R24AS00252 WCFSP FY24_Final v1_ 3-11-2024.pdf

U.S. Department of the Interior March 2024/ v.1

Notice of Funding Opportunity No. R24AS00252 Region 8: Lower Colorado Basin Region

Water Conservation Field Services Program Financial Assistance for Fiscal Year 2024

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.

i

Synopsis

Federal Agency Name U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, Region 8: Lower Colorado Basin Region

Notice of Funding Opportunity Title

Water Conservation Field Services Program Financial Assistance for Fiscal Year 2024

Announcement Type Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Notice of Funding Opportunity Number

R24AS00252

Assistance Listings No. 15.530

Application Due Date (See NOFO Sec. D.4)

This NOFO will have one application submission due date:

June 3, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (PDT)

The tentative selection and announcement timeframe will be approximately 60 days after closing date.

Eligible Applicants (See NOFO Sec. C.1)

States, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, or other organizations with water or power delivery authority located in the Lower Colorado Basin or Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Recipient Cost-Share (See NOFO Sec. C.2)

50 percent or more of total project cost is required for recipient cost-share.

Federal Funding Amount (See NOFO Sec. B.2)

Up to $100,000 per entity for fiscal year 2024. Multiple applications may be submitted for consideration;

however, no more than $100,000 will be awarded to any one entity in any given FY.

Estimated Number of Awards (See NOFO Sec. B.4)

Up to 12 awards may be considered depending on submittals and authorized budget.

Intergovernmental Review (See NOFO Sec. D.5)

An intergovernmental review may be required for applications submissions from a U.S. state or local government prior to submission. Applicants must contact their State’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to comply with the state’s process under Executive Order 12372.

ii

Application Checklist The following table contains a summary of the information that you are required to submit with your application using the Workspace platform in Grants.gov.

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 section D.2.1.1 p.14

Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) registration See section D.3 p.20

Technical Proposal (Use Project Narrative Attachment Form to upload in Grants.gov) See section D.2.1.2 p.14

Budget Narrative (Use Budget Narrative Attachment Form to upload in Grants.gov) See section D.2.1.3 p.16

Recommended Application Components Required Content Page

Environmental and cultural resources compliance See section D.2.1.4 p.17

Required permits or approvals See section D.2.1.5 p.17

Overlap or duplication of effort statement See section D.2.1.6 p.17

Conflict of interest disclosure statement See section D.2.1.7 p.17

Uniform audit reporting statement See section D.2.1.8 p.18

SF-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (required, if applicable) See section D.2.1.9 p.19

Letters of Support See section D.2.1.10 p.19 iii

Acronyms and Abbreviations

ARC Application Review Committee

ASAP Automated Standard Application for Payments

CFDA Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

CWA Clean Water Act

DOI U.S. Department of the Interior

ESA Endangered Species Act

FY Fiscal year (Federal FY is from October 1-September 30)

GIS Geographic Information System

LCB Lower Colorado Basin Region

NEPA National Environmental Policy Act

NHPA National Historic Preservation Act

NOFO Notice of Funding Opportunity

OM&R Operation, Maintenance and Repair

P.L. Public Law

PDT Pacific Daylight Time

PST Pacific Standard Time

Reclamation Bureau of Reclamation

RRA Reclamation Reform Act of 1982

SAM System for Award Management

SCADA Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition

SF Standard Form

SPOC Single Point of Contact

SOR System Optimization Review

SHPO State Historic Preservation Office

SWEP Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects

UEI Unique Entity Identifier

U.S.C. United States Code

U.S. United States

WCFSP Water Conservation Field Services Program iv

Contents

Section A. Funding Opportunity Description A.1 Authority A.2 Background and Program Requirements A.3 Purpose and Objectives A.4 Other Related Funding Opportunities Section B: 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 Cost-Sharing or Matching C.3 Other C.4 Eligible Projects C.5 Ineligible Projects Section D: Application and Submission Information D.1 Address to Request Application Package D.2 Content and Form of Application Submission D.3 System for Award Management (SAM) and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and D.4 Submission Date and Time D.5 Intergovernmental Review D.6 Funding Restrictions Section E: Application Review Information E.1 Evaluation Criteria E.2 Review and Selection Process E.3 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.3 Reporting Requirements and Distribution F.4 Disclosures F.5 Data Availability (2 CFR §1402.315) F.6 Freedom of Information Act Section G: Federal Awarding Agency Contacts G.1 Reclamation Financial Assistance Contact G.2 Reclamation Program Coordinator Contact Section H: Other Information H.1 Environmental and Cultural Resource Considerations H.2 Endangered Species Act v

Figure

Figure 1 - Area Map of Consideration for Lower Colorado Basin WCFSP NOFO FY24

Tables Table 1. Summary of Non-Federal and Federal Funding Sources Table 2. Task Area Components and Evaluation Criteria Point Distribution

Section A. Funding Opportunity Description

Section A. Funding Opportunity Description

A.1 Authority This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is issued under the authority of Section 9504(a) of the Secure Water Act, Subtitle F of Title IX of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, Public Law [P.L.] 111-11 (42 United States Code [U.S.C.] 10364).

1. AUTHORITY OF SECRETARY. —The Secretary may provide any grant to, or enter into, an agreement with any eligible applicant to assist the eligible applicant in planning, designing, or constructing any improvement:

A. to conserve water;

B. to increase water use efficiency;

C. to facilitate water markets;

D. to enhance water management, including increasing the use of renewable energy in the management and delivery of water;

E. to accelerate the adoption and use of advanced water treatment technologies to increase water supply;

F. to prevent the decline of species that the United States Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service have proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) (or candidate species that are being considered by those agencies for such listing but are not yet the subject of a proposed rule);

G. to accelerate the recovery of threatened species, endangered species, and designated critical habitats that are adversely affected by Federal reclamation projects or are subject to a recovery plan or conservation plan under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.) under which the Commissioner of Reclamation has implementation responsibilities; or

H. to carry out any other activity

i. to address any climate-related impact to the water supply of the United States that increases ecological resiliency to the impacts of climate change; or

ii. to prevent any water-related crisis or conflict at any watershed that has a nexus to a Federal reclamation project located in a service area.

A.2 Background and Program Requirements The Department of the Interior’s (DOI’s) WaterSMART (Sustain and Manage America’s Resources for Tomorrow) Program provides a framework for Federal leadership and assistance to stretch and secure water supplies for future generations in support of DOI priorities. Through WaterSMART, the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) leverages Federal and non-Federal funding to work cooperatively with states, tribes, and local entities as they plan for and implement actions to increase water supply reliability through investments in existing infrastructure and attention to local water conflicts.

Drought conditions across the Western United States (U.S.) impact a wide range of communities and sectors, including agriculture, cities, tribes, the environment, recreation, hydropower producers, and others. Reclamation established the Water Conservation Field Services Program (WCFSP) in 1996 to encourage beneficiaries of Federal water projects to conserve water, and to assist agricultural and urban water districts in preparing and implementing water conservation plans in accordance with the Reclamation Reform Act (RRA) of 1982. Through the WCFSP, Reclamation makes cost-shared financial assistance available for developing water conservation plans, identifying water management improvements through System Optimization Reviews (SORs), designing water management improvements, and improving the understanding of water conservation techniques through demonstration activities.

The WCFSP provides support for priorities identified in Presidential Executive Order (E.O.)

14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad and aligns with other priorities, such as those identified in E.O. 13985: Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. WaterSMART also supports Reclamation’s priorities to increase water reliability and resilience, support racial and economic equity, modernize infrastructure, and enhance water conservation, ecosystem, and climate resilience.

Through this NOFO, Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Basin Region (LCB) is requesting proposals to fund activities in support of the WCFSP within the LCB (see map on p.3), and within the State of Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

A.3 Purpose and Objectives This NOFO provides funding for the planning, prioritizing, demonstrating, and design of technology / projects that conserve and use water efficiently; mitigate risk in areas with a potential for future water conflict; and accomplish other benefits that contribute to water supply sustainability in the Western U.S.

Section A. Funding Opportunity Description

A.4 Other Related Funding Opportunities WaterSMART Small-Scale Water Efficiency Projects provides 50/50 cost-share funding to irrigation and water districts, tribes, states and other entities with water or power delivery authority for small water efficiency improvements that have been identified through previous planning efforts. Projects eligible for funding include installation of flow measurement or automation in a specific part of a water delivery system, lining of a section of a canal to address seepage, or other similar projects that are limited in scope.

WaterSMART Water and Energy Efficiency Grants provides 50/50 cost-share funding to irrigation and water districts, tribes, states and other entities with water or power delivery authority. Projects conserve and use water more efficiently; increase the production of hydropower; mitigate conflict risk in areas at a high risk for future water conflict; and accomplish other benefits that contribute to water supply reliability in the western United States. Projects are selected through a competitive process and the focus is on projects that can be completed within two or three years.

Figure 1 - Area of Consideration for Lower Colorado Basin WCFSP NOFO FY24

WaterSMART Environmental Water Resources Projects supports projects with environmental benefits and that have been developed as part of a collaborative process to help carry out an established strategy to increase the reliability of water resources.

WaterSMART Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Program provides cost-shared funding to states, tribes, and other entities to study, design and construct aquatic ecosystem restoration projects that are collaboratively developed, have widespread regional benefits, and result in the improvement of the health of fisheries, wildlife, and aquatic habitat.

WaterSMART Drought Contingency Planning provides financial assistance on a competitive basis for applicants to develop a drought contingency plan or to update an existing plan to meet the required elements described in the Drought Response Framework.

WaterSMART Drought Resiliency Projects provides funding for projects that will help communities prepare for and respond to drought. Typically, these types of projects are referred to as “mitigation actions” in a drought contingency plan.

Section B. Award Information

Section B: Award Information

B.1 Total Funding Approximately $700,000 is currently available for funding WCFSP grants in FY 2024. Funding available for awards under this NOFO will depend on the demand for funding under this and other components of the LCB WCFSP. Applications submitted under this NOFO may also be considered for additional funding should it become available in FY 2024 or thereafter.

B.2 Expected Award Amount Federal cost-share, for any project shall not exceed 50 percent of the total project costs. A maximum of $100,000 per entity per FY in federal funding may be allocated to proposals awarded funding under this NOFO. Multiple applications for funding may be submitted for consideration; however, no more than $100,000 per FY will be awarded to any one entity.

B.3 Expected Award Funding and Anticipated Dates Reclamation anticipates contacting potential award recipients and unsuccessful applicants within 30-60 days after closing date. The anticipated award and completion dates are as follows:

Application Submission Period closing date is June 3, 2024

Anticipated notification of successful/unsuccessful applicants: July 2024 Anticipated Award Date: September 2024 Anticipated Project Completion Date: December 2026

B.4 Number of Awards Up to a total of 12 awards, depending on the amount requested by each applicant and the amount of Federal funding made available.

B.5 Type of Award Project awards will be made through grants or cooperative agreements as applicable to each project. If a cooperative agreement is awarded, the recipient should expect Reclamation to have substantial involvement in the project. Substantial involvement may include but is not limited to:

Collaboration and participation with the recipient in the management of 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.

B.6 Technical Assistance By request, Reclamation can provide technical assistance after award of the project. If you plan to receive Reclamation’s assistance, you must account for these costs in your budget. Technical assistance should be discussed with appropriate Reclamation staff prior to applying, and this communication should be noted in your application.

Section C. Eligibility Information

Section C: Eligibility Information

C.1 Eligible Applicants Applicants eligible to receive an award under P.L. 111-11, Sec. 9502 to fund activities include:

States Indian tribes Irrigation districts Water districts Other organizations with water or power delivery authority

In addition, applicants must be located within the LCB or the State of Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Please see the location map in Section A.1 of this NOFO.

Those not eligible to receive an award include, but are not limited to, the following entities:

Federal governmental entities Institutions of higher education Individuals 501(c)(6) organizations

C.2 Cost-Sharing or Matching Applicants must be capable of cost-sharing 50 percent or more of the total project costs. Cost-sharing may be made through cash or in-kind contributions or donations from the applicant or third-party partners. 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.

Please see Section D.2.1.12. Letters of Funding Commitment for more information regarding the documentation required to verify commitments to meet cost-sharing requirements.

C.2.1 Cost-Share Regulations All cost-share contributions must meet the applicable administrative and cost principles criteria established in 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200, available at www.ecfr.gov.

C.2.2 Third-Party In-Kind Contributions Donations and in-kind contributions constitute the value of non-cash contributions that benefit a Federally assisted project. These contributions may be in the form of real property, equipment, supplies, and other expendable property, as well as the value of goods and services (e.g., qualified volunteer labor) directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the project or program.

The cost or value of donations and 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 used to satisfy the cost-share requirement for an award under this NOFO. 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.

Applicants should refer to 2 CFR §200.434 for regulations regarding the valuation of in-kind donations and contributions, available at www.ecfr.gov.

C.3 Other

C.3.1 Multiple Applications Multiple applications for funding may be submitted for consideration under this funding opportunity, provided that the project scopes are not duplicative. In general, if an applicant is seeking funding for multiple project components, and the components are interrelated or closely related (e.g., projects that are physically and geographically linked), the applicant should combine these in one application. However, if the projects are only loosely related, an applicant should submit them as separate applications.

C.3.2 Excluded Parties Reclamation conducts a review of the SAM.gov Exclusions database for all applicant entities and their key personnel prior to award for this Federal program. If entities or key 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.4 Eligible Projects All proposals will be evaluated against the Evaluation Criteria stated in Section E of this NOFO. Projects to be considered should address one of the following criteria:

Water management and conservation planning provide entities an opportunity to document data on current water supply and demand, prepare a forecast for future water demands, identify water conservation goals, and determine conservation measures (e.g., cost/pricing of water, water accounting, landscape efficiency, information and education, water use regulation, etc.). This component involves developing a written water management and/or conservation plan.

In accordance with the RRA, water conservation plans are required for entities having a Colorado River water delivery contract with the U.S. within the LCB. The water conservation plan may be modeled after plans described in the Reclamation publications Achieving Efficient Water Management: A Guidebook for Preparing Municipal Water Conservation Plans, and Achieving Efficient Water Management: A Guidebook for Preparing Agricultural Water Conservation Plans, both available at www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g4000/conservation/manuals.html. The proposed planning activity/project should address at least one or more of the planning tasks discussed in these publications and provide a description of how the environmental compliance questions in Section H1 will be incorporated within the plan.

Please note: Priority is preferentially given to an entity having a water delivery contract in the LCB that is required to develop a water conservation plan. For an applicant existing as a sub-agency under or receiving Colorado River water from a Reclamation water contractor (e.g., The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Southern Nevada Water Authority, etc.), the applicant should explain its link to the Reclamation water contractor and its system to receive the maximum number of points for this section.

System Optimization Review (SOR) is a review of the applicant’s water delivery system and its processes. The SOR assesses the potential for water management improvements and identifies a plan of action containing recommendations for implementing specific improvements (e.g., SCADA and other automation to reduce specific issues such as spills, over-deliveries, and seepage) that have the potential to enhance water management.

The review may include an analysis of an entire water delivery system, district, watershed, or a portion thereof. SORs are intended to be a broad overview of system-wide efficiency and are not focused entirely on single project-specific planning (e.g., an irrigation district evaluating its delivery system or a municipality or utility performing a system-wide water audit).

SOR activities include:

Assemble information (e.g., surveys, data searches, literature reviews, site visits).

Identify, describe, and prioritize water management issues.

Establish goals.

Identify, evaluate, and prioritize potential improvement projects with the aim to mitigate the identified deficiencies and accomplish targeted goals.

o The evaluation of improvement projects could consider water management benefits associated with the improvement, and anticipated construction and operating costs (as applicable), as well as environmental, regulatory, cultural, and economic impacts.

o An effort to better quantify the associated benefits of the proposed improvement projects and eligible subtasks (e.g., soil infiltration tests, required monitoring activities).

o A description of how the environmental compliance questions in Section H1 will be incorporated within the plan.

If the applicant’s previous planning efforts have addressed one or more of the components above, the applicant could seek funding for the remaining components for a complete system analysis. A SOR final report will serve as the final product of the SOR that summarizes the analysis performed.

Designing Water Management Improvements are often the next step upon completion of water management and conservation plans or a SOR. This NOFO provides funding for the design of previously identified water management improvement projects such as pipelines, canal lining, water measurement structures, or other improvement projects that enhance water management, and includes necessary preliminary tasks needed to prepare a design such as surveying and acquiring pertinent site-specific information (e.g., hydraulic head available at site, soil testing, groundwater level). Eligible subtasks under this activity also include peer-review for the design, cost estimate preparation including cost scoping for regulatory compliance activities (e.g., environmental, cultural), and identification of necessary regulatory requirements (i.e., permits).

Examples of eligible design activities include, but are not limited to:

Conversion of an open conveyance system (e.g., canal) to a closed conveyance system (e.g., pipeline) resulting in conserved water (i.e., reduced evaporation).

Lining of a canal with proven materials or technology resulting in conserved water (i.e., reduced/eliminating seepage).

Weirs, flumes, ramps, and other irrigation flow measurement devices in an open channel.

Control structures for an irrigation system (e.g., check, drop, or diversion structures).

Installation of meters within a distribution system resulting in improved water management (i.e., leakage quantification).

System implementation of SCADA and automation components that result in improved water management (i.e., reduced spills, over-deliveries, and/or seepage).

Irrigation system regulating reservoirs resulting in improved management of water supply (i.e., reduced spills, more flexibility in water delivery operations, excess water interception at end of system).

Aquifer storage recovery ponds.

Water storage ponds.

Land/title acquisition and environmental/cultural resources compliance work are not eligible under this activity.

Demonstrating Conservation Project Technologies are activities that include the installation or application of a particular technology in an innovative way, or in a unique setting, with the intent of sharing the results with others for possible adoption. The activity should demonstrate innovative technologies in water conservation that increase technical understanding of unfamiliar water management and practices that have not been previously used within the entity’s area. Additionally, the development of a demonstration of pilot project can help in determining whether it would be cost effective to pursue use of the technology on a larger scale.

The proposed activity/project should not only publicly demonstrate a new or unfamiliar practice; it should also include a process for public outreach or informing interested individuals and organizations about the demonstration’s outcome. To qualify as a demonstration project, the applicant must not have conducted any portion of the proposed project or used the technology in the past or plan to conduct a large portion/phase of the project as a demonstration project. For projects that have been tested in the past but warrant further evaluation prior to full-scale implementation, Small- Scale Water Efficiency Projects (SWEP) grants may be an appropriate funding program for that type of project (see posted SWEP NOFO at www.grants.gov).

For all projects, the duration from start to completion is generally two years. Therefore, applicants should propose activities/projects that can be completed within 2 years from of the estimated project start date. Any proposal extending a project’s completion date beyond 2 years must provide an explanation as to why the additional time is required.

Note: Reclamation fully recognizes that education is an important part of any water conservation program; however, absolutely no education activities shall be funded through this grant program until such time as clear authority from Reclamation is established for education grants. Please ensure education activities are not included in the proposal.

However, outreach meetings to distribute demonstration findings or provide details to customers about the program rules and guidelines are considered appropriate.

C.5 Ineligible Projects Proposals for the development of planning studies are not eligible for funding under this NOFO.

This includes proposals for the development of appraisal investigations, feasibility studies, special studies, drought contingency plans, Basin Studies, or studies authorized under the Title XVI Water Recycling and Reuse Program, through P.L.102-575, as amended (43 U.S.C. 390h et.

seq.), or under the Rural Water Program, pursuant to the Rural Water Supply Act of 2006, P.L.109-451. Proposals for on-the-ground construction activities are also ineligible for funding under this NOFO, other than proposals for Demonstration Projects.

Projects that are considered normal operations, maintenance, and replacement (OM&R) are not eligible under any WaterSMART Program, including this NOFO. OM&R is described as system improvements that replace or repair existing infrastructure or function without providing increased efficiency or effectiveness of water distribution over the expected life of the improvement.

Examples of ineligible OM&R projects include:

Replacing malfunctioning components of an existing facility with the same components.

Improving an existing facility to operate as originally designed.

Performing an activity on a recurring basis, even if that period is extended (e.g., 10-year interval).

Sealing expansion joints of concrete lining because the original sealer or the water stops have failed.

Sealing cracks in canals and/or pipes, including those sealant projects intending to improve facilities with inherent design and construction flaws.

Replacing broken meters with new meters of the same type.

Replacing leaky pipes with new pipes of the same type.

Applicants are encouraged to contact the Program Coordinator listed in Section G: Federal Awarding Agency Contacts prior to the application deadline for further information.

Section D. Application and Submission Information

Section D: Application and Submission Information

D.1 Address to Request Application Package This document contains all the information, forms, and electronic addresses required to submit an application. If you are unable to access the electronic application forms in Grants.gov, you can request them by emailing Chandrika Nasstrom, Grants Management Specialist, at cnasstrom@usbr.gov.

D.2 Content and Form of Application Submission All applications must conform to the requirements described in this section.

D.2.1 Application Format and Length Use the application checklist (page ii) and the following list to ensure the application is complete and properly formatted:

All pages must be consecutively numbered, including tables, appendices, and exhibits.

The font used should be easy to read and at least 11 points.

The Technical Proposal shall be limited to no more than 15, one-sided, single-spaced, 8½ by 11-inch pages. Oversized pages will not be accepted.

Federal forms (application for Federal Assistance SF-424 [use as the cover page], Budget Non-construction SF-424A, Assurances Non-construction SF-424B, and if applicable, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities SF-LLL), blank pages, title page, blueprints, appendices, environmental compliance documentation, budget narrative, funding plans, and table of contents pages do not count towards the 15-page limit.

Do not include a cover letter, organization literature, and/or brochures, nor place the proposal in binder or between plastic covers.

All applications will be prescreened for compliance with the page number limitations. If the Technical Proposal exceeds 15 pages, only the first 15 pages will be evaluated.

D.2.1.1 Mandatory Federal Forms The application must include the following standard Federal forms. Questions regarding forms should be referred to the Financial Assistance Point of Contact under Section G.1 Reclamation Financial Assistance Contact.

Note: Applications submitted by consultants must contain an SF-424 and SF-424B that is manually signed by an authorized representative of the entity applying. These forms are available at www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html

SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance A fully completed SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance form signed by a person legally authorized to commit the applicant to performance of the project must be submitted with the application. Applications that fail to include a SF-424 by the submission deadline will be considered ineligible and will not pass initial screening.

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

SF-424A: Budget Information Form A fully completed SF-424A Budget Information – Non-construction Programs is required whether a project involves construction costs or not. Failure to submit an SF-424A will result in the elimination of the application from further consideration.

SF-424B: Assurances Form A fully completed SF-424B Assurances – Non-construction Programs signed by a person legally authorized to commit the applicant to performance of the project must be submitted with the application.

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

D.2.1.2 Technical Proposal Submission of a technical proposal (limited to 15 pages) is mandatory and must be received by the application deadline.

While an application will not be removed from consideration if the technical proposal does not address each of the following, it is highly recommended that applicants address each component listed below to ensure that your proposal is competitive.

D.2.1.2.1 Title Page

Provide a succinct, informative, and descriptive title for the proposed work indicating the nature of the project. Include the applicant’s name and address, as well as the name, address, e-mail address, and telephone number of the project manager. Clearly identify the funding category for the project (i.e., Management / Conservation Plans Development, SOR, Design, or Demonstration Project). This page does not count toward the 15-page limit.

D.2.1.2.2 Table of Contents List all major sections of the proposal in the table of contents. This page does not count toward the 15-page limit.

D.2.1.2.3 Executive Summary The executive summary should include:

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

A one-paragraph project summary that provides the location of the project, a brief description of the work that will be carried out including the specific work for which funding is being requested in this application, any partners involved, concerns in your project area and how this project is expected to help alleviate impacts of those conditions, and identification of any planning documents that support the project. This information will be used to create a summary of your project for our website if the project is selected for funding.

State the length of time and estimated completion date for the proposed project (month/year).

Whether or not the proposed project is located on a Federal facility or will involve Federal land.

D.2.1.2.4 Project Location Provide specific information on the geographic location of the proposed planning area (e.g., watershed, basin, county) or location of the project being designed, including a map showing the geographic location. For example, [project name] is located in [county and state] approximately [distance] miles [direction, e.g., northeast] of [nearest town]. The project latitude is {##°##’N} and longitude is {###°##’W}.

D.2.1.2.5 Project Description

On a separate line, on the first page of the Technical Proposal, clearly identify which Task Area Component (see Section E.1-. Table 2. Task Area Components and Evaluation Criteria Point Distribution) will be addressed through the proposed activity/project. To ensure the proposal receives the points it merits, applicants are strongly encouraged to explain how the proposed project relates to the Evaluation Criteria outlined in Section E.

Do not attempt to address all the criteria. Applicants must select one Task Area Component that most directly applies to the proposed activity/project and address the criteria for that single component. If a project has aspects of more than one area of emphasis, choose the one that best describes the primary purpose of the project.

Briefly discuss the background and location of the applicant’s organization. Identify the 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 precise location of the proposed project.

Succinctly describe the technical work to be performed. Applicants should divide the proposed work into major tasks/milestones and discuss the approach and evaluation techniques that will be used to accomplish the work. This discussion should provide sufficient detail to permit a comprehensive evaluation of the proposal and its outcomes. Include engineering plans, designs, and analyses as appendices, as applicable. (Appendices do not count toward the application’s 15-page limit.) Multi-year applications should include such information for each year of the proposed activity.

D.2.1.2.6 Evaluation Criteria

Section E.1. Evaluation Criteria provides a detailed description of each criterion and sub-criterion and points associated with each. The evaluation criteria portion of your application should thoroughly address each criterion and sub-criterion in the order presented to assist in the complete and accurate evaluation of your proposal.

Copying and pasting the evaluation criteria and sub-criteria in Section E.1 Evaluation Criteria into your applications is suggested to ensure that all necessary information is adequately addressed.

D.2.1.3 Project Budget 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 (*).

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

Submission of a budget narrative is mandatory. The budget narrative provides detailed information on the items included in the budget Object Class Categories on the SF-424A. The budget narrative must clearly identify all items of cost (total estimated project 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. The types of information to describe in the narrative may include, but are not limited to, those identified in the Budget Narrative Guidance attached to this NOFO (Attachment B). Applicants may elect to use the

FUNDING SOURCES AMOUNT

Non-Federal Entities

1. $

2. $

3. $

Non-Federal Subtotal $

REQUESTED RECLAMATION FUNDING $

Budget Detail and Narrative spreadsheet (Attachment A to this NOFO) for their budget narrative.

Costs, including the valuation of third-party in-kind contributions, but must comply with the applicable cost principles contained in 2 CFR Part 200, available at the electronic CFR (www.ecfr.gov).

Please note: The “Budget Narrative Attachment Form” in Grants.gov, is the name of the link to be used to upload the budget proposal (either a budget narrative in word format or the excel budget narrative detail spreadsheet).

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

D.2.1.4 Environmental and Cultural Resources Compliance You should answer the questions from Section H.1. Environmental and Cultural Resource Considerations in this section.

D.2.1.5 Required Permits or Approvals You should state in the application whether any permits or approvals are necessary 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. 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 Section 429 and that the development will not impact or impair project operations or efficiency.

D.2.1.6 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 should 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.2.1.7 Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement Per 2 CFR §1402.112, “Financial Assistance Interior Regulation” applicants should state in the application if any actual or potential conflict of interest exists at the time of submission.

Submission of a conflict-of-interest disclosure or certification statement is mandatory prior to issue of an award.

D.2.1.7.1 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.

D.2.1.7.2 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 sub recipients.

D.2.1.7.3 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 USC §1352.

D.2.1.7.4 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.

D.2.1.7.5 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.2.1.8 Uniform 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 Clearinghouse’s Internet Data Entry System. U.S. state, local government, federally recognized Indian Tribal governments, 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 Employer Identification Number (EIN) associated with that report and state if it is available through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse website.

D.2.1.9 SF-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if Applicable) If applicable, a fully completed and signed SF-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities form is required if the applicant has made or agreed to make payment to any lobbying entity for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with a covered Federal action. This form cannot be submitted by a contractor or other entity on behalf of an applicant.

D.2.1.10 Letters of Support You should include any letters from interested stakeholders supporting the proposed project. To ensure your proposal is accurately reviewed, please attach all letters of support as an appendix.

Letters of support received after the application deadline for this NOFO will not be considered in evaluating your proposed project.

D.2.1.11 Official Resolution If selected, the applicant must provide prior to award an official resolution adopted by your organization’s board of directors or governing body, or, for state government entities, an official authorized to commit the applicant to the financial and legal obligations associated with receipt of a financial assistance award under this NOFO, verifying:

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

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

That your organization will work with Reclamation to meet established deadlines for entering into a grant or cooperative agreement.

An official resolution meeting the requirements set forth above is mandatory before an award of funding will be made.

D.2.1.12 Letters of Funding Commitment If a project is selected for award under this funding opportunity and cost-share funding is anticipated to be provided by a source other than the applicant, the third-party cost-share must be supported with letters of commitment prior to award. Letters of commitment 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

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 execute a financial assistance agreement until 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.

D.2.2 Financial Capability Determination If selected, and if applicable, applicants must provide information to complete a Financial Capability Determination prior to Reclamation releasing Federal funding for construction activities. The project sponsor must demonstrate that it is financially capable of funding the non- Federal portion of project construction costs and all necessary project operation, maintenance, and replacement costs, pursuant to Reclamation’s Directives and Standards WTR-11-02, Title XVI Financial Capability Determination Process.

D.3 System for Award Management (SAM) and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and

Each applicant (unless the applicant is an individual or Federal awarding agency that is excepted from those requirements under 2 CFR 25.110 (b) or (c), or has an exception approved by the Federal awarding agency under 2 CFR 25.110 (d)) is required to:

Be registered in SAM before submitting an application. Instructions for registering are available at sam.gov/content/home.

Provide a valid UEI in its application.

Maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or plan under consideration by a Federal award agency.

Meeting the requirements set forth above is mandatory.

D.3.1 Register with the System for Award Management Each applicant must be registered in SAM before submitting its application. Register on the SAM.gov website. The “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.gov, entities must renew and revalidate their SAM.gov registration at least once every 12 months from the date previously registered. 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 made to the entity’s Internal Revenue Service information.

See Section D.4.2.1. “Application Submission Requirements” of this document below for more information on SAM.gov registration.

There is no cost to register with SAM.gov. There are third-party vendors who will charge a fee in exchange for registering entities with SAM.gov; please be aware you can register and request help for free.

NOTE: An organization’s SAM.gov registration process may take several weeks to complete, so please allow sufficient time to ensure applications are submitted before the closing date.

Applicants that do not have an active SAM registration or a UEI will not be able to submit an application.

D.3.2 Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier You are required to register in SAM.gov and obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)…