UCPGP

IEPA is making $1 million available for the next 2 years for Planning Grants to assist small and disadvantaged communities in developing a Project Plan that identifies a solution to their wastewater collection and treatment needs. A well-developed Project Plan would allow communities to apply for the Construction Grant to construct wastewater collection and/or treatment solutions for areas where wastewater collection and/or treatment are presently non-existent or inadequate.

N/A

N/A

N/A

IEPA is making $1 million available for the next 2 years for Planning Grants to assist small and disadvantaged communities in developing a Project Plan that identifies a solution to their wastewater collection and treatment needs. A well-developed Project Plan would allow communities to apply for the Construction Grant to construct wastewater collection and/or treatment solutions for areas where wastewater collection and/or treatment are presently non-existent or inadequate.

Yes

The amount allowable under this agreement is for costs incurred for the completion of a Project Plan meeting the requirements of 35 Ill. Adm. Code 365.320, or an equivalent planning document or engineering study. The following requirements, at a minimum, should be included in the Project Plan: 1) Identifies a project which provides a solution to an identified need for wastewater collection and/or treatment facilities where currently wastewater collection and/or treatment facilities are presently nonexistent or inadequate. 2) Provides an analysis of various alternatives which will identify the most cost-effective long-term solution to the need identified in (1) above. The alternatives considered must include, where applicable; i. Construction of wastewater collection facilities for all residences within the project area; ii. Connection of all residences within the project area to an existing wastewater treatment facility; iii. Connection of all residences within the project area to a new wastewater treatment facility; and iv. Land application of wastewater treatment facility effluent. 3) The cost-effectiveness analysis provided in accordance with (2) above must include a comparison of the life-cycle costs of alternatives considered for the useful life of those alternatives taking the following into account; a. The cost of constructing all necessary components of the project; b. The annualized cost of operating and maintaining the project over the useful life of the project; and c. The cost(s) of replacing the project at the end of the useful life for all project components. 4) Details the existing (if applicable) and proposed user charge system(s) as a result of the project. The cost estimate for the chosen alternative, and associated user charge system(s), must include a reserve account which would support the long term operational, maintenance and replacement costs of all wastewater collection and/or treatment facilities. 5) The proposed solution must be in compliance with all applicable State and federal laws and regulations.

Government Organizations;

Applicants must be in good standing with the Secretary of the State. Eligible proposals will come from a local government unit within the State of Illinois, as defined in Title 35 of the Illinois Administrative Code Part 662 as follows: Local Government Unit - A county, municipality, township, municipal or county sewerage or utility authority, sanitary district, public water district, improvement authority or any other political subdivision whose primary purpose is to construct, own, operate and maintain wastewater treatment facilities, including storm water treatment systems, or public water supply facilities or both. [415 ILCS 5/19.2(g)] An entity shall not apply for a grant until the entity has registered and pre-qualified through the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal, https://grants.illinois.gov/portal/. Registration and pre-qualification are required annually. During GATA pre-qualification, verifications are performed including a check of the federal Debarred and Suspended list and status on the Illinois Stop Payment List. An automated email notification from the GATA Portal to the entity alerts them of ‘qualified’ status or informs how to remediate a negative verification (e.g., inactive Unique Entity ID (UEI), not in good standing with the Secretary of State). A federal Debarred and Suspended status cannot be remediated.

N/A

Project Grants

Government Services

N/A

All applicants must be prequalified in the GATA portal and also have an account in Amplifund.

A complete UCPGP application shall include the following: a. NOFO APPENDIX 1: Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance b. NOFO APPENDIX 2: Unsewered Communities Planning Grant Program Uniform Grant Budget Template c. NOFO APPENDIX 3: A completed Unsewered Communities Planning Grant Program Project Summary Worksheet identifying the need for a project within Amplifund. The worksheet shall provide enough information for the IEPA to evaluate and score the project in accordance with Section(F)(2) of this NOFO. The worksheet should identify: i. Identify the need for a project which will present potential solutions for wastewater collection and/or treatment facilities where there are currently no wastewater collection and/or treatment facilities. ii. The total service population to be served by the project. iii. The location(s) of the service population to be served by the project. The location(s) should include the name(s) of the town/city/village where the residents live and/or the unincorporated area(s) where the residents live in order for the IEPA to identify the median household income of the total service population. iv. The project area by providing a project map detailing the proposed project area. d. NOFO APPENDIX 4: The Programmatic Risk Assessment Questionnaire (PRAQ), also must be completed and submitted along with the application documents. This Risk Assessment evaluates the applicant’s ability to successfully carry out the terms of UCPGP and assesses four risk categories: 1) quality of management systems and ability to meet the management standards; 2) history of performance; 3) reports and findings from audits performed on prior awards; and 4) the applicant’s ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements imposed on a grantee. Applicant must also provide a copy of their Statement of Activities from their most recent financial audit as part of this review. Instructions for completing the PRAQ are provided in Amplifund. e. NOFO APPENDIX 5: A completed Certifications and Assurances Acknowledgement Form. This form is to assure the applicant’s acknowledgement of the program requirements that will be listed within the executed UGA. f. NOFO APPENDIX 6: A completed Grantee Conflict of Interest Disclosure. This form is to be completed, signed, and submitted upon application submittal. Applicants must disclose in writing any actual or potential conflict of interest as soon as it becomes known, in accordance with 30 ILCS 708/35, 30 ILCS 708/60(a)(5), 44 Ill. Admin. Code 7000.330(f) and the executed UGA. g. NOFO APPENDIX 7: A completed Executive Compensation DATA (5 Officer Form). This form is to document/report the five most highly compensated officers of the applicant dependent upon the three conditions discussed on the form. h. GATA PORTAL: The Fiscal and Administrative Risk Assessment Questionnaire must be completed prior to the application submittal. This Questionnaire is located within the GATA Portal. The applicant must complete the Fiscal and Administrative Risk Assessment Questionnaire in the GATA Portal for Fiscal Year 2025. The Illinois EPA requires the UCPGP applicants to use the forms provided in the GATA Portal and in Amplifund. These forms are designed to allow the Illinois EPA to obtain adequate information to properly evaluate the proposed project. All UCPGP forms that require a signature must be signed by persons authorized by the applicant organization to enter into formal contractual agreements. Furthermore, any forms submitted missing signatures in designated signature blocks will be deemed incomplete, thus ineligible to be scored for funding. All applicants must apply for the grant through the GATA Grantee Portal via the Amplifund Sign-In button. Paper applications shall not be accepted. 2. UNIQUE ENTITY ID (UEI) NUMBER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM) Each applicant (unless the applicant is an individual or federal or State awarding agency that is exempt from those requirements under 2 CFR § 25.110(b) or (c), or has an exception approved by the federal or State awarding agency under 2 CFR § 25.110(d) is required to: a. Be registered in SAM before submitting its application (Register at: https://www.sam.gov/); b. Provide a valid UEI number in its application; and c. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active federal, federal pass-through, or State award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal or State awarding agency. The IEPA SHALL NOT make a State award to an applicant unless the applicant has complied with all applicable UEI and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied with these requirements by the application deadline, the IEPA shall determine the applicant as not qualified to receive a State award. The IEPA shall use that determination as a basis to make a State award to another qualified applicant.

All applications will be reviewed for administrative completeness and adherence to the competitive grant evaluation merit-based criteria described in the NOFO. Applications found to be administratively complete will undergo a comprehensive, merit-based review performed in compliance with GATA and 2 CFR 200 Uniform Requirements. EVALUATION CRITERIA, PRIORITIZATION SCORING SYSTEM AND SELECTION PROCESS Complete applications shall be reviewed by an Evaluation Panel consisting of Illinois EPA, BOW, Infrastructure Financial Assistance Section staff who will rank and prioritize applications in accordance with the scoring system below: a. The following points will be awarded based on the median household income (MHI) of the applicant's service population as a percentage of the statewide average MHI: POINTS MHI AS % OF STATE AVERAGE MHI 25 Below 60% 20 60 – 69.99% 15 70 - 79.99% 10 80 - 89.99% 5 90 - 99.99% 0 At or Above 100% b. The following points will be awarded based on the applicant's service population: POINTS SERVICE POPULATION 15 Less than 1,000 10 1,000 – 4,999 5 5,000 – 9,999 0 At or above 10,000 c. The proposed project will provide wastewater collection and/or treatment to any area within Illinois EPA Areas of Environmental Justice Concern according to the IEPA EJ Start Tool: 25 Points. “Environmental Justice (EJ)" is based on the principle that all people should be protected from environmental pollution and have the right to a clean and healthy environment. Environmental justice is the protection of the health of the people of Illinois and its environment, equity in the administration of the State's environmental programs, and the provision of adequate opportunities for meaningful involvement of all people with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies. More information regarding EJ policies and activities can be found on the following IEPA webpage: https://www2.illinois.gov/epa/topics/environmental-justice/Pages/default.aspx UCPGP funds will be awarded per this NOFO starting with the highest ranked (most points) project first. Available funds will be awarded to the next ranked project on the list until all available funds have been exhausted. TIEBREAKER – If two, or more, projects receive the same amount of points, the project(s) serving the SMALLER population will be ranked above any project serving a LARGER population.

Once all the final requirements have been completed, the Grant Agreement between the Illinois EPA and the applicant will be sent for the applicant to sign and return. Once the agreement is fully executed by the Agency, a copy will be returned to the applicant. Only after the Grant Agreement has been signed by the Director of the Illinois EPA can expenses be incurred for grant reimbursement. Any expenses incurred outside of the grant period (before or after) are at the applicant’s risk and are not eligible either as match or for reimbursement related to the grant unless a waiver has been previously issued.

See Notice of Funding Opportunity for specific details regarding posting dates/deadlines.

30 days

An appeal process is available to applicants and other interested parties; however, appeals are limited to the Illinois EPA evaluation process. Evaluation scores may not be protested. An appeal must be submitted in writing to the following address: Illinois EPA, Attn: Infrastructure Financial Assistance Section, Bureau of Water, 1021 N. Grand Avenue, Mail Code #15, P.O. Box 19276, Springfield, Illinois 62794-9276 and must be received within 14 calendar days after the date that the grant award notice has been published by the Illinois EPA on Grants.Illinois.gov. The written appeal shall include, at a minimum, the following: the name and address of the appealing party, identification of the grant, and a statement of reasons for the appeal. Illinois EPA shall acknowledge receipt of an appeal within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date the appeal was received. When an appeal is received, the execution of all grant agreements that Illinois EPA intends to make under this NOFO shall be stayed until the appeal is resolved, unless the Illinois EPA determines the needs of the State require moving forward with execution of the remaining grant agreements. The State need determination and rational shall be documented in writing. Illinois EPA shall respond to the appeal within 60 days or supply a written explanation to the appealing party as to why additional time is required. The appealing party must supply any additional information requested by Illinois EPA within the time period set in the request. The Director of the Illinois EPA may appoint one or more Appeal Review Officers (ARO) to consider the grant-related appeal and make a recommendation to the Director of the Illinois EPA or designee for resolution. The ARO shall make a recommendation to the Director of the Illinois EPA or designee as expeditiously as possible after receiving all relevant, requested information. In determining the appropriate recommendation, the ARO shall consider the integrity of the competitive grant process and the impact of the recommendation on the Illinois EPA. The Illinois EPA shall resolve the appeal by means of written determination, which shall include, but not be limited to: review of the appeal, appeal determination, and rationale for the determination.

N/A

N/A

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) will fund the completion of a Project Plan meeting the requirements of 35 Ill. Adm Code 365.320, or an equivalent planning document or engineering study.

The Periodic Performance Report (PPR) and Periodic Financial Report (PFR) will be required annually at minimum. Specific reporting requirements for the PPR and PFR, and any other program specific reports will be indicated in the grant agreement.

Illinois Administrative Code 7000.90

Grantee shall maintain for three (3) years from the date of submission of the final expenditure report, adequate books, all financial records and, supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records pertinent to this Award, adequate to comply with 2 CFR 200.334, unless a different retention period is specified in 2 CFR 200.334, 44 Ill. Admin. Code 7000.430(a) and (b) or PART TWO or PART THREE. If any litigation, claim or audit is started before the expiration of the retention period, the records must be retained until all litigation, claims or audit exceptions involving the records have been resolved and final action taken.

0270-53260-4900-0024

1,000,000

Varies, Up to $30,000

N/A

https://epa.illinois.gov/topics/grants-loans/unsewered-communities/ucpgp.html

N/A

1021 North Grand Ave. East, Springfield, IL 62794

https://epa.illinois.gov/topics/grants-loans/unsewered-communities/ucpgp.html

CSFA 532-00-2477 - Unsewered Communities Construction Grant Program

Dixon C175947

10/8/2021

FY 2021 : $1,000,000
FY 2022 : $1,000,000
FY 2025 : $1,000,000