Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutPR 22041: APPLICATION FOR THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND OUTDOOR RECREATION LEGACY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM www.PortArthurTx.gov INTEROFFICE MEMORANDUM Date: July 13, 2021 To: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Through: Ron Burton, City Manager From: Chandra Alpough, Director of Parks and Recreation ' RE: P.R. 22041 —Application for the Land and Water Conservation Fund Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program Introduction: The intent of this Agenda Item is to request the City Council's approval of P. R. No. 22041 authorizing the City Manager to apply for the Land and Water Conservation Fund Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program for enhancements to Rose Hill Park. Background: The City Council of Port Arthur has made "quality of life" a primary goal of city governance and administration. It is even more of a focal point as citizens try to balance life while dealing with various issues that have stricken the nation. The Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (ORLP) provides grants to acquire and/or develop public lands for outdoor recreation purposes. Rose Hill Park, located at 200 Woodworth Boulevard is one of the most highly utilized parks in the city. It is a vision of the Parks and Recreation Department to make this park a premier state of the art park by improving and enhancing the park. Applying for the grant will help to assist with funding the Rose Hill Park improvements and enhancements. Budget Impact: If awarded the grant has a 1:1 match. Recommendation: It is recommended that the City Council approve P. R.No.22041 authorizing the City Manager to apply for the Land and Water Conservation Fund Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program for enhancements to Rose Hill Park. "Remember,we are here to serve the Citizens of Port Arthur" P.O.Box 1089 X Port Arthur,Texas 77641-1089 X 409.983.8182 X FAX 409.983.8294 P. R. # 22041 07/11/2021 ca RESOLUTION NO. A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO THE LAND AND WATER CONSERVATION FUND OUTDOOR RECREATION LEGACY PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM FOR IMPROVEMENTS AND ENHANCEMENTS TO ROSE HILL PARK WHEREAS, the City Council has made "quality of life" for citizens a priority; and, WHEREAS, the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program (ORLP) is to provide grants to acquire and/or develop public lands for outdoor recreation purposes; and, WHEREAS, the City of Port Arthur wishes to apply for the LWCF ORLP for improvements and enhancements to Rose Hill Park; and, WHEREAS, in accordance with the LWCF Act, ORLP grant projects must be cost- shared with non-federal funds at a minimum matching funds ratio of 1:1; and, WHEREAS, this improvement will allow citizens to connect with outdoor recreation programming as well as to help stimulate local economic development; and, NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS: Section 1. That the facts and opinions in the preamble are true and correct. Section 2. That the City Council hereby authorizes the City Manager to apply for the Land and Water Conservation Fund Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program for improvements and enhancements to Rose Hill Park as attached hereto as Exhibit"A". Section 3. That if awarded, the grant has a required 1:1 match. Section 4. That a copy of the caption of this Resolution be spread upon the Minutes of the City Council. READ, ADOPTED AND APPROVED THIS day of , A.D., 2021, at a Regular Meeting of the City Council of the City of Port Arthur, by the following vote: P. R. # 22041 07/11/2021 ca AYES: (Mayor) Councilmembers: NOES: Thurman"Bill" Bartie Mayor ATTEST: Sherri Bellard City Secretary APPROVED AS TO FORM: Val Tizeno, City Attorney APPROVED AS TO ADMINISTRATION: Ron Burton City Manager Chandra Alpough Director of Parks and Recreation P. R. # 22041 07/11/2021 ca APPROVED AS TO AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS: 4.<Ck} Or „7,Z) Kandy Da el Interim Director of Finance Clifton illiams, CPPB Purchasing Manager Exhibits Are Available For Review In The City Secretary Office Or Online Please visit our website: http://www.portarthurtx.gov/ > AGENDAS &, M I N UTES> Agendas> 2021 Agendas> City Secretary page: http://www.portarthurtx.gov/ > City Government> City Secretary Office Number: (409) 983-8115 Email: citysecretary@portarthurtx.gov Exhibit "A" NATIONAL PARK SERVICE National Park Service LWCF-PGL - State and Local Assistance Division 2021 P21AS00509 Table of Contents A. Program Description 2 Al. Authority 2 A2. Background, Purpose and Program Requirements 2 B. Federal Award Information 5 B 1. Total Funding 5 B2. Expected Award Amount 5 B3. Anticipated Award Funding and Dates 5 B4. Number of Awards 6 B5. Type of Award 6 C. Eligibility Information 6 C l. Eligible Applicants 6 C2. Cost Sharing or Matching 7 C3. Other 8 D. Application and Submission Information 9 D l. Address to Request Application Package 9 D2. Content and Form of Application Submission 9 D3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management(SAM) 16 D4. Submission Dates and Times 17 D5. Intergovernmental Review 17 D6. Funding Restrictions 18 D7. Other Submission Requirements 20 E. Application Review Information 21 E 1. Criteria 21 E2. Review and Selection Process 25 E3. CFR—Regulatory Information 28 E4. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates 28 F. Federal Award Administration Information 28 Fl. Federal Award Notices 28 F2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements 28 F3. Reporting 29 G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) 31 G1. Program Technical Contact 31 G2. Program Administration Contact 32 Page 1 of 33 G3. Application System Technical Support 32 H. Other Information 32 A. Program Description Al.Authority Land and Water Conservation Fund(LWCF)Act, as amended(P.L. 88-578, codified at 54 U.S.C. 2003 et. seq.); Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2014 (P.L. 113-76) and accompanying Explanatory Statement; The Great American Outdoors Act, P.L. 116-152; Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, P.L. 116-133. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)Number 15.916 A2. Background,Purpose and Program Requirements Background: LWCF State and Local Assistance Program and Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program The LWCF State and Local Assistance Program was created by Congress in 1964 to assist in preserving, developing and assuring accessibility to present and future generations of U.S. citizens and visitors "such quality and quantity of outdoor recreation resources as may be available and are necessary and desirable for individual active participation in such recreation and to strengthen the health and vitality of the citizens of the United States...." This is accomplished in part by authorizing and providing grants to states, and through states to local units of government and federally-recognized Indian tribes, for projects that will provide outdoor recreation opportunities to the public through the acquisition of lands and waters for parks and other outdoor recreation areas, as well as through the development of new, or the renovation of existing, outdoor recreation facilities. The LWCF State and Local Assistance program is operated by the National Park Service (NPS) in partnership with designated lead agencies in each of the 50 states as well as American Samoa, the District of Columbia, Guam,Northern Marianas Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Congress allocates money from the LWCF for this program, which is then allocated to the states based on a legislative formula. To be eligible for LWCF grants, states must maintain an approved Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan(SCORP), which must be updated at least once every five years. Among other things, SCORPs are used to assess the supply and demand for outdoor recreation resources and set priorities for the use of LWCF funds. In 2014, in coordination with Congress and the Secretary of the Interior,NPS created the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program, a competitive grant program administered under the authority of the LWCF Act. NPS designed the ORLP with input from Congressional Committee staff, the States, and other interested parties. As designed, the goal of the ORLP Program is to provide new or significantly improve recreation opportunities for Page 2 of 33 economically-disadvantaged communities in larger urbanized areas (as designated by the Census Bureau)that are under-served in terms of parks and other outdoor recreation resources. With Congressional support, the NPS has funded and issued grants pursuant to the ORLP each year. ORLP grants are selected through an NPS-lead national competition following a solicitation and nomination by the States, and such grants do not count against State apportionments Purpose The purpose of this Notice of Funding Opportunity(NOFO) is to advise local units of government, and federally-recognized Indian Tribes of the availability of funds for grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fund's (LWCF) Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP)Program. The purpose of the LWCF ORLP Program is to provide grants to acquire and/or develop public lands for outdoor recreation purposes consistent with the purposes of the LWCF, but with the further specific goals of funding projects that: • are located within or serve an Urbanized Area(population of 50,000 or more) as designated by the Census Bureau from the 2010 Census (note that American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands do not have any such areas), and • are located in or are directly accessible to neighborhoods or communities that are underserved* in terms of parks and recreation resources and where there are significant populations of people who are economically disadvantaged. * For the purposes of this competition, "underserved communities" are those with: (1)no existing parks; (2) some existing parks but not enough to support the size of the population of the service area or otherwise able to satisfy existing recreational demand; or (3) some existing parks (potentially even an adequate number of parks) that are so deteriorated/obsolete or underdeveloped that a major redevelopment or rehabilitation is necessary to significantly increase the number of people or user groups who could be served in a way that would be equivalent to a new park. Program Requirements To be eligible for either an acquisition or a development grant, the project must involve publicly- owned land and the project sponsor must possess sufficient legal title and control of the property to ensure that it can be managed and maintained for outdoor recreation in perpetuity and otherwise remain compliant with the conversion provisions of the LWCF Act(see 54 U.S.C. 200305(1)(3)). Outdoor recreation areas and facilities assisted by the LWCF must be open to the general public and not limited to special groups. Chapter 3 of the LWCF Manual describes project eligibility requirements in detail. Page 3 of 33 Acquisition of land may be in fee simple or a lesser interest(e.g., a perpetual easement) if sufficient rights, including the right for the public to access and recreate on the site,would be provided. On the development side, LWCF assistance is available for a wide range of outdoor recreation uses and the facilities needed to support the use and enjoyment of these areas. These include community parks, sports fields,picnic areas, water-based recreation facilities such as swimming pools, trails, campgrounds, etc. Certain kinds of support facilities, such as restrooms, may also be eligible. To be eligible for the funding, States must have a current State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan(SCORP) in place that assesses demand and need for outdoor recreation resources within its borders and sets priorities for the use of LWCF funds. In Perpetuity Requirement The LWCF Act requires that any park or other outdoor recreation area benefitting from assistance from the LWCF, whether for acquisition or development purposes, regardless of the amount or extent of assistance,may not be converted to any use other than public outdoor recreation uses (see 54 U.S.C. 200305(f)(3)). Therefore, as a condition of the grant, the NPS requires that language be recorded against the deed of the assisted park/recreation property advising that the property was acquired and/or developed with Federal funds from the LWCF and that the property must be preserved for outdoor recreation uses in perpetuity and cannot be converted to any use other than public outdoor recreation use without the written approval of the Secretary of the Interior. This approval is contingent upon the conversion being found consistent with the state's SCORP and the project sponsor replacing the area to be converted with a new recreation area involving land of at least equal fair market value and reasonably equivalent recreational utility. Before seeking an LWCF grant,project sponsors should carefully consider their ability and willingness to comply with this provision of the law. The perpetuity requirement is applied to the assisted park or other recreation area as a whole. Exceptions for boundaries that would apply to a lesser unit of a park will be considered only if the unit is a stand-alone (i.e., its borders do not include other areas of the park), self- sustaining (i.e., it does not rely on adjoining park area for access, utilities, support facilities, etc.) recreation area. The state and the NPS must agree to any boundary that does not comprise the whole park, and the NPS may eliminate from consideration proposals that are not consistent with this policy. Applicants who wish to propose a project with a boundary that would not include the whole park are urged to contact the national program office prior to completing an application for a determination on whether the boundary would be accepted. ORLP Program Competition Priorities The competition will prioritize the selection of projects that will directly connect people to outdoor places, and that: Page 4 of 33 • serve communities that are underserved* in terms of number of parks and other outdoor recreation areas and have significant numbers of individuals who are economically disadvantaged; • create short-term and/or permanent jobs; • help stimulate local economic development; • engage and empower members of the affected community in the development of the project; • create or expand public-private partnerships; • benefit from a high degree of coordination among the public, multiple levels of government, and the private sector, to improve recreation opportunities for all; and • advance goals of, or meet, priority recreation needs identified in the state's SCORP and other local, regional, state plans and/or initiatives. Secretary of the Interior Priorities: This program supports priorities of the Secretary of the Interior, including"Working to conserve at least 30% each of our lands and waters by the year 2030" and"Centering equity and environmental justice" as outlined in Executive Order(EO) 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad, and EO 14005: Ensuring the Future is Made in All of America by All of America's Workers. B. Federal Award Information B1. Total Funding Estimated Total Funding $ 150,000,000 B2. Expected Award Amount Maximum Award $ 5,000,000 Minimum Award $ 300,000 This fifth round of the ORLP will make available up to $150 million appropriated by Congress in fiscal year(FYs) 2020 and 2021,plus unused funds from prior years, if any. B3.Anticipated Award Funding and Dates Anticipated Award Date April 01, 2022 The NPS is targeting April 1, 2022, for the initial selection of projects based on the proposals. Following this selection,project sponsors will work with their state lead agency to Page 5 of 33 prepare a complete and final application. Preparation of the final application includes required reviews of the project under the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act. There is not a fixed window for this to happen,but ideally would be within 6 months to a year. For the purposes of the competition, sponsors should use a grant start date of October 1, 2022. B4.Number of Awards Expected Number of Awards 75 The NPS estimates that at least 75 proposals will be preliminarily selected and invited to develop and submit a final application for funding. B5. Type of Award Funding Instrument Type G - Grant LWCF Awards are given as grants. A Grant is a legal instrument of financial assistance between The National Park Service and a non-Federal entity that, consistent with 31 U.S.C. 6302, 6304: (1) Is used to enter into a relationship the principal purpose of which is to transfer anything of value from the Federal awarding agency to the non-Federal entity to carry out a public purpose authorized by a law of the United States (see 31 U.S.C. 6101(3)); and not to acquire property or services for the Federal awarding agency's direct benefit or use; (2) Is distinguished from a cooperative agreement in that it does not provide for substantial involvement between the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity and the non-Federal entity in carrying out the activity contemplated by the Federal award. No substantial involvement on the part of the NPS is anticipated for LWCF ORLP grants. C. Eligibility Information Cl. Eligible Applicants Eligible Applicants 00—State governments Additional Information on Eligibility In accordance with 54 U.S.C. 200305(a), each state has a lead agency designated by the State's Governor or in law for the purposes of implementing LWCF in that state, and only the lead agency can be an applicants for an LWCF grant. This is true for ORLP as well. The lead agency may submit on behalf of themselves or another eligible subrecipient. For the purposes of this competition, reference to "states"includes only the 50 U.S. States plus the District of Columbia Page 6 of 33 and Puerto Rico (American Samoa, Guam,Northern Marianas, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, although eligible for LWCF grants generally, do not have any Census-designated Urbanized Areas). Applications submitted directly by entities other than the State lead agency,will be eliminated without consideration.Individuals, nonprofit organizations, and other private entities are not eligible as applicants or sub-recipients. Eligible sub-recipients (aka project sponsors) include state agencies, local units of government (state political subdivisions such as cities, counties, and special purpose districts such as park districts), and federally-recognized Indian Tribes. For a project to be eligible the sub-recipient must: • Represent a jurisdiction of at least 50,000 people*, AND • Be situated within or contiguous with the geographic boundary of one of the 497 Urbanized Areas (UA) delineated by the Census Bureau. A list of the 497 urbanized areas was published in the Federal Register on March 27, 2012 (77 Fed. Reg. 18652- 18669). The Census Bureau has published maps delineating each urbanized area, which can be found at https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-maps/2010/geo/2010- census-urban-areas.html. • If the project sponsor is a state agency or a county, the project must serve an eligible jurisdiction of 50,000 people that is within a designated UA as described above. * There is a limited exception to the population threshold for a couple of states (e.g., Vermont) whose only UA is mainly comprised of a jurisdiction that does not have 50,000 people by itself Prospective applicants should consult with their state lead agency and/or the NPS contacts to determine whether they fall in this excepted group or if they are otherwise not sure of their eligibility. If the project site does not lie within a UA boundary, the proposal must address this and explain how the project will still serve the target populations,recognizing that access and proximity factor in the scoring criteria. C2. Cost Sharing or Matching Cost Sharing/Matching Requirement Yes In accordance with the LWCF Act(54 U.S.C. 200305(c)), ORLP grant projects must be cost- shared with non-federal funds at a minimum ratio of 1:1. Matching funds may be derived from state, local, non-governmental, or private sources in the form of cash or in-kind contributions of land, services, materials, etc. Matching share meeting the 1:1 minimum required must be secure or firmly committed at the time of application. If the project match exceeds the 1:1 requirement, indicate how the additional funds/in-kind contributions will be used. Further information about eligible costs, sources of match, and other cost-sharing requirements can be found in Chapter 5 of the LWCF Manual and in 2 C.F.R. 200.306. Page 7 of 33 The following costs may not be counted toward the non-Federal matching share (not inclusive): • Any project costs incurred before the grant start date, unless they are an eligible pre- award cost as defined in the LWCF Manual or unless the sponsor gets prior approval from the state lead agency and the NPS (i.e., waiver of retroactivity). • Any funds or in-kind contributions such as land or services that have been used previously or will be used in the future to satisfy the matching requirements of another LWCF grant or other Federal grant. • Any funds or in-kind contributions such as lands or services that were or will be acquired with other Federal funds,unless otherwise provided by Federal law. • Funding that originated from Federal sources or the value of land or services acquired with Federal funds may not be used as non-Federal match unless their enabling legislation authorizes that treatment, such as HUD's Community Development Block Grants and DOT-FHWA's Recreation Trails Program,but there may be others (project sponsors should be prepared to show supporting documentation if seeking to use Federal funds from other sources as match). Other than this exception, in accordance with 54 U.S.C. 200305(f)(1)projects seeking LWCF ORLP grants may not include funds from other Federal sources, including LWCF formula funds, in the project's budget, even if all programs' match requirements are met. Projects benefitting from other federal funds aside from as described above will be eliminated from the competition without consideration. • Project sponsors are not permitted to also seek LWCF formula funding to support the proposed project(except as an alternate grant source if not selected for an ORLP grant). If the LWCF ORLP grant-funded project is part of a larger project,please be sure the LWCF-related components of the budget can be clearly discerned. It can be difficult for reviewers to evaluate and score a budget when it's not clear how the grant funds will be used or what specific costs are being provided as match, and project sponsors risk having the requested federal share reduced if it appears ineligible costs are proposed to be charged to the grant or used as part of the 1:1 match share. Note that the LWCF ORLP and match-funded element(s) of the project must still result in a viable recreation opportunity that is not reliant on other funding even in the context of a larger planned project. C3. Other Recipients with an active ORLP grant may apply for one additional grant to supplement the existing active project or another project at the same park. A recipient who has been awarded an ORLP grant for a project at one park may also submit additional applications for ORLP projects at different parks. However, either scenario is contingent on each state's Open Project Selection Process (see Section D2- Content and Form of Application Submission for explanation of full application process). For example, some states do not permit a project sponsor to apply for additional funding when they have a currently active grant. Contact your state's lead agency for information(https://www.nps.gov/subjects/lwcf/contact-list.htm). In the interest of ensuring a wide distribution of LWCF-ORLP funds and addressing the needs of Page 8 of 33 communities that are under-served due in part to financial constraints,parks that are currently receiving or have recently received LWCF formula grant funds may not apply for an ORLP grant at the same park, even if the scope of the project is different. Excluded Parties: NPS conducts a review of the SAM.gov Exclusions database for all applicant entities and their key project personnel prior to award. The NPS cannot award funds to entities or their key project personnel identified in the SAM.gov Exclusions database as ineligible, prohibited/restricted or otherwise excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and certain Federal assistance and benefits, as their ineligibility condition applies to this Federal program. D. Application and Submission Information Dl.Address to Request Application Package The full NOFO and pre-application materials are available on Grants.gov. LWCF-specific forms can also be found at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/lwcf/iwcf-forms.htm. Project sponsors should check with their state's lead agency to determine if the state has any other requirements for submitting proposals at the state level. You may also contact the NPS LWCF-ORLP program leads for assistance (see Section G). D2. Content and Form of Application Submission Project Narrative Project Sponsor Role in Application Process Project sponsors interested in seeking a grant must contact their State LWCF Lead Agency to get specific details about the state's process for identifying projects for this competition. A list of agency contacts can be found at: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/lwcf/contact-list.htm. State Lead Agency Role in Application Process Each state's LWCF lead agency is responsible for nominating the projects it has deemed eligible and responsive to ORLP priorities to the NPS for consideration in the national competition. It is also responsible for: assisting NPS by further soliciting project proposals; conducting the initial review of proposals for completeness and eligibility requirements; evaluating and prioritizing proposals according to the criteria used for this competition criteria as well as criteria from the State's Open Project Selection Process (OPSP), if applicable; ensuring that proposals are consistent with outdoor recreation priorities outlined in the state's SCORP; and selecting the proposal(s)to be nominated. If a proposal is selected by NPS for funding in the national competition, the state lead agency will be responsible for submitting the final application documents to the NPS. Grants will be awarded by NPS to the state lead agency, which will be responsible for ensuring that allocated funds are used for the purposes of and in a manner consistent with the LWCF. The state lead agency will in turn make a sub-award to the project's sponsor,which must be the public entity that submitted the proposal. Page 9 of 33 If a project is selected, the project cost estimate generally defines the maximum federal share that can be requested,unless the additional amount is nominal,up to the overall ceiling of $5,000,000. (Note this is a departure in policy from grants awarded under the LWCF formula program, which under some circumstances permit amendments to increase the federal share.) In general, significant changes to the project proposal after the initial selection, whether in terms of the scope of work(such as eliminating or changing proposed scope items) or the budget(such as introducing new costs or revising costs that such that they impact other costs in the budget or scope components), are discouraged as they may materially alter the circumstances under which the project was evaluated and selected. Such changes can lead to the federal share of the grant offer being reduced or the grant offer being withdrawn entirely Required Proposal Elements - (40-page maximum (excluding items 1-4) and fewer than 30 is preferred) A complete proposal must include the following elements listed below. The Standard Forms 424 and 424C must be completed using the on-line forms within the funding opportunity on Grants.gov, all other documents should be attached as individual documents. 1. Standard Form SF424, Application for Federal Assistance 2. Standard Form 424C, Budget Information for Construction Programs 3. Copy of the Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement(if applicable) 4. Letter of Recommendation from the State Liaison Officer(SLO) highlighting why and how the project was selected and concurring with or supplementing the project sponsor's explanation for how the project helps to advance the priorities of the SCORP. 5. Project Narrative (maximum length 10 pages)—must include information detailed under "Project Narrative" in this section. 6. Budget Narrative (maximum length 5 pages, including tables)—must include information detailed under"Budget Narrative" in this section. 7. Project Timeline to complete the tasks/activities under the proposal. (must include information detailed under"Project Timeline" in this section.) 8. Photos provide context such as current site conditions, the surrounding environment, etc. 9. Maps and Plans Including a. Recreation Area Map showing the location of the project and identifying all existing recreation resources (if any)within a 1-mile vicinity of the project site. b. Map (or Aerial Photo) Delineating Project Area and Proposed Boundary - must clearly indicate area to be acquired and/or developed, as well as the proposed boundary of the larger park/recreation area that would be subject to the perpetual protection provisions of the LWCF Act(54 U.S.C. 200305(f)(3)), all known outstanding rights and interests in the area held by others,total acres withing the boundary(ies), and a north arrow. c. Plan or Sketch of the Site Features identifying location of planned recreational improvements and other features such as where the public will access the site, parking, etc. 10. Letters of Support Documenting Secured Contributions of Matching Share clearly stating the amount and type of contribution, or Co-Sponsor/Ownership Agreements if project sponsor is not title holder. Page 10 of 33 To assist applicants in ensuring that required information is included, suggested formats for the Project and Budget Narratives, Timeline, an application checklist and a photos form are included under the "Related Documents"tab of the Grants.gov opportunity. Optional Proposal Elements 1. General Letters of Support must be submitted with the Grants.gov application to be considered. Letters of support from Congress must be addressed to the Project Sponsor and included with the application to Grants.gov. 2. Letter of Intent to Sell, Purchase or Donate Property for projects requiring acquisition. The following Supplemental Elements are not required with the pre-application,but if the proposal is selected for funding, they will be required for review with the final application before grant funds could be awarded. Submitting one or more Supplemental Elements with the pre-application may help substantiate the project's "readiness." The noted forms are available on the LWCF program website at LWCF Forms -Land and Water Conservation Fund (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov). 1. Assurances for Construction Programs (SF-424D) 2. Application&Revision Form(A&R Form) 3. Description and Notification Form (DNF) 4. Pre-award Onsite Inspection Report(State form) 5. Real Property Status Report(SF-429 series - acquisition and combination projects) 6. Current approved indirect cost rate agreement(if applicable) 7. Copy of an approved waiver of retroactivity (if applicable) 8. Overlap or Duplication of Effort Statement(see description in this section) Required Proposal Elements Instructions Project Timeline—(1-page limit) The timeline must clearly show all tasks necessary to complete the proposed work including dates for discrete benchmarks of significant work elements. The timeline must include the date that park/resource will be open to the public. Project Narrative Contents—(10-page limit 12-point font) The Project Narrative consists of a Project Data page, Project Overview, and responses to the Project Criteria. These sections are outlined below. Project Narrative-Project Data Sheet(1-page limit): 1. Project Sponsor Name 2. Name of Park/Property 3. Project Title 4. Name of Property Title Holder 5. Project Property Address/Location Page 11 of 33 6. 2010 Project Property Census Jurisdiction Population(must be over 50,000) 7. Name of applicable Census delineated Urban Area 8. Statement of Project Type: Acquisition,New Development, Renovation, Combination 9. Statement that project Creates a New Park, Expands an Existing Park or Neither 10. Statement clarifying if this park/resource previously benefitted from LWCF or UPARR funding and/or if the park/resource was obtained through the Federal Lands to Parks Program. 11. Brief statement explaining project specific work, and a second statement explaining overall project(if larger than proposed work). (250-word max.) Project Narrative-Project Overview(2-page limit): Provide the following information: All Projects: • Describe and quantify the types of resources and features of or on the property(e.g., 50 acres of forested area, 2,000 feet of waterfront, scenic views, unique or special features, recreation amenities, historic/cultural resources) • Describe the current uses (if any) or disposition of the property to be acquired or developed, if uses will need to be discontinued, or the site rehabilitated. If there are any existing non-outdoor recreation or other non-public uses that are intended to continue on the property on an interim or permanent basis and/or proposed in the future, these should be explained. • Describe constraints of the property(e.g., existing development; hazardous materials/contamination history; and restrictions such as institutional controls, easements, rights-of-way, reversionary interests, above ground/underground utilities; etc.). Development Only: • Describe the planned physical improvements and/or facilities, and the reason(s) such development is needed.Explain whether the work involves new development or rehabilitation or replacement of existing recreation facilities. Acquisition Only: • Provide a description of the property(including the current ownership) and an explanation of the need for its acquisition. • State whether the acquisition would create a new public park/recreation area or if it will expand an existing site, and if so, by how much. • Describe the plans for developing the property for recreation purposes after acquisition and the timeframe for the start and completion of development and when it will be open for public use. Page 12 of 33 • Describe the status of the acquisition, including negotiations with the landowner and development of due diligence materials such as title work and appraisal. Combination Projects • Provide information requested under all "All Projects", "Development Only"and "Acquisition Only". Project Narrative-Project Criteria Information (remaining pages within Project Narrative): Provide information required by in Criteria 1-5 as detailed in Section E-Application Review Criteria. Project Narrative Criterion Notes: Within criterion 1, the local community refers to those within a .5 mile or 10-minute walk of the recreation area (or 1 mile if recreation site is serving multiple communities) and the proposed project/work refers to only the work that would be completed if an ORLP grant is awarded(not the larger project). 1. SF-424,Application for Federal Assistance Applicants must submit the appropriate Standard Form(SF)-424, Application for Federal Assistance. Individuals applying as a private citizen(i.e., unrelated to any business or nonprofit organization you may own or operate in your name), must complete the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance-Individual form. All other applicants must complete the standard SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance. The required application forms are available with this announcement on Grants.gov. The SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance must be complete, signed, and dated. Do not include any proprietary or personally identifiable information. Please note: Enter only the amount requested from this Federal program in the "Federal" funding box on the SF-424 Application form. Include any other Federal sources of funding in the "Other"box and provide details on those Federal source(s) and funding amount(s) in the required Budget Narrative (see the "Budget Narrative" section below). Applicants must submit the appropriate SF-424 Budget Information form and Budget Narrative. For construction programs or projects, applicants must complete and submit the SF- 424C, "Budget Information for Construction Programs". All of the required application forms are available with this announcement on Grants.gov. Federal award recipients and subrecipients are subject to Federal award cost principles in 2 CFR 200. The SF424C is used for acquisition, development or combination projects; however, if the state is requesting indirect expenses, this must be reflected in the detailed budget narrative. Alternately, the state can separately attach an SF-424A, reflecting the direct and indirect expenses. Applicants seeking approval to acquire real property under an award must complete and submit the SF-429, "Real Property Status Report(Cover Page)" and the SF-429-B, "Real Property Status Report Attachment B (Request to Acquire, Improve, or Furnish)". These forms are required if the real property is acquired with Federal funds, with recipient cost share or matching funds, or as an in-kind contribution under the award. Page 13 of 33 The SF-429 should be included for acquisition or combination projects. Detailed Budget Narrative The project budget shall include detailed information on all cost categories and must clearly identify all estimated project costs. Unit costs shall be provided for all budget items including the cost of work to be provided by contractors or sub-recipients. In addition, applicants shall include a narrative description of the items included in the project budget, including the value of in-kind contributions of goods and services provided to complete the project when cost share is identified to be included (reference section C of this announcement). Cost categories can include, but are not limited to, those costs items included on the SF424A or SF424C. Budget information should reflect only costs related to work/acquisition that will completed under an ORLP grant if selected. A total budget for the entire project(including work beyond what would be funded under a grant)may be provided separately. Budget Cost Limitations and Exclusions: ORLP projects are limited to using a maximum of 25% of the total budget for costs not directly attributable to physical development/rehabilitation activities, supplies, equipment, or cost of land. Additionally, the LWCF Act specifically excludes acquisition support costs (such as acquisition research and appraisals). (See "Program Funding Restrictions"under Section D6 for detailed explanation.) 1. Provide a budget breakdown that includes the following information: a. Detailed breakdown of each cost item included under each of the SF424C, Construction Budget Categories and for indirect costs if being charged. b. Clearly indicate which costs are covered by federal funds and which are covered by matching funds. c. Clearly indicate any proposed pre-agreement costs and the timeframe during which the associated work cost was performed. 2. Provide information required by in Criteria 6 as detailed in Section E-Application Review Criteria. Conflict of Interest Disclosure Per the Financial Assistance Interior Regulation(FAIR), 2 CFR §1402.112, applicants must state in their application if any actual or potential conflict of interest exists at the time of submission. (a)Applicability. (1) This section intends to ensure that non-Federal entities and their employees take appropriate steps to avoid conflicts of interest in their responsibilities under or with respect to Federal financial assistance agreements. (2) In the procurement of supplies, equipment, construction, and services by recipients and by subrecipients, the conflict of interest provisions in 2 CFR 200.318 apply. (b) Notification. (1)Non-Federal entities, including applicants for financial assistance awards, must disclose in writing any conflict of interest to the DOI awarding agency or pass-through entity in accordance with 2 CFR 200.112. Page 14 of 33 (2) Recipients must establish internal controls that include, at a minimum,procedures to identify, disclose, and mitigate or eliminate identified conflicts of interest. The recipient is responsible for notifying the Financial Assistance Officer in writing of any conflicts of interest that may arise during the life of the award, including those that have been reported by subrecipients. (c) Restrictions on lobbying. Non-Federal entities are strictly prohibited from using funds under a grant or cooperative agreement for lobbying activities and must provide the required certifications and disclosures pursuant to 43 CFR part 18 and 31 U.S.C. 1352. (d) Review procedures. The Financial Assistance Officer will examine each conflict of interest disclosure on the basis of its particular facts and the nature of the proposed grant or cooperative agreement, and will determine whether a significant potential conflict exists and, if it does, develop an appropriate means for resolving it. (e) Enforcement. Failure to resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the government may be cause for termination of the award. Failure to make required disclosures may result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR 200.338, Remedies for noncompliance, including suspension or debarment(see also 2 CFR part 180). Single Audit Reporting Statement All U.S. states, local governments, federally recognized Indian tribal governments, and non- profit organizations expending $750,000 USD or more in Federal award funds in the applicant's fiscal year must submit a Single Audit report for that year through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse's Internet Data Entry System. U.S. state, local government, federally recognized Indian tribal government, and non-profit applicants must state if your organization was or was not required to submit a Single Audit report for the most recently closed fiscal year. If your organization was required to submit a Single Audit report for the most recently closed fiscal year, provide the EN associated with that report and state if it is available through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse website. Certification Regarding Lobbying Applicants requesting more than $100,000 in Federal funding must certify to the statements in 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A-Certification Regarding Lobbying. If this application requests more than$100,000 in Federal funds, the Authorized Official's signature on the appropriate SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance form also represents the entity's certification of the statements in 43 CFR Part 18, Appendix A. Disclosure of Lobbying Activities Disclosure of Lobbying Activities Note that this form applies to lobbying by the recipient OR the subrecipient. Overlap or Duplication of Effort Statement Applicants must provide a statement indicating if there is any overlap between this Federal application and any other Federal application, or funded project, in regards to activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel. If no such overlap or duplication exists, state, "There are no overlaps or duplication between this application and any of our other Federal applications or funded projects, including in regards to activities, costs, or time commitment of key personnel". If any such overlap exists, provide a complete description of overlaps or duplications between this proposal and any other federally funded project or application in regards to activities, costs, Page 15 of 33 and time commitment of key personnel, as applicable. Provide a copy of any overlapping or duplicative proposal submitted to any other potential funding entity and identify when that proposal was submitted, to whom(entity name and program), and when you anticipate being notified of their funding decision. The statement and the description of overlap or duplication, when applicable, may be provided within the proposal or as a separate attachment to the application. If at any time a proposal is awarded funds that would be overlapping or duplicative of the funding requested from NPS, the applicant must immediately notify the NPS point of contact. Any overlap or duplication of funding between the proposed project and other active or anticipated projects may impact selection and/or funding amount. D3. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management(SAM) Identifier and System for Award Management(SAM.gov) Registration: This requirement does not apply to individuals applying for funds as individual (i.e., unrelated to any business or nonprofit organization you may own or operate) or any entity with an exception approved by the funding bureau or office in accordance with bureau or office policy. All other applicants are required to obtain a Data Universal Numbering System(DUNS) number from Dun& Bradstreet and then register in SAM.gov prior to submitting a Federal award application. Federal award recipients must continue to maintain an active SAM.gov registration with current information through the life of their Federal award(s). See the "Submission Requirements" section of this document below for more information on SAM.gov registration. We may not make a Federal award to an applicant that has not completed the SAM.gov registration. If an applicant selected for funding has not completed their SAM.gov registration by the time the program is ready to make an award, the program may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award. The program can use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant. There is no cost to register with Dun & Bradstreet or SAM.gov. There are third- party vendors who will charge a fee in exchange for registering entities with Dun& Bradstreet and SAM.gov; please be aware you can register and request help for free. Obtain a DUNS Number Request a DUNS Number through the Dun& Bradstreet website. For technical difficulties, send an email to the D&B SAM Help Desk. Please ensure that you are able to receive emails from SAMHelpAdnb.com. The Grants.gov"Obtain a DUNS Number"webpage also provides detailed instructions. Once assigned a DUNS number, your organization must maintain up-to- date information with Dun& Bradstreet. Applicants must enter their DUNS number in the "Organizational DUNS" field on the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance form. Register with the System for Award Management(SAM) Register on the SAM.gov website. "Help"tab on the website contains User Guides and other information to assist you with registration. The Grants.gov Register with SAM page also provides detailed instructions. You can also contact the supporting Federal Service Desk for help registering in SAM. Once registered in SAM, entities must renew and revalidate their SAM registration at least once every 12 months from the date previously registered. Entities are strongly encouraged to revalidate their registration as often as needed to ensure their information is up to date and reflects changes that may have been to the entity's DUNS or IRS information. Page 16 of 33 D4. Submission Dates and Times Due Date for Applications 09/24/2021 Application Due Date Explanation Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM, ET, on the listed application due date. Pre-applications from the state LWCF lead agencies are due to the NPS via Grants.gov by 10 pm ET on Friday, September 24, 2021. The state LWCF lead agencies may establish earlier deadlines for project sponsors to submit their proposals for review for nomination to the national competition. Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Applications sent by facsimile, email, or mail delivery will not be accepted. Applications that are not received by the deadline will not be considered. The NPS will accept pre-applications that: 1)were accepted in Grants.gov by the stipulated time, based on the time/date stamp in Grants.gov and 2) have been validated in Grants.gov, even if they are not forwarded to the DOI's grant management system before the deadline. You are encouraged to submit your application well before the deadline and not wait until the last minute. The uploading and transfer process can take a while, especially when Grants.gov is getting heavy use. In addition, after the application is submitted it gets validated before it is forwarded to the NPS. Normally this happens within a few minutes to a couple of hours, but it can take Grants.gov up to a day or two to validate or reject an application. You can monitor your application's status by email. You will receive four(4) emails from Grants.gov in the submittal process: the first confirms successful receipt and contains a Grants.gov tracking number; the second confirms that the application has been validated; the third confirms the application was "received"by the agency, and the fourth assigns an NPS tracking number. If you do not get the first email, you should assume the application did not even successfully submit to Grants.gov. If you do not receive all four emails, you should assume the application was not actually forwarded to NPS, notwithstanding the email about receipt, in which case you should let your NPS program officer know. Sometimes there are glitches that prevent actual transmission, for example, applications that exceed 200mb in size do not get forwarded to the DOI system. Most problems occur at the validation step so you should always check the second email; if there was a problem it should be described in this email. Technical difficulties with application submittal should be directed to the Grants.gov help desk. NPS staff can confirm receipt of submission but cannot resolve issues with Grants.gov or extend the application deadline due to difficulties with submission via Grants.gov. D5. Intergovernmental Review Prior to application submission,U.S. state and local government applicants should visit the OMB Office of Federal Financial Management website and view the "State Point of Contact (SPOC) List"to determine whether their application is subject to the state intergovernmental review process under Executive Order(E.O.) 12372 "Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs." States not on the list do not participate in the intergovernmental review process, and therefore do Page 17 of 33 not have a SPOC. If you are located within a State that does not have a SPOC, you may send application materials directly to a Federal awarding agency. If your state is on the list, contact the designated entity for more information on the state's prior review requirements for Federal assistance applications. D6. Funding Restrictions The Federal awarding agency that provides the largest amount of direct funding to your organization is your cognizant agency for indirect costs, unless otherwise assigned by the White House Office of Management and Budget(OMB). If the Department of the Interior is your organization's cognizant agency, the Interior Business Center will negotiate your indirect cost rate. Contact the Interior Business Center by phone 916-930-3803 or using the IBC Email Submission Form. See the IBC Website for more information. Organizations must have an active Federal award before they can submit an indirect cost rate proposal to their cognizant agency. Failure to establish an approved rate during the award period renders all costs otherwise allocable as indirect costs unallowable under the award. Recipients must have prior written approval from the Service to use amounts budgeted for direct costs to satisfy cost-share or match requirements or to cover unallowable indirect costs. Recipients shall not shift unallowable indirect costs to another Federal award unless specifically authorized to do so by legislation. Required Indirect Cost Statement to be submitted with Application All organizations must include the applicable statement from the following list in their application, and attach to their application any documentation identified in the applicable statement: We are: • A U.S. state or local government entity receiving more than$35 million in direct Federal funding each year with an indirect cost rate of[insert rate]. We submit our indirect cost rate proposals to our cognizant agency. Attached is a copy of our most recently approved rate agreement/certification. • A U.S. state or local government entity receiving less than$35 million in direct Federal funding with an indirect cost rate of[insert rate]. We have prepared and will retain for audit an indirect cost rate proposal and related documentation. • A [insert your organization type; U.S. states and local governments, do not use this statement] that has previously negotiated or currently has an approved indirect cost rate with our cognizant agency. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate]. [Insert either: "Attached is a copy of our most recently approved but expired rate agreement. In the event an award is made,we will submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after the award is made."or"Attached is a copy of our current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement."] • A [insert your organization type] that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate]. If we receive an award,we will submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after the award date. Page 18 of 33 • A [insert your organization type] that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency and has an indirect cost rate that is lower than 10%. Our indirect cost rate is [insert rate; must be lower than 10%]. However, if we receive an award we will not be able to meet the requirement to submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after award. We request as a condition of award to charge a flat indirect cost rate of[insert rate; must be lower than 10%] against [insert a clear description of the direct cost base against which your rate is charged(e.g., salaries; salaries and fringe benefits; or modified total direct costs). However,please note that your organization cannot charge indirect costs in excess of the indirect costs that would be recovered if applied against modified total direct costs as defined in §2 CFR 200.681. We understand that we must notify the Service in writing if we establish an approved rate with our cognizant agency at any point during the award period. • A [insert your organization type] that has never submitted an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency and has an indirect cost rate that is 10% or higher. Our indirect cost rate is [insert your organization's indirect rate; must be 10% or higher]. However, if we receive an award we will not be able to meet the requirement to submit an indirect cost rate proposal to our cognizant agency within 90 calendar days after award. We request as a condition of award to charge a flat de minimis indirect cost rate of 10%to be charged against modified total direct project costs as defined in 2 CFR §200.68. We understand that we must notify the Service in writing if we establish a negotiated rate with our cognizant agency at any point during the award period. We understand that additional Federal funds may not be available to support an unexpected increase in indirect costs during the project period and that such changes are subject to review, negotiation, and prior approval by the Service. • A [insert your organization type] that is submitting this proposal for consideration under the "Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Network", which has a Department of the Interior-approved indirect cost rate cap of 17.5%. If we have an approved indirect cost rate with our cognizant agency, we understand that we must apply this reduced rate against the same direct cost base as identified in our approved indirect cost rate agreement per 2 CFR §1402.414. If we do not have an approved indirect cost rate with our cognizant agency, we understand that we must charge indirect costs against the modified total direct cost base defined in 2 CFR §200.68 "Modified Total Direct Cost (MTDC)". We understand that we must request prior approval from the Service to use the 2 CFR 200 MTDC base instead of the base identified in our approved indirect cost rate agreement. We understand that Service approval of such a request will be based on: 1) a determination that our approved base is only a subset of the MTDC (such as salaries and wages); and 2) that use of the MTDC base will still result in a reduction of the total indirect costs to be charged to the award. In accordance with 2 CFR §200.405, we understand that indirect costs not recovered due to a voluntary reduction to our federally negotiated rate are not allowable for recovery via any other means. • A [insert your organization type] that will charge all costs directly. Program Funding Restrictions: LWCF ORLP grants may only be used for costs needed to support the acquisition or development(or a combination) of lands and facilities that will provide outdoor recreation opportunities to the public. LWCF ORLP funds may not be used for(not inclusive): Page 19 of 33 • Grant administration expenses for state lead offices, • Incidental costs related to land acquisition such as appraisals or title work, • Operation and maintenance activities, • Facilities that support semi-professional or professional athletics such as baseball stadiums or soccer arenas, • Indoor facilities such as recreation centers or facilities that support primarily non-outdoor purposes like dining facilities or overnight accommodation(such as a lodge or hotel), or • Acquisition of lands, or interests in lands, that completely restrict access to specific persons (e.g., non-residents of a community). Budget Cost Limitations and Exclusions: The ORLP Grant Program places a total budget (federal plus matching share) limitation of 25% on project costs not directly attributable to physical development/rehabilitation, supplies, equipment, or cost of land. The 25% cap includes, but is not limited to: • the overall management of activities directly related to finance (accounting, auditing, budgeting, contracting), • general grant administration cost(wages for grant administration, personnel, property management, equal opportunity), • architectural and engineering services (design fees, cost estimates), construction oversight, and contingency fees. Note: Indirect costs—Indirect costs are allowable above and beyond the 25% limit on the above costs; however, if included, they may not increase the project budget above the overall grant award maximum of$5 million Further, the LWCF Act specifically excludes acquisition support costs from eligibility (see 54 U.S.C. 200305(e)(2)(A)) so such costs should not be proposed to be part of the ORLP grant share or to meet the match share. Such ineligible costs will be removed from the proposal and the award reduced if selected for funding. Of note: Land acquisition costs should be based on appraised value or other estimate of fair market value. Be sure to explain the basis for the value estimate. If the budget proposal includes indirect costs, the rate as proposed must meet the requirements of 2 C.F.R. Part 200, Section 200.414 and Appendix VII. A copy of the negotiated indirect cost rate agreement that covers the initial performance period or if that's not available, the current agreement(expired agreements are not acceptable) must be provided with the application. The costs must also be described/shown in the detailed budget narrative or on an SF424A. Applications that fail to document indirect costs will not be reimbursed for them. D7. Other Submission Requirements Complete applications must be submitted in electronic form via Grants.gov to the National Park Service by the deadline identified above. Applications submitted by other means or not received by the deadline will not be considered. Please note that since January 1, 2018, Grants.gov has mandated the use of"Workspace" for application development and submission. For more Page 20 of 33 information,please review: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspaceoverview.html. Workspace will be the mechanism for filling out and submit the standard forms (e.g., SF-424). However, for the other required application elements (e.g., the A&R Form) files can be submitted in PDF, typical word processing programs such as MSWord, Excel, etc. Grants.gov will accept applications only from currently authorized organization representatives (AORs) affiliated with a particular agency. If you are not already an AOR you will need to create an account with Grants.gov and identify your agency's e-business point of contact to be designated as an AOR for your agency. Agency processes vary: some have only a limited number of AORs who can submit applications while others will designate AORs for each program that needs one. Prior to attempting to submit an application, it is a good practice to check to ensure that your agency's Grants.gov and SAM accounts are current/active, along with the individual Grants.gov account of the AOR who will submit the application. Last,please make sure that the DUNS number associated with the Grants.gov account that will be used to submit the application matches the one that has been registered with the NPS for use with the payment system(ASAP), otherwise funds will not transfer to ASAP when the award is approved. In the event you experience technical difficulties with submitting your application, it is best for you to contact the Grants.gov help desk. However,you should also contact your state's Program Officer to let them know your application may be delayed. Application size limitations and file naming: The electronic application system (Grants.gov) has an overall application size limit of 200 mb, above which the application will not be transmitted to the NPS. Check the file sizes of individual attachments and do not submit extraneous material. Overall, the pre-application should not exceed 40 pages total in length (excluding the SF424, SF424C, Indirect Cost Rate Agreement and SLO Letter of Recommendation) and fewer than 30 is preferred. Additionally, Grants.gov has requirements for naming application documents. Attachments that do not follow these rules may cause the entire application to be rejected or cause issues during processing. Please refer to the Grants.gov site for current requirements at Applicant https://www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-faqs.html. E.Application Review Information El. Criteria Criterion 1 - Extent of Outdoor Recreation and Economic Maximum Points: 20 Needs This criterion assesses the extent of deficiency (based on quantity or quality) of close-to-home outdoor recreation areas/resources within walking distance of the target neighborhood, and the degree to which the project will serve the most economically-disadvantaged populations. Priority will go to projects in neighborhoods: 1)no parks/outdoor recreation resources or not enough to support the size or demand of the population, or where the existing parks/resources are so deteriorated as to make them obsolete, and 2) that serve populations with poverty rates of Page 21 of 33 at least 20% and/or where the poverty rate exceeds the county and state rates by at least 10%. • Describe the amount of, and types of, existing recreation resources within both a .5 and 1-mile radius of the proposed project area/site. (Support the attached Recreation Map.) • Describe the specific deficiencies as they relate to the lack of, or inadequacy of, local outdoor recreation areas/uses. • Describe how the deficiencies were identified. • Describe the recreation service area of this park and the estimated number of people who live within .5 and 1 mile. • State, statistically, where the local community falls within the poverty scale for economically-disadvantaged populations relative to the county and state and include any other relevant economic and demographic information. The local community refers to those within a .5 mile or 10-minute walk of the recreation area (or 1 mile if recreation site is serving multiple communities) and the proposed project/work refers to only the work that would be completed if an ORLP grant is awarded(not the larger project). Criterion 2 -Appropriateness of Project to Meet Maximum Points: 20 Community Outdoor Recreation and Economic Needs This criterion assesses how well the proposed project meets the need(s) for newly created or significantly enhanced outdoor recreation resources within the target community/population, and the level to which it provides short-term and/or permanent employment opportunities, particularly within the same target community, and/or helps to generate economic benefits for the community at large. Priority will be given to projects: 1) creating new outdoor recreational areas/resources, or comprehensively enhancing the quality of existing park/outdoor recreation areas that are so deteriorated/obsolete that major rehabilitation is necessary to significantly increase the number of people or user groups who could be served in a way that would be equivalent to a new park, and 2)providing the greatest amount of short-term/permanent employment opportunities and overall economic benefits to the community. • Describe how the proposed project will create or significantly improve access to close- to-home park and recreation opportunities for the project's target community(ies). • Describe the new or expanded types of outdoor recreation opportunities and/or capacities that will be created as a result of the project. • Describe the activities and uses for the project site after acquisition and/or development. • Estimate the anticipated increase in the number of people and/or types of user groups that will newly be able to recreate as a result of the project and how this impact was determined. • Describe the anticipated economic benefits that will be produced by the project such as short- and long-term employment opportunities and/or community-wide economics benefits stimulated by the project. Page 22 of 33 Criterion 3 -Community Involvement in, and Support of, Maximum Points: 20 Proposed Project This criterion assesses the level of supportive partnership-building involved in the development and implementation of the project among the project sponsor, residents of the target community to be served by the park, government agencies, the private sector, and community and/or conservation organizations. Priority will be given to projects that 1) demonstrate the highest degree of effort or initiative to engage residents of the target neighborhood(s) in the project's development, and 2) demonstrate the most significant amount of collaboration among the public and private sectors, including multiple levels of government, private/non-profit organizations, and community groups, and 3) demonstrate support for the project through contributions of cash, land, equipment or other resources to the project, allowing for the matching share to be derived from multiple resources, particularly non-public resources. • Describe the process that led to the development of this proposal. Focus on the efforts made to engage the public, especially the target community, and their participation in the project's design as well as that of other interested/affected entities. Include details such as number of meetings held and number of attendees, number of community members contacted,number of responses received. • Describe the partnerships or other collaborative efforts that have helped, or will help to, facilitate the project. • Describe or provide evidence of local support for the project,particularly from the local community. (Reference letters of support included with the application.) • Describe the how project is/will be supported through contributions of matching share in the form of money, land, supplies, services, etc. (Reference letters of support included with the application.) Criterion 4 -Embracing New Parks and Innovative Maximum Points: 10 Project Attributes Assesses the degree to which ORLP funds will assist new outdoor recreation resources and the degree to which the project incorporates innovative ideas. Priority will be given to parks and projects that 1)have not received any previous LWCF or ORLP assistance, and 2) encompass innovative characteristics. • If this site previously received LWCF or ORLP funding, describe what was funded and how much was awarded, and support the reason this park/site deserves additional funds as much as or more than a park/resource that has not. • Describe the ways in which this project incorporates innovative characteristics. These qualities could be related to aspects such as: redevelopment of a blighted or distressed properties; involvement of new or non-traditional partners; unusual features in the project design; employment of novel solutions to issues in/challenges to addressing the Page 23 of 33 community's recreation needs; the ability to affect or advance other complementary and intrinsic benefits beyond providing new or enhancing park or other outdoor recreation spaces; and other similar characteristics. Criterion 5 -Project Alignment with SCORP and Other Maximum Points: 10 Applicable Plans This criterion assesses the degree to which the project advances or is otherwise tied to the priority recreation needs and/or goals of the applicable State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan(SCORP) and other relevant park and recreation plans. Projects can also receive credit for aligning with or advancing priorities of other comprehensive or master plans at the city, regional, and/or state level (such as community revitalization, economic development, or open space plans). Priority will be given to projects that best meet 1) at least 1 goal or need that is clearly identified in the SCORP,particularly any that are specific to urban areas generally within the state or the urban area in which the project is located, and 2) at least 4+ additional, applicable planning documents at different levels of government and/or private sector initiatives. • State the specific SCORP goals or needs that the proposed project will advance or implement, and support how this project addresses each goal/need. • Describe any other park or outdoor recreation plan(provide date of plan) that the project advances or supports, and state precisely how the proposed project aligns with it/each. • Describe any other relevant city, regional, or state plans or initiatives (provide date of plan) that the project advances or supports, and state precisely how the prosed project aligns with each. Criterion 6 -Project Feasibility and Likelihood of Success Maximum Points: 20 This criterion assesses the probability that the project will be successfully completed within the proposed timeline and budget, the viability of the proposed budget, and the ability of the project sponsor and partners to manage the project and maintain the park/resource in the future. Priority will be given to projects that 1) can break ground within one year and will be complete and open to the public within 2 to 3 years, 2) are managed by project sponsors and partners with proven experience in successfully managing similar projects with no problems, 3)that can demonstrate a clear capacity, and a plan, for successful long-term park management and protection, 4)have budget costs that are clear, necessary, reasonable, allowable, allocable, and 5)have matching share that is fully secured. Page 24 of 33 • Describe the status of planning for the grant project, its readiness to be implemented and support the accuracy of the established deadlines and milestones within the attached timeline. • Describe any issues with the site that would prevent it from being open and available to the public within 2-3 years. • Describe the relevant experience of those managing the various aspects of this project. If partners are involved,their role(s) should also be described. • Describe how the park or recreation area will be managed and maintained, physically and financially, to assure permanent use for public outdoor recreation. • Within the Budget Narrative: o Break down, describe, and justify the proposed project costs. o Clearly indicate which costs (or the amount of each cost)that will be covered by LWCF funds versus matching share. o List all agencies, organizations or other entities providing matching share under this project. o State the value and type (cash, donation of equipment etc.) of each matching share contribution. o Document that the 1:1 required matching share contribution is secure or firmly committed at the time of application. If overmatch is included, state if it has been secured, or when and how it is expended to be secured. (A letter from each secured matching-share contributor should be included as a letter of support, clearly stating the commitment of match.) E2. Review and Selection Process Prior to award, the program will review any applicant statement regarding potential overlap or duplication between the project to be funded and any other funded or proposed project in terms of activities, funding, or time commitment of key personnel. Depending on the circumstances, the program may request modification to the application, other pending applications, or an active award, as needed to eliminate any duplication of effort, or the Bureau may choose not to fund the selected project. The program may not make a Federal award to an applicant that has not completed the SAM.gov registration. If an applicant selected for funding has not completed their SAM.gov registration by the time the Bureau is ready to make an award, the program may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award. The program can use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant. Prior to award, the program will evaluate the risk posed by applicants as required in 2 CFR 200.205. Programs document applicant risk evaluations using the Bureau's "Financial Assistance Recipient Risk Assessment" form. Prior to approving awards for Federal funding in excess of the simplified acquisition threshold(currently $250,000), the Bureau is required to review and consider any information about or from the applicant found in the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System. The Bureau will consider this information when completing the risk review. The Bureau uses the results of the risk evaluation to establish Page 25 of 33 monitoring plans, recipient reporting frequency requirements, and to determine if one or more of the specific award conditions in 2 CFR 200.207 should be applied the award. Criteria Scoring: Criteria valued at 20-points will be rated using the 10-point scale below but weighted at twice the value. This means that a score of 8 in a 20-point Criteria would be valued at 16 points. Total point value of all criterion is 100 points. Proposals scoring less than half the possible points on any one criterion,based on the average of the review panel scores, may not be considered for funding. Superior (9-10 points): Application fully addresses all aspects of the criterion, demonstrates that the project will surpass the criterion's stated priorities and contains no weaknesses. Good (7-8 points): Application fully addresses all aspects of the criterion, demonstrates that the project will fully meet the criterion priorities and contains no weaknesses. Satisfactory (5-6 points): Application addresses all aspects of the criterion to some degree, demonstrates that the project will meet the criterion priorities but/and/or contains a couple of minor weaknesses. Marginal (3-4 points): Application addresses most aspects of the criterion, does not clearly demonstrate that the project will meet or come close to meeting the criterion priorities, but/and/or contains a moderate weaknesses and/or a number of minor weaknesses. Poor (1-2 points): Application does not adequately address the aspects of the criterion, reveals issues in the likelihood of meeting or coming close to meeting, criterion priorities but/and/or contains a significant weakness and/or a number of moderate weaknesses that may outweigh any strengths presented. Not Acceptable (0 point): Application does not adequately address the aspects of the criterion, reveals issues in the likelihood of meeting criterion priorities to any significant degree but/and/or contains weaknesses that clearly outweigh any strengths presented. Proposal Review: For the purposes of the competition, project proposals will be reviewed and evaluated as pre- applications. The pre-application must include all Required Elements, listed in the "Required Elements" in Section D2.Preapplications submitted without all the required elements will be eliminated from the competition without consideration. Information linked within application documents will not be considered in the review. Project proposals will be scored and ranked on a national basis based on an evaluation of how well the project meets the review and selection criteria for the competition and the general requirements of the LWCF Act. Project sponsors should understand that if your project is selected, the state will need to update/complete and resubmit the proposal as a final application to the NPS. Notably, the pre- application does not include important documentation needed to substantiate the project's compliance with environmental and historic/cultural resources laws (i.e.,National Environmental Policy Act(NEPA),National Historic Preservation Act(NHPA)), and such documentation will be required if the project is selected. Further, an offer of grant funding could be withdrawn if review of the final application documents reveals a previously unknown issue that materially Page 26 of 33 affects the project's eligibility or feasibility of completion. If this occurs, the NPS will move to the next project on the ranked list. Once a proposal has been received from a state lead agency, the NPS LWCF program office will conduct an initial screening to determine whether it is complete (i.e., at a minimum contains all Required Elements) and meets all Eligibility Requirements (i.e.,project is from an eligible applicant and/or sponsor, provides the minimum cost share, and its purpose is consistent with the LWCF Act and the objectives of this competition). Presuming it is found to be eligible for consideration, the proposal will be evaluated and scored by both a technical panel of NPS staff focused mainly on LWCF-based requirements and a peer-based merit panel focused mainly on the project's purpose, purported benefits, and relevance to the competition objectives. Each proposal will be reviewed by at least 4 (four)reviewers but no consensus advice will be given. Both federal and non-federal experts may be used for the merit panel. Reviewers' scores will be compiled and averaged as needed to create a final score. The scores and reviewer evaluations will be used by the competition managers to produce a ranked list of proposals that will be recommended to the competition's selecting official—the Director of the National Park Service—for final selection. Generally, proposals will be recommended in the ranked order unless there is justification to select out of order based upon: • Availability of funding • Geographic distribution of projects and/or funds • Program objective and priorities (see Section A of this NOFO) • The applicant's prior performance in managing LWCF grants and/or assisted sites • The project's capacity to leverage non-Federal dollars. In the event that two or more proposals within a state rank equally in their scores, and a judgement must be made as to which is/are awarded funding,NPS will request that the State to make a recommendation as to which best reflects the priorities of the SCORP, is most likely to be successfully completed and/or will have the highest impact. The NPS will then ask the States to submit final application elements for review. The final applications will comprise the originally required elements of the pre-application, which sponsors may be asked to revise based on comments from the panels with respect to objectives, work plans, or budgets, as well as the Supplemental Elements. The revised application, particularly the Supplemental Elements, will need additional review by the NPS before a final decision is made about whether to make an award. If the Supplemental Elements reveal previously unknown features of the project that affect its eligibility or viability, the NPS may decide to withdraw the initial recommendation for funding and move on to the next project on the list. Scope changes from the pre-application to the final application should only differ in terms of addressing requested revisions, updated timelines, and other minor adjustments. When a decision has been made(whether an award or declination of award), summaries of technical and merit reviews will be made available to the state lead agency and/or the project sponsor upon request. Declined applications will be held by the NPS for three years, in accordance with the current retention requirements, and then destroyed. Page 27 of 33 E3. CFR—Regulatory Information See the National Park Service's Award Terms and Conditions for the general administrative and national policy requirements applicable to Service awards. The Service will communicate any other program- or project-specific special terms and conditions to recipients in their notices of award. E4. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates The initial technical review of proposals will begin immediately following the application deadline, followed by the merit panel review. The NPS is targeting April 1, 2022 for an announcement about preliminary selection results. Once this selection has been made, the state lead agencies for the selected projects will be directed to work with the sponsors to prepare the final grant applications. Timing of an actual award will depend on how quickly the project sponsor and the state can complete federal compliance and prepare a final application. F. Federal Award Administration Information Fl. Federal Award Notices Once a final decision is made by the NPS about the award of a grant, a project agreement will be signed by the applicable LWCF Financial Assistance Awarding Officer for the LWCF Region in which the project's state is located and sent to the state lead agency. The state lead agency will then, if needed, make a sub-award to the local project sponsor. In no case will the NPS make an award directly to the local project sponsor. Until the project agreement is signed, the sponsor should not begin work on the project that would result in the incurring of expenses desired for reimbursement from the grant or for use as match,unless for eligible pre-award costs or the project has a waiver of retroactivity. A grant agreement signed by a Financial Assistance Awarding Officer is the only authorizing document required to begin performance. As the primary grantee, the state lead agencies are responsible for managing the day-to-day implementation of the grant and the sub-award supported activities to assure the project's compliance with the LWCF Act and Manual, other applicable Federal requirements, and that performance goals are being achieved. F2.Administrative and National Policy Requirements See the "DOI Standard Terms and Conditions" for the administrative and national policy requirements applicable to DOI awards. Data Availability Per the Financial Assistance Interior Regulation(FAIR), 2 CFR §1402.315: (a) All data, methodology, factual inputs, models, analyses, technical information, reports, conclusions, valuation products or other scientific assessments in any medium or form, including Page 28 of 33 textual, numerical, graphic, cartographic, narrative, or audiovisual, resulting from a financial assistance agreement is available for use by the Department of the Interior, including being available in a manner that is sufficient for independent verification. (b) The Federal Government has the right to: (1) Obtain, reproduce,publish, or otherwise use the data, methodology, factual inputs, models, analyses, technical information, reports, conclusions, or other scientific assessments, produced under a Federal award; and (2)Authorize others to receive, reproduce,publish, or otherwise use such data, methodology, factual inputs, models, analyses, technical information, reports, conclusions, or other scientific assessments, for Federal purposes, including to allow for meaningful third-party evaluation. The LWCF Grant Assistance Manual,v. 71 (March 11, 2021) establishes the specific eligibility, procedural, and programmatic requirements for LWCF grants. A copy of the Manual can be found at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/lwcf/upload/LWCF-FA-Manual-Vol-71-3-11-2021- final.pdf. The Manual outlines the criteria and process for eligible states and territories to develop a SCORP, develop projects for nomination to the NPS, submit applications, and implement grants for selected projects. All applications submitted pursuant to this announcement must be consistent with the Manual and are subject to the requirements described therein. Recipients and sub-recipients of LWCF grants are also subject to all Federal laws and agency policies, regulations, and procedures applicable to Federal financial assistance awards. These are described in the Manual and in the LWCF terms and conditions. The LWCF-specific terms and conditions are integrated into the standard conditions document and are additional conditions that recipients must also agree to in accepting the grant, such as the requirement to record language and a copy of the LWCF boundary map with the land records for the property to acknowledge the LWCF assistance. If there are outstanding issues still requiring resolution at the time the grant is issued, the NPS may include special award conditions on the grant constraining when work on the project may begin or restricting access to the funds until the conditions are satisfied. F3. Reporting Financial Reports All recipients must use the SF-425, Federal Financial Report form for financial reporting. At a minimum, all recipients must submit a final financial report. Final reports are due no later than 90 calendar days after the award period of performance end date or termination date. For awards with periods of performance longer than 12 months, recipients are required to submit interim financial reports on the frequency established in the Notice of Award. The only exception to the interim financial reporting requirement is if the recipient is required to use the SF 270/271 to request payment and requests payment at least once annually through the entire award period of performance. We will describe all financial reporting requirements in the Notice of Award. The FFR(and relevant instructions) can be downloaded from: https://www.grants.gov/foims/post-award-reporting-forms.html Page 29 of 33 The NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer will review the report for patterns of cash expenditures and assess whether performance or financial management problems exist. Before submitting the FFR to the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer, recipients must ensure that the information submitted is accurate, complete, and consistent with the recipient's accounting system. The recipient Authorized Certifying Official's signature on the FFR certifies that the information in the FFR is correct and complete and that all outlays and obligations are for the purposes set forth in the agreement documents and represents a claim to the Federal Government. Filing a false claim may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties. Performance Reports Performance reports must contain a comparison of actual accomplishments with the established goals and objectives of the award; a description of reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate; and any other pertinent information relevant to the project results. Final reports are due no later than 90 calendar days after the award period of performance end date or termination date. For awards with periods of performance longer than 12 months,recipients are required to submit interim financial reports on the frequency established in the Notice of Award. In accordance with 2 C.F.R. 200.328, the performance reports shall contain brief information on: 1. A comparison of actual accomplishments to the objectives of the Federal award established for the period. Where the accomplishments of the Federal award can be quantified, a computation of the cost(for example, related to units of accomplishment) may be required if that information will be useful. Where performance trend data and analysis would be informative to the Federal awarding agency program, the Federal awarding agency should include this as a performance reporting requirement; 2. The reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate; and 3. Additional pertinent information including, when appropriate, analysis and explanation of cost overruns or high unit costs. Before submitting the performance report to the NPS Financial Assistance Awarding Officer, recipients must ensure that the information submitted is accurate, complete, and consistent with the recipient's Federal financial report. Filing false information may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties. Significant Development Reports Events may occur between the scheduled performance reporting dates which have significant impact upon the supported activity. In such cases, recipients are required to notify the Bureau in writing as soon as the recipient becomes aware of any problems, delays, or adverse conditions that will materially impair the ability to meet the objective of the Federal award. This disclosure must include a statement of any corrective action(s)taken or contemplated, and any assistance needed to resolve the situation. The recipient should also notify the Service in writing of any favorable developments that enable meeting time schedules and objectives sooner or at less cost than anticipated or producing more or different beneficial results than originally planned. Real Property Reports Recipients and subrecipients are required to submit status reports on the status of real property acquired under the award in which the Federal government retains an interest. The required frequency of these reports will depend on the anticipated length of the Federal interest Page 30 of 33 period. The Bureau will include recipient-specific real property reporting requirements, including the required data elements,reporting frequency, and report due dates, in the Notice of Award when applicable. Conflict of Interest Disclosures Recipients must notify the program immediately in writing of any conflict of interest that arise during the life of their Federal award, including those reported to them by any subrecipient under the award. Recipients must notify the program in writing if any employees, including subrecipient and contractor personnel, are related to, married to, or have a close personal relationship with any Federal employee in the Federal funding program or who otherwise may have been involved in the review and selection of the award. The term employee means any individual engaged in the performance of work pursuant to the Federal award. Recipients may not have a former Federal employee as a key project official, or in any other substantial role related to their award,whose participation put them out of compliance with the legal authorities addressing post-Government employment restrictions. See the U.S. Office of Government Ethics website for more information on these restrictions. The Service will examine each conflict of interest disclosure based on its particular facts and the nature of the project and will determine if a significant potential conflict exists. If it does, the Service will work with the recipient to determine an appropriate resolution. Failure to disclose and resolve conflicts of interest in a manner that satisfies the Service may result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR 200.338 Remedies for Noncompliance, including termination of the award. Other Mandatory Disclosures The Non-Federal entity or applicant for a Federal award must disclose, in a timely manner, in writing to the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity all violations of Federal criminal law involving fraud,bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the Federal award. Non- Federal entities that receive a Federal award including the terms and conditions outlined in 2 CFR 200, Appendix XII—Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters are required to report certain civil, criminal, or administrative proceedings to SAM. Failure to make required disclosures can result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR 200.338 Remedies for Noncompliance, including suspension or debarment. Reporting Matters Related to Recipient Integrity and Performance If the total value of your currently active grants, cooperative agreements, and procurement contracts from all Federal awarding agencies exceeds $10,000,000 for any period of time during the period of performance of this Federal award, then you as the recipient during that period of time must maintain the currency of information reported to the System for Award Management (SAM)that is made available in the designated integrity and performance system (currently the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS)) about civil, criminal, or administrative proceedings in accordance with Appendix XII to 2 CFR 200. G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s) Gl. Program Technical Contact For programmatic technical assistance, contact: Page 31 of 33 First Name: Ginger Last Name: Carter Address: 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240 Telephone: 202-513-7233 Email: ginger carter@nps.gov Questions and issues may also be directed to the assigned program officer for each state. G2. Program Administration Contact For program administration assistance, contact: First Name: Elisabeth Last Name: Fondriest Address: 1849 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20240 Telephone: 202-354-6916 Email: elisabeth_fondriest@nps.gov G3.Application System Technical Support For Grants.gov technical registration and submission, downloading forms and application packages, contact: Name: Grants.gov Customer Support Telephone: 1-800-518-4726 Email: Support@grants.gov H. Other Information Payments Domestic recipients are required to register in and receive payment through the U.S. Treasury's Page 32 of 33 Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP),unless approved for a waiver by the Service program. Foreign recipients receiving funds to a final destination bank outside the U.S. are required to receive payment through the U.S. Treasury's International Treasury Services (ITS) System. Foreign recipients receiving funds to a final destination bank in the U.S. are required to enter and maintain current banking details in their SAM.gov entity profile and receive payment through the Automated Clearing House network by electronic funds transfer (EFT). The Bureau will include recipient-specific instructions on how to request payment, including identification of any additional information required and where to submit payment requests, as applicable, in all Notices of Award. Information about the LWCF State and Local Assistance Program, including the LWCF Manual, at https://www.nps.gov/subjects/lwcf/index.htm. This NOFO is available via the grants.gov website: http://www.grants.gov (search for LWCF). Application materials are available via the Grants.gov and LWCF websites or by contacting the program officials identified above. Project sponsors should also review their state's LWCF website (if available) and particularly the state's SCORP. Links to State LWCF sites can be found at: https://wvvw.nps.gov/subjects/lwcf/contact-list.htm. The $150 million in funding available for this competition includes $25M appropriated by Congress in FY2020 and $125M in FY 2021. Project sponsors are reminded that this competition represents just a portion of the funding allocated for grants through LWCF State and Local Assistance Program in FY2021. Grants may be available from your state for the regularly apportioned funds as well. Contact your state's lead agency for more information. Neither the NPS nor the Department of the Interior will be responsible for proposal preparation costs or project costs if the proposal fails to receive funding. Publication of this announcement does not oblige the NPS to make an award to any specific project or to obligate any available funds. Page 33 of 33