Water 2025 (15.507)

Program

15.507 Water 2025

Federal Agency

Agency: Department of the Interior
Office: Bureau of Reclamation

Authorization

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law 111-5; Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act, 2006, Title II, Section 205, Public Law 109-103.

Program Number

15.507

Last Known Status

Active

Objectives

To prevent crises and conflict over water in the western United States. The Challenge Grant Program is designed to contribute to this goal by providing 50 percent funding for projects that will conserve water, increase water use efficiency, or enhance water management, using advanced technology, improvements to existing facilities, and water banks and markets.

Types of Assistance

PROJECT GRANTS

Uses and Use Restrictions

To be used for projects that will result in water conservation, more efficient water use, or better management of existing water supplies, which can be completed within 24 months from the date of award. Types of eligible projects include: (1) use of water banks and water markets; (2) modernization of existing facilities using new technology; (3) canal lining; (4) installation of measuring devices; and (5) the development of analytical tools to better manage water resources. Financial assistance under this program is limited to 50% of the total project cost, and generally may not exceed $300,000 per project. Congress may also authorize the Secretary to enter into grants or cooperative agreements with universities or non-profit institutions to fund water use efficiency research.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

Irrigation and/or water districts, state governmental entities with water management authority (e.g., state agencies, departments, boards, etc), and other entities with water delivery authority, located in the states identified in the Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902, as amended, specifically, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming; universities and non-profit research institutions.

Beneficiary Eligibility

The general public,, irrigation or water districts, and state governmental entities with water management authority, located in the states identified in the Act of June 17, 1902.

Credentials/Documentation

(1) A detailed written technical proposal including background data regarding the applicant, such as location, total project diversions, and relevant water use efficiency measurements, a detailed scope of work separating the work into major tasks, including any engineering or design work already completed, and describing the conservation measures and/or water banking activities to be undertaken, how the amount of saved water will be estimated, the level of cooperation with other parties involved in the proposal, and how the proposal will reduce conflict over water resources. (2) When applicable, a funding plan showing how the applicant will pay for its 50 percent cost share requirement, and an official resolution adopted by the irrigation or water district's governing board of directors, resolving that, if selected, it will negotiate and execute a grant or cooperative agreement with Reclamation. (3) A detailed project cost proposal, including a budget with the annual estimated project costs, including salaries and wages, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contracts, and indirect costs, an estimate of annual operation and maintenance costs, and the value of in-kind contributions of goods and services. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.

Application and Award Process

Preapplication Coordination

Preapplication coordination is not applicable. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E.O. 12372.

Application Procedure

OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. A request for proposals (RFP) is posted annually by Reclamation at Grants.gov. Submission of a complete technical proposal and a project budget proposal in accordance with the instructions in the RFP is mandatory. In addition, applicants must submit all applicable SF-424 forms, which are referenced in the RFP.

Award Procedure

The number of awards, maximum funding amount per award, and areas of interest for which proposals will be considered, are determined on an annual basis and are dependent upon the annual appropriation from Congress. Proposals received in response to the RFP are reviewed on the basis of a competitive, merit-based review process, and are rated in accordance with the evaluation criteria stated in the RFP. Reclamation will make awards to the highest rated proposals based on the amount of funding available each year. Reclamation reserves the right to prioritize projects based on availability of funds and to ensure balance among the program objectives listed in the RFP.

Deadlines

Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.

Range of Approval/Disapproval Time

Contact Reclamation for the range of time when proposals are approved or disapproved.

Appeals

Not applicable. Upon request, Reclamation will provide all aplicants with information on why their proposals were not selected.

Renewals

Continuation of funding for the Program from one fiscal year to the next is at the discretion of Congress. Yearly solicitation is made for projects of 24 months in duration or less, although multi-year projects may be considered if annual accomplishments can be demonstrated.

Assistance Considerations

Formula and Matching Requirements

Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.
Matching Requirements: The Federal share of the cost of a project or activity carried out under the Program shall not exceed 50 percent of the total cost of the project or activity. Costs of operation, maintenance, repair and rehabilitation of facilities funded under the authority for this Program shall be nonfederal responsibilities. When funding is available to universities and nonprofit institutions for research projects, the 50% cost share may not be applicable.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.

Length and Time Phasing of Assistance

Proposals are requested for projects of 24 months in duration or less. However, funding for multi-year projects may be considered if annual accomplishments can be demonstrated. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Information not available.

Post Assistance Requirements

Reports

The recipient must furnish quarterly and final financial reports; quarterly, annual and final performance reports; and significant development reports as needed. Cash reports are not applicable. Progress reports are not applicable. Federal Financial Report, SF 425 is required. Performance monitoring is not applicable.

Audits

In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.

Records

The recipient shall maintain project records in accordance with applicable OMB Circular requirements.

Program Accomplishments

Fiscal Year 2009: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2010: No Current Data Available Fiscal Year 2011: No Current Data Available

Financial Information

Account Identification

14-0681-0-1-301 - Recovery Act; 14-1968-0-1-301.

Obligations

(Cooperative Agreements) FY 08 $0; FY 09 est $40,000,000; FY 10 est $0. (Cooperative Agreements) FY 08 $6,000,000; FY 09 est $7,000,000; FY 10 est $30,000,000

Range and Average of Financial Assistance

Range is $100,000 to $5,000,000; Average $27,666,666.

Regulations, Guidelines and Literature

43 CFR 12, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-table-search.html#page1; OMB Circulars, http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/grants_circulars.html; Standard Forms, http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/grants_forms.html; Program information, http://www.doi.gov/water2025/. Documents may also be obtained by contacting Reclamation.

Related Programs

Not Applicable.

Information Contacts

Regional or Local Office

See Regional Agency Offices.

Headquarters Office

Amy Rober Bureau of Reclamation, Office of Program & Policy Services, Mail Code: 84-52000, P.O. Box 25007, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225 Email: arober@usbr.gov Phone: (303)445-2849 Fax: (720)544-4207

Web Site Address

http://www.doi.gov/water2025/ .

Examples of Funded Projects

Not Applicable.

Criteria for Selecting Proposals

Evaluation factors may include, but are not limited to the following: (1) inclusion of water banking or marketing elements; (2) amount of water conserved as a percent of normal supplies; (3) reasonableness of the costs for the benefits gained ; (4) the degree to which conserved water contributes toward an established or new water market or bank; (5) documentation of the projected results (i.e. identified the number of acre-feet to be managed, conserved or marketed), and tracking of the post-project results; (6) consistency with applicable water plan(s); (7) ability to pay for project cost and any increase in operation and maintenance costs; (8) costs are reasonable and appropriate for work proposed (including consideration of the percentage of the proposal used for capital improvements); (9) whether more than 50% non-federal funding was proposed; and (10) the relevance to Water 2025, including, the degree of stakeholder involvement and likeliness of reducing conflict, whether the project is in a hot spot, and whether the project is "in a basin with connections to Reclamation project activities." For ARRA funded projects: The purposes are the Recovery Act are, among others, to quickly and prudently commence activities that preserve and create jobs and to promote economic recovery, and to invest in transportation, environmental protection, and other infrastructure that will provide long-term economic benefits. To meet these purposes, Reclamation will allocate based on the criteria set forth in the Recovery Act and the accompanying conference report, and will target activities that quickly infuse money into the economy.