00. FY2024 McGovern-Dole NOFO.pdf

FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE

International Food Assistance Division

Global Programs

MCGOVERN-DOLE INTERNATIONAL FOOD FOR

EDUCATION AND CHILD NUTRITION PROGRAM

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY FISCAL YEAR

Request for Applications and Instructions

Application Submission Deadline: May 3rd, 2024

March 1, 2024

NEW IN FY2024

1. General changes to Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) language

USDA/FAS has moved information throughout sections, reworded passages, and added or removed items in comparison to the FY2023 NOFO for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program (McGovern-Dole). USDA/FAS made these numerous small changes to improve clarity, reduce redundancies, and ensure consistency with other Federal and USDA/FAS Notices of Funding Opportunity and Federal Regulation. As always, USDA/FAS strongly encourages Applicants to carefully read the entire NOFO to ensure alignment with requirements. Applicants may seek additional clarification by submitting questions per the instructions in Part D Section 2.

2. USAID lead mitigation efforts

In cooperation with USAID on their lead mitigation efforts, USDA/FAS strongly encourages Applicants to briefly address lead exposure context and mitigation in their Introduction and Strategic Analysis. Applicants should review Appendix C: Global Initiatives and Strategies for more general information and Part D Section 9a: Introduction and Strategic Analysis for instruction on addressing lead mitigation in applications.

3. Clarification of deworming requirements

USDA/FAS has revised the guidance Part D Section 9a: Introduction and Strategic Analysis under Strategic Objective 2, Nutrition and Health for deworming activities. This includes clarifying what information Applicants should provide on helminth infections in their Introduction in Strategic Analysis and when Applicants must include deworming activities in their Plan of Operations.

4. Reorganization of the Local and Regional Procurement, Ration Justification, and Commodity Management sections

USDA/FAS has moved items and sought to reduce redundancy between the various subsections within the Part D Section 9: Content Guidance, including the Local and Regional Procurement subsection within the Introduction and Strategic Analysis, the Ration Justification within the Plan of Operation, and Commodity Management section. Applicants should review carefully to ensure they include information in the correct subsection.

5. Revision to Sustainability and Lasting Impact

USDA/FAS has revised Part D Section 9c: Sustainability and Lasting Impact to provide more detailed guidance on the graduation timeline Applicants must include in their application. This includes providing examples of milestones towards graduation.

6. Additional guidance under Evaluation Criteria

Under Part E Section 2: Evaluation Criteria USDA/FAS has provided additional information on the evaluation criteria for each section of the Application and the review and selection process to clarify how USDA/FAS will evaluate applications.

7. Updated Budget Narrative

USDA/FAS has updated Appendix E: Budget Narrative to include a budget example that more closely aligns with current McGovern-Dole programming. The budget example is illustrative of the level of detail requested but not intended to recommend activities, the appropriate number of activities per project (see Part D Section 9b: Plan of Operation for this guidance), line items, or amounts. USDA/FAS also revised some of the Budget Narrative guidance, including the request that Applicants include the base and average salary for each position in their salary tables.

USDA/FAS encourages Applicants to review the text in italics for guidance and explanations.

8. Addition of “Travel” line item under Internal, Transportation, Storage and Handling

USDA/FAS is reconciling the Budget Summary template with our system of record in FAIS by adding a line item for “Travel” under Internal Transportation, Storage, and Handling in Appendix D: Budget Summary and Appendix E: Budget Narrative. See 2 CFR 200.475 Travel costs for guidance on what to include under this line item.

9. Addition of Appendix L: Terms and Conditions Regarding Acknowledgment of USDA Funding, Use of the USDA Logo, and Communications to the Public

USDA/FAS has added Appendix L which contains the most recent terms and conditions regarding the acknowledgment of USDA funding, use of the USDA logo, and communications to the public. USDA/FAS encourages Applicants to review these terms and conditions to understand expectations for awards and may use them to inform their method of educating the public, as described in their Introduction and Strategic Analysis.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.475 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFRed1f39f9b3d4e72/section-200.475

LIST OF ACRONYMS

BMI Body Mass Index

CCC Commodity Credit Corporation

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

COI Conflict of Interest CV Curriculum Vitae

FAIS Food Aid Information System

FFPr Food for Progress Program

FY Fiscal Year

GRA Government of the Republic of Angola

GOB Government of Bangladesh

GOES Government of El Salvador

GOE Government of Ethiopia

GOGB Government of Guinea- Bissau

GOG Government of Guatemala

GOM Government of Malawi GOR Government of Rwanda HQ Headquarters

HGSF Home Grown School Feeding

IR Intermediate Results

ITSH Internal Transportation, Storage, and Handling

LRP Local and Regional Procurement

M&E Monitoring and Evaluation

MCN Maternal and Child Nutrition

McGovern- Dole

McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program

MOU Memorandum of Understanding

MT Metric Ton(s) NCAGE North Atlantic Treaty

Organization Commercial and Government Entity Code

NICRA Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement

NOFO Notice of Funding Opportunity

RF Results Framework

SAM

System for Award Management

SF Standard Form

SO Strategic Objective

UEI Unique Entity Identifier

U.S. United States

U.S.C. United States Code

USG United States Government

USAID United States Agency for International Development

USDA

United States Department of Agriculture

USDA/FAS United States Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service

WASH Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene

Contents

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. SUMMARY

2. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

3. ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER

4. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBERS

5. ASSISTANCE LISTING TITLE

6. AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION

7. ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE

8. PROGRAM REGULATIONS

9. PROGRAM OVERVIEW, OBJECTIVES, AND PRIORITIES

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. AWARD AMOUNTS, IMPORTANT DATES, AND EXTENSIONS

2. FUNDING INSTRUMENT

3. ADDITIONAL AWARDS

4. NO AWARDS

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

2. DEBARMENT AND SUSPENSION

3. COST SHARE OR MATCH

4. SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE

5. OTHER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND INFORMATION

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. KEY DATES AND TIMES

2. SUBMITTING QUESTIONS

3. FOOD AID INFORMATION SYSTEM (FAIS)

4. UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT

(SAM)

5. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

6. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

7. COST SHARE OR MATCH

8. FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

a. Application Format

b. Required Content and Forms

9. CONTENT GUIDANCE

a. Introduction and Strategic Analysis (Page limit: 26 pages)

b. Plan of Operation (Page limit: 15 pages)

c. Sustainability and Lasting Impact (Page limit: 5 pages)

d. Organizational Capacity and Staffing (Page limit: 8 pages)

e. Monitoring and Evaluation (Page limit: 25 pages)

f. Commodity Management (Page limit: 6 pages)

g. Budget (Page limit: 26 pages)

h. Food Aid Information System (FAIS)

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

2. EVALUATION CRITERIA

3. PROGRAMMATIC CAPABILITY AND PAST PERFORMANCE

4. REVIEW OF APPLICANT INTEGRITY AND PERFORMANCE INFORMATION ... 51

5. CONFIDENTIALITY AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. NOTICES OF FEDERAL AWARD

2. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

a. Domestic Entities

b. Foreign Entities

c. Subaward and Executive Compensation Reporting

d. Mandatory Disclosures

3. REPORTING

a. Financial Reporting Requirements

b. Program Performance Reporting Requirements

c. Closeout Reporting Requirements

4. MONITORING BY AGENCY

5. OTHER AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS

a. Organizational Chart

b. Annual Work Plan

c. Monitoring and Evaluation Requirements

d. Local and Regional Commodity Procurement and Distribution Plan

e. Market Study

f. Subaward or Subcontract Requirements

g. Audit Compliance

G. AWARDING AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

1. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACT

H. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. EXTENSIONS

2. PRIOR APPROVAL

3. BUDGET REVISIONS

4. PROGRAM INCOME

5. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

6. ELECTRONIC SIGNATURES

APPENDIX A – Application Content Checklist

APPENDIX B – Country Specific Guidance

APPENDIX C – Global Strategies and Initiatives

APPENDIX D – Budget Summary

APPENDIX E – Budget Narrative

APPENDIX F – Results Framework and Illustrative Examples of Foundational Results

APPENDIX G – Past Performance Review Template

APPENDIX H – Available Commodities for FY 2024 Food Aid Solicitations

APPENDIX I – Instructions for Completing the SF-424A

APPENDIX J – SF-424A Example

APPENDIX K –Activity Description Example

APPENDIX L – Terms and Conditions Regarding the Acknowledgment of USDA Funding, the Use of the USDA Logo, and Communications to the Public

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. SUMMARY

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), International Food Assistance Division, McGovern-Dole Branch announces this funding opportunity to apply for new Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) awards under the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program (McGovern-Dole). This funding opportunity is available to: Private Voluntary Organizations (see 7 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] section 1599.2) for the definition of a private voluntary organization); Cooperatives;

Intergovernmental Organizations; Governments of developing countries and their agencies; and Other organizations. USDA/FAS expects to enter into multiple new cooperative agreements under McGovern-Dole to make awards totaling up to $270,000,000 subject to the availability of funding. These awards will be for approximately five-year projects.

2. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

USDA/FAS will accept applications for projects in the following priority countries: Angola, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Laos, Malawi, and Rwanda. Of these, Angola and El Salvador are countries that do not currently have active McGovern-Dole projects. Applicants are advised to refer to Appendix B: Country Specific Guidance for country-specific information on program emphasis and agency priorities. USDA/FAS will also accept applications for non-priority countries; however, it will prioritize funding applications for the identified priority countries. McGovern-Dole projects are implemented in low-income, food-deficit countries globally.

USDA/FAS expects that Recipients of awards made under this opportunity will leverage donated U.S. agricultural commodities, local and regional agricultural commodities, and financial and technical assistance to carry out school feeding projects that strengthen food security, reduce the incidence of hunger, improve literacy and education, particularly with respect to girls, and support maternal, infant, and child nutrition programs. USDA/FAS also expects Recipients of awards to address sustainability so that the benefits of the program can be sustained after McGovern-Dole support ends. McGovern-Dole award Recipients are required to engage in monitoring and evaluation of standard and custom indicators and targets throughout the award cycle, including a baseline, midterm, and final evaluation and semi-annual performance and financial reporting. Please see Part F for more information on Federal Award requirements under McGovern-Dole.

3. ASSISTANCE LISTING NUMBER

(Formerly known as Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA)) 10.608 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/section-1599.2 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/section-1599.2 https://sam.gov/fal/a3a8ff78dc1c44b79c6526fb533e1c64/view

4. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBERS

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-24-(506) Angola

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-24-(609) Bangladesh

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-24-(120) El Salvador

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-24-(520) Ethiopia

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-24-(122) Guatemala

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-24-(527) Guinea-Bissau

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-24-(311) Laos

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-24-(564) Malawi

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-24-(544) Rwanda

• USDA-FAS-10.608-0700-24-(000) Non-priority country applications

Please refer to Appendix B for Country Specific Guidance for each priority country.

5. ASSISTANCE LISTING TITLE

Food for Education

6. AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION

McGovern-Dole is authorized by section 3107 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 United States Code (USC)1736o-1).

7. ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE

New Agreements

8. PROGRAM REGULATIONS

Awards USDA/FAS makes within this funding opportunity to Applicants other than foreign public entities (as defined in 2 CFR part 200) will be subject to McGovern-Dole regulations, 7 CFR part 1599. As provided in 7 CFR part 1599, awards to Applicants other than foreign public entities will also be subject to 2 CFR part 200, as supplemented by 2 CFR part 400 and 7 CFR part 1599, with the exception that subsection F of 2 CFR part 200 will not apply to a foreign organization (as defined in 2 CFR part 200) or a for-profit entity.

9. PROGRAM OVERVIEW, OBJECTIVES, AND PRIORITIES

The principal objectives of the McGovern-Dole Program are to carry out: 1) preschool and school food for education programs in foreign countries to improve food security, reduce the incidence of hunger, and improve literacy and primary education, particularly with respect to girls; and 2) maternal, infant, and child nutrition programs for pregnant women, nursing mothers, infants, and children who are five years of age or younger.

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title7-section1736o-1&num=0&saved=%7CKHRpdGxlOjcgc2VjdGlvbjoxNzM2byBlZGl0aW9uOnByZWxpbSk%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7Cprelim https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-XV/part-1599 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-XV/part-1599 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-IV/part-400 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-XV/part-1599 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-XV/part-1599 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200

McGovern-Dole feeds school children and improves literacy (especially for girls) in low-income, food-deficit countries around the world. The program provides for the donation of U.S.

agricultural commodities and funds to procure local and regional agricultural commodities, as well as financial and technical assistance, to support McGovern-Dole objectives. USDA/FAS enters into a cooperative agreement with a successful Applicant, referred to as a Recipient, to fund the project described in the Applicant’s application, following successful negotiation of the agreement. The program authorizing legislation, Section 3107 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, requires that McGovern-Dole agreements include provisions to achieve graduation or provide other long-term benefits to targeted populations of the country (7 U.S.C.

1736o-1(j)).

By providing school meals, teacher training, government capacity-building, and related education and nutrition support, McGovern-Dole helps boost school enrollment, increase attendance, and improve reading outcomes and literacy results. McGovern-Dole also provides support to Maternal and Child Nutrition (MCN). To improve health, nutrition, and dietary practices, McGovern-Dole encourages the inclusion of health- and nutrition-sensitive activities such as the use of micronutrient-fortified products; take-home rations; treatments for deworming and diarrhea; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); school gardens; and curriculum-based nutrition education.

The donation of U.S. commodities is an integral part of McGovern-Dole and Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the U.S. donated commodities to maximize program reach of targeted beneficiaries in the most cost-effective manner. In addition, Applicants must allocate approximately ten percent of the total proposed federal award amount for local and regional procurement (LRP) of commodities. All activities must be consistent with the objectives of the program, as set forth in the first paragraph of this Section. USDA/FAS prioritizes sustainability in efforts to reduce poverty and food insecurity in vulnerable economies on their path to becoming self-sufficient. USDA/FAS is focusing on helping communities develop sustainable sources of food supplies while building resilience in their food sourcing practices.

USDA/FAS will consider applications from all eligible organizations, including current Recipients and new organizations. USDA/FAS will prioritize funding for projects in priority countries. For additional information on the priority countries for this funding opportunity, Applicants should refer to Appendix B: Country Specific Guidance. USDA/FAS will consider funding a project in a non-priority country, but an application for a non-priority country must include sufficient justification.

USDA/FAS expects that applications will build upon the accomplishments of any existing McGovern-Dole activities in the country. Applicants should lay the foundation for a strong McGovern-Dole project, including complementing school feeding efforts already in place.

Applications must focus on transition of McGovern-Dole activities to the host governments and local communities and set the path to sustainability. Applicants must work with host governments that have national action plans and are committed to or are working towards the goals of the World Declaration on Education for All’s goals.

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title7-section1736o-1&num=0&saved=%7CKHRpdGxlOjcgc2VjdGlvbjoxNzM2byBlZGl0aW9uOnByZWxpbSk%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7Cprelim https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title7-section1736o-1&num=0&saved=%7CKHRpdGxlOjcgc2VjdGlvbjoxNzM2byBlZGl0aW9uOnByZWxpbSk%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7Cprelim http://www.un-documents.net/jomtien.htm

Furthermore, applications must align with the McGovern Dole Program Project-Level Results Framework (see Part D Section 9f: Monitoring and Evaluation). All McGovern-Dole projects are subject to independent third-party evaluations.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. AWARD AMOUNTS, IMPORTANT DATES, AND

EXTENSIONS

• Available Funding for the NOFO: Up to $270,000,000; Subject to the availability of funding

• Anticipated Number of Awards: 9

• Estimated Funding per Award: $10 million – $30 million

USDA/FAS funding for all projects in this announcement is subject to availability of appropriated funding. USDA/FAS may award available funding from past fiscal year appropriations in addition to funding from FY 2024 appropriations. Issuance of this solicitation does not constitute an award or commitment on the part of the United States Government (USG) to make awards, nor does it commit the USG to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application.

• Period of Performance: Approximately 60 months

• Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): 10/01/2024

• Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): 09/30/2029

• Cost Share or Match Requirements: None/Not Required

“Period of performance” is defined in 2 CFR section 200.1. McGovern-Dole Program awards may be eligible for extensions to their period of performance. Refer to Part H Section 1:

Extensions.

2. FUNDING INSTRUMENT

USDA/FAS may fund cooperative agreements pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity (NOFO). McGovern-Dole cooperative agreements provide for substantial involvement between USDA/FAS and the selected Applicant in the performance of the project. This USDA/FAS involvement may include:

• Specification of the manner, method, performance, or timing of the work in an approved work plan;

• Review and approval of one stage of work before a subsequent stage may begin during the performance period;

• Close monitoring of the successful Applicant’s performance to verify the achievement of expected results;

• Review and approval of proposed subawards and contracts, prior to award;

• Review of proposed procurement, in accordance with 2 CFR section 200.325;

• Review and approval of an evaluation plan;

• Participation in the selection and approval of the individuals or organizations that will conduct all required evaluations;

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.325

• Participation in data collection and analysis for required evaluations and other performance reports;

• Approval of an organizational chart identifying the names, roles and responsibilities of all the Applicant’s key personnel, as well as key personnel qualifications, and any subsequent changes or absences; and

• Provision of specific direction or redirection of the work during the period of performance.

Recipients may award procurement contracts or subawards under this cooperative agreement.

Procurement contracts must have an operational or administrative objective and subawards must be related to achieving objectives of project activities. Please note that a Recipient may not include its own personnel costs in any contract or subaward under the cooperative agreement.

3. ADDITIONAL AWARDS

USDA/FAS reserves the right to make additional awards under this solicitation, consistent with Agency policy and guidance, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than 6 months after the original selection decisions.

4. NO AWARDS

USDA/FAS reserves the right to make no awards under this competition.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

In accordance with the McGovern-Dole authorizing legislation, 7 U.S.C. 1736o-1, the following entities are eligible Applicants:

• Private Voluntary Organizations (see 7 CFR section 1599.2 for the definition of a private voluntary organization);

• Cooperatives;

• Intergovernmental Organizations;

• Governments of developing countries and their agencies; and

• Other Organizations

Please note: Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are eligible to apply under “Other organizations.”

All Applicants will be reviewed for eligibility and must meet the requirements described in Part C to be considered eligible. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within 14 calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

All applicants must have an active registration in the U.S. Government System for Award Management (www.sam.gov) before the application submission deadline of the announcement;

applicants with inactive, expired, pending, or excluded listings will be deemed ineligible.

Exceptions, waivers, or extensions will not be considered. Please contact ppded@usda.gov if you have questions about this requirement.

2. DEBARMENT AND SUSPENSION

USDA/FAS will consider an Applicant ineligible to receive a McGovern-Dole award if the Applicant or one of its principals has been disbarred or suspended from USG-funded procurements or non-procurement transactions, or otherwise prohibited by applicable U.S. law or executive order or U.S. policies. See 2 CFR parts 180 and 417. USDA/FAS will review the System for Award Management (SAM.gov) to verify that the Applicant, potential Subrecipients and contractors, and their principals have not been debarred or suspended.

3. COST SHARE OR MATCH

Cost Share/Match Requirement: Not required but will be positively scored. See Part D Section 7 for further details on Cost Share or Match.

4. SUBSTANTIAL COMPLIANCE

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title7-section1736o-1&num=0&saved=%7CKHRpdGxlOjcgc2VjdGlvbjoxNzM2byBlZGl0aW9uOnByZWxpbSk%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7Cprelimhttps://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?hl=false&edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title7-section1736o-1&num=0&saved=%7CKHRpdGxlOjcgc2VjdGlvbjoxNzM2byBlZGl0aW9uOnByZWxpbSk%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7Cprelim https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-XV/part-1599#1599.2 http://www.sam.gov/ mailto:ppded@usda.gov https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-180?toc=1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-IV/part-417 https://sam.gov/content/home

Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Part D of this solicitation or else they will be rejected. While this NOFO establishes minimum type size requirements, Applicants are advised that readability is of paramount importance and should take precedence in application format, including selecting a legible font type and size for use in the application.

5. OTHER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND

INFORMATION

Evidence of Eligibility: Applicants are responsible for including documentation, if necessary, establishing that they meet the stated eligibility requirements, when it is not immediately obvious. Applicants should not presume that USDA/FAS is sufficiently familiar with their organization that this is unnecessary, and USDA/FAS will not make assumptions as to the nature of the Applicant’s organization.

Multiple Applications and Awards: An Applicant may submit more than one application in response to this NOFO and may be offered more than one award.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION

INFORMATION

This announcement contains all information necessary to apply for this funding opportunity.

1. KEY DATES AND TIMES

• Deadline for Question Submission: April 26, 2024

USDA/FAS will consider questions regarding this NOFO to the extent practicable. Please see Part D, Section 2. Submitting Questions.

• Application Submission Deadline: May 3, 2024 prior to 5:00:00 P.M. EDT

Applications must be submitted to USDA/FAS through the Food Aid Information System (FAIS) by the Application Submission Deadline. Please see Part D Section 3: Food Aid Information System for further details. See additional submission requirements in Part C Section 5. There will be no exceptions to the application submission deadline. The date of the Application Submission Deadline is also the closing date of this announcement.

• Anticipated Funding Selection Date: July 15, 2024

• Anticipated Award Date: September 15, 2024

For USDA/FAS to consider an application complete, the Applicant must submit all required content and forms in FAIS as listed in Part D Section 8 and 9 by the Application Submission Deadline set forth in Part D Section 1. When applications received by the Application Submission Deadline are incomplete, USDA/FAS will notify the Applicant by e-mail that its application is incomplete and that USDA/FAS will grant a grace period of three business days, ending at 5:00:00 P.M. EDT on the third business day after the date of the USDA/FAS e-mail, for the Applicant to submit any omitted content and forms via FAIS. USDA/FAS will not consider any applications that remain incomplete after the grace period.

2. SUBMITTING QUESTIONS

Applicants may submit questions up until 5:00:00 P.M. EDT on April 26, 2024 by emailing ppded@usda.gov and including “FY24 McGovern-Dole NOFO” in the subject line of the email.

USDA/FAS will consider questions submitted by the deadline to the extent practicable and USDA/FAS will post responses to questions on Grants.gov on a weekly basis as they are received. Applicants may access the responses in the “Related Documents” tab of the grant opportunity page on Grants.gov.

3. FOOD AID INFORMATION SYSTEM (FAIS)

Applications must be submitted to USDA/FAS through the FAIS by the Application Submission Deadline. USDA/FAS will run a report from the FAIS system showing all submissions received prior to 5:00:00 P.M. EDT on May 3, 2024. Applications received after this time will not be https://www.fas.usda.gov/food-aid-information-system mailto:ppded@usda.gov https://www.grants.gov/ accepted. Applicants are advised to make their submissions 1-2 days before this deadline in case of computer problems. Any automatic response from FAIS that USDA/FAS received the application does not constitute a statement that the application is complete.

Instructions for submitting the application are located on the FAIS homepage. Before a potential Applicant can view the FAIS homepage, it must first establish an FAIS account. See the following website for more information: https://www.fas.usda.gov/food-aid-information-system.

Applicants that do not have internet access, have trouble accessing FAIS, or require assistance with any USDA-managed computer system should reach out to the program officer(s) listed in Part G Section 1: Federal Awarding Agency Contact, at least 5 business days in advance of the application submission deadline. Applicants should provide as much detail as possible to facilitate resolution of the issue.

4. UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD

MANAGEMENT (SAM)

Each Applicant is required to:

(i) Have an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting its application;

(ii) Have assented to the federal assistance certifications in the SAM platform;

(iii) Provide a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in its application; and

(iv) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency.

Please contact ppded@usda.gov if you have questions about this requirement.

Applicants must include a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in the organizational unit section of Block 8 of the SF-424. All Subrecipients, as defined in 2 CFR section 200.1, listed in the application must have a current UEI number. Organizations that do not have a UEI number can obtain a UEI number at no cost by using the web-based form available at:

https://sam.directory/register.

If you do not have a SAM.gov account, then you will create an account using login.gov1 to complete your SAM.gov registration. SAM.gov registration is FREE. SAM.gov registration requires several weeks to process and cannot be expedited; therefore, prospective Applicants should ensure that registrations are submitted well ahead of the submission deadline. The process for entity registrations includes obtaining Unique Entity ID (UEI), a 12-character alphanumeric ID assigned an entity by SAM.gov, and requires assertions, representations and certifications, and other information about your organization. Please review the Entity Registration Checklist for details on this process.

1 Login.gov a secure sign in service used by the public to sign into Federal Agency systems including SAM.gov and Grants.gov. For help with login.gov accounts you should visit http://login.gov/help.

https://apps.fas.usda.gov/fais/webapp/ https://www.fas.usda.gov/food-aid-information-system mailto:ppded@usda.gov https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#p-200.1(Subrecipient) https://sam.directory/register https://login.gov/ https://iae-prd-videos.s3.amazonaws.com/pdf/entity-checklist.pdf?X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20240214T135327Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=86399&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAY3LPYEEX2QGT3A5E%2F20240214%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=545d8962732cd89b3dea76ad955c4b12300d22db697a24a993d595f22f165981 http://login.gov/help

Foreign entities (defined at 2 CFR section 200.1 as “foreign organizations” and “foreign public entities”) must obtain a North Atlantic Treaty Organization Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code prior to registering in SAM.gov. You can submit your request for an NCAGE Code by going to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Support Activity (NSPA) NCAGE Request Tool at CAGE/NCAGE Code Request, which contains detailed instructions. You can complete the SAM.gov registration once you enter your NCAGE Code.

If you have done business with the Federal Government previously, you can check your entity status using your government issued UEI to determine if your registration is active. SAM.gov requires you to renew your registration every 365 days to keep it active. Organizations should ensure that their SAM.gov registration includes a current e-Business (EBiz) point of contact name and email address. The EBiz point of contact is critical for Grants.gov registration and system functionality.

Please note that SAM.gov registration is different than obtaining a UEI only. Obtaining an UEI only validates your organization’s legal business name and address. Please review the Frequently Asked Questions at the Federal Service Desk for additional information about the difference between registering in SAM.gov and obtaining a UEI only.

Contact the Federal Service Desk for help with your SAM.gov account, to resolve technical issues or chat with a help desk agent: (866) 606-8220. The Federal Service desk hours of operation are Monday – Friday 8am – 8pm ET.

5. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

This program is not subject to E.O. 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.

6. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

Funds provided under McGovern-Dole may not be used in any manner that is prohibited by applicable regulations, including 2 CFR part 200, 2 CFR part 400, and any program-specific regulations identified in Part A. Awards issued pursuant to this NOFO may only be used for the purpose set forth in the award, consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Any funding restrictions in this NOFO also apply to funds provided under McGovern-Dole. Capital expenses, such as the purchase of equipment, not entirely attributable to an award, must be pro-rated. If an Applicant is selected for an award, the Applicant may incur pre-award costs consistent with the instructions provided in the award letter.

For example, agreement funds and other support may not be used for matching contributions for other federal grants or cooperative agreements, lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. Federal employees may not receive funds under an award. Federal employees are prohibited from acting as an agent of the Applicant in any capacity (paid or unpaid) on any proposal submitted under this program. Also, federal funds may not be used to sue the Federal Government or any other government entity.

Indirect Costs: In general, costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefitting more than one cost objective but not readily assignable to specific awards, without effort disproportionate https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1#p-200.1(Foreign%20organization) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1#p-200.1(Foreign%20public%20entity) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1#p-200.1(Foreign%20public%20entity) https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/Codification/CageTool/home https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0051214&sys_kb_id=dd40f4ef1b9641d0937fa64ce54bcb7a&spa=1 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0051214&sys_kb_id=dd40f4ef1b9641d0937fa64ce54bcb7a&spa=1 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200?toc=1 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-B/chapter-IV/part-400 to the results achieved, are considered indirect costs. These may include costs for facilities not specific to individual projects, enterprise-wide services such as IT, and enterprise management.

Pursuant to USDA Departmental Regulation DR2255-001, a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) with a cognizant U.S. Government agency will be honored, except where prohibited by statute.

Indirect Facilities & Administrative Costs

Facilities & Administrative costs are allowable; organizations may propose indirect Facilities & Administrative cost consistent with their current NICRA.

7. COST SHARE OR MATCH

USDA/FAS encourages, but does not require, cost sharing and matching (see 2 CFR section

200.306 and 7 CFR section 1599.2) to maximize program impacts and engender in-country sustainability. If Applicants choose to provide cost sharing or matching, they should identify and explain any cost sharing in the budget summary and narrative (7 CFR section 1599.4(b)(4)(i)).

Applicants should include any cost share contributions as part of the total award value on the SF- 424 and other required budget documents. Applicants may not use cost share to reach the three percent minimum monitoring and evaluation budget or the ten percent LRP budget goal.

Applicants’ unrecovered indirect costs are not allowable cost share. Food vouchers and cash-based transfers are not currently allowable LRP methods and thus USDA/FAS does not consider them as allowable cost share within McGovern-Dole projects.

Cost sharing or matching to which Applicants voluntarily commit in the application will be included in and become binding as part of an agreement, and Award Recipients are responsible for obtaining and providing these contributions. Award Recipients are not permitted to use Federal Funding to procure these resources.

8. FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

a. Application Format Applicants must complete the application in English and adhere to the maximum page limits in Part D Section 8b: Required Content and Forms.

Applicants should:

• Use 12-point font (tables and graphs may have a smaller font as appropriate);

• Type on standard 8.5” x 11” sized paper with 1-inch margins;

• Number each page;

• Cite source information and/or provide an explanation of their analysis; and

• Submit their application as a PDF.

b. Required Content and Forms https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.306 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/section-200.306 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-XV/part-1599/section-1599.2 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-7/subtitle-B/chapter-XV/part-1599/section-1599.4

Each application must include the following content and forms within the required (bolded) page limits. These sections may be single or double-spaced. Bolded page limits are requirements—if an Applicant exceeds the page limits for a section, USDA/FAS will only review and score material within the page limits for the section. Italicized page limits within the Introduction and Strategic Analysis are suggestions to guide Applicants. Requirements marked with “no page limit restrictions” do not count towards their section page limits.

• Introduction and Strategic Analysis – 26 pages total.

o Summary – 1 page o Country Overview and Context – 7 pages o Strategic Objective 1: Literacy and Education – 6 pages o Strategic Objective 2: Nutrition and Health – 6 pages o Local and Regional Procurement – 3-4 pages o Cross-Cutting Topics – 2-3 pages (or integrated throughout the Introduction and Strategic Analysis) o Project Map (no page limit restrictions) o List of Acronyms (no page limit restrictions)

• Plan of Operation and Activities – 15 pages

• Sustainability and Lasting Impact – 5 pages

• Organizational Capacity and Staffing – 8 pages total o Capacity and Staffing – 6 pages o Organizational Chart – 1 page o In-Country Registration – 1 page o Curriculum Vitae (CV) for Project Lead (no page limit restrictions) o Project-specific Commitment Letters from anticipated Subrecipients (if

Subrecipients are proposed) (no page limit restrictions) o Past Performance Reviews (no page limit restrictions) o Applicant’s most recent Single Audit (no page limit restrictions)

• Monitoring and Evaluation – 25 pages total o Project-Level Results Framework – 6 pages o Performance Indicators – 5 pages o Evaluation Plan – 14 pages

• Commodity Management – 6 pages

• Budget – 26 pages total o Standard Budget Summary – 1 page o Budget Narrative – 25 pages, in which cost items are quantified and described in sufficient detail to enable USDA/FAS to independently determine cost-effectiveness and that the proposed costs are reasonable and allowable for the project and consistent with applicable regulations.

o Applicant’s most recent approved NICRA agreement (no page limit restrictions) (See Part D Section 9g: Budget for more on indirect costs) o Excel spreadsheet demonstrating how NICRA rates were applied to the budget (no page limit restrictions) o SF-424A (See Appendix I for instructions) Budget Information for Non- Construction Programs, showing the budget categorization. Applicants are advised to consult 2 CFR 200 Subpart E for guidance on proper categorization of cost items. An improper categorization will not itself be grounds for a determination of ineligibility of the cost but may delay approval and/or adversely impact the application’s evaluation scoring.

o SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance, showing the Unique Entity Identifier, and signed by the Applicant.

o SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities if applicable to the Applicant.

Find additional details on the content of each section of the application below in Part D Section 9: Content Guidance. Applicants should review the content guidance carefully to determine what sections they may submit as attachments and what information they are required to input directly into FAIS. USDA/FAS strongly discourages, and will not consider, any materials submitted by or on behalf of the Applicant other than those materials it specifically requests in this

NOFO.

9. CONTENT GUIDANCE

All McGovern-Dole applications must include the following attachments:

a. Introduction and Strategic Analysis (Page limit: 26 pages) The Introduction and Strategic Analysis section communicates the need for the project and an overview of how the proposed project will address those needs. Applicants should reserve detailed activity descriptions for the Section 9b: Plan of Operations. The following subsections are required in the Introduction and Strategic Analysis:

i. Summary

ii. Main Section

• Country Overview and Context;

• Strategic Objective 1: Literacy and Education;

• Strategic Objective 2: School Feeding, Nutrition, and Health;

• Local and Regional Procurement.

Applicants must include a project map and a list of all acronyms used in the application as attachments to the Introduction and Strategic Analysis section. These attachments will not count towards the section page limits.

i. Summary (1 page)

Applicants must provide a one-page summary of the proposed project and how the proposed project meets McGovern-Dole strategic objectives and local needs. This summary should include the duration of the project, estimated costs, number of targeted school-age children, number of direct beneficiaries, number of targeted schools, and the focus of the intervention.

https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family https://www.grants.gov/forms/forms-repository/sf-424-family

In the one-page summary, Applicants should include their table of estimated costs using the following format:

Table 1: Costs

Cost Type Total Budget

(USD)

Administration Activities LRP Commodity and Food Purchases

ITSH

Total Indirect Costs Sub-total USDA/FAS Cash U.S. Commodity Cost Freight Cost TOTAL PROGRAM VALUE (not including cost share)

Cost Share

All Applicants should include costs relating to Internal Transportation, Storage, and Handling (ITSH), the moving of commodities from designated ports or points of entry to storage and distribution sites, as well as costs of storing and distributing all commodities.

ii. Main Section (Total page limit: 25 pages)

In this section, Applicants must analyze country context, needs, challenges, opportunities, and constraints that may impact project implementation and success and then they must explain how the project will effectively and appropriately respond to these contextual factors. This section must explain the strategy behind the intervention and how the project will address the two McGovern-Dole strategic objectives (Literacy and Education; Nutrition and Health) and Local and Regional Procurement. Applicants must ensure that the strategy and analysis align with the other sections of the application, such as Monitoring and Evaluation and Sustainability and Lasting Impact. If Applicants have been working in the target country, they should describe the challenges they have faced and how they plan to overcome or mitigate these challenges.

Applicants should cite relevant sources to support country context and analysis.

Applicants should address the elements beneath each of the following four sub-sections: Country Overview and Context, Strategic Objective 1: Literacy and Education, Strategic Objective 2:

Nutrition and Health, and Local and Regional Procurement. Applicants should also address the elements beneath Cross-Cutting Topics, either in a separate sub-section or, as appropriate, included within their discussion of the other four sub-sections.

Country Overview and Context

Current School Feeding Operations: Applicants should include a brief overview of the need for a McGovern-Dole project in the country. Applicants should also provide information regarding the country's current school feeding operations and financial commitments if relevant, the length and sessions of a typical school year, and current funding resources.

Method of Choosing Beneficiaries: Applicants must identify the criteria and methodology used to target the geographic area(s) and participant group(s). Where USDA/FAS did not recommend a particular geographic area or target population in the country specific guidance, Applicants must describe why some target areas or participant groups in the country will receive resources (funds or agricultural products) while others may not. If Applicants propose working in a different area than USDA/FAS recommends in the country specific guidance, the Applicant must justify their selection. Applicants should consider the following questions when preparing a response:

• Why did they select the geographic area(s) and participant group(s) and what methodology did they use?

• What are the proposed beneficiaries’ specific needs?

• Which sources of information did they use (e.g., government agency survey, computer database, interviews, assessments, etc.)?

• Who will they collaborate with to target particular geographic areas, institutions, and beneficiaries?

Target Geographic Area: Applicants must list the geographic areas where they will implement activities. Applicants must include a map to illustrate the activity intervention areas.

Local Capacity Building: Applicants should explain how they will involve indigenous institutions as well as local communities and governments in activity development and implementation to foster local capacity building and leadership.

Method of Educating the Public: Applicants should briefly confirm their organization’s ability to meet the branding and marking terms and conditions regarding the acknowledgement of USDA funding, use of the USDA logo, and communications to the public outlined in Appendix L and should describe contextually appropriate methods of notifying stakeholders and target country residents about the project funding source.

Previous Projects: If Applicants are already implementing McGovern-Dole programming or other programming in the country, Applicants should describe challenges they have faced, opportunities they have had, and how they intend to address or mitigate challenges and build upon the opportunities in a continuation project or a new project.

Strategic Objective 1: Literacy and Education (SO1)

Overview of Context and Need: Applicants should provide context regarding education, literacy, teacher training, parent-teacher associations, and community infrastructure in the country target area. Applicants should describe any education-related programs, policies, interventions, and strategies that other stakeholders (including target country government, USG and other public and private donors, private sector, and other USG Agencies involved in the USG Strategy on

International Basic Education) are implementing. Applicants should provide an overview of education- and literacy-specific needs, challenges, and gaps experienced by communities, particularly community members in vulnerable or marginalized situations. Applicants should identify gender- or disability-related inequities in the education sector or refence their analysis in Cross-Cutting Topics.

Coordination: According to USG’s Strategy on International Basic Education and the Memorandum of Understanding between USDA and the United States Agency for International Development (USDA-United States Agency for International Development (USAID) MOU) (see Appendix C), Applicants should demonstrate strategic program coordination and complementarity in countries where both McGovern-Dole and USAID have active or planned development and humanitarian activities and leverage lessons learned or best practices where applicable. This could include coordination on the following:

• Geographic location, including co-location of McGovern-Dole and USAID activities where feasible (if not feasible, explain why);

• Evidence-based standards, benchmarks, policies, and curriculum;

•…