RCPP-Additional Proposal Guidance combined doc 091614.docx

RCPP Supplementary Guidance Document No. 1 DRAFT 2.6

U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service Commodity Credit Corporation Financial Assistance Programs Division Programs Deputy Area

Supplementary Guidance Document No. 1 for Announcement No. USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPP for Fiscal Years 2014/2015

Date Issued: September 2014

CFDA Number: 10.932

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Purpose

This document provides supplementary guidance to that given in the May 27, 2014, Announcement for Program Funding Number USDA-NRCS-NHQ-RCPP (“Announcement”). Applicants invited to submit a full proposal (“Applicants”) should still ensure that they follow the requirements of the Announcement. This supplementary guidance is based upon NRCS review of pre-proposals and is provided to help Applicants develop improved full proposals (“proposals”). In addition to supplementary guidance, selected information from the Announcement is repeated in this document to re-emphasize its significance to the preparation of your proposal.

To ensure that your proposal meets all Announcement requirements, please organize your proposal using a number and letter outline based upon the sections in Part V-B of the Announcement. Submittals must meet all format requirements from section V.B.1. Attached is an additional fillable form, please consider using to facilitate the review process. The maximum 20 page single sided length breaks down as follows:

Address each Announcement requirement in full. If a section is covered in the worksheet, note “See worksheet” for the requirement. If a section does not apply to your application, state why it does not apply. Sections not addressed will make the application incomplete and ineligible. Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to combine all documents being submitted into one pdf file. In addition to the fillable form described in item 1 above, there are necessary attachments:

1) SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance.

2) SF-424A Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs.

3) SF-424B Assurances for Non-Construction Programs.

4) AD-1047 Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, & other Responsibility Matters – Primary Covered Transactions.

5) AD-1049 Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (Grants) Alternative l For Grantees Other Than Individuals

Or

AD-1052 Certification regarding drug-free workplace requirements, State and State Agencies

6) Project area map. Include a shapefile if available.

7) Partner letters confirming resource commitment.

8) Proposed alternative funding arrangements (if needed).

The preferred method of delivery for the applicant’s proposal package is through email to: RCPP@wdc.usda.gov, although all methods of proposal delivery listed in the Announcement are acceptable. Full proposal applications must be received by NRCS before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Thursday, October 2, 2014. Announcement of proposals selected for agreement development will be made on November 14, 2014.

Guidance by Section V.B. requirements

V.B.1. Application cover (Note if item is covered in the worksheet, “See worksheet”.)

a. Project title

b. Project director/manager name, telephone number and email address. Provide an alternative email address in case the primary contact becomes unavailable.

c. Name of lead partner submitting the application and collaborating partners. Describe how the lead partner and all other partners meet the eligibility based upon the eight (8) eligible partnering organizations listed in Part III-A of the Announcement.

d. Mailing address and telephone numbers for lead partner submitting the application.

e. Funding pool applying for (CCA, national, or State). For CCA applications, include the name of the CCA.

f. Short general summary of project and description of resource issues to be addressed…Note primary resource concern.

g. Specify the geographic focus….

h. Application form SF-424. NOT included in page count.

i. Applicants must also clearly state, by project objective…

j. Form 424A Budget Information… NOT included in page count.

k. Proposed project start and end dates… All budgets must detail the requested funds for one or more of the 5 Programs listed in the top row of the Program Funding table on Page 22 in the Announcement: EQIP, CSP, ACEP, HFRP, and Watershed Authorities. There is no generic RCPP fund to which you can apply to receive funds for your proposed project unless an alternative funding arrangement is approved. Programs must be used unless the application is for technical assistance only, see definition in APF. Use table in APF or fillable form. See Announcement Appendix A-Definitions of covered programs. Each program listed above has an NRCS web page describing it.

l. A budget table, by fiscal year, that describes the activities and resource contributions….

You may use the worksheet tab for partners to cover this section. Note: “See Worksheet”

Producer contributions as a component of partner contributions—those allowed and those not allowed. Costs due to the installation of conservation practices that are above FA payment rates and which are borne by a producer installing the conservation practices are not allowed in calculating partner contribution to the RCPP for the following programs: CSP, EQIP, and HFRP. For the ACEP program, easement valuation above the easement payment rate may be included as partner in-kind contribution.

m. Describe the intended producer and landowner participants…

n. Describe the land that will be the focus of the project… Describe how the land is eligible for the program authority you are requesting and which of the eligible land types listed in Part III-B of the Announcement (Tribal lands or lands in one of the six bulleted categories) will be enrolled in covered programs. Note that projects receiving funding through PL 83-566 authority allow lands types other than those listed. (Part V-B-4-a&b).

V.B.2. Letter of support from the applicable NRCS State Conservationist…Contact the State Conservationist(s) (STC) in the state(s) where your project is based early in the development of your proposal (Appendix B of the Announcement provides a list of the State Conservationists and contact information).

V.B.3. Natural Resource Objectives and Actions… Be sure to illustrate the linkages among the primary resource concern, “specific, measurable, achievable, and results-oriented” project objective(s), project actions to achieve objectives, and the expected environmental outcome(s). For example:

· A project’s primary resource concern might be water quality in a 12-digit HUC, identified as high nitrate levels in the watershed’s TMDL.

· Project objectives could include 1) 3,680 new acres of conservation to be achieved in the watershed (an output objective), and 2) watershed nitrate production at the HUC-12 outlet reduced by 5 pounds/acre/year (an outcome objective).

· Project actions to achieve these objectives would be 1) application of systems of nutrient management practices to 3,200 acres (through EQIP), 2) acquisition of 160 acres of wetlands easements (through ACEP-WRE), and 3) Enhancement of 40 miles of riparian buffers through CSP, as per the schedule illustrated in Section 1-d, utilizing a suite of approved Cropland Enhancements that will target improve nutrient and pesticide application techniques while and widening buffers.

a. Identify the specific primary natural resource concern…

b. List the proposed objectives and how they will address the identified resource concerns… Note that the Announcement states that the Applicant should “describe how objectives will lead to environmental outcomes and how these outcomes will be measured.” Three examples follow:

· If the objective is to improve water quality, measurement could include edge-of-field or in-stream flow monitoring of critical water quality constituents.

· For a wildlife objective aimed at increasing a bird species population, an annual bird count could be used as an indicator of project success.

· Installation of flow metering may be required to accurately determine progress toward an irrigation water reduction goal in a water-deficient watershed.

· The environmental outcome of nitrate reduction would be monitored at the watershed outlet (by federal partner X) using real-time flow and nitrate level measurement equipment and throughout the watershed using grab samples taken monthly and during storm flow runoff at specific locations (see project map) by the community watershed group partner.

c. For each objective, identify the actions to be completed to achieve the objective…

V.B.4. Detailed application requirements (not to exceed 12 pages not including attachments)

a. A detailed map… Please submit a clear project map(s) as an attachment. A one-page map should be sufficient unless the project area is complex. If your project focuses upon a small geographic area, be sure to include an overall location map showing where the project is located within the state or CCA. Illustrate pertinent project boundaries, such as hydrologic unit code (HUC) boundaries, species ranges, and areas targeted for conservation. Please provide a shape file if available. (Shapefile coordinate system, request decimal degrees in WGS 84).

b. Describe the consideration of cost-effectiveness of the proposed approach… Describe how you will target lands most critical to achieving the primary resource concern objectives within the project area. Consider how this might affect the cost effectiveness of your approach.

c. A description of how the partner(s) will collaborate….

Please insert the following table. This will help consolidate all of the partner roles, responsibilities, and resources provided.

· Put the lead partner on the top line.

· Insert lines into the table as needed to accommodate the number of project partners.

· NRCS should not be listed as a partner.

· Provide a brief description of the role and responsibilities of each partner, for example:

· provide overall project coordination,

· provide producer technical assistance,

· lead outreach and education,

· conduct monitoring,

· provide funding for conservation practices,

· provide administrative services, and

· other similar activities.

· If a partner has no active project role other than providing financial support, list their role/responsibility as “provide financial support” with the amount listed in the “Financial” column.

· Remember that if the application includes resources from other than the lead (submitting) partner, the application must include letters or other documentation from each partner confirming their commitment of resources.

· Use the following abbreviations to identify all partners in the table by type:

· CD-Conservation District

· AA-Agricultural Association,

· WD-Water district with water delivery authority to agricultural producers,

· FC-Farmer Cooperative,

· HE-Institution of higher education,

· FG-Federal Government,

· IT-Indian Tribe,

· LG-Local Government,

· MW-Municipal water or wastewater treatment entity,

· OE-Organization or entity

· FP-For profit organization or entity

· NP-Not-for-profit organization or entity

· SG-State Government

· CO-County Government

List lead partner first

d. A description of the project timeline…. To simplify description of the project’s timeline, consider using a Gantt or similar bar chart to illustrate the timing for implementing project conservation actions, conducting NEPA (if necessary), reporting dates, monitoring schedule, outreach meetings, and other pertinent project activities.

Example Gantt chart

e. A listing and description of the conservation activity…

f. A description of the plans for assessing and evaluating the results…

g. Partners should consider different approaches for evaluating project outcomes …

h. Identify potential criteria to be used by NRCS to evaluate and rank agricultural…

i. An estimate of the percentage of eligible producers and landowners in the project area… Demonstrate your ability to conduct outreach and to gain the cooperation of producers in the targeted area. Describe your historical relationship with these producers.

j. If applicable, indicate how the project will help producers in the area in “assisting…

k. A description of any requested adjustments of terms, by program… Please read Part I-D of the Announcement thoroughly if you anticipate requesting program adjustments. In particular, you should understand that items listed in Part I-D-2 cannot be adjusted because of statutory requirements; the listing is not comprehensive. Partners should contact the appropriate NRCS STC, or his or her designee, regarding potential adjustments being sought and whether or not they are possible. Applications that request adjustments of terms will be reviewed by the Deputy Chief for Programs; approval by NRCS will be based on how the proposed adjustments meet statutory requirements, intent, and priorities of the program.

l. If the project will request an alternative funding arrangement, included a detailed…

m. If the proposal includes any activities that are not covered by one of the NRCS… You need to demonstrate that you received clear direction from the State Conservationist regarding your project’s requirements for conducting the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). NEPA approval and associated permitting can be a lengthy process. If your project requires a substantial NEPA undertaking, this process needs to be accounted for in your budget, included in your schedule of activities, and reflected in your project timeline (Part V-B-4-m).

n. Certifications: SF-424 B Assurances Non-Construction Programs. Not included in page count.

o.1. DUNS number… o.2. SAM…

Other considerations:

1. For your information and consideration, projects with clear plans to restore or create forest, habitat, or wetlands, or that seek to protect and improve drinking water supplies all have environmental market potential. These projects could be part of an existing environmental market, or you may want to consider adding an objective to explore environmental market development.

2. Consider utilizing the Conservation Stewardship Program as a way to reach your proposal goals.

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