Grantee Research Project Results
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development
National Risk Management Research Laboratory
Ground Water and Ecosystems Restoration Division
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM FOR COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
This is the initial announcement of this funding opportunity.
Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-G2017-ORD-C1
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66.511 - Office of Research and Development Consolidated Research/Training/Fellowships
Solicitation Opening Date: November 18, 2016
Solicitation Closing Date: January 24, 2017, 11:59:59 pm Eastern Time
Technical Contact: Susan C. Mravik (mravik.susan@epa.gov); phone: 580-436-8553
Eligibility Contact: Ron Josephson (josephson.ron@epa.gov); phone: 202-564-7823
Electronic Submissions: Debra M. Jones (jones.debram@epa.gov); phone: 202-564-7839
Access Standard EPA Forms (How to Apply and Required Forms)
SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
The mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to protect human health and the environment. The EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) conducts timely, mission-relevant, solution-oriented research based on the principles of integrity, sustainability, and responsiveness to the needs of the Nation. ORD’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory’s (NRMRL’s) research portfolio spans the five goals outlined in EPA’s Strategic Plan, and directly supports efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, manage chemical risks, and protect America's water.
EPA-ORD seeks applications from eligible entities to enter into a cooperative agreement with EPA that will provide training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students on-site at ORD’s Ground Water and Ecosystems Research Division (GWERD) research facilities located in Ada, Oklahoma. It is envisioned that the training program will increase both the effectiveness and number of future environmental scientists. The training received under the mentorship of EPA scientists will complement the trainees’ academic coursework. The recipient will be responsible for ensuring that the training projects are supportive of the trainees’ academic training. Some appropriate fields of study for trainees include, but are not limited to, environmental science, water policy, chemistry, engineering, computer science, ecology, and physical and biological sciences.
Award Information:
Anticipated Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement
Estimated Number of Awards: 1
Anticipated Funding Amount: Approximately $800,000 total
Potential Funding per Award: Up to a total of $800,000, including direct and indirect costs, with a maximum duration of 3 years. Cost-sharing is not required. Proposals with budgets exceeding the total award limits will not be considered.
Eligibility Information:
This solicitation is available to each State, territory and possession, and Tribal nation of the U.S., including the District of Columbia, public and private universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, State and local government departments, other public or private nonprofit institutions, and foreign entities. Profit-making firms are not eligible to receive assistance agreements from the EPA under this program. See full announcement for more details.
Application Materials:
To apply under this solicitation, use the application package available at Grants.gov (for further submission information see Section IV.F. “Submission Instructions and other Submission Requirements”). Note: With the exception of the current and pending support form (available at Research Funding Opportunities: How to Apply and Required Forms), all necessary forms are included in the electronic application package. Make sure to include the current and pending support form in your Grants.gov submission.
If your organization is not currently registered with Grants.gov, you need to allow approximately one month to complete the registration process. Please note that the registration process also requires that your organization have a unique entity identifier (formerly ‘DUNS number’) and a current registration with the System for Award Management (SAM) and the process of obtaining both could take a month or more. Applicants must ensure that all registration requirements are met in order to apply for this opportunity through Grants.gov and should ensure that all such requirements have been met well in advance of the submission deadline. This registration, and electronic submission of your application, must be performed by an authorized representative of your organization.
If you do not have the technical capability to utilize the Grants.gov application submission process for this solicitation, see Section IV.A below for additional guidance and instructions.
Technical Contact: Susan C. Mravik (mravik.susan@epa.gov); phone: 580-436-8553
Eligibility Contact: Ron Josephson (josephson.ron@epa.gov); phone: 202-564-7823
Electronic Submissions: Debra M. Jones (jones.debram@epa.gov); phone: 202-564-7839
I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
EPA’s ORD seeks to support an Environmental Research Apprenticeship Program to provide environmental research training for college and university students. The goal of the Environmental Research Apprenticeship Program is to increase both the effectiveness and number of future environmental scientists and technicians by allowing trainees to collaborate with senior EPA-ORD scientists while working in a fully operational federal research laboratory. Ultimately, this program is expected to assist in developing the next generation of environmental scientists and engineers to further the Agency’s mission to protect human health and the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving air quality, managing chemical risks, and protecting America's water. Research training will be conducted at EPA’s facilities in Ada, Oklahoma. Some appropriate fields of study for trainees include, but are not limited to, environmental science, water policy, chemistry, engineering, computer science, ecology, and physical and biological sciences.
EPA recognizes that it is important to engage all available minds to address the environmental challenges the nation faces. At the same time, EPA seeks to expand the environmental conversation by including members of communities which may have not previously participated in such dialogues to participate in EPA programs. For this reason, EPA strongly encourages all eligible applicants identified in Section III, including minority serving institutions (MSIs), to apply under this opportunity.
For purposes of this solicitation, the following are considered MSIs:
- Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1061). A list of these schools can be found at White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities;
- Tribal Colleges and Universities, as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1059(c)). A list of these schools can be found at American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities;
- Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1101a(a)(5). There is no list of HSIs. HSIs are institutions of higher education that, at the time of application submittal, have an enrollment of undergraduate full-time equivalent students that is at least 25% Hispanic students at the end of the award year immediately preceding the date of application for this grant; and
- Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions; (AANAPISIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1059g(a)(2)). There is no list of AANAPISIs. AANAPISIs are institutions of higher education that, at the time of application submittal, have an enrollment of undergraduate students that is not less than 10 % students who are Asian American or Native American Pacific Islander.
The Ground Water and Ecosystems Restoration Division (GWERD) of ORD’s National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL), located in Ada, Oklahoma, is the administering laboratory for the Environmental Research Apprenticeship Program. The GWERD is a fully operational federal research facility which serves as the EPA’s center for risk management and ecological research in the subsurface environment and the interface of the subsurface environment with other environmental compartments such as surface water and ecosystems. GWERD’s research supports EPA’s programs to protect and restore the subsurface environment through research studies of: the transport and fate of contaminants in the subsurface and at the interface of the subsurface with other environmental compartments; methodologies to protect and restore ground-water quality; biogeochemical cycling of mass and energy through natural soil and subsurface processes; and methodologies for the restoration of watershed ecosystems.
The specific Strategic Goal(s) and Objective(s) from the EPA’s Strategic Plan that relate to this solicitation are:
- Goal 1: Addressing Climate Change and Improving Air Quality
- Objective 1.1: Address Climate Change
Objective 1.2: Improve Air Quality - Goal 2: Protecting America's Waters
- Objective 2.1: Protect Human Health
Objective 2.2: Protect and Restore Watersheds and Aquatic Ecosystems - Goal 3: Cleaning Up Communities and Advancing Sustainable Development
- Objective 3.1: Promote Sustainable and Livable Communities
- Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and Preventing Pollution
- Objective 4.1: Ensure Chemical Safety
The EPA’s FY 2014-18 Strategic Plan can be found at: EPA Strategic Plan
The Environmental Research Apprenticeship Program provides opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to be mentored by EPA scientists at GWERD in Ada, Oklahoma. The ultimate goal is to produce environmental scientists and technicians who not only have relevant classroom experience, but who also have research laboratory experience.
The purpose of this announcement is to request applications to competitively select a technically and administratively qualified recipient to develop and administer a year-round research training program. The Environmental Research Apprenticeship Program will supplement the academic education of the trainees by enabling them to complete mentored projects on-site with EPA scientists at GWERD’s federal research laboratories located in Ada, Oklahoma. The training can begin at any time during the calendar year and will be structured to occur in conjunction with the trainees’ academic studies. Training is to be conducted on-site at GWERD’s facilities in Ada, Oklahoma, and the applicant should describe its approach for managing logistics that are necessary to meet this objective.
The Environmental Research Apprenticeship Program is expected to include collaborative training opportunities by GWERD scientists (mentors) and university scientists for both undergraduate and graduate students. Trainees will gain research experience by working under the mentorship of GWERD scientists in their EPA laboratory throughout the academic year and may continue their training during the summer session. Applications should propose a balanced approach to include both undergraduate and graduate trainees in a manner to meaningfully meet the program’s objective of increasing both the effectiveness and number of future environmental scientists. Applications proposing to train only undergraduate students are likely to receive less consideration than those proposing to train both undergraduate and graduate students. Inclusion of training for Ph.D. students is optional, i.e., a competitive application may propose to train only undergraduate and master’s level graduate students. Applications proposing to train only graduate students are unlikely to be funded. While actual hours spent at GWERD’s facilities is likely to vary, it is expected that a typical trainee will spend 10+ hours per week during the academic year at the GWERD facility and 20+ hours per week at the GWERD facility if participating in the summer session. Actual number of hours worked per week will be determined based on each trainee’s availability due to their class schedule and hours needed to complete their research project(s).
Research themes for training opportunities will be identified, collaboratively, by GWERD and the recipient. Themes should primarily reflect GWERD research priorities and funding availability and include, but are not limited to, research in pollution prevention and green infrastructure; research of biological, physical and chemical remediation; ecosystem research; and environmental research of watersheds, drinking water and wastewater. Projects that are consistent with GWERD’s research priorities and are suitable for training students will be coordinated with the EPA mentor and developed by the recipient. Some appropriate fields of study for trainees include, but are not limited to, environmental science, water policy, chemistry, engineering, computer science, ecology, and physical and biological sciences. The objective of the training program is not to provide products or services for EPA’s direct use or augment its workforce. EPA will not participate in the trainee selection process or otherwise assume any supervisory responsibilities regarding the trainees selected by the recipient.
It is envisioned that the training program will increase both the effectiveness and number of future environmental scientists. The training received under the mentorship of GWERD scientists should complement the trainees’ academic coursework. The recipient is responsible for ensuring that the training projects are supportive of the trainees’ academic training. Training in professional scientific ethics and quality assurance is expected to be provided both by the recipient and EPA. The on-site cooperative training experience should be conducted with GWERD scientists and aim to include: problem and hypothesis formulation, experimental design, sample analysis, experiment set-up, data evaluation, quality assurance, reporting, presenting results and manuscript development and publication.
C. Authority and Regulations
The authority for this RFA and resulting awards is contained in the Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. 7403, Section 103(b)(3); the Safe Drinking Water Act, 42 U.S.C. 300j-1, Section 1442; the Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. 1254, Section 104 (b)(3); and the Solid Waste Disposal Act, 42 U.S.C. 6981, Section 8001.
For research with an international aspect, the above statutes are supplemented, as appropriate, by the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 102(2)(F).
Note that a project’s focus is to consist of activities within the statutory terms of EPA’s financial assistance authorities; specifically, the statute(s) listed above. Generally, a project must address the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of air pollution, water pollution, solid/hazardous waste pollution, toxic substances control, or pesticide control depending on which statute(s) is listed above. Further note applications dealing with any aspect of or related to hydraulic fracking will not be funded by EPA through this program.
Additional applicable regulations include: 2 CFR Part 200, 2 CFR Part 1500, and 40 CFR Part 45 (Training Assistance).
D. Program Components-Specific Areas of Interest & Expected Outputs and Outcomes
Note to applicant: The term “output” means an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work products related to an environmental goal or objective, that will be produced or provided over a period of time or by a specified date. The term “outcome” means 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.
Program Components
The applicant’s proposed Environmental Research Apprenticeship Program should focus on and address the following components:
- The educational and technical merit of the training program should support EPA’s goal and objective of training the next generation of environmental scientists and engineers. The program should provide for a partnership between a successful institution and GWERD in Ada, Oklahoma, for on-site training of a new generation of undergraduate and graduate students who will obtain degrees in the environmental sciences and pursue careers in environmentally-related fields. The training/mentorship will occur during the academic year with the option for continued training/mentorship during the summer session.
- The applicant is expected to describe the process and procedures for matching the identified trainees with the available training opportunities related to GWERD’s research themes. GWERD will designate mentors through the EPA Project Officer. After award, the GWERD Mentors will provide research themes for potential projects to ensure a fit between the trainees’ interests and qualifications and the training and research opportunities available at the GWERD laboratory. Research themes include, but are not limited to, research in pollution prevention and green infrastructure; research of biological, physical and chemical remediation; ecosystem research; and environmental research of watersheds, drinking water and wastewater.
- The applicant should propose how it will provide and manage financial support to trainees. Training will be conducted on-site at GWERD’s facilities in Ada, Oklahoma, on a regular basis during the academic year, with the option for continued training/mentorship during the summer session. The applicant must describe its approach for managing any logistics that are necessary to meet this objective. The typical trainee will spend approximately 10+ hours per week during the academic year and approximately 20+ hours per week if participating in the summer session at GWERD’s research facilities. It is expected that graduate trainees will undertake research projects that are more substantial than those of undergraduates, resulting in the potential for more hours to be worked in collaboration with GWERD and university scientists. The applicant should explain how it will provide scientific oversight for the selected trainees’ development of personal training plans which outline their anticipated learning objectives and the anticipated benefits to their career. Additionally, the applicant should propose how it will oversee the development of the trainees’ research projects.
- The applicant should propose how it will disseminate guidance and direction to trainees to ensure they are following the health and safety and quality assurance requirements as described by GWERD Mentors while working at the EPA laboratory, evaluating training/research plans to ensure human subjects research is identified and properly managed, assisting trainees to accomplish the required coursework for their chosen degree without undue interference from their research responsibilities, and providing the necessary resources for the trainees to accomplish their proposed research.
- The program should include a discussion of the rationale and process for selecting trainees.
- The applicant should describe how the program will advertise, in as wide a manner as practicable, the apprenticeships on a competitive basis, and receive, manage, and objectively review applications from students for apprenticeships. The applicant should describe the review criteria to be used in the evaluation of potential trainees.
- The applicant should identify an individual who will be designated to serve as the Principal Investigator/Project Manager. This individual should have the background capable of managing a research training program including administrative experience.
Overall, the recipient, through the activities of the Principal Investigator (PI)/Project Manager (PM), will be expected to be responsible for:
- Providing a single point of contact for the EPA Project Officer for all administrative and technical requirements of the cooperative agreement;
- Ensuring compliance with the agreement’s terms and conditions;
- Competitively advertising training opportunities;
- Managing the evaluation and selection process for the trainees and providing relevant information (e.g., areas of study for selected trainees) for the EPA Project Officer to assign a mentor;
- Providing scientific oversight for training plans in collaboration with the GWERD Mentor;
- Developing the research projects (in collaboration with the GWERD Mentor) and ensuring trainees achieve anticipated benefits;
- Providing comments to the EPA Project Officer regarding progress of research, problems encountered, and solutions taken;
- Providing guidance and instruction, as necessary, ensuring the trainees follow acceptable scientific methods;
- Providing progress reports to the EPA Project Officer;
- Ensuring apprenticeship results are incorporated in a final report that summarizes all trainees’ project objectives, approaches, outcomes, and learning experiences;
- Providing guidance and assistance in the preparation of scientific publications;
- Managing all supervisory functions, including but not limited to: managing time and attendance and record keeping.
Outputs and Outcomes
Outputs from the Research Training Program funded under this RFA are expected to include, but are not limited to:
- The training of up to 10-20+ trainees per year;
- Reports that summarize the trainees’ projects, objectives, approaches, learning experiences and budget allocations;
- Scientific and technical publications;
- Attendance and presentations of data at national and international scientific meetings;
- Data and information essential to conducting environmental studies.
Examples of expected outcomes include, but are not limited to:
- Increase in the number of environmental scientists and technicians that have the training and experience to immediately enter the workforce upon graduation;
- Increase in the number of environmental scientists who can productively contribute to the understanding of the science needed to manage environmental risks;
- Increase in the overall knowledge and experience of the trainees being mentored and trained.
E. Special Requirements
Agency policy and ethical considerations prevent EPA technical staff and managers from providing applicants with information that may create an unfair competitive advantage. Consequently, EPA employees will not review, comment, advise, and/or provide technical assistance to applicants preparing applications in response to EPA RFAs. EPA employees cannot endorse any particular application.
Groups of two or more eligible applicants may choose to form a consortium and submit a single application for this assistance agreement. The application must identify which organization will be the recipient of the assistance agreement and which organizations(s) will be sub-awardee(s) of the recipient.
II. AWARD INFORMATION
It is anticipated that a total of approximately $800,000 will be awarded under this announcement, depending on the availability of funds, quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations. The EPA anticipates funding one award under this RFA. Requests for amounts in excess of a total of $800,000, including direct and indirect costs, will not be considered. The total project period requested in an application submitted for this RFA may not exceed 3 years.
The EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards, or make fewer awards than anticipated, under this RFA. The EPA reserves the right to make additional awards under this announcement, consistent with Agency policy, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than six months after the original selection decisions.
In appropriate circumstances, EPA reserves the right to partially fund proposals/applications by funding discrete portions or phases of proposed projects. If EPA decides to partially fund a proposal/application, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any applicants or affect the basis upon which the proposal/application, or portion thereof, was evaluated and selected for award, and therefore maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process.
Based on consideration of the nature of the proposed project relative to the EPA’s intramural research program and available resources, the EPA intends to award a cooperative agreement under this announcement. Although EPA will negotiate precise terms and conditions relating to substantial involvement as part of the award process, EPA anticipates substantial involvement as follows:
- The GWERD Mentor will provide assistance with the development of the research project(s) and be responsible for ensuring that research activities performed by the trainees at GWERD facilities in Ada, Oklahoma fulfill the requirements of the research projects and are a beneficial learning experience for the trainees;
- GWERD staff will train the trainees in laboratory health and safety and quality assurance;
- The GWERD Mentor will provide on-site training in laboratory techniques, theory and operation of advanced laboratory instrumentation, experimental design, data evaluation, computer data base management, computer applications, library database search techniques, sample preparation and analysis, computer model application, as appropriate, as well as many other areas related to laboratory research.
- The GWERD Mentor will provide guidance and assistance in the preparation of scientific publications, as appropriate.
Proposals may not identify EPA cooperators; specific interactions between EPA’s investigators and those of the prospective recipient for cooperative agreements will be negotiated at the time of award.
A. Eligible Applicants
This solicitation is available to each State, territory and possession, and Tribal nation of the U.S., including the District of Columbia, public and private universities and colleges, hospitals, laboratories, State and local government departments, other public or private nonprofit institutions, and foreign entities. Profit-making firms are not eligible to receive assistance agreements from the EPA under this program.
Eligible nonprofit organizations include any organizations that: 1) Are operated primarily for scientific, educational, service, charitable or similar purposes in the public interest; 2) Are not organized primarily for profit; and 3) Use its net proceeds to maintain, improve, and/or expand its operations. However, nonprofit organizations described in Section 501(c) (4) of the Internal Revenue Code that lobby are not eligible to apply.
National laboratories funded by Federal Agencies (Federally-Funded Research and Development Centers, "FFRDCs") may not apply. FFRDC employees may cooperate or collaborate with eligible applicants within the limits imposed by applicable legislation and regulations. They may participate in planning, conducting, and analyzing the research directed by the applicant, but may not direct projects on behalf of the applicant organization. The institution, organization, or governance receiving the award may provide funds through its assistance agreement from the EPA to an FFRDC for research personnel, supplies, equipment, and other expenses directly related to the research. However, salaries for permanent FFRDC employees may not be provided through this mechanism.
Federal Agencies may not apply. Federal employees are not eligible to serve in a principal leadership role on an assistance agreement, and may not receive salaries or augment their Agency's appropriations in other ways through awards made under this program.
The applicant institution may enter into an agreement with a Federal Agency to purchase or utilize unique supplies or services unavailable in the private sector to the extent authorized by law. Examples are purchase of satellite data, chemical reference standards, analyses, or use of instrumentation or other facilities not available elsewhere. A written justification for federal involvement must be included in the application. In addition, an appropriate form of assurance that documents the commitment, such as a letter of intent from the Federal Agency involved, should be included.
Potential applicants who are uncertain of their organizational eligibility should contact Ron Josephson (josephson.ron@epa.gov); phone: 202-564-7823.
B. Cost sharing
Institutional cost-sharing is not required.
Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement or they will be rejected. In addition, where a page limitation is expressed in Section IV with respect to parts of the application, pages in excess of the page limit will not be reviewed. In addition, applications must be submitted through Grants.gov as stated in Section IV of this announcement (except in the limited circumstances where another mode of submission is specifically allowed for as explained in Section IV) on or before the application submission deadline published in Section IV of this announcement. Applicants are responsible for following the submission instructions in Section IV of this announcement (see Section IV.F. “Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements” for further information) to ensure that their application is timely submitted. Applications submitted after the submission deadline will be considered late and deemed ineligible without further consideration unless the applicant can clearly demonstrate that it was late due to EPA mishandling or because of technical problems associated with Grants.gov or relevant SAM.gov system issues. An applicant’s failure to timely submit their application through Grants.gov because they did not timely or properly register in SAM.gov or Grants.gov will not be considered an acceptable reason to consider a late submission.
Applications exceeding the funding limits or project period term described herein will be rejected without review. Further, applications that fail to demonstrate a public purpose of support or stimulation (e.g., by proposing research which primarily benefits a Federal program or provides a service for a Federal agency) will not be funded.
Consistent with Agency regulatory obligations, applicants for and/or recipients of EPA financial assistance are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex or disability in their programs or activities. Therefore, applications that contain provisions wherein decisions about how to structure and manage a trainee program, including the selection process, may be based on race, color, national origin, sex or disability will not be considered.
Applications deemed ineligible for funding consideration will be notified within fifteen calendar days of the ineligibility determination.
IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION
Additional provisions that apply to this solicitation and/or awards made under this solicitation, including but not limited to those related to confidential business information, contracts and subawards under grants, and proposal assistance and communications, can be found at EPA Solicitation Clauses
These, and the other provisions that can be found at the website link, are important, and applicants must review them when preparing applications for this solicitation. If you are unable to access these provisions electronically at the website above, please communicate with the EPA contact listed in this solicitation to obtain the provisions.
Formal instructions for submission through Grants.gov are in Section F.
A. Grants.gov Submittal Requirements and Limited Exception Procedures
Applicants, except as noted below, must apply electronically through Grants.gov under this funding opportunity based on the Grants.gov instructions in this announcement. If an applicant does not have the technical capability to apply electronically through Grants.gov because of limited or no internet access which prevents them from being able to upload the required application materials to Grants.gov, the applicant must contact OGDWaivers@epa.gov or the address listed below in writing (e.g., by hard copy, email) at least 15 calendar days prior to the submission deadline under this announcement to request approval to submit their application materials through an alternate method.
Mailing Address:
OGD Waivers
c/o Barbara Perkins
USEPA Headquarters
William Jefferson Clinton Building
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N. W.
Mail Code: 3903R
Washington, DC 20460
Courier Address:
OGD Waivers
c/o Barbara Perkins
Ronald Reagan Building
1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Rm # 51267
Washington, DC 20004
In the request, the applicant must include the following information:
Funding Opportunity Number (FON)
Organization Name and DUNS
Organization’s Contact Information (email address and phone number)
Explanation of how they lack the technical capability to apply electronically through Grants.gov because of: 1) limited internet access or 2) no internet access which prevents them from being able to upload the required application materials through Grants.gov.
EPA will only consider alternate submission exception requests based on the two reasons stated above and will timely respond to the request -- all other requests will be denied. If an alternate submission method is approved, the applicant will receive documentation of this approval and further instructions on how to apply under this announcement. Applicants will be required to submit the documentation of approval with any initial application submitted under the alternative method. In addition, any submittal through an alternative method must comply with all applicable requirements and deadlines in the announcement including the submission deadline and requirements regarding proposal content and page limits (although the documentation of approval of an alternate submission method will not count against any page limits).
If an exception is granted, it is valid for submissions to EPA for the remainder of the entire calendar year in which the exception was approved and can be used to justify alternative submission methods for application submissions made through December 31 of the calendar year in which the exception was approved (e.g., if the exception was approved on March 1, 2015, it is valid for any competitive or non-competitive application submission to EPA through December 31, 2015). Applicants need only request an exception once in a calendar year and all exceptions will expire on December 31 of that calendar year. Applicants must request a new exception from required electronic submission through Grants.gov for submissions for any succeeding calendar year. For example, if there is a competitive opportunity issued on December 1, 2015 with a submission deadline of January 15, 2016, the applicant would need a new exception to submit through alternative methods beginning January 1, 2016.
Please note that the process described in this section is only for requesting alternate submission methods. All other inquiries about this announcement must be directed to the Agency Contact listed in Section VII of the announcement. Queries or requests submitted to the email address identified above for any reason other than to request an alternate submission method will not be acknowledged or answered.
B. Application Package Information
Use the application package available at Grants.gov (see Section IV.F. “Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements”). Note: With the exception of the current and pending support form (available at How to Apply and Required Forms), all necessary forms are included in the electronic application package. Make sure to include the current and pending support form in your Grants.gov submission.
An email will be sent by EPA to the Principal Investigator (PI)/Project Manager (PM) and the Administrative Contact (see below) to acknowledge receipt of the application and transmit other important information. The email will be sent from receipt.application@epa.gov; emails to this address will not be accepted. If you do not receive an email acknowledgement within 10 calendar days of the submission closing date, immediately inform the Electronic Submissions Contact shown in this solicitation. Failure to do so may result in your application not being reviewed. See Section IV.F. “Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements” for additional information regarding the application receipt acknowledgment.
C. Content and Form of Application Submission
The application is made by submitting the materials described below.Applications must contain all information requested and be submitted in the formats described.
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Standard Form 424
The applicant must complete Standard Form 424. Instructions for completion of the SF424 are included with the form. (However, note that EPA requires that the entire requested dollar amount appear on the SF424, not simply the proposed first year expenses.) The form must contain the signature of an authorized representative of the applying organization.
Applicants are required to provide a unique entity identifier (formerly ‘DUNS number’) when applying for federal grants or cooperative agreements. Organizations may receive a unique entity identifier, at no cost, by calling the dedicated toll-free request line at 1-866-705-5711, or visiting the website at: Dun & Bradstreet Exit.
Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,” does not apply to the Office of Research and Development's research and training programs unless EPA has determined that the activities that will be carried out under the applicants' proposal (a) require an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), or (b) do not require an EIS but will be newly initiated at a particular site and require unusual measures to limit the possibility of adverse exposure or hazard to the general public, or (c) have a unique geographic focus and are directly relevant to the governmental responsibilities of a State or local government within that geographic area.
If EPA determines that Executive Order 12372 applies to an applicant's proposal, the applicant must follow the procedures in 40 CFR Part 29. The applicant must notify their state's single point of contact (SPOC). To determine whether their state participates in this process, and how to comply, applicants should consult Intergovernmental Review (SPOC List) . If an applicant is in a State that does not have a SPOC, or the State has not selected research and development grants for intergovernmental review, the applicant must notify directly affected State, area wide, regional and local entities of its proposal.
EPA will notify the successful applicant(s) if Executive Order 12372 applies to its proposal prior to award.
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Key Contacts
The applicant must complete the “Key Contacts” form found in the Grants.gov application package. An “Additional Key Contacts” form is also available at How to Apply and Required Forms. The Key Contacts form should also be completed for major sub-agreements (i.e., primary investigators). Do not include information for consultants or other contractors. Please make certain that all contact information is accurate.
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Table of Contents
Provide a list of the major subdivisions of the application indicating the page number on which each section begins. -
Abstract (1 page)
The abstract is a very important document in the review process. Therefore, it is critical that the abstract accurately describes the training effort being proposed and conveys all the essential elements of the training.
The abstract should include the information described below (a-g).
- Funding Opportunity Title and Number for this proposal.
- Project Title: Use the exact title of your project as it appears in the application. The title must be brief yet represent the major thrust of the project. Because the title will be used by those not familiar with the project, use more commonly understood terminology. Do not use general phrases such as "research on."
- Personnel: List the name of the Principal Investigator/Project Manager, then the name(s) of additional identified personnel who will significantly contribute to the program.
- Institution(s): In the same order as the list of personnel, list the name, city and state of each participating institution. The institution applying for assistance must be clearly identified.
- Project Period and Location: Show the proposed project beginning and ending dates and the performance site(s)/geographical location(s) where the work will be conducted.
- Project Cost: Show the total funding requested from the EPA (include direct and indirect costs for all years).
- Project Summary: Provide three subsections addressing: (1) the objectives of the program, (2) the expected results (outputs/outcomes) of the program and how they address the needs identified in the solicitation, and (3) the typical amount of time a trainee will spend at GWERD’s research facilities (Note: A typical trainee should spend approximately 10+ hours per week during the academic year and 20+ hours per week if participating in the summer session on-site at GWERD’s Ada, OK research facilities).
- Project Narrative (20 pages)
The Project Narrative is the technical proposal that discusses the approach and organizational capabilities for accomplishing the objectives stated under Section I.D of this solicitation. It must also address all of the review criteria described in Section V of the announcement.
The project narrative must not exceed twenty (20) consecutively numbered (bottom center), 8.5x11-inch pages of single-spaced, standard 12-point type with 1-inch margins. While these guidelines establish the minimum type size requirements, applicants are advised that readability is of paramount importance and should take precedence in selection of an appropriate font for use in the proposal. The page limitation for the project narrative shall include all text, tables, figures, references, attachments, and appendices. Do not refer to institutional websites to address content in the Project Narrative. All sections listed below must be adequately described within the twenty (20) page Project Narrative page limit.
The project narrative should provide the following information (Please use section headings provided below):
- Educational and Technical Merit: Describe the educational and technical merit of the research training program being proposed for undergraduate and graduate trainees. Describe how a partnership with GWERD in Ada, Oklahoma will support EPA’s goal and objective of training the next generation of environmental scientists and engineers.
- Management of Training Program: The proposed approach for managing the training program, including providing financial support to trainees, processes and procedures for identifying and matching undergraduate and graduate trainees with the available training opportunities related to GWERD’s research themes, and providing scientific oversight for the selected trainees’ development of personal training plans and research projects to be conducted at EPA GWERD facilities. The proposed training program should describe how it will disseminate guidance and direction to trainees to ensure they are following the health and safety and quality assurance requirements as described by GWERD Mentors while working at the EPA laboratory, evaluating training/research plans to ensure human subjects research is identified and properly managed, assisting trainees to accomplish the required coursework for their chosen degree without undue interference from their research responsibilities, and providing the necessary resources for the trainees to accomplish their proposed research. The approach shall provide information on any anticipated differences in managing undergraduate and graduate students including the impact of potentially more complex research projects being identified by graduate students. Applicants should address logistical issues necessary to achieve these and the other objectives of this announcement as described in Section I.
- Recruitment: The proposed approach for competitively advertising the apprenticeship program in as wide a manner as practicable and approach for recruiting undergraduate and graduate students of high quality and ability.
- Trainee Review/Selection: The rationale and process for selecting trainees. The process for receiving, managing, and objectively reviewing applications from students for apprenticeships. The applicant should describe the review criteria to be used in the evaluation of potential trainees. Note that applications must not contain provisions wherein decisions about how to structure and manage a trainee program, including the selection process, may be based on race, color, national origin, sex or disability.
- Expected Outputs and Outcomes: Describe the expected outputs and outcomes resulting from the training program. Describe the plan for tracking and measuring progress toward achieving the expected environmental outputs and outcomes including those identified in Section I.D. above.
- Personnel Expertise: The qualifications and competence of the Principal Investigator/ Project Manager and key personnel and adequacy of their time commitment to the research training program. Include formal education, training, licenses, or other relevant training as it relates to expertise in conducting and/or overseeing activities described in Section I.
- Financial and Project Management: Describe the approach, procedures, and controls for ensuring that awarded assistance funds will be expended in a timely and efficient manner and how project objectives will be timely and successfully achieved within the project period. Provide program schedules with associated milestones and target dates for completion.
- Budget: Describe how the program budget makes the most efficient use of Agency funds for the collaborative training of undergraduate and graduate students, for instance, by providing recorded or on-line training to meet basic health and safety training requirements, thus saving more costly one-on-one training for unique situations.
- Facilities and Resources: Describe the facilities and resources (e.g., supplies, training tools) available to support the learning experience of participating trainees.
- Past Performance and Reporting History: Provide information on the proposed Principal Investigator’s (PI's)/Project Manager’s (PM’s) past performance and reporting history under prior Federal assistance agreements (assistance agreements include grants and cooperative agreements but not contracts) in terms of: (i) the level of success in managing and completing each agreement, and (ii) history of meeting the reporting requirements and documenting progress towards achieving the expected results under each agreement.
The past performance and reporting history information is required only for the proposed PI's/PM’s performance under federally funded assistance agreements (assistance agreements include grants and cooperative agreements but not contracts) similar in size, scope and relevance to the proposed project that the proposed PI performed within the last three years. Note: If no relevant prior past performance information and/or reporting history exists you will be asked to so state.
The specific information required for each agreement is shown below.
- Name of Granting Agency.
- Grant/Cooperative agreement number.
- Grant/Cooperative agreement title.
- Brief description of the grant/cooperative agreement.
- A description of how the agreement is similar in size, scope and relevance to the proposed project and whether or not it was successfully managed and completed; if not successfully managed and completed, provide an explanation.
- Information relating to the proposed PI's past performance in reporting on progress towards achieving the expected results (outputs/outcomes) under the agreement and meeting reporting requirements under the agreement. Include the history of submitting timely progress/final technical reports, describe how progress towards achieving the expected results was reported/documented, and if such progress was not being made, provide an explanation of whether, and how, this was reported.
- Total (all years) grant/cooperative agreement dollar value.
- Project period.
- Technical contact (project officer), telephone number, and Email address (if available).
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Budget and Budget Justification
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Budget
Prepare a master budget table using “SF-424A Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs” (aka SF-424A), available in the Grants.gov electronic application package and also at How to Apply and Required Forms. Only complete “Section B-Budget Categories”. Provide the object class budget category (a. - k.) amounts for each budget year under the “Grant Program, Function or Activity” heading. Each column reflects a separate budget year. For example, Column (1) reflects budget year 1. The total budget will be automatically tabulated in column (5).
Applicants may not use subagreements to transfer or delegate their responsibility for successful completion of their EPA assistance agreement. Please refer to EPA Solicitation Clauses if your organization intends to identify specific contractors, including consultants, and subawardees in your proposal.
Please note that institutional cost-sharing is not required.
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Budget Justification [3 pages in addition to the Section IV.C.5. page limitations]
Describe the basis for calculating the personnel, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and other costs identified in the SF-424A. The budget justification should not exceed three consecutively numbered (bottom center), 8.5x11-inch pages of single-spaced, standard 12-point type with 1-inch margins.
Budget information should be supported at the level of detail described below:
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Personnel: List all staff positions by title. Give annual salary, percentage of time assigned to the project, total cost for the budget period, and project role. Compensation paid for employees engaged in cooperative agreement activities must be consistent with payments for similar work within the applicant organization. Note that for salaries to be allowable as a direct charge to the award, a justification of how that person will be directly involved in the project must be provided. General administrative duties such as answering telephones, filing, typing, or accounting duties are not considered acceptable.
Below is a sample computation for Personnel:
Position/Title Annual Salary % of Time Assigned to Project Cost Project Manager $70,000 50% $ 35,000 Env. Specialist $60,000 100% $ 60,000 Env. Health Tech $45,000 100% $ 45,000 Total Personnel $140,000 Note this budget category is limited to persons employed by the applicant organization ONLY. Those employed elsewhere are classified as subawardees, contractors or consultants. Contractors and consultants should be listed under the “Contractual” budget heading while subawards made to eligible subrecipients are listed under the “Other” budget heading.
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Fringe Benefits: Identify the percentage used and the basis for its computation. Fringe benefits are for the personnel listed in budget category (1) above and only for the percentage of time devoted to the project. Fringe benefits include but are not limited to the cost of leave, employee insurance, pensions and unemployment benefit plans. The applicant should not combine the fringe benefit costs with direct salaries and wages in the personnel category.
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Travel: Specify the estimated number of trips, purpose of each trip, number of travelers per trip, destinations, and other costs for each type of travel. Explain the need for any travel, paying particular attention to travel outside the United States.
Below is a sample computation for Travel:
Purpose of Travel Location Item Computation Cost EPA Progress Meeting OK Lodging 4 people x $100 per night
x 2 nights$800 Airfare 4 people x $500 round trip $2,000 Per Diem 4 people x $50 per day
x 2 days$400 Total Travel $3,200 -
Equipment: Identify all tangible, non-expendable personal property to be purchased that has an estimated cost of $5,000 or more per unit and a useful life of more than one year. It does not include: (1) equipment planned to be leased/rented, including lease/purchase agreements; or (2) equipment service or maintenance contracts. Details such as the type of equipment, cost, and a brief narrative on the intended use of the equipment for project objectives are required. Each item of equipment must be identified with the corresponding cost. General-purpose equipment (office equipment, etc.) must be justified as to how it will be used on the project. (Property items with a unit cost of less than $5,000 are considered supplies.)
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The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.