Deadline: 02-Aug-21
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Chesapeake Bay Program Office (CBPO) is announcing a Request for Applications (RFA) for applicants to provide the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) partners with support related to strategic communication, media relations, and communication product development and distribution for the Chesapeake Bay Program.
This RFA is seeking cost-effective applications from eligible applicants for developing and implementing a Strategic Communication Plan in support of the communication needs and priorities of the CBP partnership to support implementation of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement. This work will include developing an annual Strategic Communication Plan, planning implementation through effective and proactive media engagement, as well as producing effective communication products for the Web, social media, and public presentations relevant to targeted audiences.
Activities
Applicants must address all three of the following activities in their application to be considered eligible.
- Activity 1: Expert development and implementation of Strategic Communication Plan in support of the communication needs and priorities of the CBP partnership. The communication needs and priorities of the partnership are influenced from year to year by shifting environmental factors, extreme weather events, and national and jurisdictional changes in political leadership. As such, the Communication Office, in consultation with the Communications Workgroup, needs to properly assess these dynamics to annually develop a Strategic Communication Plan that supports the long-term goals of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement, sets the general course of communication activities for the coming year, and retains the flexibility to adapt to emerging requirements.
- Develop Annual Strategic Communication Plan
- Staff the Chesapeake Bay Program Communication Workgroup
- Execute proactive media relations activities
- Provide communication training to CBP staff and partners
- Activity 2: Expert creative development, distribution, and management of print, multimedia, and online products to support the stated objectives of the Strategic Communication Plan. In order to support the objectives of the Strategic Communication Plan, the Communication Office would create products for distribution to key audiences identified by the Strategic Communication Plan. These products should be developed to support the goals and priorities of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and tailored to the medium best suited to reach the intended audience.
- Produce and manage targeted communication products for CBP websites
- Produce industry-standard multimedia products for distribution
- Support CBP partnership internal information communication efforts
- Activity 3: Expanded outreach through social media, public forums, and conferences to support the stated objectives of the Strategic Communication Plan and to raise awareness of the activities of the Chesapeake Bay Program as a national and international leader in multi-agency, multi-organizational ecosystem restoration efforts. This outreach seeks to engage and involve under-represented and under-served communities and ensures an equitable distribution of information and materials that reach beyond the traditional outlets for Chesapeake Bay Program restoration information. For agencies and organizations undertaking similar restoration efforts, the Chesapeake Bay Program is seen as a trailblazer, often the first organization to tackle the unique challenges of inter-jurisdictional projects. At the same time, within the general public, only a small fraction of the more than 18 million residents of the Chesapeake Bay watershed are aware of the issues impacting the ecosystem or that there is a concerted effort toward restoration. It is the responsibility of the Communication Office to use social media, public forums, conferences and emergent communication platforms to inform the public of the CBP’s work and its mission to improve the water quality and living resources of Chesapeake Bay ecosystem.
- Produce and distribute content through existing and emerging social media platforms
- Produce presentations and products for use by CBP leadership and partners
- Coordinate and host CBP partnership public meetings and press events, and coordinate participation in conferences
Funding Information
- CBPO plans to award one cooperative agreement under this RFA. Funding for the activities is approximately $500,000 to $550,000 (of which $37,600 includes inkind) annually for FY2021 through FY2027, depending on funding availability, satisfactory performance, Agency priorities, and other applicable considerations. The total estimated funding for six years is approximately $3,000,000 to $3,300,000 (of which $225,600 includes in-kind). There is no guarantee of funding throughout this period or beyond.
- The expected project period for the cooperative agreement is six years, with funding provided on an annual basis. No commitment of funding can be made beyond the first year. The expected start date for the award resulting from this RFA is October 06, 2021.
Eligibility Criteria
- Nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, federally recognized tribes, colleges, universities, and interstate agencies are eligible to submit applications in response to this RFA. For-profit organizations are not eligible to submit applications in response to this RFA.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=334151