ARCHIVE OF CLOSED REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS

2020 RFPs and RFQs

Water Quality Restoration Projects, RFP #2020-001
RFP Text (amended on 12-12-19 to change the value of hourly
​volunteer time in the Budget Category table from $22.14 to $24.04.)
Notice of Decision
In FY 2020-2021 approximately $500,000 is expected to be available for water quality improvement projects. Funding is from local contributions made by the IRL Council and specialty license plate funds from sales in Volusia, Brevard and Indian River counties. Multiple awards are anticipated.

Question: Past RFPs have limited proposal requests to $180,000 per proposal. Is there a new limit to the funding requests this year? Is there an average award amount to keep in mind when we submit a request for funding?
Answer: There is no limit for the RFP request, however a 50% match is required in the Water Quality and Habitat Restoration categories (25% in others), so please do not ask for more than you can match.

Question: Is IRL Council RFP funding considered a local funding source that can be matched by state and federal funding?
Answer: Yes. State and Federal funds may be used as match in applying for NEP funding if these funds have been awarded at the time of application. Anticipated match funds that have been applied for but not yet awarded may not be used; nor can funding that is anticipated to be applied for. Should you be awarded a grant under this RFP, the grant funding may be used to match other grant applications.

Question: What is the value we should be using for volunteer time in current RFPs?
Answer: The most current rate for the state of Florida as listed by Independent Sector is $24.04.

Question: How many proposals can an organization submit to each RFP section and Small Grants?
Answer: There is no limitation to the number of proposals an organization can submit in response to the IRL Council FY 2020-2021 RFPs.  However, every year, there are more projects received that rank high enough for funding than funding availability. The IRL Council strongly recommends that an organization identify its organizational priorities and align them with a specific RFP’s priorities and the IRL CCMP vital signs when developing and submitting RFP proposals.

​Habitat Restoration Projects, RFP #2020-002
RFP Text (amended on 12-12-19 to change the value of hourly volunteer time in the Budget Category table from $22.14 to $24.04.)
Notice of Decision
In FY 2020-2021 approximately $200,000 is expected to be available for habitat restoration projects. Funding is from local contributions made by the IRL Council and specialty license plate funds from sales in Volusia, Brevard and Indian River counties. Multiple awards are anticipated.

Question: Past RFPs have limited proposal requests to $180,000 per proposal. Is there a new limit to the funding requests this year? Is there an average award amount to keep in mind when we submit a request for funding?
Answer: There is no limit for the RFP request, however a 50% match is required in the Water Quality and Habitat Restoration categories (25% in others), so please do not ask for more than you can match.

Question: Is IRL Council RFP funding considered a local funding source that can be matched by state and federal funding?
Answer: Yes. State and Federal funds may be used as match in applying for NEP funding if these funds have been awarded at the time of application. Anticipated match funds that have been applied for but not yet awarded may not be used; nor can funding that is anticipated to be applied for. Should you be awarded a grant under this RFP, the grant funding may be used to match other grant applications.

Question: What is the value we should be using for volunteer time in current RFPs?
Answer: The most current rate for the state of Florida as listed by Independent Sector is $24.04.

Question: How many proposals can an organization submit to each RFP section and Small Grants?
Answer: There is no limitation to the number of proposals an organization can submit in response to the IRL Council FY 2020-2021 RFPs.  However, every year, there are more projects received that rank high enough for funding than funding availability. The IRL Council strongly recommends that an organization identify its organizational priorities and align them with a specific RFP’s priorities and the IRL CCMP vital signs when developing and submitting RFP proposals.

Question: For the habitat restoration RFP,  Does the 20% limit on staff salaries and community involvement apply to funds requested from the IRL council or also on matching funds provided by the applicant?

Answer: On page 2 of the RFP in the 4th paragraph down, the 20% is in reference to the “total” project budget so this would be an average of the total project cost that includes the matching funds and the requested amount from the IRL Council.​

Community-Based Restoration Projects, RFP #2020-003
RFP Text (amended on 1-13-2020 Corrected small error in the scoring rubric regarding bonus points for cost share, starting at 50% in the last row on page 20 but cat 3 should actually be only 25%; amended on 12-12-19 to change the value of hourly volunteer time in the Budget Category table from $22.14 to $24.04.)
Notice of Decision
In FY 2020-2021 approximately $200,000 is expected to be available for community-based restoration projects. Funding is from local contributions made by the IRL Council and specialty license plate funds from sales in Volusia, Brevard and Indian River counties. Multiple awards
are anticipated.

Question: Past RFPs have limited proposal requests to $180,000 per proposal. Is there a new limit to the funding requests this year? Is there an average award amount to keep in mind when we submit a request for funding?
Answer: There is no limit for the RFP request, however a 50% match is required in the Water Quality and Habitat Restoration categories (25% in others), so please do not ask for more than you can match.

Question: Is IRL Council RFP funding considered a local funding source that can be matched by state and federal funding?
Answer: Yes. State and Federal funds may be used as match in applying for NEP funding if these funds have been awarded at the time of application. Anticipated match funds that have been applied for but not yet awarded may not be used; nor can funding that is anticipated to be applied for. Should you be awarded a grant under this RFP, the grant funding may be used to match other grant applications.

Question: What is the value we should be using for volunteer time in current RFPs?
Answer: The most current rate for the state of Florida as listed by Independent Sector is $24.04.

Question: How many proposals can an organization submit to each RFP section and Small Grants?
Answer: There is no limitation to the number of proposals an organization can submit in response to the IRL Council FY 2020-2021 RFPs.  However, every year, there are more projects received that rank high enough for funding than funding availability. The IRL Council strongly recommends that an organization identify its organizational priorities and align them with a specific RFP’s priorities and the IRL CCMP vital signs when developing and submitting RFP proposals.

Science and Innovation Projects, RFP #2020-004
​RFP Text (amended on 12-12-19 to change the value of hourly volunteer time in the Budget Category table from $22.14 to $24.04.)
Notice of Decision RFP
​In FY 2020-2021 approximately $100,000 is expected to be available for science and innovation. Funding is anticipated to be from the U.S. EPA under Section 320 of the Clean Water Act for the National Estuary Program awarded to the IRL Council as part of the FY 2020-2021 Workplan. Multiple awards may be issued.

Question: Past RFPs have limited proposal requests to $180,000 per proposal. Is there a new limit to the funding requests this year? Is there an average award amount to keep in mind when we submit a request for funding?
Answer: There is no limit for the RFP request, however a 50% match is required in the Water Quality and Habitat Restoration categories (25% in others), so please do not ask for more than you can match.

Question: Is IRL Council RFP funding considered a local funding source that can be matched by state and federal funding?
Answer: Yes. State and Federal funds may be used as match in applying for NEP funding if these funds have been awarded at the time of application. Anticipated match funds that have been applied for but not yet awarded may not be used; nor can funding that is anticipated to be applied for. Should you be awarded a grant under this RFP, the grant funding may be used to match other grant applications.
​
Question: I just wanted to double check the required documents to be submitted for the Science and Innovation Projects RFP. According to our understanding, we would need to send a PDF with the six-page proposal and two-page statement of work? (Including also any supporting letters).
Answer: Please review pages 7-12 of the Category 4, Science and Innovation RFP.  There it states exactly what needs to be in the proposal application.  You must include the following: a 1 page executive summary and a 6 page limit full proposal with 3 sections that address all the paragraphs on the pages 8-12.  The 2 page statement of work is not required but very much appreciated.

Question: What is the value we should be using for volunteer time in current RFPs?
Answer: The most current rate for the state of Florida as listed by Independent Sector is $24.04.

Question: How many proposals can an organization submit to each RFP section and Small Grants?
Answer: There is no limitation to the number of proposals an organization can submit in response to the IRL Council FY 2020-2021 RFPs.  However, every year, there are more projects received that rank high enough for funding than funding availability. The IRL Council strongly recommends that an organization identify its organizational priorities and align them with a specific RFP’s priorities and the IRL CCMP vital signs when developing and submitting RFP proposals.

​​IRLNEP Small Grants Program, RFP #2020-005
RFP Text
2020-05 Small Grants Program Notice of Decision
​The IRLNEP Small Grants Program supports action plans of the IRLNEP Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) – Looking ahead to 2030 through community-based restoration and education projects focusing on the Indian River Lagoon. Empowering citizens through programs such as this helps foster an environmental ethic and promotes community stewardship of the IRL. Funding available: $500 – $5,000 per grant.  $25,000 budgeted for FY 2019-2020.
Question: How many proposals can an organization submit to each RFP section and Small Grants?
Answer: There is no limitation to the number of proposals an organization can submit in response to the IRL Council FY 2020-2021 RFPs.  However, every year, there are more projects received that rank high enough for funding than funding availability. The IRL Council strongly recommends that an organization identify its organizational priorities and align them with a specific RFP’s priorities and the IRL CCMP vital signs when developing and submitting RFP proposals.

Question: wanted to confirm that Indirect Costs are not allowed as part of the budget for the IRL National Estuary Program 2020 small grants
Answer: When the small grants program was started, it was never originally envisioned for large Universities. If you read the text it was originally directed largely for school districts, non-profits, community-groups and organizations, and businesses. Government agencies were allowed in but only with strong volunteer support. However, that is not to say a University is not eligible, but the small grants were never envisioned to have such a small amount of limited funds be utilized as IDC when there may be other applications that could use those funds for a meaningful project.  There is no specific mention to IDC in this year’s application (it will be in future years). However, we discussed this issue just recently and determined that IDC would not be an allowable expense.  The authority to make this decision is listed on page 5 of the application under “Right to Accept or Reject”. The IRL Council reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, in whole or in part, with or without cause, to waive any irregularities and/or technicalities, and to award the contracts on such coverage and terms it deems will best serve the interests of the Board.