15-IR-4.pdf

Minor Crop Pest Management Program Interregional Research Project #4

FY 2015 Request for Applications (RFA)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: February 18, 2015

ELIGIBILITY: See Part III, A of RFA

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE

MINOR CROP PEST MANAGEMENT PROGRAM – INTERREGIONAL RESEARCH

PROJECT #4

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE: This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under 10.200.

DATES: Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 18, 2015.

Applications received after this deadline will normally not be considered for funding (see Part IV, C. of this RFA). Comments regarding this request for applications (RFA) are requested within 6 months from the issuance of this notice. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent practicable.

STAKEHOLDER INPUT: The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) seeks your comments about this RFA. We will consider the comments when we develop the next RFA for the program, if applicable, and we’ll use them to meet the requirements of section 103(c)(2) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7613(c)(2)).

Submit written stakeholder comments by the deadline set forth in the DATES portion of this Notice to: Policy@nifa.usda.gov. (This e-mail address is intended only for receiving comments regarding this RFA and not requesting information or forms.) In your comments, please state that you are responding to the Minor Crop Pest Management Program – Interregional Research Project #4 (IR-4) RFA.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: NIFA requests applications for the Minor Crop Pest Management Program – Interregional Research Project #4 (IR-4) for fiscal year (FY) 2015 to provide safe, effective, and economical pest management solutions for minor agricultural use and use on specialty crops (see Part VIII, E. for definitions). NIFA anticipates funding five projects: one to establish a national headquarters and four to establish geographically-based regional IR-4 centers; three of the centers will include analytical chemistry programs. The four USDA administrative regions (North Central, Northeastern, Southern, and Western) are described by state and territory at the end of Part I, C.

In FY 2015 the award period for IR-4 awards will be two years. Projects will be administered as continuation projects with funding provided in one-year increments. Funding in the second year will depend on the annual appropriation and satisfactory progress.

The amount available for support of this program in FY 2015 will be approximately $11 million.

This notice identifies the objectives for IR-4 projects, the eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and the application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for an IR-4 grant.

mailto:Policy@nifa.usda.gov

Table of Contents

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority and Background B. Purpose and Priorities C. Program Area Description

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding B. Types of Applications C. Project Types D. Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research E. Scientific Peer Review

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants B. Cost Sharing or Matching

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Electronic Application Package B. Content and Form of Application Submission C. Submission Dates and Times D. Funding Restrictions E. Other Submission Requirements

PART V—APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

A. General B. Evaluation Criteria C. Conflicts of Interest and Confidentiality D. Organizational Management Information E. Application Disposition

PART VI—AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General B. Award Notice C. Administrative and National Policy Requirements D. Expected Program Outputs and Reporting Requirements

PART VII—AGENCY CONTACTS

PART VIII—OTHER INFORMATION

A. Access to Review Information B. Use of Funds; Changes C. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards D. Regulatory Information E. Definitions F. Materials available on the Internet

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority and Background

The Minor Crop Pest Management Program - Interregional Research Project #4 (IR-4) is authorized under the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act, Section 2(e) (7 U.S.C. 450i(e)).

The IR-4 program provides expert assistance for the development and registration of crop protection products needed for minor agricultural use and use on specialty crops. For the past 50 years, the program has facilitated cooperation between producers, grower organizations, state Cooperative Extension Services, land-grant universities, and federal agencies to ensure the availability of safe, effective and economical pest management tools for specialty crops, minor crops, and minor uses.

B. Purpose and Priorities

The purpose of the IR-4 program is to enable the availability of safe, effective and economical pest management products for growers of specialty crops and for minor agricultural uses. The crop protection industry cannot justify the costs associated with the research, development and registration of crop protection products for these uses due to small market size and limited sales potential. The IR-4 program provides the assistance needed to ensure that new and more effective crop protection products are tested and registered for these uses. This requires effective collaborations between federal science agencies, federal regulatory agencies, crop producers, the crop protection industry, and land-grant colleges and universities.

The IR-4 program provides support for efforts to develop reduced-risk products, bio-pesticides, and other chemicals with characteristics that are deemed lower risk to humans, non-target organisms, and the environment. In addition, the program concentrates on internal processes that reduce the time needed to complete successful regulatory packages.

Successful applicants to this program will demonstrate the capacity and commitment required to achieve the following regionally oriented goals:

1. Expedite the registration of newer, reduced-risk pest management products for minor agricultural uses and specialty crops.

2. Conduct efficacy research to identify new more effective minor agricultural use and specialty crop pest management products.

Successful applicants to this program will also demonstrate a commitment to addressing the societal challenge of keeping American agriculture competitive and reducing world hunger by improving the availability and accessibility of safe and nutritious food. NIFA is committed to supporting new science to boost U.S. agricultural production, improve global capacity to meet growing food demand, and fight hunger by addressing food security for vulnerable populations. The IR-4 program directly aligns with the Research, Education, and

Economics Action Plan (www.ree.usda.gov/ree/news/USDA_2014_REE_Action_Plan_08- 2014_Final.pdf) and specifically addresses:

• Goal 1 – Sustainable Intensification of Agricultural Production; Subgoal 1A/Crop and Animal Production and Subgoal 1B/Crop and Animal Health;

• Goal 5 – Food Safety;

• Goal 7 – Rural Prosperity/Rural-Urban Interdependence.

This program is also aligned with several of the goals in the NIFA 1014-2018 Strategic Plan (http://www.csrees.usda.gov/about/strat_plan_2014_2018.html). These are Goal 1.1 - Advance our ability to fight hunger and ensure global food security; Goal 1.3 - Optimize the production of goods and services from working lands while protecting the nation’s natural resource base and the environment and, Goal 1.6 - Reduce the incidence of food-borne illness and provide a safer food supply.

C. Program Area Description

In FY 2015, NIFA will provide funding for an IR-4 project headquarters and four geographically-based Regional IR-4 Centers. The four regional centers correspond to the agency's four administrative regions: North Central, Northeastern, Southern, and Western.

List of States and Territories by Region:

North Central: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

Northeastern: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia.

Southern: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Western: Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, California, Colorado, Federated States of Micronesia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Northern Marianas, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

Proposals submitted to the IR-4 program should clearly describe a plan for achieving the following three core objectives:

1. Obtain and maintain regulatory clearances of effective crop protection agents for high-value, specialty food crops and for minor agricultural uses (special circumstance needs) on major food crops with an emphasis on lower risk chemicals and uses that are compatible with integrated pest management (IPM) programs.

http://www.ree.usda.gov/ree/news/USDA_2014_REE_Action_Plan_08-2014_Final.pdf http://www.ree.usda.gov/ree/news/USDA_2014_REE_Action_Plan_08-2014_Final.pdf http://www.csrees.usda.gov/about/strat_plan_2014_2018.html

2. Support research to enhance the development and registration of bio-pesticides for use in food and non-food pest management programs.

3. Support research on crop protection products that will expand their uses on ornamental crops (nursery, floral, turf, and other non-food crop systems) to allow management of invasive/exotic pests.

The five IR-4 projects funded in FY 2015 will be expected to build on the successes and capacity developed by prior projects. Applicants are encouraged to review progress reports and the current strategic plan developed for the IR-4 program (available at www.ir4.rutgers.edu).

The IR-4 program will fund two types of projects: IR-4 project headquarters and regional IR-4 centers. The key responsibilities of these two project types are described below.

Project Headquarters Responsibilities:

• Coordinate IR-4 activities nationally and internationally with other agencies and organizations including, but not limited to, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Canada's Pest Management Centre of Agriculture, Agri-Food Canada, and the crop protection industry.

• Interact with the crop protection industry in selecting high priority chemistries that the industry will ultimately support through the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) regulatory process.

• Convene state and federal scientists, commodity group representatives, growers, and other experts to evaluate specific crop uses of crop protection products for potential inclusion in the IR-program and give them a priority based on:

o the availability and efficacy of alternative crop protection products;

o the potential damage from the target pest;

o the performance of the proposed product in managing the target pest;

o the compatibility of the proposed product with IPM programs; and o the level of risk use of the product poses to humans, non-target organisms, and the environment.

• Identify headquarters staff with experience in managing pesticide registration protocol and preparing and submitting petitions.

• Conduct training on IR-4 procedures and practices for regional scientific field and laboratory research staff.

http://www.ir4.rutgers.edu/

Regional Center Responsibilities:

• Participate in national coordination meetings with IR-4 headquarters staff to harmonize and prioritize regional needs and activities into a comprehensive nationally-coordinated program. Program priorities will be established with stakeholder input provided at national meetings attended by program stakeholders, including producers, land-grant institution representatives, and other individuals and organizations interested in the production of minor and specialty crops.

• Establish a process for research coordinators to verify each request for assistance and add that information to a master list.

• Identify field, laboratory, and quality assurance representatives experienced in generating data according to Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs) for pesticide registration.

• Plan and conduct field trials at EPA-approved locations.

• Analyze the residue samples from field trials as well as residue samples from

USDA/ARS Specialty Crops Programs per EPA guidelines and GLPs. This responsibility only applies to the three regional IR-4 centers with analytical chemistry programs.

Shared Responsibilities of Headquarters and Regional Centers:

• Identify pest management needs from requests submitted through a nationwide network of liaison representatives.

• Maintain working liaison with the counterpart Regional Integrated Pest Management

Centers to facilitate joint progress on priority programs.

• Integrate multiple pest disciplines in the management and execution of IR-4 programs.

• Identify a network of qualified field research scientists who can conduct the necessary research trials and develop the data under EPA-mandated Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) guidelines following specific directions in the research protocol.

• Outline plans and identify key personnel for a quality assurance unit for GLP compliance and to format all research data and reports for submission to the EPA.

• Identify expert assistance for the development and registration of biological agents for use in pest management strategies on minor and specialty crops.

NIFA will give priority consideration to IR-4 proposals that:

1. Address high priority pest management problems that relate to the societal challenge of food security and foster new collaborations between individuals, programs and institutions;

2. Address the needs of underrepresented or hard-to-reach audiences;

3. Include collaboration with small- or mid-sized accredited colleges and universities, 1890 land-grant institutions, 1994 land-grant institutions, Hispanic-serving institutions, Hispanic- serving Agricultural Colleges and universities, and/or other institutions that serve high-risk, underrepresented, or hard-to-reach audiences that contribute to or support U.S. pest management issues;

4. Successfully integrate multiple pest management disciplines in the management and execution of IR-4 programs; and

5. Include specific plans for building collaborative partnerships with the Regional Integrated

Pest Management Centers on programmatic areas of mutual interest.

NIFA’s programs are intended to promote advances in U.S. food, agriculture and forestry, and these industries are increasingly worldwide in scope and reach. If appropriate, applicants to the IR-4 program may include international partnerships or engagement in proposals. In doing so, applicants are to keep in mind that any international activity included in a proposal (e.g., partnerships, exchanges, training, travel) must first and foremost support IR-4 program goals.

Applicants must clearly describe and demonstrate how international activities proposed in the application will contribute to and support the objectives and desired outcomes within the United States while also benefiting the international partner(s).

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

In FY 2015, the IR-4 program will accept proposals for work to be completed in FY 2015 and FY 2016. The amount available for support of this program in FY 2015 will be approximately $11 million.

The IR-4 program anticipates awarding one IR-4 headquarters grant and four regional IR-4 center grants, one in each USDA administrative region: North Central, Northeastern, Southern, and Western (List of States and Territories by region is provided at the end of Part I, C). There is no commitment by USDA to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards.

Awards issued as a result of this RFA will have designated the Automated Standard Applications for Payment System (ASAP), operated by the Department of Treasury’s Financial Management Service, as the payment system for funds. For more information see www.nifa.usda.gov/business/method_of_payment.html.

B. Types of Applications

In FY 2015, the IR-4 program will only accept new applications.

New application. This is a project application that has not been previously submitted to the IR-4 Program. We will review all new applications competitively using the selection process and evaluation criteria described in Part V – Application Review Requirements.

In FY 2015, NIFA intends to make IR-4 awards as Continuation Grants. With Continuation Grants NIFA agrees to a specified level of support for a specified period with intention to provide additional future support provided performance has been satisfactory, funds are available and continued support is in the interest of the public and the Federal government. NIFA is not obligated to award a Continuation Grant and will make them only if the Authorized Departmental Officer (ADO) concurs.

C. Project Types

The IR-4 program will provide funding for three types of projects as follows:

1. Regional IR-4 center with analytical chemistry program (up to $3.6 million/year each);

2. Regional IR-4 center without an analytical chemistry program (up to $1 million/year);

3. IR-4 project headquarters (up to $4.8 million/year).

Project proposals should be submitted for a 24-month project period.

D. Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/method_of_payment.html

The responsible and ethical conduct of research (RCR) is critical for excellence, as well as public trust, in science and engineering. Consequently, we consider education in RCR essential to the preparation of future scientists. In accordance with sections 2, 3, and 8 of 7 CFR Part 3022, institutions that conduct USDA-funded extramural research must foster an atmosphere conducive to research integrity, bear primary responsibility for prevention and detection of research misconduct, and maintain and effectively communicate and train their staff regarding policies and procedures. In the event an application to NIFA results in an award, the Authorized Representative (AR) assures, through acceptance of the award that the institution will comply with the above requirements. Per award terms and conditions, grant recipients shall, upon request, make available to NIFA the policies, procedures, and documentation to support the conduct of the training.

Note that the training referred to herein shall be either on-campus or off-campus training. The general content of the ethics training will, at a minimum, emphasize three key areas of research ethics: authorship and plagiarism, data and research integration, and reporting misconduct. Each institution will be responsible for developing its own training system, as schools will need flexibility to develop training tailored to their specific student needs. Grantees should consider the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) program for RCR (www.citiprogram.org/rcrpage.asp). Typically this RCR education addresses the topics of: Data Acquisition and Management - collection, accuracy, security, access; Authorship and Publication; Peer Review; Mentor/Trainee Responsibilities; Collaboration; Conflict of Interest;

Research Misconduct; Human Subject Research; and Use of Animals in Research.

E. Scientific Peer Review

Subsection (c)(5) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act, as amended (7 U.S.C. 450i(c)(5)), requires applicants to conduct scientific peer review of their proposed research activities prior to the Secretary making a grant award under this authority. Regulations implementing this requirement are set forth in 7 CFR Part 3400.20. The regulations impose the following requirements:

(1) Scientific peer review. Prior to the award of a standard or continuation grant, any proposed research project shall have undergone a review arranged by the grantee. Such review must be a scientific peer review conducted in accordance with 7 CFR 3400.21.

It must be credible, independent, and arranged by the grantee. It should provide an appraisal of technical quality and relevance sufficient for an organizational representative to make an informed judgment as to whether the proposal is appropriate for submission for federal support. Often this review is conducted by faculty peers. It may include USDA employees, but should not be conducted solely by USDA employees. Although evidence of a scientific peer review is not required until an award is ready to be finalized, peer reviews can improve the quality of a proposal. For this reason, we encourage applicants to have proposals peer reviewed before submission.

(2) Notice of completion and retention of records. A notice of completion of the review shall be conveyed in writing to NIFA. The written notice constitutes certification by the applicant http://www.citiprogram.org/rcrpage.asp that a review in compliance with these regulations has occurred. Applicants are not required to submit results of the review to NIFA; however, proper documentation of the review process and results should be retained by the applicant. The notice should state “In accordance with 7 CFR 3400.21, this memo is to certify that this project [title] has undergone a scientific peer review.” If the notice is submitted as part of the application it is to be included in Other Attachments (Field 12. Of the R&R Other Project Information Form). If, however, it is submitted to NIFA after the application is submitted through Grants.gov, the memo must be on the institution’s letterhead and signed by the Authorized Representative. This memo should be sent to the NIFA program contact.

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

Applications may only be submitted by State agricultural experiment stations, land-grant colleges and universities, research foundations established by land-grant colleges and universities, colleges and universities receiving funds under the Act of October 10, 1962 (16 U.S.C. 582a et seq.), and accredited schools or colleges of veterinary medicine for the purpose of facilitating or expanding ongoing state-federal food and agricultural research programs (Competitive, Special and Facilities Research Grant Act of August 4, 1965[7U.S.C.

450i(c)(1)(B).

Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

In accordance with section 1492 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3371), as added by section 7128 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79), for grants awarded after October 1, 2014, the recipient of an award from the IR-4 program must provide funds, in-kind contributions, or a combination of both, from sources other than funds provided through such grant in an amount that is at least equal to the amount awarded by NIFA. The matching funds requirement does not apply to grants awarded:

1. To a research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); or

2. To an entity eligible to receive funds under a capacity and infrastructure program (as defined in section 251(f)(1)(C) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994, 7 U.S.C. 6971(f)(1)(C)), including a partner (see Part VIII, E. Definitions for definition of partnership) of such an entity.

Entities eligible to receive funds under a capacity and infrastructure program and exempt from the matching funds requirement include:

a. 1862 Land-grant Institutions, including State Agricultural Experiment Stations receiving funding under the Hatch Act of 1887

b. 1890 Land-grant Institutions

c. 1994 Land-grant Institutions

d. Recipients of Continuing Animal Health and Disease, Food Security, and

Stewardship Research, Education, and Extension Program Funds — Capacity and Infrastructure Program (CIP)

e. Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU)

f. Insular Area Schools Eligible to Receive Funds from the Distance Education/Resident Instruction Grant Programs

g. Recipients of McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Program Funds

h. Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA)- (for exemption from the new matching requirement, these applications must include NLGCA certification, see instructions for requesting certification at http://www.nifa.usda.gov/form/form.html, and for attaching the certification in Part IV, C. of this RFA)

i. Recipients of funds under a program established under section 1417(b) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)), including: (1) 1890 Institution Teaching, Research, and Extension Capacity Building Grants Program; (2) Higher Education Challenge Grants Program; (3) Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program; and (4) Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship Grants Program.

A proposal submitted in response to this RFA may indicate that the work will be completed by multiple entities as a collaborative partnership. All partners must have a substantial involvement in the project throughout the life of the project. If a partnership among multiple entities is proposed, the proposal must clearly identify the following:

1) A narrative of each entity’s clearly established role in the project;

2) How each entity involved as a partner on the project will contribute to execution of project objectives, determination of experimental design, development of the project work plan and time table, and submission of collaborative, timely reports; and

3) A comprehensive project budget that reflects each entity’s financial or third party in-kind contribution (see section 2 of 7 CFR 3430 or section 96 of 2 CFR part 200) to the total project budget costs.

If a proposal indicates that the work on the project will be completed by multiple entities as partners, and at least one entity is exempt from the matching requirement under #2 above, the entire project will be exempt from the matching requirement regardless of whether all entities involved are otherwise exempt. Any partner entity can serve as the lead entity on the project. All partners must be significantly involved in the project.

After proposals have been recommended for award, NIFA will determine if the submitted proposal and proposed division of work reflects substantial involvement of all entities involved.

If a proposal is recommended for award to a lead entity not otherwise exempt from the matching requirement and the proposal does not reflect substantial involvement of at least one partner that is exempt under #2 above, then the matching requirement will apply. Exemption from the matching requirement for an entity not otherwise exempt is limited to the project for which it is a partner.

Waiver of Match - NIFA may waive the matching funds requirement for a recipient for one year with respect to a competitive grant that involves research or extension activities that are http://www.nifa.usda.gov/form/form.html consistent with the priorities established by the National Agricultural Research, Education, Extension and Economics Advisory Board for the year involved. To determine whether proposed activities are consistent with the priorities of the NAREEEAB, please refer to the 2014 Research, Education and Economics Action Plan. Instructions for requesting a waiver are included in Part IV, C. of this RFA.

http://www.ree.usda.gov/ree/news/USDA_REE_Action_Plan_03-2014.pdf http://www.ree.usda.gov/ree/news/USDA_REE_Action_Plan_03-2014.pdf

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Electronic Application Package

Only electronic applications may be submitted via Grants.gov to NIFA in response to this RFA.

We urge you to submit early to the Grants.gov system. For an overview of the Grants.gov application process see www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/grant-application-process.html.

New Users of Grants.gov

Prior to preparing an application, we recommend that the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) first contact an Authorized Representative (AR, also referred to as Authorized Organizational Representative or AOR) to determine if the organization is prepared to submit electronic applications through Grants.gov. If not (e.g., the institution/organization is new to the electronic grant application process through Grants.gov), then the one-time registration process must be completed PRIOR to submitting an application. It can take as long as 2 weeks to complete the registration process so it is critical to begin as soon as possible. In such situations, the AR should go to “Register” in the top right corner of the Grants.gov web page (or go to www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html) for information on registering the institution/organization with Grants.gov. Part II.1. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide contains detailed information regarding the registration process. Refer to item 2 below to locate the “NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide”.

Steps to Obtain Application Package Materials

To receive application materials:

1. You must download and install a version of Adobe Reader compatible with Grants.gov to access, complete, and submit applications. For basic system requirements and download instructions, see www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html. Grants.gov has a test package that will help you determine whether your current version of Adobe Reader is compatible.

2. To obtain the application package from Grants.gov, go to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html. Under Step 1 click on “Download a Grant Application Package,” and enter the funding opportunity number USDA-NIFA-SRGP-004796 in the appropriate box and click “Download Package.”

From the search results, click “Download” to access the application package.

Contained within the application package is the “NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.”

This guide contains an introduction and general Grants.gov instructions, information about how to use a Grant Application Package in Grants.gov, and instructions on how to complete the application forms.

If you require assistance to access the application package (e.g., downloading or navigating Adobe forms) or submitting the application, refer to resources available on http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/grant-application-process.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html the Grants.gov website (www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-resources.html). Grants.gov assistance is also available at:

Grants.gov customer support 800-518-4726 Toll-Free or 606-545-5035

Business Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Closed on federal holidays.

Email: support@grants.gov

Grants.gov iPortal (see https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants):

Top 10 requested help topics (FAQs), Searchable knowledge base, self-service ticketing and ticket status, and live web chat (available 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. ET). Get help now!

Have the following information available when contacting Grants.gov:

• Funding Opportunity Number (FON)

• Name of agency you are applying to

• Specific area of concern

See www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/electronic.html for additional resources for applying electronically.

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

You should prepare electronic applications following Parts V and VI of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide. This guide is part of the corresponding application package (see Section A.

of this Part). The following is additional information needed to prepare an application in response to this RFA. If there is discrepancy between the two documents, the information contained in this RFA is overriding.

Note the attachment requirements (e.g., PDF) in Part III section 3. of the guide. ANY PROPOSALS THAT ARE NON-COMPLIANT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS (e.g., content format, PDF file format, file name restrictions, and no password protected files) WILL BE AT RISK OF BEING EXCLUDED FROM NIFA REVIEW. Grants.gov does not check for NIFA required attachments or that attachments are in PDF format; see Part III section 6.1 of the guide for how to check the manifest of submitted files. Partial applications will be excluded from NIFA review. We will accept subsequent submissions of an application until close of business on the closing date in the RFA (see Part V, 2.1 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further information).

Grants.gov provides online tools to assist if you do not own PDF-generating software. You will find PDF conversion software at http://test.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/pdf-conversion-software.html.

For any questions related to the preparation of an application, review the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide and the applicable RFA. If assistance is still needed for preparing application forms content, contact:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-resources.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-resources.html http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/%23url=2014 mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/electronic.html http://test.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/pdf-conversion-software.html http://test.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/pdf-conversion-software.html

• Email: electronic@nifa.usda.gov

• Phone: 202-401-5048

• Business hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET, excluding federal holidays.

1. SF 424 R&R Cover Sheet Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 2. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

2. SF 424 R&R Project/Performance Site Location(s) Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 3. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

3. R&R Other Project Information Form Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 4. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

a. Field 7. Project Summary/Abstract.

The summary must include:

• the project type (Headquarters, Regional Center with analytical chemistry, or Regional Center without analytical chemistry);

• physical location(s) of proposed headquarters or center;

• categorized list of partners and collaborators;

• a clear overview of the proposal; and

• the anticipated impacts of the proposed project.

The summary should also include the relevance of the project to the goals of the IR-4 program.

See Part V. 4.7 of NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further instructions and a link to a suggested template.

b. Field 8. Project Narrative.

NOTE: The Project Narrative shall not exceed 18 pages of written text regardless of whether it is single- or double-spaced and up to 50 additional pages for figures and tables may be included in appendices. We have established this maximum (68 total pages) to ensure fair and equitable competition. The Project Narrative must include all of the following:

i. Identify the mission and goals of the proposed IR-4 headquarters or regional IR-4 center specifically designated in the application;

ii. Identify the director and other key personnel (or positions) of the IR-4 headquarters or regional center specifically designated in the application;

iii. Describe the management process the proposed IR-4 headquarters or regional center will use to: a) establish broad-based advisory committees; b) involve stakeholders and mailto:electronic@nifa.usda.gov partner institutions in its operations through working groups and other mechanisms; c) identify program needs and priorities; and d) develop a strategic plan that will be followed to address national and regional priorities and achieve goals and objectives identified in this request for applications;

iv. Demonstrate the ability to establish and maintain an interactive information network that will provide a mechanism to share current pest management information and successes with pest managers, funding organizations, policy-makers, and other stakeholders;

v. Describe the process that will be used to ensure effective management of IR-4 resources (including personnel, training and travel budgets, and supplies/equipment needed for field and laboratory research) and provide a plan to assess progress and accomplishments throughout the project; and

vi. Describe a process for managing sub-awards and/or fee for service arrangements made from NIFA funding provided through the IR-4 headquarters or IR-4 center award. The management process must ensure: a) the needs identification and prioritization process is kept separate from the funding process, b) that eligible applicants are notified of funding opportunities, and c) that funding is distributed in a fair and equitable fashion.

c. Field 12. Other Attachments

The following instructions are in addition to those noted in Part V 4.12 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide

Non-Land Grant College of Agriculture (NLGCA) Certification – PDF Attachment.

Applicants claiming exemption from the new matching requirement as NLGCA, must attach the NLGCA certification letter they requested and received from NIFA. Title attachment ‘NLGCA Certification’ and save file as ‘NLGCACertification’. To request certification as an NLGCA, complete the form at http://www.nifa.usda.gov/form/form.html. Note that certification can take up to 30 days from submission of request form.

4. R&R Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 5. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide. This section of the Guide includes information about the people who require a Senior/Key Person Profile, and details about the Biographical Sketch and the Current and Pending Support, including a link to a suggested template for the Current and Pending Support.

5. R&R Personal Data – As noted in Part V, 6. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide, the submission of this information is voluntary and is not a precondition of award.

6. R&R Budget Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 7. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

http://www.nifa.usda.gov/form/form.html

Applicants should prepare a budget for both years of the grant plus a cumulative two-year budget.

This is done to provide a comprehensive spending plan for the life of the project. All applications must include a budget narrative to justify budget items for both years and all sub-awards must include a budget and budget narrative for each year they are part of the grant.

At least one member from the successful IR-4 headquarters project and one member from each successful regional IR-4 center project must attend leadership meetings as often as necessary to report on IR-4 activities. Reasonable travel expenses may be claimed as part of the project budget.

NIFA does not require matching support for this program and matching resources will not be factored into the review process as evaluation criteria.

7. Supplemental Information Form Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part VI, 1. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

a. Field 2. Program to which you are applying. Enter the program code name “Minor Crop

Pest Management IR-4” and the program code “RR”. Note that accurate entry of the program code is very important for proper and timely processing of an application.

b. Field 8. Conflict of Interest List. See Part VI, 1.8 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further instructions and a link to a suggested template.

C. Submission Dates and Times

Prior to electronic submission of the application via Grants.gov, it is strongly recommended that an administrative review be conducted to ensure that an application complies with all application preparation instructions. An application checklist is included in Part VII of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide to assist with this review.

Instructions for submitting an application are included in Part IV, Section 1.9 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

Applications must be received by Grants.gov by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on February 18, 2015. Applications received after this deadline will normally not be considered for funding.

If you have trouble submitting an application to Grants.gov, you should FIRST contact the Grants.gov Help Desk to resolve any problems. Keep a record of any such correspondence.

See Part IV. A. for Grants.gov contact information.

We send email correspondence to the AR regarding the status of submitted applications.

Therefore, applicants are strongly encouraged to provide accurate e-mail addresses, where designated, on the SF-424 R&R Application for Federal Assistance.

If the AR has not received correspondence from NIFA regarding a submitted application within 30 days of the established deadline, contact the Agency Contact identified in Part VII of the applicable RFA and request the proposal number assigned to the application. Failure to do so may result in the application not being considered for funding by the peer review panel.

Once the application has been assigned a proposal number, this number should be cited on all future correspondence.

D. Funding Restrictions

Pursuant to Section 1473 of the National Agriculture Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, as amended, ( 7 U.S.C. 3319), indirect costs or tuition remission are not allowable costs under Competitive, Special and Facilities Research Grant Act of August 4, 1965 section 2(c)(l)(B) [7U.S.C. 450i(c)(1)(B) projects, and no funds will be approved for this purpose. Further, costs that are a part of an institution's indirect cost pool (e.g., administrative or clerical salaries) may not be reclassified as direct costs for the purpose of making them allowable.

NIFA has determined that grant funds awarded under this authority may not be used for the renovation or refurbishment of research, education, or extension space; the purchase or installation of fixed equipment in such space; or the planning, repair, rehabilitation, acquisition, or construction of buildings or facilities.

Statutory language (7U.S.C. 450i(c)(1) limits the maximum potential funding period (including any awards transferred from another institution or organization) to 3 years in duration. The funding period will commence on the effective date cited in the award instrument. Any such limitation also applies to subcontracts made under awards subject to a funding period limitation.

E. Other Submission Requirements

You should follow the submission requirements noted in Part IV, section 1.9 in the document entitled “NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.”

For information about the status of a submitted application, see Part III., section 6. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

PART V—APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

A. General

We evaluate each application in a 2-part process. First, we screen each application to ensure that it meets the administrative requirements as set forth in this RFA. Second, a technical review panel will evaluate applications that meet the administrative requirements.

We select reviewers based upon their training and experience in relevant scientific, extension, or education fields, taking into account the following factors: (a) The level of relevant formal scientific, technical education, or extension experience of the individual, as well as the extent to which an individual is engaged in relevant research, education, or extension activities; (b) the need to include as reviewers experts from various areas of specialization within relevant scientific, education, or extension fields; (c) the need to include as reviewers other experts (e.g., producers, range or forest managers/operators, and consumers) who can assess relevance of the applications to targeted audiences and to program needs; (d) the need to include as reviewers experts from a variety of organizational types (e.g., colleges, universities, industry, state and federal agencies, and private profit and non-profit organizations) and geographic locations; (e) the need to maintain a balanced composition of reviewers with regard to minority and female representation and an equitable age distribution; and (f) the need to include reviewers who can judge the effective usefulness of each application to producers and the general public.

When each peer review panel has completed its deliberations, the responsible program staff of the IR-4 program will recommend that the project: (a) be approved for support from currently available funds or (b) be declined due to insufficient funds or unfavorable review.

The IR-4 program reserves the right to negotiate with the PD/PI and/or with the submitting organization or institution regarding project revisions (e.g., reductions in the scope of work, funding level, period, or method of support) prior to recommending any project for funding.

B. Evaluation Criteria

We will use the evaluation criteria below to review applications submitted in response to this

RFA:

1. Relevance of the application to the accomplishment of program goals and objectives, as described in Part I, B and Part I, C. (25 points)

2. Adequacy of the proposal response to items listed in the Project Narrative, including a process for managing sub-awards made from NIFA funding.

(25 points)

3. Quality and extent of documented stakeholder involvement in application development.

(20 points)

4. Capacity of host institution(s) to provide support for the project, including commitment to IPM programs. (10 points)

5. Experience, accomplishments, and time commitments of key project personnel.

(10 points)

6. Appropriateness of requested budget. (10 points)

This criterion relates to the extent to which the total budget adequately supports the project and is cost effective. Elements considered include the necessity and reasonableness of costs to carry out project activities and achieve project objectives; the appropriateness of budget allocations between the applicant and any collaborating institution(s); reasonableness of costs as related to the time committed to the project by key project personnel; and the degree to which the project maximizes the use of limited resources, and focuses expertise and activity on high-priority activities that directly align with Research, Education, and Economics Action Plan (as referenced in Part I.B. of this RFA).

C. Conflicts of Interest and Confidentiality

During the peer evaluation process, we take extreme care to prevent any actual or perceived conflicts of interest that may impact review or evaluation. For the purpose of determining conflicts of interest, we determine the academic and administrative autonomy of an institution by reference to the current Higher Education Directory, published by Higher Education Publications, Inc., 1801 Robert Fulton Drive, Suite 555, Reston, VA, 20191. Phone: (888) 349-7715. Web site: www.hepinc.com.

Names of submitting institutions and individuals, as well as application content and peer evaluations, are kept confidential, except to those involved in the review process, to the extent permitted by law. In addition, the identities of peer reviewers will remain confidential throughout the entire review process, to the extent permitted by law; therefore, the names of the reviewers will not be released to applicants.

D. Organizational Management Information

Specific management information relating to an applicant shall be submitted on a one time basis, with updates on an as needed basis. This requirement is part of the responsibility determination prior to the award of a grant identified under this RFA, if such information has not been provided previously under this or another NIFA program. We will provide you copies of forms recommended for use in fulfilling these requirements as part of the preaward process. Although an applicant may be eligible based on its status as one of these entities, there are factors that may exclude an applicant from receiving federal financial and nonfinancial assistance and benefits under this program (e.g., debarment or suspension of an individual involved or a determination that an applicant is not responsible based on submitted organizational management information).

http://www.hepinc.com/

E. Application Disposition

An application may be withdrawn at any time before a final funding decision is made regarding the application; however, withdrawn applications normally will not be returned. One copy of each application that is not selected for funding, including those that are withdrawn, will be retained by the IR-4 program for a period of three years.

PART VI—AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General

Within the limit of funds available for such purpose, the NIFA awarding official shall make grants to those responsible, eligible applicants whose applications are judged most meritorious under the procedures set forth in this RFA. The date specified by the NIFA awarding official as the effective date of the grant shall be no later than September 30 of the federal fiscal year in which the project is approved for support and funds are appropriated for such purpose, unless otherwise permitted by law.