“The purpose of this EPA award is to enable the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC) to serve as the Puget Sound Action Agenda Tribal Implementation Lead (TIL 2.0) for three primary purposes: (1) Make and Manage Subawards: develop and carry out a system for making subawards to federally-recognized Tribes in the Puget Sound basin and authorized consortia of these Tribes; (2) Management Conference Participation and Partner Engagement: develop and implement mechanisms for engaging with Management Conference and Funding Model partners; and (3) Manage the Cooperative Agreement: adaptively manage the TIL 2.0 cooperative agreement with EPA. Please see attached applicant proposed workplan for a complete description of the work to be accomplished in this project, as well as the award purpose.

This agreement will provide funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission to make and manage subawards that implement projects of high tribal priority in the Puget Sound Action Agenda. The Puget Sound Action Agenda serves as the EPA-approved Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act.

Activities:
Activities that will be performed under this award include: developing and issuing requests for proposals (RFPs); managing the proposal review process; providing ongoing administrative, technical and programmatic support to subrecipient population; tracking and monitoring subrecipient performance; coordinate and communicate externally to maximize integration of body of work supported under this grant with other key efforts to implement the Action Agenda and protect and restore Puget Sound; and ensuring the work under this award and under subrecipient awards meets output milestones, outcomes, and all award requirements and terms and conditions. The applicant will also support its subrecipients in accessing information about other key resources available under federal infrastructure and other initiatives; will increase the internal strategic coordination and alignment between the TIL 2.0 program and other of its programs involved in Puget Sound protection and restoration; and adaptively managing the TIL 2.0 program to incorporate feedback from subrecipients as well as synthesizing lessons learned, strengths, and opportunities gained from serving as the TIL 2.0.

Outcomes:
Anticipated deliverables include:
– Proposal cycle process, timelines, and implementation
– Draft and final RFPs
– Project files for all subrecipient proposals, documenting feedback and responses; quality assurance project plans (QAPPs)
– Subrecipient communication materials ensuring subrecipients are aware of subaward requirements
– Compilations of materials relating to other resources, such as infrastructure law funding, relevant to subrecipient projects
– Subrecipient progress reports
– Subrecipient site visit reports completed
– Active engagement at Action Agenda, Management Conference, Award Coordination Group, and other key external coordination forums
– Materials for communicating TIL 2.0 program
– Synthesis, analysis, and evaluation products developed from subrecipient feedback and body of work
Outcomes identified in the applicant’s workplan include:
– Tribes sustain their contributions to and engagement in advancing the Puget Sound Action Agenda
– Action Agenda projects implemented by Tribes are recognized, reported, and highlighted within Action Agenda implementation tracking systems
– The TIL 2.0 sustains its engagement in and contributions to the Puget Sound Management Conference and NEP funding framework
– The Puget Sound Management Conference has a substantive understanding and appreciation of the body of Action Agenda implementation efforts led by Tribes, and Tribes’ role in implementing the Action Agenda
The intended beneficiary of the work include:
– Puget Sound Tribal communities
– All other Puget Sound communities
– The U.S. public (as Puget Sound has been designated as an “estuary of national significance” under Clean Water Action Section 320)

Subrecipient:
Subawards under this program will implement projects that are both identified in the Puget Sound Action Agenda as well as that are of high tribal priority. The Action Agenda comprises a wide range of strategies and actions to protect and restore a healthy and resilient Puget Sound. There are 31 strategies and 138 actions in the Action Agenda. Examples of strategies include working lands, healthy shorelines, riparian areas, floodplains and estuaries, toxic chemical pollution, working lands runoff, responsible boating, and climate adaptation and resilience. All subawards will be related to advancing the strategies and actions in the Action Agenda.”

More About this Archived Resource

Federal Agency: Environmental Protection Agency

Category: Award