2021 NADPRP Funding Opportunity Announcement.pdf

National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program 2021 Cooperative/Interagency Agreements

Fiscal Year 2021 Funding Opportunity Announcement Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-APHIS-10025-VSSP0000-22-0001 Publication Date: June 8, 2021 Application Due Date: 11:59 PM EDT on August 6, 2021

Funding Opportunity: National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program 2021

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS) is announcing the availability of cooperative/interagency agreement funding to carry out the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP) as described in Section 12101 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (aka “2018 Farm Bill”). Through the NADPRP program, APHIS provides funds to support high-value projects that will help prevent the introduction and spread of foreign and emerging animal diseases that threaten U.S. agriculture. Each year, APHIS makes funding available to support projects in priority areas of animal disease preparedness and response that are identified through consultation with eligible entities and stakeholders. Additional details about the program and this funding opportunity, including additional information for applicants, are available on the USDA APHIS NADPRP website.

SYNOPSIS

Funding Opportunity Title: National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP)

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-APHIS-10025-VSSP0000-22-0001

Funding Type: Initial Announcement

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.025, Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care

Dates: Applications must be received by 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Savings Time on August 6, 2021.

Applications received after this deadline will not be considered for funding.

Funding Opportunity Description: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS) is announcing the availability of up to $10 million in funds in the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP) to support projects that will (1) develop and/or enhance State and Tribal foreign animal disease (FAD) vaccination plans to improve animal disease outbreak response capabilities, (2) support animal movement decisions in an FAD outbreak, or (3) strengthen outreach and education on animal disease prevention, preparedness, and response to specific audiences.

Applications may be submitted by State departments of agriculture; offices of State chief animal health officials; land-grant universities, and other entities eligible to receive funds under a capacity and infrastructure program (as defined in section 251(f)(1)(C) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6971); colleges of veterinary medicine, including veterinary emergency teams at such colleges; State, regional, or national livestock, poultry, or aquaculture producer organizations with direct and significant economic interest in livestock, poultry, or aquaculture production; State emergency agencies; State, national, allied, or regional veterinary organizations or specialty boards recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association; Indian Tribes; or Federal agencies. Funds will be awarded to successful applicants through cooperative or interagency agreements.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2/text https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/ad-preparedness-response-program/

Notice to All Eligible Entities: APHIS is also making funding available in an additional and separate 2021 funding opportunity that NADPRP eligible entities may consider. APHIS will make available up to $5 million in funds to support a joint National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) and NADPRP 2021 funding opportunity in which APHIS is seeking proposals for projects to develop and/ or evaluate point-of-care diagnostic tests that will enhance the nation’s ability to quickly detect high-consequence foreign animal diseases (FADs) and accelerate our response and containment efforts. NAHLN laboratories and NADPRP eligible entities may apply for this joint NAHLN and NADPRP 2021 funding opportunity (number USDA- APHIS-10025-VSDB000-22-0001). Interested applicants can find the announcement and details about this additional funding opportunity on the NADPRP website and on the NAHLN website.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/ad-preparedness-response-program/!ut/p/z1/lZPJcuIwEIafJQeOLrXkTRyNcdkkLMMa0MUlCRs05YXYDgxvP4Iis4QBJjqp7Vb3r-9vIYaWiBV8rza8UWXBMx2vmBO70AdCX2AEbrcLY2dBh17UJdS30es5oT-yfNyZQn-0iBzwgtl8NqS402sTxPTvIfZDoBbuh0EXgxe1ey-R6wCE5HIebiwP_u_8L4HhcxTAeDwLFwMzJG38sP8CrTpolYtvLRCHS7U76exrNKygo2lM3EEQ9Ahg84u3uW7A7sN6_lvgNQ3tJ6kG_mCD2I43W0MVaYmWKa9yobLM2FXlpuJ5rYWwc6lbV4ngKuHa-Udq77eYkAcJGudK83JvAqWAXvcqOaB5UVa5nubpqeJOqjVa2dIVkrqp4fA1Maw1oQY_7WwLpGMSLl1LouiD6B3LNFH1_e2NeYjJsmiSHw1a8t1W1fE5LJo4U6Li1bEFNY_L9ypOS_lenyNeKC0r3iY8a7Z_flmrOuF1Ep_s0cpPj7EFHy5hggF_Ci8kbk3O1LlDwpKmLWTbsATnhpXaiSGwcAxJE1eaViJMYn8erH9Mvv_7FTGMdvl8Pi-OShlMOJNgQg-zdJvtc1_Q48Z7evoJREMnyw!!/dz/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/?urile=wcm%3Apath%3A%2Faphis_content_library%2Fsa_our_focus%2Fsa_animal_health%2Fsa_animal_disease_information%2Ffarmbill12101%2Fad-preparedness-response-program https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/lab-info-services/nahln/ct_national_animal_health_laboratory_network

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Synopsis

Full Announcement A. Program Description

A.1 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A.2 2021 FUNDING PRIORITIES

A.3 ALIGNMENT WITH USDA APHIS GOALS

A.4 LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY

B. Federal Award Information

B.1 COST GUIDANCE

C. Eligibility Information

C.1 ELIGIBILE APPLICANTS

C.2 COST SHARING

C.3 THRESHOLD ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

D. Application and Submission Information

D.1 OBTAINING AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

D.2 CONTENT AND FORM OF THE APPLICATION PACKAGE

D.3 UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM)

D.4 SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

D.5 INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

D.6 FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

D.7 OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

E. Application Review Information

E.1 EVALUATION CRITERIA

E.2 SELECTION AND REVIEW PROCESS

F. Federal Award Administration Information

F.1 AWARD NOTICES

F.2 ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

F.3 REPORTING

F. 4 PROJECT EVALUATION

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts H. Other Information

H.1 DEFINITIONS

APPENDIX 1. NEW APPLICANT INFORMATION

APPENDIX 2. APPLICATION CHECKLIST

APPENDIX 3. APPLICATION TIPS

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Awarding Agency Name: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS)

Funding Opportunity Title: National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP)

Announcement Type: Initial Announcement

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.025

Key Dates: Applications must be received by 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Savings Time on August 6, 2021.

Applications received after this deadline will not be considered for funding.

The agreement performance period is estimated to begin in January 2022 and end no later than 24 months after the start date.

Applicants can find the funding opportunity information on the ezFedGrants (eFG) website or the Grants.gov website by searching CFDA number 10.025 or Funding Opportunity Number USDA-APHIS- 10025-VSSP0000-22-0001. Information is also available on the USDA APHIS NADPRP website, including additional information for applicants.

Non-Federal applicants must submit all application materials electronically using the ezFedGrants system.

Federal applicants should refer to Section D.4 for application submission information.

Notice to All NADPRP Eligible Entities: APHIS is also making funding available in an additional and separate 2021 funding opportunity that NADPRP eligible entities may consider. APHIS will make available up to $5 million in funds to support a joint National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) and NADPRP 2021 funding opportunity in which APHIS is seeking proposals for projects to develop and/ or evaluate point-of-care diagnostic tests that will enhance the nation’s ability to quickly detect high-consequence foreign animal diseases (FADs) and accelerate our response and containment efforts. NAHLN laboratories and NADPRP eligible entities may apply for this joint NAHLN and NADPRP 2021 funding opportunity (number USDA-APHIS-10025-VSDB000-22-0001). Interested applicants can find the announcement and details about this additional funding opportunity on the NADPRP website and on the NAHLN website.

Interested applicants can find the announcement and details about this additional funding opportunity on the NADPRP website and on the NAHLN website.

A.1 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

This funding opportunity is provided to carry out the NADPRP as described in Section 12101 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (aka “2018 Farm Bill”). Through the NADPRP program, APHIS https://www.nfc.usda.gov/FSS/ClientServices/ezFedGrants/index.php https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/ad-preparedness-response-program/ https://www.nfc.usda.gov/FSS/ClientServices/ezFedGrants/index.php https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/ad-preparedness-response-program/!ut/p/z1/lZPJcuIwEIafJQeOLrXkTRyNcdkkLMMa0MUlCRs05YXYDgxvP4Iis4QBJjqp7Vb3r-9vIYaWiBV8rza8UWXBMx2vmBO70AdCX2AEbrcLY2dBh17UJdS30es5oT-yfNyZQn-0iBzwgtl8NqS402sTxPTvIfZDoBbuh0EXgxe1ey-R6wCE5HIebiwP_u_8L4HhcxTAeDwLFwMzJG38sP8CrTpolYtvLRCHS7U76exrNKygo2lM3EEQ9Ahg84u3uW7A7sN6_lvgNQ3tJ6kG_mCD2I43W0MVaYmWKa9yobLM2FXlpuJ5rYWwc6lbV4ngKuHa-Udq77eYkAcJGudK83JvAqWAXvcqOaB5UVa5nubpqeJOqjVa2dIVkrqp4fA1Maw1oQY_7WwLpGMSLl1LouiD6B3LNFH1_e2NeYjJsmiSHw1a8t1W1fE5LJo4U6Li1bEFNY_L9ypOS_lenyNeKC0r3iY8a7Z_flmrOuF1Ep_s0cpPj7EFHy5hggF_Ci8kbk3O1LlDwpKmLWTbsATnhpXaiSGwcAxJE1eaViJMYn8erH9Mvv_7FTGMdvl8Pi-OShlMOJNgQg-zdJvtc1_Q48Z7evoJREMnyw!!/dz/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/?urile=wcm%3Apath%3A%2Faphis_content_library%2Fsa_our_focus%2Fsa_animal_health%2Fsa_animal_disease_information%2Ffarmbill12101%2Fad-preparedness-response-program https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/lab-info-services/nahln/ct_national_animal_health_laboratory_network https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/ad-preparedness-response-program/!ut/p/z1/lZPJcuIwEIafJQeOLrXkTRyNcdkkLMMa0MUlCRs05YXYDgxvP4Iis4QBJjqp7Vb3r-9vIYaWiBV8rza8UWXBMx2vmBO70AdCX2AEbrcLY2dBh17UJdS30es5oT-yfNyZQn-0iBzwgtl8NqS402sTxPTvIfZDoBbuh0EXgxe1ey-R6wCE5HIebiwP_u_8L4HhcxTAeDwLFwMzJG38sP8CrTpolYtvLRCHS7U76exrNKygo2lM3EEQ9Ahg84u3uW7A7sN6_lvgNQ3tJ6kG_mCD2I43W0MVaYmWKa9yobLM2FXlpuJ5rYWwc6lbV4ngKuHa-Udq77eYkAcJGudK83JvAqWAXvcqOaB5UVa5nubpqeJOqjVa2dIVkrqp4fA1Maw1oQY_7WwLpGMSLl1LouiD6B3LNFH1_e2NeYjJsmiSHw1a8t1W1fE5LJo4U6Li1bEFNY_L9ypOS_lenyNeKC0r3iY8a7Z_flmrOuF1Ep_s0cpPj7EFHy5hggF_Ci8kbk3O1LlDwpKmLWTbsATnhpXaiSGwcAxJE1eaViJMYn8erH9Mvv_7FTGMdvl8Pi-OShlMOJNgQg-zdJvtc1_Q48Z7evoJREMnyw!!/dz/d5/L2dBISEvZ0FBIS9nQSEh/?urile=wcm%3Apath%3A%2Faphis_content_library%2Fsa_our_focus%2Fsa_animal_health%2Fsa_animal_disease_information%2Ffarmbill12101%2Fad-preparedness-response-program https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/lab-info-services/nahln/ct_national_animal_health_laboratory_network https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2/text provides funds to support high-value projects that will help prevent the introduction and spread of foreign and emerging animal diseases that threaten U.S. agriculture. Each year, APHIS makes funding available to support projects in priority areas of animal disease preparedness and response that are identified through consultation with eligible entities and stakeholders. Additional details about the program are available on the USDA APHIS NADPRP website.

APHIS will make available up to $10 million in funds to support NADPRP projects in 2021. In this funding opportunity, the NADPRP is seeking proposals for projects that will (1) develop and/or enhance State and Tribal foreign animal disease (FAD) vaccination plans to improve animal disease outbreak response capabilities, (2) support animal movement decisions in an FAD outbreak, or (3) strengthen outreach and education on animal disease prevention, preparedness, and response to specific audiences. Additional information is available on the USDA APHIS NADPRP website.

A.2 2021 FUNDING PRIORITIES

APHIS will only consider project proposals that clearly, directly, and strongly support one of the animal disease preparedness and response topics described below.

1. Develop and/or enhance State and Tribal foreign animal disease (FAD) vaccination plans to improve animal disease outbreak response capabilities. Vaccine planning is critically needed to support the ability to use vaccine effectively and efficiently in an animal disease outbreak. APHIS will support projects that develop and/or improve State and Tribal FAD vaccination strategies and plans that are realistic, adaptable to different situations, align with USDA plans and guidelines, and are consistent with - or easily coordinated with - plans from other States or Tribes. Priority will be given to projects that:

a. Develop and improve FAD vaccination plans. Plans may include strategy(ies) for (1) prioritization of limited products; (2) vaccine distribution, handling, storage, and transportation; (3) resources to support vaccine delivery including personnel and supplies; and (4) information management and communications to support implementation of a vaccination strategy.

b. Provide training and/or conduct exercises to increase understanding of and capabilities to implement vaccination plans and to identify gaps. Includes training and exercise projects to quantitatively assess or measure a State’s or Tribe’s speed and capacity to vaccinate, such as estimating how many animals / premises to vaccinate and how many animals / premises can be vaccinated per day for different species, production types, and premises sizes within a State or Tribe for different vaccination strategies.

c. Collate and share information from vaccination plan exercises to ensure that lessons learned are incorporated into vaccine planning efforts and minimize duplication of work.

d. Develop and test strategies to identify, track, and manage vaccinated animals, including information management and plans to permit movement of vaccinated animals in an outbreak situation.

e. Develop just-in-time training modules and standard operating procedures targeted at State or Tribe level logistics and biosecurity for implementing a vaccine plan after vaccine https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/ad-preparedness-response-program/ https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/ad-preparedness-response-program/ is received by the State or Tribe, such as training vaccinators in receiving and administering vaccine on a premises.

2. Support animal movement decisions in an FAD outbreak. Moving animals in commerce during a large-scale animal disease outbreak while controlling disease spread is a critical concern and a key component of animal disease response plans. APHIS will support projects that will facilitate animal movement decisions in an outbreak as described below, including projects that address practical and effective cleaning and disinfection of animal transportation assets such as trucks and trailers.

Priority will be given to projects that :

a. Enhance the ability of States and Tribes to implement nationally consistent decisions on risks and movement of animals in an FAD outbreak, including projects focused on developing standardized criteria and data/information requirements to allow interstate movement of animals in an FAD outbreak and developing consensus on standardized criteria from SAHOs, Tribes, industry, and USDA partners.

b. Exercise and coordinate transportation and movement plans established in Secure Food Supply Plans for FAD outbreaks with existing State and Tribal plans and with State Animal Health Officials (SAHOs) to ensure continuity of business as much as possible in FAD outbreak situations. Develop and improve secure movement plans where needed.

c. Develop and exercise regional plans and agreements to support animal movement decisions in an FAD outbreak.

d. Develop, validate, and improve practical procedures to ensure appropriate disinfection of trucks, trailers, and other animal transportation assets in an FAD outbreak, especially under different environmental and weather conditions. May include projects focused on assessing and mitigating the impact of disinfection procedures on premises or on the environment.

e. Identify and recommend biosecurity practices that eliminate or minimize the potential for spreading FADs through animal transportation assets such as trucks and trailers as components of Secure Food Supply Plans.

f. Quantitatively assess the risk of spreading FADs through animal transportation assets in different weather / environmental conditions and the impact of cleaning and disinfection procedures and biosecurity measures on the mitigation of risk.

3. Strengthen outreach and education on animal disease prevention, preparedness, and response to specific audiences. APHIS will support projects that will deliver outreach and education on animal disease prevention, preparedness, and response topics to specific audiences including but not limited to underserved, non-traditional, small-to-mid-size producers, and Indian Tribes.

Priority will be given to projects that:

a. Address information gaps among these audiences in areas of animal disease prevention, biosecurity, early disease recognition and reporting, critical activities for animal disease outbreak response, roles and responsibilities in an animal disease outbreak event, and raising awareness about what happens in large-scale animal disease outbreaks that could impact them.

b. Leverage existing agriculture extension networks and existing educational materials to provide outreach, education, and training on animal disease preparedness, disease recognition, and response issues to target audiences.

c. Foster understanding among producers on different types of operations (large commercial operations, small-to-medium size operations, and backyard operations) within a specific geographic area on the roles and responsibilities of all producers, regardless of size, in an animal disease outbreak.

For all priorities, applicants are encouraged to develop proposals that:

• Address significant known gaps, problems, and areas of concern in animal disease preparedness that have been identified and documented at local, State, Tribal, and national levels through exercises and events, including lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Address the needs of high-risk, underserved, non-traditional, niche, Indian Tribe, or hard-to-reach audiences.

• Build on findings from other studies and projects, including projects previously funded by

NADPRP.

• Leverage effective partnerships across animal and related industries and veterinary organizations, States, Federal agencies, Tribes, academic institutions and cooperative extension services, and other animal disease response collaborators.

• Provide benefit across animal industry sectors and address the needs of different operation sizes.

• Align with and support published standards, regulations, and best management practices that may relate to the project’s topic.

A.3 ALIGNMENT WITH USDA APHIS GOALS

This funding opportunity supports APHIS Veterinary Services’ (VS) mission to protect animal health as well as USDA APHIS Strategic Plan Goal 2: Safeguard American Agriculture, Objective 2.3: Ensure effective emergency preparedness and response systems.

A.4 LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY

The NADPRP program is authorized under Section 12101 of the 2018 Farm Bill.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Total Amount to be Awarded: APHIS will make available up to $10 million to support NADPRP projects that are submitted for review under this Funding Opportunity Number. There is no commitment by USDA to fund any application or to make any Federal award as a result of this announcement.

Type of Assistance Instrument: Most awards will be funded via cooperative agreements; interagency agreements will be used if the recipient is a Federal agency. Cooperative agreements include substantial involvement by APHIS to assist in the completion of the goals and objectives of the work.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/about_aphis/downloads/aphis-strategic-plan.pdf https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/7/8308a

Anticipated Awards: APHIS anticipates that most agreements awarded will not exceed $500,000. The average NADPRP award is about $170,000.

Anticipated Award Start Date: APHIS anticipates that work covered under these agreements will start between January 15 and March 1, 2022 but flexibility may be allowed to accommodate specific project needs.

Period of Performance: Projects must be completed within 2 years. The period of performance will depend on the nature of the work; one to two years from date of award is the typical NADPRP project period of performance. Funding will not be allowed, nor activities approved to occur, either before or after the designated period of performance. A pre-award must be established if activities need to occur before the period of performance.

Competitive Process: Funds will be awarded to the highest quality proposals through a competitive review and award process. The proposal review process is described in Section E. The number of awards is contingent on the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. Final funding decisions are at the discretion of USDA.

Based on reviewer recommendations, APHIS may award less than the requested amount of funds for a project. In these cases, applicants may accept or decline the award that is offered. If applicants accept a reduced funding level, applicants will submit a revised application that addresses reviewer concerns and aligns with the award amount. APHIS will provide additional guidance to applicants in these situations.

B.1 COST GUIDANCE

All APHIS awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, allowable and unallowable costs, direct and indirect costs, cost share and matching, and other considerations as described and defined in:

• Guidelines for Use of Funds document for APHIS Veterinary Services Farm Bill Cooperative Agreements.

• 2 CFR Subpart E, Cost Principles – General Provisions for Selected Items of Cost.

All applicants must adhere to the Guidelines for Use of Funds for APHIS Veterinary Services Farm Bill Cooperative Agreements in developing their project proposal Financial Plan. Note that indirect costs are capped at 10% of the total direct costs.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

C.1 ELIGIBILE APPLICANTS

NADPRP eligible applicants are:

1. State departments of agriculture.

2. Offices of the chief animal health official of a State.

3. Land-Grant Universities and other entities eligible to receive funds under a capacity and infrastructure program (as defined in section 251(f)(1)(C) of the Department of Agriculture https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/farmbill/nadprp-guidelines-funds.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=36bff1b1599bd122d722fcb83c76da10&mc=true&node=sp2.1.200.e&rgn=div6 https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/farmbill/nadprp-guidelines-funds.pdf

Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6971(f)(1)(C))). This includes entities eligible for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture Federal Assistance Programs.

4. Colleges of veterinary medicine, including a veterinary emergency team at such college.

5. State or national livestock, poultry, or aquaculture producer organizations with direct and significant economic interest in livestock, poultry, or aquaculture production.

6. State emergency agencies.

7. State, national, allied, or regional veterinary organizations or specialty boards recognized by the

American Veterinary Medical Association.

8. Indian Tribes.

9. Federal agencies.

C.2 COST SHARING

Cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not required for NADPRP projects. If an applicant includes contributions as part of a cost share in their budget proposal and it is accepted by APHIS, the commitment of funds becomes legally binding, must be reported on the SF-425, and is subject to audit. Additional information about cost sharing is available in the Guidelines for Use of Funds for APHIS Veterinary Services Farm Bill Cooperative Agreements.

C.3 THRESHOLD ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Application packages must meet these initial screening criteria to be considered for further review.

Proposals that do not meet these initial screening criteria will not be considered.

1. Proposals must be submitted by eligible entities.

2. Proposals must address the funding priorities described in Section A.

3. All required documents and forms listed in Section D.2 must (a) be included in the application package, and (b) comply with the submission instructions described in Section D of this announcement. Any application package with missing or incomplete documents or forms will not be considered for review.

4. Proposals, including all associated documents and forms, must be received on or before the proposal submission deadline. Proposals received after the submission deadline will not be considered.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

We urge applicants to submit their application packages early and to complete the following activities as soon as possible: (1) Obtain a registered DUNs number, (2) Register and maintain an active System for Awards Management (SAMs) account, (3) create a USDA eAuthentication Account, and (4) establish an ezFedGrants (eFG) account. Instructions for these steps are available in Appendix 1 and on NADPRP’s ‘Here’s How to Get Ready Now!’ web page. New applicants should refer to Appendix 1: New Applicant Information for initial steps to take when submitting an application.

https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/National-Institute-of-Food-and-Agriculture-Program-Listing-May-2018.pdf https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/National-Institute-of-Food-and-Agriculture-Program-Listing-May-2018.pdf https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/nadprp-funding-how-to

Applicants may submit more than one project proposal. Applicants who submit more than one proposal must submit each proposal as a separate application package.

D.1 OBTAINING AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

Applicants can find all application materials on the USDA APHIS NADPRP website. Applicants can also find the funding opportunity information on the ezFedGrants website or the Grants.gov website by searching CFDA number 10.025 or Funding Opportunity Number USDA-APHIS-10025-VSSP0000-22-0001

D.2 CONTENT AND FORM OF THE APPLICATION PACKAGE

The application package must include the following:

□ Project proposal WORK PLAN. See below.

□ Project proposal FINANCIAL PLAN. See below.

□ SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance”.

□ SF-424A, “Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs”.

□ Certification Regarding Lobbying (required if the Federal Assistance portion of the project’s financial plan / budget is greater than $100,000).

□ SF-LLL “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities” (required if the Federal Assistance portion of the project’s financial plan / budget is greater than $100,000).

□ Copy of the current, signed Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (required if indirect costs are being claimed).

□ If applicable, States that are required to comply with Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs will need to include a waiver or approval response letter from the State’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC). Check the OMB State SPOC List for the most current list of required States.

Failure to submit any of the required documents will result in a rejected application.

These forms, as well as additional information for applicants, are provided on the USDA APHIS NADPRP website. Applicants should refer to the Appendix 2: Checklist for Application and Tips before submitting an application package.

Project Proposal Work Plan Applicants must submit a project proposal Work Plan that provides details on all aspects of the project and includes all information that is requested in the NADPRP Project Proposal Work Plan Template. The template is available on the USDA APHIS NADPRP website. Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the NADPRP Project Proposal Work Plan Template. Applicants who do not use the template must include all the information requested in the template in their Work Plan.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/ad-preparedness-response-program/ https://www.nfc.usda.gov/FSS/ClientServices/ezFedGrants/index.php https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SPOC-4-13-20.pdf https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/ad-preparedness-response-program/ https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/ad-preparedness-response-program/ https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/ad-preparedness-response-program/

Project Proposal Financial Plan Applicants must submit a project proposal Financial Plan that matches the information in the required form SF-424-A, aligns with and supports the Work Plan, and includes additional details about the project budget. The NADPRP Project Financial Plan Template, including instructions and an example, is available on the USDA APHIS NADPRP website. Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the NADPRP Project Proposal Financial Plan Guidance and template. Applicants who do not use the template must include all the information requested in the template in their Financial Plan.

When preparing a Financial Plan, applicants must comply with the guidance and funding restrictions described in the Guidelines for Use of Funds for APHIS Veterinary Services Farm Bill Cooperative Agreements.

D.3 UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM)

System for Award Management (SAM)

All applicants (except Federal agencies) are required to register in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to submitting an application and continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information throughout the award period of performance (2 CFR §200.205). To register, go to the SAM website. Please allow two weeks to complete the SAM registration. Frequently Asked Questions, User Guides, Demonstration Videos, etc., can be found on the SAM website, under the “Help” tab. Registration is free. Be sure to complete the Marketing Partner ID (MPIN) and Electronic Business Primary Point of Contact fields during the registration process. These are mandatory fields that are required when submitting grant applications. During the SAM registration process, it is mandatory to complete the Financial Assistance Certification Report in order to receive federal financial assistance.

When creating a SAM account, it may take up to two weeks before the account appears in Federal systems. Applicants who are not already registered in SAM are encouraged to complete this task as soon as possible. Additional instructions for SAM registration are available in Appendix 1 and on NADPRP’s Here’s How to Get Ready Now! web page.

COVID-19 Flexibility for Current SAM Registrants. Under the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum M-21-20, applicants with a current active SAM registration scheduled to expire before September 30, 2021 will automatically be afforded a one-time extension of 180 days. (2 CFR § 25.110- Exceptions to this Part). Applicants must have an active SAM registration before USDA can award funds.

Data Universal Number System (DUNS) All applicants (except Federal agencies) are required to have a valid Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number in order to register in SAM. A DUNS number is a unique nine-character identification number provided by the commercial company, Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). To see if your organization already has a DUNS number or to obtain a DUNS number, contact D&B at 1-866-705-5711 or visit the Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) website. Please note that the registration may take up to 14 business days to complete. Registration is free. Additional instructions for DUNS registration are available in Appendix 1 and on NADPRP’s ‘Here’s How to Get Ready Now!’ web page.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/ad-preparedness-response-program/ https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/farmbill/nadprp-guidelines-funds.pdf https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/help/samQUserGuides.jsf https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/nadprp-funding-how-to https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F03%2FM_21_20.pdf&data=04%7C01%7C%7C5412d90226bd47f0b50b08d90b4ef4dd%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C0%7C0%7C637553256020990872%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=gTPgiN8kjiVvUSCO64hcvTZEk%2BDH7Hk0JphpFUTLuXk%3D&reserved=0 https://www.govregs.com/regulations/2/25.110 https://www.govregs.com/regulations/2/25.110 https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform https://iupdate.dnb.com/iUpdate/companylookup.htm https://iupdate.dnb.com/iUpdate/companylookup.htm https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/nadprp-funding-how-to

D.4 SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

The closing date and time for receipt of proposal submissions is August 6, 2021, 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Savings Time. Proposals received after the submission deadline will not be considered.

Non-Federal applicants must submit all application materials electronically using ezFedGrants. We urge applicants to submit their application early. An overview of the ezFedGrants application process can be obtained at ezFedGrants Applications and Agreements.

• To submit an application in ezFedGrants, applicants must have a USDA eAuthentication Account and an ezFedGrants Account. Applicants who do not already have these are encouraged to create the accounts as soon as possible. Additional instructions on these activities are available on NADPRP’s ‘Here’s How to Get Ready Now!’ web page.

• eFG will not permit applicants to submit an application package after the deadline of August 6, 2021, 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Savings Time. Late application packages cannot be accepted.

• Non-Federal entities must be submitted electronically through the ezFedGrants system only. No emailed or hard copy application packages will be accepted from non-Federal entities.

• Applicants who encounter problems with the eFG application process may contact VS.SP.Agreements@usda.gov – at least 48 hours before the deadline – for additional assistance with submitting an application package.

Federal applicants must submit all required application materials via email to VS.NADPRP@usda.gov by the deadline listed in this announcement. Following submission, Federal applicants will receive further communication from APHIS regarding requirements and processes for Interagency Agreements. The electronic date and time stamp from the email system will be used to determine whether federal applications were received before the deadline.

All applicants should refer to Appendix 2, Application Checklist and Tips, to ensure that required documents are included.

All applications must be complete and submitted by the deadline without exception.

D.5 INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

The Intergovernmental Review Process (CFDA/Assistance Listing 10.025) is subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs”. Awards will not be made until this process has been completed in applicable States. Names and addresses of States’ Single Point of Contact (SPOC) are listed in the OMB State SPOC List.

D.6 FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

Funding restrictions, including unallowable costs, indirect cost cap, and cost restrictions, are provided in the Guidelines for Use of Funds for APHIS Veterinary Services Farm Bill Cooperative Agreements and described in 2 CFR Subpart E, Cost Principles – General Provisions for Selected Items of Cost.

https://www.nfc.usda.gov/FSS/ClientServices/ezFedGrants/index.php https://www.nfc.usda.gov/FSS/ClientServices/ezFedGrants/index.php https://www.nfc.usda.gov/FSS/Training/Online/ezFedGrants/Resources/FAQ-eFG_Applications_Agreements.php https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/nadprp-funding-how-to https://www.nfc.usda.gov/FSS/ClientServices/ezFedGrants/index.php mailto:VS.SP.Agreements@usda.gov mailto:VS.NADPRP@usda.gov https://beta.sam.gov/help/assistance-listing https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SPOC-4-13-20.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=36bff1b1599bd122d722fcb83c76da10&mc=true&node=sp2.1.200.e&rgn=div6

D.7 OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Letters of support are not required but may be included in the application package. Letters of support from State Animal Health Officials or livestock organizations are helpful for some types of projects but are not required. Applicants should not request letters of support from APHIS Veterinary Services employees;

NADPRP will solicit input from APHIS VS experts during the review process.

Applicants experiencing technical difficulties should contact VS.NADPRP@usda.gov before the application deadline. APHIS complies with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Applicants may not use resources provided by the USDA APHIS National Veterinary Stockpile to complete their projects.

Applicants must describe support needed from APHIS Veterinary Services personnel to accomplish their project. This includes participation by APHIS personnel in events associated with the project or services to be provided by VS subject matter experts to complete the project; it does not include VS' support to manage and advise on the project.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

The USDA is responsible for approving NADPRP funded projects. This is a competitive funding opportunity.

Applications that meet the threshold eligibility criteria in Section C will compete for available funds with all other eligible applications submitted in response to this funding opportunity announcement.

E.1 EVALUATION CRITERIA

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the criteria listed below. Applicants should explicitly address these criteria in their project Work Plan.

1. Clear, strong, and direct alignment with one or more of the priority topics described in Section A of the funding opportunity announcement.

2. Extent to which the project addresses one or more critical current needs directly related to a funding priority topic or addresses an important gap in knowledge or capabilities directly related to a funding priority topic.

3. Feasibility of success demonstrated by a well-organized approach, reasonable timeline, consideration of key partnerships needed for project success, and skills and experience of the applicants.

4. Extent to which the project outcomes and deliverables are likely to have significant impact and value to stakeholders in the funding priority area. This may include the extent to which the project will produce critically needed deliverables, the geographic scope of the project’s impact, and whether the project will impact one or multiple livestock sectors.

5. Costs effectiveness, including whether all project costs are reasonable and necessary to produce expected outcomes and whether the project makes good use of existing resources.

6. Use of best practices or innovative approaches.

mailto:VS.NADPRP@usda.gov https://www.fcc.gov/general/section-508-rehabilitation-act

E.2 SELECTION AND REVIEW PROCESS

Eligible proposals will undergo evaluation by a team of subject matter experts nominated by APHIS VS and by the NADPRP Consultation Board. To avoid potential conflicts of interest, reviewers may have no association with projects they are reviewing. In the event of a real or perceived conflict of interest, a reviewer shall recuse themselves as appropriate. The review team may seek counsel from additional subject-matter experts as appropriate. USDA will consider the review team’s recommendations in making final funding determinations.

In addition to the evaluation criteria described in Section E.1, the review team and USDA may consider the dispersion of projects across geographic areas, animal industry sectors, and critical aspects of the funding priorities described in Section A. The 2018 Farm Bill specifies that USDA may give priority to applications submitted by:

(A) A State department of agriculture or an office of the chief animal health official of a State; or

(B) An eligible entity that will carry out program activities in a State or region in which-

(i) An animal pest or disease is a Federal concern; or

(ii) The Secretary determines a potential exists for the spread of an animal pest or disease after taking into consideration

(I) The agricultural industries in the State or region.

(II) Factors contributing to animal pests or diseases in the State or region, such as the climate, natural resources, and geography of, and native and exotic wildlife species and other disease vectors in, the State or region; and the movement of animals in the State or region.

During the application review process, APHIS will conduct a risk assessment for applicants. Applicants will be verified in the System for Award Management (SAM) to ensure they have not been disbarred or suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal department or agency. APHIS may not issue Federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifiers and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements, APHIS may determine that the applicant is not eligible to receive a Federal award.

When anticipated total Federal share exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold, APHIS is required to review and consider information about the applicant included in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM. An applicant, if desired, may review and comment on any information about their organization previously entered and currently in the system. When completing the risk assessment, APHIS will consider applicant comments in addition to other information in the designated integrity and performance system to assess applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

APHIS will administer the agreements and collaborate with project recipients to provide advice, receive and review project documents, offer comments and suggestions, track project performance, and communicate with recipients as necessary to ensure progress in accomplishing the project, identifying obstacles, and resolving concerns.

Recipients will track performance and expenditures, provide progress reports and project deliverables in accordance with the project Work Plan, and communicate with VS staff to assess and evaluate progress.

F.1 AWARD NOTICES

All applicants will be notified by email after the spending plan is approved by the Secretary of Agriculture and announced by USDA. Awards will be executed as quickly as possible after the spending plan is announced. Pre-awards may be requested in circumstances where there is urgency to begin work before the award can be executed.

Applicants selected for funding will receive instruction on next steps to process a Notice of Award (NOA) via ezFedGrants. The Notice of Award will provide pertinent instructions and information including but not limited to the information described in 2 CFR § 200.210 and a reference to the APHIS General Terms and Conditions.

F.2 ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

Successful applicants must comply with the requirements contained in the 2 CFR Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. Successful applicants also must comply with the APHIS General Terms and Conditions, the approved project Work Plan, and the approved project Financial Plan.

F.3 REPORTING

The Recipient’s Project Coordinator shall provide quarterly program reports to the APHIS Project Manager through the ezFedGrants system and in compliance with the APHIS General Terms and Conditions. Two quarterly reports are due each quarter, including a performance report describing progress towards accomplishing the objectives and activities outlined in the project’s approved Work Plan and a Federal Financial Report, SF-425. The reports will be used to verify compliance with provisions of the Cooperative Agreement.

F. 4 PROJECT EVALUATION

The Recipient’s performance will be evaluated through the review of quarterly performance and financial reports, as well as periodic discussions of project progress with the VS Program Manager. Performance is evaluated based on the following criteria to determine if the Recipient met the project standards included in the proposal Work and Financial Plans and if expected results and benefits were achieved:

1. Adherence to the project objectives.

https://www.nfc.usda.gov/FSS/ClientServices/ezFedGrants/index.php https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=70b44cfc44976f4a7742464f7cfbb37e&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1210&rgn=div8 https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/business-services/financial-management-division/Financial_Services_Branch/Agreements_Service_Center/Terms-Conditions-for-APHIS-Awards https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/business-services/financial-management-division/Financial_Services_Branch/Agreements_Service_Center/Terms-Conditions-for-APHIS-Awards https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=b8fd810a032fbf5915e8d5bce3b3d7d4&node=2:1.1.2.2.1&rgn=div5 https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/business-services/financial-management-division/Financial_Services_Branch/Agreements_Service_Center/terms-conditions-for-aphis-awards https://www.nfc.usda.gov/FSS/ClientServices/ezFedGrants/index.php https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/business-services/financial-management-division/Financial_Services_Branch/Agreements_Service_Center/Terms-Conditions-for-APHIS-Awards

2. Adherence to project schedule.

3. Adherence to project budget.

4. Delivery of results that meet the agreement performance standards and achieve stated outcomes.

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

For questions about this funding opportunity and the NADPRP program, please send an email to VS.NADPRP@usda.gov.

You may also contact Julie Wallin, NADPRP Program Coordinator, Julie.e.wallin@usda.gov, 970-494-7258 or Melinda Springer, NADPRP Management Analyst, Melinda.a.springer@usda.gov, 352-745-0576.

For questions pertaining to the documents required or the ezFedGrants application process, please contact VS.SP.Agreements@usda.gov. You may also contact Laura Wilson, NADPRP Grants Specialist, Laura.s.wilson@usda.gov, 970-494-7208.

H. OTHER INFORMATION

The USDA is not obligated to make any award as a result of this announcement nor to make any changes to future announcements. Only the APHIS Authorized Departmental Officer can bind the Government to an expenditure of funds and this obligation of funds shall only occur in writing by authorized officials and under the approved USDA, APHIS Cooperative Agreement format.

H.1 DEFINITIONS

This announcement uses definitions as described in Section 8302 of the Animal Health Protection Act.

Per the Animal Health Protection Act, the term “livestock” means all farm-raised animals.

mailto:VS.NADPRP@usda.gov mailto:Julie.e.wallin@usda.gov mailto:Melinda.a.springer@usda.gov https://www.nfc.usda.gov/FSS/ClientServices/ezFedGrants/index.php mailto:VS.SP.Agreements@usda.gov mailto:Laura.s.wilson@usda.gov https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section8302&num=0&edition=prelim

APPENDIX 1. NEW APPLICANT INFORMATION

Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations to be eligible to apply for or receive an award. All registrations must be completed prior to the application being submitted.

Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process as soon as possible. Failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission. Applicants should address these now to avoid any last-minute surprises or obstacles in the application process. These steps must be taken prior to application submission in ezFedGrants.

1. Obtain a DUNS Number: All entities applying for funding must have a DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B). A DUNS numbers can be obtained from the Dun & Bradsteet website or by calling 1-866-705-5711. For more detailed instructions, refer to Obtain a DUNS Number.

Applicants must enter the DUNS number in the data entry field labeled "Organizational DUNS" on the SF-424 “Application for Federal Assistance” form when submitting a proposal for funding consideration. Be prepared and get your DUNS number now.

2. Register with System for Award Management (SAM): In addition to having a DUNS number, organizations applying for NADPRP funding are required to register with SAM. For more detailed instructions, refer to Register With SAM.