Water Quality Cooperative Agreements

 

To assist states, Indian Tribes, interstate agencies, and other public or nonprofit organizations in developing, implementing, and demonstrating innovative approaches relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution through both permitted and non-permitted areas.

Funding Priority - Fiscal Year 2014: Funding priorities include, but are not limited to: watershed approaches for solutions to wet weather activities (i.e., combined sewer overflow, sanitary sewer overflows, storm water discharge, and animal feeding operations); pretreatment and biosolids (sludge) program activities, decentralized systems; and alternative ways to enhance or measure the effectiveness of point source programs. Trading, water efficiency, asset management, and sustainable infrastructure are also areas of consideration. No appropriation authority was provided for FY 2006 or later. However, if unobligated carryover funds are available in FY 2014, projects will be funded in accordance with the funding priorities. Any awards made with carryover funds will be in accordance with the Agency's competition policy.

General information about this opportunity
Last Known Status
Deleted 02/05/2016 (Archived.)
Program Number
66.463
Federal Agency/Office
Agency: Environmental Protection Agency
Office: Office of Water
Type(s) of Assistance Offered
PROJECT GRANTS
Program Accomplishments
Fiscal Year 2013: Not applicable as no funding was provided in FY 2013. Fiscal Year 2014: Competitions are held based on available funds and Agency priorities. The number of applications and the number of awards made is dependent on the competitive announcement issued. The announcement will include the number of anticipated awards. Not applicable as no funding will be provided in FY 2014. Fiscal Year 2015: No Current Data Available
Authorization
Clean Water Act, Section 104(b)(3), Public Law 92-500, 33 U.S.C 1254(b)(3).
Who is eligible to apply/benefit from this assistance?
Applicant Eligibility
State water pollution control agencies, interstate agencies, Tribes, colleges and universities, individuals, and other public or nonprofit organizations. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this CFDA description, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy.
Beneficiary Eligibility
Individuals and organizations affected by water pollution, including State Water Pollution Control Agencies, interstate agencies, Tribes, colleges and universities, and other public or nonprofit organizations.
Credentials/Documentation
Nonprofit applicants may be asked to provide documentation that they meet the definition of a non-profit organization in OMB Circular A-122. Interstate organizations may be asked to provide a citation to the statutory authority which establishes their status. Intertribal consortia must meet the requirements of 40 CFR Part 35.504. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.
What is the process for applying and being award this assistance?
Pre-Application Procedure
Regarding pre-application/pre-proposal assistance with respect to competitive funding opportunities under this program description, EPA will generally specify the nature of the pre-application/pre-proposal assistance, if any, that will be available to applicants in the competitive announcement. For additional information, contact the individual(s) listed as "Information Contacts" or see Appendix IV of the Catalog. Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is eligible for coverage under E.O. 12372, "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." An applicant should consult the office or official designated as the single point of contact in his or her State for more information on the process the State requires to be followed in applying for assistance, if the State has selected the program for review.
Application Procedure
OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. OMB Circular No. A-110 applies to this program. Competition procedures vary by Region and Headquarters Office. EPA will generally publish a Request for Proposals (RFP), evaluate the proposals under the criteria contained in the RFP, and request that selected applicants submit a full application. RFPs are synopsized at www.grants.gov, and may be posted on Agency websites or in the Federal Register. All competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policy for competing assistance agreements. For Headquarters competitions, applicants submit a proposal, and EPA evaluates and scores the proposals and invites selected applicants to submit a formal application. Regional procedures may vary, in accordance with the terms of Regional Request for Proposals. Application forms and completed applications may be requested from and submitted to the appropriate EPA Headquarters or Regional Office. The standard Federal application forms must be used for this program. Applicants may be able to use http://www.grants.gov to electronically apply for certain grant opportunities under this CFDA.
Award Procedure
For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications, proposals, and/or submissions in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.
Approval/Disapproval Decision Time
Regional or Headquarters review will normally be done within approximately 60 days following the deadline for submissions.
Appeals
Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005). Copies of these procedures may also be requested by contacting the individual(s) listed as "Information Contacts." Disputes relating to matters other than the competitive selection of recipients will be resolved under 40 CFR 30.63 or 40 CFR 31.70, as applicable.
Renewals
Not Applicable.
How are proposals selected?
The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this CFDA description will be described in the competitive announcement.
How may assistance be used?
These grants are intended to encourage efforts to improve water quality by promoting the coordination and acceleration of research, investigations, experiments, training, demonstrations, surveys, and studies relating to the causes, effects, extent, prevention, reduction, and elimination of water pollution. Projects must attain tangible results. EPA may award grants to fund internships for high school students to work at wastewater treatment plants under the Youth and the Environment sub-program in EPA Regions 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. In the case of Regional competitions, eligible projects may be limited in geographic scope to benefit the citizens of States, Tribes, or Territories within those Regions. Other specific uses of funds will be described in Requests for Proposals for this program. EPA will not award grants to fund ongoing State, Tribal, or local program activities, construction, or to purchase land. Assistance agreement awards under this program may involve or relate to geospatial information. Further information regarding geospatial information may be obtained by viewing the following website: http://geodata.epa.gov.

Grant recipients and sub-recipients are encouraged to adopt and enforce policies that ban text messaging while driving company-owned or -rented vehicles or government-owned vehicles, or while driving privately-owned vehicles when on official government business or when performing any work for or on behalf of the government. Grant recipients and sub-recipients are encouraged to conduct initiatives of the type described in section 3(a) of the Federal Leadership on Reducing Text Messaging While Driving Executive Order that was signed on October 1, 2009.
What are the requirements after being awarded this opportunity?
Reporting
EPA includes reporting requirements for grants and cooperative agreements in the terms and conditions of the agreements. Agreements may require quarterly, interim, and final progress reports, and expenditure/financial, equipment, and invention reports. Specific reporting requirements are also identified in the Grant Regulations at 40 CFR Part 30 and 40 CFR Part 31, as applicable. Program reports are required under this program. Cash reports are required under this program. Progress reports are required under this program. Expenditure reports are required under this program. Performance monitoring is required under this program.
Auditing
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. Grants and cooperative agreements are subject to inspections and audits by the Comptroller General of the United States, the EPA Office of Inspector General, other EPA staff, or any authorized representative of the Federal government. Reviews by the EPA Project Officer and the Grants Specialist may occur each year.
Records
Record keeping requirements are specified 40 CFR Parts 30 or 31 as applicable. Financial records, including all documents to support entries on accounting records and to substantiate changes to each grant, must be kept available to personnel authorized to examine EPA grant accounts. All records must be maintained until expiration of three years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report. If questions still remain, such as those raised as a result of an audit, related records should be retained until the matter is completely resolved.
Other Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
This program has no statutory formula.
This program has no matching requirements.
This program does not have MOE requirements.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
The terms of the assistance shall be determined at the time of award. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: The method of fund disbursement will be determined at the time of award.
Who do I contact about this opportunity?
Regional or Local Office
See Regional Agency Offices. Contact the appropriate EPA Regional Office listed in Appendix IV of the Catalog or the contact listed in the competitive announcement.
Headquarters Office
Dan Malloy Dan Malloy, Office of Wastewater Management (4201M), U.S. EPA, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington DC, 20460. Telephone: (202) 564-1724; FAX: (202) 501-2399; E-mail: malloy.daniel@epa.gov.


, Washington, District of Columbia 20460 Email: malloy.daniel@epa.gov Phone: (202) 564-1724
Website Address
http://water.epa.gov/grants_funding/cwf/waterquality.cfm
Financial Information
Account Identification
68-0103-0-1-304.
Obligations
(Project Grants) FY 13 $0; FY 14 est $0; and FY 15 est $0
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
Projects have historically ranged from $15,000 to $270,000/fiscal year; $142,500/fiscal year.
Regulations, Guidelines and Literature
For grants and agreements with States, local governments, and Indian tribal governments, the procedures and requirements shall be in conformance with 40 CFR Part 31 "Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments," 40 CFR Part 35, "Environmental Program Grants-State, Interstate, and Local Governments Agencies," OMB Circular Nos. A-87 "Cost Principles for State and Local Governments," and A-102 "Grants and Cooperative Agreements for States and Local Governments." For grants and agreements with other entities the procedures shall be in conformance with 40 CFR Part 30, "Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations," and OMB Circular Nos. A-122 for Non-Profit Organizations and A-21 for Educational Institutions.
Examples of Funded Projects
Fiscal Year 2013: Not applicable as no funding was provided in FY 2013. Fiscal Year 2014: Not applicable as no funding will be provided in FY 2014. Fiscal Year 2015: No Current Data Available

 


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