Is it required that the principal recipient conduct a competitive RFP process upon award of the GLRI grant?

Establishing the Project RFA is a key element of the GLEJGP. All subawards to Project Subrecipients must be awarded using a fair and transparent process evaluating the following: 

• An evaluation of any possible Project Subrecipient's entity’s abilities to carry-out the project and sustain expected outcomes after the initial project period is complete;  
• The consistency of the project with the GLRI Action Plan, including achievement of GLRI measures of progress;  
• The project’s linkage to other overarching plans, including but not limited to LAMPs, Domestic Action Plans, Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, watershed management plans, etc.;  

Please see section I.D. and  the Program Approach evaluation criterion for more information on how your application will be evaluated. Subawards to coalition members do not need to be through the Project RFA, but coalition members would not be eligible to complete on-the-ground environmental restoration projects (as Project Subrecipients) due to conflict-of-interest as they would help create and manage the Project RFA.