rfa-epa-oar-io-15-03 (rev 2.24.15).pdf

AGENCY: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA)

TITLE: Tribal Training and Outreach Support for the American Indian Air

Quality Training Program

ACTION: Request for Applications (RFA)

RFA NUMBER: EPA-OAR-IO-15-03

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NO: 66.037

DATES:

Thursday, January 15, 2015 – RFA Opens Thursday, February 12, 2015 – Question and Answer Conference Call Friday, April 3, 2015 – RFA Closes – Applications due Late Spring 2015 – Anticipated Notification of Selection Summer 2015 – Anticipated Award

The closing date and time for receipt of application submissions, regardless of mode of submission, is Friday, April 3, 2015, 4:00 pm, Eastern Time (ET). All hard copies of application packages must be received by Pat Childers by Friday, April 3, 2015, 4:00 pm ET in order to be considered for funding. Electronic submissions must be submitted electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) by Friday, April 3, 2015, 4:00 pm ET in order to be considered for funding. Applications received after the closing date and time will not be considered for funding.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits applications from eligible entities to provide tribal training, technical and outreach support for the American Indian Air Quality Training Program. The American Indian Air Quality Training Program (AIAQTP) provides workshop training, internships and technical support to tribal governments seeking to investigate, develop and establish air quality management programs for lands under their jurisdiction and provides opportunity for American Indian students to pursue environmental careers in the field of air quality management. The Tribal Air Monitoring Support Center is a component of the AIAQTP, and is a partnership effort between the selected grant recipient and EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, hosted by the Radiation and Indoor Environments National (R&IEL) laboratory in Las Vegas, to provide a full spectrum of technical support to tribes undertaking air quality monitoring and related activities.

http://www.grants.gov/�

FUNDING/AWARDS: The total estimated funding for this competitive opportunity shall not exceed a total of $8.0 million over a five-year period. EPA anticipates award of approximately one cooperative agreement resulting from this competitive opportunity, subject to the availability of funds, quality of applications received, and other applicable consideration. The cooperative agreement will be funded incrementally, with the annual value to not exceed $1.6 million. In FY 2015, total funding shall not exceed $1.6 million.

CONTENTS BY SECTION

I. Funding Opportunity Description……………………………………………….. 3

II. Award Information

III. Eligibility Information…………………………………………………………... 16

IV. Application and Submission Information………………………………………... 18

V. Application Review Information………………………………………………… 23

VI. Award Administration Information……………………………………….……... 26

VII. Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information (Appendices)………………………………………………… 28 Appendix A: Grants.gov Submission Instructions……………………………… Appendix B: Budget Sample…………………………………………………………….. 30

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Background

Of the 570 federally-recognized tribes nationwide, roughly 120 currently receive funding support from EPA to investigate their air quality and make informed decisions about how to best restore, protect and preserve air resources for lands within their jurisdiction. While some tribal governments have completed air quality assessments and determined they had no further needs, many more do require support to conduct air quality related activities. The purpose of the Tribal Training and Outreach Support for the American Indian Air Quality Training Program is to provide continuous and comprehensive air quality training, technical support and outreach programs for EPA’s tribal partner governments and American Indian students considering pursuing environmental careers in the field of air quality. The program has been in place since the mid 1990’s, and includes five essential elements: (1) The American Indian Air Quality Training Program provides timely, essential and tribally appropriate culturally sensitive in-person, hands-on workshop style training; (2) The Tribal Air Monitoring Support Center provides comprehensive training and technical support for tribal monitoring activities; (3) The Professional Assistance element supports Tasks 1 and 2 by providing additional technical resources that enhance and supplement the other tasks, (4) The Tribal Environmental Education, Outreach and Support Program provides environmental outreach, education and associated support to tribes that will encourage tribal students to develop interest, understanding and abilities to pursue careers in the field of air quality management and; (5) The Internship Program is expected to enhance and solidify the learning experience, and to offer a perspective of broader opportunities in air quality environmental careers.

EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) has found that this training and outreach program is best administered as a comprehensive activity with multiple tasks, delivered by a single grant recipient. This approach allows for efficient delivery of programs through effective use of staff and management resources and expertise.

American Indian Air Quality Training Program (AIAQTP)

The AIAQTP began in 1993 as a way to provide tribal governments interested in air quality with training and support that would facilitate their interaction with EPA and air quality programs.

The mission of AIAQTP is to assist in the building tribal capacity to manage air quality, ensure that courses are culturally sensitive, and provide high-quality, up-to-date training. OAR has supported this activity through grant funding and by providing expertise and technical resources to support AIQTP since its inception, and tribes have made meaningful gains and progress as a result.

The AIAQTP started with hosting three workshops in 1993 and has now expanded to a larger, technically comprehensive program, hosting up to 20 workshops annually. The scheduling and content of the workshops are based on a combination of air quality expertise and experience, coupled with feedback from participants and instructors and ongoing contact between the recipient and the tribal environmental community. Close interactions with tribal governments nationwide, as well as with EPA, ensure courses are developed and offered to meet current and ongoing needs of tribal governments and their communities. In addition to the workshop courses, AIAQTP provides Tribal Environmental Resource Center and Professional Assistance program elements to ensure training activities are fully supported. These elements, described later in the proposal, include support activities that together form the comprehensive Program by providing activities such as professional internships, programmatic meetings, supporting technical resources and outreach.

Tribal Air Monitoring Support Center (TAMS)

EPA’s Radiation and Indoor Environments Laboratory (R&IE) is one of two national EPA laboratories within the Office of Radiation and Indoor Air. The Center for Indoor Environments (CIE), located within the laboratory in Las Vegas, Nevada, provides unique scientific and technical support services in indoor air, ambient air and radon. The CIE lab is also home to the Tribal Air Monitoring Support Center.

The TAMS Center is a model partnership between tribes and EPA. Its mission is to develop tribal capacity to assess, understand and prevent environmental impacts that adversely affect health, cultural and natural resources through the provision of culturally specific training and technical support. It is the first technical learning center designed to specifically meet the needs of tribes involved in air quality management in Indian country. The TAMS Center provides a centralized location where tribal environmental professionals can obtain both air monitoring training, and arrange for technical support from tribal and environmental professionals and EPA.

The TAMS Center also serves as a base for outreach to Indian country. This RFA includes requirements that address the recipient’s staffing, co-management and operation of TAMS Center activities in close cooperation with EPA staff and management, described fully herein.

Tribal Environmental Education, Outreach and Support Program

OAR has provided assistance to ensure tribes receive appropriate support as they work to develop and implement air quality management programs. The Tribal Environmental Education Outreach and Support Program continues this support to ensure American Indian students, educators and communities are properly informed and provided with opportunities to participate and pursue environmental careers, particularly in the field of air quality management.

B. Scope of Work

EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation is seeking applications from eligible entities to provide comprehensive training, technical support and outreach to federally recognized Indian tribes. The Tribal Training and Outreach Support for the American Indian Air Quality Training Program is designed to build the capacity of interested tribes to successfully implement effective and efficient air quality programs that address: (1) tribal sovereign authority; (2) tribal authority under 301(d) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) and the Tribal Authority Rule (40 CFR Parts 9, 35, 49, 50 and 81 which describes how EPA delegates authority to authorized tribes, and (3) EPA policies, rules and executive orders as well as the unique aspects of tribal sovereignty and federal Indian law under the CAA.

For additional information, visit EPA’s website at: http://www.epa.gov/air/tribal/

Applicants should include in their applications a discussion of how they will address training, technical support and outreach services as outlined in the five tasks described below. Applicants must address each task individually, including a discussion of how much time will be devoted to each task. Clear and efficient use of resources to address all tasks is encouraged. Applications that do not address each task will not be considered. In general, tasks 1, 2, 3 and 4 are expected to constitute a larger portion of the program than task 5

Applications should also provide environmental outreach, education, and support to tribes that will encourage tribal students to develop interest, understanding and abilities to pursue careers in the field of air quality management as described in task 4 of the RFA.

The anticipated activities associated with providing the training and technical support services envisioned under this project have been divided into five major tasks. The activities in each of the 5 tasks that applicants must address are as follows:

Task 1: American Indian Air Quality Training Program (AIAQTP) Workshops

Approximately 20 workshops will be offered each year including tasks related to both AIAQTP and TAMS tasks. Course topics may change annually depending upon tribal needs, material progression, and EPA PO analysis and approval. All training should reflect an air quality community-based approach, be specific to tribal air quality issues and sensitive to tribal culture while providing accurate technical information on how tribes can address each target area of air quality. The target areas include ambient air, indoor air, climate change, TAMS, mobile sources, and Clean Air Act rules and regulations. All courses should include tribal instructors, identify the target area, and a curriculum/syllabus, in compliance with terms and conditions of the grant. (See Appendix B Budget Sample for more information.)

Applicants must describe, in detail, their plan for implementing Task 1 including all information considered relevant to demonstrating air quality experience and capability to plan and schedule workshops, recruit attendees and instructors, provide expert air quality instructors, develop course content that is culturally sensitive for Native Americans’ s air quality needs, prepare workshop materials and support, acquire training locations, and successfully implement a full menu of annual training workshops. Applicants should also collect and report a detailed course evaluation from each student. Applicants should include travel costs for up to 100% of attendees due to the variations in tribal air programs development levels and the anticipated participation of tribes that are unable to fund their own travel. Previous costs for AIAQTP workshops, including travel, tend to cost between $20,000 and $60,000 each. Applicants should develop their own travel/workshop costs to include in their overall project budget (see Appendix B Budget Sample for additional guidance). Applicants should also discuss a methodology to encourage cost sharing for tribes that are able to share in the cost of attending workshops.

http://www.epa.gov/air/tribal/�

Applicant should identify Alaska specific activities.

AIAQTP staff is entirely funded through this grant and EPA participation is voluntary in support of all activities. The recipient will provide adequate staffing to support all necessary tasks including administrative, management, workshop and technical support functions.

The applicant should document how they take into consideration the current needs of tribes in each year when deciding, in consultation with the EPA Project Officer, actual training needs.

The grantee may offer the following workshop courses in a typical year. All workshops should be continuously reviewed for quality and appropriateness, and updated to reflect current air quality, tribal, and EPA conditions prior to each presentation. The grantee should work with Tribal, EPA and grantee instructors to provide the appropriate air quality learning experience for attendees. Workshop development and implementation should be a major part of any proposal.

Task 1: Subpart A: American Indian Air Quality Training Workshop Courses (See http://www4.nau.edu/itep/air/docs/TrainingCourseCat2014.pdf for current course descriptions)

This section provides a brief listing of some of the courses that have been offered as part of AIAQTP in recent years. Applications should specify a menu (number and topics) of workshops to be offered in the first year of the agreement. A final selection and future training workshops must be in compliance with terms and conditions of the grant. For proposed workshops, the applicant should include curriculum details and learning objectives. Note that the applicant will propose an approach to workshop training as appropriate and indicate the target area each workshop addresses, in compliance with terms and conditions of the grant. The following list is provided as background and the applicant is not restricted to the example subjects or number of annual workshops.

1. Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP).

2. Meteorological Monitoring.

3. Tribal Indoor Air Training.

4. Air Toxics.

5. Air Quality Subsystem (AQS).

6. Climate Change

7. Radiological Training.

8. Gaseous Pollutant Monitoring.

9. Introduction to Tribal Air Quality.

10. Air Quality Computations.

11. Air Pollution Technology.

12. Management of Tribal Programs.

13. Educational Outreach Program Design.

14. The Clean Air Act and Permitting.

http://www4.nau.edu/itep/air/docs/TrainingCourseCat2014.pdf�

Task 2: Tribal Air Monitoring Support Center (TAMS)

The mission of the TAMS Center is to provide specialized and individualized tribal air quality training, air quality monitoring technical assistance, air quality outreach and support activities in response to documented tribal needs and requests. All TAMS Center activities are conducted through the TAMS center and coordinated between EPA and grant recipient staff. Applicants are required to use the existing facilities for TAMS Center activities, which is located at EPA’s Radiation and Indoor Environment’s (R&IE) national laboratory in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The TAMS Center is managed by co-directors, one each representing the grant recipient and EPA. Applicants should budget for TAMS staff consisting of a co-Director, an administrative assistant and at least two technical specialists. See Appendix B Budget Sample for more information. EPA staff currently consists of a co-director, one Lab analyst and a senior employee.

Applicant should describe how they will undertake and accomplish each of the five activities (subparts A-E) listed below. Applications should include descriptions of how TAMS workshops will be developed and conducted, and address: course content; expert and tribal instructors;

equipment; interactions with tribes and EPA’s R&IE National Laboratory TAMS staff;

responding to requests and providing technical support information and materials; maintaining and operating resource infrastructure as described in the Outreach activity (subpart B and C);

methodology for providing financial support to tribal trainers and trainees; locating TAMS workshops; and, process for continually developing needs assessments based on workshop experience. Applicant should identify Alaska specific activities. Major activities include:

Task 2: Subpart A:

1. Provide training courses and workshops on appropriate technical topics related to monitor operation, data handling and quality assurance as well as other tasks to be proposed, to tribal environmental professionals.

Specialized and Individualized Training

2. Provide individualized training and technical support as requested by tribal government representatives involved in air quality management. Includes on-site visits as appropriate to resolve issues related to tribal monitoring activities, where assistance cannot otherwise be provided.

3. Offer and coordinate specialized training courses in response to current tribal needs for topics related to monitoring and related subjects not provided through scheduled workshops as appropriate to meet tribal needs.

4. Training should be provided by tribal instructors wherever possible, supplemented by professional staff (either applicant or EPA and others) in compliance with terms and conditions of the grant.

5. Coordinate on-site assistance by contracted experts or other appropriate staff to tribes where monitoring related issues cannot be solved remotely or off-site.

6. Coordinate professional internships as described in Task 5, as well as the mentoring/internships for tribal environmental professionals described in Task 3(c).

Task 2: Subpart B:

1. Receive and respond to requests for information through e-mail, phone calls, Outreach

2. Fax and personal contacts. Maintain and update TAMS Center Clearinghouse resources. Resources include hard copy as well as electronic materials, and can be maintained in a location. Clearinghouse resources include a wide array of materials from guidance to sample documents that are maintained and made available to tribes upon request.

Task 2: Subpart C:

1. Convene two to four TAMS Steering Committee meetings annually. The TAMS Steering Committee is an advisory Committee made up of tribal environmental professionals, EPA OAR representatives, and ex-officio members. Meeting logistics and support are provided by the applicant, and the meetings may be held at a location of the applicant’s choosing. Expenses of elected members should be included in the proposal.

Logistical Support

2. Support and house AIAQTP training courses as needed.

3. Development of database(s) and maintenance.

4. Development and maintenance of TAMS website.

Task 2: Subpart D: Support for Participant Training Attendance The EPA makes the TAMS Center location available to house a state-of-the-art training facility that available to this grantee to utilize for tribal training and meeting purposes.

There will be instances where training may be offered in other locations as well, depending on scheduling availability. Regardless of location, financial support will be provided to participants attending tribal training and/or workshops. Financial support may only be provided for training directly related to tribal training areas mentioned in either this RFA, or the final approved workplan, in compliance with the terms and conditions of the grant. The recipient should provide a methodology for determining how feasible decisions will be made for providing financial support to tribal representatives.

Applicants should propose how they would support tribes to travel to training, how they would decide whether each individual will receive financial support, up to covering all expenses for each individual, this proposal is subject to review and approval by the grant’s EPA project officer.

Task 2: Subpart E: Annual Needs Assessment on Tribal Lands In order to ensure that TAMS continues to be a dynamic training program, quickly responding to tribal needs for air quality training, applicants should describe how they will incorporate specific needs assessments into training workshops. This will require the recipient to perform needs assessments in order to determine how the program should be adjusted on an ongoing basis. Findings will be incorporated into course material thereafter. The grantee will provide guidelines, in compliance with the terms and conditions of the grant, by which the grantee will conduct these assessments. Applicants will be evaluated, in part, on the effectiveness of their proposed assessment plan.

The Professional Assistance program encompasses a number of responsibilities related to supporting and broadening the workshop training program with practical activities that expand the knowledge provided by classroom training into actual implementation assistance needed to properly support tribal activities once trainees have completed a workshop. The activities, described below, should be conducted with the appropriate level of cultural sensitivity and tribal involvement, to facilitate the positive professional working environment within tribes and between tribes and the EPA. To be appropriately culturally sensitive, materials should be developed with specific reference to and incorporation of tribal culture, custom and the unique history and situation of Native Americans nationwide.

Task 3: Professional Assistance

Task 3: Subpart A: Website The recipient will develop and maintain a program website for the tribal community in support of all tribal training and technical support activities included in this solicitation.

The website should provide an access point to information, contacts, staff and other resources offered as part of the training program. On-line registration should be considered as an option, as part of this activity. Applicants should describe how the site will be maintained and updated, and the existing expertise available to carry out the task of ensuring the material accurately reflects the program’s content, and serves as an effective two-way communication tool.

Task 3: Subpart B:

Information and Technical Assistance should be available on a one-on-one basis for any tribe that contacts the Professional Assistance program. Tribes should be able to call during business hours and have requests responded to promptly. Information and technical assistance will be available on all aspects of air program activities, and may rely on outside sources for assistance; however, most expertise should be available in-house.

Application should describe how this activity will be structured to encourage and facilitate inquiries, and respond to requests for information and materials in a timely, supportive and personalized manner.

Information and Technical Assistance

Task 3: Subpart C: Mentoring

Mentoring is an essential part of Professional Assistance, and also supports the tribal program by supporting training and development of tribal environmental professionals for careers in air quality management. The grantee will establish, maintain, and document a program to ensure that tribes and others (including states and EPA) with expertise in certain air quality areas are connected through a training program to tribes seeking individualized one-on-one training in those same areas. The training program should catalog these areas of expertise so that matches can be made quickly to incoming requests. Financial support should be available through the recipient to support these activities for tribes that are unable to provide their own funding. Grant applications should describe how this activity will be funded, staffed and structured, whether through a selective or competitive process to ensure that tribal requests are expeditiously matched to tribal capabilities, including where these activities will occur, and what kind of institutional and professional support is available.

Task 3: Subpart D:

A library of tribal documents must be developed and maintained so that tribes can access completed work as a guide when their own activities duplicate completed activities of other tribes. Information should be identified through the training web site and available to every tribe upon request. Applications must describe how materials will be acquired, inventoried, advertised and made available in response to tribal requests.

Reference Documents Library

Task 3: Subpart E: Newsletter

The Professional Assistance program must publish a regular periodical of Tribal Air News for national distribution. The periodical should contain articles of interest to tribal air quality programs authored by program as well as tribal and EPA staff to ensure a diversity of topics and perspectives. Grant applications must describe the staffing, frequency, style and manner of distribution proposed to provide a regular periodical for tribal air programs. Include a discussion of how articles will be developed and prepared, general editorial direction or foreseen content.

Task 3: Subpart F:

Recognizing the importance of communications and networking, the program should organize and promote one or more annual national meetings for tribes to meet and discuss current and future issues. Limited financial support should be available to tribes unable to fund their own travel. Grant applications must outline the process for providing this limited financial support to tribes unable to fund their own travel. The Meeting agenda and issues should be based on the recipient’s expertise, tribal feedback and current national program initiatives, and be in compliance with the terms and conditions of the grant. Attendance from all parts of Indian country is a grant goal. Applications must describe how national meetings will be developed, planned, scheduled and implemented in a manner that encourages interest and attendance by tribal air programs, in coordination with public and private tribal air program interests and in compliance with the terms and conditions of the grant. Discuss how funding support would be structured for tribes unable to fund travel, how locations would be determined, and proposals for ensuring topics are current and of interest to the broadest audience.

National Meetings

The Tribal Environmental Education Outreach and Support Program supports American Indian students, educators and communities to ensure they are properly informed and provided with opportunities to participate and pursue environmental careers, particularly in the field of air quality management.

Task 4: Tribal Environmental Education, Outreach, and Support Program

Applicant must describe how they will undertake and accomplish each of the five activities listed below to support this effort.

Task 4: Subpart A:

Educational outreach should be provided to grade schools, community groups, and other activity groups, as appropriate to provide the requested outreach to tribal youth and communities. The outreach can be in the form of visits, lectures, activities, Outreach to Tribal Schools, Students, and Communities.

demonstrations, and other proposed methods upon approval, but should effectively build relationships and provide interactions to meet the program’s objectives.

Describe, in detail, how the applicant will provide outreach to tribal audience. The description should include types of outreach; staff and their qualifications and experience; and clearly identify the types and number of contacts planned. This should include an explanation of how the proposed activities will address and fulfill program objectives, and how accomplishments will be measured and reported.

Task 4: Subpart B:

The applicant should provide a central training location economically accessible to tribal students, where they can be immersed in scientific and environmental experiences that will provide principles to learn and understand in a supportive educational atmosphere.

Visits can be a short as part of one day to as long as one week, where age appropriate.

The location should be equipped to provide for recreational and residential needs.

Chaperones from the community should be considered to increase the comfort and oversight of students while on these visits.

Training Facility Site Visits

The applicant should describe in detail how the students will be identified, selected, transported, supervised and accommodated while visiting the central training facility for training and educational activities. Description should include the planned activities (duration and frequency), staff and volunteers that will be involved, and the adequacy of the proposed central training facilities to provide learning experiences that will meet the program objectives.

Task 4: Subpart C:

Mentoring programs involve providing activities that allow young people to connect with and learn from experienced older people with backgrounds relevant to their interests, including but not limited to tribal college studies, young environmental, and/or air quality professionals. Mentoring programs should encourage ongoing, structured and supervised relationships that allow the mentor to help the protégé(s) understand professional/career options, and make informed choices within the air quality environmental field. Training shall also be part of the mentoring program providing assistance in identifying career objects, providing advice on how to meet them, and providing networking opportunities and forums for professional growth.

Mentoring Programs

Describe how mentoring programs will be established and conducted to meet program objects. Include details on how mentors and protégés will be selected, training, and matched. Also describe oversight and support by the applicant and methods for measuring success of the program task.

Task 4: Subpart D:

The Professional Assistance and Support aspect of the program provides assistance in ensuring that the activities described in this proposal are properly supported by relevant materials, contacts, oversight and other support to be described by the applicant. This

Professional Assistance and Support project’s success lies in its ability to provide complementary and supplementary information on an ongoing basis including: encouraging communication with relevant contacts through mail, phone, email, and the program website or other proposed means that support the program objectives; oversight of activities with staff experienced both in air quality and working with Native American youth, and; provision of additional resources and expertise to encourage student participation. Participants and educators should be able to call during business hours and have requests responded to within a reasonable amount of time.

The applicant should describe in detail how they intend to provide technical assistance and support to ensure that staff are available to ensure the education and outreach program has the depth and support to answer questions quickly and comprehensively; to provide additional information and materials and access to broader resources (through contacts, references and links) for both tribal students and educators to ensure the program’s success. A system to track and report on activities should also be described.

Task 4: Subpart E:

Develop and maintain an environmental education program website for the use of both tribal students and educators, in support of all training and technical activities. The website should provide an access point to information, contacts, staff, and other resources offered as part of the training program. On-line registration should be considered as an option as part of this activity.

Environmental Education Program Website

Describe how the site will be maintained and updated, and the existing expertise available to carry out the task of ensuring the website material accurately reflects the program’s content, and provides an effective two-way communication tool.

An important support element for training tribes will be the availability of internship programs to enhance and solidify the learning experience, and to offer a perspective of broader opportunities in air quality environmental careers. Internship programs should offer the opportunity for tribal students to work in an air quality office and gain additional experience and insight into career opportunities. This activity is not the same as professional internships described as part of Task 3(Subpart C) supporting tribal environmental professionals to access more experienced air quality programs.

Task 5: Environmental Education Internship Programs

Applicants should describe how the internship programs would be funded and structured, specifically addressing how individuals will be selected, to give tribal air quality environmental professionals and/or American Indian students access to internships that will enhance their professional development and/or experience and help them acquire skills and experiences necessary to promote successful tribal air quality and environmental programs. Applicant should identify the task category that each intern will work.

Financial assistance should be available to all interns to support this activity. The applicant should describe how an internship program would be structured and funded to give tribal environmental professionals and/or American Indian students access to internships that will enhance their professional development and help them acquire skills and experiences necessary to promote successful tribal air quality and environmental programs.

C. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage & Anticipated Outcomes, Outputs & Performance

Measures

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 5700.7, Environmental Results under Assistance Agreements, http://www.epa.gov/ogd/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf).

1. Linkage to EPA Strategic Plan. All applications must support progress towards EPA’s 2014-2018 Strategic Plan Goal 1 “Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality”; Objective 1.1: “Address Climate Change”, which states “minimize the threats posed by climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and taking actions that help to protect human health and help communities and ecosystems become more sustainable and resilient to the effects of climate change.” Applications must also support progress towards Objective 1.2: “Improve Air Quality”, which states “achieve and maintain health- and welfare-based air pollution standards and reduce risk from toxic air pollutants and indoor air contaminants.” Additionally, this project supports one of the seven Administrator’s themes as outlined in page 2 of the 2014-2018 EPA Strategic Plan, which is to “launch a new era of state, tribal and local partnerships”. Specifically, the proposed activities will support EPA’s effort to encourage and facilitate involvement of tribal partner governments in implementing the Clean Air Act in Indian Country.

Please read EPA’s FY 2014-2018 Strategic Plan for more information.

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 include the following: technical support and training for a minimum of 300 tribal environmental professionals per year, over the life of the agreement, documented workshop curriculums, documented library and clearinghouse. Additional output may be manifest through an increase in tribal activities carrying out air quality assessments in Indian country and implementing air quality programs to address identified air quality concerns.

Quarterly progress reports and a final report will also be required outputs, as specified http://www.epa.gov/ogd/epa_order_5700_7a1.pdf� http://www2.epa.gov/planandbudget/strategicplan� in Section VI(C) of this announcement, “Reporting Requirement,” and in compliance with the terms and conditions of this grant.

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 environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature, but must be quantitative. They may not necessarily be achievable within an assistance agreement funding period.

Projects to be funded under this announcement are expected to produce at least one, and preferably all, of the following environmental outcomes: Through this project, EPA expects to quantifiably stimulate and encourage interest in the development of tribal air programs that assess air quality and address air quality concerns in Indian country. EPA also anticipates increased participation of tribal governments in air quality management nationwide, including at the local and regional levels.

4. Performance Measures. The applicant should also develop performance measures they expect to achieve through the proposed activities and describe them in the application. These performance measures will help gather insights and will be the mechanism to track progress concerning successful process and outcome strategies and will provide the basis for developing lessons to inform future recipients. It is expected that the description of performance measures will include the following:

The following are questions to consider when developing output and outcome measures of quantitative and qualitative results:

i) What are the measurable short term and longer term results the project will achieve?

ii) How does the plan measure progress in achieving the expected results (including outputs and outcomes) and how will the approach use resources effectively and efficiently?

D. Supplementary Information.

1. Applicant/stakeholder Teleconference.

EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation will host a teleconference to answer any questions on Thursday, February 12, 2015.

Applicant Teleconference date/time

: Thursday, February 12, 2015 from 2-3 pm Eastern Time.

Teleconference call # 1-866-299-3188, code #202.564.1082#.

2. Statutory authority.

The statutory authority for this action is the Clean Air Act, §103(b)(3) which authorizes the award of grants for research, investigations, experiments, demonstrations, surveys, and studies related to the causes, effects, (including health and welfare effects), extent, prevention, and control of air pollution, including in Indian Country.

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. What is the amount of funding available?

The total estimated funding expected to be available for an award under this competitive opportunity is approximately $8,000,000. In FY 2015, total funding shall not exceed $1.6 million per year for five years. EPA anticipates award of approximately one cooperative agreement, whose annual value shall not exceed $1.6 million, resulting from this competitive opportunity.

The cooperative agreement will be funded incrementally. Additional funds may be added in each subsequent year of the agreement, subject to satisfactory performance and the availability of funds.

B. Partial Funding.

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

C. How many agreements will EPA award in this competition?

EPA anticipates award of up to one cooperative agreement under this announcement ranging in value up to $8,000,000, not exceeding $1.6 million annually over five years, subject to the availability of funds, quality of evaluated applications, and other applicable considerations. In addition, EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with Agency policy, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than six months from the date of the original selections.

D. What is the project period for awards resulting from this solicitation?

The estimated project period for an award resulting from this solicitation will begin approximately July 1, 2015. Proposed project periods may be up to five consecutive years.

E. Funding Type

The funding for selected projects will be in the form of a cooperative agreement. Cooperative agreements permit substantial involvement between the EPA Project Officer and the selected applicants in the performance of the work supported. Although EPA will negotiate precise terms and conditions relating to substantial involvement as part of the award process, the anticipated substantial Federal involvement for this project will include:

• close monitoring of the successful applicant’s performance to verify the results proposed by the applicant;

• collaboration during performance of the scope of work;

• in accordance with 2 CFR 317 and 2 CFR 318, review of proposed procurement;

• approving qualifications of key personnel (EPA will not select employees or contractors employed by the award recipient);

• review and comment on reports prepared under the cooperative agreement

(the final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient).

• EPA will attend and participate in conduct of workshops;

• EPA will serve as an Ex-Officio member of TAMS Steering Committee;

• EPA will approve substantive terms of the proposed contracts.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Entities

In accordance with CFDA 66.037, applications will be accepted from states, local governments, territories, Indian tribes, and possessions of the U.S., including the District of Columbia, international organizations, public and private universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, and other public or private non-profit institutions.

Non-profit organization, as defined by OMB Circular A-122, located at 2 CFR Part 230, means any corporation, trust, association, cooperative or other organization that: (1) is operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable or similar purposes in the public interest;

(2) is not organized primarily for profit; and (3) uses its net proceeds to maintain, improve and/or expand its operations. Note that OMB Circular A-122 specifically excludes the following types of organizations from the definition of “non-profit organization” because they are separately defined in the Circular: (i) colleges and universities; (ii) hospitals; (iii) state, local and federally-recognized Indian tribal governments; and (iv) those non-profit organizations that are excluded from coverage of this Circular in accordance with paragraph 5 of the Circular. While not considered to be a “non-profit organization(s)” as defined by OMB Circular A-122, colleges and universities, hospitals, state, local and federally-recognized Indian tribal governments are, nevertheless, eligible to submit applications under OMB Circular A-122 and this RFA.

For-profit organizations are not an eligible entity for this funding opportunity. Additionally, non-profit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

No matching funds are required under this competition. Although cost-sharing/matching is not required as a condition of eligibility under this competition, under Section V of this announcement EPA will evaluate proposals based on a leveraging criterion.

Leveraging is generally when an applicant proposes to provide its own additional funds/resources or those from third party sources to support or complement the project they are awarded under the competition which are above and beyond the EPA grant funds awarded. Any leveraged funds/resources, and their source, must be identified in the proposal (See Section IV of the announcement). Leveraged funds and resources may take various forms as noted below.

Voluntary cost share is a form of leveraging. Voluntary cost sharing is when an applicant voluntarily proposes to legally commit to provide costs or contributions to support the project when a cost share is not required. Applicants who propose to use a voluntary cost share must include the costs or contributions for the voluntary cost share in the project budget on the SF-

424. If an applicant proposes a voluntary cost share, the following apply:

• A voluntary cost share is subject to the match provisions in the grant regulation, 2

CFR Part 200 as applicable.

• A voluntary cost share may only be met with eligible and allowable costs.

• The recipient may not use other sources of federal funds to meet a voluntary cost share unless the statute authorizing the other federal funding provides that the federal funds may be used to meet a cost share requirement on a federal grant.

• The recipient is legally obligated to meet any proposed voluntary cost share that is included in the approved project budget. If the proposed voluntary cost share does not materialize during grant performance, then EPA may reconsider the legitimacy of the award and/or take other appropriate action as authorized by 2 CFR Part 200 as applicable.

Other leveraged funding/resources that are not identified as a voluntary cost share-this form of leveraging may be met by funding from another federal grant, from an applicant's own resources, or resources from other third party sources. This form of leveraging should not be included in the budget and the costs need not be eligible and allowable project costs under the EPA assistance agreement. While this form of leveraging should not be included in the budget, the grant workplan should include a statement indicating that the applicant is expected to produce the proposed leveraging consistent with the terms of the announcement and the applicant's proposal.

If applicants propose to provide this form of leveraging, EPA expects them to make the effort to secure the leveraged resources described in their proposals. If the proposed leveraging does not materialize during grant performance, then EPA may reconsider the legitimacy of the award and/or take other appropriate action as authorized by 2 CFR Part 200 as applicable.

C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria

These are requirements that if not met by the time of application submission will result in elimination of the application from consideration for funding. Only applications from eligible entities (see above) that meet all of these criteria will be evaluated against the ranking factors in Section V of this announcement. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

1. a. 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. However, where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to the narrative proposal, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed.

b. In addition, applications must be received by the EPA or through www.grants.gov, as specified in Section IV of this announcement, on or before the application submission deadline published in Section IV of this announcement. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their application reaches the designated person/office specified in Section IV of the announcement by the submission deadline.

c. Applications received after the submission deadline will be considered late and returned to the sender without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was late due to EPA mishandling or because of technical problems associated with www.grants.gov. Where Section IV requires application receipt by a specific person/office by the submission deadline, receipt by an agency mailroom is not sufficient. Applicants should confirm receipt of their application with an email as soon as possible after the submission deadline, failure to do so may result in your application not being reviewed.

2. Applications must support EPA Strategic Plan Goal 1, “Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality”. (See Section I)

3. Hard copy applications will only be accepted via an express delivery service. EPA will not accept applications submitted via e-mail, fax or standard 1st Class Mail delivery by the U.S. Postal Service.

4. Applicants must demonstrate that they have previous expertise and experience working with Native American Indian Tribes in a successful, collaborative manner in order to be considered.