FY2020 FFPr NOFO FINAL 5-13-20.pdf

FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE

International Food Assistance Division

Global Programs

FY 2020 Food Assistance Proposal

Instructions and Request for Applications

FOOD FOR PROGRESS (FFPr) PROGRAM

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY (NOFO)

May 14, 2020

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign

Agricultural Service (FAS) is soliciting applications for the Food for Progress (FFPr) Program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2020. FAS implements this program on behalf of the Commodity Credit

Corporation (CCC). Acting on behalf of CCC, FAS expects to enter into multiple cooperative agreements under the FFPr Program to make awards totaling up to $190 million SUBJECT TO

AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING. Applications for cooperative agreements will be prioritized for the following countries and regions: Cashew in West Africa; Spices in Uganda; Cacao in

Colombia; SPS Policy in Dominican Republic; and Support for the Trade Facilitation Agreement in Bangladesh. FAS may also review submissions for non–prioritized countries. To fulfill its mandate under the Food for Progress Act of 1985, FAS will enter into cooperative agreements with eligible organizations to implement field–based projects that aim to improve agricultural production and expand trade of agricultural products in developing countries. Programs are primarily funded through the sale of donated commodities within the foreign market where the program is implemented. Some examples of past projects have included: training farmers in improved animal and plant production, establishing and building capacity of agricultural cooperatives, providing microfinance to farmers, and developing agricultural value chains. FAS proposes these FFPr Program guidelines in accordance with 7 CFR part 1499.

Applications must be submitted to USDA through the Food Aid Information System (FAIS) by

5:00:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on July 14, 2020. Applications received after this date will not be considered. FAS advises Applicants to begin the process early to allow time to address any information technology difficulties that may arise. There will be no exceptions to this application deadline. Please be advised that incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Refer to Part C Section 1 and Part D Section 3 b for Applicant eligibility and application requirements. Questions regarding this request for applications will be considered to the extent practicable and should be submitted to ppded@usda.gov. Questions must be received no later than 5:00:00 P.M. EDT on July 7, 2020. Responses will be posted on www.grants.gov.

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NEW IN FY20

1. Food for Progress has added a new program priority on eliminating child and forced labor.

See Part A Section 10 c, Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities.

2. See Part A Section 10 c, Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities, for Table 1 of country and priority areas.

3. See Part D Section 3 c iii, Organizational Capacity and Staffing, for guidance on changes to

Past Performance Review requirements.

4. See Part E Section 1, Application Evaluation Criteria, for changes to scoring criteria.

LIST OF ACRONYMS

AfCFTA African Continental Free Trade Area

CAGR Compounded Annual Growth Rate

CFDA Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

CFR Code of Federal Regulations

CTMDA Coffee & Tea Development and Marketing Authority

CV Curriculum Vitae

DCFTA Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Areas

DUNS Data Universal Numbering System

EAC East African Community

EST Eastern Standard Time

FAIS Food Aid Information System

FAO United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization

FAS Foreign Agricultural Service

FFPr Food for Progress

FPMA Food Price Monitoring and Analysis Tool

FSN Food Safety Network

FY Fiscal Year

GAIN Global Agricultural Information Network

GAP Good Agricultural Practices

GDP Gross Domestic Product

GP Global Programs

HACCP Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point

HVH High Value Horticulture

IR Intermediate Results

IFAD International Food Assistance Division

IPPC International Plant Protection Convention

ITSH Internal Transport, Storage, and Handling

M & E Monitoring and Evaluation

MIFIRA Market Information and Food Insecurity Response Analysis

MRL Maximum Residue Levels

MT Metric Tons

MY Market Year

NGO Non–Governmental Organization

NICRA Negotiated Indirect Cost Recovery Agreement

NIFA National Institute of Food and Agriculture

NOFO Notice of Funding Opportunity

NTFC National Trade Facilitation Committee

OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

OIE World Organization for Animal Health

OMB Office of Management and Budget

PIN Personal Identification Number

PMP Performance Monitoring Plan

PPP Private–Public Partnership

PVO Private Voluntary Organization

R&R Rehabilitation and Renovation

RF Results Framework

SAM System for Award Management

SCP Structure, Conduct and Performance Framework

SF Standard Form

SO Strategic Objective

SPS Sanitary and Phytosanitary Systems

TFA Trade Facilitation Agreement

UN United Nations

UNDP United Nations Development Programme

USAID United States Agency for International Development

USDA United States Department of Agriculture

USG United States Government

USTR Office of the United States Trade Representative

WB World Bank

WTO World Trade Organization

Table of Contents

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. Issued By

2. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number

3. CFDA Title

4. Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Title

5. NOFO Numbers

6. Authorizing Authority for Program

7. Appropriation Authority for Program

8. Announcement Type

9. Program Regulations

10. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. Award Amounts, Important Dates, and Extensions

2. Funding Instrument

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Eligibility Criteria

3. Debarment and Suspension

4. Other Submission Requirements and Information

5. Cost Share or Match

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Key Dates and Times

2. Address to Request Application Package

3. Content and Form of Application Submission

a. Application Format

b. Required Content and Forms

c. Content Guidance

d. Food Aid Information System (FAIS)

4. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

5. Intergovernmental Review

6. Funding Restrictions

a. Management and Administration (M&A) Costs

b. Indirect Facilities & Administrative (F&A) Costs

7. Other Submission Requirements

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Application Evaluation Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

a. Review Process

b. Selection Process

c. Review of Applicant Integrity and Performance Information

d. Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. Notice of Award

2. Administration and National Policy Requirements

a. Domestic Entities

b. Foreign Entities

3. Reporting

a. Federal Financial Reporting Requirements

b. Program Performance Reporting Requirements

c. Closeout Reporting Requirements

4. Monitoring

5. Other Agreement Requirements

a. Organizational Chart

b. Annual Work Plan

c. Monitoring and Evaluation Requirements

d. Subaward Requirement

e. Audit Compliance

G. AWARDING AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

H. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. Extensions

2. Prior Approval

3. Budget Revisions

4. Program Income

5. Proprietary Information

APPENDIX A – Application Content Checklist

APPENDIX B – Country Specific Guidance

Bangladesh

Colombia

Dominican Republic

Uganda

West Africa Regional

APPENDIX C – Budget Summary

APPENDIX D – Budget Narrative Example

APPENDIX E – Results Framework and Illustrative Examples of Foundational Results .. 73

APPENDIX F – Past Performance Review Template

APPENDIX G – Potential Available Commodities

NOTE: If you are going to apply for this funding opportunity and have not obtained a

Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number or are not currently registered in the

System for Award Management (SAM), please take immediate action to obtain a DUNS

Number, if applicable, and then to register immediately in SAM at www.sam.gov. It may take 4 weeks or more after you submit your SAM registration before your registration is active in SAM. Detailed information regarding DUNS and SAM is also provided in Part C

Section 2, Eligibility Criteria, and Part D Section 4, Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM).

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. Issued By

Foreign Agricultural Service, Global Programs, International Food Assistance Division

2. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number

10.606

3. CFDA Title

Food for Progress

4. Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Title

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOOD FOR PROGRESS

PROGRAM

5. NOFO Numbers

USDA-FAS-10.606-0700-20-(388) – Bangladesh

USDA-FAS-10.606-0700-20-(514) – Colombia

USDA-FAS-10.606-0700-20-(367) – Dominican Republic

USDA-FAS-10.606-0700-20-(617) – Uganda

USDA-FAS-10.606-0700-20-(681) – West Africa Regional

Please refer to Appendix B for Country Specific Guidance for each NOFO number.

6. Authorizing Authority for Program

The Food for Progress (FFPr) Program is authorized by section 1110 of the Food for Progress

Act of 1985, 7 U.S.C. 1736o.

http://www.sam.gov/ https://beta.sam.gov/fal/4a2829febad943e792b549059c3143ad/view?keywords=Food%20for%20Progress&sort=-relevance&index=cfda&is_active=true&page=1 https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml;jsessionid=8994B700ACE1C80B67BF08AB2BD19784?hl=false&edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title7-section1736o&num=0&saved=%7CKHRpdGxlOjcgc2VjdGlvbjoxNzM2byBlZGl0aW9uOnByZWxpbSk%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7Cprelim

7. Appropriation Authority for Program

The Food for Progress Program will be funded in FY 2020 through the Commodity Credit

Corporation, pursuant to section 1110 of the Food for Progress Act of 1985, 7 U.S.C. 1736o, and not through appropriated funds.

8. Announcement Type

New

9. Program Regulations

Awards within this funding opportunity that are made to Applicants other than foreign public entities (as defined in 2 CFR section 200.46) will be subject to the Food for Progress Program regulations, 7 CFR part 1499 (updated on August 28, 2019). As provided in 7 CFR part 1499, awards to Applicants other than foreign public entities will also be subject to 2 CFR part 200, as supplemented by 2 CFR part 400 and 7 CFR part 1499, with the exception that Subpart F of 2

CFR part 200 will not apply to a foreign organization (as defined in 2 CFR section 200.47) or a for-profit entity.

10. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

a. Overview

The Food for Progress (FFPr) Program provides for the donation of U.S. agricultural commodities to developing countries and emerging democracies committed to introducing and expanding free enterprise in the agricultural sector. The commodities are generally sold on the local market and the proceeds are used to support agricultural development activities.

b. Objectives

The FFPr Program has two principal objectives: to improve agricultural productivity and to expand trade of agricultural products.

c. Priorities

The FFPr Program has prioritized the following areas: the Cacao sector, the Cashew sector, the

Vanilla (Spices) sector, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS), and the Trade Facilitation

Agreement (TFA).

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Table 1: Country and Priority Areas

Country Priority Area

Colombia Cacao sector

West Africa Regional Cashew sector

Uganda Vanilla (Spices) sector

Dominican Republic SPS

Bangladesh TFA

In addition, the Global Food Security Act of 2016 and corresponding U.S. Government Feed the

Future (FTF) initiative affirms the United States’ commitment to ending global hunger, poverty, and child malnutrition. Where appropriate, entities are encouraged to align proposed interventions with the objectives found in the FTF results framework and are required to ensure that proposed activities are complementary and not duplicative.

USDA supports the recommendations proposed by the Consultative Group to Eliminate the Use of Child Labor and Forced Labor in Imported Agricultural Products. All proposals for country and priority areas in the NOFO that are identified in the U.S. Department of Labor’s report – List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor – must include a child and/or forced labor analysis. The individual NOFO Country Guidance sections will provide further direction on how the proposals should address the use of child and forced labor.

FAS supports USDA’s Agriculture Innovation Agenda and Executive Order 13677 on Climate-

Resilient International Development (2014) and encourages Applicants to consider climate resilience in their impact analysis. The individual NOFO Country Guidance sections will provide further direction on how the proposals should incorporate climate resilience into their analysis and program design.

Proposals must demonstrate how the requested amount of funding will be used in the most cost-effective manner to support and achieve the key objectives of the proposed project.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. Award Amounts, Important Dates, and Extensions

Available funding for the NOFO: Up to $190,000,000 (total) in FY 2020

Total award funding: $190,000,000

Estimated number of awards: 5

Estimated funding per award: $15 – $35 million

Please refer to Appendix B, Country Guidance, for specific budget ranges for each country. All projects in this announcement will be funded subject to availability of funding. Issuance of this solicitation does not constitute an award or commitment on the part of the U.S. Government https://www.feedthefuture.gov/ https://www.feedthefuture.gov/ https://www.feedthefuture.gov/resource/feed-the-future-results-framework-2/ https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ILAB/legacy/files/20120314CGDraftRPTRECS.pdf https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2020/02/20/secretary-perdue-announces-new-innovation-initiative-usda

(USG) to make awards, nor does it commit the USG to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a concept note or full application.

Period of Performance: 36–60 months

Projected Period of Performance Start Date: 10/01/2020

Projected Period of Performance End Date: 09/30/2025

Food for Progress Program awards may be eligible for extensions to their period of performance. Refer to Part H Section 1, Extensions.

2. Funding Instrument

All awards will be made in the form of cooperative agreements. In a cooperative agreement, FAS will be substantially involved throughout the award period of performance. Substantial involvement may include, but is not limited to, the following:

• FAS specification of the manner, method, performance, or timing of the work in an approved work plan;

• FAS review and approval of one stage of work before a subsequent stage may begin during the performance period;

• FAS review and approval of an evaluation plan;

• FAS review and approval of a monetization plan;

• FAS review and approval of proposed subawards and contracts, prior to award;

• FAS participation in the selection and approval of the individuals or organizations that will conduct all required evaluations;

• FAS participation in data collection and analysis for required evaluations and other performance reports;

• FAS approval of an organizational chart identifying the names, roles, and responsibilities of all of the Applicant’s key personnel and any subsequent changes or absences; and

• FAS provision of specific direction or redirection of the work during the period of performance.

Procurement contracts or subawards may be awarded under this cooperative agreement.

Procurement contracts must have an operational or administrative objective and subawards must be related to achieving objectives of project activities.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

In accordance with the Food for Progress Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1736o), the following entities are eligible Applicants:

• The government of an emerging agricultural country;

• Intergovernmental organizations;

• Private voluntary organizations*;

• Nonprofit agricultural organizations or cooperatives;

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• Nongovernmental organizations;

• Colleges or universities; and

• Any other private entity

*See 7 CFR section 1499.2 for the definition of a private voluntary organization.

2. Eligibility Criteria

Each Applicant, unless exempted by FAS under 2 CFR section 25.110(d), is required to:

• Be registered in SAM before the closing date of this announcement;

• Provide a valid unique entity identifier in its application; and

• Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which the Applicant has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by FAS.

All Applicants must have an active registration in the SAM database at www.sam.gov – pending or expired registrants are not eligible. This requirement must be met by the closing date of the announcement and will not be waived. Please contact ppded@usda.gov if you have questions about this requirement. Applicants without an active SAM registration will be found ineligible and the application will NOT be considered for funding. Each subrecipient organization must also have an active SAM registration before the subaward is signed, unless the organization has an exemption approved by FAS under 2 CFR section 25.110(d).

Applicants must include a valid data universal numbering system (DUNS) number in the organizational unit section of Block 8 of the SF–424. All proposed subrecipients listed in the proposal must have a current DUNS number. Organizations that do not have a DUNS number can obtain a DUNS number at no cost by using the web–based form available at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.

Refer to Part D Section 4, Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management, where

SAM requirements are also discussed.

3. Debarment and Suspension

An Applicant or other entity will be considered ineligible to receive an award, subaward, or contract under the FFPr Program if the Applicant or other entity or one of its principals has been debarred or suspended from USG-funded procurements or nonprocurement transactions, or is otherwise prohibited by applicable U.S. law or executive order or U.S. policies. See 2 CFR parts

180 and 417. FAS will review the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information

System (FAPIIS.gov) and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) to verify that the

Applicant, potential subrecipients and contractors, and their principals have not been debarred or suspended.

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4. Other Submission Requirements and Information

For an application to be considered complete, the Applicant must submit in FAIS all required content and forms as listed in Part D Section 3, Required Sections and Forms, by the closing date of the announcement. Incomplete applications will not be considered. As specified in this

NOFO, an Applicant must also submit required information to ppded@usda.gov and SAM.gov.

There is no limit on the number of applications which an Applicant may submit.

All Applicants and subrecipients must comply with the conflict of interest requirements in 2 CFR section 400.2.

Note: The required forms vary depending on whether an Applicant is a domestic entity, a foreign organization, or a foreign public entity. An Applicant must submit all of the forms that are required to be submitted by the category of entity to which it belongs.

5. Cost Share or Match

Cost sharing or matching is not required for eligibility but is encouraged to maximize lasting program impacts and engender in-country sustainability. If Applicants choose to provide cost share or matching, Applicants must identify and explain any cost share or match in the budget summary and narrative (7 CFR section 1499.4(b)(4)(i)). Applicants should include cost share and in–kind contributions as part of the total award value on the SF–424 and other required budget documents.

Cost share will be reviewed and considered for bonus points by the review panel as part of the

Budget content section.

If an award is made, the Applicant will be responsible for obtaining and providing any cost share and in-kind contributions that are included in the agreement these resources. Award recipients shall not procure these resources with FAS funding. Refer to Part E Section 1 Application

Evaluation Criteria for details on how cost share or match will be evaluated.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Key Dates and Times

Application Start Date: May 14, 2020

Question Submission Deadline: July 7, 2020

Questions regarding this NOFO will be considered to the extent practicable and should be submitted to ppded@usda.gov. Please include “FY20 Food for Progress NOFO” in the subject line of your email. Responses to questions will be posted on www.grants.gov within three business days.

Application Submission Deadline: July 14, 2020 prior to 5:00:00 P.M. EDT https://sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=09d93ea422877b968183214c81dfed25&mc=true&node=pt2.1.400&rgn=div5#se2.1.400_12 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=09d93ea422877b968183214c81dfed25&mc=true&node=pt2.1.400&rgn=div5#se2.1.400_12 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=9dfff371eeaeee4cef83c4cee94eeee5&mc=true&node=pt7.10.1499&rgn=div5#se7.10.1499_14

FAS will run a report from the FAIS system showing all applications that were submitted prior to

5:00:00 P.M. EDT on July 14, 2020. Applications received after this date and time will not be considered. Applicants should begin the application process early to allow time to address any technical difficulties that may arise. There will be no exceptions to the application deadline.

Anticipated Funding Selection Date: August 30, 2020

Anticipated Award Date: September 30, 2020

2. Address to Request Application Package

This NOFO and instructions for submitting the application are available on the FAIS homepage.

Before you can view the FAIS homepage, you must first establish an FAIS account. See the following website for more information: https://www.fas.usda.gov/food-aid-information-system.

These documents are also located on www.grants.gov. However, all applications must be submitted via FAIS. If an Applicant does not have access to the internet or experiences trouble accessing the FAIS homepage, the Applicant can request a hardcopy of the full NOFO by calling

(202) 720–1230 between 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. EDT or by contacting FAS in writing at:

IFAD Senior Director

1400 Independence Ave. SW, Room 4159

Washington, DC 20250

This NOFO plus the appendices constitute the full application package.

3. Content and Form of Application Submission

a. Application Format

All submitted applications must:

• Be written in English;

• Be written using Times New Roman, 12 point font; tables and graphs may have a smaller font as appropriate;

• Be typed on standard 8.5” x 11” sized paper with 1–inch margins;

• Be paginated with each page consecutively numbered;

• Be submitted in PDF;

• Cite source information and/or provide an explanation of the analysis undertaken; and

• Adhere to the maximum page limits in Part D Section 3 b, Required Content and Forms.

Regional program proposals are granted an additional three pages per section.

Note: If an application exceeds the page limit for any section, the application will be reviewed, but the review will be restricted to the section’s page limit.

https://apps.fas.usda.gov/fais/webapp/files/Instructions%20for%20Submitting%20Proposals%20in%20the%20FAIS.pdf https://www.fas.usda.gov/food-aid-information-system

b. Required Content and Forms

All applications must include the following content and forms to be considered complete:

• Introduction and Strategic Analysis – 15 pages

• Plan of Operation and Activities – 20 pages

• Organizational Capacity and Staffing – 9 pages o Capacity and Staffing – 3 pages o Organizational Chart – 1 page o In–Country Registration – 1 page o Curriculum Vitae of Project Lead – 4 pages o Project–Specific Commitment Letters from anticipated subrecipients (if subrecipients are proposed) (no page limit restrictions) o Past Performance Records (no page limit restrictions) o Applicant’s most recent Single Audit (no page limit restrictions)

• Results Framework and Monitoring and Evaluation – 25 pages o Project-Level Results Framework – 6 pages o Performance Indicators – 5 pages o Evaluation Plan – 14 pages

• Commodity Management – 3 pages

• Budget – 26 pages o Budget Summary – 1 page o Budget Narrative – 25 pages o Applicant’s most recent approved NICRA agreement (no page limit restrictions) (See

Part D Section 3 c vi, Budget, for more on indirect costs)

• SF–424 (https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html)

• SF–LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Required if Applicant is involved in lobbying activities.)

Applications that do not provide the required sections and forms listed above will be considered incomplete and will NOT be considered for funding. An Application Content

Checklist can be found in Appendix A.

Additional details on the content of each section of the proposal are found below in Part D

Section 3 c, Content Guidance. Applicants should review this guidance to determine which sections require data input directly into FAIS and which sections may be submitted as attachments. FAS strongly discourages, and will not consider, any materials submitted by or on behalf of the Applicant other than those materials specifically requested in this NOFO.

i. Domestic Entities

In addition to the required content and forms listed above, each Applicant that is a domestic entity (as determined by FAS based on the entity’s registration information on SAM.gov) must also certify to the “Federal Assistance General Representations and Certifications” and “Grants

Certifications” in SAM.gov by the closing date of the announcement. Effective January 1, 2020, the “Financial Assistance General Representations and Certifications” are a common set of https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html https://www.gsa.gov/Forms/TrackForm/33144 certifications and representations required by Federal statutes or regulations in accordance with 2

CFR section 200.208. Applicants must keep these certifications and representations current, accurate, and complete as part of their entity registration.

All domestic entities receiving financial assistance from FAS must respond “yes” to the Grants

Certification question: “Does the Non-Federal entity wish to apply for a Federal financial assistance project or program, or is the Non-Federal entity currently the recipient of funding under any Federal financial assistance project or program?”

FAS will endeavor to verify that the proper certifications are completed in SAM.gov and to contact an Applicant if its certifications are not complete. However, it is the responsibility of an

Applicant to ensure that its required certifications are complete. FAS will not sign an award agreement with an Applicant if the Applicant’s required certifications are not complete and current within the SAM.gov portal.

ii. Foreign Entities

In addition to the required content and forms listed above, each Applicant that is a foreign organization or a foreign public entity (as determined by FAS based on the entity’s registration information on SAM.gov) must also complete and certify to the “Federal Assistance General

Representations and Certifications” in SAM.gov. Not all of the terms apply to foreign entities;

however, the Lobbying Disclosure term does apply to foreign organizations and foreign public entities. Effective January 1, 2020, the “Financial Assistance General Representations and

Certifications” are a common set of certifications and representations required by Federal statutes or regulations in accordance with 2 CFR section 200.208. Applicants must keep these certifications and representations current, accurate, and complete as part of their entity registration.

All foreign organizations and foreign public entities receiving financial assistance from FAS must respond “yes” to the Grants Certification question: “Does the Non-Federal entity wish to apply for a Federal financial assistance project or program, or is the Non-Federal entity currently the recipient of funding under any Federal financial assistance project or program. ”

Effective January 1, 2020, the Financial Assistance General Representations and Certifications are a common set of certifications and representations required by Federal statutes or regulations in accordance with 2 CFR section 200.208. Applicants must keep these certifications and representations current, accurate, and complete as part of their entity registration.

FAS will endeavor to verify that the proper certifications are completed in SAM.gov and to contact an Applicant if its certifications are not complete. However, it is the responsibility of an

Applicant to ensure that its required certifications are complete. FAS will not sign an award agreement with an Applicant if the Applicant’s required certifications are not complete and current within the SAM.gov portal.

http://www.sam.gov/ https://sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=1445cb9796e125be6ffcec3798383ef9&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1208&rgn=div8 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=1445cb9796e125be6ffcec3798383ef9&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1208&rgn=div8

c. Content Guidance

All FFPr Program proposals must include the following as attachments in FAIS:

i. Introduction and Strategic Analysis (15 pages)

The Introduction and Strategic Analysis section is not intended to be a broad, general background on the country, but it must demonstrate a thorough understanding of the priority area and provide the context for proposed interventions. This section should respond to the priorities outlined in the country guidance. The strategic analysis should focus on the needs, challenges, opportunities, and constraints that may impact implementation of the project. This section should provide evidence for the most appropriate chosen interventions and include the expected returns on investment. The Applicant should highlight the socioeconomic and environmental gains that can be achieved. This section must include the methodology and justification for selecting the targeted beneficiaries and geographical regions. In addition, the strategic analysis must include an assessment of the priority area sector value chains and provide information on the impact on the rural economy, when relevant. The strategic analysis should include environmental and climate considerations in the program design. An Applicant’s proposal for SPS or TFA must demonstrate an understanding of the policy environment.

Applicants must outline how the project will coordinate with other stakeholders (host government, USG, other donors, private sector, etc.) and how the project will complement current and future activities of such stakeholders. The analysis should include the opportunities for lasting impact and sustainability of the benefits of the project after the project ends.

Applicants must cite all sources.

ii. Plan of Operation and Activities (20 pages)

Activities should be described in the Plan of Operation. The descriptions should include the targeted geographic area, anticipated beneficiaries, the steps included in implementation, and the anticipated completion date. This section should include an in–depth description of each activity, and how each activity will be implemented and lead to the identified project–level results. In order to achieve long term impact there should be a plan for continuation of project activities, development of stakeholder ownership for the project, and creation of lasting partnerships. It is important to show how the activities will address the needs as identified in the strategic analysis

(see above in i. Introduction and Strategic Analysis) and country guidance. Activities that are expected to have the greatest impact and return on investment should be highlighted and appropriately resourced. The Applicant should also show how its Plan of Operation complements existing efforts by USDA, other agencies and donors, and public-private partnerships. Activities implemented by the Applicant should be discernible from those of subrecipients and other entities, and the rationale for inclusion of their role in activity implementation should be clearly explained.

iii. Organizational Capacity and Staffing (3 pages, plus 4 pages for CV)

Applicants must clearly demonstrate organizational capabilities to develop, manage, implement, monitor, report, and provide for accountability and sustainability for the proposed project in the target country(ies). Project management capability and current and past experience in implementing food aid (agriculture, nutrition, or logistics and procurement projects), including experience within the target country, must be included in this narrative.

The narrative should also include a staffing plan that demonstrates the technical and regional or national expertise required for efficient and effective project implementation, administration and management. The staffing plan should include a brief description of all long–term staff positions and levels of experience. The staffing plan should be as cost effective as possible. The staffing plan should demonstrate a solid understanding of key technical and organizational requirements and an appropriate mix of skills, while avoiding excessive staffing. FAS may request changes to the final staffing plan during award negotiation or project implementation.

Within the three–page Organizational Capacity and Staffing narrative, Applicants must also identify any subrecipients and provide a description of each subrecipient’s responsibilities and capabilities. Subrecipient means an entity that enters into a sub–agreement with a recipient for the purpose of implementing in the target country activities described in an agreement. Such an entity would receive commodities, CCC–provided funds, program income, sale proceeds, or other resources from the Applicant to use for this purpose and would be accountable to the

Applicant for the use of such commodities, funds, program income, sale proceeds, or resources. The DUNS number for each subrecipient must be included in the description. A project–specific commitment letter from each proposed subrecipient should be included as an application attachment. These project–specific commitment letters should be separate attachments beyond the three–page Organizational Capacity and Staffing narrative.

• Organizational Chart (1 page) Applicants must include an appropriate and adequate organizational chart that identifies key personnel positions. Should the application be selected for funding, the information on key personnel will be added to the Plan of

Operation in the agreement. Applicants should refer to their organization’s internal administrative policies for determining key personnel, which may include positions such as the Chief of Party, Country Director, or Program Manager.

• Curriculum Vitae (CV) for proposed project lead (submitted as a separate attachment, 4 page limit). The Applicant must attach, as part of the proposal, the CV for the proposed project lead, i.e., the Chief of Party, Country Director, or Program Manager. This person will provide major oversight of the proposed FFPr Program project. The CV must clearly demonstrate the project lead’s relevant work experience and qualifications.

• In–Country Registration (1 page) The Applicant must disclose its registration status in the target country(ies). Applicants not registered must include a plan to become registered and a timeline to complete the registration process.

• Past Performance Reviews (submitted as a separate attachment with no page limit restrictions) Applicants should identify references for no more than three grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts implemented by the organization. Each reference should complete a Past Performance Review form (see Appendix F) and submit it to ppded@usda.gov by the closing date of this announcement. When selecting references to submit past performance review forms, Applicants are encouraged to select references with knowledge of the Applicant’s past performance of projects that are similar in scope and size to the programming in the Applicant’s proposal, including grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts implemented in the proposed country or specifically mentioned in the Introduction and Strategic Analysis section of the Applicant’s proposal. Applicants are strongly encouraged to include at least one form from a reference with knowledge of the Applicant’s performance of a past or active award outside of the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition

Program, the USDA Local and Regional Food Aid Procurement Program, or the FFPr

Program. These reference forms do not have page limit restrictions.

If a proposed subrecipient will receive 30% or more of the proposed operating budget for the project, one reference must submit a Past Performance Review for the subrecipient to ppded@usda.gov by the closing date of this announcement.

iv. Results Framework and Monitoring and Evaluation (25 pages)

Results Framework (6 page limit): All Applicants are required to submit a Project-Level

Results Framework (RF). The RF submitted as part of the application process should be no more than 6 pages. A results framework has two components:

1) A graphical representation of the project’s theory of change, describing the cause- and-effect linkages outlined in the strategic analysis. This must clearly identify how the proposed project will contribute to USDA Food Assistance Program results frameworks, as shown in

Appendix E – Food for Progress Results Framework. The suggested length of the graphical

RF is 2 pages. A strong graphical RF should:

o Use the Food for Progress Program-Level RF as the basis of the Project–Level RF and differentiate in the display the results that the proposed project will contribute to vs. the results the proposed project will not contribute to.

• While all the results in the program-level results framework are interconnected and necessary to address for overall success at the program level, USDA recognizes that not all results may be necessary to address in the proposed country or regional context. A strong graphical RF will display all results in the program-level RF, but visually identify any results that the project proposes not to address (using shading and a key, for example). Projects are not required to reach every result in the

Program-Level RFs, and proposals reaching more results will not be prioritized over those reaching fewer.

o For any results that the project proposes to achieve through coordination or by working with another entity, add the name of the entity to the graphic for the proposed activity or result. An Applicant is responsible for a subrecipient’s work, so proposed subrecipients need not be separately identified. This should include, however, any other entity that the proposed project intends to work with explicitly in any way to achieve a result. This may be another USG agency, such as USAID, for example, or may be a Ministry or Ministries in the target country.

o Include any additional results that the proposed project intends to achieve, even those that are not already included in the Program-Level RFs.

o Display how each proposed activity contributes to a result(s) in the RF, at all relevant levels. Vague activity titles, such as “training” or “capacity building,” that do not add to the reader’s understanding of how the proposed project’s specific work will contribute to each result should be avoided.

2) A narrative text, with a suggested length of 3 pages, that accomplishes the following:

o Articulates a cause-and-effect theory of change that refers to existing research to support the described causal linkages.

o Identifies critical assumptions that support the theory of change. Critical assumptions are external conditions that are necessary for success of the project, but over which the project implementers have little or no control. While assumptions regarding macroeconomic and climatic stability are important, this section should emphasize the activity-specific critical assumptions that support the theory of change. Critical assumptions that have a high probability of occurring and, if realized, will prohibit the project from achieving its desired results are defined as “killer assumptions.”

Generally, projects should not have killer assumptions.

o If the proposed project will not contribute to a result(s) in the program-level results framework, explains why work towards that result(s) is not necessary or possible in the specific context of the proposed project.

o Achieves sustainability and lasting impact: Proposals should provide a convincing argument that the project’s Theory of Change will achieve the intermediate and highest-level results described above and these results will be sustained beyond project completion. Projects should plan for the continuation of project activities where feasible, develop local ownership for the project, and develop sustainable partnerships to maximize the potential for the benefits of the project to endure over time. In the theory of change narrative accompanying the results framework, Applicants should explicitly address and describe sustainability in the context of their proposed activities and desired results.

Overall, the results framework should reflect sound, causal thinking. The project logic should follow a chain of cause and effect relationships. This includes activities that lead to specific outputs, which lead to initial results or intermediate results, which lead to the strategic objective(s) of the project. There should be no significant causal gaps or large leaps from one level in the causal hierarchy to the next. Proposed activities should be sufficient to achieve the identified results. If activities do not align with results, these should be reconsidered, and the budget should be revised to include activities that directly support results.

Monitoring and Evaluation (19 pages)

Applicants must provide a table identifying appropriate project standard and custom performance indicators and annual and life of project targets. Applicants must also provide an evaluation plan that explains how the Applicant proposes to monitor the program and assess project outcomes and impact.

Performance Indicators (5 page limit)

Applicants must identify and submit a table of standard and custom performance indicators for their proposed project results. Performance indicators identify how to recognize the success of the project and help to clarify results. For each indicator, the Applicant must identify a baseline value (where possible), annual targets for each year of the project, and a life of project target.

Applicants should include, at a minimum, these columns in the table: Performance Indicator, Standard or Custom, Baseline Value, Year 1 Target, Year 2 Target, Year X Target (number to correspond to number of years in the project), and Life of Project Target. The table should include columns for annual targets for each year of the project (Year 1, Year 2, Year X, etc.).

The indicator table submitted as part of the application process should be no more than 5 pages.

Standard FFPr Program performance indicators are required, where appropriate. If a proposal addresses a result that has a corresponding standard indicator, the Applicant must include the standard indicator in its table. Each result the proposed project is working towards should have one or more corresponding indicators in the indicator table. When a standard indicator isn’t available, the Applicant should include a custom indicator for that result. Custom indicators proposed for a project should be a mix of output and outcome indicators, in alignment with the levels of result(s) they reflect. As described in the Monitoring and Evaluation Policy, custom indicators should also meet the criteria of being direct, objective, adequate, and practical. FAS does not require a specific number of indicators per result; however, the number of proposed indicators should be sufficient to monitor the proposed project’s performance in achieving each result.

Proposals for projects supporting the Trade Facilitation Agreement should include custom indicators that measure project progress towards reducing the time and cost involved in agricultural trade across borders. Some resources that the Applicant may consider consulting https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/resources/guidance-food-aid-program-standard-indicatorshttps:/www.fas.usda.gov/programs/resources/guidance-food-aid-program-standard-indicators https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/resources/monitoring-and-evaluation-policyhttps:/www.fas.usda.gov/programs/resources/monitoring-and-evaluation-policy during indicator development include the Foreign Assistance Standard Indicators-IRS Category 5

Economic Growth indicators on Trade and Investment, the OECD Trade Facilitation Indicators, and the World Bank’s Trading across Borders indicators.

If an award is made, the Applicant will be required to submit a full Performance Monitoring Plan

(PMP), which will include additional detail and information regarding indicator definitions, units of measurement, data sources, frequency of data collection, roles and responsibility for data collection, and how and when the data will be used.

Evaluation Plan (14 page limit)

Applicants must submit a draft evaluation plan as an attachment. Each evaluation plan should include a comprehensive approach to evaluating the project’s performance and impact. Please see the International Food Assistance Division’s Monitoring and Evaluation Policy for more information.

If an award is made, recipients will be required to hire external evaluators to conduct evaluations of the project. Unless otherwise provided in the agreement, all evaluations must be conducted by an independent third party that:

• Is financially and legally separate from the recipient's organization;

• Has staff with demonstrated knowledge, analytical capability, language skills, and experience in conducting evaluations of development programs involving agriculture;

• Uses acceptable analytical frameworks such as comparison with non-project areas, surveys, involvement of stakeholders in the evaluation, and statistical analyses;

• Uses local consultants, as appropriate, to conduct portions of the evaluation; and

• Provides a detailed outline of the evaluation, major tasks, and specific schedules prior to initiating the evaluation.

The evaluation plan should be developed as a stand–alone document that can be shared with interested entities and the public. FAS expects the draft evaluation plan submitted as part of the application process to be no more than 14 pages. This evaluation plan must include, at a minimum, the following information:

• Introduction: Provide a brief description of the purpose of the evaluation plan and how it will be used by the project and other entities with which the Applicant will be working.

• Project Overview: Provide a summary description of the project strategy, including the project strategic objectives and expected results. The project–level RF can be referenced here, and the overview should provide a brief description of the project activities and corresponding targeted project beneficiaries. The project overview will provide important context to the evaluation plan and methodology proposed.

• Baseline Study: Baseline data will be collected for two purposes: (1) to measure https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.state.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F11%2FIRS_Category5_EconomicGrowth-2019.xlsx&data=02%7C01%7C%7C5000bb804cfd4de7999608d7afc5d36f%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C0%7C0%7C637171136943678729&sdata=tAjAXSFqp5VuTaNcUeJWA0%2FeICEQSoNf%2FNgZa%2B%2BZIog%3D&reserved=0…