The AMS local regional foods division (LRFD) seeks to understand the broader impacts of USDA-AMS� local food purchasing agreements program on the existing networks of regional market channels,…

The AMS local regional foods division (LRFD) seeks to understand the broader impacts of USDA-AMS� local food purchasing agreements program on the existing networks of regional market channels, including equitable access to those channels, small farm participation in commodity procurement, and the degree to which lfpa has afforded (even small) capital improvements, food safety certifications, improved logistics, or other investments that may contribute to lasting fortification of regional procurement channels. In close collaboration with AMS-commodity procurement (AMS-CP), AMS-LRFD and its research partners aim to conduct a comprehensive review of data reported to USDA-AMS by state/tribal/territory lfpa cooperators. Using mixed-methods, researchers will collect additional data from stakeholders involved in or impacted by lfpa (i.e., producer networks, aggregator/distributors, state/tribal/territory representatives that have administered lfpa programs). Researchers will develop lfpa typologies and systematically assess correlations between different lfpa implementation approaches and the correlated economic, value-chain and market impacts, as well as the realization of program goals for target stakeholder communities, including underserved producers and communities. The project has four goals: 1. Analyze and characterize the structure and implementation of lfpa cooperative agreements among tribal and non-tribal entities. 2. Characterize the economic and non-economic impacts of lfpa agreements relative to the promised deliverables of lfpa cooperators, including impacts on underrepresented and underserved producers and methods used to track indicated impacts. 3. Identify common challenges faced by cooperators, sub-awardees, and producers, best/replicable practices and ongoing areas of need to address those challenges and sustainably strengthen, expand, and increase the diversity and equity of mid-tier value chains in local and regional food systems.? 4. Develop outreach and technical assistance resources that are accessible and useful for state and tribal entities involved in local food procurement, as well as other relevant entities, including: regional food business centers, aggregator/distributors/hubs, producer networks, and USDA FNS, state/tribal/territory entities involved in procurement, along with the broader research community. Guide AMS-CP�S ongoing implementation of lfpa and lfpa+, LFS, and any potential future rounds or iterations of these programs. A. The federal agency will: 1. Attend and participate in all project team meetings and provide necessary supports to complete the research project. 2. Collaborate with cooperator(S) to meet all objectives and outcomes stated on the scope of work and within the timeline and deadline of project scope as stated in this agreement. 3. Connect public-available federal resources that are determined imperative to obtain project objectives and outcomes. 4. Communicate the charge, the timeline, the deliverables and the role of the federal agency via an initial conference call with the cooperator and project team. 5. Participate in subsequent conference calls and meetings about the scope and framing of any public outputs including surveys, focus groups and summary outputs. Communicate as needed with the cooperator and project team to plan or follow-up on calls and meetings. B. The cooperator will: 1. Partner with USDA-AMS to obtain and review existing data related to lfpa implementation, including: lfpa proposal narratives and progress reports, plus all reported raw data showing distribution destinations (�buyers�), purchase vendors (i.e., hub/distributor), farmer/producers, type of product, purchase value amount, whether a new producer relationship has been formed, and whether the producer and/or vendor identified as underserved; review wallace center lfpa report, and other related research projects. 2. Provide a subaward to project cooperative sub-leads, tuskegee university and indigenous food and agricultural initiative, to advance project objectives and outcomes. 3. Participate in subsequent conference calls and meetings about the scope and framing of any public outputs including surveys, focus groups and summary outputs. Communicate as needed with USDA-AMS and project team to plan or follow-up on calls and meetings. 4. Develop tools for research including: a survey tool administered to state and tribal project leads; focus groups held with states/tribes, sub-awardees, and producers; case studies with 3 states and 3 tribes, including additional focus groups and interviews. 5. Maintain confidentiality, use the data provided only for the purposes of this project, and ensure that USDA AMS reviews all proposed publications. USDA AMS shall have sixty (60) days after receipt of a manuscript to object to such proposed publication, either because the manuscript contains confidential information belonging to USDA AMS or because the manuscript contains patentable subject matter that requires protection. The author of the manuscript shall delete USDA AMS�S confidential information from the manuscript prior to submitting IT for publication. 6. Collaborate with USDA-AMS to meet all objectives and outcomes stated on the scope of work and within the timeline and deadline of project scope as stated in this agreement. 7. Provide access to all materials developed through this agreement to USDA-AMS to review and provide feedback prior to public dissemination. 8. Develop applied research outputs; technical assistance resources for states/territories/tribes. 9. Share findings with AMS-CP and AMS project leads for review and approval. 10. Present findings to relevant stakeholder groups and regional conferences.