USDA-NRCSWREP AnnouncementFiscal Year 2023

**Attachment A**

**Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP) Announcement of Funding, Proposal Requirements and Review Criteria**

**Agency:** United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)

**Action:**  Notice of request for proposals through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program-Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (ACEP-WREP).

**Dates:**   Eligible partners should submit proposals for ACEP-WREP by email; complete proposals must be received on or before the date listed in the attached timeline**.**

**Address:**  Applicants must submit electronic proposals to the appropriate state contact [STATE ENTER CONTACT INFORMATION HERE]. If submitting more than one proposal, submit each proposal separately. 

**Overview:**  WREP is a component of ACEP-Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) through which NRCS enters into agreements with eligible partners to target and leverage resources to address high priority wetland protection, restoration, and enhancement activities and improve wildlife habitat on eligible lands.  Eligible partners should submit complete proposals to the appropriate NRCS State Conservationist or Director.

Potential partners may submit WREP proposals for an individual landowner project, watershed, or geographic area. WREP partners are required to contribute financial or technical assistance match as detailed below.  All projects funded through WREP must meet all ACEP-WRE eligibility and program requirements. All WREP transactions will be processed through normal NRCS contracting procedures.  

Only State and local units of government, Indian Tribes, and nongovernmental organizations are eligible to submit a proposal and enter into WREP agreements with NRCS.  For the purposes of WREP, a nongovernmental organization is an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.  Individual landowners may not submit WREP proposals through this submission process.  However, once a WREP agreement has been entered into by NRCS and the partner, eligible landowners may apply for WREP through their local NRCS office.  As part of the WREP agreement, approved partners may also help facilitate the submission of landowner applications, provide additional technical or financial assistance to landowners, and provide other resources as defined in the agreement.

Benefits to the partners in WREP agreements include—

· Involvement in wetland protection, restoration, and enhancement in high-priority areas.

· Ability to cost-share restoration or enhancement components beyond those required by 

         NRCS.

· Opportunity to leverage funding to critical resource concerns.

· Opportunity to target outreach and enrollment based on priorities identified by partners

         and supported by NRCS.

· Opportunity to use innovative restoration methods and practices.

· Ability to maximize habitat benefits on new and existing enrollments.

· Ability of partners to utilize their expertise in easement acquisition and restoration to assist NRCS with achieving wetland protection and restoration goals

**Availability of Funding:**  NRCS is announcing the availability of up to $20 million in financial assistance (FA) and technical assistance (TA) funds through the FY 2023 WREP announcement.  For WREP, funds are available nationwide to eligible participants through approved partnership projects. Proposals will be selected, and agreements executed by the date listed in the attached timeline. 

**FY 2023 WREP Funding Options, Match Requirements and Performance Targets:**

In FY 2023, NRCS will make up to $20 million in WREP funds available.  **Proposals must be limited to $5 million federal dollars.**  Proposal budgets should include a breakdown of project activities and indicate whether the source of funds is NRCS FA, NRCS TA or partner contributions towards FA or TA.  Funds for partner activities may be obligated as soon as agreements are signed (if Task-Orders are a component of the Program Agreement) and with individual landowners for WRE acquisition as applications are approved.  All funds not obligated before the end of FY 2023 are not guaranteed. 

For all proposals, partners must provide a 10 percent cash and/or in-kind match towards easement acquisition due diligence costs or actual easement restoration costs.

· Partner contributions cannot be used towards actual easement acquisition (easement purchase).  

· Funds to be used for outreach activities completed under this agreement are limited to no more than 15 percent of the overall partner contribution and must be identified as TA match.  

NRCS will make funds available for agreements that will result in new enrollments of eligible land under a permanent easement, a 30-year easement, or a 30-year contract on acreage owned by Indian Tribes.  

· **FA funds** for acquisition will be provided directly to the eligible landowner(s) through an appropriate enrollment agreement 

· **FA funds** for easement acquisition due diligence costs or actual restoration costs may be obligated to a project partner through a WREP Program Agreement, vendors, or other partners through standard obligation processes. 

· **TA funds**for performance of activities to support enrollment, due diligence, acquisition, planning, and restoration activities may also be obligated to a project partner through a WREP Program Agreement.  These activities may include, but are not limited to, assisting with obtaining, reviewing, and summarizing title or environmental search products; assisting NRCS staff in evaluating and documenting land eligibility; and planning and/or design of the ACEP-WRE project restoration in accordance with NRCS planning procedures and practice standards and specifications.  

Proposals that provide the maximum partner resources and assistance with enrolling Historically Underserved landowners as indicated in the **Attachment C- WREP Evaluation Sheet Form** will be given higher consideration in the selection process.  Partners may also provide incentives to landowners to participate in WREP; however, incentive payments are not considered as part of the match requirement.  Incentives include signup bonuses, practice incentive payments, or similar activities not funded through ACEP-WRE.

**REMINDERS**: 

· Proposals must be limited to $5 million dollars.

· All agreements should be for three years.

· If proposal receives points for any ranking criteria which requires positive actions by the partner, then each of those criteria must be met and documented in the annual report. 

· Partners should explain outreach and support plans in detail to ensure maximum points.  

· For projects that include new enrollments, the target should be a minimum of 50% of all funded new enrollments should be from HU landowners, including socially disadvantaged.  Proposals should focus on strategies to ensure robust outreach to these groups using a variety of techniques to be successful.  

· All performance related items will be clearly defined in the Program Agreement and agreed to by both parties.  

· Partners will be required to submit an annual report to the lead NRCS state contact and Easement Programs Division (EPD) describing all accomplishments, failure to submit an annual report within 30 days of the end of the FY (September 30) could impact future funding.  

**Proposal Requirements, Submission, Review and Notification:**  The potential partner must submit proposal by email to the appropriate State contact listed above.  The proposal submission must be on Attachment D – WREP FY 2023 Proposal Template and address all criteria outlined on the template.   

NRCS will review, evaluate, and rank proposals based on the criteria set forth in the template.  The WREP FY 2023 Proposal Template is the only document NRCS will use in the evaluation process. The State Conservationist or Director will conduct the initial evaluation of the proposal and will then forward recommended proposals to the NRCS National Headquarters (NHQ) by the date listed in the attached timeline for final review and selection.  Prior to submission of recommended proposals to NHQ, State Conservationists and Directors may contact partners to provide input into the proposal if changes are needed.  Potential partners should note that, depending upon available funding and agency priorities, NRCS may offer less financial or technical assistance than the amount requested in the proposal and may require adjustments to the proposal as a condition of recommendation for approval.   

If a project is multistate in scope, the proposal must be sent to the State Conservationist or Director in which most of the project area is located; however, the partner is also responsible for obtaining input from all affected State Conservationists or Directors in developing the proposal.  

Partners whose proposals are selected will receive an official letter of notification.  Upon notification of selection, the partner should contact the appropriate State Conservationists or Director to develop the required agreement and determine other project implementation requirements.  

Incomplete proposals and those that do not meet the requirements set forth in this notice will not be considered, and written notification to this effect will be provided.  Partner submissions of proposals that are not selected will also be provided written notification. Partner proposals may be withdrawn by written notice to the appropriate State Conservationist or Director at any time prior to selection or execution.  

**For more information on WREP**

Please visit the National WREP Website: Wetland Reserve Enhancement Partnership (WREP) | NRCS (usda.gov)

**Partner Proposal Workshop**

There will be a virtual Partner Proposal Workshop on August 17, 2023, to discuss FY2023 program, ranking criteria. Partners interested in attending this workshop, please e-mail Lisa McCauley, at lisa.mccauley@usda.gov.  This session will be recorded, and the recording will be made available on the National WREP Website after the session has concluded.

**State Conservationist or Director Proposal Review:**  Partners must submit complete proposals by the date listed in the attached timeline to the appropriate State Conservationist or Director, who will evaluate proposals for—

(1) Potential duplication of efforts with other projects or existing programs.

(2) Adherence to, and consistency with, proposal requirements and program regulation, including requirements related to land and landowner eligibility and other program requirements.

(3) Expected benefits for project implementation in their States.

(4) Other issues or concerns of which the State Conservationist or Director is aware that should be considered.

(5) General recommendation for denial or approval of the project.

If a project is multistate in scope, the State in which the majority of the project area is located will be the lead State responsible for reviewing the proposal and submitting recommendations to NHQ.  The lead State will ensure that the other affected States have been fully informed of the proposals and provided an opportunity for input.  

**National Review and Selection of Proposals:**  The appropriate State Conservationist or Director will review all proposals and forward recommendations, with justification, to EPD by the date listed attached timeline for review and selection.  

**Proposals will be reviewed and selected in early FY2023**.  

**Program Agreement:**  Upon proposal selection, NRCS will enter into a WREP Program Agreement with the partner(s) as the mechanism for partner participation in WREP.  At a minimum, the agreement will address—

(a) The role of the partner.

(b) The role of NRCS.

(c) The format and frequency of reports that is required as a condition of the agreement.

(d) The plan of work and budget to identify NRCS and partner contribution, as well as other funding sources (if applicable) for financial or technical assistance.

(e) The specified project schedule and timeframe.

(f) If TA funds are part of the agreement, they will be obligated under an associated Task Order with the partner or with a third party.

(g) Other requirements deemed necessary by NRCS to achieve purposes of the ACEP-WRE.

**Landowner Applications and Eligibility Requirements:**  Once NRCS selects a partner’s proposal, landowners within the selected project area may submit an application directly to NRCS for participation in ACEP-WRE.  Individual landowner applications will be evaluated and ranked along with other applications in the WREP project area, watershed, or geographic project area, when applicable, to ensure that the properties selected for funding will achieve project objectives.  

All projects funded through WREP must meet all ACEP-WRE eligibility and program requirements and all transactions will be processed through normal contracting procedures.  The land eligibility criteria for WREP are the same as for AEP-WRE and are listed in 7 CFR Section 1468.30.  Wetland restoration and enhancement actions will be designed to improve water quality and maximize wildlife habitat benefits and wetland functions and values in accordance with the ACEP-WRE regulation, 7 CFR Part 1468, and NRCS conservation practice standards and specifications.  Additionally, the successful restoration of land and the resultant wetland values must take into consideration the cost of such restoration, as required by the ACEP statute and reflected in the ACEP regulation at 7 CFR Part 1468, Subpart C. Proposals must conform to the ACEP-WRE guidelines for restoration and management of lands subject to an ACEP-WRE easement.

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