[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 49 (Thursday, March 13, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12071-12073]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-6107]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7466-3]


Office of Air and Radiation Environmental Internship Assistance 
Competition: Solicitation Notice

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice; request for initial proposals.

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SUMMARY: This document solicits proposals from educational institutions 
and nonprofit organizations to provide internships for undergraduate 
students with internships in various environmental positions at EPA, 
Native American Tribal lands, and other institutions. Students are 
provided with work experience that will enable them to prepare to 
become future leaders in the environmental field. Additionally, the 
internship will provide a consciousness that will enable the student to 
recognize and manage complex environmental problems.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Contents by Section

I. Background/ Purpose
II. Funding Issues
III. Eligibility
IV. Cooperative Agreement
V. Deadlines/ Dates
VI. Program Design
VII. Criteria/ Scope
VIII. Proposals Format
IX. Where and When to Submit
X. Pre-application Assistance
XI. Notification of Proposal Receipt
XII. Notification of Unsuccessful Offerors
XIII. Completed Application Package
XIV. Executive Order 12372
XV. Award Date
XVI. Dispute Resolution Process
XVII. Applicable Regulations
XVIII. Confidential Business Information

I. Background/ Purpose

    This document solicits cooperative agreement proposals from 
educational institutions and non-profit organizations supporting the 
Office of Air and Radiation's Environmental Internship Program. This 
cooperative agreement will provide summer internships for undergraduate 
students with internships in various environmental positions at EPA, 
Native American Tribal lands, and other institutions. EPA will provide 
students with work experience and orientation to support their 
environmental training positions. This assistance agreement will enable 
students to prepare to become future leaders in the environmental field 
and to recognize and appropriately manage complex environmental 
problems. It will also provide students with an environmental 
consciousness to encourage them to pursue environmental careers and 
become environmentally conscious citizens. Because this internship 
involves possible placement of interns onto Tribal lands, special 
consideration will be given to schools that have had a demonstrated 
history of recruiting students with prior experience working on tribal 
issues. However, all universities are encouraged to apply. The 
Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) for this program is 
66.607.

II. Funding Issues

    Depending upon the availability of funds, it is anticipated that a 
total of approximately $400,000 over three years, including direct and 
indirect costs, will be awarded in FY 2003. Proposals may request 
funding with a total project cost of up to $133,333 per year with a 
duration of up to three years. This cooperative agreement is authorized 
under CAA section 103(b)(3) and no matching funds are required from the 
recipient.

III. Eligibility

    Organizations being targeted for this assistance agreement include 
accredited 4-year educational institutions and non-profit 
organizations. EPA reserves the right to reject all applications and 
make no awards.

IV. Cooperative Agreement

    The resulting award will be a Cooperative Agreement. Cooperative 
Agreements involve substantial involvement between the EPA Project 
Officer and the selected applicant. Anticipated substantial Federal 
involvement for this project will include:
    1. The EPA Project Officer will be part of the final evaluation of 
the interns for placement. The final decision of intern

[[Page 12072]]

selection and placement rests with the recipient.
    2. No stipend dollars will be used for any other purposes without 
the prior approval of the EPA Project Officer.
    3. The EPA Project Officer will accompany the recipient on site 
visits (internship placement locations) and recruitments, when 
necessary.

V. Deadlines/Dates

    In order to efficiently manage the selection process, the Office of 
Air and Radiation requests that an informal ``Intent to Apply'' be 
submitted by March 28, 2003. (Please provide project title or subject 
and e-mail address.) An ``Intent to Apply'' simply states, in the form 
of e-mail, mail, or fax, that your organization intends to submit a 
proposal to be received by the deadline. Submitting an ``Intent to 
Apply'' does not commit an organization to submit a pre-proposal. The 
``Intent to Apply'' is an optional submission; those not submitting an 
``Intent to Apply'' may still apply by the deadline for submitting 
proposals, which is April 29, 2003. However, only those submitting an 
intent to apply will be given the conference call-in number for pre-
application assistance (please see section X ``Pre-application 
assistance''). Instructions for submitting Intents to Apply and 
Proposals are found in section IX ``Where and When to Submit.''

VI. Program Design

    EPA anticipates student stipends to be approximately $4,500 per 
semester and the housing allowance to be approximately $1,500 (on an 
as-needed basis.) The Office of Air and Radiation expects to host a 
minimum of ten students per semester. Applicants should describe the 
following in detail:
    [sbull] Recruitment: Each proposal should address their recruitment 
process in terms of obtaining a diverse population of students. 
Universities that have a demonstrated history of recruiting students 
who have had prior experience on tribal issues will be given special 
consideration.
    [sbull] Stipends: Ability to process student stipends. Describe 
process for paying student stipends.
    [sbull] Tracking: Ability to track students after completing the 
environmental program (i.e. final employment selections, location of 
position, post-graduate work) for the purposes of creating an alumni 
database, measure effectiveness of program and to provide new students 
with information and phone numbers of previous students.
    [sbull] Student Application Processing and Evaluation: Recipients 
must have a system to process and evaluate applications. At a minimum, 
the application process must evaluate potential interns on the basis of 
their academic record, computer skills, awards, and writing skills. 
Special consideration will be given to applicants that have 
scholarships, fellowships and/or work experience on tribal issues. 
Students must have a grade point average of 2.8 or higher to meet 
eligibility for internships at EPA.
    [sbull] Eligibility requirements for internships: Students must be 
enrolled in a four-year accredited college or university. Students 
enrolled in a four-year college or university must have achieved at 
least second semester sophomore standing, or have completed 45 credit 
hours of academic study.
    [sbull] Internship Management: Their recruitment priorities, 
internship management and how they foresee interaction with EPA. 
Applicants should describe training for students (i.e. environmental, 
math, science courses), and student intern performance evaluations.
    [sbull] Orientation in Washington, DC: The orientation program 
should provide an opportunity for students to familiarize themselves 
with their prospective program offices and the functions of the program 
office as well as the issues of the specific media (water, air, solid 
waste, etc).
    [sbull] Placements: Applicants should describe the process and how 
they will select placement sites focusing on tribal placements, when 
applicable.
    [sbull] Housing: Include how housing (if needed) will be provided 
to students in the various project sites.
    [sbull] Personnel and Administrative Services: Include how 
personnel and administrative services for interns will be provided. 
Such services should include ensuring students provide their own short-
term sickness and accident insurance and assisting students with 
financial support (bank services for student to deposit stipend checks, 
etc.).
    [sbull] Program Effectiveness: How the applicant plans to evaluate 
the success of each year of the three-year program, and what corrective 
action they will take to make any necessary improvements.

VII. Criteria/Scope

    [sbull] Review and Selection Process: Proposals submitted to EPA 
headquarters will be evaluated using the criteria defined below. 
Proposals will be reviewed in two phases--the screening phase and the 
evaluation phase. During the screening phase, proposals will be 
reviewed to determine whether they meet the eligibility requirement of 
this document (please see section III ``Eligibility''). Only those 
proposals that meet the eligibility requirement will enter the full 
evaluation phase of the review process. During the evaluation phase, 
proposals will be evaluated based upon the quality of their proposals. 
Reviewers conducting the screening and evaluation phases of the review 
process will include EPA officials and external environmental educators 
approved by EPA. At the conclusion of the evaluation phase, the 
reviewers will score work plans, on a one hundred point scale, based 
upon the system below:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                Maximum
                                                                 points
                          Criterion                               per
                                                               criterion
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Effectiveness of overall work plan and ability to cover all           25
 items listed in Section VI ``Program Design''...............
Ability to recruit a diverse group of students and those with         20
 prior experience working on tribal issues or having
 familiarity and knowledge about tribal issues...............
Effectiveness of placements focusing on site and diversity of         20
 placement...................................................
Ability to plan and execute an orientation for each                   20
 internship class............................................
Ability to evaluate student performance......................         10
A detailed yearly budget.....................................          5
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    Total Points Possible....................................        100
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    [sbull] After the scores are evaluated and ranked, the selected 
applicant will be asked to submit a complete application package. For 
further information on submitting completed application packages, 
please see Section XIII below.

VIII. Proposal Format

    The proposal should conform to the following outline:
    1. Title
    2. Applicant (Organization) and contact name, phone number, fax and 
e-mail address
    3. Summary of funds requested
    4. Project period: Beginning and ending dates (for planning 
purposes, applicants should assume funds will be available on August 1, 
2003).
    5. Project work plan (including a description of all tasks, dates 
of completion, products and deliverables). The project work plan should 
cover all items listed in section VI ``Project Design.''
    6. Report Schedule: Acknowledgment of quarterly report requirement 
(schedule established by EPA) and planned final report submission date 
(due 90 days after the project end date).

[[Page 12073]]

    7. Budget (Please provide with a narrative explanation for the 
following categories):
    a. Personnel.
    b. Fringe Benefits.
    c. Contractual Costs.
    d. Travel.
    e. Equipment.
    f. Supplies.
    g. Other.
    h. Total Direct Costs (add a-g).
    i. Total Indirect Costs (must include documentation of accepted 
indirect rate).
    j. Total Cost (add h and i).

Costs proposed in the budget must be linked directly to the proposal. 
For example, if there is travel in connection with recruiting efforts, 
the budget should reflect travel costs.
    8. Attach a one page resume for key personnel conducting the 
project.

IX. Where and When To Submit

    Please submit intents to apply by March 28, 2003 Intents to Apply 
must be e-mailed, faxed, or mailed to the Project Officer, Linda Zarow. 
If Intents to Apply are mailed, they must be received by March 28, 
2003. Only those submitting an ``Intent to Apply'' will be given the 
conference call-in number for pre-application assistance (please see 
section X ``Pre-application Assistance''). Send ``Intents to Apply'' 
to: Linda Zarow, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., 
Washington, DC 20004; mail code 6101A; Rm 5433; fax: (202) 501-1004; 
email: [email protected]. Please include organization name, contact, 
and phone number.
    Please submit proposals by April 29, 2003 (Remember, the Intent to 
Apply is not required and will have no bearing on the judging process, 
we recommend it for the benefit of our planning process only.) Please 
submit an original and three copies of the proposal. Submission of the 
Intent to Apply does not commit the applicant to submit a proposal. 
Submission of an Intent to Apply or a proposal does not guarantee 
funding. Electronic proposals will be accepted.

X. Pre-Application Assistance

    To ensure that every interested party has equal opportunity to gain 
any needed additional administrative information useful to the 
application process, the Office of Air and Radiation has scheduled one 
conference call. The call will take place on April 10, 2003 from 10 AM 
to 12 PM EST. A call-in number will provided to those who submit an 
Intent to Apply. Questions and answers from this conference call will 
be summarized and posted on OAR's web-site. The web-site address will 
be available at the pre-application assistance conference. Federal 
rules protecting applicants' equal access to information prohibit any 
other contact that would result in information given to some but not 
all applicants. Therefore, as much as it desires to encourage all 
interested applicants, EPA can give no other assistance prior to final 
submission of applications. Requests for information outside the 
context of this conference call cannot be answered. The content of the 
call is entirely dependent upon questions asked.

XI. Notification of Proposal Receipt

    If the applicant includes a stamped, self-addressed postcard along 
with proposal, the applicant will be notified of proposal receipt.

XII. Notification of Unsuccessful Offerors

    The Office of Air and Radiation will notify all unsuccessful 
offerors no later than 60 days after notifying the selected applicant.

XIII. Completed Application Packages

    Completed application package: Applies only to the selected 
applicant. The selected applicant will be contacted by the Project 
Officer and will be requested to submit a complete application. 
Instruction on how to obtain an application tool kit will be provided 
at that time. The application must be postmarked or received by regular 
or express mail on or before midnight May 30, 2003. Please provide an 
original and six copies. Electronic applications will be accepted.
    The application package should be submitted to Linda Zarow at: 
Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. Rm. 5433, Washington DC 
20004; mail code 6101A. Courier or personally delivered applications 
must be brought to the same address.

XIV. Executive Order 12372

    The applicant selected for funding will be required to provide a 
copy of the proposal to their designated State Point of Contact for 
review, pursuant with Executive Order 12372. This review is not 
required of initial proposals; only to the selected applicant.

XV. Award Date

    Subject to the availability of funding, awards should be made by 
August 1, 2003 for placement in the summer term 2004.

XVI. Dispute Resolution Process

    The Agency will resolve any disputes arising from this solicitation 
pursuant to the procedures outlined at 40 CFR 30.63 and Sec.  31.70, 
subpart F.

XVII. Applicable Regulations and OMB Circulars

    The applicant selected will abide by 40 CFR part 30, OMB Circular 
A-122, and OMB Circular A-133.

XVIII. Confidential Business Information

    If any portion of an applicant's proposal is comprised of 
confidential business information (CBI), appropriate pages should be so 
marked at the top of each page.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Linda Zarow, USEPA, Office of Air and 
Radiation, Immediate Office, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania 
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20004, Mail Code 6101A, Rm 5433. Telephone 
(202)564-7431; Fax (202) 501-1004; or e-mail: [email protected].

    Dated: March 7, 2003.
Elizabeth Craig,
Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Air and Radiation.
[FR Doc. 03-6107 Filed 3-12-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-P