USDA-FS-WERC-2013_SWET
Catalog of Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number is 10.674
July 9, 2013
August 5, 2013
August 23, 2013
Issuance of Request for Proposals
Proposal submission deadline
Approximate date for the U.S. Forest Service to notify applicants of results
September 4, 2013 Approximate date of award
The U.S. Forest Service is providing leadership and funding on behalf of a USDA, multiagency,
Wood-To-Energy Initiative by offering a Request for Proposals for projects that support collaborative, statewide wood energy teams that advance the installation of commercially viable wood energy systems. Public-private statewide teams are invited to seek funding to support the development of geographic or business sector-based clusters of wood energy projects. Activities may include, but are not limited to, workshops and assistance that provide technical, financial, and environmental information; preliminary engineering assessments; and community outreach needed to support development of wood energy projects in both the public and private sectors. Completed electronic applications are due to the Wood Education and Resource Center on or before 11:59 p.m. EST,
August 5, 2013.
For more details, visit http://www.na.fs.fed.us/werc/ and click on the link to 2013 Statewide Wood
Energy Teams.
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USDA-FS-WERC-2013_SWET
A. Description
The Wood Education and Resource Center (WERC), part of the Northeastern Area State and
Private Forestry (NA S&PF) unit of the Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, is accepting proposals for projects that establish statewide wood energy teams. The purpose of the
Request for Proposals is to address the following:

Goals of Public Law 110-234, Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, Rural
Revitalization Technologies (7 U.S.C. 6601);

Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2013, Pub. L. No. 113-6; and

The nationwide challenge of disposing of woody residues from wildland fire hazardous fuels, other forest management treatments, and manufacturing residuals while expanding renewable energy opportunities in rural areas and markets for ecosystem restoration projects.
The goals of the program are to:

Create wood energy systems using commercially available technologies that use woody biomass.

Expand markets that convert woody biomass into energy to support wildfire mitigation, forest restoration, and other forest management goals.

Develop a systematic approach to installations that will support clusters of projects or larger projects that improve the viability of businesses that harvest, process, and deliver wood.

Support the development or expansion of statewide wood energy teams that can provide the technical, financial, and environmental information required for developing wood energy projects to reduce the use of fossil fuels. This includes, but is not limited to: o Prefeasibility and preliminary engineering assessments. o Education and outreach to support the installation of commercially available wood energy systems in the public and private sectors. o Innovative approaches to managing and financing wood energy project development.
B. Award Information
Total funding anticipated for awards is $1 million for the fiscal year 2013 Statewide Wood Energy
Teams. The award type is a cooperative agreement. Forest Service funding for individual
Cooperative Agreements cannot exceed $250,000. The Federal government’s obligation under this program is contingent upon the availability of fiscal year 2013 appropriated funds. Cooperative
Agreements exist for three to five years from the date of award. Written performance reports and financial reports are required and will be submitted to the appropriate office as described in the final Cooperative Agreement. Ten percent of funding will be held by the administrator of the
Cooperative Agreement until reporting is completed and approved. If your proposal is awarded, the anticipated start date will be around September 4, 2013.
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A. Eligible Applicants
Eligible applicants are State, local, and Tribal governments; nonprofit organizations; or public utilities districts. Applicants may be either the fiscal or administrative agent for the funding, or both.
B. Cost Sharing/Matching
Applicants must demonstrate at least a 1:1 non-Federal match of the amount received through the
Cooperative Agreement. Match can be either cash or in-kind contributions. For example, if the
Forest Service provides $250,000 through the Cooperative Agreement, $200,000 could be provided in cash and $50,000 could be provided in in-kind contributions from non-Federal partners. In-kind salary contributions from Federal partners in the statewide teams do not qualify as match.
The match must be met by eligible and allowable costs and is subject to match provisions in
Federal regulations. For information about Federal assistance regulations for State, local, and tribal governments as well as nonprofit organizations, go to 7 CFR Part 3015 . You can use the budget detail worksheet located at http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fap/budgetdetailtemplate.shtm
as a guide to determine project costs.
A. Address to Request Application Package
This announcement contains all narrative instructions to complete an application package and includes Web links to required financial forms. In addition, this information and related Web links can be viewed and downloaded by visiting http://www.na.fs.fed.us/werc/ and clicking on the link to 2013 Statewide Wood Energy Teams.
Hard copies are available upon request by contacting:
U.S. Forest Service
Wood Education and Resource Center
301 Hardwood Lane
Princeton, WV 24740
Phone: (304) 487–1510; FAX: (304) 487–6661
E-mail address: werc@fs.fed.us
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B. Content and Form of Application Submission
The proposal package must include all of the materials included in the appendix of this Request for Proposals. Specifically, these include the following:

Statewide Wood Energy Teams Project Application, Part 1: Cooperator Contact Information

Statewide Wood Energy Teams Project Application, Part 2: Narrative Proposal and Program of Work

Statewide Wood Energy Teams Project Application, Part 3: Required Financial Forms, which include these:
1. SF–424: Application for Federal Assistance
2. SF–424A: Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs
3. SF–424B: Assurances for Non-Construction Programs
4. AD–1047: Certification Regarding Debarment and Suspension
5. AD–1049: Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace
6. AD-3030: Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and Tax Delinquent Status For
Corporation Applicants
7. SF LLL: Disclosures of Lobbying Activities
Requirements for the Narrative Proposal (Application Part 2) include the following:
 Proposals should be formatted to print on 8½- by 11-inch plain white paper only (no colored paper, oversized paper, or special covers). Do not staple.

A maximum of 11 pages per proposal for Part 2, Sections E thru I will be accepted.

A page is one side of a single-spaced, typed page.

Use an 11-point font or larger.

Submit all parts of the application at one time. Do not submit Letters of Commitment or appendices separately.

No proposals will be accepted by facsimile machine.

One paper copy and one electronic version (PDF or Word format) of the proposal are required.
Pre-Proposal/Application Assistance and Communications
Direct any questions regarding this Request for Proposals to smilauskas@fs.fed.us
or ecesa@fs.fed.us
. Frequently asked questions and answers will be posted at http://www.na.fs.fed.us/werc/ under 2013 Statewide Wood Energy Teams.
C. Submission Dates and Times
WERC will accept proposals sent electronically to werc@fs.fed.us
and received on or before
11:59 p.m. EST on Monday, August 5, 2013 . Submit each proposal in PDF or Word format.
One paper copy and one electronic version are required. Send a single paper copy to:
U.S. Forest Service
Wood Education and Resource Center
301 Hardwood Lane
Princeton, WV 24740
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The paper copy should be postmarked on or before August 5, 2013 . If you do not receive an e-mail verification note regarding your application by Thursday, August 8, 2013, please contact ecesa@fs.fed.us
.
D. Intergovernmental Review
Not applicable.
E. Funding Restrictions
To develop an application and budget consistent with Forest Service grants and agreements requirements, use the guideline at http://www.na.fs.fed.us/fap/budgetdetailtemplate.shtm
.
F. Other Submission Requirements (Application Requirements):
This program requires that teams have prior working experience or can demonstrate a capacity to form and develop effective working teams immediately upon award of funding. The following are key elements that applicants will need to present in their application.
1.
Applicants must include a list of team members and the agencies, organizations, businesses, or interests they represent, and why this particular team composition and representation will successfully carry out the proposed work plan. Applicants must describe evidence of outreach or what has been done to date to incorporate participation from underserved communities.
Include letters of commitment from individual members or institutions to participate as part of the team in an appendix.
2.
Applicants shall explain how and why the team was begun and its accomplishments to date.
Applicants must describe team management structure and what individuals fill what roles.
Proposed teams should describe prior working relationships and accomplishments as a team or demonstrate their capacity to function as an effective team. If a formal strategic or organizational plan exists, it can be included as an appendix, but must be summarized in this section. In addition, there should be evidence of prior ability to leverage resources and/or a clear plan with experienced individuals assigned who will carry out the team’s plan to leverage resources to meet the minimum 1:1 match requirement.
3.
Applicants shall include the geographic scope of the team’s work. Most teams will operate statewide. If a sub-state level team is proposed, the importance of operating at that scale will need to be justified. Only one team per State will be funded.
Multistate proposals will not be considered at this time. However, regional coordination across State lines can improve a team’s effectiveness. An applicant can submit individual proposals for multiple States, but must have letters of support from officials in each State.
4.
Applicants must include a proposed program of work for the life of the agreement, which could be for a period of three to five years. The program of work will include a statement of need and specific goals and/or objectives that articulate how the team plans to accomplish the installation of clusters of wood energy projects or larger projects. It will include expected
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timeframes and methods for identifying target areas, outreach to accomplish installations, engineering assessments, financing, addressing sustainability issues, and other tasks as appropriate. This section should also identify potential challenges and uncertainties that could have a significant impact on the program of work.
5. Applicants will estimate the number of wood energy systems planned, under construction, and installed for each year and at the end of the agreement period. Systems should be commercially available with a track record of successful operation, not experimental or demonstration systems. If the team has been functioning and has some projects in process, it is appropriate to show how this agreement will facilitate completion of these projects and provide a list of the projects already underway.
A. Evaluation Criteria
Reviewers will assign points to each proposal based on its ability to meet the following criteria.
Each proposal can earn a maximum of 100 total points.
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1. Alignment with State Wood Energy Team Goals
Identified in the Request for Proposals
2. Knowledge and Skills of Team Members, and
Composition of Team
3. Team Management and Leveraged Resources
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4. Program of Work, Budget, and Projected
Accomplishments
5. Communication; Outreach; and Methodology for
Announcing, Selecting, and Providing Project
Assistance
Total points:
20
20
20
20
20
100
B. Review and Selection Process
This nationwide competition will consist of a technical review of the proposed projects by Federal experts or their designees. Panel reviewers independently evaluate each proposal for merit and assign a score using the criteria listed above. Selected proposals will be submitted to the Forest
Service national leadership, who make the final decision on the selected proposals.
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C. Anticipated Announcement and Award Date
July 9, 2013
August 5, 2013
August 23, 2013
Issuance of Request for Proposals
Proposal submission deadline
Approximate date for U.S. Forest Service to notify applicants of results
September 4, 2013 Approximate date of award
A. Award Notices
It is expected that applicants will be notified about funding decisions on or around August 23,
2013, either by e-mail or U.S. Postal Service. Successful applicants will receive notification from the appropriate Forest Service Grants and Agreements Office.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Financial Checklist
This checklist will assist in the smooth processing of your proposal, if it is selected for funding.
1.
Do you have a recently dated copy of your IRS non-profit/for-profit tax status?
If you are a first-time applicant, you will be required to provide a copy.
2. Are you registered in the System for Award Management (formerly Central
Contracting Registration) ?
If you are not currently registered, or are unsure of your current expiration date, please go to www.sam.gov
.
3. Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS) Number a. Do you have a DUNS number that identifies your organization as listed on your application, or do you "share" this number with other parts of a larger organization? b. Do you have more than one DUNS number? If so, please use the DUNS number that matches the Employer Identification Number (EIN) assigned by the IRS.
4.
Employer Identification Number (EIN) a. Do you have an EIN that is specifically assigned to your organization, or do you
"share" this number with other parts of a larger organization? b. Do you have more than one EIN number? If so, please provide the one EIN number that matches the IRS letter required in Part 1 of this section showing your current nonprofit or for-profit tax status.
5. Indirect Costs a. Do you have a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) with your cognizant agency if you intend to show indirect costs for reimbursement with Federal funds or as a component of your match? b. If not, you will have to obtain a NICRA from your cognizant agency no later than 3 months after the effective date of the award.
C. Reporting
Annual financial reports, annual progress reports, and a detailed final report will be required as a condition of this award. This information will be outlined in the official award letter provided to successful applicants.
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Additional Information Pertaining to Annual Progress Reports and Final Report
Requirements

Annual progress reports are required on a calendar basis. The reports will provide an overview of progress and accomplishments by goals and objectives included in the approved
Cooperative Agreement narrative.

A detailed final progress report is required and will include the following items:
1. Final Summary Report: A brief overview of accomplishments by goals and objectives included in the approved Cooperative Agreement narrative.
2. Final Accomplishment Report: Includes various assessments, reports, case studies, and related documents that resulted from the project’s activities.
D. Agency Contacts
For questions regarding this Request for Proposals or administrative regulations, contact your appropriate U.S. Forest Service Regional Biomass Coordinator as listed below or contact Steve
Milauskas ( smilauskas@fs.fed.us
) or Ed Cesa ( ecesa@fs.fed.us
) at the Wood Education and
Resource Center in Princeton, WV, by calling (304) 487-1510.
Forest Service Region 1
(MT, ND, Northern ID, & Northwestern SD)
ATT: Angela Farr
USDA Forest Service
Northern Region (R1)
Federal Building
200 East Broadway
Missoula, MT 59807 afarr@fs.fed.us
(406) 329-3521
Forest Service Region 3
(AZ & NM)
ATT: Dennis Dwyer
USDA Forest Service
Southwestern Region (R3)
333 Broadway Blvd., SE
Albuquerque, NM 87102 ddwyer@fs.fed.us
(505) 842-3480
Forest Service Region 2
(CO, KS, NE, SD, & WY)
ATT: Rick Cooksey
USDA Forest Service
Rocky Mountain Region (R2)
740 Simms St.
Golden, CO 80401-4702 rcooksey@fs.fed.us
(303) 275-5750
Forest Service Region 4
(Southern ID, NV, UT, & Western WY)
ATT: Scott Bell
USDA Forest Service
Intermountain Region (R4)
Federal Building
324 25 th St.
Ogden, UT 84401 sbell@fs.fed.us
(801) 625-5259
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Forest Service Region 5
(CA, HI, Guam, and Trust Territories of the
Pacific Islands)
ATT: Larry Swan
USDA Forest Service
Pacific Southwest Region (R5)
1323 Club Drive
Vallejo, CA 95492-1110 lswan01@fs.fed.us
(707) 562-8917
Forest Service Region 8
(AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, OK, SC,
TN, TX, VA, Virgin Islands, & Puerto Rico)
ATT: Dan Len
USDA Forest Service
Southern Region (R8)
1720 Peachtree Rd. NW
Atlanta, GA 30309 dlen@fs.fed.us
(404) 347-4034
Forest Service Region 10
(Alaska)
ATT: Daniel Parrent
USDA Forest Service
Alaska Region (R10)
161 East 1 st Avenue, Door 8
Anchorage, AK 99501 djparrent@fs.fed.us
(907) 743-9467
Forest Service Region 6
(OR & WA)
ATT: Ron Saranich
USDA Forest Service
Pacific Northwest Region (R6)
333 SW 1 st Ave.
Portland, OR 97204 rsaranich@fs.fed.us
(503) 808-2346
Forest Service Region 9
(CT, DE, DC, IL, IN, IA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO,
NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VT, WV, WI)
ATT: Lew McCreery
Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry
180 Canfield St.
Morgantown, WV 26505 lmccreery@fs.fed.us
(304) 285-1538
Frequently asked questions and their answers will be available online at http://www.na.fs.fed.us/werc/ under 2013 Statewide Wood Energy Teams. Submit electronic versions of the completed application to werc@fs.fed.us
.
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