Source: http://www.epa.gov/oppt/p2home/pubs/archive/srap09.htm
Timestamp: 2013-05-21 11:17:27
Document Index: 585235129

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 30', 'arts 30', 'art 30', 'art 31', 'art 32', 'arts 30', 'art 30']

FY'09 RFP for Source Reduction Assistance Grant Program | Pollution Prevention | US EPA
FY '09 RFP for the Source Reduction Assistance Grant Program
FY 2009 Request for Proposals for the Source Reduction Assistance Grant Program for Nine of the Environmental Protection Agency's Regional Pollution Prevention Program Offices
Q&A's on the Requirement to Provide Estimates of Outcomes for Proposed Grant and Cooperative Agreement Projects and To Track Progress
Sponsoring Agency and Office: Nine of the Environmental Protection Agency's Regional Pollution Prevention Program
Offices Funding Opportunity Title: Source Reduction Assistance
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66. 717
Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-HQ-OPPT-09-08
Submission Date: To be considered for funding, hard copy and electronic proposals must be
submitted to the appropriate Region(s) listed in Section VII by Tuesday, May 26, 2009. Proposals received after the deadline will not be considered for funding (refer to Section IV for additional submission
information). OVERVIEW
EPA annually awards grants and cooperative agreements under
the Source Reduction Assistance (SRA) Grant Program to support pollution
prevention/source reduction and/or resource conservation projects that reduce
or eliminate pollution at the source. The grant program does not support projects
that rely on reducing pollution by using recycling, treatment, disposal or energy recovery activities. This Request for
Proposals announces that nine of EPA's Regional Pollution Prevention (P2)
Program Offices anticipate having up to approximately $130,000 per region to issue SRA awards in FY
2009 - FY 2010. [1]EPA will issue awards in the form of grants
and/or cooperative agreements. Award
funds will be managed by the nine EPA Regional P2 Program Offices participating
in this announcement. Note: EPA Region 8 has
developed a grant announcement independent of this one. The Region will not award grants or
cooperative agreements under this announcement and no awards for projects
conducted in Region 8 will be made under this announcement. For more information on the announcement
developed by EPA Region 8, please visit http://www.epa.gov/region08/grants. Eligible Applicants: Eligible applicants include the fifty States,
the District of Columbia, the United States Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the United States, local
governments, city or township governments, independent school districts,
incorporated non-profit organizations (other than institutions of higher
education), public and private institutions of higher education,
community-based grassroots organizations, and Indian Tribes and Intertribal
Consortia. Individuals,
for-profit businesses andnon-profit
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 of 1995 are ineligible to apply for funding. Top of page
solicitation includes the following information: Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
Attachment A Sample Cover Page Attachment B Guidance for Submitting Expected P2
Attachment C Project Timeline Samples Attachment D Sample Itemized Budget Detail Guidance
I. Funding Opportunity Description: Nine of EPA's Regional Pollution Prevention (P2)
Program Offices (herein referred to as the Regions) are
announcing the availability of SRA awards. EPA anticipates having up to approximately $130,000
available per region to support projects involving pollution
prevention/source reduction and/or resource conservation activities during FY
2009 - FY 2010. [2] Note: Region 8 will not award grants or cooperative
agreements under this announcement and no awards for projects conducted in
Region 8 will be made under this announcement. For more information on the
announcement developed by EPA Region 8, please visit http://www.epa.gov/region08/grants. A. Introduction: This announcement describes how EPA will
award the grants and/or cooperative
agreements under the SRA Grant Program. Applicants are advised to carefully read
this announcement as it provides important information on the requirements and
goals of the program, the evaluation criteria used to review proposals,
proposal submission requirements, and award selection. Under the
SRA Grant Program, EPA will provide grants and cooperative agreements to fund
pollution prevention (source reduction and resource conservation)
activities. EPA
is interested in funding projects that assist in reducing hazardous
substances, pollutants, or contaminants entering waste streams or otherwise
released into the environment (including fugitive emissions) prior to recycling, treatment, disposal
or energy recovery activities. B. Grant
Program Requirements: This section
summarizes grant policies and
requirements. Many of these requirements
are further discussed in other sections of this announcement including Sections
III, IV and V. Eligible
Applicants: Eligible applicants
include the fifty States, the District of Columbia, the United States Virgin
Islands, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, any territory or possession of the
United States, local governments, city or township governments, independent
school districts, incorporated non-profit organizations (other than
institutions of higher education), public and private institutions of higher
education, community-based grassroots organizations, and Indian Tribes and
Intertribal Consortia. Individuals, for-profit businesses andnon-profit organizations described inSection 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying
activities as defined in Section 3 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 are
ineligible to apply for funding. Note: Eligible
non-profit organizations must be able to demonstrate their non-profit status with
appropriate documentation by the time of award. Criteria for
Pollution Prevention/Source Reduction and Resource Conservation: Pollution
Prevention/Source Reduction: Under this announcement, the term "pollution prevention" also means "source reduction" and refers to any practice which reduces or eliminates the creation of pollutants through: increased efficiency in the use of raw materials, energy, water, or other natural resources, or protection of natural resources by conservation activities. Pollution prevention/source reduction does not include any practice which alters the
physical, chemical, or biological characteristics or the volume of a hazardous
substance, pollutant, or contaminant through a process or activity which itself
is not integral to and necessary for the production of a product or the
providing of a service. Projects which apply any of these practices
will not be eligible for funding. Examples of acceptable pollution
prevention/source reduction projects include, but are not limited to: equipment or technology modifications,
process or procedure modifications, reformulation or redesign of products,
substitution of raw materials, improvements in housekeeping, maintenance,
training, and inventory control. Note: Pollution prevention includes what is commonly called "in-process
recycling". Although these kinds of
recycling activities share many of the advantages of prevention (e. g. , reducing
the need for end-of-pipe treatment and promoting energy and resource
conservation), they are distinct and separate activities managed by EPA's
Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery and are not eligible for funding
under this grant announcement. For more
information on recycling, please go to EPA's recycling website at http://www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/rrr/recycle.htm. Resource
Conservation: The term "resource
conservation" refers to any activity that prevents pollution by reducing the
use of toxic chemicals, and/or conserving energy, water and materials. EPA
Statutory Authorities for SRA Awards: SRA
grants and cooperative agreements will be awarded under the following EPA
statutory authorities: Clean Air Act,
Section 103(b), as amended; Clean Water Act, Section 104(b)(3), as amended;
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, Section 20, as amended;
Safe Drinking Water Act, Section 1442 (a)(1) and (c), as amended; Solid Waste
Disposal Act, Section 8001(a), as amended; and Toxic Substances Control Act,
Section 10, as amended. Note: Projects must consist of activities within the statutory terms of these
EPA authorities. The statutes authorize
EPA to award grants or cooperative agreements for the following
activities: "research, investigations,
experiments, training, demonstration of new or innovative techniques, surveys
and studies. " These activities relate
generally to the gathering or transferring of information or advancing
awareness. Proposals should emphasize
this "learning" concept, as opposed to "fixing" an environmental problem using
a well-established method. For example, a proposal to install a more energy efficient
heating system in the applicant's facility in order to conserve energy, would
not fall within research, studies, demonstrations, etc. All activities in the applicant's
proposal must be eligible under one or more of the statutory
authorities. EPA
will not fund projects that focus on recycling, treatment, disposal and/or
energy recovery activities. Programmatic Capability: Applicants are
required to describe their ability to successfully complete and achieve the
goals of the proposed project(s). To do
so, the applicant must address these topics: Experience Achieving Project
Objectives: Describe how the applicant's organizational
experience and resources support the successful completion of the proposed
project. Also, describe if and how the applicant participates in
the National Pollution Prevention Results Data System. The System collects P2 measures on a national
basis and reflects the applicant's overall ability to measure and demonstrate
P2 achievements. For more information
visit: http://www.p2rx.org/services/measurement.cfm; and,
Staff Qualifications: Describe how the applicant's staff has the
qualifications and knowledge to successfully accomplish the proposed project. Cost Sharing and Matching
Requirements: EPA requires
the applicant to provide a minimum 5% match, as part of the total allowable
project cost. For example, the Federal
government will provide 95% of the total allowable cost of the project and the
recipient will provide the remaining 5%. The match may be issued in the form of cash and/or in-kind
contributions, e. g. , donated services, charges for real property and equipment
or the value of goods and services directly benefiting the EPA funded
project. Proposals which do not describe
the 5% match will not be reviewed or considered for funding.
Note: Insular area applicants in the U. S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam
and the Northern Mariana Islands are advised to contact the applicable regional
P2 contact in EPA Region 2 or 9 to determine if cost share requirements will be
waived in all or in part, as authorized by the Omnibus Territories Act of 1977,
as amended, 48 U. S. C. Section 1469a. Refer to Section VII to contact the applicable Region.
Period: No more than two years. Alignment
with EPA's Environmental Results Policy: Applicants are required to describe outcome
and output environmental measurement efforts in their proposals. The term "outcome," as defined by the Agency,
refers to the result, effect or consequence that will occur from carrying out
an environmental program or activity that is related to an environmental or
programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes
may be environmental, behavioral, health-related or programmatic in nature and
must be able to be quantified. The term
"output," as defined by the Agency, refers to an environmental activity or
effort and associated work product related to an environmental goal or
objective that will be produced or provided over a period of time or by a
specified date. Outputs may be
quantitative or qualitative, but must be measurable during the assistance
agreement funding period. [3] Examples of outcome measures
expected to be achieved under the award include, but are not limited to: Pounds
of hazardous materials reduced,
of energy conserved, Gallons
of water saved, and
saved through P2 efforts. Note: In 2010, EPA is
substituting a measure of million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent
(MMTCO2e) reduced for the measure of BTUs of energy conserved. Beginning this grant cycle, EPA is providing
grantees with a calculator and associated guidance for computing MMTCO2e that
converts BTUs and kilowatts of energy, pounds of chemicals with high global
warming potential, and units of fuels to MMTCO2e. For this grant cycle, if grantees report
results in units of energy, chemicals, or fuels, EPA will use the calculator to
make the MMTCO2e conversions for tracking, in preparation for the switch to the
MMTCO2e measure in 2010. Examples of output measures
expected to be achieved under the award include, but are not limited to: Number of stakeholder groups involved in the
Number of assistance visits, Number of workshops, trainings and courses
Number of fact sheets developed or
distributed. Work Plan Measurement Elements: To ensure that an
environmental measurement strategy is incorporated into the proposal,
applicants will need to submit a Work Plan that includes the following elements (for a complete description of the applicant's Work Plan refer to Section
IV. D. 3. b): Numeric estimates of
expected P2 results per project;
relevant data collection methods (e. g. , surveys,pre/post tests, participant reporting
arrangements); A description of the
equations, factors and assumptions used to calculate the estimated pollution
prevention results;
An itemized budget that reflects the resources needed to pay for measurement and reporting
activities. In some cases this
may require 10-20% of the proposed budget; [4] and,
A project timeline that
includes data collection and evaluation activities supporting environmental
with EPA's Strategic Plan: The Pollution Prevention program's goals in
the Agency's 2006-2011 Strategic
Plan are located in Goal 5: Objective 5. 2: Improve Environmental Performance
Through Pollution Prevention and the Adoption of Other Stewardship Practices,
Sub-Objective 5. 2. 1 Prevent Pollution and Promote Environmental Stewardship by
Business, Government and the Public. SRA
proposals must note a commitment to and work towards the following five
long-term goals of EPA's Pollution Prevention Program. Strategic
Targets: By 2011, reduce 4. 5 billion pounds of hazardous
materials cumulatively compared to the 2000 baseline of 44
million pounds reduced. By 2011, reduce, conserve, or offset 31. 5 trillion
British Thermal Units (BTUs) cumulatively compared to the 2002 baseline of 0
BTUs reduced, conserved, or offset. By 2011, reduce water use by 19 billion gallons
cumulatively compared to the 2000 baseline of 220 million gallons reduced. By 2011, save $791. 9 million through pollution
prevention improvements in business, institutional, and governmental costs
cumulatively compared to the 2002 baseline of $0. 0 saved. For more information, go to http://www.epa.gov/ocfopage/plan/2006/goal_5.pdf and scroll to page 129. Past
Performance: Applicants are required to describe their past
performance regarding grant management/performance and compliance with
reporting requirements. To do so, the
applicant must submit a list of Federally-funded agreements (assistance agreements
include Federal grants and cooperative agreements, but not Federal contracts)
similar in size, scope and relevance to the proposed project that they
performed within the last three years (no more than 5 agreements, and
preferably EPA agreements), and address the three items listed below for each
such agreement. Experience Managing Grants: Describe the applicant's past performance in
completing and managing the agreements;
Experience Meeting Reporting
Requirements: Describe the applicant's history of
meeting reporting requirements under the agreements including submission
offinal technical reports; and,
Experience Reporting Expected
Results: Describe whether the applicant
adequately documented and/or reported on achieving the expected results (e. g. ,
outcomes and outputs) under the agreements. If such progress was notmade,
indicate whether and how the applicant documented and/or reported why not. Note: Applicants with no relevant or available past
performance or reporting history will receive a neutral score for these factors in accordance with the evaluation
process in Section V. Top of page
C. Region-Specific
Priorities: The following regional priorities are
provided to highlight specific environmental issues/projects/programs of
interest to the Regions participating in this announcement. Proposal activities must relate to research,
investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations of new or innovative
techniques, surveys and/or studies. When submitting proposals, applicants must apply to the Region(s) where they plan to conduct the project
(refer to Section IV, Part A on how to submit a proposal). For a list of States and/or territories
represented by the participating Regions, please refer to Section
VII. Note: Any
projects under this announcement proposed to be performed in Region 8 will be
rejected. Region 1 Promote P2
projects that use source reduction techniques and strategies (e. g. , toxic use
reduction, energy efficiency, environmentally preferable purchasing, low impact
development, lean manufacturing) and achieve measurable results in reducing
pollution and hazardous waste, conserving energy and water use, and saving
Promote P2 projects that use source reduction techniques
and strategies to reduce pounds of pollution, conserve water and energy, reduce
GHGemissions, and save money; Promote energy conservation and renewable energy
projects that reduce GHG emissions; Promote P2 assistance to the hospitality or autobody
sector; Promote low-impact infrastructure strategies to address
Green the supply chain with lean manufacturing
Use source reduction to reduce priority and emerging
chemicals identified by EPA including persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic
chemicals. Region 2�
Promote projects that
prevent pollution through the use of sustainable tools (e. g. , Design for the
Environment, green chemistry, green engineering, environmental management
systems, environmentally preferable purchasing), and achieve measurable results
in reducing energy use, and/or green house gases, hazardous materials,
conserving water or saving money; and/or Promote projects that
address the above criteria and focus on the hospitality, pharmaceutical, health
care sectors and colleges/universities campuses; and/or in the geographical
areas of Puerto Rico and the U. S. Virgin
Islands. Region 3
Promote P2 projects
that use source reduction techniques and strategies to reducepounds of pollution, conserve water and/or
energy, reduce greenhouse gases, and save money;
Promote P2 and
sustainability assistance to colleges and universities, and
Promote P2 through the
integration of Regional Sustainable Partnerships Initiative by encouraging
voluntary partnerships and providing analysis of P2 source reduction. Region 4
Implement P2 projects focusing on the following sectors: agriculture; chemical and manufacturing industries; hospitality and/or
municipalities and institutions. Within
these sectors, the Region is especially interested in projects that focus on
water conservation, energy conservation and/or renewable energy;
Maintain and strengthen coordinated State P2 programs, which
include utilization of environmental leadership programs and/or environmental
Improve the utilization of P2 assistance delivery techniques such
as P2 student intern programs, retired engineer technical assistance programs,
lean techniques in manufacturing and service organizations, or other direct P2
assistance to businesses; and/or
Promote projects that integrate P2 and compliance assistance
objectives. Region 5�
Incorporate improved
measurement methods including carbon equivalent reductions into P2 projects;
Apply/disseminate
sustainability tools and practices that incorporate green building,
environmentally preferable purchasing, energy conservation or water
Implement P2
opportunities in green venues, the hospitality sector or the healthcare sector;
and/or Green the industrial
supply chain with lean manufacturing practices. Region 6����� Integrate P2 into Compliance Assistance - promote
projects that look for ways to use P2 techniques in a compliance assistance
setting; Local Governments/Municipal/ Tribal - promote projects
that assist entities in using P2 techniques and/or strategies to impact their
operations such as development and implementation of an Environmental
Management Systemgreen
building/purchasing or other P2 related activity; Public Consumption - promote projects that emphasize the
impact that individual consumption has on the world and how P2 can impact those
decisions; Regulatory Integration of P2 Programs - promote projects
that integrate the ability to use P2 in statutory and/or regulatory programs in
compliance assistance decisions; Energy - Sources/Conservation - promote projects that
advance energy conservation, reduce GHG emissions or promote the development �of new renewable energy sources; and/or
Water Quality/Conservation - promote projects that
advance improved water quality and/or conservation of water resources. Region 7� Promote pollution
prevention projects that use source reduction to reduce pounds of hazardous
wastes/substances; conserve water; conserve energy; reduce greenhouse gases and
conservation and renewable energy projects that reduce greenhouse gases;
utilization of pollution prevention assistance delivery techniques such as
pollution prevention student intern programs or other direct pollution
prevention assistance to business;
Utilize voluntary
environmental leadership programs such as National Partnership for
Environmental Priorities (including Priority Chemicals and emerging chemicals),
Partnership for Sustainable Healthcare, Resource Conservation Challenge, Design
for the Environment, Sustainable Infrastructure, environmental management
systems and/or Performance Track to leverage successes or add benefits to
national/regional pollution prevention goals and achieve measurable results in
reducing energy use, hazardous materials, conserving water and/or saving money. Region
Support the Strategic
Plan for EPA's P2 Program sector focus areas: Electronics, Chemical & Manufacturing
Industries, Hospitality, Buildings & Construction (especially residential
areas and schools); Promote energy
conservation and renewable energy projects that reduceGHG emissions; Build national and
regional partnerships to target specific P2 opportunities with businesses,
communities, tribes and healthcare; and/or
Work with State P2
programs to provide P2 technical assistance and information resources for
facilities and communities. Region 10 ����� Promote projects that prevent the production
and/or emission of GHGs; and/or
Promote projects that provide P2 technical
assistance to chemical and�manufacturing industries. Top of page
II. Award Information. EPA
SRA awards in the form
of grants and/or cooperative agreements. If a cooperative agreement is awarded, the degree of involvement by the
EPA will be determined by the Region(s). EPA anticipates having up to approximately $130,000 available per
region (for Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10) to fund source
reduction/pollution prevention and/or resource conservation projects during FY
2009 - FY 2010. All of the forgoing
estimates are subject to the availability of appropriations. EPA anticipates awards will be in the
range of $10,000 - $130,000. EPA
estimates it will receive approximately 150 grant proposals and issue
approximately 30 awards. In addition, EPA reserves the right to
make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with Agency policy,
if additional funding becomes available after the original selections. Any additional selections for awards will be
made no later than six months from the date of the original selections. A. Partial
Funding: In appropriate circumstances, EPA reserves the
right to partially fund proposals by funding discrete activities, portions, or
phases of the proposed project. If EPA
decides to partially fund a proposal, it will do so in a manner that does not
prejudice any applicants or affect the basis upon which the proposal, or
portion thereof, was evaluated and selected for award, and that maintains the
integrity of the competition and the evaluation/selection process. Note: In order to be
considered for partial funding, proposals must have clearly delineated
activities or phases with separate budget estimates for each activity/phase of
the project. All awards will be consistent with
the applicable EPA regulations and policies. EPA reserves the right to reject all proposals and issue no awards
under this announcement, or issue fewer awards than anticipated. B. Funding Restrictions: Award funds may only be used for the purposes
set forth in the assistance agreement and must be consistent with one or more
of the statutory authorities listed in Section I. B. 3. Award funds may not be used for matching
funds for other Federal assistance agreements, lobbying, or intervention in
Federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. In addition, the funds may not be used to sue the Federal government or
any other government entity. All costs
identified in the budget must conform to applicable Federal cost principles
contained in OMB Circular A-87; A-122; and A-21, as appropriate. EPA will subtract proposed ineligible costs
from the final approved budget. C. Type of Assistance
Instrument: EPA will fund selected proposals in the form of grants
and/or cooperative agreements. EPA will
award cooperative agreements for those projects in which it expects to have
substantial technical interaction with the recipient throughout the performance
of the project. For such projects, EPA
may review and approve project phases, review and approve substantive terms of
subgrants and contracts, collaborate with the recipient on the scope of work
and mode of operation of the project, closely monitor the recipient's
performance, approve any proposed changes to the Work Plan and/or budget,
approve qualifications of key personnel, and review and comment on reports
prepared under the assistance agreement. EPA will not be substantially involved in the performance of grants. D. Proper use of SRA Award Funds: To
ensure the proper use of award funds, the following requirements must be
followed: 1. Subgrants
and Subawards: EPA will award funds
to one eligible applicant as the recipient even if other eligible applicants
are named as partners or co-applicants or members of a coalition or
consortium. The recipient is accountable
to EPA for the proper expenditure of funds. Funding
may be used to provide subgrants or subawards of financial assistance, which
includes using subawards or subgrants to fund partnerships, provided the
recipient complies with applicable requirements for subawards or subgrants
including those contained in 40 CFRParts 30 or 31, as appropriate. 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 CFR Parts 30 or 31, as appropriate. The regulations also contain limitations on
consultant compensation. Applicants are
consultants) in their proposal/application. However, if they do, the fact that an applicant selected for award has
named a specific subawardee/subgrantee, contractor, or consultant in the
proposal/application EPA selects for funding does not relieve the applicant of
its obligations to comply with subaward/subgrant and/or competitive procurement
requirements as appropriate. Note: Applicants may not award sole source contracts
to consulting, engineering or other firms assisting applicants with the
proposal solely based on the firm's role in preparing the proposal/application. Successful applicants cannot use subgrants or subawards to
for-profit organizations to carry out its assistance agreement. The nature of the transaction between the
recipient and the subawardee or subgrantee must be consistent with the
standards for distinguishing between vendor transactions and subrecipient
assistance under Subpart B Section . 210 of OMB Circular A-133, and the
definitions of subaward at 40 CFR 30. 2(ff) or subgrant at 40 CFR 31. 3, as
applicable. EPA will not be a party to
these transactions. Applicants acquiring
commercial goods or services must comply with the competitive procurement
standards in 40 CFR Part 30 or 40 CFR Part 31. 36 and cannot use a
subaward/subgrant as the funding mechanism. Top of page
III. Eligibility Information: Eligible applicants include the fifty States,
Consortia. Individuals, for-profit businesses
andnon-profit organizations described
in Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying
ineligible to apply for funding. A. Threshold Program
Requirements: Proposals must meet
the Threshold Program Requirements identified below (as well as the cost match requirements
described below) to be considered for funding. Proposals that fail to meet all of the requirements will be rejected. EPA will notify applicants within
15 calendar days of ineligibility: Projects must apply the criteria for P2/Source�Reduction (Section I. B. 2). Projects must be for no more than 2 years (Section I. B. 6). Projects must align with EPA's Strategic Plan (Section I. B. 9). Projects must address at least one of the Regional
Priorities that apply to the Region where the applicant will perform the
project (Section I. C). Projects proposed in EPA Region 8
will not be considered for funding. Threshold Submission
Requirements: Proposals must substantially comply
with the proposal submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section
IV of this announcement or else they will be rejected. However,
where a page limit is expressed in Section IV with respect to the Narrative
Proposal (10 pages), pages in excess of the page limit will not be reviewed. Proposals must be received by the Region(s)
as specified in Section IV of this announcement, on or before the proposal
submission deadline provided in Section IV. A of this announcement. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their proposal reaches the
Region(s) by the submission deadline. Proposals
received after the submission deadline will be considered late and returned to
the sender without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly
demonstrate that it was late due to EPA mishandling. For hard copy and e-mailed submissions, where Section IV
requires proposal receipt by a specific person/office by the submission
deadline, receipt by an agency mailroom is not sufficient. Applicants should confirm receipt of their proposal
with the applicable Region(s) noted in Section VII of this announcement as soon
as possible after the submission deadline-failure to do so may result in your
proposal not being reviewed. B. Cost Sharing and Matching
project cost, in order to receive an award. For example, the Federal government will provide 95% of the total
allowable cost of the project and the recipient will provide the remaining
5%. The match may be issued in the form
of cash and/or in-kind contributions, e. g. , donated services, charges for real
property and equipment or the value of goods and services directly benefiting
the EPA funded project. Proposals which
do not describe how the 5% match requirement will be met will not be reviewed
or considered for funding. Note: Insular area applicants in the U. S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam
as amended, 48 U. S. C. Section 1469a. Refer to Section VII to locate the applicable Region(s). Top of page
Information: The grant application process is a two-step process involving a grant proposal package, followed by
an application package. First, the applicant submits a
proposal package that includes the following items: a Cover Page, a Narrative Proposal, an SF 424
form, Letters of Support, and Key Contact information. In Section D below instructions are provided
for preparing each item and accessing the forms. Eligible proposals that merit further
consideration based on the criteria provided in Section V will advance to the
second phase. Under the second
phase, the applicant will be contacted by the Region(s) and asked to submit an
application package. Only those
applicants who are asked to complete an application package will be considered
for an SRA award. Application packages
include additional Federal forms and supporting documentation. An application package should not be submitted at this time. The following
section provides important information on the submission deadline, the two
types of proposal submission methods to use (hard copy or electronic), the
format of the proposal, and the content to include in the proposal. A. Submission Date: To be considered for funding, hard copy and
electronic proposals must be received by the appropriate Region(s) listed in
Section VII by
May 26, 2009. Proposals
received after the deadline will not be considered for funding (refer to
Section IV for additional submission information). B. Proposal Submission
Methods: Applicants may choose to submit proposals in one of two ways. If applying with a hard copy submission,
please follow the instructions under "Hard Copy Submission" (refer to Section
IV. E below). If applying electronically via
e-mail, please follow the instructions in Section IV. F below. C. Proposal
Length and Format: Narrative
Proposals as described in Section D. 3 below must be no more than 10 single spaced pages (i. e. , a page
equals one side). Proposals longer than
10 pages will only be reviewed up to the page limit. Proposals must be readable in PDF, MS Word or Word
Perfect WP6/7/8 for Windows in English. D. Proposal
Package Content: The proposal package contains the Cover Page,
Federal Assistance form (SF-424), Narrative Proposal, Letters of Support, and
Key Contact information. The page limit
applies to the Narrative Proposal only. Cover Page: The Cover Page contains the following
Grant Program title;
number of this announcement;
Total funding of project
and requested funding of project; and,
information (i. e. , name of applicant, name of organization, mailing address,
phone number, fax number, and e-mail address). Attachment
A provides a sample cover page. The
Cover Page does not count toward the page limit requirement. Application
for Federal Assistance (SF-424): To
download the form go to http://www.epa.gov/ogd/AppKit/form/SF424.pdf. When filling out form SF-424, applicants are required to provide
a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)
number. Applicants may obtain a DUNS
number by calling the toll-free DUNS number request line at
1-866-705-5711. Alternatively,
applicants may also request a DUNS number online by going to http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform and
following the instructions for a grant. Narrative Proposal: The Narrative Proposal includes parts a and b below. The Narrative Proposal is
subject to the proposal page limit described above. Project Narrative: The Project
Narrative must address how the proposal meets the
Threshold Program Requirements described in Section III. A,
and must also include information addressing the Programmatic Capability (Section I. B. 4) and Past Performance
requirements (Section I. B. 10) in
order to receive an evaluation score
as described in Section V. Work Plan: The Work Plan addresses the strategy,
environmental measures,financial
aspects, and timeframe of the proposed project(s) as described below and in Section I. B. 8: Project Strategy: Describe
the following elements of the project(s): The environmental and health issue(s) defining the project(s), and note
how the project(s) will address one or more of the regional priorities (this
applies to the Region(s) where the applicant is proposing to perform the
project) (Section I. C); and,
The target audience of the project. Environmental Measures: Applicants will need to provide the
following information: Provide qualitative and quantitative estimates of expected outcomes and
outputs of project activities in the Work Plan. (Refer to Section I. B. 7 for examples of outcomes and outputs);
Describe relevant data collection methods (e. g. , surveys,
pre/post tests, participant reporting arrangements);
Provide numeric estimates of expected
pollution prevention results per project;
a description of equations, factors and assumptions
used to calculate the estimated pollution prevention results; and,
Provide a plan for tracking the applicant's
progress towards achieving the expected project outcomes and outputs (Section I. B. 7). Note: For proposals that
include more than one project, measurement information must be provided for one or more of the proposed projects. For general guidance, refer to Pre-proposal Assistance on Environmental
Measurement (Section IV. I). Applicants may also reference Attachment
B to measure and document estimates on outcomes. Budget Detail: The budget must comply with the 5% CostSharing and Matching Requirements (Sections I. B. 5 and III. C). The budget must also reflect the resources needed to pay for measurement and reporting
may require 10- 20% of the proposed budget. For an example of a detailed budget, refer to Attachment D. Management Fees: When formulating a budgetapplicants may not include
costs at the rate approved by their audit agency, or at the rate provided for
in the terms of the assistance agreement negotiated with EPA. The term "management fees or similar charges"
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 that are not allowable under EPA grants or cooperative
agreements. Management fees or similar charges may not be used to improve or
expand the project funded under the grant or cooperative agreement, except to
the extent authorized as a direct cost of carrying out the Work Plan. Compensation for Consultants: The use of EPAfinancial assistance compensation for
consultants is limited to the daily equivalent of the rate paid to Federal
employees at the ES-IV level (refer to 40 CFR Sections 30. 27 (b) and 31. 36
(j)). Project
Timeline: A project timeline of no more than two
years(Section I. B. 6) should reflect key project tasks and deliverables
as well as the data collection activities that capture environmental results (Section I. B. 7). For an example of a Project Timeline,
refer to Attachment C.
Note: The applicant must
also make sure the narrative proposal addresses all of the evaluation criteria
identified in Section V to the extent they are not otherwise addressed above. �Letters
of Support: Please include Letters
of Support as part of the grant proposal. Letters of Support do not count toward the page limit
Note: Under this
competition, EPA will only consider Letters of Support. Letters of Recommendation will not be
reviewed or evaluated. For
clarification, a Letter of Recommendation is a document offering general approval of the activity. A letter of Support specifies the services that a grant partner will provide to fulfill the proposed grant work plan activities. �EPA
Form 5700-54, Key Contacts Form: To download the form go to www.epa.gov/ogd/forms/forms.htm. You are asked to identify the key personnel who will file and manage the paperwork, fund the project(s) and direct the Work Plan. The form does not count toward the page limit requirement. Top of page
Copy Submission: Applicants
choosing to submit their proposal package by hard copy must send two complete copies of it to the appropriate Region(s)
VII. EPA strongly recommends that applicants use
overnight delivery service or courier service as regular mail may be subject to
unforeseeable delays. Proposals received
after the submission date as noted in Section IV. A will not be evaluated or
considered for funding. Proposals must
be prepared in accordance with Sections IV. C and D. Note: For hard copy proposals
only: Applicants are encouraged to
send an e-mail to the Regional P2 Coordinator (listed
in Section VII) as notification that a hard copy proposal was submitted. F. �Electronic Submission: E-mail
submissions must be submitted to the applicable Region(s) noted in Section
VII and be received by the submission
deadline stated in Section IV. A of this announcement. All required documents
listed in Section IV. D of the announcement must be attached to the e-mail as
separate Adobe PDF files. Please note
that if you choose to submit your materials via e-mail, you are accepting all
risks attendant to e-mail submission including server delays and transmission
difficulties. E-mail submissions
exceeding 15MB will experience transmission delays which will affect when they
are received by the Agency. For these
size submissions, applicants should submit their application materials via
hardcopy or else they may be received late and not considered for funding. Applicants submitting their application
materials through e-mail should confirm receipt of the materials with the
applicable Region(s) as soon as possible after submission. G. Other Submission Requirements: �Confidential
Business Information: By submitting an application in response to this
the Agency for the express purpose of assisting the Agency with evaluating the
application. Information from a pending
or unsuccessful application will be kept confidential to the fullest extent
allowed under law; information from a successful application may be publicly
disclosed to the extent permitted by law.
accordance with 40 CFR 2. 203, applicants may claim all or a portion of their
application/proposal package as confidential business information. EPA will
must clearly mark applications/proposals or portions thereof that they claim as
make the inquiry to the applicant otherwise required by 40 CFR 2. 204(c)(2)
competitive selection process. Federal Requirements: If an applicant's proposal is preliminarily
selected forFederal funding during the
initial review process, the applicant will be contacted by the Region and
instructed to submit required application forms. All application forms must be filled out in their entirety, prior to being considered for
an award (refer to 40
CFR 30. 12
and 31. 10). In addition, successful
applicants will be required to certify that they have not been debarred or
suspended from participation in Federal assistance awards in accordance with 40
CFR Part 32. Intergovernmental Review: This grant program is eligible for coverage
under E. O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs. "An applicant should consult the office or
official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more
information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for
assistance, if the State has selected the program for review. If the applicant does not know who their
single point of contact is, they are advised to call the EPA Headquarters Grant
Policy Information and Training Branch at 202-564-5325 or refer to the State
Single Point of Contact web site at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. Federally-recognized
Tribal governments are not required to comply with this procedure. H. Pre-proposal/Application
Assistance and Proper Communication with Applicants: In
5700. 5A1), [5] EPA
staff may not 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 and applications. However, consistent with the provisions in
the announcement, EPA will respond to questions from applicants regarding
threshold eligibility criteria, administrative issues related to the submission
of the proposal, and requests for clarification about the announcement. I. �Pre-proposal Assistance
on Environmental Measurement: EPA has prepared a set of written questions and
answers on environmental measurement to help applicants understand why
preparing, documenting and reporting environmental measurement data (outcomes
and outputs) is important to their work; what things to measure; how to
measure; and how EPA will evaluate measurement work. The questions and answers may also be used to
augment information provided under Attachment D - Guidance for Submitting
Expected P2 Outcome Information. Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the questions and
answers as a resource when preparing their proposals. To view, go to (http://www.epa.gov/p2/pubs/grants/2008rfpqa.htm) Q&As on the
Requirements to Provide Estimates of Outcomes for Proposed Grant and
Cooperative Agreement Projects to Track Progress. J. Consideration of an Applicant's Proposed Subawardees/Subgrantees and/or Contractors
During the Evaluation Process: Section
V of the announcement describes the evaluation criteria and evaluation process
that will be used by EPA to make selections under this announcement. During this evaluation, except for those criteria that relate to the
applicant's own qualifications (i. e. , past performance and reporting history),
the review panel may consider, as appropriate and relevant, the qualifications,
expertise, and experience of: An applicant's named
subawardees/subgrantees identified in the proposal/application if the
applicant demonstrates in the proposal/application that if it receives an award
that the subaward/subgrant will be properly awarded consistent with the
applicable regulations in 40 CFR Parts 30 or 31. For example, applicants
must not use subawards/subgrants to obtain commercial services or products from
for profit firms or individual consultants; and An applicant's named contractor(s),
including consultants, identified in the proposal/application if the
applicant demonstrates in its proposal/application that the contractor(s) was
selected in compliance with the competitive Procurement Standards in 40 CFR
Part 30 or 40 CFR 31. 36 as appropriate. For example, an applicant must
demonstrate that it selected the contractor(s) competitively or that a proper
non-competitive sole-source award consistent with the regulations will be made
to the contractor(s), that efforts were made to provide small and disadvantaged
analysis was conducted. EPA may not accept sole source justifications
for contracts for services or products that are otherwise readily available in
the commercial marketplace. Note: EPA will not consider the qualifications,
experience, and expertise of named subawardees/subgrantees and/or named
contractor(s) during the proposal/application evaluation process unless the
applicant complies with these requirements. Top of page
V. Application Review Information: This section
describes the process and criteria for evaluating proposals that pass the
threshold eligibility review described in Section III. EPA will only evaluate proposals from
eligible applicants that meet the Threshold Eligibility requirements in Section III. A. Evaluation
Criteria: Proposals will be
evaluated based on the criteria below. Proposals can receive a maximum score of 100 as stated below. Each criterion includes a cross-reference to
the section of this announcement that is relevant to that criterion: Programmatic
Capability and Past Performance [30 points] Programmatic Capability (Section I. B. 4): Proposals will be evaluated based on the extent and quality to which the applicant clearly
describes their organizational experience and resources to perform and support
the successful completion of the proposed project(s). This includes their experience achieving project objectives, degree of
participation in the National Pollution Prevention Results Data System (Section I. B. 4. a) and staff
qualifications (Section I. B. 4. b.) [16 points] Past
Performance (Section I. B. 10): Proposals will be evaluated based on the
factors described in Section I. B. 10 including the extent and quality to
which the applicant demonstrates it has successfully performed and managed
Federally-funded assistance agreements (Federal grants and cooperative
agreements and not contracts) of similar size, scope and relevance to the
proposed project within the last three years and complied with reporting
requirements under these agreement including submission of acceptable final
technical reports. Also, EPA will
evaluate the extent to which the applicant adequately documented or reported on
whether it was achieving the expected results under prior grants as identified in Section I. B. 10. [14 points]
Note: In evaluating
applicants under this factor, EPA will consider the information provided by the
including agency files and prior/current grantors (e. g. , to verify and/or
supplement the information supplied by the applicant). Applicants with no
relevant or available past performance reporting history must indicate this in
the proposal and they will receive a neutral score for this factor [7 points]
Work Plan [70 points] Project
Strategy (Section I. B. 3): The Project Strategy
should be a realistic and thoughtful plan that promotes pollution prevention. EPA will consider the following criteria: [30 Points - broken out below] Environmental
and/or Public Health Concerns How well does the project strategy address one or more of
the regional priorities listed in Section
I. C? How well does the project strategy define and address the
environment and/or public health concerns, based on relevant environmental,
economic, technical, scientific and social circumstances? [15 Points]
Target Audience How well has the target audience been identified and
How well does the project strategy target a business, academic
institution, or community?
How well will the business, academic institution or
community benefit from P2 technical assistance being proposed (especially for
those businesses and communities for whom a lack of information is an
impediment to source reduction)?
How well is the target
audience prepared to apply P2 technical assistance and implement source
reduction practices? [15 Points]
Environmental Measures (Section I. B. 7 and
8): EPA will evaluate the extent and
quality to which the Work Plan presents numeric estimates of expected pollution
prevention results (outcomes and outputs) and describes
a pragmatic effort to collect, calculate, and report pollution prevention
measures. Also, to be evaluated will be the applicant's plan for tracking and
measuring its progress towards achieving the expected project outcomes and
outputs [20 points]
Budget Detail (Section I. B. 8. d): EPA will evaluate the extent to which the
detailed budget presents estimated costs for each budget object class, broken
down by project and funding source. Reviewers will also evaluate the detailed budget based on the extent to
which the costs are reasonable and necessary. Note that the detailed budget must comply with cost share requirements (Section I. B. 5) and must indicate the
cost of environmental measurement activities (Section I. B. 7). [10
Timeline: EPA will evaluate the extent to which the
project timeline reflects key project
tasks and deliverables as well as the data collection and evaluationactivities supporting environmental outcome
measures (Section I. B. 7. a). Project schedules can be no
longer than two years (Section I. B. 6). [10 points]
B. Review and
Selection Process: Review
Process: Eligible proposals will be
reviewed by the EPA Regional review panel. The review panel will be composed of EPA
Regional P2 program staff and may include staff from other Regional program
offices who may be able to offer technical expertise to the evaluation process. The evaluation process will be based on the
evaluation criteria and scoring provided in Section V above. Each Region will draft evaluation forms to
score and provide comments on the evaluations. The highest ranked proposals from each Region that merit further
consideration will proceed to the next phase and will be asked to submit a full
application package. When the Region
determines that a proposal merits further consideration the applicant will be
contacted by the Regional P2 Coordinator and instructed to submit a full grant
application package. Selection
Process: Following
EPA's evaluation of proposals, all applicants will be notified regarding their
status. The highest ranked
proposals from each Region will be recommended for funding and a listing of those proposals will be forwarded to the appropriate
Regional Division Director or Senior Executive Service (SES) equivalent for
review. In making this decision, the Regional Division Director (or
SES equivalent) will consider the evaluation
rankings and may consider geographic diversity. Upon review, the applicants
with the highest ranked proposals will receive written requests from EPA to
submit full application packages. Final applications and forms will be requested, as
necessary, from those eligible entities whose proposal has 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. EPA anticipates that requests for application packages will be made by
August 31, 2009. Selection Official: Complete application packages will be selected for funding by the Regional Division Director (or
SES equivalent) in the Region. Selections will
receive final concurrence by the Pollution Prevention Division Director in EPA
Headquarters. EPA anticipates that final funding decisions will be made by
October 30, 2009. Top of page
Administration Information: A. Award
Announcements: After applications
have been reviewed and evaluated, applicants will be
notified by the Region(s) regarding the outcome of their submittal, usually 60
- 90 days from the date of submission. B. Dispute
Resolution Process: Assistance
which can be found at http://www.epa.gov/ogd/competition/resolution.htm. Copies of these procedures may be requested by contacting the appropriate Region listed in Section VII. C. Administrative
Requirements: Award
Management: Awards issued in FY 2009
will be managed by the appropriate
Region(s). Non-profit
administrative capability: Non-profit
applicants that are recommended for funding under this announcement are subject
to pre-award administrative capability reviews consistent with Section 8b, 8c
and 9d of EPA Order 5700. 8 - Policy on Assessing Capabilities of Non-Profit
Applicants for Managing Assistance Awards (http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/award/5700_8.pdf). In addition, non-profit applicants that qualify for funding may, depending on
Management Office the Administrative Capabilities Form, with supporting
documents, contained in Appendix A of EPA Order 5700. 8. Quality Assurance and Quality Control (QA/QC): Certain quality assurance
and/or quality control (QA/QC) and peer review requirements are applicable to
the collection of environmental data. Environmental data are any measurements or information that describe
environmental processes, location, or conditions; ecological or health effects
and consequences; or the performance of environmental technology. Environmental data also include information
collected directly from measurements, produced from models, and obtained from
other sources such as data bases or published literature. Regulations
pertaining to QA/QC requirements can be found in 40 CFR 30. 54 and 31. 45. Additional guidance can be found at http://www.epa.gov/quality/qa_docs.html#noeparqt. Applicants
should allow sufficient time and resources to set up a Quality Management
System for their proposed projects. If
your organization does not have a Quality Management System in place, one must
be developed. A Quality Management
System would be the mechanism for managing the quality of environmental data
collection, generation and use. To build
a Quality Management System the applicant needs to develop a Quality Management
Plan (QMP). A QMP is a document that describes the applicant's overall organization or program
in terms of the organizational structure, policy and procedures, functional
responsibilities of management and staff, lines of authority, and required
interfaces for those planning, implementing, documenting, and assessing all
For projects that produce environmental
data, applicants will be required to develop a project-specific Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) or functional
equivalent. A QAPP is
a document that describes project-specific information on quality assurance,
quality control, and other technical activities that must be implemented to
ensure that the results of the work performed will satisfy the stated
performance criteria. A QAPP must be submitted and approved by EPA. Applicants for the
FY 2009 Source Reduction Assistance Grant Program are not required to submit a
QAPP as part of the application package, but may be required at time of award. Each grant award will contain a condition establishing a deadline for the
grantee to submit acceptable quality assurance documentation to EPA. Audits: Periodic audits should be made as part of the
recipient's system of financial management and internal control to meet the
terms and conditions of grants and other assistance agreements. In accordance with the provisions of OMB
Circular No. A‑133, "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit
Organizations," non-federal entities that receive financial assistance of
$500,000 or more within the State's fiscal year shall have an audit made for
that year. State agencies that receive
less than $500,000 within the State's fiscal year shall have an audit made in
accordance with Federal laws and regulations governing the programs in which
they participate. Records: Financial records, including all documents
to support entries on accounting records to substantiate charges to each assistance
agreement, must be kept available to personnel authorized to examine EPA
assistance agreement accounts. All
records must be maintained for three years from the date of submission of the
annual financial status report. If
questions still remain, such as those posed as a result of an audit, related
records should be retained until the matter is completely resolved. Computers: Recipients who use SRA award funds to purchase desktop computers, or notebook computers must specify that such equipment is an Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT)-registered product with a rating of "bronze" or better. This specification requirement is consistent with EPA's role in the Federal Electronics Challenge. For more information, go to http://www.epa.gov/fec. Exchange Network: Applicants should be aware that EPA, States, Tribes and territories are working together to develop the
National Environmental Information Exchange Network, a secure, Internet and
integration of both regulatory and non-regulatory environmental data. States, Tribes and territories that exchange
Agency's connection to it, the Central Data Exchange (CDX),
the standard way they exchange data and should phase out any legacy methods
they used previously. More information
on the Exchange Network is available at http://www.exchangenetwork.net. Top of page
VII. Agency Contacts: For further information, please contact the
appropriate EPA Regional P2 Program Coordinator. State
EPA REGIONAL P2 PROGRAM
Guillemin - Pollution Prevention Coordinator 1 Congress
Street Suite 1100 (SPP)
02114-2023 Phone: 617-918-1814
E-mail: guillemin. robert@epa. gov
Website: http://www.epa.gov/region1/assistance/p2/index.html
Alex Peck - Pollution Prevention
Coordinator 290 Broadway, 25th Floor
(PSPMMB) New York,
10007-1866 Phone: 212-637-3758
E-mail address: peck. alex@epa. gov
Website: http://www.epa.gov/region02/p2/grants.htm
Mindee Osno - Pollution Prevention Coordinator
19103-2029 Phone: 215-814-2074
E-mail: osno. mindee@epa. gov
Website: http://www.epa.gov/region03/grants/grantopp.htm
AL , FL, GA,
KY, MS, NC, SC, TN
Suganthi Simon - Pollution Prevention Coordinator
30303 Phone: 404-562-9384
E-mail: simon. suganthi@epa. gov
Website: http://wrrc.p2pays.org/P2GrantInfo.asp
IL, IN, OH, MI, MN, WI
Phil Kaplan - Pollution
(LM-7J)
Phone: 312-353-4669
E-mail: kaplan. phil@epa. gov
Website: www.epa.gov/reg5rcra/wptdiv/p2pages/
David Bond - Pollution Prevention Coordinator
Suite 1200 (6EN-XP)
75202 Phone: 214-665-6431
E-mail: bond. david@epa. gov Website: http://www.epa.gov/region06/6en/xp/enxp2d.htm
Marcus Rivas - Pollution Prevention Coordinator
901 N. 15th Street (ARTD/SWPP)
66101 Phone: 913- 551-7669
E-mail: rivas. marcus@epa. gov
Website: http://www.epa.gov/region07/economics/r7_grant_opportunities.htm
Jessica Counts-Arnold - Pollution Prevention Coordinator 75 Hawthorne
Street (WST-7)
94105 Phone: 415-972-3288
E-mail: counts-arnold. jessica@epa. gov
Website: http://www.epa.gov/region09/funding/funding-sources/index.html
Carolyn Gangmark - Pollution Prevention Coordinator
Suite 900 (OEA-095)
98101 Phone: 206-553-4072
E-mail: gangmark. carolyn@epa. gov
Website: http://yosemite.epa.gov/r10/HOMEPAGE.NSF/Information/Grants
[Grant Program Title]FY 09 Source Reduction Assistance Grant
[Funding Opportunity Number]EPA-HQ-OPPT-09-08
[Title] Groundwater Guardian Green Sites Expansion (GGGS) [Short Description - no more than 300
will use pollution prevention at the source. It will document, calculate, and
publicly recognize the environmental outcomes of reducing the use of
fertilizer, pesticide, and water and of effectively managing sources of pollution. [Project funding]
Funding: $46,804
Requested Funding: $39,804
[Applicant's Contact Information]
Pennslyvania Ave, N. W. Washington,
D. C. 20460 Tel: (222) 222-2222
Email: doe. jane@aol.com
[Contact information should include a primary contact, the person responsible for implementing the grant project and if desired an administrative contact, the person responsible for submitting the grant proposal]
Guidance for Submitting Expected P2 Outcome
I. Introduction: Sections I. B. 7 and 8 of the RFP describe why
and how applicants must provide quantitative
estimates of expected outcomes and outputs of project activities in their
proposals. To assist applicants
with P2 measurement requirements, Section II of this guidance provides a
description of what to include in the grant proposal and provides a sample
explanation of how to present the information. Section III provides a description of how to calculate expected outcome
results, and Section IV provides background information describing P2 outcome
categories, data collection methods and a procedure for calculating expected P2
outcomes. II. Description
of Expected P2 Measurement Information: To
meet measurement requirements, the proposal should include at least one P2
project that results in numeric P2 outcomes within the project's
timeframe. The proposal should include
the following measurement elements (items 1- 4 listed below) for each P2
project that is expected to be measured for numeric outcome results. A. Measurement
Elements - the necessary
components to include in the proposal: Project Overview: A short
list of the project's characteristics, which include the: Project title;
Outputs; Behavioral Measures; Partners; and, Target Sector
Data Collection: A description of the relevant data collection methods, e. g. , surveys, pre/post tests, the participant reporting arrangements, etc. Expected
P2 Outcomes: Numeric estimates of
expected pollution prevention outcomes per project. Calculation
of Expected Outcome Results: A
description of the equations, and methodologies used to calculate the estimated
pollution prevention results. B. Documenting
Information - how to present
information on measurement elements. Project
Overview: The Project Overview section provides a "snap
shot" of the proposed project by providing brief responses in the following
five areas: Project Title; Outputs; Behavioral Measures;
sample explanation is provided below: Project title: Green
Hotels Program; Outputs: The project will organize 5 three-hour
workshops followed by on-siteenvironmental audits and technical assistance for up to 10 participating
Measures: Number of workshop attendees
that join the Green Hotel Program; Partners: State Hotel and Motel Association, State
Visitors and Tourist Bureau; and, Sectors: Hotel and hospitality businesses
Collection: By writing a short description of the data
collection method, applicants take a proactive approach towards measurement by
selecting the most appropriate data collection tool(s) and thinking through the
logistics of the measurement process. As
described in Section II. A, Background Information for Expected P2
Outcomes below, data collection tools include surveys (mail, fax, email,
Internet, and phone) and observed data (on-site revisits, pre/post tests, and
reviews of self-reported data). Note: The steps to institute measurement (i. e. ,
measurement planning, data collection, data analysis and reporting) should also
be reflected in the Budget Detail and the Project Timeline. A sample explanation is provided below.
Collection Description: The data
collection effort for the Green Hotel Project will begin with a pre/post survey
conducted at each of the projects five workshops. The survey will assess the change in the
level of environmental awareness of workshop participants and collect baseline
facility information. P2 outcome
measures will be collected as part of a voluntary program in which
participating hotels will receive technical assistance from P2 staff and, in
return, provide self-reported data for pounds of pollution prevented, energy
and water conserved, and dollars saved. Expected
P2 Outcomes: The following table is
a sample showing how to present expected P2 outcome information in an
acceptable format. As illustrated in the
table, the "Green Hotels Project" expects to yield numeric P2 outcomes from the
listed "P2 Efforts. "The number of
"Pounds of Pollutants Reduced" is totaled in column (g). The underlying calculation for each expected
outcome is described below in Section D, "Calculation of Expected Outcome
Note: Refer to Section II. B below for criteria of the outcome
categories, including pounds of pollution prevented, millions of BTUs (mBTUs)
conserved, gallons of water conserved, and dollars saved. Table
1� Estimated P2 Outcomes for the Green
Pounds of Hazardous Materials Reduced
Resources Conserved and Dollars Saved
P2 Efforts
(b) Haz. Inputs (c)
Haz Waste. (d)
Air Poll. (e)
Waste Water (f)
(In FY 2010 MMTC02e)
3. Organic lawn care 200
Expected Outcome Results
calculations of expected outcome results - Proposals will need to include
the following information: underlying assumptions, factors, and the logic used to calculate the
expected project outcomes. The sample explanations that follow cover the first two P2
efforts listed in Table 1 above (i. e. , water conservation and green
cleaning). Water Conservation: Four workshops
will reach an expected audience of 50 hotels. Of these, 5 hotels, representing approximately 500 bed spaces, are
expected to adopt water efficiency practices within two years. A typical U. S. hotel uses 100 gallons of
water per day per occupied room (water used for toilet, bathing, hygiene and
laundry). Assuming a 50 percent
occupancy rate, the 5 participating hotels use approximately 9,125,000 gallons
of water per year. New water-efficient
shower and faucet fixtures combined with an "Eco Linen" program are expected to
result in a savings of 15 percent or 1,368,750 gallons conserved per year. With water and sewer rates at approximately
$5. 00 per 1,000 gallons, the estimated cost savings are $6,844. �Green
Cleaning: It is expected that a total of five hotels will provide
self-reported data on the amount of cleaning products that are converted to
environmentally preferable cleaners. It is estimated that, on average, each
hotel room requires the use of two pounds of cleaning products per year for a
total annual usage of 1,000 pounds for 500 rooms. It is expected that the participating hotels
will convert half of their cleaning products to green cleaners within two
years. Furthermore, assuming 50 percent
occupancy rate, it is expected that a shift to green cleaners will result in
250 pounds of in-product source reduction per year. IV. Background Information for Expected P2
Outcomes: The three sections that
follow describe P2 outcome categories, data collection methods, and provide a
process for calculating expected P2 outcomes. A. ��� Description
Pre/Post-Test: Before conducting the
pollution prevention assistance activity (e. g. , workshops, training sessions),
consider testing attendee knowledge of the subject you plan to cover. At the
end of the assistance activity, retest the participants to determine changes in
understanding of the materials presented. Similarly, you can assess behavioral
practices at the facility before a workshop and practices reported in a
follow-up survey to identify changes made. Pre/post-tests can also help you
improve your pollution prevention assistance materials by revealing areas where
key messages did not come across. Telephone
Survey: A telephone survey is a standard set of questions asked to
potential respondents over the telephone. These surveys, used alone or in
combination with mail or online surveys allow you to ask follow-up or
clarifying questions, potentially resulting in better data than a mailed
survey. Telephone surveys work best if the list of potential respondents is a
manageable number (e. g. , less than 50 respondents). To reduce costs, some
regions have hired college students to make the call-backs. Mail/Email/Fax
Survey: A mail, email, or fax survey is a set of questions sent to
potential respondents with a request that they voluntarily respond. These
surveys enable you to reach a large number of potential respondents, and may be
the best option where there are more than 50 recipients. However,
mail/email/fax surveys can provide ambiguous results, since it is not easy to
immediately follow up and clarify unclear, conflicting, or unexpected
responses. Similarly, a limited level of detail is obtained, as respondents
will generally not spend the time to write long answers to open-ended
Survey: An online survey is a set of questions posted on a Web site or list
server. These surveys have the potential to reach a large number of
respondents. For surveys on Web sites, you can reach users that might otherwise
be unknown to you. Many respondents like online surveys because they can
respond at their convenience and they do not need to worry about losing a
survey or mailing it back. As with mail surveys, however, the online survey may
provide only limited detail as respondents might not want to spend time typing
in a longer response. In addition, without follow-up, there is potential for
ambiguity or conflicting results, as with the mail survey. Note: Pre/post-tests,
telephone surveys, mail/email/fax surveys, and online surveys are exempt from
the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) if administered under a grant agreement. However, the PRA is applicable if
administered as part of a cooperative agreement with EPA. On-site
Revisit: Onsite revisits involve
returning to facilities that previously received an assistance visit. Revisiting facilities can provide excellent data since you can use direct
observation to make assessments and because facilities are likely to spend the
necessary time to answer questions while you are on site. In addition, the
revisit itself might spur additional compliance assistance or pollution
Self-Reported Data: Facilities may provide self-reported data
that sheds light on their environmental performance. This could include in-house data such as
energy and water bills, material and waste management receipts, permits, and
Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) forms. Facilities may also supply source reduction information as part of a
voluntary environmental program, such as an annual pollution prevention awards
program, an ongoing environmental recognition program, or other voluntary
partnerships. B. ���� Description
of the P2 Outcome Categories
Applicants are encouraged to use the reporting format (refer
to Table 1 above) for expected P2 outcome measures. As outlined below, the use of this format
clearly identifies the key measurement categories that meet EPA's measurement
and reporting needs. P2
Efforts [column (a)]: lists the source reduction activities that are
expected to yield P2 outcome results. For grants with multiple projects, at least one project must be
included. In the example listed above, a
"Green Hotels Program" conducts four P2 activities that exhibit expected
outcome measures. Pounds
of Hazardous Materials Reduced: The
four categories that comprise "Hazardous Materials Reduced" are described
below. Column (f) sums the total pounds
of pollutants prevented. Reductions are
achieved through source reduction efforts, including in-process recycling. Measurements are expressed in pounds/year. Hazardous Inputs and Wastes [columns (b & c)]: The measure for hazardous inputs and waste refers
to state and/or Federally-listed hazardous wastes or toxic wastes meeting the
criteria for ignitability, toxicity, corrosiveness or reactivity. This could
include hazardous materials used as process inputs (chemical ingredients,
paints, and solvents), hazardous products applied to land (such as pesticides
and nutrients not applied, etc) and hazardous wastes. Excluded: non-hazardous waste (solid waste, construction debris, packaging, paper,
glass and aluminum cans). Air
Pollutants [column (d)]: The measure
for air pollutants are considered to
include the release of any of the following: toxic air emissions (this includes CAA 112b hazardous air pollutants
(HAPs), Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), and others), nitrogen oxides (NOx),
sulfur oxides (SOx), particulate matter (PM) and Volatile Organic Compounds
(VOCs). This criterion takes in account
pollutants to air, including NOx and SOx from boilers, but excludes NOx or SOx
from utilities (due to cap and trade limitations). Waste
Water [column (e)]: "Waste Water" refers
to include biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD),
toxics, nutrients, non-filterable total suspended solids (TSS), contaminants in
storm water and pathogens discharged to sewer systems, septic systems,
injection wells, and ground water. Pounds of waste water are calculated by estimating the quantity of
contaminant rather than the quantity of water. Total
pounds [column f]: The number of
total pounds accumulated from the P2 efforts noted in the table refers to water
conservation, green cleaning, organic lawn care and efficient lighting. Resources
Conserved and Dollars Saved: The
four categories that comprise "Resources Conserved and Dollars Saved" are
described below. Solid
Waste [column g]: Solid waste refers
to non-liquid, non-soluble materials ranging from municipal garbage to
industrial wastes, including sewage sludge, agricultural refuse, demolition
wastes, packaging, and mining residues. mBTUs
[column (h)]: This column refers to mBTUs reduced, conserved, or offset
through source reduction efforts. MMTCO2e [column (h)]: This column refers
to Million Metric Tons of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent. For additional information on metrics for expressing greenhouse gas emissions, please go to: http://www.epa.gov/OMS/climate/420f05002.htm
[column (i)]: This column lists the
reduction in gallons of incoming raw water from outside sources through the
implementation of P2 activity. Reductions can occur for operations, facility use and grounds
Note: If you expect
reductions in pounds of hazardous materials from practices that reduce wastewater,
gallons of wastewater reduced can equal gallons of water saved. Dollars [column (j)]: This column lists the financial savings in
dollars derived from the outcome of implementing a P2 activity (including
materials, labor, energy, machinery, administrative, waste management, or other
process costs).
Note: EPA will be issuing
a P2 cost calculator that can be used by the grantees to calculate these
benefits. C. Calculation
of Pollution Prevention Outcomes
The following steps can be followed to estimate expected pollution
prevention outcomes. Establish
a Baseline: Baseline performance
information represents the current status of the target audience or sector and
provides a frame of reference for measuring the success of the intended pollution
prevention project. Baseline information
can be expressed in terms of the amount of pollution generated over a period of
time (e. g. , pounds of pollution per year); the amount of material, products,
water, and/or energy used over a given time (e. g. , kW hours consumed per year);
andamount of dollars spent over a given
time (e. g. , dollars spent per year). Baseline information can be established by: 1) using relevant databases,
records, reports, and studies; 2) surveying the facility or target audience;
and, 3) using pre-existing baseline information.
are some examples: A manufacturer generates about 4,000
gallons/month of oil wastewater from washing operations used to clean machined,
metal parts for a cost of $0. 40/gallon; and
On average, hospitals use between 250 and 400
gallons of water per day per bed. Determine the
Efficiency of the P2 Effort: Identify the expected source
reduction benefit of the P2 practice, product or technology. This benefit should be expressed in terms of
pollution reduced, energy saved, water conserved, and costs avoided. This efficiency factor should come from
reliable sources or sound analysis. Here
are some examples: High-solid auto body paints reduce VOC emissions
by up to 75 percent;
Manufacturing one ton of office paper with 100
percent recycled contents can save nearly 3,000 kilowatt hours when compared to
the manufacture of virgin paper; ENERGY STAR qualified transformer can save
$100-300 each year at an electricity rate of $0. 075 cents per kWh; Ergonomic high volume,
low pressure (HVLP) guns result in paint savings of up to 50 percent over
conventional air spray guns, and savings of 35 percent over conventional HVLP
guns; and, Ultrafiltration (UF) membrane technology can
reduce the volume of oily wastewater by at least 80 percent by separating out
clean water from the oily solution. Estimate the Degree of
Impact: Estimate the degree to which
the P2 objectives
will be implemented by the target audience. First, gauge the percentage of expected participation. Second, determine the degree to which
participants will adopt P2 suggestions. Here
are some examples: If representatives from 30 marinas
attend a workshop, 10 marinas are expected to implement suggested P2 practices
within a two-year period. Of these, half
are expected to install a high-efficiency spray gun for painting operations;
Six of the ten facilities
participating in an environmental management system (EMS) user-group are
expected to complete their EMS by the end of
the year. Note: By identifying the target audience's
performance baseline, the expected efficiency of the P2 Effort, and the degree
of impact, you will have all the elements to estimate expected P2 outcomes. Top of page
The following sample of timelines offer different approaches
for documenting a schedule of major project activities and milestones. Please note that timelines
also need to account for measurement tasks, including: measurement planning, data
collection efforts, and data analysis and reporting (refer to Section I. B. 9). Sample 1
Task by Objective
Designand implement management plans
Initiate P2 measurement
Present findings at
Prepare interim and final
Pre-workshop testing
Post-workshop testing
Piloting to old companies
Piloting to new companies
Summary of Deliverables and Activities Task
Task 1: Education and Outreach
a. Develop Outreach Strategy October - November 2009
b. Develop & Disseminate
c. Develop & Pilot
November 2009 - December
Task 2: On-Site Outreach
a. Conduct 10 onsite visits
b. Mail P2 suggestions
c. Conduct follow-up calls
d. Compile survey data and
Task 3: Measurement and Reporting
a. Plan measurement
b. Mid-year report
c. Analyze Output and
September 2010 - November
b. Prepare Final Report
Budget Detail Guidance and Example
Applicants must provide a detailed cost justification for
the estimated budget amounts reflected in Section B of the SF-424A application
form. The Budget Detail allows the EPA
project officer to determine if the costs are reasonable and necessary. To comply with Cost Sharing and Matching
Requirements, the itemized budget must indicate the
project costs paid by the applicant, EPA, and/or other partners. A description of Object Class
Categories and a sample budget has been provided
below. Description of Object Class Categories
Personnel: Indicate salaries and wages, by job title, of
all individuals who will be supplemented with the grant funds. Fringe Benefits: Indicate all
mandated and voluntary benefits to be supplemented with the grantfunds. Travel: Indicate the number of individuals traveling,
destination of travel, number of trips, and reason for travel. Equipment: EPA regulation and policy define equipment as
tangible, non-expendable personal property having a useful life of more than
one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit (40 CFR 31. 3). The
figure of $5,000 would represent the total cost of the equipment purchase or of
the lease). Note that not all funding
programs allow for the purchase of equipment and some programs encourage leasing rather than purchasing
equipment. If your project requires the
purchase of equipment, you are encouraged to check with the Regional Pollution
Prevention contact prior to submitting your proposal to ensure that the
equipment purchases are allowable. Supplies: Indicate any items, other than equipment,
that will be purchased to support the project. Contractual: Indicate any
proposed contractual items that are reasonable and necessary to carry out the
project's objectives. Other: Indicate general (miscellaneous) expenses necessary to carry out the objectives
stated in the workplan. Total Direct Charges: Summary of all costs associated with each line item
category. Indirect Costs: Organization must provide documentation of a federally
approved indirect cost rate (percentage) reflective of proposed project/grant
period. Applicant should indicate if
organization is in negotiations with appropriate federal agency to obtain a new
rate. Total amount of funds requested from EPA and
total match: Add direct and indirect costs. Total cost of project: Add the total
amount requested from EPA and the total amount of funds provided as a match for
an overall project cost. Measurement: The category of "measurement"
is not an Object Class Category; nonetheless, grant conditions require the
inclusion of a short description of applicable measurement costs to complete
the budget detail. A sample description has been included at the bottom of the
following Example Budget. Sample of Budget Detail
EPAFunds
Project Manager @ $15/hr x
40hrs/wk x12 weeks Project Assistant @ $10/hr x 20hrs/wk x 12 weeks. $7,200
Health Insurance- 1 FTE @ $35/month x 12/months Dental - 1 FTE @
$40/mo x 12/months
Site Visit to XYZ Watershed
Local Travel Mileage - 1000
miles x $0. 36
Air Fare for 1 person to
Denver Per diem for 2 days @$40/day for
Hotel for 1 night for 1 person
100 pamphlets for community
members @ $2 each
Training for 50 people @ $100
Water sample testing - 20 samples @ $75 each
Office needs (postage,
phone, fax, etc. )
10% of Personnel
salary $960
Grand Total $17,215
Measurement: Expenditures
to measure P2 outcomes include personnel
costs of $500 to write and administer a survey and compile survey results. This includes time for the Project Manager
($15/hr x 20 hrs = $300) and the Project Assistant ($10/hr x 20hrs = $200). [1] All of the forgoing estimates are subject to the
availability of appropriations. The
1, 2008 -
30, 2009. [2] All of the forgoing estimates are subject to the
availability of appropriations. The fiscal year represents
September 30, 2009. [3] EPA Order
5700. 7, Environmental Results Under Assistance Agreements - http://www.epa.gov/ogd/grants/award/5700.7.pdf. [4] Attachment D
provides a sample of an itemized budget. EPA will consider partial funding in appropriate circumstances, for more
information on partial funding, please refer to Section II A. [5] EPA Order 5700. 5A1 - http://www.epa.gov/ogd/competition/5700_5A1.pdf. � Top of page