R23AS00079 SNOWFO_508_rev13MAR.pdf

U.S. Department of the Interior March 2023

Notice of Funding Opportunity No. R23AS00079

Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program FY 2023

Mission Statements The U.S. Department of the Interior protects and manages the Nation’s natural resources and cultural heritage; provides scientific and other information about those resources; honors its trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated Island Communities.

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

Cover Photo – Tennessee Creek near the confluence of the East Fork Arkansas River.

Synopsis

Federal Agency Name: Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Research and Development Office

Funding Opportunity Title: Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program

Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Funding Opportunity Number: R23AS00079

Assistance Listing: 15.078

Dates: (See NOFO SectionD.4) Application due date: May 12, 2023 4pm Mountain Daylight Time Eligible Applicants:(See NOFO SectionC.1)

Eligible applicants are Individuals/entrepreneurs, institutions of higher education, commercial or industrial organizations, private entities, state and local governmental entities, federally funded research and development centers, tribal governments and organizations, and non-profit organizations.

Recipient Cost Share: (See NOFO SectionC.2)

Cost share is not required, but strongly encouraged. Non-federal cost share is a Phase I evaluation criterion.

Federal Funding Amount: (See NOFO Section B.1)

Minimum Award: $300,000 Projects must request at minimum, $300,000 in Federal funds to be awarded to the applicant over a 36-month project period.

Maximum Award: $999,999 Up to $999,999 in Federal funds may be awarded to an applicant over a 36-month project period through this NOFO. The number of awards and the aggregate amount awarded will be based on the quality of the applications received and congressional funding available.

Estimated Number of Agreements to be Awarded:

(See NOFO SectionB.1)

Approximately 12 to 20 awards, depending on the amount requested by each applicant, quality of the applications received, and the amount of Federal funding available will be awarded under this NOFO.

Intergovernmental Review: (See NOFO SectionD.5)

This NOFO **is not** subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.” A list of states that have elected to participate in the intergovernmental review process is at https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SPOC-4-13-20.pdf.

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

What to submit Required content Page Mandatory Federal Forms:

SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance (Office of Management and Budget [OMB]) SF-424A: Budget Information - Non-Construction Programs (OMB) SF-424B: Assurances - Non-Construction Programs (OMB)

See Sec. D.2.2.1 10

Project Narrative Attachment Form (Technical Proposal and evaluation criteria)

See Sec. D.2.2.2 and E.1

Budget Narrative Attachment Form (Project Budget):

Budget proposal Funding plan Budget narrative

See Sec D.2.2.3 13

Recommended Application Components: Required content Page Environmental and cultural resources compliance See Sec. D.2.2.5 17 Required permits or approvals See Sec. D.2.2.6 18 Overlap or duplication of effort statement See Sec D.2.2.7 18 Conflict of interest disclosure statement See Sec D.2.2.8 19 Uniform audit reporting statement See Sec D.2.2.9 20 SF-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable)

(OMB)

See section D.2.2.10 20

Letters of support See Sec. D.2.2.11 20 Official Resolution See Sec. D.2.2.12 20 OMB Form 4040-0019: Project Abstract Summary (recommended)

See Sec D.2.2.13 21

To facilitate fair and timely reviews by the ARC, it is highly recommended that application packages be structured in the order identified above.

Applications will be screened for completeness and compliance with the provisions of this notice. Incomplete or noncompliant applications, or applications not meeting the formatting criteria or not including required materials will be eliminated from competition.

i

Acronyms and Abbreviations ASAP Automated Standard Application for Payments ARC Application Review Committee

CE Categorical Exclusion CEC Categorical Exclusion Checklist CFDA Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance CFR Code of Federal Regulations CWA Clean Water Act CWMP Cooperative Watershed Management Program

D&B Dun & Bradstreet Department U.S. Department of the Interior DUNS Data Universal Number System

EA Environmental Assessment EIN Employer Identification Number EIS Environmental Impact Statement E.O. Executive Order EPA Environmental Protection Agency ESA Endangered Species Act

FAPIIS Federal Award Performance Integrity Information System FOIA Freedom of Information Act FONSI Finding of No Significant Impact FY fiscal year

IBC Interior Business Center

MDT*/*MST Mountain Daylight*/Standard* Time

NEPA National Environmental Policy Act NHPA National Historic Preservation Act NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Notice of Funding Opportunity No. R23AS00079 ii

NOFO Notice of Funding Opportunity NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service OMB Office of Management and Budget

P.L. Public Law PSC Product Service Code

Reclamation Bureau of Reclamation

SAM System for Award Management SF Standard Form SPOC Single Point of Contact

UEI Unique Entity Identifier U.S.C. United States Code USACE United States Army Corp of Engineers USDA United States Department of Agriculture USFWS United States Fish and Wildlife Service USGS United States Geological Survey

West Western United States iii

Contents Page

Section A: Funding Opportunity Description A.1. Authority A.2. Background and Program Requirements A.3. Notice of Funding Opportunity Purpose and Objectives A.4. Other Funding Opportunities

Section B. Federal Award Information B.1. Total Funding B.2. Expected Award Amount B.3. Expected Award Funding and Anticipated Dates B.4. Number of Awards B.5. Type of Award B.6. Technical Assistance

Section C. Eligibility Information C.1. Eligible Applicants C.2. Ineligible Applicants C.3. Cost Sharing or Matching

C.3.1 Cost Share Funding Sources C.3.2 Third-Party In-Kind Contributions

C.4. Other C.5 Eligible Projects

C.5.1 Ineligible Projects C.5.2 Length of Projects

Section D. Application and Submission Information D.1. Address to Request Application Package D.2. Content and Form of Application Submission

D.2.1 Application Format and Length D.2.2 Application Content

D.3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) D.3.1 Register with the System for Award Management D.3.2 Obtain a UEU Number iv

D.3.3 Maintain an Active SAM Registration and UEI Number D.4. Submission Dates and Times

D.4.1 Application Delivery Instructions D.4.2 Instructions for Submission of Project Application

D.5. Intergovernmental Review D.6. Funding Restrictions

D.6.1 Environmental and Regulatory Compliance Costs D.6.2. Indirect Costs

Section E: Application Review Information E.1. Technical Proposal: Phase I Evaluation Criteria

E.1.1. Presentation: Phase II Evaluation Criteria E.2. Review and Selection Process

E.2.1 Initial Screening E.2.2 Application Review Committee E.2.3 Red Flag Review E.2.4 Managerial Review E.2.5. Pre-Award clearances and approvals

E.3. Federal Award Performance Integrity System E.4. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

Section F. Federal Award Administration Information F.1. Federal Award Notices F.2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

F.2.1. Automated Standard Application for Payments Registration F.2.2 Environmental and Cultural Resources Compliance F.2.3 Approvals and Permits F.2.4 Geospatial Data and Data Tools F.2.5 Real property, 2 CFR §200.311 F.2.6. Wage Rate Requirements (Davis-Bacon Act) (if applicable) F.2.7 Buy America Domestic Procurement Preference F.2.8. Cost Share/Match Waiver for Insular Areas

F.3. Reporting Requirements and Distribution F.3.1 Financial Reports F.3.2 Interim Performance Reports F.3.3 Final Performance Report

F.4. Disclosures F.5. Data Availability (2 CFR §1402.315)

F.5.1 Freedom of Information Act F.5.2 Releasing Applications

Section G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) G.1. Reclamation Financial Assistance Contact G.2. Reclamation Program Coordinator Contact

Section H. Other Information H.1. Environmental and Cultural Resource Considerations

H.1.1 National Environmental Policy Act H.1.2. National Historic Preservation Act

H.2. Endangered Species Act

Tables

Table Page

1 Summary of Non-Federal and Federal funding sources

2 Total project cost table v

Section A: Funding Opportunity Description

A.1. Authority This NOFO is issued under the authority of the Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program Authorization Act of 2020, P.L. 116-260, Sec. 1111 (e)(3).

A.2. Background and Program Requirements The United States Department of the Interior (Department), Bureau of Reclamation’s (Reclamation) Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program (Program) aims to improve the skill of water supply forecasts via enhancing snow monitoring through the deployment of emerging technologies to complement existing monitoring techniques and networks. This new program was authorized in December 2020 by P.L. 116-260, Sec. 1111, Snow Water Supply Forecasting Program Authorization Act. The program was authorized for FY 2022 - FY 2026.

Reservoir operations and related water management decisions rely on estimates of current and future water availability. These estimates depend on technologies to observe basin conditions such as snowpack. In many Western basins, snowpack and subsequent snowmelt runoff constitutes a significant portion of the annual water supply. Accordingly, monitoring snowpack is of great interest to water managers and water users alike. Traditionally, basin snowpack information is based on a sparse network of observing stations across large watersheds. These networks provide high quality information at station locations but extrapolating that information to an entire watershed is a challenge. This challenge, in large part, motivates the Program.

As such, the NOFO invites proposals from eligible applicants that are invested in and capable of demonstrating emerging or deploying existing snow monitoring technologies and/or use of snow monitoring data to enhance water supply forecast skill. Considering this and the Act’s emphasis on partner agency coordination, strong applications will have partnerships with water management and forecasting entities to facilitate transfer of knowledge, foster use of data in forecasts, and evaluate utility of information for informing water management decisions. This supports Department of the Interior priority of addressing the drought crisis by providing water managers the best available information to inform the management of this scarce and critical resource.

In Phase I, applicants submit technical proposals in the required format and length as specified in Section D.2.1. Application Format and Length as well as with the required content further detailed in Section D.2.2. Application Content. Submission to Phase I is required for Phase II consideration.

Reclamation’s application review committee (ARC) will select a set of highly qualified applications from Phase I to move to Phase II of the application process. Submission to Phase I is required for Phase II consideration. If the selected applicants are not present for Phase II, their proposals are automatically disqualified from proceeding further and will be ineligible for an award. Phase II will entail a 30-minute virtual (web meeting) project/proposal “pitch” presentation to a review panel, followed by 20 minutes of question and answer with the review panel. Those selected to advance to Phase II will be notified of the presentation requirements and logistics with a minimum 4 weeks’ notice.

A.3. Notice of Funding Opportunity Purpose and Objectives The objective of the NOFO is to enhance snow information and improve water supply forecasts used by water managers by deploying existing snow monitoring technologies in underserved areas, demonstrating or deploying emerging snow monitoring technologies (or enhancements to existing technologies) that can enhance the characterization of snow conditions, and by improving forecast use of snow information.

A.4. Other Funding Opportunities WaterSMART: Applied Science Grants - Through WaterSMART, Reclamation provides financial assistance on a competitive basis for Applied Science Grants. Through these grants, Reclamation provides funding to non-Federal entities for the development of tools and information to support water management for multiple uses. Eligible projects include the development of modeling and forecasting tools, hydrologic data platforms, and new data sets.

Section B. Federal Award Information

B.1. Total Funding It is expected that up to $11.75 million will be available for award through this funding opportunity.

B.2. Expected Award Amount Minimum Award: $300,000

Maximum Award: $999,999

Projects must request at minimum, $300,000 in Federal funds to be awarded to the applicant over a 36-month project period.

Up to $999,999 in Federal funds may be awarded to an applicant over a 36-month project period through this NOFO. The number of awards and the aggregate amount awarded will be based on the quality of the applications received and congressional funding available. At least $1,500,000 will be awarded to applicants with projects that will directly benefit a Bureau of Reclamation facility (see Section C.4.1). See Section C.2. Cost Sharing Requirements for cost share information.

B.3. Expected Award Funding and Anticipated Dates

Anticipated award date: August 21, 2023

Reclamation expects to contact potential award recipients and unsuccessful applicants in Spring of 2023.

Anticipated project completion date: August 21, 2026

B.4. Number of Awards Approximately 12 to 20 awards, depending on the amount requested by each applicant, quality of the applications received, and the amount of Federal funding available will be awarded under this NOFO.

B.5. Type of Award Project awards will be made through cooperative agreements. Under cooperative agreements, the successful applicant should expect Reclamation to have substantial involvement in the project:

Substantial involvement by Reclamation may include:

• Collaboration and participation with the recipient in managing the project and close oversight of the recipient’s activities to ensure that the program objectives are being achieved.

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

o Coordination of contributions made by team members from the different partners.

o Evaluation of successes/failures as each task is undertaken.

o Suggested changes to tasks to accomplish project goals.

o Review, input, and comments on draft and final research outcomes, including the final project report.

B.6. Technical Assistance At your request, Reclamation can provide technical assistance after award of the project. If you receive Reclamation’s assistance, you must account for these costs in your budget. To discuss available assistance and these costs, contact the program coordinator identified in Section G.

Agency Contacts.

Section C. Eligibility Information

C.1. Eligible Applicants Individuals/entrepreneurs, commercial or industrial organizations, Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Local (includes State-designated Indian Tribes, excludes institutions of higher education and hospitals, Public nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals, federally funded research, and development centers

In accordance with P.L. 116-260, Section 1111(e), paragraph (4), Program partners with whom the Secretary enters into cooperative agreements pursuant to paragraph (5) may include water districts, irrigation districts, water associations, universities, State agencies, other Federal agencies, private sector entities, non-governmental organizations, and other entities, as determined by the Secretary.

C.2. Ineligible Applicants Ineligible applicants include but are not limited to:

• US Federal Agencies

• Applicants outside of the United States

C.3. Cost Sharing or Matching Non-Federal cost share is not required but is strongly encouraged. Cost sharing may be made through direct cash contributions, third-party in-kind contributions, or combinations thereof. Cost share funding is an evaluation criterion; see Section E.1. Evaluation Criterion B—Non-Federal Cost Share. Note that cost share amounts will be verified for projects considered for funding. If the reported cost share cannot be verified, funding for the project may be subject to change or delay. As such, it is strongly recommended that reported cost share complies with requirements and regulations found in this section and its sub-sections.

Other sources of Federal funding may not be counted towards the required cost share. The exception to this requirement is where the Federal statute authorizing a program specifically provides that Federal funds made available for such program can be applied to matching or cost sharing requirements of other Federal programs, such as awards to tribal organizations under P.L. 93-638, as amended. If it is determined that the Federal funding cannot be applied towards the non-Federal cost share, the work associated with the funding may be removed from the proposed project or the Federal funding will be counted toward the Federal cost share for the project. Please identify any other Federal funding received for the Project.

See Section D.2.2.3. Project Budget for information on reporting cost share funding in your application. All cost-share contributions must meet the applicable administrative and cost principles criteria established in 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200.

C.3.1 Cost Share Funding Sources

Cost sharing may be made through direct cash contributions, third-party in-kind contributions, or combinations thereof. Cost share funding is an evaluation criterion; see Section E1 Evaluation Criterion B—Non-Federal Cost Share. Note that cost share amounts will be verified for projects considered for funding. If the reported cost share cannot be verified, funding for the project may be subject to change or delay. As such, it is strongly recommended that reported cost share complies with requirements and regulations found in this section and its sub-sections.

C.3.2 Third-Party In-Kind Contributions

Third-party in-kind contributions may be in the form of equipment, supplies, and other expendable property, as well as the value of services directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the proposed project. The cost or value of third-party 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 an award under this NOFO. Applicants should refer to 2 CFR §200.434 Contributions and donations for regulations regarding the valuation of third-party in-kind contributions, available at www.ecfr.gov.

C.4. Other Reclamation conducts a review of the SAM.gov Exclusions database for all applicant entities and their key project personnel prior to award and ineligibility condition apply to this Federal program. If entities or key project personnel are 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, Reclamation cannot award funds to them.

C.5 Eligible Projects Sections C.4. of the announcement will be reviewed by the Application Review Committee.

Eligible projects include the following or combinations thereof:

• Demonstrating and/or deploying emerging snow monitoring technologies

• Demonstrating and/or deploying improvements to existing snow monitoring technologies http://www.ecfr.gov/ https://sam.gov/content/exclusions https://sam.gov/content/exclusions

• Deploying existing snow monitoring technologies in underserved areas

• Improving the use of snow monitoring data to enhance the skill of water supply forecasts

Projects should be scoped to quantify benefits to water supply forecasts and water management, as compared to the status quo. Projects should also include plans to assess the long-term technical, practical, and economic feasibility of a technology, including how its use might be expanded/extended to other geographic areas. For the purpose of the NOFO, “emerging technologies” refers to technologies at Technology Readiness Level (TRL1) 6-8 and “existing technologies” refers to technologies at TRL 9.

This NOFO is not seeking to award duplicative projects. Duplicative efforts would include having multiple projects apply the same technology in the same river basin.

Applying a single technology in multiple river basins is not considered duplicative. At least $1,500,000 will be awarded to applicants with projects that will directly benefit a Reclamation facility. Projects with direct benefits will include applying one or a combination of the 4 bulleted elements above, in a river basin that directly drains to a Reclamation Project.

C.5.1 Ineligible Projects

Projects not eligible for funding under this NOFO include, but are not limited to:

• Projects developing new snow monitoring technologies (i.e., projects at or lower than

(TRL1) 5 are not eligible).

• Projects deploying snow monitoring technologies outside of the Reclamation 17-State domain (AZ, CA, CO, ID, KS, MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, WY)

• Projects unrelated to snow monitoring or the use of snow data in water supply forecasts

• Projects focused on improving water supply forecasts outside of the Reclamation 17-

State domain (AZ, CA, CO, ID, KS, MT, ND, NE, NM, NV, OK, OR, SD, TX, UT, WA, WY)

C.5.2 Length of Projects

Applicants can only request funding for work that is planned through September 2026.

1 https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/scan/engineering/technology/technology_readiness_level

Section D. Application and Submission Information

D.1. Address to Request Application Package This document contains all information, forms, and electronic addresses 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 emailing the Notice of Funding Opportunity Team staff at sha-dro-fafoa@usbr.gov.

D.2. Content and Form of Application Submission All applications must conform to the requirements described in this section. Two phases comprise the application process:

Phase I: A technical proposal is required to be submitted in the required format and length as specified in Section D.2.1 Application Format and Length as well as with the required content further detailed in Section D.2.2. Application Content.

Phase II: A set of highly qualified applications from Phase I will be selected by the application review committee (ARC) to move to Phase II of the application process. The criteria described in Section E.1 Technical Proposal: Phase I Evaluation Criteria will be used to make that determination. Phase II applicants are required to prepare a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation for an in-person pitch in front of the ARC at Reclamation’s Offices in Denver, Colorado. Phase II might be conducted virtually if needed—subject to travel restrictions and developments associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Presentations will be evaluated using the criteria described in Section E.2. Presentation: Phase II Evaluation Criteria.

D.2.1 Application Format and Length

The technical proposal and responses to evaluation criteria section of the application shall be limited to a maximum of eight consecutively numbered pages. If this section of the application exceeds eight pages, only the first eight pages will be evaluated. Other required application content will not count towards the page limitation. The font shall be at least 12 points in size and easily readable. Page size shall be 8½ by 11 inches, including charts, maps, and drawings.

Margins should be standard 1-inch margins. Oversized pages will not be accepted.

Applications will be prescreened for compliance to the page number limitation. Excess pages will be removed and not considered in the evaluation of the proposed project.

D.2.2 Application Content

The application must include the following elements to be considered complete:

Mandatory Federal Forms Note: Applications submitted by consultants must contain an SF-424 and SF-424B that is signed by an authorized representative of the entity applying.

These forms are available at www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html

Mandatory Application Components: Required content Page Mandatory Federal Forms:

• SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance (Office of Management and Budget [OMB])

• SF-424A: Budget Information - Non-Construction Programs

(OMB)

• SF-424B: Assurances - Non-Construction Programs (OMB)

See Sec. D.2.2.1 10

Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management See Sec. D.3 21

Project Narrative Attachment Form (Technical Proposal and evaluation criteria) See Sec. D.2.2.2 and E.1 10

Budget Narrative Attachment Form (Project Budget): See Sec D.2.2.3 13 Budget proposal Funding plan Budget narrative

Recommended Application Components: Required content Page Environmental and cultural resources compliance See Sec. D.2.2.5 17

Required permits or approvals See Sec. D.2.2.6 18

Overlap or duplication of effort statement See Sec D.2.2.7 18

Conflict of interest disclosure statement See Sec D.2.2.8 19

Uniform audit reporting statement See Sec D.2.2.9 19

SF-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable) (OMB) See section D.2.2.10 20

Letters of support See Sec. D.2.2.11 20

Official Resolution See Sec. D.2.2.12 20

OMB Form 4040-0019: Project Abstract Summary (recommended) See Sec D.2.2.13 20

Summary Slides See Sec D.2.2.14 21

To facilitate fair and timely reviews by the ARC, it is highly recommended that application packages be structured in the order identified above.

Applications will be screened for completeness and compliance with the provisions of this notice.

Incomplete or noncompliant applications, or applications not meeting the formatting criteria or not including required materials will be eliminated from competition.

D.2.2.1 Mandatory Federal Forms The application must include the following standard Federal forms for an application to be considered complete. Incomplete applications will be screened as ineligible and will not proceed to a merit evaluation by the Application Review Committee. Questions regarding forms should be referred to the Financial Assistance Point of Contact under Section G. Agency Contacts.

SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance A fully completed SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance signed by a person legally authorized to commit the applicant to performance of the project must be submitted with the application. The SF-424 must contain a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). See D.3 for additional information. Applications that fail to include an SF-424 with a valid UEI will be considered ineligible and will not pass initial screening.

Failure to submit a signed SF-424 with a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number will result in the elimination of the application from further consideration.

If you request more than $100,000 in Federal funding, you must certify that all statements in 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A-Certification Regarding Lobbying are true. The Authorized Official’s signature on the appropriate SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance form represents the entity’s certification of the statements in 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A.

SF-424A Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs A fully completed SF-424A Budget Information must be submitted with the application. Failure to submit a SF-424A will result in the elimination of the application from further consideration.

Failure to submit an SF-424A will result in the elimination of the application from further consideration.

SF-424B Assurances for Non-Construction Activities A SF-424B Assurances for Non-Construction Programs signed by a person legally authorized to commit the applicant to performance of the project shall be included.

Failure to submit a signed SF-424B will result in the elimination of the application from further consideration.

D.2.2.2 Technical Proposal Content Submission of a technical proposal is mandatory. Applications that fail to fully disclose this information will be considered ineligible and will not pass initial screening. The technical proposal and evaluation criteria (limited to eight pages) should include the following sections:

Title Page: Provide a brief, informative, and descriptive title for the proposed work that indicates the nature of the project. Include the name and address of the applicant, and the name and address, email address, and telephone of the project manager.

Table of Contents: List all major sections of the proposal in the table of contents.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html

Technical Proposal and Responses to Evaluation Criteria (limited to 8 pages):

Submission of a technical proposal is mandatory. Applications that fail to fully submit a technical proposal will be considered ineligible and will not pass initial screening. The technical proposal and evaluation criteria must be submitted, and it should (limited to 8 pages) include:

• Executive summary

• Project Location

• Motivation / Problem statement

• Prior work and results

• Technical approach and project activities

• Work plan and schedule (Gantt chart or similar)

• Quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) plan

• Responses to evaluation criteria

Executive Summary

• Include the date, applicant name, city, county, and state.

• In one paragraph, state the problem/motivation for the project and how the proposed work addresses it.

• In one paragraph, summarize the project. Specify the work proposed, including how funds will be used to accomplish specific project activities and briefly identify how the proposed project contributes to accomplishing the goals and objectives of this NOFO.

Also include information on how project impacts/benefits will be assessed and what expansion/extension of the work to other regions might entail.

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

• Identify the proposed project location(s) including any field sites.

Project Location Provide specific information on the geographic location of the area in which the watershed group will work including a map showing the geographic location. For example, {watershed area} is located in {state and county} approximately {distance} miles {direction, e.g., northeast} of {nearest town}. If applicable, identify Reclamation facilities in area. If you are selected for funding, Reclamation may request additional detail regarding your project location.

Motivation/Problem Statement Describe the motivation for the proposed project or the problem to be addressed by the proposed project, including why current approaches or technologies are insufficient and how the proposed approach or technology improves on current shortcomings. Include information on water management decisions or activities that aim to be improved by this work and how those benefits/improvements will be assessed/quantified. Describe how the proposed work aligns with one or more of the objectives shown in Section A.2. Objectives of this Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Prior work and results Describe previous work, technology development, and/or technology deployment that supports/substantiates the proposed project. Identify relevant experience of key project team members for the proposed work. Identify the current technology readiness level (TRL) of the proposed technology (using the TRL definitions in Section E.1.4. Evaluation Criterion D— Readiness Level).

Technical approach and project activities Describe the technical approach of the project. Include enough detail on the proposed technology or approach to permit a comprehensive evaluation of the proposal. The applicant should identify potential challenges that may be faced throughout the proposed project activities, and mitigation strategies for these challenges. Describe in detail the tasks to be conducted, including the development of the final technical report. For each task, describe planned activities and expected outcomes and milestones. Provide the location(s) of activities for each task. As applicable, the applicant may provide figures or diagrams to support the description the proposed project and activities.

Work Plan and Schedule Provide a work plan based on the technical approach and project activities. The work plan should include a schedule showing individual tasks with significant milestones identified for the work to be accomplished. Clearly and concisely convey this schedule using a table, Gantt chart, project network diagram, or any other visual format. Time for final report preparation should be included in the work plan. The final report will be posted publicly.

Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC) Plan Identify the proposed QA/QC protocols to be used throughout the project, including but not limited to data checks, peer review, instrument calibration, etc.

Responses to Evaluation Criteria (See Section E.1. Technical Proposal: Phase I Evaluation Criteria for additional details, including a detailed description of each criterion and points associated with each.)

The responses to evaluation criteria portion of your application should clearly describe how the proposed project addresses each criterion (in the order presented) to assist in the complete and accurate evaluation of your application. It is not necessary to repeat information provided in other sections of the proposal. Rather than repeating information, provide a reference to other sections of the proposal.

It is suggested that applicants copy and paste the evaluation criteria in Section E.1. Technical Proposal: Phase I Evaluation Criteria into their applications to ensure that all necessary information is adequately addressed.

D.2.2.3 Project Budget The project budget must be submitted, and it should include:

(1) Funding plan and letters of support

(2) Budget proposal

(3) Budget narrative

Please note that the costs for preparing and applying in response to this NOFO, including the development of data necessary to support the proposal, are not eligible Project costs under this NOFO, nor are they eligible for cost-share contributions, and must not be included in the Project budget.

Funding Plan and Letters of Commitment Describe how the non-Federal cost share of project will be obtained. Reclamation will use this information when making a determination of financial capability. Project funding provided by a source other than the applicant should be supported with letters of commitment from these additional sources and should 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

• Any other contingencies associated with the funding commitment

Commitment letters from third-party funding sources should be submitted with your project application. If commitment letters are not available at the time of the application submission, provide a timeline for submitting all commitment letters. Cost-share funding from sources outside the applicant’s organization (e.g., loans or State grants) should be secured and available to the applicant prior to award.

Reclamation will not make funds available for an award under this NOFO until the recipient has secured a non-Federal cost-share. Reclamation will execute a financial assistance agreement once non-Federal funding has been secured or Reclamation determines that there is enough evidence and likelihood that non-Federal funds will be available to the applicant after executing the agreement.

Note: Applicants are not required to have non-Federal cost-share funding secured for the entire Project at the time of award. Applicants must demonstrate sufficient evidence that non- Federal cost share for the initial Federal obligation will be available at the time of award and must describe a plan and schedule for securing the remaining non-Federal cost-share funding for the Project.

Please identify the sources of the non-Federal cost-share contributions for the Project, including:

• Any monetary contributions by the applicant towards the cost-share requirement and source of funds (e.g., reserve account, tax revenue, and/or assessments)

• Any costs that will be contributed by the applicant

• Any third-party in-kind costs (i.e., goods and services provided by a third party)

• Any cash requested or received from other non-Federal entities

• Any pending funding requests (i.e., grants or loans) that have not yet been approved and explain how the project will be affected if such funding is denied

In addition, please identify whether the budget proposal includes any project costs that have been or may be incurred prior to award. For each cost, describe:

• The project expenditure and amount

• The date of cost incurrence

• How the expenditure benefits the Project

Please include the following chart (Table 1) to summarize all funding sources. Denote in-kind contributions with an asterisk (*).

Budget Proposal Submission of a budget proposal is mandatory. The total project cost is the sum of all allowable items of costs, including all required cost sharing and voluntary committed cost sharing, including third-party contributions, that are necessary to complete the project. Please include the following chart (Table 1) to summarize all funding sources. Denote in-kind contributions with an asterisk (*). Unit costs must be provided for all budget items including the cost of services or other work to be provided by consultants and contractors. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review the procurement standards for Federal awards found at 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §200.317 through §200.326 before developing their budget proposal.

Failure to submit a budget proposal will result in the elimination of the application from further consideration.

Table 1. —Summary of Non-Federal and Federal funding sources

FUNDING SOURCES AMOUNT

Non-Federal Entities 1.

2.

3.

Non-Federal Subtotal

REQESTED RECLAMATION FUNDING

The budget proposal should include detailed information on the categories listed below and must clearly identify all items of cost, including those that will be contributed as non-Federal cost share by the applicant (required and voluntary), third-party in-kind contributions, and those that will be covered using the funding requested from Reclamation, and any requested pre-award costs (Table 2).

Table 2. —Total project cost table

SOURCE AMOUNT

Costs to be reimbursed with the requested Federal funding $

Costs to be paid by the applicant $

Value of third-party contributions $

TOTAL PROJECT COST $

Budget Narrative Submission of a budget narrative is mandatory. It is also strongly advised that applicants use the budget proposal format shown in Table 2 or a similar format that provides this information. If selected for award, successful applicants must submit detailed supporting documentation for all budgeted costs.

The budget narrative provides a discussion of, or explanation for, items included in Section B of the SF-424A. The types of information to describe in the narrative include, but are not limited to, those identified in the Budget Narrative Guidance attached to this NOFO. Applicants may elect to use the Budget Detail and Narrative spreadsheet for their budget narrative. Costs, including the valuation of third-party in-kind contributions, must comply with the applicable cost principles contained in 2 CFR Part §200, available at the Electronic CFR (www.ecfr.gov).

In addition, please identify whether the budget proposal includes any project costs that may be incurred prior to award. For each cost, describe:

• The project expenditure and amount

• The date of cost incurrence

• How the expenditure benefits the project

Failure to submit a budget narrative will result in the elimination of the application from further consideration.

D.2.2.4 Pre-Award Costs Incurrence of pre-award costs is not authorized without prior written approval of the awarding Grants Officer. Per 2 CFR 200.458, pre-award costs are those incurred prior to the effective date of the Federal award or subaward directly pursuant to the negotiation and in anticipation of the Federal award where such costs are necessary for efficient and timely performance of the scope of work.

If the proposed project is selected, the awarding Reclamation Grants Officer will review the proposed pre-award costs to determine if they are consistent with program objectives and are allowable in accordance with the authorizing legislation. Proposed pre-award costs must also be compliant with all applicable administrative and cost principles criteria established in 2 CFR Part 200 and all other requirements of this NOFO. In no case will costs incurred prior to a recipient’s notification of selection be considered for inclusion in the proposed project budget.

Please note that the costs for preparing and submitting an application in response to this NOFO, including the development of data necessary to support the proposal, are not eligible project costs under this NOFO and must not be included in the project budget.

In addition, please ensure that the budget proposal includes any project costs that may be incurred prior to award. For each cost, describe:

• The project expenditure and amount

• The date of cost incurrence

• How the expenditure benefits the project http://www.ecfr.gov/

D.2.2.5 Environmental and Cultural Resources Compliance To allow Reclamation to assess the probable environmental and cultural resources impacts and costs associated with each application, all applicants must respond to the following list of questions focusing on the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), and Endangered Species Act (ESA) requirements. Please answer the following questions to the best of your knowledge. If any question is not applicable to the Project, please explain why. The application should include the answers to:

• Will the proposed Project impact the surrounding environment (e.g., soil [dust], air, water [quality and quantity], animal habitat)? Please briefly describe all earth-disturbing work and any work that will affect the air, water, or animal habitat in the Project area. Please also explain the impacts of such work on the surrounding environment and any steps that could be taken to minimize the impacts.

• Are you aware of any species listed or proposed to be listed as a Federal threatened or endangered species, or designated critical habitat in the Project area? If so, would they be affected by any activities associated with the proposed Project?

• Are there wetlands or other surface waters inside the Project boundaries that potentially fall under Clean Water Act (CWA) jurisdiction as “Waters of the United States”? If so, please describe and estimate any impacts the proposed Project may have.

• When was the water delivery system constructed?

• Will the proposed Project result in any modification of or effects to, individual features of an irrigation system (e.g., headgates, canals, or flumes)? If so, state when those features were constructed and describe the nature and timing of any extensive alterations or modifications to those features completed previously.

• Are any buildings, structures, or features in the proposed Project area listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places? A cultural resources specialist at your local Reclamation office or the State Historic Preservation Office can assist in answering this question.

• Are there any known archeological sites in the proposed Project area?

• Will the proposed Project have a disproportionately high and adverse effect on low income or minority populations?

• Will the proposed Project limit access to and ceremonial use of Indian sacred sites or result in other impacts on tribal lands?

• Will the proposed Project contribute to the introduction, continued existence, or spread of noxious weeds or non-native invasive species known to occur in the area?

Note: if mitigation is required to lessen environmental impacts, the applicant may, at Reclamation’s discretion, be required to report on progress and completion of these commitments. Reclamation will coordinate with the applicant to establish reporting requirements and intervals accordingly.

Under no circumstances may an applicant begin any ground-disturbing activities (including grading, clearing, and other preliminary activities) on a Project before environmental compliance is complete and Reclamation explicitly authorizes work to proceed. This pertains to all components of the proposed Project, including those that are part of the applicant’s non- Federal cost-share. Reclamation will provide a successful applicant with information once environmental compliance is complete. An applicant that proceeds before environmental compliance is complete may risk forfeiting Reclamation funding under this NOFO.

D.2.2.6 Required Permits or Approvals You should state in the application whether any permits or approvals are required and explain the plan for obtaining such permits or approvals.

Note that improvements to Federal facilities that are implemented through any Project awarded funding through this NOFO must comply with additional requirements. The Federal government will continue to hold title to the Federal facility and any improvement that is integral to the existing operations of that facility. Please see P.L. 111-11, Section 9504(a)(3)(B). Reclamation may also require additional reviews and approvals prior to award to ensure that any necessary easements, land use authorizations, or special permits can be approved consistent with the requirements of 43 CFR §429, and that the development will not impact or impair project operations or efficiency.

D.2.2.7 Overlap or Duplication of Effort Statement Applicants should provide a statement that addresses if there is any overlap between the proposed project and any other active or anticipated proposals or projects in terms of activities, costs, or commitment of key personnel. If any overlap exists, applicants must provide a description of the overlap in their application for review.

Applicants must also state if the proposal submitted for consideration under this program does or does not in any way duplicate any proposal or project that has been or will be submitted for funding consideration to any other potential funding source—whether it be Federal or non- Federal. If such a circumstance exists, applicants must detail when the other duplicative proposal(s) were submitted, to whom (Agency name and Financial Assistance program), and when funding decisions are expected to be announced. If at any time a proposal is awarded funds that would be duplicative of the funding requested from Reclamation, applicants must notify the NOFO point of contact or the Program Coordinator immediately.

D.2.2.8 Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement Conflict of Interest Disclosure Per the Financial Assistance Interior Regulation (FAIR), 2 CFR §1402.112, you should state in your application if any actual or potential conflict of interest exists at the time of submission.

Applicability 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.

In the procurement of supplies, equipment, construction, and services by recipients and by sub recipients, the conflict-of-interest provisions in 2 CFR§200.318 apply.

Notification 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.

Recipients must establish internal controls that include, at a minimum, procedures to identify, disclose, and mitigate or eliminate identified conflicts of interest. The successful applicant 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.

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 §18 and 31 U.S.C §1352.

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.

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 §200.339, Remedies for noncompliance, including suspension or debarment (see also 2 CFR §180).

D.2.2.9 Uniform Audit Reporting…