Lead Service Line Inventory Grant Program

Application Period: General announcement open for a period of time with no specific due dates for applications.

Technical Assistance: No

Apply here: https://epa.illinois.gov/topics/drinking-water/public-water-users/lsli-grant-opportunity.html

---

Application Documents

FileView.aspx

State of Illinois Uniform Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)
Summary Information
Awarding Agency Name Environmental Protection
Agency Contact Lanina Clark (Lanina.clark@illinois.gov)
Announcement Type Initial
Type of Assistance Instrument Grant
Funding Opportunity Number 24-3017-04
Funding Opportunity Title Lead Service Line Inventory Grant Program
CSFA Number 532-60-3017
CSFA Popular Name Lead Service Line Inventory Grant Program
Anticipated Number of Awards 328
Estimated Total Program Funding $6,570,000
Award Range $20000 - $50000
Source of Funding Federal
Cost Sharing or Matching No
Requirements
Indirect Costs Allowed Yes
Restrictions on Indirect Costs No
Posted Date 02/15/2024
Application Date Range General announcement open for a period of time with no specific due
dates for applications.
Grant Application Link Please select the entire address below and paste it into the browser...
https://epa.illinois.gov/topics/drinking-water/public-water-users/lsli-
grant-opportunity.html
Technical Assistance Session No

---

ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY (LSLI) GRANT PROGRAM
NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
SUMMARY INFORMATION
DATA FIELD
1. AWARDING ILLINOIS EPA NAME: Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA)
2. ILLINOIS EPA CONTACT: Lanina Clark
lanina.clark@illinois.gov
(217)782-2027
3. ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE:  Initial Announcement
 Modification of Previous Announcement
4. TYPE OF ASSISTANCE Grant
INSTRUMENT:
5. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: 24-3017-04
6. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TITLE: Lead Service Line Inventory Grant Program
7. CSFA NUMBER: 532-60-3017
8. CSFA POPULAR NAME: Lead Service Line Inventory Grant Program
9. CFDA NUMBER(S): 66.468
10. ANTICIPATED NUMBER OF 131 - 328 Grant Awards
AWARDS:
11. ESTIMATED TOTAL PROGRAM $6,570,000
FUNDING:
12. AWARD RANGE: $20,000 - $50,000
13. SOURCE OF FUNDING: Mark all that apply: Service Area: Pick One
 Federal or federal pass-through  Economic Development
 State  Education
 Private / other funding  Environment/Culture
 Government Services
 Healthcare
 Human Services
 Public Safety
14. COST SHARING OR MATCHING  Yes
REQUIREMENT:  No
15. INDIRECT COSTS ALLOWED:  Yes
 No
RESTRICTIONS ON INDIRECT  Yes
COSTS: 
No
If Yes, provide the citation governing the restriction:
16. POSTED DATE: February 15, 2024
17. APPLICATION RANGE: Applications will be accepted until funding has been expended.
18. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SESSION: Session Offered:  Yes Session  Yes
 No Mandatory:  No

---

ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY (LSLI) GRANT PROGRAM
NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY
DETAILED INFORMATION
A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) is to advise potential applicants of the availability of grant
funds through the Lead Service Line Inventory Grant Program (LSLI Grant Program) which will assist with
funding of a Complete Lead Service Line Inventory meeting the inventory requirements of Section 17.12
of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act .415 ILCS 5/17.12.
Applicants must be Local Government Units that have pre-qualified through the Grant Accountability and
Transparency Act (GATA) Grantee Portal. Applications for the LSLI Grant Program will be accepted until
funding has been expended. All completed LSLI Grant Program applications shall be reviewed for
completeness, technical merit, and adherence to the grant eligibility requirements described in Section D
of this NOFO. Applications found to be complete and meet ALL eligibility criteria outlined in Section D of
this NOFO will be funded on a first come first served basis. Successful applicants will be notified within
approximately 21 days of application submission. Grant awards will be given in the range of $20,000 -
$50,000 per applicant.
It is anticipated that some applicants will require supplemental funding in addition to the funds being
offered through this LSLI Grant Program. Applicants may request supplemental funding for inventorying
in the form of a below market, low interest loan through the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency’s
(Illinois EPA) Public Water Supply Loan Program (PWSLP), but must be in conjunction with funding to
replace lead service lines. In regards to loan information for replacement of lead service lines through the
PWSLP, please contact either Lanina Clark lanina.clark@illinois.gov, Jillian Fowler
jillian.fowler@illinois.gov, Rachael Heaton rachael.heaton@illinois.gov, Julie Matthews
julie.matthews@illinois.gov, or Kaitlyn Holtsclaw kaitlyn.m.holtsclaw@illinois.gov for further information
and guidance.
All projects require, at minimum, quarterly reporting of progress, annual Periodic Financial Report, and a
final project evaluation and report. Quarterly progress reports shall include both a Periodic Financial
Report, a Periodic Performance Report, and a brief project narrative. The annual Periodic Financial Report
shall reflect the project’s progress for the Grantee’s fiscal year. Further information pertaining to program
reporting can be found in Section (G)(3) of this NOFO.
**ATTENTION – THIS PROGRAM IS FOR LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORYING PURPOSES ONLY, LEAD
SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENT COSTS ARE INELIGIBLE AND NOT WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THIS GRANT
PROGRAM**
PAGE 2 of 15 LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY GRANT PROGRAM NOFO – ROUND 4

---

B. INVENTORY REQUIREMENTS
The Illinois Environmental Protection Act (Act) requires owners and operators of community water
supplies to deliver a complete material inventory to the Illinois EPA no later than April 15, 2024, or such
time as required by federal law, whichever is sooner. The complete inventory shall report the composition
of all service lines within the community water supply’s distribution system.
Pursuant to Section 17.12(g) of the Act, a Complete LSLI shall identify and report, the following:
1. The TOTAL number of service lines connected to the community water supply’s distribution
system.
Community Water Supply (CWS) – means public water supply which serves or is intended to
serve at least 15 service connections used by the residents or regularly serves at least 25
residents [415 ILCS 5/3.145].
2. The materials of construction of each service line connected to the CWS’s distribution system.
3. The number of suspected lead service lines that were newly identified in the material inventory for
the CWS after the CWS last submitted a service line inventory to the Illinois EPA.
4. The number of suspected or known lead service lines that were replaced after the CWS last submitted
a service line inventory to the Illinois EPA, and the material of the service line that replaced each lead
service line.
In completing the LSLI, the Grantee shall, pursuant to Section 17.12(h) of the Act:
1. Prioritize inspections of high-risk areas identified by the CWS and inspections of high-risk facilities,
such as preschools, day care centers, day care homes, group day care homes, parks, playgrounds,
hospitals, and clinics, and confirm service line materials in those areas at those facilities.
2. Review historical documentation, such as construction logs or cards, as- built drawings, purchase
orders, and subdivision plans, to determine service line material construction.
3. When conducting distribution system maintenance, visually inspect service lines and document
materials of construction.
4. Identify any time period when the service lines being connected to its distribution system were
primarily lead service lines, if such a time period is known or suspected.
5. Discuss service line repairs and installation with its employees, contractors, plumbers, other workers
who worked on service lines connected to its distribution system, or all of the above.
THERE IS NO REQUIREMENT TO UNEARTH SERVICE LINES FOR THE PURPOSE OF INVENTORYING
*The IEPA LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY TEMPLATE can be found on the following IEPA website:
https://epa.illinois.gov/content/dam/soi/en/web/epa/topics/drinking-water/public-water-
users/documents/IEPA%202024%20Final%20Material%20Inventory%20Template.xlsx
C. FUNDING INFORMATION
The LSLI Grant Program will be utilizing $6,570,000 from the 15% Local Assistance and Other State
Program Set-Aside, where no more than 10% of the grant funds may be used on a single program activity.
The Set-Aside will be taken from the 2022 BIL- Lead grant to fund this round (Round 4) of the Lead Service
Line Inventory Grant Program. Illinois EPA expects to award a total of $6,570,000 and anticipates
PAGE 3 of 15 LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY GRANT PROGRAM NOFO – ROUND 4

---

distributing this amount across one hundred and thirty-one (131) to three hundred and twenty-eight (328)
awards. Funding will be limited to a maximum of $50,000 per applicant.
An individual grant will be for a maximum amount based upon the number of service connections within
the applicant’s CWS as follows:
NUMBER OF SERVICE CONNECTIONS MAXIMUM GRANT AMOUNT
WITHIN APPLICANT’S CWS
5,000 + Service Connections $50,000.00
1,000 – 4,999 Service Connections $40,000.00
100 – 999 Service Connections $30,000.00
Less than 100 Service Connections $20,000.00
The Illinois EPA may elect to partially fund an application by funding discrete portions or phases of the
project scope of work. This could be due to ineligible project components identified within the
application, or not enough LSLI Grant Program funds being available to fully fund the entire project.
HOW GRANT FUNDS WILL BE DISBURSED:
1. FIRST DISBURSEMENT REQUEST – Fifty percent (50%) of the grant amount will be disbursed when the
Grantee provides the Illinois EPA a fully executed service contract, detailing the scope of work and
services to be performed by a third party in developing a Complete LSLI that will meet the inventory
requirements of Section 17.12 of the Act, as well as the following:
a. Illinois EPA LSLI Grant Program Invoice for Disbursement Request
2. FINAL DISBURSEMENT REQUEST – The remaining grant balance will be provided to the Grantee upon
the submittal to the Illinois EPA a Complete Lead Service Line Inventory meeting the inventory
requirements of Section 17.12 of the Act, as well as the following:
a. Proof of public accessibility of the LSLI on the grantee’s website OR ILLINOIS EPA website
b. Proof of notification to all owners and occupants of structures with lead service lines
c. Invoice from third party performing inventory assessment for TOTAL COSTS INCURRED
d. Illinois EPA LSLI Grant Program Invoice for Disbursement Request
**PLEASE NOTE: LSLI GRANT FUNDS CANNOT BE USED TO PAY GRANT RECIPIENT STAFF
SALARIES/WAGES TO COMPLETE THE INVENTORY. STAFF WAGES ARE CONSIDERED AN INELIGIBLE
GRANT COST.**
COSTS OF REPORTING EFFORTS RELATED TO ANY REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF THE UGA CAN BE
INCLUDED IN THE THIRD-PARTY CONTRACT.
D. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION
1. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS
Applicants must have a Median Household Income (MHI) below 120% of the current State average
MHI. Applicants with an MHI equal to or above 120% the State average are NOT eligible for Illinois
PAGE 4 of 15 LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY GRANT PROGRAM NOFO – ROUND 4

---

EPA LSLI Grant Program Funding.
Eligible applicants may apply for funding until all funds are exhausted.
Applicants must be in good standing with the Illinois Secretary of the State pursuant to 44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.70
(f)(3) and 30 ILCS 708/25(6)(E). Eligible proposals will come from a Local Government Unit within the State of
Illinois, as defined in 35 Ill. Adm. Code 662.110 as follows:
Local Government Unit − A county, municipality, township, municipal or county sewerage
or utility authority, sanitary district, public water district, improvement authority or any
other political subdivision whose primary purpose is to construct, own, operate and maintain
wastewater treatment facilities, including storm water treatment systems, or public water
supply facilities or both. [415 ILCS 5/19.2(g)]
An entity shall not apply for a grant until the entity has registered and pre-qualified through the GATA
Grantee Portal, https://grants.illinois.gov/portal/. Registration and pre-qualification are required
annually. During GATA pre-qualification, verifications are performed including a check of the federal
Debarred and Suspended list and status on the Illinois Stop Payment List. An automated email
notification from the GATA Portal to the entity alerts them of ‘qualified’ status or informs how to
remediate a negative verification (e.g., inactive UEI, not in good standing with the Secretary of State).
A federal Debarred and Suspended status cannot be remediated.
APPLICANTS THAT ARE INELIGIBLE UNDER THIS NOFO:
a. Private homeowners and/or business owners
b. Applicants with an MHI equal to or greater than 120% of the State average MHI
c. Entities who have been placed in the Illinois Debt Recovery Offset Portal.
d. Entities that have NOT satisfied the following GATA pre-qualification requirements:
i. Registered with the System for Award Management (SAM) (www.SAM.gov)
ii. Have a valid Unique Entity Identification (UEI) number
iii. Completed an Internal Controls Questionnaire (ICQ) as the fiscal and administrative risk
assessment for the current fiscal year – FY 2024 & FY 2025 (when available)
iv. In good standing with the Illinois Secretary of State
v. Not currently debarred by the State of Illinois and/or federal government
vi. Not on the Federal Excluded Parties List
vii. Not on the Illinois Stop Payment List
viii. Not on the sanctioned party list of the Dept. of Healthcare and Family Services
ix. Not on the SAM.gov Exclusion List
2. ELIGIBLE FUNDING COSTS
Funding will be provided to assist with funding the completion of a Complete Lead Service Line
Inventory and an executed third-party service agreement to complete said inventory.
Costs of reporting efforts related to any reporting requirements of the UGA can be included in the
third-party contract and are considered an eligible grant cost.
Examples of eligible activities, tasks and components that could be funded through the LSLI Grant
PAGE 5 of 15 LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY GRANT PROGRAM NOFO – ROUND 4

---

Program are provided below. The list is not all-inclusive:
a. GIS Mapping/Database formulation
b. Door-to-door inspection
c. Records review
d. Predictive modeling
e. Exploratory digging/potholing
i. *PLEASE NOTE: The Illinois EPA may request justification for this to be considered an eligible
LSLI grant cost.*
ii. REMINDER: There is no requirement to unearth service lines for the purpose of inventorying.
3. INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES, TASKS, AND/OR COMPONENTS
Examples of ineligible activities, tasks, and components that shall not be funded through the LSLI
Grant Program are provided below. The list is not all-inclusive:
a. Project planning and/or construction related costs,
b. Lead Service Line Replacement Costs,
c. Personnel salaries of grant applicant,
i. NOTE: Staff wages CANNOT be paid for from LSLI Grant Funds
d. Costs for food, drink, or entertainment
NOTE: Costs incurred prior to the fully executed agreement date of the signed Uniform Grant
Agreement (UGA) or after the grant agreement term ends ARE INELIGIBLE.
4. COST SHARING OR MATCHING
The LSLI Grant Program DOES NOT require cost sharing, matching, or cost participation, but additional
funds may be necessary to complete the project as LSLI Grant Program amounts may not be sufficient
to complete the project. See Section B of this NOFO.
5. INDIRECT COST
In order to charge indirect costs to a grant, the applicant organization must have an annually
negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA). This is done through the State of Illinois’ centralized
indirect cost rate system. Grant applicants may choose:
a. FEDERALLY NEGOTIATED RATE: Applicant organizations that receive direct federal funding may
have Indirect Cost Rate that was negotiated with their Federal Cognizant Agency. Illinois will
accept the federally negotiated rate. The organization must provide a copy of the federally NICRA.
b. STATE NEGOTIATED RATE: The applicant may negotiate an Indirect Cost Rate with the State of
Illinois.
a. If an applicant has not previously established an Indirect Cost Rate, an Indirect
Cost Rate proposal must be submitted through State of Illinois' centralized
Indirect Cost Rate system no later than three months after receipt of a Notice of
State Award (NOSA).
PAGE 6 of 15 LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY GRANT PROGRAM NOFO – ROUND 4

---

b. If an applicant previously established an Indirect Cost Rate, the applicant must
annually submit a new indirect cost proposal through Crowe Activity Review
System (CARS) within six months after the close of the applicant's Fiscal Year.
c. DE MINIMIS RATE: An applicant that has never negotiated an Indirect Cost Rate with the Federal
Government or the State of Illinois is eligible to elect a de minimis rate of 10% of modified total
direct cost (MTDC). Once established, the De Minimis Rate may be used indefinitely. The State of
Illinois must verify the calculation of the MTDC annually in order to accept the De Minimis Rate.
d. NO RATE: An applicant can choose to elect no rate for the appropriate fiscal year.
e. PROVISIONAL RATE: If an applicant has not completed the process for selecting their Indirect
Cost Rate for the applicable fiscal year, the State of Illinois may approve a provisional rate to be
used in an agreement until their Indirect Cost Rate has been approved. This provisional rate has
to be reconciled and payments adjusted prior to the end of that Fiscal Year or the end of the grant
contract term, whichever comes first.
All applicants must provide proof of a federally approved rate, complete an Indirect Cost Rate
negotiation or elect the De Minimis Rate to claim reimbursement of indirect costs. Indirect costs
reimbursed without a Federal or State negotiated rate or a De Minimis Rate election on record in the
State of Illinois' centralized indirect cost rate system may be subject to disallowance and the applicant
will be required to repay any indirect costs received.
Grantees have discretion and can elect to waive payment for indirect costs. Grantees that elect to waive
payments for indirect costs cannot be reimbursed for indirect costs. The organization must record an
election to “Waive Indirect Costs” into the State of Illinois' centralized Indirect Cost Rate system.
E. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION
Applicants shall not apply to the LSLI Grant Program until the applicant has pre-qualified through the
GATA Grantee Portal, https://grants.illinois.gov/portal/.
All required application materials are provided at the end of this NOFO document in Appendices 1 through
7. Additionally, all application-related forms are available on the following Illinois EPA website:
https://epa.illinois.gov/topics/drinking-water/public-water-users/lsli-grant-opportunity.html
1. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION
A complete LSLI Grant Program application shall include the following:
a. NOFO APPENDIX 1: Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance
b. NOFO APPENDIX 2: Lead Service Line Inventory Grant Program Uniform Grant Budget Template
(UGBT)
i. The entire budget for all inventory activity should be provided, with all worksheets
PAGE 7 of 15 LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY GRANT PROGRAM NOFO – ROUND 4

---

completed.
ii. Please note, this program is utilizing Federal funds and the FFATA Data Collection Form
(Page 5 of 8 of UGBT) is applicable and needs to be completed.
c. NOFO APPENDIX 3: A completed Lead Service Line Inventory Grant Program Project Summary
Worksheet identifying the need for an inventory assessment. The worksheet shall provide
enough information for the Illinois EPA to evaluate and score the project in accordance with
Section(F)(2) of this NOFO. The worksheet should identify:
i. The total service population to be served by the project.
ii. The total number of service connections within the CWS.
iii. The location(s) of the service population to be served by the project. The location(s) should
include the name(s) of the town/city/village where the residents live and/or the
unincorporated area(s) where the residents live in order for the Illinois EPA to identify the
median household income of the total service population.
iv. The project area by providing a project map detailing the area of inventory assessment.
v. The anticipated method(s) to be used to perform the inventory assessment and briefly
describe said method(s).
d. NOFO APPENDIX 4: The Programmatic Risk Assessment Questionnaire (PRAQ), also must be
completed and submitted along with the application documents. This Risk Assessment evaluates
the applicant’s ability to successfully carry out the terms of LSLI Grant Program and assesses four
risk categories: 1) quality of management systems and ability to meet the management
standards; 2) history of performance; 3) reports and findings from audits performed on prior
awards; and 4) the applicant’s ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other
requirements imposed on a grantee. Applicant must also provide a copy of their Statement of
Activities from their most recent financial audit as part of this review. Please attach Statement of
Activities to the completed PRAQ and submit along with the other required application submittals.
Instructions for completing the PRAQ are provided on the form.
e. NOFO APPENDIX 5: A completed Certifications and Assurances Acknowledgement Form. This
form is to assure the applicant’s acknowledgement of the program requirements that will be listed
within the executed UGA.
f. NOFO APPENDIX 6: A completed Grantee Conflict of Interest Disclosure. This form is to be
completed, signed, and submitted upon application submittal. Applicants must disclose in writing
any actual or potential conflict of interest as soon as it becomes known, in accordance with 30
ILCS 708/35, 30 ILCS 708/60(a)(5), 44 Ill. Admin. Code 7000.330(f) and the executed UGA. For
conflicts that exist at the time of grant application submission, submit this form with your grant
application materials. If no actual or potential conflicts exists, the grantee should indicate “no
conflicts.” For conflicts that arise after application submission, submit this form to your
designated grant program point of contact within 7 calendar days after the conflict has been
identified.
g. NOFO APPENDIX 7: A completed Executive Compensation DATA (5 Officer Form). This form is to
document/report the five most highly compensated officers of the applicant dependent upon the
three conditions discussed on the form.
PAGE 8 of 15 LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY GRANT PROGRAM NOFO – ROUND 4

---

h. GATA PORTAL: The Fiscal and Administrative Risk Assessment Questionnaire must be completed
prior to the application submittal. This Questionnaire is located within the GATA Portal. The
applicant must complete the Fiscal and Administrative Risk Assessment Questionnaire in the
GATA Portal for Fiscal Year 2024 and Fiscal Year 2025 (when available).
The Illinois EPA requires the LSLI Grant Program applicants to use the forms provided in the GATA
Portal. These forms are designed to allow the Illinois EPA to obtain adequate information to properly
evaluate the proposed project.
All LSLI Grant Program forms that require a signature must be signed by persons authorized by the
applicant organization to enter into formal contractual agreements. Furthermore, any forms
submitted missing signatures in designated signature blocks will be deemed incomplete, thus
ineligible to be scored for funding.
Application submissions can be made either:
a. By email using the EPA.LoanMgmt@illinois.gov. Include the phrase “Lead Service Line Inventory
Grant Application” and applicant name in the email subject line. (If application submittal materials
require multiple emails, please label emails accordingly. For example: 1 of 2, 2 of 4, etc.) Contact
the Infrastructure Financial Assistance Section at (217)782-2027 regarding potential firewall issues.
OR
b. By mailing or delivering the application on a CD, USB, or paper copy directly to:
US Postal Service Mailing Address: Delivery Address:
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Bureau of Water, #15 Bureau of Water, #15
P.O. Box 19276 P.O. Box 19276
Springfield, Illinois 62794-9276 Springfield, Illinois 62794-9276
Attention: Lanina Clark Attention: Lanina Clark
2. UNIQUE ENTITY ID (UEI) NUMBER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM)
Each applicant (unless the applicant is an individual or federal or State awarding agency that is exempt
from those requirements under 2 CFR § 25.110(b) or (c), or has an exception approved by the federal
or State awarding agency under 2 CFR § 25.110(d) is required to:
a. Be registered in SAM before submitting its application (Register at: https://www.sam.gov/);
b. Provide a valid UEI number in its application; and
c. Maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an
active federal, federal pass-through, or State award or an application or plan under consideration
by a federal or State awarding agency.
The Illinois EPA SHALL NOT make a State award to an applicant unless the applicant has complied with
all applicable UEI and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied with these
requirements, the Illinois EPA shall determine the applicant as not qualified to receive a State award.
The Illinois EPA shall use that determination as a basis to make a State award to another qualified
applicant.
PAGE 9 of 15 LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY GRANT PROGRAM NOFO – ROUND 4

---

3. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES
LSLI Grant Program applications are accepted by Illinois EPA until funding has been expended. The
complete copy of all of the application submittals must be received at Illinois EPA’s Springfield office
to be considered for funding under the LSLI Grant Program. Applications should be submitted
electronically to EPA.LoanMgmt@illinois.gov.
Incomplete applications shall:
a. Be deemed incomplete,
b. NOT be considered for funding,
c. NOT be returned to the applicant, and
d. Preclude the Illinois EPA from making an award to the applicant.
F. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION
1. APPLICATION CRITERIA
This Grant is being offered to Illinois local government units with a Median Household Income (MHI)
below 120% of the Illinois state average MHI on a first come first served basis.
In addition, if the answer to any of the following Administrative Criterion or GATA Pre-Qualification
Criterion questions is NO, the application shall NOT be considered for funding.
REMINDER: If you have any questions regarding any of the application submittals, please contact
either Lanina Clark lanina.clark@illinois.gov, Jillian Fowler jillian.fowler@illinois.gov, Rachael Heaton
rachael.heaton@illinois.gov, Julie Matthews julie.matthews@illinois.gov, or Kaitlyn Holtsclaw
kaitlyn.m.holtsclaw@illinois.gov for assistance.
NOTE: The table below is the exact scoring rubric the Illinois EPA Infrastructure Financial Assistance
Section (IFAS) Staff will be utilizing to review and score the application submittals.
GATA PRE-QUALIFICATION CRITERION YES NO
1. Did the applicant meet all of the following pre-qualification requirements through the GATA Grantee
Portal, https://grants.illinois.gov/portal/?
A. Has a valid UEI number
B. Has current SAM.gov account
C. NOT on the SAM.gov Exclusion List
D. NOT on the Federal Excluded Parties List
E. Good standing with Illinois Secretary of State
F. NOT listed on Illinois Stop Payment List
G. NOT listed on Department of Healthcare and Family Services Provider Sanctions list
H. Fiscal and Administrative Risk Assessment Completed for Fiscal Year 2024 & FY2025 (if available)
I. NOT currently debarred by the State of Illinois and/or federal government
PAGE 10 of 15 LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY GRANT PROGRAM NOFO – ROUND 4

---

ADMINISTRATIVE CRITERION YES NO
2. Application meets all Administrative Criterion below and is eligible for Merit-Based Review
A. All application fields completed with the information requested and boxes checked, as applicable.
B. Included a Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance with completed signature block.
C. Included a Lead Service Line Inventory Grant Program Uniform Grant Budget Template with all
pages and completed signature block.
D. Included a completed LSLI Project Summary Worksheet with all necessary information as detailed
in Section (E)(1) of this NOFO.
i. Total service population:
ii. Location to be served:
iii. Total number of service connections:
v. Map of project area:
vi. Anticipated method(s) to be used for LSLI:
E. Programmatic Risk Assessment Questionnaire (PRAQ) Completed and Submitted
F. Certifications and Assurances Acknowledgment Form Completed and Submitted
G. Grantee Conflict of Interest Disclosure
H. Executive Compensation Data (5 Officer Form)
ELIGIBILITY CRITERION YES NO
3. Applicant meets all Eligibility Criterion and is eligible for funding under this NOFO
A. MHI of applicant is below 120% of IL state average MHI
B. Applicant is an Illinois local government unit
2. REVIEW AND SELECTION
All LSLI Grant Program applications shall be reviewed for completeness, technical merit, cost
effectiveness, and adherence to the eligibility criteria described in this NOFO. Applications found to
be complete and meeting ALL eligibility requirements will be funded on a first come first served basis.
3. APPEAL PROCESS
An appeal process is available to applicants and other interested parties; however, appeals are limited
to the Illinois EPA evaluation process. Evaluation scores may not be protested. An appeal must be
submitted in writing to the following address: Illinois EPA, Attn: Infrastructure Financial Assistance
Section, Bureau of Water, 1021 N. Grand Avenue, Mail Code #15, P.O. Box 19276, Springfield, Illinois
62794-9276 and must be received within 14 calendar days after the date that the grant award notice
has been published by the Illinois EPA on Grants.Illinois.gov. The written appeal shall include, at a
minimum, the following: the name and address of the appealing party, identification of the grant, and
a statement of reasons for the appeal. The Illinois EPA shall acknowledge receipt of an appeal within
fourteen (14) calendar days from the date the appeal was received.
When an appeal is received, the execution of all grant agreements that Illinois EPA intends to make
under this NOFO shall be stayed until the appeal is resolved, unless the Illinois EPA determines the
needs of the State require moving forward with execution of the remaining grant agreements. The
State need determination and rational shall be documented in writing.
Illinois EPA shall respond to the appeal within 60 days or supply a written explanation to the appealing
party as to why additional time is required. The appealing party must supply any additional
PAGE 11 of 15 LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY GRANT PROGRAM NOFO – ROUND 4

---

information requested by the Illinois EPA within the time period set in the request. The Director of
the Illinois EPA may appoint one or more Appeal Review Officers (ARO) to consider the grant-related
appeal and make a recommendation to the Director of the Illinois EPA or designee for resolution. The
ARO shall make a recommendation to the Director of the Illinois EPA or designee as expeditiously as
possible after receiving all relevant, requested information. In determining the appropriate
recommendation, the ARO shall consider the integrity of the competitive grant process and the impact
of the recommendation on the Illinois EPA. The Illinois EPA shall resolve the appeal by means of
written determination, which shall include, but not be limited to: review of the appeal, appeal
determination, and rationale for the determination.
4. ANTICIPATED ANNOUNCEMENT AND STATE AWARD DATES
Illinois EPA’s Infrastructure Financial Assistance Section shall present a summary of all applications
received to the Chief of the Bureau of Water and the Director of the Illinois EPA. This summary shall
confirm that the NOFO was followed and will include the findings and recommendations of the
Evaluation Panel, including application rank and funding recommendations.
ACTION BY ILLINOIS EPA ANTICIPATED DATE
Notify applicants that their application was Within 7 days of application submittal to the
received. ILLINOIS EPA
Notify unsuccessful applicants their application
Within 30 days of application submittal
was not selected for funding.
Send a "Notice of State Award" to selected Approximately 30 days after receipt of eligible
applicants for signature. application
Provide a fully executed grant agreement to the Approximately 60 days after receipt of eligible
grantee. application
Please note these are the anticipated dates and may not be exact.
The Illinois EPA shall send an e-mail to the applicant acknowledging receipt of the application.
Applicants shall be notified within 30 days of the application submittal if their application was not
considered for funding due to an incomplete or ineligible submittal or if they were not pre-qualified
in the GATA Grantee Portal.
G. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION
1. NOTICE OF STATE AWARD (NOSA)
The Illinois EPA shall issue a Notice of State Award (NOSA) to the successful grant applicants. The
NOSA shall specify the funding terms and specific conditions resulting from the Fiscal and
Administrative and Programmatic Risk Assessments. The NOSA must be accepted by an authorized
representative before a grant agreement can be sent to the applicant. A NOSA is NOT an
authorization to begin project activities or incur costs.
NOTE: No costs can be incurred by the applicant until the UGA is signed by both the Grantor and
Grantee.
PAGE 12 of 15 LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY GRANT PROGRAM NOFO – ROUND 4

---

Once all the final requirements have been completed, the grant agreement between the ILLINOIS EPA
and the applicant shall be sent to the applicant to sign and return. Once the agreement is fully
executed by the Illinois EPA, a copy shall be returned to the applicant.
2. ADMINISTRATIVE, STATE, AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS
The terms and conditions of the award shall be specified in the NOSA and the grant agreement.
If the grantee of a LSLI Grant is at any time offered any State, federal, or local grant or any other
funding source, to assist in the payment of expenses for which the LSLI Grant Program grant payment
has been issued, the recipient shall reimburse the State of Illinois for any LSLI Grant Program grant
funds used to pay expenses or offered to be paid under another grant or funding source.
Each grantee must agree to comply with all applicable federal and State requirements. This includes
Uniform Administrative Requirements, 2 CFR § 200 and GATA. These can have a significant impact
on the costs and complexity of a project. LSLI Grant Program grantees will be expected to submit a
completed and signed Certifications and Assurances Acknowledgement Form confirming that they
will comply with all State and federal mandates. Certifications and Assurances Acknowledgement
Form can be found in Appendix 5 of this NOFO or on the Illinois EPA Lead Service Line Inventory Grant
Opportunity webpage that can be found at the following link:
https://epa.illinois.gov/topics/drinking-water/public-water-users/lsli-grant-opportunity.html
If the grantee has been placed in the Illinois Debt Recovery Offset Portal due to delinquent debt owed
to the State of Illinois, all grant payments will be held until the grantees satisfies all delinquent debt.
Additional requirements for federally funded grants are as follows:
a. All geospatial data created must be consistent with Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC)
endorsed standards. Information on these standards may be found at www.fgdc.gov.
b. Internal Controls for Financial Transactions: The recipient agrees to use procedures consistent
with “zero-trust” (never trust, always verify) for all financial transactions with SRF funds. These
procedures must include verbal verification with a trusted recipient representative of all financial
account information both initially and prior to any changes in financial account information.
3. REPORTING
All projects require, at minimum, quarterly reporting of progress, annual financial reporting, and a
final project evaluation and report. Specific reporting requirements will be detailed within the UGA
and will be determined based on the applicant’s scored risk assessments. Quarterly progress reports
shall include a PERIODIC FINANCIAL REPORT, a PERIODIC PERFORMANCE REPORT, and a BRIEF
PROJECT NARRATIVE. These reports shall be sent to the Illinois EPA’s Infrastructure Financial
Assistance Section staff at:
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Bureau of Water, # 15
1021 North Grand Avenue East
PAGE 13 of 15 LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY GRANT PROGRAM NOFO – ROUND 4

---

P.O. Box 19276
Springfield,Illinois62794-9276
Email: jillian.fowler@illinois.gov – Jillian Fowler
rachael.heaton@illinois.gov – Rachael Heaton
julie.matthews@illinois.gov – Julie Matthews
kaitlyn.m.holtsclaw@illinois.gov – Kaitlyn Holtsclaw
Phone:(217) 782-2027 (Rachael Heaton, Julie Matthews, or Kaitlyn Holtsclaw)
For the purpose of reconciliation, all projects require an annual Periodic Financial Report reflecting
the project’s progress over the grantee’s fiscal year. This report should include the Grantee’s entire
Fiscal Year expenditures for their award.
All projects require a final project report. The grantee shall submit to the Illinois EPA, by the date
specified in the grant agreement, a report explaining the execution of the project and evaluating the
project’s success. The report shall document the project tasks and summarize the findings, costs, and
benefits of the project.
Examples of these reports can be found on the Illinois EPA Lead Service Line Inventory Grant
Opportunity webpage:
https://epa.illinois.gov/topics/drinking-water/public-water-users/lsli-grant-opportunity.html
H. STATE AWARDING AGENCY CONTACT(S)
If you have any programmatic questions regarding the LSLI Grant Program, this NOFO, or the LSLI Grant
Program application, please contact the Illinois EPA’s Infrastructure Financial Assistance Section staff at:
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Bureau of Water, # 15
1021 North Grand Avenue East
P.O. Box 19276
Springfield,Illinois62794-9276
Email: lanina.clark@illinois.gov – Lanina Clark
jillian.fowler@illinois.gov – Jillian Fowler
rachael.heaton@illinois.gov – Rachael Heaton
julie.matthews@illinois.gov – Julie Matthews
kaitlyn.m.holtsclaw@illinois.gov – Kaitlyn Holtsclaw
Phone: (217) 782-2027 (Lanina Clark)
If you have fiscal and administrative questions regarding the Uniform Grant Application, the Lead Service
Line Inventory Grant Program Uniform Grant Budget Template, Internal Controls Questionnaire (ICQ),
Indirect Costs, or pre-qualifying through the GATA Grantee Portal, contact the Illinois EPA’s Fiscal staff at:
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Fiscal Services
1021 North Grand Avenue East
P.O. Box 19276
Springfield, Illinois 62794-9276
Email: EPA.GATA@illinois.gov
Phone: (217) 785-1724
PAGE 14 of 15 LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY GRANT PROGRAM NOFO – ROUND 4

---

If you have any questions regarding the Lead Service Line inventory requirements, contact the Illinois
EPA’s Division of Public Water Supplies Compliance Assurance Section Staff at:
Illinois Environmental Protection Agency
Division of Public Water Supplies Compliance Assurance Section
1021 North Grand Avenue East
P.O. Box 19276
Springfield, Illinois 62794-9276
Email: EPA.LeadandCopper@illinois.gov
Phone: (217) 785-0561
I. OTHER INFORMATION
Additional information about the LSLI Grant Program can be found on the following Illinois EPA website:
https://epa.illinois.gov/topics/drinking-water/public-water-users/lsli-grant-opportunity.html
The Illinois EPA is not obligated to make any grant award as a result of this NOFO.
PAGE 15 of 15 LEAD SERVICE LINE INVENTORY GRANT PROGRAM NOFO – ROUND 4