2017 Crop Insurance Education in Targeted States.pdf

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Federal Crop Insurance Corporation

Funding Opportunity Title:

Crop Insurance Education in Targeted States

Fiscal Year 2017 Request for Applications

Funding Opportunity Number USDA-TS-RMED-2017

Announcement Type: Announcement of Availability of Initial Funds and Request for Applications (RFA) for Competitive Cooperative Partnership Agreements.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number (CFDA): 10.458.

Publication Date: May 11, 2017

Application Due Date: July 10, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time

Highlights and Changes for 2017

It is important that applicants read and adhere to the guidance contained in this Request for

Applications when preparing their applications. Below are highlights of major changes to the program since last year.

Incorporated Highlights and Changes Section

Changed closing submission time of day from 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time

Updated Project Goals

To expand funding opportunities to a broader group of recipients with small to large dollar funding needs, the RFA includes two (2) competitive funding categories: (a) up to $99,999;

and (b) $100,000 and above (not to exceed the state’s maximum allocation).

Removal of Strikeforce and Promise Zone areas.

Include requirement for applicants to identify or disclose possible recipient or subrecipient conflicts of interest.

Scoring criteria has changed in Section E, Application Review Information.

Summary: The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), operating through the Risk

Management Agency (RMA), announces its intent to award up to $4.85 million to fund cooperative agreements under the Crop Insurance Education in Targeted States Program. The

Request for Application (RFA) includes two (2) competitive funding categories: (a) up to $99,999;

and (b) $100,000 and above (not to exceed the state’s maximum allocation). The cooperative agreements will be awarded on a competitive basis up to one year from the date of the award.

Dates: All applications, which must be submitted electronically through https://rvs.umn.edu/Home.aspx, must be received by July 10, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. EDT, 60 calendar days from date of publication in Grants.gov. Hard copy applications will NOT be accepted. A tutorial on how to apply is available at http://rvs.umn.edu/rmaresources.

Key dates in the following table are provided to illustrate the timing of actions related to this RFA announcement.

Key Dates Actions

May 11, 2017 RFAs Announced in Grants.gov. RFA Open for 60 days.

May 18, 2017 RFA/RVS Training Conducted for Potential Applicants 11:00 a.m. EDT

June 1, 2017 RFA/RVS Training Conducted for Potential Applicants 3:00 p.m. EDT

July 10, 2017 RFA Closes 5:00 p.m. EDT

Week of August 28, 2017 Award Notifications are E-mailed; Unsuccessful Applicants are Notified by

E-mail.

September 29, 2017 Project Start Date.

Purpose: The purpose of the Targeted States program is to deliver crop insurance education and information to U.S. agricultural producers in States where there is traditionally, and continues to be a low level of Federal crop insurance participation and availability, and producers are underserved by the Federal crop insurance program. These states, defined as Targeted States for the purposes of this RFA, are Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Any cooperative agreements that may be funded will not exceed https://rvs.umn.edu/Home.aspx http://rvs.umn.edu/rmaresources the maximum funding amount established for each of the Targeted States. Recipients must agree to the substantial involvement of RMA in the project.

Applications submitted under this RFA must demonstrate how the proposed crop insurance education activities will help producers in Targeted States understand:

The kinds of risks addressed by crop insurance;

How the use of crop insurance can affect other risk management decisions, such as the use of marketing and financial tools;

Farm record keeping and planning (Farm Financial Benchmarking as described in section 7 U.S.C.

§ 1502(b)(7)) practices to

Create farm baseline by commodity/farm enterprise;

Compare farm financials by similar enterprise;

Meet crop insurance record requirements to improve management performance and business profitability, and adjust production methods; and

Optimize and improve records with relevant and current strategies for use in crop insurance; and

How to make informed decisions on crop insurance prior to the sales closing date deadline.

Funding availability for this program may be announced at approximately the same time as funding availability for similar but separate program, the Risk Management Education

Partnerships Program (CFDA No. 10.460). Prospective applicants must carefully examine and compare the notices of each announcement.

The collections of information in this announcement have been approved by the Office of

Management and Budget (OMB) under control number 0563-0067.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT CONSISTS OF EIGHT SECTIONS

Section A—Funding Opportunity Description

1. Legislative Authority

2. Background

3. Project Goal

Section B—Award Information

1. Type of Application

2. Funding Availability

3. Maximum Award

4. Project Period

5. Location

6. Audience Emphasis

7. RMA Substantial Involvement

8. Description of Agreement Award - Recipient Tasks

9. Other Tasks

Section C—Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funding

Section D—Application and Submission Information

1. Electronic Application Package

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

3. Funding Restrictions

4. Indirect Cost Rates

5. Other Submission Requirements

Section E—Application Review Information

1. Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

Section F—Award Administration Information

1. Information Contained in a Federal Award

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

i. Requirement to acknowledge USDA support.

ii. Requirement to Provide Project Information to an RMA-selected Representative

iii. Access to Panel Review Information

iv. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards

v. Audit Requirements

vi. Prohibitions and Requirements Regarding Lobbying

vii. Representation Regarding the Prohibition on Using Funds under Grants and

Cooperative Agreements with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality

Agreements

viii. Applicable OMB Circulars

ix. Requirement to Assure Compliance with Federal Civil Rights Laws

x. Requirement to Participate in a Post Award Teleconference

xi. Requirement to Participate in a Post Award Civil Rights Training

3. Reporting Requirements

Section G—Agency Contact

Section H—Additional Information

1. The Restriction of the Expenditure of Funds to Enter into Financial Transactions

2. Required Registration with the System for Awards Management (SAM) for Submission of Proposals

Attachment A—System for Award Management (SAM) Registration and Universal

Identifier Requirements

Attachment B—Reporting Subawards and Executive Compensation.

Full Text of Announcement

Section A. Funding Opportunity Description

1. Legislative Authority

The Targeted States Program is authorized under Section 524(a)(2) of the Federal Crop Insurance

Act (FCIA), 7 U.S.C. § 1524(a)(2).

2. Background

RMA promotes and regulates sound risk management solutions to improve the economic stability of American agriculture. On behalf of FCIC, RMA does this by offering Federal crop insurance products through a network of private-sector partners, overseeing the creation of new risk management products, seeking enhancements in existing products, ensuring the integrity of crop insurance programs, offering programs aimed at equal access and participation of underserved communities, and providing risk management education and information.

One of RMA’s strategic goals is to ensure that its customers are well-informed of risk management solutions available. This educational goal is authorized by Section 524(a)(2) of the FCIA (7

U.S.C. § 1524(a)(2)). This section authorizes funding for the establishment of crop insurance education and information programs in States where there is traditionally, and continues to be, a low level of Federal crop insurance participation and availability, and producers are underserved by the Federal crop insurance program. In accordance with the FCIA, the States with this designation for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 are Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode

Island, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming (defined as “Targeted States” for the purposes of this RFA).

Call for Stakeholder input: FCIC through the RMA, seeks your comments about this RFA. We will consider the comments when we develop the next RFA for the program, if applicable, and

FCIC may consider these comments for changes to future RFAs. Submit written stakeholder comments by December 31, 2017 via e-mail to: RMA.Risk-ED@rma.usda.gov. In your comments, please state that you are responding to the Risk Management Targeted States

Program RFA. Comments are optional and voluntary.

3. Project Goal

The goal of the Targeted States Program is to ensure that producers in the Targeted States are fully informed of existing and emerging crop insurance products in order to take full advantage of such products including:

i. Crop Insurance 101:

a. What crop insurance is available;

b. How different kinds of insurance work:

c. What options within each policy are available;

d. What if crop insurance isn’t available in a county (written agreements-what they are/how they work/how to get them/when they are available);

e. Who the producer buys insurance from;

f. How the relationship with the insurance company/agent/loss adjuster/FCIC works;

mailto:RMA.Risk-ED@rma.usda.gov

g. Understanding policy selections;

h. Insurance tools available online;

i. Importance of unit selection;

j. Importance of record keeping;

k. How actual production history and production reporting work and what’s important to the producer;

l. Price and coverage level interaction with options;

m. Maintaining production records, etc.; and/or

n. Specific information on crop insurance that is currently available.

ii. Whole-Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) Training in each state:

a. What is WFRP;

b. How does it work;

c. What records are required from the producer;

d. How the amount of insurance is determined and expenses are used in the policy;

e. How do producers evaluate WFRP for their farm;

f. How a loss is determined (including replant payments);

g. How do producers buy WFRP; and

h. Recordkeeping for fruit/vegetable producers to meet WFRP requirements.

iii. Rainfall Index Insurance: Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF)/Annual

Forage/Apiculture:

a. Training on what PRF is (all targeted states except Alaska and Hawaii), how it works, and how producers can evaluate PRF for their particular farm.

b. Training on Annual Forage (any known new states).

c. Training on Apiculture (all targeted states except Alaska and Hawaii).

d. For PRF, specific for Nevada, Utah and Wyoming, include how the new Rainfall

Index (RI-PRF) model works differently from what policy offered previously (these areas converted from Vegetative Index VI-PRF).

vi. All Livestock Products: General education on all the livestock products so producers know what their choices of Federal crop insurance are.

In carrying out the requirements under Section 11027 of Public Law 113-79, the Secretary of

Agriculture has placed special emphasis on risk management strategies (including farm financial benchmarking), education and crop insurance education specifically targeted to the following producers:

i. Beginning farmers or ranchers;

ii. Legal immigrant farmers or ranchers that are attempting to become established producers in the United States;

iii. Socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers;

iv. Farmers or ranchers that —

a. are preparing to retire; and

b. are using transition strategies to help new farmers or ranchers get started; and

v. New or established farmers or ranchers that are converting production and marketing systems to pursue new markets.

Section B. Award Information

1. Type of Application

Only electronic applications will be accepted and they must be submitted through https://rvs.umn.edu/Home.aspx. Hard copy applications will NOT be accepted. Applications submitted for the Risk Management Education in Targeted States Program are new applications:

there are no renewals. All applications will be reviewed competitively using the selection process and evaluation criteria described in Section E – Application Review Information. Each award will be designated as a Cooperative Agreement, which will require substantial involvement by RMA.

2. Funding Availability

There is no commitment by USDA to fund any particular application or make a specific number of awards. In fiscal year 2017, RMA intends to award up to $4.85 million and to fund one or more cooperative agreement(s) not to exceed the maximum funding amount established for each of the Targeted States.

An applicant must apply for funding for that Targeted State where the applicant intends to deliver the educational activities, and must limit its request for funding in a particular Targeted State based upon the funding levels available below.

Alaska……………………………………………… $203,000

Connecticut ............................................................. $231,000

Delaware ................................................................. $271,000

Hawaii…………………………………………….. $237,000

Maine ...................................................................... $243,000

Maryland ................................................................. $327,000

Massachusetts ......................................................... $227,000

Nevada .................................................................... $243,000

New Hampshire ...................................................... $211,000

New Jersey .............................................................. $256,000

New York ................................................................ $502,000

Pennsylvania ........................................................... $613,000

Rhode Island ........................................................... $203,000

Utah ......................................................................... $301,000

Vermont .................................................................. $243,000

West Virginia ....................................................... $245,000

Wyoming................................................................. $294,000

Total ..................................................................….. $4,850,000

Funding amounts were determined by first allocating an equal amount of $200,000 to each

Targeted State. Remaining funds were allocated on a pro-rata basis according to each Targeted

State’s share of agricultural cash receipts reported in the National Agricultural Statistics Service

(NASS) 2012 Agricultural Census, relative to the total for all Targeted States. Both the equal allocation and the pro-rata allocation were totaled together and rounded to the nearest $1,000 to arrive at the funding limit for each Targeted State.

RMA reserves the right to eliminate funding consideration categories once RMA receives the actual applications, and eliminate the categories because the overall award process used must always remain merit-based and competitive.

In the event that additional funds become available under this program or in the event that no application for a given Targeted State is recommended for funding by the evaluation panel, these additional funds, or unused funds for a particular Targeted State may be offered to selected recipients for use in broadening the size or scope of awarded projects within the Targeted States.

The decision of whether any additional or unused funds are offered to other award recipients is within the discretion of the Administrator of RMA, Manager of FCIC. RMA is not required to distribute any additional or unused funds to the recipients.

In the event that the Manager of FCIC determines that available RMA resources cannot support the administrative and substantial involvement requirements of all agreements recommended for funding, the Manager may elect to fund fewer agreements than the available funding might otherwise allow.

3. Maximum Award

The RFA includes two (2) competitive funding categories: (a) up to $99,999; and (b) $100,000 and above (not to exceed the state’s maximum allocation). An applicant must apply for funding for that

Targeted State where the applicant intends to deliver the educational activities.

It is difficult to accurately estimate the number and amount of awards that RMA will provide this year. Last year, RMA awarded 17 cooperative agreements, ranging from $196,473 to $475,000.

All awards will be made and agreements finalized no later than week of August 28, 2017 with the project start date of September 29, 2017.

4. Project Period

Projects will be funded for a period of up to one year from the project starting date.

5. Location

The RMA Regional Offices that service the Targeted States are listed below. Staff from these respective RMA Regional Offices and the Risk Management Education Division (RMED) DC

Office will provide the RMA substantial involvement for Targeted States projects conducted within the respective regions.

Billings, Montana Regional Office: (WY)

Davis, California Regional Office: (HI, NV and UT)

Raleigh, North Carolina Regional Office: (CT, DE, ME, MD, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT and WV)

Spokane, WA Regional Office: (AK)

Each application must clearly designate the Targeted State where crop insurance educational activities for the project will be delivered. Applicants may apply to deliver education to producers in more than one Targeted State, but a separate application must be submitted for each Targeted

State because applications will be compared to applications submitted for the same state. Any single application proposing to conduct educational activities in more than one Targeted State will be rejected.

6. Audience Emphasis

Audience emphasis is on U.S. producers and ranchers, and should specifically reach out to producer types not normally reached, such as limited resource and socially disadvantaged producers, to ensure they are given the opportunity to participate in educational activities.

Audience groups may include: traditional farmers and ranchers; new and beginning farmers;

farmers or ranchers that are preparing to retire and are using transition strategies to help new farmers or ranchers get started; legal immigrant farmers or ranchers, minority producers; veterans;

women; farmers and ranchers marketing their products as part of a local or regional food system;

livestock producers, organic producers, new or established farmers or ranchers that are converting production and marketing systems to pursue new markets; small farms or ranches, sustainable producers, and value-added producers.

7. RMA Substantial Involvement

RMA will be substantially involved during the performance of the funded project through RMA’s four (4) Regional Offices and RMED DC Office identified earlier. Potential types of substantial involvement by these four (4) Regional Offices and RMED DC Office will include, but are not limited to, the following activities.

i. Collaborate with the recipient in assembling, reviewing, and approving risk management materials for producers in the designated Targeted States.

ii. Collaborate with the recipient in reviewing and approving a promotional program for raising awareness for risk management and for informing producers of training and informational opportunities in the Targeted States.

iii. Collaborate with the recipient on the delivery of education to producers and agribusiness professionals for the Targeted States. This collaboration will include: (a) Regional Offices directly involved in proposed activities (dependent upon resources available); (b) reviewing and approving in advance all producer and agribusiness professional educational activities;

(c) advising the recipient on technical issues related to crop insurance education and information; (d) assisting the recipient in informing producers and agribusiness professionals about educational activity plans and scheduled meetings; and (e) promoting and creating awareness of scheduled activities.

iv. Conduct an evaluation of the performance of the recipient in meeting the tasks of the project.

Applications that do not address substantial involvement by RMA will be rejected.

8. Description of Agreement Award - Recipient Tasks

In conducting activities to achieve the purpose and goal of this program in a designated Targeted

State, the recipient will be responsible for performing the following tasks:

i. Develop and conduct a promotional program in English or a non-English language to producers. If non-English language is used, a translation in English must be provided.

This program will include activities using media, newsletters, publications, or other appropriate informational dissemination techniques that are designed to: (a) raise awareness for crop insurance; (b) inform producers of the availability of crop insurance; (c) inform producers of the crop insurance sales closing dates prior to the deadline; and (d) inform producers, in the designated Targeted State of training and informational opportunities.

ii. Deliver crop insurance training and informational opportunities in English or a non-English language to agricultural producers (and may deliver to agribusiness professionals) in the designated Targeted State in a timely manner, prior to crop insurance sales closing dates, in order for producers to make informed decisions regarding risk management tools prior to the crop insurance sales closing dates deadline. This delivery will include organizing and delivering educational activities using instructional materials that have been assembled to meet the local needs of agricultural producers. Activities must be directed primarily to agricultural producers, but may include those agribusiness professionals that frequently advise producers on crop insurance tools and decisions and will use the information gained from these trainings to advise producers.

iii. Document all educational activities conducted under the cooperative agreement and the results of such activities, including criteria and indicators used to evaluate the success of the program. The recipient will also be required, if requested by RMA, to provide information to RMA-selected contractor(s) to evaluate all educational activities and advise

RMA regarding the effectiveness of activities.

9. Other Tasks

In addition to the specific, required tasks listed above, the applicant may propose additional tasks that would contribute directly to the purpose of this program such crop insurance educational activities targeting producers engaged in local or regional food systems. For any proposed additional task, the applicant must clearly identify the objective of the task (e.g., for website tools or mobile phone Apps, applicants must clearly identify the what risk management tool they are developing, the targeted user and relationship to crop insurance or managing farm risk), specific timelines for performing the tasks, how they will measure the success of these tasks, and the specific responsibilities of partners. The applicant must also identify specific ways in which RMA would have substantial involvement in the proposed project task.

Section C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants include not-for-profit organizations, State Departments of Agriculture, State

Cooperative Extension Services; Federal, State, or tribal agencies; groups representing producers, community based organizations or a coalition of community-based organization that has demonstrated experience in providing agricultural education or other agricultural-related services to producers; nongovernmental organizations; junior and four-year colleges or universities or foundations maintained by a college or university (including Minority Serving Institutions); and other entities with the capacity to lead a program of risk management education for producers in one or more Targeted States. RMA may request documents from applicants to verify eligibility requirements, proof of existence, or authority.

i. Individuals are not eligible applicants.

ii. Although an applicant may be eligible to compete for an award based on its status as an eligible entity, other factors may exclude an applicant from receiving Federal assistance under this program governed by Federal law and regulations (e.g. debarment and suspension; a determination of non-performance on a prior contract, cooperative agreement, grant or cooperative partnership; a determination of a violation of applicable ethical standards). Reviewed applications in which the applicant or any of the partners are ineligible or excluded persons will be rejected in their entirety. Rejected applications will be retained during the RFA process, but will not be made an award.

iii. Private organizations that are involved in the sale of Federal crop insurance, or that have financial ties to such organizations, are eligible to apply for funding under this

Announcement. However, such entities and their partners, affiliates, and collaborators for this Announcement will not receive funding to conduct activities that are already required under a Standard Reinsurance Agreement or any other agreement in effect between

FCIC/RMA and the entity, or between FCIC/RMA and any of the partners; affiliates, or collaborators for awards under this Announcement. In addition, such entities and their partners, affiliates, and collaborators for this Announcement will not be allowed to receive funding to conduct activities that could be perceived by producers as promoting the services or products of one company over the services or products of another company that provides the same or similar services or products. If applying for funding, such organizations must be aware of potential conflicts of interest and must describe in their application the specific actions they will take to avoid actual and perceived conflicts of interest. Applications for which applicants fail to identify and disclose possible or actual conflicts of interest may result in, among other possible outcomes, application rejection, funding reimbursement denial, and/or termination.

iv. Applicants must note funding restrictions found in Section D, 3.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching Funding

This program has neither a cost sharing nor a matching requirement, therefore does not result in any points assigned to an application.

Section D. Application and Submission Information

1. Electronic Application Package

For accessibility purposes, applicants may obtain an electronic copy at http://www.rma.usda.gov/aboutrma/agreements/ or request the application package by fax at 202-

690-3607. Only electronic applications will be accepted and they must be submitted to http://rvs.umn.edu/Home.aspx in response to this Announcement. Applicants must register for an account on the Results Verification System (RVS) website, where users will be required to create a user name, password, and enter other personal contact information. For website and technical issues, call 1-612-624-7585 from 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Central Time, Monday through Friday except for Federal holidays. Prior to preparing an application, it is recommended that the Project

Director (PD) first contact an Authorized Representative (AR) or the Authorized Organizational

Representative (AOR) to determine if the organization is prepared to submit electronic applications through https://rvs.umn.edu/Home.aspx. Prior to submitting applications, each applicant must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), a Data Universal Numbering System

(DUNS) number and must be registered in System for Awards Management (www.SAM.gov). No applicant can receive an award until the applicant has complied with all UEI and SAM http://www.rma.usda.gov/aboutrma/agreements/ http://rvs.umn.edu/Home.aspx http://www.sam.gov/ requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied with all UEI and SAM requirements by the time an award may be made, RMA may determine the applicant is not qualified to receive a

Federal award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.

Each application must continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times in which the applicant has its application under consideration, and if an award is made, during the entire time of the Federal award.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

The applicant is strongly encouraged to use the tutorial located at https://rvs.umn.edu/Home.aspx.

After completing the tutorial, the final application must be submitted to the same site:

https://rvs.umn.edu/Home.aspx. All applications must be received in RVS by the deadline, July

10, 2017, at 5:00 p.m. EDT, 60 calendar days from date of publication in Grants.gov. If a due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday, the deadline will be the next business day. Once submitted, applications will be date and time stamped by the RVS as evidence of submission.

Hard copy of the application will not be accepted. The system will prompt the applicant for the following items:

i. Project Information. Information must include the Project Name, RMA Regional

Office, State/Area, Project Director’s Name and Contact Information; a second, or alternative Project Director’s Name and Contact Information, and a Financial

Representative or Grants Office Official and Contact Information. A second Point of Contact Name and Contact Information may be added at the discretion of the applicant.

ii. Executive Summary of the Project (Maximum of 200 words). This is a summary of the project and includes the project’s goal and objectives, location of work, audience to be reached, and expected impacts and results of the work completed.

iii. Proposed Results. Applicants must clearly identify the specific actions producers will take as a result of the education activities. In a table format, you must explain what producers will learn, achieve, or apply as a result of participating in the project. The applicant must select a producer action which describes what program participants will do relative to the specific proposed result. You may have several producer actions for a component of your program. Applicants must also include the method and/or tool that will be used to verify or measure results.

iv. Audience Emphasis. Applicant must select at least one or more audiences that the project will intentionally reach.

v. Statement of Work (SOW). The SOW is in a table format and must clearly identify each task associated with the work, the objective of each task specific time lines for performing the each task, and the responsible party for completing the activities listed under each task including the specific responsibilities of applicant, the applicant’s partner(s), and RMA’s substantial involvement. Tasks that directly involve producer participants, such as workshops, must estimate the number of participants to be reached. The SOW should demonstrate the logical progression of task’s that will lead your target audience to achieve the project’s proposed results.

The SOW must be very clear on who does what, where, and when, as well as, the objective for each task.

vi. Proposal Narrative (Maximum of 1000 words). The proposal narrative is a description of work to be done, why the work is important, who will benefit from the work and any additional explanation of the expected results entered under

Proposed Results that you want to communicate. The narrative should (a) discuss specific crop insurance education and risk management training to be developed for use with producers; (b) identify the location and number of meetings that will be held; (c) reasonably estimate the total number of producers for each session or meeting identified in the SOW that will be reached through (i) direct face-to face educational activities with an explanation of how the number was determined and

(ii) through other means such as direct mailings, website, etc. with an explanation of how the number was determined; (d) provide an estimate of the number of training hours that will be conducted with an explanation of how the number was determined; (e) provide an estimated cost per producer with an explanation of how the cost was determined; (f) discuss the methodology and resulting measures used to evaluate the results of the education and training delivered to producers; (g) provide an explanation of who the target audience is and why they were chosen;

and (h) identify clear and reasonable producer outcomes that demonstrate a change of behavior directly linked to the proposed educational activities.

vii. Innovative Approach. Applicants are encouraged to introduce new ideas or methods of reaching their targeted audience; propose alternative versus traditional strategies to manage agriculture risks; and/or provide innovative risk management education training, materials, or tools. Applicants should build upon, or collaborate with, previously funded projects, as applicable.

viii. Team and Partners. There are two subsections under Team and Partners. (1) Key

Personnel: This section must list key personnel by title, role, and responsibilities including specific tasks and subtasks in the SOW designated to them. Key personnel have the primary responsibility for the leadership of the project and actively participate in the development, delivery, and management. Key personnel may include the Project Director, Co-Project Director, and essential partner(s) or consultant(s) whose contributions are essential to the success of the project.

Resumes of key personnel are strongly encouraged, and may be uploaded as additional documentation in RVS. (2) Organizational Capacity: The organizational capacity of the applicant must demonstrate that designated key personnel, contracted employees, partners or consultants working on the project have the skills, knowledge, and experience to do the work described in the SOW and have the necessary resources to add other team members as necessary to complete the work. (3) Letters of Commitment: All partners of the applicant working on the project must submit a Letter of Commitment which clearly states that the named partner will work with the applicant on the project, if awarded, as well as the role and responsibilities assigned.

ix. Budget Narrative. The budget must show the total cost for the project and include a detailed budget narrative that clearly describes how category costs listed on the SF

424-A are derived. The budget narrative must also include the cost per producer and provide enough detail for reviewers to easily understand how costs were determined, and how they relate to the tasks listed in the SOW. There must be a relationship between work planned and performed to the costs incurred.

x. RMA Substantial Involvement. This section must describe RMA assistance as defined under RMA Substantial Involvement in Section B 7.

xi. Required Documents. To be downloaded from the RVS resource page

(https://rvs.umn.edu/Resources/RMA/), completed and uploaded prior to submission of the application).

A completed OMB Standard Form 424, “Application for Federal Assistance.”

A completed OMB Standard Form 424-A, “Budget Information – for Non-

Construction Programs.” Federal funding requested (the total of direct and indirect costs) must not exceed the maximum funding amount established for each of the Targeted States in Section B 2.

A completed OMB Standard Form 424-B, “Assurances, for Non-Constructive

Programs.”

A completed and signed OMB Standard Form LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying

Activities.

A completed and signed AD-1049, Certification Regarding Drug-Free

Workplace

Current and Pending Report. This form contains a document called the

Current and Pending Report. On the Current and Pending Report you must state for this fiscal year if this application is a duplicate application or overlaps substantially with another application already submitted to or funded by another USDA Agency, including RMA, or other private organization.

The percentage of each person’s time associated with the work to be done under this project must be identified in the application. The total percentage of time for both “Current” and “Pending” projects must not exceed 100 percent of each person’s time. Applicants must list all current public or https://rvs.umn.edu/Resources/RMA/ private employment arrangements or financial support associated with the project or any of the personnel that are part of the project, regardless of whether such arrangements or funding constitute part of the project under this

Announcement (supporting agency, amount of award, effective date, expiration date, expiration date of award, etc.). If the applicant has no projects to list, “N/A” should be shown on the form. An application submitted under this RFA that duplicates or overlaps substantially with any application already reviewed and funded (or to be funded) by any other organization or agency, including but not limited to other RMA, USDA, and

Federal government programs, will not be funded under this program. RMA reserves the right to reject your application based on the review of this information.

Letters of Commitment. A Letter of Commitment is required from each partner or consultant partner of the applicant who will do the specific task as identified in the SOW. The letters must (1) be dated within 45 days of the submission and (2) list the specific tasks to be done.

Applications that do not include the items listed above will be considered incomplete, will not receive further consideration, and will be rejected.

3. Funding Restrictions

RMA cooperative partnership agreement funds may not be used to:

i. Plan, repair, rehabilitate, acquire, or construct a building or facility including a processing facility;

ii. Purchase, rent, or install fixed equipment;

iii. Repair or maintain privately owned vehicles;

iv. Pay for the preparation of the cooperative agreement application;

v. Fund political activities;

vi. Purchase alcohol, give-away promotional items, or entertainment;

vii. Lend money to support farming or agricultural business operation or expansion;

viii. Pay entrance fees, conference registration fees, or other expenses to conferences or similar activities for any person not on the agenda or not working at an event booth promoting RMA programs or the RMA funded project. These expenses will not be paid for the recipient’s Board of Directors, family members or similar entities;

ix. Pay costs associated 501(c) applications; and

x. Fund any activities prohibited in 2 CFR Parts 200 and 400, as applicable.

4. Indirect Cost Rates

i. Indirect costs allowed for projects submitted under this announcement will be limited to ten (10) percent of the total direct cost of the cooperative agreement. Therefore, when preparing budgets, applicants should limit their requests for recovery of indirect costs to the lesser of their institution’s official negotiated indirect cost rate or 10 percent of the total direct costs.

ii. RMA reserves the right to negotiate final budgets with successful applicants.

5. Other Submission Requirements

Applicants are entirely responsible for ensuring that RMA receives a complete application package by July 10, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. EDT at the following website: http://rvs.umn.edu/Home.aspx.

RMA strongly encourages applicants to submit applications well in advance of the deadline.

http://rvs.umn.edu/Home.aspx

Application packages submitted after the deadline will be rejected with no exceptions granted.

Rejected applications will be retained during the RFA process, but will not be made an award.

Section E. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

Applications submitted under the Targeted States Program will be evaluated within each RMA region according to the following criteria:

Project Results – Maximum 50 points available

Each application must demonstrate the project benefits and results to producers, warrant the funding requested. Applications will be considered according to the extent they can: (a) identify the specific actions producers will likely take as a result of the education activities described in the

Proposed Results; (b) identify the specific measures for evaluating results, including but not limited to, a change in producer behavior resulting in (i) understanding crop insurance program and other risk management tools, (ii) evaluating what risk management options works best for his/her operation, and (iii) developing and implementing a specific course of action (e.g., participation in crop insurance programs, creating a risk management plan or other risk management actions) listed in the Proposal Narrative; and (d) compare work described in the

Proposal Narrative and the SOW (e.g., work to be done; detailed project tasks and how RMA substantial involvement is directly included) against the Budget Narrative information (e.g. cost of work to be done) to the Proposed Results (e.g., benefits to the producers). Higher consideration will be given to applications demonstrating: (a) a clear description of the crop insurance education and risk management training to be delivered; (b) alignment with goals and priorities listed in

Section A, 3 including intended audiences and why these groups were chosen; (c) identifies clear and reasonable producer outcomes demonstrating a change of behavior directly linked to the proposed educational activities; (d) well-designed methods for measuring the project’s results; and

(e) the best use of funds for the number of producers reached at the cost per producer.

Key Personnel and Organizational Capacity – Maximum 20 points available

Each application must demonstrate an ability to implement sound and effective project management practices. Higher consideration in this category will be awarded to applications that demonstrate organizational skills, leadership, and experience in delivering services or programs that assist agricultural producers in the designated State. Applications must designate an alternate individual to assume responsibility as Project Director in the event the original Project Director is unable to finish the project. Applications that will employ, or have access to, personnel who have experience in directing local educational programs that benefit agricultural producers in the respective state will receive higher consideration in this category. In addition, each application must list all partners working on the project, their titles, and how they will contribute to the deliverables and activities listed in the application. Applications will receive higher consideration to the extent that the application demonstrates: (a) that partnership commitments are in place for the express purpose of delivering the program in this announcement; (b) that partners are contributing to the project and involved in recruiting producers to attend the training; (c) that a substantial effort has been made to partner with organizations that can meet the needs of producers in the designated state; and (d) statements from each partner regarding the number of producers that partner is committed to recruit for the project that would support the estimates specified under the Project Impacts criterion. No points will be given if a partner is listed but there is no corresponding Letter of Commitment from the partner who is listed in the application.

Innovative Approach – Maximum 30 points available

Applications should state the extent to which the project employs innovative approaches to reach producers and/or provide them with innovative training, materials, or tools; and propose alternative versus traditional strategies to manage agriculture risks; that are clearly tied into RMA’s project results and priorities. Previously funded applicants must also provide how well your proposed project builds upon or collaborates with any Risk Management Education project you were a part of, or alternatively, how this is a totally unique and innovative project from those previously funded.

2. Review and Selection Process

RMA does not permit applicants to nominate reviewers or propose exclusion of reviewers in the program review and selection process. Applications will be evaluated using a two-part process.

First, each application will be screened (initial review) to ensure that it meets the requirements in this Announcement, including that applicants have a DUNS number and are registered in SAM.

Applications that do not meet the minimum requirements of this announcement or are incomplete will not advance to the second portion of the review process. Applications that meet announcement requirements will be grouped together for comparison by the Targeted State for which the application proposes to conduct the project and will be presented to a review panel for consideration in such groups. Thus, applications will only be compared against other applications for the same Targeted State. Applicants past performance will also be considered during the review process.

Second, the review panel will review and meet to consider and discuss the merits of each application. Reviewers will be drawn from USDA, other Federal agencies, and public and private organizations. After considering the merits of all applications within a Targeted State, panel members will come to a consensus on which applications best meet the criteria listed above. The review panel will report the results of the evaluation to the Administrator of RMA, Manager of

FCIC. The panel’s report will include the applicants recommended to receive awards for each

Targeted State.

An organization, or group of organizations in partnership, may apply for funding under other FCIC or RMA programs, in addition to the program described in this announcement. However, if the

Administrator of RMA, Manager of FCIC, determines that an application recommended for funding under this Announcement is substantially similar to or duplicative of a project that has been funded or has been recommended to be funded under this or another RMA or FCIC program, then the Administrator may elect to not fund that application under this program in whole or in part, depending upon the extent of the similarity or duplicity of applications. The Administrator of

RMA will consider panel recommendations and may consider additional factors, such as geographic distribution or specific USDA priorities, as well as the Administrator’s confidence in a prospective grantee’s ability to perform grant requirements satisfactorily including, but not limited to, past performance. USDA may not fund an application based upon, among other requirements, one or more of the above-mentioned factors. The Administrator of RMA will make the final determination on those applications that will be awarded funding.

Section F. Award Administration Information

1. Information Contained in a Federal Award

i. General Federal Award Information. The Federal awarding agency must include the following general Federal award information in each Federal award:

a. Recipient name (which must match the name associated with its unique entity identifier as defined at 2 CFR 25.315);

b. Recipient's unique entity identifier;

c. Unique Federal Award Identification Number (FAIN);

d. Federal Award Date (see §200.39 Federal award date);

e. Period of Performance Start and End Date;

f. Amount of Federal Funds Obligated by this action;

g. Total Amount of Federal Funds Obligated;

h. Total Amount of the Federal Award;

i. Budget Approved by the Federal Awarding Agency;

j. Total Approved Cost Sharing or Matching, where applicable;

k. Federal award project description, (to comply with statutory requirements (e.g., FFATA);

l. Name of Federal awarding agency and contact information for awarding official,

m. CFDA Number and Name;

n. Identification of whether the award is R&D; and

o. Indirect cost rate for the Federal award (including if the de minimis rate is charged per §200.414 Indirect [F&A] costs).

ii. General Terms and Conditions (1) Federal awarding agencies must incorporate the following general terms and conditions either in the Federal award or by reference, as applicable:

a. Administrative requirements implemented by the Federal awarding agency as specified in this part.

b. National policy requirements. These include statutory, executive order, other

Presidential directive, or regulatory requirements that apply by specific reference and are not program-specific. See §200.300 Statutory and national policy requirements.

c. Recipient integrity and performance matters. If the total Federal share of the Federal award may include more than $500,000 over the period of performance, the Federal awarding agency must include the term and condition available in Appendix XII—

Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters. See also §200.113 Mandatory disclosures.

d. The Federal award must include wording to incorporate, by reference, the applicable set of general terms and conditions. The reference must be to the Web site at which the Federal awarding agency maintains the general terms and conditions.

e. If a non-Federal entity requests a copy of the full text of the general terms and conditions, the Federal awarding agency must provide it.

f. Wherever the general terms and conditions are publicly available, the Federal awarding agency must maintain an archive of previous versions of the general terms and conditions, with effective dates, for use by the non-Federal entity, auditors, or others.

g. Federal Awarding Agency, Program, or Federal Award Specific Terms and

Conditions. The Federal awarding agency may include with each Federal award any terms and conditions necessary to communicate requirements that are in addition to the requirements outlined in the Federal awarding agency's…