area: This section should answer the question, “Where is this project located?” Provide a map showing the location of your project site at the regional or national level. Ensure that the sites that you have referred to in the proposal are labeled on the map and that the map is large enough to be legible.

Provide the latitude and longitude coordinates of a representative geographic location for your project in decimal degrees format (NOT degree-minute-seconds format). For example, USFWS in Falls Church, Virginia, USA, would be provided as 38.8825°, -77.1145° (latitude, longitude). Please correctly enter north and east coordinates as positive values, and south and west coordinates as negative values.

10. Government Letter of Endorsement: Non-governmental applicants must include a

RECENT letter of support (not older than one year) from the appropriate local, regional, or national government wildlife or conservation authority. Where appropriate, letters of support from local communities or project beneficiaries should be provided. Endorsement letters should make specific reference to the project by its title as submitted on the applicant’s proposal.

11. Detailed notification of security forces. The Leahy Vetting requirement is included annually in the Foreign Assistance Appropriations Act. The Leahy

Amendment prohibits assistance to individuals with human rights abuse records. It requires that military and civilian security force individuals or units receiving US

Government assistance be screened for any record of human rights abuse.

Conservation efforts authorized by the Foreign Assistance Act often require work with and/or support to law enforcement personnel including park rangers, police, customs officials, or any other “foreign security forces” (anyone with authority to detain, confiscate, arrest, and/or use force). Training is the most frequently cited example of assistance, but any provision of materials or equipment must be vetted. If security forces are involved in any project activities, please explain in detail the specific resources that will be used to support these forces and whether the project participants are a unit (i.e. rangers from protected areas) or a group of individuals. If your proposal is selected for funding, a USFWS employee will have to examine the participants in detail to determine conformity.

D. Budget Form

Budgets must be submitted in US dollars. When developing your budget, keep in mind that financial assistance awards and subawards are subject to the Federal cost principles in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 200 (2 CFR 200), as applicable to the recipient organization type. Links to the full text of the Federal cost principles are available on the Internet at http://www.ecfr.gov/.

Multiple Federal Funding Sources: If the project budget includes multiple Federal funding sources, you must show the funds being requested from this Federal program separately from any other requested/secured Federal sources of funding on the budget form. For example, enter the funds being requested from this Federal program in the first row of the Budget Summary section of the form and then enter funding related to other

Federal programs in the subsequent row(s). Be sure to enter each Federal program’s

CFDA number in the corresponding fields on the form. The CFDA number for this

Federal program appears on the first page of this funding opportunity.

Instructions for Budget Table: Begin your project budget table on a new page. The budget table should include a column for all cost categories/items for the project. One column to show the cost calculation, a column for the total costs, one column for the requested Service funding, one or more columns for applicant and partner contributions, and, if applicable, a column for any program income that will be used to conduct project activities as demonstrated here:

http://www.ecfr.gov/

Category/

Budget Item Cost Calculation Total

Cost USFWS Applicant Partner

X Partner

Y Program Income

(if applicable)

1. Personnel expenses related to project

$500/month

*6 months

$3,000

$x,xxx

$xxx

A.

Instructor

(1)

B. Trainees

(30) $60/day*

5 days*30 trainees

$9,000 $x,xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx

2. Lodging (11 individuals) 20 nights

*11 people * $15/night

$3,300 $x,xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx

3.Transportation:

30 tickets * $20/each

$600

$xxx Bus tickets

(30 individuals

4. Production of training material:

100 manuals * $10/each

$1,000

$xxx A. Printing

(100 manuals)

B. Postage 12 months * $20/month

$240 $x,xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx

Totals $x,xxx x $x,xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx $xxx

*Present all amounts in U.S. dollars

The Budget Table should provide enough information for reviewers to be able to understand the cost basis and calculation at a glance. For example, a $3,300 line item for lodging costs should include the formula for how the cost was calculated: Lodging for 20 nights x 11 people x $15/night = $3,300.

For any salaries, staff time or contractors that FWS funds are requested for, the person should be identified and their qualifications described in Section 6.

For any training, a description of the training should be included in the Methods section.

For any meetings, a description of the participants, a draft agenda and desired outputs should be provided.

Wherever possible, cost calculations should be included in the Budget Table. Where necessary, additional description should be provided in the Budget Justifications. If the

Budget Table requires more than one page, verify that the column headings and row titles appear on all pages.

Things to consider when developing your Budget Table:

● Federally Funded Equipment: If the U.S. Federal Government has paid for equipment for another award, applicants cannot claim it to be a matching or in-kind contribution and SHOULD NOT include it in the budget table. Instead, provide a separate list of any equipment paid for by the U.S. Federal Government that will be used for the project, including the name of the Federal agency that paid for the equipment.

● Program Income: Your project may include activities that will generate program income. Program income earned as a result of activities supported with Federal funding includes, but is not limited to the following: income from fees for services, the use or rental of property, the sale of commodities or fabricated items, license fees and royalties on patents and copyrights, and interest on loans. Program income does not include interest earned on advances of Federal funds. Income earned during the project period of an approved award shall be retained by the recipient and used in at least one of the following ways:

1. added to the funds requested from USFWS for the project in addition to those committed by the recipient/other partners, and later used to conduct additional activities that will further the project objectives; OR

2. used to finance the non-Federal share of the project.

If your project will generate program income, provide: (1) a description of how the income will be generated, (2) an estimate of how much income will be made during the project duration, and (3) a description of how the funds will be used. If the income is to be used to conduct additional activities, you must include a Program Income column in your budget table and include all cost categories/items and associated amounts that the program income will cover.

E. Budget Justification

In a separate narrative titled “Budget Justification,” explain and justify all requested budget items/costs.

Each budget line must demonstrate a clear connection to the project activities, and show how line item amounts were determined. For expensive items or large single purchases, provide detailed technical specifications or a pro-forma invoice. For personnel salary costs, include the base-line salary figures and the estimates of time (as percentages) to be directly charged to the project. Describe any item that under the applicable Federal Cost Principles requires USFWS’s approval and estimate its cost.

Required Indirect Cost Statement: Applicants that do not have a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate

Agreement (NICRA) cannot claim indirect cost. All applicants except individuals applying for funds separate from a business or non-profit organization, he/she must include in the budget justification one of the following statements and attach to their application any required documentation identified in the applicable statement:

“We are:

1. 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. A copy of our most recently approved rate agreement/certification is attached.

2. 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 are required to prepare and retain for audit an indirect cost rate proposal and related documentation to support those costs.

3. A [insert your organization type; U.S. states and local governments, please use one of the statements above or below] that has previously negotiated or currently has an approved indirect cost rate with our cognizant agency. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate]. A copy of our most recently approved rate agreement is attached.

4. 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]. 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.

5. 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]. However, in the event an award is made, 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 minimus indirect cost rate of 10% of modified total direct costs as defined in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, section 200.68. We understand that the 10% de minimus rate will apply for the life of the award, including any future extensions for time, and that the rate cannot be changed even if we do establish an approved rate with our cognizant agency at any point during the award period

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

All applicants are hereby notified of the following:

● Recipients without an approved indirect cost rate (NICRA) are prohibited from charging indirect costs to a Federal award. However, accepting the 10% de minimus rate stated in statement #5 as a condition of award is an approved rate.

● Failure to establish an approved rate during the award period renders all costs otherwise allocable as indirect costs unallowable under the award.

● Only the indirect costs calculated against the Federal portion of the total direct costs may be charged to the Federal award. Recipients may not charge to their Service award any indirect costs calculated against the portion of total direct costs charged to themselves or charged to any other project partner, Federal and non-Federal alike.

● Recipients must have prior written approval from USFWS to transfer unallowable indirect costs to amounts budgeted for direct costs or to satisfy cost-sharing or matching requirements under the award.

● Recipients are prohibited from shifting unallowable indirect costs to another Federal award unless specifically authorized to do so by legislation.

For more information on indirect cost rates, see USFWS’s Indirect Costs and Negotiated

Indirect Cost Rate Agreements guidance document on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/grants/.

Negotiating an Indirect Cost Rate with the Department of the Interior:

For organizations without a NICRA, you must have an open, active Federal award to submit an indirect cost rate proposal to your cognizant agency. The Federal awarding agency that provides the largest amount of direct funding to your organization is your cognizant agency, unless otherwise assigned by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). If the

Department of the Interior is your cognizant agency, your indirect cost rate will be negotiated by the Interior Business Center (IBC). For more information, contact IBC at:

Indirect Cost Services

Acquisition Services Directorate, Interior Business Center

U.S. Department of the Interior

2180 Harvard Street, Suite 430

Sacramento, CA 95815

Phone: 916-566-7111; Email: ics@nbc.gov

Internet address: http://www.aqd.nbc.gov/Services/ICS.aspx

F. Single Audit Reporting Statements (Foreign Applicants Excluded)

As required in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Subpart F, 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 a fiscal year must submit a Single Audit report for that year through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse’s Internet Data Entry System. All U.S. state, local government, federally-recognized Indian tribal government and non-profit applicants must provide a statement regarding if your organization was/was not required to submit a Single Audit report for the organization’s most recently closed fiscal year and, if so, state if that report is available on the Federal

Audit Clearinghouse Single Audit Database website (http://harvester.census.gov/sac/) and provide the

EIN under which that report was submitted. Include these statements at the end of the Project Narrative in a section titled “Single Audit Reporting Statements”. Do not include your audit report in the proposal or application.

G. Assurances

Include the appropriate signed and dated Assurances form available online at:

http://www.fws.gov/grants/ mailto:ics@nbc.gov mailto:ics@nbc.gov http://www.aqd.nbc.gov/Services/ICS.aspx http://harvester.census.gov/sac/ http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15. Use the Assurances for Non-Construction

Programs (SF 424B). Signing this form does not mean that all items on the form are applicable. The form contains language that states that some of the assurances may not be applicable to your organization and/or your project or program.

H. Certification and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Foreign Applicants Excluded)

Under Title 31 of the United States Code, Section 1352, an applicant or recipient must not use any federally appropriated funds (both annually appropriated and continuing appropriations) or matching funds under a grant or cooperative agreement award to pay any person for lobbying in connection with the award. Lobbying is defined as influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of

Congress connection with the award. Submission of an application also represents the applicant’s certification of the statements in 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A-Certification Regarding Lobbying. If you/your organization have/has made or agrees to make any payment using non-appropriated funds for lobbying in connection with this project AND the project budget exceeds $100,000, complete and submit the SF LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form. See 43 CFR, Subpart 18.100 for more information on when additional submission of this form is required. Submission of an application also represents the applicant’s certification of the statements in 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A-Certification

Regarding Lobbying.

I. Conflict of Interest Disclosures

Applicants must notify USFWS in writing of any actual or potential conflicts of interest that are known at the time of application or that may arise during the life of this award, in the event an award is made.

Conflicts of interest include any relationship or matter, which might place the recipient, the recipient’s employees, or the recipient’s subrecipients in a position of conflict, real or apparent, between their responsibilities under the award and any other outside interests. Conflicts of interest may also include, but are not limited to, direct or indirect financial interests, close personal relationships, positions of trust in outside organizations, consideration of future employment arrangements with a different organization, or decision-making affecting the award that would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts to question the impartiality of the applicant, the applicant’s employees, or the applicant’s future subrecipients in the matter. Upon receipt of such a notice, USFWS Project Officer in consultation with their Ethics Counselor will determine if a conflict of interest exists and, if so, if there are any possible actions to be taken by the applicant to reduce or resolve the conflict. Failure to resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies USFWS may result in the project not being select for funding.

Application Checklist

□ SF-424 - Application for Federal Assistance

□ SF-424B Assurances form

□ System for Award Management (SAM) registration

□ Project Summary (1 page)

□ Project Narrative (<10 pages) http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15

□ Budget Table

□ Budget justification including indirect cost statement and supporting documentation (up to 10%

MTDC Indirect Cost may be claimed without NICRA)

□ Summary curricula vitae (1 page maximum) for key personnel

□ Government Letter of Endorsement

□ Conflict of Interest statement, when applicable

□ A-133 Single Audit Reporting statement, when applicable

□ SF-LLL Form, when applicable

□ Evidence of non-profit status: If a non-profit organization, a copy of Section 501(c)(3) or (4) status determination letter received from the Internal Revenue Service

□ NICRA: When applicable, a copy of the organization’s current Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate

Agreement

V. Submission Instructions

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Proposal may be submitted from October 28, 2015 through 11:59 PM EDT on January 15, 2016. Proposals must be in English. A confirmation e-mail containing an assigned proposal number beginning with “AFE16XX” will be sent to applicants in 10-15 business days from the opportunity closing date. If you do not receive this email with your assigned proposal number, please contact MSCF_africanelephant@fws.gov

The Division of International Conservation occasionally receives and funds proposals outside of the announced submission deadlines that are of such a critical nature that they warrant immediate consideration (e.g., projects resulting from a natural disaster, disease outbreak, other imminent threats or population crash, among others).

Please select ONE of the following submission options:

U.S. Applicants: You MUST apply through Grants.gov. If you do not have an account, register at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html (please note if applying as an individual, register here: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/individual-registration.html).

Registration can take between three to five business days or as long as two weeks. To apply through

Grants.gov, you must be registered in SAM.

Download the Application Package linked to this Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov to begin the application process. Downloading and saving the Application Package to your computer makes the required government-wide standard forms fillable and printable. Upload your proposal and attachments

(if applicable) to the Project Narrative Attachment Form.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/individual-registration.html

Important note on Grants.gov application attachment file names: Please do not assign application attachments file names longer than 20 characters including spaces. Assigning file names longer than 20 characters will create issues in the automatic interface between Grants.gov and USFWS’s financial assistance management system.

If you have problems submitting your application via Grants.gov or you do not receive a confirmation that your application was successfully received, directly contact Grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html.

US applications will not be received via email without prior approval and proper justification.

Foreign Applicants: Submit your proposal to the following program mailbox:

MSCF_africanelephant@fws.gov. All documents must be formatted for letter paper (8 ½” x 11”, NOT

A4). Format pages to display and print page numbers. Your entire proposal MUST be uploaded as a

SINGLE pdf file. If you need to submit separate attachments please send them in a single e-mail message. If your files are too big for a single e-mail, please number your e-mails and attachments and include the name of your organization in the subject line so that we know the order of your submissions.

VI. Application Review

Criteria: To be considered for funding, proposals must address one or more of this program’s funding priorities, listed above in Section I. Description of Funding Opportunity. The Division of International

Conservation evaluates proposals by scoring how well each proposal addresses the program priorities and the requested elements listed in the Application Requirements section above. High priority, well-justified projects that address all of the requested proposal elements will receive higher scores. Other review criteria include:

○ Likelihood of Threat Reduction, including the degree to which a proposal demonstrates clear conservation benefit by proposing activities that are likely to reduce, eliminate or mitigate important threats to African elephants. If proposed activities are not expected to reduce threats during the project period of performance (e.g., some capacity development activities), it is the responsibility of the applicant to clearly explain in the Statement of Need how the activity is intended to ultimately improve the conservation status of direct threats, species and/or habitats.

○ Capacity to Implement, including the degree to which a proposal indicates that the applicant organization and/or individual(s) has the ability to implement the proposed activities effectively.

Supporting evidence of this capacity may be provided in the curricula vitae of key personnel, letters of endorsement or support by host government representatives and partner organizations, and/or the Statement of Need in which the applicant justifies that the prerequisites (or enabling conditions) identified in each funding priority are currently met (or if not, the project’s plan to ensure activities succeed).

USFWS staff may consider the following sub-factors to break ties and further distinguish among applications with equivalent scores: financial need; geographical and project diversity in the USFWS http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html portfolio; prominence of African nationals as key personnel; proportion of budget dedicated to administration, salaries and travel; project sustainability, and a monitoring and evaluation plan that is designed so that the effectiveness of activities can be credibly assessed and shared. Following review, applicants may be asked to revise the project scope and/or budget before a final funding decision can be made. In addition to the criteria above, the proposal must meet minimum programmatic requirements, including addressing the loss of African elephants, maintaining a positive track record with USFWS and other donors based on previous grant support (a positive track record includes timely submission of financial and performance reports, and a summary of major activities and accomplishments of previous USFWS support in the Statement of Need section), satisfactory on-site collaboration with other conservation efforts, and following basic proposal content and formatting requirements as described in Section IV Application Requirements. Proposals that do not meet minimum programmatic requirements may be considered ineligible for technical review.

Criteria: The Division of International Conservation evaluates proposals by scoring how well each proposal addresses African Elephant conservation, the priorities (as outlined for both site and type of activity) and the requested proposal elements listed in the Application and Format section above.

Proposals will be evaluated on whether the funds will be used to directly address or mitigate immediate threats to elephant survival and to support direct conservation activities.

The priority populations listed above will be given preference.

High priority, well-justified projects that address all of the requested proposal elements will receive higher scores.

Other review criteria include:

o Direct conservation activity which will contribute to the survival of a key population or taxon, including the degree to which: (1) a project is well justified, has clear benefits, makes a significant contribution to the protection of African elephants and is a high priority for the conservation of African elephants and their habitat; (2) the goals are well-defined and relevant to the project’s Statement of Need; (3) the objectives, methods, and activities are well-defined, described in detail, measurable, apply the best scientific and technical information available, statistically valid, and realistic for the project’s anticipated timeframe; (4) the proposal is a catalyst for activities in a previously neglected area with potential significant conservation value;

and (5) the budget line items are justified in the proposal narrative, appropriate, allowable and reasonable, and applicant and other counterpart cash and in-kind contributions are acceptable.

o Capacity to implement, including the degree to which: (1) a proposal indicates that the applicant organization and/or individual(s) has the ability to implement the proposed activities effectively;

and (2) the proposal maintains a positive record of accomplishment with USFWS based on previous grant support, if applicable, including timely submission of financial and performance reports and a summary of major activities and accomplishments of previous USFWS support in the Statement of Need section.

o Inclusion of range country personnel, including the degree to which: (1) the proposal includes the participation of local people in the project activities; and (2) the proposal provides training essential to the development of local capacity to implement conservation activities (i.e. capacity building), and provides project management experience to local personnel, strengthening the local capacity to manage conservation programs.

o Willingness to collaborate, including the degree to which: (1) the proposal adequately details coordination of project activities with similar, ongoing or planned activities of other stakeholders;

(2) the proposal promotes networking, partnerships and/or coalitions; (3) proposed activities are harmonious with international, national and/or regional conservation priorities, action plans and/or strategies; (4) the proposal suggests activities that are non-duplicative of other ongoing activities; and (5) the proposal promotes networking, partnerships and/or coalitions.

o Relevance of activities, including the degree to which: (1) the proposal is a catalyst for activities in a previously neglected area with potential significant conservation value; (2) the proposal addresses an emergent issue with potential significant conservation value; and (3) the proposal addresses a conservation need identified by a specialist group, or by…