Application and Reports for the Direct Component and the Centers of Excellence Research Grants Program of the Gulf RESTORE Program

RESTORE Act Direct Component Financial Assistance Application
Department of the Treasury

OMB Approval No. 1505-0250

Directions: Complete one of these forms for EACH proposed activity for which the applicant is requesting Direct Component
funds.
GENERAL INFORMATION:
Applicant Name:
Name and Contact Information of the Person to
POC Name:
be contacted on matters concerning this
application (POC):
POC Title:
POC Email:
POC Phone:
Proposed Activity Name (from multiyear plan):
A. STATUTORY QUESTIONS
1. Qualifying eligible activity:
Please check the primary eligible activity in the
first column and then all other eligible activities
that apply in the second column by placing an
‘X” in the column in the row corresponding to
the qualifying eligible activity.
*This information will assist Treasury when it
prepares reports that describe how grantees
use Direct Component funds to address their
eligible activities.

Select
Primary
Activity

Select All Others
That Apply

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Qualifying Eligible Activity

Restoration and protection of the natural
resources, ecosystems, fisheries, marine
and wildlife habitats, beaches and coastal
wetlands of the Gulf Coast Region
Mitigation of damage to fish, wildlife and
natural resources
Implementation of a federally approved
marine, coastal, or comprehensive
conservation management plan,
including fisheries monitoring
Workforce development and job creation
Improvements to or on State parks
located in coastal areas affected by the
Deepwater Horizon oil spill
Infrastructure projects benefitting the
economy or ecological resources,
including port infrastructure
Coastal flood protection and related
infrastructure
Planning assistance
Promotion of tourism in the Gulf Coast
Region, including recreational fishing
Promotion of the consumption of
seafood harvested from the Gulf Coast
Region

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid
OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 1505-0250. Comments concerning the time required to
complete this information collection, including the time to review instructions, search existing data resources, gathering and maintaining the
data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information, should be directed to the Department of the Treasury, RESTORE Act
Program, 1500 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20220.

2. Was this proposed activity included in any claim for
compensation paid out by the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund after
July 6, 2012?

Yes

No

If “Yes,” this activity is not eligible for a Direct Component
grant.

3. Location
Street address:
(a) Please provide the actual address for
Municipality(ies):
the activity (street address,
municipality(ies), county/parish,
County/parish:
state, zip code). (If there is no street
number, provide the nearest
intersection or note boundaries on
State:
provided map.) If there is more than
one location for the activity, attach a
Zip code:
list of the additional locations (street
address, municipality(ies),
county/parish, state, zip code).
(b) Applicants must demonstrate that the proposed activity will be carried out in the Gulf Coast Region. An activity is
carried out in the Gulf Coast Region when, in the reasonable judgment of the entity applying to Treasury for a grant,
each severable part of the activity is primarily designed to restore or protect that geographic area. [Directions:
Please describe how the proposed activity will be carried out in the Gulf Coast Region. Please limit the response to
no more than two pages. In addition, applicant must attach a map that includes the location that the activity is
primarily designed to restore or protect.]

B.

DISCUSSION OF SPECIFIC ACTIVITY
IF APPLICABLE, PLEASE FOLLOW SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS FOR NON-FEDERAL SHARE OF ANOTHER FEDERALLY FUNDED
ACTIVITY and ACTIVITIES APPROVED PRIOR TO JULY 6, 2012 in the application guidance

1. Proposed Activity Description
[Directions: Describe the scope of work for the proposed activity. Please limit the response to no more than 5 pages. If the
applicant is proposing a program, rather than a project or activity, the applicant must provide specific tasks regarding the
program’s activities and operations. The applicant must specify whether all program activities will be carried out by the program
personnel described in B3. If not, the applicant must specify whether the program will require contracts or subawards to
accomplish the proposed scope of work. If using contracts, the applicant must provide details in B5. If subawards, the applicant
must provide details in B6. The applicant should contact [email protected] for further guidance prior to combining
several small projects or activities into a single program. Treasury will require programmatic reporting on all subawards, and
will require the applicant to apply the relevant provisions of the Direct Component Grant Agreement to every subrecipient
(subawardee).]

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2. Budget Justification [OMB Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal
Awards” at 78 Fed. Reg. 78,590 (December 26, 2013)- Subpart E, Cost Principles]
[Directions: Explain how the overall budget supports the proposed scope of work. Provide specific justification for all that apply:
•
personnel and fringe (see B3 Key Personnel);
•
travel including the number of trips and estimated cost per trip;
•
all equipment greater than $5,000;
•
supplies including a list of major types of supplies;
•
contractual costs;
•
construction costs; and
•
administrative costs not to exceed 3% of the total award amount (attach a copy of the negotiated indirect cost
agreement, if applicable).
If other federal or non-federal funds will be used to complete the activity, provide an explanation and total funds by type:
•
other RESTORE Act funds,
•
other federal funds,
•
other state or local funds,
•
other private funds.]

3. The Applicant’s Selection and Oversight of Contractors, if applicable
[Directions: Indicate if the applicant plans to contract out any work proposed in this application. If so, describe the applicant’s
contracting strategy, schedule, and plan to effectively monitor and manage contractor performance, by addressing ALL of the
following:
•
The nature of the work to be contracted out, and the expected number of contracts to be awarded;
•
The applicant’s written procurement procedures, the extent to which these comply with procurement standards
applying to federal grants, including requirements for competitive selection and cost analysis;
•
The applicant’s written conflicts of interest/standards of conduct policy;
•
The applicant’s non-discrimination policy;
•
The expected timeline for issuing an RFP and making contract awards;
•
The applicant’s plan for monitoring contractor performance and compliance with applicable contract provisions; and
•
If a contractor already has been selected, provide the name and DUNS number of the contractor.]

4. The Applicant’s Selection and Oversight of Subrecipients and Inclusion of Special Provisions relating to Subawards, if
applicable.
[Directions: Indicate if the applicant plans to issue subawards for activities proposed in this application. If so, the applicant must
provide ALL of the following:
•
A narrative of how they selected or they plan to select any subrecipient, if applicable;
•
The means by which the applicant will assess each subrecipient’s level of risk and monitor each subrecipient’s
progress, including any required reports; and
•
If a subrecipient already has been selected, provide the name and DUNS number of the subrecipient.
Treasury will require programmatic reporting on all subawards, and will require the applicant to apply the relevant provisions of
the Direct Component Grant Agreement to every subrecipient.]

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5. Public Input for this Proposed Activity
[Directions: This question provides an opportunity for the applicant to elaborate on its brief discussion of public input regarding
this activity in the multiyear plan narrative. Please include additional information regarding public input specific to this activity if
applicable.]

6. Best Available Science
[Directions: Only answer this question if the proposed activity is designed to protect or restore natural resources (may apply to
any of the eligible activities in Sec 34.201 of the regulations if the activity will protect or restore natural resources). If the activity
is not designed to protect or restore natural resources, simply indicate ‘Not Applicable.’ Please limit the answer to no more than
5 pages.]
The RESTORE Act requires activities designed to protect or restore natural resources to be based on the ‘best available science,’
which is defined in the Act as science that ‘(a) maximizes the quality, objectivity, and integrity of information, including statistical
information; (b) uses peer-reviewed and publicly available data, and (c) clearly documents risks and uncertainties in the scientific
basis for such projects.’
The applicant proposing an activity designed to protect or restore natural resources must explain their determination that the
project is based on the ‘best available science.’ In addressing the three-pronged test for ‘best available science, the applicant
must cite peer-reviewed, objective, methodologically sound literature sources that support the conclusion that the proposed
scope of work is an effective way to achieve the stated objectives, when available.
For each literature source cited, the applicant must provide sufficient citations including:
•
The title
•
The journal in which the literature source appeared, if applicable
•
The publication date
•
The author(s)
The applicant must provide:
•
A summary of the peer-reviewed information that justifies the proposed objectives, including methods used for the
proposed activity. If peer-reviewed literature sources are unavailable, the applicant must explicitly state this and
provide a brief explanation of what alternative scientific information sources were used. If the applicant relied on
publicly available data, the applicant must cite the source of the data, the date of collection, and the size of the data
set. Whenever possible, the applicant should use publicly available data such as from the U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and other
federal agencies. The applicant must provide a link to the publicly available data source used.)
•

A summary of the literature sources’ conclusions and any uncertainties or risks in the scientific basis that would apply
to the proposed activity, including any that were identified by the public or by a Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration
Council member.

•

A summary of how, if the information supporting the proposed activity does not directly pertain to the Gulf Coast
Region, the applicant’s methods reasonably support and are adaptable to that geographic area.

•

A summary of an evaluation of uncertainties and risks in achieving the project’s best available science objectives over
the longer term; e.g., is there an uncertainty or risk that in 5-10 years the project/program will be obsolete or not
function as planned given projections of sea level rise or other environmental change such as in freshwater inflows to
estuaries?

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7. Key personnel
[Directions: Identify key applicant staff who will undertake and complete the activities. Specify the position titles, duties, and
responsibilities of each key individual.]

8. Consistency with the Applicant’s Multiyear Implementation Plan
[Directions: Discuss how the proposed activity is consistent with the applicant’s multiyear plan on file with Treasury, including
the specific objectives and outcomes applicant will use to evaluate the activity. The specific objectives will be included in the
periodically submitted Status of Performance Report.]

9. Possible Material Risks to Implement and Maintain the Proposed Activity
[Directions: Please list the possible material risks, e.g., operational, legal, regulatory, budgetary or ecological risks, with a brief
discussion of mitigation strategies that the applicant may need to address in order to implement and/or maintain the proposed
activity.]
Risk

Mitigation Strategy

10. Title Issues, Land Acquisition, and Permits
[Directions: Answer the following items concerning land acquisition, construction, and permits.]
a. Permits
Does the proposed activity require any federal, state, or local permits? For potential federal permits needed, see:
http://www.permits.performance.gov/permit-inventory
Yes

No

If yes, list local, state, tribal, or federal permits required for this project and the status of the permits:
[If the permits have not been obtained, and the applicant is seeking the permits, work may not begin or land may not be
purchased until the permits have been issued and received by the applicant.]

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b. Land acquisition activities
Will land or interest in land be acquired? Yes

No

If yes, answer questions i-vii:

i. What are the legal rights that will be acquired?
Fee title

Easement

Other (please explain)

ii. If an easement, what is the life of the document?
iii. What entity will hold title to the land?
iv. What is the total acreage of the proposed property to be acquired (easement or fee title)?
v. Has the applicant obtained a recent, independent appraisal of the property? Yes
If yes, attach a copy of the appraisal.
vi. Has the applicant obtained a title opinion or certificate?
If yes, attach a copy of the title opinion or certificate.

Yes

No

No

vii. Attach a signed statement from the seller(s) that he/she is a willing seller and has not been coerced into selling or
conveying the property interest.

c. Relocation Assistance
Will the proposed project cause the displacement of any persons, businesses, or farm operations? Yes

No

If yes, explain: the number of displaced persons, including businesses and farm operations; what fair and reasonable relocation
payments and advisory services will be provided to any displaced persons; and what provisions will be made to ensure that safe,
decent, and sanitary replacement dwellings will be available to such persons within a reasonable period of time prior to
displacement.

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