Form FS-1500-0051 Application Form Community Wood Program

Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Program (CFDA 10.708) FY23 Application

FS-1500-0051

OMB: 0596-0257

Expires: XXXXXX

Fiscal Year 2023 APPLICATION FORM

Community Wood Program (CFDA 10.708)

Ensure that your organization is registered with the System for Award Management (SAM), which is located at https://sam.gov/. DO NOT go through a third party that may charge for registration. There is no charge for registering at SAM.gov. This process may take time, so please register immediately.

Cover Page for Part 1: Cooperator Contact Information

1. Project Title:

2. Project Type (check one): ☐ Community Wood Energy System ☐ Innovative Wood Product Facility ☐ Both Community Wood Energy System and Innovative Wood Product Facility

3. Total Capital Costs (Forest Service Funding + Cooperator Funding):

1. Requested Forest Service funding (amount of Forest Service funds):

2. Cooperator Funding (amount of leveraged non-federal funds):

3. Total Capital Costs (Line A + Line B. *This value should be the same as the value listed in Column C, Line 11 of Budget Table 1 of this application):

4. Maximum allowable Forest Service funding request (Line C x 35%):

5. Cooperator Funding as a Percentage of Total Capital Costs (Line B ÷ Line C x 100%. This value should not be less than 65% unless requesting special consideration):

6. Are you requesting special consideration for Forest Service funding of more than $1 million and/or Forest Service funding to cover between 36-50% of total capital costs? ☐ Yes ☐ No

If Yes, did you receive prior approval from the Forest Service? ☐ Yes ☐ No

If Yes, is the requested Forest Service funding not more than $1.5 million and does not cover more than 50% of the total capital costs? ☐ Yes ☐ No

4. Contact Information:

Financial Agreement Applicant (Responsible official for financial administration of the project.)

Name: Title:

Organization/Company:

Address, City, State, Zip:

Phone: E-mail Address:

Project Contact (Responsible official for management of the project. If listed above, check box ☐)

Name: Title:

Organization/Company:

Address, City, State, Zip:

Phone: E-mail Address:

Application Instructions: Complete and submit Parts 1 and 2. Address each item under subheadings A though H for Part 1.

Submission Requirements: E-mail Part 1 (including Appendices) and Part 2 (forms) at one time to the Forest Service Regional Coordinator. Other documents (e.g., letters of support) will not be accepted separately from the Part 1 submittal. No hardcopy or fax proposals will be accepted. Each submittal must consist of two separate, searchable PDF files, as follows:

Part 1: Cooperator Contact Information, Narrative (including Budget tables), and Appendices

Part 2: Required Financial Forms

Part 1: Narrative

1. Basic Project Information

Project Title:

Project Length: Typical award is for 2-3 years (projects of greater complexity may be awarded for a longer period, not to exceed 5 years).

Abstract: Provide a brief description of the project. If funded, the abstract will be posted on a public website. Be concise and clear. (This field is limited to 1,625 characters and spaces)

2. Project Description (Address the following in the form beginning on page 4)

• Specific project goals and objectives in bullet format. (Goals should identify the outcomes you want to achieve based on the statement of need. Objectives are the measurable steps needed to accomplish the goals.)

• Statement of need. (Describe succinctly why this project is needed.)

• Describe the specific project work activities or tasks that will be carried out to accomplish and meet the goals and objectives listed above.

• Describe the timeline for project activities and how the budget aligns with these activities. (This should be a brief statement of how you intend to spend money to carry out project activities. Keep in mind that projects selected for funding are anticipated to begin around August 2022.)

• Describe how progress will be measured.

• Describe any subgrant or subcontracting activity.

• Describe communication and outreach activities. (Explain how you will inform others of the experiences, successes, lessons learned, etc. of your projects.)

3. Project Impact (Address the following in the form beginning on page 5)

• List anticipated project outcomes, deliverables, and desired results. (Outcomes should be specific, measurable, and align with project timeline.)

• Describe anticipated impacts on forest health, including how the project will create demand for low-value wood, low-quality wood, industrial residues, or timber in areas of the U.S. in need of forest restoration.

• Describe anticipated impacts on local economies. (Include assumptions used to determine these impacts.)

• Specify whether the project supports an existing or new sawmill or forest products business located in a geographic area with an average annual unemployment rate that is more than one percent higher than the national average unemployment rate in calendar year 2019.

• If applicable, explain how the project supports, benefits, or engages communities that are historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality (pursuant to Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government).

4. Technical Criteria (Address the following in the form beginning on page 6)

For community wood energy system or innovative wood product facility projects, describe or provide information to support the following criteria:

• Energy efficiency and cost effectiveness of the system or facility.

• Extent to which the system or facility represents the best available commercial technology.

• Extent to which the applicant has demonstrated a high likelihood of project success by completing detailed engineering and design work in advance of the grant application.

For community wood energy system projects only (in addition to the above criteria):

• Extent to which the system will displace conventional fossil fuels, minimize emission increases to the greatest extent possible, and use the most stringent control technology that has been required or achieved in practice for a wood-fired boiler of similar size and type.

• Extent to which the proposed community wood energy system will increase delivered thermal efficiency of systems being replaced.

5. Qualifications of Team and Partners (Address the following in the form beginning on page 7)

List key personnel qualifications and role(s) in the project. Describe their capabilities, certifications, and experience on related projects that demonstrate your team has the appropriate skill set and experience for success. List any experience and performance of prior funded U.S. Forest Service project(s).

6. Annual Progress Reports and Final Reports (Address the following in the form beginning on page 8)

Annual Progress Reports are required, at a minimum, on a calendar-year basis. The reports provide an overview of accomplishments of the goals and objectives listed in the approved project narrative, success stories, and documentation of media events or activities generated by the award.

Describe planned reports, documents, and success stories that will be provided during and at the end of the project for public posting. List the contact information for the person(s) responsible for reporting.

2. Project Description (This field is limited to 5,000 characters and spaces)

2. Project Impact (This field is limited to 5,000 characters and spaces)

2. Technical Criteria (This field is limited to 5,000 characters and spaces)

2. Qualifications of Team and Partners (This field is limited to 5,000 characters and spaces)

2. Annual Progress Reports and Final Reports (This field is limited to 1,625 characters and spaces)

2. Budget Summary and Justification in Support of SF–424A

Complete the two budget tables below and provide a brief budget narrative explaining primary costs and any subcontracting. The budget should support the narrative statement and reflect projected costs. Include cash, in-kind services, and staff time used to complete the project.

Matching Funds, Leveraged Funds, and Limitations on Use of Forest Service Funds

Matching funds are not required; however, leveraging is required. Applicants must contribute the remaining funds (leveraged funds) necessary to complete the project above and beyond the requested Forest Service funding. For example, if an applicant requests Forest Service funding for 35% of the total capital costs of the project, then the applicant must commit to providing 65% of the total capital costs of the project. In this example, the 65% of the total capital costs are considered the required leveraged funds. Even though leveraged funds have a lower reporting burden and fewer legal requirements than matching funds, applicants must adhere to requirements for leveraged funds.

Leveraged funds must be from non-federal sources and be committed within the grant timeframe. Moreover, if third-party organizations contribute to the leveraged funds requirement, then applicants must submit with their proposal package commitment letters from the third-party organizations confirming the amount of leveraging being committed.

Forest Service funds cannot pay for any of the following activities: purchasing or improving real property, relocation expenses and payments associated with real property; site work; demolition and removal; construction; or contingencies. However, applicants may use non-federal leveraged funds to contribute toward these real property related activities.

Forest Service funds can be used for architecture and engineering design, inspections, legal work, and permitting costs associated with real property because these activities would not create a federal interest in real property.

Forest Service funds can be used to purchase equipment, but this will create a federal interest in the equipment, thereby requiring the applicant to complete additional paperwork before and after receiving Forest Service funds for the purchase, and the regulations at 2 CFR §200.310, 200.313, and 200.316. These 2 CFR §200 regulations are available at: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/2/part-200/subpart-D.

Purchase of equipment with non-federal funds does not create a federal interest in the equipment.

Projects must provide a preference for the purchase, acquisition, or use of goods, products, or materials produced in the United States pursuant to 2 CFR § 200.322.

Forest Service funds cannot be used for basic research or Forest Service involvement in the project.

Project or program income will not be considered for these awards and should not be included in the budget or to calculate total capital costs.

Budget Table –

Instructions for Budget Table: Refer to Section II of the Request for Proposal Instructions on cost sharing, leveraging, capital costs, maximum allowable Forest Service funding, and limitations on use of Forest Service funds. Forest Service funds in the Budget table should be consistent with what is reported on the required SF-424A. Leveraged funds must be included in the Budget table but should NOT be reported on the SF-424A. Any leveraged funds inadvertently listed on the SF-424A must be treated as matching funds, which are subject to more stringent requirements than leveraged funds. Reminder: This grant program only requires leveraged funds, not matching funds.

Lines 1-8: Enter the dollar amount for each item and provide details for each of these costs in narrative section below table.

Line 9: Sum of 1 – 8.

Line 10: Costs not directly attributable to accomplishing the project, such as overhead or indirect costs.

Line 11: Sum of 9 and 10.

Line 12: Use the total in Column C, Line 11 to determine the percentage of each share.

Categories	Column A Forest Service Funds (Forest Service share)	Column B Leveraged Funds (Non-federal share)	Column C Total Capital Costs (Column A + Column B)
1. Personnel	$	$	$
2. Fringe benefits	$	$	$
3. Travel	$	$	$
4. Equipment	$	$	$
5. Supplies/Materials	$	$	$
6. Contractual	$	$	$
7. Construction	Not Allowed	$	$
8. Other	$	$	$
9. Direct charges (sum of items 1 thru 8)	$	$	$
10. Indirect charges	$	$	$
11. Total Capital Costs (sum of items 9 & 10)	$	$	$
12. Percentage of total capital costs listed in Column C, Line 11.	(Column A, Line 11) ÷ (Column C, Line 11) x 100%: ______________%	(Column B, Line 11) ÷ (Column C, Line 11) x 100%: _____________%

Please provide more specific details on how Forest Service funding will be used for each of the following budget categories:

Category 1. Personnel (2 CFR 200.430): This is the actual estimated salary cost paid and may or may not include fringe benefits. Show job titles or positions and estimated days or hours and the estimated cost per day or hour. (This field is limited to 3,000 characters and spaces)

Category 2. Fringe Benefits: Fringe is generally expressed as a percentage of the salary cost. Provide the rate and total estimated cost. (This field is limited to 1,625 characters and spaces)

Category 3. Travel: Show anticipated trips, number of travelers, and an estimated cost per trip. (This field is limited to 1,625 characters and spaces)

Category 4. Equipment: Provide documentation of equipment costs. (This field is limited to 5,000 characters and spaces)

Category 5. Supplies/Materials: Provide an estimate of the supplies and materials that may be purchased for the project. (This field is limited to 5,000 characters and spaces)

Category 6. Contractual: List out any estimated costs for contracts or subawards with a description of work for each anticipated contract. (This field is limited to 5,000 characters and spaces)

Category 8. Other: Any costs under this category must be itemized with a description and an estimated cost. (This field is limited to 1,625 characters and spaces)

Leveraged Funding Table –

Instructions for the Cooperator Contributions Table: List the leveraged funds provided by the applicant and all 3rd party organizations. Exclude Forest Service funding. Use reasonable and acceptable rates to value materials and in-kind contributions.

Cooperator Name	Cash	Materials	In-Kind Services	Total
Totals:

2. Appendices

Appendices should be well organized with an index so reviewers can readily find information of interest, especially documentation supporting the required Technical Criteria listed in Part 1.D of this Application. Include only relevant information in the Appendices that will help the review panel understand and evaluate your project. Letters of support should be included as the first Appendix. Below are required items that must be included in the Appendices:

Letters of support from partners, individuals, or organizations, especially those playing a key role or providing leveraged funds, including Forest Service units if National Forest System lands will directly benefit from the project. Letters of support should display the degree of collaboration occurring between the different entities engaged in the project. Applicants must submit letters of support from third-party organizations confirming the amount of cash, materials, or in-kind services to be provided in leveraged funds.

List of all other funds (Federal, State, private) received for this project and closely related projects within the last 5 years (include agency, program name, and dollar amount).

Screenshot from the System for Award Management (SAM) website showing an active registration or that the registration process has been initiated in SAM. (see Section III, Part A of the Request for Proposal Instructions). Registration may take several months to complete or renew, and it must be completed before an award announcement.

Short resume for key team members.

Feasibility Assessments.

Woody Biomass Resource Supply Assessment.

Quotes for professional engineering, architectural, or other technical services.

Prior expertise of and rationale for selection of contractors selected for primary work.

Miscellaneous items, such as schematics, engineering designs, or executive summaries of reports.

Definitions

Community wood energy system: An energy system that produces thermal energy or combined thermal energy and electricity where thermal is the primary energy output;

Services public facilities owned or operated by State or local governments (including schools, town halls, libraries, and other public buildings) or private or nonprofit facilities (including commercial and business facilities, such as hospitals, office buildings, apartment buildings, and manufacturing and industrial buildings); and

Uses woody biomass, including residuals that have not been adulterated with glue or other chemical treatments from wood processing facilities, as the primary fuel and for which the use of that biomass for energy production does not cause conversion of forests to non-forest use.

A community wood energy system includes single-facility central heating, district heating systems serving multiple buildings, combined heat and electric systems where thermal energy is the primary energy output, and other related biomass energy systems.

Innovative wood product facility: A manufacturing or processing plant or mill that produces -

Building components or systems that use large, panelized wood construction, including mass timber,

Wood products derived from nanotechnology or other new technology processes; or

Other innovative wood products that use low-value, low-quality wood.

Mass timber: Includes, but is not limited to, cross-laminated timber, nail-laminated timber, glue-laminated timber, laminated strand lumber, and laminated veneer lumber.

Part 2: Required Financial Forms

Application for Federal Assistance

The forms listed below as items a through i must be completed and submitted with your proposal. Forms listed for items a through f are located at the Grants.gov website https://www.grants.gov/‌web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html#sortby=1).

Search the “Form Name” column for the appropriate form. The required Forest Service forms listed for items g and h are available via the respective links at the Forest Service website.

SF–424: Application for Federal Assistance https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424_4_0-V4.0.pdf

SF–424A: Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424A-V1.0.pdf

SF–424B: Assurances for Non-Construction Programs

https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SF424B-V1.1.pdf

FS–1500–35: Certificate Regarding Lobbying Activities

https://www.fs.usda.gov/nac/assets/documents/forms/fs-1500-35-certification-regarding-lobbying.docx

FS–1500–22: Financial Capability Questionnaire (see Financial Capability section)

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3834433.docx

Your organization must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) https://sam.gov/content/home) to apply (see Note below). You must include a screenshot of your registration page to be eligible for an award. There is no charge for registration. Active registration must be maintained throughout the life of the award.

Items to note when completing the SF–424 forms:

Catalog of Domestic Assistance number is 10.708

CFDA Title is “Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Program”

Funding Opportunity number is USDA-FS-COMMUNITY WOOD-2023

Funding Opportunity Title is “2023 Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Funding Opportunity”

Anticipated project start date should be around August 2023

Leveraged funds should not be included on the SF-424 forms.

Note: If your proposal is funded, ten percent of the Forest Service funds may be held by the administrator of the grant or agreement until final reporting is completed and approved.

Paperwork Reduction Act

A Federal agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with an information collection subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 unless the information collection has a currently valid OMB Control Number. The approved OMB Control Number for this information collection is 0596-0257. Without this approval, we could not conduct this survey/information collection. Public reporting for this information collection is estimated to be approximately 3/hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the information collection. All responses to this information collection are voluntary; however, failure to provide this information could result in program benefits being withheld or denied. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this information collection, including suggestions for reducing this burden to the U.S.D.A. Forest Service email address [email protected] and include the OMB Control Number in the subject line.

COVER PAGE: COOPERATOR CONTACT INFORMATION