Urban Waters

Frequently Asked Questions

The following questions and answers are in response to the EPA Urban Waters Small Grants Request for Proposals (RFP). In accordance with EPA's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy (EPA Order 5700.5A1), 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. However, consistent with the provisions in the announcement, EPA staff cannot meet with individual applicants to discuss draft proposals, provide informal comments on draft proposals, or provide advice to applicants on how to respond to ranking criteria. Applicants are responsible for the contents of their proposals.

This page will be updated regularly to reflect additional questions as received. Questions may be sent to urbanwaters@epa.gov no later than January 16, 2012.

This page will be updated regularly based on questions received from applicants. Please visit this page frequently.

Please note Questions B17, D6, F3 and H9 have been updated with clarifying language. (Date: January 13, 2012)

Updated as of January 20, 2012

A. APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY

Question A1. Am I eligible to apply to the Urban Waters Small Grants RFP?

Answer: Eligible applicants are described in Section III.A. of the RFP. Section III.A states that states, local governments, territories, Indian Tribes, and possessions of the U.S. (including the District of Columbia), public and private universities and colleges, public or private nonprofit institutions, intertribal consortia, and interstate agencies are eligible to apply. Individuals, for-profit commercial entities and all federal agencies are not eligible to apply. 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 1995 are not eligible to apply.

Question A2. Is there a population requirement a city needs to meet in order to be eligible for an Urban Waters Small Grant?

Answer: The RFP does not provide a definition of the term "urban" for eligibility purposes. Instead, Section I.B requests that the proposal include a description of the "urban" project area. The description should include the characteristics of the urban project area using supporting information. Section I.B(1)(i) describes this further, pasted below (pg 3):

Proposals should describe how the project will contribute to environmental restoration of an urban water body. The description should include the characteristics of the project area that identify it as “urban”, using supporting information (such as total population relative to adjacent areas, population density, land use or density of created structures, etc.). The proposal should also describe the urban water body, which may include any body of water, all or an important part of which flows through or is located in the urban project area (e.g., wetlands, rivers, lakes, bays, estuaries, reservoirs, canals, etc.), and describe how the planned work addresses important water quality threats or impairments.

Proposals will not be deemed ineligible based on their description of "urban" as a threshold eligibility matter; however, proposals will be evaluated (see Section V.A. (1)(a) Selection Criteria) based on how well the proposal identifies the project area as “urban” and how well the proposed project will contribute to future environmental restoration of the urban water body.

Question A3. Are projects/applicants in Puerto Rico eligible to apply?

Answer: Yes, applicants and projects located in Puerto Rico are eligible to apply.

Question A4. Are for-profit entities eligible to apply for an Urban Waters Small Grant?

Answer: No, for-profit entities are not eligible applicants.

Question A5. Are international applicants and/or projects eligible for funding?

Answer: The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 102(2)(F) enables us to apply our domestic statutes, such as the Clean Water Act 104(b)(3), internationally. Without NEPA 102(2)(F), we do not have authority to award grants for international work. By not including NEPA 102(2)(F) in the RFP, we are indicating that these grants are only available for work benefitting the United States. If a foreign entity is otherwise qualified to receive the grant, then as long as the work is done to benefit the US, then it would be eligible.

Eligible entities are described in Section III.A of the RFP (page 11).

Question A6. Are the Freely Associated States (FAS) of Palau, Marshall Islands and Federated States of Micronesia eligible?

Answer: Palau, the Marshall Islands, and Micronesia are all sovereign nations independent from the United States. These countries are neither territories nor possessions of the United States; therefore, they are not eligible for the Urban Waters Small Grants, unless the proposed work benefits the United States. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) 102(2)(F) enables us to apply our domestic statutes, such as the Clean Water Act 104(b)(3), internationally. Without NEPA 102(2)(F) we do not have authority to award grants internationally. By not including NEPA 102(2)(F) in the RFP, we are indicating that these grants are only available for work benefitting the United States. If a foreign entity is otherwise qualified to receive the grant, then as long as the work is done to benefit the US, then it would be eligible.

Eligible entities are described in Section III.A of the RFP (page 11).

Question A7. My organization currently has non-profit status with the state and is in the process of applying for federal non-profit status. Are we eligible to apply?

Answer: Yes, your organization is an eligible applicant since it is a recognized non-profit with your state. Additional information regarding eligible applicants is provided in Section III.A of the RFP.

Question A8. Can my organization apply for this grant through a fiscal sponsor if we are not a 501(c)(3) but do urban river work.

Answer: No, your organization may not apply for an EPA grant through a "fiscal sponsor." Your organization must apply for a grant in its own name and be eligible for funding under the terms of the Urban Waters RFP. EPA does not recognize the "fiscal sponsor" concept as a means of allowing ineligible organizations and individuals to apply for EPA funding. Please note, however, that your organization does not have to have 501(c)(3) status to be eligible for funding if it is incorporated under state law as a non-profit or not-for-profit organization. Individuals are not eligible to apply for Urban Waters funding under any circumstances.

Question A9. Can individuals apply for the grant?

Answer: No, individuals are not eligible to apply for Urban Waters Small Grants. Eligible applicants are listed in the RFP under Section III.A. of the RFP. Section III.A states that states, local governments, territories, Indian Tribes, and possessions of the U.S. (including the District of Columbia), public and private universities and colleges, public or private nonprofit institutions, intertribal consortia, and interstate agencies are eligible to apply. Individuals, for-profit commercial entities and all federal agencies are not eligible to apply. 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 1995 are not eligible to apply.

Question A10. Can for-profit businesses apply for the grant?

Answer: No, for-profit businesses are not eligible to apply for Urban Waters Small Grants. Eligible applicants are listed in the RFP under Section III.A. of the RFP. Section III.A states that states, local governments, territories, Indian Tribes, and possessions of the U.S. (including the District of Columbia), public and private universities and colleges, public or private nonprofit institutions, intertribal consortia, and interstate agencies are eligible to apply. Individuals, for-profit commercial entities and all federal agencies are not eligible to apply. 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 1995 are not eligible to apply.

Question A11. My 501(c)(3) organization has a federal affairs office that lobbies at the federal level. Are we an eligible applicant for the Urban Waters Small Grant?

Answer: If an organization is exempt from taxation under 501(c)(3), the fact that it uses some of its own funds for lobbying does not render the applicant ineligible. Please note that EPA funds may not be used for lobbying. Organizations exempt from taxation under 501(c)(4) that lobby are not eligible for grants by statute (The Lobbying Disclosure Act).

Top of page

B. PROJECT ELIGIBILITY

Question B1. Is my project appropriate for an Urban Waters Small Grant?

Answer: Consistent with the competition policy provisions in the announcement, EPA cannot comment or advise applicants on proposal ideas. Please review the evaluation criteria in the RFP under Sections I.B. and V.A. In addition, please review Section I.A. to get a good sense of the goals of the Urban Waters Small Grants and to ensure that the proposed project is appropriate for this competition.

Question B2. Would our project be considered for funding under this opportunity?

Answer: EPA staff cannot comment on or provide advice on potential applicant's proposals, other than to address specific questions regarding threshold eligibility criteria, evaluation criteria, administrative issues related to submission of the application, and requests for clarification about the announcement.

Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the entire RFP. EPA describes the type of projects that are being solicited under the announcement in Section I.B, Urban Waters Small Grants. In Section V.A., EPA describes the evaluation criteria that will be used to evaluate and score all eligible proposals, based on the Section III threshold eligibility review.

Question B3. Are activities that involve public school students eligible?

Answer: Yes, public schools are eligible entities that may apply. Section III.A of the RFP (pg 11) describes eligible applicants under this announcement, the first paragraph of which is pasted below:

States, local governments, territories, Indian Tribes, and possessions of the U.S. (including the District of Columbia), public and private universities and colleges, public or private nonprofit institutions, intertribal consortia, and interstate agencies are eligible to apply. Individuals, for-profit commercial entities and all federal agencies are not eligible to apply. 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 1995 are not eligible to apply.

Question B4. Can my project include design and or construction projects in coastal areas?

Answer: A design project would generally be an eligible activity for funding. But construction projects, generally would not be an eligible activity under our funding authorities (with the exception of demonstration projects). Please understand that this is our initial feedback based on the information you've provided, and we cannot make a final decision on the proposed activities until we have reviewed a complete proposal. Our response relates solely to eligibility rather than the merits of the proposal from a ranking standpoint.

Question B5. Are educational programs eligible for funding under this grant program?

Answer: Yes, education-related activities are generally eligible under CWA 104(b)(3), the funding authority for these grants. Please review Section I.D. for a detailed description of this statutory authority and Section I.B. for some examples of eligible projects.

Question B6. What age or stakeholder group is targeted?

Answer: We are not targeting any specific groups under this announcement. Please see the eligible applicants information in Section III.A of the RFP,

Question B7. I have begun work in my local community to foster a community-led salmon habitat recovery and improvement program that incorporates stream improvement with economic incentives for the community. However, our setting is fairly rural and not definitively “urban.” The stretch of the river that is of interest is approximately located 18 miles from the town of Naches, Washington and 30 miles from the city of Yakima, Washington. I would like to apply for a grant to support a habitat and river improvement plan. It could be administered through the local community foundation, which also manages the community park and clubhouse. Would this area qualify for the Urban Waters Small Grants program?

Answer: It appears you are asking whether your project area is eligible for funding under this announcement. In terms of threshold eligibility, the project area as you described appears to be eligible – please see Section III.C of the RFP (pages 12 – 13). However, although there is no definitive term for “urban” under this grants competition, and therefore it’s not an eligibility criterion, the proposal will be evaluated by how well it identifies the project area as “urban”, using supporting information (such as total population relative to adjacent areas, population density, land use or density of created structures, etc.) in the project description. Please see Section I.B(1)(i) of the RFP (page 3) for further information on what the proposal description should include. Please also see Sections I.A and I.B, which describe the objectives and goals of the Urban Waters Small Grants.

The proposed project activity you mention (ie, a habitat and river improvement plan), is an eligible activity for funding under this grants competition, as long as the proposed activity is to develop such a plan and as it relates to water quality improvement. Implementation of such a plan would not be eligible under our funding authority, the Clean Water Act (CWA) 104(b)(3). Please see Section I.D of the RFP, page 8, for more information on eligible activities for funding under CWA 104(b)(3).

Please note, as discussed in Section III.A (pg 11), individuals are not eligible applicants.

Question B8. One major water pollution activity in Wellington is a section of the city that produces a large amount of horse waste that is disposed of incorrectly. Possible projects to address this are:

Horse Waste Education Programs: Educate the businesses and homeowners in the said section of the city about water pollution and how to properly deal with the waste.
Waste Disposal Planning: A plan on how to dispose of the waste would decrease water pollution. Possible plans include a Bio-Fuel energy plan pilot program that would turn vegetation/manure into energy, and a transfer station to provide a location for the manure to be transported to and distributed to for use or for proper disposal.

Would the education program, the bio-fuel program, or the transfer station be eligible for funding under this announcement?

Answer: Based on your description, the education program and bio-fuel program appear to be eligible activities for funding under the Clean Water Act (CWA) 104(b)(3), our statutory funding authority. But building a transfer station would not be an eligible activity we can fund. Please refer to Section I.D of the RFP (pg 8) for further details on what activities are eligible for funding.

In fairness to all applicants, we cannot screen potential projects or applications prior to their submission through the established process. To do so would compromise an open and fair competition for the best project ideas to advance the restoration of urban waters.

Question B9. Are stormwater, dry weather screening activities eligible for funding under this announcement? Such activities would include manhole inspections and outfall inspections in the local drains to identify evidence of upstream illicit connections.

Answer: The proposed project activity as described appears to relate to investigations and surveys, which are activities that are eligible for funding under our funding authority, the Clean Water Act (CWA) 104(b)(3). Further information on eligible activities for funding under CWA 104(b)(3) may be found in Section I.D of the RFP, page 8.

Question B10. Are stream clean-ups to build community self-esteem, capacity, and foster visualization of and support for multi-purpose green infrastructure for stormwater management eligible under this announcement?

Answer: Information on eligible activities for funding under CWA 104(b)(3) may be found in Section I.D of the RFP, page 8. In general, community clean-ups are not eligible for funding under this announcement and we cannot fund implementation projects, However, if the proposed activity is to perform a clean-up as part of an environmental education, outreach, or a plan that otherwise fosters community visualization, such an activity is eligible for funding provided the costs for the actual clean-up (ie. the equipment) are a relatively small portion of the budget. EPA funds may not be used to compensate community members for participating in the clean-up.

Question B11. Can Urban Waters Small Grant funds be used to produce a documentary on the revitalization of an urban area’s waterfront that focuses on public access through boating?

Answer: Yes, it appears your project is eligible for funding under CWA 104(b)(3), as it relates to education and outreach. Please note that applicants are encouraged to carefully review the entire RFP. EPA describes the type of projects that are being solicited under the announcement in Section I.B, Urban Waters Small Grants. In Section V.A., EPA describes the evaluation criteria that will be used to evaluate and score all eligible proposals, based on the Section III threshold eligibility review.

Question B12. What types of restoration projects will you consider for urban waters? What options/ projects will you consider for community revitalization?

Consistent with the competition policy provisions in the announcement, EPA cannot comment or advise applicants on proposal ideas. Please review the evaluation criteria in the RFP under Sections I.B. and V.A. In addition, please review Section I.A. to get a good sense of the goals of the Urban Waters Small Grants and to ensure that the proposed project is appropriate for this competition.

Information regarding eligible projects under this grant program can be found in Section I.D. of the RFP. The statutory authority for the cooperative agreements to be funded under this announcement is Section 104(b)(3) of the CWA, 33 USC §1254(b)(3). CWA Section 104(b)(3) restricts the use of these cooperative agreements to the following: conducting or promoting the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects (including health and welfare effects), extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution. Projects that are demonstrations must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches. EPA expects that 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, however worthwhile the project might be, is not considered a demonstration project. For proposals that include demonstration projects, the applicant must describe how the project meets the above requirements. Implementation projects are not eligible for funding under this announcement.

Question B13. I work for our local municipality. The town has started a project to install water meters, but unfortunately does not have enough funds to install water meters in every home in the district. Currently the town has no means of keeping track of water usage. Installing meters will enable the town to account for previously unaccounted water usage and promote water conservation. Would installing water meters be an eligible activity for funding under this grant?

Answer: No. Based on the information you provided it does not appear that your project would be eligible for funding under the Urban Waters Small Grants. As described in Section I.D (pg 8) of the RFP, construction/installation projects are generally not eligible activities under the Clean Water Act 104(b)(3), our funding authority for this announcement. Please note that this is our initial feedback based on the information you've provided, and we cannot make a final decision on the proposed activities until we have reviewed a complete proposal. Our response relates solely to eligibility rather than the merits of the proposal from a ranking standpoint.

Question B14. Would it be permissible to use funds to purchase equipment and materials required to develop a rainwater/stormwater demonstration site? These costs will be separate from installation costs.

Answer: Yes, but only if your proposed project qualifies as a demonstration project under section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) as described in Section I.D (pg 8) of the RFP. In general, funds may be used to purchase equipment and material(s) to support an activity that is eligible for funding under the CWA 104(b)(3), our statutory funding authority for this announcement.

Demonstration projects must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches. The results of the project should be disseminated so that others can benefit from the knowledge gained in the demonstration project. We do not typically consider projects that use routine, traditional, or established practices for using rainwater or managing storm water as demonstration projects. In addition, please note that the installation of rain gardens is considered an implementation project, and under CWA, we cannot fund implementation projects. If what you propose is a demonstration project, you must describe in the proposal how it meets the requirements of a demonstration project as set forth in Section I.D of the RFP.

Question B15. I am curious if this funding can be used on federal land? I have a stream rehabilitation project on federal land that would fit well into your grant criteria.

Answer: No, Urban Waters Small Grants cannot be used on rehabilitation projects that take place on federal land. To do so would violate the Federal Grant and Cooperative Agreement Act by providing a service for the direct use or benefit of the federal government since it is the responsibility of the federal agency owning the land to rehabilitate streams on the property. Please also note that a stream rehabilitation project would be considered an implementation project, which is ineligible for funding under our statutory funding authority, the Clean Water Act 104(b)(3).

Question B16. Would the design and installation of a series of rainwater gardens be eligible if it was part of a larger street improvement project and if it’s proven that the rain gardens would help improve storm water quality and the overall health of the receiving water(s)?

Answer: Design projects are generally eligible for funding under the Clean Water Act (CWA) 104(b)(3), our funding authority for this announcement. However, the installation of rain gardens as part of a street improvement project would not be eligible for funding because it is an implementation activity. Please see Section I.D of the RFP for further information on eligible activities that may be funded under CWA 104(b)(3). Also, please see the answer to Question B.14 above.

Question B17. Does there have to be a known impairment to a receiving water to be eligible?

Answer: No, there does not need to be a known impairment to a receiving water body for it to be considered eligible. Please note we do not have a specific list of eligible water bodies for this grants competition; eligibility information may be found in Section III of the RFP. If an applicant meets the threshold eligibility criteria outlined in this section, they are considered eligible for this grant opportunity. Applicants should describe the urban water body being addressed by the proposed project in their proposals, including how the planned work addresses important water quality threats or impairments, as discussed in Sections I.B and V.A of the announcement.

Question B18. What is considered a demonstration project? Please share an example.

Answer: An example of a demonstration project is a project that uses a new technology, method, or approach (as described in Section I.D of the RFP) that has not been tested and applied before, is not widely available in the commercial marketplace, and demonstrates how that technology can be useful. Another example may be some type of a new technique on community involvement or on community training; or an innovative training course. Demonstrations are oriented towards situations where there is something that is simply not otherwise available and should be replicated so that the results of the project will be disseminated for others to benefit from the knowledge gained in the demonstration project. We would not consider a project that involves an existing and widely used restoration technique to be a demonstration project. For example, a stream restoration project using technology or restoration techniques that are readily available would not qualify as a demonstration project, nor would demonstrating restoration techniques to the local community.

Question B19. What pollutants of concern qualify for this grant? Is there a prescriptive list? Is it restricted to pollutants that are described in the Clean Water Act?

Answer: There is no prescriptive list of pollutants under this announcement. Proposals that meet the eligibility criteria described in Section III of the RFP are considered eligible for this grant. Applicants should describe the urban water body being addressed by the proposed project in their proposals, including how the planned work addresses important water quality threats or impairments, as discussed in Sections I.B and V.A of the announcement.

Question B20. Does all the proposed work have to take place on public property?

Answer: No, proposed activities do not have to take place on public property. There are no restrictions to specific land jurisdictions under this announcement, except for those that take place on federal lands. Please see Question B.15 above regarding proposed projects that take place on federal lands.

Please note the Success Potential/Feasibility subcriterion described in Sections I.A and V.A of the RFP, where applicants are asked to provide information on the feasibility of their proposal, which should include information on the accessibility to the proposed project area (e.g., plans to obtain and/or secure any permits needed, permission from the land owner, etc.) in order to demonstrate that such a project will be successful.

Question B21. One example provided in the RFP as an ineligible project is one that would “Implement stormwater infrastructure improvements, including installation of low-impact development and green infrastructure“. Yet further in the RFP, an example of an anticipated outcome from this grant is “Interest is generated and technical support is provided to X number of homeowners, business and community interests to design rain gardens, and other ‘green’ practices that provide direct pollutant removal. As a result of this outreach campaign, X number of low-impact development educational sites are installed.” Please clarify what appears to be contradictory examples.

Answer: The first example you reference is an example of an ineligible implementation activity because it would involve construction of stormwater management systems and installation of infrastructure. Implementation projects (ie, activities that involve construction/installation) are not eligible activities that can be funded under our statutory funding authority for this announcement – the Clean Water Act (CWA) 104(b)(3). Please see Section I.D for more information on activities that are eligible for funding under the CWA.

The second example you reference is an example of an environmental outcome, as defined in Section I.C of the RFP and it describes how a grant project may educate and provide technical support for design and use of “green practices” rather than construction and installation of green infrastructure. Environmental outcomes are the result, effect, or consequence that will occur from carrying out the proposed project and are used as a way to measure the project’s performance. As stated in the RFP, “outcomes may be environmental, behavioral, health-related, or programmatic in nature.”

Question B22. My organization is interested in proposing a demonstration project for the Urban Waters Small Grant. We would like to use the funds to test a new use of existing patented technology, with the patent held by a for-profit entity to demonstrate that it is possible to use this technology in a different environment. Is this an eligible project?

Answer: Based on the information you provided, it appears the proposed project is an eligible demonstration project for this announcement. Since it appears that a for-profit entity holds the patent for this technology, EPA would accept a sole source justification for a contract with that entity provided your organization conducts a cost or price analysis under 40 CFR 30.45 to demonstrate that the rates the for-profit entity is charging are reasonable. For example, your organization must be able to demonstrate that the for-profit entity’s rates are comparable with those charged by similar firms and that it charges its other customers the same or lower rates than it will charge for work supported by EPA grant funds. Please note also that under 40 CFR 30.36 the federal government will have an irrevocable, non-exclusive license to use any intellectual property the for-profit entity develops with Agency funds.

We also encourage you to review Sections I(A), I(B) and V(A) of the RFP to get a good sense of the goals of the Urban Waters Small Grants.

Question B23. Can the grant fund a demonstration project such as urban stream daylighting? My project area is reluctant to try this type of project, making this type of technology "new to us."

Answer: Based on the information you provided, a demonstration project on stream daylighting would not be an eligible demonstration project. As stated in Section I(D) of the RFP, in order to qualify as a demonstration project, the project "must involve new or experimental technologies, methods, or approaches. EPA expects that 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, however worthwhile the project might be, is not considered a demonstration project. For proposals that include demonstration projects, the applicant must describe how the project meets the above requirements.” The answer to Question B.18 above provides some examples of what are considered demonstration projects under this announcement.

Please note that the implementation (ie, activities that involve construction/installation) of a stream daylighting project is also not eligible for funding under the Clean Water Act (CWA) 104(b)(3), our funding authority for this announcement. However, community outreach, education, and design activities related to a stream daylighting project are eligible activities that may be funded under CWA. Section I.B (page 5) of the RFP provides examples of projects that are eligible for funding under CWA.

Question B24. Is this grant opportunity open for land acquisition projects for watershed areas?

Answer: No, funds may not be used towards land acquisitions under this announcement.

Question B25. You mentioned on the Dec 14 webinar that performing a survey through this grant program would be contingent upon the paperwork reduction act. Can you please clarify what you mean by that?

Answer: To conduct or fund surveys, EPA must obtain information collection request authority under Office of Management & Budget (OMB) Regulations at 5 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1320. This is a time-consuming process.

Question B26. While implementation is not fundable, is staff research to identify, publish, disseminate information about and apply for those funds?

Answer: A recipient could conduct research into sources of funding for implementation projects to address water quality issues and publish the results of the research. However, Urban Waters Small Grants funds cannot be used towards applying for such funding sources. Our response relates solely to eligibility rather than the merits of the proposal from a ranking standpoint. We encourage you to review Sections I and V.A of the RFP to get a good sense of the goals of the Urban Waters Small Grants and to determine whether the proposed project is appropriate for this competition.

Question B27. Does the prohibition on implementation apply only to boots-on-the-ground restoration or to research and monitoring projects as well? Can an educational program and outreach be implemented?

Answer: While implementation is generally not eligible for funding, activities associated with carrying out a research or monitoring program or training activities would be eligible for funding under the Urban Waters Small Grants”. In addition, carrying out an education or outreach plan would not be viewed as implementation as it relates directly to training and is a necessary component of the activity.

Question B28. Is it REQUIRED that we include a demonstration (demo) project to be eligible for the award or is a demo project considered under the evaluation criteria?

Answer: Your project does not need to include a demonstration project in order to be eligible. A demonstration project is just one of the eligible activities for funding under the Urban Waters Small Grants. Other eligible projects are listed in Section I.D of the RFP. If, for example, you are conducting eligible research, outreach, education, training, surveys, studies, etc., these are eligible activities. Demonstration projects are not automatically preferred under the evaluation criteria, except to the extent that they more effectively address selection criteria, such as RFP Section V.A(1)(c). Please see Question B.18 for examples that would be considered a demonstration project.

Question B29. Do monitoring programs or trainings have to use new technologies, or can conventional methods be used to identify areas for improvement?

Answer: With the exception of demonstration projects (see FAQ B.18 for more information on demonstration projects), the RFP does not require that eligible activities as outlined in Section I.D of the RFP (e.g., monitoring programs, trainings, surveys, studies, education, outreach, etc) use new technologies. Selection criterion 1(c) in Section V.A of the RFP prompts applicants to describe how the proposed project uses a creative or effective approach to restore water quality within the urban area. The proposal narrative responding to this criterion can include a description of how a conventional method would be effective to achieve the goals of the proposed project and the goals of the Urban Waters Small Grants.

Question B30. How does language apply to new technology or techniques? For example, we work with a Latino community who are primarily Spanish speakers. Would this grant fund a project that would help disseminate water-wise landscaping techniques (as a demonstration) in Spanish?

Answer: Based on the description you provided it appears that your project would fall under training and education which are eligible activities under Section 104 (b)(3)of the Clean Water Act (CWA), our funding authority for Urban Waters Small Grants. Disseminating water-wise landscaping techniques that are widely accepted practices in Spanish would not qualify as a demonstration project. But note that proposed projects do not need to be demonstration projects in order to be eligible

Top of page

C. THRESHOLD ISSUES

Question C1. Under the Threshold Eligibility Criteria section, Criterion #9 states that "only one proposal per applicant can be submitted under this RFP." Would multiple applicants from the same institution (a university, for example) be eligible to submit separate, unique applications?

Answer: The 'one proposal per applicant' requirement means that only one proposal may be submitted by the eligible legal entity (ie, power to contract in their own name). An applicant under this announcement is regarded as a single legal entity under state law. In the example you provided, that eligible entity would be the university. Please note that Principal Investigators are ineligible applicants; individuals are not eligible to apply under this announcement.

Question C2. Is there a requirement for matching?

Answer: For this RFP, EPA has determined that an applicant must provide a minimum of $2,500 as the non-federal cost share / match. In-kind cost share is allowed.

Question C3. The RFP indicates that only one proposal may be submitted per applicant. Can an organization be the applicant on one application and partner on a second? Our planning commission is a regional planning agency for two counties in Massachusetts. We have been asked by two of our municipalities to work with them on two separate projects for this RFP. We would like to accommodate both communities but are not clear if participation in more than one project is permissible under this announcement.

Answer: Yes, an eligible applicant may submit an application themselves, and also be listed as a partner in one or more applications that different eligible applicants are submitting. You may only be the lead applicant on one application, as discussed in Section I.B (page 6) of the RFP.

Question C4. Due to the nature and structure of our organization (national non-profit with numerous divisions or regions around the country), can we submit a proposal to EPA Region 3 and the same project proposal - just a different location and with different people - for EPA Region 4?

Answer: Under this RFP, each applicant can submit only one proposal. An applicant under this announcement is regarded as a single legal entity (i.e. an entity with the power to contract in its own name). If the divisions or branches are separately incorporated as non-profit organizations and have the ability to contract under their own name, then each division or region would be independently eligible as an applicant. In this case, each of these applicants may submit a proposal. On the other hand, if the national organization as a whole is a single legal entity, and the divisions or branches are not separately incorporated, the national organization would only be able to submit one application. In the case of the question stated above, the national organization would then need to decide whether to propose a project for either EPA Region 3 or EPA Region 4.

Question C5. If an interested applicant applies for the maximum amount allowable of $60,000, what would the proportionate level of matching funds be?

Answer: The minimum cost share/match requirement of $2,500 is all that is required for interested applicants, regardless of the award amount. If you choose to add additional match to this $2,500 amount, that would be at the applicant’s discretion and is not part of the evaluation under the ranking criteria in Section V.A (i.e. higher match amounts will not result in a higher ranked score; please see Question G.10).

Question C6. Can an entity serve as a partner on multiple grant applications? Would this rule both applications out?

Answer: Yes, an entity may serve as a partner on multiple grant applications. In addition, an organization can submit a proposal as the primary applicant and also support the work of other organizations by being a partner. Please see Question C.3.

Question C7. Can an organization apply for this funding opportunity on their own given that they may receive funds as a partner on our application?

Answer: Yes, as long as they meet the applicant eligibility criteria outlined in Section III.A of the RFP and their proposed project is eligible for funding under 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act. Please note that Section V(B) of the RFP states, “In making the final funding decisions, the Regional Selection Officials may also consider geographic diversity, project diversity, and funding availability.”

Question C8. Please explain what EPA’s process will be if it’s determined that more than one proposal has been submitted by an applicant.

Answer: All applicants from the same legal entity will be contacted on the same day and notified that EPA has received more than one proposal from their organization. Applicants will then be given an opportunity to work internally to determine which proposal will move forward in the review process for that organization. The organization must use its discretion in establishing the selection process to determine which proposal will be submitted on its behalf for the Urban Waters Small Grants. If the organization is not able to communicate a decision within 48 hours of being contacted by EPA, EPA will accept the proposal which was submitted first.

Top of page

D. EVALUATION ISSUES

Question D1. For the purposes of this grants competition, what is the definition of “urban”?

Answer: Proposals should describe how well the project identifies the project area as urban and how well the proposed project will contribute to environmental restoration of an urban water body. The description should include the characteristics of the project area that identify it as “urban”, using supporting information (such as total population relative to adjacent areas, population density, land use or density of created structures, etc.). The proposal should also describe the urban water body, which may include any body of water, all or an important part of which flows through or is located in the urban project area (e.g., wetlands, rivers, lakes, bays, estuaries, reservoirs, canals, etc.), and describe how the planned work addresses important water quality threats or impairments. See Section I.B for additional information.

Proposals will be evaluated by how well the description identifies the project area as “urban” (see Section VA1)a) of the announcement).

Question D2. What kind of partnerships is EPA looking for in proposals for this grant program?

Answer: Potential applicants should review Section 1.B.(2) and Section V.A.(2) where the RFP describes how proposals will be evaluated for partnerships. In Section V.A.(2), the ranking criteria states that "applicants will be evaluated based on their ability to demonstrate appropriate and necessary partnerships to successfully conduct the project (as described in Section I.B) including whether they have provided a clear description of the roles of specific partners in the project's components/tasks, and how these partnerships will contribute to the success of the proposed projects, and the extent to which communities surrounding the urban water body (including but not limited to minority, low income, or indigenous population communities) are participating in the project."

Question D3. Is there a requirement for partnerships with or endorsements by local entities?

Answer: Applicants do not have to have any specific partners to be considered eligible for this grant; however, If the applicant does not intend to have partners, then an explanation should be provided on how it will effectively perform the project without partnersPartnerships will be evaluated under evaluation criterion 2 based upon how well the proposal demonstrates appropriate and necessary partnerships to successfully conduct the project (as described in Section I.B) including whether they have provided a clear description of the roles of specific partners in the project's components/tasks, and how these partnerships will contribute to the success of the proposed projects, and the extent to which communities surrounding the urban water body (including but not limited to minority, low income, or indigenous population communities) are participating in the project. (see Section V.A.2).

Question D4. Do submitters have to have a government partner in the grant application?

Answer: No, applicants do not have to have any specific partners to be considered eligible for this grant; however, If the applicant does not intend to have partners, then an explanation should be provided on how it will effectively perform the project without partners. Partnerships will be evaluated under evaluation criterion 2 based upon how well the proposal demonstrates appropriate and necessary partnerships to successfully conduct the project (as described in Section I.B) including whether they have provided a clear description of the roles of specific partners in the project's components/tasks, and how these partnerships will contribute to the success of the proposed projects, and the extent to which communities surrounding the urban water body (including but not limited to minority, low income, or indigenous population communities) are participating in the project. (see Section V.A.2).

Question D5. Do submitters have to have a non-profit partner in the grant application?

Answer: No, otherwise eligible applicants do not have to have any specific partners to be considered eligible for this grant. Please see questions 4 and 9 under Applicant Eligibility regarding for profit firms and individuals not being eligible for funding. If the applicant does not intend to have partners, then an explanation should be provided on how it will effectively perform the project without partners. Partnerships will be evaluated under evaluation criterion 2 based upon how well the proposal demonstrates appropriate and necessary partnerships to successfully conduct the project (as described in Section I.B) including whether they have provided a clear description of the roles of specific partners in the project's components/tasks, and how these partnerships will contribute to the success of the proposed projects, and the extent to which communities surrounding the urban water body (including but not limited to minority, low income, or indigenous population communities) are participating in the project. (see Section V.A.2).

Question D6. I have a question on your definition of Water Quality Restoration: does protection of a water body and prevention of further degradation meet the definition of restoration? So would a project that leads to such qualify for this grant? Is it limited to only a fully restored waterway or is an improved waterway an acceptable outcome?

We are thinking of applying to conduct outreach to the community, including developers, to gather input to use in developing new stormwater development standards. The outcome of the project would be standards that protect water quality, can be accepted by the community and therefore politically acceptable for our elected officials to adopt. The standards would protect existing water bodies in an urban location from further degradation as further development occurs.

Answer: Based on the information you provided, it appears that your project would be eligible for funding under the Clean Water Act (CWA) 104(b)(3) as a study, our funding authority for the
Urban Waters Small Grants. Eligible activities for funding under CWA 104(b)(3) may be found in Section I.D of the RFP, page 8.

The term "restoration" is not defined in the RFP; rather the proposal will be evaluated based on how effectively the project addresses the Water Quality Restoration component of the Technical Approach criterion, as described in Sections I.B and V.A of the RFP. Environmental restoration does not need to result in a fully restored waterway. We intend to fund projects that progress towards the restoration of urban waterways. This may vary from prevention of further degradation to complete restoration.

Please note that this is our initial feedback based on the information you've provided, and we cannot make a final decision on the proposed activities until we have reviewed a complete proposal. Our response relates solely to eligibility rather than the merits of the proposal from a ranking standpoint. In fairness to all applicants, we cannot screen potential projects or applications prior to their submission through the established process. To do so would compromise an open and fair competition for the best project ideas to advance the restoration of urban waters.

Question D7. Can the partnership be at a higher level, like at the state or federal level?

Answer: Yes, please see Question D.4.

Question D8 . Does the water body need to be surface water or can it include groundwater and wells? What other bodies of water are considered urban? Can it be a watershed or does it have to be a single waterway?

Answer: Section I.B(1)(i) of the RFP states "the proposal should also describe the urban water body, which may include any body of water, all or an important part of which flows through or is located in the urban project area (e.g., wetlands, rivers, lakes, bays, estuaries, reservoirs, canals, etc.), and describe how the planned work addresses important water quality threats or impairments." The RFP does not explicitly exclude any water body. Instead, it permits the applicant to make a proposal regarding how that particular water body would be applicable. Please also see the selection criteria on how proposals will be evaluated, described in Section V.A of the RFP.

Question D9. Does the project need to be locally based or can it involve regional or national interests?

Answer: The RFP does not define a geographical location or scale, nor does it give a population requirement. Please refer to Section V.A of the RFP where applicants are prompted to describe how the project will contribute to environmental restoration of an urban waters body and how it will address community priorities and yield community benefits.

Question D10. For Selection Criterion 7, ”Past Performance” - does working with a state or local environmental group address this criterion?

Answer: This criterion evaluates applicants based on their ability to successfully complete and manage the proposed project based on their past performance. As indicated in Section V.A(7) of the RFP, an applicant can reference past work with federal and/or non-federal assistance agreements. An assistance agreement is a grant or cooperative agreement and not a contract. The assistance agreement should be one that your organization has performed within the last five years. Please list no more than three such agreements (and preferably EPA agreements, if applicable). If you did this work under such an assistance agreement with a state or local environmental group, it would be acceptable.

Question D11. Please discuss the "readiness" of the project and how that relates to the project's success potential or feasibility, as discussed in Section I.B(1)(iii) of the RFP.

Answer: The “readiness of the project” refers to how prepared (or ready) the project is to begin work, as discussed in Section V.A(1)c (pg. 25) of the RFP under the “Success Potential/Project Feasibility” selection criterion. This criterion is worth 10 points out of a total of 100 points. Please note that in fairness to all applicants, EPA cannot provide advice to applicants on how to respond to ranking criteria.

Question D12. Can you explain what "transfer of results" means - does it connote production and dissemination of reports and/or other materials?

Answer: Transfer of results is referring to how well applicant will transfer the results of the proposed project to state, tribal, and local government agencies, other community and watershed organizations and/or other interested stakeholders. A description of how you will produce and disseminate report/s and/or other material would be an appropriate discussion under “transfer of results”. Other examples are noted in the Section IV.C(3)(2)f of the RFP. They include creating opportunities for sharing best practices and lessons learned in the form of meetings, web casts, or other mechanisms.

Question D13. The RFP states letters of support will not be considered but letters of commitment are noted as acceptable attachments on page 20 of the RFP. What is the distinction?

Answer: Letters of commitment are described in Sections I(B)2, IV(C)3(2)g(i), pages 4 and 22-23, respectively of the RFP. As stated in this section (emphasis in bold added), "If a working partnership exists, partnership letters of commitment should be included in the proposal package. Letters of commitment should describe the extent to which the partner will engage with the applicant to help effectively perform the project. If a partnership does not yet exist, proposals should describe how the applicant plans to engage partners and establish working partnerships to successfully complete the project. If the applicant does not intend to have partners, then an explanation should be provided on how it will effectively perform the project without partners. Please do not send letters of endorsement, recommendation, or support; they will not be considered." Attached letters of commitment should include the any intended cost share/match provided by partners and specifics for how the partner will engage with the applicant to accomplish the project.

A letter of support would simply state that the letter writer supports or endorses the project, but does not intend to participate or contribute and we are asking that these types of letters not be submitted.

Question D14. Since the applicant is the entity (e.g. a university), does the performance on past federal grants apply to the “applicant” or the individual submitting the grant? If it is the “applicant”, that could present a problem for individuals working at large universities.

Answer: In Section V.A of the RFP, “Past Performance” refers to the applicant’s experience in managing federal or non-federal funding received through assistance agreements. Individuals are not eligible applicants and although they may have specific expertise to contribute to the project, their contributions may be reflected in addressing other criteria such as RFP Section V.A(6) “Programmatic Capability”. If the applicant is a university, the “Past Performance” referred to under RFP Section V.A(7) would be that of the university, the entity managing the grant. As indicated in the RFP, the applicant may cite experience with federal and non-federal assistance agreements. (Note that grants are assistance agreements, while contracts are not.) Please provide no more than 3 previous assistance agreements which took place in the last 5 years. See Sections V.A(7) and IV.C.(3)(2)(i) of the RFP for more information on “Past Performance”. Please use your judgment and provide examples that would best illustrate your ability to successfully complete and manage the proposed project.

Question D15. Can you speak to the importance of serving low-income, minority in being competitive - beyond the evaluation criteria? How heavily weighted in the evaluation process is the degree of urban as described in the proposal?

Answer: Both serving low-income and minority communities and addressing water quality issues in urban areas are important elements in the goals of the Urban Waters Small Grants, as described in the selection criteria in Section V(A) of the RFP . The weight of these factors is reflected in the number of points for each evaluation factor. It may help to review Sections I(B) and V(A) of the RFP to assess if your project meets the goals of the Urban Waters Small Grants. Please also see Sections I(B)3, I(D), and III(C)3 (pgs, 5,8, and 12-13, respectively), which gives a description of projects eligible for funding under Section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act.

Question D16. In addressing the Programmatic Capability/Specialized Experience selection criterion #7 (Section IV.C of the RFP, page 23), who should be included as key staff?

Answer: Applicants should use their discretion in identifying the key staff for the proposed project. As described in Section IV.C(3)(2)(h) of the RFP, a description of their expertise/qualifications and knowledge should be included. Annotated resumes of key staff members (no more than 2 pages) are encouraged to be included, and are not considered to be part of the 10-page limit.

Question D17. Can a federal agency be a partner on the grant? Can they be a sub-grantee?

Answer: Federal agencies are eligible as partners on projects funded by Urban Waters Small Grants. As to whether the federal agency partner can be a sub-grantee (i.e., whether EPA grant funds may be used to reimburse another federal agency), the answer depends on whether that agency has statutory authority to receive and retain reimbursement for providing services to nonfederal organizations. For example, our understanding is that the U.S. Geological Survey has the requisite authority and all federal agencies may perform specialized scientific research for state/tribal/local governments under the Intergovernmental Cooperation Act. We take the position that the transaction is neither a sub-grant nor a procurement contract but is governed by the terms of the federal statute which authorizes reimbursement. In such a case, there would be no need for competition under the procurement rules or compliance withthe OMB Circulars.

Please note, that in such a scenario, the other federal agency would not be able to enter into an interagency agreement (IA) with EPA to be reimbursed. IAs are not permissible under this announcement.

Question D18. Do letters of commitment from our partners need to state a dollar amount that each will commit?

Answer: Attached letters of commitment should include the intended cost share/match that partners will contribute and specific information on how the partner will engage with the applicant to accomplish the project. If your proposal states that your partners are contributing a certain dollar amount, such information will be taken into consideration during the evaluation. We strongly encourage letters of commitment contain this information as confirmation that this agreement has been made.

Top of page

E. TIMING AND LOGISTICS

Question E1. When will I find out if my project has been funded?

Answer: It is anticipated that applicants will be notified about their proposals by spring 2012.

All proposals received by the January 23, 2012 due date and times will be evaluated against the threshold eligibility criteria in Section III. Eligible proposals, based on the Section III threshold eligibility review, will be evaluated based on the evaluation criteria and weights in Section V.A. Following EPA’s evaluation of proposals, all applicants will be notified regarding their status. Final applications will be requested from those eligible entities whose proposal has been successfully evaluated and preliminary recommended for award. Those entities will be provided with instructions and a due date for submittal of the final application package. It is anticipated that awards will be made in the summer of 2012.

Question E2. Which webinar should I plan to attend? Will the information covered be the same?

Answer: EPA will present the same material during both webinars. There will be time for questions and answers during both webinars. Both webinars will be recorded and transcribed and the webinar materials will be posted at www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/funding. All questions and answers about the RFP, including any questions that are raised during the webinar, will also be posted at this website.

Question E3. I would like to verify the appropriate regional office to submit my proposal. What territory does EPA Region 10 cover?

Answer: Region 10 covers Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington states. If your project takes place within this area you would send the proposal to the contact identified for Region 10 (see in Section IV.B.2 of the RFP for contact information) or via an electronic submission (www.grants.gov). Proposals submitted by hard copy with CD must be received by the appropriate EPA Regional Office contact identified in Section IV.B.2 by 4:00 P.M. EST January 23, 2012. Proposals submitted electronically via http://www.grants.gov must be received by 11:59 P.M. EST January 23, 2012. If an applicant is uncertain which region to submit their proposal to, they should contact Ji-Sun Yi by email at urbanwaters@epa.gov.

Question E4. How soon can projects begin and how long is the project period?

Answer: In accordance with Section II.A of the RFP, it is anticipated that funded cooperative agreements will have a two-year project period. In accordance with Section IV.C.3, Proposal Narrative, the project start date will follow award acceptance by the successful applicants. We anticipate awards will be made in summer 2012.

Question E5. What is the deadline for application submissions for the Urban Waters Small Grants?

Answer: Urban Waters Small Grants applications are due to EPA by January 23, 2012. Applicants have the option to submit their proposals in one of two ways: 1) electronically via www.grants.gov (due at 11:59 pm on January 23) or 2) hard copy and CD by overnight delivery, hand delivery, or courier service to the appropriate EPA regional contact identified in Section IV.B.2 (due at 4:00 pm on January 23). Proposals that are submitted via regular U.S. Postal mail, FAX or e-mail will not be considered.

For hard copy submissions (electronic submittals are sent through grants.gov), the appropriate EPA Regional Office to send the proposal to is determined by the geographic location of the project, not the location of the applicant. For more information on where to send your hardcopy proposal, please see Section IV.B. of the RFP.

Question E6. Do I need to submit my Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) with my application if I intend to use grant funds for monitoring activities?

Answer: You do not need to submit a QAPP at the time you are submitting your proposal. If you do plan on collecting or using environmental data or information as part of your project, please see Sections IV.C(3)2(j) and Section VIII.A of the RFP. The proposal should discuss how the applicant will comply with the Quality Assurance/Quality Control requirements, as specified in Section VIII.A (pg. 32-33 in the RFP). If your proposal is selected for funding and it is determined that a QAPP is necessary for your project, EPA can work with you directly to identify the necessary QA/QC requirements. If you intend to use grant funds to develop a QAPP for your project, those costs and activities will need to be included in your workplan and budget proposal and you should allow sufficient time and resources for this process in your timeline. Whether or not you intend to develop your QAPP with grant dollars, your QAPP will need to be approved before monitoring activities can begin.

Question E7. My question concerns the requirements for QA/QC standards in data acquisition and reporting as specified in the RFP. If the environmental data we propose to collect is only for the purpose of education/training of students in the methods of water quality investigation, do we still need to meet the agency QA/QC protocols and submission requirements, or does that only apply to research quality data?

Answer: If you plan on collecting or using environmental data or information as part of your project, please see Sections IV.C(3)2(j) and Section VIII.A of the RFP. You do not need to submit a Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) plan at the time you are submitting your proposal; however, the proposal should discuss how the applicant will comply with the QA/QC requirements, as specified in Section VIII.A (pg. 32-33 in the RFP). To collect data for educational purposes only, the Urban Waters Small Grants program will require you to take QA/QC measures into account. If your proposal is selected for funding EPA will work with you directly to identify the level of QA/QC practices appropriate for the project, and in your case, the QA/QC plan would likely be significantly scaled down from a full QAPP. If you intend to use grant funds to develop a QA/QC plan for your project, those costs and activities will need to be included in your workplan and budget proposal and you should allow sufficient time and resources for this process in your timeline. You do not need the QA/QC plan approved to apply, but if selected, it would have to be approved before data collection can take place.

Question E8. Can you suggest what an appropriate amount of time might be to develop a Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) component, covering water quality sample data?

Answer: The time needed to develop a QA/QC plan will vary depending on the project. We ask that you use your research experience and expertise to provide your best estimate as to how much time to allow for this process in your proposal. Please keep in mind that if you are selected EPA can assist successful applicants in determining whether QA/QC is required for the proposed project. If QA/QC is required for the project, the successful applicant may work with the EPA QA/QC staff to determine the appropriate QA/QC practices for the project.

Question E9. Is a project that has a timeline of less than two years eligible? When will the awards be announced? What month can my project start and end?

Answer: In accordance with Section IV.C(3) of the RFP, the project start date will follow award acceptance by the successful applicant. We expect to award the grants in the summer of 2012. At this time we do not have a definitive date for awarding the Urban Waters Small Grants and therefore, we cannot say for certain when projects can start. Please see FAQ F.5 for information on pre-award costs. Projects do not need to be completed by a certain date. In accordance with Section II.A of the RFP, it is anticipated that funded cooperative agreements will have a two-year project period. That said, projects of less than two years in length are eligible for funding.

Top of page

F. BUDGET CONCERNS

Question F1. Do I need an indirect cost rate to apply for an Urban Waters Small Grant?

Answer: Applicants must determine whether they should include indirect costs as part of the proposed budget. An applicant does not need to have an approved negotiated indirect cost rate confirmed before responding to the Urban Waters Small Grants RFP. Please note that in accordance with the instructions in Section IV.C.2. of the RFP, if indirect costs are included in the proposed budget, the amount of indirect costs should be entered on line 6(j) of the SF 424-A. The indirect cost rate (a percentage), the base (e.g., personnel costs and fringe benefits), and the amount should also be indicated on line 22 of the SF 424-A.

Please note that in accordance with the instructions in Section IV.C.2. of the RFP, if indirect costs are requested as part of the budget in the proposal, a copy of the Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement must be submitted as part of the application package. Final application packages will be requested from those eligible entities whose proposals have been successfully evaluated and preliminarily recommended for award. Those entities will be provided with instructions and a due date for submittal of the final application package. In order for indirect costs to be allowable under the assistance agreement, the applicant must have a negotiated indirect cost rate (e.g., fixed, predetermined, final or provisional), or must have submitted a proposal to the cognizant Federal or State agency at the time of final application submission (see Section IV.C.2 of the RFP). An indirect cost rate can be requested by contacting the applicant’s cognizant agency, which will review all documentation and approve a rate for the applicant organization, or if the applicant’s accounting system permits, costs may be allocated in the direct costs categories.

Question F2. Is salary for an intern an eligible expense?

Answer: Yes, salary for an intern would be an eligible expense under this grant. Please note that in accordance with the instructions in Section IV.C.2. of the RFP, if salary costs are included in the proposed budget, they should be shown in the SF 424-A.

Question F3. Can grant funds be used for salary for staff and/or interns to work on our Urban Waters Small Grant project?

Answer: Yes, salaries for employees and interns hired as employees would be an eligible expense under this grant provided the employees perform work that is necessary to carry out the EPA funded project. Please note that in accordance with the instructions in Section IV.C.2. of the RFP, if salary costs are included in the proposed budget, they should be shown in the SF 424-A.

EPA has made a policy decision, however, not to allow the use of Urban Waters Small Grant funds for "participant support costs" for stipends for interns who are not hired as employees (e.g. trainees). If an applicant is able to pay for intern stipends with funds other than the Urban Waters Small Grant, this contribution may be used to meet the $2,500 cost share / match requirement, subject to the regulations governing cost share/match at 40 CFR 30.23 and 40 CFR 31.24. The costs for stipends must be included in the EPA approved budget for the applicant's cost share/match to be allowable.

Question F4. Are there indirect cost restrictions?

Answer: No, there are no indirect costs restrictions. Applicants must determine whether they should include indirect costs as part of the proposed budget. An applicant does not need to have an approved negotiated indirect cost rate confirmed before responding to the Urban Waters Small Grants RFP. Please note that in accordance with the instructions in Section IV.C.2. of the RFP, if indirect costs are included in the proposed budget, the amount of indirect costs should be entered on line 6(j) of the SF 424-A. The indirect cost rate (a percentage), the base (e.g., personnel costs and fringe benefits), and the amount should also be indicated on line 22 of the SF 424-A.

Question F5. Can award recipients incur pre-award costs?

Answer: Yes, recipients may incur pre-award costs at their own risk up to 90 days before the award date if certain conditions are met. Please see 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 30.25(f)(1) for more information. Please note that under 2 CFR Part 230, Appendix B, Item 36 your organization may only incur pre-award costs "directly pursuant to and in anticipation of an award where such costs are necessary to comply with the proposed delivery schedule or period of performance." In the context of competitive funding, EPA interprets this provision to allow pre-award costs only after an organization has been notified that the Agency has selected it for an award.

Question F6. Do you have guidance or suggestions on how to put together the proposed budget narrative?

EPA’s Office of Grants and Debarment provides general tips on how to prepare a budget, available at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/recipient/tips.htm. In addition, budget detail guidance is available at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/recipient/ogd_budget_detail_guidance.pdf, which includes some examples you may find helpful.

Question F7. If our partner is contributing personnel time, how is that reflected in the budget? We do not plan to make a subaward to our partner, because they are not receiving funds.

If your partners are contributing personnel time, this would be considered in-kind contributions and would count towards the $2,500 cost share/match requirement provided the contributions comply with 40 CFR 30.23. It should be included as a line item in the SF424-A, in Section A (Non-Federal (d)), and Section B ((h) "Other"), along with a brief explanation in the budget narrative. Please note that if your organization will also be contributing personnel time from its own employees towards cost share/match, the value of those contributions are considered "Personnel" costs.

Note that organizations receiving funds under this grant are permitted to make proper subawards to a non-profit partner. These subawards would reimburse the non-profit partner for costs they incur in activities necessary to the completion of the activities under the grant. For more information on proper subawards, please see Question G.5

Question F8. When will we know the location of the training in order to evaluate costs?

Answer: We expect to announce the location of the National Training Workshop after the award of these grants. For the purposes of budgeting for your proposal, please budget for a location that is the greatest distance from you so as to not underestimate cost. Please note that these costs can be adjusted once the National Training Workshop location and dates have been announced.

Question F9. Is the $40K to $60K over both years or is it $40K-$60K each year for two years? Are awards given in lump sum, or by reimbursement?

Answer: Once the grant is awarded, the Agency will obligate the total award amount ($40K - $60K for two years) at the time of the award; however, funds will only be able to be withdrawn and the grantee reimbursed as costs are incurred.

Question F10. Can this grant be used by a state entity to send staff for stream restoration or other training classes?

Answer: Yes. As long as the training is part of an eligible activity under Section I.D of the RFP, it would be eligible for funding. Please see Section IV.C(3)(2)(g) (pgs 22-23) for more information on budgeting. It may also help to review Sections I(B) and V(A) of the RFP to assess if your project meets the goals of the Urban Waters Small Grants.

Question F11. How does an applicant determine the Fair Market Value of a salary? Is the actual salary of an employee that provides services to the project not eligible for use as an in-kind contribution?

Answer: Under this RFP, an applicant can use the employee’s actual salary to calculate the value of an in-kind contribution towards the cost share requirement if the employee is performing duties outlined in his or her job description for an activity that falls under the scope of work for the grant. If, however, the person is undertaking work that is not a component of their job, they would need to be compensated based on the fair market value of the work he or she is performing. For example, say you have an attorney providing legal review of your organization’s contracts which you have competitively awarded and review the terms of those contracts. The applicant can calculate the attorney’s in-kind contribution towards the cost share based on the attorney’s normal billable hourly rate for that review. If, on the other hand, that attorney will help perform a particular project where the attorney will stuff envelopes at a community outreach event, then they would be charging the appropriate wage for someone stuffing envelopes which is likely to be around the minimum wage. It is not the professional qualifications of the individual that determine the appropriate hourly rate or salary; rather, it is the work he or she is actually doing that determines that rate or salary. You should make an estimate of the market rate for what that service is based on, whether it’s minimum wage or a review of salaries for that type of work in your geographic area.

Question F12. What are fringe benefits?

Answer: Fringe benefit costs are those costs for personnel employment other than the employees’ direct income (i.e., employer’s portion of FICA insurance, retirement, sick leave, holiday pay, and vacation cost). Such costs should be included in line 6(b) of Section B of the Standard Form (SF) 424A. It may be helpful to look over the Cost Review Guidance Memorandum at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/award/CostReview.htm. Instructions for the SF 424A are available at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/forms/adobe/SF424A_Instructions.pdf.

Top of page

G. FUNDING CLARIFICATIONS

Question G1. Why is EPA awarding cooperative agreements and what would an UWSG cooperative agreement look like?

Answer: We expect that the Urban Waters cooperative agreements will be awarded at ranges between $40,000 and $60,000. We specify that they will be cooperative agreements because we anticipate significant EPA involvement, which will be worked out when final workplans are negotiated. Consistent with the competition policy provisions in the announcement, we cannot comment or advise potential applicants on the specifics of how an award might be structured.

Question G2. What is the dollar range of the grants?

Answer: The award range is approximately $40,000 - $60,000. EPA Regional Offices will award the cooperative agreements for projects resulting from this announcement. We anticipate awarding approximately 3-4 cooperative agreements per EPA Region with funds that are currently available. Applicants may not request more than $60,000 in federal funding – proposals requesting more than $60,000 in federal funds will not be reviewed. While there is no minimum, we suggest applicants request at least approximately $40,000 in federal funds. Please note that a minimum non-federal cost share / match of $2,500 is required. Please see Section III.A, page 8 of the RFP for more information on award information.

Question G3. Can municipalities use these funds to contract with consultants?

Answer: Yes, funds may be used to contract with consultants to perform eligible activities under CWA 104(b)(3). Please note that applicants must compete contracts for services and products, including consultant contracts, and conduct cost and price analyses, to the extent required by the procurement provisions of the regulations at 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 30 or 31, as appropriate. Please see Section II.C of the RFP (pg 9 – 11) for further details on the requirements for acquiring contract services. Please note that EPA rarely accepts sole-source justifications for contracts for professional engineering services even if the firm is a "partner" on the proposal or prepares it on behalf of an eligible applicant.

Question G4. What is the maximum dollar amount & time limit for subject grants?

Answer: The award range is approximately $40,000 - $60,000. Applicants may not request more than $60,000 in federal funding – proposals requesting more than $60,000 in federal funds will not be reviewed. While there is no minimum, we suggest applicants request at least approximately $40,000 in federal funds. Please note that a minimum non-federal cost share / match of $2,500 is required. Please see Section III.A, page 8 of the RFP for more information on award information.

In accordance with Section II.A of the RFP, it is anticipated that funded cooperative agreements will have a two-year project period. In accordance with Section IV.C.3, Proposal Narrative, the project start date will follow award acceptance by the successful applicants. We anticipate awards will be made in summer 2012.

Question G5. Does an applicant need to provide documentation in the application to demonstrate that qualifying partners listed as conducting tasks in the work plan were already competed by the applicant at the time of the application?

Answer: The answer depends on what is meant by “qualifying partners”.

If the partner listed is a commercial firm or individual consultant that your organization intends to hire contractually to obtain professional services, then you must select that partner competitively unless they hold a patent, copyright, or an existing competitively awarded contract that makes the firm or individual the only legally available source for the service. Please note that “only” is not the same as the “best” or “uniquely qualified”. However, depending on your organization’s procurement procedures you may be able to conduct a simplified acquisition by soliciting proposals from a reasonable number of firms (including disadvantaged business enterprises) rather than publicly soliciting bids.

On the other hand, if the partner is a nonprofit organization, public or private university (but not a proprietary school) or governmental unit that will carry out a substantive portion of your project under a subaward (i.e, a subgrant) that meets the requirements for a subrecipient relationship under Office of Management & Budget (OMB) Circular A-133, Section 210, then you need not select that partner competitively. Please note that substantive portions of projects do not include accounting, document review, logistical management or information technology services that are commercially available. Also, subawards must be on a cost reimbursement basis and are subject to the OMB cost principles. EPA does not allow profits or management fees under subawards.

Please refer to Section II.C of the RFP.

Question G6. If partners listed as conducting tasks in the work plan are not competed at the time of the application, will their qualifications and the tasks they are listed as providing be considered in the applicant selection process?

Answer: It depends. Please see the answer to Question G.5 above. You must select contractors competitively or have an acceptable sole source justification for EPA to consider their qualifications. It’s a different case for subawardees. EPA will consider their qualifications if the subaward is a proper one, as discussed in the answer to Question G.5 above.

Question G7. If a cooperative agreement award is made, will the awardee/applicant be required to compete for any tasks in the work plan that will be provided by a partner? For example, let’s say that three watershed associations have partnered and have planned a project together and each is intending to do a portion of the project with funding from EPA if the cooperative agreement is awarded. One of the watershed associations will, of course, be the applicant. Can the other two watershed association partners be subawardees WITHOUT being competed? Must they be competed and win the bid to do the work on the project?

Answer: Yes, the other two watershed association partners can be subawardees without being competed, provided the subawards are proper, as discussed in the answer to Question G.5 above. Similarly, if the applicant is a municipality, and has a nonprofit partner, the applicant would not be required to compete the work intended to be done by its partner, provided the subaward is a proper one. Please note that being a “full partner” in the application does not change any of the rules. Please refer to the answer to Question G.5 above for a description of activities that may be funded by subawards and allowable subaward costs.

Question G8. My organization has applied for funding under an unrelated grant announcement, but we will not know if we have been selected until after we submit our application for the Urban Waters Small Grant. We plan to apply for the Urban Waters Small Grant and propose work that builds on the application that has been submitted for funding elsewhere. Can we include those costs in our UWSG proposal in case our other proposal is not funded?

Answer: Yes. As indicated in Section II.A of the RFP (page 9), in appropriate circumstances, EPA reserves the right to partially fund a proposal by funding discrete portions or phases of a proposed project. If EPA selects your project for funding, any part of your proposed budget that has been funded by another source is no longer an eligible expense under this program.
Also, if the effective performance of your proposed project is contingent on whether other funding materializes, that uncertainty could affect the evaluation of your proposal based on the evaluation criteria in Section V.A of the RFP. All project activities included in your Urban Waters Small Grant proposal must be eligible under the Clean Water Act (CWA) 104(b)(3) as noted in Section I.D of the RFP. This response reflects our understanding of the information provided in your question; please note that your organization is ultimately responsible for the content of your proposal.

Question G9. Does the $2,500 match deduct from the $60,000 maximum funding limit?

Answer: No, cost share/match is not considered part of the maximum federal request of $60,000; however, cost share/match dollars must be spent on activities that would be deemed eligible under CWA 104(b)(3), the funding authority for this grant program. In addition, applicants need to account for cost share/match in the total project costs and identify how cost share/match funds will be used to support the grant in their Standard Form (SF) 424-A and budget narrative. Please see Sections II.A, III.B, III.C, IV.C.2 and IV.C.3(g) of the RFP for more information on the cost share/match requirement.

Question G10. The minimum match amount is $2,500. Will proposals with higher match amounts be given a higher score?

Answer: No, proposals with a higher cost share/match value will not be awarded more points. Please see Section V.A of the RFP which describes the selection criteria used to evaluate all proposals

Question G11. Can other federal funds (eg, EPA and other federal agencies) be considered match dollars?

Answer: No, as stated in Section III.B of the RFP, federal grants cannot be used as cost share/match, unless specifically authorized by that program. There are a few federal programs that have statutory authority for grant funds to be used to meet the cost share requirement of other federal funds. An example is the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Development Block Grant program. Please see Section III.B for more information on cost share/match requirements.

Question G12. If we are planning on contracting for services with grant funds, would we have to select the lowest cost proposal, or the lowest best cost?

Answer: Contracts funded by this grant must be competed (unless they were previously competed). In contracting for engineering and design services, both cost and quality may be considered. You must provide a strong justification including a cost or price analysis for not selecting the lowest cost proposal for a contract.

Question G13. Can the grant be used for travel expenses of the project partners and not just staff members of the funded organizations?

Answer: We presume by “project partners” you refer to organizations who receive proper subawards of financial assistance (please see Question G.5 on what is a proper subaward). If that is the case, then yes, travel costs that are necessary for employees of subawardees to carry out the subawards are allowable costs under the OMB cost principals. If your question refers to travel expenses for other “project partners” the answer is No. Generally, Urban Waters grant funds may not be used for “participant support costs” for individuals who are not employees of the recipient, a subawardee or a properly procured contractor (including individual consultants).

Question G14. Can I use funds from this grant to meet the federal match requirement for Americorps?

Answer: Yes, it is our understanding that EPA funds may be used to meet the federal match requirement for Americorps. Please contact Americorps for more information.

Question G15. Can this grant money be used for activities required as part of a National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems (MS4) permit, and similar regulatory requirements?

Answer: Yes, funding under this announcement may be used towards activities required to meet NPDES or other similar regulatory requirements, as long as they meet the requirements for an eligible activity under Section 104 (b)(3) of the Clean Water Act (CWA). Please see Section I(B)3, I(D), and III(C)3 (pgs, 5,8, and 12-13, respectively) which gives a description of projects eligible for funding under Section 104(b)(3) of the CWA. It may also help to review Sections I(B) and V(A) of the RFP to assess if your project meets the goals of the Urban Waters Small Grants.

Question G16. Can this grant money be used in conjunction with other state and federal grants?

Answer: Funds from other state, local, and federal grants may be used in combination with the Urban Waters Small Grants and such information should be included in the Detailed Budget Narrative and the Standard Form (SF) 424A (Section IV.C). However, as outlined in Section III.B "other federal grants may not be used as cost share/match without specific statutory authority". For exceptions to this rule, please see Question G.11.

Question G17. Can the funding be used to hire experts to educate the community concerning water quality restoration? How about for the procurement of an industrial hygienist to evaluate unknown sources of groundwater pollution?

Answer: Yes, funding may be used to acquire experts to educate the community. Please keep in mind that contracts must be competed for these educators unless they are performing this task as part of their job working with a university, non-profit organization, or municipality. Please see Sections II.C and VI.D of the RFP for more information on contracts and sub-awards. Please also see Question G.3 which addresses the procurement of an industrial hygienist (i.e. consultant).

Question G18. Do land easements and land grants qualify as in-kind contributions?

Answer: Yes, land easement and land grants would qualify as in-kind contributions. Please be sure to see Section III.B for more information on in-kind contributions. As stated in Section III.B, in-kind contributions, such as use of volunteers and/or donated time, equipment, expertise, etc., are subject to the regulations governing matching fund requirements described in 40 CFR 30.23 or 40 CFR 31.24, as applicable.

Question G19. How does EPA define a sub-award?

Answer: Please see Section II.C of the RFP for more information on contracts and sub-awards. Sub-awards, also referred to as sub-grants, are funds awarded by the grantee to a nonprofit organization, public or private university (but not a proprietary school) or governmental unit that, as a partner, is undertaking activities in support of the funded project. These activities must be part of the organization’s mission. Sub-awards are strictly cost-based transactions subject to the cost allowabilility and documentation standards in the federal grant regulations and there is no “profit” for the subawardee.. As stated on pg 10 of RFP, “applicants must not use sub-awards/subgrants to obtain commercial services or products from for-profit firms or individual consultants.” Please also see the last paragraph of the response to Question G.5.

Question G20. Can we include a local nonprofit (watershed group) as a partner where that nonprofit will be "in charge" of completing a specific task, and funding is requested to cover that watershed coordinator's time for completing that task in the proposed project budget? If so, would that be considered a sub-award?

Answer: Yes, if the task the non-profit watershed group will be responsible for furthers its mission and the non-profit has programmatic discretion in deciding how to carry-out the task. Please see Question G.19 for the definition of a sub-award (i.e., sub-grant). If the partner is a non-profit organization, public or private university (but not proprietary schools) or governmental unit that will carry out a substantive portion of your project, they may do so under a proper sub-award. Please see the last paragraph of the response to Question G.5 on proper sub-awards. If their activities on the project fit into their organizational goals, then you do not need to select that partner competitively.

Please note that substantive portions of the partner’s activities cannot include accounting, document review, logistical management or information technology services that are commercially available and should competed as a contract. Also, sub-awards must be on a cost reimbursement basis and are subject to the Office of Management & Budget (OMB) cost principles. EPA does not allow profits or management fees under sub-awards.

Question G21. Regarding sub-awards, what if a non-profit receives the grant and partners with a state university? Would the non-profit organization have to compete a sub-award to the university, say, to have a grad student help with the project?

Answer: The answer depends on the activities the student is undertaking. If the work being carried out by the student is to promote their education as outlined by their degree program, then the university would be caring out the mission of their organization and therefore, this would be a proper sub-award and would not need to be competed. If the student is being hired to fill a general need not related to their field of study (e.g., record keeping, parking cars at an event, etc.), then this work is for a commercially available service and would have to be competitively awarded as a contract.

Question G22. Is grant administration an eligible expense?

Answer: Yes, provided the recipient normally charges its grants directly for actual costs for grant administration rather than including the costs for this function in its indirect cost rate or as a component of a “management fee.” Please review the information on “management fees” in Section IV.C(3)(2)(g)ii (pgs 22-23) for more information as well as the OMB Cost Principles. As stated in Section IV.C(3)(2)(g)(ii), “the applicant must not include management fees or similar charges in excess of the direct costs and indirect costs at the rate approved by the applicant’s cognizant audit agency, or at the rate provided for by the terms of the agreement negotiated with EPA. The term ‘management fees or similar charges’ often refers to expenses added to the direct costs in order to accumulate and reserve funds for ongoing business expenses, unforeseen liabilities, or for other similar costs: such costs are not allowable under EPA assistance agreements. Management fees or similar charges may not be used to improve or expand the project funded under this agreement, except to the extent authorized as a direct cost of carrying out the scope of work.”

Question G23. Should the committed dollar amount from partners be added to our total match amount? If we have several partners and one partner intends to pay for a part of the proposed project that is an ineligible activity for funding under 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act (e.g., construction or implementation activity), and this contributed amount is in addition to the $2,500 match requirement, would this contribution also be considered match and therefore, be limited to the statutory funding authority (i.e., CWA 104(b)(3))?

Answer: Contributions from partner organizations may count towards the cost share/match requirement, subject to the rules regarding eligibility, allowability and documentation, as discussed in Section III.B of the RFP. Costs for ineligible activities, such as construction, cannot be used as match, but as long as the $2,500 cost share/match requirement is properly met, there is no constraint on the contributions from other organizations. Leveraged dollars for ineligible activities (e.g., construction or implementation activities) should not be included as the total project cost of the proposed budget.

Top of page

H. MISCELLANEOUS

Question H1. Do you expect a large turnout for these funds? What has the historic requests been per dollars available - for example 100 request for 20 fundable projects, etc.?

Answer: This is the first time an Urban Waters Small Grant competition is being conducted by U.S. EPA. Thus, we are not able to predict how much interest there is, nor how many proposals to expect.

Question H2. Our region has a Preferred Sustainability Status received by HUD based on the score of our 2010 and 2011 Sustainable Communities proposals. Will EPA be providing any bonus points for the PSS to Urban Waters Small Grants applications?

Answer: No, EPA does not award "bonus points" to organizations that have Preferred Sustainability Status. However, the livability goals of the Sustainable Communities Partnership are reflected in the evaluation criteria described in Section I.B(1)(ii) and Section V.A(1)(b) of the RFP. Section VIII.E describes the Urban Waters Federal Partnership, which includes supporting the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, and is pasted below:

The Urban Waters Program supports the goals and principles of the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (www.urbanwaters.gov) which is a partnership of eleven federal agencies working to reconnect urban communities with their waterways by improving coordination among federal agencies and collaborating with community‐led revitalization efforts to improve the nation’s water systems and promote their economic, environmental and social benefits. The Urban Waters Federal Partnership closely aligns with and advances the work of the White House’s place‐based efforts, including the Partnership for Sustainable Communities (http://www.sustainablecommunities.gov/aboutUs.html), to revitalize communities, create jobs and improve the quality of life in cities and towns across the nation.

Question H3. Do you have geographic priorities?

Answer: There are no geographic priorities identified for this grant program. You can find the goals and priorities of the Urban Waters Small Grants outlined in Section I and Section V.A. of the RFP.

Question H4. If we have an AOR registered for a previous EPA grant, do we need to re-register at this time?

Answer: No, you do not need to re-register with grants.gov. Please see the grants.gov FAQs at www.grants.gov or contact the grants.gov hotline at 1-800-518-4726 for more information.

Question H5. Can there be more than one staff member registered & designated with grants.gov as long as only one is designated for this particular EPA small urban waters grant?

Answer: Yes, there can be more than one staff member registered with grants.gov, but we recommend only one be the designated AOR for the Urban Waters Small Grants. Please see the grants.gov FAQs at www.grants.gov or contact the grants.gov hotline at 1-800-518-4726 for more information.

Question H6. I’m trying to complete the online SF-424 for our Urban Waters Small Grant application and keep getting an error message that the zip code I’ve entered is invalid. Please help.

Answer: Please be sure that you are entering your zip code needs as a 9-digit number to be accepted. You can find instructions for completing an electronic SF-424 online at www.grants.gov/assets/SF424Instructions.pdf.

Question H7. I am the sole employee of an established 501(c)(3) organization with several years of financial history. I am a 1099 employee, not a W-2 employee, so I may technically be characterized as a "consultant" or "contractor." Does my organization need to compete me as a contractor to work under this grant, even though I was hired as the result of a competitive process as the director of the 501(c)(3)?

Answer: You are correct that EPA considers you a consultant/contractor because of your 1099 income tax filing status. However, because you were hired through a competitive process as you describe, your organization would not have to conduct another competition in order for the costs of your services to be allowable under the Procurement Standards in 40 CFR Part 30.

Question H8. I would like a hard copy of the grant application forms (Standard Form (SF) 424 and SF 424A). Who do I contact for a hard copy to be sent to me?

Answer: If you cannot access the electronic application forms (available at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/how_to_apply.htm or at www.grants.gov), you may request hard copies be mailed to you. Please send an e-mail to GAD_OGDWEB@epamail.epa.gov with ‘PAPER APPLICATION KIT’ in the subject line to request the hard copies. Please note that we cannot guarantee the hard copies will be received in time before the announcement closes. Please do not call the number listed on page 14 of the RFP – this is an incorrect phone number. If you are unable to access an electronic copy of these forms at the website addresses listed above, or are unsure if the hard copy application kit will be received in time, please call Sun Yi at 202.566.0730.

Question H9. Can site diagrams, maps, a history of the site, and references be included in the attachments?

Answer: Yes, pictures, maps, a history write-up of your proposed urban water and/or project area, and bibliography/references may be included in the attachments as supporting information and do not need to be counted in the Proposal Narrative 10-page limit. However, please review Section IV of the RFP to ensure that your proposal narrative includes the required information.

Question H10. Are Davis Bacon & Buy America requirements applicable to this grant?

Answer: No. Davis Bacon Act and Buy American requirements apply to federally assisted projects only when the statute authorizing grant funding, or another statute such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, imposes the requirements. Neither Section 104 of the Clean Water Act nor any other statute requires that recipients of the Urban Waters Small Grants comply with Davis Bacon or Buy America requirements.

Question H11. If a region is announced in a presidential disaster declaration, are they exempt from the Stafford Act?

Answer: We presume your question relates to Section 301 of the Stafford Act. That provision allows agencies to waive administrative requirements such as the $2,500 cost share for the Urban Waters Small Grants when a state or local government in a disaster area requests such a waiver. EPA would consider such a waiver request. The applicant should submit the waiver request as part of the proposal package.

Question H12. Who is the Authorized Representative who should fill out and sign Box 21 of the SF 424? Should it be the Authorized Organization Representative (AOR), as discussed in the RFP?

Answer: An officer, employee or another member of your organization with authority to bind your organization to a contract should sign Box 21. Instructions for filling out the SF 424 are provided on pages 5 – 6 and are available at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/form/SF424.pdf. The AOR is the individual your organization designates to register with www.grants.gov and upload the online submission package onto Grants.gov. Assistance for online submission may be provided by contacting the Grants.gov helpline at 1-800-518-4726.

Question H13. The RFP notes that the Urban Waters Small Grant is being awarded as a cooperative agreement because when a cooperative agreement is awarded, EPA will have substantial involvement with the project workplans and budget. How will EPA be involved in the project?

Answer: As discussed in Section VI.B of the RFP, "A description of the Agency's substantial involvement in the cooperative agreements will be included in the final assistance agreement." Some examples of how EPA may be involved are provided below, but please note that this list is not inclusive.

As discussed in EPA Order 5700.5A1, Policy for Competition of Assistance Agreements, substantial involvement may include:
1. Intense monitoring by EPA;
2. Joint operational involvement, participation, and/or collaboration between EPA and the recipient;
3. EPA prior review or approval of project phases or the substantive provisions of proposed contracts found within the scope of the agreement;
4. Agency involvement in the selection of key recipient personnel provided the recipient rather than EPA makes the final selection decision; or
5. EPA collaboration regarding scope of work, organizational structure, staffing, mode of operation and other management process, review and comment on reports, fact sheets, and similar documents provided the recipient rather than EPA makes the final decisions in these matters
EPA will provide assistance in developing a Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) plan if necessary, as discussed in Section VIII.A of the RFP: "EPA can assist successful applicants in determining whether QA/QC is required for the proposed project. If QA/QC is required for the project, the successful applicant may work with the EPA QA/QC staff to determine the appropriate QA/QC practices for the project."

Question H14. Do you anticipate that there will be a similar grant program next year and if so, when do you anticipate the Request for Proposal to be sent out?

Answer: We are uncertain at this time if there will be a similar funding opportunity available next year.

Question H15. If submitting hard copies, do you want single-sided or are two-sided copies okay?

Answer: Double-sided pages are acceptable and preferred.

Question H16 . Can we send using certified mail?

Answer: No, certified mail is considered U.S.Postal Service (USPS) mail. Due to the delays associated with processing USPS mail, the Agency asks that you submit the proposal either electronically via www.grants.gov or by overnight delivery, hand delivery, or courier service, as stated in Section IV.B of the RFP.

Question H17. Please talk about some of the previous projects that have been funded under the Urban Waters Small Grants.

Answer: This is a new funding opportunity; therefore, we do not have a list of previously funded projects since this is the first time the Urban Waters Small Grants is being offered. You may find it helpful to look at the list of project examples in Section I.B (pg 5) in the RFP.

Question H18. Is the budget narrative part of the 10-page limit?

Answer: Yes.

Question H19. How should I organize the Proposal Narrative? Should I use a table format like how the Selection Criteria is organized in the RFP (Section V.A)?

Answer: There is no specific format that applicants must follow in organizing their Proposal Narrative. Please use your discretion in how to best present your proposal that includes the requested information described in Section IV.C of the RFP. Please make note of the guidelines regarding inclusion of page numbers, font size and margins discussed in Section IV.C, page 20.

Question H20. Is a Resolution required to be submitted as part of the proposal package?

Answer: It is our understanding that a Resolution is a document that some municipalities require to be signed by the city’s mayor or city council that would allow a local governmental agency to accept an award/grant. Such a document is not required to be submitted as part of the proposal package.

Questions H21. What are the “certifications” and “assurances” that are referred to in Block 21 on the Standard Form (SF) 424?

Answer: The certifications and assurances refer to the following five forms:

1) SF 424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
2) SF 424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs)
3) SF 424B (Assurances for Non-Construction Programs)
4) Form 4700-4 (Pre-award Compliance Review Report)
5) Certification Regarding Lobbying

These forms can be found at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/application.htm. However, as indicated in the RFP, only SF 424 and SF 424A are required to be submitted at this time, along with your Proposal Narrative. The additional forms listed above (#3 - #5), as well as other necessary forms or documentation, will be required to be submitted once award selections are made, as part of the recipient’s final application package.

Please complete the SF 424 and SF 424A to the best of your ability; we will contact you during the application review period if further clarification on the information provided is needed.

Question H22. Where do we find information to answer Box 19 of the Standard Form (SF) 424, regarding whether the Executive Order (EO) 12372 process applies to our State?

Answer: You should confirm with your State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to determine if your application is subject to the review. Each state elects whether or not to review applications for Federal assistance, in order to be aware of what Federal aid is provided to that state. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB)'s guidance regarding the issue can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc/. This webpage also lists the SPOCs for the states that participate in the review. The webpage also states that if the state is not listed, then they do not participate, and option “C) Program is not covered by E.O. 12372” should be checked for Box 19 of the SF 424.

Question H23. In Box 13 of the SF 424, what is the Competition Identification Number and Title?

Answer: There is no Competition Identification Number and Title for this announcement; please leave it blank.

Question H24. Do we need to submit a proposal through Grants.gov and as a hard copy, or will just a submission through Grants.gov suffice?

Answer: As discussed in Section IV.B of the RFP, applicants may choose to submit their proposals in one of two ways: 1) electronically via www.grants.gov, or 2) hard copy and CD by overnight delivery, hand delivery, or courier service to the EPA contact identified in Section IV.B.2. You do not need to submit a proposal using both submittal methods.

Question H25. Where can I find guidelines for administering (ie, managing) a federal grant?

Answer: Please see Section VI.B of the RFP. Resources are also provided by EPA's Office of Grants and Debarment Desktop Resource, available at www.epa.gov/ogd/recipient/intro.htm.

Question H26. Can a representative from a partner organization or selected consultant attend the Urban Waters Small Grants National Training Workshop if they are determined to be the more appropriate personnel – or does the representative need to be from the recipient organization?

Answer: The audience for the national workshop is the grantee organizations. It is a way to build their capacity and foster exchange between local organizations. If your proposal is selected for an award, EPA can consider a request to have a partner organization attend the national workshop. Except in rare situations, a contractor is not an appropriate representative of the grantee organization.

Question H27. If the organization’s registration in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) system is out-of-date and/or is just beginning the process to request a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, is the applicant too late in submitting a proposal?

Answer: As described in Section VI.E of the RFP, applicants should be registered in the CCR and have a DUNS number by the time of proposal submittal. If applicants do not have this at the time of their proposal submittal, they should apply by submitting a hard copy proposal package. Please see Section IV.B.2 of the RFP for hard copy submittal instructions. However, please note that recipients must be registered in the CCR and have a DUNS number at the time the award is made.

Question H28. How do I fill out the Standard Form (SF) 424A?

Answer: The instructions for filling out the SF 424A is available at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/forms/adobe/SF424A_Instructions.pdf. You may also find helpful tips on the Budget Detail Guidance, available at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/recipient/ogd_budget_detail_guidance.pdf. Please complete the SF 424A to the best of your ability; we will contact you during the application review period if further clarification on the information provided is needed.

Top of page

Contact the Urban Waters Web editor to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

Categories

A. APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY

B. PROJECT ELIGIBILITY

C. THRESHOLD ISSUES

D. EVALUATION ISSUES

E. TIMING AND LOGISTICS

F. BUDGET CONCERNS

G. FUNDING CLARIFICATIONS

H. MISCELLANEOUS

Area Navigation