oppF18AS00055-cfda15.620-instructions.docx

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service FBMS Project Charter

OMB Control Number: 1018-0123 Expiration Date: February 13, 2018

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Wildlife Without Borders – African Elephant Conservation Fund Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 15.620 Funding Opportunity Number: F18AS00055 Submission Deadline: Thursday, February 13, 2018

Notice of Funding Opportunity and Application Instructions

I. Description of Funding Opportunity The African Elephant Conservation Fund is accepting project proposals for the conservation of the African elephant (Loxodonta africana). In 1988, Congress passed the African Elephant Conservation Act in response to the alarming decline of African elephant populations. The Act provides for the establishment of the African Elephant Conservation Fund to provide financial assistance to support projects that will enhance sustainable conservation programs to ensure effective, long-term conservation of African elephants.

This Funding Opportunity aligns with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) mission and the Department of Interior Secretary’s priorities, including:

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

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

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) also supports African elephant conservation projects in Central Africa through the Africa Regional Program (formerly the Wildlife Without Borders - Africa program). The Notice of Funding Opportunity is located on the USFWS International Affairs How to Apply page. To streamline support, recipients of existing USFWS Cooperative Agreements are encouraged to include all funding requirements into comprehensive annual workplan submissions. Do not submit the same proposal to multiple funds - only submit your proposal to one program.

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

CENTRAL and WEST

EAST and SOUTHERN

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

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 USFWS. Total funding available for the African Elephant Conservation Fund is approximately $2.4-$3.4 million USD. Support for the aforementioned priority sites could be considered for $200,000-$400,000 if a single proposal represents a unified work plan including the wildlife authority and key partners. Requests for lower amounts are also welcomed. Projects must show long-term sustainability and significant buy-in from host country governments and other partners. 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 begins on the date the award is signed by the USFWS. The standard period of performance for projects is two years. Due to the limited funding available, USFWS may fund part or all of the request. Applicants are therefore advised to submit budget tables reflecting a one-year budget (for a lower amount) and a two-year budget (for a higher amount). If the applicant wishes to request a shorter or longer period of performance, it should be noted and the proposal and timetable should describe activities for the entire proposed period of performance.

Cooperative Agreements Under cooperative agreements, substantial involvement by the USFWS should be expected and may include participating and collaborating jointly with the recipient or other personnel in carrying out the scope of work including training recipient personnel or detailing Federal personnel to work on the project effort; reviews and approves one stage of work before the next stage can begin; reviews and approves, prior to recipient action, proposed modifications or sub-awards; helps select project staff or trainees; directs or redirects the work because of interrelationships with other projects; has power to immediately halt an activity if detailed performance specifications are not met; and limits recipient discretion with respect to scope of work, organizational structure, staffing, mode of operations and other management processes, coupled with close monitoring or operational involvement during performance under the award. 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 USFWS and a rationale for why involvement of the USFWS is needed to fulfill the project objectives. Program staff will evaluate the request and will correspond with the applicant if further information is needed to elucidate which option is more appropriate.

III. Basic Eligibility Requirements:

Eligible Applicants: Qualified individuals; non-profit, non-governmental organizations; public and private institutions of higher education; multi-national secretariats, and range state government agencies with demonstrated experience in elephant conservation are eligible to apply. U.S. non-profit, non-governmental organizations with 501(c)(3) Internal Revenue Status (IRS) must provide a copy of their Section 501(c)(3) status determination letter received from the IRS.

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

The USFWS will not fund the purchase of firearms or ammunition; buying of intelligence information or paying informants; gathering information by persons who conceal their true identity; law enforcement operations that prompt suspects to carry out illegal activities so they may be arrested (entrapment); or any activity that would circumvent sanctions, laws or regulations of either the U.S. or the country in which the activity would occur.

Federal law mandates that all entities applying for Federal financial assistance must have a valid Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number and have a current registration in the System for Award Management (SAM). See Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 25 for more information. Exemptions: The SAM registration requirement does not apply to individuals submitting an application on their own behalf and not on behalf of a company or other for-profit entity, state, local or Tribal government, academia or other type of organization.

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 (SAM) online at http://www.sam.gov/. Once registered in SAM, entities must renew and revalidate their SAM registration at least every 12 months from the date previously registered. Entities are strongly urged to revalidate their registration as often as needed to ensure that their information is up to date and in synch with changes that may have been made to DUNS and IRS information. Foreign entities who wish to be paid directly to a United States bank account must enter and maintain valid and current banking information in SAM.

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

D. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost sharing is not required to be eligible for consideration for funding. If applicants do have other sources of funding, the amounts and activities paid for by others should be shown and explained in application materials. 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 USFWS award cannot be reported as matching contributions but should be shown in a separate column and the purposes of these funds and activities paid for must be explained in detail. A match shown during one year may not be repeated as a match in a subsequent proposal.

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

A. Completed, dated and signed federal forms Federal Assistance form (SF-424) and Non-Construction form (SF-424b), located at: 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).

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

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 Title: Please name your proposal with a short but distinct title which includes the project site and country within the title and gives the reviewer an idea of the general type of work that is proposed. This title should be the same as you enter on the SF-424 in Field 15 “Descriptive Title of Applicant's Project”.

C. Project Summary: This section should answer the question, “What is the purpose of this project?” BRIEFLY summarize the project, in one page or less. This section should be a stand-alone summary of your project. It may be shared with the public. A summary of the need, local context, local population or subpopulation status and primary threats, goal(s), objectives, specific project activities, anticipated outputs and outcomes can also be included in this section.

The following table format is recommended as a summary of the target population’s status:

[threat text]

D. Project Narrative: Proposals should be ten (10) pages or less and must be submitted in English. Pages should be numbered. Application summary, figures, tables, maps, curriculum vitae (1 page or less each), and required forms do not count toward the ten-page limit.

1. Statement of Need: This section should answer the question, “Why is this project necessary?” The statement of need should clearly identify the targeted species or habitat, a description of the direct threats that adversely affect the targeted species/habitat at the project site, a justification for which threat(s) is the most important to address, and the specific activities and threats that the project will implement and address.

Describe why this project is necessary and include supporting information. Summarize previous or ongoing efforts (of your organization as well as other international, national, regional, and/or local organizations or individuals) that are relevant to the proposed work. Explain how your proposal differs from past work or builds upon it. Explain the successes or failures of past efforts and how your proposal builds upon those.

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

2. Project Goals and Objectives: This section should answer the question, “What do you want to achieve and how are you going to do it?” As an example, the following format is recommended:

GOAL:

Objective 1.

Activity 1.1 Activity 1.2 Objective 2.

Activity 2.1 Objective 3.

Activity 3.1 Activity 3.2 Activity 3.3

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

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

3. Project Activities, Methods and Timetable: This section should answer the question, “How are you going to achieve your objectives?” State the proposed project activities and describe how implementation will enable the project team to achieve the stated objectives. List the proposed project activities and describe how they relate to the stated objectives. Activities are the specific actions to be undertaken to fulfill the project objectives and reach the project goal(s). The proposed project activities narrative must be detailed enough for reviewers to make a clear connection between the activities and the proposed project costs.

Provide a detailed description of the method(s) to be used to carry out each activity. Provide a timetable indicating roughly when activities or project milestones are to be accomplished. Include any resulting tables, spreadsheets or flow charts within the body of the project narrative (do not include as separate attachments). The timetable should not propose specific dates but instead group activities by month for each month over the entire proposed project period.

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

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

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

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

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

Provide a timetable indicating roughly (over a 12- or 24-month timeframe), when activities or project milestones are to be accomplished. If there are multiple agencies, organizations, or individuals involved, it may be helpful to include a column showing which party will be responsible for each activity. Include any resulting tables, spreadsheets or flow charts within the body of the project narrative (do not include as separate attachments). The timetable should not propose specific dates, but rather list activities described in Section 3, for each month over a 12- or 24-month period. To view a sample project table go to http://www.fws.gov/internation/pdf/sample-timetable.pdf.

For projects being conducted in the United States, the narrative must provide enough detail so that reviewers are able to determine project compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. For projects being conducted on the high seas, the narrative should provide enough detail so that reviewers are able to determine project compliance with Section 7 of Endangered Species Act. Provide a detailed description of the method(s) to be used to carry out each activity.

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

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

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

Note that outputs (or products) should generally NOT be used as indicators, including USFWS performance reports. Indicators should reflect a change in capacity, human behavior, threat, or status of the target species. If the current status of the indicator is known, and the applicant identifies the indicator’s desired status or qualitative condition, providing this information will strengthen the proposal.

The following table format is recommended:

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

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

6. Description of Entities Undertaking the Project: This section should answer the question, “Who will be executing the project and what are their specific qualifications?” Provide a brief description of the applicant organization and all participating entities and/or individuals. Identify which of the proposed activities each agency, organization, group, or individual is responsible for conducting or managing. Provide complete contact information for the individual within the organization that will oversee/manage the project activities on a day-to-day basis. Provide brief (<1 page) curricula vitae for key personnel, identifying their qualifications to carry out project activities. To prevent unnecessary transmission of Personally Identifiable Information, do not include Social Security numbers, the names of family members, or any other personal or sensitive information including marital status, religion or physical characteristics on the description of key personnel qualifications. Where multiple groups are working in the same site, or are listed as stakeholders in the proposal, letters of endorsement specifically referring to this proposal and to the proposed collaboration from each partner organization will strengthen your proposal, and may be requested by reviewers. If the project can demonstrate a strong partnership with the wildlife authority and national or species- or site-specific plans or priorities, providing this information will strengthen the proposal.

7. Sustainability: This section should answer the question, “What is your long-term plan for this project beyond the USFWS 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, that the scale of the map is apparent, and that the map is large enough to be legible, preferably a full page.

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.

E. Budget Table

Instructions for Budget Table: Begin your project budget table on a new page.

The budget table should include rows for all cost categories/items for the project (see example below). All amounts must be shown in USD. Monetary amounts should be right justified, with the same number of significant figures (no cents), and commas to demarcate thousands.

Columns should show cost calculations (in USD), total budget for that item, amount requested from USFWS, and one or more columns for applicant and other partner contributions. If the program generates any income that will be used to conduct project activities that should be shown as a line item.

The Budget Table should provide enough information for reviewers to be able to understand the cost basis and calculation at a glance. Please provide all calculations in US$. For example, a $9,000 line item for uniforms should include the formula for how the cost was calculated: Uniform issue, 1 set per person per year (boots, socks, pants, shirt, jacket): $60 per set x 15 scouts= $9,000.

For any salaries, staff time or contractors that USFWS 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, qualifications of the trainer or training company should be included, and details on the objectives of the training (including curriculum or evaluation material) should be explained in detail.

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

Wherever possible, cost calculations should be included in the Budget Table. Where necessary, additional description should be provided in the Budget Justifications. If the Budget Table requires more than one page, verify that the column headings and row titles appear on all pages.

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.

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.

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

Multiple Federal Funding Sources: If the project budget includes multiple Federal funding sources, you must show the funds being requested from this Federal program separately from any other requested/secured Federal sources of funding on the budget form. For example, enter the funds being requested from this Federal program in the first row of the Budget Summary section of the form and then enter funding related to other Federal programs in the subsequent row(s). Be sure to enter each Federal program’s CFDA number in the corresponding fields on the form. The CFDA number for this Federal program appears on the first page of this funding opportunity.

F. Budget Justification (This is a mandatory requirement) 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 USFWS’s approval and estimate its cost.

Required Indirect Cost Statement: Applicants that do not have a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) cannot claim more than a flat de minimus indirect cost rate of 10% of modified total direct costs. 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 [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.

2. 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.

3. 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

4. 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 USFWS 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 USFWS to transfer unallowable indirect costs to amounts budgeted for direct costs or to satisfy cost-sharing or matching requirements under the award.

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

For more information on indirect cost rates, see the USFWS’s Indirect Costs and Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreements guidance document on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/grants/.

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

For organizations without a NICRA, you must have an open, active Federal award to submit an indirect cost rate proposal to your cognizant agency. The Federal awarding agency that provides the largest amount of direct funding to your organization is your cognizant agency, unless otherwise assigned by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). If the Department of the Interior is your cognizant agency, your indirect cost rate will be negotiated by the Interior Business Center (IBC). For more information, contact IBC at:

Indirect Cost Services Acquisition Services Directorate, Interior Business Center U.S. Department of the Interior 2180 Harvard Street, Suite 430 Sacramento, CA 95815 Phone: 916-566-7111; Email: ics@nbc.gov Internet address: http://www.aqd.nbc.gov/Services/ICS.aspx

G. 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.

H. 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.

I. 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.

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

K. Overlap/Duplications Statement: Applicants must notify the Program in writing that the proposed project/proposal does NOT have any duplication of work that is currently being funded by the Program.

Application Checklist

· SF-424 - Application for Federal Assistance

· SF-424B Assurances form

· System for Award Management (SAM) registration

· Project Title

· Project Summary (1 page)

· Project Narrative (10 pages or less)

· Budget Table (show costs in USD)

· Budget justification including indirect cost statement

· Map

· Government Letter of Endorsement

· Any other supporting letters or endorsements

· Conflict of Interest statement, when applicable

· A-133 Single Audit Reporting statement (US applicants only)

· SF-LLL Form, when applicable (US applicants only)

· 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

· Required NICRA Statement and when applicable, a copy of the organization’s current Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

· Duplication of Work Statement (see paragraph K above.) (NEW requirement this year).

V. Submission Instructions SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Open from December 14, 2017. Proposals must be submitted by 11:59 PM EST on Tuesday, February 13, 2018. Proposals must be in English. A confirmation e-mail containing an assigned proposal number beginning with “AFE18 ” will be sent to applicants. If you do not receive this email by March 6, 2018, please contact MSCF_africanelephant@fws.gov.

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 USFWS’s financial assistance management system.

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

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

Foreign Applicants: Submit your proposal to the following program mailbox: MSCF_africanelephant@fws.gov . All documents must be 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.

VI. Application Review

Criteria: To be considered for funding, proposals must address one or more of this program’s funding priorities, listed above in Section I. Description of Funding Opportunity. The USFWS, Division of International Conservation evaluates proposals by scoring how well each proposal addresses the program priorities and the requested elements listed in the Application Requirements section above. After reading proposals, reviewers categorize proposals into groups ranging from highest ranked to poorly ranked. The USFWS will attempt to fund all the projects that are deemed to be highest ranking. In the case that there are too many proposals within the top ranking category to be funded, they will be ranked and funded in order of priority. The following are considered in review of the proposals: importance of the project for the conservation of African elephants and their habitat, proposal addresses the most important threats for that particular population and has a viable plan of action, qualifications of the organization and experience of key personnel, a summary of past interventions and history at the site is presented and the current plan of action is logical and feasible, activities and methods adequately described and realistic for the situation, past performance of the grantee, evidence of collaboration with or inclusion of key stakeholders, appropriate budget, measurable impact, likelihood of positive impact. These scores are not the sole determining factor for final funding decisions.

Review and Selection Process:

The USFWS, Division of International Conservation ranks proposals by evaluating how well each proposal addresses the program priorities and the requested elements outlined above. Applications will be reviewed by a panel of federal government employees with specific subject area and/or regional expertise. USFWS may solicit advice from qualified experts to conduct a technical review of the proposed project. The USFWS may also discuss your proposal with known past and present partners to reduce the potential for waste, fraud, and abuse and to encourage coordination and collaboration among projects on the ground. Other sub-factors that reviewers may consider to further distinguish among applications: financial need; geographic and project diversity in the USFWS portfolio; proportion of budget dedicated to on-the-ground conservation activities; provides best value to the U. S. Government; buy-in from host country government and other partners; project sustainability; and a monitoring and evaluation plan that is designed so that the effectiveness of activities can be credibly assessed and shared.

Prior to participating in any review or evaluation process, all staff and peer reviewers, evaluators, panel members, and advisors must sign and return to the program office point of contact the “Department of the Interior Conflict of Interest Certification” form. For a copy of this form, contact the USFWS point of contact identified in the Agency Contacts section below.

Each fiscal year, for every entity receiving one or more awards in that fiscal year, the USFWS conducts a risk assessment based on eight risk categories. The result of this risk assessment is used to establish a monitoring plan for all awards to the entity in that fiscal year. The USFWS’s risk assessment form is available on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/forms/3-2462.pdf.

VII. Award Administration Award Notices: Following review, applicants may be requested to revise the project scope and/or budget before an award is made. Successful applicants will receive written notice in the form of a notice of award document. Notices of award are sent to recipients by e-mail. If e-mail notification is unsuccessful, the documents will be sent by courier mail (e.g., FedEx, DHL or UPS). Award recipients are not required to sign/return the Notice of Award document. Acceptance of an award is defined as starting work, drawing down funds, or accepting the award via electronic means. Awards are based on the application submitted to, and as approved by, the USFWS. The notice of award document will include instructions specific to each recipient on how to request payment. If applicable, the instructions will detail any additional information/forms required and where to submit payment requests. Applicants whose projects are not selected for funding will receive written notice, most often by email, within 180 days from the submission deadline.

U.S. Recipient Payments: Prior to award, the USFWS program office will contact you/your organization to either enroll in the U.S. Treasury’s Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) system or, if eligible, obtain approval from the Department of the Interior to be waived from using ASAP.

The Notice of Award document from the USFWS will include instructions specific to each recipient on how to request payment. If applicable, the instructions will detail any additional information/forms required and where to submit payment requests.

Transmittal of Sensitive Data: Recipients are responsible for ensuring any sensitive data being sent to the USFWS is protected during its transmission/delivery. The USFWS strongly recommends that recipients use the most secure transmission/delivery method available. The USFWS recommends the following digital transmission methods: secure digital faxing; encrypted emails; emailing a password protected zipped/compressed file attachment in one email followed by the password in a second email; or emailing a zipped/compressed file attachment. The USFWS strongly encourages recipients sending sensitive data in paper copy to use a courier mail service. Recipients may also contact their USFWS Project Officer and provide any sensitive data over the telephone.

Award Terms and Conditions: Acceptance of a financial assistance award (i.e., grant or cooperative agreement) from the USFWS carries with it the responsibility to be aware of and comply with the terms and conditions applicable to the award. Acceptance is defined as the start of work, drawing down funds, or accepting the award via electronic means. Awards are based on the application submitted to and approved by the USFWS and are subject to the terms and conditions incorporated into the notice of award either by direct citation or by reference to the following: Federal regulations; program legislation or regulation; and special award terms and conditions. The Federal regulations applicable to USFWS awards are available on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/grants/ and http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/assistance-award-guidelines.pdf. If you do not have access to the Internet and require a full text copy of the award terms and conditions, contact the USFWS point of contact identified in the Agency Contacts section below.

Recipient Reporting Requirements:

Financial and Performance Reports: Interim financial reports and performance reports may be required. Interim reports will be required no more frequently than quarterly, and no less frequently than annually. A final financial report and a final performance report will be required and are due within 90 calendar days of the end date of the award. Performance reports must contain: 1) a comparison of actual accomplishments with the goals and objectives of the award as detailed in the approved scope of work; 2) a description of reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate; and 3) any other pertinent information relevant to the project results.

Financial Reports should consist of:

· Completed and signed by an authorized representative SF-425 form;

· It is advised, accompanying the SF-425 form a detailed financial report, explaining expenditures to date. The simplest way to provide this information is to add additional columns to your original proposed budget showing Actual Costs Expended and Balance of USFWS Funds Remaining.

Performance Reports should consist of:

· Executive Summary

· Project Objectives and activities accomplished;

· Results

· Conservation Outcomes

Significant Developments Reports: Events may occur between the scheduled performance reporting dates that have significant impact upon the supported activity. In such cases, recipients are required to notify the USFWS in writing as soon as the following types of conditions become known:

· Problems, delays, or adverse conditions that will materially impair the ability to meet the objective of the Federal award.