RFA 22-01 Bay Journal _FINAL.pdf

OVERVIEW

AGENCY: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

TITLE: Chesapeake Bay Program Office Fiscal Year 2022 Request for Applications for

Bay Journal Support

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Request for Applications (RFA)

RFA NUMBER: EPA-R3-CBP-22-01

ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER: 66.466

IMPORTANT DATES

December 14, 2021 Issuance of RFA February 25, 2022 Application Deadline (see Section IV for more information) March 04, 2022 Approximate date for EPA to notify applicants of results March 14, 2022 Approximate date for applicant to submit federal grant application April 18, 2022 Approximate date of award

Submission EPA will consider all proposals that are submitted via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm ET on December 14, 2021 and consider any applications submitted after the due date as ineligible. EPA will only accept applications submitted via Grants.gov, except in limited circumstances where applicants have no or very limited Internet access (see section IV.).

COVID-19 Update: EPA is providing flexibilities to applicants experiencing challenges related to COVID-19. Please see the Flexibilities Available to Organizations Impacted by COVID- 19 clause in Section IV of EPA’s Solicitation Clauses.

SUMMARY

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Chesapeake Bay Program Office (CBPO) is announcing a Request for Applications (RFA) for applicants to provide the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partners with an application for writing, editing and publishing the Bay Journal, a monthly periodical that informs the public about issues and events that affect the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. The Bay Journal is published monthly with the exception of mid-summer and mid-winter, for a total of 10 issues each year. It is distributed free of charge, has a hard copy circulation of approximately 25,000 and is a member of the Associated Press. Content is also distributed through an electronic news service and posted to the Bay Journal website (https://www.bayjournal.com/) with timely submissions of news, information and feature stories produced during the time period between the hard copy publications. This RFA is seeking cost-effective applications from eligible applicants to provide the content and publish the monthly Bay Journal as well as the electronic news service and Bay Journal website to raise public awareness of issues surrounding the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed.

CBP partners include federal agencies, seven watershed jurisdictions and many non-federal organizations; however, work funded under this RFA will support the seven watershed jurisdictions and other non-federal partners. The seven watershed jurisdictions are Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

FUNDING/AWARDS: This RFA will cover the project period up to and including six years from an expected start date of April 18, 2022. CBPO plans to award one cooperative agreement to carry out all activities under this RFA. The total estimated funding for six years is approximately $1,800,000 to $2,142,000, with an estimated $300,000 to $357,000 available for the first year and each additional year. There is no guarantee of funding throughout this period or beyond.

FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

I. Funding Opportunity Description II. Award Information III. Eligibility Information IV. Application and Submission Information V. Application Review Information VI. Award Administration Information VII. Agency Contacts VIII. Other Information (Appendices)

I: FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Background

1. About the Chesapeake Bay Program The Chesapeake Bay is North America's largest and most biologically diverse estuary. A resource of extraordinary productivity, it is worthy of the highest levels of protection and restoration. Authorized by Section 117 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), 33 U.S.C. § 1267, the CBP is responsible for supporting the Chesapeake Executive Council through a number of actions, including the coordination of federal, state and local efforts to restore and protect the living resources and water quality of the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed. CWA Section 117 also authorizes EPA to provide assistance grants to support the goals of the program.

The CBP is a unique regional partnership that has led and directed the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay since 1983. The CBP partners include the states of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia; the District of Columbia; the Chesapeake Bay Commission, a tri-state legislative body; EPA, representing the federal government; and participating citizen, local government and scientific and technical advisory groups.

The CBP partnership is guided at the direction of the Chesapeake Executive Council (Executive Council), which, through its leadership, establishes the policy direction for the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay and exerts its leadership to rally public support for the Bay effort and signs directives, agreements and amendments that set goals and guides policy for Chesapeake Bay restoration.

The Principals' Staff Committee (PSC) acts as the senior policy advisors to the Executive Council, accepting items for their consideration and approval, and setting agendas for Executive Council meetings. The PSC also provides policy and program direction to the Management Board.

The Management Board provides strategic planning, priority setting and operational guidance through implementation of a comprehensive, coordinated, accountable implementation strategy for the CBP. It directs and coordinates all of the goal implementation teams and workgroups under it.

The Goal Implementation Teams (GITs) include federal and non-federal experts from throughout the watershed. Thus, academic experts, advocacy organizations and others become active members of the broad restoration partnership.

Pursuant to CWA Section 117(b)(2), 33 U.S.C. § 1267 (b)(2), CBPO is the office within EPA charged with providing support to the Executive Council in the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay. CBPO and CBP, mentioned above, are two distinct entities.

2. 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and Executive Order 13508 On June 16, 2014, the Executive Council, the CBP’s governing body, signed a new voluntary Chesapeake Bay agreement (referred to as Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement throughout this RFA) that will guide the CBP partnership’s work into the future. For the first time, Delaware, New York and West Virginia signed the agreement as full CBP partners in the overall effort. This agreement is one of the most comprehensive restoration plans developed for the Chesapeake region, providing greater transparency and accountability of all CBP partners. With 10 interrelated goals and 31 outcomes, this watershed-wide accord advances the restoration, conservation and protection of all the lands and waters within the 64,000-square-mile watershed by promoting sound land use, environmental literacy, stewardship and a diversity of engaged residents. Additionally, the goals and outcomes aim to better protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay's living resources, water quality and vital habitats. The new Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement also recognizes the unique and vital role local governments play and how they are essential to the restoration effort.

B. Scope of Work

This RFA is seeking cost-effective applications from eligible applicants for producing appropriate content, publishing and distributing the Bay Journal periodical newspaper, maintaining a social media presence to distribute news and connect to different audiences, as well as for distribution through an existing electronic news service and posting to the Bay Journal website to raise public awareness of issues surrounding the Chesapeake Bay. Products should include news stories, feature stories, editorials, digital imagery and other appropriate multimedia to support the production of the hard copy newspaper as well as electronic news service distribution and posting to the website. The successful applicant should develop products in a manner consistent with industry standard journalistic practices that comply with the Associated Press Stylebook and are readily adaptable in both print and electronic news delivery.

Products will be developed independently of federal agency input as to editorial content or review except as required for accuracy of information regarding established policies or existing published data.

While the CBP partnership is comprised of federal and non-federal organizations, any activities funded under this RFA will not directly benefit the federal partners. The recipient of the cooperative agreement awarded under this RFA may work directly with federal agencies on occasion, but the nature of that work will result primarily in benefits to the non-federal agencies, partners, and general public.

The CBP plans to award one grant to carry out all activities under this RFA. The estimated funding for six years is approximately $1,800,000 to $2,142,000, with an estimated $300,000 to $357,000 available for the first year and each additional year.

If your organization has an interest in this project, has the skills to accomplish the activities and is eligible to receive a federal assistance agreement as described in Section III of this announcement, we encourage you to submit an application. Each eligible application will be evaluated using the criteria described in Section V. The activity is a multi-year project (up to six years), and the application should have a work plan and budget for the first year and an estimated budget detail for each of the subsequent five years.

Applicants must address each activity listed below in their application.

Activity 1: Expert production of content for distribution through the Bay Journal and posting on the Bay Journal website

The partners of the Chesapeake Bay Program established a goal of creating Engaged Communities as spelled out in the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. The agreement calls on the partnership to connect with environmental stewards and encourage future local leaders to keep the restoration effort moving forward. The Bay Journal plays an integral part in this effort through its products by raising public awareness of issues and fostering a closer connection within the communities of the Bay watershed.

The following are examples of the types of tasks required to carry out Activity 1. Applicants may consider these tasks as well as describe alternative approaches to providing the requested support. Applicants are encouraged to describe how they would support efforts to progressively enhance the production of written and photographic media content for distribution through the printed Bay Journal, an electronic news service and posting to the Bay Journal website.

Produce articles appropriate to support production of the Bay Journal, distribution through an electronic news service and the Bay Journal website.

Research and prepare copy appropriate for either the Bay Journal periodical, or the Bay Journal website. Content should focus on CBP partnership issues, progress and methods to achieve Chesapeake Bay and watershed restoration and protection as outlined in the goals of the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. Content should also include a balance of articles reflecting the diversity of the areas surrounding the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including articles covering different races, ethnicities, religions, gender, etc., and should be geographically diverse, including headwater areas.

Research and prepare copy appropriate for either the Bay Journal periodical, an electronic news distribution service or the Bay Journal website. Content should focus on CBP partnership issues, progress and methods to achieve Chesapeake Bay and watershed restoration and protection as outlined in the goals of the 2014 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. Content should also include a balance of articles reflecting the diversity of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, including articles covering different races, ethnicities, religions, gender, etc., and should be geographically diverse, including headwater areas.

Develop news stories and features that are factual and consistent with journalistic and Associated Press Stylebook standards.

Develop opinion pieces that are clearly marked as being the viewpoint of the author and not the CBP partnership or as the official position of any government agency. This should entail working with respected leaders and authorities on Bay restoration to provide thoughtful, factual and professional opinion pieces.

Produce digital media appropriate to support production of the Bay Journal, distribution through an electronic news service and the Bay Journal website.

Either in support of articles or as stand-alone products, professionally generate digital media, including photographs, graphics, videos, animations or other multimedia that provide a visual context to the story that is being told and are appropriate for inclusion in the printed Bay Journal periodical, the Bay Journal website and social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

Produce photographs and videos that meet established industry norms and are credited in accordance with the standards of the Associated Press Stylebook.

Produce digital media for the printed Bay Journal periodical that is easily transferable to the Bay Journal website.

Activity 2: Distribution of hard copies of the Bay Journal periodical publication throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed and electronic distribution of associated content.

To meet the objective of the CBP partnership to raise public awareness of issues surrounding the Chesapeake Bay watershed, information contained in the Bay Journal should be distributed through the most effective manner that will reach the intended audience. It is impractical and not cost-effective to generate hard copies of the Bay Journal periodical for each of the nearly 18 million residents of the watershed; therefore, maximum use of electronic distribution is needed, accompanied by a highly targeted distribution of the hard copy.

The following are examples of the types of tasks required to carry out Activity 2. Applicants may consider these tasks as well as describe alternative approaches to providing the requested support.

Publish and distribute hard copies of the Bay Journal periodical to the public.

Consistent with current industry standards for editorial layout and design, compile associated content from Activity 1 to inform the printed version of the Bay Journal, publish and distribute up to 25,000 hard copies of the 10 issues (28-40 pages) per year to the public.

Arrange for or provide professional printing of the periodical.

Arrange for or provide professional mail processing, shipping and delivery of the periodical.

Document efforts to engage with underserved communities throughout the Bay watershed, who may not have reliable Internet service to access the online version of the Bay Journal. Among other tactics, this includes periodically updating mailing lists to show this expanded outreach.

Electronically distribute and track Bay Journal articles and digital media through social media, an electronic news service and the Bay Journal website.

Establish or use an existing electronic news distribution service to share content with appropriate news agencies in order to maximize coverage of issues surrounding Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts.

Track use of articles distributed through the electronic news service to determine to the extent possible the audience reach of the media outlets through which the articles are published.

Utilize email distribution systems for interested subscribers to receive an electronic version of the Bay Journal periodical, weekly e-newsletters, and/or articles distributed through the electronic news service.

Host and maintain the Bay Journal website with timely content and design consistent with established industry practices.

Use social media platforms to expand reach, to reach diverse audiences and underserved communities to make them aware of watershed issues and draw traffic to the Bay Journal website.

Obtaining Additional Information

For additional background information on the CBP achievements and commitments, see the CBP partnership’s website located at http://www.chesapeakebay.net/ or call 1-800-YOUR-BAY to receive information by mail.

C. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage & Anticipated Outcomes and Outputs

Pursuant to Section 6a of EPA Order 5700.7, “Environmental Results under EPA Assistance Agreements,” EPA must link proposed assistance agreements to the Agency’s Strategic Plan.

EPA also requires that grant applicants and recipients adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7A1, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements).

1. Linkage to EPA’s Strategic Plan

The overall objective of this grant is to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem through increased public awareness and public engagement in addressing water-quality restoration goals and Chesapeake Bay restoration efforts.

The activity to be funded under this announcement supports EPA’s FY 2018-22 Strategic Plan.

The award made under this announcement will support Goal 1: A Cleaner, Healthier Environment and Objective 1.2: Provide for Clean and Safe Water Goal of the EPA Strategic Plan. All applications must be for projects that support the goal and objective identified above.

EPA Order 5700.7A1 also requires that grant applicants adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements. Applicants must include specific statements describing the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined outputs and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the project will contribute to the priorities described above.

2. Outputs The term “output” means an environmental activity, effort and/or associated work product related to an environmental goal and objective that will be produced or provided over a period of time or by a specified date. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable during an assistance agreement funding period. Expected outputs from the project(s) to be funded under this announcement may include the following:

Activity 1:

Sufficient number of news stories, features, opinion pieces and editorials produced for the Bay Journal periodical, distribution through an electronic news service and posting to the Bay Journal website and social media platforms.

Sufficient amount of appropriate digital media produced to support the Bay Journal, electronic news service and Bay Journal website.

Activity 2:

Publish up to 10 issues (28-40 pages) of the Bay Journal periodical annually, with up to 25,000 hard copies for distribution to the public.

Number of articles and digital media posted electronically.

Track Bay Journal articles and digital media through an electronic news service.

Host and maintain the Bay Journal website.

Number of emails maintained in email distribution systems for distributing an electronic version of the Bay Journal periodical and/or articles.

Use social media platforms to expand engagement and draw traffic to the Bay Journal website.

Increased traffic to the Bay Journal website as determined through web analytics.

Progress reports and a final report will also be required outputs as specified in Section VI.C., Reporting, of this announcement.

3. Outcomes

The term “outcome” means the result, effect or consequence that will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes may be qualitative and environmental, behavioral, health-related or programmatic in nature but must also be quantitative. They may not necessarily be achievable within an assistance agreement funding period. An example of an outcome under this application is increased public awareness and commitment that would result in improving aquatic health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Another potential outcome is increased number and diversity of trained and mobilized community volunteers with the knowledge and skills needed to enhance the health of their local watersheds.

D. Authorizing Statutes and Regulations

The grant made as a result of this announcement is authorized under CWA Section 117(d), 33 U.S.C. § 1267(d). Under CWA Section 117(d) (1), EPA has the authority to issue grants and cooperative agreements for the purposes of protecting and restoring the Chesapeake Bay's ecosystem. This project is subject to the Office of Management and Budget’ (OMB) Uniform Grants Guidance (2 CFR Part 200) and EPA-specific provisions of the Uniform Grants Guidance (2 CFR Part 1500).

E. Environmental Justice Considerations

Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity And Support For Underserved Communities Through The Federal Government, issued on January 20, 2021, expressed the current Administration’s policy that the Federal Government should pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all.

Environmental justice (EJ) is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations and policies. Fair treatment means no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental and commercial operations or policies.

Meaningful involvement means people have an opportunity to participate in decisions about activities that may affect their environment and/or health; the public's contribution can influence the regulatory agency's decision; community concerns will be considered in the decision-making process; and decision makers will seek out and facilitate the involvement of those potentially affected.

For purposes of this competition and the evaluation of applications, “underserved communities” means people/communities of color, low income, tribal and indigenous populations, and other vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, and those who pre-existing medical conditions.

Environmental Justice Web-based Screening Tool - Applicants are encouraged to include data from EPA’s EJSCREEN tool (or other EJ-focused geospatial mapping tools) as part of their application to help characterize and describe the affected communities/populations and area(s).

Data from other sources (e.g., studies, census, and third-party reports) should also be included to give a more complete picture of the impacted communities and populations. Instructions, resources, and tutorials on how to use EJSCREEN are at Learn to Use EJSCREEN.

Environmental Justice Web-based Screening Tool - Applicants are encouraged to include data from EPA’s EJSCREEN tool (or other EJ-focused geospatial mapping tools) as part of their application to help characterize and describe the affected communities/populations and area(s).

Data from other sources (e.g., studies, census, and third-party reports) should also be included to give a more complete picture of the impacted communities and populations. Instructions, resources, and tutorials on how to use EJSCREEN are at Learn to Use EJSCREEN.

F. Minority Serving Institutions:

EPA recognizes that it is important to engage all available minds to address the environmental challenges the nation faces. EPA seeks to expand the environmental conversation by including members of communities which may have not previously participated in such dialogues to participate in EPA programs. EPA strongly encourages all eligible applicants identified in Section III, including minority serving institutions (MSIs), to apply for this opportunity.

For purposes of this solicitation, the following are considered MSIs:

1. Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1061(2)). A list of these schools can be found at Historically Black Colleges and Universities at: https://sites.ed.gov/whhbcu/one-hundred-and-five-historically-black-colleges-and-universities/;

2. Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1059c(b)(3) and (d)(1)). A list of these schools can be found at American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities at https://sites.ed.gov/whiaiane/tribes-tcus/tribal-colleges-and-universities/;

3. Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1101a(a)(5)). A list of these schools can be found at Hispanic-Serving Institutions at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/idues/hsi-eligibles-2016.pdf;

4. Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions; (AANAPISIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1059g(b)(2)). A list of these schools can be found at Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions; via the following link https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1XVkOWKMDORm53pvU0L8EPsrJC94&msa=0 &ie=UTF8&t=m&z=3&source=embed&ll=40.58644586187277%2C-148.28228249999984; and

5. Predominately Black Institutions (PBIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act of 2008, 20 U.S.C. 1059e(b)(6). A list of these schools can be found at Predominately Black Institutions via the following link https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1wlIi3j7gtlNq_w- 0NKAb2bF2VmY&ie=UTF&msa=0&ll=37.35160769312532%2C-96.17229800000001&z=4

II: AWARD INFORMATION

A. Funding Amount and Expected Number of Awards

The CBPO plans to award one grant under this RFA. Funding for the activity listed above is approximately $300,000 to $357,000 annually for Fiscal Year 2022 through Fiscal Year 2027, depending on funding availability, satisfactory performance and other applicable considerations.

The total estimated funding for six years is approximately $1,800,000 to $2,142,000.

EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no award under this announcement or less than the estimated funding amounts above. Funding for the activity depends on funding availability, satisfactory performance, Agency priorities, and other applicable considerations.

EPA makes no commitment of annual funding amounts for any fiscal year(s), as funds may be limited based on applicable considerations.

EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with Agency policy and guidance, if additional funding becomes available after the original selection is made. Any additional selection for awards will be made no later than five months after the original selection decision.

B. Award Type

The award will be issued in the form of a cooperative agreement. A cooperative agreement is an assistance agreement that is used when there is substantial federal involvement with the recipient during the performance of an activity or project. EPA awards cooperative agreements for those projects in which it expects to have substantial interaction with the recipient throughout the performance of the project. EPA will negotiate the precise terms and conditions of “substantial involvement” as part of the award process. Federal involvement may include close monitoring of the recipient’s performance; collaboration during the performance of the scope of work; in accordance with 2 C.F.R. 200.317 and 2 C.F.R. 200.318, as appropriate, review of proposed procurements; reviewing qualifications of key personnel; and/or review and comment on the content of printed or electronic publications prepared. EPA does not have the authority to select employees or contractors employed by the recipient. The final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient.

For this project, federal involvement would typically be in the form of participation with other CBP partners and stakeholders in an advisory capacity to the grantee. This participation is expected to include involvement through the various CBP Goal Implementation Teams and related committees and workgroups (on which EPA also participates to ensure that all the recommendations for technical work support the CBP partners). All work conducted is to support the efforts to restore the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and its surrounding watershed.

C. Partial Funding

In appropriate circumstances, the EPA reserves the right to partially fund applications by funding discrete portions or phases of proposed projects. If the EPA decides to partially fund a project, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice the applicant or affect the basis upon which the application or portion thereof was evaluated and selected for award and therefore maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process.

D. Expected Project Period

The expected project period for the grant is six years with funding provided on an annual basis.

No commitment of funding can be made beyond the first year. The expected start date for the award resulting from this RFA is April 18, 2022.

E. Pre-Award Costs

Recipients may incur otherwise eligible and allowable pre-award costs up to 90 days prior to award at their own risk without prior approval of EPA’s award official. Pre-award costs must comply with 2 CFR 200.458 and 2 CFR 1500.9. If the EPA determines that the requested pre-award costs comply with the relevant authorities, and that the costs are justified as allocable to the project, then these costs may be included as allowable expenditures at the time that the assistance award document is prepared.

However, if for any reason the EPA does not fund the application or the amount of the award is less than the applicant anticipated, then the EPA is under no obligation to reimburse the applicant for these costs incurred. Thus, applicants incur pre-award costs at their own risk. Costs incurred more than 90 days prior to award require the approval of EPA Region 3’s grant official.

III: ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

Nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, colleges, universities and interstate agencies are eligible to submit applications in response to this RFA. For-profit organizations are not eligible to submit applications in response to this RFA.

B. Cost-Share or Matching Requirements

Pursuant to CWA 117(d)(2)(A), 33 U.S.C. § 1267(d)(2)(A), the Agency shall determine the cost-share requirements for awards. The Assistance Listing Number 66.466 states that assistance agreement applicants must commit to a cost-share ranging from 5% to 50% of eligible project costs as determined at the sole discretion of EPA. For this RFA, the EPA has determined that an applicant must provide a minimum of five percent of the total cost of the project as the non-federal cost-share.

Cost-share may be in the form of cash or in-kind contributions. Involvement from foundations, watershed groups, the private sector, eligible governmental, as well as non-conventional partners can help with the match. This match must be met by eligible and allowable costs and is subject to the match provisions in grant regulations. Applications that do not demonstrate how the five percent match will be met will be rejected.

C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria

Only applications from eligible entities (see Section III.A above) that meet the following threshold eligibility criteria will be evaluated against the criteria in Section V.B. Applicants must meet the following threshold criteria to be considered for funding. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified in writing within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

1. Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement or else they will be rejected. Where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to the narrative application, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed.

2. In addition, initial applications must be submitted through www.grants.gov as stated in Section IV of this announcement (except in the limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed for as explained in Section IV) on or before the application submission deadline published in Section IV of this announcement.

Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV of this announcement to ensure that their application/application is timely submitted.

3. Applications submitted after the submission deadline will be considered late and deemed ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was late due to EPA mishandling or because of technical problems associated with Grants.gov or relevant SAM.gov system issues. An applicant’s failure to timely submit their application/application through Grants.gov because they did not timely or properly register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov will not be considered an acceptable reason to consider a late submission. Applicants should confirm receipt of their application with James Hargett at hargett.james@epa.gov (see Section VII, Agency Contact) as soon as possible after the submission deadline—failure to do so may result in your application not being reviewed.

4. The project funded under this announcement must be linked to the strategic goal outlined in Section I.C.1.

5. For an application to be considered eligible for funding, substantive project-related work included in the application must take place within the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which includes portions of Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

6. Applications must show how they will meet the five percent cost-share requirement described in Section III.B.

7. Applications requesting funding for more than $350,000 for the first year or more than $2,100,000 for the full six years will be rejected.

8. Applications must address all activities in Section I.B. of this announcement to be eligible.

9. If an application is submitted that includes any ineligible tasks or activities, that portion of the application will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects the application, render the entire application ineligible for funding.

IV: APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. How to Obtain an Application Package

Applicants can download individual grant application forms from Grants.gov.

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

Each application will be evaluated using the criteria referenced in Section V.B. of this announcement. Applicants must submit a single-spaced project narrative of up to 15 pages in length by the date and time specified in Section IV.C below. Excess pages will not be reviewed.

The format for this application is contained in Appendix A of this announcement. Review the directions for the preparation of the application. Applications that are not prepared in substantial compliance with the requirements in Appendix A will not be considered for funding and will be returned to the applicant.

The application package must include all of the following materials:

1. Standard Form (SF)-424, Application for Federal Assistance – Complete the form.

There are no attachments. Please be sure to include organization fax number and email address in Block 8 of SF-424. Please note that the organizational Dunn and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number must be included on the SF-

424. Organizations may obtain a DUNS number at no cost by calling the toll-free DUNS number request line at 1-866-705-5711 or visiting their website at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.

2. SF-424A, Budget Information – Complete the form. There are no attachments. The total amount of federal funding requested for the project period should be shown in Section A on Line 5(e) and on Line 6.k of Column (1) of Section B while recipient’s total cost-share should be shown in Section A on Line 5(f) and Line 6.k of Column (2) of Section B. The amount of indirect costs should be entered on line 6(j). The indirect cost rate (i.e., a percentage), the base (e.g., personnel costs and fringe benefits), and the amount should also be indicated on line 22.

3. EPA Form 4700-4, Pre award Compliance Review Report for All Applicants and Recipients Requesting EPA Financial Assistance

4. EPA Key Contacts Form

5. Project Narrative Attachment Form – The format for the project narrative and the budget narrative are contained in Appendix A of this announcement. Review the directions for the preparation of the application.

6. Budget Narrative Attachment Form – The budget narrative should include a spreadsheet that shows each year’s cost for the salaries, fringe benefits, total salaries/wages, travel expenses, equipment, supplies, contractual expenses, other cost, and indirect cost. Please refer to EPA’s Office of Grants and Debarment’s budget detail guidance and IDC guidance located at: https://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2019-g02 and https://www.epa.gov/grants/rain-2018-g02, respectively.

Requirements for Project Narrative — See Appendix A

All application review criteria in Section V must be addressed in the project narrative. The project narrative shall not exceed 15 pages in length. Pages refer to one side of a single-spaced, typed page. Font size should be no smaller than 10, and the application must be submitted on 8.5” x 11" paper. Note that the 15 pages include all supporting materials such as resumes or curriculum vitae and letters of support. Documentation for the budget detail, non-profit status, cost-share letters of commitment, and the SF-424 and SF-424A forms are not included in the page limit.

C. Intergovernmental Review

Please review the Intergovernmental Review clause included as part of the EPA Solicitation Clauses. This program is eligible for coverage under Executive Order (EO) 12372, An Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs. See these links for information and instructions:

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2020/11/24/2020-25968/agency-programs-subject-to-intergovernmental-review-under-executive-order-12372-section-204-of-the and https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-region-3-grants-and-audit-management-branch-intergovernmental-review-process-and-single. Further information regarding this requirement will be provided if your application is selected for funding.

D. Funding Restrictions

Administrative Cost Cap Requirement under Statutory Authority Grantees applying for CBP assistance agreements must adhere to the requirements for “Administrative Costs” under CWA Section 117 (d)(4), 33 U.S.C. § 1267 (d)(4), which states that administrative costs shall not exceed 10 percent of the annual grant award (annual grant award = federal share plus cost-share). Appendix B: Administrative Cost Cap Worksheet is provided as an example of a method to calculate the percent limitation. You are not required to submit Appendix B with your application.

Allowable Costs EPA assistance agreement funds may only be used for the purposes set forth in the grant and must be consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Federal funds may not be used for cost sharing for other federal grants (except where authorized by statute), lobbying or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, federal funds may not be used to sue the federal government or any other government entity. All costs identified in the budget must conform to the provisions of 2 CFR Part 200, Subpart E, Cost Principles. During the grant negotiation, any ineligible costs outlined in the application (i.e., lobbying activities) will be excluded in the final grant award.

E. Submission Instructions

1. Requirement to Submit Through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures

Applicants must apply electronically through Grants.gov under this funding opportunity based on the Grants.gov instructions in this announcement. If your organization has no access to the internet or access is very limited, you may request an exception for the remainder of this calendar year by following the procedures outlined here. Please note that your request must be received at least 15 calendar days before the application due date to allow enough time to negotiate alternative submission methods. Issues with submissions with respect to this opportunity only is addressed in section 3 Technical Issues with Submission below.

2. Submission Instructions

The electronic submission of your application must be made by an official representative of your institution who is registered with Grants.gov and is authorized to sign applications for Federal assistance. For more information on the registration requirements that must be completed in order to submit an application through Grants.gov, go to Grants.gov and click on “Applicants” on the top of the page and then go to the “Get Registered” link on the page. If your organization is not currently registered with Grants.gov, please encourage your office to designate an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and ask that individual to begin the registration process as soon as possible. Please note that the registration process also requires that your organization have a Unique Entity Identifier (e.g., DUNS number) and a current registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) and the process of obtaining both could take a month or more. Applicants must ensure that all registration requirements are met in order to apply for this opportunity through Grants.gov and should ensure that all such requirements have been met well in advance of the submission deadline. Registration on Grants.gov, SAM.gov, and DUNS number assignment is FREE. If not, the application may be deemed ineligible. Please see RAIN-2021-G01 for information about EPA's implementation of the upcoming Government-wide transition from DUNS to Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

To begin the application process under this grant announcement, go to Grants.gov and click on “Applicants” on the top of the page and then “Apply for Grants” from the dropdown menu and then follow the instructions accordingly. Please note: To apply through Grants.gov, you must use

Adobe Reader software and download the compatible Adobe Reader version. For more information about Adobe Reader, to verify compatibility, or to download the free software, please visit Adobe Reader Compatibility Information on Grants.gov.

You may also be able to access the application package for this announcement by searching for the opportunity on Grants.gov. Go to Grants.gov and then click on “Search Grants” at the top of the page and enter the Funding Opportunity Number, EPA-R3-CBP-22-01, or the Assistance Listing number that applies to the announcement (Assistance Listing 66.466), in the appropriate field and click the Search button.

Please Note: All applications must now be submitted through Grants.gov using the “Workspace” feature. Information on the Workspace feature can be found at the Grants.gov Workspace Overview Page.

Application Submission Deadline

Your organization’s AOR must submit your complete application package electronically to EPA through Grants.gov no later than February 25, 2022 at 11:59 PM ET. Please allow for enough time to successfully submit your application process and allow for unexpected errors that may require you to resubmit.

Please submit all of the application materials described below using the grants.gov application package that you accessed using the instructions above

Application Materials

The following forms and documents are required under this announcement:

1. Standard Form (SF)-424, Application for Federal Assistance

2. SF-424A, Budget Information

3. EPA Form 4700-4, Pre award Compliance Review Report for All Applicants and

Recipients Requesting EPA Financial Assistance

4. EPA Key Contacts Form

5. Project Narrative Attachment Form

6. Budget Detail

See Section IV. B. for additional instructions on preparing these materials.

Applications submitted through Grants.gov will be time and date stamped electronically. If you have not received a confirmation of receipt from EPA (not from Grants.gov) within 30 days of the application deadline, please contact James Hargett at hargett.james@epa.gov. Failure to do so may result in your application not being reviewed.

F. Technical Issues with Submission

1. Once the application package has been completed, the “Submit” button should be enabled. If the “Submit” button is not active, please call Grants.gov for assistance at 1-800-518-4726.

Applicants who are outside the U.S. at the time of submittal and are not able to access the toll-free number may reach a Grants.gov representative by calling 606-545-5035. Applicants should save the completed application package with two different file names before providing it to the AOR to avoid having to re-create the package should submission problems be experienced, or a revised application needs to be submitted.

2. Submitting the application. The application package must be transferred to Grants.gov by an AOR. The AOR should close all other software before attempting to submit the application package. Click the “submit” button of the application package. Your Internet browser will launch, and a sign-in page will appear. Note: Minor problems are not uncommon with transfers to Grants.gov. It is essential to allow sufficient time to ensure that your application is submitted to Grants.gov BEFORE the due date identified in Section IV of the solicitation.

The Grants.gov support desk operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, except Federal Holidays. A successful transfer will end with an on-screen acknowledgement. For documentation purposes, print or screen capture this acknowledgement. If a submission problem occurs, reboot the computer – turning the power off may be necessary – and re-attempt the submission.

3. Transmission Difficulties. If transmission difficulties that result in a late transmission, no transmission, or rejection of the transmitted application are experienced, and following the above instructions do not resolve the problem so that the application is submitted to Grants.gov by the deadline date and time, follow the guidance below. The Agency will make a decision concerning acceptance of each late submission on a case-by-case basis. All emails, as described below, are to be sent to James Hargett with the FON in the subject line. If you are unable to email, contact James Hargett at 410-267-5743. Be aware that EPA will only consider accepting applications that were unable to transmit due to Grants.gov or relevant www.Sam.gov system issues or for unforeseen exigent circumstances, such as extreme weather interfering with internet access. Failure of an applicant to submit timely because they did not properly or timely register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov is not an acceptable reason to justify acceptance of a late submittal.

a. If you are experiencing problems resulting in an inability to upload the application to

Grants.gov, it is essential to call Grants.gov for assistance at 1-800-518-4726 before the application deadline. Applicants who are outside the U.S. at the time of submittal and are not able to access the toll-free number may reach a Grants.gov representative by calling 606-545-5035. Be sure to obtain a case number from Grants.gov.

b. Unsuccessful transfer of the application package: If a successful transfer of the application cannot be accomplished even with assistance from Grants.gov due to electronic submission system issues or unforeseen exigent circumstances, and you have already attempted to resolve the issue by contacting Grants.gov, send an email message to James Hargett at hargett.james@epa.gov prior to the application deadline. The email message must document the problem and include the Grants.gov case number as well as the entire application in PDF format as an attachment.

c. Grants.gov rejection of the application package: If a notification is received from Grants.gov stating that the application has been rejected for reasons other than late submittal and it is too late to reapply, promptly send an email to James Hargett at hargett.james@epa.gov with the FON in the subject line within one business day of the closing date of this solicitation. The email should include any materials provided by Grants.gov and attach the entire application in PDF format.

Please note that successful submission through Grants.gov or via email does not necessarily mean your application is eligible for award.

G. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation

Additional provisions that apply to this solicitation and/or awards made under this solicitation, including but not limited to those related to confidential business information, contracts and sub-awards under grants, and application assistance and communications, can be found at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-solicitation-clauses. These, and the other provisions that can be found at the website link, are important, and applicants must review them when preparing applications for this solicitation. If you are unable to access these provisions electronically at the website above, please communicate with the EPA contact listed in this solicitation to obtain the provisions.

V: APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Evaluation Process

After EPA reviews applications for threshold eligibility purposes as described in Section III, CBPO will conduct a merit evaluation of each eligible application. Reviews will be performed by a team of professionals from EPA and other CBP partner organizations with a working knowledge of the technical analysis and programmatic evaluation needs of the CBP partnership.

All reviewers will sign a conflict of interest statement indicating they have no conflict of interest.

B. Evaluation Criteria: Maximum score: 100 points The evaluation criteria below apply to this announcement.

Criteria Points

1. Organizational Capability and Program…