WCFSP FOA - LCR - final.docx

Header for this page Section VIII. Other Information

Funding Opportunity Announcement No. BOR-LC-16-001

Lower Colorado Region Water Conservation Field Services Program Grant Program for FY 2016

U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Reclamation Lower Colorado Region

Mission Statements

The Department of the Interior protects and manages the Nation's natural resources and cultural heritage; provides scientific and other information about those resources; and honors the Nation’s trust responsibilities or special commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, and affiliated island communities.

The mission of the Bureau of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public.

Synopsis

Application Due Date:

(See FOA Sec. IV.B) Applications will be accepted through 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, January 22, 2016. Applications must be submitted by one of the following methods only:

· Electronic Submittal via Grants.gov; or

· Hard-Copy Submittal

Under no circumstance will an application be accepted by facsimile or email.

Eligible Applicants:

(See FOA Sec. III.A) States, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, or other organizations with water or power delivery authority located in the Lower Colorado Region as required by Sections 9502 and 9504(a) of Public Law 111-11.

Recipient Cost Share:

(See FOA Sec. III.E) 50 percent or more of total activity costs must be met with non-federal funds.

Federal Funding Amount:

(See FOA Sec. II.B) Reclamation will limit total funding to no more than $100,000 in federal funding to each applicant. Any awards are subject to a determination by Reclamation that FY 2016 appropriations are available and that awards can be made consistent with all program requirements.

Water conservation education and training activities will not be funded in FY 2016 under this FOA.

Estimated Amount of Funding Available for Award: (See FOA Sec II.A)

The President’s FY 2016 budget includes a request for approximately $800,000 for WCFSP Lower Colorado Region Grants. Reclamation will determine the amount of funding available for award for this WCFSP Grant FOA once final FY 2016 appropriations have been made. Any awards are subject to a determination by Reclamation that FY 2016 appropriations are available and that awards can be made consistent with all program requirements. Applications submitted under this FOA may also be considered if other funding becomes available in FY 2016 or subsequently.

Synopsis i Application Checklist The following table contains a summary of the information that you are required to submit with a WCFSP Grant application.

<http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15>

Technical proposal:

Form SF 424A or SF 424C, as applicable, available at <http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15>

* Submit materials with your application by January 22, 2016 at 5:00pm PST.

Application Checklist iii

Acronyms and Abbreviations

Funding Opportunity Announcement No. R14AS80001

Acronyms and Abbreviations v Contents Page

Funding Opportunity Announcement No. BOR-LC-16-001

Section I: Funding Opportunity Description I.A Water Conservation Field Services Program Overview The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation), Lower Colorado Region, is requesting proposals to fund activities in support of its Water Conservation Field Services Program (WCFSP) within the Lower Colorado Region (LCR). The LCR includes Southern Nevada, most of Arizona, Southern California, and Southwestern Utah. Please see the map below for areas covered under this FOA.

The mission of Reclamation is to manage, develop, and protect water and related resources in an environmentally and economically sound manner in the interest of the American public. Reclamation has a major responsibility, in partnership with water users, states, and other interested parties, to help improve water resource management and water use efficiency in the western United States. More efficient water use is a key component of Reclamation's water resource management strategy.

Reclamation established the WCFSP in 1996 with the purpose to fulfill its water conservation-related obligation as outlined in Section 210 of the Reclamation Reform Act (RRA) of 1982. The RRA directs the Secretary to encourage and implement water conservation measures on Federal Reclamation projects. Directives and Standards (WTR 01-02) were developed for the program which outlined Reclamation's procedures for administering the WCFSP pursuant to the RRA and other existing authorities, including the provision of technical and financial assistance to Federal and non-federal entities and the administration of water conservation plans.

I.B Objective of Funding Opportunity Announcement The objective of this FOA is to invite States, Indian tribes, irrigation districts, water districts, or other organizations with water or power delivery authority located in the Lower Colorado Region that have an association with a Reclamation project or project water to leverage their money and resources by cost sharing with Reclamation on activities/projects that make more efficient use of existing water supplies through water conservation and efficiency in the LCR. Activities/Projects will be selected through a competitive process using the selection criteria identified in Section V.

I.C Program Authority This Program is administered in accordance with the authority of Reclamation Act of 1902 (32 Stat. 388), as amended and supplemented; and the RRA of 1982 (96 Stat. 1268; 43 U.S.C. 390jj). This FOA is issued under the authority of Section 9504(a) of the Secure Water Act, Subtitle F of Title IX of the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, Public Law 111-11 (42 United States Code 10364).

Section I: Funding Opportunity Description

Section II: Award Information II.A Total Project Funding It is anticipated that between eight and fifteen water conservation agreements will be awarded under this FOA, depending on the total amount of funding requested by successful proposals and the amount of funding provided in the budget appropriation. The amount of funding available to fund projects through this FOA will be determined once Congress approves final FY 2016 appropriations.

Federal funds provided through this FOA will be available for the full length of the project. Management will evaluate each project to determine whether funding the project as a phased project on an annual (federal fiscal year (FY)) basis would be appropriate (i.e., a phased project would provide part of the funds this FY and the remaining funds in the next FY—recipients will not be asked to reapply to receive funding in the approved future years). Federal FYs are from October 1—September 30. The applicant will be consulted on particulars of any project that is determined to be appropriate for separate annual funding.

II.B Project Funding Limitations In accordance with Section 9504(a) of P.L. 111-11, the federal share (Reclamation and other sources of federal funding) of any one proposed activity/project shall not exceed 50 percent of the total activity/project costs and, under this FOA, will not exceed $100,000.

Reclamation will limit total funding to no more than $100,000 in federal funding to each applicant. Any awards are subject to a determination by Reclamation that FY 2016 appropriations are available and that awards can be made consistent with all program requirements.

Water conservation education and training activities will not be funded in FY 2016 under this FOA.

II.C Reclamation Responsibilities Project awards will be made through grants or cooperative agreements as applicable to each project. If a cooperative agreement is awarded, the recipient should expect Reclamation to have substantial involvement in the project. Substantial involvement by Reclamation may include:

· Collaboration and participation with the recipient in the management of the project and close oversight of the recipient’s activities to assure that the program objectives are being achieved.

· Oversight may include review, input, and approval at key interim stages of the project.

At the request of the recipient, Reclamation can provide technical assistance after award of the project. If you receive Reclamation’s assistance, you must account for these costs in your budget.

II.D Award Date Reclamation expects to begin awarding financial assistance agreements, to applicants who successfully pass all pre-award reviews and administrative requirements on or before June 2016 with an anticipated activity/project start date on or around July 1, 2016, subject to the date of appropriation and allotment of the Federal budget.

Section II. Award Information

Section III: Eligibility Information III.A Eligible Applicants Under P.L. 111-11, Section 9502, an eligible applicant is a State, Indian tribe, irrigation district, water district, or other organization with water or power delivery authority. Applicants must also be located in the LCR. Please see the location map at < http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g4000/wtrconsv.html >.

Those not eligible for financial assistance under this FOA include the following entities:

· Federal governmental entities

· Institutions of higher education

· Individuals

Also, to be eligible for financial assistance under this FOA, the applicant must have a definable relationship to the watershed of one, or more, specific Reclamation water projects in the LCR boundaries. For the purposes of this funding announcement, a Reclamation project is defined as a specific Reclamation water project that was authorized by Congress and constructed by Reclamation. This includes everything within the project service area (i.e., project features and facilities, project service area, watershed, water systems or water supplies affected by a specific Reclamation project) and the Colorado River. Validation of a Reclamation water supply contract is one way to show a relationship to a Reclamation project.

III.B Eligible Projects Proposed projects should seek to conserve and use water more efficiently.

All proposals will be ranked upon Evaluation Criteria stated in Section V of this FOA. Projects to be considered should address one of the following task component areas:

III.B.1. Water Management Planning Development of written water management and conservation plans. Water conservation plans are required for Colorado River water contractors in the Lower Colorado Region, in accordance with the RRA. The Water Conservation Plans should be modeled after plans described in Achieving Efficient Water Management: A Guidebook for Preparing Municipal Water Conservation Plans, and Achieving Efficient Water Management: A Guidebook for Preparing Agricultural Water Conservation Plans, Second Edition (Guidebooks). These publications are available at www.usbr.gov/waterconservation/publications.html. The proposed planning activity/project should address one or more of the planning tasks discussed in the Guidebooks. Priority is given to development of plans under requirements supported by the WCFSP.

Please Note: Because of the strong support provided by the State of Arizona through the Arizona Department of Water Resources and the implementation of Arizona’s Groundwater Management Code of 1980, no funding will be made available for water management and/or water conservation plans within Phoenix Area Office area. Please see the map at the following link < http://www.usbr.gov/lc/phoenix/pxaomap.html > for locations that will not fund planning agreements.

III.B.2. Implementation of Efficiency Measures Implement more efficient water management/conservation measures with special emphasis on outdoor water management practices as part of its water management and conservation program. This component involves the implementation of best management practices or water conservation measures outlined in the entity’s water management or water conservation plan.

III.B.3. Demonstration Projects Demonstrate innovative technologies in water conservation to increase technical understanding of unfamiliar water management and conservation principles and practices that have not been previously used locally. A demonstration activity/project's purpose is to install or apply a particular technology in a new way, or in a new setting, with the intent of reporting the results to others for potential wider adoption. The proposed activity/project should not only “publicly” demonstrate a new or unfamiliar practice; it should contain a process for informing interested individuals and organizations about the outcome of the demonstration.

Please Note: Reclamation recognizes that education is an important part of any water conservation program; however, education activities will not be funded until clear authority exists for education grants under WCFSP. Please assure that all education activities are removed from any proposals.

III.C Ineligible Projects Projects that do not meet the requirements of the WCFSP are not eligible under this FOA.

Projects that are considered normal Operations, Maintenance, and Replacement (OM&R) are not eligible. Operations, Maintenance, and Replacement is described as system improvements that replace or repair existing infrastructure or function without providing increased efficiency or effectiveness of water distribution over the expected life of the improvement.

Examples of ineligible OM&R projects include:

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

· Improving an existing facility to operate as originally designed.

· An activity that is performed on a recurring basis even if that period is extended (i.e., 10-year interval).

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

· Replacing old or broken meters with new meters of the same type.

· Replacing leaky pipes with new pipes of the same type.

III.D Length of Projects Applicants should propose activities/projects that can be completed within two years from the estimated project start date. Projects that are more than two years in length will be evaluated by management to determine whether the project should be funded in separate fiscal years. Any proposals that extends beyond a two-year length shall provide an explanation for the need.

III.E Cost-Sharing Requirement Applicants must provide at least 50 percent or more non-federal cost-share of the total project costs. Cost sharing may be made through cash or in-kind contributions from the applicant or third-party partners. Cost-share funding from sources outside the applicant’s organization, e.g., loans or state grants, should be secured and available to the applicant prior to award. Reclamation will execute a financial assistance agreement once non-federal funding has been secured or Reclamation determines that there is sufficient evidence and likelihood that non-federal funds will be available to the applicant subsequent to executing the agreement.

III.E.1 Cost-Share Regulations All cost-share contributions must meet the applicable administrative and cost principles criteria established in 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 200.306, available at www.ecfr.gov.

III.E.2 In-Kind Contributions In-kind contributions constitute the value of noncash contributions that benefit a federally assisted project. These contributions may be in the form of real property, equipment, supplies and other expendable property, as well as the value of goods and services directly benefiting and specifically identifiable to the proposed project or program. The cost or value of in-kind contributions that have been or will be relied on to satisfy a cost-sharing or matching requirement for another Federal financial assistance agreement, a Federal procurement contract, or any other award of Federal funds may not be relied on to satisfy the cost-share requirement for WCFSP Grant applications. Applicants should refer to 2 CFR 200.434 for regulations regarding the valuation of in-kind donations and contributions, available at www.ecfr.gov.

III.E.3 Pre-Award Costs Project pre-award costs that have been incurred prior to the date of award, but after the date of authorization and appropriation for this Program, may be submitted for consideration as allowable costs for the project. In no case will pre-award costs incurred prior to October 1, 2015, be reviewed for consideration for cost share purposes.

For example, such costs might include design or construction plans and environmental compliance costs directly supporting the proposed project. Reclamation will review the proposed pre-award costs to determine if they are allowable in accordance with the authorizing legislation and applicable cost principles. To be considered allowable, any pre-award costs proposed for consideration under the new awards must comply with all applicable requirements under this FOA. The pre-award costs should be incorporated into the proposal.

III.E.4 Indirect Costs Indirect costs that will be incurred during the development or construction of a project, which will not otherwise be recovered, may be included as part of the applicant’s project budget. Indirect costs are those:

· Incurred for a common or joint purpose benefiting more than one cost objective

· Not readily assignable to any one cost objective If the applicant has never received a Federal negotiated indirect cost rate, proposals may elect to include a de minimis rate of up to 10 percent of modified total direct costs. Otherwise, if the applicant proposes indirect costs in the budget, then the applicant must either supply a copy of a current federally negotiated indirect cost rate agreement or obtain an agreement within one year of the award. For further information on indirect costs and modified total direct costs, refer to 2 CFR Part 200.414 and 200.68, respectively, available at ww.ecfr.gov.

III.F Environmental and Cultural Resources Compliance All projects being considered for award funding will require compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) before any ground-disturbing activity may begin. Compliance with all applicable state, Federal and local environmental, cultural, and paleontological resource protection laws and regulations is also required. These may include, but are not limited to, the Clean Water Act (CWA), the Endangered Species Act (ESA), National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), consultation with potentially affected tribes, and consultation with the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO).

Reclamation will be the lead Federal agency for NEPA compliance and will be responsible for evaluating technical information and ensuring that natural resources, cultural, and socioeconomic concerns are appropriately addressed. As the lead agency, Reclamation is solely responsible for determining the appropriate level of NEPA compliance. Further, Reclamation is responsible to assure that findings under NEPA, and consultations, as appropriate, will support Reclamation’s decision on whether to fund a project. Environmental and cultural resources compliance costs are part of an applicant’s cost share. These costs will be considered in the ranking of applications.

Under no circumstances may an applicant begin any ground-disturbing activities (including grading, clearing, and other preliminary activities) on a project before environmental and cultural resources compliance is complete and Reclamation explicitly authorizes work to proceed. This pertains to all components of the proposed project, including those that are part of the applicant’s non-Federal cost share. Reclamation will provide a successful applicant with information once such compliance is complete. An applicant that proceeds before environmental and cultural resources compliance is complete may risk forfeiting Reclamation funding under this FOA.

III.G Requirements for Agricultural Operations Under P.L. 111-11, Section 9504(a)(3)(B) In accordance with Section 9504(a)(3)(B) of P.L. 111-11, grants and cooperative agreements under this authority will not be awarded for an improvement to conserve irrigation water unless the applicant agrees to both of the following conditions:

Not to use any associated water savings to increase the total irrigated acreage of the eligible applicant

Not to otherwise increase the consumptive use of water in the operation of the eligible applicant, as determined pursuant to the law of the State in which the operation of the eligible applicant is located III.H Other Requirements Applicants shall adhere to Federal, State, Territorial, and local laws, regulations, and codes, as applicable, and shall obtain all required approvals and permits. Applicants shall also coordinate and obtain approvals from site owners and operators.

III.H.1 Title to Improvements (P.L. 11-11, Section 9504(a)(3)(D)) If the activities funded through an agreement awarded under this FOA result in a modification to a portion of a federally owned facility that is integral to the existing operations of that facility, the Federal government shall continue to hold title to the facility and the improvements thereto. Title to improvements that are not integral to existing water delivery operations shall reside with the project sponsor.

III.H.2 Liability Under P.L. 111-11, Section 9504(a)(3)(F) In General Except as provided under chapter 171 of Title 28, United States Code (commonly known as the “Federal Tort Claims Act”), the United States shall not be liable for monetary damages of any kind for any injury arising out of an act, omission, or occurrence that arises in relation to any facility created or improved through an agreement awarded under this FOA, the title of which is not held by the United States.

Tort Claims Act Nothing in this section increases the liability of the United States beyond that provided in “Federal Tort Claims Act.”

III.H.3 System for Awards Management and Automated Standard Application for Payments Registration All applicants must be registered in the System for Awards Management (SAM) prior to award under this FOA. Instructions for registering for SAM are located at <www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM>. All applicants must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times while they have an active Federal award or an application under consideration.

All applicants must also be registered with and willing to process all payments through the Deaprtment of Treasury Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) system. All recipients with active financial assistance agreements with Reclamation must be enrolled in ASAP under the appropriate Agency Location Code(s) (ALC) and the Data Universal Number System (DUNS) Number prior to the award of funds. If a recipient has multiple DUNS numbers they must separately enroll within ASAP for each unique DUNS Number and/or Agency. All of the information on the enrollment process for recipients, including the enrollment initiation form and the enrollment mailbox, can be found at <www.usbr.gov/mso/aamd/asap.html>. Note that if your entity is currently enrolled in the ASAP system with an agency other than Reclamation, you must enroll specifically with Reclamation in order to process payments.

III.H.4 Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) Reclamation, prior to making a Federal award with a total Federal estimated amount greater than the simplified acquisition threshold (currently $150,000.00), is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM (currently FAPIIS) (see 41 U.S.C. 2313). The applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM and comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in FAPSIIS. Recalamtion will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in §200.205, Federal awarding agency review of risk posed by applicants.

Section III. Eligibility Information

Section IV: Application and Submission Information IV.A Address to Request Application Package This document contains all information, forms, and electronic addresses required to obtain the information required for submission of an application.

If you are unable to access this information electronically, you can request paper copies of any of the documents referenced in this FOA by contacting:

Acquisition and Assistance Management Office Attn: Susan Erickson, LC-10101 P O Box 61470 Boulder City NV 89006

Application submission date deadline:

· January 22, 2016, 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST)

Proposals received after the application deadline will not be considered unless it can be determined that the delay was caused by Federal government mishandling.

Please note that any application submitted to Reclamation for Grant funding may be subjected to a Freedom of Information Act request (5 United States Code § 552, as Amended by P.L. 110-175), and as a result, may be made publicly available. Following awards of funding, Reclamation will post all successful applications on the Reclamation website after any redactions determined necessary by Reclamation, in consultation with the Recipient as needed.

Section IV. Application and Submission Information

IV.B.2 Application Delivery Instructions Applications may be submitted electronically through <www.grants.gov> or hard copies may be submitted to either one of the following addresses. Under no circumstances will applications received through any other method (such as email or fax) be considered eligible for award.

Acquisition and Assistance Management Office Attn: Susan Erickson, LC-10101 P O Box 61470 Boulder City NV 89006

Acquisition and Assistance Management Office Attn: Susan Erickson, LC-10101 500 Fir Street Boulder City NV 89005 Telephone: 702-293-8051

IV.C Instructions for Submission of Project Application Each applicant shall submit an application in accordance with the instructions contained in this section.

IV.C.1 Applications Submitted by Courier or Express Delivery/Mail Services Please follow these instructions to submit your application by courier or express delivery/mail services.

Applicants shall submit an original of all application documents for hardcopy submissions. Each document should be clearly identified as the “ORIGINAL” or as a “COPY.”

Please only staple or binder clip documents submitted.

Hard copy applications may be submitted by mail or express methods to the addresses listed in Section IV.B.2, above.

Materials arriving separately will not be included in the application package and may result in the application being rejected or not funded. This does not apply to letters of support, funding commitment letters and official resolutions.

Faxed and emailed copies of application documents will not be accepted.

Do not include a cover letter or company literature/brochure with the application. All pertinent information must be included in the application package.

IV.C.2 Applications Submitted Electronically If the applicant chooses to submit an electronic application it must be submitted through Grants.gov at <www.grants.gov>. Reclamation encourages applicants to submit their applications for funding electronically through <www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp>. Applicant resource documents and a full set of instructions for registering with Grants.gov and completing and submitting applications online are available at: < http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp >.

Please note that submission of an application electronically requires prior registration through Grants.gov, which may take 7 to 21 days. Please see registration instructions at < http://www.grants.gov/applicants/apply_for_grants.jsp >.

Applicants have sometimes experienced significant delays when attempting to submit applications through Grants.gov. If you plan to submit your application through Grants.gov, you are encouraged to submit your application several days prior to the application deadline. If you are a properly registered Grants.gov applicant and encounter problems with the Grants.gov application submission process, you must contact the Grants.gov Help desk to obtain a “Case Number.” This Case Number will provide evidence of your attempt to submit an application prior to the submission deadline. For Grants.gov Help Desk contact information, please see < http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html >

If the applicant submits a proposal via www.grants.gov electronic filing, please notify Reclamation by sending an email to Susan Erickson at serickson@usbr.gov, so that the proposal is not missed. However the email to Ms. Erickson does not serve as submission of the applications it is still the responsibility of the applicant to assure that the proposal is received by Reclamation either through grants.gov or hard copy by the due date.

Regardless of the delivery method used, you must assure that your proposal arrives by the date and time deadline stated in Section IV.B.1 – Application Submission Date and Time, above. Late applications will not be accepted unless it is determined that the delay was caused by Federal government mishandling or by a problem with the Grants.gov application system.

IV.C.3 Application Format and Length The Project Narrative/Technical Proposal shall be limited to fifteen (15), one sided, single spaced, 8-1/2 X 11 inch pages, excluding any forms required in these instructions. The font used should be easy to read and at least 11 points in size. The Standard Form 424 (used as the cover sheet), Assurances (Standard Form 424B or D, as applicable), Budget Form (Standard Form 424A or C), blank pages, title pages, blueprints, Appendices, environmental compliance documentation, budget narrative, funding plans, and table of content pages, will not be counted towards the fifteen (15) page limit. All pages shall be consecutively numbered, including tables, appendices, and exhibits.

Do not include a cover letter, organization literature, and/or brochures with your proposal. Do not place proposals in binders or plastic covers.

Applications will be prescreened for compliance to the page number limitations. If the proposal narrative exceeds fifteen pages, only the first fifteen pages will be evaluated.

IV.C.4 Application Content The application must include the following elements to be considered complete:

SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance

SF-424A or SF-424C Budget Information Form (as applicable to project)

SF-424 Assurances (B or D Form, as applicable to the project)

Title page

Table of contents

Technical proposal and evaluation criteria (limited to 15 pages) Executive summary Background data Technical project description Evaluation criteria Performance measures Environmental and cultural resources compliance

Project budget

· Funding plan and letters of commitment

· Budget proposal

· Budget narrative SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, SF-424C and SF-424D forms may be obtained at <http://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormLinks?family=15>.

IV.D.1 Required Forms The application must include the following standard Federal forms.

SF-424 Application For Federal Assistance This fully completed form must be signed by a person legally authorized to commit the applicant to performance of the project. Failure to submit a properly signed SF-424 may result in the elimination of the application from further consideration.

SF-424 Assurances A SF-424B – Assurances – Non-Construction Programs or an SF-424D – Assurances – Construction Programs, signed by a person legally authorized to commit the applicant to performance of the project shall be included. Questions regarding whether to use SF-424B or SF-424D should be referred to Ms. Susan Erickson at serickson@usbr.gov. Failure to submit a properly signed SF-424B or SF-424D may result in the elimination of the application from further consideration.

IV.D.2 Title Page Provide a brief, informative, and descriptive title for the proposed work that indicates the nature of the project. Include the name and address of the applicant, and the name and address, e-mail address, telephone, and facsimile numbers of the project manager.

IV.D.3 Table of Contents List all major sections of the technical proposal in the table of contents.

IV.D.4 Technical Proposal and Evaluation Criteria The technical proposal and evaluation criteria (15 pages maximum) includes: (1) the executive summary, (2) background data, (3) technical project description, (4) evaluation criteria, and (5) performance measures. To assure accurate and complete scoring of your application, your proposal should address each subcriterion in the order presented here.

Executive Summary The executive summary should include:

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

A one paragraph project summary that specifies the work proposed, including how project funds will be used to accomplish specific project activities and briefly identifies how the proposed project contributes to accomplishing the goals of this FOA (see Section III.B - Eligible Projects)

State the length of time and estimated completion date for the project Technical Project Description On a separate line, on the first page of the Project Narrative, clearly identify which task area component will be addressed through the proposed activity/project. To assure your proposal receives the points it deserves, applicants are strongly encouraged to explain how your proposed project relates to the Evaluation Criteria outlined in Section V. DO NOT attempt to address ALL of the criteria. Applicants must select the ONE task area component that most directly applies to the proposed activity/project and must address the criteria for that ONE selected area component. If your project has aspects of more than one emphasis area, you must choose which one is the better fit or best describes the primary reason for the project.

Briefly discuss the background and location of your organization. Identify the purpose and objective of the proposed project, and identify whether the project is a component of an approved conservation or management plan. Include a map showing the location of the proposed project.

Describe – in detail –the technical work to be carried out. Applicants should break out the proposed work into major tasks/milestones, and discuss the approach and evaluation techniques that will be used to accomplish the proposed work. This discussion should provide sufficient detail to permit a comprehensive evaluation of the proposal and its outcomes. If applicable, include engineering plans, designs, and analyses as part of the proposal. These plans and designs should be included as an Appendix of the proposal. Multi-year applications should include such information for each year of the proposed activity.

Project Schedule - Provide the anticipated schedule with milestone completion dates for the project by identifying the anticipated start and end dates of all major stages/tasks/milestones of the project proposal. Explain any variations from proposed start dates shown in Section II.D., under Anticipated Award Date. Multi-year applications should include such information for each year of the proposed activity.

Performance Measures - Describe the anticipated benefit(s) and “performance measures” for each proposed task. Please quantify estimated water savings in acre feet per year and provide all information explaining how water savings was calculated and it can also include information about expected project life. The “performance measures” refer to the means by which the applicant will quantify actual project benefits, including water conserved, water better managed, or water marketed. Note: The performance measure(s) suggested in the proposal may be written into the award for future monitoring results. Estimates of expected project life should be included. Also, provide a detailed description of how the applicant will verify benefits achieved.

Evaluation Criteria (See Section V for a detailed description of each criterion and subcriterion and points associated with each.) The evaluation criteria portion of your application should thoroughly address each criterion and subcriterion in the order presented to assist in the complete and accurate evaluation of your proposal.

It is suggested that applicants copy and paste the evaluation criteria and subcriteria in Section V into their applications to assure that all necessary information is adequately addressed. As identified above, the applicant should only address criteria from the component that pertains to the proposed project.

IV.D.5 Performance Measures - Potential Water Management Benefits Reclamation is required to report on potential water management benefits resulting from its financial assistance. Each application shall identify as many benefits (shown below) that may apply to their proposed activity/project. The proposal SHALL DESCRIBE how the activity/project would achieve the benefit(s) and it must provide numerical estimates, where applicable. The following list provides some examples of benefits that, at a minimum, should be addressed:

· Reduces leaks and seepage - Estimated acre-feet per year

· Reduces system spills – Estimated acre-feet per year

· Saves Water/Makes more water available for other uses – Estimated acre-feet per year

· Reduces operation costs – Estimated savings per year in dollars

· Reduces energy costs - Estimated savings per year in dollars

· Reduces waste treatment costs - Estimated savings per year in dollars

· Improve crop yield – Estimated percent per year

· Reduces on-farm costs - Estimated savings per year in dollars

· Reduces per capita use - Estimated reduction in gallons per capita per day per year

· Provides technical training - Estimated number of participants per year

· Provides water conservation outreach - Estimated number of participants per year

· Improves water supply/delivery reliability – Describe increased water transmission efficiency

· Delays construction of new M&I facilities – Describe benefits

· Reduces drainage and erosion – Describe benefits

· Improves water quality – Describe benefits

· Enhances aquatic/riparian habitat – Describe benefits

· Protects/assists endangered species efforts – Describe benefits

Applicants can submit the attached Benefits Form to aid in completion of this requirement.

IV.D.6 Environmental and Cultural Resources Compliance To allow Reclamation to assess the probable environmental and cultural resources impacts and costs associated with each application, all applicants must respond to the following list of questions focusing on the NEPA, ESA, and NHPA requirements. Please answer the following questions to the best of your knowledge. If any question is not applicable to the project, please explain why. Additional information about environmental compliance is provided in Section IV.D.4 - Project Budget under the discussion of “Environmental and Regulatory Compliance Costs,” and in Section VIII.B - Overview of Environmental and Cultural Resources Compliance Requirements.

If you have any questions, please contact your regional or area Reclamation office (see < http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/g4000/wtrconsv.html >) with questions regarding ESA compliance issues. You may also contact Ms. Mullis at 702-293-8139, for further information.

1) Will your activity/project impact the surrounding environment (i.e. soil [dust], air, water [quality and quantity], animal habitat, etc.)? It is especially important to address this if any activities will be performed that include surface disturbance—this includes access points and roads. If so, please explain the impacts and any steps that could be taken to minimize the impacts.

2) Are you aware of any species listed or proposed to be listed as a Federal threatened or endangered species, or designated critical habitat in the project area? If so, would they be affected by any activities associated with the proposed project?

3) Are there wetlands or other surface waters inside the activity/project boundaries that potentially fall under Clean Water Act jurisdiction as “waters of the United States”? If so, please estimate and describe any impact your activity/project will have.

4) If the project affects any structures, when were the structures constructed? Facilities, including irrigation systems, dams, etc., that are 50 years old or older meet the minimum basic requirement for consideration for eligibility for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Your answers to this will help us understand whether this applies to the proposed project.

5) If your activity/project will affect individual features of an irrigation system (e.g., headgates, canals or flumes), state when those features were constructed and describe the nature and timing of any extensive alterations or modifications to those features completed previously.

6) Are any buildings, structures, or features in your irrigation district listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places? A cultural resources specialist at your local Reclamation office or the State Historic Preservation Office can assist you in answering this question, if needed.

7) Are there any known cultural resources sites in the proposed activity/project area?

8) Will the project have a disproportionately high and adverse effect on low income or minority populations?

9) Have any NEPA documents, biological assessments, biological opinions, cultural reports already been prepared for this action (e.g. programmatic EA or EIS, biological opinion, etc.) or similar actions in the area? If yes, please identify.

10) Applicants must obtain all required approvals and permits, and shall coordinate and obtain any approvals required from site owners and operators. Please state whether any other Federal (e.g. 401, 404, etc.), state, county, municipality permits or approvals are required and explain the applicant’s plan for obtaining such permits or approvals.

11) Project Location should be provided, including a legal description with Section, Township, Range, State, County and City where the activity or project will take place. Also, USGS topographic map(s), other land status map(s), engineering drawing(s)/plat map(s), vicinity, plan view, and elevation depictions may be required in order to establish the area and scope of the direct, indirect, and cumulative impacts of the activity or project.

Answers provided to the above questions will aid in the completion of this important requirement.

Environmental compliance must be completed for all projects selected for award, no matter how slight the disturbance of the environment appears.