puget-sound-rfp-fy16-strategic-initiative-implementation 09-22-15.pdf

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region 10 Puget Sound Action Agenda- Strategic Initiative Implementation Leads

2016 Request for Proposals

Federal Agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – Region 10

Funding Opportunity Title: Puget Sound Action Agenda – Implementation Strategies and Actions for Vital Sign Recovery Assistance Program

Announcement Type: Request for Proposals (RFP)

Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-R10-PS-2015-001, Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 66.123

Statutory Authority: The statutory authority for the assistance agreements to be funded under this announcement is Section 320(g) of the Clean Water Act (Public Law 33.U.S.C.1251-1387).

Dates: The closing date and time for receipt of proposal submissions is November 30, 2015, by 11:59 P.M., Eastern Standard Time (EST) in order to be considered for funding. Proposal packages must be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/home.html) no later than the closing date and time.

Summary: This Request for Proposals (RFP) announces the availability of funds to create and maintain Strategic Initiative teams, form technical workgroups to develop implementation strategies, provide technical recommendations to the Puget Sound National Estuary Program (NEP) Management Conference, develop and refine the technical criteria for selecting priority actions, and to make and manage subawards to implement the work endorsed by the NEP Management Conference consistent with the 2014/2015 Puget Sound Action Agenda for the protection and restoration of Puget Sound. The 2014/2015 Action Agenda can be found at: Puget Sound Action Agenda 2014/2015.

Funding/Awards: EPA anticipates awarding one cooperative agreement for each of the three Strategic Initiative areas of focus described below for a total of three awards from this RFP subject to the availability of funds, the quality of proposals received, and other applicable considerations.

Funding for each award is expected to be provided incrementally over a five-year period with an initial total of awards of approximately $15,000,000 (combined for all awards) for the three Strategic Initiative areas of emphasis for the first year and subsequent incremental funding through year five. Initial award amounts could vary among the three Strategic Initiatives based on the scope of each proposal and work plan and funding available from appropriations in year one. Each award could be for a project period of up to five (5) years. Incremental funding after the initial period of the award is subject to future appropriations, satisfactory performance of work, and other applicable considerations. The total estimated funding for this competitive opportunity is approximately $100,000,000 for the five year project period for all awards.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/home.html http://www.psp.wa.gov/2014_action_agenda_download.php http://www.psp.wa.gov/2014_action_agenda_download.php

Funding will be awarded under Fiscal Year 2016 appropriations and, if applicable, subsequent appropriations, and the Clean Water Act, Title III, Section 320(g), (as amended). Successful applicants will be required to provide a nonfederal match equal to the amount of federal financial assistance that would be provided in the assistance award, as described in Section III of this RFP.

Important Dates:

September 22, 2015: RFP expected to be released and posted at: Grants.gov and at: EPA Puget Sound NEP-Grants and Funding

October 13, 2015: EPA Region 10 hosts a solicitation webinar to address questions about the RFP.

October 30, 2015: Applicants should have a current registration or have applied for registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) as well as having or applied for a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Number System (DUNS) registration. The process for obtaining both could take a month or more and both are required for applying to this funding opportunity. Applicants must also be registered in Grants.gov.

November 30, 2015: Proposals must be submitted through Grants.gov by November 30, 2015 by 11:59 PM (EST). See section IV of this RFP for more details.

January 5, 2016: Selected successful applicants are notified and requested to develop and submit a complete application for assistance and negotiate a final work plan and budget for the proposal

February 28, 2016: Grant application and final work plan completed and submitted to EPA.

March 25, 2016: Award(s) made, subject to Federal FY2016 appropriation and other applicable considerations.

The above dates are subject to change. EPA reserves the right to amend this solicitation.

Amendments could be administrative (change of dates or location), technical (change in requirements), or affected by the anticipated funding. EPA will post amendments on the web page for this solicitation which may be found at: Grants.gov and EPA Puget Sound NEP-Grants and Funding.

Please check the web site periodically for changes.

http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.epa.gov/pugetsound/funding/index.html http://www2.epa.gov/puget-sound/funding-and-grants-puget-sound http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www2.epa.gov/puget-sound/funding-and-grants-puget-sound

Table of Contents

I. Funding Opportunity Description A. Background/Introduction B. Objective C. Eligible Activities: Strategic Initiative Leads /Scope of Assistance Program .. 10 D. Strategic Plan Linkages, Outcomes, Outputs and Performance Measures ... 12 E. Logic Models

II. Award Information A. Number and Amount of Awards

B. Start Date and Length of Project Period C. Funding Type and Partial Funding Provisions

III. Eligibility Information A. Eligible Entities-See CFDA 66.123 B. Non-federal Match Requirement C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria D. Funding Restrictions

IV. Proposal and Submission Information A. Requirements to Submit via ‘Grants.gov’ and Limited Exception Procedures 21 B. Grants.gov Application Submission Instructions (See Appendix B) C. Content of Proposal Submission D. Public Webinar on this solicitation

V. Proposal Review Information A. Evaluation Criteria B. Review and Selection Process

VI. Award Administration Information A. Award Notices B. Administrative and National Policy Requirement C. Reporting Requirement D. Disputes E. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated Into the Solicitation

VII. Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information B. Riparian Buffers C. Quality Assurance E. Data Access and Information Release F. Annual Grantee Conference G. STORET Requirement

Appendix A: Measuring Environmental Results Appendix B: Grants.Gov Submission Instructions Appendix C: Budget Sample

I. Funding Opportunity Description A. Background Information and Program Summary

EPA is soliciting proposals from eligible applicants under the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance –CFDA number 66.123 (Puget Sound Action Agenda: Technical Investigations and Implementation Assistance Program) to act as Strategic Initiative Implementation Leads for the Puget Sound Action Agenda ‘Strategic Initiatives’ in coordination with the Puget Sound Partnership (PSP), EPA, and other relevant parties. The Partnership is the lead entity of the Puget Sound National Estuary Program (NEP) Management Conference and works closely with the EPA Puget Sound Program. Under the awards expected to be made under this RFP, as further described below, applicants would be expected under each Strategic Initiative area described below to identify, assess, prioritize and refine the Near Term Actions proposed by stakeholders through the Management Conference, and recommend to the Management Conference other actions needed to address the Strategic Initiative sub strategies in the 2014/2015 Action Agenda for the protection and restoration of Puget Sound.

Additionally under the awards expected to be made under this RFP, applicants would be expected to make and manage subawards and implement Strategic Initiative work approved through Management Conference processes.

EPA, Washington State, Tribes, local governments, and nonprofit organizations have partnered for over 20 years to protect and restore Puget Sound through the Clean Water Act (CWA) National Estuary Program (NEP). The Puget Sound NEP Management Conference includes the program administrator, representatives of state and nations including Tribes, regional agencies, appropriate federal agencies, local governments, affected industries, academic institutions, and the public. The Puget Sound Partnership (“Partnership”) has been designated by the EPA and Washington State as the lead State agency for the Management Conference for the Puget Sound NEP under CWA Section

320. The Partnership is defined in State legislation to include the Leadership Council, Ecosystem Coordination Board, Science Panel and Executive Director with staff.

In 2008, the Partnership published the first Puget Sound Action Agenda, a strategy to clean up, restore, and protect Puget Sound by 2020. On July 15, 2009, EPA approved the Action Agenda as the Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) for Puget Sound under CWA Section

320. There have been two updates to the original Action Agenda, a major update in 2012 and a minor update in 2014. These Action Agendas can be viewed at:

http://www.psp.wa.gov/action_agenda_center.php

As described in National Estuary Program (NEP) guidance and policies, the Comprehensive Conservation Management Plan (CCMP) for each NEP is intended to be a living document. As such, EPA has requested that each NEP review and update its CCMP every three to five years to keep the CCMP current and most relevant. The Puget Sound Action Agenda, the CCMP for Puget Sound, underwent a major revision that was approved by EPA in 2012.

Through the 2012 update of the Action Agenda, three areas of focus were identified that would deliver the most progress toward ecosystem recovery for the funds and effort invested. Termed http://www.psp.wa.gov/action_agenda_center.php

“Strategic Initiatives”, these three priority areas are expected to provide the foundation of the Action Agenda through 2020. Accordingly, the strategies and sub-strategies from the 2012/2013 Action Agenda were carried forward into the 2014/2015 Action Agenda update and will also provide the foundation for an update of specific actions in the spring of 2016.

The three Strategic Initiatives developed in 2012 remain in effect and are the basis for Action Agenda work plans going forward. This RFP focuses on work to implement priority actions developed from the 2014/2015 Action Agenda and also the work to recommend and refine additional Near Term Actions to advance environmental outcomes under the three Strategic Initiatives.

The next update to the Action Agenda and its work plan is scheduled for 2016. EPA’s Puget Sound program will review the 2016 Action Agenda update as part of the required CCMP Approval process and ensure that Action Agenda work plan updates remain consistent with the three Strategic Initiatives.

The Action Agenda addresses each Strategic Initiative by setting targets for recovery- termed Vital Signs in the Action Agenda- that are based on scientific understandings of the ecosystem. A complete description of the Puget Sound Action Agenda Vital Signs can be found at:

http://www.psp.wa.gov/vitalsigns/index.php. The recovery targets are used to guide refinement and content revisions to the Action Agenda, focus actions to be accomplished within the next two year funding cycle (Near Term Actions), recommend allocations of funding and other resources to specific strategies and actions, and evaluate Action Agenda implementation progress.

This RFP solicits proposals from eligible applicants that are interested in acting, in coordination with the Puget Sound Partnership (PSP), EPA, and other relevant parties, as Strategic Initiative Implementation Leads for each of the following three Strategic Initiatives. These initiatives are summarized below:

Protect and restore habitat.

Restoring damaged shorelines and protecting salmon habitats along the rivers and streams that flow into Puget Sound is necessary to sustain the many beneficial uses of Puget Sound including the recovery of local salmon runs and the commercial, recreational and tribal treaty rights associated with these valuable fisheries.

The Puget Sound Action Agenda has identified at least six primary Vital Signs for protecting and restoring aquatic habitats under this Strategic Initiative including estuaries, eelgrass beds, marine shorelines, riparian areas, floodplains and maintaining summer stream flows.

There is also an associated pressure reduction vital sign to more effectively manage land development from further degrading local aquatic ecosystems and contributing habitats.

Associated actions under this lead area likely to include: protecting habitats through regulations, protecting and restoring habitats through incentives, removing barriers to broader habitat protection and restoration efforts and supporting development and funding of integrated actions identified in respective Vital Sign implementation strategies.

http://www.psp.wa.gov/vitalsigns/index.php

Prevent pollution from urban stormwater runoff.

Many streams that drain into Puget Sound are threatened from stormwater runoff due to pollution, altered flow regimes and resulting habitat degradation. These stressors result in alteration of the quality and quantity of water flowing in a stream channel such that organisms are exposed to more rapid and severe changes in water flows, elevated levels of contaminants and nutrients, altered channel stability and morphology. In short, polluted runoff from roads, roofs, parking lots, other paved areas, and from agriculture is considered the biggest threat to the water quality of Puget Sound and its contributing streams and rivers. Although we have many tools, technologies and practices for reducing stormwater pollution, we need to use them much more widely across the many local jurisdictions within the Puget Sound Basin.

The Puget Sound Action Agenda has identified four primary Vital Signs associated with improving stormwater management: improving overall water quality in fresh water, improving water quality in marine waters, improving the quality of associated bottom sediments, and reducing the levels of toxics in aquatic food-webs and fish. A complete description of the Puget Sound Action Agenda Vital Signs can be found at:

http://www.psp.wa.gov/vitalsigns/index.php Associated actions under this lead area are likely to include: taking a watershed or catchment-scale approach to managing stormwater; preventing new runoff problems; fixing existing problems in a prioritized way; continuing to control sources of pollution and continue to educate local communities, public utilities, and land managers, and supporting development and funding of integrated actions identified in respective Vital Sign implementation strategies.

Restore and re-open shellfish beds.

Shellfish harvesting is a major economic sector in Puget Sound supporting over 3,200 local jobs and bringing in an estimated $270 million dollars to the region each year. It is also a tribal treaty right and a treasured tradition for countless Northwest families.

But harvests are threatened by pollution that has closed more than 7,000 acres of Puget Sound beaches from commercial, recreational and tribal harvest. The health of our local shellfish beds begins on land, through reduction of pollution from contaminated runoff and failing on-site sewage systems.

Supporting actions under this lead area are likely to include: preventing pollution through existing programs and regulations, preventing pollution through incentives, encouraging the recognition of the important beneficial use of shellfish, and supporting development and funding of integrated actions identified in respective Vital Sign implementation strategies.

EPA intends to select a Strategic Initiative Implementation Lead for each of the Strategic Initiative lead areas described above. The selected Strategic Initiative Implementation Leads will have a common set of activities applicable to all three areas and each Lead will also have work activities and projects that may be unique because of the different technical requirements of specific Strategic Initiative sub strategies as identified in the 2014/2015 Action Agenda. Strategic Initiative http://www.psp.wa.gov/vitalsigns/index.php

Leads will be expected to engage in Puget Sound Management Conference processes and to award and manage subawards providing financial assistance for projects implementing priority actions for Strategic Initiative sub strategies identified in the 2014/2015 Action Agenda.

In short, EPA is seeking proposals from eligible applicants to serve as leads for each Strategic Initiative area of emphasis described above. Applicants should clearly identify which Strategic Initiative area of emphasis they are applying for in their application submittal.

Applicants may submit applications for more than one Strategic Initiative area, but a complete separate application must be submitted for each initiative. Applications that address more than one strategic initiative will be rejected and determined ineligible for award under this RFP. Applicants can submit only one application per Strategic Initiative area-if they submit more than one per area they will be contacted prior to the review process to determine which one to withdraw. Each eligible application will be evaluated based on the process and criteria in Section V of this RFP and EPA intends to select the highest ranked application for each Strategic Initiative area for award.

Eligible applicants may be selected for more than one award. Managing more than one Strategic Initiative area of focus would require a significantly higher level of diverse technical expertise, program administration experience and increased subaward management and monitoring capacity.

Groups of two or more eligible applicants may form a coalition and submit a single application under this RFP; however only one entity can be responsible for the ensuring EPA Cooperative Agreement. Coalitions must identify which eligible organization will be the recipient of the Cooperative Agreement, and which eligible organization(s) will be subawardees of the recipient.

B. Objective This RFP is aimed at projects and activities to increase the Puget Sound Management Conference’s capacity to successfully implement the current Action Agenda and to inform future modifications to that plan. The overarching goal of the Action Agenda is to restore and protect the Puget Sound ecosystem.

The 2014/2015 Action Agenda contains sub strategies under the three main priority Strategic Initiatives discussed in this RFP and the related actions from the Action Agenda are prioritized to make the greatest progress toward ecosystem recovery targets for the time and resources spent, balancing ecological, economic and human well-being factors. The Strategic Initiatives help direct spending and resources, and guide the Partnership’s work with partners to increase funding, seek policy changes, report successes and challenges, and educate and engage people in the recovery effort. As identified above, the three Strategic Initiatives for which EPA is seeking “leads” for under this RFP are:

1. Preventing pollution from urban stormwater runoff. Strategies and actions are organized into five themes:

i. Take a watershed approach to stormwater management;

ii. Prevent new problems;

iii. Fix existing problems;

iv. Control sources of pollution; and,

v. Educate stormwater managers, individuals and communities about ways they can become part of the solution and reduce polluted stormwater runoff.

2. Protecting and restoring habitat. Strategies and actions are organized into three themes:

i. Protecting*habitats through regulations;

ii. Protecting and restoring habitats through incentives (including acquisition); and

iii. Removing barriers to restoration of key habitats. (e.g. Prevent and respond to invasive species and update goals for in-stream flow rates).

*Two specific elements of habitat protection are the prevention of oil spills and control of invasive species.

3. Restoring and re-opening shellfish beds. Strategies and actions are organized into two themes:

i. Preventing pollution through existing regulations and programs; and

ii. Preventing pollution through incentives.

The Action Agenda addresses each Strategic Initiative by setting targets for recovery (termed Vital Signs in the Action Agenda) that are based on scientific understandings of the ecosystem. These recovery targets are used to focus and guide development of strategies and actions needed to achieve the respective environmental outcomes as well as to inform needed revisions to the Action Agenda through adaptive management.

For each Strategic Initiative, Leads will lead the identification of actions to be accomplished right away (Near Term Actions), development of longer term sequences of actions, and recommend allocations of funding and other resources to implement the specific strategies and actions and evaluation of progress toward identified targets.

C. Eligible Activities: Strategic Initiative Implementation Leads and Scope of Assistance Program

This RFP is focused on supporting the functions that will enable efficient and timely implementation of the Puget Sound Action Agenda and builds the foundation for development of future updates to the work-plan of the Action Agenda.

There are a common set of activities applicable to all three of the Strategic Initiative areas of emphasis described in this RFP and there will also be activities and projects that are unique to each Strategic Initiative area of emphasis and related project activities as identified in the Action Agenda.

This is described below.

In general, the common set of activities include engaging in Puget Sound Management Conference processes and the administrative activities associated with managing a subaward program to implement Near Term Actions under each Strategic Initiative area .

The unique components for each area of emphasis will be the specific projects and activities that selected Strategic Initiative Leads will award and manage through subawards for implementing priority actions identified in the Action Agenda. The characteristics of these subawards will vary because of the different technical and programmatic requirements inherent in each of the three Strategic Initiative areas of emphasis.

The organizing themes of work, and examples of strategies and actions for each Strategic Initiative area of emphasis are listed in Sections I A and B above.

Applicants should describe in their proposal how they will address and/ or perform the following:

Activities common to all three Strategic Initiative lead areas:

• Manage the EPA Cooperative Agreement awarded under this RFP to accomplish project objectives.

• Work cooperatively and continually with the EPA Puget Sound program, with the Puget Sound Partnership (PSP), with the NEP Management Conference and demonstrate how they plan on working efficiently and effectively with the other stakeholders supporting the Strategic Initiatives to implement and refine the FY16 Puget Sound funding model as released by EPA on March 27th, 2015 and further described in the June 4, 2015 timeline.

Additional information on this funding model can be found at :

http://www.psp.wa.gov/announcement_050115.php

• Working with the PSP and NEP Management Conference boards, to provide expert opinion and recommendations to inform future modifications to the Action Agenda. Utilize technical expertise to analyze results of related scientific investigations, ecosystem and project monitoring data, effectiveness monitoring, and other relevant sources of technical information. Support the PSP in its role as NEP Management Conference Lead by delivering time critical decisions and recommendations for Action Agenda updates.

• Lead the formation and oversight of long –standing Strategic Initiative teams that form the foundation of the Strategic Initiative Implementation Lead’s assessment, technical review http://www.psp.wa.gov/announcement_050115.php and recommendation-making roles

• Collaborate with PSP to make technically supported recommendations of prioritization and sequencing of Action Agenda Near Term Actions - NTAs. Using an analytical approach, help to inform decision-making and help to direct allocation and sequencing of resources among basin-wide projects and to geographically specific actions.

• Efficiently and effectively implement and manage a subaward program based on resource allocation decisions to support the Strategic Initiative that the award addresses and related projects and actions described in this RFP. Subawards may be awarded non-competitively or competitively based on relevant criteria to achieve program objectives. If competitively awarded, a fair and impartial process must be used to evaluate proposals and make subawards and appropriate evaluation criteria must be used. The subaward program should provide accountability, transparency, predictability and appropriate technical standards, and utilize federal funding efficiently by making subawards as soon as possible after federal appropriations are awarded.

• Working with the PSP, the NEP Management Conference, and with EPA, develop ways to synchronize, consolidate and/or streamline the Action Agenda subaward processes so that an efficient subaward funding process and a consistent funding cycle is achieved for funding local implementation of Action Agenda actions and projects.

• Monitor subaward performance to ensure that the subawards are achieving the objectives of the program and expected outputs and outcomes and are being performed efficiently and effectively. Appropriately work with subaward recipients to ensure timely and expeditious use of funds to minimize the extent of unliquidated obligations. Track progress towards meeting outputs and outcomes, utilizing the Puget Sound Fiscal Ecosystem Accountability Tracking System (FEATS) or other reporting mechanism as directed by EPA.

Working with the PSP, with the Puget Sound Management Conference boards and stakeholders, use the data and results obtained by the monitoring of subawards to adaptively manage the implementation and future updates of the Action Agenda.

Activities common to all three Strategic Initiative lead areas but that will be tailored to the technical and/or programmatic requirements of each Strategic Initiative area of emphasis and related subaward projects and activities:

• Consider and / or refine recommendations from the Strategic Initiative Transition Teams (SITTs), and implement through appropriate subawards the priorities and Near Term Actions recommended by the SITTs consistent with the approved CCMP and Action Agenda.

• Lead the formation and oversight of technical workgroups as needed to develop new Implementation Strategies and to refine existing Implementation Strategies to achieve Action Agenda Vital Sign targets within the area of emphasis for a particular Strategic

Initiative. A complete description of the Puget Sound Action Agenda Vital Signs can be found at: http://www.psp.wa.gov/vitalsigns/index.php

• Fund activities identified in the Action Agenda to refine, monitor progress toward and help achieve identified Vital Sign targets. Provide the level of technical guidance needed to ensure subaward workplans are scoped to meet targeted environmental outcomes. This includes sequencing analytical, planning and implementation activities that support implementation strategies for achieving respective prioritized targets.

• For sub-awards within each particular Strategic Initiative area of emphasis, incorporate processes to guide and solicit actions that study, evaluate, model, plan, and prepare for the impacts of climate change on Puget Sound ecosystem protection and restoration activities.

Strategic Initiative Leads should apply their technical expertise where applicable to help sub-awardees to integrate climate change adaptation into project design and implementation.

These actions will be used to help and inform the Puget Sound Partnership’s and EPA Puget Sound program work to meet the Agency-wide requirement that all NEPs conduct a broad, risk-based climate change vulnerability assessment and integrate climate change considerations into their revised or updated Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans by FY2020.

D. Strategic Plan Linkages, Anticipated Outcomes, Outputs and Performance Measures

Pursuant to paragraph 6.a. of EPA Order 5700.7, “Environmental Results under EPA Assistance Agreements,” EPA must link proposed assistance agreements to EPA’s strategic goals (see EPA Order 5700.7). EPA also requires that applicants and recipients adequately describe environmental outputs, environmental outcomes and performance measurements to be achieved under assistance agreements. These linkages, outputs, outcomes and performance measures are described below.

1. Linkages

Linkage to EPA Region 10’s Strategic Plan for FY15-FY18: The plan identifies “Engaging with Partners on Puget Sound National Estuary Program Decisions” as Regional Objective (RO) 3.2.

Specific commitments under RO 3.2 include:

a) Involve all partners early on in decision-making processes through strategic and priority-driven communication efforts (meetings, discussions, listening sessions, briefings).

b) Accelerate achievement of desired environmental outcomes such as the restoration of marine nearshore habitats, upstream riparian and floodplain habitats and protecting and improving water quality for more shellfish growing areas.

Identifying and establishing Strategic Initiative Leads for the Habitat, Stormwater, and Shellfish Strategic Initiatives is a central component in Region 10’s approach to achieving these commitments and fulfilling RO 3.2.

http://www.psp.wa.gov/vitalsigns/index.php http://www.epa.gov/ogd/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf http://www.epa.gov/ogd/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf

Linkage to EPA Strategic Plan: The assistance agreements to be awarded under this RFP will be linked to EPA’s Strategic Plan Goal 2: Protecting America’s Waters: Objective 2 – ‘Protect and Restore Watersheds and Aquatic Ecosystems’; and specifically the sub-objective for Puget Sound, in that the assistance agreements will direct work to protect, restore, and sustain the quality of rivers, lakes, streams, and wetlands on a watershed basis, and sustainably manage and protect coastal and ocean resources and ecosystems. The priority of the assistance agreements are to ensure successful implementation of the Puget Sound Action Agenda as the approved CCMP under NEP with particular focus on the success of the 2 year work plan in the 2016 Action Agenda update.

2. Outputs

The term “output” means an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to an environmental goal and objective that will be produced or provided over a period of time or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable during an assistance agreement funding period. Examples of expected outputs from the activities and project(s) to be funded under this announcement may include, but are not limited to, the following examples:

A. Outputs that could be common across all three Strategic Initiative lead areas:

o Provide funding for projects that seek to complete Near Term Actions identified in current CCMP/ Action Agenda. The number of projects funded would be reported as a quantifiable output.

o Provide subaward monitoring and performance reports and analysis to inform annual or biennial adaptive management processes ; collaborate with PSP to implement adaptive management o Staff, facilitate and maintain long-standing Strategic Initiative Technical teams.

o Identify and recommend appropriate Vital Sign Implementation Strategies for technical development in Action Agenda planning cycle o Form technical workgroups to develop Management Conference adopted Vital Sign

Implementation Strategies o Identify and recommend to the Management Conference boards , the appropriate

Science and Monitoring activities critical to current implementation strategies and Near Term Actions o Manage the EPA Puget Sound assistance agreement to meet all required terms and conditions, including quality assurance, and financial reporting and project performance monitoring.

B. Outputs that could be specific to a particular Strategic Initiative area of focus- projects and subawards include but are not limited to:

Stormwater Strategic Initiative Low impact development, LID, project design and construction.

Workshops and trainings held for Puget Sound jurisdictions to improve stormwater management practices Climate change adaptation and resiliency planning or project construction to address stormwater impacts

Toxics reduction programs to reduce pollutant loading of stormwater runoff Habitat Strategic Initiative Number of volunteer stewards who are trained in oil spill response. The number of volunteers would be reported as a quantifiable output.

Subaward programs to target riparian protection and restoration Incentive programs to achieve net reduction in shoreline armoring Coordinated investment strategies developed/ implemented to maximize cross agency effectiveness for habitat restoration and protection Invasive species control programs to preserve / restore native vegetation in important habitat areas Shellfish Strategic Initiative Pollution Identification and Correction programs supported in Puget Sound watersheds On-site sewer, OSS, inspections and repair programs or actions taken Agricultural best management practice structures designed or installed to protect shellfish growing areas Public outreach and education activities conducted to help reduce unregulated pathogen pollution Inspection and / or enforcement activities for pathogen pollution control

Progress reports and a final report will also be a required output, as specified in Section VI (C) of this announcement, “Reporting Requirements.”

3. Outcomes

The term “outcome” means the result, effect or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may be qualitative and environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature, but must also be quantitative. They may not necessarily be entirely achievable within an assistance agreement funding period. Activities and projects to be funded under this announcement are expected to produce programmatic and /or environmental outcomes including but not limited to:

Stormwater Strategic Initiative

• Reduce number of water bodies identified on Washington’s Impaired Waters listing.

• Stormwater management programs are established and functioning in majority of priority Puget Sound watersheds

• Marine water quality monitoring shows reduced contamination from stormwater pollution

• Toxicity levels in marine species are reduced.

Habitat Strategic Initiative

• More restored acres of native riparian vegetation are gained than lost.

• Increases to the amount of acres in conservation in forested acres upland to Puget

Sound

• Improved ecosystem functioning observed in priority habitat areas.

Shellfish Strategic Initiative

• Increased acres of harvestable shellfish beds by 10,800 net acres.

• Pollution Identification and Correction programs functioning in all Puget Sound counties and better able to respond to instances of new pollution source detection.

• Fewer conditional closures of shellfish beds impacted by pathogen or nutrient runoff

• Existing commercial, tribal, and recreational shellfish harvest areas are protected and preserved results in improved public health.

4. Performance Measures

The applicant should also develop performance measures they expect to achieve through the proposed activities and describe them in their proposal. 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. It is expected that the description of performance measures will include defined benchmark or change in status, either in programmatic function or environmental condition, and that the performance measures be time constrained and / or quantifiable such as the following:

- Performance Measure Example1 -for Technical Implementation Lead: Subawards complete projects within the stated timeframe and unliquidated obligations are minimized.

- Performance Measure Example2 – for subawards managed by Strategic Initiative Implementation Lead: number of feet of shoreline armoring removed. of

The following are questions to consider when developing output and outcome measures of quantitative and qualitative results:

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

• 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?

E. Logic Models

To ensure your application supports implementation of both the Puget Sound Action Agenda and EPA’s national strategic plan objectives, we recommend that you include a logic model with your application. A logic model summarizes the major elements of your project, and connects strategic objectives to your proposed resources, activities, outputs, and outcomes.

Logic models and results chains are tools to be used to build better projects and programs.

Accordingly, logic models come in many forms and shapes, from simple storylines that link various actions into strategies and work programs to more complex system diagrams. For a straight forward implementation project, the logic model can be as simple as a clearly documented history and basis for a particular project in a particular place to achieve a particular result. For a project with many tasks, work processes, timelines and partners, a more detailed approach may be more helpful.

With whatever logic model format you choose, please explain how the proposed work addresses the most significant challenges of the area of emphasis. We encourage you to identify ecosystem endpoints or indicators (the outcomes) that would be affected or supported by the products and information (the outputs) from the proposed scope of work. See Appendix A for information on logic models, results chains, and additional information sources.

II. Award Information

A. Number and Amount of Awards EPA anticipates awarding one cooperative agreement for each of the three Strategic Initiative areas of focus described in Section I, for a total of three awards from this RFP, subject to the availability of funds, the quality of proposals received, and other applicable considerations. Funding for each award is expected to be provided incrementally over a five-year period with an initial total of awards of approximately $15,000,000 (combined for all awards) for the three Strategic Initiative areas of emphasis for the first year and subsequent incremental funding through year five. Each award could be for a project period of up to five (5) years. Incremental funding after the initial award is subject to future appropriations, satisfactory performance of work, and other applicable considerations. The total estimated funding for this competitive opportunity is approximately $100,000,000 for the five year project period for all awards.

B. Start Date and Length of Project Period Successful applicants should plan for projects to begin on or after April 1, 2016. EPA will accept proposals for a five year project period. The proposal must clearly demonstrate how the project will be sustained for the time frame proposed.

C. Funding Type

Successful applicants will be issued a cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement is an assistance agreement that is used when there is substantial federal involvement with the recipient during the performance of an activity or project. EPA awards cooperative agreements for those it expects to have substantial interaction with the recipient throughout the performance of the project.

EPA will negotiate the precise terms and conditions of “substantial involvement” as part of the award process. Federal involvement may include close monitoring of the recipient’s performance;

collaboration during the performance of the scope of work; in accordance with 2 CFR 200.317 and 2 CFR 200.318, as appropriate, review of proposed procurements; reviewing qualifications of key personnel; and/or review and comment on the content of printed or electronic publications prepared.

EPA does not have the authority to select employees or contractors employed by the recipient. The final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient.

In addition, under the awards to be made under this RFP, EPA involvement may include: (1) negotiating the initial Scope of Work for the cooperative agreement and also annual amendments when incremental funding is applied for. EPA may re-negotiate annual work plans and budgets so long as it is done consistent with the scope of work of the agreement and the solicitation and EPA’s annual federal budget; (2) monitor the project management and execution throughout the assistance agreement’s project and budget period; (3) provide technical assistance and coordination as requested or needed by the recipient; and (4) review and approve technical deliverables.

D. Other Award Provisions

EPA reserves the right to reject all proposals and make no awards under this announcement or to make less awards than expected. In addition, EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with Agency policy and guidance, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than 6 months after the original selection decisions.

In appropriate circumstances, EPA reserves the right to partially fund proposals by funding discrete portions or phases of proposed projects. If EPA decides to partially fund a proposal, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any applicants or affect the basis upon which the proposal was evaluated and selected for award, and therefore maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Entities-See CFDA 66.123

• Federal government agencies and Washington State government agencies.

• Public and private institutions of higher education located in the United States.

• Units of local government organized under Washington State law and located within the

Greater Puget Sound basin.

• Special purpose districts, as defined by Washington State law at R.C.W. 36.93.020, including but not limited to, irrigation districts, and water and sewer districts that are located in or govern land and water resources within the greater Puget Sound basin; and conservation districts located in or governing land and water resources within the greater Puget Sound Basin.

• Watershed planning units formed under RCW 90.82.040 and RCW 90.82.060, local management boards organized under RCW 90.88.030, salmon recovery lead entities organized pursuant to RCW 77.85, regional fisheries enhancement groups organized pursuant to RCW

77.95.060 and Marine Resource Committees organized pursuant to RCW 36.125.010 and RCW

36.125.020 if they are located within or their jurisdictions include waters and/or lands within the greater Puget Sound basin.

• Intrastate organizations such as associations of cities, counties or conservation districts in the greater Puget Sound basin.

• Nonprofit non-governmental entities.

• Federally recognized Indian Tribes located within the greater Puget Sound basin and any consortium of these eligible Tribes.

An Intertribal consortium must have adequate documentation of the existence of the partnership and the authorization of the member Tribes to apply for and receive assistance. Documentation that demonstrates the existence of the partnership of Indian Tribal governments may consist of Tribal Council resolutions, Intertribal consortia resolutions in conjunction with a Tribal Council resolution from each member Tribe, or other written certification from a duly authorized representative of each Tribal government that clearly demonstrates that a partnership of Indian Tribal governments exists. An Intertribal consortium resolution is not adequate documentation of the member Tribes authorization of the consortium unless it includes a written certification from a duly authorized representative of each Tribal government.

The greater Puget Sound basin is defined as all watersheds draining to the U.S. waters of Puget Sound, southern Georgia Basin, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Coalitions

Groups of two or more eligible applicants may choose to form a coalition and submit a single application under this RFP. However, one entity must be responsible for the Cooperative Agreement. Coalitions must identify which eligible organization will be the recipient of the Cooperative Agreement, and which eligible organization(s) will be subawardees of the recipient.

Subawards and subgrants must be consistent with the definition of that term in 2 CFR Part 200. The recipient must administer the cooperative agreement, will be accountable to the EPA for proper expenditure of the funds and reporting, and will be the point of contact for the coalition. As provided in 2 CFR Part 200, subrecipients or subgrantees are accountable to the recipient or grantee for proper use of EPA funding.

Coalitions may not include for-profit organizations that will provide services or products to the successful applicant. For-profit organizations are not eligible for subawards. For-profit organizations are eligible to receive contracts. Any contracts for services or products funded with EPA financial assistance must be awarded under the competitive procurement procedures of 2 CFR Part 200. The regulations also contain limitations on consultant compensation. Please see EPA’s definition of consultants in Section 2 CFR Part 200, as applicable. For additional information, please review the following Federal Register announcement for the Environmental Protection Agency numbered FRL– 7644–5 and titled ‘Interpretation of Regulations Related to Payments to Consultants Under Grants’.

For-profit business entities, private individuals, and families are not eligible to apply.

B. Non-federal Match Requirement

The Clean Water Act, at §320(g)(3)(a)(II), provides that the Federal share of a grant under this program for a fiscal year shall not exceed 50% of the aggregate costs of implementing the project.

For this RFP, this means that applicants must be able to show in their proposals that they and/or other members of the Management Conference will spend an equal amount of nonfederal funds on implementing these projects during the budget period. Applicants should identify the source (s) of the anticipated non-federal match, and describe the nature of the projects funded with the non-federal match. Proposals must show that the projects providing the nonfederal match are “committed” and that they have not been used to provide nonfederal match for any other federal financial assistance. While the match can come from expenditures to implement the Action Agenda/CCMP in the aggregate, this RFP encourages the match to come specifically from allowable costs related to the applicable area of emphasis. Forms of Match: The match requirement may be met in the form of cash or in-kind contributions. In-kind contributions include volunteer or donated time, equipment, expertise, salaries, other verifiable costs, etc. and are subject to the regulations governing matching fund requirements at 2 CFR Part 200. The match must be for allowable project costs. Matching funds are considered assistance agreement funds and are included in the total award amount and should be used for the reasonable and necessary expenses of carrying out the work plan. All assistance agreement funds are subject to federal audit. Any restrictions on the use of assistance agreement funds (examples of restrictions are outlined in Section III.D of this announcement) also apply to the use of matching funds. Other Federal assistance agreements may not be used as match without specific statutory authority. If matching requirements for incremental funding awarded under this RFP change as a result of future legislation on restoration of Puget Sound or otherwise, EPA will make appropriate adjustments to match requirements in the terms and conditions of the cooperative agreements.

http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-7867.pdf http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/04-7867.pdf

C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria Proposals must meet the threshold eligibility criteria listed below by the time of a proposal’s submission or they will be eliminated from consideration for funding. Only proposals meeting all of the criteria will be evaluated against the ranking factors in Section V.A. Applicants whose proposals are deemed ineligible as a result of the threshold review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

1. Proposals must substantially comply with the proposal 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. Initial proposals must be submitted through Grants.gov as stated in Section IV of this announcement (except in the limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed for as explained in Section IV) on or before the proposal submission deadline published in Section IV of this announcement.