AMR Dashboard Round 2 - Funding Opportunity Announcement_Extended.pdf

Antimicrobial Resistance Dashboard 2024 Cooperative Agreements

Fiscal Year 2024 Funding Opportunity Announcement Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-APHIS-10025-VSSP0000-24-0010

Publication Date: March 19, 2024

Application Due Date: May 28, 2024, 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Time

Funding Opportunity: Antimicrobial Resistance Dashboard 2024

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS) is announcing the availability of cooperative agreement funding to carry out the Antimicrobial Resistance Dashboard (AMR Dashboard) as described in the U.S. House of Representatives Report for the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2021. Through public-private partnerships, USDA APHIS will develop and utilize antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools to improve access to information on antimicrobial resistance in domesticated animals, including livestock, poultry, and companion animals.

All antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools developed will provide data protections similar to the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act. Once created, the antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools will be used to monitor trends in antimicrobial resistance patterns, detect emerging resistance profiles, and better understand relationships between antimicrobial use and animal health management practices and antimicrobial resistance. Additional details about the program and this funding opportunity, including additional information for applicants, are available at USDA APHIS One Health – Funding Opportunities.

SYNOPSIS

Funding Opportunity Title: Antimicrobial Resistance Dashboard (AMR Dashboard) 2024

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-APHIS-10025-VSSP0000-24-0010

Funding Type: Cooperative Agreements

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

Application Due Date: Applications must be received by 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Savings Time on May 28, 2024. 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 $3 million in funds in the Antimicrobial Resistance Dashboard (AMR Dashboard) to support projects in the topic areas listed below.

Topic 1. Develop or enhance antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools that can securely track the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistant microbes in domesticated animals.

• Must ensure similar confidentiality protections to the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act.

o Can include identifying and/or developing methods for protecting confidentiality of data.

• Must be able to track antimicrobial susceptibility phenotype and/or genotype of microbes over time.

• Can include data collection as long as data related to antimicrobial resistance and susceptibility of microbes from domesticated animals is incorporated into an antimicrobial resistance dashboard.

• Can include exploration of data user needs and preferences for antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools, including necessary information to be included for different audiences.

https://www.congress.gov/116/crpt/hrpt446/CRPT-116hrpt446.pdf https://www.congress.gov/116/crpt/hrpt446/CRPT-116hrpt446.pdf https://www.aphis.usda.gov/one-health/amr-dashboard-funding

• Can include pilot testing antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools.

Topic 2. Maintain, expand, and utilize antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools previously developed to build an understanding of dynamics and frequencies of resistance emergence in microbial populations:

• Monitor trends in antimicrobial resistance patterns in microbes over time.

• Model antimicrobial resistance and forecast potential future antimicrobial resistance patterns.

• Leverage baseline findings to prioritize the detection of emerging pathogens or antimicrobial resistance profiles of greatest concern via a science and risk-based approach, both for domesticated animals and from a One Health perspective.

• Explore aspects of data management for antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools.

o This could include data acquisition, data transfer, data flow, data storage, data aggregation, data analysis, and long-term support of dashboard tools.

• Evaluate performance and user applicability of existing antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools developed in Year 1.

• Validate data included in previously developed dashboards with external data sources.

Topic 3. Work with APHIS to develop a communication, coordination, and collaboration strategy for antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools.

• Must include plans for marketing and promotion of antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools.

• Explore incentives for participating in the antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools developed.

• Develop messages tailored to specific audiences.

Eligible Applicants:

1. State departments of agriculture

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

3. Nonprofits

4. Institutions of higher education

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

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

American Veterinary Medical Association

7. Tribal entities

Cost Sharing: Not required

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Synopsis Full Announcement A. Description

A.1 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A.2 2024 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 ELIGIBLE 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 APPENDIX 1. New Applicant Information APPENDIX 2. Tips For Applicants

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT

A. DESCRIPTION

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

Funding Opportunity Title: Antimicrobial Resistance Dashboard (AMR Dashboard) 2024

Announcement Type: Initial Announcement

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.025

Key Dates: Applications must be received through ezFedGrants (eFG) by May 28, 2024, 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Savings Time. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered for funding.

The agreement performance period is estimated to begin between October 1, and December 31, 2024, and end no later than 12 months after the start date.

Applicants can find the funding opportunity information on the ezFedGrants website and the Grants.gov website by searching CFDA number 10.025 or Funding Opportunity Number USDA-APHIS-10025- VSSP0000-24-0010. Information is also available at USDA APHIS One Health – Funding Opportunities.

Applicants must submit all application materials electronically using the ezFedGrants system.

A.1 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

This funding opportunity is provided to carry out the Antimicrobial Resistance Dashboard (AMR Dashboard) as described in the U.S. House of Representatives Report for the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2021. Through public-private partnerships, USDA APHIS will develop and utilize antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools to improve access to information on antimicrobial resistance in domesticated animals, including livestock, poultry, and companion animals. All antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools developed will provide data protections similar to the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act. Once created, the antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools will be used to monitor trends in antimicrobial resistance patterns, detect emerging resistance profiles, and better understand relationships between antimicrobial use and animal health management practices and antimicrobial resistance. Additional details about the program and this funding opportunity, including additional information for applicants, are available at USDA APHIS One Health – Funding Opportunities.

APHIS will make available up to $3,000,000 in funds to support AMR Dashboard projects in 2024. In this funding opportunity, the AMR Dashboard is seeking proposals for projects that address the funding priority topics described in Section A.2, and funds will be awarded to eligible entities described in Section C.

A.2 2024 FUNDING PRIORITIES

APHIS will consider project proposals that clearly and directly support one of the antimicrobial resistance dashboard topics described below. Regardless of the priority topic, applicants are encouraged to submit proposals that:

https://www.ocfo.usda.gov/ezFedGrants https://www.ocfo.usda.gov/ezFedGrants https://www.grants.gov/search-grants https://www.aphis.usda.gov/one-health/amr-dashboard-funding https://www.ocfo.usda.gov/ezFedGrants https://www.congress.gov/116/crpt/hrpt446/CRPT-116hrpt446.pdf https://www.congress.gov/116/crpt/hrpt446/CRPT-116hrpt446.pdf bookmark://_A.2__/

Topic 1. Develop or enhance antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools that can securely track the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistant microbes in domesticated animals.

• Must ensure similar confidentiality protections to the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act.

o Can include identifying and/or developing methods for protecting confidentiality of data.

• Must be able to track antimicrobial susceptibility phenotype and/or genotype of microbes over time.

• Can include data collection as long as data related to antimicrobial resistance and susceptibility of microbes from domesticated animals is incorporated into an antimicrobial resistance dashboard.

• Can include exploration of data user needs and preferences for antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools, including necessary information to be included for different audiences.

• Can include pilot testing antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools.

Topic 2. Maintain, expand, and utilize antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools previously developed to build an understanding of dynamics and frequencies of resistance emergence in microbial populations:

• Monitor trends in antimicrobial resistance patterns in microbes over time.

• Model antimicrobial resistance and forecast potential future antimicrobial resistance patterns.

• Leverage baseline findings to prioritize the detection of emerging pathogens or antimicrobial resistance profiles of greatest concern via a science and risk-based approach, both for domesticated animals and from a One Health perspective.

• Explore aspects of data management for antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools.

o This could include data acquisition, data transfer, data flow, data storage, data aggregation, data analysis, and long-term support of dashboard tools.

• Evaluate performance and user applicability of existing antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools developed in Year 1.

• Validate data included in previously developed dashboards with external data sources.

Topic 3. Work with APHIS to develop a communication, coordination, and collaboration strategy for antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools.

• Must include plans for marketing and promotion of antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools.

• Explore incentives for participating in the antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools developed.

• Develop messages tailored to specific audiences.

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 2.2: Manage plant and animal pests and disease once established in the United States to promote plant and animal health, Tactic:

Understand antibiotic use in livestock, conduct surveillance of antibiotic drug susceptibility of selected bacterial organisms, and monitor antimicrobial resistance in animals over time.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/about_aphis/downloads/aphis-strategic-plan.pdf

A.4 LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY

The AMR Dashboard is authorized in the U.S. House of Representatives Report for the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2021.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Total Amount to be Awarded: APHIS will make available up to $3,000,000 in funds to support projects that address the funding priorities described in Section A.2. 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: Awards will be funded via cooperative agreements. Cooperative agreements include substantial involvement by APHIS to assist in the completion of the goals and objectives of the work.

Anticipated Award Start Date: APHIS anticipates that work covered under these agreements will start between October 1, and December 31, 2024, but flexibility may be allowed to accommodate specific project needs.

Period of Performance: Projects must be completed within 12 months. The period of performance will depend on the nature of the work. 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 for AMR Dashboard Cooperative Agreements. This document includes information on how to calculate indirect costs for AMR Dashboard Awards, and

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

All applicants must submit a detailed Financial Plan that adheres to the documents referenced above.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

C.1 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

AMR Dashboard eligible applicants are:

1. State departments of agriculture

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

3. Nonprofits https://www.congress.gov/116/crpt/hrpt446/CRPT-116hrpt446.pdf https://www.congress.gov/116/crpt/hrpt446/CRPT-116hrpt446.pdf 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

4. Institutions of higher education

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

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

American Veterinary Medical Association

7. Tribal entities

C.2 COST SHARING

Cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not required for AMR Dashboard 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 at USDA APHIS One Health – Funding Opportunities.

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) Register and maintain an active System for Awards Management (SAM) account, (2) create a Login.gov Account, and (3) establish an ezFedGrants (eFG) account. Instructions for these steps are available in Appendix 1 and at Here’s How to Get Ready Now.

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 ezFedGrants (eFG) website or the Grants.gov website by searching CFDA number 10.025 or Funding Opportunity Number USDA-APHIS-10025-VSSP0000-23- 0003. Information is also available at USDA APHIS One Health – Funding Opportunities.

D.2 CONTENT AND FORM OF THE APPLICATION PACKAGE

The application package must include the following:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/farmbill/nadprp-guidelines-funds.pdf https://www.aphis.usda.gov/one-health/amr-dashboard-funding https://www.aphis.usda.gov/one-health/amr-dashboard-funding https://www.aphis.usda.gov/apply-for-funding https://www.ocfo.usda.gov/ezFedGrants https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html

□ 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. This is required if the Federal Assistance portion of the project’s financial plan / budget is greater than $100,000.

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

□ A signed copy of the current Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA must be attached to the Application in ezFedGrants if indirect costs are assessed).

□ 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 Intergovernmental Review (SPOC List) (usda.gov) for the most current list of required States for APHIS CFDA 10.025.

Applicants should refer to Appendix 2: Tips for Applicants when preparing a proposal package for submission. Any proposal with missing or significantly incomplete documents or forms will result in a rejected application.

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 AMR Dashboard Project Proposal Work Plan Template. The template is available at USDA APHIS One Health – Funding Opportunities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the AMR Dashboard 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. Work Plans should not exceed 25 pages.

Project Proposal Financial Plan

Applicants must submit a project proposal Financial Plan that matches the information in the required form SF-424A, aligns with and supports the Work Plan, and includes details about the project budget. The AMR Dashboard Project Financial Plan Template is available at USDA APHIS One Health – Funding Opportunities. Applicants are strongly encouraged to use the AMR Dashboard Project Proposal Financial Plan 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 Section B.1.

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 https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html https://www.aphis.usda.gov/mrpbs/fmd/downloads/spoc_list.pdf https://www.aphis.usda.gov/one-health/amr-dashboard-funding https://www.aphis.usda.gov/one-health/amr-dashboard-funding https://www.aphis.usda.gov/one-health/amr-dashboard-funding https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ 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 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 at Here’s How to Get Ready Now.

D.4 SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

The closing date and time for receipt of proposal submissions is May 28, 2024, 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight Savings Time. Proposals received after the submission deadline will not be considered.

Applicants must submit all application materials electronically using ezFedGrants. We urge applicants to submit their application early.

• 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 at Here’s How to Get Ready Now.

• eFG will not permit applicants to submit an application package after the deadline of May 28, 2024, 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.AMR@usda.gov – at least 48 hours before the deadline – for additional assistance with submitting an application package.

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

D.5 INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

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 Intergovernmental Review (SPOC List) (usda.gov) for the most current list of required States for APHIS CFDA 10.025.

D.6 FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

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

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;

the AMR Dashboard will solicit input from APHIS VS experts during the review process. If included, letters of support should be uploaded separately from the Work Plan as attachments in the ezFedGrants system.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/apply-for-funding https://www.aphis.usda.gov/apply-for-funding https://www.ocfo.usda.gov/ezFedGrants https://www.aphis.usda.gov/apply-for-funding https://www.aphis.usda.gov/apply-for-funding https://www.ocfo.usda.gov/ezFedGrants mailto:VS.AMR@usda.gov https://www.archives.gov/federal-register/codification/executive-order/12372.html https://www.aphis.usda.gov/mrpbs/fmd/downloads/spoc_list.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=36bff1b1599bd122d722fcb83c76da10&mc=true&node=sp2.1.200.e&rgn=div6

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

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.

APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

The USDA is responsible for approving AMR Dashboard 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 plan of action, a technically sound approach, a reasonable timeline to complete activities, consideration of key partnerships and collaborations needed for project success, consideration of maintenance of antimicrobial resistance dashboard tools developed, 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.

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

E.2 SELECTION AND REVIEW PROCESS

Eligible proposals will be evaluated by a team of subject matter experts nominated by APHIS VS. 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.

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

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.

https://www.ocfo.usda.gov/ezFedGrants 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.ocfo.usda.gov/ezFedGrants https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/business-services/financial-management-division/Financial_Services_Branch/Agreements_Service_Center/Terms-Conditions-for-APHIS-Awards

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.

2. Adherence to project schedule.

3. Adherence to project budget.

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

FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

For questions about the AMR Dashboard program and about this funding opportunity, required documents, or the ezFedGrants application process, please contact VS.AMR@usda.gov. You may also contact the following APHIS VS program staff: Chelsey Shivley, AMR Coordinator, chelsey.b.shivley@usda.gov, 970-593-8132.

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.

mailto:VS.AMR@usda.gov mailto:chelsey.b.shivley@usda.gov

APPENDIX 1. NEW APPLICANT INFORMATION

Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations to be eligible to apply for or receive an AMR Dashboard award. These registrations must all 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. Take these steps before submitting your application in ezFedGrants.

1. Register with System for Award Management (SAM): Organizations who wish to apply for AMR Dashboard funding are required to be registered with SAM. Instructions for registering with SAM are available here: Register With SAM. Please allow at least 10 business days after you submit your registration for it to become active in SAM plus at least an additional 24 hours for your registration to become available in other government systems. You can register in SAM any time, and entities interested in applying for AMR Dashboard funding should register now to avoid any future delays associated with mandatory SAM registration.

2. Create a USDA eAuthentication Account: All applicants must have a Level 2 USDA eAuthentication Account to submit proposals for AMR Dashboard funding opportunities. USDA eAuthentication is the system used by USDA agencies to enable customers to obtain accounts for accessing USDA Web applications and services via the Internet. Please note that USDA will only accept eAuthentication Accounts from individuals.

a. Visit https://www.eauth.usda.gov/eauth/b/usda/home to create an account.

b. For help with existing eAuthentication accounts or passwords, you can visit the USDA eAuthentication Website for help. Additional information is also available here:

eAuthentication Frequently Asked Questions

3. Establish an ezFedGrants (eFG) Account: Applicants must have an active account in the USDA ezFedGrants system to submit their application for AMR Dashboard Funding. The ezFedGrants system requires each applicant to have a minimum of at least one Grants Administrative Officer (GAO) and one Signatory Official (SO). We recommend identifying these individuals prior to submitting proposals to help speed up the application process. For help with the USDA ezFedGrants system, applicants may contact the ezFedGrants help desk at ezFedGrants@cfo.usda.gov.

This information is also available at Here’s How to Get Ready Now.

https://www.nfc.usda.gov/FSS/ClientServices/ezFedGrants/index.php https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-2-register-with-sam.html https://www.eauth.usda.gov/eauth/b/usda/home https://www.eauth.usda.gov/eauth/b/usda/contactus https://www.eauth.usda.gov/eauth/b/usda/contactus https://www.eauth.usda.gov/eauth/b/usda/faq mailto:ezFedGrants@cfo.usda.gov https://www.aphis.usda.gov/apply-for-funding

APPENDIX 2. TIPS FOR APPLICANTS

Best Practices

• Get started early. Do not wait until the day of the application deadline.

• Complete the following registrations as soon as possible to avoid delays in submitting your application to ezFedGrants: (1) Register and maintain an active System for Awards Management (SAMs) account, (2) create a USDA eAuthentication Account, and (3) establish an ezFedGrants (eFG) account. Instructions are available in Appendix 1 and at Here’s How to Get Ready Now.

• Read and follow all application instructions in this FOA.

• If you wish to submit proposals for more than one project, submit each proposal in a separate application package and make sure each application describes a distinct project. This makes it easier for reviewers to score and rank proposals and improves the likelihood of funding.

• Make sure that each item in the Budget and Financial Plan is reasonable and justifiable.

• Check that the total requested and budget details in the Work Plan, Financial Plan, SF-424, and SF-424A are aligned. Verify that the total amount of funding requested is the same in all of these documents.

ezFedGrants Tips

• Read the Creating Applications section in the ezFedGrants ADVISORY, located in ezFedGrants.

• When uploading attachments in ezFedGrants, click the “Add Attachments” button.

• Attachment titles must be 8 characters or less in ezFedGrants.

• Accept all tracked changes in documents before adding an attachment in ezFedGrants.

• Avoid special characters in attachment file names ($, %, &, *, Spanish "ñ", etc.).

• Do not password-protect attached documents.

Work Plan Tips

• Make sure your project Work Plan includes all information requested in the Work Plan template and make sure the project Work Plan is no more than 25 pages total when complete.

• Verify that the proposal directly and clearly supports one or more of the funding priority topics listed in this Funding Opportunity Announcement.

• Ensure that the document is in final format with no tracked changes or passwords.

• Ensure that the point of contact information is correct. The APHIS AMR Dashboard team may not be able to reach you if your information is incorrect.

• A proposal that is well written and easy to follow will be well received by the review panel. Take some time to think out the proposal’s objectives, the deliverables and outcomes that will be produced from each objective, and the activities and methods that will be conducted to achieve each objective. Check that the project’s objectives are measurable, lead to specific results, and are attainable and realistic. Provide sufficient detail for a reviewer to be convinced that you have thought out the process well and understand the resources needed to complete the proposed tasks.

https://www.ocfo.usda.gov/ezFedGrants https://www.aphis.usda.gov/apply-for-funding https://www.ocfo.usda.gov/ezFedGrants https://www.ocfo.usda.gov/ezFedGrants https://www.ocfo.usda.gov/ezFedGrants

• Do not exceed the 350-word limit for the executive summary; only the first 350 words of the executive summary will be shared with reviewers.

• Check your proposal against the review criteria described in Section E.

• Describe in the Work Plan how the project results, findings, and deliverables will be shared with stakeholders.

SF-424 Tips

• Check the SF-424, Box 16 to ensure the congressional district for the Applicant and Project are listed.

• If your organization has a SPOC requirement, indicate the status on the SF-424, Box 19.

• Ensure that point of contact information is correct. The APHIS AMR Dashboard team may not be able to reach you if your information is incorrect.

Financial Plan Tips

• Make sure the Financial Plan total budget is the same as the budget information in the SF-424, SF-424A, and the Work Plan.

• Clearly link items in the Financial Plan to the Work Plan objectives.

• Refer to the Guidelines for Use of Funds for calculating indirect costs accurately.

• If there are cost sharing/Recipient contributions, remember to list those values in the Financial

Plan.

• Use only whole dollar amounts, no cents, for all entries into the Financial Plan.

• Submit the Financial Plan in Excel file format, not PDF.

E.2 Selection and Review Process