Brownfields Training, Research, and Technical Assistance Grants and Cooperative Agreements Program - Section III

Section III.1: Eligible Applicants

Eligibility is limited to governmental applicants and non-profit organizations. Public and non-profit private universities are eligible as well. For profit organizations are not eligible, and may not submit "joint" applications with eligible applicants.

Eligible governmental applicants include a general purpose unit of local government, a land clearance authority or other quasi-governmental entity that operates under the supervision and control of or as an agent of a general purpose unit of government; a governmental entity created by a state legislature; a regional council or group of general purpose unit of local government; a redevelopment agency that is chartered or otherwise sanctioned by a state; a state; "an Indian Tribe (other than in Alaska), or an Alaskan Native Regional Corporation and an Alaska Native Village Corporation as those terms are defined in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act(43 U.S.C. 1601 and following) and the Metlakatla Indian Community. State colleges, community colleges, and universities may be eligible as a governmental entity created by a state, depending on state law.

Eligible nonprofit organizations include any organizations that meet the definition of a nonprofit in Section 4(6) of the Federal Financial Management Assistance Act of 1999, Public Law 106-107, 31 U.S.C. 6101 Note. This definition includes nonprofit universities and educational institutions. However, 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.

Groups of two or more eligible applicants may choose to form a coalition and submit a single application for these assistance agreements. Intertribal consortia, except consortia comprised on ineligible Alaska tribes, are eligible to apply as well. Coalitions must identify which eligible organization will be the recipient of the assistance agreement, and which eligible organization(s) will be subawardees of the recipient. Subawards must be consistent with the definition of that term in 40 CFR 30.2(ff). The recipient must administer the assistance agreement, is accountable to EPA for proper expenditure of the funds, and will be the point of contact for the coalition. As provided in 40 CFR 30.2(gg), subrecipients are accountable to the recipient for proper use of EPA funding.

For profit organizations may not be part of a coalition application. Any contracts for services or products funded with EPA financial assistance must be awarded under the competitive procurement provisions of 40 CFR Part 30, or Part 31 as applicable. Naming a particular individual consultant, firm or organization in an application does not exempt a successful applicant from following competitive procurement procedures.

Section III.2: Cost-sharing or Matching

There are no match or cost-sharing requirements. However, the extent to which an award will leverage other funds for environmental assessment or remediation, and subsequent reuse, of an area in which one or more brownfields sites are located is a statutory ranking factor. See, Section IV.4 - Ranking Criteria 6: Leveraging of Resources (15 Points).

Section III.3: Other

Applicants may submit only one proposal. EPA will reject all applications from applicants who submit more than one.

Applicants must meet all threshold criteria as well as the maximum funding amounts, due dates, and other administrative requirements described. Threshold criteria will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis. Failure to meet all of these criterion will render an application ineligible; ineligible applications will not be reviewed. If an application fails to meet threshold criteria, EPA Headquarters may seek clarification from an applicant regarding its response to the threshold criteria, if appropriate. (Note: EPA will not seek clarification on an applicant's Cover Letter or their response to any ranking criteria).