Grantee Research Project Results

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Center for Environmental Research

ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS IN VIEQUES, PUERTO RICO THROUGH COMMUNITY PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH

CLOSED - FOR REFERENCES PURPOSES ONLY

Recipients List

This is the initial announcement of this funding opportunity.

Funding Opportunity Number: EPA-G2019-ORD-A1

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 66.511

Solicitation Opening Date: February 20, 2019
Solicitation Closing Date: April 23, 2019: 11:59:59 pm Eastern Time

Table of Contents
SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
	Synopsis of Program
	Award Information
	Eligibility Information
	Application Materials
	Agency Contacts
I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION
	A. Introduction
	B. Background
	C. Authority and Regulations
	D. Specific Areas of Interest/Expected Outputs and Outcomes
	E. References
	F. Special Requirements
II. AWARD INFORMATION
III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
	A. Eligible Applicants
	B. Cost Sharing
	C. Other
IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION
	A. Grants.gov Submittal Requirements and Limited Exception Procedures
	B. Application Package Information
	C. Content and Form of Application Submission
	D. Submission Dates and Times
	E. Funding Restrictions
	F. Submission Instructions and Other Submission Requirements
V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION
	A. Peer Review
	B. Relevancy Review
	C. Past Performance History Review
	D. Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS) Review
	E. Funding Decisions
	F. Additional Provisions for Applicants Incorporated into the Solicitation
VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION
	A. Award Notices
	B. Disputes
	C. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
VII. AGENCY CONTACTS

Access Standard Forms (How to Apply and Required Forms)
View research awarded under previous solicitations (Past Research Funding Opportunities)

SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

Synopsis of Program:

Consistent with Public Law (P.L.) 115-141, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is issuing this Request for Applications (RFA) “...to conduct research to facilitate the effective testing, evaluation, quantification and mitigation of the toxic substances in the soil, seas, plant, animal and human population of Vieques. This effort will fill an information void at this site, which functioned as a military training installation for decades, and serve as the baseline study for all potential future mitigation efforts.”

To implement the congressional direction in P.L. 115-141,  EPA is seeking applications proposing to develop a community participatory research program to facilitate addressing the following topics that will foster a better understanding of environmental contamination, impact, and mitigation options at the Vieques, Puerto Rico site which functioned as a military training installation: 1) develop approaches and methods to detect and characterize the baseline level of contamination in Vieques; 2) assess human health and ecosystem impacts caused by contaminant exposure in Vieques; and 3) develop innovative approaches to mitigate contamination and enhance remediation at the Site. In responding to this RFA, the applicants should propose projects that involve engagement and collaboration with community partners to conduct research that results in science-based knowledge to guide decisions that will better sustain a healthier society and environment in Vieques.

The ultimate goals of the solicitation are to solicit projects that: 1) fill an information void at this site and serve as the baseline study for all potential future mitigation efforts; and 2) help communities achieve their own objective of living in a healthier environment.

The study must be conducted by a University-led coalition which shall include a School of Public Health in order to be eligible for funding consideration. In addition, the applicant must provide a letter of support from the Municipality of Vieques (see Sections III.C and IV.C.11.a.).

Pertinent research includes approaches leading to the development of effective sampling and analytical methods to detect and characterize environmental pollution including contamination caused by surface and underwater munitions and/or its potential degradation byproducts, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), toxic metals, and chlorinated chemicals. Pertinent research also includes characterization of contaminant transport, environmental transformation, routes of ecosystem and human exposure, development of approaches and models to characterize contaminant bioavailability, bioaccumulation, and prediction of impacts on ecosystem and human health. In addition, innovative approaches to mitigate contamination and remediate the impacted site in Vieques need to be developed.  Applicants should partner with a community or a community-based organization in Vieques and document an active partnership with a community or community-based organization, as well as the partner’s intent to participate in the proposed research.

This solicitation provides the opportunity for the submission of applications for projects that may involve human subjects research.  Human subjects research supported by the EPA is governed by EPA Regulation 40 CFR Part 26 (Protection of Human Subjects).  This includes the Common Rule at subpart A and prohibitions and additional protections for pregnant women and fetuses, nursing women, and children at subparts B, C, and D.  Research meeting the regulatory definition of intentional exposure research found in subpart B is prohibited by that subpart in pregnant women, nursing women, and children.  Research meeting the regulatory definition of observational research found in subparts C and D is subject to the additional protections found in those subparts for pregnant women and fetuses (subpart C) and children (subpart D).  All applications must include a Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS, as described in Section IV.C.7.c of this solicitation), and if the project involves human subjects research, it will be subject to an additional level of review prior to funding decisions being made as described in Sections V.D and V.E of this solicitation.

Guidance and training for investigators conducting EPA-funded research involving human subjects may be obtained here:
Basic Information about Human Subjects Research
Basic EPA Policy for Protection of Subjects in Human Research Conducted or Supported by EPA

Award Information:
Anticipated Type of Award: Grant
Estimated Number of Awards: 1 award
Anticipated Funding Amount: $800,000
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.  Applications with budgets exceeding the total award limits will not be considered.

Eligibility Information:
This solicitation is available to public and private universities and colleges located in the United States and its territories and possessions. Special eligibility criteria apply to this RFA.  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 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 (e.g., ‘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.

Agency Contacts:
Technical Contact: Mitch Lasat; (lasat.mitch@epa.gov); phone: 202-564-7702
Eligibility Contact: Ron Josephson (josephson.ron@epa.gov); phone: 202-564-7823
Electronic Submissions Contact: Debra M. Jones (jones.debram@epa.gov); phone: 202-564-7839

Additional Contacts:

Municipality of Vieques:

Hon. Victor Emeric-Catarineau, Mayor of Vieques,
P.O. Box 449
Vieques, PR 00765
phone; (direct line): 787-741-5051
(office): 787-741-5000, ext. 214

Vieques Superfund Site:

Daniel Rodríguez
Remedial Project Manager
Vieques Field Office
U.S. EPA
phone: 787-664-8523; email: rodriguez.daniel@epa.gov

Dan Waddill
Naval Facilities
Engineering Command Atlantic
U.S. Navy
phone: 757-322-4983; email: dan.waddill@navy.mil

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Introduction
There is insufficient information to determine the human exposure status at the Vieques Superfund Site (https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/SiteProfiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=second.Healthenv&id=0204694). Extensive amounts of unexploded ordnance and remnants of exploded ordnance have been identified in the range areas of Vieques, and in the surrounding waters. Hazardous substances that may be present at the site include mercury, lead, copper, magnesium, lithium, perchlorate, TNT, napalm, depleted uranium, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), solvents, and pesticides.  A list of contaminants of concern identified at the site can be found at https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/SiteProfiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=second.contams&id=0204694.  However, the contamination has not been fully characterized. The U.S. Navy has been conducting remedial activities at the Site and works with the EPA to ensure community participation throughout the remedial process by meeting with residents and affected stakeholders, issuing public notices and updating fact sheets. An EPA Community Involvement Coordinator is assigned to the site to address specific community concerns as they arise.

Congress recognized the need for research into the environmental and human health effects and mitigation approaches for contamination in Vieques by appropriating funds for EPA to conduct research to facilitate scientific advances leading to the: 1) detection and characterization of the baseline level of contamination; 2) assessment of human health and ecosystem impacts caused by contamination via understanding critical pathways of exposure and potential effects; and 3) development of innovative approaches to mitigate contamination and enhance remediation at the impacted Site. Applicants developing applications to address the research topics above should seek input from communities or community-based organizations in Vieques.

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:

1. 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 Historically Black Colleges and Universities;
2. 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;
3. Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1101a(a)(5)). 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. A list of these schools can be found at Hispanic-Serving Institutions;
4. Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions; (AANAPISIs), as defined by the Higher Education Act (20 U.S.C. § 1059g(a)(2)).  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. A list of these schools can be found at Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions; and
5. Predominately Black Institutions (PBIs), incorporated into the Higher Education Act in 2008 (codified in Section 318(b) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. 1059e.). PBIs are defined as institutions that: serve at least 1,000 undergraduate students; have at least 50% low-income or first-generation degree-seeking undergraduate enrollment; have a low per full-time undergraduate student expenditure in comparison with other institutions offering similar instruction; and, enroll at least 40% African-American students. A list of these schools can be found at Predominately Black Institutions.

B. Background

For over 60 years, the U.S. Navy used the small island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, as a bombing range and site for military-training exercises including live bombing. The Navy ceased these operations in 2003 and, in 2005, EPA listed the outer portion of the island on the Superfund National Priority List. The extensive use of munitions testing has generated much controversy about a potential environmental impact. Under its Environmental Restoration Program, the Navy is partnering with several Federal Agencies to implement prompt actions to address imminent and substantial threats to human health, safety, and the environment (https://www.denix.osd.mil/awards/2016secdef/environmental-restoration-individual-team/vieques-environmental-restoration-program-team-puerto-rico/). A summary of Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) response actions and associated documentation to be undertaken at the Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Area (AFWTA) – Vieques, Puerto Rico can be found at https://www.navfac.navy.mil/content/dam/navfac/Environmental/PDFs/env_restoration/vieques/Site_Management_Plan_FY2018_Final_20180508.pdf. A number of studies point to a low level of environmental contamination with reduced public health hazard (https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/sites/vieques/docs/vieques_profile.pdf; https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/pha/vieques/Vieques_Summary_Final_Report_
English_2013.pdf).

Other studies, however, have reported higher rates of disease in Vieques compared to the rest of Puerto Rico and exposure to toxic metals and chemical residues from bombs and experimental weaponry has been linked to a substantial increase in cancer, diabetes, hypertension, cirrhosis and respiratory diseases. Elevated lung and bronchus cancer incidence rates in Vieques compared to the rest of Puerto Rico have been reported for the 1992-1997 period (Sanderson et al., 2017). Supporting a different view, other studies point to a lack of access to medical care as being responsible for an elevation of chronic disease prevalence on the island (https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/pha/vieques/Vieques_Summary_Final_Report_English_2013.pdf).

Currently, it is unclear what is the extent and what are the causes of the health issues in Vieques. For example, all the chemicals and agents used in munitions testing have not been fully characterized and the site has unique challenges such as unexploded ordnance across thousands of acres of land and sea floor, and abundant ecologically and culturally sensitive resources.

Many Vieques communities struggle with complex environmental problems that require long-range planning and engagement with multiple stakeholders. Some of these issues include potential cumulative exposure to various environmental contaminants via different exposure pathways, and/or the employment of effective mitigation efforts.

In developing their applications, applicants should engage with communities or community-based organizations in Vieques to understand and address their concerns through Community-Engaged Research (CEnR) approaches. CEnR is a framework for conducting research that supports the premise that people ought to be involved in the decisions that affect their lives (Cornwall and Jewkes, 1995; Israel et al., 1998). CEnR also acknowledges that communities harbor a wealth of information about their own experiences and perspectives that may be used to positively inform and shape research endeavors. Active and sustained partnerships with communities or community-based organizations are integral to the research being solicited. For the purpose of this announcement, a “community-based organization” generally means a nongovernmental organization that has demonstrated effectiveness as a representative of a community or a significant segment of a community and that helps members of that community obtain environmental, educational, or other social services. A community-based organization must be a nonprofit or not for profit corporation in good standing under state or tribal law with authority to enter into binding legal agreements. The community-based organization need not be tax exempt under the Internal Revenue Code but may use documentation of tax exempt status to demonstrate that it is a nonprofit.

C. Authority and Regulations
The authority for this RFA and resulting award is contained in the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Section 311, 42 U.S.C.  9660 and the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, P.L. 115-141

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 40 (Research and Demonstration Grants).

D. 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.

The research activities to be funded under this announcement will address the directives indicated in the congressional appropriation by advancing the science of risk assessment, characterization and management associated with environmental contamination in Vieques, Puerto Rico. The research areas to be addressed are: 1) develop approaches and methods to detect and characterize the baseline level of contamination in Vieques; 2) assess human health and ecosystem impacts caused by contaminant exposure in Vieques; and 3) develop innovative approaches to mitigate contamination and enhance remediation at the Site. Both new and legacy data are expected to be used in this investigation.  These overarching research areas should be considered in the context of improving communities’ ability to assess and manage environmental stressors that may have a potential to adversely affect the local ecosystems and their services as well as human health and well-being.

EPA is interested in applications for integrated, transdisciplinary research that address all the areas described below, and advance scientific understanding of what communities need to do to assess the impact of multiple environmental stressors and develop management options to mitigate conditions that may potentially have adverse effects on ecosystem and human health. Applicants must include a plan for community engagement and integration (see Section IV.C.7.d).

In preparing their applications, applicants should address all three research areas and must include a community engagement plan as described below. Applications which do not address all of the research areas described below may not be rated as highly under the evaluation process described in Section V.

Specific Research Areas:

Research Area 1: Develop approaches and methods to detect and characterize the baseline level of contamination in Vieques

Research in this area should be aimed at evaluating new or existing approaches for detecting terrestrial and aquatic contamination, and characterizing toxicity, bioavailability and exposure, aiding in the characterization of a baseline level of contamination. There is a need to improve the understanding of how underwater environmental conditions affect: 1) the performance of tools used to detect and characterize contamination and 2) contaminant exposure to humans and ecosystems and resulting toxic effects. Particularly, methods capable of detecting and characterizing complex mixtures of contaminants including munitions, toxic metals, PFAS, PCBs, and chlorinated solvents need to be developed and evaluated. For example, there is a need to develop and/or apply passive sampling technologies capable of collecting bioavailability data on contaminants of interest. Such bioavailability measurements may provide useful estimates of contaminant bioaccumulation by benthic and pelagic organisms, including seafood consumed by humans, as well as a correlation with sediment toxicity observations. Of interest is also the development of new or application of existing passive samplers for deeper waters that do not require diver-assisted deployments. There is also a need to detect and better characterize the potential contamination and degradation byproducts in the terrestrial system. For continued monitoring and remedial activity, approaches must be developed to quickly and effectively identify highly contaminated areas as well as areas with low or no contamination.

The use of existing information on contaminant detection and site characterization is encouraged. This information can be supplemented with additional data, obtained in this investigation, if needed.

Research Area 2: Assess human health and ecosystem impacts caused by contaminant exposure in Vieques

Research in this area should be aimed at assessing the human health and ecosystem impacts caused by contaminant exposure and aid in determining the effects of contaminants and any degradation byproducts on human and ecosystem health in Vieques. In Vieques, risks to ecosystem and human health may result from exposure to contaminated media including groundwater, soil and sediments, plants, and terrestrial or aquatic animals. There is a need to better assess the health impacts of these potentially contaminated media. The environmental transformation of contamination with particular emphasis on weathering processes as they influence the toxicity of contaminants and the impact on the ecosystem needs to be better characterized. Impacted human communities are concerned about the potential contamination of vegetation, including food crops, via plant uptake from contaminated soil and sediment and the effect that may have on animals and human health. Similarly, concerns exist over contamination of seafood and shellfish in the marine waters surrounding Vieques and the related risks to human health.  A better understanding and characterization of contaminant uptake, accumulation, and transformation in the representative ecosystem and economically-important species is needed. To better understand and address risk, there is a need to not only assess the presence of contaminants, but to also determine their bioavailability in a range of media.  Assessments which fail to consider contaminant bioavailability may lead to incorrect and expensive remedial decisions without comparable reductions of risk. Further, energy-intensive remedial approaches such as dredging and/or removal may unnecessarily impact sensitive ecosystems and organisms.

Research Area 3: Develop innovative approaches to mitigate contamination and enhance remediation at the Site

Research in this area should be aimed at demonstrating the efficacy of innovative approaches to mitigate contamination and enhance remediation at the Site thus reducing environmental contaminant exposure and toxicity and restoring human and ecosystem health. There is a need to develop new or optimize existing in-situ remedial approaches for contaminants in Vieques. To achieve that goal, it is important to: 1) characterize biogeochemical conditions in the soil particularly in the rhizosphere and microbial populations that develop on or adjacent to the plant root; 2) define other potential fate mechanisms such as plant and soil microorganisms uptake and transformation; 3) develop technologies to maximize sorption/immobilization/biodegradation in the rhizosphere; and 4) develop approaches to deliver treatment amendments to enhance remedial properties of the soil microorganisms and rhizosphere and methods to evaluate their effectiveness. Some contaminants of concern (e.g., several munitions and PFAS) are very soluble in water. Amendments need to be developed and applied that sequester contaminants in non-bioavailable form or effectively stimulate biodegradation of these compounds to nontoxic components. Methods for enhancing the potential for natural attenuation of contamination need to be developed by focusing on: 1) characterization of the impact of intrinsic abiotic transformation on contaminant fate, transport, and toxicity; 2) determination of requirements for in situ enhancement of abiotic processes considering intrinsic conditions; and 3) development of predictive models for attenuation and design long-term monitoring approaches.

Due to safety concerns and anticipated environmental consequences, detonation of underwater explosives may not be acceptable as a remediation technique. If such contamination is detected, there is a need to develop cost-effective, safe, and environmentally acceptable remediation techniques which will not impact marine life.

Community Engagement Plan: Engage and work collaboratively with community groups in Vieques on all aspects of research planning and project implementation to benefit the advancement of scientific knowledge at the site and advance the community’s ability to take action to reduce exposure to harmful contaminants

Applications must include a community engagement plan (see Section IV.C.7.d) which should, at a minimum, describe how: a) the community will be involved in the project; b) the community’s input, aimed at benefiting the three research areas, will be incorporated in the research plan; and c) the community will be kept involved during the project implementation stage. Applicants are encouraged to utilize Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) and similar CEnR approaches in their study design. CBPR and CEnR are characterized by substantial community input in the project (for additional information on CBPR, see Minkler and Wallerstein, 2008). In the application, the applicant will need to justify the level of community involvement proposed. EPA strongly encourages an active partnership with a community or a community-based organization that has already developed some data and started identifying and prioritizing human and ecological concerns. The community engagement plan should document: 1) an active partnership with a community or community-based organization, and 2) the partner’s intent to participate in the proposed research. At a minimum, each applicant should: a) focus on research issues of significance to the community that is interested in the proposed work; b) identify the role of community members in the proposed research plan (i.e., the degree of community input or engagement in the conceptualization, design, methods, analyses, and dissemination of research); c) describe how this research will enhance the capacity of the community; d) if necessary, allocate appropriate resources to the research partners to ensure success of the collaboration, e.g., delineating funds under the project’s budget for community participation; and e) provide evidence of community support. The applicant must provide a letter of support from the Municipality of Vieques expressing their support of the research (see Sections III.C and IV.C.11.a.).

The activities to be funded under this announcement support EPA’s FY 2018-22 Strategic Plan. Activities to be funded under this announcement support Goal 3: Rule of Law and Process, Objective 3.3: Prioritize Robust Science, of EPA’s FY 2018-22 Strategic Plan. Awards made under this announcement will further EPA’s priorities supporting robust science for Sustainable and Healthy Communities.

The Sustainable and Healthy Communities research program provides science and tools for decision makers to help communities advance sustainability and achieve regulatory compliance. The program is collaborating with partners to conduct research that results in science-based knowledge to guide decisions that will better sustain a healthy society and environment in America’s communities.

This RFA  is soliciting research to facilitate the effective testing, evaluation, quantification and mitigation of the toxic substances in the soil, seas, plant, animal and human population of Vieques. This effort will fill an information void at this site, which functioned as a military training installation for decades, and serve as the baseline study for all potential future mitigation efforts. The proposed research may involve evaluation of new or existing approaches for detecting terrestrial and aquatic contamination, characterization of the effects of contaminants and any degradation byproducts on human and ecosystem health, and development and evaluation of innovative approaches to minimize contaminant exposure and toxicity. All applications must be for projects that support the goal and objective identified above.

EPA also requires that grant applicants adequately describe environmental outputs and outcomes to be achieved under assistance agreements (see EPA Order 5700.7A1: EPA's Policy for Environmental Results under EPA Assistance Agreements). Applicants must include specific statements describing the environmental results of the proposed project in terms of well-defined outputs and, to the maximum extent practicable, well-defined outcomes that will demonstrate how the project will contribute to the priorities described above.

Outputs expected from the research funded under this RFA may include peer-reviewed publications, presentations, guidance documents, models, demonstrations, and case studies that help facilitate the effective testing, evaluation, quantification and mitigation of the toxic substances in the soil, seas, plant, animal and human population of Vieques.

Outcomes expected from the research funded under this RFA include an improved and thorough characterization of environmental contamination which will serve as a baseline for mitigation efforts in Vieques and a better understanding of approaches and methods that can be employed to mitigate contamination in Vieques resulting in healthier communities and ecosystems.

To the extent practicable, research applications must embody innovation. Innovation for the purposes of this RFA is defined as the process of making changes; a new method, custom or device. Innovative research can take the form of wholly new applications or applications that build on existing knowledge and approaches for new uses.  Research applications must include a discussion on how the proposed research is innovative (see Section IV.C.7.a).  Reviewers will draw from the above-mentioned innovation definition in the review/evaluation process of research applications (see Section V.A).

E. References

Cornwall, A., Jewkes, J.  What is Participatory Action Research?  Social Science & Medicine 41:1667-76 (1995).

Israel, B., Schulz, A., Parker, E.  Review of Community-Based Research: Assessing Partnership Approaches to Improve Public Health. Annual Review of Public Health, 19: 173-202 (1998).

Minkler, M., Wallerstein, N. (Eds). Community-Based Participatory Research for Health: From Process to Outcomes, 2nd Ed. New York: Jossey-Bass Publishers (2008).

Sanderson, H., Fauser, P., Stauber, R.S., Christensen, J., Lofstrom, P., Becker, T. Civilian exposure to munitions-specific carcinogens and resulting cancer risks for civilians on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques following military exercises from 1947 to 1998. Global Security: Health, Science and Policy (2) 1 (2017). 

Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Area Vieques, PR-Health & Environment. Available at https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/SiteProfiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=second.Healthenv&id=0204694 Exit

Atlantic Fleet Weapons Training Area Vieques, PR- Contaminant List. Available at https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/SiteProfiles/index.cfm?fuseaction=second.contams&id=0204694 Exit

Fiscal Year 2015 Chief of Naval Operation Environmental Award; Vieques Naval Installation, Puerto Rico, Environmental Restoration- Team. Available at https://www.denix.osd.mil/awards/2016secdef/environmental-restoration-individual-team/vieques-environmental-restoration-program-team-puerto-rico/ Exit

Site Management Plan Fiscal Year 2018; Atlantic Fleet Training Area-Vieques, Puerto Rico. Available at https://www.navfac.navy.mil/content/dam/navfac/Environmental/PDFs/env_restoration/vieques/Site_Management_Plan_FY2018_Final_20180508.pdf  Exit

A Summary of ATSDR’s Environmental Health Evaluations for the Isla de Vieques Bombing Range. Available at https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/sites/vieques/docs/vieques_profile.pdf Exit

An Evaluation of Environmental, Biological, and Health Data from the Island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. Available at  https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/pha/vieques/Vieques_Summary_Final_Report_English_2013.pdf Exit

F. 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.

Multiple Investigator applications may be submitted as: (1) a single Lead Principal Investigator (PI) application with Co-PI(s) or (2) a Multiple PI application (with a single Contact PI).  If you choose to submit a Multiple PI application, you must follow the specific instructions provided in Sections IV. and V. of this RFA.  For further information, please see the EPA Implementation Plan for Policy on Multiple Principal Investigators (RBM Toolkit - Research Business Models Working Group).

This solicitation provides the opportunity for the submission of applications for projects that may involve human subjects research. All applications must include a Human Subjects Research Statement (HSRS; described in Section IV.C.7.c of this solicitation). If the project involves human subjects research, it will be subject to an additional level of review prior to funding decisions being made as described in Sections V.D and V.E of this solicitation.

The proposed research must be conducted by a University-led coalition which shall include a School of Public Health. The applicant will need to certify that their institution includes a School of Public Health or a member of their coalition includes a School of Public Health which will be involved in the proposed research (see Section IV.C.7.e). For the purposes of this RFA, a coalition is defined as two or more institutions/organizations. The application must identify which organization will be the recipient of the assistance agreement and which organizations(s) will be subawardees of the recipient.

The applicant must provide a letter of support from the Municipality of Vieques expressing the municipality’s support of the research (see Sections III.C and IV.C.11.a.). The Municipality of Vieques may be contacted at:

Hon. Victor Emeric-Catarineau, Mayor of Vieques,
P.O. Box 449
Vieques, PR 00765
phone; (direct line): 787-741-5051
                 (office): 787-741-5000, ext. 214

A Community Engagement Plan (see Section IV.C.7.d of this solicitation for additional information) detailing the proposed methods for community engagement and communication must be provided.

Questions associated with access to  the Vieques Superfund site should be directed to EPA’s Daniel Rodriguez, rodriguez.daniel@epa.gov, at the Caribbean Environmental Protection Division, U.S. Virgin Islands Coordinator Office; or the U.S. Navy’s Dan Waddill, dan.waddill@navy.mil, at the Naval Facilities, Engineering Command Atlantic.

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 1 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 three years.

The EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards 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 applications by funding discrete portions or phases of proposed projects. If EPA decides to partially fund a application, it will do so in a manner that does not prejudice any applicants or affect the basis upon which the application, or portion thereof, was evaluated and selected for award, and therefore maintains the integrity of the competition and selection process.

EPA intends to award only grants under this announcement.

Under a grant, EPA scientists and engineers are not permitted to be substantially involved in the execution of the research.  However, EPA encourages interaction between its own laboratory scientists and grant Principal Investigators after the award of an EPA grant for the sole purpose of exchanging information in research areas of common interest that may add value to their respective research activities.  This interaction must be incidental to achieving the goals of the research under a grant.  Interaction that is “incidental” does not involve resource commitments.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

This solicitation is available to public and private universities and colleges located in the United States and its territories and possessions. Foreign entities, States, including the District of Columbia, Tribal nations of the U.S., State and local government departments, hospitals, laboratories, and public or private nonprofit institutions, are not eligible to apply under this RFA. Profit-making firms are not eligible to receive assistance agreements from the EPA under this program.

Note that 2 CFR Part 200 separately defines institutions of higher education at 2 CFR 200.55 and non-profit organizations at 2 CFR 200.70. While non-profit organizations are ineligible under this RFA, Institutions of Higher Education are, nevertheless, eligible to submit applications under this RFA. Further, State, local and federally-recognized Indian tribal governments are not eligible to submit applications under this RFA. Hospitals operated by state, tribal, or local governments or that meet the definition of nonprofit at 2 CFR 200.70 are also not eligible to apply. For-profit colleges, universities, trade schools, and hospitals are ineligible. 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 eligibility should contact Ron Josephson in EPA’s National Center for Environmental Research (NCER), phone: 202-564-7823, email: josephson.ron@epa.gov.

B. Cost sharing
Institutional cost-sharing is not required.

C. Other

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.

Also, 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.

In addition, applicants that do not meet all the following requirements will be deemed ineligible:
1. The application must include a letter of support from the Municipality of Vieques expressing the municipality’s support of the research (see Section IV.C.11.a.).
2. The proposed research must be conducted by a University-led coalition. For the purposes of this RFA, a coalition is defined as two or more institutions/organizations.
3. The University-led coalition must include a School of Public Health. The application must include a School of Public Health Certification (see “School of Public Health Certification” in Section IV.C.7.e.).
4. The application must include a Community Engagement Plan (see Section IV.C.7.d.).

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 Jessica Durand
USEPA Headquarters
William Jefferson Clinton Building
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., N. W.
Mail Code: 3903R
Washington, DC 20460

Courier Address:
OGD Waivers
c/o Jessica Durand
Ronald Reagan Building
1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.
Rm # 51278
Washington, DC 20004

In the request, the applicant must include the following information:
Funding Opportunity Number (FON)
Organization Name and Unique Entity Identifier (e.g., 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 application 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, 2019, it is valid for any competitive or non-competitive application submission to EPA through December 31, 2019). 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, 2018 with a submission deadline of January 15, 2019, the applicant would need a new exception to submit through alternative methods beginning January 1, 2019.

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 NCER to the Lead/Contact PI 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.

1. 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 (e.g., ‘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.

2. 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 complet