• Request for Applications
• Awarded Grants
• Past Program Documents

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2020 Tribal Request for Applications CLOSED

EPA’s Office of Transportation and Air Quality solicited applications nationwide for Tribal projects that achieve significant reductions in diesel emissions and diesel emissions exposure, particularly from fleets located in areas designated as having poor air quality. EPA anticipates $2 million will be awarded to eligible Tribal applicants for two to eight grants. The deadline for submission of applications was  Thursday, July 9, 2020.

Important Dates

Supporting Information for RFA

See the documents below for supporting information for the 2020 Tribal Grants RFA. Information for past funding opportunities can be found on the Tribal Grants: Past Program Documents page.

• VW Settlement - DERA option
• 2020 Sample Eligibility Statement (WORD)(1 pg, 643 K, April 2020)
• 2020 Sample Project Narrative (WORD)(15 pp, 699 K, April 2020)
• 2020 Sample Applicant Fleet Description (EXCEL)(724 K, April 2020)
• 2020 Priority Area List(8 pp, 356 K, April 2020)
• 2020 Sample Scrappage Statement (WORD)(1 pg, 643 K, April 2020)
• 2020 DERA Transport Refrigeration Unit (TRU) Factsheet (PDF) (4 pp, 72 K, December 2019, EPA-420-F-19-074)
• How to Identify Low NOx Certified Engines Factsheet (PDF) (3 pp, 281 K, February 2020, EPA-420-F-20-010)

Questions and Answers

All applicants are encouraged to review the 2020 Tribal Questions and Answers (PDF)(9 pp, 276 K, July 2, 2020) for further clarification of this Request for Applications. The deadline for submitting questions was June 26, 2020. The final Questions and Answers document was posted on Thursday, July 2, 2020. ET. All questions and answers, including those from all webinar information sessions, were added to this document.

Eligible Applicants

Only tribal governments (or intertribal consortiums) or Alaskan native villages, which have jurisdiction over transportation or air quality, are eligible to apply for DERA Tribal grants.

Tribal agencies are defined as federally recognized Indian tribal governments, which are any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community (including Native villages) certified by the Secretary of the Interior as eligible for the special programs and services provided through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, as well as any organization or intertribal consortium that represents federally recognized tribes.

For the purposes of DERA Tribal grants, “intertribal consortium” is defined as a partnership between two or more tribes that is authorized by the governing bodies of those tribes to apply for and receive assistance under this program. Intertribal consortia are eligible to receive assistance under this program only if the consortium demonstrates that all members of the consortium meet the eligibility requirements for the program and they authorize the consortium to apply for and receive assistance by submitting to EPA documentation of (1) the existence of the partnership between Indian tribal governments, and (2) authorization of the consortium by all its members to apply for and receive the assistance.

Please refer to the full RFA for specific information about this competition.

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Eligible Uses of Funding

Eligible diesel vehicles, engines and equipment may include:

• School buses
• Class 5 – Class 8 heavy-duty highway vehicles
• Locomotive engines
• Marine engines
• Nonroad engines, equipment or vehicles used in construction, handling of cargo (including at ports or airports), agriculture, mining or energy production (including stationary generators and pumps).

Grant funds may be used for DERA projects including:

• EPA verified technologies or certified engine configurations
• California Air Resources Board (CARB) Exit verified technologies or certified engines
• Idle-reduction technologies that are EPA verified
• Aerodynamic technologies and low rolling resistance tires that are EPA verified
• Early engine, vehicle, or equipment replacements with certified engine configurations

Funds awarded under this program cannot be used to fund emissions reductions mandated under federal law. Equipment used for testing emissions or fueling infrastructure is not eligible for funding.

Please refer to the full RFA for specific information about this competition.

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Grant Process

The RFA includes information on how to prepare and submit an application package. The application package must be received by the deadline and include the following information:

• Project Narrative (no more than 11 pages)
• Standard Form SF 424 – Application for Federal Assistance
• Standard Form SF 424A – Budget Information
• Standard Form 424B - Non-Construction Programs
• Grants.gov Lobbying Form
• EPA Form 4700-4 - Pre-Award Compliance Review
• EPA Form 5700-54 - Key Contacts Form
• Applicant Fleet Description information (not included in page limit)
• Best Achievable Technology Analysis, if applicable (not included in page limit)
• Cost-Share Commitment Letters, if applicable (not included in page limit)
• Letters of Support/Partnership, if applicable (not included in page limit)
• Mandated Measures Justification Supporting Information, if applicable (not included in page limit)

After the closing date, all eligible applications will be reviewed and ranked. Selected projects may be fully or partially funded.

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Tools and Resources for Applicants

• Tips for a Successful Diesel Retrofit Project (PDF) (7 pp, 500 K, April 2013, EPA-420-B-13-025) provides tips to help you get started and avoid common mistakes.
• Technology Tips: Diesel Emissions Reduction Program (DERA): Technologies, Fleets and Projects Information (PDF) (36 pp, 1.3MB, October 2011, EPA-420-P-11-001) provides information about retrofit technologies and what to look for.
• Clean Diesel Clearinghouse (CDCH) Exit is a web-based tool that helps users determine the best available emission reduction technology for retrofitting diesel-powered vehicles and equipment.

Reporting Templates for Grantees

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• Quarterly Reporting Template (Excel)(6 pp, 616 K, March 2014)
• Final Reporting Template, Part 1 (Word)(7 pp, 485 K, March 2014)  
• Final Reporting Template, Part 2 (Excel)(6 pp, 601 K, March 2014)

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