Unspent Funds

Background and Purpose:

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) provides nonpoint source project funding annually under Section 319(h) of the Federal Clean Water Act (CWA). As these multi-year contracts close, any unspent funds are de-obligated. These unobligated funds are a result of contracts that were completed under budget, contracts that were cancelled, or other situations in which the initial 319 award was not expended by the time the contract closed. The amount of unspent funds varies greatly (in some cases there may be no unspent funds) and the timing in which DEQ may re-award these funds is not known in advance. For these reasons DEQ is seeking brief project proposals that may be a good fit for program priorities and funding as it becomes available.

How to Apply:

Potential projects must be submitted to DEQ using the Proposal for Unspent 319 Funds Form. For assistance completing this form please contact Katie Eiring Steele at 406-444-0549 or ksteele2@mt.gov. Proposals must be submitted to Robert Ray, Watershed Protection Program Supervisor, via email (rray@mt.gov), Subject Line: Proposal for Unspent 319 Funds. For assistance submitting the proposal form please contact Mr. Ray at 406-444-5319.

Additional Information:

Since these unspent funds are associated with earlier 319 Project Grants in Montana, the contract may be subject to various provisions. These may include, but are limited to, the following. Specifics will be noted for each announcement.

319 contracts under this call may or may not require match. This will depend on the overall 319 Project Grant for Montana and whether or not match has been met for that contract between DEQ and EPA.
Funds awarded may need to be spent very expeditiously. For this reason projects that are “shovel-ready” are encouraged.
DEQ may retain proposals in a queue and reconsider them if additional funding becomes available.

Types of Projects and Project Eligibility:

The primary goals of the 319 grant program are:

Protect the quality of clean water from nonpoint source pollution.
Restore water quality in waterbodies whose beneficial uses are impaired by nonpoint source (NPS) pollution and whose water quality does not meet state standards.

Both goals are accomplished by implementing Best Management Practices (BMPs) and conducting education and outreach (E&O) activities. DEQ strongly encourages development of science-based, locally-supported Watershed Restoration Plans (WRPs) to guide these efforts.

The 2012 Montana Nonpoint Source Management Plan (NPS Plan) describes how DEQ hopes to see the above goals achieved. The NPS Plan contains specific, state NPS program goals, priorities, and identified BMPs. 319-funded projects must address goals identified in the NPS Plan.

DEQ prefers to fund 319 projects that implement an approved Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), and/or a completed WRP. All projects must address nonpoint source (NPS) pollution.

Applicant Eligibility:

Applicants must be either a governmental entity or a nonprofit organization. A governmental entity is a local, state, or federal office that has been established and authorized by law. Nonprofit organizations are identified as having a tax exempt declaration of 501(c)(3) from the Internal Revenue Service.

Open 319 Contracts:

Applicants will not be allowed to have more than two open 319 contracts at any one time and open 319 contracts must be in good standing. DEQ reserves the right to evaluate compliance with this rule on a case-by-case basis.

Applicant Ability to Manage Contracts, Past Performance:

DEQ will take into consideration past performance on previous contracts. This may include such things as whether or not contract deliverables were submitted on time, whether or not the organization was successful in obtaining and maintaining the support of key project participants, how well the organization’s staff communicated with project managers, and the degree to which projects were successful.

Administrative Costs:

Applicants may not use more than 10% of the requested 319 funds to cover administrative costs. Administrative costs include but are not limited to charges for:

Preparation and submittal of status, annual and final reports.
Preparation and submittal of reimbursement requests.
Office space, equipment and supplies.
Overhead costs.
Expense/budget tracking.
Phone bills associated with the project.
Insurance.

Reporting Requirements:

All 319 contracts include basic reporting requirements. Reporting guidance is available on the Nonpoint Source Pollution Projects Page. Reporting requirements include:

Quarterly status reports.
Annual report(s).
Final report.
Data reports.
All reports must be submitted in electronic as well as hardcopy format for inclusion in EPA’s Grant Reporting and Tracking System (GRTS) database.
Provide DEQ with the organization’s current DUNS number. Update DEQ if the DUNS number changes.
Be registered on the Central Contractor Registration.

Payment:

Payments to contractors are on a reimbursement basis. Contractors cannot bill in advance. This includes billing for administrative costs. DEQ may withhold payment of some of the funds until the final deliverables are submitted. Requests for payment must be submitted using a spreadsheet provided by DEQ. Contractors are required to provide adequate justification for all expenses. Once adequate justification is provided, contractors can usually expect payment within 30 days.

Helpful Resources:

The following information may prove useful in preparing a proposal:

The 2012 Montana Nonpoint Source Management Plan (NPS Plan)
Final TMDL documents: http://deq.mt.gov/Water/WQPB/TMDL/finalReports
A map of watersheds with approved TMDLs: http://deq.mt.gov/Water/WQPB/tmdl/tpamap
Montana's Clean Water Act Information Center (CWAIC): http://svc.mt.gov/deq/dst/#/app/cwaic