rfa-epa-opp-2015-004.pdf

US Environmental Protection Agency

Office of Pesticide Programs

Funding Opportunity Announcement:

Pesticide Safety Resource Projects

(EPA-OPP-2015-004)

May 27, 2015

Funding Opportunity No. EPA-OPP-2015-004

Funding Opportunity Announcement: Pesticide Safety Resource Projects

Overview Information The following list provides key information concerning this funding opportunity:

A. Federal Agency and Office Name: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP), Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP), Field and External Affairs Division (FEAD), Certification and Worker Protection Branch (CWPB).

B. Funding Opportunity Title: Pesticide Safety Resource Projects.

C. Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-OPP-2015-004.

D. Announcement Type: Request for Applications (RFA) - Initial Announcement.

E. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66.716-Surveys, Studies, Investigations, Demonstrations, Educational Outreach, and Special Projects.

F. Statutory Authority: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), Section 20.

G. Dates: Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m.

Eastern Time on July 12, 2015. Applications received after the closing date and time will not be considered for funding. The estimated project period for the award resulting from this request for applications will begin in September 2015. The proposed project period is up to five (5) years.

H. Brief Description: The Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) is soliciting applications from eligible parties for an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) cooperative agreement to provide financial assistance to an eligible organization to carry out projects. The selected recipient will coordinate the development of resources for use by EPA’s “partners” (i.e., state, tribal, and territorial pesticide regulatory agencies and university-based extension pesticide safety education programs) and “stakeholders” (e.g., healthcare professionals, nonprofit and professional organizations, associations and others) involved in pesticide safety. Resources are educational and outreach pieces that include, but are not limited to, printed, electronic or computer-based. All resources will be developed with the involvement of subject matter experts (SMEs). EPA partners and stakeholders will use the resources to advance the protection of humans, ecosystems and the environment from the risk of pesticide poisonings, illness and injury.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. History

The EPA’s national pesticide field programs are fundamental to achieving the protection of human health, communities and ecosystems from exposure to pesticides. The EPA’s national “pesticide safety programs” are based on the certification of pesticide applicators regulation (certification rule) (40 CFR Part 171 - Certification of Pesticide Applicators) and the agricultural worker protection standard regulation (WPS) (40 CFR Part 170 – Worker Protection Standard).

The certification rule was published in 1974 to establish minimum standards of competency of pesticide applicators of restricted use pesticides. Pesticide applicator certification programs are administered primarily by pesticide State Lead Agencies (SLAs) while the education and training of pesticide applicators is conducted mainly by Pesticide Safety Education Programs. The WPS was published in 1992 to require actions that reduce the risk of pesticide poisonings and injuries among agricultural workers and pesticide handlers. While agricultural employers are responsible for complying with the WPS, partners and stakeholders (such as farmworker training organizations, healthcare professionals, compliance assistance groups, farmer organizations and others) assist with implementation of the rule. The EPA’s partners and stakeholders have an ongoing need for resources because of the complex nature of pesticide safety. The EPA anticipates an even greater need in the coming years because both the certification rule and WPS are undergoing revisions.

B. Authority

EPA expects to award a cooperative agreement under the authority provided in Section 20 of FIFRA, 7 U.S.C. 136r, which authorizes the Agency to issue assistance agreements for research, public education, training, monitoring, demonstration and studies. Regulations governing agreements are found at 2 CFR Parts 200 and 1500. All costs incurred under this program must be allowable under 2 CFR Part 200 Subpart E in accordance with applicable law, regulations, and policy, any recipient of funding must agree to comply with restrictions on using assistance funds for unauthorized lobbying, fund-raising, or political activities (i.e., lobbying members of Congress or lobbying for other federal grants, cooperative agreements or contracts. See 2 CFR 200.450). Funds generally cannot be used to pay for travel by federal agency staff. Proposed project activities must also comply with all state and federal regulations applicable to the project area. The applicant must also review this request for applications for any other programmatic funding restrictions applicable to this program. If awarded funding, the selected recipient must refer to the terms and conditions of the cooperative agreement and funding restrictions applicable to this award. It is the responsibility of the selected recipient to ensure compliance with these requirements.

C. Program Description

1. Purpose and Scope

The cooperative agreement awarded under this program is intended to provide support for the development, revision or updating of pesticide safety resources for use by partners and stakeholders. The selected recipient will work with EPA, partners and stakeholders to identify resource needs and Subject Matter Experts, and will manage or carry out the development, and printing or electronic posting of resources.

2. Goal and Objectives

The EPA expects that the selected recipient will use the funding provided under this request for applications to manage or carry out the development, revision or updating of pesticide safety resources to advance the protection of humans, communities, and ecosystems from the risk of pesticide poisonings, illness and injury.

3. Activities to be Funded

Key activities to be funded under this cooperative agreement are to:

• Identify resource needs;

• Develop and follow project plans;

• Establish and meet timelines;

• Develop or facilitate the development of pesticide safety resources;

• Identify and work with SMEs, and technical experts such as copy-editors, graphic designers, photographers, videographers, programmers and/or translators;

• Publish, reproduce, distribute and/or post electronically materials;

• Manage budgets, accounting, payments and reimbursements;

• Develop policies and procedures for granting sub awards, managing payments and reimbursements; and

• Maintain and produce records and reports for historical and planning purposes including financial data and recommendations.

D. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage and Anticipated Outputs, Outcomes and Performance Measures

1. Linkage to EPA Strategic Plan/GPRA Architecture

The award to be made under this announcement will support EPA Strategic Plan Goal 4:

Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution, Objective 1: Ensure Chemical Safety. To see EPA’s 2014-2018 Strategic Plan visit: http://www2.epa.gov/planandbudget/fy- 2014-2018-strategic-plan.

2. Outputs

The term “output” means an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work products 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 the funding period of an assistance agreement.

http://www2.epa.gov/planandbudget/fy-2014-2018-strategic-plan http://www2.epa.gov/planandbudget/fy-2014-2018-strategic-plan

The cooperative agreement awarded under this program is intended to support the development, revision and/or updating of pesticide safety resources for use by partners and stakeholders. The selected recipient will work with EPA, partners and stakeholders to identify resource needs and SMEs. The selected recipient will manage the development, and printing, distribution or electronic posting, of the resources.

Resources may be in English, Spanish or other languages, and may include but are not limited to:

• Pamphlets, presentations, or courses;

• photographs, videos, webinars, web pages, on-line or computer-based training, or web page content;

• exam blueprints, exam items and exam item banks, guides, syllabi, databases or spreadsheets;

• pesticide safety applications (apps) for smartphones, tablets, and other electronic devices; and

• manuals, handbooks, study guides.

Examples of resources developed under previous cooperative agreements for the pesticide safety program are a national pesticide applicator certification manual and exam questions on soil fumigation, a national manual for trainers of agricultural workers in English and Spanish, a manual for healthcare professionals on recommendations for treatment of pesticide-related illness or injuries and a test plan and syllabus for national right-of-way herbicide applicators.

Some of these examples can be viewed under “Pesticide Safety” at http://www.nasda.org/Foundation.aspx.

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 and correlate with the objectives of the work plan. They may not necessarily be achievable within the funding period of an assistance agreement.

Expected outcomes from this cooperative agreement include, but are not limited to:

a. Enhancing the capabilities of partners and stakeholders to develop and implement programs and activities that prevent and reduce pesticide risks to humans, communities and ecosystems;

b. Educating agricultural workers, pesticide applicators and handlers and others on the safe use of pesticides;

c. Protecting humans, communities, and ecosystems from illness and injury caused by exposure to pesticides.

4. Performance Measures http://www.nasda.org/Foundation.aspx

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 be the mechanism to track progress concerning successful process and outcome strategies; and provide the basis for developing lessons to inform future recipients. It is expected that the description of performance measures will include the following:

• Oversight, tracking and reporting on expenditures, purchases and other fiscal activities;

• Oversight, tracking and reporting actual accomplishments versus proposed outputs/outcomes; and

• Proposed timelines/milestones, measuring and reporting on outcomes.

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

a) What are the measurable, short term and long term results the project will achieve?

b) 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?

II. Award Information

A. Amount of Funding Available

The total estimated amount available for award under this announcement is up to $5,000,000, dependent on availability of funds. EPA anticipates awarding an estimated $1,220,000 for fiscal year 2015. At the conclusion of the first year period of performance, incremental funding may be made available for each additional year allowing the project to continue for a total of five (5) years depending on Agency priorities, available funding levels, satisfactory performance of the selected recipient and other applicable considerations. EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards.

B. Total Number of Awards

EPA anticipates awarding one cooperative agreement subject to the availability of funds and 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 selection.

C. 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 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. Start Date/Project Duration

The estimated project period for the award resulting from this request for applications will begin in September 2015. The proposed project period is up to five (5) years.

E. Funding Type

The selected recipient will be issued a cooperative agreement as appropriate. A cooperative agreement is an assistance agreement grant in which substantial EPA programmatic involvement is anticipated during the performance of the project. EPA awards cooperative agreements for those projects in which it expects to have substantial involvement with the selected 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 selected recipient’s performance; collaboration during the performance of the scope of work; in accordance with 2 CFR 200.324, 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 selected recipient. The final decision on the content of reports rests with the selected recipient.

F. Pre-award Costs

In accordance with 2 CFR 1500.8, EPA award recipients may incur allowable project costs 90 calendar days before the federal awarding agency makes the federal award. Expenses more than 90 calendar days pre-award require prior approval of EPA. All costs incurred before EPA makes the award are at the selected recipient’s risk. EPA is under no obligation to reimburse such costs if for any reason the selected recipient does not receive a federal award or if the federal award is less than anticipated and inadequate to cover such costs.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

Assistance under this program is generally available to states, U.S. territories or possessions, federally-recognized Indian tribal governments and Native American Organizations, public and private universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, other public or private nonprofit institutions, and local governments..

Non-profit organization, as defined by 2 CFR Part 200, 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. While not considered to be a “non-profit organization(s)” as defined by 2 CFR Part 200, colleges and universities, hospitals, state, local and federally-recognized Indian tribal governments are, nevertheless, eligible to submit applications under 2 CFR Part 200 and this RFA.

The following are not eligible to apply for this funding opportunity: individuals, international entities, for-profit organizations and 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.

B. Cost Sharing/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 selected 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 selected 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 work plan 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 Requirements

These requirements, if not met by the time of application submission, will result in the elimination of the application from the consideration for funding. Only applications that meet all of these requirements will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria in Section V of the 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. Applicants must be eligible (See Section III.A) to receive funding under this announcement.

2. The proposal must address at a minimum all of the activities to be funded. The activities to be funded are listed under Section I.C.3.

3. Initial proposals must be submitted through Grants.gov at http://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 proposal 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 proposal/application is timely submitted.

4. Proposals 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 issues with the System for Award Management (SAM), SAM.gov. An applicant’s failure to timely submit their proposal/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 proposal with the Agency Contact listed in Section VII as soon as possible after the submission deadline - failure to do so may result in your proposal not being reviewed.

5. Multiple applications from the same project manager within an organization are not allowed. Only the first application from a project manager will be considered eligible. Multiple applications from the same organization but different project managers are allowed to be submitted.

6. Applications must comply with the submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement or else they will be rejected. Where page http://www.grants.gov/ limitations are established, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed.

7. Submissions must demonstrate that all meetings of any type will be held in the contiguous United States.

8. Submissions must contain specific outputs and outcomes and state how those will be measured and documented.

9. The maximum funding level requested for a project must not exceed $5,000,000.

Applications requesting more than the maximum will be rejected.

10. The proposed project period of performance must not exceed five years.

11. Ineligible activities: If a proposal is submitted that includes any ineligible tasks or activities, that portion of the proposal will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects the proposal, render the entire proposal ineligible for funding.

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. How to Obtain Application Package

The required forms are available through EPA’s Office of Grants and Debarment website at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/how_to_apply.htm.

B. Requirement to Submit through Grants.gov and Limited Exception Procedures

Applicants, except as noted below, must apply electronically through http://www.grants.gov for this funding opportunity based on the Grants.gov instructions in this announcement. If an applicant does not have the technical capability to apply electronically through Grants.gov because of limited or no internet access which prevents them from being able to upload the required application materials to http://www.grants.gov, the applicant must contact OGDWaivers@epa.gov or the address listed below in writing (e.g., hard copy, email) at least 15 calendar days prior to the submission deadline under this announcement to request approval to submit their application materials through an alternate method.

Mailing Address:

USEPA Headquarters William Jefferson Clinton Building 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

Mail Code: 3903R Washington, DC 20460

Courier Address:

Ronald Reagan Building 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.

Rm # 51267 http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/how_to_apply.htm mailto:OGDWaivers@epa.gov

Washington, DC 20004

In the request, the applicant must include the following information:

• Funding Opportunity Number (FON);

• Organization Name and Data Universal Number System (DUNS);

• Organization’s Contact Information (email address and phone number); and

• Explanation of how they lack the technical capability to apply electronically through

Grants.gov because of 1) limited internet access or 2) no internet access which prevents them from being able to upload the required application materials through http://www.grants.gov.

EPA will only consider alternate submission exception requests based on the two reasons stated above and will timely respond to the request - all other requests will be denied. If an alternate submission method is approved, the applicant will receive documentation of this approval and further instructions on how to apply under this announcement. Applicants will be required to submit the documentation of approval with any initial application submitted under the alternative method. In addition, any submittal through an alternative method must comply with all applicable requirements and deadlines in the announcement including the submission deadline and requirements regarding proposal content and page limits (although the documentation of approval of an alternate submission method will not count against any page limits).

If an exception is granted, it is valid for submissions to EPA for the remainder of the entire calendar year in which the exception was approved and can be used to justify alternative submission methods for application submissions made through December 31 of the calendar year in which the exception was approved (e.g., if the exception was approved on March 1, 2015, it is valid for any competitive or non-competitive application submission to EPA through December 31, 2015). Applicants need only request an exception once in a calendar year and all exceptions will expire on December 31 of that calendar year. Applicants must request a new exception from required electronic submission through Grants.gov for submissions for any succeeding calendar year. For example, if there is a competitive opportunity issued on December 1, 2015 with a submission deadline of January 15, 2016, the applicant would need a new exception to submit through alternative methods beginning January 1, 2016.

Please note that the process described in this section is only for requesting alternate submission methods. All other inquiries about this announcement must be directed to the Agency Contact listed in Section VII of the announcement. Queries or requests submitted to the email address identified above for any reason other than to request an alternate submission method will not be acknowledged or answered.

C. 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 http://www.grants.gov and click on “Applicants” on the top of the page and then go to the “Get Registered” section 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 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.

To begin the application process under this grant announcement, go to http://www.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 http://www.Grants.gov/web/Grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html

You may also be able to access the application package for this announcement by searching for the opportunity on Grants.gov. Go to http://www.grants.gov and then click on “Search Grants” at the top of the page and enter the Funding Opportunity Number, EPA-OPP-2015-004, or the CFDA number that applies to the announcement (CFDA 66.716), in the appropriate field and click the “Search” button. Alternatively, you may be able to access the application package by clicking on the Application Package button at the top right of the synopsis page for the announcement on http://www.grants.gov. To find the synopsis page, go to http://www.grants.gov and click “Browse Agencies” in the middle of the page and then go to “Environmental Protection Agency” to find the EPA funding opportunities.

D. Application Submission Deadline

Applicants must submit a complete application package electronically to EPA through Grants.gov (http://www.grants.gov) by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on July 12, 2015. 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 in Section IV.F below using the Grants.gov application package that you downloaded using the instructions above in Section IVC. For additional instructions on completing and submitting the electronic application package, click on the “Show Instructions” tab that is accessible within the application package itself.

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 http://www.grants.gov/web/Grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/Grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ days of the application deadline, please contact Jeanne Kasai at 703-308-3240. Failure to do so may disqualify your application for review.

E. 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 Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) to avoid having to re-create the package should submission problems be experienced or a revised application needs to be submitted. NOTE: Revised applications must be submitted before the closing date and time of this request for applications.

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 this request for applications. 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.

NOTE: Grants.gov issues a “case number” upon a request for assistance.

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 does not resolve the problem so that the application is submitted to http://www.grants.gov by the deadline date and time, follow the guidance below. EPA 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 Jeanne Kasai at kasai.jeanne@epa.gov with “EPA-OPP-2015-004” in the subject line. If you are unable to email, contact Jeanne Kasai at 703-308-3240. Be aware that EPA will only consider accepting applications that were unable to transmit due to http://www.grants.gov or relevant http://www.sam.gov system issues or for unforeseen exigent circumstances, such as extreme weather interfering with internet access. EPA will not accept applications that are unable to be submitted using Grants.gov because the applicant failed to register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov due to their own error.

mailto:kasai.jeanne@epa.gov http://www.sam.gov/

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. If the problems stem from unforeseen exigent circumstances unrelated to Grants.gov, such as extreme weather interfering with internet access, contact Jeanne Kasai at 703-308-3240.

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, send an email message 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 promptly send an email within one business day of the closing date of this request for applications to Jeanne Kasai at kasai.jeanne@epa.gov with “EPA-OPP- 2015-004” in the subject line. The email should include any materials provided by Grants.gov and attach the entire application in PDF format.

F. Content of Application Submission

The application package must contain all of the following materials, in sequential order as shown.

Applicants must directly and explicitly address all required information in their application packages.

1. Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal Assistance Complete the form available at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/forms/forms.htm. There are no attachments. Be sure to include organization fax number and e-mail address in Block 5 of the SF-424 form. Clearly state the total funding amount requested for the entire project period in Block 15.

Please note that the organizational Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) 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. Alternatively, applicants may also request a DUNS number online by going to http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform and following the instructions for a cooperative agreement.

2. SF-424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs Complete the form available at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/forms/forms.htm. There are no attachments. The total amount of federal funding requested for the project period should be shown on line 5(e) and on line 6(k) of SF-424A. 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. Clearly mailto:nelsen.ashley@epa.gov http://www.epa.gov/ogd/forms/forms.htm http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform state the total funding amount requested for the ENTIRE project period in Block 15.

3. EPA Form 5700-54, Key Contacts attachments. If additional pages are needed, attach these additional pages to your front page in the form of a Microsoft Word document. Include a header on the additional pages with the form number and your name.

4. SF-424B, Assurances for Non-Construction Programs attachments.

5. EPA Form 6600-06, Lobbying Form – Certification Regarding Lobbying Complete the form available at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/form/Lobbying_sec.pdf.

There are no attachments. Disregard the line in the upper right for inserting an EPA Project Control Number.

6. EPA Form 4700-4, Pre-Award Compliance Review Report attachments.

7. Project Proposal NOTE: In developing a work plan, applicants should discuss how activities and resources would be prioritized for a smaller budget allocation.

a. Cover Page (page 1). The cover page (one page) must list the following information with your letterhead:

EPA Funding Opportunity number: EPA-OPP-2015-004 Project Title:

Project Manager:

Organization Name and Address:

Telephone No.: Fax No.: Email Address:

Project Duration (including estimated Starting Date and Ending Date):

First Year Funding Request:

Subsequent Year Funding Requests, if applicable:

Total Funding Request (for the entire project):

Indicate if this application is for new activities connected with a previously funded EPA project. If yes, please provide the following:

EPA Assistance Number:_________________

Budget Period of Project:_________________

b. Table of Contents (page 2): A one-page table listing the different parts of the proposal and the page number on which each part begins.

c. Executive Summary (page 3): Stand-alone, one-page document that concisely explains the objectives, outputs and outcomes of the proposed project. It must also http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/form/Lobbying_sec.pdf include an assurance that applicant meets the eligibility requirements, as listed in Section III.C (Eligibility Information), are addressed in the application.

d. Project Narrative (25 pages or less): The project narrative must contain Parts I – V below of this Section (IV.F) in sequential order as listed below. As part of the application package, applicants must directly and explicitly address all criteria in Section V (Application Review Information) of this request for applications. The project narrative must not exceed 25 pages typewritten on 8.5 x 11 inch paper, 1.5 line-spacing, Times New Roman font, size 12 point.

Part I. Project Title

Part II. Project Goals and Objectives Include a numbered list of concisely written project objectives consistent with the purpose of this program and activities to be funded under this announcement (see Section I.C). These objectives should be concise, specific, realistic and measurable.

Part III. Project Approach and Design Describe in detail the project activities to be funded (see Section I.C.3 of this announcement for activities to be included at a minimum). Indicate in detail the staff, resources, tools and methodologies that will be utilized. Describe how the project activities build upon or consider lessons learned from existing efforts and resources.

Part IV. Environmental Results – Outcomes, Outputs and Performance Measures Identify the expected quantitative and qualitative outcomes and outputs of the project (See Section I. Funding Opportunity Description, D. EPA Strategic Plan Linkage and Anticipated Outputs, Outcomes and Performance Measures), including what performance measures or other means will be used to track and measure your progress towards achieving the expected outcomes and outputs and how the results of the project will be evaluated.

Part V. Programmatic Capability and Past Performance Explain your current state of knowledge and experience related to the purposes and objectives stated in Section I.C of this announcement.

Submit a list of federally and/or non-federally funded assistance agreements (assistance agreements include federal, state or private grants and cooperative agreements but not contracts) similar in size, scope and relevance to the proposed project that your organization performed within the last three years. Succinctly describe no more than five agreements, and preferably EPA agreements. Describe (a) whether, and how, you were able to successfully complete and manage those agreements; (b) your history of meeting the reporting requirements under those agreements including whether you adequately and timely reported on your progress towards achieving the expected outputs and outcomes of those agreements (and if not, explain why not) and whether you submitted acceptable final technical reports under the agreement, (c) your history of complying with financial management regulations under the assistance agreements identified; and (d) whether you have received adverse material findings made within the last 5 years by a federal auditor or an independent auditor under 2 CFR Part 200 subpart F. Please also provide the name, phone number, and email address for the primary liaison for each listed agreement, such as the project coordinator or similar person, who is familiar with your performance under the agreement.

In evaluating applicants under criteria in Section V, EPA will consider the information provided by the applicant and may also consider relevant information from other sources, including information from EPA files and from current/prior grantors (e.g., to verify and/or supplement the information provided by the applicant).

If you do not have any relevant or available past performance, past reporting information, or financial management experience please indicate this in the application and you will receive a neutral score for the evaluation criteria under Section V.B.4 (a), (b), or (c) of this project proposal (a neutral score is half of the total points available in a subset of possible points). If you do not provide any response for Section V.B.4 (a), (b), or (c), you may receive a score of 0 for these criteria. If you have had no adverse material findings from audits, or have resolved adverse material findings without actions by federal agencies to disallow costs or impose special conditions, you will receive a favorable score for evaluation criterion

(d) of Section V.B.4.

8. Budget Narrative

In addition to the SF-424A form, prepare an estimated overall budget for the allocation of $5,000,000 over five years. Also prepare a detailed budget and narrative for the first incremental funding for an estimated $1,220,000. Explain the need for funding under each of the appropriate budget categories as listed below. Link each task or activity from the project work plan to the associated resources needed to accomplish the activity.

Include sufficient detail for EPA to determine if the costs are eligible, allocable, reasonable, and allowable. For more information, see http://www.epa.gov/ogd/recipient/tips.htm and for guidelines and a sample budget, see http://www.epa.gov/ogd/recipient/ogd_budget_detail_guidance.pdf.

Personnel: Include only direct costs for salaries of those individuals who will perform work directly for the project. Identify the personnel type by full time employee. Personnel costs do not include costs for services of consultants, contractors or other partner organizations. Include the requested federal and any non-federal cost share in these estimates.

http://www.epa.gov/ogd/recipient/tips.htm http://www.epa.gov/ogd/recipient/ogd_budget_detail_guidance.pdf

Travel: Include the travel location(s), estimated number of trips, estimated total mileage, applicable reimbursement rate, and number of nights lodging required throughout the entire project period.

Equipment: Include only equipment proposed to be purchased as a direct cost. This does not include equipment to be leased/rented and service/maintenance contracts. Include costs for each item.

Supplies: Include tangible personal property other than equipment. Include a brief description of the supplies required to perform the work and categorized by major supply category. Example: office supplies, computer supplies, etc.

Contractual/Consultant Services: List services and associated costs that are to be carried out by an individual or organization other than the applicant in the form of a procurement relationship. Include a brief description of the scope of work or services to be provided.

Other Direct Costs: Include only those types of direct costs that do not fit in any of the other budget categories. An example is sub-award costs. (Sub-awards: Any award of financial assistance by any legal agreement made by the selected recipient to an eligible sub-recipient.)

Voluntary cost share/match and leveraged funds: Demonstrate how you will leverage additional funds/resources beyond the grant funds awarded to support the proposed project activities and how these funds/resources will be used to contribute to the performance and success of the proposed project. This includes but is not limited to funds and other resources leveraged from businesses, labor organizations, non-profit organizations, education and training providers, and/or federal, state, tribal, and local governments, as appropriate. Describe the amount and type of leveraged resources to be provided, how you will obtain the leveraged resources, the likelihood the leveraging will materialize during grant performance, the strength of the leveraging commitment, and the role the leveraged resources will play to support the proposed project activities. Selected applicants are expected to abide by their proposed leveraging commitments during grant performance and the failure to do so may affect the legitimacy of the award.

9. SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, if applicable Complete the form, available at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/form/sflllin_sec.pdf, if your organization is involved in lobbying activities.

10. Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

If your proposed budget includes indirect costs, you must submit a copy of your organization’s Indirect Cost Rate Agreement as part of the application package.

11. Appendix A, Resumes Provide resumes for the project manager and key project leaders.

http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/form/sflllin_sec.pdf

12. Appendix B, Letters of Support When the work plan describes partnerships, funding, or in-kind services, provide a letter(s) of support. Letters of support should clearly state the intent of the partner and their contribution, cash, or in-kind services to the project. Letters of recommendation will not be considered.

G. Partnerships, Contractors and Subawards

1. Subawards, Contract Services and Partnerships

EPA awards funds to one eligible applicant as the selected recipient. If the application of the selected recipient named partners, or was part of a coalition or consortium, the project manager and their organization will be accountable to EPA for the proper expenditure of funds.

Funding may be used to provide subawards of financial assistance, which includes using subawards to fund partnerships, provided the selected recipient complies with applicable requirements for subawards including those contained in 2 CFR Part 200. Applicants must compete contracts for services and products, including consultant contracts, and conduct cost and price analyses, to the extent required by the procurement provisions of the regulations at 2 CFR Part 200. Applicants are not required to identify subrecipients and/or contractors (including consultants) in their proposal/application. However, if they do, the fact that an applicant selected for award has named a specific subrecipient, contractor, or consultant in the proposal/application EPA selects for funding does not relieve the applicant of its obligations to comply with subaward and/or competitive procurement requirements as appropriate. Please note that applicants may not award sole source contracts to consulting, engineering or other firms assisting applicants with the proposal solely based on the firm's role in preparing the proposal/application.

The selected recipient cannot use subawards to avoid requirements in EPA grant regulations for competitive procurement by using these instruments to acquire commercial services or products from for-profit organizations to carry out its assistance agreement. The nature of the transaction between the selected recipient and the subrecipient must be consistent with the standards for distinguishing between vendor transactions and subrecipient assistance found at 2 CFR 200.330, and the definitions of subaward at 2 CFR 200.92 and subrecipient at 2 CFR

200.93. EPA will not be a party to these transactions. If the selected recipients acquires commercial goods or services, they must comply with the competitive procurement standards in 2 CFR 200.317-326 and cannot use a subaward as the funding mechanism.

2. Evaluation of an Applicant's Proposed Subrecipients and Contractors

Section V of this announcement describes the evaluation criteria and evaluation process that will be used by EPA to make a selection for a cooperative agreement. During the EPA’s evaluation, except for those criteria that relate to the applicant's own qualifications, past performance, and reporting history, the review panel will consider, as appropriate and relevant, the qualifications, expertise, and experience (if identified in the application) of:

a. an applicant's named subrecipient(s) identified in the proposal/application if the applicant demonstrates in the…