2018 Funding Announcement

EPA Region 10 is accepting proposals from federally recognized tribal governments and intertribal consortia for Indian Environmental General Assistance Program (GAP) funding for work to be completed in fiscal year 2018.

Draft budgets and workplans are due January 17, 2017.

• Overview
• Available Funding
• Eligibility Information
• Proposal Requirements
• Proposal Review Criteria
• Performance Partnership Grants
• Submission Instructions
• Award Administration/Resources
• Attachments

You can also view the funding announcement in PDF format below.

I. Overview

The goal of GAP is to assist tribes in building capacity to administer tribal environmental programs consistent with the federal laws the EPA is charged with implementing, according to their individual needs. Learn more about GAP.

A. Due Dates

B. Highlights

• Requests for additional solid waste funding. Provided that GAP funds are available in FY18, EPA will fund up to $30,000 for solid waste activities per tribe or consortia that requests it. (See Section II.B.) Congress extended GAP funding for certain solid waste implementation activities through FY20, including solid waste/recycling collection, transportation, backhaul, and disposal services. In FY21, these activities will no longer be allowable under GAP. 
• 2018 Tribal Leaders Summit. The Tribal Caucus of the EPA Region 10 Tribal Operations Committee plans on hosting a region-wide Tribal Leaders Summit, scheduled to take place in the greater Seattle area in March 2018. Applicants whose tribal leaders and staff are interested in attending should include travel for this event in their FY18 GAP work plans and budgets.
• EPA-Tribal Environmental Plans (ETEPs). All tribal government grantees must negotiate a joint EPA-Tribal Environmental Plan with the Agency by September 30, 2018. Tribes that do not yet have an ETEP should add a commitment to complete one to their FY18 work plans. (See Section IV.B.2.)
• Greener Grants Policy. EPA has a new national policy to report on how sustainability and climate change activities are being incorporated into EPA grants. EPA encourages grantees to consider sustainability and climate actions when developing their work plans. Examples of such actions include:
  • Developing a greenhouse gas emissions inventory and a climate action plan;
  • Using fuel-efficient vehicles and contracting with fuel-efficient vehicle carriers;
  • Purchasing or leasing more sustainable products and services; and
  • Considering other practices and provisions that directly reduce water, materials, climate, energy, or air impacts.
• Federal Financial Report. Grantees are now required to submit a Federal Financial Report (SF-425) annually, unless the Terms and Conditions in their grant agreement differ. (See Section IV.B.2.)

C. Funding Priorities

Based on Region 10’s GAP budget allocation, EPA will prioritize applicant funding in the following order:

1. Individual Tribes. The primary purpose of GAP grants is to build tribal capacity for developing and administering environmental protection programs. Therefore, providing GAP grants to individual tribal governments is our highest priority.
2. Intertribal Consortia. EPA will consider funding for intertribal consortia after it has funded individual tribes’ proposals. Consortia work plans must meet the capacity-building needs of member tribes without duplicating individual tribal efforts.

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II. Available Funding

Last year, EPA Region 10 was allocated $30,261,000 of the national GAP budget for tribes and intertribal consortia in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Region 10 currently has 237 tribes and 21 intertribal consortia with active GAP grants. 

A. Funding Amounts

Grantees may request funding between $75,000 and $128,000 for FY18, depending on program need and ability to perform the work. Applicants are not guaranteed to be funded at their requested amount. (See Section V.) Grantees with high balances are expected to request no-cost extensions or significantly lower levels of additional funding.

Region 10 will determine award amounts based on:

• the amount of GAP funding Region 10 receives;
• the number of tribes and intertribal consortia submitting applications received;
• the grantee’s level of unexpended funds;
• whether proposed activities are eligible (see Section III); and
• whether proposed activities meet the review factors, including past performance (see Section V).

Tribes with large reservations may receive a higher level of funding. For Umatilla, Spokane, and Quinault, funding may be up to $155,000. For Coeur d’Alene, Nez Perce, Shoshone Bannock, and Warm Springs, funding may be up to $165,000. For Colville and Yakama, funding may be up to $175,000.

B. Additional Solid Waste Funding

Beginning in FY21, some solid waste implementation activities will no longer be funded through GAP, including trash/recycling collection, transportation/backhaul, and disposal services (see GAP's Guidance on the Award and Management of General Assistance Agreements for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia (page 7) (PDF)(86 pp, 630 K)).

Region 10 is offering an opportunity for tribes and intertribal consortia to request additional funding for these activities in FY18. If GAP funds are available, EPA will award up to $30,000 for solid waste activities per tribe or consortium that requests it and meets the qualifying criteria.

To qualify for additional solid waste funding, tribes and/or consortia must:

• have an Integrated Waste Management Plan in place;
• identify solid waste planning and capacity-building activities as a component in their work plan, and include the specific capacity indicators the tribe will address;
• identify solid waste implementation activities (i.e., materials trash/recycling collection, transportation/backhaul, and/or disposal services) as an additional component in their FY18 work plans, and include the specific capacity indicators the tribe will address; and
• include solid waste as a priority in their ETEP. 

In addition, applicants may not be on the high risk list.

EPA encourages applicants to consider the following solid waste resources when developing their work plans:

• Attachment B provides information on allowable and unallowable solid waste activities through FY20.
• Attachment C provides information on building a self-sustaining tribal solid waste program.
• EPA’s Tribal Solid Waste Costing Tool is designed to help Alaska villages estimate the costs of developing, implementing, and maintaining solid waste programs. The tool will provide cost indexes tailored to different regions of Alaska and will be posted on EPA's Region 10 Tribal Program page in October.
• The State of Alaska’s Solid Waste Information Management System contains landfill reports from the State of Alaska on community waste management practices and systems. EPA encourages tribes in Alaska that are developing a solid waste component related to landfills to visit Alaska's Solid Waste Information Management System website Exitand to include specific tasks in their work plans that address landfill deficiencies. 

C. Period of Performance

Tribes typically apply for new funding every year.

However, current GAP recipients may apply for multi-year funding to reduce their administrative burden if they are completing proposed activities as scheduled, submitting progress reports on time, fulfilling close-out requirements, regularly drawing funds down, and meeting all other grant requirements.

A separate work plan and budget must be included for each year of funding requested.

Applicants should discuss this option with their EPA Project Officer before submitting a multi-year proposal. Applicants are encouraged to submit two-year proposals in the first and/or third year of their grant cycle.

All tribes and intertribal consortia that desire funding must reapply for a new grant at the end of their 4-year grant cycle.

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III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

Federally Recognized Tribes - All federally recognized tribes in EPA Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington) are eligible to apply.

Intertribal Consortia - Funding for consortia will be considered after the needs of individual tribes are met. A tribal consortium is defined as a partnership between two or more tribes authorized by governing bodies of those tribes to apply for and receive assistance under the GAP program. A tribal consortium is eligible to receive grants if the consortium can adequately document compliance with each of the following requirements:

• A majority of its member tribes meets the eligibility requirements of the GAP grant;
• All members that meet the eligibility requirements authorize the consortium to apply for and receive assistance; and
• It has adequate accounting controls to ensure that only members that meet the eligibility requirements will benefit directly from the grant project and will receive and manage grant funds, and the consortium agrees to a grant condition to that effect.

Documents of support, such as tribal resolutions or other written certification from a duly authorized representative of each tribal government, must be provided for each new grant to clearly demonstrate that:

• a partnership of tribal governments exists; and
• all members that meet the eligibility requirements for a GAP grant authorize the consortia to apply for and receive the grant.

Consortia must submit documents of support to their EPA Project Officer by March 17, 2017.

The GAP grant does not require cost sharing or matching funds.

B. Allowable Activities

GAP provides funding for activities that build the capacity of tribal governments to plan, develop, and establish environmental protection programs consistent with the federal laws that EPA implements. Tribes must first establish core environmental protection program capacities as provided under GAP’s Guidance on the Award and Management of General Assistance Agreements for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia (Appendix I) (PDF)(86 pp, 630 K).

Following is a brief synopsis of allowable capacity-building and solid and hazardous waste program implementation activities: 

1. Capacity-Building Activities: Tribal Environmental Program

Capacity building may include developing the appropriate administrative and legal infrastructure, establishing tribal technical capability, and planning and establishing an integrated tribal environmental management program to be implemented by a tribe with technical and financial assistance from other EPA program-specific grants. For more information, see GAP’s Guidance on the Award and Management of General Assistance Agreements for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia (Appendix I) (PDF)(86 pp, 630 K).  

2. Program Capacity-Building Activities: Waste Management

Tribal environmental departments develop waste management program capacity through a range of planning and development activities. For recommendations on developing solid waste management capacity under the 2013 GAP Guidance, see Attachment C of this announcement.

Region 10 also encourages the development, periodic revision, and implementation of Integrated Waste Management Plans. This plan outlines how the tribe will reduce, manage, and dispose of its solid waste. Such a plan will guide development and implementation of a solid waste management program by establishing what actions need to be taken and setting the criteria for decision-making. An effective integrated solid waste management system considers how to prevent, recycle, and manage solid waste in ways that most effectively protect human health and the environment. Visit Solid Waste Management on Tribal Lands to learn more about Integrated Waste Management Plans.

3. Waste Management Implementation Activities

Once a tribe has established appropriate solid and hazardous waste capacities, GAP funds may be used for the following implementation activities, listed below in order of priority:

1. Program administration
2. Compliance and enforcement
3. Solid waste management, resource recovery, and resource conservation support
4. Cleanup and closure

Because GAP will no longer cover solid waste implementation activities beginning in FY21, EPA strongly encourages tribes to include work plan tasks that promote the development of a self-sustaining solid waste management program and to consider developing partnerships to increase cost-effectiveness. 

See Attachement B, Attachment C, and the Guidance on the Award and Management of General Assistance Agreements for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia (Appendix I, Section E.3) (PDF)(86 pp, 630 K)

C. System for Award Management (SAM)

For EPA to process grant awards or make payments to grant recipients, the tribe or consortium must provide a valid Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and maintain an active SAM registration. SAM requirements apply to all federal funding.

SAM registration must be renewed at least annually. EPA recommends that tribes renew their SAM registration by February 1 to avoid a lapse in GAP funding. Visit SAM.gov to register or update an existing registration.

When submitting a grant application, tribes must use the name of the tribe exactly as it appears on BIA’s list of federally recognized tribes.

If the tribe’s SAM registration name is not exactly the same as the legal name on BIA’s list, the tribe should contact their local Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) as soon as possible. Changing a name can take several weeks. Find your local PTAC Exit. Alaska tribes may also call 1-800-478-7232.

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IV. Proposal Requirements

Initial proposals, due January 17, 2017, must include:

• Narrative (new applicants)
• Draft work plans and detailed budgets (all applicants)

A. Narrative

The narrative is required for new applicants. It should include:

1. a summary of the tribe’s location, history, culture, membership, and other related information (i.e., is it compacting or self-governance, audit schedule, description of other programs the tribe administers, number of employees, description of personnel and financial policies and procedures, and any history of administrative or financial issues);  
2. a description of any high-priority environmental and human health issues that affect the tribe and any related environmental assessment or strategy efforts conducted to date;
3. a description of tribal capacity-building efforts needed to address environmental and human health risks and the tribe’s history with the GAP program (i.e., how many years the tribe has received GAP grants, accomplishments/goals achieved, a description of any challenges or corrective actions); and
4. a list of other environmental funding sources/amounts (both federal and non-federal) that the tribe has managed or plans to pursue. 

B. Work Plan

1. General Work Plan Requirements. Please submit draft work plans in the standardized template, provided in Attachment E, or directly in GAP Online.

Work plans must not duplicate prior efforts; they should demonstrate clear progress in building capacity or specify new focus areas. Duplicates of prior work plans will be rejected by the EPA Project Officer and the grant application may be denied.

For multi-year proposals, a separate work plan must be included for each year.

Work plans must include the following elements (see the template in Attachment E): 

• Components: A description of each work plan component to be funded.
• Capacity Indicators: Capacity Indicators for each work plan component (entered in the Measures field in GAP Online). 

Capacity Indicators are measures of progress a tribe is making in environmental program development. EPA has identified many different Capacity Indicators for each environmental media or topic, such as air quality or water quality. Applicants must assign at least one Capacity Indicator to each work plan component. Capacity Indicators should be listed by number (e.g., “C.3.1”), as outlined in Guidance on the Award and Management of General Assistance Agreements for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia (Appendix I) (PDF)(86 pp, 630 K). Applicants that want to develop a capacity area not identified in Appendix I should contact their EPA Project Officer.

• Personnel: A listing of the staff positions responsible for each component.
• Long-Term and Intermediate Outcomes: Outcomes (environmental or public health results) associated with each work plan component. Outcomes are an expected change in situation, behavior, or knowledge. Long-term outcomes may not be achieved during the project period; intermediate outcomes include results that will be achieved during this timeframe.
• Estimated Work Years: Estimated work years (Full-Time Equivalent or FTE = 2,080 hours or one work year)
• Estimated Cost per Component: Estimated funding amount required for each work plan component. The costs for all components should add up to the total amount requested in the budget.
• Commitments: Tasks for each work plan component and a timeframe (end date) for completion. Do not use the end of the fiscal year as a completion date for all commitments.
• Outputs and Deliverables: An output (or deliverable) is an environmental activity, effort, and/or associated work product related to an environmental goal that will be produced during the project period. Outputs may be quantitative or qualitative but must be measurable. They may also include items such as newsletters, photos, trip reports, and meeting notes and can be attached to quarterly progress reports in GAP Online.
• EPA Roles and Responsibilities: A description of EPA roles and responsibilities in accomplishing the work plan. (This language is included at the end of the template.)

• Joint Performance Evaluation Process: A performance evaluation process and reporting schedule in accordance with 40 CFR § 35.515. (This language is included at the end of the template.)  

EPA encourages applicants to review the optional Proposal Review Checklist (see Attachments) before submitting their work plans and budgets to EPA. The checklist is intended to reduce errors in work plans and budgets and thereby reduce the time required for negotiations.

2. Mandatory Tasks

Complete an EPA-Tribal Environmental Plan. GAP's Guidance on the Award and Management of General Assistance Agreements for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia requires each tribal government grantee to negotiate a joint ETEP with EPA. Tribes that have not yet completed an ETEP must include this task in their FY18 work plan. Once an ETEP is developed, GAP grant work plans should reflect the priorities the tribe has identified. (This task does not apply to intertribal consortia, although their work plans should help address their member tribes’ ETEP goals.)

Assess Administrative/Fiscal Policies and Procedures. Tribes that do not conduct a single audit must review and assess the tribe’s financial, procurement and property management policies and procedures to ensure that the tribe’s systems meet the requirements of 2 CFR Part 200. This assessment must be repeated whenever there are substantial changes to the tribe’s financial systems or at least every four years. EPA Project Officers can provide grantees with a questionnaire to use as a guide for performing this administrative self-assessment. Addressing deficiencies in the tribe’s administrative systems is an eligible activity under GAP.

Submit a Success Story. Region 10 requires all grantees to submit a success story describing lessons learned at least once during a four-year GAP grant cycle. The success story must be included as a work plan task. The success story should be a one-page summary focused on a particular task, project, or highlight of work performed during the multi-year GAP grant. The success story should include: 

• before/after pictures, if appropriate
• data (e.g., waste materials collected by weight, volume or category), if applicable
• a description of how the tribe planned and accomplished the activities
• a description of how the GAP funding affected behavior or led to a positive change in the environment or public health (as applicable)

A sample work plan task and deliverable might be:

• Commitment: Develop a one-page summary of the hazardous material collection project.
• Deliverable: Summary page with pictures and data as appropriate.

Contact your EPA Project Officer for more information on this requirement.

Submit Quality Assurance Documentation. If a tribe plans to conduct any environmental measurements, including sampling and data collection activities (i.e., baseline water quality), and/or use existing environmental data, the tribe must submit a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) to EPA. The QAPP must be approved by EPA before grantees can conduct environmental measurements.

If environmental measurements are in the work plan, applicants should include commitments to attend any necessary training, develop the QAPP, and submit the QAPP to their EPA Project Officer. Once approved by EPA, QAPPs are valid for 5 years unless there are changes that require earlier updates. Grantees must review QAPPs annually; grantees must revise and submit QAPPs to EPA for reapproval at least every 5 years.

EPA requires grantees to demonstrate competency before conducting any activities that involve collecting, analyzing or using environmental measurement data. A term and condition will be included in any grants that involve collection of environmental data to ensure competency is addressed.

Tribes that have jurisdictional authority to implement federal environmental laws on their tribal lands are required by regulation to submit a Quality Management Plan to EPA. Contact an EPA Project Officer for assistance in meeting this requirement.

Submit a Federal Financial Report (SF-425) each year. Federal Financial Reports (SF-425) are now required annually, unless the Terms and Conditions in your assistance agreement differ. Grantees must submit the SF-425 no later than 30 days after the end of the fiscal year (October 30). Final SF-425s (required for closeout) are due no later than 90 days after the grant has closed. Visit EPA's Forms and Reports page for forms and instructions. Email the form to the Las Vegas Finance Center at LVFC-grants@epa.gov or mail it to:

Las Vegas, NV 89119

C. Detailed Budget

A detailed budget must be submitted for each year of funding requested. EPA has developed a recommended budget template, provided in Attachment F. Please note that the FY18 budget template now includes a space on page 7 (under Total Budget) for estimated program income and planned use of funds.

Travel. Travel costs must be included in the budget. Travel costs must be consistent with the capacity the tribes proposes to build, reasonable for the stated benefit, necessary to accomplish the work plan tasks, and allocable (authorized and beneficial) to the grant.

Travel must be directly related to the purpose of the proposed project. Applicants must provide the types/purposes of travel, number of trips, planned destinations, and number of travelers in the detailed budget. Tribal Council travel under the GAP grant must be pre-approved by EPA and justified in the budget.

Indirect Cost Rate. Applicants who want to include indirect costs as part of a proposed budget must submit a copy of the organization’s current, approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (or the letter requesting one) as part of the final application in Grants.gov. Indirect Cost Rate Agreements that are more than three years old will not be accepted. If the rate has expired, applicants should propose a new rate to the National Business Center before January 17, 2017, and submit a copy of the proposal with the application.

EPA has developed other options for including indirect costs in the proposed budget for applicants that do not have a current approved Indirect Cost Rate Agreement or haven’t submitted a proposal for one. See Attachment D for details. 

Equipment Purchases. Equipment is defined as tangible, non-expendable, personal property having a useful life of more than one year and an acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit, although a lower dollar amount threshold can be established by the tribe’s policies and procedures. Any proposed equipment costs must be eligible, allocable, and allowable under GAP. Purchasing equipment for the purpose of conducting construction activities is not allowable unless EPA headquarters has reviewed and approved a specific project. Purchasing equipment for resource recovery, resource conservation, and source separation may be allowable if the applicant has established program capacities under Guidance on the Award and Management of General Assistance Agreements for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia (Appendix I, Section E.3) (PDF)(86 pp, 630 K). ALL equipment purchases require prior approval by the EPA Project Officer and the EPA Grants and Interagency Agreement Unit.

Applicants requesting equipment must provide the following information:

• a list of each equipment item with an estimated cost of $5,000 or more per unit;
• the estimated cost of each item and how the tribe arrived at this estimate (e.g., website search, calls to vendors);
• a justification of need for each item (how the item will help accomplish work plan tasks) and the relevant work plan component or commitment number; and
• if applicable, an explanation of why it is more cost-effective to purchase rather than lease the item. 

D. Submission Instructions: Draft Proposal

Current GAP grantees should submit their draft proposal (with budget, work plan, and narrative if applicable) to their EPA Project Officer.

New applicants that have not received a GAP grant before should mail or email their proposal (with budget, work plan, and narrative if applicable) to:

Seattle, WA 98101-1128 

Or by email to Sally Thomas (thomas.sally@epa.gov).

Applicants with questions about the GAP application process or grant requirements should contact their EPA Project Officer. General questions can be directed to the Tribal Trust and Assistance Unit in Region 10 at 1-800-424-4372.

E. Work Plan/Budget Negotiation

EPA Project Officers will contact applicants to negotiate revisions to work plans and budgets and arrange a time frame for completing those revisions. Tribes are responsible for completing the negotiation process and responding to revision requests within the time frames negotiated with the EPA Project Officer.

EPA will send a letter of concern to the Tribal Council of applicants who do not respond to revision requests or who do not make requested revisions after three documented requests.

Submitting an initial proposal does not guarantee that a grant will be awarded.

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V. Proposal Review Criteria

A. Review Criteria

To qualify for funding in FY18, applicants:

• must be current with all reporting requirements for the GAP program (progress reporting for current GAP grants as well as closeout reporting for prior GAP grants);
• must be completing the commitments in their work plans, be making regular drawdowns, and be responsive to EPA requests for information;
• must have completed a success story during the previous four-year grant cycle (see Section IV.B.2); and
• must have completed an ETEP or include completing an ETEP as a commitment in their FY18 work plan.

A tribe with an overdue ETEP from FY16 must complete it by Jan. 17, 2017.

GAP applications will also be reviewed to determine:

1. The extent to which the proposed work plan activities build the applicant’s environmental program capacity. Activities should focus on development of tribal environmental protection programs consistent with the GAP Act and guidance.

2. The feasibility and likely effectiveness of the proposed activities. Work plans must include well-defined, achievable commitments, outputs and outcomes (environmental results), and Capacity Indicators associated with each work plan component. While EPA recognizes that some activities will continue, most commitments in a proposed work plans must not be duplicative (i.e., identical to the previous year’s commitments except for date changes). Work plans must demonstrate clear progress from one year to the next.

3. The extent to which the proposed budget is sufficient to accomplish the proposed project. Proposed work plan costs must be necessary, allowable, allocable, reasonable, and sufficient to accomplish the proposed project.

4. The degree to which the work plan identifies the expected intermediate and long-term outcomes of the proposed project. Work plans must identify expected improvements to environmental and/or human health conditions or change/improvement in behavior or knowledge.

5. The degree to which the proposed activities in the work plan support achieving the long-term goals identified in the ETEP (for tribes with an ETEP in place).

6. Past performance. EPA will consider past grant funding and performance in determining whether an applicant will receive funding and how much funding will be awarded.

Past performance is an important factor in EPA funding decisions. All applicants must demonstrate sound financial, administrative, and programmatic grant management capability. The following factors will be considered:

• Timeliness and completeness of performance reports and close out of the previous grant.
• Whether there is sufficient progress under the current work plan and if not, whether corrective actions are in place.
• Whether there are duplicative activities in the proposed work plan and budget compared to earlier awards.
• The amount of unexpended funds, frequency of drawdowns, and fiscal accountability.
• Whether all information requested in this Notice of Funding Availability is included in the proposal.

Applicants that are out of compliance with the regulatory, programmatic or administrative terms and conditions of their existing award may be denied funding, receive a reduced award, and/or be designated as a “high risk” grantee.

EPA may contact applicants that are new to the GAP grant program or have documented compliance findings to schedule a pre-award review.

B. No-Cost Extensions

EPA may work with grantees with a high balance of unspent GAP funding from previous years to request a no-cost extension or reduced award. A no-cost extension allows the grantee to continue working to complete approved work plan tasks for up to a year using funds from prior years. No-cost extensions are not an option if the grantee is in the last year of a four-year grant.

New funds require new work commitments; a no-cost extension allows time for a grantee to successfully complete the commitments in previously approved work plans. No-cost extensions do not limit the amount of funds that may be requested in the future, and they do not reflect poorly on a grantee’s future chances of receiving full funding. 

Extensions are not automatic. Contact your EPA Project Officer for details on how to request a no-cost extension.

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VI. Performance Partnership Grants

Performance Partnership Grants (PPGs) are grants formed by incorporating at least two eligible EPA grants into a single grant agreement. PPGs help decrease administrative burdens and increase flexibility in how grant funds can be used. Tribes that receive two or more PPG-eligible EPA grants are encouraged to discuss the prospect of forming a PPG with their EPA Project Officer. For a current list of the EPA programs eligible to be included in a PPG, please refer to 40 CFR § 35.501.

Tribes should engage EPA in PPG discussions before developing individual grant applications. EPA considers past grant performance when evaluating potential PPGs. Since multiple grants are involved, PPG proposals and applications may take longer to develop than single grant proposals. PPG deadlines may vary depending on the type of grants involved; however, tribes should strive to complete final applications no later than May 26, 2017. 

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VII. Submission Instructions

A. Project Officer Notification

After EPA and grantees complete negotiations of GAP work plans and budgets, Project Officers will ask applicants to submit a full application package. Letters/emails will include:

• the amount of tentatively approved funding;
• any final requests for revisions; and
• the due date by which the revised application package must be submitted in Grants.gov.

B. Grants.gov

EPA expects applications to be submitted by the date tribes negotiate with their Project Officers (sometime between March 3 and May 26). See Attachment A for Grants.gov application instructions.

Apply for a stand-alone/categorical GAP grant (choose CFDA Number 66.926 and select the package).
Apply for a PPG (choose CFDA Number 66.605 and select the package).

C. GAP Online

By September 29, 2017, all GAP recipients (except tribes with PPGs) must enter final revised approved work plans and budget attachments into GAP Online. For assistance, see the GAP Online User Guide.

Applicants that do not have a user name or password or have trouble entering data should contact their EPA Project Officer. 

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VIII. Award Administration/Resources

A. Applicable Agency Guidance and Regulations

GAP awards are subject to the following:

• Guidance on the Award and Management of General Assistance Agreements for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia;
• 2 CFR Part 200 “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards”;
• 40 CFR Part 35, Subpart B “Environmental Program Grants for Tribes”; and
• administrative and programmatic terms and conditions of the grant award. The agreement is legally binding; applicants should carefully review and understand all grant award documents before accepting the grant. Applicants with questions or concerns about those documents should contact their EPA Project Officer.

B. Confidentiality

Applicants must clearly mark information they consider confidential. EPA will make confidentiality decisions in accordance with Agency regulations found at 40 CFR Part 2, Subpart B.

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Attachments

• Funding Announcement - FY2018 Region 10 GAP (PDF)(17 pp, 211 K)
  Notice of funding availability for fiscal year 2018.
• Attachment A - FY2018 Region 10 GAP (PDF)(2 pp, 72 K)
  Grants.gov instruction guide.
• Attachment B - FY2018 Region 10 GAP (PDF)(4 pp, 273 K)
  Allowable and unallowable solid waste program activities.
• Attachment C - FY2018 Region 10 GAP (PDF)(11 pp, 141 K)
  Guidance for building a self-sustaining tribal solid waste program.
• Attachment D - FY2018 Region 10 GAP (PDF)(2 pp, 65 K)
  Indirect cost rate information.
• Attachment E - FY2018 Region 10 GAP (PDF)(4 pp, 115 K)
  Proposal narrative and work plan template (see sidebox for Microsoft Word version of this file).
• Attachment F - FY2018 Region 10 GAP (PDF)(7 pp, 585 K)
  Fillable budget worksheet and cost review form.
• Proposal Review Checklist - FY2018 Region 10 GAP (PDF)(5 pp, 125 K)
  Optional checklist to help identify common application errors (see sidebox for Microsoft Word version of this file).