NOFO Beach Norishment GLO 2019.docx

McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge Beach Ridge Restoration Project

Notice of Funding Opportunity Number: F19AS00169 Federal Program: U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), United States (U.S.) Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS), Region 2, Texas Chenier Plain National Wildlife Refuge Complex (NWRC).

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 15.654 Authorizing Legislation: Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 16 U.S.C. §§2901-2911; Fish and Wildlife Act, 16 U.S.C. 742 et seq.; Refuge Recreation Act, 16 U.S.C. §§460k-460k(4); National Wildlife Refuge System Administration Act, 16 U.S.C. §§668dd-ee; Public Lands Corps Act - Youth Conservation Corps, 16 U.S.C. §§1701-1706; Public Lands Corps Act - Public Lands Corps, 16 U.S.C. §§1721-1726; Archaeological Resources Protection Act, 16 U.S.C. §§470aa-ll; and Federal Aid for Highways-Other Highways, 23 U.S.C. §§201-204 and §206

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: 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.

OMB Control Number: 1018-0100 (Expiration Date: 7/31/2021) I. Program Description Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas coast on August 25, 2017, and stalled over the Upper Texas Coast for several days. A breach in interior levees resulted in large losses of material at various locations along the beach and impassible conditions at six locations on McFaddin Beach for weeks after the event. The natural beach and dune system on 20 miles of refuge lands have been impacted by loss of material associated with jetties that funnel sediment disposition far into the Gulf at the Sabine Waterway and at the mouth of Galveston Bay. Reduced silt loading has also occurred as inland rivers are impounded reducing flooding events and functioning as an inland sink for sediments.

Catastrophic losses of beach sands have occurred in recent years under Hurricanes Rita, Humberto, Ike in addition to Hurricane Harvey. Since 2008, marsh impacts and losses have been significant, with seasonal high tide events affecting interior marshlands. These events not only kill vegetation, fish, and other animals unable to adapt to a sudden salinity change, they also remove organic soils. The loss of organic soils can result in large open areas that then to break up even faster as wave action becomes an issue in these interior areas. These changes to the hydrologic pattern not only create widespread and continuous impacts, but also are a major driver of land loss and loss of elevation within the emergent marsh.

In May 2013, the Salt Bayou Working Group, comprised of Federal, State, county-level government representatives, and wetland conservation Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) completed the Salt Bayou Watershed Restoration Plan. This plan reflected the technical stakeholder group's understanding and knowledge of this ecosystem, as well as consensus on a strategy to collectively improve conditions in the Salt Bayou system. Through scrutiny of the entire watershed, the workgroup studied existing and emerging alterations to the watershed that have the ability to drastically change the hydrologic and biological characteristics of the marshes. These alterations, human induced and natural changes to hydrology, have altered the historical hydrologic pattern either by reducing the amount of freshwater entering the system or by increasing the amount of saltwater entering the system.

The workgroup recognized that the loss of the beach ridge along the Gulf of Mexico. Historically, the beach ridge prevented gulf seawater from directly entering the marshes within what is now McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) under all but storm tides. Today, water from the Gulf of Mexico overtops the eroded ridge several times a year and directly impacts thousands of acres of fresh to intermediate marsh and submerged aquatic vegetation with each overtopping event. The high rate of shoreline erosion along this stretch of coast makes rebuilding a stable ridge difficult and expensive.

The beach in this area protects a vital marsh and the marsh protects resources of national significance. This area is the largest remaining freshwater marsh system in Texas. It provides a critical wintering area for numerous species of waterfowl and shorebirds. Many fisheries resources in the Gulf and bays are closely tied to reproduction cycles that require these productive nursery areas.

In addition, McFaddin marsh shields other important assets from storm surge. Jefferson County has an assessed tax value of over $37 billion. Highly significant petrochemical refining and manufacturing facilities are in the Beaumont Port Arthur area, as well as the nation’s third largest port (Beaumont Port Arthur) as measured by tonnage. The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) stretch between Galveston Bay and the Sabine River traverses the Salt Bayou Watershed and handles 52 percent of the entire tonnage shipped on the 1,109-mile GIWW from Florida to Mexico. The full collapse of the McFaddin coastal marsh would allow open Gulf of Mexico wave action to impact conditions on the GIWW. This opening would require different barges and potentially increase shipping costs on many critical products and petrochemical spill potential would greatly increase.

The Service will collaborate with the Texas General Land Office (GLO) to protect the refuge shorelines and reconstruct a dune protection to help protect marshlands from future storms. Funding will be provided in support of this partnership with GLO. Funds provided to the refuge were appropriated for Hurricane Harvey Recovery (PL 115-123) and this specific project has been approved by DOI under the Service’s Recovery Plan. The GLO has developed a feasibility study, an alternatives analysis and budget estimation work on the project, as well as engineering, permitting of the preferred alternative.

II. Federal Award Information This is a single-source cooperative agreement. Funds provided to the Service were appropriated for Hurricane Harvey Recovery (PL 115-123) and will be applied towards this cooperative agreement to support GLO with the project to protect refuge shoreline and build a sand dune on McFaddin beach. GLO will develop budget estimation, engineering, permitting, project management, and construction of the preferred alternative. All monitoring required by the various funding sources will be completed by GLO. The refuge will work with GLO and others to allow access for surveying, engineering, construction, and monitoring.

The Service will be substantially involved in projects under the funding opportunity. In particular, the Service will be responsible for the following: 1) assist GLO Staff with access needs for surveying and engineering work; 2) assist GLO Staff with any information needed to complete consultation work for threatened and endangered species; 3) assist GLO by completing any coordination work for these funds related to Coastal Barrier Resource Protection Act; 4) assist GLO with review of project plans, documents and information; 5) provide support materials needed to help in case of problems; and 6) assist GLO with access needs for required monitoring work for project performance.

III. Eligibility Information Requirements A. Eligible Applicants State Governments that work with GLO in the State of Texas.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching: GLO is required to provide funding in excess of 30 million dollars from various other funding sources. The match would be required to complete the entire work proposed and extend project benefits associated with Service funding.

C. Other Eligibility Criteria: No other addition criteria at this time.

Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Registration: This requirement does not apply to individuals applying for funds as a private citizen (i.e., unrelated to any business or nonprofit organization you may own or operate in your name) or any entity with an exception approved by the Service under 2 CFR 25.110(d). 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. The Service 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 Service 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.

Prohibition on Issuing Awards to Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements: Domestic (U.S.) non-Federal entities requiring their employees or contractors to sign internal confidentiality agreements or statements that prohibit, or otherwise restrict, such employees or contractors from lawfully reporting waste, fraud, or abuse to a designated investigative or law enforcement representative of a Federal department or agency authorized to receive such information are not eligible to compete for or receive a Federal award. See Pub. L. 113-235, Title VII, Division E, Section 743 for more information.

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

IV. Application Requirements

1. Requesting Paper Application Package A completed, signed and dated Application for Federal Assistance package that will include the Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal Assistance, SF-424C (for construction projects), and SF-424D (construction projects). Application for Federal Assistance form (https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html ).

1. At a minimum, all Service programs must require submission of the Standard Form (SF)-424, Application for Federal Assistance, the appropriate SF-424 Assurances form and the appropriate SF-424 Budget form. Programs must include all of the SF-424 forms needed for your applicant types in the Grants.gov “Application Package” attached to the Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov and/or included in this Notice of Funding Opportunity, which means the program may need to add more than one “Application Package” to the Funding Opportunity to provide all the forms needed for every eligible applicant type and project type. All attached application packages will appear on the Grants.gov Funding Opportunity posting under the “Packages” tab. Applicants must submit the following:

1. SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance Applicants must submit the appropriate Standard Form (SF)-424, Application for Federal Assistance. Applicants must complete the standard SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance. All of the required application forms are available on the “Packages” tab of this Funding Opportunity 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 the “Budget Narrative” section below).

2. SF 424, Assurances Applicants must submit the appropriate signed and dated Assurances form. Complete the SF-424D, Assurances for Construction Programs for this construction project. All of the required application forms are available on the “Packages” tab of this Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov. The SF-424 Assurances forms include a statement that some of the assurances may not be applicable to your organization and/or your project or program. Signing the required SF-424 Assurances form does not make you or your organization subject to laws that are otherwise not applicable to you or your organization. Changing, crossing out, or making notations on the form before signing has no impact on the applicability of law.

3. Project Narrative: The McFaddin NWR Beach Ridge Restoration Project will restore the Chenier beach ridge, delay shoreline retreat, and help reduce the frequency and extent of seawater inundation to the interior marshes under normal tidal conditions for decades to come. The project is the re-building of the dune line and beach face with material similar to its native sand from a source outside of the refuge. This results in a re-creation of historical dune heights and beach widths necessary for reducing shoreline retreat and protecting sensitive inland marshes.

The project site includes both McFaddin NWR lands and State-owned submerged lands seaward of the mean high-water line. The proposed action will conserve one of the largest freshwater marshes on the Texas Coast, along with thousands of acres of intermediate to brackish marsh. McFaddin NWR supplies important feeding and resting habitat for migrating and wintering populations of waterfowl. Meeting the habitat needs of McFaddin NWR's diversity of wetland dependent resident and migratory birds requires maintaining a range of coastal marsh habitat types and sequential stages of the plant community within these marsh types. Providing freshwater inflows and restricting saltwater intrusion are critical to maintaining the Texas Chenier Plain's historical continuum of fresh, intermediate, and brackish saline marshes. Habitat values for waterfowl, shorebirds and many wading bird species are greatly enhanced in intermediate marshes with early successional plant communities containing several perennial and annual plant species (primarily grasses and sedges) which provide important food resources, and where disturbance reduces the height and/or density of vegetation.

The major elements of the proposed beach restoration are well documented in a significant engineering analysis performed by Jefferson County using Federal Coastal Impact Assistance Program funds appropriated in 2001. In addition, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) actively studied the McFaddin NWR coast, in partnership with Jefferson County, between 2001 and 2009, as part of a feasibility study for erosion response. In 2003, the Corps constructed a demonstration project on a test section of McFaddin NWR beach. The test project imported sand and created beach and dunes ultimately providing valuable performance data used during the formulation and evaluation of the proposed project.

The proposed action will re-create lost dune and beach habitat, as well as return needed sediments to the nearshore system. The current beach system at McFaddin NWR does not offer suitable habitat for nesting turtles or birds. This project will recreate these habitats once construction is completed. Adverse effects to the shoreline environment would be localized and temporary.

A 3-mile portion of the 20-mile long beach ridge restoration project was constructed in April and May 2017 under the Corps permit SWG 2015-00444. The project utilized funding that was available at the time to treat the most urgently needed area of this beach. The project is referred to in this as the Pilot Project and focused on two primary objectives: (1) utilize the available funding to increase the overall restoration to take place and (2) to help stabilize the most critical section of the project area. The Pilot Project also serves as a demonstration project for the remainder of the proposed action, providing opportunity to benefit from lessons learned. Figure 1 shows the general project location and features.

The proposed action involves dredging sand sediments from an offshore borrow area using a cutter-head dredge and transferring it to the shore via a submerged pipeline. The Pilot Project consisted of roughly 3 miles of beach and beach ridge restoration, extending east from White’s Levee. Construction of the remainder of this project (approximately 17 miles) will begin in summer 2019, and is anticipated to be completed within a year from initiation of construction. Approximately 9 miles of beach restoration will occur east of the Pilot Project and another 8 miles will occur west of the project into Chambers County.

The proposed action involves dredging sand sediments from an offshore borrow area using a cutter-head dredge and transferring it to the shore via a submerged pipeline. The Pilot Project consisted of roughly 3 miles of beach and beach ridge restoration, extending east from White’s Levee. Construction of the remainder of this project (approximately 17 miles) will begin in summer 2019, and is anticipated to be completed within a year from initiation of construction. Approximately 9 miles of beach restoration will occur east of the Pilot Project, and another 8 miles will occur west of the project into Chambers County. Based on the largest potential construction budget and the lowest planned dredging costs, the remainder of the project could place up to 3,400,000 CY of suitable sand on the beach using a variable fill density between 10 CY/LF and 60 CY/LF.

In order to stabilize the constructed dune, planting of native plant species will be performed periodically throughout construction and will follow beach and dune nourishment progress to endeavor to complete planting prior to any birds moving onto the dune area. Before planting, environmental monitors will drive alongside the completed dunes daily to deter bird nesting prior to planting. Planting crews will access the planting areas using utility vehicles and work trucks with a trailer for pulling plants and equipment. The planting crew will utilize mechanical or power trowels and tools to dig holes for the sprig locations.

Goals and Objectives: The Service is interested in the protection of beach, development of a dune; and ultimately the protection of structures and marshland inland from the project. This funding will be compounded by other funding sources to complete a large restoration effort. The Service funds may be expended to cover mobilization costs and actual placement of sand materials on the beach. All Service funds are to be expended on actual project construction costs and oversite during active construction. These funds will not be able to cover support construction work such as debris clean-up or planning work. The intent of Service funding is related to hurricane resiliency and intended as support for work and materials needed for restoring the function of the beach ridge. Thereby reducing exposure of valuable assets and marsh exposure to future degradation.

Project Activities, Methods and Timetable: The funds available for this project will allow the completion of a portion of the overall 17 miles of beach to be treated. Mobilization costs will be a significant portion of these Service funds, but continued placement of materials by other funding sources will not require later mobilization. Through GLO working with various funding sources, the entire 17 miles will be treated in a manner needed to support long-term protection from coastal erosion. The proposed action would involve offshore dredging of millions of yards of sand and placement of that sand on the beach through direct placement and later redistribution of material through natural processes. The proposed schedule is with construction beginning in 2019 and continuing for 6 months from that start date. However, permitting and other delays related to funding may have a notice to proceed extend later than planned. The period of performance for this agreement is 1 year.

Stakeholder Coordination/Involvement: This project has been worked on for many years and is discussed in the Salt Bayou Restoration Plan. A Pilot Project was done in 2017 to place sand on approximately 3 miles of the worst sections of the beach. Survey work and monitoring that effort was used to make recommendations on the current proposed action.

Coordination will also be required with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Texas GLO, National Marine Fisheries (NMFS) and Corps during this project. Participation from the group has been ongoing through the last 10 years.

Discussions regarding the shoreline protection, which include potential design and permitting have occurred between the Corps, GLO, NMFS, coastal program, and the refuge have occurred on the 2017 Pilot Project and this larger project in the recent past.

Project Monitoring and Evaluation: The Service with will manage project monitoring with required financial and performance reports submitted per the timelines stated in the Notice of Award letter.

Description of Entities Undertaking the Project: GLO’s Coastal Project Management program has been implementing coastal restoration projects since 2000 with the inception of the Coastal Erosion Planning and Response Act of 1999, which created this program. The program has overseen multiple beach nourishment and dune restoration projects utilizing state appropriated and federal funds since its inception in 2000 and has developed a robust monitoring and maintenance program for engineered beaches to adhere to for FEMA assistance in the case of natural disasters.

Map of Project Area: McFaddin Beach Restoration Project Areas

4. SF-424, Budget Information Applicants must submit the appropriate SF-424 Budget Information form. Complete the SF-424C, Budget Information for Construction Programs. All of the required application forms are available on the “Packages” tab of this Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov. Federal award recipients and subrecipients are subject to Federal award cost principles as detailed in the Service’s “Financial Assistance Award Terms and Conditions”. Please note: Show funds requested from this Federal program separately from any other Federal sources of funding. In the “Budget Summary” section, use the first row 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 Federal program appears on the first page of this Funding Opportunity.

5. Budget Narrative The funding will not be provided in advance to the Recipient. Under an approved agreement, the government will require the cooperator to produce a project schedule identifying critical path elements, which may include, but not limited to: surveying, design, permitting, engineering, and construction, that will allow the government to monitor and ensure reasonable and appropriate progress toward completion. Under this method, the government will also require that the cooperator submit a drawdown application for review and approval by the government prior to the drawdown of funds by the cooperator. The drawdown of funds would occur over the life of the project that is anticipated to be approximately 1 year.

6. 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, do not include any indirect costs in your proposed budget and skip the next section.

7. 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 to the Service, and attach to their application any documentation identified in the applicable statement:

We are:

· 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]. [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 will charge all costs directly.

8. Conflict of Interest Disclosure Applicants must state in their application if any actual or potential conflict of interest exists at the time of submission. Conflicts of interest include any relationship or matter that might place the recipient, including their employees and subrecipients, in a position of conflict, real or apparent, between their responsibilities under the award and any other outside interests. Conflicts of interest include direct or indirect financial interests; close personal relationships; positions of trust in outside organizations; consideration of future employment arrangements with a different organization; and decision-making authority related to the proposed project. Conflicts of interest are those circumstances real or perceived that would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts to question the impartiality of the applicant, or the applicant’s employees or subrecipients, in matters pertaining to the proposed project. Applicants must notify the Service in writing in their application 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 program receiving this application or who otherwise may be involved in the review and selection of their proposal. The term employee means any individual to be engaged in the performance of work pursuant to the Federal award application. Failure to disclose and resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the Service may result in the rejection or disqualification of the application.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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 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 on the “Packages” tab of this Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov. See 43 CFR, Subpart 18.100 for more information on when additional submission of this form is required.

12. 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.”

13. APPLICATION CHECKLIST

· SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance or Application for Federal Assistance-Individual

· SF-424D, Assurances

· Project Narrative

· SF-424C, Budget Information

· Budget Narrative

· Timetable

· Indirect Cost Statement and related documentation (when applicable)

· Conflict of Interest Disclosure (when applicable)

· Single Audit Reporting Statement (when applicable)

· SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (when applicable)

· Overlap or Duplication of Effort Statement

Failure to provide complete information may cause delays, postponement, or rejection of the application.

V. Submission Requirements A. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Registration These requirements do not apply to any individual applying for funds as a private citizen or any entity with an exception approved by the Federal awarding agency under 2 CFR 25.110(d). All other applicants are required to obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet and provide that number in the application; complete SAM.gov registration before submitting an application; and continue to maintain an active SAM.gov registration with current information at all times when the entity has an active Federal award or application under consideration. 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.

1. 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.

1. Register with SAM Register on the SAM.gov website. The official website address is http://www.sam.gov. The “Help” tab on the website contains User Guides and other information to assist you with registration. The Grants.gov Register with SAM” webpage 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. Foreign entities who want to receive payment directly to a U.S. bank account must enter and maintain valid, current banking information in SAM.

B. Submission Dates and Times: Thursday, April 4, 2019, by 4 p.m. MDT.

C. 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.

D. Funding Restrictions: Construction is an allowable activity. There will be no reimbursement of pre-Federal award costs. All requests for drawn downs in ASAP must be approved prior to the actual draw down.

E. Submission Instructions This program encourages applicants to submit their applications online through Grants.gov. Follow these steps to apply through Grants.gov.

1. Register with Grants.gov Applicants must first register an account with Grants.gov and complete all steps of the registration process before they can apply through Grants.gov. Grants.gov registration requires the entity to create an account, create an account profile, and establish authorized profile roles, including the applicant’s authorized representative. Registration can take three to five business days or longer, if you do not complete the required steps in a timely manner.

1. Grants.gov Workspace Application Grants.gov applicants apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different webforms within an application. For each funding opportunity announcement, you can create individual instances of a workspace. To apply, the applicant will create, complete, and submit a Workspace application package for this Funding Opportunity directly on Grants.gov. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the close date to allow time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission. When attaching files to the Grants.gov application, please do not assign file names longer than 20 characters, including spaces. File names longer than 20 characters will prevent your application received by Grants.gov from automatically downloading into the Service’s financial assistance management system. Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that the transmission of the application to Grants.gov takes time. Grants.gov sends either an error message or a “successfully received” message by email to the applicant’s authorized representative once the transmission is complete. Please do not end the transmission process before receiving that message.

1. Proof of Timely Submission Grants.gov automatically generates an electronic date and time stamp in the system upon application receipt. Grants.gov sends an acknowledgement of receipt with the date and time stamp and a unique Grants.gov application tracking number to the authorized representative by email. This email from Grants.gov serves as your proof of timely submission.

VI. Application Review Information A. Criteria:

This Single Source Award is being awarded in accordance with DOI Policy 505 DM 2.14 B(4). See Additional Information of Eligibility Section. GLO has constructed, and worked on NWRS property on the Pilot Project. They have collaborated with the Service in restoring, enhancing, and establishing wetlands along the Texas Gulf Coast. All past projects have met Service objectives while also benefiting adjacent lands.

B. Review and Selection Process This Single Source Award is being awarded in accordance with DOI Policy 505 DM 2.14 B(4). See Additional Information of Eligibility Section. Prior to participating in any review or evaluation process, all staff and peer reviewers, evaluators, panel members, and advisors must sign and return to the program office point of contact the “Department of the Interior Conflict of Interest Certification” form. For a copy of this form, contact the Service Project Officer identified in the Agency Contacts section below.

Prior to award, the Service 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 Service may request modification to the application, other pending applications, or an active award, as needed to eliminate any duplication of effort, or the Service may choose not to fund the selected project.

The Service 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 Service 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 Service will evaluate the risk posed by applicants as required in 2 CFR 200.205. Service programs document applicant risk evaluations using the Service’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 Service is required to review and consider any information about or from the applicant found in the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System. The Service will consider this information when completing the risk review. The Service 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.

VII. Federal Award Administration A. 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). Award recipients are not required to sign/return the Notice of Award document. Acceptance of an award is defined as starting work, drawing down funds, or accepting the award via electronic means. 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.

B. Award Terms and Conditions See the Service’s “Financial Assistance Award Terms and Conditions” for the administrative and national policy requirements applicable to Service awards.

C. Payments Domestic recipients are required to register in and receive payment through the U.S. Treasury’s Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP), unless approved for a waiver by the Service program. Foreign recipients receiving funds to a final destination bank outside the U.S. are required to receive payment through the U.S. Treasury’s International Treasury Services (ITS) System. Foreign recipients receiving funds to a final destination bank in the U.S. are required to enter and maintain current banking details in their SAM.gov entity profile and receive payment through the Automated Clearing House network by electronic funds transfer (EFT). The Service will include recipient-specific instructions on how to request payment, including identification of any additional information required and where to submit payment requests, as applicable, in all Notices of Award.

D. Reporting Requirements The Service will include recipient-specific reporting requirements, including the required reports, reporting frequency, and report due dates in all Notices of Award, as applicable.

1. 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. See Service policy 516 FW 1, Monitoring Financial and Performance Reporting for Financial Assistance for more information.

2. 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. At a minimum, all recipients must submit a final performance 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. See Service policy 516 FW 1, Monitoring Financial and Performance Reporting for Financial Assistance for more information.

3. 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 Service 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.

4. Real Property Reports Recipients and subrecipients are required to submit status reports on the status of real property 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 Service will include recipient-specific real property reporting requirements, including the required data elements, reporting frequency, and report due dates, as applicable.

5. Conflict of Interest Disclosures Recipients must notify the Service immediately in writing of any actual or potential conflicts of interest that arise during the life of their Federal award. Conflicts of interest include any relationship or matter that might place the recipient, including their employees and subrecipients, in a position of conflict, real or apparent, between their responsibilities under the award and any other outside interests. Conflicts of interest include direct or indirect financial interests; close personal relationships; positions of trust in outside organizations; consideration of future employment arrangements with a different organization; and decision-making authority related to the award. Conflicts of interest are those circumstances real or perceived that would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts to question the impartiality of the recipient or the recipients’s employees or subrecipients in matters pertaining to the award.