Puerto Rico Youth in the Environment RFA 2018 final 4-9-18 (VanRabenswaay Elizabeth).pdf

AGENCY: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) Region 2

TITLE: Puerto Rico Youth and the Environment Program

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Request for Applications (RFA)

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: EPA-R2-CWD-FO-001

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NO: 66.436

DATES:

The closing date and time for receipt of grant applications is May 25, 2018 by 11:59 p.m., Eastern Daylight Savings Time (EDT). Application packages must be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov) on or before May 25, 2018 to be considered for funding. Submissions received after the closing date and time will not be considered. See Section III (C)(2) for more details about the deadline and Section IV(B) for submission instructions.

SUMMARY:

EPA Region 2 is soliciting grant applications from eligible applicants for the development of projects in Puerto Rico for eligible post-Hurricane Maria restoration activities in the (1) Vieques

Bioluminescent Mosquito Bay; and (2) San Juan Bay Estuary, that involve training, studies and/or demonstrations relating to the reduction of the sedimentation load; elimination of water pollution; and/or the development of an environmental education program and materials through the Youth and the Environment program.

TARGET AREAS: Vieques Bioluminescent Mosquito Bay and the San Juan Bay Estuary

FUNDING/AWARDS:

The total estimated funding for this competitive funding opportunity is approximately $40,000.

CONTENTS OF FULL TEXT ANNOUNCEMENT

I. Funding Opportunity Description

II. Awards Information

III. Eligibility Information

IV. Application and Submission Information

V. Application Review Information

VI. Award Administration Information

VII. Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information (Appendices)

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) Region 2

Puerto Rico Youth and the Environment Program

Request for Applications (RFA)

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: EPA-R2-CWD-FO-001

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background:

The EPA’s Youth and the Environment Program is designed to introduce underprivileged students between the ages of 18-25 to career opportunities in the environmental field, specifically in the water program. The program accomplishes this by combining summer employment and hands-on experience with academic training. The program’s focus is on helping to meet the future regional workforce needs in the water pollution control field, increase the environmental education base of students, and help introduce students to occupational opportunities in the environmental field. EPA Region 2 has had successful Youth and the Environment programs since 2001. During this period, Region 2 offered multiple programs in New York City with hundreds of underprivileged youth and college coordinators participating. Each year the program improves with a more enthusiastic group of participants and college coordinators. The

Youth and the Environment Program consistently receives very positive evaluations of both the partners and participants, with overwhelming support to continue it for future summers pending availability of funding and consideration of priorities. The program exposes students to environmental occupations and environmental justice issues through mentoring and work experience. This program assists in building community understanding and appreciation for water quality and public health protection.

To assist in the restoration of Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, EPA is proposing to establish a Youth and the Environment Program in Puerto Rico in accordance with the activities outlined in this Funding Opportunity.

B. Scope of Work

This RFA solicits applications from eligible entities for grants and/or cooperative agreements to be awarded under the EPA’s Youth and the Environment Program to integrate and train up to ten

(10) young persons to participate in the eligible post-Hurricane Maria restoration activities in the

(1) Vieques Bioluminescent Mosquito Bay; and (2) San Juan Bay Estuary Watershed. Eligible projects must involve training, studies and/or demonstrations relating to the reduction of the sedimentation load; elimination of water pollution; and/or the development of an environmental education program and materials through the Youth and the Environment program.

Project activities must be eligible under the statutory authority described below in Section I.D.

and must be conducted in accordance with EPA’s Youth and Environment Program as outlined in this funding opportunity, and may include, but are not limited to the training of no fewer than ten (10) youths in their respective communities of Vieques and San Juan Bay. The youths will work 10 hours each week for 16 weeks, and will be employed from June to October. The young participants who are recruited will be trained primarily on environmental and community assessment, skills development and mentorship. Applications must provide measures for the results of all activities to be conducted. No EPA funds may be used to conduct a survey under this funding opportunity. Eligible activities must support the post-Hurricane Maria environmental restoration and relief effort and include:

GENERAL ACTIVITIES:

• Demonstration Projects: Demonstrations must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches, where the results of the project will be disseminated so that others can benefit from the knowledge gained in the demonstration project. A project that is accomplished through the performance of routine, traditional, or established practices, or a project that is simply intended to carry out a task rather than transfer information or advance the state of knowledge, is not a demonstration and is not allowed under this funding opportunity.

• Community Support Training/Outreach Projects: The youth will learn how to conduct

Rapid Needs Assessments and will practice these skills in their respective communities, and in the event of a future disaster should the need arise. The youth will aid in the planning and execution of relief activities. This includes the coordination of outreach activities such as a water filter distribution, community cultural events and activities.

• Environmental Assessment Training/Outreach Projects: The youth will learn how to conduct a holistic environmental assessment. This includes assessment of vegetation, assessment of wildlife (such as bird censuses) and water quality monitoring. The youth will support environmental assessment activities such as the Water Quality Volunteer Monitoring

Program and Bird Censuses. The youth will develop the skills needed to continue these activities as citizen scientists in their own communities.

• Infrastructure Support Training/Outreach Projects: The youth will develop the skills needed to plan green and gray infrastructure support activities and other community education activities.

TARGET AREAS:

Proposed projects must be for eligible activities in the Vieques Bioluminescent Mosquito Bay, and its Watershed in Vieques, Puerto Rico and/or the San Juan Bay Estuary watershed, San Juan, Puerto Rico. The San Juan Bay watershed is comprised of the following municipalities: San

Juan, Bayamon, Catano Carolina, Guaynabo, Loiza, Trujillo Alto, and Toa Baja.

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

Performance Measures

1. Linkage to EPA FY’18 – FY’22 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, Core Mission: Deliver real results to provide Americans with clean air, land, and water, and ensure chemical safety, Objective 1.2:

Provide for Clean and Safe Water of the EPA Strategic Plan. All applications must be for projects that support the goals and objectives identified above.

2. Environmental Results

EPA also requires that grant applicants adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements, https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-order-57007a1-epas-policyenvironmental-results-under-epa-assistance-agreements ). Applicants must include specific statements describing the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined outputs and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the project will contribute to the goals and objectives described above.

Environmental outputs (or deliverables) refer to an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to an environmental goal or objective, that will be produced or provided over a period; or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable during an assistance agreement funding period.

Examples of anticipated outputs from the assistance agreements to be awarded under this announcement include, but are not limited to:

• The youth will learn how to conduct an environmental assessment, this includes assessment of vegetation, assessment of wildlife (such as bird censuses) and water quality monitoring;

• The youth will develop skills pertaining to green and gray infrastructure support;

• The youth will aid in the planning and execution of eligible project activities, which may include outreach such as a water filter distribution, participation in community cultural events and children’s activities.

Environmental outcomes are the result, effect, or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective, and are used to gauge a project’s performance and take the form of output measures and outcome measures. Outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health-related or programmatic in nature. For instance, there is great need to improve the knowledge and decision-making ability, with respect to environmental issues, of local and state officials who are in the position of creating laws, ordinances, permits, etc. In this context, certain efforts designed to improve decision-making and behavioral changes can be viewed as environmental outcomes

(results) if the grantee can show or measure the improvement in the knowledge of decision-makers who are in the position to create environmental institutional changes that are necessary to restore or protect the environment. In such instances, outcomes are not measured typically by environmental or water quality indicators, but rather by the institutional indicators that lead to http://www.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan.html the adoption and application of laws and regulations and the active management of programs necessary to provide environmental protection.

Outcomes must be quantitative and may not necessarily be achieved within an assistance agreement funding period. Outcomes may be short term (changes in learning, knowledge, attitude, skills), intermediate (changes in behavior, practice, or decisions), or long-term (changes in condition of the natural resource).

Examples of anticipated outcomes from the assistance agreements to be awarded under this announcement include, but are not limited to:

• Reduced sediment, pesticide and/or nutrient loading;

• Increased understanding of the Bioluminescent Bay’s condition;

• Improved Bioluminescent Bay protection efforts;

• Watershed activities that will protect, prevent, and reduce pollution.

3. Performance Measures

The applicants must also develop performance measures they expect to achieve through the proposed activities and describe them in their application. These performance measures will help gather insights and will be the mechanism to track progress concerning successful process and output and outcome strategies; and will provide the basis for developing lessons to inform future recipients. The following are questions to consider when developing output and outcome measures of quantitative and qualitative results:

i) What are the measurable short term and longer term results the project will achieve?

ii) How does the plan measure progress in achieving the expected results (including outputs and outcomes) and how will the approach use resources effectively and efficiently?

D. Supplemental Information

The statutory authority for this RFA is Section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act (CWA), 33

U.S.C. §1254(b)(3), which authorizes grants to state water pollution control agencies, interstate agencies, other public or nonprofit private agencies, institutions, organizations, and individuals for purposes which include to promote the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, and studies relating to the causes, effects

(including health and welfare effects), extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution.

Project activities must be eligible under CWA 104(b)(3) as noted above and relate generally to the gathering or transfer of information or the advancement of the state of knowledge pertaining to the project’s scope of work. Grant applications should emphasize this "learning" concept, as opposed to "fixing" an environmental problem via a well-established method. No EPA funds may be used to conduct a survey under this funding opportunity.

Projects that are demonstrations must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches. The EPA expects that the results of the project will be disseminated so that others can benefit from the knowledge gained in the demonstration project.

Implementation projects are not eligible for funding under this announcement. A project that is accomplished through the performance of routine, traditional, or established practices, or a project that is simply intended to carry out a task rather than transfer information or advance the state of knowledge, however worthwhile the project might be, is not considered a demonstration project. Examples of activities or projects that could potentially be eligible under CWA

104(b)(3) include, but are not limited to:

• Training the youth about Environmental Management Systems (EMS) related to occupational opportunities in the water pollution control field.

• Provide studies and training involving monitoring and assessment of watershed activities that will protect, prevent, and reduce pollution.

• Training the youth about program measures and environmental indicators relating to water quality improvement and pollution prevention, through work experience that can be brought back to the home and the classroom.

• Outreach projects involving the community that will enhance their ability to identify water-related health and environmental concerns as well as help build knowledge and skills that would prepare the youth for employment opportunities.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. What is the amount of funding available?

The total estimated funding expected to be available for awards under this competitive opportunity is approximately $40,000.

B. Partial Funding Provision.

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 was evaluated and selected for award, and therefore maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process.

C. How many agreements will EPA award in this competition?

EPA anticipates awarding 2 grants and/or cooperative agreements under this announcement in the amount of up to approximately $20,000 per award, which is subject to the availability of funds, quality of evaluated applications, and other applicable considerations. It is expected that one grant and/or cooperative agreement will be awarded for each of the two Target Areas described in Section I of this RFA. EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards under this announcement or make fewer awards than anticipated. In addition, EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with Agency policy, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than six months from the date of the original selections.

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

The estimated project period for awards resulting from this solicitation will begin July 2, 2018. Proposed project periods may be up to two (2) years.

E. Funding Type

The funding for selected projects will be in the form of a grant and/or cooperative agreement, as appropriate to the nature of the project proposed. A grant is an assistance agreement in which the EPA is not substantially involved in carrying out the project.

Cooperative agreements permit substantial involvement between the EPA Project Officer and the selected applicants in the performance of the work supported. Although EPA will negotiate precise terms and conditions relating to substantial involvement as part of the award process, the anticipated substantial Federal involvement will 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;

• Review of proposed procurement, in accordance with 2 CFR 200.324, as appropriate;

• Review and comment on reports prepared under the cooperative agreement (the final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient).

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Entities

Consistent with CFDA 66.436, the following entities are eligible to compete under this solicitation: states, local governments, territories, Indian tribes, and possessions of the U.S.

(including the District of Columbia), public and private universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, other public or private non-profit institutions, intertribal consortia and individuals.

An intertribal consortium must meet the definition of eligibility in the Environmental Program

Grants for Tribes Final Rule, at 40 CFR 35.504 (66 FR 3782. January 16, 2001) (FRL-6929-5) and be a non-profit organization within the meaning of 2 CFR 200.70. Non-profit organization, as defined by 2 CFR 200.70, means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative or other organization, not including institutions of higher learning, 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.

Non-profit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

No cost sharing or matching funds are required under this competition.

C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria

These are requirements that if not met by the time of application submission will result in elimination of the application from consideration for funding. Only applications from eligible entities (see above) that meet these criteria will be evaluated against the ranking factors in

Section V of this announcement. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration because of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

1. Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement or else they will be rejected.

However, where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to the narrative proposal, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed.

2. In addition, applications must be submitted through Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov) as specified 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).

Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV of this announcement to ensure that their application is timely submitted. Applications submitted after the submission deadline will be considered late and deemed ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was late due to EPA mishandling or because of technical problems associated withwww.grants.gov or relevant www.SAM.gov system issues. An applicant’s failure to timely submit their application through www.grants.gov because they did not timely or properly register in www.SAM.gov or www.grants.gov will not be considered an acceptable reason to consider a late submission. Applicants should confirm receipt of their application with Elizabeth

VanRabenswaay, vanrabenswaay.elizabeth@epa.gov, as soon as possible after the submission deadline—failure to do so may result in your application not being reviewed.

3. The applicant must be an eligible entity as described in Section III(A) above.

4. All applications submitted under this solicitation must conduct or promote the coordination and acceleration of training, studies and/or demonstrations relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction and the elimination of water pollution for the target areas described in Section I of this announcement.

5. Projects that are demonstrations must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, https://www.grants.gov/ https://usepa-my.sharepoint.com/personal/butler_elizabeth_epa_gov/Documents/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/IE/AppData/Local/Microsoft/Windows/INetCache/Content.Outlook/KZ0FTJCV/vanrabenswaay.elizabeth@epa.gov or approaches, where the results of the project will be disseminated so that others can benefit from the knowledge gained in the demonstration project. A project that is accomplished through the performance of routine, traditional, or established practices, or a project that is simply intended to carry out a task rather than transfer information or advance the state of knowledge, however worthwhile the project might be, is not considered a demonstration project. If a proposal is submitted that includes any ineligible tasks or activities, that portion of the proposal will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects the proposal, render the entire proposal ineligible for funding.

6. Proposed projects must be for eligible activities in the Vieques Bioluminescent Mosquito

Bay, and its Watershed in Vieques, Puerto Rico or the San Juan Bay Estuary watershed, San Juan, Puerto Rico. The San Juan Bay watershed is comprised of the following municipalities: San Juan, Bayamon, Catano Carolina, Guaynabo, Loiza, Trujillo Alto, and

Toa Baja. Applicants may submit applications for projects in both target areas, but separate applications must be submitted for each target area. An application cannot address both areas.

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

Mailing Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Jessica Durand

USEPA Headquarters

William Jefferson Clinton Building

1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N. W.

Mail Code: 3903R

Washington, DC 20460

Courier Address:

OGD Waivers c/o Jessica Durand

Ronald Reagan Building 1300

Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

Rm # 51278

Washington, DC 20004

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

Funding Opportunity Number (FON)

Organization Name and DUNS

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

Explanation of how they lack the technical capability to apply electronically through https://www.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 https://www.grants.gov

EPA will only consider alternate submission exception requests based on the two reasons stated above and will timely respond to the request -- all other requests will be denied. If an alternate submission method is approved, the applicant will receive documentation of this approval and further instructions on how to apply under this announcement. Applicants will be required to submit the documentation of approval with any initial application submitted under the alternative method. In addition, any submittal through an alternative method must comply with all applicable requirements and deadlines in the announcement including the submission deadline and requirements regarding 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, 2018, it is valid for any competitive or non-competitive application submission to EPA through December

31, 2018). 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 https://www.grants.gov for submissions for any succeeding calendar year. For example, if there is a competitive opportunity issued on December

1, 2017 with a submission deadline of January 15, 2018, the applicant would need a new exception to submit through alternative methods beginning January 1, 2018.

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

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

Your organization’s authorized official representative (AOR) must submit your complete application electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (https://www.grants.gov) no later than

11:59 pm Eastern Time, May 25, 2018.

C. Content of Application Package Submission

All application submissions must contain the following completed and signed grant application forms, as well as a Narrative Proposal, as described below:

• Standard Form (SF) 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-

866705-5711.

• Standard Form (SF) 424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs

• Standard Form (SF) 424B, Assurances for Non-Construction Programs

• EPA Form 5700-54, Key Contacts Form

• EPA Form 4700-4, Pre-award Compliance Review Report for All Applicants and

Recipients Requesting Federal Financial Assistance

• EPA Form 6600-06, Certification Regarding Lobbying

• Narrative Proposal

The Narrative Proposal (the summary page and sections 1-2 below) cannot exceed a maximum of 10 single-spaced typewritten pages. Supporting materials, such as resumes and letters of support, can be submitted as other attachments and are not included in the 10-page limit. Excess pages will not be reviewed.

Narrative Proposal Contents:

Summary Information Page (recommended not to exceed one page)

a. Project Title

b. Applicant Information. Include applicant (organization) name, address, contact person, phone number and e-mail address.

c. Funding Requested. Specify the amount you are requesting from EPA.

d. Total Project Cost. Specify total cost of the project. Identify funding from other sources.

e. Project period. Provide beginning and ending dates. (Projects are anticipated to begin date and end no later than date.)

f. Unique Entity Identifier (e.g. DUNS number)

1. Narrative Proposal Work-Plan

The narrative proposal work-plan must explicitly describe how the proposed project meets the guidelines established in Sections I-III of this announcement (including the threshold eligibility criteria in Section III.C) and must address each of the evaluation criteria set forth in Section V including:

a. Project Summary/Approach: The summary shall contain the following components:

i. Detailed project summary, description of specific actions and methods to be undertaken and the responsible institutions, including estimated time line for each task.

ii. Description of the associated work products to be developed. Explanation of project benefits to the public, and specifically the potential audience(s) served.

iii. Description of the applicant’s organization and experience related to the proposed project.

iv. Description of the roles of the applicant and partners, if any.

v. Description of staff expertise/qualifications, staff knowledge, and resources or the ability to obtain them, to successfully achieve the goals of the proposed project.

b. Environmental Results—Outcomes, Outputs and Performance Measures

Identify the expected quantitative and qualitative outcomes and outputs of the project

(See Section I), including what performance measurements, timeline of milestones, or other means will be used to track and measure your progress towards achieving the expected outcomes and outputs and how the results of the project will be evaluated.

c. Programmatic Capability and Past Performance

Submit a list of federally funded assistance agreements (assistance agreements include

Federal grants and cooperative agreements but not Federal contracts) similar in size, scope and relevance to the proposed project that your organization performed within the last three years (no more than 5 agreements, and preferably EPA agreements) and describe (i) whether, and how, you were able to successfully complete and manage those agreements and (ii) your history of meeting the reporting requirements under those agreements including whether you adequately and timely reported on your progress towards achieving the expected outputs and outcomes of those agreements

(and if not, explain why not) and whether you submitted acceptable final technical reports under the agreements. In evaluating applicants under these factors in Section

V, EPA will consider the information provided by the applicant and may also consider relevant information from other sources, including information from EPA files and from current/prior grantors (e.g., to verify and/or supplement the information provided by the applicant). If you do not have any relevant or available past performance or reporting information, please indicate this in the proposal and you will receive a neutral score for these factors (a neutral score is half of the total points available in a subset of possible points). If you do not provide any response for these items, you may receive a score of 0 for these factors.

d. Sustainability: Describe how the project will be successfully implemented and will enact changes to an organization, community, or the society at large in a lasting and sustainable manner. This means that the changes implemented during this project period will be able to be retained by the organization or community without further input of financial assistance from EPA.

e. Innovation: Describe how the application proposes a project that encompasses innovative (e.g., not usual, routine or established practices) measures that have the capacity to institute real change and that further water pollution prevention efforts.

2. Detailed Budget Narrative (See Appendix B, Budget Sample)

This section provides an opportunity for a narrative description of the budget found in the

SF-424A. Clearly explain how EPA funds will be used. Description of the budget and estimated funding amounts for each work component/task.

a. Description of the applicant’s approach, procedures, and controls for ensuring that awarded grant funds will be expended in a timely and efficient manner.

b. Applicants must itemize costs related to personnel, fringe benefits, contractual costs, travel, equipment, supplies, other direct costs, indirect costs, and total costs. Selected applicant(s) will need to submit a copy of their current indirect cost rate that has been negotiated with a federal cognizant agency prior to award if applicable.

(OPTIONAL) Attachments. These are optional and are not included in the 10-page limit.

a. Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement.

b. Biographical Sketch. Provide resumes or curriculum vitae for all Principal

Investigators and any other key personnel.

c. Quality Assurance Narrative Statement.

d. Support Letters - These should indicate how the supporting organization will assist in the project.

e. If applicable, approval letter to use alternate means to submit initial application.

f. Standard Form (SF)-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Although this is listed as Optional in Grants.gov, it is required if applicable.)

D. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

Additional provisions that apply to this solicitation and/or awards made under this solicitation, including but not limited to those related to confidential business information, contracts and subawards under grants, and application assistance and communications, can be found at http://www2.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses . These, and the other provisions that can be found at the website link, are important, and applicants must review them when preparing applications for this solicitation. If you are unable to access these provisions electronically at the website above, please communicate with the EPA contact listed in this solicitation to obtain the provisions.

V. Application Review Information

Only eligible entities whose application(s) meet the threshold criteria in Section III of this announcement will be reviewed according to the evaluation criterion set forth below.

Applicants should explicitly address these criteria as part of their application package submittal. Each application will be rated under a points system, with a total of 100 points possible.

A. Evaluation Criteria

Criteria Points

1. Project Summary/Approach: Under this criterion, the Agency will evaluate the following factors: (i) (25 pts) the extent and quality to which the narrative proposal includes a well-conceived strategy for addressing the requirements in Section I, Parts B

(Scope of Work) and C (EPA Strategic Plan Linkage), (ii) (10 pts) whether the narrative proposal sets forth a reasonable time schedule for the execution of the tasks associated with the project and for achieving the project goals and objectives by project end.

2. Environmental Results—Outcomes, Outputs and Performance Measures: Under this criterion, the Agency will evaluate the effectiveness of the applicant’s plan for tracking and measuring its progress toward achieving the expected project outputs and outcomes, including those identified in Section I of this announcement. In addition, the

Agency will evaluate the performance measures proposed by the applicant and how they will be used to help track and measure the Applicants progress towards achieving the expected outputs and outcomes.

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

I. (6 points) Past performance in successfully completing and managing the assistance agreements identified in the narrative proposal as described in Section IV.C of the announcement, II. (6 pts) history of meeting the reporting requirements under the assistance agreements identified in the narrative proposal as described in Section IV.C of the announcement including whether the applicant submitted acceptable final technical reports under those agreements and the extent to which the applicant adequately and timely reported on their progress towards achieving the expected outputs and outcomes under those agreements and if such progress was not being made whether the applicant adequately reported why not, III. (8 pts) staff expertise and qualifications, staff knowledge, and resources or the ability to obtain them, to successfully achieve the goals of the proposed project.

Note: In evaluating applicants under items I and II of this criterion, the Agency will consider the information provided by the applicant and may also consider relevant information from other sources including agency files and prior/current grantors (e.g., to verify and/or supplement the information supplied by the applicant). If you do not have any relevant or available past performance or reporting information, please indicate this in the proposal and you will receive a neutral score for these sub-factors (items I and II above-a neutral score is half of the total points available in a subset of possible points). If you do not provide any response for these items, you may receive a score of 0 for these factors.

4.Budget: Under this criterion, the Agency will evaluate the proposed project budget to determine whether:

I. (5 pts) costs are reasonable to accomplish the proposed goals, objectives, and measurable environmental outcomes, II. (5 pts) the proposed budget provides a detailed breakout of the approximate funding used for each major activity.

An applicant’s budget and budget narrative must account for both federal funds and any non-federal funds.

5. Sustainability: Applications will be evaluated based on the quality and extent to which the applicant’s project, if successfully implemented, will enact changes to an organization, community, or the society at large in a lasting and sustainable manner.

6. Innovation: Applications will be evaluated based on the extent to which the application proposes a project that encompasses innovative (e.g., not usual, routine or established practices) measures that have the capacity to institute real change and that further water pollution prevention efforts.

7.Expenditure of Awarded Grant Funds (6 points): Under this criterion, applicants will be evaluated based on their approach, procedures, and controls for ensuring that awarded grant funds will be expended in a timely and efficient manner.

B. Review and Selection Process

Applications will first be evaluated against the threshold factors listed in Section III. Only those applications which meet all of the threshold factors will be evaluated using the evaluation criteria listed above by an EPA evaluation team. Each application will be given a numerical score and will be rank-ordered according to the numerical score. Preliminary funding recommendations will be provided to the Selection Official based on this ranking.

C. Other Factors

Final funding decisions will be made by the Selection Official based on the rankings and preliminary recommendations of the EPA evaluation team. In making the final funding decisions, the Selection Official may also consider programmatic priorities and geographic diversity of funds. Once final decisions have been made, a funding recommendation will be developed and forwarded to the EPA Award Official.

D. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

Additional provisions that apply to this solicitation and/or awards made under this solicitation including the clause on Reporting and Use of Information Concerning Recipient Integrity and

Performance can be found at EPA Solicitation Clauses. These, and the other provisions that can be found at the website link, are important, and applicants must review them when preparing proposals for this solicitation. If you are unable to access these provisions electronically at the website above, please communicate with the EPA contact listed in this solicitation to obtain the provisions.

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

Following evaluation of applications, all applicants will be notified regarding their status.

Application Notifications

1. EPA anticipates notification to successful applicants will be made via e-mail. The notification will be sent to the original signer of the application or the project contact listed in the application. This notification, which informs the applicant that its application has been selected and is being recommended for award, is not an authorization to begin work. The official notification of an award will be made by the Region 2 Award Official.

Applicants are cautioned that only an Award Official is authorized to bind the Government to the expenditure of funds; selection does not guarantee an award will be made. For example, statutory authorization, funding or other issues discovered during the award process may affect the ability of EPA to make an award to an applicant. The award notice, signed by an

EPA Award Official, is the authorizing document and will be provided through electronic mail. The successful applicant may need to prepare and submit additional documents and forms, which must be approved by EPA, before the grant can officially be awarded. The time between notification of selection and award of a grant can take up to 90 days or longer.

2. EPA anticipates notification to unsuccessful applicant(s) will be made via email. The notification will be made to the original signer of the Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal Assistance.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirement

A listing and description of general EPA Regulations applicable to the award of assistance agreements may be viewed at: http://www.epa.gov/grants/policy-regulations-and-guidance-epagrants. In addition, you are invited to visit the following website where you may review grants policies and guidance on sub-awards, and procuring services, supplies, and equipment under EPA assistance agreements: https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-policies-epa-grant-recipients

C. Reporting Requirement

Quarterly progress reports and a detailed final technical report will be required. Quarterly reports summarizing technical progress, planned activities for next quarter and summary of expenditures are required. The final technical report shall be completed within 90 calendar days of the completion of the period of performance. The final technical report should include: summary of the project or activity, outputs and outcomes achieved and costs of the project or activity. In addition, the final technical report shall discuss the problems, successes, and lessons learned from the project or activity that could help overcome structural, organizational or technical obstacles to implementing a similar project elsewhere. The schedule for submission of quarterly reports will be established by EPA at the time of award as part of the grant-specific terms and conditions of the assistance agreement.

In addition to the quarterly progress reports discussed above, administrative and financial reports will be required in accordance with the schedules and standard forms also stipulated in the grant-specific terms and conditions of the assistance agreement.

D. Disputes https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-policies-epa-grant-recipients https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-policies-epa-grant-recipients

Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January

26, 2005) which can be found at https://www.epa.gov/grants/grant-competition-dispute-resolution-procedures Copies of these procedures may also be requested by contacting the person listed in Section VII of the announcement.

E. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

Additional provisions that apply to this solicitation and/or awards made under this solicitation, including but not limited to those related to DUNS, SAM, copyrights, disputes, and administrative capability, can be found at http://www2.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses. These, and the other provisions that can be found at the website link, are important, and applicants must review them when preparing proposals for this solicitation. If you are unable to access these provisions electronically at the website above, please communicate with the EPA contact listed in this solicitation to obtain the provisions.

VII. Agency Contacts

For further information, contact:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2

Attn: Elizabeth Van Rabenswaay, Environmental Scientist

Watershed Management Branch

290 Broadway, 24th floor

New York, NY 10007

Phone: 212-637-3881

All questions or comments must be communicated in writing via email to the contact person listed above. Questions and answers will be shared with all applicants via email.

https://www.epa.gov/grants/grant-competition-dispute-resolution-procedures https://www.epa.gov/grants/grant-competition-dispute-resolution-procedures http://www2.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses

VIII. Other Information (Appendices)

Appendix A. Submission Instructions

The electronic submission of your application must be made by an official representative of your institution who is registered with https://www.grants.gov and is authorized to sign applications for Federal assistance. For more information on the registration requirements that must be completed in order to submit an application through https://www.grants.gov, go to https://www.grants.gov and click on “Applicants” on the top of the page and then go to the

“Get Registered” link on the page. If your organization is not currently registered with https://www.grants.gov, please encourage your office to designate an Authorized

Organization Representative (AOR) and ask that individual to begin the registration process as soon as possible. Please note that the registration process also requires that your organization have an Unique Entity Identifier (e.g., DUNS number) and a current registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) and the process of obtaining both could take a month or more. Applicants must ensure that all registration requirements are met in order to apply for this opportunity through grants.gov and should ensure that all such requirements have been met well in advance of the submission deadline. Registration on https://www.grants.gov, SAM.gov, and DUNS number assignment is FREE.

Applicants need to ensure that the AOR who submits the application through https://www.grants.gov and whose Unique Entity Identifier (e.g.,DUNS number) is listed on the application is an AOR for the applicant listed on the application. Additionally, the DUNS number listed on the application must be registered to the applicant organization’s SAM account. If not, the application may be deemed ineligible.

To begin the application process under this grant announcement, go to https://www.grants.gov and click on “Applicants” on the top of the page and then “Apply for Grants” from the dropdown menuand then follow the instructions accordinglyPlease note: To apply through

Grants.gov, you must use Adobe Reader software and download the compatible Adobe

Reader version. For more information about Adobe Reader, to verify compatibility, or to download the free software, please visit Adobe reader compatibility information on

Grants.gov site

You may also be able to access the application package for this announcement by searching for the opportunity on Grants.gov. Go to Grants.gov and then click on “Search Grants” at the top of the page and enter the Funding Opportunity Number, EPA-R2-CWD-FO-001, or the

CFDA number that applies to the announcement (CFDA 66.436), in the appropriate field and click the Search button.

Please Note: All applications must now be submitted through https://www.grants.gov using the “Workspace” feature. Information on the Workspace feature can be found at the https://www.grants.gov Workspace Overview Page.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/ https://blog.grants.gov/tag/grants-gov-workspace/

Application Submission Deadline: Your organization’s AOR must submit your complete application package electronically to EPA through https://www.grants.gov no later than May

25, 2018 11:59 PM ET. Please allow for enough time to successfully submit your application and allow for unexpected errors that may require you to resubmit.

Please submit all of the application materials described below using the https://www.grants.gov application package accessed using the instructions above.

Application Materials

All application submissions must contain the following completed and signed grant application forms, as well as a Narrative Proposal, as described below:

• Standard Form (SF) 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-

866705-5711.

• Standard Form (SF) 424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs