[SEMCO] Comments sought on a planned nutrient management grant program from the Southern New England Coastal Watershed Restoration Program

[Joe Costa]

Southern New England Coastal Watershed Restoration Program
-Draft 2014 Nutrient Management Grants solicitation
Request for Information from the Buzzards Bay NEP and Narragansett Bay Estuary Program
This spring, the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program (NEP), through the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental
Affairs' (EEA) Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM), expects to make available between $500,000 and $1,000,000 in federal funds
as part of the Southern New England Coastal Watershed Restoration Program. To award funds, the Buzzards Bay NEP expects to post on
May 15, 2014, a Request for Responses (RFR) on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts'  <https://www.commbuys.com/bso/> CommBuys.com
system. This solicitation will be issued concurrently with a comparable solicitation for projects in the Narragansett Bay watershed
to be conducted by the  <http://nbep.org/> Narragansett Bay Estuary Program.
The Buzzards Bay NEP, in partnership with the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program, has developed a draft RFR to establish eligibility
and selection criteria for grant applications under this initiative. Because this is a new grant program, we are seeking comments as
to whether the draft RFR scope and proposal review criteria will meet the goals of the Southern New England Coastal Watershed
Restoration Program, the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program, and the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program.
Please note that in the first year of funding, the Program has decided to focus on the critical issue of nutrient pollution. This
focus will be on both nitrogen loading to impaired coastal waters and habitat, and phosphorus loading to impaired fresh waters and
habitat. Funding will be for projects designed to prevent or reduce sources of nutrient pollution, or increase the capacity of
partners to do so. Both large and small proposals are encouraged.
Application to the Southern New England Coastal Watershed Restoration Program, Nutrient Management Grants will be a two-step
process. First, applicants will submit a two page pre-proposal, which will be ranked in a competitive process by a Review Committee.
The strongest proposals are expected to add to the scientific or management knowledge base, have transferability and scalability,
demonstrate innovation, and show strong collaboration among partners. Pre-proposals will likely be due about June 6.
The highest-ranking proposals totaling up to twice the expected available funds will be invited to submit full proposals.
We recognize the short time frame for this process; however, funding cycles necessitate this accelerated schedule.
Below is a link to the draft RFR and information about the program:
 <http://restore.buzzardsbay.org/grants.html> http://restore.buzzardsbay.org/grants.html
Comments about the draft solicitation are sought by May 14, 2014.
Please do not submit a pre-proposal at this time. We are only seeking feedback about the content, criteria, eligibility, match
requirements, and selection process in the draft RFR solicitation and the proposed process for awarding of grants under this program
before the RFR is issued.
 
Comments received by the Buzzards Bay NEP under this request for information will be used to refine further the draft RFR. Although
this draft RFR has elements particular to the Buzzards Bay watershed, comments received will also be provided to the Narragansett
Bay NEP to inform their solicitation process, and both NEP solicitations will adopt common criteria and scoring. Comments received
will also be provided to the U.S. EPA. 
 
Please email your comments by May 14, 2014 to
<mailto:sarah.williams at state.ma.us?subject=Feedback%20on%20request%20for%20information%20about%20Partnership%20initiative%20draft%20
RFR> sarah.williams at state.ma.us. 
 
Please forward this email to other interested parties.
 
 
===================================
Joseph E. Costa, PhD, Executive Director
Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program
Mass. Coastal Zone Management
2870 Cranberry Highway
East Wareham, MA 02538
voice: 508-291-3625 x11
fax: 508-291-3628
 
 
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