Questions and Answers Week of 6.15.20 and Notice.pdf

FAS FY 20 McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program NOFO

Questions & Answers Week of 6/15/20

Notice: Applicants may now insert data for local and regional procurement in FAIS. This functionality is now available in FAIS.

1. The Notice of Funding Opportunity does not specifically identify the WASH activities supported by USDA. Is water treatment for school water supply from an improved source included as an activity supported by USDA in 2020? If so, can it be measured under MGD Indicator 27? Or is a custom indicator preferred?

Water treatment for school water supply is an activity supported by USDA. Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the definitions of standard indicators, and where a standard indicator may not fully reflect an important aspect of a proposed activity, complementary custom indicators should be proposed. If an award is made, USDA and the awardee will discuss activities in detail during the award negotiation period and will determine together which indicators best reflect all desired results.

2. Page 18 of the NOFO indicates that the Target Geographic Area should include map(s) to illustrate the areas of activity intervention, while on p.15 under the Required Content and Forms indicates that the Project Map is included under the Plan of Operations and Activities. Can USDA please confirm that the map should be in the Strategic Analysis section and not in the Plan of Operations and Activities section?

The map should be included in the Introduction and Strategic Analysis section, not the Plan of Operations and Activities.

3. Can USDA please confirm "commodities and food purchases" section in the budget summary is for LRP only?

Yes, the commodities and food purchases section is for locally or regionally procured commodities. Costs of U.S. commodities should be described in the commodity portion of the total federal obligation.

4. USDA provides guidance of a 10% ceiling for LRP—does this 10% indicate the local and regional commodities purchased, or is it inclusive of any activities related to building capacity related to and in support of local and regional procurement efforts? Can USDA please confirm where the applicant should include/which section of the budget the applicant should use for LRP-related trainings and capacity building activities costs: the Activities Budget or the Commodities and Food Purchases?

Please see point 1 a. within the New in FY 2020 section. “This amount will include the cost of the commodities and may include transportation, storage, and handling costs associated with getting such commodities to the beneficiaries, as well as staff time directly related to the procurement. It will not include capacity building costs.” Local and regional procurement-related activity costs should be described within the activities section of the budget. An Applicant may propose contextually appropriate activities related to local commodities; however such costs do not contribute towards the ten percent provision. Please also note a summary of the local and regional procurement costs is to be included in the introduction of the budget narrative.

5. Does USDA classify donations obtained from a third party? Can donations for vitamins be considered as cost-share?

In-kind donations can be considered cost share. The recipient organization is responsible for ensuring the cost share is met.

6. I am organizing a knowledgeable team of Liberian and U.S. emerging market development specialists from local colleges to work with the Ministry of Agriculture in Liberia to apply for the USDA funding opportunities.

Is the Republic of Liberia eligible to apply for this opportunity?

Please see Part C Eligibility Information for information on eligible entities. Please note, one entity, with a distinct SAM.gov registration and DUNS number, should be identified as the Applicant. All other involved entities are proposed as subrecipients.

Though Liberia is not listed as a priority country in the McGovern-Dole NOFO, FAS will review all applications submitted by eligible entities that are complete and submitted by the application deadline. Please note, priority will be given to the priority countries listed in the McGovern- Dole NOFO.

7. We are a Non-profit Organization in Rwanda and already implementing a USAID funded project, does this mean we ought to get a DUNS number for this grant application? And are we eligible to apply for the funding as an “Other Organization”?

A DUNS number is specific to an organization. An Applicant should apply with its existing DUNS number. Please see Part C Eligibility Information for information on eligible entities.

8. Do the past performance reviews have to be done by three different agencies or just for three different agreements contracts? Would it be possible to have one agency review us twice on two different agreements?

Past performance reviews must be submitted for three separate past grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts implemented by the organization. They may be completed by references within the same organization (i.e. references from two different past grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts funded by USAID).

9. We would like to gain some clarity on the correct practices for foreign governments as sub-recipients. We understand that under the new terms and conditions subrecipients/cooperating partners need to be registered in the SAM system. Could you please clarify if this is always a requirement for foreign governments who are a subrecipient and doing direct implementation?

Foreign governments are subject to this SAM.gov registration requirement. However, there are two possible exemptions found under 2 CFR §25.110 (d)(2)(i) and (ii) which may apply. FAS will consider a request if an entity/Applicant feels its subrecipient may qualify under one or both exemptions. An entity may request exemption for their subrecipient in writing by submitting a request to PPDED@usda.gov.

10. We have just registered on www.SAM.gov in order to submit the funding request, we would like to know if we should wait for the DUNS number before starting the submission?

If yes, how long will it take? In addition, we are concerned with whether we can be exempt from registration on SAM.gov under section 2 CFR 25 .110 (d)? to make it easier for us?

We are in Burkina Faso.

An Applicant should proceed with their application in FAIS while simultaneously requesting a DUNS number.

There are two possible exemptions found under 2 CFR §25.110 (d)(2)(i) and (ii) which may apply. FAS will consider a request if an Applicant determines it may qualify under one or both exemptions. An entity may request exemption in writing by submitting a request to PPDED@usda.gov. The request is not a guarantee of exemption thus an Applicant should simultaneously pursue registration. An Applicant must have an active SAM.gov registration and DUNS number by the time the announcement closes.

11. Is it possible for us to develop our project file and submit it by email due to connection problems here in Burkina Faso?

This possibility is best for us, if it was applicable for us.

mailto:PPDED@usda.gov https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sam.gov%2F&data=02%7C01%7C%7C7839986639504cdd551008d811f058f8%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C0%7C0%7C637279071276025196&sdata=J%2B3zmkuiLmeMiOK6X3Ubdq8UKxjJDO6bubDXdBuYZ5w%3D&reserved=0 mailto:PPDED@usda.gov

No, FAS will not accept applications via email. Please see Part D 2 Address to Request Application Package: all applications must be submitted via FAIS.

12. What is the maximum amount per project / applicant for this call for projects?

There is no limit on the number of applications which an Applicant may submit. The estimate funding per award is between $10 million - $25 million.

13. Amidst ongoing COVID-19 travel restrictions and to ensure that proposals to USDA fully reflect host-country input, may Applicants request a 15-day extension of the due date for the McGovern-Dole proposals?

While FAS appreciates Applicant’s intent to fully engage host country stakeholders, no extension to the deadline will be given. The announcement closes at 5:00:00 P.M. EDT on July 14, 2020.

14. As evaluation reports are not available on the Development Experience Clearinghouse (DEC), would USDA consider making available the USDA implementers' evaluation reports, specifically for the CRS's currently active McGovern-Dole project in the Totonicapán region of Guatemala?

Evaluation reports for food assistance projects are available on the DEC (, including reports for projects in some, but not all, FY 2020 priority countries. If the search functions on the DEC aren’t readily showing the available USDA evaluations, please use the links on FAS’ public program pages for the McGovern Dole and Food for Progress programs, which link directly to the group of USDA evaluations on the DEC. FAS is still in the process of clearing past evaluations for publication, so what is on the DEC are all the evaluation reports currently cleared for the public. Applicants are encouraged to check the DEC periodically for additional reports. No other evaluation reports will be provided on any other platform.

15. On June 12, 2020, a modification was published to the FY 2020 Food for Progress (FFPr) Program Notice of Funding Opportunity, adding “Please note that, when requesting a Past Performance Review, these responses cannot be conducted by any current FFPr or McGovern Dole staff” (found in Part D Section 3 c iii Organizational Capacity and Staffing Past Performance Reviews). Are current FFPr or McGovern Dole staff eligible to respond to Past Performance Review requests for the FY 2020 McGovern-Dole Program Notice of Funding Opportunity?

Yes, current FFPr and McGovern Dole staff are eligible to respond to Past Performance Review requests for the FY 2020 McGovern-Dole Program Notice of Funding Opportunity.

No, FAS will not accept applications via email. Please see Part D 2 Address to Request Application Package: all applications must be submitted via FAIS.