PKG00248680-instructions.pdf

OMB Control Number: 1018-0100 Expiration Date: 7/31/2021

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement. We are collecting this information in accordance with Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 5301-5306). Your response is required to obtain or retain a benefit. We will use the information you provide to conduct a competitive review and select projects for funding. We may not conduct or sponsor and you are not required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number. We estimate that it will take applicants under this program about 22 hours to complete an application. We estimate it will take recipients under this program about 20 hours to complete required reporting and 20 hours for required recordkeeping. All burden estimates include the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gather data needed and complete and review the submission. You may send comments on the burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection to the Information Collection Clearance Officer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, MS BPHC, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041-3803.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Division of International Conservation International Affairs

Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund - AFRICA

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 15.619 Funding Opportunity Number: F19AS00111

Submission Deadline: March 29, 2019

Notice of Funding Opportunity and Application Instructions Carefully read this opportunity as recent changes have been incorporated

I. Description of Funding Opportunity

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s mission is to work with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The International Affairs Program delivers on this mission through its financial assistance programs by supporting strategic projects that deliver measurable conservation results for priority species and their habitats around the world.

In response to the alarming decline of rhinoceros and tiger populations, the U.S. Congress passed the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Act in 1994. The Act provides for the establishment of the Rhinoceros and Tiger Conservation Fund (RTCF), to be administered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) to provide financial assistance to support projects that work to conserve populations of rhinoceros and tigers in the wild. The RTCF accepts proposals for rhinoceros in Africa and for rhinoceros and tigers in Asia. This Notice of Funding Opportunity is to solicit proposals for the conservation of African rhinoceros only.

This Funding Opportunity aligns with the USFWS mission and contributes directly to the Secretary of the Department of the Interior’s following priorities:

1. Create a conservation stewardship legacy, second only to Teddy Roosevelt:

The goal of this program is to reduce threats to tigers and/or rhinoceroses in their natural habitats. Proposals should identify specific conservation actions that have a high likelihood of creating lasting benefits. Project activities that emphasize data collection and status assessment should describe a direct link to management action, and explain how lack of information has been a key limiting factor for management action in the past.

Proposals that do not identify how actions will reduce threats or that do not demonstrate a strong link between data collection and management action will be rejected.

7. Strike a regulatory balance:

Decisions made in the conservation of tigers and/or rhinoceroses are based on strong science and thorough analysis.

10. Achieving our goals, leading our team forward:

Ensure that the most cost-effective approach has been taken to accomplish goals, objectives and activities.

Provide timely technical and financial reporting. Work toward sustainability of project and recovery of species.

The USFWS’s African Rhino program supports projects that promote conservation through:

Enhanced protection of at-risk rhinoceros populations;

Protected area/reserve management in important rhinoceros range;

Veterinary care for wild populations;

Habitat conservation and management;

Reintroduction to former range;

Restoration of habitat;

Wildlife inspection, law enforcement, and forensics skills;

Conservation education and community outreach;

Strengthening local capacity to implement conservation programs;

Applied research on rhinoceros populations and their habitats, including surveys and monitoring;

Development and execution of rhinoceros conservation management plans; and Compliance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

(CITES) and other applicable treaties and laws that prohibit or regulate the taking or trade of rhinoceros or regulate the use and management of their habitat;

Reducing demand for illegal rhino parts and products and for live animals in consumer countries;

Combating trafficking of illegal rhino parts, products and live animals.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s African Rhino conservation program prioritizes projects involving indigenous subspecies within natural range. Ex situ populations are not eligible. Funding decisions will also take the degree of endangerment of the taxon into account, with more funding directed to more imperiled subspecies. Funding decisions will also take in the importance of the particular population to the survival of the subspecies.

Proposed project work should occur within rhinoceros range, or, if work is to be conducted outside of the range, the proposal should show clear relevance to rhinoceros conservation. Proposals must identify immediate threats to rhino survival and support direct conservation activities to eliminate or reduce those threats. If the project includes research, the applicant must provide a convincing argument that the research addresses priority threats and that the results are likely to result in management actions.

II. Award Information This program will use a grant or cooperative agreement as the assistance instrument. The type of assistance instrument to be used is the decision of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The approximate amount of funding available for African rhinos under the RTCF program is approximately $1,000,000 USD. The amount of funding requested must match scope of the activities, the anticipated results, and the length of the project period.

Applicants must demonstrate financial need. Projects must show long-term sustainability and significant buy-in from host country governments and other partners. The amount of funding requested must match scope of the activities, the anticipated results, and the length of the project period.

The standard period of performance for projects is one or two years. Due to the limited funding available, the Service may fund part or all of the request. Applicants are therefore advised to submit budget tables reflecting a one-year budget (for a lower amount) and a two-year budget (for a higher amount). If the applicant wishes to request a shorter or longer period of performance, it should be noted and the proposal and timetable should describe activities for the entire proposed period of performance.

Cooperative Agreements

Under cooperative agreements, substantial involvement by the Service should be expected and may include participating and collaborating jointly with the recipient or other personnel in carrying out the scope of work including training recipient personnel or temporarily placing US Federal personnel to work on the project effort;

reviewing and approving one stage of work before the next stage can begin; reviewing and approving, prior to recipient action, proposed modifications or sub-awards; helping select project staff or trainees; directing or redirecting the work because of interrelationships with other projects; having power to immediately halt an activity if detailed performance specifications are not met; and limiting recipient discretion with respect to scope of work, organizational structure, staffing, mode of operations and other management processes, coupled with close monitoring or operational involvement during performance under the award. To submit a proposal for consideration as a cooperative agreement, provide a justification statement in the project proposal as to the type and duration of assistance requested by the Service and a rationale for why involvement of Service is needed to fulfill the project objectives.

III. Basic Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants Any organization responsible for the conservation and protection of rhinoceroses in the wild and any other organization, multi-national secretariat, public or private university, or individual with demonstrated experience in rhinoceros conservation may submit proposals to this Fund.

U.S. non-profit, non-governmental organizations with 501(c)(3) Internal Revenue Status (IRS) must provide a copy of their Section 501(c)(3) status determination letter received from the IRS.

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

Ineligible Activities: The Division of International Conservation will not fund the purchase of firearms or ammunition;

gathering information by persons who conceal their true identity;

buying or purchasing of intelligence, evidence or information or paying informants law enforcement operations that, to arrest suspects, prompt them to carry out illegal activities (entrapment);

any activity that would circumvent sanctions, laws or regulations of either the U.S. or the country of proposed activity;

projects in countries determined by the U.S. Department of State to have repeatedly provided support for acts of international terrorism. These countries are subject to four main categories of sanctions, which include restrictions on U.S. foreign assistance, miscellaneous financial, and other restrictions. See http://www.state.gov/j/ct/list/c14151.htm for more information;

projects in countries included in comprehensive sanction programs administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Asset Controls, without proper licenses. See http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Pages/default.aspx for more information on OFAC and specific comprehensive and non-comprehensive sanction programs.

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

A. DUNS Registration

Request a DUNS number online at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. U.S.-based entities may also request a DUNS number by telephone by calling the Dun & Bradstreet Government Customer Response Center, Monday

– Friday, 7 AM to 8 PM CST at the following numbers:

U.S. and U.S Virgin Islands: 1-866-705-5711 Alaska and Puerto Rico: 1-800-234-3867 (Select Option 2, then Option 1) For Hearing Impaired Customers Only call: 1-877-807-1679 (TTY Line)

Once assigned a DUNS number, entities are responsible for maintaining up-to-date information with Dun & Bradstreet.

Entity Registration in SAM Register in System for Award Management online at http://www.sam.gov/. Once registered in SAM, entities must renew and revalidate their SAM registration at least every 12 months from the date previously registered. Entities are strongly urged to revalidate their registration as often as needed to ensure that their information is up to date and in synch with changes that may have been made to DUNS and IRS information. Foreign entities who wish to be paid directly to a United States bank account must enter and maintain valid and current banking information in SAM. Exemptions: The SAM registration requirement does not apply to individuals submitting an application on their own behalf and not on behalf of a company or other for-profit entity, state, local or Tribal government, academia or other type of organization.

Excluded Entities

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

B. Voluntary Committed Cost Sharing or Matching:

Voluntary committed cost sharing is not required but priority will be given to projects for which there exists some measure of voluntary committed cost share or match funds. If voluntary committed cost share/match is included it may be in the form of cash or in-kind contributions. Only verifiable contributions should be included as a voluntary committed cost share/match. Funds provided by another U.S. Federal Government agency or another Service award cannot be reported as matching contributions but should be noted and explained in detail.

A voluntary committed cost share/match shown during one year may not be repeated as a voluntary committed cost share/match in a subsequent proposal. Applicants may attribute some or all of their allowable indirect costs as voluntary committed cost-share/match.

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

A. Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal Assistance: Applicants must submit the appropriate SF

424 Application for Federal Assistance. The SF 424 Application for Federal Assistance must be complete, and signed and dated. Individuals applying as a private citizen (i.e., unrelated to any business or nonprofit organization you may own or operate in your name), must complete the SF 424 Application for Federal Assistance-Individual form. All other applicants must complete the standard SF 424, Application for Federal Assistance. The required SF 424 forms are available on the “Packages” tab of this Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov. Please note: Enter only the amount requested from this Federal program in the “Federal” funding box on the SF 424 Application. Include any other Federal sources of funding in the “Other” box, and provide details on those Federal source(s) and funding amount(s) in the required Budget Narrative (see section xx below).

B. Project Title Provide a basic description of the project, including the location and country, in the title. If this is a continuation of an earlier funded proposal, use the same title and include the appropriate number to denote that this is a subsequent proposal such as: Save the Lions – 2. Please note: This title will be the reference archived and communicated in all future documents.

C. Project Summary This section should answer the question, “What is the purpose of this project?” BRIEFLY summarize your project in one page or less. Include the title of the project, geographic location, and a brief overview of the need for the project. Goal(s), objectives, specific project activities, beneficiaries, and expected products can also be included in this section. This summary will be shared with the public and should describe the project but not reveal any security-sensitive information.

D. Project Narrative

Please note: Project narratives should be ten pages or less. Pages should be numbered. Project summary, figures, tables, maps, curriculum vitae, and required standard forms do not count toward the ten-page limit.

1. Statement of Need: This section should answer the question, “Why is this project necessary?” Clearly identify the wildlife, habitat or biodiversity targeted for conservation (including any existing estimates of population size, geographic range, or extent); a description of the direct threats that affect the targeted species at the project site; and the specific threats that the project will address. This section should describe how the proposed activities are expected to lead to desired conservation outcomes, such as the reduction of direct threats or improvement of the status of species and habitats. Summarize previous or on-going efforts (of you/your organization, and other organizations or individuals) that are relevant to the proposed work, including how the proposal differs from past work, or builds upon it, including how the applicant plans to expand upon the successes, failures, and lessons learned from past efforts.

If you have received funding previously from the Service for this specific project work or site, provide a summary of the funding, associated activities, products, outcomes and associated measurable conservation results. A table may be the most efficient way to convey this information: including columns for donor, reference number, amount funded, year of activity, and bullet points of major activities, outcomes, products and associated measurable conservation results. Projects with funding from any other government source or eligible for any other government source should add a section describing the activities supported and the added value of Service support. Please note how the proposal differs or builds upon funding available from other major donors.

Former recipients of Service support should note that every proposal is expected to be a stand-alone document.

Not all proposal reviewers may be familiar with past grants and a summary of activities and accomplishments helps all reviewers to better understand the proposal in context.

2. Project Goals, Objectives, Activities and Methods: This section should answer the question, “What do you want to achieve and how are you going to do it?” State the long-term goals of what your project aims to achieve. Objectives are the specific steps that you will take to reach your stated goals. Your objectives must be attainable within the project period and should be specific, measurable, and realistic. Activities are the specific actions to be undertaken to fulfill the project objectives and reach the project goal(s). The proposed project activities narrative must be detailed enough for reviewers to make a clear connection between the activities and the proposed project costs. Provide a detailed description of the method(s) used to carry out each activity.

The following format is recommended:

GOAL:

Objective 1.

Activity 1.1 Activity 1.2

Objective 2.

Activity 2.1

Objective 3.

Activity 3.1 Activity 3.2 Activity 3.3

Consider including activities that meet one or more of the following conditions:

a. Activities that clearly address the specific direct threats describe in the above section titled: Statement of Need.

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

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

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

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

3. Project Timetable: This section should answer the question, “Over what time period will project activities be implemented? Provide a timetable indicating roughly when activities or project milestones are to be accomplished. Include any resulting tables, spreadsheets or flow charts within the body of the project narrative (do not include as separate attachments). The timetable should not propose specific dates but instead group activities by month for each month over the entire proposed project period. An example of a timetable can be found here: https://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/sample-timetable.pdf.

4. Stakeholder Coordination/Involvement: This section should answer the question, “Who are you going to work with?” As applicable, describe how you/your organization has coordinated with and involved other relevant organizations, local community groups or individuals in planning the project, and detail if/how they will be involved in conducting project activities, disseminating project results and/or incorporating your results/products into their activities. Please describe any previous work with these stakeholders and how working with them relates to the specific threats and target audiences. Where multiple groups are working in the same site or are listed as stakeholders in the proposal, letters of endorsement specifically referring to this proposal and to the proposed collaboration from each partner organization will strengthen your proposal and may be requested by reviewers.

5. Project Monitoring and Evaluation: This section should answer the question, “How will you evaluate the progress and success of this project?” Detail the monitoring and evaluation plan for the project. Building on the stated project objectives, which must be specific and measurable, identify what you will measure (i.e., quantitative/quantifiable indicators) and how you will measure (i.e., methods, sample size, survey tools). Note that outputs (or products) should generally NOT be used as indicators, including Service performance reports. Indicators should reflect a change in capacity, human behavior, threat, or status of the target species. If the current status of the indicator is known, and the applicant identifies the indicator’s desired status or qualitative condition, providing this information will strengthen the proposal.

The following table format is recommended:

Objective

Indicator (i.e., what you will measure to track your progress toward achieving the objective)

Monitoring Method (i.e., how you will measure the indicator)

Current Status (if known)

Desired Status

The Service values projects that report both the success and failures of efforts as a means by which an applicant can improve their performance and provide lessons learned to improve our efforts to conserve wildlife.

6. Description of Entities Undertaking the Project: This section should answer the question, “Who will carry out the project and what are their specific qualifications?” Provide a brief description of the applicant organization and all participating entities and/or individuals. Identify which of the proposed activities each agency, organization, group, or individual is responsible for conducting or managing. On the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, provide complete contact information for the individual within the organization that will oversee/manage the project activities on a day-to-day basis. If eligibility for funding is based completely or in part on the qualifications of key personnel, provide brief (1 page) curricula vitae for key personnel, identifying their qualifications to meet the project objectives. To prevent unnecessary transmission of Personally Identifiable Information, DO NOT include Social Security numbers, the names of family members, or any other personal or sensitive information including marital status, religion or physical characteristics on the description of key personnel qualifications.

7. Sustainability: This section should answer the question, “What is your long-term plan for this project beyond the Service funding period?” As applicable, describe which project activities will continue beyond the proposed project period, who will continue the work or act on the results achieved, and how and at what level you expect these future activities will be funded.

8. Literature Cited: (if applicable) include as an addendum and not within the text of the proposal.

9. Map of Project Area: This section should answer the question, “Where is the project located?” The map should clearly delineate the project area and be large enough to be legible. Label any sites referenced in the project narrative.

10. Governmental Endorsement: For projects implemented outside the United States, non-governmental applicants must include a recent letter of support (no older than two years) from the appropriate local, regional, or national government wildlife or conservation authority. Where appropriate, letters of support from local communities or project beneficiaries should be provided. Endorsement letters should make specific reference to the project by its title as submitted on the applicant’s proposal.

E. Budget Information

1. SF 424, Budget Information Form Applicants must submit the appropriate SF 424 Budget Information form. Complete the SF-424C, Budget Information for Construction Programs form for construction projects. Complete the SF-424A for all other projects. The required SF 424 forms are available on the “Packages” tab of this Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov. Federal award recipients and subrecipients are subject to the Federal cost principles in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 200. Please note: Show funds requested from this Federal program separately from any other Federal sources of funding. In the “Budget Summary” section, use the first row for funding requested from this Federal program. Use subsequent row(s) for other Federal funding. Enter each Federal program’s CFDA number in the corresponding fields on the form. The CFDA number for this Federal program appears on the first page of this Funding Opportunity.

2. Budget Narrative Provide a written justification explaining all requested budget items/costs. Each budget item must demonstrate a clear connection to the project activities, and show how the item amounts were determined. Each of the major costs (salaries, fringe benefits, equipment, travel, supplies, other direct and indirect costs) must be explained.

For expensive items or large single purchases, provide detailed technical specifications or a pro forma invoice.

For personnel salary costs, include the baseline salary figures and the estimates of time (as percentages) to be directly charged to the project. Describe any item that under the applicable Federal Cost Principles requires the Service’s approval and estimate its cost.

The Budget Narrative should provide enough information for reviewers to be able to understand the cost basis and calculation at a glance. For example, a $3,300 for lodging costs should include the formula for how the cost was calculated: Lodging for 20 nights x 11 people x $15/night = $3,300.

For any salaries, staff time or contractors for which Service funds are requested, the person should be identified and their qualifications described in Section 6 (Description of Entities Undertaking the Project).

For any training, a description of the training should be included in the Methods section. For any meetings, a description of participants, a draft agenda and desired outputs should be provided.

Wherever possible, cost calculations and additional descriptions should be included in the Budget Narrative.

It is strongly recommend a detailed Budget Table accompany your Budget Narrative.

The following table format is recommended:

Category/Budget Item Units Cost per Unit

No.

of Units

Total USFWS Other

Personnel

Trainer month $xxx xx $ xxx $xxx

Project Director month $ xxx xx $ xxx $ xxx

Project Coordinator month $ xxx xx $ xxx $ xxx

Personnel Subtotal $xxx $ xxx

Fringe Benefits

% rate lump $ xxx xx $ xxx $xxx $ xxx

Fringe Benefits Subtotal $ xxx $ xxx

Travel

Vehicle day use (with driver) Day $ xxx xx $ xxx

Vehicle maintenance and repair lump $ xxx xx $ xxx $xxx

Domestic Flights (Coordination at Transit Points)

Each $ xxx xx $ xxx $xxx

Meals (4 day Training 30 ppl) Day $ xxx xx $ xxx $xxx

Accommodation (4 day Training 20ppl)

Day $ xxx xx $ xxx $xxx

Travel Subtotal

Equipment xxx Each $ xxx xx $ xxx $xxx xxx Each $ xxx xx $ xxx $xxx

Equipment Subtotal $ xxx $ xxx

Supplies xxx Each $ xxx xx $ xxx $xxx xxx Each $ xxx xx $ xxx $xxx

Supplies Subtotal $ xxx $ xxx

Contractual xxx lump $ xxx xx $ xxx $xxx xxx month $ xxx xx $ xxx $xxx

Contractual Subtotal $ xxx $ xxx

Other xxx lump $ xxx xx $ xxx $xxx xxx month $ xxx xx $ xxx $xxx

Other Subtotal $ xxx $ xxx $ xxx

TOTAL DIRECT CHARGES $ xxx $ xxx $ xxx

If claiming indirects and using de minimis: calculate Modified Total Direct Costs

OR

If using your organization’s NICRA:

calculate indirect costs base

OR

If charging all costs directly:

leave blank

$ xxx $ xxx $ xxx

INDIRECT CHARGES

(Amount from previous line times indirect rate)

$ xxx $ xxx $ xxx

GRAND TOTAL $xxx $xxx

*Present all amounts in U.S. dollars

Go to http://www.fws.gov/international/pdf/sample-budget.pdf to view a sample project budget table.

If your Budget Table requires more than one page, verify that the column headings and row titles appear on all pages. For multi-year or multi-phase projects, please include a separate budget narrative and table for each year/phase with subtotals.

Other things to consider when developing your Budget:

Federally Funded Equipment: If the U.S. Federal Government has paid for equipment for another award, applicants cannot claim it to be a matching or in-kind contribution and SHOULD NOT include it in the budget table. Instead, provide a separate list of any equipment paid for by the U.S. Federal Government that will be used for the project, including the name of the Federal agency that paid for the equipment.

Banking fees and charges: Banking and funds transfer fees resulting from a Federal award are typically included in and recovered by the recipient’s indirect cost rate (facilities & administrative (F&A) costs). Applicants that will charge all project costs directly (i.e., do not have an indirect cost rate and will not claim the flat de minimis indirect cost rate) should include an estimate of any anticipated electronic funds transfer or other banking fees and charges directly related to the Federal award in their proposed budget.

Program Income: Your project may include activities that will generate program income. Program income earned as a result of activities supported with Federal funding includes, but is not limited to the following: income from fees for services, the use or rental of property, the sale of commodities or fabricated items, license fees and royalties on patents and copyrights, and interest on loans.

Program income does not include interest earned on advances of Federal funds. Income earned during the project period of an approved award shall be retained by the recipient and used in at least one of the following ways:

1. Added to the funds requested from the Service for the project in addition to those committed by the recipient/other partners, and later used to conduct additional activities that will further the project objectives; OR

2. Used to finance the non-Federal share of the project.

Required Indirect Cost Statement: Applicants that do not have a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) cannot claim more than a flat de minimis indirect cost rate of 10% of modified total direct costs. All applicants, except individuals applying for funds separate from a business or non-profit organization he/she may operate, must include in the budget justification one of the following statements and attach to their application any required documentation identified in the applicable statement:

“We are:

1. A [insert your organization type] that has previously negotiated or currently has an approved indirect cost rate with our cognizant agency. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate]. [Insert either: “Attached is a copy of our most recently approved but expired rate agreement. In the event an award is made, we will submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after the award is made.” Or “Attached is a copy of our current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement.”

OR

2. A [insert your organization type] that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency.

Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate]. In the event an award is made, we will submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after the award is made.

OR

3. A [insert your organization type] that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency.

Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate]. However, in the event an award is made, we will not be able to meet the requirement to submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after award.

We request as a condition of award to charge a flat de minimis indirect cost rate of 10% of modified total direct costs as defined in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, section 200.68. We understand that the 10% de minimis rate will apply for the life of the award, including any future extensions for time, and that the rate cannot be changed even if we do establish an approved rate with our cognizant agency at any point during the award period.

OR

4. A [insert your organization type] that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency and has an indirect cost rate that is lower than 10%. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate; must be lower than 10%].

However, in the event an award is made, we will not be able to meet the requirement to submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after award. We request as a condition of award to charge a flat indirect cost rate of [insert rate; must be lower than 10%] of [insert a clear description of the direct cost base against which your rate is charged (e.g., salaries; salaries and fringe benefits; or modified total direct costs).

However, please note that your organization cannot charge indirect costs in excess of the indirect costs that would be recovered if applied against modified total direct costs as defined in 2 CFR 220.68]. We understand that we must notify the Service in writing immediately if we establish an approved rate with our cognizant agency at any point during the award period.

OR

5. A [insert your organization type] that will charge all costs directly.

All applicants are hereby notified of the following:

● Recipients without an approved indirect cost rate are prohibited from charging indirect costs to a Federal award. Accepting the 10% de minimis rate as a condition of award is an approved rate.

● Failure to establish an approved rate during the award period renders all costs otherwise allocable as indirect costs unallowable under the award.

● Only the indirect costs calculated against the Federal portion of the total direct costs may be charged to the Federal award. Recipients may not charge to their Service award any indirect costs calculated against the portion of total direct costs charged to themselves or charged to any other project partner, Federal and non- Federal alike.

● Recipients must have prior written approval from the Service to transfer unallowable indirect costs to amounts budgeted for direct costs or to satisfy voluntary committed cost-sharing or matching requirements under the award.

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

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

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

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

Indirect Cost Services Acquisition Services Directorate, Interior Business Center U.S. Department of the Interior 2180 Harvard Street, Suite 430 Sacramento, CA 95815 Phone: 916-566-7111; Email: ics@nbc.gov Email: Through https://www.doi.gov/ibc/contactus/ibcfeedback web form Internet address: https://www.doi.gov/ibc/services/finance/indirect-cost-services

F. Single Audit Reporting Statements: As required in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Subpart F, all U.S. states, local governments, federally-recognized Indian tribal governments, and non-profit organizations expending $750,000 USD or more in Federal award funds in a fiscal year must submit a Single Audit report for that year through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse’s Internet Data Entry System. All U.S. state, local government, federally-recognized Indian tribal government and non-profit applicants must provide a statement regarding if your organization was/was not required to submit a Single Audit report for the organization’s most recently closed fiscal year and, if so, state if that report is available on the Federal Audit Clearinghouse Single Audit Database website (https://harvester.census.gov/facweb/) and provide the EIN under which that report was OMB Control submitted. Include these statements at the end of the Project Narrative in a section titled “Single Audit Reporting Statements”.

G. Assurances: Complete either the SF-424B, Assurances for Non-Construction Programs or the SF-424D, Assurances for Construction Programs. The required SF 424 forms are available on the “Packages” tab of this Funding Opportunity on Grants.gov. The form contains language that states that some of the assurances may not be applicable to your organization and/or your project or program. Signing this form does not make you or your organization subject to laws that are otherwise not applicable to you or your organization. Changing, crossing out, or making notations on the form before signing has no impact on the applicability of law.

H. Certification and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities: Under Title 31 of the United States Code, Section 1352, an applicant or recipient must not use any federally appropriated funds (both annually appropriated and continuing appropriations) or matching funds under a grant or cooperative agreement award to pay any person for lobbying in connection with the award. Lobbying is defined as influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress connection with the award. Submission of an application also represents the applicant’s certification of the statements in 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A-Certification Regarding Lobbying. If you/your organization have/has made or agrees to make any payment using non-appropriated funds for lobbying in connection with this project AND the project budget exceeds US$100,000, complete and submit the SF- LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form. See 43 CFR, Subpart 18.100 for more information on when additional submission of this form is required.

I. Conflict of Interest Disclosures: Applicants must state in their application if any actual or potential conflict of interest exists at the time of submission. Conflicts of interest include any relationship or matter, which might place the recipient, including their employees and subrecipients, in a position of conflict, real or apparent, between their responsibilities under the award and any other outside interests. Conflicts of interest include direct or indirect financial interests; close personal relationships; positions of trust in outside organizations;

consideration of future employment arrangements with a different organization; and decision-making authority related to the proposed project. Conflicts of interest are those circumstances real or perceived that would cause a reasonable person with knowledge of the relevant facts to question the impartiality of the applicant, or the applicant’s employees or subrecipients, in matters pertaining to the proposed project. Applicants must notify the Service in writing in their application if any employees, including sub-recipient and contractor personnel, are elated to, married to, or have a close personal relationship with any Federal employee in program to which you are applying for funding or who otherwise may be involved in the review and selection of their proposal. The term employee means any individual to be engaged in the performance of work pursuant to the Federal award application. Failure to disclose and resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the Service may result in the rejection or disqualification of the application.

J. Required Overlap/Duplication Statement: Applicants must provide a statement indicating if there is any overlap between this Federal application and any other Federal application, or funded project, in regards to activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel. 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, including in regards to activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel”. If any such overlap exists, provide a complete description of overlaps or duplications between this proposal and any other federally funded project or application in regards to activities, costs, and time commitment of key personnel, as applicable.

Provide a copy of any overlapping or duplicative proposal submitted to any other potential funding entity and identify when that proposal was submitted, to whom (entity name and program), and when you anticipate being notified of their funding decision. When overlap exists, your statement must end with “We understand that if at any time we receive funding from another source that is duplicative of the funding we are requesting from the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service in this application, we will immediately notify the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service point of contact identified in this Funding Opportunity in writing.”

Application Checklist

□ DUNS Number

□ System for Award Management (SAM) registration

□ Leahy vetting information, if applicable

□ SF-424 - Application for Federal Assistance form

□ Project Summary (1 page)

□ Components outlined in Section C. Project Narrative (maximum 10 pages) Summary curricula vitae (1 page maximum) for key personnel

□ Map

□ Recent Letter of Governmental Endorsement

□ SF 424 A or C Budget Information form

□ Budget Narrative

□ List of Federally funded equipment: If Federally-funded equipment will be used for the project, a list of that equipment

□ Indirect Cost Statement

□ When applicable, a copy of the organization’s current Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

□ SF-424 B or D Assurances form

□ SF-LLL form, if applicable

□ Conflict of interest disclosure, if applicable

□ Overlap/Duplication statement

V. Submission Instructions

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Open from February 25, 2019 through March 29, 2019. Proposals must be submitted by11:59 PM EST on March 29, 2019. Proposals must be in English. Late applications will not be accepted. A confirmation email containing an assigned proposal number beginning with “Program initials and year” will be sent to applicants within 5-15 business days from the opportunity closing date. If you do not receive this email within 15 days of the opportunity closing date, contact: africanrhino@fws.gov.

Please select the appropriate submission option:

U.S. Applicants: U.S. applicants MUST apply through Grants.gov. U.S. applicants cannot submit applications by direct email to the program inbox email without prior approval or justification. If you wish to seek a waiver and approval for direct email submission, you must demonstrate that you have attempted to register in SAM and apply via Grants.gov, and attempted to resolve issues you experienced. This may include computer screen shots, email correspondence or other information obtained at the time of submission, before the stated deadline, that would support a waiver.

Register an Account with Grants.gov: Applicants must first register an account with Grants.gov and complete all steps of the registration process before they can apply through Grants.gov. Grants.gov registration requires the entity to create an account, create an account profile, and establish authorized profile roles, including the applicant’s authorized representative. Registration can take three to five business days or longer, if you do not complete the required steps in a timely manner.

Apply through Grants.gov: Grants.gov applicants apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different webforms within an application. For each funding opportunity announcement, you can create individual instances of a workspace. To apply, the applicant will create, complete, and submit a Workspace application package for this Funding Opportunity directly on Grants.gov. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the close date to allow time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission. When attaching files to the Grants.gov application, please do not assign file names longer than 20 characters, including spaces. File names longer than 20 characters will prevent your application received by Grants.gov from automatically downloading into the Service’s financial assistance management system. Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that the transmission of the application to Grants.gov takes time. Grants.gov sends either an error message or a “successfully received” message by email to the applicant’s authorized representative once the transmission is complete. Please do not end the transmission process before receiving that message.

Proof of Timely Submission: Grants.gov automatically generates an electronic date and time stamp in the system upon application receipt. Grants.gov sends an acknowledgement of receipt with the date and time stamp and a unique Grants.gov application tracking number to the authorized representative by email. This email from Grants.gov serves as the proof of timely submission.

Foreign Applicants: Foreign applicants are encouraged to submit applications through Grants.gov as described for U.S. applicants above. However, you may also submit your proposal to the following email addresses: africanrhino@fws.gov All documents must be printable on letter-sized paper (8 ½” x 11”). Format pages to display and print page numbers. Format your entire proposal into a SINGLE pdf file. If you are unable to submit a single pdf file and need to submit separate attachments, please send them in a single email message. If your files are too big for a single email, please number your emails and attachments and include the name of your organization in the subject line so that we know the order of your submissions. Compressed files (ZIP, RAR, etc.) and/or links to upload sites will NOT be accepted.

The required SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance, SF-424B/D Assurances, and any other required standard forms MUST be signed by your organization’s authorized official. The Signature and Date fields on the standard forms downloaded from Grants.gov are pre-populated with the text “Completed by Grants.gov upon submission” or “Completed on submission to Grants.gov”. Remove this text (manually or digitally) before signing the forms.

VI. Application Review

Criteria: To be considered for funding, proposals must address one or more of this program’s funding priorities, listed above in Section I. Description of Funding Opportunity. The USFWS, Division of International Conservation evaluates proposals by scoring how well each proposal addresses the program priorities and the requested elements listed in the Application Requirements section above. After reading proposals, reviewers categorize proposals into groups ranging from highest ranked to poorly ranked. The USFWS will attempt to fund all the projects that are deemed to be highest ranking. In the case that there are too many proposals within the top ranking category to be funded, they will be ranked and funded in order of priority. The following are considered in review of the proposals: importance of the project for the conservation of African rhinos and their habitat, proposal addresses the most important threats for that particular population and has a viable plan of action, qualifications of the organization and experience of key personnel, a summary of past interventions and history at the site is presented and the current plan of action is logical and feasible, activities and methods adequately described and realistic for the situation, past performance of the grantee, evidence of collaboration with or inclusion of key stakeholders, appropriate budget, measurable impact, likelihood of positive impact.

These scores are not the sole determining factor for final funding decisions.

Review and Selection Process:

The USFWS, Division of International Conservation ranks proposals by evaluating how well each proposal addresses the program priorities and the requested elements outlined above. Applications will be reviewed by a panel of federal government employees with specific subject area and/or regional expertise. USFWS may solicit advice from qualified experts to conduct a technical review of the proposed project. The USFWS may also discuss your proposal with known past and present partners to reduce the potential for waste, fraud, and abuse and to encourage coordination and collaboration among projects on the ground.