OWM AWIA TA RFA FY20 031521.pdf

Federal Agency Name: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Water, Office of Wastewater Management

Funding Opportunity Title: Training and Technical Assistance for Wastewater Treatment Works for the Prevention, Reduction, and Elimination of Pollution

Announcement Type: Request for Applications (RFA)

Funding Opportunity Number (FON): EPA-OW-OWM-20-02

Assistance Listing: 66.446

Dates: The closing date and time for receipt of application submissions is May 17, 2021, by 11:59 PM, Eastern Time (ET) in order to be considered for funding. Application packages must be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (Grants.gov) no later than May 17, 2021, in order to be considered for funding. Questions about this RFA must be submitted in writing via e-mail and must be received by the Agency contacts identified in Section VII by April 27, 2021. Written responses to frequently asked questions (FAQs) will be posted on EPA’s website at: www.epa.gov/small-and-rural-wastewater-systems/technical-assistance-treatment-works. EPA strongly recommends interested applicants refer to the FAQs webpage prior to submitting a question.

Note to Applicants: Following EPA’s evaluation of applications, all applicants will be notified regarding their status. If you name subawardee/subgrantees and/or contractor(s) including individual consultants in your application as partners to assist you with the proposed project, pay careful attention to the information in the CONTRACTS AND SUBAWARDS provision found at EPA’s Solicitation Clauses (http://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses).

COVID-19 Update: EPA is providing flexibilities to applicants experiencing challenges related to COVID-19. Please see the Flexibilities Available to Organizations Impacted by COVID-19 clause in Section IV of EPA’s Solicitation Clauses (http://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses).

Summary: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is soliciting applications from eligible applicants as described in Section III.A to provide training and technical assistance for rural, small, and tribal publicly owned wastewater treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems for the prevention, reduction and elimination of pollution. Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 104(b)(8) requires that the funds are used for training and technical assistance to support the following three components:

• Component 1: Acquisition of Financing

• Component 2: Protect Water Quality and Achieve Clean Water Act Compliance

• Component 3: Disseminate Planning, Design, Construction, and Operation Information http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses http://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses http://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses http://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses

Training and technical assistance activities provided should be made available nationally in rural, small, and tribal communities.

Eligible applicants under this announcement are public and private nonprofit organizations, subject to CWA 104(w), that are qualified and experienced in providing on-site training and technical assistance to small publicly owned treatment works and onsite/decentralized wastewater treatment systems. For-profit organizations, states, municipalities, and tribal governments are not eligible to apply.

The total estimated amount of federal funding potentially available under this announcement is $12,000,000, depending on Agency funding levels, the quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations. It is anticipated that a total of one to four cooperative agreements, each with a project period of up to 18 months, will be awarded under this announcement.

CONTENTS BY SECTION

I. Funding Opportunity Description II. Award Information III. Eligibility Information IV. Application and Submission Information V. Application Review Information VI. Award Administration Information VII. Agency Contact VIII. Other Information

Section I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Program Objectives

EPA is soliciting applications from eligible applicants for projects discussed in further detail below. EPA anticipates awarding one to four cooperative agreements under this announcement.

Funding is expected to be available to provide training and technical assistance for rural, small, and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems and should be made available nationally in rural and small communities and to all personnel of these systems, including personnel of tribally owned and operated systems. Eligible activities include training and technical assistance only. Infrastructure construction projects such as repairing water or sewer lines, adding new equipment, or upgrading, retrofitting or rehabilitating existing equipment are not eligible for funding under this announcement.

The activities to be funded under this announcement support EPA’s FY 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, (available at: https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan). Awards made under this announcement will support progress toward Goal 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment: Deliver a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment for all Americans and future generations by carrying out https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan the Agency’s core mission, Objective 1.2: Provide for Clean and Safe Water: Ensure waters are clean through improved water infrastructure and, in partnership with states and tribes, sustainably manage programs to support drinking water, aquatic ecosystems, and recreational, economic, and subsistence activities, of EPA’s Strategic Plan.

The statutory authority for the award(s) expected to be made under this announcement is Section 104(b)(8) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) as codified by 33 U.S. Code § 1254 - Research, investigations, training, and information:

“(1) to provide technical assistance to rural, small, and tribal municipalities for the purpose of assisting, in consultation with the State in which the assistance is provided, such municipalities and tribal governments in the planning, developing, and acquisition of financing for eligible projects and activities described in [33 U.S.C. Section 1383(c)];

(2) to provide technical assistance and training for rural, small, and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems to enable such treatment works and systems to protect water quality and achieve and maintain compliance with the requirements of [the Clean Water Act]; and

(3) to disseminate information to rural, small, and tribal municipalities and municipalities that meet the affordability criteria established under [33 U.S.C. Section 1383(i)(2)] by the State in which the municipality is located with respect to planning, design, construction, and operation of publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems.”

B. National Priority

Each application submitted under this announcement must address the National Priority described below. Under this competition, only one application can be submitted per applicant. If an applicant submits more than one application, EPA will contact them before the review process begins to determine which application(s) will be withdrawn. If the applicant is not able to communicate a decision within two business days of being contacted by EPA, EPA will accept the application which was submitted first through Grants.gov. Additional information regarding the one application per applicant requirement may be found in the FAQ document available at www.epa.gov/small-and-rural-wastewater-systems/technical-assistance-treatment-works.

National priority area title: Training and Technical Assistance for Wastewater Treatment Works for the Prevention, Reduction, and Elimination of Pollution

EPA is soliciting applications from eligible applicants that address the following three components:

• Component 1: Acquisition of Financing http://www.epa.gov/small-and-rural-wastewater-systems/technical-assistance-treatment-works http://www.epa.gov/small-and-rural-wastewater-systems/technical-assistance-treatment-works

Applications must address all three components which are further discussed below. For purposes of this announcement, rural and small wastewater treatment systems are systems that treat up to 1 million gallons per day (MGD) of wastewater or serve a population of less than 10,000 persons and may also serve operations such as, but not limited to hospitals, schools, and restaurants. Most wastewater systems in the nation serve populations less than 10,000. Tribal systems serve populations of federally recognized tribes, Alaska Native Villages, and tribes on former reservations in Oklahoma (as defined by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs). For the purposes of this announcement, “small publicly owned treatment works” are defined as wastewater systems or treatment facilities that are owned by a public entity (such as a municipality) or not-for-profit entity (such as regional sewer districts), and/or serve tribal communities (with the exception of systems that are owned by U.S. federal entities).

“Decentralized systems” are defined as: septic or onsite or clustered systems used to collect, treat, and disperse or reclaim wastewater from a small community, tribe, or service area that are publicly or privately-owned and/or serve tribal communities (with the exception of systems that are owned by U.S. federal entities). For further details regarding decentralized systems refer to the EPA “Overview of Clean Water State Revolving Fund Eligibilities” decentralized chapter at:

https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf/overview-clean-water-state-revolving-fund-eligibilities.

Applicants should describe their proposed approach for providing training and technical assistance and disseminating information to rural, small, and tribal treatment works and to communities served by onsite/decentralized wastewater treatment systems. Training and technical assistance may be provided through face-to-face trainings and site visits or through remote learning approaches. This assistance may also include circuit-rider and multi-state regional technical assistance programs and training. Example activities are described in the further detailed component descriptions below.

Applicants should describe their proposed approach to making training and technical assistance available nationally in all 50 states and the U.S. territories as described under Section I.C, Providing Training and Technical Assistance on a National Basis, including how they will reach out to tribally-owned and operated systems, and how they will provide training and technical assistance to these systems. EPA encourages applications that include non-traditional or innovative approaches in addition to conventional or traditional approaches for training and technical assistance. The applicant should demonstrate how these non-traditional or innovative approaches in conjunction with conventional or traditional approaches show the potential to more effectively reach the intended audience than only conventional or traditional means.

The goals of the training and technical assistance activities are to assist rural, small, and tribal treatment works and onsite/decentralized wastewater treatment systems to improve operational performance and sustainable operations over the long-term, thereby improving public health and water quality. Applicants should describe how they will document and report on progress toward meeting this goal as described in Section I.D, EPA’s Strategic Plan and Anticipated Environmental Results. Applicants should also describe a process whereby they will consult with the appropriate regulatory authority (such as the state or territorial primacy agency or EPA regional direct implementation coordinator) in each state, tribe or territory in which the assistance is to be expended or otherwise made available prior to providing training and technical assistance in that https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf/overview-clean-water-state-revolving-fund-eligibilities state, tribe or territory. In particular, applicants should indicate how they will work with the state, territory or EPA to identify the systems in greatest need of assistance; how they will keep those agencies, the EPA Project Officer and appropriate EPA regional coordinators informed regarding the assistance provided; and how they will document these results.

All eligible applications will be evaluated based on the criteria in Section V including how well and thoroughly all three components are addressed (see Section V). EPA anticipates awarding approximately one to four cooperative agreements, subject to availability, ranging from approximately $1,000,000 to no more than $12,000,000. It is anticipated that the total amount of all awards under this competitive announcement will be approximately $12,000,000 in federal funding, with project periods of up to 18 months, depending on the amount requested and the overall size and scope of the project(s).

Applicants must address all three components in their application package. Applicants with expertise in one of the components described below may partner with another (other) eligible organization(s) to submit an application which addresses the three components. Please carefully review Section IV.E for information regarding applications that include partners as subawardees.

The three components are as follows:

Component 1: Acquisition of Financing

As per the statute the funding is available “… to provide technical assistance to rural, small, and tribal municipalities for the purpose of assisting … such municipalities and tribal governments in the planning, developing, and acquisition of financing for eligible projects and activities.”

Applicants must describe the proposed approach to provide technical assistance to rural, small, and tribal municipalities in the planning, developing, and acquisition of financing for Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) eligible projects and activities. The goal of Component 1 is to build the financial and managerial capacity of rural, small, and tribal wastewater systems to provide safe wastewater treatment over the long-term. The ability for wastewater systems to attain and maintain financial and managerial capacity is critical to ensuring that they can reliably and sustainably treat their customers’ wastewater.

Applicants should describe their proposed approach for providing technical assistance for personnel who operate or manage rural, small, and tribal wastewater systems, including decision makers such as trustees, board members, or system owners, to help them build their financial and managerial capacity to address current needs and to achieve long-term sustainability.

Technical assistance may be provided through face-to-face activities and site visits or through remote learning approaches.

This assistance may also include circuit-rider and multi-state regional technical assistance programs. Financial capacity refers to the financial resources of the wastewater system, including but not limited to, sustainable management practices, asset management, revenue sufficiency, user rate-setting, rate collection, non-payment shut-off policies, credit worthiness, fiscal controls, operational budgeting and planning. Managerial capacity refers to the management structure and practices of the wastewater system, including but not limited to, ownership accountability, staffing and organization, workforce recruitment and retention, planning for natural disaster related impacts, and effective linkages and communication with customers and regulatory agencies.

One of the primary sources of financial assistance for small wastewater systems is EPA’s CWSRF program. CWSRF is a federal-state partnership that provides communities low-cost financing for a wide range of water quality infrastructure projects. Routine and regular communication with the state CWSRF through these technical assistance activities is expected.

Applicants should describe the process for consulting with the appropriate regulatory authority in each state, tribe or territory prior to initiating training and technical assistance activities.

Applicants should also describe a process for reporting back to those authorities, to the EPA Project Officer and to the appropriate EPA regional coordinators regarding the assistance provided and document results. EPA maintains a public contact list of each of the State CWSRF contacts at:

https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf/list-state-contacts-clean-water-state-revolving-fund-cwsrf.

Examples of eligible technical assistance activities for planning, developing, and acquisition of financing for CWSRF eligible projects and activities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide technical assistance to improve the knowledge and skill competency of publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment system personnel in the areas of managerial and financial capacity.

• Provide instruction sessions for publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment system managers and board members in asset management, fiscal planning, communicating effectively with system customers, and other sustainable management topics.

• Provide technical assistance in asset management program implementation.

• Provide technical assistance to develop financial assessments and rate analyses.

• Provide technical assistance on workforce development.

• Work with publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems to conduct analyses on the potential benefits of partnerships and collaboration with other systems, including shared operators and treatment, restructuring and consolidation, thereby enabling them to become financially sustainable and to ensure wastewater is safely and affordably treated.

• Assist publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems to access and manage multiple infrastructure funding sources to address public health risks and achieve compliance.

EPA also encourages applicants to propose additional types of activities that may achieve the objectives of this RFA.

https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf/list-state-contacts-clean-water-state-revolving-fund-cwsrf

Component 2: Protect Water Quality and Achieve Clean Water Act Compliance

Applicants must describe the proposed approach to provide training and technical assistance for rural, small, and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems, and communities served by decentralized wastewater systems, to achieve and maintain compliance with the CWA. Rural, small, and tribal wastewater systems often face common challenges including: (1) a lack of capacity to assess current operations and identify short- and long-term opportunities for improvement; (2) frequent turnover of operations personnel; (3) personnel who lack necessary technical, financial or managerial skills; (4) limited rate bases; (5) aging infrastructure; (6) lack of knowledge of increasingly stringent discharge limits; and (7) lack of knowledge of newer techniques to reduce discharges, assess and improve operations, and analyze infrastructure alternatives to meet wastewater quality goals.

Training and technical assistance may be provided through face-to-face trainings and site visits or through remote learning approaches. This assistance may also include circuit-rider and multi-state regional technical assistance programs and training. Assistance may include:

training on long-term sustainability and effectiveness of rural, small, and tribal wastewater systems and decentralized systems, evaluation of treatment and/or infrastructure alternatives, training on preliminary engineering evaluations, assessments of management approaches and their effectiveness, development of appropriate rate structures, education of local officials, identification of funding alternatives, and/or use of green infrastructure, among other activities.

Applicants should describe their approach for utilizing existing information and materials on pollution prevention, facility operation and maintenance, effective utility management, and wastewater treatment alternatives with the communities and facilities being assisted. Applicants should describe an approach for providing on-site training and technical assistance, while also providing products and assistance for a broader (e.g., nationwide) audience. These trainings or technical activities may use existing materials, including, but not limited to documents and tools developed by EPA, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Indian Health Service (IHS) and other federal agencies. Such trainings or technical solutions could then be developed into or incorporated into existing guidebooks or webinars or other on-line training for transfer to rural, small, and tribal wastewater systems nationwide or supported as a “train-the-trainer” approach to increase material reach.

These training and technical assistance activities are to assist rural, small, and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems in achieving and maintaining CWA compliance. Applicants should describe how they will document and report progress toward attaining compliance, as described in Section I.D., EPA’s Strategic Plan and Anticipated Environmental Results. Applicants should also describe a process whereby they will consult with the appropriate regulatory authority (such as the state, tribal or territorial primacy agency or EPA regional direct implementation coordinators) in each state, tribe or territory in which the assistance is to be expended or otherwise made available, prior to providing training and technical assistance in that state, tribe or territory. In particular, applicants should indicate how they will work with the state, tribe, territory or EPA to identify the publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems in greatest need of assistance and identify the training topics of greatest need to these small wastewater treatment systems;

how they will keep those agencies, the EPA Project Officer and appropriate EPA regional coordinators informed regarding the assistance provided; and how they will document these results.

Routine and regular communication with the state CWSRF through these training and technical assistance activities is expected. EPA maintains a public contact list for the CWSRF at:

https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf/list-state-contacts-clean-water-state-revolving-fund-cwsrf. EPA issues all National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) water quality permits in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, the District of Columbia, the U.S. territories, and on federal and tribal lands. Other states have been delegated by EPA to issue their own permits.

Applicants should routinely and regularly communicate with their local state and/or EPA regional NPDES program; further details may be found at: https://www.epa.gov/npdes-permits.

Decentralized wastewater treatment systems such as septic systems, are used to treat and dispose of small volumes of wastewater onsite, usually from houses and businesses located in suburban and rural locations not served by a centralized public sewer system.

Septic systems treat wastewater from household plumbing fixtures (e.g., toilet, shower, laundry, etc.) through both natural and technological processes. Decentralized wastewater treatment systems may face significant maintenance and management challenges that affect their ability to maintain compliance with the CWA, including: (1) lack of information on system location, performance, age, and maintenance history; (2) improper design or siting; (3) lack of owner knowledge of proper preventative maintenance techniques; (4) lack of life-cycle management; and (5) lack of owner/service provider knowledge of advanced treatment and dispersal technologies.

Applicants should describe their approach to providing training and technical assistance on aspects of decentralized wastewater treatment system planning, installation, operation and maintenance. Applicants should describe their approach for utilizing and sharing existing information and materials on appropriate treatment and dispersal options to the appropriate identified audience(s). Routine and regular communication with the EPA regional and state decentralized wastewater treatment system contacts is recommended.

For a list of decentralized wastewater treatment system EPA regional contacts and State contacts see: https://www.epa.gov/septic/forms/contact-us-about-septic-systems.

Training and technical assistance activities under this component should also focus on promoting the sustainable and effective management of publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems and improving system performance. Applicants should describe their approach for training, for example, assisting facility managers, utility boards, and wastewater operators in sustainable utility operations. For additional details and examples, see the “Rural and Small Systems Guidebook to Sustainable Water and Wastewater Utility Management “at: https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-water-infrastructure/rural-and-small-systems-guidebook-sustainable-water-and-wastewater.

More than one in five households in the United States depend on individual onsite or small https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf/list-state-contacts-clean-water-state-revolving-fund-cwsrf https://www.epa.gov/npdes-permits https://www.epa.gov/septic/forms/contact-us-about-septic-systems https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-water-infrastructure/rural-and-small-systems-guidebook-sustainable-water-and-wastewater https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-water-infrastructure/rural-and-small-systems-guidebook-sustainable-water-and-wastewater community cluster systems (decentralized wastewater treatment systems) to treat their wastewater.

Homeowners face many challenges in providing wastewater treatment and commonly face challenges in obtaining the assistance they need to keep their systems in good working order. These challenges may include not knowing where to access accurate and timely information and technical assistance on decentralized wastewater treatment system ownership, in addition to not knowing where to access accurate decentralized wastewater treatment system construction, operation, maintenance, or testing information, local and state health regulations, local water quality and quantity concerns, and emergency contacts and procedures.

Examples of eligible training and technical assistance activities for rural, small, and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems to support compliance and protect water quality may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide operator training and technical assistance on CWA compliance, with emphasis on NPDES permitting.

• Provide training to decision makers and board members on CWA requirements and their responsibilities.

• Provide training to operators, staff, and managers on the sustainable and effective management of small publicly owned treatment works.

• Provide training and technical assistance to publicly owned treatment works facing earthquake impacts, drought, flooding, and other weather-related challenges.

• Conduct preliminary engineering evaluations to assess wastewater treatment, storage and conveyance system issues, and identify low-cost alternative technology and management techniques.

• Provide training for operator certification and continuing education units (CEUs).

Applicants should describe how they will obtain state approval for CEU credits for their training courses.

• Perform on-site trainings or technical assistance that focus on improving performance at local facilities (e.g., training on nutrient removal technologies, rate structures, energy efficiency opportunities, and assessments of sustainability and proper management of small publicly owned treatment works).

• Perform on-site trainings or technical assistance that focus on water reuse that reclaims and treats water and reuses it for purposes such as, but not limited to agriculture and irrigation, potable water supplies, groundwater replenishment, industrial processes, and environmental restoration.

• Consideration of alternatives for wastewater treatment and dispersal options, including advanced treatment, alternative drainfields, nutrient control and green infrastructure practices.

• Development of maintenance schedules.

• Assistance forming responsible management entities (RMEs) and supporting the development of a long-term business plan.

• Training of community leaders, service providers, and regulatory officials to assist in consideration of infrastructure construction alternatives, to highlight the importance of management, and to facilitate certification of installers and operators.

• Outreach to individual decentralized wastewater treatment system owners and the general public on proper preventative and corrective maintenance techniques.

• Developing and/or providing information, training, and technical assistance to organizations that work with decentralized wastewater treatment system owners (e.g.

county public health offices).

• Developing and/or providing electronic newsletters or using social media to provide topical or emergency information quickly to decentralized wastewater treatment system owners. Educating septic system owners through face-to-face visits regarding potential or actual threats to their systems and whom to contact for assistance.

EPA also encourages applicants to propose additional types of activities that may achieve the objectives of this RFA.

Component 3: Disseminate Planning, Design, Construction, and Operation Information

Applicants must describe the proposed approach to disseminate planning, design, construction, and operation information to: (1) rural, small, and tribal publicly owned treatment works; (2) decentralized wastewater treatment systems; and (3) municipalities that meet the CWSRF affordability criteria established under Section 603(i) of the CWA as amended by the 2014 Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA).

Municipalities that meet the affordability criteria under Section 603(i) of the CWA as amended by the 2014 WRRDA are those communities that might have difficulty financing projects without additional subsidization. The affordability criteria are based on:

• income;

• unemployment data;

• population trends; and

• other data determined relevant by the state CWSRF program.

Applicants should describe a proposed approach to coordinate with state CWSRF contacts to determine which communities meet the affordability criteria. EPA maintains a public contact list for the CWSRF program at: https://www.epa.gov/cwsrf/list-state-contacts-clean-water-state-revolving-fund-cwsrf.

Many rural, small, and tribal publicly owned treatment works, and decentralized wastewater treatment systems, face challenges in reliably providing safe treatment to their customers and consistently meeting the requirements of the CWA. The challenges that publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems face may include, but are not limited to: (1) lack of adequate revenue or access to financing; (2) aging infrastructure; (3) retirement of experienced system operators and the inability to recruit new operators; (4) managers and operators who lack the requisite financial, technical or managerial skills; (5) lack of planning for infrastructure upgrades or the ability to respond to and recover from natural disasters (e.g., floods or tornadoes); and (6) lack of understanding of existing or new regulatory requirements and treatment technologies. As a result, some rural, small, and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems may experience frequent or long-term planning, design, construction and operation challenges in reliably providing safe wastewater treatment to their customers.

Applicants should describe their proposed approach to disseminate information for the planning, design, construction and operation of rural, small, and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems. Applicants should also include an approach to disseminate information to personnel who operate or manage small publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems, including decision makers such as trustees, board members or system owners, to strengthen their technical capacity and enable them to comply with the regulatory requirements applicable to their system and become more resilient to natural disasters.

Information about training and technical assistance may be provided through face-to-face trainings and site visits or through remote learning approaches. This information dissemination assistance may also include circuit-rider and multi-state regional training and technical assistance programs. The information dissemination topics should refer to the physical infrastructure of the publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems, including, but not limited to, the adequacy of the system’s infrastructure (i.e.

collection, storage, treatment, and by product conveyance), and the ability of system personnel to adequately operate and maintain the system.

As previously described, more than one in five households in the United States depend on individual onsite or small community cluster systems (decentralized wastewater treatment systems) to treat their wastewater. Homeowners face many challenges in wastewater treatment, and commonly face challenges in obtaining the assistance they need to keep their systems in good working order. These challenges may include not knowing where to access accurate and timely information and technical assistance on decentralized wastewater treatment system construction, operation, maintenance, or testing information, local and state health regulations, local water quality and quantity concerns, and emergency contacts and procedures. Applicants should describe their proposed approach to disseminate information on planning, design, construction, and operation of rural, small, and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems.

Examples of eligible activities that disseminate planning, design, construction and operation information activities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Developing and/or providing online and hard copy information and materials on wastewater treatment topics.

• Developing, sharing, and delivering online webinars, conference calls, video conferencing, hotlines, online courses, and other forms of distance learning.

• Developing and/or providing electronic newsletters or using social media to provide topical or emergency information quickly to small publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment system owners.

• Developing and/or providing online and hard copy information and materials on topics of interest to homeowners, such as decentralized wastewater treatment system construction, maintenance and operation, testing, water quality and protection and state/tribal/local regulations.

• Providing information, training and technical assistance to other organizations with activities that affect decentralized wastewater treatment system owners.

• Developing and/or providing electronic newsletters or using social media to provide topical or emergency information quickly to decentralized wastewater treatment system owners.

• Educating decentralized wastewater treatment system owners through face-to-face visits regarding potential or actual threats to their systems and whom to contact for assistance.

EPA also encourages applicants to propose other types of activities that may achieve the objectives of this RFA.

C. Providing Training and Technical Assistance on a National Basis

Applications for projects described above should demonstrate the applicant’s ability and approach to making training and technical assistance available on a national basis. Applicants should describe their proposed approach to making training and technical assistance available nationally in all 50 states and the U.S. territories (i.e., Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and American Samoa) including how they will reach out to tribally-owned and operated treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems, through a combination of face-to-face/on-site and remote training and technical assistance approaches. The training and technical assistance may include circuit-rider and multi-state regional technical assistance, or some other program design that makes training and technical assistance available nationally. Applicants should describe how they will reach out to tribally owned and operated treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems and how they will provide training and technical assistance to these systems.

Applicants should include in their description how they propose to deliver trainings in person under normal circumstances and how they will deliver the trainings if in-person training is not possible due to impacts related to COVID-19 (e.g., under quarantine situations, if social distancing is required in your locale). Alternative trainings due to the impacts of COVID-19 may include switching from in-person formats to online only or reducing the number of participants in each training to allow participants to be located six feet apart from each other. Please note the “Providing Training and Technical Assistance on a National Basis” evaluation criteria in Section V: Application Review Information.

Applications will be evaluated based on the criteria in Section V, including the demonstrated ability and described approach to making training and technical assistance available nationally in the maximum number of states, tribes and U.S. territories through face-to-face/on-site and/or remotely. EPA will give priority consideration to applications that describe a thorough, quality, and flexible approach that tailors the training and technical assistance techniques and resources to address the specific needs of the target audience in as many states, tribes and U.S. territories as possible. A tailored approach should describe how the applicant will use the most appropriate techniques and materials to address the needs of various audiences, such as publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment system managers versus operators or private home owners, as well as the unique needs of populations determined by geographical, socio-economic, system-type, educational or other factors. The applicant should take into consideration how state and local regulations and policies impact the implementation of national standards. The approach should also demonstrate how the applicant would balance the use of face-to-face/on-site techniques which often result in a high level of understanding and knowledge retention for participants, but can be more expensive and resource-intensive, with the need to provide assistance in a maximum number of states, tribes and U.S. territories through remote techniques. Training and technical assistance may take the following forms.

1. Face-to-face and on-site technical assistance, which may include, for example, classroom training, workshops, site visits and circuit-riders or other multi-state and/or regional approaches to provide on-site technical assistance.

2. Remote technical assistance which may include, for example, webcasts, video conferencing, hotlines, online courses, and other forms of distance learning.

Training and technical assistance may also include developing and disseminating (through web posting and other means) various resources such as training and educational materials or tools that can be used nationally and/or with state or territorial-specific variations, as appropriate.

Applicants should indicate in their applications an estimate as to what portion of their training and technical assistance would be on-site face-to-face and what portion would be remote training and technical assistance.

All applications should also include a discussion of how the applicant will transfer results, effective compliance strategies and resources developed (such as tools, videos and training materials) to interested stakeholders such as other small publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems, states, territories, tribes, local governments and private home owners through the development and dissemination of training and educational materials, websites or other means.

D. EPA’s Strategic Plan and Anticipated Environmental Results

Applicants must demonstrate in their application how their project and proposed activities link to the Strategic Plan Goal and Objective identified below. This announcement is consistent with EPA’s priority to assist small publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems with technical assistance and training to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and long-term system sustainability.

The training and technical assistance activities to be funded under this announcement support EPA’s FY 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, (available at:

https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan). Awards made under this announcement will support Goal 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment: Deliver a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment for all Americans and future generations by carrying out the Agency’s core mission, Objective 1.2: Provide for Clean and Safe Water: Ensure waters are clean through improved water infrastructure and, in partnership with states and tribes, sustainably manage programs to support drinking water, aquatic ecosystems, and recreational, economic, and subsistence https://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan activities, of the EPA Strategic Plan.

EPA also requires that applicants adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7A1, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements, https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements.

All proposed projects must address the Strategic Plan and include specific statements describing the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined outputs and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the project will contribute to the overall protection of human health and the environment by preventing water pollution. The outputs and outcomes should directly address the goals of providing training and technical assistance to support:

• Component 1: Acquisition of Financing

Outputs Environmental outputs (or deliverables) refer to an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to an environmental goal or objective, that will be produced or provided over a period of time or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable during an assistance agreement funding period.

Examples of anticipated outputs for Component 1: Acquisition of Financing, may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• An increased number of rural, small and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment system personnel with improved knowledge and skill competency in managerial and financial capacity.

• An increased number of rural, small and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment system managers with asset management, fiscal planning, and effective customer communication knowledge.

• An increased number of asset management plans, financial assessments and workforce development plans for rural, small and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems.

• An increased number of rural, small and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems developing plans to implement water system partnerships, such as shared wastewater treatment and operators, restructuring, consolidation, or other collaboration or partnership actions with other systems.

• An increased number of rural, small and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems managing multiple infrastructure funding sources.

Examples of anticipated outputs for Component 2: Protect Water Quality and Achieve Clean Water Act Compliance, may include, but are not limited to, the following:

https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policy-environmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements

• An increased number of rural, small, and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems conducting diagnostic and troubleshooting analyses to determine factors affecting performance and compliance with NPDES permits.

• An increased number of board members and other small publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment system decision makers receiving training on asset management and other sustainable management and financial concepts.

• An increased number of rural, small, and tribal publicly owned treatment works operators receiving training utilizing hands-on and other training approaches which maximize understanding and knowledge retention.

• An increased number of rural, small, and tribal publicly owned treatment works receiving or performing energy audits and taking actions to improve energy efficiency based on audit results.

Examples of anticipated outputs for Component 3: Disseminate Planning, Design, Construction, and Operation Information, may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• An increased number of rural, small, and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment system managers and operators receiving training and technical assistance in:

o regulatory requirements, o financial and managerial capacity concepts and practices, o basic wastewater system operations, o effective utility management, and o advanced treatment issues.

• An increased number of community leaders, publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems operators, and decentralized wastewater treatment system Responsible Management Entities (RMEs) receiving training or technical assistance on analyzing treatment alternatives, management requirements, or homeowner education.

• An increased number of decentralized wastewater treatment systems that have been inventoried, inspected, or have maintenance schedules or manuals for new or upgraded systems.

• An increased number of private homeowners receiving training and technical assistance on decentralized wastewater treatment system issues.

Outcomes Environmental outcomes are the result, effect or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective, and are used as a way to gauge a project’s performance and take the form of output measures and outcome measures. Outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health-related or programmatic in nature. Outcomes must be quantitative and may not necessarily be achieved within an assistance agreement funding period. Outcomes may be short-term (changes in learning, knowledge, attitude, skills), intermediate (changes in behavior, practice or decisions), or long-term (changes in condition of the natural resource).

Examples of anticipated outcomes for Component 1: Acquisition of Financing, may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• An increase in the knowledge and capacity of rural, small, and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment system operators in the areas of financial and managerial capacity.

• Increased number of rural, small, and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems that have adopted asset management programs as part of their standard operating and management practices.

• An increased number of rural, small, and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems participating in water system partnerships, such as shared wastewater treatment and operators, restructuring, consolidation, or other collaboration or partnership actions with other systems.

Examples of anticipated outcomes for Component 2: Protect Water Quality and Achieve Clean Water Act Compliance, may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• An increased number of rural, small, and tribal publicly owned wastewater treatment systems in compliance with NPDES regulations or making substantial progress toward compliance as indicated by measured performance, reduced enforcement priority status or other factors.

• Fewer public health-related or public nuisance-related complaints associated with malfunctioning decentralized wastewater treatment systems.

• A measurable improvement in the performance of rural, small, and tribal publicly owned wastewater treatment systems where operational changes or other recommendations were implemented following a system diagnostic evaluation.

• An increased number of rural, small and tribal publicly owned treatment works and decentralized wastewater treatment systems that have improved their energy efficiency and/or achieved cost savings due to taking efficiency actions after conducting energy audits.

Examples of anticipated outcomes for Component 3: Disseminate Planning, Design, Construction, and Operation Information, may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• An increase in the…