r15as00048 foa.pdf

BUREAU OF

and

FISH AND

WILDLIFE SERVICE

Pacific Southwest Region

Funding Opportunity Announcement No. R15AS00048

Central Valley Project Conservation Program and Central Valley Project Improvement Act Habitat Restoration Program

Fiscal Year 2016

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Department of the Interior

Bureau of Reclamation Fish and Wildlife Service Mid-Pacific Region Pacific Southwest Region June 2015 http://www.usbr.gov/mp/ http://www.fws.gov/cno/ http://www.usbr.gov/mp/ http://www.fws.gov/cno/

Central Valley Project Conservation Program and Central Valley Project Improvement Act Habitat Restoration Program

Department of the Interior:

Bureau of Reclamation U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Mid-Pacific Region Pacific Southwest Region 2800 Cottage Way 2800 Cottage Way Sacramento, CA 95825 Sacramento, CA 95825

OVERVIEW

Agency Names: Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), Sacramento, California

Funding Opportunity Title: Central Valley Project Conservation Program (CVPCP) and Central Valley Project Improvement Act Habitat Restoration Program (HRP)

Announcement Type: Initial announcement

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) No.:

R15AS00048

Application Due Date: Applications due September 30, 2015, 3:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST)

Applicant and Project Eligibility: As described in Sections III.A, III.D, and V.D.

Program Authority: Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, as amended, 16 U.S.C.

Section 661 et seq, of 1956; Reclamation Manual at 255 DM 14; the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, 16 U.S.C 742(a-j); and the Central Valley Project Improvement Act of 1992, Public Law No. 102-575, Title XXXIV, Section 3406(b)(1)

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number

15.512 (Bureau of Reclamation, HRP)

15.648 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, HRP)

15.564 (Bureau of Reclamation, CVPCP)

Cost Share: No cost sharing requirement, but level of partnering is considered during application evaluation. See section IV.C.16 (10) Partners, and section V.D.10, Program Scoring Criteria, Criterion #10 - Partners

Estimated number of agreements to be awarded

7 to 10. Funding may range from $25,000 to $1,000,000 on individually approved projects.

Total amount of funding available for FY16:

Estimated $2,100,000.00

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section I General Information 5

A Background and Purpose 5

B Program Authority 5

C Program Objectives 5

D Objective of Funding Opportunity Announcement 5

E Project Activities Categories 5

Section II Award Information 6

A Project Funding Limitations 6

B Reclamation and Service Responsibilities 6

C Award Date 6

Section III Eligibility Information 6

A Eligible Applicants 6

B Cost Share Guidelines 7

C Evaluation Criteria and Weighting 7

D Methods for Evaluating and Scoring Applications 7

E Application Submission Deadline and Location for Submission 8

F Other Requirements 8

Section IV Application Submission Information 9

A Agency Contact 9

B Instructions for Submission of Applications 9

C Technical Proposal Submission Guidelines and Format 11

D Budget 16

E Federal Forms 20

Section V Application Review Information 20

A Fiscal Year 2016 Priority Actions 20

B Evaluation Criteria 25

C Program Scoring Criteria 26

D Explanation of the Proposal Evaluation and Ranking Process 27

Section VI Award Administration Information 36

A Award Notices 36

B Award Document 36

C Reporting Requirements and Distribution 36

Section VII Other Information 38

A Standard Terms & Conditions 38

B Freedom of Information Act 38

C DUNS Requirement 38

D System for Award Management and Credential Provider Registration

E Environmental and Regulatory Compliance 38

Section VIII

Section IX

Literature Cited

Attachments

A Example of Species Table 40

B Evaluation Form for Technical Review 41

C Sample Budget Table 42

APPLICATION SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

While it is in the applicant’s best interest to read this Funding Opportunity Announcement in its entirety, the following table contains a summary of the information that is required to be submitted as an application. It is in the applicant’s best interest to check each box to make certain they have submitted every required form and completely followed the required format. Failure to submit all forms and follow the format may render the application ineligible.

REQUIRED

CONTENT

REQUIRED FORM OR FORMAT

CHECK BOX

WHEN

COMPLETED

(for Applicant use only)

Technical Proposal Submission Guidelines and Format

Sec.

IV.C

Written proposal that addresses the required format and the “Relationship of the Proposal to the Program Scoring Criteria.”

Budget Narrative

Sec.

IV.D.2

Budget Narrative with description in sufficient detail of how each budget item relates to the proposed project activity, and provides clear rationale/breakdown for the amount of each budget item. An award will not be made to any applicant who fails to provide budget narrative information, separate from the Budget Table.

Budget Table

Sec.

IV.D.2

Budget Table using Attachment C as a template. The activity budget should include sufficient detailed information to enable Reclamation and the Service to evaluate the reasonableness of the budgeted amount.

Federal Forms

Sec. IV.E

Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Standard Form (SF) 424*, Application for Federal Assistance; SF-424A Budget Information (Non-Construction Programs); and SF-424-B Assurances.

Landowner/ Access Approval

Sec. V.D

Evidence of landowner support. See section V.D, “Project Eligibility” for more information.

*FORMS MAY BE DOWNLOADED FROM WWW.GRANTS.GOV UNDER

THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITY R15AS00048, FULL ANNOUNCEMENT

OR APPLICATION

http://www.grants.gov/

SECTION I – GENERAL INFORMATION

I.A BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The Central Valley Project Conservation Program (CVPCP) was developed during the Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7 consultation process to ensure that the existing operation of the Central Valley Project (CVP), implementation of the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (CVPIA), and renewal of CVP water service contracts would not jeopardize listed or proposed species or adversely affect designated or proposed critical habitat. Accordingly, the CVPCP implements actions that will protect, restore, and enhance special-status species and their habitats affected by the CVP, with a special emphasis on federally listed species. The CVPIA Habitat Restoration Program (HRP) was established under Title XXXIV, Section 3406 (b) (1) “other” of the CVPIA under the “Fish and Wildlife Restoration Activities” section. The HRP also implements actions to improve conditions for species impacted by the CVP.

I.B PROGRAM AUTHORITY

This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is issued in accordance with the authority of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, as amended, 16 U.S.C. Section 661 et seq, of 1956;

Reclamation Manual at 255 DM 14; the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, 16 U.S.C 742(a-j); and the Central Valley Project Improvement Act of 1992, Public Law No. 102-575, Title XXXIV, Section 3406(b)(1).

I.C PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The main objectives of the CVPCP and HRP for FY 2016 are: (1) protect and restore native habitats impacted by the CVP, and (2) stabilize and improve populations of native species impacted by the CVP. Open announcement of grant opportunities through the CVPCP and HRP would facilitate meeting these objectives.

I.D OBJECTIVE OF THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

The objective of the competitive announcement is to ensure compliance with competition requirements related to Federal financial agreements, and to ensure public participation in the CVPCP and HRP. As a point of clarification, when applying for a grant under the CVPCP and HRP, the applicant is applying to both programs. After it is decided which of the proposed projects are to be selected for award, the Program Managers will determine which projects will be funded by which program.

I.E PROJECT ACTIVITIES CATEGORIES

DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES CATEGORIES

The CVPCP and HRP fund a variety of actions that improve conditions for species and habitats impacted by the CVP, excluding those for fish, recognizing that a balanced set of actions is needed to meet the stated objectives. The CVPCP and HRP have, however, placed emphasis on certain kinds of activities considered more critical to species’ protection and recovery than others. A list of recent projects previously funded by the programs can be found on the programs’ website:

www.usbr.gov/mp/cvpcp. For FY 2016, land protection, habitat restoration, research, and captive propagation and reintroduction projects will be funded, and land protection projects will receive the highest priority for funding.

1) Fee Title Acquisition/Conservation Easement/Other Protection: Protection of species or existing habitats impacted by the CVP through the purchase of fee title acquisition, conservation easements, or other form of protection on lands where threats to these lands are significant. At http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvpcp least 50 percent of CVPCP and HRP funds will be targeted towards this category of activity. The CVPCP/HRP cannot fund any protection projects which would result in mitigation credits for the applicant or the seller.

2) Habitat Restoration: Restoration of CVP impacted habitats or species populations on lands permanently protected for conservation where restoration actions would markedly improve conditions for impacted species. The CVPCP/HRP cannot fund any restoration projects which would result in mitigation credits for the grant recipient or landowner.

3) Research: Research addressing status and habitat needs to facilitate species recovery.

4) Captive Propagation and Reintroduction: Captive propagation and reintroduction of listed species in order to increase numbers of individuals in a population.

SECTION II – AWARD INFORMATION

II.A PROJECT FUNDING LIMITATIONS

The number of agreements awarded and amount of funding available to the CVPCP/HRP is dependent on fiscal year 2016 appropriations approved by Congress, and the number of successful applications.

Total estimated funding for the combined programs for fiscal year 2016 is $2,100,000. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife (Service) funds may range from $25,000 to $1,000,000 for individually approved projects.

II.B RECLAMATION and SERVICE RESPONSIBILITIES

If substantial involvement between Reclamation/Service and the Recipient is anticipated during the performance of the project, the anticipated award instrument will be a cooperative agreement. In support of this agreement, Reclamation/Service will provide the following:

Reclamation/Service shall collaborate and participate with the Recipient in the management of the project and closely oversee the Recipient's activities to ensure that the program objectives are being achieved as per the cooperative agreement. This oversight shall include review, input, and approval at key interim stages of the project as identified in the Recipient’s application.

If substantial involvement is not anticipated on the part of Reclamation/Service, the financial assistance instrument will be a grant agreement. Reclamation/Service retains the rights to make awards using either grants or cooperative agreements.

The project must demonstrate allowable public benefit for financial assistance agreements.

II.C AWARD DATE

Applicants should be notified no later than March 2016 on whether or not their application(s) was selected for funding. It is anticipated that awards will be made by September 2016.

SECTION III – ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

III.A ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

Applicants eligible under this FOA include State or local government agencies, private non-profit or profit organizations, individuals, and educational institutions. Federal agencies are eligible to receive CVPCP/HRP funds, but are not eligible to submit an application under this FOA. Interested Federal agencies should contact the Program Managers about how to apply for funding, such as through an interagency or intraagency agreement.

III.B COST SHARE GUIDELINES

The CVPCP/HRP have no cost sharing requirement, but partnering (i.e., cost sharing provided by entities, through cash or in-kind services, which are contributing towards the proposed project) is highly encouraged and the level of partnering is considered during application evaluation. Refer to the description of the “Partners” criterion in section IV.C.16(10), “Relationship of the Proposal to the Program Scoring Criteria,” and the scoring guidelines in Section V.D., “Explanation of the Proposal Evaluation and Ranking Process,” Criterion #10, “Partners,” for more information.

(1) Cost Share Regulations

All cost-share contributions must meet the criteria established in the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) administrative and cost principles circulars that apply to the applicant. These circulars are available at <http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars>.

(2) In-Kind Contributions

In-kind contributions constitute the value of noncash contributions that benefit a federally assisted project. 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 project or program. 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 assistance agreement, a Federal procurement contract, or any other award of Federal funds may not qualify as a cost-share contribution for the CVPCP/HRP financial assistance awards.

III.C EVALUATION CRITERIA AND WEIGHTING: Refer to Sections V.B. and V.C.

III.D METHODS FOR EVALUATING AND SCORING APPLICATIONS:

All applications are reviewed and ranked by the CVPCP & HRP Technical Team, comprised of State and Federal agency biologists and Program Managers. The Technical Team consists of technical experts whose expertise spans the range of topics covered by the submitted applications. The Technical Team evaluates and provides qualitative and unambiguous ratings of each proposal by utilizing scoring criteria described in section IV.C and section V.D to evaluate applications, and makes recommendations on which applications should be selected for funding.

The scoring criteria presented in this FOA are implemented in the context of general considerations of the CVPCP/HRP Technical Team and Program Managers, who can influence final decisions regarding funding. These considerations include, but are not limited to:

1) Actions funded by the CVPCP/HRP are opportunity-driven. Funding decisions are often dependent on the number and scope of applications received in a given year.

2) The past performance of an applicant is considered during project selection. Poor performance during implementation of past grant or cooperative agreements might weigh against further funding, and can disqualify an applicant from eligibility for receiving CVPCP/HRP funding.

3) Project feasibility is considered during application selection. Program Managers conclude whether a project would result in real benefits to species in a cost-effective manner before making funding decisions.

4) Applications which address targeted Priority Actions (see section V.A) may be more favorably considered than those that do not.

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

III.E APPLICATION SUBMISSION DEADLINE and LOCATION for SUBMISSION:

The submission deadline is September 30, 2015 at 3:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. The application should be electronic submission, mailed or hand-delivered to Teresa E. Brown, MP- 3839, Bureau of Reclamation, 2800 Cottage Way, Room E-1815, Sacramento, CA 95825-1898.

See Section IV for instructions on application submission.

III.F OTHER REQUIREMENTS

III.F.1 SF-424 and Assurances

The applicant must submit these required forms in accordance with the requirements stated in

Section IV.E of this FOA.

III.F.2 Project and Budget Proposals

The applicant must submit project and budget proposals in accordance with the requirements stated in Section IV.D of this FOA.

III.F.3 Proposed Project Location

The CVPCP and HRP have established a Priority Project Area map that delineates the specific area of California within which projects will be funded through this application. Applications for projects will not be considered for funding that fall outside the boundaries of the program project area unless a clear CVP “nexus” (relationship or connection) can be demonstrated (see Section V.D.1,CVP Nexus, for additional information). The Priority Project Area map can be viewed by visiting http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvpcp/map/index.html.

III.F.4 Other Regulations

Applicants shall adhere to Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, and codes, as applicable, and shall obtain all required approvals and permits. Applicants shall also coordinate and obtain approvals from site owners and operators. See Section VII.E for additional information regarding environmental and regulatory compliance and approvals.

III.F.5 Species Reporting

Recipients of CVPCP or HRP funds are urged to submit sightings of Federal or State-listed endangered or threatened species or other special status species to the State of California’s Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) that are encountered in the process of fulfilling their grant agreement. The documentation of occurrences of species in the CNDDB is important for the conservation and recovery of the species.

III.F.6 Post funding site access.

For all funded projects, there is an expectation that a representative of the CVPCP and/or HRP be provided access to the project site, either directly or through the grant recipient, in order to monitor compliance with the terms of the grant agreement, the presence of species of interest, ecological responses to the project action, etc.

http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvpcp/map/index.html

SECTION IV – APPLICATION SUBMISSION INFORMATION

IV.A AGENCY CONTACT

IV.A.1 Interested organizations or individuals are requested to submit their questions, via email or letter, pertaining to this FOA to Reclamation’s Grants Management Specialist:

E-mail: tebrown@usbr.gov

Mail:

Bureau of Reclamation Mid-Pacific Region Attn: Teresa E. Brown, MP-3839 2800 Cottage Way, Room E-1815 Sacramento CA 95825-1898

IV.A.2 Applicants are encouraged to contact the CVPCP and HRP Program Managers if they have questions about how to submit an application. The contact information for the CVPCP and HRP is:

RECLAMATION: SERVICE:

Mr. Dan Strait/MP-152 Ms. Caroline Prose CVPCP and HRP Manager HRP Manager Bureau of Reclamation U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 2800 Cottage Way Pacific Southwest Region Sacramento CA 95825-1898 2800 Cottage Way

(916) 978-5052 Sacramento CA 95825-1846 Email: dstrait@usbr.gov (916) 414-6575

Email: caroline_prose@fws.gov

IV.A.3 Interested organizations or individuals having difficulties accessing forms/electronic addresses, or questions pertaining to the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, may contact Teresa E. Brown via email at tebrown@usbr.gov

IV.B INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATIONS

IV.B.1 Submit one original and three paper copies of the application in loose-leaf format (i.e., not stapled or bound in any way), and an electronic copy on a CD. Applications should be in Microsoft Word format. Colored maps, site photos, aerial or satellite imagery, figures, etc., should be submitted in color with the original and the copies. Applicants shall submit applications in accordance with the instructions contained in this section. Applicants are not limited to only one application submission; any number may be submitted by each applicant. Detailed instructions for each element are set forth immediately below.

Important Details to Remember:

The Grants Officer and/or the CVPCP/HRP Program Managers determine whether or not an application merits evaluation, scoring, and ranking under the guidelines put forth in this FOA.

Eligibility of the application is determined by considering several factors. Please see section V.D “Explanation of the Proposal Evaluation and Ranking Process,” for information on application eligibility.

mailto:tebrown@usbr.gov mailto:dstrait@usbr.gov mailto:caroline_prose@fws.gov mailto:tebrown@usbr.gov

Federal agencies are not eligible to apply through this application. Federal agencies interested in applying for CVPCP/HRP funding should refer to Section III.A “Eligible Applicants.”

The CVPCP/HRP cannot fund any project that would be used to fulfill a mitigation requirement.

Technical proposals for land protection, habitat restoration, research conducted in the field, and captive propagation and reintroduction projects must identify the parcels on which the activity would take place, and include written evidence of landowner support such as a letter or copy of an email message from the landowner stating their support.

So as to maximize benefits to CVP-impacted species, proposed habitat restoration and captive propagation and reintroduction projects occurring on lands permanently protected for conservation will receive priority consideration for selection. While it is not required that such projects occur on protected lands, proposals for projects not occurring on protected lands should describe how habitats and species will be conserved and protected long-term without formal protection in place. Proposals that do not adequately describe that may receive fewer scoring points, and likely a lower ranking, in the project evaluation and selection process.

The entire application package should be limited to a maximum of 25 pages, including all attachments, except for the SF-424 and landowner letters of support.

Federally endangered and threatened species that have been impacted by the CVP have been rated by the CVPCP/HRP as “Low,” “Medium,” “High,” or “Very High,” and these priority ratings help determine selection of applications for funding. The Priority Species rating is based on two factors: (a) the recovery priority assigned to the species by the Service, and (b) the extent to which that species is impacted, either directly or indirectly, by the CVP. Both present day and historical impacts are considered. Future impacts are considered as best as can be predicted given present day trends and plans. A “Very High” rating means that the recovery priority for the species is rated high with an imminent threat of extinction and CVP actions contributed significantly to the species decline, either directly or indirectly. A “High” rating means that the recovery priority for the species is high and CVP actions contributed significantly to the species decline, either directly or indirectly. In order for a project to be eligible for funding, at least one High or Very High rated species must benefit from the project. Technical proposals that focus only on species with a “Low” or “Medium” rating will not be eligible for funding. Further information about the ratings may be found at:

http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvpcp/species/docs/Priority%20Species_Explanation%20of%20Colum ns.pdf A spreadsheet showing the CVP Priority Species, their ratings and other criteria may be found at: http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvpcp/species/index.html

After submission, proposals may not be changed in any way, i.e., such as if an error(s) is(are) found by the applicant post-submittal.

Applications selected for funding may be reviewed by a Reclamation Cost Analyst. Applicants should be prepared to provide written documentation to support the basis of all project costs in accordance with 2 CFR 200.

Applications must be submitted as a complete package. Materials arriving separately will not be included in the application package for consideration and may result in the application being rejected or not funded. Mailing materials, package, or packing envelopes containing the application must reference FOA number R15AS00048. Faxed and emailed copies of applications will not be accepted.

http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvpcp/species/docs/Priority%20Species_Explanation%20of%20Colum http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvpcp/species/index.html

Do not include company literature/brochure with your application. All pertinent information must be included in your application in accordance with the formats described below.

Applications shall be submitted to the following person and address:

Mailing Address:

Bureau of Reclamation Mid-Pacific Region Attn: Teresa E. Brown, MP-3839

2800 Cottage Way, Room E-1815 Sacramento CA 95825-1898

IV.B.2 Deadline for Receipt of Applications

Applications will be accepted until 3:00 p.m., Pacific Standard Time, on September 30, 2015. Applications received after this date and time will not be considered for award.

IV.C TECHNICAL PROPOSAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES AND FORMAT

Because each technical proposal is scored for Technical Merit, it is highly recommended that applicants adhere very closely to the following guidelines when submitting them:

● Technical proposals must have a page number on every page.

● The technical proposal is to be limited to a maximum of 25 pages. This 25 page total includes cover page, maps, photographs, Literature Cited, budget table, budget narrative, and any other information such as appendices. The only documents excluded from the 25 pages are the SF-424 and any landowner letters or emails of support.

● Margins should be 1 inch on each side, top and bottom.

● Font type and size should be Times New Roman 12 pt.

● There should be 1.5 spaces between lines.

Applicants should submit well-described and technically accurate proposals organized to address the following required information for each section in the order indicated below:

IV.C.1 Cover Page: Include the name of the applicant, organization name, title of proposed project, and date.

IV.C.2 Title of Proposed Project: State the title of the proposed project.

IV.C.3 Abstract: Submit a brief abstract in standard abstract format (i.e., no more than one page).

IV.C.4 Technical Proposal Category: List the category of the project activity, e.g., Land Protection, Habitat Restoration, Research, or Captive Propagation and Reintroduction. Only one category should be listed for each proposal.

IV.C.5 Project Objective(s): Clearly state the objective(s) that the proposed project would achieve when fully implemented. Do not include detailed species benefits information in this section.

Detailed information on species benefits from the project should be addressed under IV.C.16, “Relationship of the Proposal to the Program Scoring Criteria.”

IV.C.6 Proposal Proponent: Provide the name, address, phone number, fax number, and email address of the main/primary technical point of contact.

IV.C.7 Location of Proposed Project, Maps/Figures, and Photographs (as applicable):

● For land protection and habitat restoration projects, include a detailed legal description – Meridian, Township, Range, Section - of the project location, including size in acre(s) of the project area, as well as longitude and latitude information.

● All project proposals must include a clear, detailed, full-page color map indicating local reference points, a scale bar, and the location of the proposed project within the CVPCP and HRP project area boundary (see website for CVPCP and HRP Project Area Map at www.usbr.gov/mp/cvpcp/map/index.html).

● Clearly labeled species observation locations from surveys, if any.

● Clearly labeled species sampling/survey locations, if proposed.

● Photographs of the project site.

IV.C.8 Amount of Funding Request: Specify the amount of funds requested from the CVPCP/HRP.

IV.C.9 Total Proposed Project Cost: Specify the total estimated cost of the project including in-kind and cost-share contributions.

IV.C.10 Proposed Activities: For the action being proposed for funding, provide a detailed description and clear tasks to be accomplished including, but not limited to, the following:

● Relevant background information about the project.

● State the type(s) of habitat (i.e., riparian woodland, upland, vernal pools, etc.) and the number of acres of each of these habitat types that would be acquired or restored if funded (for Land Protection and Habitat Restoration technical proposals only).

● For habitat restoration projects, describe the intended procedures and restoration design. For example, describe the species to be planted, location to be planted (including showing locations on a map), density of plantings, the source where plants would be obtained, etc. (for Habitat Restoration technical proposals only).

● Provide enough information about potential effects from the proposed project, so that the environmental impact analysis can be facilitated and the compliance requirements can be satisfied. The proposal should have enough detail to assess whether proposed goals can be achieved. Examples of questions for habitat restoration that may need to be answered are:

What are the dimensions of the area to be disturbed? Where would fill be obtained? Where would soil be dumped? Would dirt be moved to a relatively undisturbed area? Where would new plants be planted and what type(s) of existing habitat would be impacted? What avoidance measures would be employed, if needed (e.g., timing of activities to avoid bird nesting seasons)? Provide written descriptions, maps and figures as necessary (for Habitat Restoration technical proposals only).

● Discuss and provide citations for any previous efforts and pre-existing data related to the proposed project (for Research technical proposals only).

● Discuss and clearly describe field techniques, study design, type of data collection, survey methodology and statistical methods, type of analysis being conducted, etc. (for Research technical proposals only).

● If the project requires more than 1 year of work, the applicant should state this; list tasks for each phase; and separate tasks by each year.

● Answer the question: Why is this project needed?

IV.C.11 Proposed Project Timeline: Include milestones and the final completion date for each task. Note: No project may be funded that extends beyond 5 years.

http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvpcp/map/index.html

IV.C.12 Monitoring and Management: This criterion applies to Land Protection and Habitat Restoration projects only, unless required under another specific Priority Action. Long-term management and maintenance of protected and restored lands are critical for a project to achieve its full intended benefits to CVP impacted species. Proposals for land protection and habitat restoration should state how the protected and/or restored habitats would be monitored and managed in the future in order to achieve the benefits to the CVP impacted species and habitats described in the proposal. Examples of land management activities that should be discussed include grazing management; management of recreation and other human uses; invasive species and other potential pests; management of federally listed species habitats; and development and management of water. Recipients must submit a plan for monitoring and managing the proposed project area for all Habitat Restoration and conservation easement Land Protection projects prior to close of grant award agreements, and fee title Land Protection projects prior to close of title and grant award agreements. Applications submitted without reference to, or a description of, a Monitoring and Management Plan will not be considered for funding.

IV.C.13 Measuring Results: (Does not apply to Land Protection projects.) Describe how project performance would be measured when assessing the progress made towards achieving predetermined performance goals. Examples of project performance that could be measured include:

qualitative improvements in habitat conditions from pre- to post-restoration, quantitative changes in acres of each habitat type from pre- to post-restoration, number of individuals successfully propagated during captive breeding, statistical analysis of research results, etc.

V.C.14 Department of Interior Landscape Conservation Cooperative: All applicants are requested to address how their proposed project would contribute to the goals and objectives of the Department of Interior’s (DOI) California Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC), the foundation of DOI’s climate change strategy. The LCC informs resource management decisions to address landscape-scale stressors affecting wildlife populations including habitat fragmentation, genetic isolation, the spread of invasive species, and water scarcity – all of which are accelerated by climate change.

Information on the LCC can be found at the following website: http://www.californialcc.org/.

IV.C.15 Résumé or Curriculum Vitae: Provide no more than a one-page résumé or curriculum vitae for each person who would be significantly involved in the proposed project.

IV.C.16 Relationship of the Proposal to the Program Scoring Criteria:

Each eligible application will be evaluated, scored, and ranked by the CVPCP/HRP Technical Team using Program Scoring Criteria. Section V.C lists these criteria and shows the range of points that are given for each criterion. Of the 14 criteria, all but “CVP Nexus” will be given numerical scores by the CVPCP/HRP Technical Team (see section V.C.), but of the 14 criteria, all must be addressed by the applicant. Described below are those criteria which the applicant must address according to the category of technical proposal being submitted (Land Protection, Habitat Restoration, Research, or Captive Propagation and Reintroduction), and suggestions on how to address them. Each applicant is strongly encouraged to provide as much information as possible for each applicable criterion for each technical proposal, since awarding of grant funding is strongly tied to ranking scores.

More detailed guidelines for each scoring criterion are described in Section V.D., “Explanation of the Proposal Evaluation and Ranking Process” and applicants are strongly encouraged to read this section in order to fully understand how each of the criteria are scored. The information below is only a brief description of the information needed for each criterion.

(1) CVP Nexus: Indicate the technical proposal’s relationship to the CVP. Proposals must adequately define this relationship to be considered for evaluation. Priority will be given to proposals that are located within a CVP service area, consolidated place of use, and/or area receiving CVP water. See the CVPCP and HRP website for the Project Area Map. See section V.D.1 for more information.

(2) Program Priority Action: Per the current fiscal year’s Program Priority Actions specified in the

FOA on www.grants.gov, proposals must state which Priority Action number under which project http://www.californialcc.org/ category (Land Protection, Habitat Restoration, Research, or Captive Propagation and Reintroduction) the proposal is being submitted. Only one Priority Action should be named for each proposal. The Program Priority Actions are fully described in Section V.A of this FOA.

Do not include any other wording in this section other than to identify the specific Priority Action. See section V.D.2 for more information.

(3) Federally Listed Species (includes species proposed for listing): The proposal must indicate in as much detail as possible how the project would benefit federally Endangered or Threatened species, excluding fish, including species Proposed for listing, and which species would benefit.

Define and document existing baseline conditions related to federally listed and proposed species, and cite all documented references of species occurrence (i.e., results of species’ surveys at the project area; reports in the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Natural Diversity Database (CNDDB) that document the presence of a species at or near the proposed project site; written statements by recognized species experts or others having personal knowledge that a species is present at the proposed site). Provide a table listing these species and their status. Applicants should use the species table example in Attachment A as a template. Also describe whether the proposed action would address species’ recovery plan tasks, which recovery plan tasks are addressed, and state whether designated “critical habitat” includes the project area. It is highly encouraged that status surveys be conducted prior to submitting an application. See section V.D.3 for more information.

(4) State Listed Species: The proposal must indicate how State Endangered, Threatened, and Fully

Protected species, excluding fish, may benefit from the proposed project. Apply the same provisions as indicated for Federal species and include in a species table. Applicants should use the species table example in Attachment A as a template. Also, see section V.D.4 for more information.

(5) Federal or State Designated Species that are not Listed and not Proposed for Listing: The proposal must describe how other imperiled CVP impacted species, excluding fish, that are not listed, or proposed for Federal or State listing, may benefit from the proposed project. These species must be different than those listed under the Federal and State Endangered or Threatened species categories. Apply the same provisions as indicated for Federal and State species and include in a species table. Applicants should use the Species Table example in Attachment A as a template. Federal or State species that are not listed and proposed for listing include Federal Candidate Species, State Species of Special Concern, and plant species designated as Rare by the California Native Plant Society. See section V.D.5 for more information.

(6) Habitat/Biodiversity: (For Protection and Restoration proposals only.) The proposal must describe vegetation types and species diversity within the project area, how the project would help maintain or benefit these components, and the importance of the habitat. Describe the before and after habitat conditions that are projected if the project is implemented, and the types of habitat(s) to be benefitted by the project. Habitat conditions should be described as they pertain to Federal and State listed species, as well as other Federal and State designated species. Identify the special status species associated with the habitats to be benefitted from the project, and describe in detail how the species will benefit. Indicate locations of documented species occurrences on the project location map, especially verified Federal and State listed species occurrences and/or habitats. Include references to biological surveys that can verify these conditions and occurrences if available. See section V.D.6 for more information.

(7) Cumulative Benefit: The proposal must indicate how the project would contribute to past or on-going activities related to the same species or habitats, including past CVPCP/HRP-funded projects. See section V.D.7 for more information.

(8) Long-term Benefit: The proposal must address how the project benefits might persist or increase over time, i.e., describe future benefits to species and habitats that are expected to result from the proposed project. See section V.D.8 for more information.

(9) Project Site Connectivity: For Land Protection and Habitat Restoration proposals only. The proposal must describe how the project site location is physically connected (i.e., immediately adjacent) to another protected or restored parcel. See section V.D.9 for more information. A map showing the proposed project site(s) location and its relationship to other protected or restored sites, either adjacent to or in the vicinity, is encouraged.

(10) Partners: This criterion gives credit to financial contributions of cash and/or the equivalent in-kind service obtained from one or more sources that would facilitate the completion of the proposed project, expressed as a percentage of the total cost of the project that offsets costs that would otherwise be paid for by the CVPCP/HRP. Information on the amount and nature of each partner contribution must be provided in order for partnering levels to be ascertained and credited. When addressing this Partners criterion, the proposal must include a complete description of partner contributions; it must be consistent with the content of the Budget Narrative, Budget Table, and all SF-424 forms; and the applicant must adhere to the following guidelines and parameters:

● Provide the name of each partner contributing cash or in-kind contributions toward the total cost of the project (other than the CVPCP/HRP) and describe the extent of the applicant’s discussions with, and financial commitment from, the partners described in the proposal.

For example, it is not adequate to merely name as a partner “a State grant program.” It is not expected that all partner contributions be committed at the time of the submission of the application, but the CVPCP/HRP Technical Team evaluating the proposal needs to know that the named partnership contribution is real.

● Provide evidence that the dollars are genuinely and wholly committed by substantiating those dollars through a letter or email message of confirmation from the partnering entity(ies) that are named with the submission of the proposal, i.e., this means that not only must the funding partners be named/identified (see above), but the financial commitment must be supported through documentation in the proposal such that the Technical Team is convinced that the funding partner(s) contribution is real; and extent of discussion between the applicant and partner(s). This is required in order for the applicant to receive credit towards numerical points during the scoring of the "Partners" criterion by the CVPCP/HRP Technical Team. If appropriate documentation is not received with the proposal, the "Partners" criterion will receive zero (0) points during scoring. The determination of "appropriate" documentation is at the discretion of the CVPCP and HRP Technical Team.

● Provide the amount to be contributed by each of those partners as cash or equivalent dollars, as well as a percentage of the total project cost.

● Equate in-kind services to dollars. If this is not done, those services will not be considered when partnering points are tallied.

● Use the format shown in the template in Attachment C for the Budget Table to indicate partner contributions to the proposed project.

● Provide a description of how the partner contribution has a direct link to the current project being proposed.

Additionally, please note the following limitations:

● Partners to the project who are not providing a financial contribution to the project, either directly or in-kind, will not be considered in the proposal scoring or project selection.

● Partner cost sharing will only be considered for components that make up the proposed project.

● Funds expended on the proposed project prior to receiving the CVPCP/HRP grant award for this current fiscal year will not be considered when awarding points.

● Failure to secure partner funds from sources specified in the proposal may jeopardize the delivery of funds under a CVPCP/HRP agreement.

For help with the entire Budget Table, Budget Narrative, and SF-424A and SF-424B, please see the Budget Proposal Instructions found in Section IV.D. Also, see section V.D.10 for more information.

(11) Level of CVP Impacts: The proposal must address to what extent a species or habitat to benefit from the proposed project was impacted by the CVP. For example, is the project area within the CVP Consolidated Place of Use? It is within or outside of a CVP water district? Did the CVP cause significant or insignificant losses of habitat in the project area? Is the project area on the perimeter of, or wholly within, the CVPCP/HRP Project Area Boundary? See section V.D.11 for more information.

(12) Project Urgency: The proposal must assign a level of urgency, i.e., major, moderate, or minimal, to the action based on the endangerment of a species, the level of threat to a habitat area, and/or the consequence to the species should the project not be carried out. Additionally, a complete explanation on the rationale for the statement of urgency should be provided. See the CVPCP and HRP website for a list of priority habitat types and species:

http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvpcp/species/index.html) See section V.D.12 for more information.

(13) Technical Merit and Completeness: Proposals should be well-described and will be scored for completeness and technical accuracy. The Technical Team will consider numerous elements of technical merit and completeness as shown in the bulleted list in section V.D.13.

Failure to adhere to these criteria will result in a poor score for this criterion. See section V.D.13 for more information.

(14) Scientific Merit: This criterion considers the scientific rigor of proposed research projects.

Proposals will be evaluated on several criteria including, but not limited to, the following: its scientific soundness, appropriateness of methods, cohesiveness of argument, organization and clarity of methods (statistical design and analysis), length relative to information content, etc.

See section V.D.14 for more information.

IV.C.4.17 Literature Cited: As applicable, proposals should include a Literature Cited section.

IV.D BUDGET

IV.D.1 General Requirements

In addition to the SF-424A and B discussed above, applicants must include a budget table and budget narrative with the estimated costs to conduct the proposed activity. The budget table should include the sources and values of in-kind contributions of goods and services as well as funds provided to complete the activity (i.e. include the total cost of the activity, not only the CVPCP/HRP requested funds). More information is provided in Section V.D.10 “CRITERION #10 – PARTNERS.” The budget table and budget narrative are to be included in the 25-page limit.

IV.D.2 Budget Narrative and Table Formats

Applicants must provide a Budget Table, to include all of the information requested in the Budget Table template (Attachment C) and a Budget Narrative containing a complete description of each budget item which parallels items in the budget table. The activity budget should include sufficient detailed information to enable the Technical Team to evaluate the reasonableness of the budgeted amount. The budget narrative must be separate from the budget table.

The project budget shall clearly identify all project costs by objectives and the funding source, i.e., Reclamation, Service, Applicant, or other funding sources. The budget narrative should provide a discussion of, or explanation for, items included in the budget proposal. The details in the budget narrative will be used by the Cost Analyst to determine costs as allowable, allocable and reasonable.

If the narrative does not contain the appropriate amount of detail, this will delay the award process.

Applications must include a budget narrative that provides a detailed, clear, consistent, complete, and correct summary of project costs; indicates annual costs by task and funding category; and includes cost share partners. The following paragraphs provide guidelines on how to submit this information.

http://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvpcp/species/index.html

Listed below are additional instructions for some common budget categories. Not all budgets will have costs in each category. The categories are provided simply as a means to provide instructions regarding the type of information to submit with the budget. If the activity budget includes expenses in these categories, follow the instructions provided. If the activity budget includes expenses in the “Other” category, provide information that describes how the budget amount was estimated, the assumptions it is based upon, etc. Multi-year projects are suitable for funding. For multi-year projects, identify separate costs and tasks to be conducted each year. In all cases, sufficient information must be provided to allow a determination that the budget is fair and reasonable for the proposed activity. An award will not be made to any applicant who fails to fully disclose and specify all project costs.

Additionally, if more than one project option is proposed (i.e., a basic project and a potentially larger project), each option should have its own budget table, or else the budget table must make clear the costs and tasks for each option.

The basis of all costs in the SF-424 and proposed budget must be documented and defensible in order for the CVPCP/HRP Technical Team to determine fair and reasonable costs, regardless of whether a cost is funded by the CVPCP/HRP or another funding entity. This includes matching or in- kind costs.

If your application is selected for funding, a cost analysis will be conducted on the proposed budget prior to obligation of the award. Budgeted labor costs (labor categories, direct labor rates, hours per labor category) and fringe benefits, material costs by type, sub-recipient costs, travel, and any other direct and indirect costs are subject to evaluation. Recipients may be contacted by a Cost Analyst requesting supporting documentation for the estimated costs in the SF-424 and budget. In preparation for the cost analysis, proposal proponents should be prepared to provide written documentation (i.e. copies of invoices and salary cost breakdowns from prior similar projects) for ANY costs displayed in the SF-424 and the proposal project budget. That requirement may also apply to funds offered as cost-share by the proposal proponent or other partner.

Applicants may not include contingency costs in the project budget. If included, those costs will be disallowed.

For additional information, please see all applicable Office of Management and Budget (OMB) circulars related to Federal financial assistance budget and audit requirements, including but not limited to:

2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards

OMB Circular A-133 Audits of States, Local Governments and Non-Profit Organizations

IV.D.2.1 Salaries and Wages – Indicate program manager and other key personnel by name and title.

Other personnel may be indicated by title alone.