Closing Date: December 5,2011:

The Office of Sustainable Communities (OSC) in EPA's Office of Policy is seeking proposals to conduct research and studies, analyze state policies and programs, and create and deliver technical assistance programs to leaders of states that are facing air and water pollution, land use, and development challenges. This Request for Proposals (RFP) seeks to fund one applicant to operate the Governors' Institute for Community Design. The institute will select and work with interested state leadership (governors and their cabinets and staffs) to deliver technical assistance that supports state efforts to implement smart growth and sustainable communities development approaches that protect the environment, improve public health, facilitate job creation and economic opportunity, and improve overall quality of life.

Providing financial assistance to establish and operate the Governors' Institute is a joint effort of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and EPA. Each of these agencies will be providing financial support to the Governors' Institute and will be actively involved in the activities of the Governors' Institute. These three agencies are partners in the interagency Partnership for Sustainable Communities. The Partnership is a joint effort between HUD, DOT, and EPA to advance development patterns and infrastructure investment programs that reduce air and water pollution; achieve economic prosperity; foster healthy, environmentally sustainable, opportunity-rich communities; and increase housing and transportation choices.

The "Governors' Institute" is a trademark owned by the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA). Since 2005, the Governors' Institutehas provided policy analysis and guidance to governors and state leaders to help them produce more cost-efficient and economically and environmentally sustainable patterns of growth. The Governors' Institute is currently operated by a recipient of a cooperative agreement from NEA. EPA has assumed responsibility as the funding agency for the Governors' Institute. If an organization other than the current recipient of NEA funds successfully competes for EPA funding to operate the Governors' Institute, EPA and NEA will ensure that the successful applicant receives a license to use the Governors' Institute trademark. Additionally, NEA and EPA will provide the successful applicant with data and materials produced under the NEA cooperative agreement to develop and initially operate the Governor's Institute as authorized by 2 CFR 215.36.

The successful applicant for the Governors' Institute should support an appropriate number of state workshops annually. The maximum amount of funding for an award under this RFP will be approximately $2 million over the five-year life of the agreement. EPA expects to make one award and have approximately $325,000 for the first year of activity. The award will be negotiated for a project period of up to 5 years and will be set up for incremental funding, with funding for future years dependent on funding availability, agency priorities, recipient performance, and other applicable considerations. The award will be made through a cooperative agreement. EPA reserves the right to reject all proposals and make no awards under this RFP.

Eligible applicants include:

Consortiums of two or more eligible entities may also apply. However, one entity must be responsible for the cooperative agreement. Consortiums must identify which eligible organization will be the recipient of the cooperative agreement and which eligible organizations will be the subawardee. Please carefully review section 4.7 of this RFA before submitting a consortium proposal.

For-profit organizations are not eligible to apply. If you intend to include a for-profit organization in your application as a "partner" or under a similar arrangement, please carefully review Section 4.7 of this RFA. Individuals are not eligible to apply. Applications for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new awards. 

For More Information:

http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/gov-institute-2011-rfp.htm