[Federal Register: April 9, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 69)]
[Notices]
[Page 18903-18907]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr09ap04-63]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[OPP-2003-0399; FRL-7349-1]
Support the Tribal Pesticide Program Council (TPPC); Notice of
Funds Availability
AGENCY: Evironmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs is soliciting proposals
under section 20 of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide
Act (FIFRA) for assistance to support a continuing project that
promotes and enhances Tribal pesticide program development, raises
human health and environmental issues related to pesticides that are
important to Tribes and their people, and addresses policy needs at the
national level. The total funding for the cooperative agreement is
$1,000,000 for a 5-year period. Approximately $200,000 is expected to
be available in fiscal year (FY) 2004. At the conclusion of the first 1
year period of performance, incremental funding of up to $200,000 may
be made available for each year allowing the project to continue for a
total of five periods of performance (approximately 5 years) depending
on need and the Agency budget in outlying years.
DATES: Applications must be received by EPA on or before May 24, 2004.
ADDRESSES: Applications may be submitted by mail, fax, or
electronically. Please follow the detailed instructions provided in
Unit III.H.1. of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Georgia McDuffie, Field and External
Affairs Division (7506C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental
Protection Agency, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460-
0001; telephone number: (703) 605-0195 fax number: (703) 308-1850; e-
mail address: mcduffie.georgia@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Overview Information
The following listing provides certain key information concerning
the proposal opportunity.
Federal agency name: Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA).
Funding opportunity title: Tribal Pesticide
Program Council (TPPC); Request for Proposals.
Announcement type: The initial announcement of a
funding opportunity.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)
Number(s): 66.500.
Dates: Applications must be received by EPA on
or before May 24, 2004.
II. General Information
A. Does this Action Apply to Me?
States; territories and possessions of the United States; federally
recognized Tribal governments; qualified intertribal consortia;
municipal, interstate or intermunicipal agencies; universities;
hospitals; laboratories; nonprofit agencies; State and local government
departments; public agencies and authorities; other public or nonprofit
private agencies, institutions, organizations, and individuals. If you
have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a
particular entity, consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER
INFORMATION CONTACT.
For this solicitation, an intertribal consortium is defined as a
partnership between two or more federally recognized Tribes that is
authorized by the governing bodies of those Tribes to apply for and
receive assistance under FIFRA. Only one proposal may be submitted by
each Tribal government, intertribal consortium, university or other
entity. If you have any questions regarding the applicability of this
action to a particular entity, consult the person listed under FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
B. How Can I Get Copies of this Document and Other Related Information?
1. Docket. EPA has established an official public docket for this
action under docket identification (ID) number OPP-2003-0399. The
official public docket is the collection of materials that is available
for public viewing at the Public Information and Records Integrity
Branch (PIRIB), Rm. 119, Crystal Mall 2, 1921 Jefferson Davis
Hwy., Arlington, VA. This docket facility is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4
p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. The docket
telephone number is (703) 305-5805.
2. Electronic access. You may access this``Federal Register''
document electronically through the EPA Internet
[[Page 18904]]
under the ``Federal Register'' listings at http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/.
An electronic version of the public docket is available through EPA's
electronic public docket and comment system, EPA Dockets. You may use
EPA Dockets athttp://www.epa.gov/edocket/ to submit or view public
comments, access the index listing of the contents of the official
public docket, and to access those documents in the public docket that
are available electronically. Although not all docket materials may be
available electronically, you may still access any of the publicly
available docket materials through the docket facility identified in
Unit I.B.1. Once in the system, select ``search,'' then key in the
appropriate docket ID number.
III. Introduction
EPA's Office of Pesticide Programs (OPP) has significantly expanded
its resources devoted to Tribal pesticide programs and projects. In the
past, Tribal representatives expressed the need for a forum to present
their pesticide issues and concerns and to discuss approaches for
resolving them at the national level. Moreover, the Agency recognized
the importance of the Tribes' participation in developing a policy that
would strengthen their current pesticide programs and provide guidance
for Tribes that do not have such programs.
In response to these concerns, an EPA cooperative agreement with
Native Ecology Initiative (NEI) formed the Tribal Pesticide Program
Council (TPPC) in September 1999. The NEI agreement expires in
September 2004. The cooperative agreement provides for the coordination
and administration of the TPPC. The TPPC was modeled after the State
FIFRA Issues Research and Evaluation Group (SFIREG), which is funded
through an EPA cooperative agreement with the Association of American
Pesticide Control Officials (AAPCO). The TPPC informs Tribes of
pesticide issues, promotes pesticide education and awareness, and
assists in the establishment, development, and implementation of
comprehensive Tribal pesticide programs. It serves as a Tribal
counterpart to the SFIREG and includes representatives from federally
recognized Tribes and Indian nations and intertribal organizations.
Since its inception in early FY 2000, the TPPC has developed a
reputation as a very effective Tribal environmental organization. The
TPPC is governed by an 11 member elected Executive Committee, and an
elected Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson.
IV. Program Description
A. Purpose and Scope
Cooperative agreements awarded under this program are intended to
provide financial assistance to support a continuing project that
promote and enhance Tribal pesticide program development, raise human
health and environmental issues related to pesticides that are
important to Tribes and their people, and address policy needs at the
national level.
This program is included in the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance under number CFDA 66.500.
B. Goal and Objectives
The objective of this project is to research and develop an
appropriate approach for the formation of the TPPC which will work to
strengthen Tribal pesticide programs and serve as a Tribal counterpart
to the SFIREG. The group will promote and enhance Tribal pesticide
program development, raise pesticide issues important to Tribes and
their peoples, and to participate in policy at the national level. The
TPPC does the following:
Assists Tribes and Indian nations in developing
their own pesticide programs.
Provides Indian Country-focused pesticide
education, training, and research; (For the purposes of this
solicitation, the term ``Indian country`` means (1) All land within the
limits of any Indian reservation under the jurisdiction of the United
States Government, notwithstanding the issuance of any patent, and
including rights-of-way running throughout the reservation; (2) All
dependent Indian communities within the borders of the United States,
whether within the original or subsequently acquired territory thereof,
and whether within or without the limits of the State; and (3) All
Indian allotments, the Indian titles to which have not been
extinguished, including rights-of-way running through the same.)
Offers a forum for raising a broad range of
tribal pesticide-related issues and concerns.
Facilitates communications between the Tribes,
Indian Nations, Tribal and intertribal organizations, Tribal
communities, EPA headquarters, regions, and other federal and State
agencies on pesticides and pesticide-related issues.
Seeks to ensure that Tribes with less experience
in the pesticide management area can develop relationships with and
learn from those Tribes who have more experience, and to develop Tribal
mentoring or coaching relationships.
Works in partnership with EPA to ensure that the
federal law governing pesticides, FIFRA, is complied with and enforced
in Indian Country in a manner that is consistent with Tribes' and
Indian Nations' sovereignty and treaty rights.
Helps to ensure that knowledgeable and
experienced Tribal and Indian Nations representatives are aware of and
able to participate where their knowledge and expertise are needed in
pesticide-related, decision-making initiatives, committees, and
meetings that may impact Indian Country.
Coordinates and works cooperatively with the
Tribal Operations Committee (TOC), Regional Tribal Operating Committees
(RTOCs), the National Tribal Environmental Council (NTEC), the
Intertribal Agricultural Council (IAC), the National Congress of
American Indians (NCAI), and any other Tribal or Indian Nation
organization or intertribal organization that is or may be involved
with pesticide issues and concerns.
Liaises with SFIREG to ensure good
communications between States and Tribes on pesticide issues.
C. Eligibility
1. Applicants. To be eligible for consideration, applicants must
meet all of the following criteria. Failure to meet the following
criteria will result in the automatic disqualification of the proposal
for funding consideration:
Be a State; territory or possession of the
United States; federally recognized Tribal government; qualified
intertribal consortium; municipal, interstate or intermunicipal agency;
university; hospital; laboratory; nonprofit agency; State and local
government department; public agency or authority; other public or
nonprofit private agency, institution, organization, or individual.
Applicants must demonstrate the ability,
experience and expertise to be able to assist the TPPC in achieving its
defined purposes, as listed above.
The applicant must demonstrate the ability to
establish good communications, build partnerships and cooperative
efforts, maintain good records and data, and provide relevant
information to TPPC members, stakeholders, and EPA.
Applicants must demonstrate that they have the
ability, experience and expertise in comparable work areas to work
cooperatively and successfully with the Office of Pesticide Programs
(OPP) Liaison and under the guidance of
[[Page 18905]]
the TPPC Chairperson and the TPPC Executive Committee, to:
a. Assist the TPPC with planning meetings, developing meeting
agendas, and communicating meeting dates and agendas.
b. Make all travel arrangements for bi-annual full Tribal Pesticide
Program Council meetings, TPPC Executive Committee, and Working Group
meetings; arrange for meeting space and facilities, and assist in
making hotel arrangements.
c. Notify Tribes, EPA headquarters, the American Indian
Environmental Office, the Tribal Operations Group, the National Tribal
Environmental Council, SFIREG, and other interested parties of TPPC
meetings.
d. Prepare minutes for all TPPC meetings, and after approval by the
Executive Committee of the TPPC, send them, with appropriate
attachments, to Tribes, EPA headquarters and regions, and other
interested parties.
e. Maintain up-to-date TPPC data bases, mailing lists and files.
f. Serve as a clearinghouse for Tribal pesticide codes, laws,
regulations, and policies, as well as pesticide education and training
materials.
g. Respond to phone inquires relating to TPPC meetings and other
TPPC matters.
h. On occasion, distribute materials generated by the Agency to all
Tribes upon request.
i. Help Tribes keep abreast of funding opportunities for pesticide
programs, and deadlines attached to those opportunities.
j. Prepare the annual application for supplemental annual funding
of the TPPC cooperative agreement several months ahead of current
funds' agreement expiration date.
k. Work annually with the Executive Committee to assist in
preparation of a proposed budget for the TPPC; coordinate with the TPPC
elected Chairperson and Executive Committee in finalizing any proposed
budget and working out the details for approval and funding; and
provide financial reporting to the TPPC as required by the TPPC and the
Executive Committee.
l. Review for accuracy all requests for disbursement of funds and
supporting documentation; issue checks, with the signed approval of the
TPPC Chairperson; see to it to ensure that reimbursement for expenses
when properly presented and documented is provided within 30 days.
m. Prepare reports for EPA as required by the cooperative
agreement.
n. Assist the Executive Committee of the TPPC in defining training
needs and obtaining technical assistance where the Executive Committee
requests such assistance.
o. Act as Project Manager for the TPPC, serving as the
Administrative Contact for the TPPC with EPA, including the OPP Liaison
and Project/Grants Manager.
p. Administer the appointments process for filling vacancies on any
work groups.
2. Proposals.
The proposal must address all of the High
Priority Areas for Consideration.
The proposal must meet all format and content
requirements contained in this notice.
The proposal must comply with the directions for
submittal contained in this notice.
D. Authority
EPA expects to enter into this cooperative agreement under the
authority provided in FIFRA section 20 which authorizes the Agency to
issue grants or cooperative agreements for research, development,
monitoring, public education, training, demonstrations, and studies.
Regulations governing these cooperative agreements are found at 40
CFR part 30 for institutions of higher education, colleges and
universities, and non-profit organizations; and 40 CFR part 31 for
States and local governments. In addition, the provisions in 40 CFR
part 32, governing government-wide debarment and suspension; and the
provisions in 40 CFR part 40, regarding restrictions on lobbying apply.
All costs incurred under this program must be allowable under the
applicable OMB Cost Circulars: A-87 (States and local governments), A-
122 (nonprofit organizations), or A-21 (universities). Copies of these
circulars can be found athttp://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/. In
accordance with EPA policy and the OMB circulars, as appropriate, any
recipient of funding must agree not to use assistance funds for
lobbying, fund-raising, or political activities (e.g., lobbying members
of Congress or lobbying for other Federal grants, cooperative
agreements or contracts). See 40 CFR part 40.
E. Activities to be Funded
See Unit IV.C.1.a. through IV.C.1.p. of this notice for activities
funded.
F. Award and Distribution of Funds
1. Available funding. The funding for the selected award project is
in the form of a cooperative agreement awarded under FIFRA section 20
authority.
The total funding available for award in FY 2004 is expected to be
approximately $200,000. At the conclusion of the first 1 year period of
performance, incremental funding of up to $200,000 may be made
available for each year allowing the project to continue for a total of
five periods of performance (approximately 5 years) and with a total of
up to $1,000,000 for the 5-year period, depending on need and the
Agency budget in outlying years.
Should additional funding become available for award, the Agency
may award additional grants based on this solicitation and in
accordance with the final selection process, without further notice of
competition.
2. Evaluation process and criteria. Applicants will be screened to
ensure they meet all eligibility criteria and will be disqualified if
they do not meet all eligibility criteria. All proposals will be
reviewed, evaluated, and ranked by a selected panel of EPA reviewers
based on the following evaluation criteria and weights (Total: 100
points).
i. General background information request. Please provide the
following background information about your organization, Tribe, or
other type of entity:
How many people are employed by your
organization?
Specify the experience your organization has in
working with Tribes.
Specify if your organization is currently
working on Tribal related matters.
Specify if your organization is currently
working on human health and environmental issues related to pesticides.
Specify if your organization has experience
working with program development, project support and administration.
ii. Technical qualifications, overall management plan, past
performance. Does the person(s) designated to lead the project have the
technical expertise he or she will need to successfully complete it?
Does the project leader have experience in grant and project
management? Proposals should provide complete information on the
education, skills, training and relevant experience of the project
leader. As appropriate, please cite technical qualifications and
specific examples of prior or relevant experience. To whom does the
project leader report? What systems of accountability and management
oversight are in place to ensure this project stays on track? Has your
organization received past funding from EPA's Office of Pesticide
Programs, other EPA programs, or other source? If so, please identify
the funding source and activities/deliverables it supported.
[[Page 18906]]
If previously performed work directly relates to this project, briefly
describe the connection. If a directly relevant project is currently
ongoing, what progress has been made? If your organization, in its
proposal to support the TPPC, builds upon earlier efforts, how will you
use the knowledge, data, and experience of grant outputs from previous
projects to shape this work you will do? (Weight: 30 points)
iii. Justification of need for the project, soundness of technical
approach. Why is this project important to your organization? Review
the environmental issue(s) your organization expects to address with
this proposal; how serious are these issues? What is the expected
outcome of your organization carrying out and supporting the TPPC? What
benefits will your proposed support to the TPPC provide to Tribes,
human health, and the environment? Has your organization identified a
need to coordinate or consult with other parties to ensure the success
of this project? If so, who are they? How will they be affected by the
outcome of the project? What will be the key outputs of this project?
How will your organization quantify and measure progress? Have interim
milestones for this project been established?
If so, what are they? How will you evaluate the success of this
project in terms of measurable environmental results? Please describe
the steps your organization will take to ensure successful completion
of the project and provide a time line and description of interim and
final results and deliverables. Does your budget request accurately
reflect the work you propose? Please provide a clear correlation
between expenses and project objectives. Will EPA funding for this
proposal be supplemented with funding from other source(s)? If so,
please identify them. (Weight: 35 points).
iv. Benefits, sustainability, and transferable result. What
ecological or human health benefits does this proposal provide? What
quality of life issues does the proposal address? Does your
organization's proposed support of the TPPC have limited or broad
applications to address risks related to pesticides? Will the results
from this proposed support of the TPPC continue to provide benefits to
the Tribes after the period of performance has expired and this funding
is no longer available? How are these benefits expected to be sustained
over time? Does the applicant understand/acknowledge the need for
coordination between other organizations, such as Tribal agencies and
outside communities, and/or federal, State or local agencies? Are any
of the deliverables, experiences, products, or outcomes resulting from
the proposed support of the TPPC transferable to other groups,
organizations, or communities? (Weight: 35 points)
3. Selection official. The funding decision will be made from the
group of top rated proposals by the Chief of the Government and
International Services Branch, Field and External Affairs Division,
Office of Pesticide Programs.
4. Dispute resolution process. The procedures for dispute
resolution at 40 CFR 30.63 and CFR 31.70 apply.
G. Application Requirements
1. Content requirements. Proposals must be typewritten, double
spaced in 12 point or larger print using 8.5 x 11 inch paper with
minimum 1 inch horizontal and vertical margins. Pages must be numbered
in order starting with the cover page and continuing through the
appendices. One original and one electronic copy (e-mail or disk) is
required. It is requested that applicants have a section in their
proposal which shows how they meet the eligibility criteria and another
section which shows how applicants meet the evaluation criteria.
All proposals must include:
Completed Standard Form SF 424*, Application for
Federal Assistance. Please include organization fax number and e-mail
address. The application forms are available on line athttp://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/how_to_apply.htm
.
Completed Section B--Budget Categories, on page
1 of Standard Form SF 424A*, (See Unit IV.G.3.--Allowable Cost). Blank
forms may be located at:http://www.epa.gov/region03/grants/appforms.htm
.
Detailed itemization of the amounts budgeted by
individual Object Class Categories (See Unit IV.G.3.--Allowable Cost).
Statement regarding whether this proposal is a
continuation of a previously funded project. If so, please provide the
assistance number and status of the current grant/cooperative
agreement.
Executive Summary. The Executive Summary shall
be a stand alone document, not to exceed one page, containing the
specifics of what is proposed and what you expect to accomplish
regarding measuring or movement toward achieving project goals. This
summary should identify the measurable environmental results you expect
including potential human health and ecological benefits.
Table of contents. A one page table listing the
different parts of your proposal and the page number on which each part
begins.
Proposal narrative. Includes Parts I-V (Parts I
through V listed below are not to exceed 10 pages).
Part I--Project title. Self explanatory.
Part II--Objectives. A numbered list (1, 2,
etc.) of concisely written project objectives, in most cases, each
objective can be stated in a single sentence.
Part III--Justification. For each objective
listed in Part II, discuss the potential outcome in terms of human
health, environmental and/or pesticide risk reduction.
Part IV--Approach and methods. Describe in
detail how the program will be carried out. Describe how the system or
approach will support the program goals.
Part V--Impact assessment. Please state how you
will evaluate the success of the program in terms of measurable
results. How and with what measures will humans be better protected as
a result of the program?
2. Appendices. These appendices must be included in the cooperative
agreement proposal. Additional appendices are not permitted.
Timetable. A timetable that includes what will
be accomplished under each of the objectives during the project and
when completion of each objective is anticipated.
Major participants. This appendix should list
all affiliates or other organizations, educators, trainers and others
having a major role in the proposal. Provide name, organizational
affiliation or occupation and a description of the role each will play
in the project. A brief resume (not to exceed two pages) should be
submitted for each major project manager, educator, support staff or
other major participant.
3. Allowable costs. EPA grant funds may only be used for the
purposes set forth in the cooperative agreement, and must be consistent
with the statutory authority for the award. Cooperative agreement funds
may not be used for matching funds for other Federal grants, lobbying,
or intervention in Federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In
addition, Federal funds may not be used to sue the Federal government
or any other government entity. All costs identified in the budget must
conform to applicable Federal Cost Principles contained in OMB Circular
A-87; A-122; and A-21, as appropriate.
4. Federal requirements for recipients. An applicant whose proposal
is selected for Federal funding must complete additional forms prior to
award (see 40 CFR 30.12 and 31.10). In addition,
[[Page 18907]]
successful applicants will be required to certify that they have not
been debarred or suspended from participation in Federal assistance
awards in accordance with 40 CFR part 32.
H. Application Procedures
1. Submission instructions. All proposals should be mailed to:
Georgia McDuffie, Environmental Protection Agency, Government and
International Services Branch, Field and External Affairs Division,
Office of Pesticide Programs, Mail Code 7506C, 1200 Pennsylvania
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20460-0001. The electronic copy should be
e-mailed toMcduffie.Georgia@epa.gov. To be considered, both the paper
and electronic copy must be received by the due date.
As indicated above, each application must include the original
paper copy of the submission, along with one electronic copy. The
electronic copy of your application package, whether submitted
separately by e-mail or on a disk, should be consolidated into a single
file, and be in Word Perfect WP8/9 for Windows, or Adobe pdf 4/5
format. If mailing a disk, please use a 3.5 disk that is labeled as a
proposal for the Tribal Pesticide Program Council, and include your
pertinent information. Please check your electronic submissions to
ensure that it does not contain any computer viruses.
2. Notification. The Government and International Services Branch,
Office of Pesticide Programs, will mail acknowledgments to applicants
upon receipt of the proposal. Once proposals have been reviewed,
evaluated, and ranked, applicants will be notified regarding the
outcome of the competition. A listing of the successful proposal will
be posted on the Office of Pesticide Programs' web site: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/.
This website may also contain additional information about
this notice including information concerning deadline extensions or
other modifications.
I. Recipient Report Requirements
The successful recipient will be required to submit quarterly and
annual reports, and to submit annual financial reports. The specific
information contained within the report will include at a minimum, a
comparison of actual accomplishments to the objectives established for
the period.
J. Intergovernmental Review
Applicants must comply with the Intergovernmental Review Process
and/or the consultation provisions of section 204, of the Demonstration
Cities and Metropolitan Development Act, if applicable, which are
contained in 40 CFR part 29. All State applicants should consult with
their EPA Regional office or official designated as the single point of
contact in his or her State for more information on the process the
State requires when applying for assistance; if the State has selected
the program for review. If you do not know who your Single Point of
Contact is, please call the EPA Headquarters Grant Policy Information
and Training Branch at (202) 564-5325 or refer to the State Single
Point of Contact web site athttp://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html.
Federally-recognized Tribal governments are not required to
comply with this procedure.
V. Submission to Congress and the Comptroller General
Grant solicitations such as this are considered rules for the
purpose for the Congressional Review Act (CRA). The CRA, 4 U.S.C. 801
et seq., as added by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness
Act of 1996 (SBREFA), generally provides that before a rule may take
effect, the agency promulgating the rule must submit a rule report,
which includes a copy of the rule, to each House of the Congress and to
the Comptroller General of the United States. EPA will submit a report
containing this rule and other required information to the U.S. Senate,
the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Comptroller General of the
United States prior to publication of the rule in the Federal Register.
This rule is not a ``major rule`` as defined by 5 U.S.C. 804(2).
List of Subjects
Environmental protection, Grants, Pesticides, Training.
Dated: March 31, 2004.
Susan B. Hazen,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic
Substances.
[FR Doc. 04-8105 Filed 4-8-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-S