GLNPO seeks to award a cooperative agreement to fund an intermediary organization under the authority of Section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act (CWA) to make sub-awards to State and local governments, Tribes, interstate agencies or commissions, Federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions engaged in ecological protection and restoration activities. Sub-awards administered by the intermediary organization may support investigations, experiments, surveys, studies, training, research, and demonstrations (as allowed by Section 104(b)(3) of the CWA) to work towards the protection and restoration of the Great Lakes basin ecosystem. (See section F.3. for more details)

Ideally, the intermediary organization will have the following characteristics: ability to disperse and track sub-awards, general knowledge of historic and current Great Lakes ecological protection and restoration needs and activities, experience in organizational development, demonstrated ability to work with different kinds of organizations, history of successful performance as a Federal grant recipient, and ability to leverage additional resources.

Through this RFP, GLNPO seeks to identify an organization with a mission to support agencies, organizations and communities in their efforts to implement ecological protection and restoration activities throughout the Great Lakes basin. GLNPO will enter into a cooperative agreement with the selected intermediary organization to conduct an administrative review of applications, award and oversee sub-grants, monitor sub-grants for completion of projects, and report on results and lessons learned.

In Fiscal Year (FY) 2003, between $60,000 to $100,000 is available to manage 12 to 25 grants to State and local governments, Tribes, interstate agencies or commissions, Federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions to protect and restore ecosystems in the Great Lakes basin. The amount of the assistance is dependent on the number of grants to be managed. The content of sub-grants will be based on the criteria in RFP 1C, and could include other grants, such as the Habitat workshops, described in this Funding Guidance. Once the Grants Servicing Intermediary has been selected and the sub-awards it will manage are known, the Grants Servicing Intermediary will be asked to submit a revised application in the full amount that will be awarded.

GLNPO will be awarding between $60,000 to $100,000 under a cooperative agreement to a non-profit organization, interstate agency or commission, or educational institution eligible under Section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act to manage sub-awards to state and local governments, Tribes, interstate agencies or commissions, Federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions. During the first year of the agreement, USEPA anticipates that additional funding would be added for the issuance of such sub-awards. Funds would be added in subsequent years for issuance and management of additional sub-awards.

The sub-awards will be distributed under section 104(b)(3) of the Clean Water Act, which authorizes grants for the following activities: investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, research and studies. These activities relate generally to the gathering or transferring of information or advancing the state of knowledge. For investigations or demonstrations, activities must advance the state of knowledge or transfer of information. The statutory term "demonstration" can encompass the first instance of the application of a protection or restoration technique, or an innovative application of a previously used technique. The term "experiments" may include the application of a new method of protection and restoration that will include monitoring the success and progress of the method and sharing the knowledge with others.

GLNPO is seeking a Proposal for a five year project period, with an initial two year budget period beginning in FY 2003. EPA may elect to use the selected intermediary organization to make additional sub-awards for a period up to five years.

In the preparation of the Proposal, please note that the Federal Government’s intent is to support the efforts of the recipient organization and the sub-grantees and not to obtain services for the direct use and benefit of the Federal Government.

The following elements are to be included in the full Proposal:

• Description of organization, including name, address, phone, fax, email, primary contact, documentation of non-profit status if applicable*, organizational mission, geographic scope.
• Description of organization’s experience with Great Lakes ecological protection and restoration needs, research, and projects.
• Description of how this project fits with organization’s mission.
• Description of organization’s experience in managing a grant program.
• Description of Federal grant and accounting procedures, quality assurance, and peer review procedures.
• Description of project lead and sub-award management team (describe the members, their specialties, and what part of the sub-award program for which they will be responsible). Attach resumes and/or curricula vitae.

• Description of the proposed sub-award process including the time line for awarding sub-grants and procedures for announcement of sub-grantee selection.
• Description of the reporting mechanisms that would be used to track and report on the progress of the sub-awards, including interim and final reports, budget tracking, and quality assurance plans for projects with data collection.
• Description of existing or proposed Quality System Documentation. Quality System Documentation addressing the organization and the review and approval of Quality Assurance Project Plans for sub-awards will need to be in place before sub-awards are made.

3. Budget. The intermediary organization’s administrative and overhead costs are expected to be in the range of $60,000 to $100,000 for Fiscal Year 2003 and $300,000 to $500,000 over a five year period.

4. Evaluation Criteria. Proposal Evaluations will consider the applicable Funding Guidance General Criteria and the following Specific Criteria to evaluate intermediary organization applicants.

1. Demonstrated ability to disperse and track sub-awards. Maximum score: 20 points.
2. General knowledge of current and historic Great Lakes ecological protection and restoration activities. Maximum score: 15 points.
3. Experience in organizational development. Maximum score: 15 points.
4. Demonstrated ability to work with different kinds of organizations. Maximum score: 15 points.
5. History of successful performance as a Federal grant recipient, including knowledge of Federal assistance agreement regulations, quality assurance procedures, and project tracking. Maximum score: 20 points.
6. Ability to leverage additional resources. Maximum score: 15 points.

Application Procedure. Contact Karen Rodriguez for an Application Package. Complete all Federal forms, along with your Proposal and other required information. Mail an original and two copies, enclosing a copy of the Proposal on a disk, to:

Elias Avalos
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Great Lakes National Program Office
77 W. Jackson, G-17J
Chicago, IL 60604
Fax: 312-353-2018

Application Due Date. Postmarked by March 31, 2003

• March 31, 2003 Postmarked Application deadline

1. submit signed Federal grant applications and Proposals to EPA; and
2. submit Proposal copies to State contacts for 60 day intergovernmental review process

• June, 2003 Expected date of award decision and project start
• October 1, 2003 Project Sub-awards