PKG00255484-instructions.pdf

AGENCY: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

TITLE: Columbia River Basin Restoration Funding Assistance Program -

Middle and Upper Columbia River Basin

FY 19/20 ACTION: Request for Applications (RFA)

RFA NUMBER: EPA-R10-OW-CRBRP-2019-02

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NO: 66.962

IMPORTANT DATES

Friday, December 20, 2019 RFA CLOSES – APPLICATIONS DUE February – September 2020 ANTICIPATED NOTIFICATION OF SELECTION April – December 2020 ANTICIPATED AWARD

The closing date and time of this announcement is Friday, December 20, 2019, at 11:59 p.m.

Eastern Time (ET). Application packages must be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (www.grants.gov) no later than Friday, December 20, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. (ET) to be considered for funding.

SUMMARY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10 (EPA), is issuing a Request for Applications (RFA) from eligible entities to improve water quality in the Middle and Upper Columbia River Basin, through specific actions to reduce toxics, increase monitoring, and/or increase public education and outreach. The Columbia River Basin Restoration Program (CRBRP) will assist tribal, state and local governments; nongovernmental entities, and others as they implement the Columbia River Basin Toxics Reduction Action Plan and the Lower Columbia River Estuary Plan - Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan and conduct activities to support EPA national goals for the Columbia River Basin.

Eligible projects must address at least one of the following project categories: eliminating or reducing pollution; cleaning up contaminated sites; improving water quality; monitoring to evaluate trends;

reducing runoff; protecting habitat; or promoting citizen engagement or knowledge. Priority for funding will be given to projects which are consistent with federal fiscal years 2019 and 2020 (FY19/20) funding priorities as described in the RFA.

Eligible entities include state governments, tribal governments, regional water pollution control agencies and entities, local government entities, nongovernmental entities, or soil and water conservation districts. The work must be for the purpose of environmental protection and restoration activities within the Columbia River Basin and may include programs, projects and studies.

Other Application Information: For your convenience, an RFA website has been created at https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/columbia-river-basin-restoration-funding-assistance-program where you will find information relating to the RFA process as well as a link to frequently asked questions (FAQs). Further submittal information is described in Section IV.

NOTE: If you intend to name a contractor (including an individual consultant) or a subrecipient as a project partner or otherwise in your application, EPA recommends that you carefully review, and comply with, the directions contained in the “Contracts and Subawards” clause that can be accessed under the Section V.D clause for “Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated Into the Solicitation.”

Summary of What EPA Will Fund

FUNDING / AWARDS

EPA anticipates awarding between $225,000 and $675,000 of Columbia River Basin Restoration Program (CRBRP) funding under this announcement. Awards will be issued and managed through EPA’s Region 10 Office. EPA anticipates awarding 3-10 cooperative agreements, ranging from $60,000 to $200,000 for the Middle and Upper Columbia River Basin portion of the Basin under this RFA, subject to the availability of funds, the quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations. Applicants may apply under both this RFA, and the Lower Columbia River Estuary RFA, which is issued separately, for basin wide projects.

Minimum Application Amount: $60,000

Maximum Application Amount: $200,000 Total Available Funds: $225,000 and $675,000

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Background B. Scope of Work:

Project Categories

FY19/20 Priorities

Other EPA Interests

C. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage, Anticipated Outputs/Outcomes and Performance Measures D. Statutory Authority

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. What is the amount of funding available?

B. Incremental and Partial Funding C. How many agreements will EPA award in this competition and what is the funding range?

D. What is the project period for awards resulting from this solicitation?

E. Funding Type

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Entities B. Cost-Sharing C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Requirement to Submit Through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures B. Grants.gov Application Submission Instructions (see Appendix A) C. Content of Application Submission D. Submission Date and Time E. Funding Restrictions F. Information Sessions G. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Review and Selection Process B. Other Factors C. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Award Notices B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements C. Reporting Requirement D. Disputes E. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

APPENDIX A - Grants.gov Application Submission Instructions APPENDIX B – Project Narrative Instructions, Format, and Content

Cover Page Work Plan Budget Detail Attachments Additional Resources

APPENDIX C – How to Fund Projects and Partnerships Additional Resources

APPENDIX D - Application Submission Checklist APPENDIX E – Project Location Description and Map

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Background The Columbia River Basin is one of the world’s great river basins in watershed size, river volume, and environmental and cultural significance. Covering nearly 260,000 square miles – approximately the size of the state of Texas – the Columbia River Basin is the nation’s sixth largest watershed. The Basin drains portions of Canada’s British Columbia province and seven U.S. states, but mostly Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. Within its boundaries lies multiple tribal reservations and 45 million acres of tribally co-managed land. The Basin contains great geographic and land-use diversity, including alpine peaks, forested slopes, semi-arid grassland and rangeland, arable agricultural land, and an extensive estuary. From its source in the Canadian Rockies, the mainstem Columbia River flows more than 1,200 miles to the Pacific Ocean. Its average annual flow – 270,000 cubic feet per second – makes it the United States’ fourth largest river by discharge. Significant tributaries include the Kootenai, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Okanagan, Yakima, Snake, John Day, Deschutes, Willamette, and Cowlitz Rivers.

The Basin’s aquatic ecosystem is critical to supporting the fish and wildlife and over 8 million people who reside within the watershed and depend on its resources for their health and livelihood. There is concern about the health of the Basin’s aquatic ecosystem and the potential risk to human health due to the presence of toxics found in the fish, wildlife, water, and sediment. Toxic contamination is a human health risk and key environmental justice issue for tribal people and other high fish-consuming populations.

Columbia River salmon and steelhead runs were once the largest in the world with as many as 16 million fish returning annually to spawn in the Basin. Columbia River tribes have depended on native fish species, including (but not limited to) salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, and lamprey for thousands of years for spiritual, cultural, and nutritional sustenance. Human activities including hydrologic modifications for flood control and power generation, industry, urban development, mining, and agricultural practices have affected fish spawning and rearing habitat, blocked or impeded fish passage, and contributed toxic contaminants that have impaired water quality. Many scientists believe that recovery of salmon, steelhead, and other fish populations cannot be achieved without reducing toxics in water and sediment.

In 1992, the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) National Study of Chemical Residues in Fish found bioaccumulative toxics in Columbia River Basin fish tissue. Recognizing the historic importance of fish in the diets of tribal people and the potential human health impacts of toxics, the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (CRITFC) and EPA developed the 1994 Fish Consumption Survey of the Umatilla, Nez Perce, Yakama, and Warm Springs Tribes of the Columbia River Basin which found that tribal people were consuming 9 to 12 times more fish than the average US resident. EPA and CRITFC followed up that study with the Columbia River Fish Contaminant Study 1996-1998 which found 92 pollutants in fish from 24 tribal fishing sites, including contaminants with human health impacts such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxin, mercury, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and furans.

EPA convened the Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group in 2005 to share information and collaborate on toxics reduction in the Columbia River Basin. The Working Group led the development of the 2009 Columbia River Basin State of the River Report for Toxics which addressed four contaminants:

DDT, PCBs, mercury, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and the risk they pose to people, fish and wildlife, and highlighted successful efforts to reduce those contaminants. The 2009 report was followed by the 2010 Columbia River Basin Toxics Reduction Action Plan, which identified sixty-one actions needed across five categories: increasing public understanding to reduce toxics; increasing toxics reduction actions; conducting monitoring to identify sources and reduce contaminants; developing a regional research program; and developing a shared data management system. In 2014, the Working Group released its Strategy for Measuring, Documenting, and Reducing Chemicals of Emerging Concern, providing an outline for a research and monitoring strategy and a characterization of the impacts of chemicals of emerging concern on human health, aquatic life and terrestrial wildlife.

On December 9, 2016, Congress passed the Columbia River Basin Restoration Act (CRBRA) as part of the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), also known as the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act of 2016. The WRDA was signed into law by the President on December 16, 2016. The legislation focuses on the U.S. portion of the Columbia River Basin including the States of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. The newly created Section 123 of the Clean Water Act (CWA) directs EPA to establish a Columbia River Basin Restoration Program which includes a Working Group that is representative of states, tribal governments, industry, and other entities. Clean Water Act Section 123 (33 U.S.C. § 1275) also directs EPA to develop a voluntary, competitive grant program for “environmental protection and restoration programs throughout the Basin” Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 is the inaugural year of funding for this program.

B. Scope of Work:

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing this Request for Applications (RFA) for projects from eligible entities to improve water quality in the Middle and Upper Columbia River Basin, through specific actions to reduce toxics, increase monitoring, and/or increase public education and outreach. The Columbia River Basin Restoration Program (CRBRP) will assist tribal, state and local governments; nongovernmental entities, and others as they implement the Columbia River Basin Toxics Reduction Action Plan and the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan and conduct activities to support EPA national goals for the Columbia River Basin.

Pursuant to CWA 123(b)(3)(C) and (d), eligible projects must address at least one of the following project categories: eliminating or reducing pollution; cleaning up contaminated sites;

improving water quality; monitoring to evaluate trends; reducing runoff; protecting habitat; or promoting citizen engagement or knowledge. Priority for funding will be given to projects which are consistent with FY19/20 funding priorities as described below.

The work must be for the purpose of environmental protection and restoration activities within the Columbia River Basin and may include programs, projects and studies. Applicants can submit a total of three (3) applications overall under this solicitation so long as each one is separately submitted and for a different project. A single application must include activities in one or more of the following categories.

Project Categories

1. Eliminating or reducing pollution including strategies or projects to reduce toxics into streams of the Columbia River Basin, including agricultural best management practices such as Pesticide Stewardship Partnerships, stormwater and sediment management, and pesticide collection and take back programs.

2. Cleaning up contaminated sites including targeted small-scale clean-up actions at sites not receiving funding under EPA CERCLA funded programs (Brownfields and Superfund) where hazardous chemicals, oil, pollutants and/or mining related contaminants have been released into the Columbia River Basin.

3. Improving water quality to reduce toxics in the Columbia River Basin.

4. Monitoring to evaluate trends including monitoring current conditions such as the sampling and analysis of Columbia River Basin water, fish and sediment focused on toxics.

5. Reducing runoff through agricultural best management practices and/or sediment and stormwater runoff controls, including green infrastructure.

6. Protecting habitat to reduce the impact of toxics on Columbia River Basin fish and wildlife.

7. Promoting citizen engagement or knowledge by increasing engagement and communication with individual community members (such as local, state and tribal environmental managers, and/or NGOs), creating bi-lingual outreach and education materials on the topic of toxics reduction, green chemistry pilot projects, and/or sharing examples of successful toxics reduction efforts.

FY19/20 Priorities For the FY19/20 grant competition, evaluation points (under Section V) may be given to projects which address one or more of the following priorities, in addition to addressing one or more of the required project categories above; and, build off existing successful efforts in the Columbia River Basin to address toxics and that leverage or expand on existing partnerships. Evaluation scores will not depend on the number of priorities addressed but rather on the quality with which the priorities are addressed. Across all priorities, there is a focus on toxics and their impact on human health and fish and wildlife. See documents on the Columbia River Basin RFA website for reference.

1. Increased monitoring and access to data from monitoring in the Columbia River Basin with a focus on toxics with an impact on human health and fish and wildlife.

2. Reducing stormwater and agricultural runoff by using strategies such as green infrastructure to reduce the toxicity and/or quantity of runoff and/or implementing agricultural best management practices (BMPs) such as Pesticide Stewardship partnerships.

3. Promoting citizen engagement or education to promote pollution prevention, for example, increasing knowledge on pollution prevention strategies and actions that can be taken by communities, businesses and government to reduce toxics in the Basin.

4. Cleaning up contaminated sites including targeted small-scale clean-up actions at sites not receiving funding under EPA CERCLA funded programs (Brownfields and Superfund) where hazardous chemicals, oil, pollutants and/or mining related contaminants have been released into the Columbia River Basin.

Information on toxic contaminants covered by these priorities can be found on the grants website and include, but are not limited to, mercury, dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), the Columbia River Toxics Reduction Working Group list of priority pollutants https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/prioritization-toxics-columbia-river and the toxic pollutants listed by reference in Section 307(a)(1) of the Clean Water Act (see 40 CFR 401.15).

Other EPA Interests

EPA is also interested in projects that use or promote environmentally sustainable practices. The specific practices depend upon the technical and programmatic nature of the proposed project and may include, as appropriate, the following: 1. Implement sustainable water infrastructure practices, 2. Utilize clean energy or implement other energy efficiency practices, 3. Implement sustainable construction practices (green building), 4. Remediate contaminated sites with a reduced environmental impact, 5. Utilize fuel efficient vehicles, 6. Purchase or lease more sustainable equipment, supplies, and services, 7. Implement sustainable materials management practices (reduce, reuse, recycle), 8. Convene green conferences/meetings and alternatives to traditional travel; or 9. Any other practices that directly reduce water, materials, climate, energy, or air impacts.

C. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage, Anticipated Outputs/Outcomes and Performance

Measures

Pursuant to Section 6a of EPA Order 5700.7, “Environmental Results under EPA Assistance Agreements,” EPA must link proposed assistance agreements with the Agency’s Strategic Plan.

EPA also requires that grant applicants and recipients adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements, www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015- 03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf).

1. Linkage to EPA Strategic Plan: The activities to be funded under this announcement support EPA’s FY 2018-22 Strategic Plan. Awards made under this announcement will support Goal 1, “Deliver a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment for all Americans and future generations by carrying out the Agency’s core mission.,” Objective 1.2, “Provide for Clean and Safe Water.” And Objective 1.3, “Revitalize Land and Prevent Contamination”.

Under these objectives, EPA will “…in partnership with states and tribes, sustainably manage programs to support drinking water, aquatic ecosystems, and recreational, economic, and subsistence activities” and “provide better leadership and management to properly clean up contaminated sites to revitalize and return the land back to communities.” Applicants must explain in their application how their project will further one or both of these objectives.

Please read EPA’s FY 2018-2022 Strategic Plan (www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan) for more information.

EPA also requires that grant applicants adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7A1, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements, www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf).

Applicants must include specific statements describing the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined outputs and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the project will contribute to the priorities described above. Specifically, the proposed activities must have outputs and outcomes related to one or more of the seven program priorities: eliminating or reducing pollution;

cleaning up contaminated sites; improving water quality; monitoring to evaluate trends;

reducing runoff; protecting habitat; or promoting citizen engagement or knowledge.

2. Outputs: The term “output” means an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to an environmental goal and objective that will be produced or provided over a period of time or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable over the term of the grant funding period. Applications must include a description of project outputs and the way in which recipients will track project milestones throughout the grant period. Project output examples may include, but are not limited to, number of presentations made, number of participants at an event, and draft and final reports produced.

Progress reports and a final report will be required outputs, as specified in Section VI.C “Reporting Requirement,” of this RFA.

3. Outcomes: The term “outcome” means the result, effect or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may be qualitative and environmental, behavioral, health-related or programmatic in nature, but must also be quantitative. They may not necessarily be achievable within an assistance agreement funding period.

Outcomes expected as a result of the awards under this announcement may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Pollutant and sediment load reductions, attainment of water quality objectives, or other numeric indicators of water quality improvement.

Ecological and/or human health benefits achieved.

Increases in the quantity or quality of monitoring on the Columbia River and its tributaries.

Improvements to the local economy, social conditions, and the welfare of residents in such communities.

Additional information regarding EPA's definition of environmental results in terms of "outputs" and "outcomes" can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015- 03/documents/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf and https://www.epa.gov/sfbay-delta/application-assistance#results.

D. Statutory Authority

The Columbia River Basin Restoration Program (CRBRP) is authorized by 33 U.S.C. § 1275, amended by Pub. L. 115-270, title IV, § 4105, Oct. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 3875. CRBRP authorizes the award of grants for environmental protection and restoration of the Columbia River Basin.

EPA’s authority to obligate grant funds is subject to the availability of appropriated funds.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. What is the amount of funding available?

EPA anticipates awarding between $225,000 and $675,000 under this announcement, subject to the availability of funds, the quantity and quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations.

Applicants can submit a total of three (3) applications overall under this solicitation so long as each one is separately submitted and for a different project. If an applicant submits more than three (3) applications to EPA, the applicant will be contacted prior to EPA review of any of the applications to determine which application(s) the applicant will withdraw from the competition.

B. Incremental and Partial Funding

EPA may incrementally fund applications by funding phases of proposed projects. If an applicant is selected for incremental funding, EPA and the applicant will negotiate a final workplan, timeline and budget which has clearly delineated activities or phases with separate budget estimates for each activity/phase of a project within the project period. A portion of the total requested funding will be awarded at the beginning of the project period for the specified activities/phases. Subject to the availability of funds, and other applicable considerations, additional funding may be awarded later as an incremental budget amendment to fund the remaining activities/phases of the project.

EPA reserves the right to partially fund applications by funding discrete portions of proposed projects. If EPA decides to partially fund an application, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any applicants or affect the basis upon which the application was evaluated and selected for award, thereby maintaining the integrity of the competition and selection process.

C. How many agreements will EPA award in this competition and what is the funding range?

It is anticipated that approximately 3-10 cooperative agreements, ranging from $60,000 to $200,000, will be made from this announcement subject to the availability of funds, the quantity and quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations.

Minimum Application Amount: $60,000 in Federal funds Maximum Application Amount: $200,000 in Federal funds Total number of awards: 3 -10 cooperative agreements Total Available Funds: $225,000 and $675,000 in Federal funds

Applicants may apply under both this RFA and the Lower Columbia River Estuary RFA, which is issued separately, for Basin wide projects.

EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with Agency policy and other applicable considerations, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than six months from the date of the original selections.

In addition, EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards under this announcement or to make fewer awards than anticipated.

D. What is the project period for awards resulting from this solicitation?

The estimated project period for awards resulting from this solicitation is 24 months. The projects are expected to begin between April and September 2020, with an expected project completion date of 24 months after award.

E. Funding Type

The funding for selected projects will be in the form of a cooperative agreement. Cooperative agreements provide for substantial involvement between the EPA Project Officer and the selected applicants in the performance of the work supported. Although EPA will negotiate precise terms and conditions relating to substantial involvement as part of the award process, the anticipated substantial federal involvement for these projects may include:

close monitoring of the successful applicant’s performance to verify the results proposed by the applicant;

collaboration during performance of the scope of work;

in accordance with 2 CFR 200.317 and 2 CFR 200.318, review of proposed procurement;

approving qualifications of key personnel (EPA will not select employees or contractors employed by the award recipient); and review and comment on reports prepared under the cooperative agreement (the final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient).

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Entities

Under this solicitation, only the following entities are eligible to apply for assistance, in accordance with 42 U.S.C. 16131 and CFDA 66.962:

State governments, tribal governments, regional water pollution control agencies and entities, local government entities, nongovernmental entities, or soil and water conservation districts.

For the purposes of this announcement, EPA has determined that nongovernmental entities must be nonprofit organizations to be eligible for funding. Non-profit organization, as defined by 2 CFR 200.70, means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative or other organization that: (1) is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable or similar purposes in the public interest; (2) is not organized primarily for profit; and (3) uses its net proceeds to maintain, improve and/or expand its operations.

Note that 2 CFR Part 200 specifically excludes the following types of organizations from the definition of “non-profit organization” because they are separately defined in the regulation: (i) institutions of higher education; and (ii) state, local and federally-recognized Indian tribal governments. While not considered to be a “non-profit organization(s)” as defined by 2 CFR 200.70, institutions of higher education are, nevertheless, eligible to submit applications under this RFA to the extent they fall within the definition above. Hospitals operated by state, tribal, or local governments or that meet the definition of nonprofit at 2 CFR 200.70 are also eligible to apply. For-profit colleges, universities, trade schools, and hospitals are not eligible to apply.

For-profit organizations are not an eligible entity for this funding opportunity. Additionally, non-profit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply.

For the purposes of this RFA, tribal government includes “intertribal consortium” which is defined as a partnership between two or more tribes that is authorized by the governing bodies of those tribes to apply for and receive assistance under this program. Intertribal consortia are eligible to receive assistance under this program only if the consortium demonstrates that all members of the consortium meet the eligibility requirements for the program and authorize the consortium to apply for and receive assistance by submitting to EPA documentation of (1) the existence of the partnership between Indian tribal governments, and (2) authorization of the consortium by all its members to apply for and receive the assistance.

B. Cost-Sharing

1. Mandatory Cost Share Requirement: Projects under this RFA are subject to the following funding limitations and mandatory cost share requirements provided in CWA 123(d)(2):

a. For non-tribal applicants EPA will fund up to 75% of the cost of the overall project (i.e.

applicants are responsible for cost-sharing at least 25% of the cost with non-federal funds).

b. For tribal applicants EPA will fund up to 75% of the cost of the overall projects (i.e.

tribal applicants are responsible for cost-sharing at least 25% of the cost with either non-federal and/or federal funds).

2. Any form of cost share must be included in the Budget Detail portion of the Work Plan, and the application must describe how and when the applicant will obtain the cost share and how the cost share funding will be used. Applicants may use their own funds or other sources for cost share if the standards of 2 CFR 200.306, are met. If the proposed cost share is to be provided by a named project partner, a letter of commitment is required. Only eligible and allowable costs may be used for cost share. Unless the applicant is a tribal government other federal grants may not be used as cost share under this RFA unless the statute authorizing the other federal funding provides that the federal funds may be used to meet a cost share requirement on a federal grant.

Please note: CRBRP funds may not be used to meet mandatory cost-sharing requirements for projects funded with environmental mitigation funds. Further, environmental mitigation funds may not be used to meet non-federal mandatory cost share requirements of any CRBRP grant.

3. Applications that include projects to which these mandatory cost share requirements apply must demonstrate, by the application submission date, on the SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance, on the SF-424A Budget Information, and in the Project Narrative how the applicant will be able to meet these minimum mandatory cost share requirements if they are selected for an award, or the application may be disqualified during the threshold eligibility review. Specifically, the mandatory cost share funds must be indicated in at least one of the following blocks in Section 18, Estimated Funding, on the SF-424: b. Applicant; c.

State; d. Local; or e. Other. The mandatory cost shared funds must also be indicated in Section A, Section B line 6.d, and Section C of the SF-424A.

C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria

These are requirements that if not met by the time of application submission will result in elimination of the application from consideration for funding. Only applications from eligible applicants (see Section III.A of this RFA) that meet these threshold eligibility criteria will be evaluated against the ranking criteria in Section V.A of this RFA. If necessary, EPA may contact applicants to clarify threshold eligibility questions prior to making an eligibility determination. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration because of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

a. Application Content and Submission

i. Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and application content requirements set forth in Section IV and Appendix B of this RFA or else they will be rejected.

ii. Where a page limit is expressed in Section IV and Appendix B of this RFA with respect to the Project Narrative, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed.

iii. Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov as stated in Section IV of this announcement (except in the limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed for as explained in Section IV) on or before the application submission deadline published in Section IV of this announcement. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV of this announcement to ensure that their application is timely and properly submitted.

Applications submitted after the submission deadline will be considered late and deemed ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was late due to EPA mishandling or because of technical problems associated with Grants.gov or relevant SAM.gov system issues. An applicant’s failure to timely submit their application through Grants.gov because they did not timely or properly register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov will not be considered an acceptable reason to consider a late submission.

b. Eligible projects must address at least one of the following project categories:

eliminating or reducing pollution; cleaning up contaminated sites; improving water quality; monitoring to evaluate trends; reducing runoff; protecting habitat; or promoting citizen engagement or knowledge. (See Section 1.B.)

c. Applicants must request funding for activities that will be implemented in the Middle and Upper Columbia River Basin portion of the Basin. The Middle and Upper Columbia River Basin is defined as the mainstem of the Columbia River from the Bonneville Dam to the Pacific Ocean and tidally influenced portions of tributaries of the Columbia River in that region. (See Map in Appendix E).

d. Applications which request EPA assistance funds above or below the amounts specified in Section II.C of this RFA are not eligible and will not be reviewed.

e. Applicants can submit a total of three (3) applications overall under this solicitation. Each application must be for a different project and must be submitted separately. An applicant cannot submit two applications that both request funding for the same project in the same geographic area. If an applicant submits more than three (3) applications to EPA, the applicant will be contacted prior to EPA review of any of the applications to determine which application(s) the applicant will withdraw from the competition.

f. Applications that do not demonstrate compliance with the mandatory cost share requirements described in Section III.B.1 of this RFA are not eligible and will not be reviewed.

g. Ineligible activities: If an application is submitted that includes any ineligible tasks or activities, that portion of the application will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects the application, render the entire application ineligible for funding.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Requirement to Submit Through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures

Applicants, except as noted below, must apply electronically through Grants.gov under this funding opportunity based on the Grants.gov instructions in this announcement and Appendix A.

If an applicant does not have the technical capability to apply electronically through Grants.gov because of limited or no internet access which prevents them from being able to upload the required application materials to Grants.gov, the applicant must contact OMS-ARM- OGDWaivers@epa.gov or the address listed below in writing (e.g., by hard copy, email) at least 15 calendar days prior to the submission deadline under this announcement to request approval to submit their application materials through an alternate method.

Mailing Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Jessica Durand USEPA Headquarters William Jefferson Clinton Building 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N. W.

Mail Code: 3903R Washington, DC 20460

Courier Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Jessica Durand Ronald Reagan Building 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

Rm # 51278 Washington, DC 20004

In the request, the applicant must include the following information:

Funding Opportunity Number (FON) Organization Name and Unique Entity Identifier (e.g., DUNS) Organization’s Contact Information (email address and phone number) Explanation of how they lack the technical capability to apply electronically through

Grants.gov because of 1) limited internet access or 2) no internet access which prevents them from being able to upload the required application materials through Grants.gov.

EPA will only consider alternate submission exception requests based on the two reasons stated above and will timely respond to the request – all other requests will be denied. If an alternate submission method is approved, the applicant will receive documentation of this approval and further instructions on how to apply under this announcement. Applicants will be required to submit the documentation of approval with any initial application submitted under the alternative method. In addition, any submittal through an alternative method must comply with all applicable requirements and deadlines in the announcement including the submission deadline and requirements regarding application content and page limits (although the documentation of approval of an alternate submission method will not count against any page limits).

If an exception is granted, it is valid for submissions to EPA for the remainder of the entire calendar year in which the exception was approved and can be used to justify alternative submission methods for application submissions made through December 31 of the calendar year in which the exception was approved (e.g., if the exception was approved on March 1, 2019, it is valid for any competitive or non-competitive application submission to EPA through December 31, 2019). Applicants need only request an exception once in a calendar year and all exceptions will expire on December 31 of that calendar year. Applicants must request a new exception from required electronic submission through grants.gov for submissions for any succeeding calendar year. For example, if there is a competitive opportunity issued on December 1, 2019 with a submission deadline of January 15, 2020, the applicant would need a new exception to submit through alternative methods beginning January 1, 2020.

Please note that the process described in this section is only for requesting alternate submission methods. All other inquiries about this announcement must be directed to the Agency Contact listed in Section VII of the announcement. Queries or requests submitted to the email address identified above for any reason other than to request an alternate submission method will not be acknowledged or answered.

B. Grants.gov Application Submission Instructions (see Appendix A)

Your organization’s authorized official representative (AOR) must submit your complete application electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (www.grants.gov) no later than Friday, December 20, 2019 by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET).

We recommend that you try to submit your application to Grants.gov at least three days prior to the deadline. It is essential to allow sufficient time to ensure that your application is properly submitted to Grants.gov BEFORE the due date.

Please see Appendix A for full Grants.gov submission instructions.

C. Content of Application Submission

The application package must include all of the following materials:

1. Grant Application Forms. Please complete the forms as appropriate.

a. Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance. Please note that the organizational Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number must be included on the SF-424. Organizations may obtain a DUNS number at no cost by calling the toll-free DUNS number request line at 1- 866-705-5711.

b. Standard Form 424A, Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs

c. Standard Form 424B, Non-Construction Programs

d. EPA Form 4700-4, Pre-Award Compliance Review Report for All Applicants

Requesting Federal Financial Assistance

e. Key Contacts Form

EPA has issued Interim General Budget Development Guidance for Applicants and Recipients of EPA Financial Assistance to assist applicants in classifying costs on the Standard Form 424A budget.

2. Project Narrative. The project narrative must explicitly describe how the proposed project meets the guidelines established in Sections I-III of this announcement (including the threshold eligibility criteria in Section III.C) and must address each of the evaluation criteria set forth in Section V.A. The Project Narrative includes the Cover Page and Work Plan and cannot exceed a maximum of 10 single-spaced typewritten pages—excess pages will not be reviewed.

The Project Narrative must substantially comply with the specific instructions, format and content as defined in Appendix B.

3. Cost Share Commitment Letters: Project partners who are providing in- kind or monetary assistance must demonstrate their specific commitment to meet the proposed cost share. Letters should be addressed to the applicant organization and included as attachments to the application. Please do not ask partners to submit letters directly to EPA.

This information does not count towards the page limit.

4. Partnership Letters Letters that demonstrate strong, long-term involvement throughout the project from a variety of project partners are encouraged. Letters should specifically indicate how project partners and supporting organizations will participate in or directly assist in the design and performance of the project, or how obtaining support from project partners will allow the applicant to more effectively perform the project.

Note the requirements for providing EPA funds to project partners under subawards and contracts described in Section IV. G. when making partnership arrangements. Letters should be addressed to the applicant organization and included as attachments to the application. Please do not ask partners to submit letters directly to EPA. This information does not count towards the page limit.

Please refer to the Application Submission Checklist in Appendix D to ensure that all required information is included in your application package.

D. Submission Date and Time

The closing date and time for submission of applications is Friday, December 20, 2019 by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). Applications submitted after the closing date and time will not be accepted.

E. Funding Restrictions

1. Federal Matching Funds: No funds awarded under this RFA shall be used for matching funds for other federal grants unless expressly authorized by statute. Likewise, a non-tribal government recipient may not use federal funds as cost share funds for projects under this RFA.

2. Expenses Incurred Prior to the Project Period: Except for eligible pre-award costs as defined in 2 CFR

200.458 and as authorized by 2 CFR 200.309 and 2 CFR 1500.8, no funds awarded under this RFA shall be used to cover expenses incurred prior to the project period set forth in any assistance agreement funded under this RFA. Additionally, except for eligible pre-award costs as defined above, expenses incurred prior to the project period set forth in any assistance agreement funded under this RFA are not eligible as a cost share.

F. Information Sessions

EPA will host two Information Sessions regarding this Request for Applications via teleconference/webinar, based on the schedule below. EPA will attempt to answer any appropriate questions in these public forums. Information for the webinars can be found at:

https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/columbia-river-basin-restoration-funding-assistance-program.

Sessions (please confirm on the website) Thursday, November 7, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. (PST) Monday, November 25, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. (PST)

Questions and answers from these webinars will also be posted in the FAQ document located at need to create a CRBRP Grant web page https://www.epa.gov/columbiariver/columbia-river-basin-restoration-funding-assistance-program.

G. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

Additional provisions that apply to this solicitation and/or awards made under this solicitation, including but not limited to those related to confidential business information, contracts and subawards under grants, and application assistance and communications, can be found at www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses. These, and the other provisions that can be found at the website link, are important, and applicants must review them when preparing applications for this solicitation. If you are unable to access these provisions electronically at the website above, please communicate with the EPA contact listed in this solicitation to obtain the provisions.

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

Only eligible entities whose applications meet all the threshold criteria in Section III of this RFA will be evaluated according to the evaluation criteria set forth below. Applicants must explicitly address these criteria as part of their application package submittal, following the content requirements set forth in Appendix B. Each application will be rated using a point system.

Evaluation Criteria: Applications will be evaluated based on a total of 110 points possible

Criteria Points Total Possible Points 110

1. Project Summary and Approach: Under this criterion, applications will be evaluated based on the extent and quality of the applicant’s project summary and overall approach. Specifically, EPA will evaluate:

A. (5 points) Whether the application includes a detailed project description, roles and responsibilities, and timeline and milestones as described in Appendix B of the

RFA.

B. (5 points) Whether the application includes a well-conceived strategy for achieving the anticipated results associated with the project.

C. (5 points) Whether the application sets forth a reasonable time schedule for the execution of the tasks associated with the project and for achieving the project goals and objectives by project end.

D. (5 points) Whether the application demonstrates multiple and diverse partnerships and builds on existing efforts in the Columbia River Basin.

E. (5 points) The extent to which the project addresses one or more of the CRBRP program categories as stated in Section I.B of this RFA.

F. (20 points) The extent to which the application addresses EPA’s FY19/20 grant funding priorities as stated in Section I.B of this RFA.

2. Project Sustainability: Under this criterion, applications will be evaluated based on whether the applicant and/or its project partners:

A. (5 points) Show a commitment to identify and address water quality and environmental restoration and protection activities in the affected Middle and Upper Columbia River Basin, or the implementation of other strategies to promote and continue efforts to reduce toxics that goes beyond the project period.

B. (5 points) Have developed in the past five years or have a documented commitment to developing before the end of the project period a publicly available long-term water quality and/or ecosystem restoration and protection plan with goals, or refinement of an existing water quality plan for the Middle and Upper Columbia River Basin.

C. (5 points) Have developed in the past five years or have a documented commitment to developing before the end of the project period, a publicly available report or education/outreach materials for meaningful engagement of the affected communities or entities regarding either the environmental and/or other issues that the project is intended to address.

3. Environmental Results – Results, Outputs and Outcomes:

Under this criterion, applicants will be evaluated based on:

A. (10 points) The extent and quality to which the applicant identifies and quantifies expected project outputs and outcomes, including those identified in Section I.C.2 and 3 of the RFA.

B. (5 points) The effectiveness of the applicant’s plan for tracking and measuring its progress toward achieving the expected project outputs and outcomes.

4. Programmatic Capability and Past Performance: Under this criterion, applicants will be evaluated based on their ability to successfully complete and manage the proposed project considering their:

A. (5 points) Past performance in successfully completing and managing the assistance agreements identified in the Project Narrative as described in Appendix B of the RFA;

B. (5 points) History of meeting the reporting requirements under the assistance agreements identified in the Project Narrative as described in Appendix B of the RFA, including whether the applicant submitted acceptable final technical reports under those agreements and the extent to which the applicant adequately and timely reported on their progress towards achieving the expected outputs and outcomes under those agreements and if such progress was not being made whether the applicant adequately reported why not;

C. (5 points) Organizational experience and plan for timely and successfully achieving the objectives of the proposed project.

D. (5 points) Staff expertise and qualifications, staff knowledge, and resources or the ability to obtain them, to successfully achieve the goals of the proposed project.

Note: In evaluating applicants under items A and B of this criterion, the Agency will consider the information provided by the applicant and may also consider relevant information from other sources including agency files and prior/current grantors (e.g., to verify and/or…