[Federal Register: November 13, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 219)]
[Notices]
[Page 64341-64343]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13no03-49]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-7586-1]
Notice of Request for Initial Proposals (IP) for Projects To Be
Funded From the Public Water Supply Supervision Program (CFDA 66.424--
Surveys, Studies, Demonstrations and Special Purpose Grants--Section
1442 of the Safe Drinking Water Act)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: EPA Region 6 is soliciting Initial Proposals (IP) from tribes,
universities, non-profits, and other entities as defined by the Safe
Drinking Water Act (SDWA) interested in applying for Federal assistance
for Native American water system operation and management training, and
technical assistance (circuit rider) projects to develop, expand, or
carry out a program for training persons for methods and occupations
involving the public health aspects of providing Safe Drinking Water as
authorized by the Safe Drinking Water Act section 1442, 42 U.S.C. 300j-
1 on Indian Lands in Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Region
6 EPA estimates an incremental funding process with as much as $750,000
available per year for three-year cooperative agreements. Multiple
awards may be made for various purposes (i.e., regulatory compliance
support, operator training and certification, source water assessment
and protection), based on specific applicant qualifications. Awards may
range from $10,000 to $500,000 based on complexity of project. Awards
are expected to be incrementally funded at a similar level each year
for the duration of the project period, pending availability of monies
allocated to Region 6 for Tribal Direct Implementation of the SDWA
including funds from the Underground Injection Control Program, Tribal
Drinking Water Operator Training and Certification, and Tribal Public
Water System Capacity Development. EPA Region 6 estimates that a total
amount of EPA funds for the three-year project period to be as much as
$2,250,000, with approximately $350,000 of those funds going toward
Tribal Source Water Assessment and Protection, $350,000 going toward
Tribal Drinking Water Operator Training and Certification, and the
remainder going toward compliance assistance and capacity development
activities.
DATES: EPA will consider all proposals received on or before 12 p.m.
midnight Central Standard Time December 29, 2003. IPs received after
the due date will not be considered for funding.
ADDRESSES: IPs should be mailed to: Yulonda Davis (6WQ-AT), U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, Region 6, Water Quality Protection
Division, 1445 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75202-2733. Overnight
Delivery may be sent to the same address.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Yulonda Davis, Project Officer, by telephone at 214-665-7154 or by e-mail at davis.yulonda@epa.gov or
Blake Atkins, Tribal Drinking Water Program Coordinator, by telephone at 214-665-2297 or by e-mail at atkins.blake@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Purpose of This Request for Initial Proposals
EPA Region 6's Water Quality Protection Division is requesting
proposals from tribes, universities, non-profits, and other entities as
defined by the SDWA for administration of Public Water Supply
Supervision (PWSS) program for Tribal Direct Implementation.
EPA Region 6 Has Identified the Following High Priority Areas for
Consideration
The purpose of the Native American water system operation, and
management training and technical assistance projects are to provide
hands-on technical assistance in the operational and managerial aspects
of managing drinking water facilities. Project work occurs mainly in
the field, using a ``circuit rider'' approach for assisting tribes with
drinking water compliance issues and technical issues which may impact
drinking water quality.
Other project work includes providing/coordinating local classroom
training for tribal operators, tribal utility directors, and other
tribal environmental staff, and tribal officials, that range in subject
matter through such topics as operator certification exam preparation,
disinfection procedures, regulatory requirements, optimization and
performance based training.
[[Page 64342]]
Additional project work includes support for developing and
implementing Tribal Source Water Assessment and Protection programs and
activities. Support will be provided to tribal water system staff and
tribal environmental staff regarding the EPA Region 6 Source Water
Assessment and Protection Programs. Where Source Water Assessments have
been completed, support will be provided to interested tribes in
completing comprehensive Source Water Protection Programs and
activities, following the EPA Region 6 Source Water Protection
protocol.
Assistance will be provided predominantly in New Mexico, especially
for on-site assistance. Assistance will also be provided, when
requested, to tribal water systems in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana,
but minimal travel is expected to these locations.
An organization whose IP is selected for Federal assistance must
complete an EPA Application for Assistance, including the Federal SF-
424 form (Application for Federal Assistance, see 40 CFR 30.12 and
31.10). Organizations who have an existing agreement under this program
are eligible to compete for new awards.
Statutory Authority, Applicable Regulations, and Funding Level
Funding is authorized under the provisions of the SDWA section
1442, 42 U.S.C. 300j-1.
The regulations governing the award and administration of Public
Water Supply Supervision Cooperative Agreements are in 40 CFR part 30
(for institutions of higher learning, hospitals, and other nonprofit
organizations), and 40 CFR part 31 (for States, local governments, and
interstate agencies).
Applicants requested to submit a full application will be required
to comply with Intergovernmental Review requirements (40 CRF part 29)
and the Quality Assurance requirements (40 CFR 30.54 and 31.45) if
projects involve environmentally related measurements or data
generation.
Total funding available for award by Region 6 is dependent on EPA's
appropriation for Fiscal Years 2004, 2005, and 2006. There are
estimates of as much as $750,000 per year for three-year cooperative
agreements. Awards may range from $10,000 to $500,000. There are no
cost share requirements for approved projects.
Proposal Format and Contents
IPs should be no more than three pages with a minimum font size of
10 pitch in Wordperfect/Word or equivalent. Failure to follow the
format or to include all requested information could result in the IP
not being considered for funding. Full application packages should not
be submitted at this time. It is recommended that confidential
information not be included in this IP. The following format should be
used for all IPs:
Name of Project
Priority Area(s) Addressed (i.e., Operator Certification, Technical
Assistance, Source Water Assessment:
Point of Contact: (Individual and Agency/Organization Name,
Address, Phone Number, Fax Number, E-mail Address)
Is This a Continuation of a Previously Funded Project (if so,
please provide the status of the current grant or cooperative
agreement):
Proposed Federal Amount:
Proposed Non-Federal Match (optional, not required):
Proposed Total Award Amount:
Description of General Budget Proposed to Support Project: (Provide
budget estimates by task, including travel).
Project Description: (Should not exceed two pages of single-spaced
text). Describe organization and relevant experience. Explain
organization's interest and goals in entering into a cooperative
agreement to perform the project work described in this notice, the
availability and training of staff, and available resources to
implement the project. Include general description of the proposed
project and how it will be organized and implemented. Include a
description of how the project will provide continuing education unit
(CEU) certifications, and how field work plus classroom training will
be delivered. (The majority of the project detail--such as training
dates--will be established in participation with EPA in the negotiation
of a final workplan, but training events and site visit activity should
be generally described.)
Proposed Centers for Implementation/Coordination for Regional/Local
Technical Assistance: Home base location of technical assistance
providers and project coordination/oversight, such that a regional/
local presence and 24-hour/7 days per week emergency assistance can be
plausibly implemented.
Expected Accomplishments or Product, with Dates, and Interim
Milestones: Define each task and deliverable with a schedule for
starting and completing. This section should also include a discussion
of a communication plan for distributing the project results to
interested parties.
Describe How the Project Meets the Evaluation Criteria Specified
Below:
EPA IP Evaluation Criteria
EPA Region 6 will award PWSS cooperative agreements on a
competitive basis and evaluate IPs based on the following criteria:
(1) Applicant's demonstrated organizational commitment to providing
tribal communities with technical assistance and access to resources,
with the objective of increasing tribes' capacity, implementing tribes'
own solutions to problems, and providing services in a culturally
appropriate manner.
(2) Applicant's specific commitment and experience in the delivery
of training and technical/managerial assistance to tribal communities
consistent with Safe Drinking Water Act regulation, policy, and Region
6 Guidance.
(3) Applicant's ability to provide assistance with drinking water
regulatory compliance monitoring (sampling and analysis), water system
optimization, source water assessment and protection, and operator
training and certification.
(4) Applicant's ability to maintain continuity of currently
provided services to tribal communities without interruption and to
work closely with EPA in day-to-day project operation.
(5) Applicant's ability to provide regional/local presence and full
technical assistance services in all coverage areas (predominantly New
Mexico, Oklahoma, Eastern and Southern Texas, and Northeastern
Louisiana).
(6) Applicant's organizational and subject matter expertise
resources for the coordination and provision of workshop and classroom
training events in drinking water operations and management.
Additionally, applicant's ability to provide such training for CEUs
where appropriate.
(7) Applicant's ability to produce training literature, training
modules, and informational brochures, using both in-house and outside
resources in the areas of drinking water, utility management, source
water assessment and protection, and systems operations and
maintenance.
(8) Applicant's working familiarity with SDWA regulations, with a
focus on key monitoring, reporting and public notice requirements of
the Total Coliform Rule.
(9) Relationship of the proposed work to the priorities identified
in this notice, and how well the proposed work
[[Page 64343]]
furthers the objectives of the SDWA in Indian Country.
(10) Applicant's ability to transfer assistance and technologies
(computer programs, global positioning systems, pocket PCs, etc.) to
tribes, and ability to assist tribes in integrating drinking water
activities, especially source water protection, into other
environmental programs.
The IPs will be evaluated by regional staff. Each IP will be
evaluated against the criteria listed above.
IP Selection
Final selection of IPs will be made by the evaluation team of the
Drinking Water Section and State/Tribal Programs Section, EPA Region 6.
Selected organizations will be notified in writing and requested to
submit full applications. Applications, including workplans, are
subject to EPA review and approval.
It is expected that unsuccessful applicants will be notified in
writing.
Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants for assistance agreements under section 1442 of
the SDWA are tribes, universities, non-profits, and other entities as
defined by the SDWA. IPs received for projects outside of Region 6 will
not be considered.
Application Procedure
Please mail three copies of the IP(s).
Dispute Resolution Process
Procedures located in 40 CFR 30.63 and part 31, subpart F.
Type of Assistance
It is expected that all the awards under this program will be
cooperative agreements.
A description of the Agency's substantial involvement in
cooperative agreements will be included in the final agreement.
Schedule of Activities
This is the estimated schedule of activities for submission, review
of proposals and notification of selections: December 29, 2003--
Proposals due to EPA. January 12, 2004--Initial proposals selected for
funding will be requested to submit a formal application package.
January 27, 2004--Application and workplan must be postmarked to EPA.
Deadline extensions, if any, will be posted on the Region 6 Water
Quality Protection Division, Assistance Programs Branch web site and
not in the Federal Register at http://www.epa.gov/earth1r6/6wq/at/sttribal.htm.
This Web site may also contain additional information
about this request.
Dated: November 4, 2003.
Oscar Ramirez,
Acting Director, Water Quality Protection Division, Region 6.
[FR Doc. 03-28422 Filed 11-12-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P