r15as00047 - fy15 drought planning foa.pdf

Funding Opportunity Announcement No. R15AS00047

WaterSMART:

Drought Contingency Planning Grants for Fiscal Year 2015

U.S. Department of the Interior Policy and Administration Bureau of Reclamation Denver, Colorado May 2015

Mission Statements The U.S. Department of the Interior protects America’s natural resources and heritage, honors our cultures and tribal communities, and supplies the energy to power our future.

The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public.

WaterSMART:

Drought Contingency Planning Grants for Fiscal Year 2015

U.S. Department of the Interior Policy and Administration Bureau of Reclamation Denver, Colorado May 2015

Synopsis

Synopsis

Federal Agency Name: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Policy and Administration

Funding Opportunity Title:

WaterSMART: Drought Contingency Planning Grants for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015

Announcement Type: Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)

Funding Opportunity Number:

R15AS00047

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number:

15.514

Dates:

(See FOA Sec IV.B)

Application due date: June 25, 2015 at 4:00 p.m.

Mountain Standard Time (MST)

Eligible Applicants:

(See FOA Sec. III.A)

States, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, or other organizations with water or power deliv ery authority located in the Reclamation States or Hawaii.

Recipient Cost Share:

(See FOA Sec. III.D)

50 percent or more of total project costs. In exceptional circumstances a reduction or waiver of the non-Federal cost share may be considered.

Federal Funding Amount:

(See FOA Sec. II.B)

Up to $200,000 per agreement for a project that can be completed within 2 years

Estimated Number of Agreements to be Awarded:

Approximately 6-10 agreements

Estimated Amount of Funding Available for Award:

(See FOA Sec. II.A)

The President’s fiscal year (FY) 2015 budget includes $5 million for the Drought Response Program. It is estimated that between $1,000,000 and $2,000,000 total will be av ailable for all awards under this FOA. Howev er, more funding may be made available for awards depending on the demand for other program funding opportunities.

Applications submitted under this FOA also may be considered if other funding becomes available for the Drought Response Program in FY 2015 or thereafter.

Please refer to <www.usbr.gov /drought/> for updated funding information.

iii

Application Checklist

Application Checklist The following table contains a summary of the information that you are required to submit with a Drought Contingency Planning Grant application.

√ What to Submit Required Content and Form or Format

When to Submit

Application for Federal Assistance

Form SF 424, available at:

<http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15>

Assurances Page 17 Form SF 424B available at:

<http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15>

Title Page Page 17 * Table of Contents Page 17 * Technical Proposal:

• Executive Summary

• Background Data

• Technical Project

Description

• Evaluation Criteria

Pages 18

Pages 19

Drought Contingency Plan If applicable *

Required Permits and Approvals Page 19 **

Letters of Support Page 19 * Official Resolution Page 19 ** Project Budget:

• Funding Plan and

Letters of Commitment

• Budget proposal

• Budget narrative

• Budget form

Pages 20-21

Page 22-23 Page 23-26 Form SF 424A, available at:

<http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15>

Request for Cost Share Reduction or Waiver

Page 26 *

* Submit materials with your applic ation by J une 25, 2015.

** Documents should be submitted with your applic ation; however, please ref er to Section IV.B – Applic ation Submission Date of this FOA for extended submission dates.

v http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15 http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15

Acronyms and Abbreviations

Acronyms and Abbreviations

ARC Application Review Committee

ASAP Automated Standard Application for Payments

CFDA Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

Climate Strategy Climate Change Adaptation Strategy

Drought Contingency Development and Update of Drought Contingency

Planning Plans

DUNS Data Universal Number System

FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency

FOA Funding Opportunity Announcement

FY fiscal year

Framework Drought Response Program Framework

GO Grants Officer

Interior U.S. Department of the Interior

MST Mountain Standard Time

NDMC National Drought Mitigation Center

OMB Office of Management and Budget

P.L. Public Law

Project Drought Contingency Planning Project(s)

Reclamation Bureau of Reclamation

SAM System for Awards Management

Task Force Drought Planning Task Force

Title XVI Bureau of Reclamation’s Title XVI Water Reclamation and Reuse program

U.S. United States

USC United States Code

WaterSMART Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow vii

Page

Synopsis ........................................................................................................... iii

Application Checklist ........................................................................................ v

Acronyms and Abbreviations ......................................................................... vii

Section I: Funding Opportunity Description

I.A WaterSMART – Development or Update of Drought Contingency Plans under the Drought Response Program

I.B Objective of This FOA

I.C Requirements for Developing or Updating Drought Contingency Plans

I.C.1 Required Elements to be Included in New Plans or Plan Updates

I.C.2 Required Drought Contingency Planning Steps

I.D Program Authority

I.E Other Drought Response Program Funding Opportunities

Section II: Award Information

II.A Total Project Funding

II.B Funding Limitations

II.C Reclamation Responsibilities

II.D Award Date

Section III: Eligibility Information

III.A Eligible Applicants

III.B Eligible Projects

III.C Ineligible Projects

III.D Length of Planning Process

III.E Cost-Sharing Requirement

III.E.1 Cost-Share Regulations

III.E.2 In-Kind Contributions

III.E.3 Pre-Award Costs

III.E.4 Indirect Costs

III.G Other Requirements

III.G.1 Laws, Permits, and Approvals

III.G.2 System for Award Management (SAM) and Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) Registration

Section IV: Application and Submission Information

IV.A Address to Request Application Package

IV.B Application Submission

IV.B.1 Submission Date and Time

IV.B.2 Application Delivery Instructions

IV.C Instructions for Submission of an Application

IV.C.1 Applications Submitted by Mail or Express Delivery

IV.C.2 Applications Submitted Electronically

IV.C.3 Application Format and Length

IV.D Application Content

IV.D.1 Mandatory Federal Forms

SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance

SF-424 Assurances

IV.D.2 Title Page

IV.D.3 Table of Contents

IV.D.4 Technical Proposal and Evaluation Criteria

Executive Summary

Background Data

Technical Project Description

Contents

Contents ix

Evaluation Criteria

IV.D.5 Existing Drought Contingency Plan (if applicable)

IV.D.6 Required Permits or Approvals

IV.D.7 Letters of Support

IV.D.8 Official Resolution

IV.D.9 Project Budget

Funding Plan and Letters of Commitment

Budget Proposal

Budget Narrative Format

Budget Form

IV.D.10 Request for a Cost-Share Reduction or Waiver

IV.E. Funding Restrictions

Section V: Application Review Information

V.A Technical Proposal – Evaluation Criteria

V.A.1 Evaluation Criterion A – Need for a Drought Contingency Plan or Plan Update

(40 points)

V.A.2 Evaluation Criterion B – Diversity of Stakeholders (35 points)

V.A.3 Evaluation Criterion C – Project Implementation (20 points)

V.A.4 Evaluation Criterion D – Nexus to the Bureau of Reclamation (5 points)

V.B Review and Selection Process

V.B.1 Initial Screening

V.B.2. Application Review Committee (ARC) Review

V.B.3 Red Flag Review

V.B.3. Managerial Review

V.C. Pre-Award Clearances and Approvals

Section VI: Award Administration Information

VI.A. Award Notices

VI.B. Award Document

VI.C. Releasing Applications

VI.D. Reporting Requirements and Distribution

VI.D.1. Financial Reports

VI.D.2. Program Performance Reports

Section VII: Agency Contacts

Tables Table 1.—Summary of Non-Federal and Federal Funding Sources

Table 2.—Sample Funding Sources

Table 3.—Sample Budget Proposal Format

WaterSMART: Drought Contingency Planning Grants for Fiscal Year 2015 x

Section I: Funding Opportunity Description

Section I: Funding Opportunity Description

I.A WaterSMART – Development or Update of Drought Contingency Plans under the Drought Response Program

The United States (U.S.) Department of the Interior’s (Interior) WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) Program establishes a framework to provide Federal leadership and assistance for using water efficiently, integrating water, and energy policies to support the sustainable use of all natural resources, and coordinating the water conservation activities of various Interior bureaus and offices. Through the program, Interior is working to achieve a sustainable water strategy to meet the Nation’s water needs.

The Bureau of Reclamation’s (Reclamation) Drought Response Program is an important part of WaterSMART. Many areas in the west are currently experiencing unprecedented drought conditions. While droughts are common in the western U.S., there is growing evidence that climate change is causing longer and more frequent droughts in some areas.1 Drought directly impacts Reclamation’s ability to deliver water and power to contractors, central to Reclamation’s mission. As the Nation’s largest wholesale water supplier, Reclamation must support our customers, stakeholders, and partners in building resiliency to drought and climate change.

Reclamation has developed a new Drought Response Program to improve our ability to assist States, tribes, and local governments to prepare for and address drought in advance of a crisis. The Drought Response Program supports a proactive approach to drought by providing assistance to water managers to

(1) develop and update comprehensive drought plans (Drought Contingency Planning), (2) implement projects that will build long-term resiliency to drought (Drought Resiliency Projects), and (3) implement emergency response actions.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) supports the Development and Update of Drought Contingency Plans that will build long-term resiliency to drought and climate change.

For further information on the Drought Response Program, please see www.usbr.gov/drought/.

1 The Third National Climate Assessment, published by the U.S. Global Change Research Program in 2014, links climate change to increased droughts in western states.

http://nca2014.globalchange.gov.

http://www.usbr.gov/drought/ http://nca2014.globalchange.gov/

For further information on the WaterSMART Program, please see www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/.

I.B Objective of This FOA The objective of this FOA is to invite States, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, and other organizations with water or power delivery authority to leverage their money and resources by cost-sharing Drought Contingency Planning with Reclamation to build resilience to drought in advance of a crisis.

Applicants under this FOA may request funding to develop a new drought plan or to update an existing drought plan. Applicants may also request technical assistance from Reclamation for the development of elements of the Drought Contingency Plan (Project). Applicants must provide a 50 percent non-Federal cost-share for the proposed Project.

It is a well-established principle that planning for drought, in advance of a crisis, is far more cost effective than emergency response. As stated on the National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) website at http://drought.unl.edu/:

One frequently cited estimate from FEMA2 is that “mitigation” – taking steps ahead of time to prevent known impacts from a natural disaster – saves $4 for every $1 expended. Planning ahead is generally seen as more efficient and more effective than measures taken in crisis mode.

Drought researchers have found that after-the-fact assistance to farmers, for example, is expensive and doesn’t necessarily reach the right people.

Through this FOA, Reclamation seeks to support collaborative planning efforts that use a proactive approach to build long-term resiliency to drought. Drought Contingency Plans developed under this program are required to include participation by multiple stakeholders to encourage more comprehensive plans that address issues important to different sectors (e.g., agricultural, municipal, and environmental). Participation by multiple stakeholders will also broaden support for mitigation and response actions identified in the plans. In addition, Drought Contingency Plans developed under this FOA must include consideration of climate change impacts to water supplies, in order to support long term resiliency to climate change.

Given current budget constraints and competing priorities for limited funding, Reclamation does not expect to submit recommendations to Congress for authorizing legislation or appropriations for construction following the completion of a Drought Contingency Plan. However, potential projects identified in a Drought Contingency Plan may be considered for funding under the Drought Resiliency Projects FOA, so long as the project meets all program and eligibility requirements.

2 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) http:http://drought.unl.edu www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART

I.C Requirements for Developing or Updating Drought Contingency Plans

Drought Contingency Plans developed under Reclamation’s Drought Contingency Planning Grants must meet the requirements of the Drought Response Program.

These requirements include the six elements of a Drought Contingency Plan and several required procedural steps, both of which are described immediately below.

In developing these requirements, Reclamation relied on proven approaches and common practices used in drought planning. The required elements and steps are intended to guide the planning process, but still allow recipients flexibility to use an approach that meets their budget and planning needs. Guidance on potential approaches for meeting the program requirements is provided in more detail in the Drought Response Program Framework (Framework), available at www.usbr.gov/ drought/.

I.C.1 Required Elements to be Included in New Plans or Plan Updates

Drought Contingency Plans must address each of the six elements described immediately below. Updates to the plan may focus on only those elements that have not yet been developed in the plan, or that require further development or updating. Reclamation does not prescribe any one approach to developing and addressing these elements in a plan or plan update. However, further explanation and guidance to support the development of each element is provided in the Framework, available at www.usbr.gov/drought/.

The six required elements for Drought Contingency Plans developed or updated under this FOA are as follows:

1. Drought Monitoring.—The plan must establish a process for monitoring near and long-term water availability, and a framework for predicting the probability of future droughts or confirming an existing drought. This includes a process for the collection, analysis, and dissemination of water availability and other drought-related data (e.g., precipitation, temperature, and streamflow levels, among other indicators). The plan must also explain how this data will be used to predict or confirm droughts, including identifying metrics and triggers (e.g., reservoir level reached at a specific reservoir and use of specific drought indices) that may be used to define stages of drought, to trigger mitigation or response actions, and to define the different stages or levels of severity of drought.

2. Vulnerability Assessment.—The plan must include a vulnerability assessment evaluating the risks and impacts of drought. A vulnerability assessment is an assessment of the risks to critical resources within the planning area and the factors contributing to those risks. Assessments will drive the development of potential mitigation and response actions. The http://www.usbr.gov/drought/ assessment must be based on a range of future conditions, including the effects of climate change. Guidance on incorporating climate change information into the plan is provided in Appendix B of the Framework.

3. Mitigation Actions.—The plan must identify, evaluate, and prioritize mitigation actions and activities that will build long-term resiliency to drought and that will mitigate the risks posed by drought. Mitigation measures are actions, programs, and strategies implemented before drought to address potential risks and impacts. These actions are outside of regular water management activities and are intended to decrease sector vulnerabilities and reduce the need for response actions.

4. Response Actions.—The plan must identify, evaluate, and prioritize response actions and activities that can be implemented during a drought to mitigate the impacts. Response actions are different than mitigation measures in that they are triggered during specific stages of drought to manage the limited supply and decrease the severity of immediate impacts. Response actions can be quickly implemented and provide expeditious benefits.

5. Operational and Administrative Framework.—An operational and administrative framework must be developed to identify who is responsible for undertaking the actions necessary to implement each element of the plan, including communicating with the public about those actions. At a minimum, the framework should identify roles, responsibilities, and procedures necessary to:

The operational and administrative framework may be integrated into each element of the plan, or documented in a specific section of the plan.

6. Plan Update Process.—The plan must describe a process and schedule for monitoring, evaluating, and updating the plan.

These six required elements of a Drought Contingency Plan are based on the 10-Step Drought Planning Process developed by the NDMC, which has been applied by States, tribes, and countries around the world.3 Building on this

3 The 10-Step Drought Planning Process was published by NDMC founding director Dr. Donald A. Wilhite in 1990 and recently updated in 2005 as “Drought Preparedness Planning: Building Institutional Capacity,” by Wilhite, Michael J. Hayes, and Cody Knutson, published as a chapter in Drought and Water Crises: Science, Technology, and Management Issues, edited by Wilhite (CRC Press, 2005).

approach, Reclamation has added a requirement that Drought Contingency Plans incorporate climate change information as part of conducting a Vulnerability Assessment (see element 2, above). Reclamation supports the use of existing climate change information to meet this requirement, where available, including information from Reclamation’s WaterSMART Basin Studies or West-Wide Climate Risk Assessments, www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/wcra/, and other non- Reclamation sources.

I.C.2 Required Drought Contingency Planning Steps

Once the applicant has been informed that a proposal submitted under this FOA has been selected for funding, Reclamation will enter into a financial assistance agreement with the applicant, documenting the requirements and conditions related to the provision of financial assistance. Following finalization of the financial assistance agreement, the following Drought Contingency Planning steps are required before development of the plan can begin:

• Establishment of a Drought Planning Task Force.—The non-Federal entity(s) identified to receive funding through the proposal selection process will be referred to as the planning lead. At the outset of the planning process, the planning lead will develop a Drought Planning Task Force (Task Force) made up of interested stakeholders within the planning area that want to actively participate in developing the Drought Contingency Plan. The Task Force must have diverse membership representing multiple interests in the planning area.

• Development of a detailed work plan.—The work plan will be developed by the planning lead in consultation with Reclamation and will describe in detail how the various tasks included in developing or updating the plan will be accomplished, along with a detailed Project schedule, and the responsibilities of Reclamation (Reclamation will provide input on this element), the planning lead, the Task Force, and other interested stakeholders. The work plan must be finalized and signed by Reclamation and the planning lead before substantive work on the Drought Contingency Plan begins, and may be updated as conditions warrant.

• Development of a communication and outreach plan.—As part of the detailed work plan, the planning partners must develop a communication and outreach plan. Explanation of how stakeholders and the public will be involved in the planning process, including providing input on the drafting of the Drought Contingency Plan and providing feedback to the Task Force. Participation could occur through public meetings, webinars, public notices, and other forums or approaches.

Draft drought contingency plans and plan updates developed under this FOA must be submitted to Reclamation for review and approval at least 30-days before the http://www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/wcra/ end of the period of performance for the financial assistance agreement. The purpose of Reclamation’s review is to ensure that the plan or plan update meets program requirements.

Note, in responding to the evaluation criteria, Section V.A – Technical Proposal

– Evaluation Criteria, applicants are requested to identify in their proposal an initial list of stakeholders that will be involved in support of the planning process;

a plan for completing the proposed Project within the two-year time frame; and a plan for stakeholder involvement. This information will form the starting point for the establishment of a Task Force, development of a detailed work plan, and development of a communication and outreach plan if the proposal is funded.

Reporting requirements are addressed separately in Section III.F – Reporting Requirements of this FOA.

The program requirements described here are intended to increase the transparency of the planning process, encourage collaboration and participation by interested stakeholders, and ensure that the Drought Contingency Plan will meet program requirements upon completion. Collaboration with multiple stakeholders representing diverse interests in water resources is required for Planning developed under this program. For further guidance on approaches for meeting the program requirements, please see the Framework, available at http://www.usbr.gov/drought/.

I.D Program Authority This FOA is issued under the authority of Title II of the Reclamation States Emergency Drought Relief Act of 1991 (Public Law [P.L.] 102-250, 43 United States Code [USC] Section 2201-2214), as amended.

I.E Other Drought Response Program Funding Opportunities

A separate FOA for Drought Resiliency Projects will be posted on Grants.gov, www.grants.gov/, concurrently with this FOA. The Drought Resiliency Projects FOA includes financial assistance provided under the Drought Response Program on a 50/50 cost-share basis, to conduct projects that will build resiliency to drought by:

• Increasing the reliability of water supplies

• Improving water management

• Facilitating the voluntary sale, transfer, or exchange of water

• Providing benefits for fish and wildlife and the environment http://www.usbr.gov/drought/ http://www.grants.gov/ http:Grants.gov

Section II: Award Information

Section II: Award Information

II.A Total Project Funding In FY 2015, $5 million has been allocated to the Drought Response Program and between $1 and $2 million of that amount will be available for development or update of Drought Contingency Planning Projects (Project) under this FOA. The total amount of funding for awards under this FOA will depend on the demand for funding under this and other elements of the Drought Response Program.

Applications submitted under this FOA may also be considered if other funding becomes available in FY 2015 or thereafter. Please refer to www.usbr.gov/drought/ for updated funding information.

II.B Funding Limitations The Federal share (Reclamation’s share in addition to any other sources of Federal funding) for any Project shall not exceed 50 percent of the total costs. A maximum of $200,000 in Federal funding may be allocated to proposals awarded funding under this FOA. Generally, the non-Federal share of costs must be expended at the same or greater rate as the Federal share of costs.

II.C Reclamation Responsibilities Awards of funding for Drought Contingency Planning will be made through cooperative financial assistance agreements. Substantial involvement by Reclamation will include review and input on the detailed work plan and the draft drought plan or plan update. It may also include:

• Collaboration and participation with the recipient in the management of the drought contingency planning process and close oversight of the recipient’s activities to ensure that the program objectives are being achieved.

• Oversight may include review, input, and approval at key interim stages of the project.

At the request of the recipient, Reclamation can provide additional technical assistance to develop elements of a Drought Contingency Plan. If you receive additional Reclamation assistance, you must account for such costs in your budget. In most cases, the Federal cost-share will be used to cover the cost of Reclamation technical assistance in the development of the plan. At the request of an applicant, some of the non-Federal cost-share may also be used to cover the cost of Reclamation technical assistance. To discuss technical assistance available to applicants and the associated costs, contact your local Reclamation office, www.usbr.gov/main/regions.html.

II.D Award Date Reclamation expects to contact potential award recipients and unsuccessful applicants in July 2015. Within approximately one month of that date, cooperative financial assistance agreements will be awarded to applicants who successfully pass all pre-award reviews and clearances.

http://www.usbr.gov/main/regions.html

Section III: Eligibility Information

III.A Eligible Applicants Applicants eligible to apply for funding under this FOA include: States, tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, or other organizations with water or power delivery authority located within the Reclamation States and Hawaii, as follows:

Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming, Utah, and Washington; and Hawaii.

III.B Eligible Projects Proposals for the development of a new Drought Contingency Plan (Task A), or an update to an existing plan (Task B), are eligible for funding under this FOA.

Drought Contingency Plans must address each of the six elements described above in Section I.C.1 – Requirements for Developing or Updating Drought Contingency Plans. Updates to an existing plan may focus on only those elements that have not yet been developed in the existing plan, or that require further development or updating. Applicants awarded funding under this must also meet the required steps for conducting a plan or plan update, also described in Section I.C.2 – Required Drought Contingency Planning Steps. Further explanation and guidance to support the development of each plan element is provided in the Framework, available at http://www.usbr.gov/drought/. Proposals for development of one or more elements of a drought contingency plan that would not result in a completed plan within the timeframe listed in this FOA are not eligible.

III.C Ineligible Projects Proposals for the development of planning studies, other than Drought Contingency Plans, are not eligible for funding under this FOA. This includes proposals for the development of appraisal investigations, feasibility studies, special studies, Basin Studies, or studies authorized under the Title XVI Water Recycling and Reuse Program, through P.L.102-575, as amended (43 USC 390h et seq.), or under the Rural Water Program, pursuant to the Rural Water Supply Act of 2006, P.L.109-451 (http://www.usbr.gov/ruralwater/).

III.D Length of Planning Process The development of a Drought Contingency Plan funded under this FOA must be completed within two years of award. Completed Drought Contingency Plans are defined as plans which are found to have met minimum requirements described in Section I.C – Requirements for Developing or Updating Drought Contingency Plans, above, as determined through review by Reclamation.

http://www.usbr.gov/ruralwater/

III.E Cost-Sharing Requirement

Applicants must be able to cost-share 50 percent or more of the total costs of the Drought Contingency Plan (also referred to as Project Costs). Applicants with sufficient resources may choose to contribute a non-Federal cost-share that is greater than 50 percent in order to develop more complex plans.

In exceptional circumstances and upon request of the applicant, Reclamation may reduce or waive the non-Federal cost-share requirement, if an overwhelming Federal interest and a significant financial need are identified. The criteria used by Reclamation to evaluate requests to reduce or waive the non-Federal cost-share requirement are set forth below. In general, the total Federal share provided through a cooperative financial assistance agreement under this FOA is not anticipated to exceed $200,000, even in those cases where a cost-share reduction or waiver is approved. Applicants requesting a reduction or waiver of the non- Federal cost-share must state their request in their proposal and include the required information demonstrating support for the existence of an overwhelming Federal interest and financial hardship, as indicated in section IV.D – Application Content of this FOA. The documentation will not count towards the page total limitations set forth in Section IV.C.3 – Application Format and Length.

• Technical Assistance.—At the request of an applicant, some of the non- Federal cost-share may also be used to cover the cost of Reclamation technical assistance in developing elements of a Drought Contingency Plan.

III.E.1 Cost-Share Regulations

All cost-share contributions must meet the applicable administrative and cost principles criteria established in 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, available at www.ecfr.gov.

III.E.2 In-Kind Contributions

In-kind contributions constitute the value of noncash contributions that benefit the development of a federally assisted project (e.g. Drought Contingency Plan).

These contributions may be in the form of real property, equipment, supplies, and other expendable property, as well as the value of goods and services directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the study or program. Applicants should refer to 2 CFR 200.434 for regulations regarding the valuation of in-kind donations and contributions, available at www.ecfr.gov.

The cost or value of in-kind contributions that have been or will be relied on to satisfy a cost-sharing or matching requirement for another Federal financial http://www.ecfr.gov/ assistance agreement, a Federal procurement contract, or any other award of Federal funds may not be relied on to satisfy the cost-share requirement for a Drought Contingency Planning Grants under the Drought Response Program.

III.E.3 Pre-Award Costs

Project pre-award costs that have been incurred prior to the date of award but after July 1, 2014, may be submitted for consideration as an allowable portion of the recipient's cost-share for the Project. In no case will pre-award costs incurred prior to July 1, 2014, be considered for cost-share purposes.

For example, such costs might include employee compensation costs directly supporting the proposed Project. Reclamation will review the proposed pre-award costs to determine if they are allowable in accordance with the authorizing legislation and applicable cost principles. To be considered allowable, any pre-award costs proposed for consideration under the new awards must comply with all applicable requirements under this FOA.

III.E.4 Indirect Costs

Indirect costs that will be incurred under a Drought Contingency Planning Grant that otherwise will not be recovered, may be included as part of the applicant’s Project budget. Indirect costs are those:

• Incurred for a common or joint purpose benefiting more than one cost objective

• Not readily assignable to any one cost objective

If the applicant has never received a Federal negotiated indirect cost rate, proposals may elect to include a de minimis rate of up to 10 percent of modified total direct costs. Otherwise, if the applicant proposes indirect costs in the budget, then the applicant must either supply a copy of a current federally negotiated indirect cost-rate agreement or obtain an agreement within 1 year of award. For further information on indirect costs and modified total direct costs, refer to 2 CFR Part 200 available at www.ecfr.gov.

III.F Reporting Requirements Recipients are required to report on the status of the Project on a regular basis.

Failure to comply with reporting requirements may result in the recipient being removed from consideration for funding under future funding opportunities.

Please see Section VI.E.2 –Program Performance Reports for information on types and frequency of reports required.

III.G Other Requirements

III.G.1 Laws, Permits, and Approvals

Applicants shall adhere to Federal, State, tribal, territorial, and local laws, regulations, and codes, as applicable, and shall obtain all required approvals and permits. Applicants also shall coordinate and obtain approvals from site owners and operators.

III.G.2 System for Award Management (SAM) and Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) Registration

All applicants must be registered in the SAM) prior to award under this FOA.

Instructions for registering for SAM are located at www.sam.gov/portal/public/ SAM. All applicants must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times while they have an active Federal award or an application under consideration.

All applicants must also be registered with and willing to process all payments through the Department of Treasury ASAP system. All recipients with active financial assistance agreements with Reclamation must be enrolled in ASAP under the appropriate Agency Location Code(s) and the Data Universal Number System (DUNS) Number prior to the award of funds. If a recipient has multiple DUNS numbers they must separately enroll within ASAP for each unique DUNS Number and/or Agency. All of the information on the enrollment process for recipients, including the enrollment initiation form and the enrollment mailbox, can be found at www.usbr.gov/mso/aamd/asap.html. Note that if your entity is currently enrolled in the ASAP system with an agency other than Reclamation, you must enroll specifically with Reclamation in order to process payments.

https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM http://www.usbr.gov/mso/aamd/asap.html

Section IV: Application and Submission Information

Section IV: Application and Submission Information

IV.A Address to Request Application Package This document contains all information, forms, and electronic addresses required to obtain the information required for submission of an application.

If you are unable to access this information electronically, you can request paper copies of any of the documents referenced in this FOA by contacting:

By mail: Bureau of Reclamation Financial Assistance Services Attn: Ms. Irene M. Hoiby Mail Code: 84-27852 P.O. Box 25007 Denver, CO 80225

By e-mail: ihoiby@usbr.gov

By telephone: 303-445-2025

IV.B Application Submission

IV.B.1 Submission Date and Time

Application submission date deadline:

• June 25, 2015, 4:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time

Proposals received after the application deadline will not be considered unless it can be determined that the delay was caused by Federal Government mishandling or by the Grants.gov application system.

Please note that any application submitted to Reclamation for Drought Contingency Planning Grants funding may be subjected to a Freedom of Information Act request (5 USC Section 552, as amended by P.L. No. 110-175), and as a result, may be made publicly available. In addition, Reclamation will post all successful applications on the Reclamation website, www.usbr.gov/drought/ after redactions as determined by Reclamation to be necessary.

mailto:swilken@usbr.gov

IV.B.2 Application Delivery Instructions

Applications may be submitted electronically through http://www.grants.gov or hard copies may be submitted as follows. Under no circumstances will applications received through any other method (such as email or fax) be considered eligible for award.

By mail: Bureau of Reclamation Acquisition Operations Branch Attn: Ms. Irene M. Hoiby Mail Code: 84-27852 P.O. Box 25007 Denver, CO 80225

Mail Code: 84-27852 Denver Federal Center, Bldg. 67, Rm. 152 6th Avenue and Kipling Street Denver, CO 80225

By telephone: 303-445-2025

IV.C Instructions for Submission of an Application Each applicant shall submit an application in accordance with the instructions contained in this section.

IV.C.1 Applications Submitted by Mail or Express Delivery

Please follow these instructions to submit your application by mail or express delivery.

• Applicants shall submit an original and one copy of all application documents for hardcopy submissions. Each document should be clearly identified as the “ORIGINAL” or as a “COPY.”

• Only binder clip documents submitted.

• Hard copy applications may be submitted by mail or express methods to the addresses listed in Section IV.C – Instructions for Submission of an Application, above.

http://www.grants.gov/

• Materials arriving separately will not be included in the application package and may result in the application being rejected or not funded.

This does not apply to letters of support, funding commitment letters, or official resolutions.

• Faxed and emailed copies of application documents will not be accepted.

• Do not include a cover letter or company literature/brochure with the application. All pertinent information must be included in the application package.

IV.C.2 Applications Submitted Electronically

If the applicant chooses to submit an electronic application, it must be submitted through Grants.gov at www.grants.gov. Reclamation encourages applicants to submit their applications for funding electronically through www.grants.gov/ applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp. Applicant resource documents and a full set of instructions for registering with Grants.gov and completing and submitting applications online are available at www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html.

• Please note that submission of an application electronically requires prior registration through Grants.gov, which may take 7 to 21 days.

Please see registration instructions at www.grants.gov/applicants/ get_registered.jsp.

• Applicants sometimes have experienced significant delays when attempting to submit applications through Grants.gov. If you plan to submit your application through Grants.gov, you are encouraged to submit your application several days prior to the application deadline.

If you are a properly registered Grants.gov applicant and encounter problems with the Grants.gov application submission process, you must contact the Grants.gov Help Desk to obtain a case number. This case number will provide evidence of your attempt to submit an application prior to the submission deadline.

Regardless of the delivery method used, you must ensure that your proposal arrives by the date and time deadline stated in Section IV.B., above. Late applications will not be accepted unless it is determined that the delay was caused by Federal Government mishandling or by a problem with the Grants.gov application system.

IV.C.3 Application Format and Length

The total application package shall be no more than 50 pages and shall be single spaced. If an application exceeds 50 pages, only the first 50 pages will be http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants.html http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp http://www.grants.gov/applicants/get_registered.jsp http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html http:Grants.gov http:Grants.gov http:Grants.gov http:Grants.gov evaluated. The font shall be at least 12 points in size and easily readable. Page size shall be 8½ by 11 inches, including charts, maps, and drawings. Oversized pages will not be accepted. The technical proposal section shall be limited to a maximum of 20 pages. The SF-424 forms and drought contingency plans (if the proposal is to update an existing drought contingency plan) included as attachments will not be considered in the total page count.

Applications will be prescreened for compliance to the page number limitations.

IV.D Application Content The application must include the following elements in order to be considered complete:

o Assurances–Non-Construction Programs, form SF-424B

• Title page

• Table of contents

o Evaluation criteria

• Existing drought contingency plan (if applicable) – attach as an appendix (this will not count against the 50 page total limit)

• Required permits or approvals

• Letters of project support

• Official resolution

• Budget information – Non-Construction Programs, form SF-424A

• Request for cost-share reduction or waiver and supporting documentation (if applicable)(this also will not count against the page limit)

SF-424, SF-424A, and SF-424B forms may be obtained at http://apply07.grants.

gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15.

IV.D.1 Mandatory Federal Forms

SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance This fully completed application for Federal assistance form must be signed by a person legally authorized to commit the applicant to performance of the Project.

Failure to submit a properly signed SF-424 form may result in the elimination of the application from further consideration.

SF-424 Assurances A SF-424B – Assurances–Nonconstruction Programs, signed by a person legally authorized to commit the applicant to performance of the Project shall be included. Failure to submit a properly signed SF-424B form may result in the elimination of the application from further consideration.

IV.D.2 Title Page

Provide a brief, informative, and descriptive title for the proposed Project that indicates the nature of the proposed drought contingency plan or plan update.

Include the name and address of the applicant, and the name and address, e-mail address, telephone, and fax numbers of the Project manager.

IV.D.3 Table of Contents

List all major sections of the technical proposal in the table of contents.

IV.D.4 Technical Proposal and Evaluation Criteria

The technical proposal (20 pages maximum) includes: (1) the Executive Summary; (2) Background Data; (3) Technical Description of the Drought Contingency Plan; and (4) Evaluation Criteria.

Executive Summary The executive summary should include:

• The date, applicant name, city, county, and state.

• A one paragraph summary of the proposal.

• State the length of time and estimated completion date for the proposed Drought Contingency Plan.

• Indicate whether or not a Reclamation project, facility, or activity is located within the geographic area to be addressed in the proposed Drought Contingency Plan.

Background Data Provide a map of the planning area showing the geographic location (include the State, county, and direction from nearest town).

Provide a general description of the area to be addressed in the Drought Contingency Plan, including a description of the source(s) of water supply, the water rights involved, the current water uses (i.e., agricultural, municipal, domestic, or industrial), the number of water users served, and the current and projected water demand, if available. If water is primarily used for irrigation, describe major crops and total acres served.

Identify any past working relationships with Reclamation. This should include the date(s), description of prior relationships with Reclamation, and a description of the project(s), facility(s), or activity(s).

Technical Project Description The technical description should describe the work in detail including the specific activities to be accomplished as part of this Project. This description shall have sufficient detail to permit a comprehensive evaluation of the proposal. The technical description should clearly indicate if the proposal is for Task A (Develop Drought Contingency Plan) or Task B (Update Drought Contingency Plan). Proposals should address the requirements for conducting a drought contingency plan or plan update under the Drought Response Program, identified in Section I.C – Requirements for Developing or Updating Drought Contingency Plans of this FOA. When the applicant is writing the technical proposal, they need to address each of the criteria in the order presented to assist in the complete and accurate evaluation of the proposal.

Evaluation Criteria (See Section V – Application Review Information for additional details, including a detailed description of each criterion and subcriterion and points associated with each.)

The evaluation criteria portion of your application should thoroughly address each criterion and subcriterion in the order presented to assist in the complete and accurate evaluation of your proposal. It is suggested that applicants copy and paste the evaluation criteria and sub-criteria immediately below into their applications to ensure that all necessary information is adequately addressed.

IV.D.5 Existing Drought Contingency Plan (if applicable)

If there is an existing drought contingency plan addressing the relevant geographic area, please attach a copy (or relevant sections) of the existing plan.

(Note, this will not count against the application page limit).

IV.D.6 Required Permits or Approvals

Applicants must state in the application whether any permits or approvals are required for developing the Drought Contingency Plan and describe the approach for obtaining such permits or approvals.

IV.D.7 Letters of Support

To demonstrate that the planning process will include a diverse range of stakeholders, please include letters from interested stakeholders supporting the development of a new drought contingency plan or plan update.

Letters of support will not be counted towards the 20 page limit within the Technical Proposal; however, they will be counted towards the 50 page proposal limit. To ensure your proposal is accurately reviewed, please attach all letters of support/ partnership letters as an appendix.

IV.D.8 Official Resolution

Include an official resolution adopted by the applicant’s board of directors or governing body, or for State government entities, an official authorized to commit the applicant to the financial and legal obligations associated with receipt of Federal financial assistance, verifying:

• The identity of the official with legal authority to enter into an agreement

• The board of directors, governing body, or appropriate official who has reviewed and supports the application submitted

• The capability of the applicant to provide the amount of funding and/or in-kind contributions specified in the funding plan

• The applicant will work with Reclamation to meet established deadlines for entering into a cooperative financial assistance agreement

An official resolution that meets the requirements set forth above is mandatory. If you are unable to submit the official resolution by the application deadline because of the timing of board meetings or other justifiable reasons, the official resolution may be submitted up to 30 days after the application deadline.

IV.D.9 Project Budget

The project budget includes:

Funding Plan and Letters of Commitment Describe how the non-Reclamation share of Project costs will be obtained.

Reclamation will use this information in making a determination of financial capability.

Project funding provided by a source other than the applicant shall be supported with letters of commitment from these additional sources. This is a mandatory requirement. Letters of commitment shall identify the following elements:

Cost-share funding from sources outside the applicant’s organization (e.g., loans or State grants) should be secured and available to the applicant prior to award.

Commitment letters should be included with the Project application. If a final funding commitment has not been received by the date of application, the commitment letters should be submitted by no later than 30 days after application deadline.

Funding Sources Funding Amount

Non-Federal Entities

1.

2.

3.

Non-Federal Subtotal

Section IV: Application and Submission Information

Reclamation may approve an award prior to an applicant securing non-Federal cost-share funds if Reclamation determines that there is sufficient evidence and likelihood that the non-Federal funds will be available to the applicant by…