NOFO_CWT18_USDemandReduction.pdf

OMB Control Number: [1018-0123] Expiration Date: [01/31/2021]

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement. The Paperwork Reduction Act requires us to tell you why we are collecting this information, how we will use it, and whether or not you have to respond. A response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity is required to receive funding. A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. OMB has approved this collection and assigned OMB Control No. 1018-0123, which expires on 01/31/2021. The public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average of 22 hours per application and 40 hours per performance report. These burden estimates include time for reviewing instructions and gathering data, but do not include the time needed to complete government-wide Standard Forms associated with the application and financial reporting. You may send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 5275 Leesburg Pike, MS: BPHC Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service International Affairs

Combating Wildlife Trafficking Strategy and Partnerships Program Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 15.679

Funding Opportunity Number: F18AS00086 Submission Deadline: May 25, 2018

Notice of Funding Opportunity and Application Instructions

I. Description of Funding Opportunity

Reducing Demand for Illegal Wildlife and Products in the United States:

Background: Based on data collected about illegal wildlife and wildlife products confiscated by U.S.

officials at designated entry points to the U.S., there is evidence of a significant volume of wildlife trafficking into the United States for sale and personal possession. Seized products include wild-sourced meat, clothing, décor, medicinal items, souvenirs, pets, plants, and furniture. Anecdotal reports and investigations also indicate that wildlife products are sold online and within local stores throughout the country, but centralized and published data about these markets are not frequently available.

Recognizing the urgent need for a coordinated response to this growing global crisis, the United States issued the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking. Released in 2014, this strategy sets forth a robust, whole-of-government approach that focuses on three key objectives to stop wildlife trafficking – strengthening enforcement, reducing demand for illegally traded wildlife, and expanding international cooperation. The National Strategy was further reinforced by the Eliminate, Neutralize, and Disrupt (END) Wildlife Trafficking Act, passed in 2016 with bipartisan support, and by Executive Order 13773, signed by President Trump on February 9, 2017, calling for a comprehensive and decisive approach to dismantle organized crime syndicates, including those associated with wildlife trafficking.

This NOFO aligns with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service mission and the Secretary of the Interior’s priorities, including: (1) Creating a conservation stewardship legacy second only to Teddy Roosevelt;

(2) Restoring trust with local communities; and (3) Achieving our goals and leading our team forward.

https://www.fws.gov/home/feature/2014/trafficking/national-strategy-wildlife-trafficking.pdf https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/2494 https://www.congress.gov/bill/114th-congress/house-bill/2494 https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-executive-order-enforcing-federal-law-respect-transnational-criminal-organizations-preventing-international-trafficking/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/presidential-executive-order-enforcing-federal-law-respect-transnational-criminal-organizations-preventing-international-trafficking/

Description: To complement and facilitate existing efforts to combat wildlife trafficking, USFWS has issued this Notice of Funding Opportunity to provide financial assistance to data-driven, small-scale projects that seek to reduce demand for illegal wildlife and wildlife products in the U.S. Wildlife trafficking is defined in the National Strategy for Combating Wildlife Trafficking as “the poaching or other taking of protected or managed species and the illegal trade in wildlife and their related parts and products.” For the purposes of this funding opportunity, the term “wildlife” includes terrestrial and aquatic animal species and plant species subject to illegal trade.

Priority will be given to projects that address the following desired results:

• Improved understanding of the drivers of demand for illegal wildlife products in the U.S., with an emphasis on species that are sold illegally with some level of frequency in stores or online.

Priority will be given to proposals with compelling and/or quantifiable evidence that trade and consumer demand in the U.S. is a significant conservation threat to the species.

• Promotion of data-driven, small-scale projects that seek to reduce demand for illegal wildlife products in the U.S. among a specific sub-group of consumers and/or sellers who are believed to be critical to make a positive conservation impact. Proposals will be strengthened by providing a well-developed results chain with appropriate testing and evaluation of messaging methods.

Please direct any questions about this Notice of Funding Opportunity to the Combating Wildlife Trafficking Program at cwt@fws.gov.

Funding Mechanism: Funding will support multiple, one-year to two-year grants, with one-year proposals receiving up to $100,000. Two-year proposals demonstrating strong justification for multi-year support will be considered for funding of up to $200,000 for the entire project period. The amount of funding requested must match scope of the activities, the anticipated results, and the length of the project period. Proposals should include all materials noted in Section IV “Application Requirements.”

II. Award Information

This program will use a grant as the assistance instrument. The type of assistance instrument to be used is the decision of the USFWS. The current amount of funding available is approximately $500,000; additional funding may become available later on in the fiscal year. The period of performance for projects starts on the date the award is signed by the USFWS. Past and present recipients of awards under this program are eligible, but must submit new proposals to compete for funding each year.

III. Basic Eligibility Requirements:

Eligible Applicants: Applicants under this program can be: individuals, multi-national secretariats, foreign governments, U.S. state and local governments, U.S. and foreign non-profits, non-governmental organizations, community and indigenous organizations, U.S. and foreign public and private institutions of higher education, and U.S. and foreign for-profit organizations.

U.S. non-profit, non-governmental organizations with 501(c)(3) Internal Revenue Service (IRS) mailto:cwt@fws.gov status must provide a copy of their Section 501(c)(3) status determination from the IRS.

Applicants must ensure that activities occurring outside the United States are coordinated as necessary with appropriate U.S. and foreign government authorities and that any necessary licenses, permits, or approvals are obtained prior to undertaking proposed activities. The USFWS does not assume responsibility for recipient compliance with the laws and regulations of the country in which the work is to be conducted.

The USFWS International Affairs will not fund the purchase of firearms or ammunition;

buying of intelligence information or paying informants; gathering information by persons who conceal their true identity; law enforcement operations that prompt suspects to carry out illegal activities so they may be arrested (entrapment); or any activity that would circumvent sanctions, laws or regulations of either the U.S. or the country in which the activity would occur.

Federal law 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). See Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 25 for more information. 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.

Applicants must be registered in SAM at the time of pre-proposal submission. We recommend that applicants immediately begin registering as the process, depending of the type of organization, can take months to complete. Please begin by reading our General Instructions for Registering in DUNS/SAM at http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/sam-duns-registration-instructions.pdf, and then visit www.sam.gov.

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 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 http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/sam-duns-registration-instructions.pdf http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/sam-duns-registration-instructions.pdf http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/sam-duns-registration-instructions.pdf http://www.sam.gov./ http://www.sam.gov./ http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform http://www.sam.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ 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. Only verifiable contributions should be included as a match.

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:

A. SF-424 and Assurances Forms

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 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.

http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/sf-424-instructions.pdf http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby%3D1 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby%3D1

B. Project Summary: 1 page maximum This section should answer the question, “What is the purpose of this project?” Summarize your project in 300 words or less. This section should be a stand-alone summary of your project and it may be shared with the public. The summary should explicitly identify the priority addressed by the proposal.

The following 3 sentence format is recommended:

Sentence #1 identifies where the project will take place and its key intended result(s). The purpose of this project is to counter wildlife trafficking in [insert place name and country or region if applicable] by [active verb] [key intended result(s)].

Sentence #2 identifies what is the conservation target and direct threat(s). This project is intended to conserve [insert species, habitat, or other biodiversity] by addressing the impacts of [direct threats addressed by project].

Sentence #3 identifies what will be done. Specific activities include: (1) [activity 1]; (2) [activity 2]; [and so on].

C. Project Narrative: 8 pages maximum

1. 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. 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 Arlington, 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. If the proposed project is not site-based (i.e. database analysis), please include a description of where the proposed project work will take place and any additional areas impacted.

2. Statement of Need: This section should answer the question, “Why is this project necessary?” The Statement of Need should clearly demonstrate that the applicant has a well-developed understanding of the specific problem to be addressed. Thus, where possible, proposals should provide compelling, quantifiable evidence that consumer demand in the United States is a high-priority threat to the survival of the species.

This section should also explain how your proposal differs from past work, or builds upon it, including how your proposal expands upon the successes, failures, and lessons learned of past efforts. Projects with other U.S. Government (USG) funding must add a section describing the activities supported by each USG funding agency and mechanism and how the awards and activities will be coordinated. Please note how the proposal differs or builds upon funding available from other agencies.

In addition to the text, applicants are strongly encouraged to provide a table that summarizes past USFWS support, if any, to the project or applicant. This table does not count toward the eight page limit. A table should include columns for: (1) year of grant, (2) USFWS grant number, (3) amount funded in US$, and (4) bullet points of major activities, outcomes, or products. Former recipients of USFWS support should note that every proposal is expected to be a stand-alone document. Not all proposal reviewers may be familiar with past grants and a summary of activities and accomplishments helps all reviewers to better understand the proposal in context.

3. 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 biological outcome that you want to achieve in order to successfully conserve the target species. The strongest goals for this funding opportunity will be directly related to a reduction of individuals removed from the wild for wildlife trafficking.

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 Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation (Internet link: http://cmp-openstandards.org/download-os/).

4. Project Activities, Methods and Timetable: Activities are the specific actions that you undertake to fulfill your objectives and reach your goal. Project proposals should outline a well-developed results chain with appropriate testing and evaluation of messaging methods designed to positively impact the knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, identities, or group norms of those who are selling and/or purchasing illegal wildlife or wildlife products. Proposed projects should be conceptualized and implemented on a small-scale and engage a specific sub-group of consumers and/or sellers who are http://cmp-openstandards.org/download-os/ http://cmp-openstandards.org/download-os/ believed to be critical to making a positive conservation impact. More specifically, proposals should detail how activities will be conducted in three discrete project phases: (1) a design phase that includes a message testing and methods evaluation component, as well as a pre-intervention market analysis (as feasible), (2) a full-implementation phase that includes interventions and activities that were refined with information from the design phase and (3) an evaluation phase that thoroughly measures the impact of activities and messaging with the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data about the targeted groups. Proposals may also include a post-intervention market analysis. The methods, including equipment used/requested and personnel conducting the work should be clearly articulated in this section. The proposed activities should correspond with the Project Budget Table and the narrative must be detailed enough for reviewers to make a clear connection between the activities and the proposed project costs. Activities in which no USFWS funds are being requested should be clearly identified as such, and described concisely.

Project Timetable. This section should answer the question, “Over what time period will project activities be implemented?” Provide a timetable indicating when activities or project milestones will be accomplished. Include any tables, spreadsheets or flowcharts within the body of the narrative (DO NOT include separate attachments).

The timetable should not propose specific dates, but rather list the activities described in Section 2, for each month over a 12-month or 24-month period.

5. 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, 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 activities to collect data are proposed and the project can demonstrate a strong partnership with the relevant government authority, providing this information will strengthen the proposal.

6. Project Monitoring and Evaluation: This section should answer the question, “How will project implementation and impacts be understood?”

For USFWS grants, project monitoring and evaluation involves two components:

(1) Anticipated outputs that document project implementation. Identify all expected outputs (also known as products) of key project activities. Examples include a report or inventory of key messages and information that were tested, refined, and demonstrated the greatest impact for influencing social or group norms, barriers to desired behaviors, or the knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, or identities of targeted audiences; informational materials developed such as brochures, posters, presentations, exhibits, or training manuals; number of people trained, workshops or events held, hours of training provided; or reports that include a market analysis of illegal wildlife products sold in the focus area before and after activities occurred.

(2) Conservation outcomes that are the intended results of the project. Identify all conservation outcomes intended to be achieved by this project. Examples include a decrease in the number of medicinal products sold in stores that are derived from illegal wildlife, an increase in the number of targeted consumers who say they do not intend to purchase illegal wildlife products that they might have previously, and an increase in engagement from relevant stakeholders, including local governments or wildlife authorities. Outcomes should directly relate to, or even be synonymous with, your Proposal Objectives identified above. To track your progress toward achievement of each objective, identify what you will measure (i.e., indicators), and how will you will measure it (i.e., methods, sample sizes, survey tools). Applicants are encouraged to review and use the Standard Measures of Effectiveness and Measuring Efforts to Combat Wildlife Trafficking and the USAID Measuring Efforts to Combat Wildlife Crime: A Toolkit for Improving Action and Accountability for guidance on indicators. Additional resources on wildlife consumer behavior change can be found at http://www.changewildlifeconsumers.org/.

A non-exhaustive list of examples of metrics and outcome statements include:

• Percent increase of target audience that demonstrates knowledge gain.

o Example outcome statement: Within XX months of the project’s full implementation phase, data indicated a XX% increase in the number of targeted audience members who now understood X product was derived from X species.

• Percent increase of target audience that expresses desired attitudes.

number of targeted audience members who said they wanted to help protect X species in the wild.

• Percent decrease of target audience that expresses desired behaviors.

full implementation phase, data indicated a XX% decrease in the number of targeted audience members who said they intended to buy X product in the future.

• Percent change in target audience who expresses a desired shift in their perception of social norms.

https://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/guidance-effectiveness-measures-central-africa.pdf https://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/guidance-effectiveness-measures-central-africa.pdf https://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/guidance-effectiveness-measures-central-africa.pdf http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00KQR6.pdf http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00KQR6.pdf http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00KQR6.pdf http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00KQR6.pdf http://www.changewildlifeconsumers.org/ number of targeted audience members who said that XX group of people were unlikely to buy products that threatened XX species with extinction.

• Reduced sales of illegal wildlife products.

o Example outcome statement: Within XX months of project launch, target illegal wildlife product sales were reduced by X%.

The USFWS values projects that report both the successes 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.

7. Description of Entities Undertaking the Project: This section should answer the question, “Who are you, and who are you going to be working with?” 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 (1-2 pages) curricula vitae for key personnel, identifying their qualifications to carry out project activities. To prevent unnecessary transmission of Personally Identifiable Information (PII), 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.

8. Sustainability: As applicable, describe which project activities will continue beyond the proposed project period, who will continue the work or act on the results achieved, and how and at what level you expect these future activities will be funded.

Describe the potential for the project results to be scaled up for future demand reduction interventions.

9. Literature Cited.

10. Letters of Endorsement - For projects implemented outside of the United States, non-governmental applicants must include a RECENT letter of support (not older than two years) from the country’s 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. If the project activities will take place domestically, a letter of endorsement IS NOT required from any U.S. government agency or office.

D. Budget Form 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:

Category/Budget Item Units

Cost per unit

No.

units Total

Request ed from

FWS

O rg

Personnel Trainer month $ xxx xx $ xxx $ xxx Project Director month $ xxx xx $ xxx $ xxx Project Coordinator month $ xxx xx $ xxx $ xxx Personnel Subtotal $xxx $xxx Purchased Services Printing (Manuals) each $ xxx xx $ xxx $ xxx $ xxx Printing (Training) lump $ xxx xx $ xxx $ xxx $ xxx Printing (Outreach materials; banners, stands, etc.)

lump $ xxx xx $ xxx $ xxx

Purchased Services Subtotal $xxx $xxx Travel Vehicle day use (with driver) day $ xxx xx $ xxx Vehicle maintenance and repair lump $ xxx xx $ xxx $ xxx $ xxx Domestic Flights (Coordination at Transit Points) each $ xxx xx $ xxx $ xxx

Travel Subtotal $xxx $xxx Lodging and Meals http://www.ecfr.gov/

Meals (4 day Training 30 ppl) day $ xxx xx $ xxx $ xxx Accommodation 4 day Training 20ppl) day $ xxx xx $ xxx $ xxx

Lodging and Meals Subtotal $xxx $xxx Supplies Supplies (Training) lump $ xxx xx $ xxx $ xxx Supplies (Patrols) month $ xxx xx $ xxx $ xxx Supplies Subtotal $xxx $xxx $xxx

GRAND TOTAL $xxx $xxx $xxx

*Present all amounts in U.S. dollars

Things to consider when developing your Budget Table:

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 USFWS funds are requested for, the person should be identified and their qualifications described in Section 7 (Description of Entities Undertaking the Project). For any training, a description of the training should be included in the Methods section. For any meetings, a description of 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.

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.

E. Budget Justification In a separate narrative titled “Budget Justification,” explain and justify all requested budget items/costs. A thorough written justification that explains both the necessity and the basis for the proposed costs must accompany the budget. Each budget line must demonstrate a clear connection to the project activities, and show how line item amounts were determined. Each of the major costs (salaries, fringe benefits, equipment, travel, supplies other direct costs and indirect costs) must be explained (please see example below).

Example of a Budget Justification:

A. Personnel request= [insert amount]

-Principal Investigator-Jane Smith- (Time=12 months) Jane’s time will be spent [insert activity and describe why it is needed for the project].

-Trainer- John Doe- (Time= 5 months) - John is responsible for the overall coordination of staff training. He will recruit staff, for 2 months and spend his time on training for the remaining 3 months.

(Continue to list other staff and explain/justify roles).

B. Services request= [insert amount] -Production and printing of 50 training manuals (100pgs) used to conduct workshops.

C. Travel request= [insert amount] -Airfare costs for three person team (principal investigator, program manager, trainer) to travel to work sites. Travel is necessary to establish new work sites for the project and is more cost effective via air. Costs include airfare and accommodations.

-Vehicle cost with driver for XX days is requested, to conduct field patrols.

Travel and food costs to cover the annual needs of XX person patrol team including fuel and other costs related to transportation.

-Maintenance for vehicles is estimated at XX per month.

D. Other-request = [insert amount] Explain any other costs

E. Indirect Cost Indicate rate or if claiming 10% de minimus or charging directly

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 the Service’s approval and estimate its cost.

Required Indirect Cost Statement: Applicants that do not have a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) cannot claim more than a flat de minimus indirect cost rate of 10% of modified total direct costs (MTDC). When calculating MTDC please ensure that these line items are NOT included in your calculation: capital expenditures, rental costs, equipment over $5,000 USD or more, fellowships, participant support costs and the portion of each sub- award in excess of $25,000 USD. All applicants except individuals applying for funds separate from a business or non-profit organization he/she may operate 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 is submitting this proposal for consideration under the [insert either “Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit Program” or “Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Network”], which has a Department of the Interior-approved indirect cost rate cap of [insert program rate]. If we have an approved indirect cost rate with our cognizant agency, we understand that we must apply this reduced rate against the same direct cost base as identified in our approved indirect cost rate agreement. If we do not have an approved indirect cost rate with our cognizant agency, we understand that the basis for direct costs will be the modified total direct cost base defined in 2 CFR 200.68 “Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC)”. We understand that we must request prior approval from the Service to use the MTDC base instead of the base identified in our approved indirect cost rate agreement, and that Service approval of such a request will be based on: 1) a determination that our approved base is only a subset of the MTDC (such as salaries and wages); and 2) that use of the MTDC base will still result in a reduction of the total indirect costs to be charged to the award.

7. 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 are prohibited from charging indirect costs to a Federal award. Accepting the 10% de minimis rate 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 http://www.ecfr.gov/ 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 the Service 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 the Service’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://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 http://www.fws.gov/grants/ http://www.fws.gov/grants/ mailto:ics@nbc.gov http://www.aqd.nbc.gov/Services/ICS.aspx http://www.ecfr.gov/ http://www.ecfr.gov/ http://www.ecfr.gov/ http://harvester.census.gov/sac/ http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 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, Subpart18.100 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 the Service 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. Applicants must notify the Service in writing in their application if any key project personnel, including subrecipient and contractor personnel, are known to be related to, married to, or have a close personal relationship with any Federal employee in or associated with the program to which you are applying for funding or who otherwise may be involved in the review and selection of the application. Upon receipt of such a notice, the Service program, 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 disclose and resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the Service may result in the project not being select for funding.

J. Overlap/Duplications Statement: Applicants must notify the Program in writing that the proposed project/proposal does not have any duplication of work that is currently being funded by the Program. This is a mandatory statement.

Application Checklist

□ SF-424 – Signed Application for Federal Assistance

□ SF-424B – Signed Assurances form

□ System for Award Management (SAM) registration

□ Project Summary (1 page)

□ Project Narrative (8 pages maximum; see paragraph C.1-9)

□ Letters of Endorsement

□ Leahy Vetting (if applicable)

□ Budget Table (costs need to be shown in USD)

□ Budget justification including indirect cost statement

□ NICRA (if applicable)

□ FCRA Documentation – for applicants in India only

□ Conflict of Interest statement, when applicable

□ Brief resumes/CV for key personnel (1 page; provide full name of person (first, middle, and last name; no initials))

□ Duplication of work statement (see paragraph J.)

U.S. APPLICANTS ONLY

A. SF-LLL Form (if applicable) B. 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 IRS C. Single Audit Reporting statement: If you are a U.S. state, local government, federally- recognized Indian tribal government, or non-profit organization, include a statement regarding applicability of and compliance with Single Audit reporting requirements.

VI. Submission Instructions SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Open from March 27, 2018 through May 25, 2018. Proposals must be submitted by 11:59 PM ET on May 25, 2018. Proposals must be in English. A confirmation e-mail containing an assigned proposal number beginning with “CWT18” will be sent to applicants in 5-10 business days from the opportunity closing date. If you do not receive this email within 15 business days of the opportunity closing date, you must contact the program inbox at CWT@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 mailto:CWT@fws.gov mailto:CWT@fws.gov http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/individual-registration.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/individual-registration.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/individual-registration.html 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.

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 the Service’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.

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

Foreign Applicants: Submit your proposal to the following program mailbox: cwt@fws.gov.

All documents must be printable on letter paper (8 ½” x 11”). 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.

VII. Application Review The Service may solicit advice from qualified experts to conduct a technical review of your proposed project.

Criteria: USFWS International Affairs evaluates proposals by scoring how well each proposal addresses the priorities identified in this Notice of Funding Opportunity. In addition to the “Basic Eligibility Requirements” (Section III) and the criteria below, the proposal must meet minimum programmatic requirements, including addressing the illegal wildlife trade, maintaining a positive track record with USFWS and other donors based on previous grant support (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…