P3 Award: National Student Design Competition for Sustainability

The P3 program supports research, development, and design of innovative projects that address real world challenges involving environmental protection and public health. The P3 competition highlights the use of scientific principles in creating innov

The P3 Grant Program is committed to using science and innovation to protect public health and the environment. This is accomplished in part by supporting the development and demonstration of emerging technologies. The proposed awards will develop innovative methods and technologies that should contribute to improved social, environmental, and economic well-being; demonstrate P3- developed technologies to prove their effectiveness and value; and foster the development of strategies that can assist with the dissemination of the technologies. P3 projects should engage and educate the next generation of scientists, engineers, and the greater academic and external communities in understanding and using the P3 principles to tackle real world environmental issues. These award outcomes should align and address the program's tenets to -improve quality of life, promote economic prosperity, and protect the planet.

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 Assistance Agreement Competition Policy. Only these types of organizations may apply. Organization types are consistent with definitions at 2 CFR 200.1: Public and private institutions of higher education (limited to degree-granting institutions of higher education) located in the U.S. (includes eligible institutions of higher education located in U.S. territories and possessions) are eligible to apply to be the recipient of a grant to support teams of undergraduate, graduate students, or both. The students on the teams supported by the institution receiving the grant must be enrolled in the college, university, or post-secondary educational institution they will be representing at the time the application is submitted. Institutions are allowed to submit more than one application where each application represents a unique design concept and student team. For the purposes of grant administration, the team's faculty advisor will be designated the Principal Investigator throughout the P3 grant award and competition process. Note that 2 CFR § 200.1 specifically excludes Institutions of Higher Education from the definition of non-profit organization because they are separately defined in the regulation. While not considered to be a nonprofit organization(s) as defined by 2 CFR § 200.1, public or nonprofit Institutions of Higher Education are, nevertheless, eligible to submit applications under this program. Hospitals operated by state, tribal, or local governments or that meet the definition of nonprofit at 2 CFR § 200.1 are not eligible to apply. State, local and federally recognized Indian tribal governments are not eligible to submit applications under this program. Under this competition, eligible nonprofit organizations are limited to research institutes and foundations that are part of or affiliated with a U.S. institution of higher education. Profit-making firms and individuals are not eligible to receive assistance agreements from the EPA under this program. For-profit colleges, universities, trade schools, and hospitals are ineligible. Nonprofit organizations that are not exempt from taxation under section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code must submit other forms of documentation of nonprofit status; such as certificates of incorporation as nonprofit under state or tribal law. Nonprofit organizations exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that lobby are not eligible for EPA funding as provided in the Lobbying Disclosure Act, 2 U.S.C. 1611. Non-domestic (non-U.S.) entities are not eligible to apply. National laboratories funded by Federal Agencies (Federally-Funded Research and Development Centers, "FFRDCs") may not apply. FFRDC employees may cooperate or collaborate with eligible applicants within the limits imposed by applicable legislation and regulations. They may participate in planning, conducting, and analyzing the research directed by the applicant, but may not direct projects on behalf of the applicant organization. An award recipient may provide funds through its assistance agreement from the EPA to an FFRDC for research personnel, supplies, equipment, and other expenses directly related to the research. Federal Agencies may not apply. Federal employees are not eligible to serve in a principal leadership role on an assistance agreement. Federal employees may not receive salaries or augment their Agency's appropriations through awards made under this program unless authorized by law to receive such funding.

Public Nonprofit Institutions/Organizations, Private Nonprofit Institutions/Organizations, Anyone/General Public, Education Professional, Student/Trainee, Graduate Student, Scientists/Researchers.

The P3 program requests applications for innovative research projects/designs from eligible institutions. The P3 Program supports EPA priorities by funding multi-disciplinary, faculty-led student teams that use the best available scientific knowledge and research results to address environmental problems identified by EPA's program offices, states and tribal partners as being important, including small, rural, tribal, and/or underserved communities. As a result, the P3 Program provides tested innovative solutions that stakeholders can use to help solve these problems. Assistance agreement awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information. Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by viewing the following website: https://www.epa.gov/geospatial.

The funding mechanism for all awards issued under the P3 solicitation will consist of assistance agreements from the EPA. All award decisions are subject to the availability of funds. In accordance with the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act, 31 U.S.C. 6301 et seq., the primary purpose of an assistance agreement is to accomplish a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by federal statute, rather than acquisition for the direct benefit or use of the Agency. 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 recipient's risk. EPA is under no obligation to reimburse such costs if for any reason the recipient does not receive a Federal award or if the Federal award is less than anticipated and inadequate to cover such costs. If you wish to submit applications for more than one EPA funding opportunity, you must ensure that the research proposed in each application is significantly different from any other that has been submitted to the EPA or from any other financial assistance you are currently receiving from the EPA or other federal government agency. Collaborative applications involving more than one institution must be submitted as a single administrative package from one of the institutions involved. Each proposed project must be able to be completed within the project period and with the initial award of funds. Applicants should request the entire amount of money needed to complete the project. Recipients should not anticipate additional funding beyond the initial award of funds for a specific project. P3 Award projects will not accommodate a multiple PI application.

P3 Awards will be fully funded. The project period will normally not exceed 2 years (over 180 days). Renewals are not available.

EPA financial assistance programs and activities subject to intergovernmental review that are subject to review under State single point of contact procedures are identified at https://www.epa.gov/grants/epa-financial-assistance-programs-subject-executive-order-12372- and-section-204. Applicants for programs or activities subject to Intergovernmental Review that are not subject to State single point of contact review must provide directly affected State, areawide, regional, and local entities at least 60 days to review their application following notification by EPA that the application has been selected for funding as provided by 40 CFR 29.8(a) and (c). When applicable, an environmental impact assessment is made by the Office of Applied Science and Environmental Solution (OASES) as required by the National Environmental Policy Act. Regarding pre-application assistance with respect to Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) 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 competitive announcement. For additional information, contact the individual(s) listed in the competitive announcement.

The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this assistance listing will be described in the competitive announcement.

For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements. Customarily, applicants are notified of award decisions within six months of the close of the NOFO. After being recommended for award, applicants will be required to submit additional certifications and may be requested to submit an electronic version of the project abstract, provide responses to comments or suggestions offered by the peer reviewers, and provide a revised budget. EPA Project Officers will contact Principal Investigators to obtain these materials. The official notification of an award will be made by the Agency's Grants and Interagency Agreement Management Division. Before or after award, certain applicants will be expected to provide additional quality assurance documentation.

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

Approximately 150-180 days from the close of the solicitation.

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). Copies of these procedures may also be found at 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.