PKG00262868-instructions.pdf

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

BOEM - Acquisition Policy and Financial Assistance

M20AS00176

09/04/2020

A. Program Description

A1. Authority Section 19(e) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) (Public Law 95-372)(43 U.S.

Code 1345) authorizes the use of cooperative agreements with affected States to meet the requirements of OCSLA, including sharing of information and joint utilization of available expertise to carry out applicable Federal and State laws, regulations, and stipulations relevant to OCS operations both onshore and offshore.

A2. Background, Purpose and Program Requirements Funding Opportunity Description

BOEM is offering a competitive cooperative agreement for the study Assessing the Impact of Seismic Airguns on Commercially and Recreationally-Important Fish (National Studies List [NSL] #GM-20-01b) to measure the behavioral response of commercially- and recreationally-important fish to seismic survey in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM).

Background BOEM is required to consider the impacts of its activities on all species and ecosystems on the OCS. Research into impacts to fish and fisheries from seismic surveys is limited, and conclusions are inconsistent. By necessity, our environmental analyses have relied on research with limited applicability. It is important to obtain more information for species that occur on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) to better inform our analyses and management decisions.

Observing the behavior of valuable reef fishes exposed to commercial seismic surveys would enable BOEM to better assess potential effects on biologically important behaviors. Such information would enable BOEM to meet statutory obligations to assess the level of impact and, as appropriate, propose mitigation measures to lessen or avoid such effects. The results of this study will address current gaps in our understanding of impacts to a commercially- and recreationally-important fish species.For example, red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus) is a common fish in the GOM and supports important commercial and recreational fisheries. It serves as an ideal species for this type of study because it has a swimbladder, tends to aggregate in large groups at natural and artificial reefs, and is ecologically and economically relevant. While sound production has not yet been demonstrated in red snapper, it is possible, considering that other snappers do produce sound (Fish and Mowbray 1952). If this is the case, it means that it may use acoustic signals to coordinate the timing of spawning (as in many other fish species), and such activities could be affected by the presence of airgun noise. Grouper would be another good candidate species group, as they too have a swimbladder and are known to be acoustically-active (Sanchez et al 2017). Red snapper is the preferred target species for this effort and grouper is an acceptable substitution if red snapper are unavailable.

Purpose The purpose of this award is to measure the behavioral response of commercially- and recreationally-important fish to seismic survey in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). BOEM’s stakeholders, including the fishing and research community, is concerned about the impacts of https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2011-title43/html/USCODE-2011-title43-chap29-subchapIII-sec1345.htm https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2011-title43/html/USCODE-2011-title43-chap29-subchapIII-sec1345.htm seismic surveys on fish behavior. This study will benefit GOM commercial and recreational fishermen and the GOM States, local Governments, and local communities to which the fishery economy contributes. Natural resource and fishery managers in the GOM region will also benefit from the information produced by this study. This will allow BOEM to make the science-informed decisions, perform the analyses required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and generate the environmental documents (e.g., environmental impact statements [EISs], Environmental Assessments [EAs]) needed to fulfill its mission “to manage development of U.S. Outer Continental Shelf energy… in an environmentally and economically responsible way.”

Objective The purpose of this study is to improve understanding of fishes’ response to commercial seismic surveys on the U.S. OCS. The major objective is to measure the potential changes in behavior of free-swimming adult fish when exposed to seismic airguns and record the duration of any behavioral change. Such behavioral changes may include changes in location, depth, and/or schooling, and the duration of any behavioral change. The results should be framed in terms of potential impacts to the fishery. The location of this study is the GOM in the vicinity of a planned seismic survey, mostly likely in the Western or Central GOM Planning Areas.

Key Tasks

Task 1: Acoustic Monitoring and Fish Behavior Observations - Field Planning The details of the activities planned for this Task should be developed by the Awardee with input from both BOEM and the Awardee. BOEM will facilitate communications with industry and assist in assessing candidate surveys for the most appropriate study sites. Activity and scheduling details should first be discussed with the BOEM Project Team and then captured in writing by the Awardee. The draft Field Plan should include the experiment design for field operations, the equipment to be used, the methodology to be used, field schedule and personnel who will perform the work, and other aspects that may be decided upon at the post-award meeting.

The draft Field Plan should be submitted to BOEM for comment and input according to the schedule outlined in Section H. When BOEM and the Awardee have confirmed the timing of a commercial survey, the draft Field Plan will be finalized with specific dates for the field work. A final Field Plan shall be submitted to BOEM at least 2 weeks before field operations begin, per Section H.

Task 2: Acoustic Monitoring and Fish Behavior Observations – Data Collection This task is field-based and includes measuring the acoustic environment at the study site before, during, and after the passing of the survey. The study site will be chosen by the project team. The target fish species tend to aggregate at natural and artificial reefs on the OCS. Therefore, the study site(s) will be reef habitat that is expected to be surveyed or in the vicinity of a survey (within ~1–2 km) in the near future to measure impacts of a full-scale seismic array. This location is likely to be in BOEM's Western or Central GOM Planning Areas due to ongoing activity in those areas. The details of the acoustic monitoring field plan shall be developed with the project team. The next few paragraphs describe the BOEM vision of the acoustic monitoring approach in general terms.

At least one pressure-sensitive hydrophone should be deployed at the study site and should be configured to record up to at least 2 kHz (i.e., minimum sample rate at 4 kHz). The exact duty-cycle used for recording will depend upon hard drive space and the total duration of the recording period, but it is important to measure received levels at the site while the survey passes, which may require continuous sampling for a shorter time period. Care should be taken to ensure that the recorder will not become over saturated (i.e., “clip”) when the survey is closest.

Data analysis from this hydrophone should aim to establish a baseline of the biological and anthropogenic sounds present in the area (e.g., typical frequency spectrum and amplitude at different time periods) prior to the survey and should examine potential changes after the passage of the survey. Data analysis should also include a description of diel trends in any potential vocalizations from fish at the site. Ideally it should be deployed at least 30 days before the passing of the acoustic survey and record data from that point until at least 30 days after the survey.

In addition to a standard PAM unit described above, at least one particle-motion sensor should be deployed at the site, also recording continuously during the passage of the survey. The primary aim of this instrument is to measure the magnitude and direction of received particle motion levels when the survey passes by, so it could be deployed for a shorter period of time (e.g., one week before and after the survey). Given the sensitivity of these instruments to water motion and/or vibrations of a vertical mooring, mounting this unit on a fixed anchor close to the seafloor would be most effective. If funds allow, additional units could be deployed at a different locations around the study site or farther up in the water column.

Information about the exact position of the source vessel, when time-synchronized with acoustic data from the recorders, should allow for simple calculations of transmission loss between the source and the receivers and a proper assessment of the directionality of particle motion from the airguns.

Observation of reef fish behavior will coincide with acoustic monitoring and includes tagging adult reef fish and observing their behavioral response to the acoustic survey. The field effort should be designed to answer the following research questions:

1. Do fish leave the study area when the seismic vessel approaches? If so, how long does it take them to return to the area (if ever)?

2. Do fish exhibit erratic swimming or changes in schooling behavior or depth as the survey passes overhead? If so, how long does it take them to return to natural (pre-seismic) behaviors?

3. Do fish exhibit the same behaviors when a similarly-sized “control” vessel approaches (i.e., a vessel that is not actively shooting seismic)?

The details of the experimental design should be developed with the project team. The next few paragraphs describe the BOEM vision of the experimental design in general terms.

Adult reef fish will be captured and tagged at least 60 days before the planned survey. Half of these animals will be tagged with traditional acoustic tags, which transmit their location when they pass within range of one of the receivers. The other half will be tagged with next-generation Vemco tags which transmit the fish’s history of acceleration and depth. This information will be critical for understanding fine-scale movements as the survey passes overhead. The species tagged must typical of resident species for the selected habitat (e.g., red snapper or grouper spp.

would be an acceptable target species for GoM mid- and shelf-edge bank).

An array of Vemco acoustic receivers will be deployed around the research site. Depending on water depth, some of these may be mounted on the bottom while some may need to be mounted on sub-surface buoys mid-way through the water column to maximize potential fish detections.

Vemco receivers can record data for approximately six months and thus will be deployed https://vemco.com/products/v9ap-v13ap-accelerometer/ https://vemco.com/products/v9ap-v13ap-accelerometer/ approximately three months before the survey is planned to take place.

The ability to distinguish between behavioral changes due airgun noise from ship disturbance is an important component to consider. The experimental design should consider how to control for this variable using methods such as:

Passes of the same (ideally) or similar-sized vessel passing overhead without the use of airguns. This ‘control’ run should be completed several days to weeks before the airgun survey.

Including additional control sites at a similar reef site that is not in the vicinity of the planned survey. The comparison of these tagged fish’s behavior to those fish exposed to the survey will elucidate further the potential impacts of airguns on adult fish.

Comparison and use of any existing data that helps distinguish behavioral changed between airgun noise and ship disturbance.

Data analysis from the pre-survey period should demonstrate site fidelity (i.e., size of home range) of fish at the site, as well as an analysis of “normal” vertical movements. Approximately three months after the survey concludes, the Vemco receivers should be retrieved and movement data analyzed. Data analysis will focus on individual and population-level movements before, during, and after the passage of the survey.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number 15.423 Authorization Legislation Sections 19(e) and 20 of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA) (Public Law 95- 372)(43 U.S. Code 1345-1346)

A3. Technical Assistance and Information for Prospective Applicants

B. Federal Award Information

B1. Total Funding Estimated Total Funding $ 260,000 The total amount of federal funds available is anticipated to be $260,000.

B2. Expected Award Amount Maximum Award Amount https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/USCODE-2011-title43/html/USCODE-2011-title43-chap29-subchapIII-sec1345.htm

$ 260,000 Minimum Award Amount $ 235,000

B3. Anticipated Dates Award Start Date September 23, 2020

B4. Period of Performance Length of Project Periods 36-month project period with three 12-month budget periods

Length of Project Period Explanation of Other Project Period l Expectation Duration in Months Multi-year Proposals If the proposed work is such that more than one year is required to complete the research, then a multi-year proposal is appropriate, and the applicant shall write the proposal accordingly. Proposals shall clearly define the work to be completed in each year, and the evaluation panel reserves the option to fund only the first year of a multi-year proposal. Funding for subsequent years of a multi-year cooperative agreement is contingent upon the availability of funds and satisfactory progress demonstrated by the Awardee. Progress will be determined through technical review of quarterly progress reports and other work identified by the BOEM Project Officer. Funds requested for the final year of performance shall include a 15% retainage of the project’s total anticipated budget request. The BOEM Project Officer shall provide continuation notices at least 60 days prior to the end of each funding period.

B5. Numbers of Awards Expected Number of Awards

B6. Type of Award Funding Instrument Type CA - Cooperative Agreement The award will be a cooperative agreement. This involves substantial involvement by BOEM scientists in various aspects of study development and/or study conduct.

BOEM will perform the following:

1. Work closely with the Awardee, to provide oversight of the project.

2. Participate in fieldwork and project oversight.

3. Coordinate with survey operators to identify survey(s) in appropriate areas for this work.

4. Provide real time direction or re-direction on data analysis, early results, and technical difficulties.

5. Provide feedback on data synthesis approach and prepared manuscripts.

6. Provide oversight and funding.

B7. Other Federal Information Type of Competition Open to All Eligible Applicants

C. Eligibility Information

C1. Eligible Applicants 25 – Others (see text field entitled “Additional Information on Eligibility” for clarification) 00 – State governments 06 – Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Additional Information on Eligibility This Program Announcement describes the specific projects that may be awarded to the universities or eligible groups identified. All awards are premised on receipt of an acceptable proposal. This is not an open solicitation for proposals.

This announcement is specifically to announce intent to undertake the following project(s):

Assessing the Impact of Seismic Airguns on Commercially and Recreationally-Important Fish in the Gulf of Mexico

Open to:

Coastal States and their Public and State Controlled Universities in the Gulf Coast CESU

The award will be a cooperative agreement (see Eligibility Information below). This involves substantial involvement by BOEM scientists in various aspects of study development and/or study conduct.

Eligibility Information Research projects are required to have a staff member of the applying organization as the Principal Investigator (PI). Cooperative research between interested organizations—i.e., state agencies, public universities, and non-profits in affected states—is always encouraged.

Cost Share/Match: Contributions of matching funds towards these efforts, either as cash or in-kind contributions (such as salary, equipment, etc., or a combination of both) is very strongly encouraged. Match cannot include value associated with collection costs for samples previously collected. Match value for instrumentation and other equipment should be adjusted to the period of use within the project relative to the full life cycle for the item. Written documentation for the assessed match for ship time (if applicable) shall provide a fair assessment of costs relevant to the project. Matching dollars cannot be from other Federal funding sources. Further information can be located at 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 200.306.

All questions regarding this project, including eligibility, should be directed only to the “Program Announcement and Cooperative Agreement Questions” point-of-contact listed in Section G.

C2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost Sharing/Matching Requirement No Percentage of Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement:

C3. Other Excluded Parties:

BOEM conducts a review of the SAM.gov Exclusions database for all applicant entities and their key project personnel prior to award. The Bureau cannot award funds to entities or their key project personnel identified in the SAM.gov Exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted or otherwise excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits, as their ineligibility condition applies to this Federal program.

D. Application and Submission Information

D1. Address to Request Application Package The application from the CESU institution must be submitted through the www.Grants.gov portal at “Apply for Grants.” The applicant can locate the application package by visiting the Grants.gov portal and searching on CFDA number 15.423 or Announcement M20AS00176 in the Grants.gov search engine. The announcement is also available in Grant Solutions.

D2. Content and Form of Application Submission SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance The electronic submission system requires several preliminary registration steps before the actual proposal can be submitted (go to www.grants.gov and click on “Applicants” on top menu bar, go to “Apply for Grants”, Register as an Organization or Register as an individual). See Section D7 below.

Project Summary Assessing the Impact of Seismic Airguns on Commercially and Recreationally-Important Fish (National Studies List [NSL] #GM-20-01b)

Scientific Integrity Scientific integrity is vital to DOI activities under which scientific research, https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=ae9aa65c79ad3446f48b51875ae6db4a&mc=true&n=sp2.1.200.d&r=SUBPART&ty=HTML#se2.1.200_1306 http://www.Grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html http://www.grants.gov data, summaries, syntheses, interpretations, presentations, and/or publications are developed and used. Failure to uphold the highest degree of scientific integrity will result not only in potentially flawed scientific results, interpretations, and applications but will damage DOI’s reputation and ability to uphold the public’s trust. All work performed must comply with the DOI Scientific Integrity Policy posted to http://www.doi.gov/ScientificIntegrity, or its equivalent as provided by their organization or State law.

Project Narrative

The cover sheet of the proposal shall contain the following information:

1. Project Title:

2. PI(s):

i. Name:

ii. Address:

iii. Phone:

iv. Fax:

v. E-mail:

3. Name of University/Department:

4. Contact Information for Technical and Administrative Negotiations

5. Project Status: New/Continuation

6. Project Duration: (years or months)

7. Proposed Start Date:

8. Proposed Draft Final Report Submission Date:

9. Proposed Completion Date:

10. Amount Requested From BOEM:

11. Amount and Sources of Non-Federal Match:

12. Total Project Cost:

13. Signature, Name, and Contact Information of University PI and Co-Investigator:

14. Proposal Endorsement, including Signature, Name, Contact Information of Sponsoring

University Department Dean or Institute Director:

15. Signature, Name and Contact Information of Sponsoring University’s Office of

Sponsored Programs

Proposal Text The proposal must be in 11–12 point Times New Roman, Arial, or similar font with 1"-page margins. Non-conforming proposals will not be considered. Text, figures, etc. in support of items 1-10 below should be no longer than 15 pages.

Please include the following in the Proposal:

1. Abstract

2. Background/Relevance to BOEM Issues, Information Needs, and Research

Topics: Give a brief introduction to the research problem. State how the proposal addresses BOEM goals. Explain why the work is important. Specify the http://www.doi.gov/ScientificIntegrity contribution to science related to understanding the impacts of seismic surveys on fish and the benefits that society will receive from the study.

3. Objectives/Hypotheses: Clearly define goals of the project.

4. Methods/Analyses: Provide a clear description of planned research methodologies and analyses.

5. Project Deliverables and Planned Products: Applicants shall provide plans for executing the duties of the awardee listed in Section F3 and the deliverables in Section A3 as outlined in the Table in Section H including a rough timeline for these deliverables.

6. Staffing Plan: All key personnel (including graduate student workers) shall be identified by name. List the University PI first, followed by the names of other individuals. Indicate the role and anticipated level of effort for each key participant offering unique or specific contributions to the project (oceanographer, geochemist, field assistant, etc.). If names of any key participants are unknown, a proposal addendum with the names and curricula vitae must be submitted prior to award.

7. Performance Measures: Applicants shall suggest specific measures that will be used to monitor project progress, including progress of sub-awardees (e.g., quality and timely deliverables, timely completion of fieldwork or other project components, draft peer-reviewed articles). These performance measures will be incorporated in the cooperative agreement award and reviewed as part of any continuation request.

8. Critical Starting Dates (e.g., for season-limited field work): Identify any critical starting dates and the reason why project success is dependent upon that start date.

9. Publication and Presentation: BOEM strongly encourages the Awardees to publish project reports in scientific and technical journals, and present results to the scientific community, appropriate professional organizations, and local, State, and/or Federal agencies as part of the project (please also see Section H). These publications and meetings should be included in the proposal and budget.

10. Bibliography: List all references cited in the text, as well as references that are relevant to the current proposal from your past work in the field.

11. Curricula Vitae (maximum two pages) for each identified key participant. Emphasize previous experience in the field of study that the proposal addresses.

12. Letters of Commitment: Provide signed letters of commitment by matching fund grantors, contractors, and sub-grantees.

13. University Budget Spreadsheet: In addition to SF-424a Budget Information form below, include information in a format which provides personnel, travel, services, supplies, equipment, tuition, and indirect costs on an annual basis for both the requested BOEM funds and for the anticipated match funds.

14. Budget Justification Narrative: See below.

SF 424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs

Applicants must show funds requested from this Federal program separately from any other Federal sources of funding. In the “Budget Summary” section of the appropriate SF-424 budget form, use the first row for funding requested from this Federal program. Use subsequent row(s) for funding requested from this Federal program. Use subsequent row(s) for other Federal funding. Enter each Federal program’s CFDA number(s) in the corresponding fields on the form.

Federal award recipients and subrecipients are subject to Federal award cost principles per the “DOI Standard Award Terms and Conditions”. The CFDA number(s) for this program appears on the first page of this announcement.

Budget Narrative/Detailed Spreadsheet Describe and justify requested budget items and costs. Detail how the SF-424 Budget Information, Object Class Category totals were determined. For personnel salary costs, include the baseline salary figures and the estimates of time. Describe any item of cost that requires prior approval under the Federal cost principles. See 2 CFR 200.407 “Prior written approval (prior approval)” for more information. If equipment purchased previously with Federal funds is available for the project, provide a list of that equipment and identify the Federal funding source.

Budget Justification Narrative This information will provide more details than the SF-424A form and will provide adequate information for the Contracting Officer to conduct a detailed analysis of the costs to determine they are reasonable, allowable, and allocable. Please include the following:

1. Salaries and Wages. List positions, rate of compensation and estimated number of hours.

If contract employees are hired, include their total time, rate of compensation, job titles, and roles.

2. Fringe Benefits/Labor Overhead. Indicate the rates/amounts in conformance with normal accounting procedures. Explain what costs are covered in this category and the basis of the rate computations. Provide a copy of the negotiated rate agreement, if available.

3. Lab Analyses. Briefly itemize cost of all analytical work.

4. Supplies. Enter the cost for all tangible property. Include the cost of office, laboratory, computing, and field supplies separately. Provide detail on any specific item that represents a significant portion of the proposed amount. Provide a statement that supplies will be purchased in accordance with 2 CFR 200.318–326.

5. Equipment. Show the cost of all special-purpose equipment necessary for achieving the objectives of the project. “Special-purpose equipment” means scientific equipment having a useful life of more than 1 year and having an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per item. Each item should be itemized and include a full justification and a dealer or manufacturer quote, if available.

General-purpose equipment (used also for purposes other than this project) must be purchased from the applicant’s operating funds. Title to non-expendable personal property shall be vested solely with the Awardee. Under no circumstances shall property title be vested in a sub-tier Awardee. Provide a statement that equipment will be purchased in accordance with 2 CFR 200.318–326 and managed in accordance with 2

CFR 200.313.

6. Services or Consultants. Identify the tasks or problems for which such services would be used. List the contemplated sub-Awardees by name (including consultants), the estimated amount of time required, and the quoted rate per day or hour. Sub-applicant proposals should provide cost breakdowns at the same level of detail as the Applicant’s proposal. If contract employees are hired, include their total time, rate of compensation, job titles, and roles. Provide a statement that salaries will be charged at the actual rate and that the rate is comparable to others doing similar work within the organization.

https://www.doi.gov/grants/doi-standard-terms-and-conditions

7. Travel. State the purpose of the trip and itemize the estimated travel costs to show the number of trips required, the destinations, the number of people traveling, the per diem rates, the cost of transportation, and any miscellaneous expenses for each trip. Calculations of other special transportation costs (such as charges for use of applicant- owned vehicles or vehicle rental costs) should also be shown. Applicants are encouraged to include in the proposal a plan to present findings at one to two major meetings (see above Proposal Text item 1).

8. Publication Costs. Indicate an estimate of labor and other unique costs associated with preparation of the draft final report. If publication of results of the research in the peer-reviewed literature (identify likely publications) is anticipated, include costs of drafting or graphics, reproduction, page, or illustration charges, and a minimum number of reprints.

9. Other Direct Costs. Itemize the different types of costs not included elsewhere.

10. Total Direct Charges. Totals for items a–i.

11. Indirect Charges (Overhead). Indirect cost/general and administrative (G&A) cost. Show the proposed rate, cost base, and proposed amount for indirect costs based on the cost principles applicable to the Applicant’s organization. If the Applicant has separate rates for recovery of labor overhead and G&A costs, each charge should be shown. Provide a copy of the negotiated rate agreement with the Applicant’s Federal cognizant audit agency. [If applicable.]

12. Amount Proposed. Total items j and k.

13. Multi-year Projects. The Applicant shall provide summary information as well as a detailed budget for each year. Funds requested for the final year of performance shall comprise a minimum of 15% of the project’s total anticipated budget. [If applicable.]

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

Please reference the Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act for additional details.

(a) Applicability.

(1) This section intends to ensure that non-Federal entities and their employees take appropriate steps to avoid conflicts of interest in their responsibilities under or with respect to Federal financial assistance agreements.

(2) In the procurement of supplies, equipment, construction, and services by recipients and by subrecipients, the conflict of interest provisions in 2 CFR 200.318 apply.

(b) Notification. (1) Non-Federal entities, including applicants for financial assistance awards, must disclose in writing any conflict of interest to the DOI awarding agency or pass-through entity in accordance with 2 CFR 200.112.

(2) Recipients must establish internal controls that include, at a minimum, procedures to identify, disclose, and mitigate or eliminate identified conflicts of interest. The recipient is responsible for notifying the Financial Assistance Officer in writing of any conflicts of interest that may arise during the life of the award, including those that have been reported by subrecipients.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=2cb9f6d1c1c131ed576a5e65845ef3fa&mc=true&node=se2.1.1402_1112&rgn=div8 https://www.doi.gov/pam/programs/acquisition/fair-activities-inventory-reform-act

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

(d) Review procedures. The Financial Assistance Officer will examine each conflict of interest disclosure on the basis of its particular facts and the nature of the proposed grant or cooperative agreement, and will determine whether a significant potential conflict exists and, if it does, develop an appropriate means for resolving it.(e) Enforcement. Failure to resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the government may be cause for termination of the award.

Failure to make required disclosures may result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR 200.338, Remedies for noncompliance, including suspension or debarment (see also 2 CFR part 180).

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

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

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

Overlap or Duplication of Effort Statement Applicants must provide a statement indicating if there is any overlap between this Federal application and any other Federal application, or funded project, in regards to activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel. If no such overlap or duplication exists, state, “There are no overlaps or duplication between this application and any of our other Federal applications or funded projects, including in regards to activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel”.

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If any such overlap exists, provide a complete description of overlaps or duplications between this proposal and any other federally funded project or application in regards to activities, costs, and time commitment of key personnel, as applicable. Provide a copy of any overlapping or duplicative proposal submitted to any other potential funding entity and identify when that proposal was submitted, to whom (entity name and program), and when you anticipate being notified of their funding decision.

D3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Registration This requirement does not apply to individuals applying for funds as individual (i.e., unrelated to any business or nonprofit organization you may own or operate) or any entity with an exception approved by the funding bureau or office in accordance with bureau or office policy. All other applicants are required to obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet and then register in SAM.gov prior to submitting a Federal award application.

Federal award recipients must continue to maintain an active SAM.gov registration with current information through the life of their Federal award(s). See the “Submission Requirements” section of this document below for more information on SAM.gov registration. We may not make a Federal award to an applicant that has not completed the SAM.gov registration. If an applicant selected for funding has not completed their SAM.gov registration by the time the program is ready to make an award, the program may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award. The program can use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant. There is no cost to register with Dun & Bradstreet or SAM.gov.

There are third- party vendors who will charge a fee in exchange for registering entities with Dun & Bradstreet and SAM.gov; please be aware you can register and request help for free.

Obtain a DUNS Number Request a DUNS Number through the Dun & Bradstreet website. The official website address is http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. For technical difficulties, send an email to the D&B SAM Help Desk. Please ensure that you are able to receive emails from SAMHelp@dnb.com. The Grants.gov “Obtain a DUNS Number” webpage also provides detailed instructions. Once assigned a DUNS number, your organization must maintain up-to-date information with Dun & Bradstreet. Applicants must enter their DUNS number in the “Organizational DUNS” field on the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance form.

Register with the System for Award Management (SAM) Register on the SAM.gov website. “Help” tab on the website contains User Guides and other information to assist you with registration. The Grants.gov Register with SAM page also provides detailed instructions. You can also contact the supporting Federal Service Desk for help registering in SAM. Once registered in SAM, entities must renew and revalidate their SAM registration at least once every 12 months from the date previously registered. Entities are strongly encouraged to revalidate their registration as often as needed to ensure their information is up to date and reflects changes that may have been to the entity’s DUNS or IRS information.

mailto:SAMHelp@dnb.com

D4. Submission Dates and Times Application Due Date 09/04/2020 Application Due Date Explanation Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m., ET, on the listed application due date.

D5. Intergovernmental Review Prior to application submission, U.S. state and local government applicants should visit the OMB Office of Federal Financial Management website and view the “State Point of Contact (SPOC) List” to determine whether their application is subject to the state intergovernmental review process under Executive Order (E.O.) 12372 “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.”

States not on the list do not participate in the intergovernmental review process, and therefore do not have a SPOC. If you are located within a State that does not have a SPOC, you may send application materials directly to a Federal awarding agency. If your state is on the list, contact the designated entity for more information on the state’s prior review requirements for Federal assistance applications.

D6. Funding Restrictions Indirect Costs: Individuals Indirect Costs: Organizations The Federal awarding agency that provides the largest amount of direct funding to your organization is your cognizant agency for indirect costs, unless otherwise assigned by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB). If the Department of the Interior is your organization’s cognizant agency, the Interior Business Center will negotiate your indirect cost rate. Contact the Interior Business Center by phone 916-930-3803 or using the IBC Email Submission Form. See the IBC Website for more information.

Organizations must have an active Federal award before they can submit an indirect cost rate proposal to their cognizant agency. Failure to establish an approved rate during the award period renders all costs otherwise allocable as indirect costs unallowable under the award.

Required Indirect Cost Statement to be submitted with Application All organizations must include the applicable statement from the following list in their application, and attach to their application any documentation identified in the applicable statement:

We are:

A U.S. state or local government entity receiving more than $35 million in direct Federal funding each year with an indirect cost rate of [insert rate]. We submit our indirect cost rate proposals to our cognizant agency. Attached is a copy of our most recently approved rate agreement/certification.

A U.S. state or local government entity receiving less than $35 million in direct Federal funding with an indirect cost rate of [insert rate]. We have prepared and will retain for audit an indirect cost rate proposal and related documentation.

A [insert your organization type; U.S. states and local governments, do not use this statement] that has previously negotiated or currently has an approved indirect cost rate with our cognizant agency. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate]. [Insert either: “Attached is a copy of our most recently approved but expired rate agreement. In the event an award is made, we will submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after the award is made.” or “Attached is a copy of our current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement.”]

A [insert your organization type] that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate]. If we receive an award, we will submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after the award date.

A [insert your organization type] that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency and has an indirect cost rate that is lower than 10%. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate; must be lower than 10%]. However, if we receive an award we will not be able to meet the requirement to submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after award. We request as a condition of award to charge a flat indirect cost rate of [insert rate; must be lower than 10%] against [insert a clear description of the direct cost base against which your rate is charged (e.g., salaries; salaries and fringe benefits; or modified total direct costs). However, please note that your organization cannot charge indirect costs in excess of the indirect costs that would be recovered if applied against modified total direct costs as defined in §2 CFR 200.68]. We understand that we must notify the Service in writing if we establish an approved rate with our cognizant agency at any point during the award period.

A [insert your organization type] that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency and has an indirect cost rate that is 10% or higher. Our indirect cost rate is [insert your organization’s indirect rate; must be 10% or higher]. However, if we receive an award we will not be able to meet the requirement to submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after award. We request as a condition of award to charge a flat de minimis indirect cost rate of 10% to be charged against modified total direct project costs as defined in 2 CFR §200.68. We understand that we must notify the Service in writing if we establish a negotiated rate with our cognizant agency at any point during the award period. We understand that additional Federal funds may not be available to support an unexpected increase in indirect costs during the project period and that such changes are subject to review, negotiation, and prior approval by the Service.

A [insert your organization type] that is submitting this proposal for consideration under the [“Program Title”], which has a Department of the Interior-approve indirect cost rate cap of [insert program rate]. If we have an approved indirect cost rate with our cognizant agency, we understand that we must apply this reduced rate against the same direct cost base as identified in our approved indirect cost rate agreement per the Financial Assistance Interior Regulation (FAIR) 2 CFR §1402.414. If we do not have an approved indirect cost rate with our cognizant agency, we understand that must charge indirect costs against the modified total direct cost base defined in 2 CFR §200.68 “Modified

Total Direct Cost (MTDC)”. We understand that we must request prior approval from [insert Bureau Here] to use the 2 CFR 200 MTDC base instead of the base identified in our approved indirect cost rate agreement. We understand that [Insert Bureau Here] approval of such a request will be based on: 1) a determination that our approved base is only a subset of the MTDC (such as salaries and wages); and 2) that use of the MTDC base will still result in a reduction of the total indirect costs to be charged to the award. In accordance with 2 CFR §200.405, we understand that the indirect costs are not recovered due to a voluntary reduction to our federally negotiated rate are not allowable for recovery via any other means.

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

Prohibited Uses of Awards Funds Reimbursement of Pre-Award Costs

D7. Other Submission Requirements Please be aware that the electronic submission process requires first time users to register using an e- Authentication process. This registration process can be somewhat complex and can take up to 3 weeks to complete. Be advised that it is virtually impossible to begin the process of electronic submission for the first time if you start just a few days before the due date. If you are from a university, contact your Office of Sponsored Programs. They may already have completed the registration process and should work with you to submit the application.

If you have any questions or problems with the registration process, or the completion of the application package, please contact the grants.gov help desk at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

Briefly, when you submit a grant application package to Grants.gov, you will receive a confirmation screen as well as three additional emails over two business days from Grants.gov informing you of your application processing status: 1. Confirmation screen

2. Submission Receipt (with “Track My Application” link) 3. Submission Validation (or Rejection with Errors) 4. Agency Retrieval

CONFIRMATION: Submission Confirmation Screen.

After you submit your grant application package, a confirmation screen will appear on your computer screen. This screen confirms that you have submitted an application to Grants.gov.

NOTIFICATION 1: Submission Receipt Email Within two business days after your application package has been received by the Grants.gov system, you will receive a submission receipt email which indicates that your submission has entered the Grants.gov system and is ready for validation. This email also contains a tracking number for use while tracking the status of the submission as well as a “Track My Application” link, to use to see the progress of your submission.

NOTIFICATION 2: Submission Validation Receipt Email – This is the important one!

After you receive the submission receipt email, the next email you will receive will be a message validating or rejecting your submitted application package with errors. The Grants.gov system is mailto:support@grants.gov designed to check for technical errors within the submitted application package. Grants.gov does not review application content for award determination. Grants.gov will not post the application if there are errors. Failure to correct errors and submit by the date and time for closing may not be a reason for accepting a late application.

NOTIFICATION 3: Grantor Agency Retrieval Email Once your application package has passed validation it is delivered to the grantor for award determination and further approval. After the grantor has confirmed receipt of your application, you will be sent a third and final email from Grants.gov. The grantor may also assign your application package an agency specific tracking number for use within their internal system. IF YOU HAVE NOT RECEIVED THIS E- MAIL

WITHIN FOUR DAYS OF THE CLOSING DATE, PLEASE CONTACT THE

CONTRACTING OFFICER.

If you need help entering your proposal, you can reach the Grants.gov Contact Center at: 1- 800- 518- 4726. Their hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Eastern Time, and they are closed on Federal Holidays.

During the application period an applicant may submit a revised or corrected proposal through grants.gov. Include a cover letter as the first page of the proposal stating that the proposal is revised and indicating that the previous submittal is to be withdrawn from consideration. See Section 11, Application Preparation Instructions, which describes requirements for the proposal and other application components.

Please allow sufficient time for the proposal to be submitted electronically through Grants.gov and allow time for possible computer delays. Applicants are strongly advised not to wait until the last minute for submission. A proposal received after the closing date and time will NOT be considered for award. If the USGS determines that a proposal will not be considered for award due to lateness, the applicant will be notified immediately.

D8. Application Checklist SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance or Application for Federal Assistance-Individual

SF-424A or C, Budget…