2017 SCMP RFA_FINAL.PDF

OMB No. 0581-0240

Specialty Crop Multi-State Program

Fiscal Year 2017 Request for Applications

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-AMS-TM-SCMP-G-17-0005

Publication Date: June 26, 2017

Application Due Date (Multi-State Partners to Participating States): 5:00 PM Eastern time on September 25, 2017

Application Due Date (Participating States to AMS): 11:59 PM Eastern Time on October 24, 2017

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Program Solicitation Information

Funding Opportunity Title: 2017 Specialty Crop Multi-State Program (SCMP)

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-AMS-TM-SCMP-G-17-0005

Announcement Type: Initial

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.170

Dates: Applications from multi-state partners must be submitted to Participating States by 5:00 PM Eastern time September 25, 2017. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered for funding.

Applications from Participating States must be received by AMS no later than 11:59 PM Eastern time October 24, 2017 through www.Grants.gov. Applications received after this deadline will not be accepted.

Executive Summary: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), requests applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2017 Specialty Crop Multi-State Program (SCMP). AMS will competitively award funds to State departments of agriculture solely to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through collaborative, multi-state projects that address the following regional or national level specialty crop issues: food safety; plant pests and disease; research; crop-specific projects addressing common issues; and marketing and promotion.

Approximately $7 million may be available to fund applications under this solicitation.

This Request for Applications (RFA) contains guidance for multi-state partners, who will prepare applications that will include objectives for SCMP projects, the eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and the application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for a SCMP award.

The RFA also contains guidance for Participating States about their responsibilities in the pre-award period.

The only entities eligible to apply directly to this program are State departments of agriculture that have agreed to participate in the program. Therefore, there are two deadlines. The first deadline is for the multi-state partners to submit their applications to a Participating State. The second deadline is for the Participating States to submit the applications to AMS via Grants.gov after the Participating States have screened the multi-state partner applications for compliance with the requirements of this RFA.

Stakeholder Input: AMS seeks your comments about this RFA. We will consider the comments when we develop the next RFA for the program. Submit written stakeholder comments by the deadline set forth in the DATES portion of this Notice via e-mail to: amsgrants@ams.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 commenting on the Specialty Crop Multi-State Program RFA.

http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:amsgrants@ams.usda.gov

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Highlights and Changes For 2017

It is important that Participating States and multi-state partner applicants read and adhere to the guidance contained in this RFA when preparing and submitting applications. Below are highlights of major changes to the program since 2015.

• The list of Participating States has changed. See SCMP website for the 2017 list (to be published within 30 days of RFA publication).

• A clear distinction has been made between the roles and responsibilities of Participating States and multi-state partner applicants when preparing and submitting applications.

• Separate application deadlines have been established for Participating States and multi-state partner applicants.

o Project Timeline o Accept Applications o Screen Applications o Submit to AMS via grants.gov o SCMP review o SCMP negotiations o Announcement of Program o Tentative Start Date

• A Participating State may elect to assist, advice, and provide feedback to multi-state applicants on their proposals. If they do so, the Participating State must assist all potential applicants who request such assistance and feedback, including potential partners from other States.

• The evaluation criteria and points assigned have been revised in section 5.1 Project Evaluation Criteria.

https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/scmp/states

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Application Checklist

The application checklists below provide the required documents for an application package. AMS expects that applicants will read the entire RFA prior to the submission of their application to ensure that they understand the program’s requirements.

SCMP requires that all Multi-State Application Packages from potential multi-state partners submitted to their chosen Participating States include the following:

� Project Narrative and Budget which consists of:

• Cover Page

• Table of Contents

• Abstract

• Narrative (not to exceed 15 pages)

• References

• Budget Spreadsheet and Budget Narrative

� Personnel Qualifications � A Letter of Commitment from Each Multi-State Partner � Three (3) Letters of Support from Stakeholders or Beneficiaries � Areas Affected by Project

The above mentioned items must be combined into ONE file in the order that they appear above.

SCMP requires that Participating States that receive an application from a multi-state partner submit the following through Grants.gov:

� Form SF-424 – Application for Federal Assistance (fillable PDF in Grants.gov) � Form SF-424B – Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (fillable PDF in Grants.gov) � Multi-State Application Package (referenced above)

Application Timeline

Required Action Responsible Entity Deadline

Inform AMS of participation status State Departments of Agriculture July 11, 2017

Application Submitted to Participating States

Multi-State Partners September 25, 2017

Application Submitted to AMS via Grants.gov

Participating States October 24, 2017

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 Funding Opportunity Description

1.1 Legislative Authority

1.2 Purpose

1.3 Application Guidelines for Multi-State Partners

2.0 Award Information

2.1 Type of Federal Assistance

2.2 Type of Applications

2.3 Available Funding

2.4 Federal Award Period Duration

2.5 Award Size

3.0 Eligibility Information

3.1 Eligible Applicants – Participating States

3.2 Eligible Specialty Crops

3.3 Cost Sharing and Matching

3.4 Number of SCMP Applications that May Be Submitted to AMS

4.0 Application and Submission Information

4.1 Instructions for Multi-State Partners

4.2 Instructions for Participating States

4.3 Funding Restrictions

5.0 Application Review Information

5.1 Project Evaluation Criteria

5.2 Review and Selection Process

6.0 Award Administration Information

6.1 Award Notices

6.2 Unsuccessful Proposals

6.3 Administrative and National Policy Requirements

6.4 Reporting

7.0 Agency Contact

7.1 Team Lead

7.2 Grants Management Specialist

7.3 Address

8.0 Other Information

8.1 Equal Opportunity Statement

8.2 Freedom of Information Act Requests

8.3 Prohibition on Using Funds Under Grants and Cooperative Agreements with Entities that Require Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements

8.4 Paperwork Reduction

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1.0 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

1.1 LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY

Legislative authority is provided in section 101 of the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 (7 U.S.C. 1621 note), as amended by section 10010 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79).

1.2 PURPOSE

The purpose of the SCMP is to competitively award funds to State departments of agriculture solely to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops by funding collaborative, multi-state projects that address the following regional or national level specialty crop issues:

• Food safety

• Plant pests and disease

• Research

• Crop-specific projects addressing common issues

• Marketing and promotion

1.3 APPLICATION GUIDELINES FOR MULTI-STATE PARTNERS

1.3.1 PROJECT TYPES

Multi-state partners are encouraged to develop projects that bring together teams to research and develop solutions to practical problems that cross State boundaries and address the needs of specialty crop growers in the areas of food safety, plant pests and disease, research, crop-specific projects addressing common issues, and marketing and promotion. Guidelines for these subject areas are below.

FOOD SAFETY PROJECTS THAT ADDRESS THE HANDLING, PREPARATION, AND STORAGE OF

SPECIALTY CROPS IN WAYS THAT REDUCE FOODBORNE THREATS

Projects may include, but are not limited to:

• Improving detection, monitoring, control, and response to potential food safety hazards in the production, processing, and handling of specialty crops;

• Developing procedures and mechanisms and providing assistance/education in implementing Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), or Good Handling Practices (GHP) on a regional or national level. If providing education/training opportunities, utilize the Produce Safety Alliance (PSA) or other U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-recognized curriculum and materials;

• Conducting research focused on issues (such as die-off rates/survival rates of pathogens) related to (1) water quality; or (2) use of biological soil amendments of animal origin, on similar agro-ecological regions or localities.

http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=specialty+crop+block+grants&f=treesort&fq=true&num=0&hl=true&edition=prelim&granuleId=USC-prelim-title7-section1621 http://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=specialty+crop+block+grants&f=treesort&fq=true&num=0&hl=true&edition=prelim&granuleId=USC-prelim-title7-section1621

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The following Framework Document is suggested as a reference for developing projects involving agricultural water:

o Harris, L.J., J. Bender, E.A. Bihn, T. Blessinton, M.D. Danyluk, P. Delaquis, L. Goodridge, M. Ibekwe, S. Ilic, K. Kniel, J.T. Lejeune, D.W. Schaffner, D. Stoeckel, and T.V. Suslow.

December 2012. A framework for developing research protocols for evaluation of microbial hazards and controls during production that pertain to the quality of agricultural water contacting fresh produce that may be consumed raw. See Journal of Food Protection. 75(12):2251-2273.

The following Framework Document is suggested as a reference for developing projects involving biological soil amendments of animal origin:

o Harris, L.J., E. Berry, T. Blessington, M. Erickson, M. Jay-Russell, X. Jiang, K. Killinger, F.C.

Michel, P. Millner, K. Schneider, M. Sharma, T.V. Suslow, L. Wang, R.W. Worobo. 2012. A framework for developing research protocols for evaluation of microbial hazards and controls during production that pertain to the use of untreated biological soil amendments of animal origin for produce that may be consumed raw. See Journal of Food Protection. 76(6):1062-1084.

• Applying new or improved food processing technologies to prevent and reduce foodborne pathogen loads in specialty crops;

• Strengthening regional and national traceback systems; promoting an outbreak response system that shortens the time between outbreak detection, resolution, and recovery; and improving methods for communicating with consumers about traceback of foodborne illness outbreaks;

and/or

• Improving national support and coordination of food safety programs by conducting national and regional conferences, building collaborative networks, and exchanging information about integrated food safety.

PROJECTS THAT ADDRESS THREATS FROM PESTS AND DISEASES

Projects may include, but are not limited to:

• Developing safe, effective, and economical pest and disease management solutions for growers of specialty crops;

• Developing monitoring systems to enhance capabilities to predict pest and disease incidence, estimate damage, and identify valid action thresholds;

• Developing treatments for quarantine pests and diseases to maintain or open healthy markets with U.S. trading partners;

• Developing diagnostic tools, particularly new ones, for plant pests and diseases and for detection of pesticide resistance in pest populations, including weeds; and/or https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-12-252 https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-12-252 https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-13-007 https://doi.org/10.4315/0362-028X.JFP-13-007

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• Developing delivery methods, particularly new methods, designed to expand the options for integrated pest management (IPM) implementation.

RESEARCH PROJECTS

Research projects are systematic studies directed toward fuller scientific knowledge or understanding of the subject studied (2 CFR 200.87). These projects may include development as part of the implementation of the completed research. Development includes the systematic use of knowledge and understanding gained from research directed toward the production of useful materials, devices, systems, or methods, including design and development of prototypes and processes. Projects may include, but are not limited to:

• Conducting research in plant breeding, genetics, and genomics to improve crop characteristics;

• Developing new innovations and technologies, including mechanization;

• Improving production, processing, storage, and distribution efficiencies for conventionally or organically grown specialty crops;

• Reducing environmental impacts; and/or

• Conducting research to determine consumer preferences, including studies of willingness to pay, sensory evaluations, focus groups and other evaluative research methods that will then be disseminated to specialty crop growers in multiple States.

Research projects must illustrate specialty crop industry support.

CROP-SPECIFIC PROJECTS

Crop-specific projects involve collaborative efforts to address issues that affect a specific specialty crop.

An acceptable project would involve a specific specialty crop that is grown commercially in several distinct and widely dispersed geographic areas or regions of the country.

MARKETING AND PROMOTION PROJECTS

Marketing and promotion projects focus efforts to sell, advertise, promote, market, generate publicity, attract new customers, or raise customer awareness for specialty crops or a specialty crop venue.

1.3.2 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT ELIGIBLE PROJECT TYPES

HIGHLY-TECHNICAL PROPOSALS

AMS recognizes that it is often necessary to test out and prove new technologies or approaches on a small scale in the laboratory before taking them into the field. Any technically-oriented proposal submitted to SCMP must outline how, the technology or approach, if proven successful in the laboratory, will be tested in real-world conditions, and specifically how specialty crop producers and processors may benefit.

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=988467ba214fbb07298599affd94f30a&n=pt2.1.200&r=PART&ty=HTML#se2.1.200_187

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PROPOSALS INVOLVING FOOD SAFETY TRAINING OR EDUCATION FOR PRODUCERS,

PROCESSORS AND/OR HANDLERS

State departments of agriculture and their partners or any other entity participating in the project must utilize PSA or other FDA-recognized training and resources for producer and/or processor training or education.

Training need not be restricted to the classroom. Training “in the field” can be beneficial and effective.

AMS will allow training conducted under a SCMP project to take place in alternate venues provided that it follows PSA or other FDA-recognized curriculum, materials and resources.

There may be situations where some additional unique training materials or information specific to a particular region and/or to a particular specialty crop may be needed. Such specific materials or information may be developed and used in a SCMP project provided that it is presented in addition to, and not instead of, PSA or other FDA-recognized training, materials and resources which must serve as the foundation.

PROPOSALS INVOLVING CONSUMER FOOD SAFETY EDUCATION

Consumers may benefit from educational materials and campaigns that convey messages regarding safe handling, preparation, and storage of specialty crops in the home. Educational materials and campaigns targeted to consumers are acceptable under the SCMP provided that the content is aligned with the PSA or other FDA-recognized source and that the focus is on providing useful and practical information to help consumers avoid food contamination by using practices that are under their control once they purchase a specialty crop.

PROPOSALS INVOLVING OTHER TYPES OF TRAINING AND EDUCATION

Training and education programs may be developed for producers, processors, handlers and consumers relating to plant pests and diseases, research, and crop-specific projects addressing common issues.

1.3.3 TYPES OF PROJECTS ENCOURAGED BY AMS

AMS encourages proposals that will:

• Improve producer and facility capacity to comply with the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

• Develop adaptation and mitigation strategies for farmers in drought-stricken regions of the country.

• Increase opportunities for new and beginning farmers.

• Develop strong local and regional food systems.

• Protect pollinator habitats and improve pollinator health.

• Support the growth of organic specialty crops.

• Benefit underserved communities and veterans.

• Involve contributions to the project by partners of cash and/or in-kind resources as appropriate.

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Note that, with the exception of proposals to improve producer and facility capacity to comply with the requirements of FSMA, submission of proposals that address the topics listed in this section does not convey any advantage, including priority points, in terms of evaluation and scoring during the review process.

1.3.4 UNALLOWED PROJECT TYPES

The following types of projects are not allowed:

DUPLICATION OF MATERIALS

Projects that duplicate the content of food safety training curricula or any resources or materials already developed by PSA.

DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO PRODUCERS

Projects that provide direct financial assistance to producers or processors to offset the cost of GAP, GHP or GMP or to cost-share for funding audits of such systems.

DISPARAGING THE WORK OF ANOTHER ORGANIZATION

Projects in which one organization specifically attempts to disparage the mission, goals, and/or actions of another organization or industry.

BENEFITING ONLY ONE ORGANIZATION, INSTITUTION, OR INDIVIDUAL

Projects that solely benefit a particular commercial product or provide a profit to a single organization, institution, or individual. In addition, SCMP funds cannot be used to compete unfairly with private companies that provide equivalent products or services.

SUPPLANTING STATE FUNDS

SCMP awarded funds must supplement rather than replace the expenditure of State funds that support specialty crops grown in that State.

General Supplanting Definition. A State reduces State funds for an activity specifically because Federal funds are available (or expected to be available) to fund that same activity. Federal funds must be used to supplement existing State funds for program activities and may not replace State funds that have been appropriated or allocated for the same purpose. Additionally, Federal funding may not replace State funding that is required by law. In those instances where a question of supplanting arises, the applicant or recipient will be required to substantiate that the reduction in non-Federal resources occurred for reasons other than the receipt or expected receipt of Federal funds.

• Example: State funds are appropriated for a stated purpose and Federal funds are awarded for that same purpose. (If a State has $50.00 budgeted for a specialty crop initiative and is awarded $100.00 for the same initiative, the total project must expend $150.00 – the original $50.00 cannot be removed and used for something else).

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Any discovery of supplanting will result in the immediate return of Federal funds related to the expenditure and project. Supplanting puts all Federal funds at risk.

Documentation and Record Retention. If a question of supplanting arises, the State department of agriculture awarded SCMP funds should retain whatever documentation is produced during the ordinary course of government business that will help substantiate that supplanting has not occurred. Depending on the circumstances, relevant documents might include annual appropriations acts or executive orders directing broad reductions of operating budgets.

1.3.5 DEVELOPMENT OF PROPOSALS

DEFINITION OF A MULTI-STATE PROJECT

SCMP applications must bring together a multi-state organizational team to develop solutions for practical problems that cross State boundaries and address the needs of specialty crop growers. Projects should also lead to measurable benefits for specialty crop growers, encourage partnerships among specialty crop organizations, and reduce duplication of effort among participating organizations. A SCMP project:

(1) Addresses one or more regional or national (multiple-State) issues described in section 1.3.1 Project Types;

(2) Defines the geographic target area of impact of the project such as the specific States or foreign markets;

(3) Defines the specific specialty crops that are the focus of the project; and

(4) Involves at least two partners located in different States. A Participating State department of agriculture which will provide only administrative support for the project does not count as a partner for the purposes of this section.

PARTNERSHIPS

Project partners bring specialized knowledge and expertise, research capability, and/or other resources needed to conduct a successful project. Examples of project partners include but are not limited to, the following entities.

• Non-participating State departments of agriculture

• Participating State departments of agriculture, but only if they have more than an administrative role in the project

• State agencies such as a State department of public health, a State department of natural resources, etc.

• Tribes

• Land grant or State universities or colleges

• Specialty crop producer organizations

• Non-profit organizations

• Federal entities such as USDA agricultural research stations, and Agricultural Research Service research centers

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Contact the AMS staff listed under 7.0 Agency Contact if you are not sure if an entity is an eligible partner.

1.3.6 CRITERIA FOR DETERMINING IF AN APPLICATION IS APPROPRIATE FOR SCMP

When evaluating a proposal to determine if it is appropriate for SCMP, Participating States must ensure that:

(1) The proposal fits into at least one of the project category types outlined in section 1.3.1 Project Types.

(2) The proposal meets the definition of a multi-state project as outlined in section 1.3.5 Development of Proposals.

(3) The proposal differs from and/or supplements and does not duplicate projects currently or previously funded by the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP), or another Federal award program;

(4) Any partner named in a SCMP project that is a current or past recipient of SCBGP funds does not, or did not have, any performance and compliance issues relating to the SCBGP-funded project. When developing proposals, designated State SCMP contacts may communicate with each other to ensure there have been no past performance or compliance issues with partners named in a proposal; and

(5) The proposal adheres to the requirements of section 1.3.2 Additional Information About Eligible Project Types, if the proposal is highly-technical, or involves food safety training or education for producers, processors and/or handlers; consumer food safety education; or other types of training and education.

Participating State departments of agriculture that have questions about whether or not a proposal fits within the scope of the SCMP should contact the AMS staff listed in 7.0 Agency Contact. Potential partners that have questions about the SCMP should contact the individual or office designated by one of the Participating State department of agriculture to handle SCMP applications. AMS will post a list of Participating State departments of agriculture SCMP contacts on the SCMP website.

1.3.7 OUTREACH BY STATE DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE

As the only entities eligible to apply directly for SCMP, Participating States have a unique role in disseminating information about the opportunity to potential partners in their States and regions.

However, all State departments of agriculture are encouraged to publicize the SCMP opportunity to stakeholders and potential partners via their department website, the State’s SCBGP website, a press release, newsletters and other mechanisms routinely used for disseminating information about grant opportunities.

2.0 AWARD INFORMATION

2.1 TYPE OF FEDERAL ASSISTANCE

https://www.ams.usda.gov/services/grants/scmp

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AMS will use a Grant Agreement to provide support to successful SCMP applications.

2.2 TYPE OF APPLICATIONS

New application. All new applications will be reviewed competitively using the evaluation criteria and selection process described in section 5.0 Application Review Information.

2.3 AVAILABLE FUNDING

Approximately $7 million will be available to fund applications under this RFA. AMS will award funds only for projects that meet the requirements of this RFA. Any funds not awarded under this RFA will be applied to the next competitive award cycle’s RFA.

2.4 FEDERAL AWARD PERIOD DURATION

SCMP projects must be completed within 3 years. It is acceptable to complete a project before the scheduled ending date. The start date selected for a proposal should be no earlier than a date in calendar year 2017. The ending date will be three years from that date.

2.5 AWARD SIZE

Minimum award amount is $250,000.

Maximum award amount is $1,000,000.

3.0 ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

3.1 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS – PARTICIPATING STATES

State departments of agriculture in the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands are eligible to apply for funds if they meet the requirements of a Participating State in section 3.1.1, and have been designated as such by AMS. State department of agriculture is defined as the agency, commission, or department of a State government responsible for agriculture within the State. AMS will not accept an application submitted by an entity other than a Participating State department of agriculture.

3.1.1 DEFINITION AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF A PARTICIPATING STATE

AMS recognizes that not all State departments of agriculture have the resources to administer SCMP projects. State departments of agriculture must notify AMS no later than July 11, 2017 if they would like to be designated as a Participating State.

A Participating State:

(1) Is the only entity that may submit SCMP proposals to AMS;

(2) Provides AMS a point of contact who will handle inquiries from the public about the SCMP;

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(3) Establishes a deadline for accepting SCMP applications and develops internal procedures to screen any application from any source submitted to it to ensure the application meets both the definition of a multi-state project and the requirements outlined by the RFA;

(4) Takes responsibility for submitting all applications it receives that meet both the definition of a multi-state project and the requirements of the RFA;

(5) Accepts administrative responsibility for any application they it submitted to AMS that is ultimately selected for funding under the SCMP; and

(6) If awarded, uses subagreements or subcontracts as needed to carry out the project in order to maintain control of the project objectives, set policies, and ensure that the project is carried out in accordance with all applicable Federal statutes and regulations as well as with the SCMP award terms and conditions.

It is not the responsibility of Participating States to assist interested multi-state partners in developing proposals or to give feedback to improve their proposals, although a Participating State may elect to assist, advice, and provide feedback on proposals to applicants. If it does, the Participating State must assist all potential applicants who request such assistance and feedback, including potential partners from other States.

All SCMP proposals must have at least two partners with substantive involvement in the project, and the partners must be located in different States. Participating and non-participating States may develop their own proposals if they intend to have a substantive role in the project. In such cases, the State department of agriculture must recruit at least one partner who is located in another State, and who will have a substantive role in the project. Participating States are not responsible for finding partners for proposals they do not develop themselves.

A Participating State that develops its own proposal will submit the proposal directly to AMS along with other proposals it has received that have been screened against the RFA. Non-participating States must submit their proposals to a Participating State which in turn submits the proposal to AMS if it meets the RFA requirements.

3.2 ELIGIBLE SPECIALTY CROPS

Specialty crops and processed products are defined on the SCBGP website. The list identifies eligible specialty crops and ineligible commodities. Only specialty crops and processed products grown or produced in a State, territory or other entity listed under section 3.1 Eligible Applicants are considered to be eligible specialty crops.

3.3 COST SHARING AND MATCHING

SCMP does not require cost share or match.

3.4 NUMBER OF SCMP APPLICATIONS THAT MAY BE SUBMITTED TO AMS

There is no limit on the number of applications a Participating State may submit to the SCMP. However, submission of the same proposal by more than one Participating State is prohibited. Any State http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/scbgpdefinitions

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4.0 APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

4.1 INSTRUCTIONS FOR MULTI-STATE PARTNERS

4.1.1 APPLICATION CHECKLIST

The following checklist indicates the required components of the proposal multi-state partner applicants submit to their chosen Participating State no later than 5:00 pm Eastern time on September 25, 2017.

These documents must be prepared and consolidated outside of Grants.gov and then submitted to a Participating State. Combine ALL of the following items into ONE file in the order they appear below.

Project Narrative and Budget which consist of:

� Cover Page � Table of Contents � Abstract � Narrative (not to exceed 15 pages) � References � Budget Spreadsheet and Budget Narrative

Other Required Elements:

� Personnel Qualifications � A Letter of Commitment from Each Multi-State Partner � Three (3) Letters of Support from Stakeholders or Beneficiaries � Areas Affected by Project

4.1.2 COMPONENTS OF THE MULTI-STATE APPLICATION PACKAGE

PROJECT NARRATIVE AND BUDGET (REQUIRED)

To ensure a fair and equitable competition, the required format is a single-spaced, 11-point font with 1-inch margins. Number the pages in the right-hand bottom corner. The narrative may be in Word (.doc, .docx) or Adobe Acrobat (.pdf). Handwritten applications will not be accepted. Ensure that your document is in final form before submitting your application to www.Grants.gov (i.e., if you used the “track changes” function, accept all changes before submitting so that the mark-up is not visible on the version of the document.

COVER PAGE

Must be included at the beginning of the application package, and include:

• Proposal Title of no more than 10 words

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• Name and contact information of the applicant

• Names and contact information of the project leader and other principal partners

• Amount of funds requested

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Must indicate the page number for all required sections of the application as well as for any attachments.

ABSTRACT

Must be a concise, stand-alone description of and justification for the project. The maximum length is 250 words.

NARRATIVE

Must include the following sections in the order they appear below. The narrative may not exceed 15 pages. All sections of the narrative must be in a paragraph format. Do not present or combine sections into a spreadsheet or table. If you reference the literature, see References for instructions.

(1) PROJECT PURPOSE

This section must address the following:

• What project type(s) is/are being addressed? See 1.3 Project Types

• What is the specific geographic target area of impact of the project?

• What specific specialty crop(s) is/are the focus of the project?

• What is the specific issue, problem or need that the project will address, or what is the research question that will be answered? Include data and/or estimates that describe the extent of the problem. Provide a literature review sufficient to demonstrate the current state of knowledge about the topic and how the proposed work builds on it or addresses any gaps.

• Why is the project important and timely?

• How will the completion of this project have a national or regional impact on the competitiveness of specialty crops?

• If the proposal is highly technical, indicate how, if it is proven successful in the laboratory, the technology or approach will be tested in real-world conditions, and how specialty crop producers and processors may benefit.

• If some aspect of the proposal was previously funded by the SCBGP, how does the proposal differ from and build upon the previous project’s efforts?

(2) OTHER FEDERAL AWARD PROGRAMS

Indicate if the proposal has been or will be submitted to another Federal award program. If so, identify the Federal award program. If the proposal is selected for funding by another Federal award program

17 | P a g e after the proposal is submitted to SCMP, the applicant must inform the AMS staff listed in 7.0 Agency Contact immediately and withdraw the SCMP proposal. If a partner currently has a SCBGP award, indicate the name of the project, the fiscal year awarded, and the State agriculture department that awarded the grant.

(3) WORK PLAN

The Work Plan describes the major project activities, who will do the work, and when.

Project activity. Describe the project activities that are necessary to accomplish the objectives. Make sure to include a performance monitoring/data collection plan, if applicable.

Who will do the work? Indicate the project participants who will do the work of each activity, including subrecipients, and/or contractors. If funds are requested for personnel and contractors, details must be included in the work plan to demonstrate the requested funding is appropriate. If you request funds for travel, these activities must also be included.

When will each activity be accomplished? Include a timeline that indicates when each activity will occur (month and year).

(4) POTENTIAL IMPACT

This section must show how the project potentially benefits the specialty crop industry and/or the public in multiple States. The following questions should be answered:

• Who are the specialty crop beneficiaries of the project?

• How many specialty crop beneficiaries will the project benefit?

• How will the project benefit the specialty crop beneficiaries?

• What States and/or regions will benefit from this project?

• What is the targeted/intended economic impact of the project?

(5) EXPECTED MEASUREABLE OUTCOMES

Provide at least one distinct, quantifiable, measurable project outcome. If the outcome measures are long-term and occur after the project’s completion, identify an intermediate outcome that occurs before, and is expected to help lead to the fulfillment of long-term outcomes.

Food Safety Projects

The following are some suggested outcome measures for food safety projects. However, if these are not relevant to your project, you are required to develop at least one project-specific outcome measure and one indicator which will be subject to approval by AMS if the project is selected for funding.

Outcome: Enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through increasing the number of viable technologies to improve food safety

Possible Indicators:

• Number of viable technologies developed or modified for the detection and characterization of specialty crop supply contamination from foodborne threats.

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• Number of viable prevention, control, and intervention strategies for all specialty crop production scales for foodborne threats along the production continuum.

• Number of individuals who learn about prevention, detection, control, and intervention food safety practices and the number of those individuals who increase their food safety skills and knowledge.

• Number of improved prevention, detection, control, and intervention technologies.

• Number of reported changes in prevention, detection, control, and intervention strategies.

Outcome: Enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through increased understanding of threats to food safety from microbial and chemical sources

Possible Indicators:

• Number of projects focused on:

o Increased understanding of fecal indicators and pathogens.

o Increased safety of all inputs into the specialty crop chain.

o Increased understanding of the roles of humans, plants and animals as vectors.

o Increased understanding of preharvest and postharvest process impacts on microbial and chemical threats.

• Number of growers or producers obtaining on-farm food safety certifications (such as GAP or

GHP).

Plant Pests and Disease Projects

The following are some suggested outcome measures for plant pests and disease projects. However, if these are not relevant to your project, you are required to develop at least one project-specific outcome measure and one indicator which will be subject to approval by AMS if the project is selected for funding.

Outcome: Enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through more sustainable, diverse, and resilient specialty crop systems

Possible Indicators:

• Number of new or improved innovations models ((biological, economic, business, management, etc.), technologies, networks, products, processes, etc., developed for specialty crop entities along the food supply chain: producers, processors, distributors, etc.).

• Number of innovations adopted.

• Number of specialty crop growers/producers (and other members of the specialty crop supply chain) that have increased revenue (expressed in dollars).

• Number of new diagnostic systems analyzing specialty crop pests and diseases. [Diagnostic systems refer to, among other things: labs, networks, procedures, access points.]

• Number of new diagnostic technologies available for plant pests and diseases. [The intent here is not to count individual pieces of equipment or devices, but to enumerate technologies that add to the diagnostic capacity.]

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• Number of first responders trained in early detection and rapid response to combat plant pests and diseases.

• Number of viable technologies/processes developed or modified that will increase specialty crop distribution and/or production.

• Number of growers/producers that gained knowledge about science-based tools through outreach and education programs.

Research Projects

The following are some suggested outcome measures for research projects. However, if these are not relevant to your project, you are required to develop at least one project-specific outcome measure and one indicator which will be subject to approval by AMS.

Outcome: Enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops though greater capacity of sustainable practices of specialty crop production resulting in increased yield, reduced inputs, increased efficiency, increased economic return, and/or conservation of resources.

Possible Indicators:

• Numbers of plant/seed releases (i.e., cultivars, drought-tolerant plants, organic, enhanced nutritional composition, etc.)

• Adoption of best practices and technologies resulting in increased yields, reduced inputs, increased efficiency, increased economic return, and conservation of resources.

o Number of growers/producers indicating adoption of recommended practices.

o Number of growers/producers reporting reduction in pesticides, fertilizer, and water used/acre.

o Number of producers reporting increased dollar returns per acre or reduced costs per acre.

o Number of acres in conservation tillage or other best management practice.

• Number of acres of pollinator habitat established and maintained for the primary benefit of specialty crops.

Crop Specific Projects Addressing Common Issues

Applicants must develop at least one appropriate outcome measure and one indicator which will be subject to approval by AMS if the project is selected for funding.

Marketing and Promotion Projects

Marketing and promotion projects focus on efforts to sell, advertise, promote, market, and generate publicity, attract new customers, or raise customer awareness for specialty crops or a specialty crop venue.

The following is a suggested outcome measure for marketing and promotion projects. However, if it is not relevant to your project, you must develop at least one appropriate outcome measure and one indicator which will be subject to approval by AMS.

Outcome: To enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops through increased sales.

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The specific measure must be expressed as a dollar value and percentage change in sales of one or more specialty crops in one or more States or foreign markets as a result of marketing and/or promotion activities. For example, an expected outcome of growth in sales from 5% to 10% is not acceptable by itself, but in combination with an increase in sales of $1 million to $2 million, it is acceptable. This requirement means that an established baseline of sales in dollars must already exist at the time of application. For projects that do not already have a baseline of sales in dollars, one of the objectives of the project must be to determine such a baseline in order to meet the requirement to document the value of sales increases by the end of the project.

Indicator: Sales increased from $________ to $_________, and by ______ percent, as a result of marketing and/or promotion activities.

AMS understands that sales can be impacted by a host of unrelated issues, including trade disputes, phytosanitary issues, export conditions, weather, and other factors affecting the farmer, supply chain, retailers, wholesalers, and/or consumers. The above factors demonstrate that even a perfectly executed marketing campaign can result in sales remaining constant or even declining. The factors and events that either positively or negatively impacted the sales of a project can be explained in the performance report.

(6) PROJECT DELIVERABLES

List any expected deliverables that will result from the project in addition to the required final report.

Examples of project deliverables include professional journal or farm press articles, extension bulletins, and manuals.

(7) OUTREACH PLAN

Describe how the project results will be shared with and disseminated to the target audience(s), stakeholders and other interested parties (i.e., beyond those directly involved in the project). Examples of such activities include presentations at professional conferences or producer meetings, publication of articles in professional journals or the agricultural press, educational brochures, slides, survey instruments, and websites. Web pages devoted to the project must display this information in a prominent location. All materials must be made available electronically and disseminated via appropriate websites.

REFERENCES

Do not use footnotes. If applicable, cite the literature referenced in the text and attach a separate page called “References” with the detailed literature citations. Reference pages do not count toward the 15-page narrative maximum.

BUDGET SPREADSHEET AND BUDGET NARRATIVE

The Budget Spreadsheet must show the relevant expenditure categories in the far left column and, proceeding across the page, there must be a column showing the dollar amount of funds requested.

Provide separate Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, and cumulative budgets.

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The Budget Narrative must explain how the dollar amounts for each category shown on the Budget Spreadsheet were derived and what they cover. See section 4.3.2, Allowable and Unallowable Costs and Activities for a full listing of allowable and unallowable costs.

The Budget Spreadsheet and Budget Narrative do not count toward the 15-page Project Narrative maximum.

PERSONNEL

List all employees whose time and effort can be specifically identified and easily and accurately traced to project activities. See section 4.7.2 for Salaries and Wages for Allowable Costs and Activities and Presenting Direct and Indirect Costs Consistently for further guidance. For each employee paid with SCMP grant funds, provide the following:

• Name and title

• Level of effort (number of hours and hourly rate or % FTE)

• Total funds requested for each employee

• A subtotal for all SCMP-funded Personnel costs

If a third party will be hired after SCMP funds are awarded, but has not yet been identified, indicate the type of wages to be paid (i.e., hourly, salaried, or graduate assistantship). Rates must be reasonable and consistent with locality pay for similar jobs. See 2 CFR part 200.430 and 2 CFR part 200.431.

FRINGE BENEFITS

Provide the fringe benefit rates for each of the project’s salaried employees described in the Personnel section who will be paid with SCMP funds. This section must include the following:

• Name and title

• Fringe benefit rate

• Corresponding funds requested for each person

• A subtotal for all SCMP-funded Fringe benefit costs

TRAVEL

Explain the purpose for each trip request. Note that travel costs are limited to those allowed by formal organizational policy; in the case of air travel, project participants must use the lowest reasonable commercial airfares. For recipient organizations that have no formal travel policy and for-profit recipients, allowable travel costs may not exceed those established by the Federal Travel Regulation issued by the General Services Administration (GSA), including the maximum per diem and subsistence rates prescribed in those regulations. This information is available at http://www.gsa.gov. See Travel and Foreign Travel for further guidance and See 2 CFR part 200.474. Provide the following information for each trip:

• Trip destination

• Purpose of trip

• Type of expense (airfare, car rental, hotel, meals, mileage, etc.)

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• Number of days traveling

• Estimated number of miles and mileage rate

• Estimated ground transportation costs

• Estimated lodging and meal costs

• Number of travelers claiming expense

• Total funds requested for each expense

• Additional justification of travel expenses, as needed

• Subtotal for all SCMP-funded travel costs

SPECIAL PURPOSE EQUIPMENT

Describe any special purpose equipment to be purchased or rented under the grant. ‘‘Special purpose equipment’’ is tangible, nonexpendable, personal property having a useful life of more than 1 year and an acquisition cost that equals or exceeds $5,000 per unit and is used only for research, medical, scientific, or other technical activities. “Acquisition cost” means the cost of the asset, whether funded wholly or in part by SCMP, including the cost to put it in place. See Equipment for allowable costs and activities.

Rental of "general purpose equipment’’ must also be described in this section. Purchase of general purpose equipment is not allowable under this grant. See Equipment for definitions. This section must include the following:

• Description of equipment item

• Justification for each item

• Indication if each item is rented or purchased

• Total funds requested for each item

• Subtotal for all SCMP-funded equipment costs

SUPPLIES

List the materials, supplies, and fabricated parts costing less than $5,000 per unit and describe how they will support the purpose and goal of the proposal and solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. See Supplies and Materials, Including Costs of Computing Devices for further information. This section must include the following:

• Description of each supply item

• Justification for each item

• Per-unit cost of each supply

• Number of units/pieces purchased

• Total funds requested for each supply

• Subtotal for all SCMP-funded supply costs

CONTRACTS/CONSULTANTS

Contractual/consultant costs are the expenses associated with purchasing goods and procuring services performed by an individual or organization other than the applicant, including consultants, in the form

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• If the contractor/consultant has already been selected, the applicant must follow the same policies and procedures it uses for procurements from its non-Federal sources.

• If a contractor/consultant has not yet been selected, the applicant must provide an acknowledgement that the procurement processes have not yet been conducted and assurance that the same policies and procedures it uses for procurements from its non-Federal sources will be followed.

• Provide an itemized budget (personnel, fringe, travel, equipment, supplies, other, etc.) with appropriate justification. If indirect costs are/will be included in the contract, include the indirect cost rate used. Please note that statutory limitations on indirect costs also apply to contractors and consultants.

• Include a subtotal for all SCMP-funded contractual/consultant costs.

OTHER

Include any expenses not covered in any of the previous budget categories. Be sure to break down costs into cost/unit. Expenses in this section include, but are not limited to, meetings and conferences, communications, rental expenses, advertisements, publication…