[Federal Register: July 7, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 129)]
[Notices]
[Page 39269-39273]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr07jy05-58]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-7934-7]
Gulf of Mexico Program Office Funding Opportunity
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA).
ACTION: Announcement of funding opportunity.
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SUMMARY: An estimated amount of $275,000 for one to five cooperative
agreements may be awarded under this announcement. Projects must
actively involve stakeholders and focus on the reduction of nutrient
loads to the lower Mississippi River and its tributaries through
innovative partnerships for developing locally led non-point source
nutrient management solutions in the sub-basins of the Mississippi
River Watershed.
DATES: Deadline for Submissions is 5 p.m., central time, August 17,
2005.
ADDRESSES: Submissions should be sent electronically to
car.gloria@epa.gov with the proposal attached. Electronic messages must
use the subject line: GMPO Request for Initial Proposal Submission.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Esther Coblentz, Gulf of Mexico
Program Office, at (228) 688-1281 or coblentz.esther@epa.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview Information
Federal Agency Name: Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf of
Mexico Program Office.
Funding Opportunity Title: EPA Gulf of Mexico Program Office
Request for Initial Proposals: Innovative Producer Partnership
Initiatives to Reduce Hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.
Announcement Type: Initial Announcement.
Funding Opportunity Number: GM2005-1.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66.475.
Dates: For further information, see Section IV. The deadline for
submissions is 5 p.m., central time, August 17, 2005. If you do not
have the capability to submit electronically, please contact Esther
Coblentz (228) 688-1281 or coblentz.esther@epa.gov for information on
how you may apply under this announcement. Initial proposals must be
submitted by electronic mail. This announcement will be posted on the
Web site at http://www.epa.gov/gmpo and http://www.fedgrants.gov and
announced in the Federal Register. All Initial Proposals must be
submitted by the closing date and will not be accepted after that date.
Funding Opportunity Description: An estimated amount of $275,000
for one to five cooperative agreements may be awarded under this
announcement for improving the health of the Gulf of Mexico. Projects
must actively involve stakeholders and focus on the reduction of
nutrient loads to the lower Mississippi River and its tributaries
through innovative partnerships for developing locally led non-point
source nutrient management solutions in the sub-basins of the
Mississippi River Watershed.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Background
The Gulf of Mexico Program's (GMP) mission is to protect, restore,
and enhance the coastal and marine waters of the Gulf and its natural
habitats; to sustain living resources; to protect human health and the
food supply; and to ensure the long-term use of the Gulf shores,
beaches, and waters. To carry out the GMP mission, we must continue to
develop and maintain a partnership of State and Federal agencies, local
governments, academia, regional business and industry, agricultural and
[[Page 39270]]
environmental organizations, and individual citizens and communities
that effectively addresses the complex ecological problems that cross
State, Federal, and international jurisdictions and boundaries.
Linkage to EPA Strategic Plan/Expected Environmental Outcomes
The Gulf of Mexico Program Office (GMPO) is announcing the
availability of funding and issuing this Request For Initial Proposals
addressing one or more activities that are specifically focused on the
Mississippi River Basin and are designed to achieve the environment
outcome of reducing nutrient loading and ultimately the size of the
Hypoxic Zone in the Gulf of Mexico to less than 5,000 square kilometers
by the year 2015.
Successful proposals must have clear and measurable environmental
results directly related to EPA's Strategic Plan Goal 4 (Healthy
Communities and Ecosystems), Objective 3 (Ecosystems), Subobjective 5
(Improve the Health of the Gulf of Mexico).
In support of Subobjective 4.3.5, and consistent with EPA Order
5700.7 on environmental results, the consequences of the awards issued
pursuant to the respective topics will be the accomplishment of the
environmental outcome of reducing nitrogen loading and thus the size of
the hypoxic zone to less than 5,000 square kilometers by year 2015.
Each topic area includes a description of some of the possible
activities for that area, not all of which would be achievable within
an assistance agreement funding period and not all of which would
necessarily result from each project selected.
All proposals submitted will be reviewed for eligibility under
Section 104 (b)(3) of the Clean Water Act. Assistance Agreements are
authorized under this statutory authority to conduct and promote the
coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments,
training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes,
effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of pollution.
This Federal financial assistance program is identified in the Catalog
of Federal Domestic Assistance as CFDA 66.475, see http://www.cfda.gov.
For this announcement, priority will be given to proposals that
actively involve stakeholders and focus on the environmental outcome of
achieving reduction of nutrient loads to the lower Mississippi River
and its tributaries through innovative partnerships for developing
locally led non-point source nutrient management solutions in the sub-
basins of the Mississippi River Watershed which will reduce the size of
the hypoxic zone. For information on the sub-basins see http://www.epa.gov/msbasin/index.htm#intro.
These activities are intended to
help support the implementation of the Action Plan for Reducing,
Controlling, and Mitigating Hypoxia in the Northern Gulf of Mexico.
http://www.epa.gov/msbasin/planintro.htm.
Specific activities to be included are part of a strategy to
achieve the environmental outcome of reduced nitrogen into the Gulf of
Mexico thus reducing the size of the hypoxic zone to less than 5,000
square kilometers by 2015:
1. Conducting a workshop designed to empower industry leaders to
proactively identify effective approaches for addressing complex
nutrient management challenges related to production agriculture. The
workshop will be designed and conducted to develop a detailed plan to
fulfill commitments for nutrient reductions using Best Management
Practices (BMPs) and other measures in the Mississippi River Basin on a
sub-watershed or sub-basin basis in support of the Hypoxia Action Plan.
Output: A detailed plan for commitment to implement self-sustaining
stakeholder-led, sub-watershed nutrient reduction strategies to achieve
measurable environmental outcomes as indicated in the Hypoxia Action
Plan; a final report after the workshop.
2. Introducing and supporting innovative nutrient reduction
strategies in three sub-basins in the Mississippi River watershed. Key
producer leaders will be placed on the sub-basin committees to
integrate this effort through on-going collaboration with the Upper
Mississippi River and Lower Mississippi River sub-basin teams and to
help conduct specifically targeted regional workshops to develop a
multi-state strategy to reduce nutrient loads to the Gulf of Mexico.
Output: Development of nutrient reduction strategies to achieve the
environmental outcome of reducing the size of the hypoxic zone in the
Gulf of Mexico: placement of producers on sub-basin committees; and
final report. Supports Hypoxia Action Plan Item 2.
3. Securing participation of model research farms to ensure focused
working relationships. Determine a joint framework and agreement to
support comprehensive Best Management Practices (BMPs) and water
quality monitoring efforts. Supports Hypoxia Action Plan Items 3, 4 and
5.
4. Working collaboratively with EPA, NRCS, sub-basin committees,
and other stakeholders in the identification and selection of pilot
microwatersheds. Output: Report on the progress of efforts to develop
criteria for selection of microwatersheds.
5. Maintaining and building an innovative agriculture leadership
coalition to pilot a planned microwatershed approach to reduce nutrient
loads in six Mississippi River Basin microwatersheds. Output: Develop
nutrient reduction management plans in 6 microwatersheds; increase the
innovative leadership coalition by 50 percent; annual report on the
coalition building.
6. Building a comprehensive awareness of nutrient reduction actions
within a training plan for a uniform approach to microwatersheds.
Hypoxia Action Plan Item 6.
7. Building a system of expert teams tasked with science-based
planning, coordination and communication of outcomes including
benchmarking, modeling, and interpretation of monitoring efforts. (See
Section III, Eligibility Criteria) Hypoxia Action Plan 4, 5, and 10.
II. Award Information
Funding Amounts and Number of Awards
Under this funding opportunity, we expect to award an estimated
$275,000 depending on availability of funds. One to five projects will
be awarded. EPA reserves the right to make no awards under this
announcement. We will reserve the right to offer partial funding of a
proposal by funding discrete activities, portions, or phases of the
proposed project. If EPA decides to partially fund the proposed
project, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any
applicants or affect the basis upon which the proposed project, or
portion thereof, was evaluated and selected, and that maintains the
integrity of the competition and the selection/evaluation process.
Additional awards may be made if additional funding becomes available
up to 4 months after the original selection decisions are announced.
The period of performance is from 0.5 years to two years.
Type of Award
Successful applicants will be issued a cooperative agreement.
Cooperative agreements require substantial EPA involvement with the
recipient in the form of programmatic oversight and review and comment
on all agreement activities and products. When a cooperative agreement
is awarded, EPA's involvement in carrying out the
[[Page 39271]]
work with the applicant will be described in a selection letter and
identified in the terms and conditions of the award document. In
general, cooperative agreements awarded will be one-time awards and
recipients should use the funds within the period of performance (from
0.5 years to two years).
III. Eligibility Information
Eligible Applicants
State and local governments, interstate agencies, tribes, colleges
and universities, individuals, and other public or nonprofit
organizations. An applicant's failure to meet eligibility criterion by
the time of any award will preclude EPA from making an award. EPA/GMPO
will require nonprofit organizations selected for funding to provide
verification of their nonprofit status prior to the grant award.
Eligibility Criteria
Projects must be consistent with the Clean Water Act Section
104(b)(3) authority. All initial proposals submitted will be reviewed
for eligibility under Section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act (CWA).
Water Quality Cooperative Agreements are authorized under this
statutory authority to conduct and promote the coordination and
acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training,
demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects,
extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of pollution.
Projects that implement ``Best Management Practices'' or any type
of construction activities must qualify as a demonstration project
under CWA Sec. 104(b)(3). A demonstration project must involve new or
experimental technologies, methods, or approaches, where the results of
the project will be disseminated so that others can benefit from the
knowledge gained in the demonstration project. A project that is
accomplished through the performance of routine, traditional, or
established practices, or a project that is simply intended to carry
out a task rather than transfer information or advance the state of
knowledge is not a demonstration.
Projects must focus on reducing nutrient loads to the lower
Mississippi River and its tributaries and nutrient management solutions
in the sub-basins of the Mississippi River Watershed in order to reduce
the size of the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
Matching Requirements
There is no matching requirement; however, the evaluation criteria
requires partnerships and leverage funding which will be considered by
reviewers during evaluation. Nonfederal match is strongly encouraged
(at least 5%), and may be provided in the form of cash or in-kind
services, such as staffing. Matching funds are considered to be
cooperative agreement funds and may be used for reasonable and
necessary expenses of carrying out the project described in the Final
Project Workplan. Any restrictions on the use of grant funds, including
project budget periods, also apply to the use of matching funds. All
project expenditures, including both the federal and nonfederal share,
are subject to federal regulations governing the use of federal funds.
Other federal money cannot be used as match unless authorized by the
statute governing the award of the other federal funds. Reductions to
the amount of the match after a proposal is selected for funding may
result in loss of funding.
Ineligible Activities
Applicants must adhere closely to the types of projects authorized
for funding under CWA Sec. 104(b)(3) in developing initial proposals.
Unauthorized project types will be disqualified. Types of projects that
are ineligible for funding are routine construction projects, except to
a limited degree to demonstrate innovation, prevention, or removal of
pollution; land acquisition; or projects that are largely general
education/outreach or conferences unless they meet a clear need to
accomplish a public purpose and not for the direct benefit of EPA. In
accordance with Executive Order 12579, organizations that have been
debarred or suspended from a program by any federal agency will not be
eligible to receive an award or subaward through this solicitation.
Threshold Eligibility Requirements
Initial Proposal packages that are incomplete will be disqualified.
Applicants must follow Initial Proposal Format in developing and
submitting your proposal.
Applications which do not comply with the administrative review
requirements contained in the Application and Submission of Information
Section (Part IV) will not be reviewed and those submissions will be
returned to the applicant.
IV. Application and Submission Information
Content and Format of Project Preproposals
Follow the initial proposal format and instructions
provided below.
Use Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat for electronic
submissions.
Examples From Previous Years
When developing project submissions, you may look at types of
successful projects from previous years, available at http://www.epa.gov/gmpo
.
Dates and Times
Transmit electronically by 5 p.m. Central Time, August 17,
2005.
Initial proposals dated after this time will be
disqualified.
Use an e-mail return receipt for verification of receipt
if you want to confirm delivery.
Funding Restrictions: See Section III. Eligibility Information.
Submission
Send electronic submittals to car.gloria@epa.gov/gmpo with the
initial proposal attached.
Electronic messages must use the subject line: ``GMPO Request for
Initial Proposal Submission.'' Messages from unknown senders without
this subject line may be inadvertently deleted to avoid computer
viruses.
For initial proposals submitted electronically, electronic
signatures are not required at the time of submission. If GMPO selects
the proposal for funding, the signature of an authorized off cial and
any contributors of 3rd party in-kind match will be required when the
full proposal is submitted. We recommend that applicants use e-mail
return receipt that provides verification of receipt if you wish to
confirm that GMPO has received your project proposal.
Confidentiality
In accordance with 40 CFR 2.203, applicants may claim all or a
portion of their application/proposal as confidential business
information. EPA will evaluate confidentiality claims in accordance
with 40 CFR part 2. Applicants must clearly mark applications/proposals
or portions of applications/proposals they claim as confidential. If no
claim of confidentiality is made, EPA is not required to make the
inquiry to the applicant otherwise required by 40 CFR 2.204(c)(2) prior
to disclosure.
Other Considerations
Projects are subject to Intergovernmental Review under Executive
Order 12372.
Initial Proposal Format
Applicant Information
Applicant Information: Business Mailing and Contact information,
including e-mail address. DUNS number if Applicant Organization has
one.
[[Page 39272]]
Type of Organization: State or local government, interstate agency,
tribe, college or university, individual, or other public or nonprofit
organizations.
Applicants must submit information relating to the programmatic
capability criteria to be evaluated under the ranking factor(s) in
section V of the announcement. EPA will consider information from other
sources including Agency files.
Project Summary Information
Project Title.
Brief Project Description: Summarize the project. Do not use
acronyms.
Duration: Specify project period of performance, from 0.5 years up
to 2 years.
Topic: Choose one: Identify by Tasks in Funding Announcement.
Geographic Applicability
Applicable Mississippi River Basin: Mississippi River Basin(s)
which would be most impacted by this project.
Applicable Geographic Location: If applicable, geographic locations
which would be most impacted by this project, include the Hydrologic
Unit Code (HUC) for the Project location. HUCs can be found on EPA's
Surf Your Watershed Web site at http://www.epa.gov/surf/locate/index.cfm
.
Project Location: As applicable, enter City, County, and State(s).
Problem, Work, Results
Problem Statement: Describe the issue that will be addressed and
its relevance to the Gulf of Mexico, particularly to needs and
priorities in Sub-objective 4.3.5 (Improve the Health of the Gulf of
Mexico Ecosystem) of EPA's Strategic Plan; addressing one or more
activities that are specifically focused on the Mississippi River Basin
and are designed to achieve the environmental outcome of reducing
nutrient loading and ultimately the size of the Hypoxic Zone in the
Gulf of Mexico. Projects must actively involve stakeholders and focus
on reducing nutrient loads to the lower Mississippi River and its
tributaries through innovative partnerships for developing locally led
non-point source nutrient management solutions in each of the sub-
basins of the Mississippi River Watershed. (For information on
subbasins http://www.epa.gov/msbasin/index.htm#intro.) These activities
are intended to implement the Action Plan for Reducing, Controlling,
and Mitigating Hypoxia in the Northern Gulf of Mexico.
Proposed Work: Describe what will be done and how. Many of the
criteria will be addressed here.
Environmental Results: Describe anticipated environmental outputs
and outcomes and their linkages to the problem statement. (See
Outcomes/Outputs described in Section 1 and Environmental Results Order
5700.7 at: http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/award/5700.7.pdf). Specify
affected pollutants, industry sectors, economic impacts, habitats, and/
or species as applicable for the topic, and proposed progress toward
delisting, toward restoration of beneficial use impairments, and/or
toward reducing nitrogen loading and the size of the hypoxic zone in
the Gulf of Mexico.
Measuring Progress: Describe your plan for tracking, measuring, and
reporting progress toward achieving expected outputs and outcomes.
Initial Proposals must address the applicant's past performance in
documenting the achievement of expected outcomes/outputs including, if
applicable, satisfactory explanations of why outcomes/outputs were not
achieved. The applicant must describe the ability to specify and
measure the expected environmental outcomes/outputs and performance
measures to be accomplished as a result of the project. See
Environmental Results Order 5700.7 at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/award/5700.7.pdfProject
Milestones
Milestones: Specify milestones and/or final products and projected
due dates, including Project Start and End.
Education
Education/Outreach Component: Identify whether project includes an
education/outreach component. If applicable, describe the target
audience and how that group would be impacted by the project.
Collaboration
Collaboration/Partnerships: Describe plans and status of
collaboration and partnerships amongst the public, private, and
independent sectors.
Project Budget
Budget: Specify how the total of EPA funds and Applicant matching
funds will be used for: Personnel/salaries, fringe benefits, travel,
equipment, supplies, contract costs, and other costs. Include narrative
descriptions for costs you identify as ``contract'' or ``other''. You
may include a separate line for indirect costs if your organization has
in place (or will negotiate) an ``indirect cost rate.'' Budget should
represent the total which would be requested from EPA for the project's
duration. Funding is not assured for subsequent years for any project.
Other Sources of Funding
Other Funding: If others are expected to contribute funds to your
Project, list Name(s) of providers, amount provided, and commitments
made by each.
V. Application Review Information
Criteria
Projects will be evaluated based on the Criteria specified as
follows:
1. Relevance/Rationale: (20 Points)
Importance and/or relevance and applicability of the proposed
approach to the Hypoxia Action Plan and the level of support of long-
term goals and implementation actions.
There is intrinsic value in the proposed work and/or relevance to
the Hypoxia Action Plan and Task Force activities. Refers to the
likelihood that the approach proposed will make substantial nutrient
reductions or develop strategies leading to improved nutrient
management within the basin.
2. Scientific/Professional Merit: (20 Points)
The approach is technically sound and/or innovative; the methods,
approaches, concepts are appropriate; there are clear goals and
objectives, and there is a plan for tracking and measuring progress
toward achieving the expected outcomes/outputs identified.
3. Programmatic Capability: (20 Points)
The technical capability of the applicant to successfully carry out
a project taking into account such factors as the applicant's (1) past
performance in successfully completing projects similar in size, scope,
and relevance to the proposed project, (2) history of meeting reporting
requirements on prior or current assistance agreements and submitting
acceptable final technical reports and applicable closeout
documentation, (3) organizational experience and plan for timely and
successfully achieving the objectives of the project, and (4) staff
expertise/ qualifications, education, training, facilities,
administrative resources, staff knowledge, and resources or the ability
to obtain them, to successfully achieve the goals of the project.
(Refer also to EPA Order 5700.8 http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/award/5700_8.pdf
).
4. Budget: (10 Points)
The reasonableness and appropriateness of the proposed budget for
the level of work proposed and with the expected benefits to be
achieved.
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5. Stakeholders: (20 Points)
The quality of proposed partnerships, including the degree of broad
participation within the Mississippi River Watershed and demonstration
of significant partnering among the agricultural community that results
in socio-economic merits and outreach and education. Applications will
also be evaluated on whether they provide a partnership with a focused
and effective education and outreach strategy regarding the long-term
commitment to the proposed objectives of the Hypoxia Action Plan.
6. Leveraging Funding: (10 Points)
Ability of applicant to leverage other public or private funding to
complete or complement the project.
Review and Selection Process
Evaluation and selection process will include the following steps:
Screen for threshold eligibility.
Review and score proposals against criteria (Reviewers/Panel).
Rank all proposals according to total score.
Announce selections.
Contact Successful applicants and request a detailed grant
application and final workplan.
Final Applications/Workplans reviewed and ranked.
Approval Official determines Final Projects.
EPA employees as well as GMP reviewers and/or panel members who
score project proposals will be required to sign a Conflict of Interest
Disclosure Form and will not score any proposal in which they have a
personal, familial, or financial interest. If an individual has a
conflict of interest with respect to any proposal, then they cannot
review any proposal. The Director of the Gulf of Mexico Program will
make the final selections.
Anticipated Announcement Date
GMPO will post a list of all initial proposals selected for funding
on or about September 15, 2005. The list will be posted at the
following site: http://www.epa.gov/gmpo. All applicants, including
those who are not selected for funding will be notified by mail.
VI. Award Administration Information
Award Notices
EPA has 60 days to issue an award following receipt of the
complete, fundable Application Package. Final funding decisions are
based upon the Application Packages.
Pre-Award Review for Administrative Capability
Non-profit applicants that are recommended for funding will be
subject to pre-award administrative capability reviews consistent with
paragraphs 8.b, 8.c, and 9.d of EPA Order 5700.8 http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/award/5700_8.pdf
and may be required to fill out and
document an ``Administrative Capability'' form.
Administrative and Reporting Requirements
The successful applicant will be required to adhere to the Federal
grants requirements, particularly those found in applicable OMB
circulars on Cost Principles (A-21, A-87, or A-122), Administrative
Requirements (A-102 or 110), and Audit Requirements (A-133) available
from http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/. This includes government-
wide requirements pertaining to accounting standards, lobbying,
minority or woman business enterprise, publication, meetings,
construction, and disposition of property. EPA regulations governing
assistance programs and recipients are codified in Title 40 of the Code
of Federal Regulations. Those requirements, GMPO-specific requirements
currently in effect, and the application materials that will be needed
by applicants ultimately selected in this process can be found at
http://www.epa.gov/gmpo. The successful Federal applicant will be
required to comply with the OMB Circular and appropriate sections of
Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations determined applicable by
GMPO. This determination will be embodied in the terms and conditions
of an interagency agreement.
Dispute Resolution Process
Assistance agreement competition-related disputes involving any
applicant, including Federal applicants, will be resolved in accordance
with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal
Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005) which can be found at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-1371.htm
.
Copies of these procedures may also be requested by contacting
coblentz.esther@epa.gov.
Please note that this is not a complete list of all regulations and
policies that govern these funds. Our Grants Management Office Web site
at http://www.epa.gov/region4/grants/regulations.html identifies other
grant regulations that apply.
VII. Agency Contact Information
Contacts may provide appropriate assistance to help potential
applicants determine whether the applicant itself or the applicant's
proposed project is eligible for funding, to assist with administrative
issues relating to submission, and to respond to requests for
clarification of the announcement. Applicants are solely responsible
for the content of their submissions. General Gulf of Mexico Program
Contact: Esther Coblentz, 228-688-1281 or coblentz.esther@epa.gov.
VIII. Other Information
Funding amounts are estimates of the maximum amount that will be
available, based on our best available information. These amounts are
subject to change without further notification, based on the amount of
federal funds actually appropriated and allocated for these programs.
EPA reserves the right to reject all proposals and make no awards.
Although an Application for Federal Assistance (Standard Form 424
and attachments) is not required when the initial proposal is
submitted, we encourage you to review our grant application package at
http://www.epa.gov/gmpo to become familiar with the information and
certifications that will be required if your proposal is selected for
funding.
Dated: June 29, 2005.
Gloria D. Car,
Deputy Director, Gulf of Mexico Program Office.
[FR Doc. 05-13379 Filed 7-6-05; 8:45 am]
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