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Region 8 School Chemical Cleanout Campaign Grant Program
Questions and Answers
Q. Do you want the PDF letters of support as an insert on the disk with the rest of the proposal? I will have the text document in the hard copy.
A. Yes, The PDF letters of support must be included electronically on the disk and as hard copy.
Q. With very large amounts of chemicals to be disposed of at our facilities, the page limit for the Review Criteria would exceed the 7 page limit. Is it necessary to include all inventory of chemicals to be disposed of and existing inventories to be retained?
A. Under Section V: Application Review Information of the solicitation, a total of 50 out of 100 points are assigned to Project Results. Providing Inventory and weights and volumes of hazardous and toxic materials to be removed in your proposal is critical. As part of your proposal, it is not necessary to inventory chemicals that will be retained for appropriate use. If your inventory or chemicals to be removed is extensive and causes your proposal to exceed 10 pages you may include it as an appendix.
Q. In passing the draft grant proposal around to individuals here, our department's financial person wanted to know whether I needed to fill out a Form 424 also?
A. Form 424 is not required to be submitted with the solicitation. You may include a Form 424 if you like.
Q. #4 of Part 2 of Attachment A of the RFP asks for a description of the "past performance in successfully completing federally and/or non-federally funded projects similar in size, scope and relevance to the proposed project; and "history of meeting reporting requirements on prior or current federally and/or non-federally funded projects and submitting acceptable final technical reports."
The applicant is within the Consumer Protection Division of the Colorado Department of Health and Environment. Are you looking for the applicant's divisional history or that of the department?
A. The history of either the Department or the Division is acceptable.
Q. Is it possible to append resumes and CV's for applicants or should qualifications be included in the body of the application ?
A. Please reference Section IV: Application and Submission Information, A. Content and Format of the Proposal. Applicants may append resumes as a portion of Part 5, Letters of Support. These are considered attachments and will not be included in the page limit. Additionally, qualifications of those who will manage the project must be included in the body of the proposal (Part 1 - Part 4) to meet the content and format specified in the solicitation. For example, under Project Description, Stewardship, Who, the proposal must explain who will manage and conduct the project and demonstrate an understanding of the needs of the audience for the project. This is an opportunity to briefly explain the project manager's capabilities related to this solicitation.
Q. Does the cover letter need a signature, if so who's ?
A. For a governmental department the cover or transmittal letter should be signed by an official or officer responsible for committing resources and personnel, and assuring that its policies and regulations are met.
Q. Are grants going to be awarded to school Districts who already have a program with budgets for annual chemical cleanout?
A. Grants may be awarded to school districts that already have a program with budgets for annual chemical cleanout.
Q. Will awards be given to smaller projects, say less than $25,000 ?
A. Depending on the quality and quantity of the proposals, the amount of funding available, and need awards may be granted to smaller projects less than $25,000.
Q. How would a district think and organize around applying for this grant? What district needs are priorities--science closets/labs, art supplies, "mystery" contents on a shelf, pesticides, field/yard/landscape materials, transportation/vehicle repair/operation materials, etc.?
A. Please reference Section I: Funding Opportunity Description , D. Description of Funding Program and Section V: Application Review Information. An inventory of all outdated, old, no longer usefull, dangerous or hazardous chemicals would be a great start. The volume, weight, contents, container, and labeling for each container would be helpful. Obtaining a cost estimate for proper collection and disposal of these chemicals is needed. Completion of a hazardous assessment to determine priority would be good. Any chemicals that could pose a risk to school children on school property should be considered.
Q. Who is most likely to be considered and funded? (degree of risk overall, degree of district background work complete before making the grant proposal--to include needs assessment, identification of contractors to address concerns, preparation of cost estimates for mitigation, etc.)
A. Proposals that score highest based on the criteria established in Section V: Application Review Information will be funded. Prioritization of the removal and proper disposal of higher risk chemicals (i.e. sodium cyanide, and elemental mercury) is preferred. Definition of risk categories would be helpful. Inventories that are detailed and specify the hazardous nature of laboratory or other chemicals are preferred. Definition of contractors to address concerns and preparation of cost estimates would be helpful and necessary to demonstrate how funds will be used and that the funding request is reasonable.
Q. Wouldn't this be a great project for Jim Knoy's EPA (303-312-6838) contractor, URS? They have the resources and expertise.
A. Based on EPA requirements and the solicitation, funds can only be distributed through a competitive process to tribal, universities, local governments, and not for profit orgainzations. Profit making organization are not eligible. A profit making organization may be used by these entities to collect and properly dispose of chemicals from schools. EPA cannot directly hire a contractor to conduct school chemical cleanout as part of this solicitation.
Q. Who may, or should apply for the grant (i.e. can a state department apply for the grant or is it best for individual schools to do so)?
A. Please refer to Section I. B. and Section III. A. of the solicitation. States, federally recognized tribal governments, territories, universities, local governments, and not for profit oganizations in the geographic areas of EPA Region 8 are eligible. EPA Region 8 states include MT, SD, ND, WY, CO, and UT. A state department, school district or individual school may apply. It is considered best for the state to apply.
Q. If a state department is awarded the grant, is there guidance or specifics on how the grant should be distributed for use?
Please refer to Section III B, Eligible Uses of Funds. At the time of contract award, a workplan will be generated and expected distribution of funds delineated. A portion of the funding may be used to pay for reasonable personnel, fringe benefits, travel, outreach materials, supplies and equipment expenses. It is expected that a significant portion of the funding will be used to hire contractors to properly collect and dispose of chemicals from schools. Leveraging of funding is prefered. This may include a matching portion from schools. Time spent by school teachers to inventory chemicals may used toward leveraging.
Q. Does the grant award need to be spent within a specified time-frame?
A. Yes - this will be one or two years starting on October 1, 2006.
Q. Will similar grant solicitations be available next year?
A. EPA Region 8 hopes to be able to make grant solicitations available next year. At this time we are unable to provide a definitive response to this question.
Q. Would EPA Region 8 consider an application that includes a stand alone outreach or education proposal without a proposal for cleanup?
A. All proposals that meet the criteria listed in Section III of the solicitation will be considered. Please reference Section V: Application Review Information of the solicitation for review evaluation criteria. Applications that include proposals to collect and dispose of hazardous chemicals with a specific inventory for districts and schools in addition to a prevention component are more likely to be awarded funding.
