Section 604(b) - Water Quality Management Program for Qualified Areawide Planning Agencies (FY 22)

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Opportunity Details

Evaluation & Scoring

Opportunity Information

CSFA Number

532-60-0376

CSFA Popular Name

Section 604b Grant Program

Title

Section 604(b) - Water Quality Management Program for Qualified Areawide Planning Agencies (FY 22)

Description

Illinois EPA’s Section 604(b) Water Quality Management program grant (a.k.a. Section 604(b) Grant Program) is designed to implement the Illinois Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP) and Illinois’ Nonpoint Source Management Program (Illinois EPA, 2013). Grant funds are used to determine the nature, extent, and causes of point and nonpoint source (NPS) water pollution; develop water quality management plans; develop technical and administrative guidance tools for water pollution control; develop preliminary designs for best management practices (BMPs) to address water quality problems; implement administrative water pollution controls; and educate the public about the impact and importance of water pollution control. Examples of water quality management program projects and activities that have been funded through the Section 604(b) Grant Program are listed below. The list is not all-inclusive, and inclusion of a project or activity does not equate to an automatic eligibility for funding under the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). • Development of a watershed-based plan (WBP); • Update of an existing watershed plan or WBP; • Technical assistance for point or NPS water pollution control; • Environmental and social indicator monitoring to help document the need for water pollution control; and • Education and outreach to promote awareness and implementation of activities that may help to restore degraded waters or protect waters from degradation due to point or NPS pollution. Section 604(b) funds awarded under this NOFO are to be allocated to designated Areawide Planning Agencies (APA) established with the Illinois EPA to receive funds in furtherance of the Areawide Water Quality Management Plans (AWQMP) within the APA designated planning areas, and other entities as selected by the Illinois EPA in support of its role as the responsible entity for the Illinois WQMP, for work which has been approved through U.S. EPA as the source of the award funds through the Clean Water Act Section 604(b) Water Quality Management Planning Grant Award (C6-99591120). This is a 100% funded program. Match funding is NOT required. See funding breakdown listing in the Funding Information section of this NOFO.

Awarding Agency Name

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency

Agency Contact Name

Jeffrey Edstrom

Agency Contact Phone

217.782.3362

Agency Contact Email

epa.bowgrants@illinois.gov

Fund Activity Categories

Environmental Quality

Opportunity Manager

Jeffrey Edstrom

Additional Users

Rufus Ajayi, Kurt Cardoni, Aaron Enteman, Riley Rominger

Posted Date

Announcement Type

Initial Announcement

Funding Opportunity Number

26-0376-01

Assistance Listings Number

66.454

Public Link

https://il.amplifund.com/Public/Opportunities/Details/362d508b-689a-468d-aef4-1326095a7120

Is Published

Yes

Funding Information

Funding Sources

Federal Or Federal Pass Through

Funding Source Description

This grant award is utilizing federal pass-through funds received from U.S. EPA and distributed by Illinois EPA under Section 604(b) of the Clean Water Act. Illinois EPA will award a total of $579,398 of federal funds, distributing this amount across four (4) awards to the APAs, and other entities as selected by the Illinois EPA in support of the WQMP, as established with the Illinois EPA to receive pass-through funds through the federal Illinois EPA FY22 604(b) Grant (C6-99591120). The Areawide Planning Agencies, and other entities, and the federal funds they shall be receiving as pass-through awards through this NOFO are as follows: Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) Total Award - $326,500.00 FY22 604(b) BASE funding - $109,500.00 FY22 604(b) BIL funding - $217,000.00 Greater Egypt Regional Planning and Development Commission (GERPDC) Total Award - $109,500.00 FY22 604(b) BASE funding - $109,500.00 Southwestern Illinois Metropolitan and Regional Planning Commission (SIMAPC) Total Award - $43,398.00 FY22 604(b) BASE funding - $43,398.00 Kane DuPage Soil and Water Conservation District Total Award - $100,000.00 FY22 604(b) BASE funding - $100,000.00 This is a reimbursement program. The Grantee must perform the work, pay project costs, and submit invoice(s) with supporting documentation before Illinois EPA will compensate the Grantee for any approved eligible costs. Illinois EPA shall only make reimbursements to the Grantee and shall reimburse the Grantee no more frequently than monthly. Intergovernmental Review This funding opportunity is subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.”

Funding Restrictions

See the Funding Source Description for more information

Award Information

Award Type

Non Competitive

Expected Number of Awards

Indirect Costs Allowed

Yes

Indirect Cost Description

In order to charge indirect costs to a grant, the applicant must have an annually negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA). There are three types of NICRAs: 1. Federally Negotiated Rate. Organizations that receive direct federal funding may have an indirect cost rate that was negotiated with the Federal Cognizant Agency. The State of Illinois will accept the federally negotiated rate. The applicant must provide a copy of the federal NICRA. 2. State Negotiated Rate. The applicant must negotiate an indirect cost rate with the State of Illinois if they do not have a Federally Negotiated Rate or elect NOT to use the De Minimis Rate. The indirect cost rate proposal must be submitted to the State of Illinois within 90 days of receipt of the Notice of State Award. 3. De Minimis Rate. An organization that has never received a Federally Negotiated Rate may elect a de minimis rate of 10% of the Project's modified total direct cost (MTDC). Once established, the de minimis rate may be used indefinitely. The State of Illinois must verify the calculation of the MTDC annually in order to accept the de minimis rate. An applicant has the discretion not to claim payment for indirect costs. Applicants that elect not to claim indirect costs cannot be reimbursed for indirect costs nor use it as match.

Restrictions on Indirect Costs

Technical Assistance Session

Eligibility Information

Eligibility Type

Public

Eligible Applicants

Government Organizations

Applicant Eligibility Information

Eligible applicants are listed as pass-through entities in the Section 604(b) Funding (BASE, BIL, and EC), Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, Revision to Work Plan for FY22 604(b) Grant (C6-99591120) approved on 2/25/26

Additional Eligibility Information

Section 604(b) Grant Program applicants must have the financial ability to initiate the project, pay expenses, and then request reimbursement from the Illinois EPA, while continuing to finance their normal operating expenses. Applicants must have the authority and ability to implement the proposed project or propose to subcontract portions of the project to the appropriate entities for implementation. Applicants must also be pre-qualified in the GATA portal in order to receive an award from this NOFO. Pre-qualification items include: 1. Registered with the System for Award Management (SAM) (www.SAM.gov) 2. Have a valid and active Unique Entity Identification (UEI) Number 3. In good standing with the Illinois Secretary of State (if applicable) 4. Not currently debarred by the State of Illinois and/or federal government 5. Not on the Federal Excluded Parties List 6. Not on the Illinois Stop Payment List 7. Not on the sanctioned party list of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services 8. Not on the SAM.gov exclusion list. Applicants must also complete the latest available Internal Control Questionnaire within the GATA portal prior to an award being made. IEPA staff will complete a programmatic risk assessment during the merit-based review of the applications. The awarding State agency considers both the ICQ responses regarding the organization-level programmatic questions and the content of the application submission. Submission of the Internal Control Questionnaire is not a pre-qualification requirement; however, not completing timely could result in delay of the award.

Award Administration Information

State Award Notices

The Illinois EPA expects to send an award notice via Euna Grants (AmpliFund) to the applicant. This notice is not an authorization to begin performance or incur costs. The notice shall specify the funding terms and specific conditions. The notice must be accepted by an authorized representative of the grant applicant before a grant agreement can be sent to the applicant. No work should begin prior to the execution of a Grant Agreement between the IEPA and selected Grantee.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements

The terms and conditions of the award shall be specified in the notice and the grant agreement. No grantee shall receive a grant or any other State or federal assistance that would provide more than 100 percent of the eligible project costs. Each grantee must agree to comply with all applicable federal and State requirements. This includes Uniform Administrative Requirements, 2 C.F.R. § 200, Executive Order 12372 “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs”, and GATA. These can have a significant impact on the costs and complexity of a project. Section 604(b) Grant Program grantees will be expected to submit signed assurances that they will comply with all State and federal mandates, including: a) Business Enterprise Program for Minorities, Females, and Person with Disabilities Act; 30 ILCS 575/: For grant awards of $250,000 or more, the grantee will be required to comply with the Business Enterprise Program for Minorities, Females, and Persons with Disabilities Act, which establishes a goal for contracting with businesses that have been certified as owned and controlled by persons who are minority, female, or who have disabilities. The grantee must document a plan for compliance prior to the establishment of the grant agreement and ensure compliance through the life of the grant. Successful applicants will be required to execute a formal grant agreement and adhere to all requirements of the Section 604(b) Grant Program and other State and federal contractual requirements. In the grant agreement, the grantee shall be required to: • Certify that it does and shall comply with all provisions of the federal Internal Revenue Code (26 USC 1), the Illinois Income Tax Act; (35 ILCS 5/), and all rules promulgated thereunder, including withholding provisions and timely deposits of employee taxes and unemployment insurance taxes. • Certify that it does and shall comply with the reporting requirements of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006; PL 109–282, September 26, 2006, 120 Stat 1186 with respect to federal Awards greater than or equal to $25,000. • Certify that it shall adhere to the applicable Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements, which are published in Title 2, Part 200 of the Code of Federal Regulations, and are incorporated herein by reference. See 44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.30(b)(1)(A). • Certify that it and its sub-grantees shall: (i) be registered with the federal SAM and registered with the State equivalent of SAM; (ii) be in good standing with the Illinois Secretary of State; and (iii) have a valid UEI number. It is the Grantee’s responsibility to remain current with these registrations and requirements. If the Grantee’s status with regard to any of these requirements change, or the certifications made in and information provided in the Uniform Grant Application changes, the Grantee’s must notify the Grantor in accordance with ARTICLE XVIII. • Submit personnel activity reports accounting on an after-the-fact basis for 100% of the Grantee's employees' actual time, separately indicating the time spent on the Section 604(b) Grant, other grants or projects, vacation or sick leave, and administrative time, if applicable.

Reporting

All projects require quarterly reporting including a Periodic Financial Report, a Periodic Performance Report, and a project details report. All projects require a final Project report. The report shall document the project tasks and summarize the findings, costs, and benefits of the Project. The Grantee shall submit to the Illinois EPA, by the date specified in the grant agreement, a report explaining the execution of the Project and evaluating the Project’s success.

State Awarding Agency Contacts

If you have any programmatic questions regarding the Section 604(b) Grant Program, this NOFO, or the Section 604(b) Grant Program Application, contact the Illinois EPA’s Watershed Management Section staff: Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Bureau of Water WMS, #15 P.O. Box 19276 Springfield, Illinois 62794-9276 Email: epa.bowgrants@illinois.gov Phone: (217) 782-3362 If you have any fiscal and administrative questions regarding the Uniform Grant Application, the Uniform Grant Budget Template, Indirect cost rates, Internal Controls Questionnaire (ICQ), or pre-qualifying through the GATA Grantee Portal, contact the Illinois EPA’s Fiscal staff at: Email: epa.gata@illinois.gov

Other Information

Additional information about Illinois' Water Quality Management Program can be found on Illinois EPA’s website, including the Section 604(b) Biannual Report, which describes the projects that have been funded in the past under the Section 604(b) Grant Program. For additional information on watershed-based planning, please refer to Appendix C of the Nonpoint Source Program and Grants Guidelines for States and Territories (April 12, 2013) https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2015-09/documents/319-guidelines-fy14.pdf) and the Guidance for Developing Watershed Action Plans in Illinois (Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, 2007) (https://www.cmap.illinois.gov/documents/10180/12157/Developing+Watershed+Action+plans.pdf/3173d107-74a4-4d98-8c36-b327bb43018b). The Illinois EPA has the right to use (including, but not limited to, citing to, circulating, displaying, and reproducing) all products that result from the Grantee receiving financial assistance under the grant agreement whether the product is developed by the Grantee or a sub-recipient. Illinois EPA is not obligated to make any grant award as a result of this NOFO.

Criteria

All Section 604(b) Grant Program applications shall be reviewed for completeness, technical merit, cost effectiveness, and adherence to the Clean Water Act, U.S. EPA Section 604(b) program guidance as described in this NOFO.

Review and Selection Process

The complete applications shall be reviewed by an Evaluation Panel that is composed of Illinois EPA, Bureau of Water (BOW), Watershed Management Section (WMS) staff, and other BOW staff, as available.

Each application shall be reviewed by the entire Evaluation Panel.

As applications are pending approval having been approved as components of the FY22 604(b) Grant (C6-99591120) between Illinois EPA and U.S. EPA, application review will consist of checks for completion and alignment to the 604(b) program requirements and approved FY22 604(b) workplan from Illinois EPA to U.S. EPA.

The Evaluation Panel shall be convened to discuss the applications, and other relevant information.

Appeal Process

An appeal process is available to applicants and other interested parties; however, appeals are limited to the Illinois EPA evaluation process. Evaluation scores may not be protested. An appeal must be submitted in writing to the following address: Illinois EPA, Attn: Section 604(b) Grant Program, Bureau of Water, Mail Code #15, P.O. Box 19276, Springfield, Illinois 62794-9276 and must be received within 14 calendar days after the date that the Notice of State Award has been published by the Illinois EPA on Grants.Illinois.gov. The written appeal shall include at a minimum the following: the name and address of the appealing party, identification of the grant, and a statement of reasons for the appeal. Illinois EPA shall acknowledge receipt of an appeal within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date the appeal was received.

When an appeal is received, the execution of all remaining grant agreements that Illinois EPA intends to make under this NOFO shall be stayed until the appeal is resolved, unless the Illinois EPA determines the needs of the State require moving forward with execution of the remaining grant agreements. The State need determination and rational shall be documented in writing.

Illinois EPA shall respond to the appeal within 60 days or supply a written explanation to the appealing party as to why additional time is required. The appealing party must supply any additional information requested by Illinois EPA within the time period set in the request. The Director of the Illinois EPA may appoint one or more Appeal Review Officers (ARO) to consider the grant-related appeal and make a recommendation to the Director of the Illinois EPA or designee for resolution. The ARO shall make a recommendation to the Director of the Illinois EPA or designee as expeditiously as possible after receiving all relevant, requested information. In determining the appropriate recommendation, the ARO shall consider the integrity of the competitive grant process and the impact of the recommendation on the Illinois EPA. The Illinois EPA shall resolve the appeal by means of written determination, which shall include, but not be limited to: review of the appeal, appeal determination, and rationale for the determination.

Anticipated Announcement Dates

By June 8, 2026, Illinois EPA expects to send written notice to each applicant whose application was selected for inclusion in the Section 604(b) Grant Program Work Plan.

Following a decision of intent to award, the Illinois EPA is required by GATA to conduct a fiscal and administrative risk assessment and programmatic risk assessment of the applicant. Additional information may be required at that time from the successful applicant. To remain eligible for the award, the applicant must provide the requested information within the time specified by the Illinois EPA. The Fiscal and Administrative Risk Assessment Questionnaire is available on the GATA Portal.

By June 18, 2026, The Illinois EPA expects to send an award notice via Euna Grants (AmpliFund) to the applicant. This notice is not an authorization to begin performance or incur costs.

By July 1, 2026, Illinois EPA expects to send a grant agreement to the grant recipient for signature.

By August 1, 2026, Illinois EPA expects to provide a fully executed grant agreement to the grant recipient. A fully executed grant agreement is authorization for the grant recipient to begin work on the project.