02J12201

Description:
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. Firstly, to make and manage subawards by developing and carrying out a system for making subawards to federally-recognized tribes in the Puget Sound basin and authorized consortia of these tribes. Secondly, to participate in management conferences and engage with partner organizations by developing and implementing mechanisms for engagement. Lastly, to manage the cooperative agreement with EPA. Please see the 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, coordinating and communicating 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. Additionally, 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, increase the internal strategic coordination and alignment between the TIL 2.0 program and other programs involved in Puget Sound protection and restoration, and adaptively manage 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.

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.

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 t

Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission

66.121 - Puget Sound Protection and Restoration: Tribal Implementation Assistance Program

EPA Region 10: Seattle [EPA - RO]

Washington United States

State-Wide

Puget Sound Action Agenda – Tribal Implementation Lead 2.0 (EPA-I-R10-PS-2022-001)

Infrastructure $15,300,000 (65%) percent this Cooperative Agreement was funded by the 2021 Infrastructure Act.
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 216% from $7,500,000 to $23,684,000.