Cooperative Agreement AM220300WAMSC008

THIS AGREEMENT CEMENTS A PARTNERSHIP WITH CODING IT FORWARD TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, AND HIRE A CIVIC DATA FELLOW FOR WORK IN THE USDA AMS LOCAL AND REGIONAL DIVISION. GIVEN AN INCREASED INTEREST IN DATA AND METRICS, THIS OFFICE HAS BEEN BUILDING OUT ITS RESEARCH TALENT, HIRING NEW INDIVIDUALS WITH DIVERSE SKILLSETS IN QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS. IT IS CURRENTLY UTILIZING COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS WITH ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS AND NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO COLLECT AND ANALYZE DATA, CREATE DATA VISUALIZATIONS, AND HELP THE AGENCY ADDRESSES GAPS IN RESEARCH, ALL WHICH LEAD INTO BETTER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO STAKEHOLDERS. MANY DATA ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY, AND USDA AMS SEEKS NEW AND IMPROVED PRACTICES AND METHODS TO ENHANCE DATA STEWARDSHIP AND INCREASE ACCESS AND USABILITY IN A TRANSPARENT AND EQUITABLE MANNER. THROUGH AN ESTABLISHED FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM (CODING IT FORWARD'S CIVIC DATA FELLOWSHIP) THAT STRIVES TO EXPOSE EARLY CAREER TECHNOLOGISTS TO PUBLIC SERVICEOPPORTUNITIES AT FEDERAL AGENCIES, USDA AMS SEEKS THE EXPERTISE OF AN ORGANIZATION SPECIALIZING IN AND PARTNERING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE EXPERTS IN STUDENT SUMMER PROGRAMS TO MANAGE THE RECRUITMENT, APPLICATION, REVIEW, AND SELECTION PROCESSES, AND TO FACILITATE MATCHING OUR OFFICE WITH A FELLOW WHO HAS EXPERIENCE IN DATA COLLECTION, USING STATISTICAL PROGRAMS TO USING STATISTICAL PROGRAMS TO CLEAN AND ANALYZE DATA (E.G., STATA, R), DEVELOPING DASHBOARDS AND VISUALIZATION (E.G., TABLEAU, ARCGIS), AND WHO UNDERSTANDS THE CHALLENGES OF DATA EQUITY. WE WOULD EXPECT THAT THE FELLOW WILL ALSO BE COMFORTABLE AND HAVE EXPERIENCE IN DATA MINING, MACHINE LEARNING, AND DATA MANAGEMENT. THE FELLOW WILL PRODUCE PRODUCTS FOR TECHNICAL AND NON-TECHNICAL AUDIENCES. A. THE FEDERAL AGENCY WILL: 1. ADVISE THE COOPERATOR IN DEVELOPING THE PROJECT AND TIMELINE, RECOMMENDING CHANGES TO SCOPE AND CONTENT OF ONGOING REPORTS AND PR OJECTS, AND REVIEWING ALL DELIVERABLES. 2. PROVIDE INPUT AS APPROPRIATE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE PROJECT. 3. SUPERVISE AND GUIDE THE CIVIC DIGITAL FELLOW. 4. CREATE A DATA-CENTRIC PROJECT THAT CAN BE COMPLETED OVER 10 WEEKS IN SUMMER 2023. 5. PROVIDE ANY RELEVANT HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE PROJECT. 6. ASSIST IN OBTAINING AND PROVIDING DATA AND DISSEMINATING RELEVANT DATA. 7. SUPPORT THE FELLOW THROUGHOUT THE COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT. 8. SERVE AS CONNECTOR BETWEEN OTHER USDA PARTNERS AND COOPERATOR. 9. PROVIDE THE COOPERATOR WITH A SUM NOT TO EXCEED $16,390.90 TO COVER ALL ALLOWABLE COSTS. B. THE COOPERATOR WILL: 1. WORK WITH USDA-AMS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS FOR INPUT ON THE PROJECT. 2. KEEP USDA-AMS APPRISED OF ALL DEVELOPMENTS. 3. COMPLY WITH ALL REPORTING AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT GUIDELINES. 4. MANAGE AND EXECUTE THIS PROJECT AND ALL ACTIVITIES BELOW. 5. RECRUIT INTERVIEW, VET, AND MANAGE A CIVIC DIGITAL FELLOW AVAILABLE FOR THE PROJECT PERIOD. 6. COORDINATE ALL NECESSARY MEETINGS, BOTH VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON. 7. KEEP UP-TO-DATE RECORDS ON THE PROJECT; SUBMIT QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORTS TO THE FEDERAL AGENCY, AND PREPARE A FINAL REPORT DETAILING THE WORK COMPLETED AND THE RESULTS ACCOMPLISHED. 8. SUBMIT REQUESTS FOR ADVANCES OR REIMBURSEMENTS TO THE FEDERAL AGENCY AT LEAST QUARTERLY ON FORM SF-270, REQUEST FOR ADVANCE OR REIMBURSEMENT, VIA EZFEDGRANTS PORTAL. 9. IMMEDIATELY REFUND TO THE FEDERAL AGENCY, AT THE END OF THE AGREEMENT, ANY BALANCE OF UNOBLIGATED FUNDS ADVANCED. THIS AGREEMENT IS ASSESSED AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGE AS PROVIDED UNDER THE DEBT COLLECTION ACT OF 1996. LATE PAYMENTS ARE ASSESSED AN INTEREST CHARGE OF 18 PERCENT PER MONTH AFTER 60 DAYS. A PENALTY CHARGE OF 7 PERCENT IS ASSESSED PER MONTH, IN ADDITION TO THE INTEREST CHARGE, AFTER 90 DAYS. 10. KEEP A SEPARATE ACCOUNT OF EXPENDITURES AND PROVIDE THE FEDERAL AGENCY A FINAL FEDERAL FINANCIAL REPORT, FORM SF-425, SUBMITTED NO LATER THAN 90 DAYS AFTER THE END OF THE AGREEMENT.