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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NONPROFIT SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS MANAGEMENT BUSINESS Department of Planning and Natural Resources Funding Opportunity Funding Highlights: • Request for Proposals will be accepted from March 1, 2024, until March 31, 2024, and should be sent to Department of Planning & Natural Resources–Division of Environmental Protection (DPNR-DEP) contact listed below. • Proposals received after March 29, 2024, will not be considered. • DPNR will consider proposals up to a maximum of $200,000. • Once DPNR makes a final selection of proposals, the program will negotiate a subaward agreement which will include a scope of work and budget. • DPNR anticipates that funds will be awarded in the third quarter of the fiscal year 2024 (April – June). PROPOSAL DETAILS: Proposals must be submitted with RFP Number: RFP-001-SWR-2024 to austin.callwood@dpnr.vi.gov and clanicia.pelle@dpnr.vi.gov on or before Friday, March 29, 2024, at 5:00 PM Atlantic Standard Time. DPNR-DEP is seeking proposals from recycling non-profit organizations in the US Virgin Islands (St. Thomas/St. John, and St. Croix) that provides for sustainable, private-sector businesses that divert materials from the waste stream and create jobs in the VI. For this grant program, a non-profit recycling business is defined as a licensed non-profit organization that accepts, collects, and/or recycles materials for outside sources to create a value-added feedstock for intermediary processing or end-use recycled product manufacturing. DPNR will provide awards for accepted proposals from $40,000 – $200,000, Proposal must: • territory-wide need • promote waste reduction through reuse, repair and sharing economy initiatives, • specify reuse and/or repair infrastructure and recycling program development • increase organic waste management and recycling infrastructure in each district (St. Thomas/St. John & St. Croix) • expand the types of materials managed through composting and recycling • maximize local economies of scale Types of Projects: DPNR seeks viable, well-planned proposals from recycling non-profit organizations in the USVI to build lasting private-sector capacity to divert materials from waste stream and simultaneously create jobs in the Territory. Grant funds are intended to assist with capital costs for physical infrastructure (equipment purchase, upgrade systems and minor facility improvements) to increase capacity or improve efficiency of a recycling operation. Funds cannot be used to cover land purchases, salaries, labor costs, general operational expenses, marketing, or the cost of contract processing. Grant priorities: Proposals should address the needs of the Territory. Applicants are encouraged to include Projects that: a) expand, upgrade, or improve the capacity and/or efficiency of a single stream facility (facility that receives, separates and prepares the comingled residential recyclables for downstream commodity markets b) establish or expand the processing capacity of plastic recyclers handling materials other than plastic bottles (for example, agricultural plastics, mixed bulky rigid plastics, tubs and lids, #3-7 plastics and all other rigid plastics) c) establish or expand the processing capacity of recyclers handling fiber other than office paper and newspaper (for example, mixed paper, cardboard or cartons) d) build or expand the capacity of manufacturer to utilize any of the plastics listed in b or fiber listed in c above in the manufacturing of new products. e) establish or expand the capacity to collect, donate or recycle food waste. Available funding Applicants may request a grant amount up to a maximum of $200,000. DPNR reserves the right to award grant amounts lower than the amount requested by an applicant. Contract execution and disbursement of funds are contingent upon the availability of funds to DPNR for this purpose. Funding period After the grant is awarded, the subaward agreement period will begin May 2024 and end December 31, 2024. The applicant must spend funds within the subaward agreement period, unless the item is extended by written agreement between the Applicant and DPNR. All funds are distributed on a reimbursement basis. Request for reimbursement must include: • Proof that the funds were spent for the budgeted items in the subaward agreement, including an original receipt paid for the equipment purchased or work completed under the agreement. • Subaward information for equipment vendor, and electronic photograph for the equipment purchased, or work completed. Approval of reimbursement requests are subject to USEPA cooperative agreement guidelines. Eligibility For purpose of the request for proposal, a nonprofit organization recycling business is defined as a non-profit organization or a 501 (c)(3) that accepts, collects, and/or recycles materials from outside sources to create value-added feedstock for intermediary processing or end- use recycled product manufacturing. One (1) funding request per applicant will be accepted. Nonprofit organizations exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code that engage in lobbying activities are ineligible for EPA subawards based on the Agency’s policy for interpreting the Lobbying Disclosure Act, 2 U.S.C.1611. Applicants must register for the System for Awards Management (SAM) and obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) before receiving funding. DPNR committee will evaluate the proposal and notify the applicant of the grant award decision within 45 days (about 4 and a half weeks) of the RFP closing date. DPNR Contact: Austin Callwood Director DEP Department of Planning & Natural Resources 4611 Tutu Park Mall Suite 300, Second Floor St. Thomas, VI 00802 Email: austin,callwood@dpnr.vi.gov Ph: (340) 774-3320 (340) 773-1082