R21AS00435 - NOFO.pdf

United States Bureau of Reclamation Department of the Interior

R-LCB - Reclamation – Lower Colorado Basin Region

R21AS00435

Table of Contents A. Program Description

A1. Authority

A2. Background, Purpose and Program Requirements

B. Federal Award Information

B1. Total Funding

B2. Expected Award Amount

B3. Anticipated Award Funding and Dates

B4. Number of Awards

B5. Type of Award

C. Eligibility Information

C1. Eligible Applicants

C2. Cost Sharing or Matching

C3. Other

D. Application and Submission Information

D1. Address to Request Application Package

D2. Content and Form of Application Submission

D3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

D4. Submission Dates and Times

D5. Intergovernmental Review

D6. Funding Restrictions

D7. Other Submission Requirements

E. Application Review Information

E1. Criteria

E2. Review and Selection Process

E3. CFR – Regulatory Information

E4. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

F. Federal Award Administration Information

F1. Federal Award Notices

F2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

F3. Reporting

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)

G1. Program Technical Contact

G2. Financial Assistance Administrative Contact

G3. Application System Technical Support

H. Other Information

A. Program Description

A1. Authority This program is administered in accordance with the authority of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act of 1934, Public Law (P.L.) 85-624, 16 United States Code (U.S.C.)

§661, et.seq., as amended; as limited by the Secretary of the Interior delegation of authority at 255 Departmental Manual (DM) 1.1B

(a) conduct activities for the improvement of fish and wildlife habitat associated with water systems or water supplies affected by Reclamation projects, including but not limited to fish passage and screening facilities at any non-Federal water diversion or storage project within the region;

(b) plan, design, construct, and monitor, including acquire lands or interest therein as needed, instream habitat improvements, including but not limited to fish passage screening facilities at off-site locations (as negotiated on privately owned lands and facilities not associated with a Reclamation project); and

(c) monitor and evaluate the effect of Reclamation actions on fish and wildlife resources including ESA-listed species.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number 15.517

A2. Background, Purpose and Program Requirements The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), Interior Region 8: Lower Colorado Basin, Yuma Area Office (YAO) is requesting proposals to fund projects for activities in support of their Endangered Species and Environmental Restoration programs in Federal fiscal year (FY) 2021 (October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021). The YAO periodically makes funding available for conducting activities for Threatened and Endangered (T&E) species and their habitats under Section 7(a)1 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act Program (FWCAP). Please see the map below for areas covered under this Notice Funding Opportunity Announcement (NOFO). The Department of the Interior (Department) has reorganized regions to be unified which became effective July 2019.

The mission 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.

Reclamation has a major responsibility, in partnership with water users, states, and other interested parties, to help improve water resource management and water use efficiency in the western United States.

More efficient water use is a key component of Reclamation's water resource management strategy. Working together with our stakeholders, FWCAP supports the Reclmation priorities, including:

• Increase water supplies, storage, and reliability under WIIN and other Authorities to benefit farms, families, businesses, and fish and wildlife

• Streamline regulatory processes and remove unnecessary burdens to provide more water and power supply reliability

• Leverage science and technology to improve water supply reliability to communities

• Address ongoing drought

• Improve the value of hydropower to reclamation Power customers

• Improve water supplies for tribal and rural communities

• Title transfer.

B. Federal Award Information

B1. Total Funding Estimate contingent upon final Congressional appropriations

Estimated Total Funding $ 60,000

B2. Expected Award Amount Maximum Award $ 60,000 Minimum Award $ 1

B3. Anticipated Award Funding and Dates Anticipated Award Date September 01, 2021 Anticipated Project Completion Date 09/01/2023

B4. Number of Awards Anticipated Number of Awards

B5. Type of Award Funding Instrument Type G - Grant

C. Eligibility Information

C1. Eligible Applicants Eligible Applicants 01 – County governments 02 – City or township governments 20 – Private institutions of higher education 23 – Small businesses 11 – Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) 12 – Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education 22 – For profit organization other than small businesses 07 – Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) 04 – Special district governments 06 – Public and State controlled institutions of higher education 00 – State governments

Additional Information on Eligibility Those not eligible include:

• Federal governmental entities

• Individuals.

C2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost Sharing / Matching Requirement No

Should applicant choose to provide any cost-sharing, it may be made through cash or in-kind contributions from the applicant or third party partners; however, all cost-share contributions must meet the criteria established in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) administrative and cost principles circulars applicable to the applicant.

Project costs that have been incurred prior to the date of award of the project may be submitted for consideration as an allowable portion of the recipient’s cost-share for the 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.

C2.1. Cost-Share Regulations If cost-share is included in the proposed budget, all cost-share contributions must meet the applicable administrative and cost principles criteria established in 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) § 200.306, available at www.ecfr.gov.

C2.2. Donations and In-Kind Contributions Donations and in-kind contributions constitute the value of noncash contributions that benefit a federally assisted project. If provided, 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 proposed 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 be relied on to satisfy the cost-share requirement for FWCAP Grant applications. Applicants should refer to 2 CFR §200.434 for regulations regarding the valuation of in-kind donations and contributions, available at www.ecfr.gov.

Funding Plan and Letters of Commitment - Describe how the non-Federal share of project costs will be obtained, if any. 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, if any non- Federal share is being proposed in the budget. Letters of commitment shall identify the following elements:

• The amount of funding commitment;

• The date the funds will be available to the applicant;

• Any time constraints on the availability of funds; and

• Any other contingencies associated with the funding commitment

Commitment letters from third party funding sources should be submitted with your project application, if applicable. If commitment letters are not available at the time of the application submission, please submit the commitment letters to Ms. Sharon Opfermann at the address provided below.

By mail: Bureau of Reclamation Acquisition and Assistance Management Office Attn: Ms. Sharon Opfermann, LC-105047 P.O. Box 61470 Boulder City, NV 89006-1470

If proposing cost-share, the funding plan must include all project costs, as follows:

• How you will make your contribution to the cost-share requirement, such as monetary and/or in-kind contributions and source funds contributed by the applicant (e.g., reserve account, tax revenue, and/or assessments).

http://www.ecfr.gov/

• Describe any in-kind costs incurred before the anticipated project start date that you seek to include as project costs. Include:

a. What project expenses have been incurred.

b. How they benefited the project.

c. The amount of the expense.

d. The date of cost incurrence.

• Provide the identity and amount of funding to be provided by funding partners, as well as the required letters of commitment.

• Describe any funding requested or received from other Federal partners.

• Describe any pending funding requests that have not yet been approved, and explain how the project will be affected if such funding is denied.

Please include the following chart (Table 1) to summarize your non-Federal and other Federal funding sources. Denote in-kind contributions with an asterisk (*).

Table 1 - Summary of non-Federal and Federal funding sources

Funding Sources Funding Amount

Non-Federal entities

Non-Federal subtotal:

Other Federal entities

Other Federal subtotal:

Requested Reclamation funding:

Total project funding:

C3. Other Projects that do not meet the requirements of the FWCAP are not eligible under this NOFO.

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

C4. Eligible Project Types Proposed projects should seek to include conservation and improvement programs, habitat conservation, and riparian restoration projects.

All proposals will be evaluated against the Evaluation Criteria stated in Section E – Application Review Information of this NOFO.

Projects to be considered should address one of the following task component areas:

• Wetland and riparian habitat restoration, enhancement, and protection;

• Tracking fish and wildlife movement, habitat monitoring, collection and analysis of invertebrates, genetics studies; or

• Surveying and monitoring of fish and wildlife.

Projects to be considered should consider:

• Demonstration of long-term studies of native riparian habitat restoration;

• Specific emphasis of plant genetic variation and its effect on community structure;

• Demonstrated skill in the propagation and long-term survival of LCR native riparian species.

D. Application and Submission Information

D1. Address to Request Application Package This NOFO 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 NOFO by contacting the following grants management specialist:

By mail: Bureau of Reclamation Acquisition and Assistance Management Office Attn: Sharon Opfermann, LC-10107 P. O. Box 61470 Boulder City, NV 89006

By e-mail: sopfermann@usbr.gov

By telephone: 702-293-8449 mailto:sopfermann@usbr.gov

D2. Content and Form of Application Submission

1. SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance

Applicants must submit the appropriate Standard Form (SF)-424, Application for Federal Assistance. The required application forms are available with this announcement on Grants.gov. The SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance must be complete, signed, and dated. Do not include any proprietary or personally identifiable information. Please note: Enter only the amount requested from this Federal program in the “Federal” funding box on the SF- 424 Application form. Include any other Federal sources of funding in the “Other” box and provide details on those Federal source(s) and funding amount(s) in the required Budget Narrative (see the “Budget Narrative” section below).

Any applicant organization that has not completed the financial assistance certifications and representations within their SAM.gov registration must submit the appropriate signed and dated Assurances form. All of the required application forms are available with this announcement on Grants.gov.

Project Narrative The technical proposal and evaluation criteria (15 pages maximum) includes: (1) the executive summary, (2) background data, (3) technical project description, (4) evaluation criteria, and

(5) performance measures. To assure accurate and complete scoring of your application, your proposal should address each subcriterion in the order presented here.

Executive Summary - The executive summary should include:

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

• A one-paragraph project summary that specifies the work proposed, including how project funds will be used to accomplish specific project activities and briefly identifies how the proposed project contributes to accomplishing the goals of this NOFO (see Section C4 - Eligible Project Types); and

• State the length of time and estimated completion date for the project.

Technical Project Description - The technical project description should include:

Task Area - On a separate line, on the first page of the Project Narrative, clearly identify which task area component will be addressed through the proposed activity/project. To assure your proposal receives the points it deserves, applicants are strongly encouraged to explain how your proposed project relates to the Evaluation Criteria outlined in Section E. DO NOT attempt to address ALL of the criteria. Applicants must select the ONE task area component that most directly applies to the proposed activity/project and must address the criteria for that ONE selected area component. If your project has aspects of more than one emphasis area, you must choose which one is the better fit or best describes the primary reason for the project.

Background - Briefly discuss the background and location of your organization. Identify the purpose and objective of the proposed project, and identify whether the project is a component of an approved conservation or management plan. Include a map showing the location of the proposed project.

Technical Work - Describe, in detail, the technical work to be carried out. Applicants should break out the proposed work into major tasks/milestones, and discuss the approach and evaluation techniques that will be used to accomplish the proposed work. This discussion should provide sufficient detail to permit a comprehensive evaluation of the proposal and its outcomes. If applicable, include engineering plans, designs, and analyses as part of the proposal. These plans and designs should be included as an Appendix of the proposal Multi-year applications should include such information for each year of the proposed activity.

Project Schedule - Provide the anticipated schedule for each milestone (see Table 2) by identifying the anticipated start and end dates of all major stages/tasks/milestones of the project proposal. Explain any variations from proposed start dates shown in Section E., under Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates. Multi-year applications should include such information for each year of the proposed activity.

Table 2. - Milestones

Milestone/Task/Activity Planned Start Date Planned Completion Date

Performance Measures - Describe the anticipated benefit(s) and “performance measures” for each proposed task. The “performance measures” refer to the means by which the applicant will quantify actual project benefits. Note - the performance measure(s) suggested in the proposal may be written into the award for future monitoring results. Estimates of expected project life should be included. Also, provide a detailed description of how the applicant will verify benefits achieved.

Applicants must submit the appropriate SF-424 Budget Information form and Budget Narrative. For non-construction programs or projects, applicants must complete and submit the SF-424A, “Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs” form. All of the required application forms are available with this announcement on Grants.gov. Federal award recipients and subrecipients are subject to Federal award cost principles in 2 CFR 200.

Detailed Budget Narrative The project budget shall include detailed information on the categories listed below and must clearly identify all project costs. Unit costs shall be provided for all budget items including the cost of work to be provided by contractors. Additionally, applicants shall include a narrative description of the items included in the project budget, including the value of in-kind contributions of goods and services provided to complete the proposed project. It is strongly advised that applicants use the budget proposal format shown below on Tables 3 and 4 or a similar format that provides this detailed information on the categories. If selected for award, successful applicants must submit detailed supporting documentation for all budgeted costs.

Table 3. Funding Source

Funding sources Percent of total project cost Total cost by source Recipient funding $ - $ - Reclamation funding $ - $ - Other Federal funding $ - $ - Totals 0% $ -

Table 4. - Sample Budget Format Please note: The format as outlined in this budget is an example; however, applicants are highly advised to use a similar format. You may use this format or submit the information in a different format which provides a detailed break-down of costs and need justification for budgets presented in the SF-424A; however, if you do, be sure you discuss all essential cost elements, estimated costs, and cost-share ratios for your project.

Contracts should be broken out into specific line items. You may attach a separate, detailed budget for each contract to adequately address all contractor budget items.

Budget Narrative

BUDGET ITEM

DESCRIPTION

COMPUTATION

$/Unit Quantity

Quantity Type

TOTAL

COST

Employee 1 $

Employee 2 $

Employee 3 $

Fringe Benefits

Full-Time Employees $

Part-Time Employees $

Travel

Trip 1 $

BUDGET ITEM

DESCRIPTION

COMPUTATION

$/Unit Quantity

Quantity Type

TOTAL

COST

Trip 2 $

Trip 3 $

Equipment

Item A $

Item B $

Item C $

Supplies and Materials

Item A $

Item B $

Contractual/Construction

Contractor A $

Contractor B $

Other

Other $

TOTAL DIRECT COSTS $

Indirect Costs

Type of rate percentage $base $

TOTAL ESTIMATED PROJECT COSTS $

Submission of a budget narrative is mandatory. An award will not be made to any applicant who fails to fully disclose this information. The budget narrative provides a discussion of, or explanation for, items included in the budget proposal. Include the value of in-kind contributions of goods and services and sources of funds provided to complete the proposed project. The types of information to describe in the narrative include, but are not limited to, those listed in the following subsections.

Salaries and Wages

Indicate program manager and other key personnel by name and title. Other personnel may be indicated by title alone. For all positions, indicate salaries and wages, estimated hours or percent of time, and rate of compensation proposed. The labor rates should identify the direct labor rate separate from the fringe rate or fringe cost for each category. All labor estimates, including any proposed subcontractors, shall be allocated to specific tasks as outlined in the recipient’s technical project description. Labor rates and proposed hours shall be displayed for each task.

Include estimated hours for compliance with reporting requirements, including final project and evaluation. Please see Section F3 – Reporting for information on types and frequency of reports required.

Clearly identify any proposed salary increases and the effective date.

Generally, salaries of administrative and/or clerical personnel will be included as a portion of the stated indirect costs. If these salaries can be adequately documented as direct costs, they should be included in this section; however, a justification should be included in the budget narrative.

Fringe Benefits

Indicate rates/amounts, what costs are included in this category, and the basis of the rate computations. Indicate whether these rates are used for application purposes only or whether they are fixed or provisional rates for billing purposes. Federally approved rate agreements are acceptable for compliance with this item.

Travel

Include purpose of trip, destination, number of persons traveling, length of stay, and all travel costs including airfare (basis for rate used), per diem, lodging, and miscellaneous travel expenses. For local travel, include mileage and rate of compensation.

Equipment

Itemize costs of all equipment having a value of over $5,000 and include information as to the need for this equipment, as well as how the equipment was priced if being purchased for the agreement. If equipment is being rented, specify the number of hours and the hourly rate. Local rental rates are only accepted for equipment actually being rented or leased for the project. If equipment currently owned by the applicant is proposed for use under the proposed project, and the cost to use that equipment is being included in the budget as in-kind cost-share, provide the rates and hours for each piece of equipment owned and budgeted. These should be ownership rates developed by the recipient for each piece of equipment. If these rates are not available, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers’ recommended equipment rates for the region are acceptable. Blue Book, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and other data bases should not be used.

Materials and Supplies

Itemize supplies by major category, unit price, quantity, and purpose, such as whether the items are needed for office use, research, or construction. Identify how these costs were estimated (e.g., quotes, past experience, engineering estimates, or other methodology).

Contractual

Identify all work that will be accomplished by subrecipients, consultants, or contractors, including a breakdown of all tasks to be completed, and a detailed budget estimate of time, rates, supplies, and materials that will be required for each task. If a subrecipient, consultant, or contractor is proposed and approved at time of award, no other approvals will be required. Any changes or additions will require a request for approval. Identify how the budgeted costs for subrecipients, consultants, or contractors were determined to be fair and reasonable.

Environmental and Regulatory Compliance Costs

Applicants must include a line item in their budget to cover environmental compliance costs. “Environmental compliance costs” refer to costs incurred by Reclamation or the recipient in complying with environmental regulations applicable to a FWCAP financial assistance agreement, including costs associated with any required documentation of environmental compliance, analyses, permits, or approvals. Applicable Federal environmental laws could include NEPA, ESA, NHPA, and the CWA, and other regulations depending on the project. Such costs may include, but are not limited to:

The cost incurred by Reclamation, the recipient, or a consultant to prepare any necessary environmental compliance documents or reports.

The cost incurred by Reclamation to determine the level of environmental compliance required for the project.

The cost incurred by Reclamation to review any environmental compliance documents prepared by a consultant.

The cost incurred by the recipient in acquiring any required approvals or permits, or in implementing any required mitigation measures.

The amount of the line item should be based on the actual expected environmental compliance costs for the project. However, the minimum amount budgeted for environmental compliance should be equal to at least 1 to 2 percent of the total project costs. If the amount budgeted is less than 1 to 2 percent of the total project costs, you must include a compelling explanation of why less than 1 to 2 percent was budgeted.

How environmental compliance activities will be performed (e.g., by Reclamation, the applicant, or a consultant) and how the environmental compliance funds will be spent, will be determined pursuant to subsequent agreement between Reclamation and the applicant. If any portion of the funds budgeted for environmental compliance is not required for compliance activities, such funds may be reallocated to the project, if appropriate.

Other Expenses

Any other expenses not included in the above categories shall be listed in this category, along with a description of the item and what it will be used for. No profit or fee will be allowed.

Total Costs

Indicate the total estimated amount of project costs, including the Federal and non-Federal cost-share amounts.

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

(a) Applicability.

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

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

(b) Notification.

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

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

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

(d) Review procedures. The Financial Assistance Officer will examine each conflict of interest disclosure on the basis of its particular facts and the nature of the proposed grant or cooperative agreement, and will determine whether a significant potential conflict exists and, if it does, develop an appropriate means for resolving it.

(e) Enforcement. Failure to resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the government may be cause for termination of the award. Failure to make required disclosures may result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR 200.338, Remedies for noncompliance, including suspension or debarment (see also 2 CFR part 180).

Single Audit Reporting Statement All U.S. states, local governments, federally recognized Indian tribal governments, and non-profit organizations expending $750,000 USD or more in Federal award funds in the applicant’s fiscal year must submit a Single Audit report for that year through the Federal Audit https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=1bfd0da1190f850482e94794cca23a5d&mc=true&node=20190830y1.1 https://harvester.census.gov/facides/Account/Login.aspx

Clearinghouse’s Internet Data Entry System. U.S. state, local government, federally recognized Indian tribal government, and non-profit applicants must state if your organization was or was not required to submit a Single Audit report for the most recently closed fiscal year. If your organization was required to submit a Single Audit report for the most recently closed fiscal year, provide the EIN associated with that report and state if it is available through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse website.

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

D3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Registration: This requirement does not apply to individuals applying for funds as individual (i.e., unrelated to any business or nonprofit organization you may own or operate) or any entity with an exception approved by the funding bureau or office in accordance with bureau or office policy. All other applicants are required to obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number from Dun & Bradstreet and then register in SAM.gov prior to submitting a Federal award application. Federal award recipients must continue to maintain an active SAM.gov registration with current information through the life of their Federal award(s). See the “Submission Requirements” section of this document below for more information on SAM.gov registration. We may not make a Federal award to an applicant that has not completed the SAM.gov registration. If an applicant selected for funding has not completed their SAM.gov registration by the time the program is ready to make an award, the program may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award. The program can use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant. There is no cost to register with Dun & Bradstreet or SAM.gov. There are third-party vendors who will charge a fee in exchange for registering entities with Dun & Bradstreet and SAM.gov; please be aware you can register and request help for free.

Obtain a DUNS Number

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

Register with the System for Award Management (SAM)

Register on the SAM.gov website. “Help” tab on the website contains User Guides and other information to assist you with registration. The Grants.gov Register with SAM page also provides detailed instructions. You can also contact the supporting Federal Service Desk for help registering in SAM. Once registered in SAM, entities must renew and revalidate their SAM registration at least once every 12 months from the date previously registered.

https://harvester.census.gov/facides/Account/Login.aspx https://harvester.census.gov/facdissem/Main.aspx https://harvester.census.gov/facdissem/Main.aspx http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=683823273fc0da6a1060883eda593fb8&mc=true&node=pt43.1.18&rgn=div5 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=683823273fc0da6a1060883eda593fb8&mc=true&node=pt43.1.18&rgn=div5 mailto:SAMHelp@dnb.com

Entities are strongly encouraged to revalidate their registration as often as needed to ensure their information is up to date and reflects changes that may have been to the entity’s DUNS or IRS information.

All applicants must be registered in SAM prior to award under this NOFO. Instructions for registering for SAM are located at https://www.sam.gov. 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 Deaprtment 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, 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.

D4. Submission Dates and Times Due Date for Applications 05/30/2021 Application Due Date Explanation Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 4:30 p.m., PDT on the listed application due date.

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

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

D6. Funding Restrictions Indirect Costs: Individuals Indirect Costs: Organizations https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM http://www.usbr.gov/mso/aamd/asap.html https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/management/office-federal-financial-management/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/management/office-federal-financial-management/

Indirect Costs

Show the proposed rate, cost base, and proposed amount for allowable indirect costs based on the applicable cost principles in 2 CFR Subpart E. It is not acceptable to simply incorporate indirect rates within other direct cost line items.

If the applicant has separate rates for recovery of labor overhead and general and administrative costs, each rate shall be shown. The applicant should propose rates for evaluation purposes, which will be used as fixed or ceiling rates in any resulting award. Include a copy of any federally approved indirect cost rate agreement. If a federally approved indirect rate agreement is not available, provide supporting documentation for the rate. This can include a recent recommendation by a qualified certified public accountant (CPA) along with support for the rate calculation.

If the applicant has never received a Federal negotiated indirect cost rate, the budget may include a de minimis rate of 10 percent of modified total direct costs. For further information on modified total direct costs, refer to 2 CFR §200 available at www.ecfr.gov.

If you do not have a federally approved indirect cost rate agreement and is proposing a rate greater than the de minimis 10 percent rate, include the computational basis for the indirect expense pool and corresponding allocation base for each rate. Information on “Preparing and Submitting Indirect Cost Proposals” is available from the Interior Business Center, and Indirect Cost Services, at https://www.doi.gov/ibc/services/finance/indirect-cost-services.

D7. Other Submission Requirements Applications must be submitted by one of the following methods:

Electronic Submittal to the following:

Grants.gov or GrantSolutions.gov

Hard Copy Submittal to the following address:

Bureau of Reclamation Acquisition and Assistance Management Office Attn: Sharon Opfermann, LC-10107 P.O. Box 61470 Boulder City, NV 89006 https://www.doi.gov/ibc/services/finance/indirect-cost-services

E. Application Review Information

E1. Criteria

Project - Maximum Points: 25 Proposed projects should seek to include conservation and improvement programs, habitat conservation, and riparian restoration projects.

• Projects to be consider should address one of the following task component areas:

• Wetland and riparian habitat restoration, enhancement, and protection;

• Tracking fish and wildlife movement, habitat monitoring, collection and analysis of invertebrates, genetics studies; or

• Surveying and monitoring of fish and wildlife

Projects to be considered should consider:

• Demonstration of long-term studies of native riparian habitat restoration;

• Specific emphasis of plant genetic variation and its effect on community structure;

• Demonstrated skill in the propagation and long-term survival of LCR native riparian species

Goals and Objectives - Maximum Points: 35 The extent to which the stated goals and objectives and methods are specific, measurable, appropriate and realistic to achieve within the time and budget proposed.

Personnel and Institutional Qualifications - Maximum Points: 15 Past experience to demonstrate capability and capacity of the principal investigator(s), staff, and laboratory, and their experience bringing similar projects to completion on time and within budget, especially over the past two years.

Demonstration - Maximum Points: 15 The proposal identifies how it will meet the FWCA Strategy's planning action.

Reclamation Priorities - Maximum Points: 10 May be awarded based on the extent that the proposal demonstrates how the project supports Reclamation’s priorities. Please address those priorities that are applicable to your project. It is not necessary to address priorities that are not applicable to your project. A project will not necessarily receive more points simply because multiple priorities are addressed. Points will be allocated based on the degree to which the project supports one or more of the priorities listed, and whether the connection to the priority(ies) is well supported in the proposal. The following are the Reclamation’s priorities:

1. Increase water supplies, storage, and reliability under WIIN and other Authorities to benefit farms, families, businesses, and fish and wildlife

2. Streamline regulatory processes and remove unnecessary burdens to provide more water and power supply reliability

3. Leverage science and technology to improve water supply reliability to communities

4. Address ongoing drought

5. Improve the value of hydropower to reclamation ower customers

6. Improve water supplies for tribal and rural communities

7. Title transfer

E2. Review and Selection Process Proposals will be evaluated and the recipient selected by Reclamation program office staff in the YAO. Reclamation reserves the right to reject any and all applications which do not meet the requirements of this NOFO or which are outside the scope of FWCAP Grants. Awards will be made for projects most advantageous to the Government. Award selection may be made to maintain balance among the program tasks listed in Section C - Eligible Projects. The evaluation process will be comprised of the steps described in the following subsections.

Initial Screening All applications will be screened to assure that:

• The applicant meets the eligibility requirements stated in this document;

• The application meets the requirements of the NOFO package, including submission of technical and budget proposals, a funding plan, and related forms that are prepared in accordance with the instructions stated in this document;

• The application contains properly executed application documents as outlined in Section D Application and Submission Information; and,

• The project can be accomplished within 24 months. For multi-year proposals, the project will accomplish measurable on-the-ground improvements annually.

Reclamation reserves the right to remove an application from funding consideration if it does not pass all Initial Screening criteria listed above. An applicant that has submitted an application that is determined to be ineligible for funding will be notified along with other applicants, or sooner if possible.

Application Review Committee (ARC) Review If the proposed activity/project meets the first level screening, then a review is conducted by the technical review committee. This evaluation committee is comprised of the Lower Colorado Basin FWCAP Program Manager and other technical specialists to document and rank proposals based on the evaluation criteria listed above in Criteria. Technical factors will comprise 100 points of the total evaluation weight. Individual technical factors, and significant sub-factors, are described in Criteria above, with their respective evaluation weights.

During the ARC review, Reclamation may contact applicants to request clarifications to the information provided, if necessary.

Managerial Review Management will prioritize projects to assure the total amount of all awards does not exceed available funding levels. Management will also assure that all projects meet the scope, priorities, and requirements of FWCAP. Management may also prioritize projects to assure that multiple project types are represented and that there are at least two grants funded in each area office. Area office locations can be found at http://www.usbr.gov/lc/area.html.

Pre-Award Clearances and Approvals After completion of the Managerial Review, Reclamation will notify applicants whose proposals have been selected for award consideration and will forward their applications to the appropriate Reclamation regional or area office for completion of environmental compliance.

Reclamation will also complete a business evaluation and responsibility determination. During these evaluations, the Grants Officer will also consider several factors that are important, but not quantified, such as:

• Pre-award clearances, determinations, reviews, and approval;

• Allowability, allocability and reasonableness of proposed costs;

• Financial strength and stability of the organization;

• Past performance, including satisfactory compliance with all terms and conditions of previous awards, such as environmental compliance issues, reporting requirements, proper procurement of supplies and services, and audit compliance; and/or

• Adequacy of personnel practices; procurement procedures (2 CFR §200.317-323); and accounting policies and procedures.

If the results of all pre-award reviews and clearances are satisfactory, an award of funding will usually be made within three months once the agreement is finalized after the initial selection. If the results of pre-award reviews and clearances are unsatisfactory, consideration of funding for the project may be withdrawn.

E3. CFR – Regulatory Information eCFR.gov reference CFR 200

E4. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates Reclamation expects to begin awarding financial assistance agreements to applicants who successfully pass all pre-award reviews and administrative requirements on or before June 1, 2021, with an anticipated award date on or around September 1, 2021.

F. Federal Award Administration Information http://www.usbr.gov/lc/area.html

F1. Federal Award Notices Successful applicants will receive, by electronic or regular mail, a notice of intent to award. This notification is not an authorization to begin performance of the project. An official Notice of Award is the authorizing document signed by the Grants Officer and the Recipient. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified that their proposal was not selected for award.

F2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements See the “DOI Standard Terms and Conditions” for the administrative and national policy requirements applicable to DOI awards.

Data Availability Per the Financial Assistance Interior Regulation (FAIR), 2 CFR §1402.315:

(a) All data, methodology, factual inputs, models, analyses, technical information, reports, conclusions, valuation products or other scientific assessments in any medium or form, including textual, numerical, graphic, cartographic, narrative, or audiovisual, resulting from a financial assistance agreement is available for use by the Department of the Interior, including being available in a manner that is sufficient for independent verification.

(b) The Federal Government has the right to:

(1) Obtain, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the data, methodology, factual inputs, models, analyses, technical information, reports, conclusions, or other scientific assessments, produced under a Federal award; and

(2) Authorize others to receive, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use such data, methodology, factual inputs, models, analyses, technical information, reports, conclusions, or other scientific assessments, for Federal purposes, including to allow for meaningful third-party evaluation.

Applicability The Department is committed to basing its decisions on the best available science and providing the American people with enough information to thoughtfully and substantively evaluate the data, methodology, and analysis used by the Department to inform its decisions.

Use of Data The regulations at 2 CFR 200.315 apply to data produced under a Federal award, including the provision that the Federal government has the right to obtain, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the data produced under a Federal award as well as authorize others to receive, reproduce, publish, or otherwise use such data for Federal purposes.

Availability of Data The recipient shall make the data produced under this award and any subaward(s) available to the Government for public release, consistent with applicable law, to allow meaningful third-https://www.doi.gov/grants/doi-standard-terms-and-conditions https://www.doi.gov/grants/doi-standard-terms-and-conditions https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=1bfd0da1190f850482e94794cca23a5d&mc=true&node=20190830y1.1 party evaluation and reproduction of the following:

· The scientific data relied upon;

· The analysis relied upon; and

· The methodology, including models, used to gather and analyze data.

F3. Reporting Financial Reports All recipients must use the SF-425, Federal Financial Report form for financial reporting. At a minimum, all recipients must submit a final financial report. Final reports are due no later than 90 calendar days after the award period of performance end date or termination date. For awards with periods of performance longer than 12 months, recipients are required to submit interim financial reports on the frequency established in the Notice of Award.

Form SF-425, Federal Financial Report, must be submitted at the frequency outlined in the Financial Assistance Agreement and with the final program performance report. The SF-425 can be found at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/post-award-reporting-forms.html#sortby=1.

Performance Reports Performance reports must contain a comparison of actual accomplishments with the established goals and objectives of the award; a description of reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate; and any other pertinent information relevant to the project results. Final reports are due no later than 90 calendar days after the award period of performance end date or termination date. For awards with periods of performance longer than 12 months, recipients are required to submit interim financial reports on the frequency established in the Notice of Award.

The specific terms and conditions pertaining to the reporting requirements will be included in the financial assistance agreement, per 2 CFR §200.328.

Interim quarterly/semi-annual/annual program performance reports, shall include, but are not limited to, the following information:

• A comparison of actual accomplishments with the objectives of the Federal award established for the period. Where the accomplishments of the Federal award can be quantified, a computation of the cost (for example, related to units of accomplishment) may be required if that information will be useful. Where performance trend data and analysis would be informative to the Federal awarding agency program, the Federal awarding agency should include this as a performance reporting requirement.

• The reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate.

• Additional pertinent information including, when appropriate, analysis and explanation of cost overruns or high unit costs.

Final program performance report, including, but not limited to, the following information (please note that final reports are public documents and may be made available on Reclamation’s website):

• Whether the project objectives and goals were met; and https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/post-award-reporting-forms.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/post-award-reporting-forms.html#sortby=1

• Photographs documenting the project are also appreciated.

Real Property Reports Recipients and subrecipients are required to submit status reports on the status of real property acquired under the award in which the Federal government retains an interest. The required frequency of these reports will depend on the anticipated length of the Federal interest period.