Announcement of Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO), 28914-28917 [2014-11596]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
• Office of the Secretary

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 97 (Tuesday, May 20, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28914-28917]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-11596]



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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Office of the Secretary


Announcement of Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO)

AGENCY: Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA), Department of Defense 
(DoD).

ACTION: Federal Funding Opportunity Announcement.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a federal funding opportunity (FFO) to 
obtain funding from the Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) for 
community planning assistance and economic diversification in response 
to reductions or cancellations in Department of Defense (DoD) 
acquisition spending. Assistance may be granted if the reduction has a 
direct and significant adverse effect on a community or its residents. 
This notice includes proposal submission requirements and instructions, 
and eligibility and selection criteria that will be used to evaluate 
proposals from eligible respondents. OEA grants to a state or local 
government may result from proposals submitted under this notice, 
subject to available appropriations.

DATES: Proposals will be considered on a continuing basis, subject to 
available appropriations, commencing on the date of publication of this 
notice. OEA will evaluate all proposals and provide a response to a 
respondent within 30 business days of OEA's receipt of a final, 
complete proposal.

ADDRESSES: Email: oea.ncr.OEA.mbx.ffo-submit@mail.mil. Include 
``Proposal for Defense Industry Community Adjustment Assistance'' on 
the subject line of the message and request delivery/read confirmation 
to ensure receipt.
    OEA will review all proposals for which receipt has been confirmed.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Michael Gilroy, DIA Program Co-
Lead, OEA, at (703) 697-2081 or michael.p.gilroy3.civ@mail.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Federal Funding Opportunity Title: Community Economic Adjustment 
Assistance for Reductions in Defense Industry Employment.
    Announcement Type: Federal Funding Opportunity.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 12.611.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    OEA is a DoD Field Activity authorized under 10 U.S.C. Sec.  2391 
to provide assistance to entities of state or local governments, 
including regional governmental organizations, to plan and carry out 
community adjustment and economic diversification activities in 
response to the cancellation or termination of a Department of Defense 
contract; the failure to proceed with an approved major weapon system 
program; a publicly announced planned major reduction in DoD spending; 
or the closure or significantly reduced operations of a defense 
facility as the result of the merger, acquisition, or consolidation of 
the defense contractor operating a defense facility.

II. Award Information

    OEA is accepting proposals for grant assistance to support 
communities or regions in organizing and planning local economic 
adjustment programs. Proposals will be evaluated by OEA staff in 
coordination with representatives from the U.S. Departments of Commerce 
and Labor, as well as other Federal agencies as invited by OEA, against 
the eligibility criteria provided in Section III of this notice and the 
selection criteria provided in Section V of this notice. OEA will 
invite eligible respondents that submit successful proposals to submit 
full e-grant applications for review. To receive a grant award, an 
eligible respondent must submit both a successful proposal and an 
acceptable grant application. The final amount of each award will be 
determined by OEA based upon a review of the proposal and grant 
application, as well as comments from other Federal agencies, and will 
be subject to availability of funds. Grants may pay for up to 90% of a 
project's total cost, with the respondent required to pay not less than 
10% of the project's total cost through non-Federal funding as local 
match. OEA reserves the right to cancel an award for non-performance.
    States may request assistance to enhance their capacity to assist 
adversely affected communities, businesses, and workers; support local 
adjustment and diversification initiatives; and stimulate cooperation 
between statewide and local adjustment and diversification efforts.

III. Eligibility Information

    States, counties, municipalities, other political subdivisions of a 
State; special purpose units of a State or local government; and tribal 
nations are eligible for funding under this notice. If multiple sub-
State jurisdictions respond to the same event, only one proposal will 
be considered. A proposal must respond to: A publicly announced planned 
major reduction in DoD spending; the closure or significantly reduced 
operations of a defense facility as the result of the merger, 
acquisition, or consolidation of the defense contractor operating the 
defense facility; the cancellation or termination of a DoD contract; or 
the failure to proceed with an approved major weapon system program.
    This DoD activity must result in the loss of: 2,500 or more 
employee positions, in the case of a Metropolitan Statistical Area; 
1,000 or more employee positions, in the case of a labor market area 
outside of a Metropolitan Statistical Area; or one percent of the total 
number of civilian jobs in the local labor market for the impacted 
area. For the purposes of demonstrating eligibility, only direct (i.e., 
prime and supply chain) job loss may be counted, and respondents may 
document a cumulative job loss over the span of not more than three 
consecutive years (e.g., two years prior to proposal and one year 
forward). Induced job loss will not be considered as a factor in 
demonstrating eligibility. The respondent must also explain how this 
job loss will cause direct and significant adverse effects to the 
community or residents in the area.
    Funding will be awarded to only one governmental entity on behalf 
of a region, so regional respondents should demonstrate a significant 
level of cooperation in their proposal.
    A proposal from a State respondent must demonstrate how the 
proposed grant would support adversely affected communities, businesses 
and workers; support local adjustment and diversification initiatives 
or planning for such initiatives; and stimulate cooperation between 
statewide and local adjustment and diversification efforts. The 
proposal should also explain efforts to provide business planning and 
market exploration services to defense contractors and subcontractors 
seeking modernization or diversification assistance as well as any 
training, counseling, and placement services to dislocated armed forces 
and defense workers. Eligible proposals from respondents other than 
states must be designed to allow an affected region to: (1) Organize 
itself to represent and respond on behalf of affected communities, 
workers, and businesses; (2) plan local community and economic 
adjustment activities to assist affected communities, workers, and 
businesses; and (3) carry-out plans to effectively respond to the 
defense impacts and stabilize the local economy. Respondents must 
specifically demonstrate how the proposed project will replace lost 
jobs, improve the resiliency of affected defense manufacturers, and 
assist displaced workers in order to stabilize the local economy.

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    Eligible activities may include (but are not limited to): Staffing, 
operating, and administrative costs for an organization; outreach to 
businesses, workers, and other community interests; regional supply-
chain mapping of defense-specific industry clusters; asset mapping to 
support a response; economic data collection and analysis to identify 
regional comparative advantages; preparation of diversification plans 
to lessen economic dependency on defense expenditures; facilitation of 
workforce adjustment and retraining efforts; provision of business 
planning and market exploration services for defense contractors and 
sub-contractors that seek modernization or diversification assistance; 
and, preliminary strategies and plans for the potential reuse or 
redevelopment of existing defense facilities.

Funds available under this program should not duplicate nor replicate 
activities otherwise eligible for/funded through other Federal 
programs. Respondents are encouraged to submit proposals that 
demonstrate appropriate leverage of all public and private resources 
and programs, such as:

     U.S. Department of Commerce's Manufacturing Extension 
Partnership (MEP) Program for provision of relevant assistance to the 
region's manufacturers that operate as part of affected Defense supply 
chains;
     State, regional, and local economic development 
organizations which often work with the U.S. Department of Commerce's 
Economic Development Administration (EDA);
     Small Business Development Centers as well as local Small 
Business Administration District offices; and
     U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL) Employment and Training 
Administration (ETA) grantees, including local Workforce Investment 
Boards and/or American Job Centers.

Funds provided under this program may not be used to directly identify 
or assist a business, including a business expansion, in the relocation 
of a plant, facility, or operation from one Labor Market Area (LMA) to 
another if the relocation is likely to result in the loss of jobs in 
the LMA from which the relocation occurs.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    Proposals will be accepted as received on a continuing basis 
commencing on the date of this publication and processed when deemed to 
be a final, complete proposal. Each proposal shall consist of no more 
than ten (10) single-sided pages exclusive of cover sheet and/or 
transmittal letter, and must include the following information:
    A. Point of Contact: Name, phone number, email address, and 
organization address of the respondent's primary point of contact;
    B. Defense Action/Impact: A description of the publicly announced 
planned major reduction in Department of Defense (DoD) spending; the 
closure or significantly reduced operations of a defense facility as 
the result of the merger, acquisition, or consolidation of the defense 
contractor operating the defense facility; the cancellation or 
termination of a DoD contract; or the failure to proceed with an 
approved major weapon system program. Also include documentation of the 
known or anticipated job loss; the average unemployment rate over the 
past year; the current unemployment rate; and other factors indicating 
community impact and need;
    C. Project Description: A description of the proposed project, 
including how the project addresses the impacts of Defense actions on 
communities, workers, and businesses, how the project will capitalize 
on existing strengths (e.g. infrastructure, institutions, capital, 
etc.) within the affected area, and how the project would be integrated 
with existing/ongoing economic development efforts;
    D. Project Parties: A description of the local partner 
organizations/jurisdictions, and their roles and responsibilities, that 
will carry out the proposed project, including letters of support as 
attachments which will not count against the ten-page limit;
    E. Grant Funds and Other Sources of Funds: A summary of local 
needs, including need for Federal funding; an overview of all State and 
local funding sources, including the funds requested under this notice; 
financial commitments for other Federal and non-Federal funds needed to 
undertake the project to include acknowledgment to provide not less 
than 10% of the funding from non-Federal sources; a description of any 
other Federal funding for which the respondent has applied, or intends 
to apply to support this effort; and, a statement detailing how the 
proposal is not duplicative of other available Federal funding;
    F. Project Schedule: A sufficiently detailed project schedule, 
including milestones;
    G. Performance Metrics: A description of metrics to be tracked and 
evaluated over the course of the project to gauge performance of the 
project;
    H. Grants Management: Evidence of the intended recipient's ability 
and authority to manage grant funds;
    I. Submitting Official: Documentation that the Submitting Official 
is authorized by the respondent to submit a proposal and subsequently 
apply for assistance.
    OEA reserves the right to ask any respondent to supplement the 
information in its proposal, but expects proposals to be complete upon 
submission. To the extent practicable, OEA encourages respondents to 
provide data and evidence of all project merits in a form that is 
publicly available and verifiable.
    Proposals must be submitted electronically to: Director, OEA, using 
the electronic address described in ADDRESSES.

V. Application Review Information

    Selection Criteria--Upon validating respondent eligibility, to 
include job loss numbers and whether there is a direct and significant 
adverse impact as a result of the job loss on the area, OEA will 
consider each of the following equally-balanced factors as a basis to 
invite formal grant applications:
     An appropriate and clear project design to address the 
need, problem, or issue identified;
     Evidence of an holistic approach to the problem which 
leverages education, the workforce system, businesses, higher 
education, economic development, and other relevant assets at local, 
state, regional, and Federal levels;
     The innovative quality of the proposed approach to 
economic adjustment, or economic diversification; and,
     A reasonable proposed budget with local match commitment 
and schedule for completion of the work program specified.
    Review and Selection Process--All proposals will be reviewed on 
their individual merit by a panel of OEA staff, all of whom are Federal 
employees. OEA will also seek the input of other Federal agencies with 
relevant expertise (e.g., Labor, Commerce, and the Small Business 
Administration) in the evaluation of proposals. OEA will notify the 
respondent within thirty (30) days of receipt of a proposal whether 
their proposal was successful and will then invite the respondent to 
submit a more detailed electronic grant (eGrant) application, and 
assign a Project Manager to advise and assist successful respondents in 
the preparation of the application. Grant applications will be reviewed 
for their completeness and accuracy and a grant award notification

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will be issued, to the extent possible, within seven (7) business days 
from its receipt.
    Unsuccessful respondents will be notified that their proposal was 
not selected for further action and funding, and may request a 
debriefing on their submitted proposal. Requests for debriefing must be 
submitted within 3 calendar days of notification of an unsuccessful 
proposal.
    OEA is committed to conducting a transparent financial assistance 
award process and publicizing information about decisions. Respondents 
are advised that their respective applications and information related 
to their review and evaluation may be shared publicly. In the event of 
a grant award, information about project progress and related results 
may also be made publicly available.

VI. Award Administration Information

    In the event a grant is awarded, the successful respondent 
(Grantee) will receive a notice of award in the form of a Grant 
Agreement, signed by the Director, OEA (Grantor), on behalf of the 
Department of Defense. The Grant Agreement will be transmitted 
electronically or, if necessary, by U.S. Mail.
    Administrative and National Policy Requirements--Any grant awarded 
under this program will be governed by the provisions of the OMB 
circulars applicable to financial assistance and DoD's implementing 
regulations in place at the time of the award. A Grantee receiving 
funds under this opportunity and any consultant/contractor operating 
under the terms of a grant shall comply with all Federal, State, and 
local laws applicable to its activities. Current requirements that may 
apply include the following:

--Administrative requirements in:
    --32 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) part 33, ``Uniform 
Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to 
State and Local Governments''; or 32 CFR part 32, ``Administrative 
Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher 
Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations'';
--Provisions governing allowable costs in:
    --OMB Circular A-87, ``Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian 
Tribal Governments'';
    --OMB Circular A-21, ``Cost Principles for Educational 
Institutions''; or
    --OMB Circular A-122, ``Cost Principles for Non-Profit 
Organizations'';
--31 U.S.C. 7502(h), ``The Single Audit Act,'' as implemented in OMB 
Circular A-133, ``Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit 
Organizations'';
--2 CFR part 180, ``OMB Guidelines to Agencies on Government-wide 
Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement),'' as implemented by DoD in 2 
CFR part 1125, ``Department of Defense Nonprocurement Debarment and 
Suspension'';
--32 CFR part 26, ``Government-wide Requirements for Drug-Free 
Workplace (Financial Assistance),'' including subpart B, ``Requirements 
for Recipients Other Than Individuals'';
--32 CFR part 28, ``New Restrictions on Lobbying'';
--2 CFR part 25, ``Universal Identifier and Central Contractor 
Registration'' (now found in the System for Award Management (SAM) at 
www.sam.gov).

    Awards (including supplemental awards) made after December 26, 2014 
may reflect revisions in accordance with DoD implementation of new OMB 
guidance in 2 CFR part 200, ``Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost 
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards''.
    Grant Award Determination--Selection of an organization under this 
FFO does not constitute approval of a grant for the proposed project as 
submitted. Before any funds are awarded, OEA may enter into 
negotiations about such items as program components, staffing and 
funding levels, and administrative systems in place to support 
implementation of the award. The amount of available funding may 
require the final award amount to be less than that originally 
requested by the respondent. If the negotiations do not result in a 
mutually acceptable submission, OEA reserves the right to terminate the 
negotiations and decline to fund an application. OEA further reserves 
the right not to fund any application received under this FFO.
    In the event the respondent is awarded a grant that is less than 
the amount requested, the respondent will be required to modify its 
grant application to conform to the reduced amount before execution of 
the grant agreement. OEA reserves the right to reduce or withdraw the 
award if acceptable modifications are not submitted by the awardee 
within 15 working days from the date the request for modification is 
made. Any modifications must be within the scope of the original 
application.
    Reporting--OEA requires quarterly performance reports, an interim 
financial report for each 12 months a grant is active, and one final 
performance report for any grant. The performance reports will contain 
information on the following:
     A comparison of actual accomplishments to the objectives 
established for the period;
     Reasons for slippage if established objectives were not 
met;
     Additional pertinent information when appropriate;
     A comparison of actual and projected quarterly 
expenditures in the grant; and,
     Amount of Federal cash on hand at the beginning and end of 
the reporting period.
    The final performance report must contain a summary of activities 
for the entire grant period. All required deliverables should be 
submitted with the final performance report. The final SF 425, 
``Federal Financial Report,'' must be submitted to OEA within 90 days 
after the end of the grant. Any grant funds actually advanced and not 
needed for grant purposes shall be returned immediately to OEA. Upon 
award, OEA will provide a schedule for reporting periods and report due 
dates in the Grant Agreement.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For further information, to answer questions, or for help with 
problems, contact: Mr. Michael Gilroy, OEA DIA Program Co-Lead, at 
(703) 697-2081, michael.p.gilroy3.civ@mail.mil, or regular mail at 2231 
Crystal Drive, Suite 520, Arlington, VA 22202-3711. The OEA homepage 
address is: https://www.oea.gov.

VIII. Other Information

    No Obligation for Future Funding--Amendment or renewal of an award 
to increase funding or to extend the period of performance is at the 
discretion of OEA. If a respondent is awarded funding under this FFO, 
neither the DOC, EDA, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 
DOL, ETA, nor Small Business Administration are under any obligation to 
provide any additional future funding in connection with that award or 
to make any future award(s).
    Intellectual Property Rights--In the event of a grant award, the 
Grantee may copyright any work that is subject to copyright and was 
developed, or for which ownership was purchased, under an award. The 
Federal awarding agencies reserve a royalty-free, nonexclusive and 
irrevocable right to reproduce, publish, or otherwise use the

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work for Federal purposes, and to authorize others to do so. Such uses 
include, but are not limited to, the right to modify and distribute 
such products worldwide by any means, electronically or otherwise. The 
grantee may not use Federal funds to pay any royalty or license fee for 
use of a copyrighted work, or the cost of acquiring by purchase a 
copyright in a work, where the Department has a license or rights of 
free use in such work. If revenues are generated through selling 
products developed with grant funds, including intellectual property, 
these revenues are program income and shall be added to the grant and 
must be expended for allowable grant activities.

    Dated: May 15, 2014.
Aaron Siegel,
Alternate OSD Federal Register Liaison Officer, Department of Defense.
[FR Doc. 2014-11596 Filed 5-19-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 5001-06-P