Introduction

This request for proposals is made under the auspices of a partnership between the US Association of Delegates to the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment (the Council) and the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) Community-based Restoration Program. The purpose of this Partnership is to further the Council’s goal of habitat restoration and to support a strategic approach to marine, coastal and riverine habitat restoration within the Gulf of Maine. The Partnership is inviting eligible organizations to compete for Habitat Restoration Grants made available through this solicitation. This funding program is managed by the US Gulf of Maine Association on behalf of the Council.

Applicant Eligibility

Non-governmental organizations (e.g., community associations, cooperatives, civic groups), municipalities, schools and tribal and state governments are eligible to apply. Funded projects are generally located in an area that includes the Gulf of Maine watershed and extends to nearshore ecosystems in the Gulf. The coastal region within this area extends from the tip of Provincetown, Massachusetts to Cape Sable, Nova Scotia, but proposals outside of this geographic range may be considered if they are likely to provide direct benefits to the GOM ecosystem.

Project Type Eligibility

Where marine, estuarine and associated freshwater habitats/communities have been significantly altered, restoration activities contribute to the recovery of ecosystem functioning and biodiversity that more closely reflects a pre-altered condition. The Habitat Restoration Partnership funds restoration projects that benefit living marine resources, including diadromous fish species. Successful restoration often requires a comprehensive approach including feasibility assessments and planning, design, implementation and pre/post restoration monitoring phases. The Council requests project proposals that address one or more of these project phases and focus on habitat restoration types including those listed below:

• Diadromous fish restoration and stewardship – Projects targeting improved fish passage are priorities for this type of restoration. Project design and planning may involve characterization of impounded sediments, dam safety evaluation, surveying, hydrologic evaluations, engineering design and pre- and post-restoration monitoring of biological and physical parameters.
• Coastal wetland restoration and stewardship – Removing or mediating effects of tidal restrictions, restoring altered hydrology and drainage, mediation or abatement of excessive runoff to coastal wetlands, fill removal and invasive plant species control. Project design and planning may involve hydrologic evaluations, surveying, botanical analyses, engineering design and pre- and post-restoration monitoring of biological and physical parameters.
• Riverine restoration and stewardship – Restoration of historical riverine diadromous fish habitat where altered hydrology, riparian corridors, or other factors have degraded bank stability and aquatic habitat. Project design and planning may include physical habitat and/or stream stability assessments, sediment transport analyses, natural channel design and bioengineered alternatives to riverbank armoring.
• Restoration projects for other habitat types including submerged aquatic vegetation, shellfish beds, and other subtidal and intertidal habitats are also eligible for funding. These projects can include pre- and post-restoration monitoring of biological and physical parameters for GOMC/NOAA Partnership funded projects.

Available Funding, Match Requirements and Project Duration

Funds Available: Approximately $350,000 will be available for the 2009- 2010 grant round. Awards will typically range between $ 40,000 to $70,000, with a cap of $100,000. Funding may support feasibility, planning, engineering and design, implementation, monitoring, or any combination of these activities.

Matching Requirements: All grant amounts sought from this program require at least a 1:1 non-federal match. Match may be in cash, time, goods or services. Evidence of declared match with receipts, invoices and/or written agreements by cooperating organizations is mandatory.

Project Duration: Work conducted for the project is to be complete within 18-24 months of contract approval, unless a longer contract period is negotiated. Eligible costs will be paid for work done no earlier than contract approval.

Letter of Intent

Submitting a letter of intent (LOI) is optional, but affords applicants the opportunity for advice on their restoration concept before having to develop a full proposal. In turn, grant program reviewers use these LOIs to identify project proposals that should be encouraged toward the full application process. Applicants should review the criteria used in assessing full proposals before developing their LOIs. LOIs are a maximum of three typed pages and should include any of the following information that is available:

• applicant's complete contact information (phone, email, mailing address)
• project location description
• a brief statement describing conditions warranting restoration
• analyses or other project work accomplished to date
• project goals
• proposed restorative actions
• existing or likely project partners and community support for the proposal
• opportunities or challenges potentially influencing project success
• other existing or potential funding sources
• estimated total project cost and amount of funds sought from the Habitat Restoration Grants Program

LOIs must be submitted via email by 5:00 PM EST on 27 February 2009 to Slade Moore at slade.moore@maine.gov. Applicants will be notified during the week of 30 March 2009 if their proposals are among those encouraged toward full application development.

Full Proposals

Submissions

To be considered in this funding round, full proposal application materials must be submitted by 5:00PM EST on 1 May 2009. No hard-copy submissions will be accepted. Application materials must be submitted online using the web-based grant proposal forms accessed at http://restoration.gulfofmaine.org/grants/. A completed application must include the items listed below. The combined length of Appendices A and B should not exceed five pages.

• Cover letter outlining the applicant's experience and general approach as to how the project will be completed
• Project Scope (Appendix A)
• Budget (Appendix B)
• Map and photos of the proposed project site (Appendix C)

Review Criteria

A proposal review team composed of members representing Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Canada, NMFS and the Council will evaluate full proposals using the criteria provided below. In applying these criteria to project proposals, the review team will consider the amount of information reasonably available for a project in the planning/design phase (including inventory) versus the implementation/monitoring phase.

30% Potential for the project to restore degraded habitat to a self-sustaining, pre-degraded condition;

• To what extent will the project restore degraded habitat function(s) and benefit living resources?
• How will restorative actions promote the habitat needs of species having regional significance.
• Once restored, is the area likely to be protected from future degradation?
• Does the project build upon previously undertaken restoration work?
• Is the project part of a larger restoration plan?
• Does the project involve structures that require ongoing maintenance and/or management? If so, who will be responsible and how will associated costs, if any, be paid?

25 % Technical merit and project feasibility;

• Is the project feasible from biological and engineering perspectives?
• Are the restoration efforts likely to deliver ecological benefits and results that can be observed and measured?
• Does the pre- and post-monitoring plan measure parameters appropriate for a long-term analysis?
• Do the applicant and their partners have the ability to undertake and successfully complete this project?
• Are there any potential adverse impacts (such as flooding or habitat loss) associated with the project? If so, how will be they be addressed?

20 % Partnership/cooperation from community groups and other organizations;

• Does the project reflect strong community support and involvement?
• Is the project supported by other relevant agencies and organizations?
• What are the roles of partnering organizations and groups (please provide documentation)?

25 % Cost effectiveness and budget detail and consideration. Is there sufficient detail in the budget? Is non-federal match at a 1:1 ratio identified? Does the project appear to be cost effective?

Pre- and Post-Restoration Monitoring

Projects that will implement direct, physical restorative actions, such as culvert replacement to improve fish passage, are expected to have a written monitoring plan in order to characterize pre- and post-restoration habitat conditions. The monitoring plan should include a detailed description of the physical and biological parameters used to assess restoration success. Guidance for salt marsh restoration monitoring in the Gulf of Maine is available in the document titled Regional Standards to Identify and Evaluate Tidal Wetland Restoration in the Gulf of Maine. This document is available online at http://www.gulfofmaine.org/habitatrestoration. For additional guidance with project monitoring, check with your state / provincial contact. Multi-year monitoring plans are encouraged to ensure sufficient data for measuring success. Barrier removal monitoring protocols for dam removals and culvert enhancements in the Gulf of Maine are also available at the website mentioned above.

Grant Administration

Applicants will be notified of award decisions in June 2009. Successful applicants will enter into contracts with the US Gulf of Maine Association that specify work tasks, work products, and reporting requirements. Work conducted for the project is to be complete within 18 months of contract approval. Eligible costs will be paid for work conducted after the contract approval date.

It is the responsibility of grantees to know and comply with deadlines for submitting the online reports and for all other grant administration requirements described below. All report templates are accessed and upon completion resubmitted using the administrative website: http://www.gulfofmaine.org/admin/index.php.

Progress Reports: Progress Reports must be submitted online at six month intervals (deadlines are 31 December and 30 June). Acceptance of online submissions for these reporting periods begins on 1 December 2009 and 1 June 2010. Progress Reports, which should not exceed 2-3 pages, will describe the following information: progress to date for assigned tasking/products, expenses and match information, and photos of the site.

Final reports: Final Reports must be submitted online within 30 days of project completion or the end of the contract period, whichever comes first. Final Reports document the complete project as measured against assigned tasking and products. Final reports will provide a complete financial report for the length of the project that includes match information and is supported by match documentation. Documentation for match is as follows:

• In kind match: Indicate the number of hours worked, hourly rate and the organization that provided the in-kind service.  Letters from the organization stating the match amount provided are required as supporting documentation.
• Cash match: If cash was used to purchase equipment or materials, indicate who paid and provide copies of receipts or invoices as supporting documentation. If cash was used to pay for a service, indicate the service provider, the amount paid and who paid. Letters from the organizations stating how much cash match they provided to the project are required as supporting documentation.

NOAA Data Forms: Prior to receiving the initial award payment, NOAA Data Forms must be will be completed and submitted to the online administrative site located at: http://www.gulfofmaine.org/admin/index.php. Updated NOAA Data Forms will be submitted prior to receiving the final award payment. These forms are designed to be started at the onset of the project and updated, as needed, in conjunction with each 6 month progress report. It is expected that the majority of time required for completion of the form will be the initial submission with minor updates as the project progresses. The data forms will be used to supply information to a national database that is tracking monitoring efforts.

Payment Schedule and requirements: Payment to grantees will be made on a reimbursement basis with 15% of the total grant award paid up-front, 20% of the award as a final payment and the balance (65%) occurring between these two. Disbursal of payments requires submission of an invoice to the state/provincial contact for a given project and also a recent progress report or final report to the Council. Submission of an up to date NOAA data form (see above) is also required for the first and final payments.

Ineligible Costs: Funds may not be used to support permanent staffing costs (however, a reasonable level of overhead during the grant period is acceptable), scholarships to individuals, deficit reduction activities, projects that have already been completed, or activities that constitute legally required mitigation for the adverse effects of an activity regulated or otherwise governed by state, provincial or federal law. Indirect or overhead costs are acceptable provided they do not exceed 25% of the total grant request. Indirect or overhead costs include, but are not limited to: administrative salaries, general software, office supplies and postage expenses not directly related to the grant.

State / Provincial Contacts

For assistance with the application process, contact the Habitat Restoration Coordinator, Slade Moore, using the information provided below. For assistance with specific technical aspects of proposed projects, contact the state /provincial contacts appropriate for your project location.