Compliance Assistance Support for Services to the Regulated Community and Other Assistance Providers

Since 1996, in partnership with industry associations, universities and other government agencies, EPA has supported the development and maintenance of the Compliance Assistance Centers and Center resources. Each Center is targeted to a specific indu

Compliance Assistance Centers are intended as a "first-stop shop" that provides environmental management, planning, funding, and regulatory information useful to the regulated community to improve awareness and understanding of environmental requirements and help those responsible understand how to comply with them.

Applicants must be nonprofit organizations as that term is defined in 2 CFR Part 200. 1. Institutions of higher education as defined at 2 CFR 200.1 are also eligible. EPA will also accept applications from state, tribal and local governments. For-profit firms, including for-profit colleges, universities, trade schools, and hospitals are ineligible. Additionally, nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are not eligible to apply. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Policy for Competition of Assistance Agreements.

The primary beneficiaries are small businesses, local governments and colleges/universities that are being serviced by the grantees. Other beneficiaries include state and local governments, the general public, and the regulated business community.

EPA may request that applicants document their nonprofit status. The Agency may also request that applicants demonstrate they have appropriate background, experience in the field, organizational capacity and necessary equipment to carry out projects.

Funds support ongoing Center work, with an emphasis on maintaining and updating the existing Center Websites. It is expected that common communications channels used by the industry/government will continue to quickly distribute information to the targeted audience. The sector entry pages will serve as portals to relevant information developed by the Centers and other organizations as appropriate (e.g., EPA). Individual sector entry pages will use navigation structures specific to the sector thereby providing easy access to relevant environmental content. EPA funding must be used only for activities specified in the approved scope of work.

EPA generally funds grants and cooperative agreements on a 12-month basis. However, EPA can negotiate the project period with each applicant based on project requirements. EPA generally limits project periods to 5 years.

Regarding pre-application assistance with respect to competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, EPA will generally specify the nature of the pre-application assistance, if any, that will be available to applicants in the NOFO. For additional information, contact the individual(s) listed as "Agency Contacts" in the NOFO.

Applicants, except in limited circumstances approved by the Agency, must submit all initial applications for funding through Grants.gov. For competitive awards, NOFOs will specify application procedures.

The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this assistance listing will be described in the NOFO. Non-competitive applications are judged for (a) technical merit in terms of: (1) strengths and weaknesses of the project; (2) adequacy of overall project design; (3) competency of proposed staff; (4) suitability of applicant's available resources; (5) appropriateness of the proposed project period and budget; and (6) probability that the project will accomplish stated objectives; and, for (b) program interest in terms of: (1) the need for the proposed project; and (2) relationship to program objectives.

For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications submissions in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the NOFO. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements. For non-competitive awards made under this assistance listing, EPA will conduct an administrative evaluation to determine the adequacy of the application in relation to grant regulations and to technical and program evaluation to determine the merit and relevance of the project. The Agency will then advise the applicant if funding is being considered. A final work plan will then be negotiated with the applicant.

For competitive awards, deadlines will be specified in the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).

Approximately 60 days from the date of submission of the application.

Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005). To view these procedures please visit the following website: https://www.epa.gov/grants/grant-competition-dispute-resolution-procedures. Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 2 CFR 1500 Subpart E, as applicable.