oppBOR-PN-18-F010-cfda15.530-instructions.pdf

Funding Opportunity Announcement No. BOR-PN-18-F010

Water Conservation Field Services Program Pacific Northwest Region Financial Assistance for Fiscal Year 2018

U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Pacific Northwest Region Boise, Idaho August 2018

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

The U.S. Department of the Interior protects America’s natural resources and heritage, honors our cultures and tribal communities, and supplies the energy to power our future.

MISSION OF THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION

The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public.

Cover photo: Jackson Lake Dam, Wyoming in 2014.

i

Synopsis Federal Agency Name: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Pacific

Northwest Region Funding Opportunity Title:

Water Conservation Field Services Program: Financial Assistance for Fiscal Year 2018

Announcement Type: Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Funding Opportunity Number:

BOR-PN-18-F010

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number:

15.530

Dates: Application due date:

December 31,2018 at 3:00 p.m. Mountain Daylight Time

Eligible Applicants: Irrigation and water districts, tribal water authorities, and state governmental entities with water delivery authority and a defined relationship to one or more authorized Reclamation project(s) located within the Pacific Northwest Region

Recipient Cost Share: 50 percent or more of total project costs.

Federal Funding Amount:

Up to $25,000 per agreement for a project that can be completed within 2 years.

Estimated Number of Agreements to be Awarded:

Approximately 10 agreements ii

This page intentionally left blank.

iii

Application Checklist The following table contains a summary of the information that you are required to submit with your application, which is discussed in Section E.5.

What to submit

Required content

Form or format

When to submit

Mandatory Federal Forms:

Application for Federal Financial Assistance Budget Information Assurances Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

See Sec.

E.5.1-E.5.3

SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, SF-424D and SF- LLL forms may be obtained at www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html

Title page See Sec.

E.5.4

Table of contents * Technical proposal: * Detailed Scope of

Work See Sec.

E.5.6

Project-Applicable Criteria

See Sec.

E.5.7 and Sec. I

Detailed Budget Narrative

See Sec.

E.5.8

Official Resolution See Sec.

E.5.9

Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management

See Sec. XX ***

* Submit materials with your application.

** Document should be submitted with your application; however, please refer to the applicable section of the FOA for extended submission date.

*** Should be completed prior to the application deadline; however, please refer to the applicable section of the FOA for extended completion date.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html iv v

Acronyms and Abbreviations ARC Application Review Committee

ASAP Automated Standard Application for Payment

CFDA Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

DOI Department of the Interior

DUNS Data Universal Number System

ESA Endangered Species Act

FOA Funding Opportunity Announcement

FY Fiscal year

NEPA National Environmental Policy Act

OMB Office of Management and Budget

P.L. Public Law

Reclamation Bureau of Reclamation

RRA Reclamation Reform Act of 1982

SAM System of Award Management

SCADA Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition

SOR System Optimization Review

U.S.C. United States Code

WaterSMART Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow

WCFSP Water Conservation Field Services Program vi vii

Contents Section A. Agency Contacts

A.1 Application Delivery Inquires A.2 Technical Inquiries

Section B. Funding Opportunity Description

B.1 Program Information B.2 Objective of this Funding Opportunity Announcement B.3 Statutory Authority B.4 Other Related Funding Opportunities

Section C. Award Information

C.1 Total Project Funding C.2 Project Funding Limitations C.3 Assistance Instrument

Section D. Eligibility Information

D.1 Eligible Applicants D.2 Cost Sharing Requirements D.3 Project Eligibility

Section E. Application Submission Information and Instructions

E.1 Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Requirement E.2 System for Award Management Registration E.3 Application Delivery Methods E.4 Application Submission Date and Time E.5 Required Application Content E.6 Environmental Compliance E.7 Indirect Costs

Section F. Application Review Information

F.1 Review, Evaluation, and Selection Process F.2 Other Factors F.3 Review and Selection Process

Section G. Award Administration Information

G.1 Award Notices G.2 Award Document G.3 Reporting Requirements and Distribution

Section H. Administrative Boundaries of the Pacific Northwest Region viii

Section I. Evaluation Criteria

I.1 Evaluation Criteria for Water Management and Conservation Planning I.2 Evaluation Criteria for System Optimization Reviews I.3 Evaluation Criteria for Designing Water Management Improvements I.4 Evaluation Criteria for Demonstrating Conservation Project Technologies

Section A. Agency Contacts

A.1 Application Delivery Inquires There will be no pre-application conference. Prior to the closing date, organizations or individuals interested in submitting applications in response to this announcement may direct application submittal questions to the Grants Management Specialist by phone or email. Contact information is provided below.

Name Title

Ms. Melinda Ritacco Supervisory Grants Management Specialist

Phone 208-378-5103

Email mritacco@usbr.gov

Mail Pacific Northwest Regional Office 1150 North Curtis Road Boise, ID 83706

A.2 Technical Inquiries Prior to the closing date, organizations or individuals may direct technical questions by phone or email to the individuals listed in the table below.

State of Washington State of Idaho and eastern Oregon

Montana, remainder of Oregon, Montana, general WCFSP questions

Name Title

Ms. Christina Davis-Kernan Columbia-Cascades Area Office Technical Projects Program Manager

Mr. Brian Sauer Snake River Area Office Supervisory Civil Engineer

Ms. Leah Meeks Regional Water Conservation Program Coordinator

Phone 509-575-5848 ext. 284 208-383-2282 208-378-5025

Email cdaviskernan@usbr.gov bsauer@usbr.gov lmeeks@usbr.gov

Mail Columbia-Cascades Area Office 1917 March Road Yakima, WA 98901-2058

Snake River Area Office 230 Collins Road Boise, ID 83702-4520

Pacific Northwest Regional Office 1150 North Curtis Road Boise, ID 83706

Section B. Funding Opportunity Description

B.1 Program Information Through WaterSMART, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) leverages Federal and non- Federal funding to work cooperatively with states, tribes, and local entities as they plan for and implement actions to increase water supply reliability through investments in existing infrastructure and attention to local water conflicts. Working together with our stakeholders, WaterSMART supports the Department of the Interior’s (DOI) priorities:

• Creating a conservation stewardship legacy

• Utilizing our natural resources

• Restoring trust with local communities

• Ensuring sovereignty means something

• Generating additional revenues to support DOI and national interests

• Protecting our people and the border

• Striking a regulatory balance

• Modernizing our infrastructure

• Reorganizing for the next 100 years

• Achieving our goals and leading our team forward

Reclamation established the Water Conservation Field Services Program (WCFSP) in 1996 to proactively encourage water conservation in the operations of recipients of water from Federal water projects and to assist agricultural and urban water districts in preparing and implementing water conservation plans in accordance with the Reclamation Reform Act of 1982 (RRA).

Through the WCFSP, which is managed by each of Reclamation’s regional offices, Reclamation makes cost-shared financial assistance available for the development of water conservation plans and design of water management improvements, identifying water management improvements through System Optimization Reviews (SOR), and improving the understanding of water conservation techniques through demonstration activities.

For further information on the WaterSMART Program, please see www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART.

B.2 Objective of this Funding Opportunity Announcement The objective of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to invite eligible applicants located in the geographic area covered by the Pacific Northwest Region to leverage their money and resources by cost-sharing water conservation planning with Reclamation to make more efficient use of existing water supplies.

http://www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART

B.3 Statutory Authority This FOA is issued under the authority of Section 9504(a) of the Secure Water Act, Subtitle F of Title IX of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, Public Law [P.L.] 111-11 (42 United States Code [U.S.C.] 10364).

B.4 Other Related Funding Opportunities The WaterSMART Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects FOA provides cost-shared financial assistance for small-scale water management projects (up to $75,000 in Federal funding for each project) that have been identified through previous planning efforts. Reclamation has developed a streamlined selection and review process to reflect the small-scale nature of these projects.

The WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants FOA provides cost-shared financial assistance for larger water conservation projects (up to $1 million in Federal funding for each project) resulting in quantifiable and sustained water savings.

Section C. Award Information

C.1 Total Project Funding The amount of funding available for awards under this FOA will depend on final Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 appropriations and the demand for funding under this and other elements of the WCFSP. This FOA will be canceled if FY 2018 appropriations are insufficient to support new awards.

Applications submitted under this FOA may also be considered if additional funding becomes available in FY 2018 or thereafter.

C.2 Project Funding Limitations The Federal share (Reclamation’s share in addition to any other sources of Federal funding) for any project shall not exceed 50 percent of the total costs.

A maximum of $25,000 in Federal funding may be allocated to proposals awarded funding under this FOA.

C.3 Assistance Instrument Awards will be made through grants or cooperative agreements. If a cooperative agreement is awarded, the recipient should expect Reclamation to have substantial involvement in the project.

Substantial involvement by Reclamation may include:

• Collaboration and participation with the recipient in the management of the project and close oversight of the recipient’s activities to ensure that the program objectives are being achieved.

• Oversight may include review, input, and approval at key interim stages of the project.

Section D. Eligibility Information

D.1 Eligible Applicants In accordance with Section 9502 of P.L. 111-11, eligible applicants include any state, Indian tribe, irrigation district, water district, or other organization with water or power delivery authority located in the Pacific Northwest Region (see Section H). The proposed activity must have a defined relationship to one or more Reclamation project(s) authorized by Congress and constructed by Reclamation. A defined relationship includes everything within the Project service area (i.e., project features and facilities, project service area, watershed, water systems, or water supplies affected by a specific Reclamation project).

Those not eligible include, but are not limited to, the following entities:

• Federal governmental entities

• Institutions of higher education

• Individuals

• 501(c)(4) organizations

• 501(c)(6) organizations

D.2 Cost Sharing Requirements Applicants must be capable of cost sharing 50 percent or more of the total project costs. Cost sharing may be made through cash or in-kind contributions or donations from the applicant or third-party partners. Cost-share funding from sources outside the applicant’s organization (e.g., loans or state grants) should be secured and available to the applicant prior to award.

D.2.1 Cost Share Regulations

All cost-share contributions must meet the applicable administrative and cost principles criteria established in 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, available at www.ecfr.gov.

D.2.2 Donations and In-kind Contributions

Donations and in-kind contributions constitute the value of noncash contributions that benefit a federally-assisted project. These contributions may be in the form of real property, equipment, supplies, and other expendable property, as well as the value of goods and services directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the project or program. The cost or value of donations and in-kind contributions that have been or will be relied on to satisfy a cost-sharing or matching requirement for another Federal financial assistance agreement, a Federal procurement contract, or any other award of Federal funds may not be relied on to satisfy the cost-share requirement for an award under this FOA. The exception to this requirement is where the Federal statute authorizing a program specifically provides that Federal funds made available for such program can be applied to matching or cost sharing requirements of other Federal programs, such as awards to tribal organizations under P.L. 93-638, as amended. Applicants should refer to 2 CFR §200.434 for regulations regarding the valuation of donations and in-kind contributions, available at www.ecfr.gov.

D.3 Project Eligibility

D.3.1 Eligible Projects

D.3.1.1. Water Management and Conservation Planning

Water Management and Conservation Plans provide entities an opportunity to document data on current water supply and demand, prepare a forecast for future water demands, identify water conservation goals, and determine conservation measures (e.g., cost/pricing of water, water accounting, landscape efficiency, information and education, water use regulation). Water Conservation Plans may be modeled after plans described in Achieving Efficient Water Management: A Guidebook for Preparing Agricultural Water Conservation Plans, Second Edition.

D.3.1.2 System Optimization Review

A SOR is used to assess the potential for water management improvements and to identify a plan of action that contains recommendations for implementing specific improvements that have the potential to enhance water management. The review can include an analysis of the entire water delivery system, district, watershed, or a portion thereof. SORs are intended to take a broad look at system-wide efficiency and are not focused on single project-specific planning.

The following are components of a SOR:

• Gather information.

• Identify, describe, and prioritize water management issues.

• Establish goals.

• Identify, evaluate, and prioritize potential improvement projects with the ability to mitigate the identified issues and accomplish goals.

o The evaluation of improvement projects could consider: the water management benefits associated with the improvement, anticipated construction and operating costs (as applicable), as well as, environmental, regulatory, cultural, and economic impacts.

o As part of the evaluation, efforts to better quantify the associated benefits of the proposed improvement projects are eligible subtasks (e.g., soil infiltration tests, required monitoring activities).

If an applicant’s previous planning efforts have addressed some of the components above, the applicant can propose funding for the remaining components for a complete system analysis.

The SOR Final Report will serve as the final product of the SOR analysis and will summarize the analysis performed.

D.3.1.3. Designing Water Management Improvements

Upon completion of prior planning efforts (e.g., Water Management and Conservation Plan, SOR) to identify solutions for water management issues, this activity provides for funding to design identified water management improvement projects. This activity includes the necessary preliminary work in preparation of the design such as surveying and gathering of pertinent site-specific information (e.g., hydraulic head available at site, soil testing, determination of groundwater level). Eligible subtasks under this activity also include peer-review for the design, development of a cost estimate including scoping the costs for regulatory compliance activities (e.g., environmental, cultural) and identification of necessary regulatory requirements (i.e., permits). Land/title acquisition, and environmental/cultural resources compliance work is not eligible under this activity.

Examples of eligible design activities include, but are not limited to:

• Design for conversion of an open conveyance system (e.g., canal) to a closed conveyance system (e.g., pipeline) resulting in conserved water (i.e., reduced evaporation).

• Design for lining of canal with proven materials or technology resulting in conserved water (i.e., reduced/eliminating seepage).

• Design of weirs, flumes, ramps, and other irrigation flow measurement devices in an open channel.

• Design of control structures for an irrigation system (e.g., check structures, drop structures, division structures).

• Design for installation of meters within a distribution system resulting in water better managed (i.e., leakage quantification).

• Design for system implementation of Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and automation components intended to result in water better managed (i.e., reduced spills, over-deliveries, and seepage).

• Design of irrigation system regulating reservoirs for better management of water supply (i.e., reduced spills, more flexibility in water delivery operations, excess water interception at end of system).

D.3.1.4. Demonstrating Conservation Project Technologies

Demonstration activities are those that include the installation or application of a specific technology in a new way, or in a new setting, with the intent of reporting the results to others for wider adoption. The activities should demonstrate innovative technologies in water conservation to increase technical understanding of unfamiliar water management and practices that have been previously used locally.

D.3.2 Ineligible Projects

Proposals for the development of planning studies are not eligible for funding under this FOA.

This includes proposals for the development of appraisal investigations, feasibility studies, special studies, drought contingency plans, Basin Studies, or studies authorized under the Title XVI Water Recycling and Reuse Program, through P.L.102-575, as amended (43 U.S.C. 390h et seq.), or under the Rural Water Program, pursuant to the Rural Water Supply Act of 2006, P.L.109-451 (www.usbr.gov/ruralwater/).

Proposals for on-the-ground construction activities are not eligible for funding under this FOA.

D.3.3 Length of Projects

In general, projects funded under this FOA should be completed within 2 years of award.

Section E. Application Submission Information and Instructions

E.1 Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Requirement

Applicants must provide a Dun and Bradstreet DUNS number on their application. If you do not have a DUNS number, one may be obtained at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free DUNS Number Request Line at 1-866-705-5711, or by going to the DUNS Government Contractor and Grantee website at: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.

E.2 System for Award Management Registration Applicants should be registered in the System for Awards Management (SAM) prior to submittal of an application. SAM registration can take several weeks to complete. Please allow enough time to complete the necessary registration steps prior to the application due date.

Instructions for registering for SAM are located at www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM. Entities must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times while they have an active Federal award or an application under consideration.

E.3 Application Delivery Methods Applications may be submitted only by two methods: electronic submittal via Grants.gov or hard copy in the mail to Ms. Melinda Ritacco, Grants Management Specialist, at Reclamation’s Pacific Northwest Regional Office, 1150 N. Curtis Rd, Boise, ID 83706. The chosen method of delivery will not impact or determine award or non-award. There is no requirement to submit by more than one means. However, if an applicant wishes to submit a paper hard-copy as a back-up to the electronic submission, both will be accepted. If the submissions differ, the latter one received prior to the funding period closing date will prevail unless the applicant specifies otherwise. Applicants are responsible for ensuring their applications are accepted and received by Reclamation by the established application due date.

E.3.1 Electronic Submittal

Grants.gov is an internet website that can be used to find and apply for grant funding opportunities. To electronically submit an application, you must complete the Grants.gov registration process. The registration process can take approximately 2 weeks to be completed; therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required submission deadlines. You will be able to submit your application online any time after you receive your e-authentication credentials. Reclamation encourages applicants to submit their applications electronically through Grants.gov; however, http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform http://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM electronic submittal of applications is not required. If submitting through the Grants.gov website, submit only one original. For more information regarding submitting applications via Grants.gov, please visit the “Get Registered” and “Apply for Grants” links at www.grants.gov.

Applicants have sometimes experienced significant delays when attempting to submit through Grants.gov. If you plan to use Grants.gov, you are encouraged to submit your application several days prior to the application deadline. If you are a properly registered Grants.gov applicant, and you encounter problems with the Grants.gov submission process, you must contact the Grants.gov Help desk to obtain a “Case Number.” This Case Number will provide evidence of your attempt to submit an application prior to the submission deadline.

E.3.2 Hard-copy Submittal

Applications may be submitted by hard-copy. All originals of the hard-copy applications should be hand delivered or mailed to the Grants Management Specialist listed in Section A.2 and received by the deadline of 3 p.m. Mountain Standard Time (MST) on December 31, 2018.

Applicants using traditional mail shall submit one original of all application documents.

E.4 Application Submission Date and Time Application submission date deadline is December 31, 2018, 3:00 p.m. MST. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered unless it can be determined that the delay was caused by Federal government mishandling.

E.5 Required Application Content Each applicant shall submit an application in accordance with the instructions contained in this section. Do not include a cover letter or company literature/brochure. All pertinent information must be included in your Technical and Activity Budget Proposal in accordance with the formats described in this section. Use the submittal checklist to make sure you submit everything requested in this announcement.

The application shall be limited to 20, 8-1/2-inch X 11-inch pages, excluding any required forms stated in these instructions, single-spaced on one side of the page. The font used shall be easily readable and shall be between 10 and 12 points. Applications will be prescreened for compliance to the 20-page limit. The cover sheet (Standard Form 424) and Assurances (Standard Form 424B or D, as applicable) will not be counted in the 20-page limit. All pages shall be consecutively numbered, including pages with tables and exhibits.

The application must include all of the following elements in order to be complete and considered for funding. These forms can be obtained at www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf- 424-family.html.

http://www.grants.gov/

E.5.1 SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance

The application cover page shall consist of a fully completed SF 424 - Application for Federal Assistance. This form must be signed by a person legally authorized to commit the entity to perform the activity.

E.5.2 SF-424 (A or C) Budget Information

An SF-424A – Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs or an SF-424C – Budget Information – Construction Programs, shall be included. Demonstration projects are the only eligible activities under this FOA which may require SF-424C. Failure to submit a properly signed SF-424A or SF-424C may result in the elimination of the application from further consideration.

E.5.3 SF-424 (B or D) Assurances

An SF-424B – Assurances – Non-Construction Programs or an SF-424D – Assurances – Construction Programs, signed by a person legally authorized to commit the applicant to performance of the project shall be included. Demonstration projects are the only eligible activities under this FOA which may require SF-424D. Failure to submit a properly signed SF- 424B or SF-424D may result in the elimination of the application from further consideration.

*Note: The SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, SF-424C and SF-424D forms may be obtained at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html.

E.5.4 SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

An SF-LLL – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, signed by a person legally authorized to commit the applicant to performance of the project shall be included. Failure to submit a properly signed SF-LLL may result in the elimination of the application from further consideration.

E.5.5 Title Page

Provide a brief, informative, and descriptive title for the proposed work that indicates the nature of the project. Include the name and address of the applicant, and the name and address, email address, telephone, and fax numbers of the project manager.

Clearly identify the funding category for the project: Water Management and Conservation Plan Development, SOR Projects, Water Management Improvement Design, or Demonstration Projects.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html

E.5.6 Detailed Scope of Work

The Detailed Scope of Work is an important part of the application and should provide a clear picture of the scope of the activity and how it is to be accomplished. The detailed activity narrative should:

● Discuss background and location of your organization, and relationship to applicable Reclamation project. Identify activity and why financial assistance is needed. Describe the desired outcome of the proposed activity.

● Describe in detail the work to be conducted. Break out the proposed activity tasks and discuss the approach and evaluation techniques that will be used to accomplish the proposed activity. This discussion should be in sufficient detail to permit a comprehensive evaluation of the application and its outcome.

● Identify a milestone schedule which shows the anticipated start and end dates of all major tasks (see Table 1 below).

● Identify benefit outcome of the proposed activity. Describe how the project will achieve the benefit(s) and provide numerical estimates, where applicable.

● Explain how performance of the proposed activity will be measured or evaluated upon completion of the activity.

Table 1. Example of milestone schedule.

Task Jun

Aug

Oct

Dec

Feb

Apr

Jun

Aug

Oct

Identify members of WCP team x

Research into any existing applicable local or regional plans x

Identify priority issues x x

Define goals of WCP x x

WCP Outline x

Identify candidate measures x x x

Draft WCP x x

Finalize WCP x x

WCP team meetings x x x x x x x x x

E.5.7 Project-Applicable Criteria

Submit the answers to the set of criteria that is pertinent in this section to the funding category of your application. Note: This section is critical to evaluate your proposal. Please answer the questions as direct as possible. Selection criteria are detailed in Section I: Evaluation Criteria.

E.5.8 Detailed Budget Narrative

The detailed budget narrative must include comprehensive information for all costs associated with the proposed activity. Supporting documentation which substantiates the costs and the method used to determine costs will be required prior to an award. You may include the supporting documentation with your budget narrative in the application or hold onto it until requested by Reclamation. Costs which are not supported appropriately prior to award will be disallowed. Table 2 is a sample budget proposal to accompany the narrative.

Table 2. Sample budget proposal.

BUDGET ITEM DESCRIPTION COMPUTATION Quantity TOTAL

COST

SALARIES AND WAGES --Position title x hourly wage/salary x estimated hours for assisted activity.

Price/Unit

Manager 30/hr. 65 1,950 Operations Manager 25/hr. 65 1,625 Water Rights Manager 25/hr. 65 1,625 Water Master 22/hr. 65 1,430 Hydro Operations Manager 20/hr. 50 1,000 GIS Technician 18/hr. 50 900 Grants Technician 18/hr. 50 900 FRINGE BENEFITS – Show as percentage to dollar amount

Manager 35% 65 2,275 Operations Manager 33% 65 2,145 Water Rights Manager 33% 65 2,145 Water Master 31% 65 2,015 Hydro Operations Manager 29% 50 1,450 GIS Technician 28% 50 1,400 Grants Technician 28% 50 1,400 CONTRACTUAL—Explain any contracts or sub-Agreements that will be awarded

Engineering Consultant (See Attached Quote) 142/hr. 150 21,300

TOTAL DIRECT COSTS 43,560

INDIRECT COSTS

None

TOTAL ESTIMATED PROJECT COST

(Total Costs Rounded to Nearest $)

43,560

Listed below are examples of the types of information to include in the narrative. Not all types of information will apply. For example, much of the equipment section would only be applicable to Demonstration Projects. Proposals for on-the-ground construction activities are not eligible for funding under this FOA. For implementation and construction grants offered through Reclamation, refer to WaterSMART program grants.

Salary/Wage

• List the position description(s) for each employee that will be working on the project (i.e., Engineer, Laborer, Crew Supervisor, Program Manager, etc.).

• List the amount of time each employee will be working. This can be a number of hours, days, weeks, percentage of a year, etc.

• List the wages paid for each employee. This can be an hourly rate, daily rate, annual salary, etc. Note: the rate should not include fringe or other indirect rates (see Fringe Benefits below for separate line items for these costs).

• Provide supporting documentation for each of the budgeted rates for each employee.

This can be payroll records identifying the job position and associated rate. No employee personal information please. For planning purposes, if you expect to hire personnel to complete work, but don’t yet have existing position description(s) or wages determined, you may consider using the position/wage information found online at http://www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm to help estimate with these costs.

Fringe Benefits

• Identify the fringe benefit rate or dollar amount for each employee with labor costs listed in the budget.

• Identify the factors that make up the fringe benefit rate and the percentage/amount of each factor.

• Provide documentation supporting the fringe benefit rate from qualified individual from your organization.

Equipment

• List the kind of equipment that will be used on the project (type, model, size, etc.).

• List the amount of time each type of equipment will be working. This can be in number of hours, days, weeks, percentage of a year, etc.

• List the rate for each piece of equipment listed. This can be an hourly, daily, annual, etc., to correspond to the measure of the time.

• Identify if the equipment is owned or rented. Reimbursement for use of owned equipment must be based upon the actual cost to the recipient for the operation and use of the equipment. Do not use rental rates as a means for reimbursement rate for owned equipment. If ownership rates are not available, U.S. Army Corp of Engineer http://www.bls.gov/bls/blswage.htm recommended rates should be used. These rates can be found at http://www.publications.usace.army.mil/USACEPublications/EngineerPamphlets.aspx?u dt_43545_param_page=11.

• Is there standby time included in the budget? If so, standby costs need to be identified and standby rates supported in the same manner. No operating costs are allowed for standby.

Material and Supplies

• List and describe items are being purchased.

• List the quantity of each item needed.

• List the unit cost of the item(s).

• Provide backup support of each item unit cost (e.g., invoice from previous purchase, cost estimate, website search, phone quote details, model from which costs were derived from, etc.).

Travel/Mileage

• Include destination, number of people traveling, length of stay.

• List costs including airfare (basis for rate used), per diem, lodging, and miscellaneous travel expenses.

• For local travel/mileage, include number of miles to be traveled and rate of compensation.

Subcontracts

• List all activities and costs associated with subcontract needed to complete the work.

• Provide supporting documentation (such as contract bid or quote) for the subcontract costs, and discuss how you determined the subcontract costs to be fair and reasonable.

Environmental and Regulatory Compliance

• List costs associated with environmental and/or regulatory compliance activities. Discuss what costs have been included, why they are needed, and how the costs were determined fair and reasonable.

• See Section E.6 of this FOA for more information regarding environmental and regulatory compliance.

Indirect Costs

See Section E.7 of this FOA for more information on what an indirect cost is and what is needed to include indirect costs as part of a cost element in the budget.

http://www.publications.usace.army.mil/USACEPublications/EngineerPamphlets.aspx?udt_43545_param_page=11 http://www.publications.usace.army.mil/USACEPublications/EngineerPamphlets.aspx?udt_43545_param_page=11

Other

Other direct costs are anything that is not already identified above, but is a cost necessary for the activity. It can include costs such as meeting room rental rates, advertising, and internet fees or telecommunication cost (not already included in indirect costs), permit fees, etc. For these types of costs describe what is needed, list the quantity needed, and the unit cost. Provide backup support.

E.5.8.1 Funding Plan

The funding plan should include the following information:

• Outline of the funding plan for your project, this would list all partners and contributors,

• Point of contact for all sources of funds, name, address and phone number,

• Percentage contributed per partner, and

• Type of contribution: i.e., in-kind services, labor (include labor rates) or supplies (how much and how many), or cash.

E.5.9 Official Resolution

Please provide an official resolution or statement from the board of directors or governing body approving or accepting your application. If you expect to obtain the resolution by a certain date, please include that information as a substitute until the resolution is signed; otherwise, the statement will be due prior to award.

E.5.10 Terms and Conditions

If you are awarded a Cooperative Agreement or Grant as a result of this FOA, terms and conditions will be included in your agreement. Please review these terms and conditions as they govern your agreement.

Awards as of a result of this FOA will:

• Incorporate in full, or by reference, the CFRs found at 2 CFR 200 and 43 CFR 18.

• Incorporate language for the right to inspect and evaluate work performed, assurances and certifications, covenant against contingent fees, and applicable language from Executive Order 13513 (Prohibition on Text Messaging and Using Electronic Equipment Supplied by the Government While Driving), P.L. 112-239 (Whistleblower Rights), and the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970.

• Require registration with the Department of Treasury Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) system. ASAP is a recipient-initiated payment and information system designed to provide a single point of contact for the request and delivery of

Federal funds. ASAP is the only allowable method for request and receipt of payment used by Reclamation.

E.6 Environmental Compliance Demonstration Projects are the only activities under this FOA which would require environmental compliance. This section is a good reference for planning and applies to Water Management Improvement Design projects which are developing a cost estimate for scoping the costs of regulatory compliance activities.

Reclamation is required to address environmental compliance for all financial assistance provided by the WCFSP. Applicants shall adhere to Federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and codes, as applicable, and shall obtain all required approvals and permits. Environmental compliance for most WCFSP supported activities can be accomplished with a Categorical Exclusion Checklist. If evaluators believe the proposed activity would require more extensive compliance measures, points would be deducted from the score because of the added cost to Reclamation. Ultimately, Reclamation has the prerogative to disqualify any application if it believes the environmental compliance costs would be too high.

All projects being considered for award funding will require compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) before any ground disturbing activity may begin.

Compliance with all applicable state, Federal and local environmental, cultural, and paleontological resources protection laws and regulations is also required. These may include, but are not limited to, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act (ESA), National Historic Preservation Act, consultation with potential affected tribes, and consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office.

Reclamation will be the lead Federal agency for NEPA compliance and will be responsible for evaluating technical information and ensuring that natural resources, cultural, and socioeconomic concerns are appropriately addressed. As the lead agency, Reclamation is solely responsible for determining the appropriate level of NEPA compliance. Further, Reclamation is responsible to ensure findings under NEPA, and consultations, as appropriate, will support Reclamation’s decision on whether to fund a project. Environmental compliance costs are part of an applicant’s cost share. These costs will be considered in the ranking of applications.

Under no circumstance may an applicant begin any ground-disturbing activities (including grading, clearing, and other preliminary activities) on a project before environmental compliance is complete and Reclamation explicitly authorizes work to proceed. This pertains to all components of the proposed project, including those that are part of the applicant’s non-Federal cost share. Reclamation will provide a successful applicant with information once environmental compliance is complete. An applicant that proceeds before environmental compliance is complete may risk forfeiting Reclamation funding under this FOA.

E.7 Indirect Costs Show the proposed rate, cost base, and proposed amount for allowable indirect costs based on the applicable Office of Management and Budget (OMB) circular cost principles (see Section D.2 “Cost Sharing Requirement”) for the recipient’s organization. It is not acceptable to simply incorporate indirect rates within other direct cost line items.

If you have separate rates for recovery of labor overhead and general and administrative costs, each rate shall be shown. You should propose rates for evaluation purposes, which will be used as fixed or ceiling rates in any resulting award. Include a copy of any federally-approved indirect cost rate agreement.

If you do not have a federally-approved indirect cost rate agreement, or if you use unapproved rates, explain why and include the computational basis for the indirect expense pool and corresponding allocation base for each rate. Information on “Preparing and Submitting Indirect Cost Proposals” is available from Interior, the National Business Center, and Indirect Cost Section, at http://www.aqd.nbc.gov/services/ICS.aspx.

http://www.aqd.nbc.gov/services/ICS.aspx

Section F. Application Review Information

F.1 Review, Evaluation, and Selection Process Available funding for financial assistance is generally limited and will not cover all anticipated applications. Reclamation uses a formal process to identify the applications to be funded. The process consists of a technical panel that evaluates and ranks each application on its ability to meet Reclamation's program goals and objectives.

All applications will be evaluated and selected on a point basis. During the evaluation process, all applications will be given a score based upon their overall merit. The applications with the highest scores will be selected first for funding. The exact number to be funded will depend upon available funds. Reclamation shall consider each activity for funding based on its objectives, plan of work, responses to questions asked in this FOA, coordination with other agencies and organizations, and environmental impacts.

At least 50 percent non-Federal cost sharing for this activity is required. The amount of cost sharing and number of non-Federal partners will be considered in the evaluation process. The cost share may include cash, materials, supplies, use of facilities, direct labor costs, and contract costs with third parties paid by the recipient.

The evaluation process will be comprised of three levels.

F.1.1 First Level Screening

All applications will be screened by the receiving Reclamation Grants Office to ensure that:

• Each application is received prior to the deadline posted for the announcement,

• The application meets the requirements of the announcement package, including separate submission of technical and budget proposals and funding plans that are prepared in accordance with the instructions stated in Section E.5 of this document,

• The applicant meets the eligibility requirements stated in Section D of this document,

• All required information and forms have been provided, and

• The activity meets necessary requirements for receiving financial assistance.

All applications will undergo the initial screening process. Incomplete applications or those applications that are clearly not in support of the local WCFSP’s goals and objectives will be eliminated from further consideration as will applications not having a connection to a Pacific Northwest Region Reclamation project. Applications will also be screened to determine if the proposed activity is eligible for funding using the available funding authorities. You may contact the Grant Specialist or local Technical Representative if you need assistance.

An application must pass all first level screening criteria in order for it to be forwarded for further consideration at the second level evaluation phase.

F.1.2 Second Level Evaluation (Technical Review)

Applications that meet the first level screening review will be sent for technical review by an Application Review Committee (ARC). The ARC is made up of experts in relevant disciplines with knowledge of the WCFSP objectives. Applications will be scored by the ARC using the established sub-criteria and point factors as listed in Section I. During ARC review, Reclamation may contact applicants to request clarifications to the information provided, as necessary.

The reviewed applications will then be ranked from the highest score to the lowest score.

Applications must receive at least 50 percent of the total available ranking points to be considered for funding under this FOA. Those with less than 50 percent of the total available ranking points will be eliminated from further funding consideration.

If an applicant submits more than one application for consideration under this FOA, each application will be evaluated and scored independently. Once evaluated and scored, Reclamation may – at its discretion – combine applications selected for funding into one award if the activity statement of objectives is the same or similar. In no case will any entity receive more than one award.

F.1.3 Third Level of Evaluation (Managerial Review)

Program Management will conduct a final review to prioritize activities based on availability of funds and to ensure WCFSP objectives are being met by the proposed activities.

F.2 Other Factors Prior to award of a Grant agreement, the Grant Officer will consider several factors in the selection process which are important, but not quantified, such as:

• Pre-award clearances, determinations, reviews, and approvals,

• Allowability, reasonableness and allocability of proposed costs,

• Financial strength and stability of the organization,

• Past performance,

• Only one activity is included in each proposal,

• Adequacy of personnel practices,

• Procurement procedures, and accounting policies and procedures, as established by applicable OMB circulars,

• Current with other agreement reporting requirements, and

• Activity meets necessary requirements for receiving financial assistance.

F.3 Review and Selection Process The government reserves the right to reject all applications which do not meet the requirements of this announcement and which are determined to be outside the scope of the WCFSP. Awards will be made to the responsible applicants submitting applications which conform to the announcement and are most advantageous to the government considering the factors and any significant factors listed above.

After the evaluation and reviews are complete Reclamation will notify potential award recipients and unsuccessful applicants of their status and begin the process of making awards.

Section G. Award Administration Information

G.1 Award Notices Successful applicants from this FOA will receive notification that the application proposal has been recommended for funding. This notification is not an authorization to begin performance of the work. An official Notice of Award is the authorizing financial assistance agreement signed by the Recipient and then executed by the Reclamation Grants Officer. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified that their proposal was not selected for award.

G.2 Award Document If the applicant is awarded a financial assistance agreement as a result of this FOA, the proposed project and other relevant information (e.g., budget) from the application will be referenced in the agreement. The agreement document must be signed by a Reclamation Grants Officer before it becomes effective.

G.3 Reporting Requirements and Distribution If the applicant is awarded an agreement as a result of this FOA, the applicant will be required to submit financial and progress reports during the term of the agreement. The specific terms and conditions pertaining to the reporting requirements, including frequency, will be included in the financial assistance agreement.

G.3.1 Financial Reports

• SF-425, Federal Financial Report

G.3.2 Performance Reports

Progress reports, including, but not limited to, the following information:

• A comparison of actual accomplishments to the milestones established by the financial assistance agreement for the period;

• The reasons why established milestones were not met, if applicable;

• The status of milestones from the previous reporting period that were not met, if applicable;

• Whether the project is on schedule and within the original cost estimate; and any additional pertinent information or issues related to the status of the project.

Section H. Administrative Boundaries of the Pacific Northwest Region

Section I. Evaluation Criteria

I.1 Evaluation Criteria for Water Management and Conservation Planning

The evaluation criteria should be addressed in the technical proposal section of the application.

Applications should thoroughly address each criterion and any subcriterion in the order presented below. Applications will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria listed below.

Evaluation Criterion Point Allocation

A— Association with Reclamation Project Water Supplies

Based on the extent that the proposal demonstrates a nexus between the proposed project and a Reclamation project.

B— Extent to which the completed activity will improve the applicant’s ability to modernize their existing water delivery infrastructure

Based on the extent to which the proposal demonstrates that the applicant will be better situated to modernize their existing water delivery infrastructure upon completion of the water management and conservation planning activity.

C— Reasonableness of Cost

Based on the extent to which the proposal provides detail and justification of the costs and the reasonableness of those costs.

D— Extent to which Federal funding would promote completion of an activity that might otherwise be delayed or postponed

Based on the extent that the proposal demonstrates that the requested Federal funding would promote completion of the project that otherwise would be delayed or postponed.

E— Amount and sources of non-Federal funding

Based on the extent that the proposal describes the amount of non-Federal cost-share along with detail regarding those sources (e.g., in-kind, cash, loans).

F— DOI Priorities 10

Evaluation Criterion Point Allocation

Based on the extent that the proposal demonstrates that the project supports the DOI priorities. Please address those priorities that are applicable to your project. It is not necessary to address priorities that are not applicable to your project. A project will not necessarily receive more points simply because multiple priorities are addressed. Points will be allocated based on the degree to which the project supports one or more of the priorities listed, and whether the connection to the priority(ies) is well supported in the proposal.