PKG00262699-instructions.pdf

U.S. EPA GREAT LAKES NATIONAL PROGRAM OFFICE

Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program

2020 Request for Applications

Federal Agency Name: Environmental Protection Agency Funding Opportunity Title: Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Request for Applications Announcement Type: Request for Applications Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-R5-GL2020-FMSP Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66.469

INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

This Request for Applications (RFA) solicits applications from eligible entities for a cooperative agreement to be awarded pursuant to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Action Plan III (https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2019-10/documents/glri-action-plan-3-201910- 30pp.pdf). Applications are requested for a project to complete chemical analysis in support of the Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program.

Funding/Awards: Under this competition, approximately $6 million may be awarded for one cooperative agreement over a five-year period, consisting of incremental funding of about $1,200,000 per year. Proposed projects must be limited to the specified project duration of five years. All incrementally funded awards will be subject to the availability of funding, future appropriations, satisfactory performance of work, and other applicable considerations.

GLRI’s statutory authority to award cooperative agreements is contained in the Clean Water Act, Section 118(c)(7), as amended by Public Law 114-322. EPA has authority to award grants and cooperative agreements for planning, research, monitoring, outreach and implementation projects in furtherance of the GLRI and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. Governmental entities, including state agencies, interstate agencies, Indian tribes, local governments, institutions of higher learning (i.e., colleges and universities), and non-profit organizations (as defined at 2 CFR Part 200) are eligible to apply for funding under this RFA. Individuals, foreign organizations and governments, nonprofit organizations exempt from taxation under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying, and “for-profit” organizations are not eligible.

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2019-10/documents/glri-action-plan-3-201910-30pp.pdf https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2019-10/documents/glri-action-plan-3-201910-30pp.pdf

Important Dates:

• September 21, 2020 - Applications must be received by EPA via Grants.gov (the preferred method), mail, overnight delivery, hand delivery, or courier service by 10:59 p.m. Central / 11:59 p.m. Eastern. See Section IV for further submission information.

• October 21, 2020 – EPA will notify finalist.

• December 2020 (tentative) – EPA will make official award.

COVID-19 Update: EPA is providing flexibilities to applicants experiencing challenges related to COVID-19. Please see the Flexibilities Available to Organizations Impacted by COVID-19 clause in Section IV of EPA’s Solicitation Clauses.

Other Application Information: For your convenience, an RFA web page has been created at https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-fish-monitoring-and-surveillance-program- 2020-rfa where you will find information relating to the RFA process as well as a link to frequently asked questions (FAQs). We encourage all applicants to sign up for our mailing list and register with us at http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/maillist. Further submittal information is described in Section IV.

https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-fish-monitoring-and-surveillance-program-2020-rfa https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-fish-monitoring-and-surveillance-program-2020-rfa http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/maillist

U.S. EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Request for Applications: EPA-R5-GL2020-FMSP

Contents

I. APPLICATION INFORMATION

II. AWARD INFORMATION

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

V. APPLICATION REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION

VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

IX. Appendix I .................................................................................................................................................. IX-1 X. Appendix II

U.S. EPA Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Request for Applications: EPA-R5-GL2020-FMSP

I. APPLICATION INFORMATION

Background, Authority, and Funded Activities:

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (“GLRI” or “Initiative”) builds on the prior efforts of federal, state, and local agencies; Indian tribes; businesses; public interest groups; interested citizens; and others to develop a collaborative and comprehensive approach to restoring the Great Lakes. Information about the Initiative can be found at http://glri.us/.

This RFA is expected to result in the award of one cooperative agreement (hereafter collectively referred to as “grants”) to help implement the GLRI. Authorization for GLRI funding is contained in the Clean Water Act, Section 118(c)(7), as amended by Public Law 114-322.

EPA has authority to award cooperative agreements for planning, research, monitoring, outreach and implementation projects in furtherance of GLRI and the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA). The statutory authority to act to implement the U.S. responsibilities under GLWQA and for GLRI funding is contained in the Clean Water Act, Section 118(c)(7), as amended by Public Law 114-322. The principal goal of GLWQA is the restoration and maintenance of the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the Great Lakes ecosystem.

Funded activities must advance protection and restoration of the Great Lakes ecosystem in support of: (i) the GLRI Action Plan III and (ii) EPA’s 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: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment, Objective 1.2:

Provide for Clean and Safe Water, of the EPA’s Strategic Plan.

This RFA solicits applications from eligible entities for a cooperative agreement to be awarded pursuant to the statutory authorities referenced above and the GLRI Action Plan. Up to $6 million may be awarded under this RFA over an approximately five-year and three-month period, consisting of incremental funding of about $1,200,000 million per year, contingent on the quality of applications received, funding availability, future appropriations, satisfactory performance of work, and other applicable considerations. Funding each year is not guaranteed.

The application should include an annualized budget and budget detail narrative for the project, and a detailed workplan covering each year of the project.

All projects will be evaluated as described in Section V, which also highlights factors that may result in more favorable evaluations, including:

• Ability to conduct ultra-trace analysis of organic contaminants in aquatic biota http://glri.us/ https://www.glri.us/index.php/documents

Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs):

EPA recognizes that it is important to engage all available minds to address the environmental challenges the nation faces. At the same time, EPA seeks to expand the environmental conversation by including members of communities which may have not previously participated in such dialogues to participate in EPA programs. For this reason, EPA strongly encourages all eligible applicants identified in Section III, including minority serving institutions (MSIs), to apply under this opportunity.

For purposes of this solicitation, the following are considered MSIs:

A. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1061(2)). A list of these schools can be found at Historically Black Colleges and Universities

B. Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1059c(b)(3) and (d)(1)). A list of these schools can be found at American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities

C. Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C.

§ 1101a(a)(5)). A list of these schools can be found at Hispanic Serving Institutions

D. Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions;

(AANAPISIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1059g(a)(2)). A list of these schools can be found at Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving Institutions; and

E. Predominately Black Institutions (PBIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act of 2008, 20 U.S.C. 1059e(b)(6). A list of these schools can be found at Predominantly Black Institutions.

Subawardees and/or Contractors:

If you name subawardees/subgrantees and/or contractor(s), including individual consultants, in your application as partners to assist you with the proposed project, pay careful attention to the information in Section III regarding "Coalitions" and to the “Contracts and Subawards” provisions at http://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses (incorporated by reference in Section IV).

Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program Background, Goals, and Objectives:

The Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program (GLFMSP) is one of the longest contaminant monitoring programs in the Great Lakes. Together with long-term monitoring programs for water quality, lower trophic level biota, wetlands, and contaminant levels in air and sediments, the GLFMSP helps EPA to satisfy our statutory requirements under section 118 of the Clean Water Act to establish a Great Lakes system-wide surveillance network to monitor the water quality of the Great Lakes, with a special emphasis on the monitoring of https://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/whiaiane/tribes-tcus/tribal-colleges-and-universities/ https://sites.ed.gov/whiaiane/tribes-tcus/tribal-colleges-and-universities/ https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/idues/hsi-eligibles-2016.pdf https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1XVkOWKMDORm53pvU0L8EPsrJC94&msa=0&ie=UTF8&t=m&z=3&source=embed&ll=40.58644586187277%2C-148.28228249999984 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1XVkOWKMDORm53pvU0L8EPsrJC94&msa=0&ie=UTF8&t=m&z=3&source=embed&ll=40.58644586187277%2C-148.28228249999984 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1wlIi3j7gtlNq_w-0NKAb2bF2VmY&ie=UTF&msa=0&ll=37.35160769312534%2C-96.17229800000001&z=4 https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1wlIi3j7gtlNq_w-0NKAb2bF2VmY&ie=UTF&msa=0&ll=37.35160769312534%2C-96.17229800000001&z=4 http://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses toxic pollutants. It also helps satisfy our obligations under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement to “monitor environmental conditions so that the Parties may determine the extent to which General Objectives, Lake Ecosystem Objectives and Substance Objective are being achieved,” and “undertake monitoring and surveillance to anticipate the need for further science activities and to address emerging environmental concerns.” Further, this program allows EPA to meet commitments in the GLRI Action Plan III to “assess the overall health of the Great Lakes ecosystem.”

The Great Lakes Fish Monitoring Program (GLFMP) began in 1977 as a cooperative effort between US EPA’s Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO); US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Great Lakes Fishery Laboratory (which was ultimately moved to the US Geological Survey’s Biological Resources Division in 1996 as the Great Lakes Science Center); the U.S.

Food and Drug Administration (US FDA); and the Great Lakes states to assess contaminant levels in top predator fish. In 2003, GLNPO assumed full time administration of the program.

The GLFMP serves as a model for US interagency cooperation and coordination with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC). ECCC’s National Fish Contaminants Monitoring and Surveillance Program is a critical counterpart to EPA’s GLFMSP. Both programs support activities identified in the 2012 GLWQA, which include conducting surveillance of ecosystem health, reporting jointly through the binational State of the Great Lakes reports series, and sampling fish at two common sampling sites. In 2009 the GLFMP program scope changed in that:1) the sportfish fillet contaminant analysis program component was terminated; and 2) emerging chemical analytes were added to the whole fish analysis program component. To reflect these changes, the GLFMP was renamed as the Great Lakes Fish Monitoring and Surveillance Program (GLFMSP). The GLFMSP program consists of two core elements: the Base Monitoring Program, and Special Studies/Cooperative Science and Monitoring. Monitoring of emerging contaminants of interest not already a part of the Base Monitoring Program may be added to the GLFMSP; proposed monitoring for emerging contaminants of interest should be communicated by the applicant to GLNPO within its application and should include a justification of why these chemicals may be of concern/interest in the Great Lakes. Special Studies/Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative efforts are conducted as part of the GLFMSP to aid and or augment the interpretation of information generated by the Base Monitoring Program. Applications submitted in response to this RFA must address all core elements to be considered eligible.

The Base Monitoring Program is designed to monitor contaminant trends in fish from the open waters of the Great Lakes. It is also designed to screen fish tissue for new chemicals according to their persistent, bioaccumulative, and/ or toxic chemical properties. New chemical screening utilizes mega-composites from each lake (representing all tissue samples from a given year) to determine presence of a contaminants of interest in top predator fish.

Composites of top predator fish, consisting of five whole individual fish, are analyzed to assess temporal trends in organic contaminants in the open waters of the Great Lakes (Table 1). These data can also be used to assess the risks of such contaminants to the health of important fishery species, and on the wildlife that consume them. The program provides for collection and analysis of whole-fish composites of:

• Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) in the size range from 600 mm to 700 mm from Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, the eastern basin of Lake Erie, and Lake Superior and;

• Walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) in the size range of 400 mm to 500 mm from the western basin of Lake Erie.

Information generated by the GLFMSP is used by the Great Lakes scientific community and other monitoring and surveillance programs to corroborate results across programs and report on status and trends of environmental contaminants in Great Lakes top predator fish.

EPA expects to provide up to approximately $6 million for one cooperative agreement over a 5-year period, consisting of incremental funding of about $1.2 million per year, to support the GLFMSP. The goals of the GLFMSP are to collect, analyze, and report contaminant concentrations in Great Lakes fish, improve understanding of contaminant cycling throughout food webs in the Great Lakes, and screen for emerging chemicals in fish tissue to identify priority chemicals warranting future study. These goals are accomplished through the following objectives:

• Monitor, with a specified degree of confidence, temporal trends in bioaccumulative organic chemicals in the Great Lakes using top predator fish as biomonitors;

• Screen, with a specified degree of confidence, top predator fish for legacy contaminants and new chemicals entering the Great Lakes ecosystem; Assess potential wildlife exposure to persistent, bioaccumulative and or toxic chemicals found in top predator fish in the Great Lakes.

Program Activities: Applicants are expected to conduct activities in support of the above goals and objectives through the GLFMSP core program (listed below) and may also include other activities associated with conducting new and emerging chemical surveillance and special research. The following provides a brief description of the expected activities, more extensive details can be found in Section V.

1. Base Monitoring Program – Applicants must propose projects to address the GLFMSP Base Monitoring Program. The Base Monitoring Program monitors legacy contaminants and conducts surveillance of known contaminants of concern (Table 1) in whole top predator fish at fixed, long-term open lake sampling locations in each of the Great Lakes.

a. Sample Analysis – Applicants are expected to analyze all collected composite and individual fish samples for persistent toxic chemicals currently on the GLFMSP analyte list (Table 2).

b. New Chemicals – Emerging chemical surveillance data inform the GLFMSP of contaminants that may be considered for incorporation into the Base Monitoring Program analyte list, and similarly can inform state and federal agencies in the review of their monitoring programs’ analyte lists. Additionally, identification of new chemicals may result in the use of the GLFMSP historical archive of tissue for a retrospective analysis. The archive contains both whole fish and sport fish fillet samples. Applicants may also propose plans for surveillance activities including targeted and non-targeted screening for new chemicals.

c. Data Management, Interpretation, Statistical Analysis and Reporting – The recipient, if awarded, is expected to manage data generated through sample analysis and submit data to EPA in electronic format. The recipient is also expected to interpret data through statistical analysis and report their findings of spatial and temporal trends to EPA, publish in peer-reviewed venues, and contribute to annual GLFMSP technical reports. Semiannual progress summaries and a final report at the end of the five-year cycle are also required. Any data generated pursuant to this cooperative agreement, if awarded, will be provided to EPA according to the data release policy located at http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/monitoring/fish/links.html.

d. Quality Assurance and Quality Control – Applicants are expected to develop, implement and maintain a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP).

2. Special Studies/Cooperative Science and Monitoring – Special studies conducted as part of the GLFMSP support, enhance, and inform the GLFMSP core elements. Examples of types of special studies include analysis of chemicals in additional fish species, analysis of archived tissue for new chemicals to identify and confirm trends, comparison of individual and composite GLFMSP fish samples, analysis of chemicals in fish from additional sites, and bioeffects. Information on the Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative (CSMI1) can be found at https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-monitoring/cooperative-science-and-monitoring-initiative-csmi.

1 The Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative (CSMI) is a joint United States and Canadian effort to provide environmental managers with needed information on each Great Lake. The lakes are visited one per year in a five-year rotation. In 2021, CSMI will be focused on Lake Superior. In subsequent years (2022-2025), CMSI will focus on Lake Huron, Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, and Lake Michigan respectively.

http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/monitoring/fish/links.html https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-monitoring/cooperative-science-and-monitoring-initiative-csmi https://www.epa.gov/great-lakes-monitoring/cooperative-science-and-monitoring-initiative-csmi

Table 1. Base Monitoring Program sampling locations.

Lake

Estimated Number of Composite Samples

Sample Type

Location and Grid Number Year Size

Superior 10 + 1 mega lake composite per site

Lake Trout Apostle Islands #1311 Even 600 – 700 mm

Keewenaw Pt. #4028 Odd 600 – 700 mm

Michigan 10 + 1 mega lake composite per site

Lake Trout Saugatuck #2210 Even 600 – 700 mm

Sturgeon Bay #0906 Odd 600 – 700 mm

Huron 10 + 1 mega lake composite per site

Lake Trout Rockport # 0710 Even 600 – 700 mm

Port Austin #141 Odd 600 – 700 mm

Erie 10 + 1 mega lake composite per site

Walleye Middle Bass Island #0904

Even 400 – 500 mm

Lake Trout Dunkirk # 0424 Odd 600 – 700 mm

Ontario 10 + 1 mega lake composite per site

Lake Trout Oswego #0623 Even 600 – 700 mm

North Hamlin #0713 Odd 600 – 700 mm

Table 2. List of chemicals to be analyzed in fish tissue in support of the GLFMSP Base Monitoring Program.

Analyte PCB congeners Coplanar PCBs Total PCBs Total HBCD Mirex Total toxaphene and toxaphene homologs PBDEs congeners Total PBDEs Total mercury Total DDT p,p’,-DDT p,p’,-DDE p,p’,-DDD

PBB-153

PCDD congeners PCDF congeners Total PCDDs Total PCDFs

HBCD

PFAS including PFOA, PFOS, PFNA, PFHxS, PFHpA, PFBA, PFBS, PFCA* Lipid fraction Omega-3 fatty acids Composite sample percent moisture

*Priority Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of high interest as stated in EPA’s PFAS Action Plan (2019). Specific priority PFAS compounds may be discussed in further detail with a selected applicant.

Applicants must include their laboratory’s analyte MDLs within their application.

New Chemicals: The applicant may propose a plan to monitor for new chemicals or perform non-targeted analysis to screen for potential contaminants beyond what is beyond the GLFMSP analyte list specified in Table 2. Examples of additional analytes may include compounds such as, musk compounds, APEs, pharmaceuticals and other personal care products, other flame retardants, etc. If proposed, applicants should discuss how these activities contribute to the goals and objectives of the GLRI and the GLWQA.

Required Activities:

To be eligible under this request, applicants must demonstrate how they will:

• Analyze homogenized fish tissue from all 10 GLFMSP stations. A Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) will need to be approved by the GLNPO Quality Assurance Manager prior to analysis of any samples. EPA’s guidance on QAPPs can be located at https://www.epa.gov/quality/guidance-quality-assurance-project-plans-epa-qag-5;

• Perform chemical analyses to retain comparability and continuity with historical GLFMSP data. Historical GLFMSP data can be found in the GLENDA portal at https://cdx.epa.gov/;

• Submit quality-assured analytical results to EPA within 10 months of receipt of samples.

Outputs and Outcomes: For purposes of this RFA:

• 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 cooperative agreement funding period.

• The term “outcome” means the result, effect or consequence that will be achieved by carrying out an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature, must be quantitative, and may not necessarily be achievable within a cooperative agreement funding period.

https://www.epa.gov/quality/guidance-quality-assurance-project-plans-epa-qag-5 https://cdx.epa.gov/

Outputs must include one or more of the following and must link to the GLRI Action Plan III Measures of Progress or goals and objectives:

• A quantification of persistent toxic chemicals in Great Lakes fish tissue samples, with attention to continuity and consistency of those measurements, such that trend data are not biased by changes in program operations or personnel;

• An evaluation of the spatial and temporal trends of persistent toxic chemicals in Great Lakes fish tissue;

• The discovery of emerging chemical threats to the Great Lakes;

• Sample collection, sample analysis, data management, data interpretation, statistical analysis, and report writing;

• Development of Great Lakes scientists through the education of graduate and undergraduate students in Great Lakes ecosystem science; and/or

• Dissemination of results via peer-reviewed journal articles, presentations, and other media including contributions to EPA GLFMSP Technical Reports and CSMI reports.

Applicants must also demonstrate how their proposed project will achieve one or more of the following outcomes:

• Increased understanding of persistent toxic chemical trends in Great fish tissue;

• Increased understanding of how concentrations and trends of persistent toxic chemicals in Great Lakes fish tissue relate to other media such as air, water, and sediment; and/or

• Increased understanding of the effects of persistent toxic chemicals on the health of the Great Lakes ecosystem.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

Amounts, Targets, and Number of Projects: Approximately $6 million in EPA funding is expected to be awarded under this RFA for one cooperative agreement over an approximately 5-year period, consisting of incremental funding of $1.2 million per year. Project funding under this RFA will be based on the quality of applications received, the availability of funding, and other applicable considerations. Please note, however, that the specified maximum amount in Section I that will be awarded for a project establishes the limit for the EPA funding;

applications seeking funding in excess of that amount will be rejected. In addition, an application for a multi-phase project will be treated as a request for the full amount for all phases. If that combined amount exceeds the specified maximum, the application will be rejected.

EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards pursuant to this RFA.

Anticipated Project Start and End Dates: This RFA instructs applicants to submit certifications and other documentation required for a full and complete funding package so that their projects could, if selected, proceed expeditiously. Applications should specify a start date on or around January 4, 2021 and must specify an end date no later than September 30, 2025.

Funding Type: EPA intends to award cooperative agreements under this solicitation.

Cooperative agreements provide for substantial involvement between the EPA Project Officer and the selected applicant(s) 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).

EPA does not have the authority to select employees or contractors employed by the recipient.

The final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient.

Future Funding: Selection or award of funding under this RFA is not a guarantee of future funding. EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with Agency policy and guidance, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than 6 months after the original selection decisions.

Partial Funding: In appropriate circumstances, EPA reserves the right to partially fund applications by funding discrete portions or phases 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, or portion thereof, was evaluated and selected for award, and, therefore, maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Applicant Eligibility (CFDA 66.469): Qualified non-federal entities eligible to apply for grants include non-federal governmental entities, nonprofit organizations, and institutions. This includes state agencies; any agency or instrumentality of local government; interstate agencies;

federally-recognized tribes and tribal organizations; colleges and universities; non-profit organizations; and other public or non-profit private agencies, institutions, and organizations.

Nonprofit Definition: 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 200.70 specifically excludes Institutions of Higher Education from the definition of non-profit organization because they are separately defined in the regulation. While not considered to be a non-profit organization(s) as defined by 2 CFR 200.70, public or nonprofit Institutions of Higher Education are, nevertheless, eligible to submit applications under this RFA. 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 as nonprofits or as instrumentalities of the unit of government depending on the applicable law. For-profit colleges, universities, trade schools, and hospitals are ineligible.

Encouraging Minority Serving Institutions To Compete: Eligible Minority Serving Institutions, as described in Section I, are strongly encouraged to apply for funding under this competition.

EPA recognizes that scientific, technical, engineering and mathematical (STEM) competence is essential to the Nation's future well-being in terms of national security and competitive economic advantage. For instance, the health and vitality of the economy is predicated, in part, on the availability of an adequate supply of scientists, technicians, engineers and mathematicians, to develop innovative technologies and solutions. In other words, this country must engage all available minds to address the challenges it faces. Minorities, women, and persons with disabilities historically have been under-represented in the STEM fields. For this reason, EPA strongly encourages all eligible applicants including, women, minorities, and persons with disabilities to apply.

Coalitions: Groups of two or more eligible applicants may choose to form a coalition and submit a single application under this RFA; however, one entity must be responsible for the grant.

Coalitions must identify which eligible organization will be the recipient of the grant and which eligible organization(s) will be subawardees of the recipient. Subawards and subgrants must be consistent with the definitions of those terms in 2 C.F.R. § 200.92. The recipient that administers the grant will be accountable to EPA for proper expenditure of the funds and reporting and will be the point of contact for the coalition. As provided in 2 C.F.R. § 200.331(d), subrecipients or subgrantees are accountable to the recipient or grantee for proper use of EPA funding.

Coalitions may not include for-profit organizations that will provide services or products to the successful applicant. For-profit organizations are not eligible for subawards. For-profit organizations are eligible to receive contracts. Any contracts for services or products funded with EPA financial assistance must be awarded under the competitive procurement procedures of 2 CFR Part 200 and/or 2 CFR Part 1500, as applicable. The regulations also contain limitations on consultant compensation. (Please see 2 CFR Part 200 and 2 CFR Part 1500, as applicable.) For additional information, please review the Federal Register.

Match or Cost-Share: There is no cost-sharing or matching requirement as a condition of eligibility under this RFA.

Eligible Activities: Unless specifically excluded under this RFA, assistance is available to eligible applicants for planning, research, monitoring, and outreach in support of GLRI and GLWQA implementation. Proposed projects must also either: (i) protect, enhance, and/or restore the Great Lakes and its connecting river systems (St. Marys River, St. Clair River including Lake St. Clair, Detroit River, Niagara River, and St. Lawrence River at the international boundary or upstream from the point at which this river becomes the international boundary between Canada and the United States); or (ii) protect Great Lakes ecosystem health, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2004-04-07/pdf/04-7867.pdf including human health. Information about the GLRI can be found at http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/glri. Applications for other activities will be rejected.

Ineligible Activities: If an application is submitted that includes any ineligible activities, including, but not limited to, those listed below and in Section I, 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. The following are ineligible activities:

• Sampling and analysis at Areas of Concern for the purpose of developing or otherwise addressing Beneficial Use Impairments.

Threshold Eligibility Criteria: These are requirements that if not met by the applicant by the time of application submission will result in elimination of the application from consideration for funding. Only applications for eligible activities from eligible entities that meet these criteria by the time of application submission will be evaluated against the ranking factors in Section V of this RFA. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified by e-mail within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

A. Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this RFA or else they will be rejected. Where a page limit is stated for the Narrative Proposal in Section IV, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed.

B. In addition, 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 submitted.

C. 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. Applicants should confirm receipt of their application with Brian Lenell (lenell.brian@epa.gov) as soon as possible after the submission deadline—failure to do so may result in your application not being reviewed.

http://www.epa.gov/greatlakes/glri https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/

D. Applications seeking funding in excess of $6 million over 5 years will be rejected. In addition, an application for a multi-phase project will be treated as a request for the full amount for all phases. If that combined amount exceeds the specified maximum, the application will be rejected.

E. Applications for projects exceeding the maximum end date of September 30, 2025 will be rejected.

F. Applications that do not address both Elements 1 and 1A, all 3 objectives, and all Required Activities, as defined in Section I of this announcement, will be rejected.

Applicants should contact the applicable individuals listed in Section VII with any questions about the threshold eligibility requirements.

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 in Appendix I. 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 OGDWaivers@epa.gov or the address listed below in writing (e.g., by hard copy or 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 https://www.grants.gov/ mailto:OGDWaivers@epa.gov

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

1. Funding Opportunity Number (FON)

2. Organization Name and DUNS

3. Organization’s Contact Information (email address and phone number)

4. 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 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 proposal 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, 2018 with a submission deadline of January 15, 2019, the applicant would need a new exception to submit through alternative methods beginning January 1, 2019.

NOTE: 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 I) Your organization’s authorized official representative (AOR) must submit your complete application electronically to EPA through Grants.gov no later than September 21, 2020 by 10:59 p.m. Central / 11:59 p.m. Eastern.

C. Content of Application Package Submission:

1. Necessary Grant Application Forms:

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 for Non-Construction Programs

c. EPA Form 4700-4, Pre-Award Compliance Review Report for All Applicants Requesting Federal Financial Assistance

d. EPA Form 5700-54 Key Contacts Form e Project Narrative Attachment Form (See Section IV.C.2. below for additional information)

f. Other Attachment Form, if applicable (See Section IV.C.3. below for additional information)

2. Narrative Proposal:

Narrative Proposals (including the Summary Information Page, Workplan, Detailed Budget Narrative; Maps, Charts and Figures; and Meeting/Conference/Workshop Information) must be no more than thirty single-spaced pages in length and include the items below in the requested order. Excess pages will not be reviewed. Maps, charts, pictures, and other figures must be included in the Narrative Proposal file. They may be included within the body of the workplan or as an appendix. In either case those items will be counted against the page limit. Maps, charts, pictures, and other figures that are submitted as a separate attachment will not be reviewed.

Each Narrative Proposal must be formatted for 8½” x 11” paper and should use no smaller than an 11-point Times New Roman font with 1” margins. Do not use a “double column” (aka newspaper) format. Readability is of paramount importance. Do not include more than one application in any file. Please do not zip the file or use a zip extension for your file because it will not be accepted.

Applicants must ensure that analytical results yield data with comparable detection limits currently used by the GLFMSP to ensure comparability and continuity in data sets;

however, refinement and optimization of methods are encouraged, as needed. New method development by the Principal Investigator may be necessary as the analyte list is modified. The annual number of GLFMSP composites to be analyzed is between 50 and 60 (Table 1), not inclusive of any necessary additional quality assurance samples, including spikes, duplicates and other typical quality assurance samples. An additional 10 to 20 samples per year may also be necessary for comparison studies with ECCC or other partnering labs. Prior to the receipt or analysis of any environmental samples, the award recipient will need to demonstrate comparability with existing data sets collected under this program through the analysis of a minimum of 10 check samples. These data will be received and evaluated by the EPA GLNPO Technical Lead prior to analysis of GLFMSP environmental samples. At the discretion of the EPA Project Officer, the Principal Investigator may need to conduct a pre-award performance evaluation through the analysis of standard reference and archived fish samples to be provided by the EPA Technical Lead. Applicants are encouraged to provide suggestions for changes and/or improvements to the GLFMSP collections; however, continuity between the historical GLFMSP and future data is required.

1. Summary Information Page:

Funding Opportunity Number. The RFA number is EPA-R5-GL2020-FMSP.

A. Project Title. Please limit to 60 characters. EPA reserves the right to change the project title for its administrative convenience.

B. Applicant Information. Include applicant (organization) name, address, contact person, phone number, and e-mail address. Do not include private information.

C. Proposed Funding Request. The total dollar amount requested from EPA -make sure it is within the limits specified or your application will be rejected.

D. Project Duration. Provide beginning and ending dates. See “Anticipated Start and End Dates” in Section II.

E. Brief Project Description. Summarize the proposed project in 100 words or less in a clear and succinct manner using PLAIN LANGUAGE, including expected outputs, outcomes and environmental benefits resulting from implementation of the project. Include environmental KEY TERMS that could be used as search terms (e.g., water quality, toxins, mercury, etc.). Do not use acronyms. Should the proposal be selected, and a grant awarded, this description may be posted to the EPA Web. EPA reserves the right to make unilateral changes to conform to posting requirements. Examples can be found here.

F. Project Location. Specify a single, representative project location within the Great Lakes basin, including 8- or 12-digit HUC code available here, and latitude and longitude specifying decimal degrees available here, even if the work will be done at multiple locations or by applicants who are located outside the Great Lakes basin. Please include the reason for the location you identify if that is not self-evident.

2. Work Plan:

The Work Plan for each proposed project must explicitly describe how the proposed project meets the guidelines established in Sections I-III of this RFA (including the threshold eligibility criteria in Section III) and must address each https://www.glri.us/projects https://water.usgs.gov/wsc/reg/04.html https://apply.glnpo.net/map/ of the evaluation criteria set forth in Section V. Each Work Plan should be organized in the order and with the headings and information requested below.

Details and associated point values for each section of the workplan are described in RFA Section V.A (Application Review) below.

i. Project Summary and Approach

ii. Technical Ability and Sample Analysis

1. Base Monitoring Program

2. Special Studies/Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative

iii. Data management, Interpretation, Statistical analysis, and Report writing

iv. Quality Assurance and Quality Control

v. Results

1. Output

2. Outcome

vi. Collaboration and Plans

vii. Programmatic Capability and Past Performance

1. PI’s past history of managing agreements

2. Institution’s past history of managing agreements

3. PI’s history of meeting reporting requirements

4. Institution’s history of meeting reporting requirements

5. Past project expenditure rate

6. Staff expertise

viii. Budget

1. Detailed budget narrative

2. Expeditious spending and sufficient progress in the use of

GLRI Funds

3. Other Attachments. The additional attachments listed in Appendix I are not part of the Narrative Proposal and are not included in the 30-page limit; however, they may, as appropriate, be considered during evaluations. For additional information about each of these attachments, see the descriptions contained in Appendix I.

4. Submission: Eligible applicants must submit applications through http://www.grants.gov per the instructions in Appendix I or through any approved alternate method as discussed above in Section IV.B.

5. Submission Deadline: Applications must be received by EPA through http://www.grants.gov by 10:59 p.m. Central / 11:59 p.m. Eastern time, on September 21, 2020.

6. Notification: Within two weeks after the due date, EPA intends to post a link to project information (including title and identification number) to: http://www2.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-fish-monitoring-and-surveillance-program-rfa. All applicants should check this posting to verify that their submissions have been included in EPA’s database. See Section VII for contact information if you do not receive a confirmation or http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www2.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-fish-monitoring-and-surveillance-program-rfa http://www2.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-fish-monitoring-and-surveillance-program-rfa if your project is not posted. All applicants will be contacted following selections to tell them whether or not they have been selected. Selection information will also be posted to a page linked to: http://www2.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-fish-monitoring-and-surveillance-program-rfa.

7. Information provided to EPA. Before applying for an award, applicants should be aware that under Public Law No. 105-277, data produced under an award, and any information provided to EPA, is subject to the Freedom of Information Act.

8. Communications. See: http://www.epa.gov/ogd/competition/solicitation_provisions.htm for general provisions regarding communications with applicants. Submit questions using the form available from http://www2.epa.gov/great-lakes-funding/great-lakes-fish-monitoring-and-surveillance-program-rfa.

9. Intergovernmental Review: Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs, may be applicable to awards resulting from this announcement.

Applicants selected for funding may be required to provide a copy of their application to their State Point of Contact (SPOC) for review, pursuant to Executive Order 12372. This review is not required before submitting an application and not all states require such a review. A listing of State Point of Contacts (SPOC) may be viewed at:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc

10. Additional Provisions For Applicants Incorporated Into RFA. Additional provisions that apply to this RFA and/or awards made under this RFA, including but not limited to those related to confidential business information, application assistance and communications, management fees, contracts and subawards under grants, and duplicate funding can be found at: EPA Solicitation Clauses.

These…