5.16.2024FY24.Q_A.Final.pdf

Food for Progress FY2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity Questions and Answers

Questions received to PPDED@usda.gov through May 16, 2024

1 Q. On page 13, last bullet point, the application requires a Single Audit. This applicant is not subject to the Part 200 – Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards, Subpart F, Audit Requirements (“Uniform Guidance”). Here is the question – Is a Single audit in accordance with Part 200, C required to meet the application requirements?

A: No, however, further information is required to better understand why the Applicant is not subject to 2 CFR 200.500.

2Q. If the answer to question #1 is no, are there any requirements to submit audited, reviewed or compiled financial statements?

A: A general audit document is required and the purpose is to demonstrate that the Applicant has the ability to properly handle Federal Funds and prepare required documents. If an audit is not available the Applicant may be designated High Risk and subject to more supervision.

3Q. On page 14 of the NOFO it is stated that applications should use Times New Roman size 12 font. Can we use size 10 font for tables, charts and graphics?

A. Yes, 10 pt font size is permissible in tables, textboxes, and graphs.

4Q. Can USDA/FAS please provide the detailed budget template referenced in the NOFO? It is not currently provided on grants.gov under the related documents section as stated in Appendix A: Please finding supporting documentation here: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/353809

5Q. Effective October 1, 2024, there will be changes to Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations that will affect indirect cost recovery: 1) the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has increased the threshold for applicability of subaward costs under the Modified Total Direct Cost methodology from the first $25,000 to the first $50,000 of each subaward; and 2) OMB has increased the de minimis rate from 10% to 20% for subawardees that don't have a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement with the US Government. As these changes will affect the entire period of performance of FFPr awards, should applicants adopt the increased rates for indirect cost recovery? OMB's guidance is that "Federal agencies may elect to apply the final guidance to Federal awards issued prior to October 1, 2024...."

A: Applicants should not adopt the increased rate for indirect cost recovery, nor should they adopt any of the upcoming changes to 2 CFR 200. While the effective date of the revision to 2 CFR 200 is October 1, 2024, the award agreements will be effective upon their issuance date, which will be prior to October 1, 2024. USDA/FAS will not be implementing the changes to 2 CFR 200 prior to October 1, 2024. Applicants should prepare their applications using the current version of 2 CFR 200. In addition, we note that in the updated version of 2 CFR 200, the de mailto:PPDED@usda.gov https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/353809

Questions received to PPDED@usda.gov through May 16, 2024 minimis rate increase will be up to 15%, not 20%, of modified total direct costs which will be applicable to both recipients and subrecipients.

6Q. Can USDA/FAS please inform us when the FY24 Food for Progress application will be added to FAIS?

Answer: Please find supporting documents posted in Grant.Gov here: grants.gov/search-results-detail/353809.

7Q. On page 12, the NOFO asks that we include “In-Country Registration” within our application, yet it is not included within the instructions. Please confirm whether this is a requirement.

Answer: Please review page 16 Part 5. Content Guidance, subsection d. Organizational Capacity and Staffing (4 Pages) “Applicants must disclose their registration status in the target country. Applicants not registered must provide a clear plan to become registered and a timeline to complete the registration process including potential delays. Applicants with active registration in the target country must provide the date they became registered and any relevant information and dates regarding the expiration of their registration.”

8Q .Section D. 4. Specific Application Formats, page 14: Can we use a smaller font size for tables and graphics?

A. Yes, 10 pt font size is permissible in tables, textboxes, and graphs.

9Q. Section D.6. Content Guidance, page 26, states, “USDA/FAS will not consider an application from an Applicant without an Active SAM registration.” Does this apply to local subrecipients?

A. Please review 2 CFR § 25.300 Requirement for recipients to ensure subrecipients have a unique entity identifier found here: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part- 25/subpart-C/section-25.300. At the time of proposal review the foreign subrecipient does not have to have an active UEI, however, before the foreign subrecipient can receive U.S. funds the entity must have an active UEI.

10Q. Can USDA please confirm that applicants should submit a detailed budget in a format similar to the FY23 cycle?

A. Yes, further instructions can be found here: grants.gov/search-results-detail/353809.

11Q. How does USDA want participants to treat interest income in the operating budget?

Should interest income be included in the operating budget (i.e. $1,000,000 monetization revenue + $100,000 CCC Funds + $100,000 interest income = $1,200,000 operating budget), or should it remain a separate line in the budget summary, but not included in the operating budget mailto:PPDED@usda.gov https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/353809 https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/353809 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-25/subpart-C/section-25.300 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-25/subpart-C/section-25.300

Questions received to PPDED@usda.gov through May 16, 2024

(i.e. $1,000,000 monetization revenue + $100,000 CCC Funds = $1,100,000 operating budget;

$100,000 interest in interest summary line separate from monetization and CCC funds).

A. Please review page 25 part 5. Content Guidance subsection g. Budget “The estimated Commodity, Freight, and Administrative cash requests should also be included in this document, and the anticipated program income (interest) denoted separately at the end of the Budget Summary should also be included and accounted for within the operating budget.”

12Q. Can NGO'S that are found in the Northern part of Tanzania such as Manyara and Arusha be eligible to apply for USDA grants?

A. Yes, please see Part C: ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION in the NOFO and refer to the linked references, as copied below.

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

• the government of an emerging agricultural country

• an intergovernmental organization

• a private voluntary organization

• a nonprofit agricultural organization or cooperative

• a nongovernmental organization

• a college or university (as such terms are defined in section 7 S.S.C.3103(16) of this title); and

• any other private entity

13Q. The NOFO states on page 17 that "letters of support from entities that are not subrecipients must not be included with the application." Could you please clarify whether this implies that such letters don't need to be submitted, but may still be included optionally, or whether they are to be omitted entirely?

A. As discussed on page 17, only letters of support from subrecipients will be accepted and letters from entities that are not subrecipients must not be included with the application.

14Q.Our organization is the South Asia Partnership - Sri Lanka a not-for-profit non-governmental organisation registered in Sri Lanka. After reading through all of the eligibility criteria I am still unsure whether an organisation registered outside of the USA is eligible to be the main recipient of funding for this program? In addition, if our Sri Lanka registered NGO is eligible is it necessary for us to hold a US bank account in order to receive funds?

A. Yes, please see Part C: ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION in the NOFO and refer to the linked references, as copied below.

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

• the government of an emerging agricultural country

• an intergovernmental organization

• a private voluntary organization mailto:PPDED@usda.gov

Questions received to PPDED@usda.gov through May 16, 2024

• a nonprofit agricultural organization or cooperative

• a nongovernmental organization

• a college or university (as such terms are defined in section 7 S.S.C.3103(16) of this title); and

• any other private entity

15Q: The applicant respectfully requests confirmation that sub-tier applicants are not required to provide their NICRA at time of submission.

A. If the sub-tier applicants is also a subrecipient for the agreement the NICRA is not required at time of submission, however, if and when a subaward is made, the pass-through entity will need to gather this information (2 CFR 200.332(a)(4)).

16Q. Is this grant opportunity available to Faith-Based organizations? Do hydroponic gardens count?

A. Yes, please see Part H. Other Information, page 40 for additional information concerning Faith Based Organizations.

17Q. Please advise if El Salvador would qualify for subject program. Also indicate the commodities available, in what quantities, for that nation.

A. Applications for cooperative agreements will be prioritized for Benin, Cambodia, Madagascar, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Tunisia. FAS will also review submissions for non-prioritized countries. Per Part B. Federal Award Information, “USDA/FAS reserves the right to make additional awards under this solicitation, consistent with Agency policy and guidance, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made”.

18Q. P. 77, Appendix B Country Guidance, Tanzania. This section states, “Applicant are encouraged to provide a progressive grant mechanism that allow stakeholder to qualify for grant support with evidence that farmers are adopting and incorporating various CSA tools and business practices.” Could USDA provide additional information around the structure of the Progressive Grant Mechanism expect to see under this program?

A. Applicants are encouraged to develop an incentive type approach to grant eligibility. For example, instead of providing grants for meeting attendance link grant to demonstrating that the beneficiary applied one or more CSA or training techniques after attending the training.

19Q. P. 74, Appendix B Country Guidance, Tanzania. This section states, “Applicants should include strategies to support local farmers, feed producers (manufacturers) and poultry farmers in the Southern Highlands (Iringa, Mbeya and Songwe) to mitigate and adapt to climatic events while reducing methane emissions.” Could USDA clarify whether there is opportunity to reduce GHG emissions beyond methane emissions?

Questions received to PPDED@usda.gov through May 16, 2024

A. Yes, the additional information concerning GHG is provided on page 74 and 75 which encourages an overall approach to GHG and not just methane.

20Q. P. 62, Component 2, Rwanda. Inspections are not in the mandate of laboratories in Rwanda. Would USDA be amenable to focusing on lab capacity in testing in Component 2, and moving activities related to inspections to Component 1 (i.e., development of SOPs for exports and imports, inspections, encouraging timely submission of reports to the EAC and OIE, and updating emergency response plans)?

A. Yes. As stated on Page 62, interventions in component 2 should be linked to component 1.

Applicants are encouraged to submit proposals for activities organized in a manner that is best suited for their proposed project’s implementation, given a rationale is provided.

21Q. P. 64, Metrics, Rwanda. In the section on metrics, USDA has included the following overarching theme: “increased access to finance for producers and SMEs.” However, increased access to finance is not mentioned anywhere else in the NOFO. Does USDA expect the applicant to address access to finance as part of the scope in Rwanda?

A. Although not a separate activity, access to finance should remain close to addressing challenges experienced in Rwanda’s agriculture sector and it’s important to track financial related activities that are proposed as components of anticipated activities. Applicants are expected to coordinate activities with existing projects by other Donors.

22Q. On page 74 of the NOFO, in the Tanzania Country Context, the three regions of Mbeya, Songwe and Iringa were provided as part of the solicitation. How would USDA like applicants to expand and justify the pre-targeted geographic areas in our response?

A. The Applicant is encouraged to review part D Application and Submission Information.

The NOFO on Page 74 has specifically identified that those three areas as the target region.

23Q. Could USDA, please confirm that the summary budget template provided is the referenced detailed budget template that is referenced in the NOFO on the following pages:

a. See page 25 under Detailed Budget: see instructions in Appendix A on how to access this template.

b. See page 42 (Appendix A): Detailed Budget (template provided at grants.gov as part of the section “related documents” with this NOFO).

A. Yes and the detailed budget can also be found here: grants.gov/search-results-detail/353809.

24Q. Could USDA, also please confirm that the only budget template on the FAIS site is the Summary Budget template. We want to ensure that we are not missing a detailed budget template.

Questions received to PPDED@usda.gov through May 16, 2024

A. Yes, FAIS only has the Standardized Budget Summary and the detailed budget template has been updated on Grants.gov