P22AS00073 - SWBRPP NOFO.docx

U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service

Financial Assistance Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

All applications must be submitted via email to imr_swbrpp@nps.gov

Table of Contents

Section A: Program Description

Federal Agency Name: Department of the Interior, National Park Service

Funding Opportunity Title: Southwest Border Resource Protection Program

Funding Opportunity Number: P22AS00073

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 15.963

Legislative Authority:

· 54 U.S.C. §101702(a) Cooperative Agreements, Transfer of Service Appropriated Funds: authorizes the National Park Service (NPS) to enter into cooperative agreements that involve the transfer of NPS appropriated funds to funds to State, local and tribal governments, other public entities, educational institutions, and private nonprofit organizations for the public purpose of carrying out National Park Service programs pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 6305.

· 54 USC §100703 Cooperative Study Units: The Secretary is authorized and directed to enter into cooperative agreements with colleges and universities, including but not limited to, land grant schools, in partnership with other Federal and State agencies, to establish cooperative study units to conduct multi-disciplinary research and develop integrated information products on the resources of the National Park System, or the larger region of which parts area a part.

· 54 U.S.C. §101702(b) Cooperative Agreements, Cooperative Research and Training Programs: The Secretary may enter into agreements with public or private educational institutions, States and their political subdivisions, for the purpose of developing adequate, coordinated, cooperative research and training programs concerning the resources of the National Park System, and pursuant to such agreements, to accept from and make available to the cooperator such technical and support staff, financial assistance for mutually agreed upon research projects, supplies and equipment, facilities, and administrative services relating to cooperative research units as the Secretary deems appropriate.

Federal Regulations: 2 C.F.R. § 200, 2 C.F.R. § 1402

Program Background Information and Objectives:

The Southwest Border Resource Protection Program (SWBRPP) provides financial assistance to NPS units, as well as educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, tribes, and local and state agencies to improve resource stewardship, achieve international cooperation, provide meaningful interpretation and conduct scientific research, which will lead to increased appreciation and understanding of our shared natural and cultural heritage along our international border with Mexico.

Several National Parks located along the U.S. border with Mexico have recently experienced serious resource damage due to illegal cross border activities including drug traffickers and undocumented persons traversing the parks. Other national park units within the desert southwest have also experienced impacts to their natural and cultural resources. Thousands of miles of unauthorized roads and trails have been created, major ecological processes and the migration patterns of wildlife have been disrupted, important historic sites have been vandalized, and archaeological sites have been looted. Program funding is available for conducting scientific research and monitoring of species, as well as conservation, interpretation and preservation projects designed to help protect and preserve natural and cultural resources located near or along our international border.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to work closely with at least one of ten NPS units located near the international border in the formulation of the project. These parks include Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Big Bend National Park, Amistad National Recreation Area, Palo Alto National Historic Site, Padre Island National Seashore, Saguaro National Park, Tumacacori National Historical Park, Chamizal National Memorial, Coronado National Memorial, and Chiricahua National Monument.

The projects and activities will be individually authorized by separate awards, with each project or activity having a separate work plan and budget developed cooperatively between the NPS and the cooperator. Project categories include:

· Research Documentation involving cultural resources such as:

· Identification, research, and evaluation of archeological and historic sites

· National Register of Historic Places nominations

· National Historic Landmark nominations Research involving natural resource issues such as:

· Wildlife habitat management

· Inventory and monitoring of invasive plants and animals

· Impacts from climate change to endangered species

· Assessments of the effects of border activities on threatened and endangered species

· Protection:

Preservation of cultural resources such as:

· Stabilization, rehabilitation, and restoration of historic structures, archeological sites, trails and landscapes

· Conservation of collections Conservation and preservation of natural resources such as:

· Reestablishment of natural processes and ecological systems

· Monitoring of resource damage caused by human developments

· Protection and conservation endangered and threatened species

· Integrated pest management planning

· Restoration of native wildlife and vegetation, including removal of exotic species

· Education/Interpretation/Information Sharing Professional training and exchange such as:

· Student intern programs

· Workshops, seminars, symposia, training programs

· Binational conferences

· Informational network gatherings

· Development of interpretive materials, programs, workshops

Section B: Federal Award Information

Anticipated Federal Funding: ($275,000.00) The amount of funding available per award for this NOFO will be determined once final annual appropriations have been made. This NOFO will be cancelled if final annual appropriations are insufficient to support new awards.

Non-Federal Entity Cost Share:

Non-federal entity cost share is encouraged, but not required for this agreement. Please see Criterion 4 in Section E for more information on cost share.

Estimated Number of Agreements to be Awarded: 5-10 Each activity or project under this agreement will be treated individually, with more detail through project statements, project plans and budgets developed cooperatively between the NPS and the non-Federal entity.

Estimated Amount of Funding Available Per Award:

An estimated range of $10,000.00 to $55,000.00 of funding is anticipated for each award.

The amount of funding available per award for this NOFO will be determined as part of the application review process based on applications received and funding made available through appropriations.

Anticipated Start Date:

Projects receiving funding through this NOFO will start once funding has been secured and awards have been made.

Anticipated Term of the Agreement: April 1, 2023 – December 31, 2024 Agreement terms for funded projects are estimated to range between one and five years, depending on the negotiated project statement of work. Agreements are not effective until fully executed with signature from the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer.

Type of Agreements:

Master Cooperative Agreement – A master cooperative agreement is an agreement with a non-Federal entity in which more than one project is anticipated. This type of cooperative agreement includes a detailed description of all types of work that can be done under the agreement. The master cooperative agreement will also establish the overarching terms and conditions agreed to by the National Park Service and the non-Federal entity and are not funded. Specific projects and funding under a master agreement are identified through task agreements, which are issued under the applicable legal authority documented in the master cooperative agreement. A specific task agreement will always reference, and be subject to, the terms and conditions of the master cooperative agreement.

Stand-Alone Cooperative Agreement – A legal instrument of financial assistance entered into when the principal purpose of the relationship of the agreement is to transfer something of value from the Federal awarding agency to the non-Federal entity to carry out a public purpose authorized by a law, and substantial involvement on the part of the National Park Service is anticipated in carrying out the funded activity. Stand-alone cooperative agreements contain terms and conditions, statements of work, and funding that is obligated by the cooperative agreement. They are not linked to task agreements or master cooperative agreements as they are fully self-contained.

Substantial Involvement:

Substantial involvement may include, but not limited to:

· NPS is involved with the recipient in describing the goals, jointly developing the scope and the activities to be accomplished.

· NPS staff will assist the recipient in selecting projects, providing orientation to park resources, overseeing assignments, teaching new skills, distributing tools and equipment and providing technical assistance and safety training.

· NPS will provide cultural/environmental programs to the team members including park tours, educational programs, talks on the history of the park, and other similar programs in a variety of media and will coordinate among other NPS units in the area to provide joint educational programs and field trips to NPS and other related sites.

· NPS will collaborate, participate, and allow the public dissemination of the results of the research and both preservation and conservation projects.

· NPS will provide substantial, direct involvement prior to initiation of activities or travel to ensure compliance as well as obtaining necessary permits.

· NPS staff will work together with the recipient to jointly organize and deliver seminars, workshops, and types of training programs for the purpose of promoting historic preservation to non-Government entities, States, Tribes, and local governments and the general public.

· NPS will provide the services of a Program Coordinator to serve as liaison to (the recipient) for the work under this agreement.

Data Availability:

· Applicability. The Department of the Interior is committed to basing its decisions on the best available science and providing the American people with enough information to thoughtfully and substantively evaluate the data, methodology, and analysis used by the Department to inform its decisions.

· Use of Data. The regulations at 2 CFR 200.315 apply to data produced under a Federal award, including the provision that the Federal Government has the right to obtain, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the data produced under a Federal award as well as authorize others to receive, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use such data for Federal purposes.

· Availability of Data. The recipient shall make the data produced under this award and any subaward(s) available to the Government for public release, consistent with applicable law, to allow meaningful third party evaluation and reproduction of the following:

(a) The scientific data relied upon;

(b) The analysis relied upon; and

(c) The methodology, including models, used to gather and analyze data.

Conflict of Interest:

1. Applicability.

a. This section intends to ensure that non-Federal entities and their employees take appropriate steps to avoid conflicts of interest in their responsibilities under or with respect to Federal financial assistance agreements.

b. In the procurement of supplies, equipment, construction, and services by recipients and by subrecipients, the conflict of interest provisions in 2 CFR 200.318 apply.

2. Requirements.

a. Non-Federal entities must avoid prohibited conflicts of interest, including any significant financial interests that could cause a reasonable person to question the recipient's ability to provide impartial, technically sound, and objective performance under or with respect to a Federal financial assistance agreement.

b. In addition to any other prohibitions that may apply with respect to conflicts of interest, no key official of an actual or proposed recipient or subrecipient, who is substantially involved in the proposal or project, may have been a former Federal employee who, within the last one (1) year, participated personally and substantially in the evaluation, award, or administration of an award with respect to that recipient or subrecipient or in development of the requirement leading to the funding announcement.

c. No actual or prospective recipient or subrecipient may solicit, obtain, or use non-public information regarding the evaluation, award, or administration of an award to that recipient or subrecipient or the development of a Federal financial assistance opportunity that may be of competitive interest to that recipient or subrecipient.

3. Notification.

a. Non-Federal entities, including applicants for financial assistance awards, must disclose in writing any conflict of interest to the DOI awarding agency or pass-through entity in accordance with 2 CFR 200.112, Conflicts of interest.

4. Recipients must establish internal controls that include, at a minimum, procedures to identify, disclose, and mitigate or eliminate identified conflicts of interest. The recipient is responsible for notifying the Financial Assistance Officer in writing of any conflicts of interest that may arise during the life of the award, including those that have been reported by subrecipients. Restrictions on Lobbying. Non-Federal entities are strictly prohibited from using funds under this grant or cooperative agreement for lobbying activities and must provide the required certifications and disclosures pursuant to 43 CFR Part 18 and 31 USC 1352.

5. Review Procedures. The Financial Assistance Officer will examine each conflict of interest disclosure on the basis of its particular facts and the nature of the proposed grant or cooperative agreement, and will determine whether a significant potential conflict exists and, if it does, develop an appropriate means for resolving it.

6. Enforcement. Failure to resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the Government may be cause for termination of the award. Failure to make required disclosures may result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR 200.338, Remedies for Noncompliance, including suspension or debarment (see also 2 CFR Part 180).

Other Information:

Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awards.

Section C: Eligibility Information

Application Due Date: December 17, 2021 5:00 PM, MT An applicant's failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of the application deadline will result in the application being excluded from consideration. This includes but is not limited to late and incomplete application packages.

Eligible Applicants In accordance with 54 USC §101702(a), §101702(b), and §101703, this funding opportunity is limited to educational institutions, non-profit organizations, state and local governments and tribal governments. For profit organizations, foreign organizations, and governments outside the United States and its territories are not eligible to apply.

Cost Sharing or Matching Non-federal entity cost sharing is encouraged, but not required to be eligible for an award under this Notice of Funding Opportunity. Please see Criterion 4 in Section E for more information.

Other

1. LIMITS: There are no limits on the number of submitted projects per applicant.

2. MULTI-YEAR PROJECTS: Due to Federal appropriations law for financial assistance, funding support will only be provided for projects per the requirements of this Notice of Funding Opportunity in the anticipated term of the agreement listed above. However, applicants are encouraged to identify the intention to submit future year continuation applications. For projects that intend to submit future year continuation applications, please provide a short description of the scope of work for any continued work related to the project within the Project Narrative. That summary should include the significance of project continuation, measurable results, and an estimated total future cost. Continuation summaries must also be based on the current $10,000 - $55,000 project limit. While continuation projects cannot be guaranteed funding in future years, consideration by the current panel will be noted and heavily considered by future panels.

Section D: Application and Submission Information

1. Application Package An Application Package has been included within this Notice of Funding Opportunity for your convenience, found in Appendix A. The Application Package contains three mandatory forms, which must be submitted with your proposal, forms include: form SF424 (Application for Financial Assistance), form SF424A (Budget Information), and form SF424B (Assurances).

2. Contents and Form of Application Submission You must complete the mandatory forms and any applicable optional forms, in accordance with the instructions below, as required by this NOFO. Do not include any proprietary or personally identifiable information. A complete application should include:

· Standard Form 424 (SF 424) - Application for Federal Assistance Complete this form as much as possible with all applicable information.

· Standard Form 424A - Budget Information Applicants must provide an estimated cumulative budget for the total project in the proposal. The estimated budget must align with the projected scope of work presented in the application.

· Detailed Budget to Support the SF424A - A detailed budget is required noting all cost categories, cost item descriptions, quantities, costs per unit, and resultant calculations. An example detailed budget is attached in Appendix A. Applicants may create a detailed budget on their own or utilize the example budget provided. The example budget is not a mandatory template and may be used or modified at the applicant’s discretion. Cost categories can include, but are not limited to, those costs items included on the SF424A.

· Standard Form 424B – Assurances This form must be signed and submitted with your application.

· Project Narrative - Proposal Submission Format The proposal is a narrative description that should specifically address each of the review criteria (see Section E). The proposal text must be no longer than 5 pages, no smaller than font size 11, and have 1-inch margins. The 5-page limit includes all text, figures, references, and resumes (Forms SF-424, SF-424A, Detailed Budget, SF-424B, the statement of indirect charges, letters of support, and the statement of overlap are not counted as part of the 5-page limit). Additionally, only information that is pertinent to the proposal should be included.

· Indirect Costs If your proposed budget includes indirect costs, the rate as proposed must meet the requirements of 2 CFR Part 200, Section 200.414 and 2 CFR Part 200, Appendix III through Appendix VII as applicable. A negotiated indirect cost rate agreement must be provided with your proposal. Proposals that fail to document their indirect costs may have those costs disallowed.

· Letters of Support Letters of support from each NPS unit involved in the project as well as potential partners should accompany the proposal to document the willingness to participate in the project if selected, with a short description of how they will be involved.

· Other Documents Required by the Program All applicants must provide a statement to identify whether or not any overlap exists between the proposed project and any other active or anticipated projects in terms of activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel, including any application that was submitted for funding consideration to any other potential funding source (Federal or non-Federal). If no overlap or duplication exists, a sample statement to satisfy this requirement might be: “[Insert Applicant Name] affirms that no overlap or duplication exists between the proposed project in this application and any other active or anticipated project in terms of activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel, including any application that was submitted for funding consideration to any other potential funding source (Federal or non-Federal).” If any overlap or duplication does exist, applicants must provide a description of the overlap including when the overlapping or duplicative proposal(s) were submitted, to whom (entity and program), and when funding decisions are expected to be announced. The statement and the description of overlap or duplication, when applicable, may be provided within the proposal or as a separate attachment to the application. If at any time a proposal is awarded funds that would be overlapping or duplicative of the funding requested from NPS, the applicant must immediately notify the NPS point of contact. Any overlap or duplication of funding between the proposed project and other active or anticipated projects may impact selection and/or funding amount.

If selected for award, NPS reserves the right to request additional or clarifying information for any reason deemed necessary, including, but not limited to:

A. Other budget information B. Financial capability C. Evaluation of risk D. Name and phone number of the Designated Responsible Employee for complying with national policies prohibiting discrimination (See 43 C.F.R. § 17)

3. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) Each applicant (unless exempt under 2 CFR §25.110) is required to:

(a) Be registered in SAM;

(b) Provide a valid unique entity identifier in its application (currently a DUNS number);

(c) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency.

Registration processes for SAM can be found at https://www.sam.gov

A financial assistance agreement will not be made with a non-Federal entity until the non-Federal entity has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements. If a non-Federal entity has not fully complied with the requirements by the time that an agreement is ready for award, a determination may be made that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award. That determination may be used as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant.

4. Submission Dates and Times Applicants are held responsible for their proposals being submitted to the National Park Service. Applications must be received by December 17, 2021 5:00 PM MT. Applicants are encouraged to submit the application well before the deadline.

Application preparation time may take several weeks, so please start the application process as soon as possible. Applications received after the deadline will not be reviewed or considered for award. If it is determined that a proposal was not considered due to lateness, the applicant will be notified during the selection process.

5. Intergovernmental Review This funding opportunity is not subject to Executive Order (EO) 12372 “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.” Applicants subject to EO 12372 must contact their State’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to find out about and comply with the State’s process. The names and addresses of the SPOC’s are listed in the OMB’s home page at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc/

6. Funding Restrictions Costs incurred by the applicant prior to the start date of the period of performance of a signed Federal award are only allowable with written approval by a Financial Assistance Awarding Officer.

7. Other Submission Requirements Applications must be submitted by email to the National Park Service by the deadline identified in paragraph 4 above. Applications submitted by other means or not received by the deadline will not be considered.

Applications must be sent to: imr_swbrpp@nps.gov. Please do NOT send applications to the Program Manager, Krista Muddle or Program Assistant, Steven Rossi. Submissions outside of this email address will not be accepted. Full applications must not exceed 25 megabytes of data to be accepted through the email submission inbox.

In the event the applicant experiences technical difficulties with submitting their application, please contact Steven Rossi at 415-515-1474 or steven_rossi@nps.gov.

START THIS PROCESS EARLY DON’T DELAY!

Section E: Application Review Information

NPS will evaluate and consider only those applications that separately address each of the merit review criteria. Each applicant is required to provide a detailed narrative, in accordance with section D.2., of the following criteria elements. It is HIGHLY recommended that the project narrative has sections labeled as follows:

Criterion 1

Applicants scoring highest in this category will demonstrate:

Project is critical to protecting resource(s). Delaying the project will result in resource damage that is extensive or likely irreversible. Undertaking the project now will prevent significantly worse problems later and loss of an important opportunity. Delaying the project will result in a significant health or safety hazard to humans.

Criterion 2

Applicants scoring highest in this category will demonstrate:

Resource possesses national or international significance, such as a World Heritage Site or National Natural or Historic Landmark status for cultural resources and is defined as unique, or unparalleled. Resource is an integral component of the park or protected area’s ecosystem and purpose. The project addresses a resource that is considered significant to both the U.S. and Mexico.

Criterion 3

Partnership Participation Note: Letters of support from each national park unit involved in the project as well as potential partners should accompany the proposal to document the willingness to participate in the project if funded and how.

Weight 20%

Applicants scoring highest in this category will demonstrate:

The partnership includes multiple resource providers such as non-governmental organizations, land management agencies or educational institutes that have demonstrated success in working directly with Mexico. The partner or partners will provide matching funds or in-kind support for the project. The project involves resource protection and/or educational activities on both sides of the international border. The project enhances sister park relationships and efforts.

Criterion 4

Criterion 5

2. Review and Selection Process NPS personnel, and in some cases independent reviewers, will review all proposals. All proposals for funding will be considered using the criteria outlined above. A summary of the review panel comments may be provided to the applicant if requested.

a. Initial Review Prior to conducting the comprehensive merit review, an initial review will be performed to determine whether: (1) the applicant is eligible for an award; (2) the information required by the NOFO has been submitted; (3) all mandatory requirements of the NOFO are satisfied; and (4) the proposed project is responsive to the program objectives of the NOFO (program determination). If an applicant fails to meet the requirements or objectives of the NOFO, or does not provide sufficient information for review, the applicant will be considered non-responsive and eliminated from further review.

b. Comprehensive Merit Review All applications that satisfactorily pass the initial review will be eligible for the Comprehensive Merit Review. Each criteria element will be scored on a 0-5 point scale:

The following numerical rating values may be assigned: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and 0.

The scoring of each criterion must be based on the strengths and weaknesses of the application narrative. To assist in assigning an appropriate score, the following will be used as a guideline:

c. Selection The Selection Official may consider the merit review recommendation, program policy factors and the amount of funds available to select applications for funding. Program policy factors include:

d. Discussions and Award The Government may enter into discussions with a selected applicant for any reason deemed necessary, including, but not limited to: (1) only a portion of the application is selected for award; (2) the Government needs additional information to determine that the applicant is capable of complying with the requirements of DOI Financial Assistance Regulations, and/or (3) additional specific terms and conditions are required. Failure to satisfactorily resolve the issues identified by the Government may preclude award to the applicant.

3. Evaluation of Applicant Risk In accordance with 2 C.F.R. § 200.205, applications selected for funding will be subject to a pre-award risk assessment which may include a review of information contained within the applicant’s proposal, past audits, Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS), and/or past performance on previous Federal financial assistance awards. Negative information that leads to an applicant being designated as “Medium Risk” or “High Risk” may result in specific conditions, as identified in 2 C.F.R. § 200.207, being incorporated into the final award.

Section F: Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notices Upon being selected for the award, successful applicants will receive a notification of the selection of their application for funding. NPS will notify the applicant selected for award by March 31, 2023. A notice of selection is not an authorization to begin performance on an agreement. This notice will detail the next steps in the awarding process. Once all clearances and reviews have been conducted, a cooperative agreement will be sent for signature.

Work cannot begin before the non-Federal entity receives a fully executed copy of the cooperative agreement which contains the signature of the Financial Assistance Awarding Officer. Any pre-award costs incurred prior to the receipt of a signed agreement or written notice signed by a Financial Assistance Awarding Officer authorizing pre-award costs, is at the applicant’s own risk. A signed cooperative agreement signed by a Financial Assistance Awarding Officer is the only authorizing document to begin performance.

Organizations whose applications have not been selected will be advised as promptly as possible.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

a. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) By accepting Federal financial assistance, the non-Federal entity agrees to abide by the applicable Federal regulations in the expenditure of Federal funds and performance under this program: 2 C.F.R. Part 200 - Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements For Federal Awards

b. Standard Award Terms and Conditions Acceptance of a Federal financial assistance award from the Department of the Interior carries with it the responsibility to be aware of and comply with the terms and conditions of 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 as approved by the Financial Assistance Awarding Officer. All financial assistance awards are subject to the terms and conditions incorporated either directly or by reference in the award document. Code of Federal Regulations/Regulatory Requirements, as applicable, are listed within Appendix B of this announcement (Contact the Financial Assistance Awarding Officer with any questions regarding the applicability of any terms and conditions).

· 2 C.F.R. Part 175 - Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000

· 2 C.F.R. Parts 182 & 1401 - Government-wide Requirements for a Drug-Free Workplace

· 2 C.F.R. Parts 180 & 1400 - Government-wide Debarment and Suspension (Non-procurement)

· 43 CFR. 18 - Restrictions on Lobbying

c. Order of Precedence Any inconsistency in the agreement shall be resolved by giving precedence in the following order: (a) Any national policy requirements and administrative management standards; (b) 2 C.F.R. Part 200, in its entirety; (c) requirements of the applicable OMB Circulars and Treasury regulations; (d) special terms and conditions; (e) all agreement sections, documents, exhibits, and attachments; (f) and the non-Federal Entity’s project proposal.

d. Modifications The agreement may be modified by written agreement signed by both the non-Federal entity’s Authorized Representative and the Financial Assistance Awarding Officer. Administrative changes (i.e. Financial Assistance Awarding Officer name change, etc.) which do not change the statement of work, agreement amount, etc., or otherwise affect the non-Federal entity may be signed unilaterally by the Financial Assistance Awarding Officer. Additionally, a unilateral modification may be utilized if it should become necessary to impose remedies for non- compliance, suspension or termination of the agreement in accordance with 2 CFR 200, Section 200.338 – 200.342.

All other changes shall be made by means of a bilateral modification to the agreement. No oral statement made by any person, or written statement by any person other than the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer shall be allowed in any manner or degree to modify or otherwise effect the terms of the agreement.

e. Payments All applicants must be registered in the System for Awards Management (SAM) prior to award under this NOFO. Instructions for registering for SAM are located at http://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM. All applicants must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times while they have an active Federal award or an application under consideration.

All applicants must also be registered with, and willing to process all payments through, the Department of the Treasury Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) system. All non-Federal entities with active NPS financial assistance agreements must be enrolled in ASAP under the appropriate Agency Location Code(s) (ALC) and the Data Universal Number System (DUNS) Number prior to the award of funds. If a non-Federal has multiple DUNS numbers, they must separately enroll within ASAP for each unique DUNS Number and/or Agency. Note that if your entity is currently enrolled in the ASAP system with an agency other than NPS, you must enroll specifically with NPS in order to process payments.

f. Funding Restrictions All funding is contingent upon the availability and appropriation of funds by the United States Congress.

g. Cost Principles:

Costs must be allowable in accordance with the applicable Federal cost principles referenced in 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E – Cost Principles.

h. Pre-award Costs:

Must comply with 2 CFR Part 200.458 and requires written approval from the Financial Assistance Awarding Officer. Pre-award costs will be allowed at the Financial Assistance Officer’s discretion.

3. Reporting

a. Financial Status Reports:

A report of expenditures is required as documentation of the financial status of awards according to the official accounting records of the non-Federal entity. The financial information will be reported by completing and submitting the Federal Financial Report (FFR), SF425. At a minimum, financial reports will be required annually and shall be submitted within 90 calendar days after the end of the annual reporting period. The Financial Assistance Awarding Officer may designate a reporting schedule requiring more frequent reporting based on the assessment of risk. The reporting requirements will be defined within the stand-alone cooperative agreement, or task agreements issued under a master cooperative agreement. A final FFR shall be submitted no more than 90 calendar days after the end date of the agreement.

The FFR can be downloaded at:

SF-425 Fillable doc.

The NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer will review the report for patterns of cash expenditures and assess whether performance or financial management problems exist. Before submitting the FFR to the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer, the non-Federal entity must ensure that the information submitted is accurate, complete, and consistent with the non-Federal entity’s accounting system. The non-Federal entity’s Authorized Certifying Official’s signature on the FFR certifies that the information in the FFR is correct and complete and that all outlays and obligations are for the purposes set forth in the agreement documents and represents a claim to the Federal Government. Filing a false claim may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.

b. Performance Reports:

A report of performance is required as documentation of performance towards the accomplishments of the Federal award and detailing project activity and participant profile information. At a minimum, performance reports will be required annually and shall be submitted within 90 calendar days after the end of the annual reporting period. The Financial Assistance Awarding Officer may designate a reporting schedule requiring more frequent reporting based on the assessment of risk. The reporting requirements will be defined within the stand-alone cooperative agreement, or task agreements issued under master cooperative agreements. A final performance report shall be submitted no more than 90 calendar days after the end date of the agreement.

In accordance with 2 C.F.R. 200 § 200.328, the performance reports shall contain brief information on:

(1) A comparison of actual accomplishments to the objectives of the Federal award established for the period. Where the accomplishments of the Federal award can be quantified, a computation of the cost (for example, related to units of accomplishment) may be required if that information will be useful. Where performance trend data and analysis would be informative to the Federal awarding agency program, the Federal awarding agency should include this as a performance reporting requirement;

(2) The reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate; and

(3) Additional pertinent information including, when appropriate, analysis and explanation of cost overruns or high unit costs.

Before submitting the performance report to the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer, the non-Federal entity must ensure that the information submitted is accurate, complete, and consistent with the non-Federal entity’s Federal financial report. Filing false information may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties.

c. Non-Compliance:

Failure to comply with the reporting requirements contained in an agreement may be considered a material non-compliance with the terms and conditions of the award. Non-compliance may result in withholding of future payments, suspension or termination of the agreement, recovery of funds paid under the agreement, and the withholding of future awards. The specific information regarding type, frequency and means of submission of post-Federal award reporting requirements will be contained in the award document.

Section G: Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

Agency Contact Information:

Questions and Requests pertaining to this Notice of Funding Opportunity shall be submitted to:

Name:

Todd Wilson

Section H: Other Information:

1. Program Information

The Southwest Border Resource Protection Program has operated out of the NPS Intermountain Regional Office (Interior Regions 6,7 & 8) since 2004.

2. Proprietary and Personally Identifiable Information

a. Notice of Potential Disclosure under Freedom of Information Act Applicants should be advised that identifying information regarding all applicants, including applicant names and/or points of contact, may be subject to public disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, whether or not such applicants are selected for negotiation of award. Applicants must identify any proprietary information within their applications.

b. Personally Identifiable Information In responding to this NOFO, applicants must ensure that Protected Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is not included in the following documents: Project Abstract, Project Narrative, Biographical Sketches, Budget or Budget Justification. These documents will be used by the Merit Review Committee in the review process to evaluate each application. PII is defined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as:

Any information about an individual maintained by an agency, including but not limited to, education, financial transactions, medical history, and criminal or employment history and information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, such as their name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name, biometric records, etc., including any other personal information that is linked or linkable to an individual. This definition of PII can be further defined as: (1) Public PII and (2) Protected PII.

Public PII:

PII found in public sources such as telephone books, public websites, business cards, university listing, etc. Public PII includes first and last name, address, work telephone number, email address, home telephone number, and general education credentials.

Protected PII:

PII that requires enhanced protection. This information includes data that if compromised could cause harm to an individual such as identity theft.

3. Routine Notices to Applicants

a. Modification or Changes to the Notice of Funding Opportunity Notices of any modifications to this NOFO will be posted on Grants.gov. You can receive an email when a modification or an announcement message is posted. When you download the application at Grants.gov; you can also register to receive notifications of changes through Grants.gov.

b. Government Right to Reject or Negotiate NPS reserves the right, without qualification, to reject any or all applications received in response to this announcement and to select any application, in whole or in part, as a basis for negotiation and/or award.

c. Evaluation and Administration by Non-Federal Personnel In conducting the merit review evaluation, the Government may seek the advice of qualified non-Federal personnel as reviewers. The Government may also use non-Federal personnel to conduct routine, nondiscretionary administrative activities. The applicant, by submitting its application, consents to the use of non-Federal reviewers/administrators. Non-Federal reviewers must sign conflict of interest and non-disclosure agreements prior to reviewing an application. Non-Federal personnel conducting administrative activities must sign a nondisclosure agreement.

d. Notice of Right to Conduct a Review of Financial Capability NPS reserves the right to conduct an independent third-party review of financial capability for applicants that are selected for negotiation of award (including personal credit information of principal(s) of a small business if there is insufficient information to determine financial capability of the organization).

Appendix A - Application Package Forms SF 424, SF 424A, Detailed Budget Justification, SF 424B

Appendix B - NPS Standard and Special Award Terms and Conditions

This appendix provides the standard and special terms and conditions for financial assistance agreements awarded by the National Park Service to assist applicants in developing proposals in response to this Notice of Funding Opportunity. It is the responsibility of the non-Federal entity to review the final terms and conditions incorporated into any resulting financial assistance agreement at the time of award as the terms and conditions in this appendix are subject to change based on executive orders, changes to regulations, or changes to policy. Additional award specific terms and conditions may also be included in any resulting financial assistance agreement based on program requirements or evaluation of applicant risk.

1. PAYMENT

A. Projects will be funded, subject to the availability of funds, by issuance of a grant agreement, cooperative agreement, or master cooperative agreement with subsequent task agreements. An agreement issued and signed by the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer obligates NPS funds. Notification of a successful proposal does not constitute authority to incur costs. Once the grant agreement, cooperative agreement, and subsequent task agreements (if applicable) for a successful proposal has been signed by the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer, the recipient may incur costs as specified in the approved budget submittal.

B. Method of Payment. Payment will be made by advance and/or reimbursement through the Department of Treasury’s Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) system.

1. Requesting Advances. Requests for advances must be submitted via the ASAP system. Requests may be submitted as frequently as required to meet the needs of the Financial Assistance (FA) Recipient to disburse funds for the Federal share of…