PKG00249406-instructions.pdf

U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

POOL SAFELY GRANT PROGRAM (PSGP)

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: NEW GRANT

ANNOUNCEMENT NUMBER: CPSC-19-001

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NO. 87.002

FISCAL YEAR 2019

APPLICATION DUE DATE: JUNE 5, 2019

Ensure that your SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations and passwords are current immediately!

Deadline extensions are not granted for lack of registration.

Registration in all systems, including SAM.gov and Grants.gov may take up to one month to complete.

Issuance Date: March 25, 2019

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission 4330 East West Highway Bethesda, MD 20814 Telephone: 301.504.7560 E-mail: Grants@cpsc.gov Technical Assistance Resources: https://www.poolsafely.gov/grants-vgbfy19

Authority: Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, Public Law No. 110-140, Title XIV, as amended, 15 U.S.C. §§ 8004-8005.

mailto:Grants@cpsc.gov i

POOL SAFELY GRANT PROGRAM

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT (FOA)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY INFORMATION

Under the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (VGB Act), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is accepting applications for its Fiscal Year 2019 Pool Safely Grant Program (PSGP). This program aims to prevent the drowning and drain entrapments of children in pools and spas. The PSGP seeks to provide funding to state and local governments for assistance with drowning prevention education and enforcement of pool safety requirements. CPSC will determine, in its sole discretion, whether an applicant has met the eligibility requirements under the VGB Act for a PSGP funding grant.

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Title: Pool Safely Grant Program Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 87.002 Funding Opportunity Number: CPSC 19 001 Type of Award Program: New Grant Due Date for Applications: June 5, 2019, at 11:59 p.m.

Anticipated Award: July 24, 2019 Anticipated Total Annual Available Funding: $2,000,000 Approximate Average Award: Up to $250,000 Budget/Project Period Length: Two (2) years Floor of Individual Award Range: $50,000 Ceiling of Individual Award Range: $250,000 Cost Share or Match: There are no cost-sharing or matching requirements.

Eligible Applicants:

• The 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S.

Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Federated State of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Midway Island, Wake Island, Kingman Reef, and Johnston Island.

• Local Governments–political subdivisions of a state, which may include a county, municipality, city, town, township, local public authority, school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments, or any agency or instrumentality of a local government.

CPSC Contacts For information on the Pool Safely Grant Program, including guidance on business, administrative, or fiscal issues related to this FOA, contact:

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Grants Management 4330 East West Highway, Rm. 523 Bethesda, MD 20814 Grants@cpsc.gov mailto:PSGPGrants@cpsc.gov ii

For additional information, visit the CPSC website at: http://www.cpsc.gov.

The Pool Safely website is at: https://www.poolsafely.gov .

SAM

To conduct electronic business with the federal government, and to submit an application under this funding opportunity, all applicants must register with the System for Award Management (SAM). SAM is a prerequisite to submitting a grant application successfully under the PSGP, and registration must be updated annually.

For more information about registering with SAM, visit https:/www.sam.gov.

In addition, please consult SAM’s Quick Guide for Grants Registrations at:

https://sam.gov/sam/transcript/Quick Guide for Grants Registrations.pdf

Grants.gov Contacts

All applicants seeking a grant under this funding opportunity must submit their application through Grants.gov. For help with submitting an application in Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, excluding federal holidays, at:

Grants.gov Contact Center Phone: (800) 518-4726 E-mail: support@grants.gov iPortal: http://grants.gov/iportal

Note: Applicants should always request a case number when calling Grants.gov for support.

http://www.cpsc.gov/ https://sam.gov/sam/transcript/Quick%20Guide%20for%20Grants%20Registrations.pdf mailto:support@grants.gov http://grants.gov/iportal iii

Table of Contents CPSC Contacts ................................................................................................................................. i I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Purpose

B. Authority

II. Award Information

A. Type of Award

B. Summary of Funding

III. Eligibility Requirements

A. Eligible Applicants

B. State or Local Law

C. Other Eligibility Requirements

D. Cost Sharing/Matching Funds

E. Registration and Application Package

F. Application and Submission

G. Program-Specific Instructions

H. Application Format

I. Application Due Date and Time

J. Intergovernmental Review

K. Funding Restrictions

IV. Application Review Criteria and Process

A. Review Criteria

B. Review and Selection Process

V. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

B. Post-Grant Award Terms and Conditions

VI. APPENDIX A – Budget Narrative and Allowable and Unallowable Costs

VII. APPENDIX B – Final Report Template

VIII. APPENDIX C – CPSC Training and Education Materials

I. Funding Opportunity Description

This FOA solicits applications for the CPSC’s FY 2019 Pool Safely Grant Program in accordance with section 1405 of the VGB Act. The CPSC anticipates awarding up to $2.0 million in FY 2019 through competitive project grant awards to eligible state and local governments that meet the requirements of the program over a 2-year project period. This announcement provides potential applicants with details of the requirements for applying for a grant under this program, and it also explains how CPSC will process and evaluate applications for financial assistance for grant recipients. The due date for applications under this funding opportunity is May 22, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. CPSC anticipates announcing the grants awards on or about July 24, 2019. The approximate average award to each grantee is $250,000. There are no cost-sharing or matching requirements under this FOA.

A. Purpose

The purpose of the PSGP is to provide state and local governments with assistance to help implement enforcement and education programs, with the goal of preventing drowning and drain entrapments of children in pools and spas. Under the PSGP, award recipients must allocate their funding as follows:

1) At least 50% of the funding must be used to hire and train enforcement personnel for implementation and enforcement of standards under the state or local swimming pool and spa safety law (see Section 1406 of the VGB Act for minimum requirements);

and

2) The remainder may be used to:

a. educate pool construction and installation companies and pool service companies about the standards;

b. educate pool owners, pool operators, and other members of the public about the standards under the swimming pool and spa safety law and about the prevention of drowning or entrapment of children using swimming pools and spas; and

c. defray administrative costs associated with such training and education programs

B. Authority CPSC derives the authority for the PSGP from the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act, Pub. L. No. 110-140, Title XIV, as amended, 15 U.S.C. §§ 8004-8005.

II. Award Information A. Type of Award

1) CPSC will issue grants to successful applicants under this funding opportunity.

2) CPSC will determine, in its sole discretion, whether an applicant has met the eligibility requirements under the VGB Act to receive a PSGP award

B. Summary of Funding

1) A total of $2.0 million in one-time funding is available.

2) Each applicant may apply for a grant of up to $250,000.

3) CPSC expects to provide funding to successful grant recipients beginning in FY 2019, on or about July 24, 2019.

4) CPSC will issue grants to applicants that successfully meet all of the requirements.

III. Eligibility Requirements A. Eligible Applicants

1) The 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S.

Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Federated State of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Midway Island, Wake Island, Kingman Reef, and Johnston Island.

2) Local Governments—political subdivisions of a state, which may include a county, municipality, city, town, township, local public authority, school district, special district, intrastate district, council of governments, or any agency or instrumentality of a local government.

B. State or Local Law

1) The applicant must have in effect a state or local law that meets the requirements specified in Section 1406 of the VGB Act (15 U.S.C. § 8005).

2) Under the VGB Act, the minimum state law requirements for eligibility are listed below:

a. The enclosure of all outdoor residential pools and spas in the state or locality by barriers to entry that will effectively prevent small children from gaining unsupervised and unfettered access to the pool or spa;

b. That pools and spas built in the state or locality more than 1 year after the date of the enactment of such state or local law have:

i. more than 1 drain;

ii. 1 or more unblockable drains; or

iii. no main drain.

c. The applicant must provide for enforcement of the law. Please see Section

IV.B.3) f) for additional instructions.

d. The applicant must submit a full copy of the applicable state or local law(s) for eligibility to be determined.

e. The applicant must identify the specific sections of the applicable law(s) that meet each requirement in Section 1406(a)(1)(A) of the VGB Act. Break down the specific sections of the applicable laws, and make sure they are clear.

f. Explain how the applicable state or local law meets each requirement in Section 1406(a)(1)(A). Annotate or highlight the applicable sections of the state or local law, if that helps to explain how the law meets the VGB requirements.

g. Explain how the applicant enforces the law.

C. Other Eligibility Requirements

1) Funding requests must be for equal to or less than the maximum individual grant amount of $250,000.

2) Applications must be filed by the specified deadline.

3) Each applicant may only file a single application.

D. Cost Sharing/Matching Funds

1) This funding opportunity does not require cost sharing.

2) This funding opportunity does not require fund matching.

E. Registration and Application Package

1) SAM/SAM.gov

a. To conduct electronic business with the federal government, applicants for this funding opportunity must register with the System for Award Management (SAM).

b. SAM registration must updated annually, and applicants are responsible for maintaining their registration with current, accurate information at all times and demonstrate that an entity has an active award from, or an application under consideration by, CPSC.

c. Applicants should take extreme care to verify that their SAM registration is active because SAM is a prerequisite to submitting grant application successfully.

d. Applicants also must ensure that their Marketing Partner ID Number (MPIN) is current.

NOTE: Do not wait until the last minute to update your registration in SAM. Applicants should ensure that all passwords and registration are current, well in advance of the deadline. It takes 3 to 5 days for an entity’s registration to become active.

For more information about registering with SAM, visit: https://www.sam.gov. To consult SAM’s Quick Guide for Grant Registrations, visit:

https://www.sam.gov/sam/transcript/Quick_Guide_for_Grants_Registrations.pdf).

2) GRANTS.gov

a. Applicants for this FOA must apply electronically through Grants.gov.

Applicants should immediately register in Grants.gov and become familiar with the Grants.gov application process. If you do not complete the Grants.gov registration process, you will be unable to submit an application for this FOA. The registration process for Grants.gov can take up to 1 month.

b. Instructions on how to register, tutorials, and FAQs are available on the Grants.gov website at www.grants.gov. Assistance is also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (excluding federal holidays) from the Grants.gov help desk at support@grants.gov or by phone at (800) 518-4726.

c. Applicants should also read the Grants.gov Applicant User Guide, which includes detailed information about using the Grants.gov system and contains helpful hints for successful submission. The Grants.gov Applicant User Guide is available at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html.

3) How to Apply Under Grants.gov

a. Under the “Applicants” tab, choose Apply for Grants. When using Grants.gov, you will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete the application offline, and then upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov site. Waivers of the electronic submission requirement will not be granted.

b. To be able to register successfully in Grants.gov, you must complete all of the following required actions:

i. Obtain an organizational Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number.

https://www.sam.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/sam/transcript/Quick_Guide_for_Grants_Registrations.pdf http://www.grants.gov/

ii. Register the organization with System for Award Management (SAM).

iii. Identify the organization’s E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC).

iv. Confirm the organization’s SAM Marketing Partner ID Number (M-

PIN) password.

v. Register and approve an Authorized Organization Representative

(AOR).

vi. Obtain a username and password from the Grants.gov Credential

Provider.

c. Applicants must ensure that the AOR is available to submit the application to Grants.gov by the deadline set forth in this announcement. CPSC will not accept submission or resubmission of incomplete, rejected, or otherwise delayed applications after the deadline.

d. All applicants (and sub-recipients of CPSC award funds) are required to have a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to apply for a grant or cooperative agreement from the federal government. The DUNS number is a unique nine-character identification number provided by the commercial company Dun and Bradstreet. There is no charge to obtain a DUNS number.

Information about obtaining a DUNS number can be found by visiting:

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform or calling (866) 705-5711.

e. Applications will not be reviewed without a DUNS number. A missing or incorrect DUNS number is the primary reason for applications being “Rejected for Errors” by Grants.gov. CPSC will not extend the deadline for applications with a missing or incorrect DUNS number.

F. Application and Submission

1. Form SF-424

a. To apply for PSGP funding, the first step is to download the SF-424 application package associated with this FOA. Form SF-424 contains general information and instructions for applicants.

b. Applicants are urged to submit your application several days in advance of the deadline. If your application is rejected by Grants.gov for any reason, you must correct the application and resubmit it to Grants.gov so that the application is validated before the deadline. If an application is submitted more than once before the application deadline CPSC will accept the applicant’s last validated electronic submission as the final and only acceptable submission.

2. To track your application: use the Grants.gov tracking number

(GRANTXXXXXXXX) provided in the confirmation e-mail from Grants.gov. For http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform more information about tracking your application, visit:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html. Be sure your application is validated by Grants.gov before the application deadline.

3. Application Format Requirements

The total size of all uploaded materials may not exceed the equivalent of 80 pages when printed by CPSC. The 80-page limit includes the abstract, project and budget narratives, and attachments required in the Application Guide and this FOA. The page limit also includes any optional letters of collaboration and support. Applications should be developed taking into consideration proposed applicant activities, application content, and plan to measure progress and outcome goals criteria.

• All information submitted via the Grants.gov Other Attachments Form should be uploaded in a PDF format to ensure that these materials can be opened and reviewed.

• Standard OMB-approved forms are not included in the 80-page limit. However, any attachments to the Standard OMB-approved formed are included in the 80-page limit.

• In addition, the items below are not be included in the page limit:

Copies of applicable state or local law meeting the safety standards set forth in Section 1406(a)(1) of the VGB Act and the explanation supporting the conclusion that such state or local law satisfies VGB Act requirements;

The Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (for the current year from the cognizant federal agency1) substantiating indirect costs that may be reimbursed as permissible administrative costs under VGBA;

NOTE: Applications must be complete, within the specified 80-page limit, and validated by Grants.gov under the correct funding opportunity number before the deadline date and time to be eligible. We strongly urge you to print your application to ensure that the application does not exceed the 80-page limit.

G. Program-Specific Instructions

CPSC will use documents and forms submitted by applicants marked “Required for Completeness” to determine whether an application is complete. Applications that fail to include all forms and documents “Required for Completeness” will be deemed incomplete and ineligible.

Failure to include documents indicated as “Required for Review” may lower an application’s objective review score.

1 The cognizant federal agency is determined by calculating which federal agency provides the most grant and/or cooperative agreement funding to the applicant. Additional guidance regarding indirect cost rates requirements may be found at 2 CFR part 255, Appendix E – State and Local Indirect Cost Rate Proposals. Note the limitations on applying the indirect cost rate under APPENDIX A – Budget Narrative and Allowable and Unallowable Costs.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html

The table below details the information required for this funding opportunity and the order in which the forms and documents must be submitted:

Submission through Grants.gov www.grants.gov

1) Number the electronic attachment pages sequentially, re setting the numbering for each attachment (i.e., start at page 1 for each attachment). Do not attempt to number standard OMB-approved form pages.

2) Limit file attachment names to 50 or fewer characters. Use only the following characters when naming your attachments: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore (_), hyphen (-), space, and period (.). Attachments that do not follow this rule will cause the entire application to be rejected by Grants.gov.

3) Documents are to be uploaded in the order provided in the Table into the corresponding sections under the Other Attachments Form. (Please note that a separate Other Attachment File(s) Form, which is listed as an Optional Document in Grants.gov, is not required and should NOT be submitted).

4) If the attachments marked “Required for Review” (R) are not uploaded, the application’s Objective Review score may be impacted negatively.

Applications must include the Forms and Documents listed below in the order specified:

Application Section

Information Type

Required for Completeness

(C)/ Review

(R) Instruction

Counted in Total Page Limit (Y/N)

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424) Form C

Complete pages 1, 2 & 3 of the SF-424 face page. See detailed application-specific instructions in the Application Format section. N

Assurances Non- Construction Form

Provide completed SF- 424B Assurances. N http://www.grants.gov/

Information Type

Required for Completeness

(C)/ Review

(R) Instruction

Counted in Total Page Limit (Y/N)

Programs (SF- 424B) Grants.gov Lobbying Form (required) Form

Complete this form per the instructions. N

Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL) (as applicable) Form

Complete this form per the instructions. N

Project Abstract (required) Document R

Type the title of the funding opportunity and upload the project abstract on page 2 of SF-424 - Box 15 (1 page limit). Y

Additional Congressional Districts (as applicable) Document

If applicable, awardees serving multiple districts can upload an attachment listing all districts served on page 2 of SF-424 - Box 16. Y

Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs (SF- 424a) Form R

Complete this form per the instructions. N

Other Attachments Form Form

Upload attachments 1-8 (listed below) into this form in the order listed below. N

Attachment 1:

Project Narrative Document R

Provide a project narrative. Y

Attachment 2:

Budget Narrative Document R

Provide a budget narrative. Y

Information Type

Required for Completeness

(C)/ Review

(R) Instruction

Counted in Total Page Limit (Y/N)

Attachment 3:

Schedule Document R

Provide the 2 year project schedule Y

Attachment 4:

Staffing Plan Document R

Identify staff, responsibilities, and experience related to the grant. Y

Attachment 5:

State Law Eligibility Document C

Provide a copy of the state or local law(s), an explanation of satisfaction of VGB Act requirements, and how the jurisdiction provides for enforcement of the law(s). N

Attachment 6:

Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (as applicable) Document R

Provide a copy of the Indirect Cost Rate for the current year. N

Attachment 7:

Funding Preference (as applicable) Document

Submit requests Funding Preference eligibility. N

Attachments 8:

Other Relevant Documents (as applicable) Document

If desired, include other relevant documents to support the proposed project (no more than 7 attachments). Y

H. Application Format

Application for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

Prepare the SF-424 according to the form’s instructions (mouse over fields for specific instructions) and observe the following guidelines:

1) Box 1: Type of Submission: Application

2) Box 2: Type of Application: Select New (new applicants)

3) Box 3: Date Received: Leave blank

4) Box 4: Applicant Identifier: Leave blank

5) Box 5a: Federal Entity Identifier: Leave blank

6) Box 5b: Federal Award Identifier: Leave blank

7) Box 6: Leave blank

8) Box 7: Leave blank

9) Box 8a: Provide the legal name of the entity that has registered with the System for

Award Management (SAM). Box 8b: Employer/Taxpayer Identification Number (EIN/TIN): Enter applicant’s EIN/TIN.

10) Box 8c: Organizational DUNS: Enter the organization's DUNS or DUNS+4 number received from Dun and Bradstreet.

11) Box 8d: Address: Enter address: street; city; County/Parish, State, Country or Territory, and 9-digit zip/postal code.

12) Box 8e: Organizational Unit: Enter the name of the primary organizational unit, department, or division that will undertake the work for which an award is requested.

13) Box 8f: Name and contact information of person to be contacted on matters involving this application: Provide contact information of Program Director.2 Enter the first and last name, prefix, middle name, suffix, and title. Enter organizational affiliation if affiliated with an organization other than that in 7.a. Telephone number and e-mail; and fax number.

14) Box 9: Type of Applicant: Select the appropriate applicant type.

15) Box 10: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

16) Box 11: Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 87.002.

17) Box 12: Funding Opportunity Number and Title: CPSC-19-001 and Pool Safely

Grant Program, respectively.

18) Box 13: Competition Identification Number/Title: Leave blank.

19) Box 14: Areas Affected by Project: Provide a summary of the areas to be served

(e.g., if an entire county, state, or territory is proposed to be served, cities do not need to be listed) and upload the summary as a Word document.

2 The Program Director is responsible for the oversight and day-to-day management of the grant.

20) Box 15: Descriptive Title of Applicant’s Project: Type the title of the FOA (Pool Safely Grant Program) and upload the project abstract as described in Section IV.B.3.e. The abstract will count toward the 80-page limit.

21) Box 16: Congressional Districts: Provide the congressional district where the administrative office of the applicant is located in 16a and the congressional districts to be served by the proposed project in 16b. If information will not fit in the boxes provided, attach a Word document. This document will count toward the 80-page limit.

22) Box 17: Proposed Project Start and End Date: Insert a proposed project start date of July 16, 2019 and a proposed project end date of July 16, 2021.

23) Box 18: Estimated Funding: Complete the required information based on the funding request for the proposed project. The funding request should be entered on line a. Federal (not to exceed $250,000). All other sources of funding, including other sources of federal funding, should be entered on the appropriate lines as applicable. This information should be consistent with the total provided in the 424A Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs form.

24) Box 19: Review by State: Program is not covered by E.O. 12372.

25) Box 20: Delinquent on Federal Debt: Select the appropriate box. This question applies to the applicant, not the person who signs as the authorized representative.

Categories of federal debt include, but may not be limited to, delinquent audit disallowances, loans, and taxes. If yes, include an explanation in an attachment.

26) Box 21: Authorized Representative: The electronic signature in Grants.gov (created when the Grants.gov forms are submitted) is the official signature when applying for a grant award. DO NOT print, sign, and mail this form to CPSC.

Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B) Complete application form SF-424B, Assurances for Non-Construction Programs, provided with the application package.

Grants.gov Lobbying Form (Grants.gov) Complete the Grants.gov Lobbying form provided with the application package.

SF-424 LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Grants.gov) Complete the Disclosure of Lobbying Activities application form provided with the application.

Other Attachments Form Upload attachments 1 through 8 into the Other Attachments Form in the order below:

a. Project Narrative

b. Budget Narrative

c. Schedule

d. Staffing Plan

e. State Law Eligibility

f. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (as applicable)

g. Funding Preference (as applicable)

h. Other Relevant Documents (as applicable)

Project Abstract

Summarize your application in a project abstract. CPSC may use your project abstract to inform the public and Congress about your project. Prepare the project abstract so that it is clear, accurate, and concise. Do not reference any other parts of your application in the project abstract.

Submit the abstract in the format below:

27) Line spacing: single-spaced, 1.0

28) Limited to one page in length. Font size: 12 point

29) Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches

30) Page margin size: 1 inch

31) Printed only on one side of page.

Place the following at the top of the application abstract:

32) Project title

33) Applicant name

34) Pool Safely Grant Program (PSGP) and FOA (CPSC-19 001)

35) Program Director

36) Address

37) Program Director contact numbers (phone and fax)

38) E-mail address

39) Applicant website address (if applicable)

40) Congressional district(s) served by the project site

41) Projected start and end date.

The project abstract narrative should include:

42) A brief description of the applicant’s past efforts to improve pool safety,

43) A brief description of the PSGP award proposal, and

44) A brief description of any other relevant information.

Copy of State or Local Pool and Spa Safety Law and Explanation of Eligibility of Law for VGB Act Grants.

Applicants must demonstrate that their jurisdiction has enacted or amended a state or local law that meets the minimum state law requirements specified in Section 1406 of the VGB Act (15 U.S.C. § 8005). The applicant must explain how the law meets each of the safety standards set forth in Section 1406(a)(1) of the VGB Act and how the applicant provides for enforcement of the law.

Additional information regarding requirements for the law is available under Section

III.A.2).

The copies of the state and/or local law(s) must be uploaded as Attachment 5.

Project Narrative This section is the core of the grant proposal and provides a comprehensive framework and description of all aspects of the applicant’s proposed project. The narrative should be succinct, self-explanatory, and well organized. Upload the Project Narrative under Attachment 1.

The narrative must be submitted in the following format:

45) Line Spacing: single-spaced, 1.0

46) Page Limits: reference Section 2.1 for overall application format page limits

47) Font size: 12 point

48) Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches

49) Page margin size: 1 inch

50) Printed only on one side of page

Use the section headings below for the project narrative and address activities to be conducted over the entire project period in the order listed below:

(1) Table of Contents Insert a table of contents with section headers and corresponding page numbers.

(2) Introduction This section corresponds with Review Criterion 1 - Introduction, in Section V. Provide and introduction that aids reviewers in understanding the community that will be helped by the proposed project.

Applicants must describe the community population and enforcement and education needs as they relate to protecting children from drowning and entrapment in pools and spas. Describe current or past efforts to address these needs, and explain whether and how the efforts were deemed to be successful. Show how the community’s needs relate to the proposed project’s objectives.

Whenever possible, use and cite relevant demographic and other data related to child drowning and entrapment in swimming pools and spas in the community to support the application.

Identify any factors present in the community (e.g., language, transient populations, and ability to inspect public versus private pools) that may make enforcement, training, and education authorized under the grant program more difficult.

(3) Work Plan This section corresponds with Review Criterion 2 – Work Plan, under Section V. The applicant’s work plan provides a framework and describes all aspects of the proposed project.

The work plan should be succinct, self-explanatory, and well organized to aid reviewers’ understanding of the proposed project.

i. Scope of Work

In this section, describe the applicant’s scope of work for the proposed project under this funding opportunity. The proposed project must be consistent with the required program purposes defined under Section 1405(d) of the VGB Act (reference Section I.A. of this

FOA.)

In addition, the scope of work should provide project objectives that align with the training, enforcement, and educational requirements for use of grant funds. Include specific approaches to achieving the objectives, outlining how the project seeks to implement each component of the proposed project.

Note: To ensure accuracy and consistency of training and education, awardees must appropriately incorporate the free CPSC resources of the Pool Safely education campaign, as identified in Appendix C.

ii. Schedule Provide a realistic schedule that fully implements the project within the 2-year period. The schedule must include major milestones aligned with the project goals. Upload the schedule under Attachment 3.

iii. Identify Collaborations

Identify any efforts to collaborate with other stakeholders as part of the project (e.g., other state, local, or municipal entities; service organizations; pool construction, installation, and service companies; pool owners and operators; professional organizations; local businesses; school systems; parent/teacher organizations; civic organizations; local public officials; and the media.) Any letters of support or collaboration should be uploaded under Attachment 8.

Note: collaborations with other stakeholders are encouraged, but collaborations are not a required element of an awardee’s project.

(4) Resources and Capabilities This section corresponds with Review Criterion 3 – Resources and Capabilities, under Section V. Applicants must provide the information below, describing the applicant’s resources and capabilities to perform the proposed project.

iv. Staffing Plan

Identify the Program Director and key staff (i.e., whether existing, to be hired, or to be engaged under contractual arrangements) responsible for managing and implementing the project. Identify any staff who will manage or participate in key activities funded by the grant, or those who will monitor contractors’ use of funds or provision of services.

Briefly describe each staff position, including the roles and responsibilities under the proposed project to be funded by the grant. For each staff member, note all related sources of funding and the corresponding time commitment for their work. CPSC encourages applicants to supply this information in a table format.

Describe the qualifications of key personnel (including the Program Director) and how those qualifications relate to the proposed project. In the description of qualifications, include the relevant education, training, experience and expertise, of key personnel, in addition to language fluency and experience working with the populations the proposed project will serve. Upload the staffing plan under Attachment 4.

v. Budget Narrative

To ensure that project budgets adhere to VGB Act requirements, a project-specific line item budget must be submitted. Submit the budget narrative in table format, providing a detailed breakout of costs organized under form SF- 424a’s object class categories (e.g., personnel, fringe benefits, supplies, other). Upload the budget narrative under Attachment

2. Indirect Cost Rates for the current year from the cognizant federal agency should be included under Attachment 6.

Identify any other resources that may be used to contribute to the overall success of the proposed project. Include a narrative for each object class category, and provide a brief overview of the reason for the costs for any additional resources, and how these costs relate back to the scope of work described in the Methodology section.

The amount requested on form SF-424a and the amount in the budget narrative must match. Stated differently, the budget requested may not exceed the total award. Personnel are to be listed by position title, and specify the name of the individual for each position or title, or note whether the position is vacant.

Note: Because at least 50 percent of the total award must be spent on training and hiring of enforcement personnel, costs for these activities must be clearly identified within the budget narrative.

Refer to page 32 for the sample budget format and page 37 for examples.

For additional information for specific allowable costs under the PSGP awards, refer to Appendix A of this funding opportunity.

(5) Project Evaluation Plan This section corresponds with Review Criterion 4 – Project Plan Evaluation, under Section V.

Provide a brief project evaluation plan, including performance measures. A “Project Evaluation Plan” results from the systematic collection and documentation of information about your project's outcomes and is designed to improve the project's effectiveness, guide judgments about its impact, and/or inform decisions about future programming. In other words, the project evaluation plan should explain how the applicant will go about gathering data pertinent to meet the goals and objectives of the program, what activities the applicant expects to carry out during the project period that support the project.

If CPSC funds a proposed project, grantees must submit a final self-evaluation of the project’s goals and objectives based on the grantee’s project evaluation plan. The project evaluation plan will be incorporated into the final report under the grant award (reference Appendix B).

Other Attachments Attach additional information that may support the proposed project (e.g., resumes, charts, and organizational brochures) under Attachment 8. Do not upload more than seven additional attachments.

I. Application Due Date and Time

The due date for applications under FOA CPSC-19-001 is May 22, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Applications are considered formally submitted when the application has (1) been successfully transmitted electronically by the applicant’s Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) through Grants.gov, and (2) has been validated by Grants.gov.

Receipt acknowledgement: Upon receiving an application, Grants.gov will send a series of email messages to the applicant to document the progress of an application through the system.

a) The first e-mail will confirm receipt in the system.

b) The second e-mail will indicate whether the application has been validated successfully by Grants.gov, or has been rejected due to errors.

In limited circumstances CPSC may decide, in its sole discretion, to extend the application deadline.

Note: if the Grants.gov website or related functions are not working properly and applications cannot be submitted during the 24 consecutive hours immediately before the deadline, Grants.gov will notify potential applicants of the system failure and whether CPSC will extend the application deadline along with information on the length of any extension.

If the applicant notifies CPSC of an adverse event occurring within the 24 hours immediately before the deadline that prevents the applicant from submitting the application before the deadline, CPSC will notify the applicant via email about whether CPSC will grant an extension and the length of any extension. The applicant must provide supporting facts and details about the adverse event preventing successful submission of the application

Technical difficulties experienced by applicants in submitting an application (e.g., busy servers, slow Internet or computer connections, slow processing, or large file size) will not result in deadline extensions.

a. Late Applications and Supplemental Materials

Applications that are not “validated” by Grants.gov before the deadline are late and are not eligible for grants under this FOA.

CPSC will only consider materials that are included with an application that Grants.gov validates by the announced deadline. Supplemental materials submitted after the application deadline or sent directly to CPSC without submission via Grants.gov will not be added to an application or considered by the Objective Review Committee.

J. Intergovernmental Review

The PSGP is not subject to the provisions of Executive Order 12372.

K. Funding Restrictions

1) Funds awarded through the PSGP must be obligated and costs incurred by the end of the 2-year project/budget period. Obligated grant funds must be expended before the date that is 90 calendar days after the end of the project/budget period.

2) No grant funds may be used to defray pre-award costs.

3) Grant funds may not be used to construct, alter, or renovate pools or spas, or to purchase, install, inspect, repair or retrofit pool or spa equipment.

b. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Successful applicants must comply with the administrative requirements outlined in:

• 2 CFR part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards

Note: grant funds awarded under this FOA may not be used for any activities or purposes, except as specifically authorized by the VGB Act. For more information, see Section I.1.3) above.

In addition to the regulatory, statutory, and national policy requirements imposed by regulation, CPSC stresses the following terms and conditions applicable to every award:

Paperwork Reduction Act Requirements Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, projects that involve collecting information from 10 or more individuals and funding by a grant or a cooperative agreement will be subject to review and approval by the OMB.

Lobbying Restrictions Grant recipients are prohibited from using CPSC funds to engage in any lobbying activity.

Specifically, no part of the federal award must be used to pay the salary or expenses of any grant recipient, sub-recipient, or agent acting for such recipient or sub-recipient related to any activity designed to influence the enactment of legislation, appropriations, regulation, administrative action, or executive order proposed or pending before the Congress or any state government, state legislature or local legislature or legislative body.

This prohibition includes grass roots lobbying efforts by grant recipients that are directed at inducing members of the public to contact their elected representatives to urge support of, or opposition to, proposed or pending legislation, appropriations, regulations, administrative actions, or executive orders (collectively, “legislation and other orders”). Other prohibited grass roots lobbying communications by grant recipients using federal funds include any effort to influence legislation through an attempt to affect the opinions of the general public or any segment of the population, if the communications refer to specific legislation and/or other orders, directly express a view on such legislation or other orders, and encourages the audience to take action regarding the matter.

Direct lobbying communications by grant recipients are also prohibited. Direct lobbying includes any attempt to influence legislative or other similar deliberations at all levels of government through communications that directly express a view on proposed or pending legislation, and other orders and that are directed to members, staff, or other employees of a legislative body, or directed to government officials or employees who participate in the formulation of legislation or other orders.

Lobbying prohibitions also extend to include CPSC grants and cooperative agreements that, in whole or in part, involve conferences. Federal funds cannot be used directly or indirectly to encourage participants in such conferences to lobby impermissibly.

However, these prohibitions are not intended to prohibit all interaction with the legislative or executive branches of governments, or to prohibit educational efforts pertaining to activities that are within the scope of the CPSC award. For state, local, and other governmental grantees, certain activities falling within the normal and recognized executive-legislative relationships, or participation by an agency or officer of a state, local, or tribal government in policymaking and administrative processes within the executive branch of that government, are permissible. There are circumstances for such grantees, in the course of such a normal and recognized executive-legislative relationship, when it is permissible to provide information to the legislative branch.

However, such communications cannot directly urge the decision makers to act on specific legislation or expressly solicit members of the public to contact the decision makers to urge such action.

Grant recipients may use funds only for the authorized purposes for which they received an award. As a general matter, grant recipients should note that using CPSC funds to develop or disseminate materials that exhibit all three of the following characteristics are prohibited: (1) referring to specific legislation or other order; (2) reflecting a point of view on that legislation or other order; and (3) containing an overt call to action.

Note: under the provisions of 31 U.S.C. Section 1352, grant recipients and their sub-tier contractors and/or funded parties are prohibited from using appropriated federal funds to lobby in connection with the award, extension, continuation, renewal, amendment, or modification of the funding mechanism under which monetary assistance was received. In accordance with applicable regulations and law, certain covered entities must give assurances that they will not engage in prohibited activities.

Note: CPSC cautions grant recipients to avoid the appearance of using CPSC funds to perform activities prohibited under federal law.

Grant recipients who violate these lobbying restrictions may face certain penalties, including disallowance of the cost of the activity or action deemed a violation, as well as other potential enforcement actions, as outlined in applicable grant regulations.

Procurement Grant recipients may acquire a variety of commercially available goods or services in connection with an award-supported project or program. Services provided through contracts and related subcontracts must conform to the authorized purpose of the grant award and all applicable legal restrictions. Awardees can use their own procurement procedures that reflect applicable state and local laws and regulations, as long as those procedures conform to 2 CFR § 200.317 or § 200.318, as applicable. Grant recipients are encouraged to purchase American-made equipment and products with funding the funding they receive from CPSC.

Non-Discrimination Requirements Services funded by the grant or cooperative agreement must be widely accessible. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance (Pub. L. No.

88-352, as amended), services must not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, sex, race, color, national origin, or religion. In some instances, a recipient’s failure to provide language assistance services may have the effect of discriminating against persons on the basis of their national origin.

Contractor Employee Whistleblower Protections Awards issued under CPSC FOAs are subject to the requirements of 48 CFR § 3.908. A standard term and condition of award requires that grantees inform their employees in writing of employee whistleblower rights and protections under 41 U.S.C. § 4712 in the predominant native language of the workforce. (Regarding 48 CFR § 3.908, note that use of the terms “contract,” “contractor,” “subcontract,” or “subcontractor,” should read “grant,” “grantee,” “subgrant,” or “sub grantee.”)

Smoke-Free Workplace CPSC strongly encourages all award recipients to provide a smoke-free workplace and to discourage using all tobacco products. Furthermore, the Pro-Children Act of 1994, Pub. L. No.

103-227, prohibits smoking in certain facilities (or in some cases, any portion of a facility) in which regular or routine education, library, day care, or early childhood development services are provided to children.

Standards for Financial Management Recipients are required to meet the standards and requirements for financial management systems set forth in 2 CFR § 200 (OMB Circular A-102), as applicable. The financial systems must enable the recipient to maintain records that adequately identify the sources of funds for federally assisted activities and the purposes for which the award was used, including authorizations, obligations, unobligated balances, assets, liabilities, outlays or expenditures, and any program income. The system must also enable the recipient to compare actual expenditures or outlays with the approved budget for the award.

CPSC funds must retain their award-specific identity—they may not be commingled with state funds or other federal funds (“Commingling funds” typically means depositing or recording funds in a general account without the ability to identify each specific source of funds for any expenditure.). CPSC advises grant recipients to separate CPSC funds from non-CPSC funds.

Trafficking in Persons Awards issued under CPSC FOAs are subject to the requirements of Section 106(g) of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000, as amended (22 U.S.C. § 7104).

IV. Application Review Criteria and Process CPSC instituted review criteria and procedures for assessing the technical merit of applications.

The review criteria and process help reviewers judge each application objectively, and aid applicants’ understanding of the standards CPSC uses to judge an application. In addition, CPSC developed critical indicators for each review criterion to assist the applicant in presenting pertinent information related to that criterion and to provide the reviewer with a standard for evaluation.

In selecting applicants for grant awards, CPSC is required to allocate grant funds for the purposes defined under Section 1405(d) of the VGB Act (reference Section I.A. of this FOA), to provide the maximum benefit possible for protecting children from drowning or entrapment.

A. Review Criteria

Review criteria are outlined below, along with specific detail and scoring points. Review criteria are used to review and rank applications. The PSGP application has four review criteria. Sub-criteria review points are listed under the individual review criteria.

1. Introduction (25 points)

This section corresponds with the Project Narrative – Introduction, in Section IV.

a. (15 points) Reviewers will examine the population and enforcement and education needs of the applicant’s community, relative to protecting children from drowning and entrapment in swimming pools and spas, as described in the application, and as supported by demographic and other data. This includes analyzing factors in the community that may make enforcement, training, and education more challenging.

b. (10 points) Reviewers will an examine an applicant’s descriptions of any successful efforts (past or planned) regarding enforcement and education, including how these efforts were successful in addressing the prevention of child drowning or entrapment in swimming pools and spas.

2. Work Plan (30 points)

This section corresponds with Project Narrative - Work Plan, under Section IV.

a. (20 points) Reviewers will examine the applicant’s description of the specific project objectives needed to accomplish each of applicant’s goals, and likewise,…