P24AS00132 - SWBRPP NOFO.docx

Current as of November 30, 2022

U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service

Financial Assistance Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Note: Per 2 CFR 1402.204 (f) Bureaus and offices must consider the timeliness of the application submission. Applications that are submitted beyond the announced deadline date must be removed from the review process.

Table of Contents

Section A: Program Description

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.

Assistance Listing (formerly CFDA) Number: 15.963

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

Program Background, Objectives and Goals:

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 must work with and benefit an NPS unit in the Intermountain Region along the U.S. – Mexico border as well as a protected area in Mexico by addressing cultural or natural resource issues shared by both countries. 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.

Please note that applicants can work with other Intermountain Region parks near the U.S. Mexico Border, or not otherwise listed to support cultural or natural resource issues shared by both countries.

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 & Monitoring

· Cultural Resource examples:

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

· National Register of Historic Places nominations

· National Historic Landmark nominations

· Natural Resource examples:

· 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 Conservation & Preservation

· Cultural Resource examples:

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

· Conservation of collections

· Natural Resource examples:

· 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 Interpretation, Education & Tourism

· 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

· Geotourism

Section B: Federal Award Information

Estimated Total Funding: ($275,000.00) The amount of funding available per award for this NOFO will be determined once final fiscal year (FY) 2025 appropriations have been made. This NOFO will be cancelled if FY 2025 appropriations are insufficient to support new awards.

Expected Award Amount:

An estimated range of $10,000 to $55,000 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 Award 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, 2025– December 31, 2026 Agreement terms for funded projects can 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.

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.

Funding Instrument Type:

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 for Cooperative Agreement:

Substantial involvement may include:

· 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.

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

Section C: Eligibility Information

1. 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.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Non-Federal cost sharing or matching is not required to be eligible for an award under this NOFO.

3. Other

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

2. MULTI-YEAR PROJECTS: Due to laws governing federal 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. Address to Request Application Package A complete application package is described in this Section and has been included within this NOFO for your convenience, in Appendix A. The application package contains both mandatory standard forms (SF) and various optional templates that may be used to satisfy other stated application requirements. The application package can also be accessed and downloaded from the Related Documents tab on the Synopsis page of this announcement in Grants.gov.

2. Contents and Form of Application Submission You must complete the mandatory standard 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:

Mandatory Requirements:

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

· Standard Form 424A or C (SF 424A/C) - 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.

· Project Abstract Summary – The project abstract form must be completed to meet Federal award reporting requirements. Ensure the project abstract succinctly describes the project in plain language that the public can understand and use without the full proposal. If the application is funded, this information will be made available for public access including on USAspending.gov.

· Detailed Budget – The project budget shall include detailed information on all cost categories and must clearly identify all project costs. Unit costs shall be provided for all budget items including the cost of work to be provided by contractors or sub-recipients. In addition, applicants shall include a narrative description of the items included in the project budget, including the value of in-kind contributions of goods and services provided to complete the project when cost share is identified to be included (reference section C of this announcement). Cost categories can include, but are not limited to, those costs items included on the SF424A and SF424C.

· Standard Form 424B or D (SF 424B/D) – 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, SF-424B, SF-LLL, letters of support, and the statement of indirect charges are not counted as part of the 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. If fully negotiated indirect cost rates are applied, the associated 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.

Optional Requirements:

· Conflict of Interest Disclosure Per the Financial Assistance Interior Regulation (FAIR), 2 CFR §1402.112, applicants must state in their application if any actual or potential conflict of interest exists at the time of submission.

Applicability.

· 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.

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

Notification.

· 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.

· 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 sub recipients.

Restrictions on lobbying. Non-Federal entities are strictly prohibited from using funds under a grant or cooperative agreement for lobbying activities and must provide the required certifications and disclosures pursuant to 43 CFR §18 and 31 USC §1352.

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.

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 §200.339, Remedies for noncompliance, including suspension or debarment (see also 2 CFR §180).

· Uniform Audit Reporting Statement U.S. states, local governments, federally recognized Indian tribes, institutions of higher education, and non- profit organizations expending $750,000 USD or more in Federal award funds in the applicant’s fiscal year must submit a Single Audit report for that year through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse’s Internet Data Entry System, in accordance with 2 CFR 200 subpart F. U.S. state, local government, federally recognized Indian tribes, institutions of higher education, and non-profit applicants must state if your organization was or was not required to submit a Single Audit report for the most recently closed fiscal year. If your organization was required to submit a Single Audit report for the most recently closed fiscal year, provide the EIN associated with that report and state if it is available through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse website.

· Certification Regarding Lobbying) Applicants requesting more than $100,000 in Federal funding must certify to the statements in 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A-Certification Regarding Lobbying. If this application requests more than $100,000 in Federal funds, the Authorized Official’s signature on the appropriate SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance form also represents the entity’s certification of the statements in 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A.

· Disclosure of Lobbying Activities Applicants and recipients must not use any federally appropriated funds (annually appropriated or continuing appropriations) or matching funds under a Federal award to pay any person for lobbying in connection with the award. Lobbying is influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any U.S. agency, a Member of the U.S. Congress, an officer or employee of the U.S. Congress, or an employee of a Member of the U.S. Congress connection with the award. Applicants and recipients must complete and submit the SF-LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” form if the Federal share of the proposal or award is more than $100,000 and the applicant or recipient has made or has agreed to make any payment using non-appropriated funds for lobbying in connection with the application or award. The SF-LLL form is available with this Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov. See 43 CFR, Subpart 18.100 and 31 USC 1352 for more information on when additional submission of this form is required.

· Overlap or Duplication of Effort Statement If the project proposed in this application is funded through another Federal financial assistance award, in part or in whole, the applicant must provide a statement detailing the potential funding overlap in regard to activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel. Provide a copy of any overlapping or duplicative proposal submitted to any other potential funding entity and identify when that proposal was submitted or copy of Federal financial assistance award covering activities covered under this proposal. 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. Any overlap or duplication of funding between the proposed project and other active or anticipated projects may impact selection and/or funding amount. If no such overlap or duplication exists, state, “There are no overlaps or duplication between this application and any of our other Federal applications or funded projects”.

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. Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Registration:

This requirement does not apply to individuals applying for funds as an individual (i.e., unrelated to any business or nonprofit organization you may own, operate, or work within), or any entity with an exception to bypass SAM.gov registration with prior approval from the funding bureau or office in accordance with bureau or office policy. All other applicants are required to register in SAM.gov prior to submitting a Federal award application and obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) which replaces the Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet in April 2022. A Federal award may not be made to an applicant that has not completed the SAM.gov registration. If an applicant selected for funding has not completed their SAM.gov registration by the time the program is ready to make an award, the program may determine the applicant is not qualified to receive an award. Federal award recipients must also continue to maintain an active SAM.gov registration with current information through the life of their Federal award(s).

· Register with the System for Award Management (SAM)

Applicants can register on the SAM.gov website. The “Help” tab on the website contains User Guides and other information to assist you with registration. The Grants.gov “Register with SAM” page also provides detailed instructions. Applicants can contact the supporting Federal Service Desk for help registering in SAM. Once registered in SAM, entities will be assigned a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Entities must renew and revalidate their SAM registration at least once every 12 months from the date previously registered. Entities are strongly encouraged to revalidate their registration as often as needed to ensure their information is up to date and reflects changes that may have been made to the entity’s IRS information. There is no cost to register with SAM.gov. There are third-party vendors who will charge a fee in exchange for registering entities with SAM.gov; please be aware you can register and request help for free. If applicable, foreign entities who want to receive payment directly to a U.S. bank account must enter and maintain valid, current banking information in SAM.

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, 2023, 5:00PM MT. Applicants are encouraged to submit the application well before the deadline. Note: Per 2 CFR 1402.204 (f) Bureaus and offices must consider the timeliness of the application submission. Applications that are submitted beyond the announced deadline date must be removed from the review process.

Application preparation time may take several weeks, so please start the application process as soon as possible. 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 Specialist, 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

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

Criterion 1: Project Addresses an Impacted Shared Resource 25%

Project addresses a critical need of a shared cultural and/or natural resource(s) between an NPS unit(s) and a protected area(s)/site(s) in Mexico. Delaying the project will result in extensive or likely irreversible damage to the resource or create a health and/or safety hazard to humans. Project addresses the impacted resource(s) through scientific research, monitoring, conservation, preservation, interpretation, education, and/or tourism.

Projects will be evaluated based on how well the proposal:

· demonstrates how the resource is shared by both the U.S. and Mexico

· describes the need, urgency, and threat the project addresses and how the activities are necessary and will mitigate that threat

· describes how the project ensures preservation and/or conservation

· thoroughly articulates the project timeline and how project will be completed successfully within the period of performance Criterion 2: Partnership Participation 25% Projects must include engagement with at least one partner from Mexico such as a non-governmental organization, private entity, governmental land management agency, tribe or educational institute. The project must also benefit at least one NPS Unit and one Mexican protected area/site.

Projects will be evaluated based on how well the proposal:

· demonstrates that partnerships involved in the project leverage additional resources such as staffing, additional funding, in-kind goods and services etc. (Additional funds or in-kind support cannot be from a federal source)

· results in the development of new a partnership(s) or enhances an existing one(s)

· demonstrates a strong, robust relationship with one or multiple partners

· defines and describes substantive roles and contributions by each of the partners involved in the project

· describes how the partnerships involved in the project will sustain and continue to support shared resources between the U.S. and Mexico after the project is complete

· demonstrates that the benefiting unit(s) support the proposed project Criterion 3: Cost Effectiveness 10% The budget is well-developed, describing costs associated with specific tasks, and reflects reasonable costs and allocation of funds. The benefits, in relation to the cost, are high. Costs are realistic, well-researched, clearly spelled out in a detailed budget, and apportioned for each deliverable/product or result. All work elements are specifically identified with their associated costs; all expenses are necessary, reasonable, and appropriate. Partner costs and contributions are clearly identified.

Projects will be evaluated based on how well the proposal:

· identifies costs that are necessary and unavailable through other sources

· includes expenses that are reasonable, allowable and allocable

· includes a budget that displays specific line items with adequate descriptions of cost

· notes leveraged resources that are allowable and fully secured (as evidenced by a letter from the source) Criterion 4: Substantial Outcome 20% Assesses the proposal’s ability to address the critical need identified in Criterion 1 via a substantial outcome: implementation of the proposal demonstrates a considerable positive impact, value added, improved capacity, and/or tangible result(s). Outcomes must be clearly defined and reasonable; demonstrate significant benefits; and support efforts, partners, and/or places in both US and Mexico.

Projects will be evaluated based on how well the proposal:

· implements specific management prescriptions

· includes key information necessary for implementing management actions

· describes how the project will improve long-term capacity and/or success of a program/partnership

· describes how the project enhances deeper resource connections, conservation, and stewardship

· describes how the project produces resolutions that benefit multiple organizations, particularly on both sides of the border

· demonstrates how the project will produce results that do not require subsequent actions (beyond anticipated monitoring) or needed information

· demonstrates that the expertise necessary has been identified demonstrates that compliance requirements will be met Criterion 5: Project Increases Understanding and Appreciation of Shared Heritage 20% Project supports stewardship of resources by increasing public engagement in conservation and preservation of U.S. and Mexican shared resources and heritage. Projects build intellectual and emotional connections between visitors and resources, encouraging them to care about and connect to the shared resource. Projects increase public access to new or existing recreation opportunities within the shared resource.

Projects will be evaluated based on how well the proposal:

· creates new stewardship opportunities, or comprehensively enhance the quality of existing ones

· utilizes innovative techniques or systems to engage the public

· reaches audiences in both countries

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. CFR – Regulatory Information See the National Park Service’s Award Terms and Conditions for the general administrative and national policy requirements applicable to Service awards. The Service will communicate any other program- or project-specific special terms and conditions to recipients in their notices of award.

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 estimates it will notify the applicant selected for award by April 1, 2024. 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

See the “DOI Standard Terms and Conditions” for the administrative and national policy requirements applicable to DOI awards.

Data Availability Per the Financial Assistance Interior Regulation (FAIR), 2 CFR §1402.315:

(a) All data, methodology, factual inputs, models, analyses, technical information, reports, conclusions, valuation products or other scientific assessments in any medium or form, including textual, numerical, graphic, cartographic, narrative, or audiovisual, resulting from a financial assistance agreement is available for use by the Department of the Interior, including being available in a manner that is sufficient for independent verification.

(b) The Federal Government has the right to:

(1) Obtain, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the data, methodology, factual inputs, models, analyses, technical information, reports, conclusions, or other scientific assessments, produced under a Federal award; and

(2) Authorize others to receive, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use such data, methodology, factual inputs, models, analyses, technical information, reports, conclusions, or other scientific assessments, for Federal purposes, including to allow for meaningful third-party evaluation.

3. Reporting

a. Financial Reports: All recipients must use the SF-425, Federal Financial Report form for financial reporting. At a minimum, all recipients must submit a final financial report. Final reports are due no later than 120 calendar days after the award period of performance end date or termination date. For awards with periods of performance longer than 12 months, recipients are required to submit interim financial reports on the frequency established in the Notice of Award. The only exception to the interim financial reporting requirement is if the recipient is required to use the SF 270/271 to request payment and requests payment at least once annually through the entire award period of performance. We will describe all financial reporting requirements in the Notice of Award.

b. Performance Reports: Performance reports must contain a comparison of actual accomplishments with the established goals and objectives of the award; a description of reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate; and any other pertinent information relevant to the project results. Final reports are due no later than 120 calendar days after the award period of performance end date or termination date. For awards with periods of performance longer than 12 months, recipients are required to submit interim financial reports on the frequency established in the Notice of Award.

c. Real Property Reports: Recipients and subrecipients are required to submit status reports on the status of real property acquired under the award in which the Federal government retains an interest. The required frequency of these reports will depend on the anticipated length of the Federal interest period. The Bureau will include recipient-specific real property reporting requirements, including the required data elements, reporting frequency, and report due dates, in the Notice of Award when applicable.

d. Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Recipients must notify the program immediately in writing of any conflict of interest that arise during the life of their Federal award, including those reported to them by any subrecipient under the award. Recipients must notify the program in writing if any employees, including subrecipient and contractor personnel, are related to, married to, or have a close personal relationship with any Federal employee in the Federal funding program or who otherwise may have been involved in the review and selection of the award. The term employee means any individual engaged in the performance of work pursuant to the Federal award. Recipients may not have a former Federal employee as a key project official, or in any other substantial role related to their award, whose participation put them out of compliance with the legal authorities addressing post-Government employment restrictions. See the U.S. Office of Government Ethics website for more information on these restrictions. The Service will examine each conflict-of-interest disclosure based on its particular facts and the nature of the project and will determine if a significant potential conflict exists. If it does, the Service will work with the recipient to determine an appropriate resolution. Failure to disclose and resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the Service may result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR 200.339 Remedies for Noncompliance, including termination of the award.

e. Other Mandatory Disclosures: The Non-Federal entity or applicant for a Federal award must disclose, in a timely manner, in writing to the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity all violations of Federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the Federal award. Non-Federal entities that receive a Federal award including the terms and conditions outlined in 2 CFR 200, Appendix XII—Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters are required to report certain civil, criminal, or administrative proceedings to SAM. Failure to make required disclosures can result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR 200.339 Remedies for Noncompliance, including suspension or debarment.

5. Significant Developments Reports:

Events may occur between the scheduled performance reporting dates which have significant impact upon the supported activity. In such cases, recipients are required to notify the Bureau in writing as soon as the recipient becomes aware of any problems, delays, or adverse conditions that will materially impair the ability to meet the objective of the Federal award. This disclosure must include a statement of any corrective action(s) taken or contemplated, and any assistance needed to resolve the situation. The recipient should also notify the Service in writing of any favorable developments that enable meeting time schedules and objectives sooner or at less cost than anticipated or producing more or different beneficial results than originally planned.

Section G: Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

Program Technical Contact:

Program Administration Contact:

Name:

Todd Wilson

Application System Technical Support:

For Grants.gov technical registration and submission, downloading forms and application packages, contact Grants.gov Customer Support at 1-800-518-4726 or Support@grants.gov.

Section H: Other Information:

Payments Domestic recipients are required to register in and receive payment through the U.S. Treasury’s Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP), unless approved for a waiver by the Service program. Foreign recipients receiving funds to a final destination bank outside the U.S. are required to receive payment through the U.S. Treasury’s International Treasury Services (ITS) System. Foreign recipients receiving funds to a final destination bank in the U.S. are required to enter and maintain current banking details in their SAM.gov entity profile and receive payment through the Automated Clearing House network by electronic funds transfer (EFT). The Bureau will include recipient-specific instructions on how to request payment, including identification of any additional information required and where to submit payment requests, as applicable, in all Notices of Award.

Appendix A - Application Package Forms SF424, SF424A, SF424B, Detailed Budget

FAMD-1443-001-2023-01 21

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SF424.pdf

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Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) win2k

D:20061002180508- 04'00'

D:20061002180508- 04'00'

OMB Number: 4040-0004

Expiration Date: 12/31/2022

* 1. Type of Submission:

* 2. Type of Application:

* 3. Date Received:

4. Applicant Identifier:

5a. Federal Entity Identifier:

5b. Federal Award Identifier:

6. Date Received by State:

7. State Application Identifier:

* a. Legal Name:

* b. Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN):

* c. UEI:

* Street1:

Street2:

* City:

County/Parish:

* State:

Province:

* Country:

* Zip / Postal Code:

Department Name:

Division Name:

Prefix:

* First Name:

Middle Name:

* Last Name:

Suffix:

Title:

Organizational Affiliation:

* Telephone Number:

Fax Number:

* Email:

* If Revision, select appropriate letter(s):

* Other (Specify):

State Use Only:

8. APPLICANT INFORMATION:

d. Address:

e. Organizational Unit:

f. Name and contact information of person to be contacted on matters involving this application:

Application for Federal Assistance SF-424

Type of Submission is required. Select one type of submission in accordance with agency instructions.

Type of Submission: Select one type of submission in accordance with agency instructions. One selection is required.

Type of Application: Select one type of application in accordance with agency instructions. One selection is required.

Type of Application is required. Select one type of application in accordance with agency instructions.

* 9. Type of Applicant 1: Select Applicant Type:

Type of Applicant 2: Select Applicant Type:

Type of Applicant 3: Select Applicant Type:

* Other (specify):

* 10. Name of Federal Agency:

11. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number:

CFDA Title:

* 12. Funding Opportunity Number:

* Title:

13. Competition Identification Number:

Title:

14. Areas Affected by Project (Cities, Counties, States, etc.):

* 15. Descriptive Title of Applicant's Project:

Attach supporting documents as specified in agency instructions.

Application for Federal Assistance SF-424

Form Attachments:

* a. Federal

* b. Applicant

* c. State

* d. Local

* e. Other

* f. Program Income

* g. TOTAL

Prefix:

* First Name:

Middle Name:

* Last Name:

Suffix:

* Title:

* Telephone Number:

* Email:

Fax Number:

* Signature of Authorized Representative:

* Date Signed:

18. Estimated Funding ($):

21. *By signing this application, I certify (1) to the statements contained in the list of certifications** and (2) that the statements herein are true, complete and accurate to the best of my knowledge. I also provide the required assurances** and agree to comply with any resulting terms if I accept an award. I am aware that any false, fictitious, or fraudulent statements or claims may subject me to criminal, civil, or administrative penalties. (U.S. Code, Title 18, Section 1001)

** The list of certifications and assurances, or an internet site where you may obtain this list, is contained in the announcement or agency specific instructions.

Authorized Representative:

Application for Federal Assistance SF-424

* a. Applicant

Attach an additional list of Program/Project Congressional Districts if needed.

* b. Program/Project

* a. Start Date:

* b. End Date:

16. Congressional Districts Of:

17. Proposed Project:

E.O. 12372 Review selection is required: Select status of Review.

Application Subject to Review: One selection is required.

Applicant Delinquent on Federal Debt: A selection is required.

Applicant Delinquent on Federal Debt is required: Select an option.

*…