FFP Q&A May 21- May 27.docx

FY 2025 Food for Peace Notice of Funding Opportunity Questions and Answers May 21- May 27, 2026

1. Q: For the technical application (concept paper) should we include a cover page, and does it count against the page limit?

A: Please see the required sections and page limits for the Full Application in the NOFO section 4. Application Contents and Format. If including a cover page as part of the required sections, please see NOFO page 8: “Excess pages exceeding the limits prescribed in this section will not be considered for review.” Regarding additional submissions, on page 13, the NOFO states the following: “USDA/FAS strongly discourages, and will not consider, any additional, non-required materials submitted by or on behalf of the Applicant.”

2. Q: Budget- can you provide additional clarity on staffing costs that should be included for general food distribution under Activities vs. ITSH. For example, would staffing to support clearance at ports, warehouse etc. be considered under ITSH or Activities?

A: Please refer to Appendix B Budget Narrative of the Notice of Funding Opportunity. Applicants should include any salary costs related to ITSH in the ITSH section, and salary costs related to an activity in the activity section. If costs are shared between budget categories (i.e. activities and ITSH) explain how they are prorated.

3. Q: Can Applicants add a “unit cost” column to the detailed budget to accompany the “quantity” column?

A: As described in the NOFO in Section 4.2.5.iii Detailed Budget (page 19): “Data on unit costs, number of units, and cost escalations should be clearly presented.” The ‘cost’ column should be used for unit costs.

4. Q: Can budget be allocated to purchase iodized salt locally? This is a standard component of in-kind food distribution that is not available under the US-commodity list.

A: No. Salt is not considered by USDA/FAS to be a qualified agricultural commodity. If an applicant proposes salt in its programming as necessary for preparation and palatability, salt (including iodized salt) is an allowable supply cost or included as part of community contributions.

5. Q: For the proposal stage, the NOFO asks that applicants list out key personnel and provide CVs. However, this is a grant and not a cooperative agreement, is this still required?

A: Per Section 4.2, Organizational Capacity and Staffing information is required for Applicants invited to the full application stage. It is not required during the technical application/concept paper stage. Deadlines for the full application stage will be communicated to Applicants.

6. Q: The most recent commodity calculator is from June 2025: will USDA share an updated commodity calculator?

A: USDA is unable to provide an updated commodity calculator at this time. USDA encourages applicants to make use of available reference sources to strengthen the accuracy and reliability of their proposed budgets. For commodity cost estimates, applicants are encouraged to utilize AMS procurement data, which provides recent pricing benchmarks that can serve as a valuable reference point when developing cost projections. For freight estimates, applicants may benefit from working with a freight forwarder who can develop pricing estimates tailored to the applicant’s proposed tonnages, routing, and destination points. Leveraging freight forwarder expertise helps ensure that transportation costs reflect current market conditions and expected logistics requirements.

7. Q: Could the USDA please clarify what is included in the freight costs? Does this term apply only to marine freight and the related domestic inland, fumigation, and foreign inland charges?

A: Freight costs include ocean freight costs. If delivery arrangement on a through bill of lading are requested, freight costs required to move U.S.‑donated commodities from the designated discharge port to final delivery points within a landlocked recipient country can be budgeted and reported as freight costs. In these circumstances, inland freight from the discharge port to the mutually agreed inland destination is considered part of the overall freight cost structure for purposes of meeting the minimum requirement that at least 50 percent of total program resources be allocated to U.S. commodity and freight expenses.

8. Q: In relations to commodity procurement timelines. Would USDA anticipate any post award restriction in placing call forward, i.e. additional requirements for applicants to fulfill before they are authorized to place a call forward? When would USDA anticipate the first call forward to be placed for the successful applicant/awardee?

A: USDA does not anticipate any restrictions on call forwards other than the required obligation of funds after an award is signed. USDA anticipates call forwards under these awards to begin in quarter one of fiscal year 2027.

9. Q: Is a commercial dairy exporter eligible to apply directly under this opportunity, or could a dairy exporter participate through supplying commodities to awarded organizations?

A: Please see the relevant response under question 1 for the question and answers for May 18-May 20.

10 Q: Would USDA please clarify if there will be another opportunity for questions answers for the full application phase?

A: Please see the NOFO Section 5.4 titled Submission Dates and Times. USDA/FAS will communicate the deadline if the Applicant’s concept paper moves to the Full Application phase. Any other applicable deadlines will be communicated at that time.

11.Q: To preserve readability and flow while delivering a well-documented proposal, would USDA please confirm that applicants may put their citations as endnotes that do not count towards the page limits?

A: Please see the required sections and page limits for the Full Application in the NOFO section 4. Application Contents and Format. If an Applicant includes citations, please see NOFO page 8: “Excess pages exceeding the limits prescribed in this section will not be considered for review.” Regarding additional submissions, on page 13, the NOFO states the following: “USDA/FAS strongly discourages, and will not consider, any additional, non-required materials submitted by or on behalf of the Applicant.”

12.Q:” Applicants are also encouraged to explore the full authority governing the utilization of U.S. provided commodities, to meet program objectives and enhance the project’s success and efficient in the target country” Would USDA please clarify if this implies that monetization would be an acceptable use of commodities, along with direct distribution of food?

A: While the principle objective of the Food for Peace program and this notice of funding opportunity is to provide immediate emergency directly-distributed food assistance using U.S. agricultural commodities, the reference in Section 4.2.4 Commodity encourages applicants to explore the full authority governing the use of U.S.‑provided commodities as outlined in Chapter 41, Section 1722 (c) in order to propose an effective and efficient program design.

13. Q: Would USDA please clarify the cost for the 50% requirement?

A: The minimum requirement is that at least 50% of total program resources be allocated to U.S. commodity and ocean freight expenses.

14. Q: Given the ITSH is a necessary expenditure for the transportation and handling of U.S. commodities, would USDA please consider an exception or waiver to include ITSH within the 50% minimum?

A: No. The 50% minimum should be met through a combination of commodity and freight costs.

15. Q: Would USDA please confirm that no activity mapping is required, and that applicants should enter “not applicable” in the FAIS system?

A: Please see Section 5. Submission Requirements and Deadlines in the NOFO. Concept Papers should be submitted via email, not FAIS: Phase 1: “Concept Paper should be submitted to foodforpeace@usda.gov by the deadline noted above. Applicants should carefully review the requirements of the concept paper. In the subject of the email, put “Application for Food for Peace from [insert applicant] for [insert Notice of Funding Opportunity Number].”

For submission of the Full Application Package, USDA/FAS will provide additional guidance: “If a full application package is requested, it must be submitted through the Food Aid Information System at https://www.fas.usda.gov/fais/webapp/. USDA will communicate with the Applicant FAIS instructions at the time of the request for the full application package.”

16. Q: Beyond Bellmon considerations, would USDA please elaborate on how the commodity basket will be evaluated?

A: The commodity basket will be evaluated based on how well it meets 2018 Sphere minimum standards. The commodities must address identified dietary and nutrient gaps and be culturally appropriate. If a proposed ration falls short of these standards, a detailed explanation of why and how beneficiaries will meet dietary needs by other means must be provided. At times, it may be important to consider how likely the commodities may be sold by beneficiaries. In those cases, commodities that are less likely to be sold but still fill dietary and nutrient gaps while being culturally appropriate would be preferred.

17. Q: Would USDA please specify what criteria will be used, including any of the following elements: alignment with the program purpose and target group; nutritional adequacy; commodity mix and complementarity; household ration size and sharing assumptions; logistics and shelf life; preparation requirements and household burden; cost effectiveness; protection, accountability and diversion risk; fit with local systems and other assistance; other criteria?

A: Please review Section 6.2 Review Criteria of the NOFO for the application criteria for the Technical Application (Concept Paper) and Full Application Package.

18.Q: Would USDA please clarify how cost-share is weighed during the concept paper phase? Specifically, is cost share an evaluated criterion that contributes to the technical score at the concept note phase or is it only formally scored during the full application stage?

A: Cost share is not weighed during the concept paper phase, please see Section 6.2 Review Criteria for how any cost share will be considered during the full application phase.

19. Q: Would USDA please indicate if there will be any call-forward blackout periods?

A: No, there will not be any call-forward blackout periods. Note, if the supply chain requires it, there may be adjustments to shipping windows.

21. Q: Please clarify if applicants should explicitly map their proposed program’s activities to existing government initiatives for the transition phase?

A: Review the NOFO Section 4.1 Technical Application Format for guidance related to project exit strategies and activity coordination with the host government. Specifically this paragraph: “As this funding is for emergency assistance (rather than development assistance), Applicants should provide an exit strategy for the end of the award period. This could include resolving the need for the project and winding down activities, or transitioning the activities to national ownership or other organizations focused on longer-term development.”

22. Q: Will USDA FAS file an exemption to allow for deviation from USDA general terms and conditions approval process, (ex. Subawards/subcontracting rules), since this work is concerning immediate emergency for assistance?

A: No, USDA/FAS has no plans to file an exemption to USDA’s General Terms and Conditions. Both will apply to all grants made under this Notice of Funding Opportunity. Per Section 8.1 Administrative and National Policy Requirements, all successful Applicants for all grants are required to comply with the applicable General Terms and Conditions, which can be found at https://www.fas.usda.gov/grants/general_terms_and_conditions. The nature of this NOFO as providing emergency response does not change the applicability of any terms or conditions.

23. Q: Is there flexibility for utilizing U.S. commodities for alternative uses (e.g. monetization, non-human consumption, further processing, etc.) if it is justified under the food assistance rationale?

A: While the principle objective of the Food for Peace program and this notice of funding opportunity is to provide immediate emergency directly-distributed food assistance using U.S. agricultural commodities, Applicants are encouraged to explore the full authority governing the use of U.S.‑provided commodities as outlined in Chapter 41, Section 1722 (c) in order to propose an effective and efficient program design.

24. Q: Do all the commodities have to be put in a single call forward, or can offerors have multiple shipments? (page 9, footnote 3) A: Multiple shipments can be used to call forward the tonnages programmed in an award.

25. Q: Please confirm whether this indicator is defined as the “prevalence of households with a moderate or severe household hunger scale (HHS) score” or if not, please provide an alternative expanded definition. (Page 15, section 2. Monitoring and evaluation) A: Please note that the Monitoring and Evaluation section is part of the full application and not part of the concept note. The cited indicator is not identified in the NOFO, but close matches are indicator #6 on p. 15: “Percentage of households with poor, borderline, and acceptable Food Consumption Score (FCS) “, and indicator #8 on p. 15: “Prevalence of households with moderate or severe food insecurity”. No further information is available on this or the other listed indicators currently. Applicants for whom FAS requests submit a full application package (p. 12) must propose relevant standard and custom indicators to the best of their ability based on their experience and aligned with their proposed project.

26.Q: Would USDA FAS please provide the performance indicator reference sheets (PIRS) for all standard indicators for USDA/FAS food for peace projects? (Page 15, section 3. Monitoring and evaluation, table X: standard indicators for USDA/FAS food for peace projects) A: Please use the guidance in the NOFO under 4.3 Monitoring and Evaluation to prepare the Performance Indicators Table required with the Full Application. Performance indicator reference sheets (PIRS) are not currently available for the indicators on p. 15.

27. Q: Will third tier sub- granting be permitted for this opportunity? For example, can a local organization serve as the implementing partner under a subrecipient?

A: An Applicant may propose any arrangement which effectively and efficiently implements the proposed project activities. Note that any organization an Applicant proposes to work with is required to have the same vetting in terms an active UEI and SAM.gov registration. The applicable terms and conditions would flow through the Applicant as a pass-through entity to the other entity. Refer to Section 4.2.1.2.e Subrecipient Information.

28.Q: Will USDA or the US Embassy be supporting applicants that have made it thought the full application stage to obtain tax exempt status for importing the food commodities?

A: USDA/FAS requires a plan for duty-free entry at the Full Application stage. Per Section 4.2.1.4: Commodity, USDA/FAS expects applicants to “Affirm that the project will import and distribute U.S.-donated commodities for direct distribution free from all customs, duties, tolls, and taxes” or “If the commodities will not enter duty-free, indicate who will be responsible for paying any applicable customs, duties, tolls, or taxes.”

29. Q: The budget template includes a single “Activity” tab. As multiple activities and/or outcomes are anticipated, should this tab be used to represent one activity/outcome only?

A: Yes, the activity tab should be used to represent costs for a single activity within the full proposal. Additional tabs may be added for activities only. Refer to Section 4.2.5.iii Detailed Budget.

30. Q: There does not appear to be a budget line for “program activities”. Should these costs be allocated under other categories such as “other direct costs” or “supplies”?

A: Applicants should refer to Section 4.1.3 Budget Overview; the budget table includes a line for activities. Activity costs should be allocated there.

31. Q: Does USDA offer a predefined list of Title II activities to choose from for this FFP opportunity, like those under FFP-R and McGovern-Dole?

A: Please review Section 4. Application Contents and Format for guidance related to activities. For example, on page 9, the NOFO states: “Eligible food and nutrition security interventions include but are not limited to: general and targeted food distributions; food-for-work/assets; emergency school feeding limited to refugee camps; conditional rations; food-assisted social protection; management of acute malnutrition, and potential complementary activities that support the early post-acute food insecurity and nutrition emergency recovery phase.”

32. Q: How can we get the “apply” icon in active mode, so we are able to use the portal to submit the concept note?

A: Please see Section 5: Submission Requirements and Deadlines for instructions related to submitting the Concept Paper: “Phase 1: Concept Paper should be submitted to foodforpeace@usda.gov by the deadline. Applicants should carefully review the requirements of the concept paper. In the subject of the email, put “Application for Food for Peace from [insert applicant] for [insert Notice of Funding Opportunity Number]”.”

33.Q: Could USDA please clarify whether commodities can be procured pre-packaged into distribution-ready, labeled units rather bulk, and how that affects the call-forward and commodity cost; and where in-country repackaging is required instead, should associated costs (e.g. equipment, labels, materials, labor, facilities) be budgeted under ITSH or activity costs?

A: Bulk commodities are required to be called forward in bulk for packaging in country. Associated bagging costs should be reflected as ITSH costs. Please refer to Appendix B Budget Narrative for examples.

34.Q: Where an applicant proposes digital tools to support commodity traceability, beneficiary verification, or distribution monitoring, does USDA evaluate these favorably as efficiency and accountability measures within the proposed budget?

A: Please refer to Section 6.2 Review Criteria of the Notice of Funding Opportunity for information on how USDA/FAS will evaluate concept papers and full applications.

35. Q: USDA’s stated objectives could be met through several distinct beneficiary populations in Kenya- refugees in camp or settlement context, populations in acute drought-affected ASAL counties or chronically food-insecure areas with structurally vulnerable populations. Does USDA have a preference or priority ranking among these population types for this activity, or should applicants propose targeting based on their own needs analysis?

A: USDA encourages Applicants to utilize the three criteria found in Section 3 Program Description of the Notice of Funding Opportunity to their own assessment to propose an efficient and effective program design for their concept paper.

36.Q: Given that beneficiary type and geography materially affect feasible program scale, does USDA have a preferred beneficiary caseload or range for this activity (for example, a target order of magnitude over the 18-month period), or is the applicant expected to determine reach based on commodity tonnage, ration design, and operating costs within the available budget?

A: The Applicant should determine reach based on need, commodity tonnage, ration design and operating costs within the available budget. The Applicant should provide a needs assessment of the food insecurity or nutrition crisis and outline the scale and context. The Applicant should also outline how they will coordinate food and security activities to leverage resources, maximize impact, and avoid duplication.

37. Q: Would the USDA be amenable to regional application for contiguous countries?

A: No, single countries only. Per Section 1.1 Executive Summary of the Notice of Funding Opportunity, USDA/FAS will only accept concept papers for programs in the following countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Kenya, and Rwanda.

39. Q: What is the anticipated start date for this program? Would be possible to call forward commodities prior to the start date if there is an urgent need to do so due to existing need or anticipated shock?

A: The anticipated start date for these awards is in October 2026, with an estimated 18-24 month period of performance. No, it is not possible to call forward commodities prior to the effective date of an award.

40. Q: As part of general and targeted food distributions, food assisted social protection, early post-acute food insecurity or nutrition emergency recovery phase interventions, would USDA approve activities that provide psycho-social support for victims of violence or conflict?

A: No. Please refer to Section 4 of the Notice of Funding Opportunity for information on the application content and suggested activity design.

41. Q: As part of general and targeted food distributions, food assisted social protection, early post-acute food insecurity or nutrition emergency recovery phase interventions, would USDA approve activities that include anticipatory action and income generation/savings to reduce the impact of future similar shocks?

A: Please refer to Sections 3 and 4 of the Notice of Funding Opportunity for a program description and guidance on the content of concept papers.

42. Q: Are there activities that USDA will specifically not fund as part of these programs?

A: Applicants should refer to Section 1.1 Executive Summary and 4.1 Technical Application Format for guidance on activities to propose. USDA has not published any explicit list of un-fundable activities.