FY 2006 and 2007 Targeted Watersheds Grant Program: Availability
of Funds and Request for Proposals for Implementation Projects (CFDA
66.439--Funding Opportunity Number EPA-OW-OWOW-06-3)
[Federal Register: August 15, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 157)]
[Notices]
[Page 46901-46911]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15au06-30]
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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
[FRL-8209-8]
FY 2006 and 2007 Targeted Watersheds Grant Program: Availability
of Funds and Request for Proposals for Implementation Projects (CFDA
66.439--Funding Opportunity Number EPA-OW-OWOW-06-3)
AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
ACTION: Notice of Availability of Funds and Request for Proposals for
Targeted Watersheds Implementation Projects.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of funds for grants and
cooperative agreements under EPA's Targeted Watersheds Grant Program.
The Targeted Watersheds Grant Program is a competitive grant program
designed to support the protection and restoration of the country's
water resources through a holistic watershed approach to water quality
management. In fiscal year (FY) 2006 Congress appropriated over $16
million for the program. The Agency is soliciting proposals under this
announcement for implementation projects, and under a separate
announcement for capacity building projects. The Agency anticipates
additional funding for the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program in FY 2007.
Under this announcement, EPA will award approximately 9 to 20
grants or cooperative agreements for restoration and/or protection
efforts. Anticipated awards will range from approximately $600,000 to
$900,000 each and have a project period of three to five years. The
total amount anticipated to be awarded under this announcement will
range from $7.1 million to about $16 million (these totals represent
combining a portion of both 2006 and anticipated 2007 Targeted
Watersheds Grant funds)--the total amount to be awarded under this
announcement will depend upon the FY 2007 funds and the quality of
proposals received. Under this announcement, EPA is providing
applicants the option of submitting their proposals either directly to
EPA in hard copy or electronically via Grants.gov. (See Section IV for
additional submission information and requirements.)
DATES: Proposals must be received by EPA or electronically through
Grants.gov by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time November 13, 2006. Proposals
received after this deadline will not be considered.
ADDRESSES: Erin Collard; USEPA; Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and
Watersheds; Room 7136G; Mail Code 4501T; 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW.
Washington, DC 20004; telephone: 202-566-2655.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions regarding this action,
please contact the appropriate regional contact person listed in
Section VII of this notice. A copy of this full announcement and
additional information on the program can be found on the Targeted
Watersheds Grant Web site at http://www.epa.gov/twg The announcement
is also synopsized on http://www.grants.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview Information
The Targeted Watersheds Grant Program encourages watershed
practitioners to examine local water related problems in the context of
the larger watershed in which they exist, to develop solutions to those
problems by creatively applying the full array of available tools,
including Federal, State, and local programs, and to restore and
preserve water resources through strategic planning and coordinated
project management that draw in public and private sector partners.
Both the watershed approach and the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program
focus on multi-faceted plans for protecting and restoring water
resources that are developed using partnership efforts of diverse
stakeholders. Hence, the goal of the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program
is to advance successful partnerships and coalitions that have
completed the necessary watershed assessments and have a technically
sound watershed plan ready to implement.
Federal Agency Name: Environmental Protection Agency.
Funding Opportunity Title: FY 2006/2007 Targeted Watersheds Grant
Program: Request for Proposals for Implementation Projects.
Announcement Type: Request for Proposals.
Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-OW-OWOW-06-3.
Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66.439.
Dates: Proposals must be received by EPA or electronically through
Grants.gov by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, November 13, 2006.
Proposals received after this deadline will not be considered.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
A. Targeted Watersheds Grant Program Objectives
To achieve environmental goals, EPA encourages the adoption of a
watershed approach as a broad coordinating process for focusing on
priority water resource problems. Using a watershed approach, multiple
stakeholders integrate regional and locally led activities with local,
State, tribal, and Federal environmental management programs. These
environmental goals should ultimately protect and restore the health of
the nation's aquatic resources, which not only includes but goes beyond
meeting water quality standards.
The Targeted Watersheds Grant Program encourages watershed
organizations and practitioners to examine local water related problems
in the context of the larger watershed in which they exist, to develop
solutions to those problems by creatively applying the full array of
available tools, including Federal, State, and local programs, and to
restore and preserve water resources through strategic planning and
coordinated project management that draw in public and
[[Page 46902]]
private sector partners. Both the watershed approach and the Targeted
Watersheds Grant Program focus on multi-faceted plans for protecting
and restoring water resources that are developed using partnership
efforts of diverse stakeholders. Hence, the goal of the Targeted
Watersheds Grant Program is to advance successful partnerships and
coalitions that have completed the necessary watershed assessments and
have a technically sound watershed plan ready to implement.
In accordance with the President's focus on building a cooperative
ethic in all environmental conservation and protection activities, the
Targeted Watersheds Grant Program empowers watershed organizations and
practitioners to collaborate and implement environmental change.
Overcoming many water quality problems requires the involvement of
local citizens who have a vested interest in the creeks, rivers, lakes,
estuaries, wetlands, and groundwater flowing through their
neighborhoods and towns. Moreover, it is organized and sustainable
partnerships comprised of an array of governmental and non-governmental
entities that are the most successful in improving water resources and
achieving on-the-ground results. The program is intended to encourage
the kind of proactive and incentive based protection and restoration
measures that will yield cleaner water and protect ecosystems. By
furnishing funds to watershed organizations or practitioners, the
Agency can foster the President(s cooperative conservation ideal by
ensuring that affected stakeholders have the means necessary to
actively participate in the watershed restoration process at local,
State, and Federal levels.
B. National Priorities
Under this announcement, EPA is soliciting proposals for projects
that will result in the protection, preservation, and restoration of a
watershed that incorporates a watershed-based approach. Finding
solutions to water quality problems requires sustainable approaches
that can be aligned with core water programs. EPA is looking for
innovative ways to address water quality problems that will result in
tangible, measurable environmental results in a relatively short time
frame. For example, market-based approaches can create social and
economic incentives for implementing creative pollution reduction
strategies and water protection measures. Market-based trading projects
are considered an important component of innovation. One of the
Assistant Administrator's key market-based priorities for protecting
and restoring watersheds is the development of water quality trading
pilots with states and other partners.
Proposals for watershed restoration and/or protection projects must
include a monitoring component. Activities proposed for funding are not
required to address the entire watershed, but are expected to have been
based on a comprehensive assessment and plan for the watershed. As
such, all activities should directly support the described watershed
plan and Targeted Watersheds Grant funds should be used in accordance
with the plan. Examples of successful proposals from past competitions
can be found on the Web site at http://www.epa.gov/twg.
Watershed proposals must be nominated by Governors or Tribal
Leaders. A Governor or Tribal Leader nomination letter must be provided
as part of each proposal package submitted to EPA. Governors or Tribal
Leaders may nominate any number of proposals, either those that are
entirely within their State or tribal boundaries or interjurisdictional
watersheds (i.e., those that encompass several States or Tribes). For
interjurisdictional watersheds, any of the engaged Governors/Tribal
Leaders may nominate the proposal. To be considered an
interjurisdictional watershed (and be scored as such) the proposal must
include a letter of support from all partnering States, Tribes or local
government entities in the proposal package (this can include a second
nomination letter from an engaged Governor/Tribal Leader, letters from
local government elected officials, or letters from the appropriate
water agency in the adjacent State, Tribe, or local government entity).
C. EPA's Strategic Plan and Anticipated Environmental Results
The Targeted Watersheds Grant program is linked to EPA's Strategic
Plan (2003-2008 EPA's Strategic Plan). It is predicated on the concept
that watersheds are improved most effectively and efficiently by
managing water resource use and water quality on a watershed basis. The
Targeted Watersheds Grant Program supports EPA's strategic goals
(http://www.epa.gov/ocfo/plan/plan.htm) to improve and restore
impaired water quality on a watershed basis and facilitate ecosystem-
scale protection and restoration under EPA Strategic Plan Goal 2--Clean
and Safe Water, Objective 2.2 (Protect Water Quality), Sub-objective
2.2.1 (Protect and Improve Water Quality on a Watershed Basis) and Goal
4--Healthy Communities and Ecosystems, Objective 4.3 (Ecosystems), Sub-
objective 4.3.1 (Protect and Restore Ecosystems).
By supporting the implementation of comprehensive watershed
projects, these grants will also support the Administrator's Sustainable
Infrastructure priority to develop innovative, market-based, and
sustainable solutions for water infrastructure financing and management.
In accordance with the goals and objectives in the Strategic Plan,
the Targeted Watersheds Grant Program aims to advance projects beyond
the planning stage to the point of producing tangible environmental
results. Therefore, a high priority is to support projects that are
likely to achieve quantifiable outcomes within the project period.
Applicants for the FY 2006/2007 funds must include specific statements
describing the environmental results of the proposed project in terms
of well-defined ``outputs'' and to the maximum extent practicable,
well-defined ``outcomes''.
All proposed projects must be linked to environmental results and
demonstrate how they will contribute to the ultimate goals of clean and
safe water and healthy communities and ecosystems. Environmental
results are used as a way to gauge a project's performance and are
described in terms of output measures and outcome measures. The term
``output'' means an activity, effort, and/or associated work product
related to an environmental goal or objective that will be produced or
provided over the period of time or by a specific date. The term
``outcome'' means an environmental result, effect or consequence that
will occur from carrying out an environmental program or activity that
is related to an environmental or programmatic goal or objective.
Outcomes may be short-term (i.e., changes in learning, knowledge,
attitude, skill), intermediate (i.e., changes in behavior, practice, or
decisions), or long-term (i.e., changes in condition of natural resources).
In addition to environmental outcomes, other relevant outcomes can
be behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature and need to be
identified. An example is increasing the watershed approach information
available to local and State decisionmakers who write and implement
laws, ordinances, and permits. In this context, certain efforts
designed to increase the watershed approach knowledge of decisionmakers
can be viewed as environmental outcomes (results) if the grantee can
show or measure the improvement in
[[Page 46903]]
the knowledge of decisionmakers who are in the position to create
institutional changes that are necessary to restore or protect the
environment. In such instances, ``outcomes'' are not measured typically
by environmental or water quality indicators, but rather by
institutional indicators related to the adoption and application of
laws and regulations, and the active management of programs necessary
to provide environmental protection.
Additional information regarding EPA(s definition of environmental
results in terms of ``outputs'' and ``outcomes'' can be found at:
http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/awards/5700.7.pdf or
http://www.epa.gov/water/waterplan/documents/FY06NPGappendix-b.pdf.
could include:
? Actual on-the-ground water restoration or protection
projects put in place.
? Baseline and resulting water quality monitoring data that
indicate measurable environmental improvement.
? Local ordinances passed aimed at protection and
restoration of water quality.
? Enhanced public participation and awareness of water
quality issues at the community level.
? Transfer of knowledge among watershed groups across the nation.
? Improved water quality, Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 303(d)
delisting of streams, or increased recreational use of water bodies.
For example, for a project aimed at reducing in-stream sediment
loads, an expected output under this announcement could be the number
of trees planted, the miles of riparian buffer restored, the number of
culverts repaired, or other best management practices (BMPs) installed.
The expected outcome of the particular activity would indicate the
expected sediment reduction to be achieved (e.g., cubic yards) in a
specified time period relative to the overall goal (e.g., achieving a
water quality standard, delisting a stream segment listed as impaired
under CWA Section 303(d), or attaining a milestone under a TMDL).
In another example, a proposal for an urban watershed may be
focused on reducing stormwater runoff and bacterial contamination. The
anticipated output of this activity could be the number of septic
systems retrofitted, the number of farmers who install livestock
fencing, or the number of homeowners who participate in a rain barrel
program. Anticipated outcomes of this project could be a reduction in
fecal coliform concentration, a rise in macroinvertebrate populations,
or the number of days a waterbody displays a ``blue flag'' (i.e., is
safe for swimming, fishing, or boating).
D. Key Program Changes From FY 2005
This year, EPA is making several important changes to the Targeted
Watersheds Grant Program to make it more effective in addressing the
Agency(s goals and to streamline review procedures. Key changes are
described below and are explained in greater detail in later Sections
of this notice.
First, in an effort to improve efficiencies, EPA is combining its
FY 2006 and anticipated FY 2007 funds into one solicitation. The total
amount to be awarded under this solicitation will depend upon the FY
2007 funding level and the quality of the proposals received.
Second, EPA is eliminating the limit on the number of proposals a
Governor or Tribal Leader can nominate. In previous years, Governors
and Tribal Leaders were only allowed to submit two nominations for
proposals that resided entirely within their state/jurisdiction. This
year however, Governors or Tribal Leaders may forward more than two
proposals for consideration.
Third, the Agency is restoring the geographic scope of the
solicitation. While last year Chesapeake Bay watershed projects were
excluded from the national competition, this year projects that are in
the Chesapeake Bay watershed are eligible to compete.
Fourth, EPA has amended the evaluation criteria. Environmental
Significance has been added as a criterion. Applicants will be required
to explain, and will be scored on, the importance, relevance,
connection to, and applicability of the proposal to the Agency's
strategic goals. In addition, two additional criteria related to the
applicant's past performance have been added. Programmatic Capability
and Qualifications of the Applicant will evaluate the extent to which
the applicant possesses the technical experience and administrative
ability to carry out the grant or cooperative agreement, and
Environmental Results Past Performance will evaluate how the applicant
documented and/or reported on its progress towards achieving the
expected results (i.e., outputs and outcomes) under prior agreements.
This year, aspects of the Innovation criterion (e.g., new technologies
or market-based trading projects) will be addressed in the Quality of
Proposal criterion.
Fifth, the applicant will be allotted more space in which to
describe its proposal. Instead of the 10-page, double-spaced limitation
in the past, applicants will be allowed a total of 12 pages with no
spacing limitations in which to present their proposals. All materials
including the proposal narrative, budget narrative, grants management
experience, tables, timelines, graphs, maps, and pictures must be
included in the 12 pages. The 12-page limitation does not include the
SF 424, the SF 424A, the Governor or Tribal Leader nomination letter(s)
and the accompanying letters of support. See Section IV for more
information.
Sixth, EPA has extended the length of the grant period from three
to a maximum of five years. The Agency, in general, expects project
implementation to be completed within two to three years and the
monitoring component conducted continuously throughout the project period.
Finally, the Federal Government now provides the option to apply
for many grants and submit materials through a standardized electronic
grants application system called Grants.gov. In addition, this will be
the last Targeted Watersheds Grant Program request for proposals that
will be announced in the Federal Register.
E. Statutory Authority
The grants or cooperative agreements funded as a result of this
announcement will be awarded under the independent authority contained
in the Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 2006 (Pub. L. 109-54) and the anticipated
Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act for 2007.
F. Geospatial Information
Grants awarded under this announcement may involve Geospatial
Information. Geospatial data generally means information that
identifies, depicts, or describes the geographic locations, boundaries,
or characteristics of inhabitants and natural or constructed features
on the Earth. This includes such information derived from, among other
sources, socio-demographic analysis, economic analysis, land
information records and land use information processing, statistical
analysis, survey and observational methodologies, environmental
analysis, critical infrastructure protection, satellites, remote
sensing, airborne imagery collection, mapping, engineering,
construction, global positioning systems, and surveying technologies
[[Page 46904]]
and activities. It also includes individual point or site-specific data
that are referenced to a location on the earth and digital aerial
imagery of the earth.
This information may be derived from, among other things,
Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Global Positioning Systems (GPS),
remote sensing, mapping, charting, and surveying technologies, or
statistical data. For purposes of EPA grants, this refers to
geographically based information or data or the tools, applications or
hardware that allow one to collect, manage, analyze, store or
distribute data in a geographic manner.
II. Award Information
Approximately $7.1 million to about $16 million is expected to be
available for awards under this announcement (these totals represent
combining a portion of both 2006 and anticipated 2007 Targeted
Watersheds Grant funds) depending upon the amount of FY 2007 funds and
the quality of proposals received. EPA plans to award approximately 9
to 20 grants or cooperative agreements under this announcement.
Anticipated awards will range from approximately $600,000 to $900,000
each, depending on the amount requested, the overall size and scope of
the project, and the total amount of funds available.
Awards under this program can have up to a five-year project
period, if warranted. Recipients should complete their project
implementation within two to three years and continue to monitor water
quality and other pertinent metrics for an additional one to two years,
for a maximum of up to five years. The total project period, including
any no-cost, one-year extensions provided to award recipients cannot
exceed five years.
EPA reserves the right to partially fund proposals/applications
under this announcement by funding discrete activities, portions, or
phases of proposed projects. If EPA decides to partially fund a
proposal/application, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice
any applicants or affect the basis upon which the proposal/application,
or portion thereof, was evaluated and selected for award, and that
maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process. EPA
also reserves the right to make no awards, or fewer awards than
expected under this announcement.
EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this
announcement consistent with Agency policy, if additional funding
becomes available. Any additional selections for awards will be made no
later than six months after the original selection decisions.
Selected recipients will enter into a funding agreement with the
applicable EPA Regional Office (see Section VII). The Targeted
Watersheds Grant Program funds both grants and cooperative agreements.
Although EPA will negotiate precise terms and conditions relating to
substantial involvement as part of the award process, cooperative
agreements permit substantial involvement between the EPA Project
Officer and the selected applicant in the performance of work supported
by program funds. Federal involvement for projects selected may include
close monitoring of the recipient(s performance; collaboration during
the performance of the scope of work; in accordance with 40 CFR
31.36(g), review of proposed procurements; reviewing qualifications of
key personnel (EPA does not have the authority to select employees or
contractors employed by the recipient); and/or review and comment on
the content of publications (printed or electronic) prepared (the final
decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient).
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
States, local governments, public and private nonprofit
institutions/organizations, federally recognized Indian tribal
governments, U.S. territories or possessions, and interstate agencies
are eligible to apply. For-profit commercial entities and all Federal
agencies are ineligible. 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.
B. Cost Sharing/Match Requirement
EPA is requiring applicants to demonstrate in their proposal
submission how they will provide the minimum non-federal match of 25
percent of the total cost of the proposal. This means EPA will fund a
maximum of 75 percent of the total project cost. In addition to cash,
matching funds can come from in-kind contributions, such as the use of
volunteers and/or donated time, equipment, expertise, etc., consistent
with the regulations governing matching fund requirements (40 CFR 31.24
or 40 CFR 30.23). Federal funds may not be used to meet the match
requirement for this grant program unless authorized by the statute
governing their use.
Federally recognized Indian tribal governments may be exempt from
this match requirement if fulfilling the match requirement would impose
undue hardship. Tribal governments wishing to be exempt from the
minimum 25 percent match requirement must submit a one-page written
request with justification within 30 calendar days from the date of
this announcement. Match exemption requests should be sent directly to
the EPA contact listed in Section IV.D. EPA will notify the potential
applicant of its decision within 10 business days. If approved, the
proposal will be scored as if it meets the minimum 25 percent match.
To determine if the minimum match is met, the following formulas
may be helpful:
(1) Amount ($) requested from EPA/Cost ($) of entire project
³ 0.75, or
(2) Total cost ($) of proposal/4 = Amount ($) needed for match.
For example, if the total cost of the project is $1 million, the
applicant must be able to provide $250,000 in matching funds or
services. In this example, the federally funded portion of the project
would be $750,000.
C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria
These are requirements which, if not met at the time of proposal
submission, will result in elimination of the proposal from
consideration for funding. Only proposals that meet all of these
criteria will be evaluated against the ranking factors in Section V of
this announcement. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding
consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be
notified within 15 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.
1. An applicant must meet the eligibility requirements as described
in Section III.A.
2. Applicants must demonstrate how they will provide a match of 25
percent of the total project cost as described in Section III.B above.
3. The proposal must be nominated by a State Governor or Tribal Leader.
4. The proposal must contain the six components as described in
Section IV.C.
5. Submissions that are faxed or sent by standard U.S. Postal Service
(USPS) parcel post will not be accepted, as described in Section IV.D.
6. Proposals must be received by EPA or through Grants.gov on or
before the solicitation closing date and time specified in Section IV.
Proposals received after the closing date and time will be returned to
the sender without
[[Page 46905]]
further consideration. In addition, pages submitted in excess of the
12-page limitation described in Section IV.C will not be reviewed.
D. Funding Restrictions
EPA has chosen to declare certain projects or activities ineligible
for funding. These include activities required or regulated under the
CWA. For example, activities for the development of Total Maximum Daily
Loads (TMDLs) and Phase II Stormwater projects will not be funded.
Activities implementing the non-regulatory component of TMDLs (e.g.,
the elements of a watershed plan that address non-point source
pollution), however, are eligible. The construction of buildings or
other major structures, or the purchase of major equipment or machinery
will not be funded under this program. Proposals containing a sub-award
project (also called mini-grants) are eligible, but the portion that is
to be regranted to third parties within the watershed via a smaller-
scaled competition should account for no more than 20 percent of the
requested funding amount. If proposals are submitted that have
ineligible projects or activities, those projects or activities in the
proposals will not be considered for funding.
All costs incurred under this program must be allowable under the
applicable Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Cost Circulars: A-87
(States and local governments), A-122 (nonprofit organizations), or A-
21 (universities). Copies of these circulars can be found at http://
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 (i.e., lobbying members of Congress or lobbying for other
Federal grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts).
IV. Application and Submission Information
A. Address To Request Application Package
Grant application forms, including Standard Forms SF 424 and SF
424A, are available at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/how_to_apply.htm
and by mail upon request by calling the Grants Administration Division
at (202) 564-5320.
B. Form of Application Submission
Applicants must submit their proposal using one of the two methods
outlined below. All proposals must be prepared and include the
information as described in Section IV.C regardless of mode of submission.
1. Hard Copy and Compact Disc (CD)
Two hard copies of the complete proposal package as described below
in Section IV.C, and a CD of the complete proposal package, are
required to be sent by express mail or courier service, or hand
delivered. Please mark all submissions: ATTN: TWG--Implementation (see
Section IV.D for address). The CD may be in Adobe Portable Document
Format (.pdf), Microsoft Word (.doc), or WordPerfect (.wpd). Nomination
letter(s), letters of support, and maps will need to be scanned so that
they can be submitted as part of the CD. Pictures and/or computer
generated maps may be included as separate files using .jpg or .tif format.
2. Grants.gov Submission
Applicants who wish to submit their materials electronically
through the Federal Government's Grants.gov Web site may do so.
Grants.gov allows an applicant to download a proposal or application
package template and complete the package offline based on agency
instructions. After an applicant completes the required proposal or
application package, it can submit the package electronically to
Grants.gov, which transmits the package to the funding agency.
Nomination letter(s), letters of support, pictures, and maps will need
to be scanned so that they can be submitted electronically as part of
the proposal package. Pictures and/or computer generated maps must also
be in an electronic format and submitted along with the proposal package.
If you wish to apply electronically via Grants.gov, the electronic
submission of your proposal package must be made by an official
representative of your institution who is registered with Grants.gov
and authorized to sign applications for Federal assistance. For more
information, go to http://www.grants.gov and click on ``Get
Registered'' on the left side of the page. Note that the registration
process may take a week or longer to complete. If your organization is
not currently registered with Grants.gov, please encourage your office
to designate an AOR and ask that individual to begin the registration
process as soon as possible.
To begin the application process for this grant program, go to
http://www.grants.gov and click on the ``Apply for Grants'' tab on the
left of the page. Then click on ``Apply Step 1: Download a Grant
Application Package and Instructions'' to download the PureEdge viewer
and obtain the application package and instructions for applying under
this announcement using grants.gov (https://apply.grants.gov/
forms_apps_idx.html). You may retrieve the application package and
instructions by entering the Funding Opportunity Number, EPA-OW-OWOW-
06-3, or the CFDA number, in the space provided. Then complete and
submit the application package as indicated. You may also be able to
access the application package by clicking on the button ``How To
Apply'' at the top right of the synopsis page for this announcement on
http://www.grants.gov (to find the synopsis page, go to http://
www.grants.gov and click on the ``Find Grant Opportunities'' button on
the left side of the page and then go to Search Opportunities and use
the Browse by Agency feature to find EPA opportunities).
Application/proposal materials submitted through Grants.gov will be
time/date stamped electronically. Complete instructions on applying
through Grants.gov are provided in Attachment A to this announcement.
C. Content of Application Submission
Apart from the SF 424, the SF 424A, the Governor or Tribal Leader
nomination letter(s), and the accompanying letters of support, the
remaining parts of the proposal package (comprised of items 2-3 below)
must not exceed 12 pages in length and should use a 12-point font.
Pages in excess of 12 will not be reviewed. All materials including the
project narrative, budget, tables, timeline, charts, graphs, maps, and
pictures must be included within the 12 pages. Moreover, any appendices
aside from the nomination letter and support letters will not be
reviewed. Applicants are responsible for the contents of their proposals.
Each proposal package must contain all of the components listed in
this section. Failure to submit any of the six components will result
in disqualification and removal from the selection process.
1. Nomination letter
A letter signed by the Governor or Tribal Leader formally
nominating the watershed for consideration for funding must accompany
each proposal package.
2. Proposal Narrative
a. Cover page. The cover page should include:
(1) The name of the watershed along with the designated 8-digit
Hydrological Unit Code(s) (HUCs);
[[Page 46906]]
(2) The impaired waters, such as any degraded stream segments
within the project area that are on the State's 303(d) list;
(3) Nominee contact information (i.e., name, affiliation, address,
telephone, and E-mail of the person with whom the Agency should correspond);
(4) Tax status or other description of organization; and
(5) Internet Web site (i.e., URL) of the organization, if available.
HUCs (also known as USGS Cataloging Units) and State 303(d)
listings can be found on EPA(s Surf Your Watershed Web site at
http://www.epa.gov/surf/.
b. Abstract. Provide a brief (approximately 150-word) executive
summary of the proposal. This should include a brief description of the
perceived need for the work, the proposed work, and the anticipated
outputs and outcomes.
c. Project Narrative. The narrative description of the proposed
tasks and activities must include the following sections:
(1) Characterization of the watershed. Describe the watershed,
including any critical or significant natural resources, such as
wetlands. Include a description of the physical, chemical, biological,
ecological, socioeconomic, and cultural characteristics, including
rural, urban, and environmental justice areas. Briefly describe the
environmental problems and threats facing the watershed and the
existing watershed plans and planning efforts addressing the problems
and threats, including demographics of the impacts.
(2) Project need. Describe the environmental significance of the
project, that is, the problem or conservation issue(s) to be addressed,
why it is a priority, and the context relevant to the overall watershed
plan. The objectives of the proposal and the immediate and long-term
desired outcomes should be described relative to the overall
environmental conditions. An assessment of the natural resource and
environmental conditions and evidence of problem sources, along with
the prioritization of the threats and impairments facing the watershed
should be included. The prioritization should focus on those threats
and impairments that will be addressed by the proposal.
(3) Project plan. Describe the work that will be done using
Targeted Watersheds Grant funding. Identify the specific deliverables
and the anticipated outcomes (i.e., quantifiable results) associated
with the major project components.
(i) Project components: Describe in detail the tasks and activities
for each project for each year of the project period. Include
milestones and/or timelines for accomplishing tasks for the project
period. Explain how the projects fit together to benefit the watershed
as a whole and are ready for implementation (i.e., feasibility).
Include in this section why the proposal will work and what makes it
innovative. If the proposal is a market-based trading project, describe
the drivers, the buyers and sellers, and the scheme already in place so
that a trade can begin.
(ii) Partnering: Describe how you will engage partners and other
stakeholders in your project. Interjurisdictional watershed
partnerships (i.e., those that encompass abutting areas and thus
neighboring political authorities) are encouraged. Watershed proposals
that encompass more than one governmental authority will be considered
interjurisdictional provided that the Governor, Tribal Leader or local
government elected official, or the appropriate water agency in the
adjacent State, Tribe, or local government entity is a partner or
otherwise supports the project(s).
(iii) Financial Integrity/Budget: Explanations of the costs
associated with each project should be included. Description of costs
should correspond to figures presented in the SF 424A (see item 6).
(4) Anticipated Outputs and Outcomes. Applicants must include
specific statements describing the anticipated environmental results of
the proposed project in terms of well-defined ``outputs'' and to the
maximum extent practicable, well-defined ``outcomes'' (See Section I
for details on outputs and outcomes).
(i) Monitoring and measuring: Describe the water quality monitoring
and assessment that will be conducted consistent with the project
components. Identify appropriate environmental indicators that will be
monitored, and describe the method for evaluating environmental
improvements. Describe the methodology (i.e., sampling, survey models,
etc.) and time table that will be used to measure progress, including
your approach to measuring progress towards achieving the expected
project outcomes and outputs including those identified in Section I.
(ii) Environmental Results Past Performance: Identify federally
funded assistance agreements that your organization performed within
the last three years (no more than five and preferably EPA agreements)
and briefly describe how you documented and/or reported on whether you
were making progress towards achieving the expected results (i.e.,
outputs and outcomes) under those agreements. If you were not making
progress, please indicate whether, and how, you documented why not. If
you do not have any relevant or available environmental results past
performance information, please indicate this in the proposal and you
will receive a neutral score for this factor under Section V.
(5) Peer Outreach and Information Transfer. Describe the outreach
component of the project. Describe the strategy for disseminating the
results, including lessons learned, of the project among watershed
organizations and governmental agencies with similar environmental
challenges within the project watershed and to a wider (i.e., regional
or national) audience. Describe how the project will promote and
actively conduct technology transfer or provide technical assistance
that improves the knowledge of state and local decision-makers.
(6) Programmatic Capability/Technical Experience. Identify
federally funded assistance agreements similar in size, scope, and
relevance to the proposed project that your organization performed
within the last three years (no more than five and preferably EPA
agreements) and briefly describe (i) whether, and how, you were able to
successfully complete and manage those agreements and (ii) your history
of meeting the reporting requirements under those agreements including
submitting acceptable final technical reports. If you do not have any
relevant or available past performance or reporting information, please
indicate this in the proposal and you will receive a neutral score for
these factors under Section V.
In addition, provide information on your organizational experience
and plan for timely and successfully achieving the objectives of the
proposed project, and your staff expertise/qualifications, staff
knowledge, and resources or the ability to obtain them, to successfully
achieve the goals of the proposed project.
Note: The proposal narrative should also include any additional
information, to the extent not otherwise addressed above, that
addresses the selection criteria found in Section V.A.
3. Map(s)
A map of the watershed and the proposed work areas must accompany
the narrative text.
4. SF 424A
In addition to the narrative text, applicants must provide a detailed
[[Page 46907]]
breakdown of cost by category for each project on the SF 424A. All
project costs including grant administration costs, matching funds,
other leveraged funds, and travel, including travel to the annual
conference (see Section VIII.B), should be included.
5. Letter(s) of Support
To substantiate the information contained in the narrative portion
of the submission, letters verifying partnerships and matching funds
are required. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate active involvement
of both public and private partners via letters of support. All letters
must be on the official letterhead of the agency or organization.
(a) Signed letter(s) from active partners indicating their
commitment to implementing the workplan or specific proposed projects.
(b) A minimum of one letter signed by an authorizing official from
an entity committing to provide matching funds, either in cash or in-
kind contributions, including the total value of its commitment toward
the projects.
(c) For interjurisdictional consideration, a signed letter(s) from
the Governor, Tribal Leader or local government elected official, or
the appropriate water agency in the adjacent State, Tribe, or local
government entity expressing its support and participation in the
proposed project(s).
6. Signed SF 424
D. Submission Dates and Times
Applicants who choose to submit their materials in hard copy form
must send two copies of their complete proposal packages and the CD to
Erin Collard, Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds; U.S. EPA; Room
7136G; 1301 Constitution Avenue, NW.; Washington, DC 20004; telephone:
202-566-2655. Proposals submitted to the above address will be
considered if received through courier, hand-delivery, or by express
delivery service by 5 p.m., Eastern Standard Time, November 13, 2006.
Due to security measures, EPA cannot accept submission packages sent by
standard U.S. Postal Service parcel post; however, USPS overnight or
two-day express delivery is acceptable.
Submissions through Grants.gov must be received by Grants.gov by 5
p.m., Eastern Standard Time, November 13, 2006.
E. Intergovernmental Review
If selected for award, applicants must comply with the
Intergovernmental Review Process and/or consultation provisions of
Section 204, Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act, if
applicable, which are contained in 40 CFR part 29. Applicants should
consult the office or official designated as the single point of
contact in his or her state for more information on the process the
state requires to be followed in applying for assistance if the state
has selected the program for review. Further information regarding this
requirement will be provided if your application is selected for funding.
F. Confidential Business Information
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 such 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 which is otherwise required by 40 CFR 2.204(2) prior to
disclosure.
V. Application Review Information
A. Evaluation Criteria
All eligible proposals, based on the Section III threshold
eligibility review, will be evaluated based on the following criteria
and weights below. Points will be awarded based on how well each
evaluation criterion and/or subcriterion is addressed.
Weight based on a 65 point scale.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------
20 points 1. Quality of Proposal. Under this criterion,
proposals will be evaluated based on the extent
and quality to which they describe project(s)
that are part of larger watershed assessments
and plans and reflect a watershed-based
approach to conservation and restoration.
Reviewers will evaluate whether the approach is
technically/scientifically sound and/or
innovative, if the methods are appropriate, and
whether there are clear project goals and
measurable objectives. Under this criterion,
reviewers will focus on the following
components:
(a) Feasibility. The extent and quality to which
the applicant demonstrates an understanding of
priority water resource problems within the
watershed, has substantially completed the
assessment and planning phase, and is prepared
to begin work. Reviewers will look at level of
project development (i.e., the readiness of the
project, technical merit, and expected
environmental improvements) (15 points).
(b) Innovation. The extent and quality to which
the proposal describes unique, creative or
novel approaches to environmental restoration
or protection. Emphasis will be placed on how
well the proposal demonstrates a thoughtful and
strategic approach to problem-solving
including, but not limited to, water quality
trading (5 points).
15 points 2. Anticipated Outputs and Outcomes. Under this
criterion, proposals will be evaluated based on
the extent and quality to which a proposal
clearly articulates a set of performance and
progress measures and identified and measurable
indicators as identified in Section I of this
announcement.
(a) Measuring and Monitoring. The extent and
quality to which the proposal demonstrates a
sound plan for measuring progress toward
achieving the expected outputs and outcomes
including those identified in Section I of the
announcement (10 points).
(b) Past Performance. The extent and quality to
which the applicant adequately documented and/
or reported on their progress towards achieving
the expected results (outcomes and outputs)
under Federal agency assistance agreements
performed within the last three years, and if
such progress was not being made whether the
applicant adequately documented and/or reported
why not (5 points).
Note: In evaluating applicants under this
factor, EPA will consider the information
provided by the applicant and may also consider
relevant information from other sources
including agency files and prior/current
grantors (to verify and/or supplement the
information supplied by the applicant).
Applicants with no relevant or available past
performance reporting history will receive a
neutral score for this factor of 2.5 points.
5 points 3. Environmental Significance. Under this
criterion, proposals will be evaluated based
on: (a) The extent and quality to which the
proposal demonstrates relevance to solving an
important environmental problem in that
watershed and reflects state and Federal
environmental priorities and goals (2.5 points)
and (b) the extent and quality to which the
proposed project(s) are interrelated to improve
the water quality and water resources,
including wetlands, within the watershed (2.5
points).
[[Page 46908]]
10 points 4. Broad Support. Under this criterion,
proposals will be evaluated based on how well
they show the applicant's ability to
demonstrate and substantiate strong
collaborative partnerships and document
effective working relationships among state,
tribal, local entities, and broad-based
community involvement. Scores will be based on
the extent and quality to which the applicant
can show a wide variety of public, private, and
non-profit participation, and the level to
which the applicant can demonstrate strong and
diverse stakeholder stewardship and support (5
points). Reviewers will also consider
interjurisdictionality, that is the extent and
quality to which the proposal actively involves
more than one governmental entity (i.e.,
Federal, state, tribal, or local government
entity) (5 points).
5 points 5. Peer Outreach and Information Transfer. Under
this criterion, proposals will be evaluated
based on the design and breadth of the outreach
component. The score will be based on the
extent and quality to which the applicant
demonstrates a clear strategy for transferring
the knowledge and experience garnered to other
watershed organizations and agencies with
similar environmental challenges both within
and beyond the affected watershed.
5 points 6. Financial Integrity. Under this criterion,
proposals will be evaluated based on the
adequacy of the budget information provided,
whether it is reasonable and clearly presented,
and the extent to which the applicant can
demonstrate a broad range of leveraging
capacity.
5 points 7. Programmatic Capability (Technical
Experience) and Qualifications of the
Applicant. Under this criterion, applicants
will be evaluated based on their ability to
successfully complete and manage the proposed
project taking into account the following
factors:
(i) Past performance in successfully completing
and managing federally funded assistance
agreements similar in size, scope, and
relevance to the proposed project within the
last three years (1 point);
(ii) History of meeting reporting requirements
under federally funded assistance agreements
similar in size, scope, and relevance to the
proposed project within the last three years
and submitting acceptable final technical
reports under those agreements (1 point);
(iii) Organizational experience and plan for
timely and successfully achieving the
objectives of the proposed project (1 point);
and
(iv) Staff expertise/qualifications, staff
knowledge, and resources or the ability to
obtain them, to successfully achieve the goals
of the project (2 points).
Note: In evaluating applicants under this
factor, the Agency will consider the
information supplied by the applicant and may
also consider relevant information from other
sources including agency files and prior/
current grantors (i.e., to verify and/or
supplement the information supplied by the
applicant). Applicants with no relevant or
available past performance information or
reporting history (i.e., items (i) and (ii)
under this criterion) will receive a neutral
score of one-half point for each of those
elements.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
B. Review and Selection Process
All proposals received by EPA or submitted electronically through
Grants.gov by the solicitation deadline will be sent to the appropriate
EPA regional office(s) based on project location. All proposals will be
evaluated against the threshold criteria listed in Section III of this
announcement. Proposals that do not pass the threshold review will not
be considered for funding and the applicant will be so notified.
All eligible proposals within each region will be reviewed and
scored by a panel of EPA regional watershed experts using the
evaluation criteria outlined in Section V.A. Based on the review, each
regional panel will develop a list of the most highly rated proposals
to submit to their Regional Administrator. Based on the panel's scores,
each Regional Administrator can recommend up to four proposals to the
national panel.
The national panel, which will consist of representatives from
agency programs and regional offices, will evaluate the (up to) 40
semi-finalists based on: (1) Geographic diversity, (2) amount of funds
leveraged, and (3) project diversity. Based on the review of the semi-
finalists against these factors, the panel will develop a list of
proposals to recommend for funding to submit to the Selection Official
(typically the Assistant Administrator for Water) for approval. In
making the final award decisions, the Selection Official will consider
the national panel's recommendation and may also take into account
national program priorities.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
All applicants, including those who are not selected for funding,
will be notified by mail. Successful applicant(s) will be invited to
submit a complete application package prior to award (see 40 CFR 30.12
and 31.10) that will be due approximately 60 days after being notified.
Required forms and instructions for preparing and submitting the
completed application will be provided at that time.
EPA expects to announce its selections early in calendar year 2007.
The exact amount of funds to be awarded, specific activities, duration
of the projects, and role of the EPA Project Officer will be determined
in the pre-award negotiations between the selected applicant and EPA.
EPA reserves the right to negotiate and/or adjust the final grant
amount and workplan content prior to award, as appropriate and
consistent with Agency policy including the Assistance Agreement
Competition Policy, EPA Order 5700.5A1.
An approvable workplan is required to include:
1. Workplan components to be funded under the grant or cooperative
agreement;
2. Estimated work years and the estimated funding amounts for each
workplan component;
3. Workplan commitments for each workplan component and a timeframe
for their accomplishment;
4. Performance evaluation process and reporting schedule; and
5. Roles and responsibilities of the recipient and EPA in carrying
out the workplan commitments.
In addition, 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.
A listing of successful proposals will be posted on http://
www.epa.gov/twg Web site address at the conclusion of the competition.
This Web site may also contain information about this announcement
including information concerning deadline extensions or other modifications.
Applicants will receive a notice of award through postal mail. The
notice of award signed by the Award Official (or equivalent) in the
Grants Administration Division is the authorizing document, and will be
mailed to the individual signing the original application.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
The general award and administration process for all Targeted
Watersheds Grants is governed by regulations at 40 CFR part 30
(``Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements to
Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-profit
Organizations'') and 40 CFR part
[[Page 46909]]
31 (``Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative
Agreements to State and Local Governments'').
DUNS Number
All applicants are required to provide a number from the Dun and
Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) when applying for
Federal assistance agreements. Organizations can receive a DUNS number
in one day at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free request line
at 1-866-705-5711 or by visiting the Web site at http://www.dnb.com.
C. Reporting
Project monitoring and reporting requirements can be found in 40
CFR 30.50-30.52, 40 CFR 31.40-31.41. In general, recipients are
responsible for managing the day-to-day operations and activities
supported by the grant or cooperative agreement to assure compliance
with applicable Federal requirements, and for ensuring that established
milestones and performance goals are being achieved. Performance
reports and financial reports must be submitted quarterly and are due
30 days after the reporting period. The format for these reports will
be identified during the grant application time frame, and will include
reporting on established performance measures indicated in the project
description (i.e., goals, outputs and outcomes). The final report is
due 90 days after the assistance agreement has expired.
D. Dispute Process
Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved
in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR
3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005), which can be found at: http://
a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/
2005/05-1371.htm.
E. Administrative Capability Requirement
Nonprofit applicants that are recommended for funding under this
announcement may be subject to pre-award administrative capability
reviews consistent with Section 8b, 8c, and 9d of EPA Order 5700.8--
Policy on Assessing Capabilities of Non-Profit Applicants for Managing
Assistance Awards (http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/award/5700_8.pdf). In
addition, nonprofit applicants that qualify for funding may, depending
on the size of the award, be required to fill out and submit to the
Grants Management Office the Administrative Capabilities Form with
supporting documents contained in Appendix A of EPA Order 5700.8.
VII. Agency Contacts
Note to Applicants: EPA will respond to questions from individual
applicants regarding threshold eligibility criteria, administrative
issues related to the submission of the proposal, and requests for
clarification about the announcement. Questions must be submitted in
writing and received by EPA before October 30, 2006 to the appropriate
EPA Regional Contact and written responses will be posted on EPA's Web
site at: http://www.epa.gov/twg. In accordance with EPA's Competition
Policy (EPA Order 5700.5A1), EPA staff will not meet with individual
applicants or discuss draft proposals, provide informal comments on
draft proposals, or provide advice to applicants on how to respond to
ranking criteria.
EPA Regional Contacts
Region I--Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont,
New Hampshire: Rob Adler or Jerry Potamis; telephones 617-918-1396 and
617-918-1651; E-mails adler.robert@epa.gov and potamis.gerald@epa.gov,
respectively.
Region II--New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands:
Cyndy Kopitsky; telephone 212-637-3832; E-mail kopitsky.cyndy@epa.gov.
Region III--Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West
Virginia, Washington, DC: Ralph Spagnolo; telephone 215-814-2718; E-
mail spagnolo.ralph@epa.gov.
Region IV--Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee: William L. Cox; telephone 404-562-
9351; E-mail cox.williaml@epa.gov.
Region V--Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin:
Paul Thomas; telephone 312-886-7742; E-mail thomas.paul@epa.gov.
Region VI--Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, New Mexico: Brad
Lamb; telephone 214-665-6683; E-mail lamb.brad@epa.gov.
Region VII--Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska: Jaci Ferguson;
telephone 417-575-8028; E-mail ferguson.jaci@epa.gov.
Region VIII--Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah,
Wyoming: Gary Kleeman; telephone 303-312-6246; E-mail
kleeman.gary@epa.gov.
Region IX--Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, American Samoa,
Mariana Islands, Guam: Sam Ziegler; telephone 415-972-3399; E-mail
ziegler.sam@epa.gov
Region X--Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington: Bevin Reid; telephone
206-553-1566; E-mail reid.bevin@epa.gov.
VIII. Other Information
A. Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC)
Certain quality assurance and/or quality control (QA/QC) and peer
review requirements are applicable to the collection of environmental
data. Environmental data are any measurements or information that
describe environmental processes, location, or condition; ecological or
health effects and consequences; or the performance of environmental
technology. Environmental data also include information collected
directly from measurements, produced from models, and obtained from
other sources such as data bases or published literature. Regulations
pertaining to QA/QC requirements can be found in 40 CFR 30.54 and
31.45. Additional guidance can be found at
http://www.epa.gov/quality/qa_docs.html#noeparqt.
Applicants should allow sufficient time and resources for this
process in their proposed projects. If your organization does not have
a Quality Management System in place, one must be developed. A project
specific Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) must be submitted and
approved by EPA. Allow 4-6 months in your timeline for approval of
these plans. All projects will require a QAPP.
B. Assistance Agreement Terms and Conditions
1. Annual Grantee Conference
The grantee must attend the annual National Targeted Watersheds
Grantee Conference at the initiation of the project and a subsequent
annual conference to be determined in consultation with the EPA Project
Officer. Attendance at two conferences is mandatory. The purpose of
these conferences is to provide watershed organizations with training
and support to better restore, protect, and manage their watersheds,
provide help and assistance regarding Agency grants management
requirements and, most importantly, provide grant recipients with
opportunities to share successful approaches with each other.
Attendance at a minimum of two conferences will be mandatory and
will be included in the Terms and Conditions of the grant or
cooperative agreement. The recipient will be allowed to use award funds
to pay for travel and lodging. The cost of hosting
[[Page 46910]]
the conference will be paid for by EPA. If the recipient wishes to use
the award money for travel expenses, these costs must be included in
the submitted proposed budget.
2. Information Technology
Also as a Term and Condition of the grant, recipients will be
required to institute standardized reporting requirements into their
workplans and include such costs in their budgets. All environmental
data will be required to be entered into the Agency's Storage and
Retrieval data system (STORET) and recipients may need to purchase
appropriate ORACLE software. STORET is a repository for water quality,
biological, and other physical data used by state environmental
agencies, EPA and other Federal agencies, universities, private
citizens, and many other organizations. Information regarding training
sessions sponsored by EPA will be provided. Watershed organizations may
also want to contact their state agency responsible for entering data
into the system. More information about STORET can be found at
http://www.epa.gov/STORET.
Dated: July 7, 2006.
Benjamin H. Grumbles,
Assistant Administrator for Water.
Attachment A--How To Submit Your Proposal Through Grants.gov
At http://www.grants.gov, you will find step-by-step instructions
which will help you to apply under this announcement. Proposals
submitted through Grants.gov will be time/date stamped electronically.
If you wish to apply electronically via Grants.gov, the electronic
submission of your proposal must be made by an official representative
of your institution who is registered with Grants.gov and authorized to
sign applications for Federal assistance. For more information, go to
http://www.grants.gov and click on ``Get Registered'' on the left side
of the page. Note that the registration process may take a week or
longer to complete. If your organization is not currently registered
with Grants.gov, please encourage your office to designate an
Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) and ask that individual to
begin the registration process as soon as possible.
To begin the application process for this announcement, go to
http://www.grants.gov and click on the ``Apply for Grants'' tab on the
left side of the page. Then click on ``Apply Step 1: Download a Grant
Application Package and Instructions'' to download the PureEdge viewer
and obtain the application package (https://apply.grants.gov/
forms_apps_idx.html). You may retrieve the application package and
instructions by entering the Funding Opportunity Number, EPA-OW-OWOW-
06-3, or CFDA number, in the space provided. You may also be able to
access the application package by clicking on the button ``How To
Apply'' at the top right of the synopsis page for this announcement on
http://www.grants.gov (to find the synopsis page go to http://
www.grants.gov and click on the ``Find Grant Opportunities'' button on
the left side of the page and then go to ``Search Opportunities'' and
use the ``Browse by Agency'' feature to find EPA opportunities).
Applicants are required to submit electronic versions of the
documents described in Section IV.C of the announcement to apply
through Grants.gov: the proposal narrative, letters of nomination and
support, map, SF 424 and SF 424A.
For the Proposal Narrative portion, you will need to attach
electronic files. Prepare your narrative as described in Section IV.C
of the announcement and save the document to your computer as an MS
Word, PDF or WordPerfect file. When you are ready to attach your
proposal narrative to the application package, click on ``Project
Narrative Attachment Form,'' and open the form. Click ``Add Mandatory
Project Narrative File,'' and then attach your narrative (previously
saved to your computer) using the browse window that appears. You may
then click ``View Mandatory Project Narrative File'' to view it. Enter
a brief descriptive title of your project in the space beside
``Mandatory Project Narrative File Filename,'' the filename should be
no more than 40 characters long. If there other attachments that you
would like to submit to accompany your narrative, you may click ``add
Optional Project Narrative File'' and proceed as before. When you have
finished attaching the necessary documents, click ``Close Form.'' When
you return to the ``Grant Application Package'' page, select the
``Project Narrative Attachment Form'' and click ``Move Form to
Submission List.'' The form should now appear in the box that says,
``Mandatory Completed Documents for Submission.''
For the SF 424 and SF 424A, click on the appropriate form and then
click ``Open Form'' below the box. The fields that must be completed
will be highlighted in yellow. Optional fields and completed fields
will be displayed in white. If you enter an invalid response or
incomplete information in a field, you will receive an error message.
When you have finished filling out each form, click ``Save.'' When you
return to the electronic Grant Application Package page, click on the
form you just completed, and then click on the box that says, ``Move
Form to Submission List.'' This action moves the document over to the
box that says, ``Mandatory Completed Documents for Submission.'' All
additional documents may be submitted as ``Attachments''.
Once you have finished filling out all of the forms/attachments and
they appear in one of the ``Completed Documents for Submission'' boxes,
click the ``Save'' button that appears at the top of the Web page. It
is suggested that you save the document a second time, using a
different name, since this will make it easier to submit an amended
package later if necessary.
Please use the following format when saving your file: ``Applicant
Name--TWG--FY06--Watershed Name--State.'' If it becomes necessary to
submit an amended package at a later date, then the name of the 2nd
submission should be changed to ``Applicant Name--TWG--FY06--Watershed
Name--State--2nd Submission.'' Once your application package has been
completed and saved, send it to your AOR for submission to U.S. EPA
through Grants.gov. Please advise your AOR to close all other software
programs before attempting to submit the application package through
Grants.gov.
In the ``Application Filing Name'' box, your AOR should enter your
organization's name (abbreviated where possible), the appropriate
region, the fiscal year (e.g., FY06), and the grant category (e.g.,
Environmental Quality). The filing name should not exceed 40
characters. From the ``Grant Application Package'' page, your AOR may
submit the application package by clicking the ``Submit'' button that
appears at the top of the page. The AOR will then be asked to verify
the agency and funding opportunity number for which the application
package is being submitted. If problems are encountered during the
submission process, the AOR should reboot his/her computer before
trying to submit the application package again. [It may be necessary to
turn off the computer (not just restart it) before attempting to submit
the package again.]
If the AOR continues to experience submission
problems, he/she may contact Grants.gov for assistance by phone at 1-
800-518-4726 or E-mail at http://www.grants.gov/help/help.jsp and at
the same time, should notify Carol Peterson at 202-566-1304 or
peterson.carol@epa.gov of the problem. If you have any technical
difficulties at any time during this process, please
[[Page 46911]]
refer to http://www.grants.gov/help/help.jsp.
[FR Doc. 06-6898 Filed 8-14-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P
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