Number range CHAPTER

**Pilot Proposal submitted to OSWER Innovations Workgroup**

*Information about the IWG, innovation funding, and the innovation
pilots may be obtained from the EPA OSWER Innovations web site
([www.epa.gov/oswer/IWG.htm]{.underline}) **There is a six page limit
for proposals; pages in excess of this limit will be removed and not
evaluated.** See the announcement on the web page for formatting
requirements.*

**A. Contact Information**

*Project Name:*

*Project Location*:

*Project Period:*

*Name of EPA Employee & Office Sponsoring Project including mailcode:*
**([Only required if submitted by an EPA employee. Not required if
applying for a cooperative agreement or grant.)]{.underline}**

*Recipient of Funds (Organization), if Funds Requested:*

*Project Contact:*

*E-mail address:*

*Phone Number:*

*Fax number:*

*Mailing Address:*

*Cooperative Partners, if any:*

**B. Summary Statement** - *Required - Include a brief paragraph
summarizing the proposal. Include what will be accomplished and by
whom.*

**C. Problem Statement & Project Overview**

***You should not assume all the reviewers are experts on your subject.
In this section, provide enough information to give the reviewer a basic
understanding of your industry or technology.***

**1. Problem Statement**

> *Identify the problem or issue the proposal is addressing. Provide any
> necessary background which helps to define and address the issue such
> as any research, current trends, etc. Explain why you need to carry
> out this project.*

**2. Project Overview**

> *Provide a summary of your proposal mentioning the objectives and your
> strategy for achieving those objectives. This section should cover
> what you will do, why, and how.*

**3. Benefits**

> *Explain what good will come of the project and how it will benefit
> the environment, public health, the community, or the organization.*

**D. Schedule with Milestones & Reporting** - *This information can be
presented with the budget*. *Identify project milestones and project
schedule. Identify key tasks and subtasks, indicating what will be done,
by whom, and when. Describe any work products you plan to provide as
documentation of your progress and success. Provide a project timeline
for key tasks and subtasks. If selected, there are three required
elements that must be completed regardless of whether funds are
received: quarterly report with performance measures and budget; a final
report; and a lessons-learned/scale-up report. (EPA staff are available
as an advisory resource, as needed, to help with performance measures
development and other evaluative planning.) The quarterly reports do not
have to be lengthy but must include the following information: current
status of the project; results achieved thus far, including the
evaluation measures; budget expenditures and current status of funds;
and issues impeding further progress. We will work with the selected
pilots to develop performance measures. Performance measures will be
reviewed and incorporated into the quarterly reports. Electronic
submission of quarterly reports is preferred and strongly recommended
but not required.*

**E. Response to Criteria**

***Threshold Criteria***

The threshold criteria are the minimum criteria an applicant must meet.
Threshold criteria are evaluated on a pass/fail basis. If a response to
one threshold criterion fails, the proposal will be disqualified from
further consideration. EPA, however, may seek clarification from an
applicant regarding its response to the threshold criteria.

**1. Project addresses a critical challenge or unmet need related to one
or more of the following priority areas:**

1.  assessing, cleaning up, and restoring contaminated sites to
    sustainable and beneficial use;

2.  reducing waste, increasing recycling, recovering energy or products
    from waste, fostering "green" consumer and business decisions, and
    properly managing waste and petroleum products;

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1.  enhancing homeland security related to chemical emergency prevention
    preparedness and response.

*A proposal may cover more than one priority area. Identify the priority
area(s) the project is addressing.*

**2. If you are applying for a grant or a cooperative agreement, you are
an eligible entity.** *Please note, if you are applying to partner with
EPA as a grant or cooperative agreement recipient, you must include with
your proposal a description of how you are an eligible entity for the
grant or cooperative agreement. Refer to the description of eligibility
"Who is Eligible to Submit a Proposal?" found in the announcement on the
IWG web page.*

***Evaluation Criteria***

All applications that pass the Threshold Criteria will be evaluated
based on the following criteria and weights.

**3. Fosters either innovative approaches toward environmental
challenges or a more innovative culture or organizational system within
the targeted organization**. (20 points) *All applicants must identify
why this proposal is truly innovative or encourages an innovative
culture. Applicants are strongly encouraged to review previously-funded
proposals to ensure a pilot is truly innovative. Previously funded
pilots can be found at the IWG website:
[http://www.epa.gov/oswer/iwg/innovation_pilots.htm/]{.underline} Pilots
that are similar in concept, scope, sector and/or impact to previously
funded pilots may receive fewer points for innovation. For the purposes
of the IWG evaluation, we are considering proposals innovative if they
fall within one of the following categories*

*1) is a new idea*

*2) expands an existing idea to another sector or geographic region*

*3) promotes an innovative idea or "sells" the results*

**4. Provides a process to measure and evaluate the impact of the pilot
and desired outcome**. (10 points) *Applicants must describe how
evaluation and measurement of success will be accomplished. Describe any
baseline measures of success you have developed or plan to develop. List
the measurements you will use to determine whether the project is a
success. Please ensure that your measures of success are specific and
linked to the process and overall objectives for your pilot. Proposals
should be able to demonstrate how performance related measures will be
used in measuring and evaluating environmental and human health
protection and outcome, if appropriate. Some potential performance
related measures are found in Appendix A. They are not mandatory but are
presented to aid you as you think through how you will measure success.*

**5. Builds or strengthens partnerships with state, tribal and local
governments; other federal programs/initiatives; and/or other external
stakeholders**. (10 points) *Applicants must identify how this project
will build and strengthen partnerships with states, tribes, local
government, or other stakeholders. The applicant must describe any
activities conducted or planned to conduct in order to build or
strengthen stakeholder involvement and describe the role and
responsibilities of your cooperative partners, if any. If you have
cooperative partners as part of the pilot team, a letter of support from
those entities is required.*

**6. Has potential for pilot results to be applied across geographic
regions or programs.** (10 points) *We are looking for projects whose
findings/results can be incorporated into EPA programs or expanded to
other areas. Describe the potential transferability of the innovation,
including potential steps, once the project is completed, to transfer
performance results.*

**7. Can be implemented and is likely to produce preliminary short term
environmental results within six months and longer term results and
or/measurable progress within one year of initiation of the project.**
(10 points) *The proposal should have a clearly articulated cohesive
strategy for how the project would be implemented and results achieved.
We will be accepting proposals whose project period is longer than six
months but we are looking for projects that will show some results in
the short term (six months.) Proposal may reference Section D, Schedule
with Milestones & Deliverables. The pilot should be ready to start once
funds are received.*

**8. Appropriately uses limited EPA funding** (10 points) *Provide the
proposed budget for your pilot and explain how it is cost effective. We
are looking for projects that effectively and efficiently use limited
EPA funding to conduct the pilot or aspects of the pilot, and if
possible leverage other available resources. Describe the financial
needs for each major task and subtask, identify the funds/support that
will be committed by your agency/organization, if any, and describe all
other funding sources that are committed to fill in any remaining
funding gaps.*

*Please identify the funding vehicle to be used (cooperative agreement,
contract, IAG, grant)*.

*Ensure that any proposed purchases of equipment is both integral and
critical to the proposal.* *The following is a suggested format to
address the budget.*

*Please note, if selected, there are three required elements that must
be completed regardless of whether funds are received: quarterly report
with performance measures and budget; a final report; and a
lessons-learned/scale-up report. (EPA staff are available as an advisory
resource, as needed, to help with performance measures development and
other evaluative planning.) The quarterly reports do not have to be
lengthy but must include the following information: current status of
the project; results achieved thus far, including the evaluation
measures; budget expenditures and current status of funds; and issues
impeding further progress. We will work with the selected pilots to
develop performance measures. Performance measures will be reviewed and
incorporated into the quarterly reports. Electronic submission of
quarterly reports is preferred and strongly recommended but not
required.*

*Proposed Format for Presenting Schedule and Budget*

+------------------------+---------+-----------+-----------+---------+
| ***Budget Element      | ***Ap   | **        | **        | ***EPA  |
| (e.g., Task/Subtask)   | plicant | *Partner1 | *Partner2 | IWG     |
| and Description***     | Fun     | F         | F         | Fun     |
|                        | ding*** | unding*** | unding*** | ding*** |
|                        |         |           |           |         |
|                        |         | ***- if   | ***- if   |         |
|                        |         | appl      | appl      |         |
|                        |         | icable*** | icable*** |         |
+------------------------+---------+-----------+-----------+---------+
| *Task 1. Sample task   |         |           |           |         |
| 1*                     |         |           |           |         |
+------------------------+---------+-----------+-----------+---------+
| *1.1*                  |         |           |           |         |
+------------------------+---------+-----------+-----------+---------+
| *1.2*                  |         |           |           |         |
+------------------------+---------+-----------+-----------+---------+
| *Task 2. Sample task   |         |           |           |         |
| 2*                     |         |           |           |         |
+------------------------+---------+-----------+-----------+---------+
| *2.1*                  |         |           |           |         |
+------------------------+---------+-----------+-----------+---------+
| *2.2*                  |         |           |           |         |
+------------------------+---------+-----------+-----------+---------+
| *Task 3. Sample task   |         |           |           |         |
| 3*                     |         |           |           |         |
+------------------------+---------+-----------+-----------+---------+
| *Task 4. Equipment*    |         |           |           |         |
+------------------------+---------+-----------+-----------+---------+
| *Task 5. Reports       |         |           |           |         |
| (example)*             |         |           |           |         |
+------------------------+---------+-----------+-----------+---------+
| *5.1 Quarterly         |         |           |           |         |
| reports*               |         |           |           |         |
+------------------------+---------+-----------+-----------+---------+
| *5.2 Final report*     |         |           |           |         |
+------------------------+---------+-----------+-----------+---------+
| *5.3 Lessons Learned*  |         |           |           |         |
+------------------------+---------+-----------+-----------+---------+
| ***Total Funds         |         |           |           |         |
| Requested***           |         |           |           |         |
+------------------------+---------+-----------+-----------+---------+

**Appendix A Examples of Performance Related Measures**

*These are not mandatory but are presented to aid you as you think
through how you will measure success.*

**Assessing, cleaning up, and restoring contaminated sites to
sustainable and benefical use**

Measures may include, but not be limited to:

1\) Number of properties cleaned up

2\) Number of properties reused or made available for reuse

3\) Acres of greenspace protected

4\) Number of jobs created

5\) Measurements of healthy and sustainable reuse

6\) Demonstration of faster cleanup in time saved

7\) Private Sector dollars leveraged through public investment

> 8\) Measures of improved quality of life in communities: (crime
> prevention, access to grocery and medical offices, cleaner, brighter
> neighborhoods)

9\) Cost savings through locating co-generation plants on formerly
contaminated sites

6\) Energy savings through rehabbing formerly contaminated sites in
greener, cleaner ways

> 7\) Creating acceptance on all government levels of new technologies
> measured by increase in their use on cleanup sites

**Reducing waste, increasing recycling, recovering energy or products
from waste, fostering "green" consumer and business decisions, and
properly managing waste and petroleum products**

Measures may include, but not be limited to:

1\) Dollars saved in electricity generation

2\) Measurable savings of natural resources

3\) Measurable savings in disposal methods

4\) Savings through adoption of new technologies

> 5\) Promoting the links between decreases in greenhouse gasses,
> diminished energy use and waste minimization and recycling through
> articles published and workshops held

6\) Measurable protection of natural resources, e.g., acres preserved,
species protected

7)Tons of waste diverted from disposal

8\) Amount of recycling capacity increased

9\) Amount of increased recycled material utilization

10\) Amount of secondary materials purchased

11\) Greenhouse gas emissions reduced

12\) Energy conserved

13\) Increase in energy efficiency

14\) Measurable energy savings of greener manufacturing approaches

15\) Measurable consumer awareness using before and after survey tools

16\) Measurable changes in buying habits of consumers

17\) Measurable improvements in manufacturing, packaging and waste
disposal

18\) Demonstrable cost-effectiveness of greener manufacturing

19\) Demonstrable increases in recycling or diminished landfill waste

20\) Demonstrable increases in economically viable disposed articles
being recycled

**Enhancing Homeland Security**

Measures may include, but not be limited to:

> 1\) Expansion of industry or local communities plans into the area of
> prevention and/or preparing for deliberate accidents/releases.

2\) Expansion of local community planning to include homeland security
stakeholders.

3\) Reduction of response time to a chemical accident.

4\) Amount of chemical inventory reduced

> 5\) Improvement of information available to communities on chemical
> risks, including those related homeland security issues.
>
> 6\) Improvement of knowledge of local communities of risks from
> chemical accidents both accidental and deliberate.