nofo-rtcfy16.pdf

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Wildlife Without Borders-Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund FY16 Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 15.619

Funding Opportunity Number: F16AS00004

Submission Deadline: December 07, 2015

Notice of Funding Opportunity and Application Instructions

I. Description of Funding Opportunity

The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund is soliciting proposals for the conservation of rhinoceroses and/or tigers throughout their ranges. The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act was passed in 1994 to provide financial resources for conservation of rhinoceros and tiger populations.

The Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund supports projects that promote conservation through:

Enhanced protection of at-risk rhinoceros and tiger populations;

Protected area/reserve management in important rhinoceros and tiger range;

Veterinary care for wild populations;

Habitat conservation and management;

Reintroduction to former range;

Restoration of habitat;

Wildlife inspection, law enforcement, and forensics skills;

Conservation education and community outreach;

Efforts to decrease human-rhinoceros and human-tiger conflicts;

Strengthening local capacity to implement conservation programs;

Transfrontier rhinoceros and tiger conservation;

Applied research on rhinoceros and tiger populations and their habitats, including surveys and monitoring;

Development and execution of rhinoceros and tiger conservation management plans; and

Compliance with applicable treaties and laws that prohibit or regulate the taking or trade of rhinoceros and tigers or regulate the use and management of their habitat;

Reducing demand for illegal rhino and tiger parts, products and live animals in consumer countries;

Combatting trafficking of illegal rhino and tiger parts, products and live animals.

Proposed project work should occur within the rhinoceros or tiger range, or, if work is to be conducted outside of the range, the proposal should show clear relevance to rhinoceros or tiger conservation. If the project includes research, the applicant must provide a convincing argument that the research addresses priority threats and that the results are likely to result in management actions.

Priority will be given to projects involving indigenous subspecies within natural range. Ex situ populations are not eligible. Funding decisions will also take in the degree of endangerment of the taxon, with more funding directed to more imperiled subspecies.

II. Award Information:

This program will use a grant or cooperative agreement as the assistance instrument. The type of assistance instrument to be used is the decision of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service).

The approximate amount of funding available under this program is approximately $2,000,000 USD, divided between Asia (2/3) and Africa (1/3) programs. The amount of funding requested must match scope of the activities, the anticipated results, and the length of the project period.

The period of performance for projects starts on the date the award is signed by the USFWS. The period of performance for projects awarded under this program may be one or more years. Project proposals must be designed and budgeted accordingly. For multi-year projects, budgets and project activities should be clearly articulated in phases/years and support for future phases/years will be contingent on project performance, satisfactory reporting and financial management, and availability of program funds. Past and present recipients of awards under this program are eligible, but must submit new proposals to compete for funding each fiscal year.

Cooperative Agreements

Under cooperative agreements, substantial involvement by the Service should be expected and may include participating and collaborating jointly with the recipient or other personnel in carrying out the scope of work including training recipient personnel or detailing Federal personnel to work on the project effort; reviews and approves one stage of work before the next stage can begin; reviews and approves, prior to recipient action, proposed modifications or sub-awards; helps select project staff or trainees;

directs or redirects the work because of interrelationships with other projects; has power to immediately halt an activity if detailed performance specifications are not met; and limits recipient discretion with respect to scope of work, organizational structure, staffing, mode of operations and other management processes, coupled with close monitoring or operational involvement during performance under the award. To submit a proposal for consideration as a cooperative agreement, provide a justification statement in the project proposal as to the type and duration of assistance requested by the Service and a rationale for why involvement of Service is needed to fulfill the project objectives.

III. Basic Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants: Any agency responsible for the conservation and protection of rhinoceroses and/or tigers in the wild and any other organization, multi-national secretariat, public or private university, or individual with demonstrated experience in rhinoceros and/or tiger conservation may submit proposals to this Fund. U.S. non-profit, non-governmental organizations must submit documentary evidence of their

Section 501(c)(3) non-profit status.

Ineligible Activities: The Division of International Conservation will not fund:

the purchase of firearms or ammunition;

gathering information by persons who conceal their true identity;

law enforcement operations that, to arrest suspects, prompt them to carry out illegal activities

(entrapment);

any activity that would circumvent sanctions, laws or regulations of either the U.S. or the country of proposed activity;

projects in countries determined by the U.S. Department of State to have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism. These countries are subject to four main categories of sanctions which include restrictions on U.S. foreign assistance, miscellaneous financial, and other restrictions. See http://www.state.gov/j/ct/list/c14151.htm for more information;

projects in countries included in comprehensive sanction programs administered by the U.S.

Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Asset Controls, without proper licenses. See http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Pages/default.aspx for more information on

OFAC and specific comprehensive and non-comprehensive sanction programs.

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

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

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

A. DUNS Registration

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

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

U.S. and U.S Virgin Islands: 1-866-705-5711

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

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

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

B. Entity Registration in SAM

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

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

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

SAM.

C. Excluded Entities

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

http://www.state.gov/j/ct/list/c14151.htm http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Pages/default.aspx http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform http://www.sam.gov/

D. Cost Sharing or Matching

Cost sharing is not required but priority will be given to projects for which there exists some measure of matching funds. Applicant and partner contributions cannot be included as contributions for any other federally assisted project or program. Funds provided by another U.S.

Federal Government agency or another Service award cannot be reported as matching contributions but should be noted and explained in detail. A match shown during one year may not be repeated as a match in a subsequent proposal.

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

Proposals should be in English, ten pages or less and numbered. Summary, figures, tables, maps and required forms do not count toward the ten page limit. In addition, please indicate if you have received previous Service funding from the Rhino and Tiger Conservation Fund or if you plan to submit the same proposal to any other Service or Federal program. To be considered for funding under this opportunity, an application must contain:

A.

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.

B. Project Summary: Briefly summarize the project, in one page or less. Include the title of the project, geographic location, and a brief overview of the need for the project. Goal(s), objectives, specific project activities, anticipated outputs and outcomes should also be included in this section. This section should be a stand-alone summary of your project and it http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/sf-424-instructions.pdf http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1 may be shared with the public. It must be submitted in English. Please include the following table:

Common name

Latin name

IUCN

Red List

Assessment

Existing estimates of range, population size, or abundance

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

[IUCN

Category

(year assessed)]

[estimated # of individuals, or occupied range (km2), IUCN African rhino

Population status, if known, i.e. Key 1, Important 1]

[Threat text]

C. Project Narrative: Please bear in mind not all proposal reviewers may be familiar with past grants, so the proposal itself should include all the major points that a reader needs to know.

Do not expect reviewers to refer to past proposals or reports or outside references but instead summarize them as necessary.

1. Statement of Need: This section should answer the question, “Why is this project necessary?” In three pages of text or less, the statement of need should clearly describe why this project is necessary (significance/value) and include supporting information.

The Statement of Need should clearly identify the targeted species and any existing estimates of population size, geographic range, or abundance, a description of the direct threats that affect the targeted species at the project site, and the specific threats that the project will address. Summarize previous or ongoing efforts (of you/your organization, and other organizations or individuals) that are relevant to the proposed work. Explain the successes or failures of past efforts and how your proposed project builds on them. If you have received funding previously (from the USFWS or any other donor) for this specific project work or site, provide a summary of the funding, associated activities and products/outcomes.

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 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.

2. Project Goals and Objectives: This section should answer the question, “What do you want to achieve and how are you going to do it?” State the long-term, overarching goal(s) of the program/project. State the objectives of the project. Objectives are the specific outcomes to be accomplished in order to reach the stated goal(s). The project objectives must be specific, measurable, and realistic (attainable within the project’s proposed project period). A recommended reference for identifying and developing appropriate objectives and measures of success is the Conservation Measures Partnership website

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

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

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

(e.g., training, talk or presentation, on-line course, demonstrations, group discussion, field work, field visit, case studies, facilitating dialogue, program development, provision of equipment or other resources), topics to be covered/curricula, skills to be learned or improved, intended audience/target group profile (e.g., number and type of people trained), duration and location of each training activity, and materials/equipment to be used. The equipment used/requested and personnel conducting the work should be clearly articulated in this section, and proposed activities should correspond with the budget request. Activities that meet one or more of the following conditions will strengthen your proposal:

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

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

Activities that include the participation of local partners in project activities, including meaningful involvement of government, community or civil society stakeholders; and Activities that result in benefits that go beyond the period of performance of the grant.

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

The proposed project activities narrative must be detailed enough for reviewers to make a clear connection between the activities and the proposed project costs. The proposed activities should correspond with the Project Budget Table.

Provide a detailed description of the method(s) to be used to carry out each activity.

Provide a timetable indicating roughly when activities or project milestones are to be accomplished. Include any resulting tables, spreadsheets or flow charts within the body of the project narrative (do not include as separate attachments). The timetable should not propose specific dates but instead group activities by month for each month over the entire proposed project period. For clarity, you may also wish to add a column specifying which individual or group will carry out the activity. To view a sample timetable, insert timetable link:

http://www.fws.gov/international/DIC/pdf/Sample_timetable.pdf

4. Stakeholder Coordination/Involvement: This section should answer the question, “Who are you going to be working with?” Describe any coordination with local resource managers and other relevant organizations or individuals in planning your project, conducting project activities, or disseminating project results. As applicable, describe how you/your organization has coordinated with and involved other relevant organizations or individuals in planning the project, and detail if/how they will be involved in conducting project activities, disseminating project results and/or incorporating your results/products into their activities. 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.

5. Project Monitoring and Evaluation: This section should answer the question, “How will we know that the project is working successfully?” From your list of Project

Objectives in the previous section, choose one objective that you consider the most important to achieve in order to effectively conserve the target species. To track your progress toward achievement of this key objective, identify what you will measure (i.e., indicators), and how will you will measure it (i.e., monitoring methods, sample sizes, survey tools). Reviewers may request the same for other objectives. Describe how you

(or others) will monitor project progress and measure the project’s results and impact.

Include details on how you will assess your progress toward reaching the objectives such as the specific metrics or indicators you will use to report project implementation (e.g., number of workshops held, number of trained park guards, number of trees planted, number of species protected, etc.) and what specific metrics or indicators you will use to report on intended project outcomes (e.g., core competencies obtained, change in behavior of workshop attendees, increase in awareness, and conservation action). Indicate how project participants and beneficiaries will participate in these activities. Detail the expected direct effect(s) of the project on beneficiaries (i.e., outcome indicators). Include http://www.fws.gov/international/DIC/pdf/Sample_timetable.pdf any available questionnaires, surveys, curricula, exams/tests or other assessment tools to be used for project evaluation. Describe the resources and organizational structure available for gathering, analyzing and reporting monitoring and evaluation data. If applicable, describe how project participants and beneficiaries will participate in monitoring and evaluation activities. Describe how findings will be fed back into decision making and project activities throughout the project period.

Anticipated Benefits and Outputs: Identify all expected project outputs, (e.g., management plans, brochures, posters, training manuals, number of people trained, workshops held, hours of training provided, patrols conducted). Where appropriate, describe how outputs will be distributed to the relevant stakeholders, such as host country government agencies, resource managers, local communities, media, and civil society.

Conservation Outcomes: Conservation outcomes are the desired impacts of a project, such as a change in capacity, threat, or condition of a species or habitat, and should relate directly to your objectives. To track your progress toward achievement of each project objective, identify what you will measure (i.e., indicators), and how you will measure it

(e.g., methods, sample sizes, survey tools). For example:

Whenever possible, include direct measures of abundance or spatial extent for the focal species, population, or habitat to demonstrate the impact of project activities.

For education and outreach, include examples of questionnaires or behavioral surveys that you will employ to measure how knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors were affected by your project.

For training, curricula should be described or attached and assessment tools like exams or tests should be described and benchmarks for passing the training program should be stated.

For wildlife protection activities, you may wish to measure patrol days, person-hours, or prosecutions secured.

For reintroduction or veterinary programs, measures of success may focus on the number of animals moved or treated, survivorship, or overall population numbers.

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

Note that outputs (or products) should NOT be used as indicators, including Service performance reports, materials produced, number of management plans generated, etc. Remember, indicators should reflect a change in capacity, human behavior, threat, or status of the target species. If the status of the indicator is known, and the applicant identifies the indicator’s desired status or qualitative condition, providing this information will strengthen the proposal.

The following table format is recommended:

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

Measure

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

Current

Status

(if known)

Desired

Status

6. Description of Organization(s) 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 cooperating or coordinating organizations and agencies. Provide a brief description of the applicant organization an all cooperating or coordinating organizations and agencies. State the activity for which each group or individual is responsible. Provide brief (<1 page) curricula vitae or biographies for key personnel, identifying their qualifications to meet the project objectives. Do not include Social Security or passport 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.

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

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

8. Literature Cited (if necessary).

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

Provide the latitude and longitude coordinates of a representative geographic location for your project in decimal degrees format (NOT degree-minute-seconds format). For example, USFWS in Falls Church, Virginia, USA, would be provided as 38.8825°, -

77.1145° (latitude, longitude). Please correctly enter north and east coordinates as positive values, and south and west coordinates as negative values.

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

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

11. Detailed notification of security forces. The Leahy Vetting requirement is included annually in the Foreign Assistance Appropriations Act. The Leahy Amendment prohibits assistance to individuals with human rights abuse records. It requires that military and civilian security force individuals or units receiving US Government assistance be screened for any record of human rights abuse. Conservation efforts authorized by the

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

D. Budget Form

When developing your budget, keep in mind that financial assistance awards and subawards are subject to the U.S. Federal Government ( Federal) cost principles in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 200 (2 CFR 200), as applicable to the recipient organization type. Links to the full text of the Federal cost principles are available on the

Internet at: http://www.ecfr.gov/.

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

Summary section of the form and then enter funding related to other Federal programs in the subsequent row(s). Be sure to enter each Federal program’s CFDA number in the corresponding fields on the form. The CFDA number for this Federal program appears on the first page of this funding opportunity.

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

http://www.ecfr.gov/

Category/

Budget Item Cost Calculation Total

Cost USFWS Applicant Partner X Partner

Y Program

Income (if applicable) I. Personnel:

$500/month *6 months

$3,000

$x,xxx

$xxx

$xxx A.

Instructor

(1)

B. Trainees

(30) $60/day*5 days*30 trainees

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

2. Lodging (11 individuals) 20 nights *11 people * $15/night

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

3.Transportation:

30 tickets * $20/each

$600

$xxx Bus tickets

(30 individuals

4. Production of training material:

A. Printing

(100 manuals)

B. Postage

100 manuals * $10/each

12 months * $20/month

$1,000

$240

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

*Present all amounts in USD

**We cannot accept the term “contingencies” in the budget as a line item

Go to http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/sample-budget.pdf to view a sample project 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 FWS funds are requested for, the person should be identified and their qualifications described in Section 6. For any training, a description of the training should be included in the Methods section. For any meetings, a description of the participants, a draft agenda and desired outputs should be provided.

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

Budget Table requires more than one page, verify that the column headings and row titles http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/sample-budget.pdf appear on all pages. Carefully verify that all calculations/formulas are correct and submit the budget table as described in this section. Failure to provide correct and accurate budget information, as outlined above, will cause delays, postponement, or rejection of your application.

Things to consider when developing your Budget Table:

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

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

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

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

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

E. Budget Justification

In a separate narrative titled “Budget Justification,” explain and justify all requested budget items/costs. Each budget line must demonstrate a clear connection to the project activities, and show how line item amounts were determined. For expensive items or large single purchases, provide detailed technical specifications or a pro-forma invoice. For personnel salary costs, include the base-line salary figures and the estimates of time (as percentages) to be directly charged to the project. Describe any item that under the applicable Federal Cost

Principles requires the Service’s approval and estimate its cost.

Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA): Costs incurred by an organization for common or joint objectives and that, therefore, cannot be identified specifically with a particular project but are, nevertheless necessary to the general operation of its activities.

Indirect costs generally include, but are not limited to things like facilities operation and maintenance costs and depreciation.

Required Indirect Cost Statement: Applicants that do not have a NICRA cannot claim indirect cost. 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 http://www.ecfr.gov/ 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 minimus 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 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 http://www.fws.gov/grants/

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 form are applicable. The form contains language that states that some of the assurances may not be applicable to your organization and/or your project or program.

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

Under Title 31 of the United States Code, Section 1352, an applicant or recipient must not use any federally appropriated funds (both annually appropriated and continuing appropriations) or matching funds under a grant or cooperative agreement award to pay any person for lobbying in connection with the award. Lobbying is defined as influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress connection with the award. Submission of an application also represents the applicant’s certification of the statements in 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A-Certification Regarding Lobbying. If you/your organization have/has made or agrees to make any payment using non-appropriated funds for lobbying in connection with this project AND the project budget exceeds $100,000, complete and submit the SF LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form. See 43 CFR, Subpart

18.100 for more information on when additional submission of this form is required.

Submission of an application also represents the applicant’s certification of the statements in

43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A-Certification Regarding Lobbying.

I. Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Applicants must notify the Service in writing of any actual or potential conflicts of interest that are known at the time of application or that may arise mailto:ics@nbc.gov file://///ifw-hqskyfs1/ia-shared/DIC-New/PROGRAMS/GRANTS-Staff%20Resources/Jean_Kvasnicka/Documents/POLICY/New%20Award%20Guidance/Round%204%20FY15%20updates/As http://www.ecfr.gov/ http://www.ecfr.gov/ http://harvester.census.gov/sac/ http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 during the life of this award, in the event an award is made. Conflicts of interest include any relationship or matter, which might place the recipient, the recipient’s employees, or the recipient’s subrecipients in a position of conflict, real or apparent, between their responsibilities under the award and any other outside interests. Conflicts of interest may also include, but are not limited to, direct or indirect financial interests, close personal relationships, positions of trust in outside organizations, consideration of future employment arrangements with a different organization, or decision-making affecting the award that would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts to question the impartiality of the applicant, the applicant’s employees, or the applicant’s future subrecipients in the matter. Upon receipt of such a notice, the Service Project Officer in consultation with their Ethics Counselor will determine if a conflict of interest exists and, if so, if there are any possible actions to be taken by the applicant to reduce or resolve the conflict. Failure to resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the Service may result in the project not being select for funding.

Application Checklist

□ SF-424 – Application for Federal Assistance

□ SF-424B Assurances form

□ System for Award Management (SAM) registration

□ Project Summary (1 page)

□ Project Narrative

□ Budget Table

□ Budget justification including indirect cost statement (up to 10% Indirect Cost may be claimed without NICRA)

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

□ Map

□ Recent Government Letter of Endorsement (all applicants from India must also submit a copy of their FCRA)

□ Conflict of Interest statement, if applicable

□ A-133 Single Audit Reporting statement (if applicable)

□ SF-LLL Form, (if applicable)

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

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

Agreement

V. Submission Instructions

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Open from October 07, 2015. Proposals must be submitted by 11:59 PM

EDT on December 07, 2015. Proposals must be in English. A confirmation e-mail containing an assigned proposal number beginning with “RT16” will be sent to applicants in 5-10 business days from the opportunity closing date. If you do not receive this email, please contact Tezeta Desta at mscf_rhinotiger@fws.gov

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

Please select ONE of the following submission options:

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

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

Grants.gov, you must be registered in SAM.

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

(if applicable) to the Project Narrative Attachment Form.

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.

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

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

mscf_rhinotiger@fws.gov. All documents must be printable on letter paper (8 ½” x 11”). Format pages to display and print page numbers. Your entire 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.

mailto:mscf_rhinotiger@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/support.html mailto:mscf_rhinotiger@fws.gov

VI. Application Review

Criteria: The Division of International Conservation evaluates proposals by scoring how well each proposal addresses rhinoceros or tiger conservation and the requested proposal elements listed in the

Application Requirements and Format sections above. High priority, well-justified projects that address all of the requested proposal elements will receive higher scores. In addition to the basic eligibility elements other review criteria include:

o Direct conservation activity which will contribute to the survival of a key population or taxon, including the degree to which: (1) a project is well justified, has clear benefits, makes a significant contribution to the protection of rhinoceroses and tigers and is a high priority for the conservation of rhinoceroses and tigers and their habitat; (2) the goals are well-defined and relevant to the project’s Statement of Need; (3) the objectives, methods, and activities are well-defined, described in detail, measurable, apply the best scientific and technical information available, statistically valid, and realistic for the project’s anticipated timeframe; (4) the proposal is a catalyst for activities in a previously neglected area with potential significant conservation value; and (5) the budget line items are justified in the proposal narrative, appropriate, allowable and reasonable, and applicant and other counterpart cash and in-kind contributions are acceptable.

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

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

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

o Willingness to collaborate, including the degree to which: (1) the proposal adequately details coordination of…