CFP Global Training Opportunity NOFO_USDA-FAS-10962-0700-10-23-0007.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Cochran Fellowship Program Global Training Opportunity

Application Submission Deadline: August 25, 2023

Summary The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), Fellowship Programs, announces this funding opportunity to support the Cochran Fellowship Program (CFP) by issuing new awards. This opportunity is available to State cooperative institutions or other colleges and universities in the United States, as defined at 7 USC 3103. This program is intended to support applied research, extension, and education collaborations between U.S. researchers and their foreign counterparts from selected emerging market economies.

A. Program Description

BACKGROUND

Since 1984, the U.S. Congress has made funds available to the Cochran Fellowship Program for training agriculturalists from middle-income countries, emerging markets, and emerging democracies. Training opportunities are for senior and mid-level specialists and administrators working in agricultural trade and policy, agribusiness development, management, animal, plant, and food sciences, extension services, agricultural marketing, and many other areas. Individuals selected for Cochran trainings come from both the public and private sectors. All training occurs in the United States. Training programs are designed and organized in conjunction with U.S.

universities, USDA and other government agencies, agribusinesses, and consultants. The Cochran Fellowship Program is part of the United States Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service. Since its start in 1984, the Cochran Fellowship Program has provided U.S.-based training for over 19,250 international participants from 127 countries worldwide.

SCOPE AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Please see appendix for full SOWs and learning objectives.

• Women in Agriculture: Entrepreneurship for Food Processing, Packaging, and Value Chain

• Food Safety Standards and Regulations for Nigeria

• WTO Adherence: SPS, TBT, & TFA Agreements

• Food Safety Standards and Regulations

The Cochran Fellowship Program intends to support the design and delivery of a training program of 1-2 consecutive weeks duration, to take place in either calendar year 2023 or 2024 depending on availability of all parties, for 12 Fellows from multiple countries. More than one such program may be supported.

The host institution shall propose the place(s) of performance in their Technical Proposal.

Funding Opportunity Number

USDA-FAS-10962-0700-10.-23-0007

Assistance Listing Number

10.962 Cochran Fellowship Program

Authorizing Legislation National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, PL 95-113, as amended, 7 USC §§ 3291 and 3319a

B. Federal Award Information

Total Available Federal Funding: Up to $1,500,000 total, up to $150,000 per award

Anticipated Number of Awards: up to 10

Cost Share/Match Requirement: None/Not Required

Projected Period of Performance Start: October 1, 2023

Projected Period of Performance End: January 31, 2025

Extensions to this program are permitted, subject to approval.

Type of Assistance Instrument:

USDA/FAS anticipates that a Cost-Reimbursable Agreement will be funded pursuant to this funding opportunity.

This type of agreement allows for a collaborative relationship between USDA/FAS, the selected recipient, and other collaborating partners. The particular scope and depth of this collaboration may vary throughout performance, depending on the needs of the activity and the desires of the participants.

Additional Awards USDA/FAS reserves the right to make additional awards under this solicitation, consistent with Agency policy and guidance, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than 6 months after the original selection decisions.

C. Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants:

State cooperative institutions or other colleges and universities in the United States, as defined at

7 USC 3103

All applicants must have an active registration in the U.S. Government System for Award Management (www.sam.gov) before the application submission deadline of the announcement;

applicants with inactive, expired, pending, or excluded listings will be deemed ineligible.

Exceptions, waivers, or extensions will not be considered. Please contact the program officer(s) listed in Section G, Federal Awarding Agency Contact, if you have questions about this requirement.

Cost Share/Match Requirement: None/Not Required

Ineligible activities: If an application is submitted that includes any ineligible tasks or activities, that portion of the application will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects the application, render the entire application ineligible for funding.

D. Application and Submission Information

This announcement contains all information necessary to apply to this funding opportunity.

Submission Dates and Times Application Submission Deadline: August 25, 2023 at 11:59pm EDT (UTC -04:00) Applications received after this time will not be accepted. Applicants are advised to make their submissions 1-2 days before this deadline in case of computer problems.

Anticipated Funding Selection Date: September 8, 2023

Anticipated Award Date: October 1, 2023

Content and Form of Application Submission A complete application package must include:

• Standard Form SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, showing the Unique Entity Identifier, and signed by the applicant.

• Standard Form SF-424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs, showing the budget categorization. Applicants are advised to consult 2 CFR 200 Subpart E for guidance on proper categorization of cost items. An improper categorization will not itself be grounds for a determination of ineligibility but may delay approval and/or adversely impact the application’s scoring.

• A detailed budget and narrative, in which cost items are quantified and described in sufficient detail to enable USDA/FAS to independently determine that the proposed costs are reasonable and allowable for the project and consistent with applicable regulations.

• A detailed project narrative or plan of operation o Indicate the name of the institution applying to host the fellows;

o Indicate which SOW (see Appendix) the institution is applying to host;

o Indicate the proposed place(s) of performance;

o Provide an approach to achieve the objectives listed in each section, including topics to be covered, possible field visits and other activities;

http://www.sam.gov/ o A description of how the award, including the logistical elements, will be administered and the role of the university faculty and support staff;

o A summary of relevant institutional capabilities for hosting international fellows in the applicable topic;

o A brief description of the expertise and international experience of the recipient in the group’s field of interest and various countries;

o An overview of the trainer's qualifications in international training and/or adult education, understanding of the cultural context and needs of the trainees, and knowledge of relevant agricultural, market, and/or trade conditions within the Fellows’ country(ies) or a similar location. Including steps that will be taken for cultural relevancy for Fellows of varying backgrounds and religions, for instance dietary restrictions.

o If necessary, other appropriate collaborating scientists should be identified to meet any of the objectives which the primary trainer cannot address.

o The skills or knowledge expected to be acquired by the fellows at the end of the program;

o Means of flexibility to account for potential program changes and the ability to respond to unforeseen circumstances; this should include information on how unforeseen problems that can arise will be addressed.

o A quality assurance plan.

o Application following designated format:

Clearly outline all aspects of the program plan – what is planned, how this will be conducted, and the anticipated results;

Be written in English and free of excessive grammatical and spelling errors;

Be written using Times New Roman, 12-point font; tables and graphs may have a smaller font as appropriate, all other text font and size should be consistent throughout the application;

Be typed on standard 8.5” x 11” sized pages with 1-inch margins;

Be paginated with each page consecutively numbered;

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

Be submitted in PDF.

• Standard Form SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, if applicable to the applicant

While these guidelines establish the minimum type size requirements, applicants are advised that readability is of paramount importance and should take precedence in selection of an appropriate font for use in the application.

Applicants may submit applications for one or multiple Statements of Work. (see Appendix)

Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) Each applicant is required to:

(i) Have an active registration in SAM before submitting its application;

(ii) Have assented to the federal assistance certifications in the SAM platform;

(iii) Provide a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in its application; and

(iv) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a federal awarding agency.

SAM.gov registration requires several weeks to process and cannot be expedited; prospective applicants should therefore ensure that registrations are submitted timely.

SAM.gov Registration Instructions Organizations applying to this funding opportunity must have an active SAM.gov registration. If you have never done business with the Federal Government, you will need to register your organization in SAM.gov. If you do not have a SAM.gov account, then you will create an account using login.gov1 to complete your SAM.gov registration. SAM.gov registration is FREE. The process for entity registrations includes obtaining Unique Entity ID (UEI), a 12-character alphanumeric ID assigned an entity by SAM.gov, and requires assertions, representations and certifications, and other information about your organization. Please review the Entity Registration Checklist for details on this process.

Entities outside the United States (defined at 2 CFR 200.1 as “foreign organizations” and “foreign public entities”) must obtain a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code prior to SAM.gov registration An NCAGE is required for all foreign entities prior to registering in SAM.gov. You can complete the registration once you enter the NCAGE. You can submit your request for an NCAGE Code by going to the NATO Support Activity (NSPA) NCAGE Request Tool at CAGE/NCAGE Code Request which contains detailed instructions.

If you have done business with the Federal Government previously, you can check your entity status using your government issued UEI to determine if your registration is active. SAM.gov requires you renew your registration every 365 days to keep it active.

Please note that SAM.gov registration is different than obtaining a UEI only. Obtaining an UEI only validates your organization’s legal business name and address. Please review the Frequently Asked Question on the difference for additional details.

Organizations should ensure that their SAM.gov registration includes a current e-Business (EBiz) point of contact name and email address. The EBiz point of contact is critical for Grants.gov Registration and system functionality.

Contact the Federal Service Desk for help with your SAM.gov account, to resolve technical issues or chat with a help desk agent: (866) 606-8220. The Federal Service desk hours of operation are Monday – Friday 8am – 8pm ET.

Intergovernmental Review Not applicable.

1 Login.gov a secure sign in service used by the public to sign into Federal Agency systems including SAM.gov and Grants.gov. For help with login.gov accounts you should visit http://login.gov/help.

https://login.gov/ https://www.fsd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=622e0a761b8fe114cc45ea04bc4bcb9a https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1#p-200.1(Foreign%20organization) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1#p-200.1(Foreign%20public%20entity) https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/CageTool/home https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0051214&sys_kb_id=dd40f4ef1b9641d0937fa64ce54bcb7a&spa=1 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0051214&sys_kb_id=dd40f4ef1b9641d0937fa64ce54bcb7a&spa=1 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp http://login.gov/help

Funding Restrictions Generally, funds may not be used in any manner that is prohibited by applicable regulations, including 2 CFR Part 200 and 2 CFR Part 400. Awards issued pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity may only be used for the purpose set forth in the award, consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Capital expenses, such as the purchase of equipment, not entirely attributable to this award, must be pro-rated.

For example, agreement funds and other support may not be used for matching contributions for other federal grants or cooperative agreements, lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. Federal employees are prohibited from acting as an agent of the applicant in any capacity (paid or unpaid) on any proposal submitted under this program. Also, federal funds may not be used to sue the Federal Government or any other government entity.

Compensation for personal services: Employees, consultants, or other personnel, including those of subrecipients, and regardless of the method of engagement, may not exceed the pro-rata equivalent of GS-15 on the General Schedule (for 2023, $152,771 per year, $585.33 per day, or $73.17 per hour). Non-monetizable fringe benefits, such as health insurance coverage, are not included to this ceiling.

Indirect Costs: In general, costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefitting more than one cost objective but not readily assignable to specific awards, without effort disproportionate to the results achieved, are considered indirect costs. These may include facilities not specific to individual projects, enterprise-wide services such as IT, and enterprise management. For cost-reimbursable agreements, indirect costs may not exceed 10% of direct costs, as stipulated at 7 USC 3319a.

Other Submission Information Applications should be submitted through the ezFedGrants system at https://grants.fms.usda.gov/

Applicants who require assistance with any USDA-managed computer system should reach out to the program officer(s) listed in Section G, Federal Awarding Agency Contact, at least 5 business days in advance of the application submission deadline. Applicants should provide as much detail as possible to facilitate resolution of the issue.

HOST INSTITUTION SHOULD PROVIDE:

• Ground transportation in applicable cities; except Washington, D.C.

• The Fellows’ travel and subsistence expenses (domestic airfare and per diem allowance)

• Secure and guarantee Fellows’ lodging during the entire program

E. Application Review Information

Review and Selection Process In all cases, the agency will conduct an initial responsiveness review of all applications submitted to determine:

1) the application was submitted on time as specified in this announcement (See Section D. Application and Submission Information);

2) the applicant is eligible (see Section C. Eligibility Information);

3) all the required forms and documents are submitted no later than the Application Submission Deadline specified in Section D. Application and Submission Information, Content and Form of Application Submission.

If an applicant is determined to be ineligible or an application is determined to be incomplete, the agency will notify the applicant prior to commencing with evaluation of applications, usually within 5 business days of the Application Submission Deadline. An applicant that feels such a determination is made in error may request reconsideration, highlighting evidence supporting their claim, by email to the program officer(s) listed in Section G, Federal Awarding Agency Contact, within 3 business days of notification.

The agency will convene a review panel, which may include both federal and non-federal reviewers, to review the eligible applications against the evaluation criteria described below. The reviewers will ensure that the applicant is capable of delivering the programs/activities as described in the announcement based on the applicant’s project narrative and assign a score and provide summary comments based on the evaluation criteria identified below. The review panel will make a recommendation list to the selecting official, who is not a member of the panel.

The selecting official may select applications out of rank order in consideration of strategic program priorities, such as geographical distribution, incorporation of minority-serving institutions, or congressional directive. Selection determinations are final and cannot be appealed.

Prior to selection, the agency may contact the highest-ranking applicants to seek clarification and to negotiate technical and programmatic aspects of the application. If an application includes a subaward, FAS may request to speak with all parties included in the application to ensure sufficient planning and coordination has taken place prior to making an award.

Evaluation Criteria Applicants will be evaluated on the extent and quality to which they demonstrate that they have the capabilities, staff, resources, and equipment to successfully perform the project as described in the following factors. Scoring will also be based on the level of detail and how clearly the applicant’s capacities to address these factors are outlined in the proposal.

Technical Expertise (30 points) Applications will be evaluated on the extent and quality to which they demonstrate they have the technical background as well as experience and knowledge of relevant agricultural conditions within the Fellows’ country(ies).

Experience (10 points) Applications will be evaluated on the extent and quality to which they demonstrate experience in implementing international trainings and adult education programming.

Training Plan (30 points) Applications will be evaluated on the extent and quality to which the training program plan fulfill specific training objectives and is relevant to the Fellows’ backgrounds as identified in Section A, including appropriate site visits and meetings.

Quality Assurance Plan (10 points) Applications will be evaluated on the extent and quality to which they provide a quality assurance plan to ensure that quality of the training is being maintained throughout the duration of the program and demonstrates the flexibility to sustain training quality when there are unforeseen circumstances or requested changes to the training plan.

Budget (15 points) Applications will be evaluated on the reasonableness, cost-effectiveness, and adequacy of the proposed budget to accomplish the project. The budget will be evaluated on cost savings, where available, and the inclusion of a budget narrative for each line item.

Overall Quality (5 points) Applications will be evaluated on comprehensiveness, completeness, and correct spelling and grammar.

Integrity in Performance Prior to making a Federal award, the Federal awarding agency is required by 31 USC 3321 and 41 USC 2313 to review information available through any OMB-designated repositories of government-wide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information. Therefore, application evaluation criteria may include the following risk-based considerations of the applicant: (1) financial stability; (2) quality of management systems and ability to meet management standards; (3) history of performance in managing federal award; (4) reports and findings from audits; and (5) ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements.

F. Federal Award Administration Information Federal Award Notices Successful applicants will be notified of the status of their application/award by email. This notification is not authorization to proceed, and such notification should be construed as provisional.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements All successful applicants for all grant and cooperative agreements are required to comply with the applicable General Administrative Terms and Conditions, which can be found at https://www.fas.usda.gov/grants/general_terms_and_conditions/default.asp The applicant is presumed to have read, understood, and accepted these terms when accepting a USDA/FAS award. Applicants with questions about the applicable terms should contact the program officer(s) listed in Section G, Federal Awarding Agency Contact.

The applicable Terms and Conditions will be for the last year specified at that URL.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/3321 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/41/2313 https://www.fas.usda.gov/grants/general_terms_and_conditions/default.asp

Before accepting an award, the applicant should carefully read the award package for instructions on administering the award and the terms and conditions associated with responsibilities under Federal Awards. Recipients must accept all conditions in this NOFO as well as any Special Terms and Conditions in the Notice of Award to receive an award under this program.

Applicants must ensure that they have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the subaward and executive total compensation reporting requirements established at 2 CFR 170, unless they quality for an exception from the requirements, should they be selected for funding.

Government Furnished Items USDA FAS will provide Fellows with:

• J-1 compliant Emergency Medical Insurance

• DS-2019/J-1 visa support for Fellows and related SEVIS requirements

Post-Award Performance Expectations

• Provide digital copies of the training highlights to each Fellow and the Cochran Fellowship

Program.

• Ensure that each Fellow completes the Cochran Training Program Evaluation (which will be provided).

• Development of an Action Plan by each Fellow. The Action Plan identifies goals and outlines specific steps or activities which each Fellow will perform upon return to home country. An Action Plan generally includes steps, milestones, measures of progress, responsibilities, assignments, and a timeline. The recipient shall provide a copy of each Fellow’s Action Plan to the Cochran Fellowship Program.

• A brief final report (format at the discretion of the applicant).

• A pre-training questionnaire to determine Fellows’ baseline knowledge of the learning objectives. (Template and examples shall be provided upon request)

• A post-training questionnaire to determine the knowledge gained in each of the learning objectives. (Template and examples shall be provided upon request)

• Analysis of the pre- and post-training questionnaire.

• Deliverables are due two weeks after the completion of each training.

• All transportation within the United States, from the point of arrival to the point of departure.

o The recipient is not responsible for international airfare of participants.

o Please include baggage fees for any domestic flights.

• Lodging accommodation, in single occupancy, for all participants.

• Implementors should offer appropriate cross-cultural activities for the purpose of sharing language, culture, or history in accordance with J-1 Visa requirements.

• Please note all meetings with Federal Government offices or officials must be initiated by the

Fellowship Programs team.

Reporting Financial Reports, using form SF-425, Federal Financial Report (FFR), must be submitted semi-annually, within 30 days of the end of the reporting period. A final financial report must be submitted within 120 days of the end date of the agreement.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-170.210 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-170.210

Performance Progress Reports must be submitted semi-annually, within 30 days of the end of the reporting period. A final performance progress report must be submitted within 120 days of the end date of the agreement. The recipient may use any appropriate format for performance progress reports, provided the report includes:

a) a comparison of actual accomplishments for the period;

b) The reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate; and

c) Additional pertinent information including, when appropriate, analysis and explanation of cost overruns or high unit costs.

Recipients are encouraged to include photographs and other supplemental material in performance progress reports. For awards in which the total lifetime value exceeds $500,000, additional reporting may be required as described in Appendix XII to 2 CFR 200.

Monitoring USDA/FAS through its authorized representatives, has the right, at all reasonable times, to make site visits to review project accomplishments and management control systems and to provide such technical assistance as may be required. During site visits, USDA/FAS will review recipients’ files related to the program.

As part of any monitoring and program evaluation activities, grant recipients must permit USDA/FAS, upon reasonable notice, to review assistance agreement-related records and to interview the organization’s staff and clients regarding the program, and to respond in a timely and accurate manner to FAS requests for information relating to the program.

Closeout Within 120 days after the end of the period of performance, or after an amendment has been issued to close out a grant, whichever comes first, recipients must submit a final FFR and final progress report detailing all accomplishments and a qualitative summary of the impact of those accomplishments throughout the period of performance. After final reports have been reviewed and approved by the agency, and any residual amount due to the recipient or due to be returned to the agency, the award is subject to closeout. Acceptance of final reports by the agency constitutes a closeout of the award with no further notice or obligation to either party. This acceptance will indicate the period of performance has expired, and any remaining funds will be deobligated. Records must be retained for a minimum of three years after the final reports are submitted.

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact For all inquiries, contact:

Desiree Lawrence Desiree.Lawrence@usda.gov Hours of Operation: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM ET

Inquiries will be returned within 24 working hours (3 business days). All questions must be received no later than 16 working hours (2 business days) prior to application submission https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/2/appendix-XII_to_part_200 mailto:Desiree.Lawrence@usda.gov deadline (See Section D). The agency contact listed will confirm receipt of applications upon request.

*Please identify the opportunity to which you are applying in your email correspondence by including the name of the program in the email subject line and any additional details as necessary.

H. Other Information

Budget Revisions Transfers of funds between direct cost categories in the approved budget when such cumulative transfers among those direct cost categories exceed ten percent of the total budget approved in this Award require written approval from the agency. The total budget amount may not be increased without a bilaterally executed amendment to the award.

Post-award program income In the event program income becomes available to the recipient post-award, it is the recipient’s responsibility to notify the USDA/FAS Program Manager to explain how that development occurred, as part of their request for guidance and/or approval. If approval is granted, an award modification will be issued with an explanatory note in the remarks section of the face page concerning guidance and/or options pertaining to the recipient’s approved recipient’s approved request. All instances of program income shall be listed in the progress and financial reports.

Appendix:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Statement of Work

Cochran Fellowship Program on Women in Agriculture: Entrepreneurship for Food Processing, Packaging, and Value Chain

SCOPE OF WORK

The Cochran Fellowship Program is requesting the design and delivery of a training program for ten (10) Fellows. Fellows will represent agriculture sector in multiple countries.

This training program should provide in-depth introduction to women entrepreneurs on value added processing technologies; to include post-harvest technology, product development, sensory evaluation techniques, food packaging, processing and nutritional quality, functional foods, nutraceuticals, and value-added entrepreneurship. Program should increase knowledge of U.S. food ingredients and processing systems that will enhance agricultural sustainability and food security, drive local prosperity and business growth by promoting women's social and economic empowerment in both countries.

The objective of this program is to help agribusiness women owner/managers increase their knowledge and understanding on the importance of the development of women entrepreneurship in agriculture to expand their markets and a way to generate greater income. This training aims to improve and build on the number of Women in Agriculture and increase U.S. food ingredient exports. The goal of this program is to increase the Fellows’ capacity for agricultural research, extension, and international trade.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Training provider will ensure that Fellows increase their knowledge of the topics below:

• U.S. supply chain management and transport of perishable foods

• U.S. cold chain infrastructure and products such as refrigerators and coolers

• Regulatory and inspection framework for U.S. exports

• U.S. seafood, meat, and fruit exports’ food safety and supply chains

• The U.S. post-harvest handling and food distribution systems.

• Provide an overview of the U.S. food system from farm all the way to retail distribution.

• Incorporate food safety and regulatory policies to ensure that the food locally produced and imported is safe and complies with U.S. law and regulations.

• Train fresh produce importers and retail owners/managers on fresh produce procurement and postharvest technologies.

• Include a trade show like Produce Marketing Association (PMA) or International Food

Technology (IFT) Trade Show.

• Visit sites to see the proper handling /storage/merchandising of fresh produce.

• Visit to production sights, wholesalers and retail markets.

• An official meeting with U.S. Regulatory Agencies (APHIS, FSIS, FDA)

Cochran Fellowship Program on Food Safety Standards and Regulations For Nigeria twelve (12) Fellows from Nigeria.

The training program should provide the Fellows with an in-depth understanding of the U.S.

regulatory system and internationally recognized science-based food safety measures that facilitate international trade. Field visits to food processing sites and laboratories are encouraged to highlight how producers learn, implement, and comply with food safety regulations.

Additional meetings with U.S. producer cooperatives, associations, and companies are also encouraged to demonstrate how private sector and the government work in partnership.

[Note: USDA FAS staff will be responsible for arranging all meetings with U.S. government agencies unless otherwise specified after selection of the implementing partner].

The objective is to improve the Fellows’ understanding of the U.S. food safety and regulatory systems and harmonize their food safety regulatory systems with evidence-based international standards. The goal of this program is to increase the Fellows’ capacity for agricultural research, extension, and participation in international trade.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The trainer shall ensure that the Fellows increase their knowledge in the following areas:

• Understanding the U.S. food safety regulations

• Standards (Codex, SPS regulations, ISO 17025)

• Traceability requirements

• Risk-based assessments, risk analysis/management

• Regulatory offices, roles of (FDA, APHIS, EPA, FSIS)

• Interagency responses to WTO SPS and TBT notifications

• Regulatory measures on biosafety/biotechnology

• Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) implementation

• Distinction between food safety and food quality (Ex: role of AMS in quality standards and grading)

• Understanding food safety and implementation

• Food controls, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Principles (HACCP) design and implementation

• Distribution chain, food safety during transport and storage

• Qualitative and quantitative methods to assess risk

• Food processing and systems

• Food quality and handling

• Monitoring, evaluation, and dissemination

• Certification and equivalence of SPS

• Good manufacturing practices, good agricultural practices & good laboratory practices

• Industry role and partnerships

• Microbiological, chemical analysis and contamination hazards

• Food safety public health alerts and recalls

• Response to foodborne illness outbreaks

• Food safety audits

• Food preservation; food additive use (including food colorings)

• Understanding International Food Safety Standards and Trade

• Pre-registration and post-registration

• Maximum residue levels

• Import/export requirements for food products

• Nutritional and food safety education

Cochran Fellowship Program on WTO Adherence: SPS, TBT, & TFA Agreements twelve (12) Fellows. Fellows will represent agriculture sectors in multiple countries.

The training programs should provide the Fellows with in-depth training on the World Trade Organization (WTO), Sanitary/Phyto-Sanitary (SPS) measures, Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), and the Trade Facilitation Agreements (TFA). The program should also demonstrate the importance of adherence to international standards to facilitate trade. Noting the resource constraints of many less developed African countries, the training aims to assist ministries that are less familiar with WTO reporting obligations. Mechanisms to address measures, such as how to formulate, notify, implement, and enforce those measures should be highlighted and could include tutorials on the submission process, table-top exercises, or utilization/development of tools to streamline reporting, thereby lowering the reporting barriers.

To draw upon the technical and policy expertise of key interagency experts and officials involved, most of the training should take place in Washington, D.C. and involve meetings with the following: U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and USDA/Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). [Note: USDA FAS staff will be responsible for arranging all meetings with U.S. government agencies unless otherwise specified after selection of the implementing organization].

The objective is to increase compliance in WTO notification and adherence to international standards, facilitating more open and transparent trade both regionally and internationally. The goal of this program is to increase these countries’ capacity for agricultural research, extension, and participation in international trade.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The trainer will ensure that the Fellows increase their knowledge in the following areas:

1. Provisions of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS), Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) & Trade Facilitation (TFA) Agreements

a. General overview of WTO organizational structure and the SPS, TBT & TF Agreements

b. Experience applying the agreements

c. Drafting and enforcing technical barriers to trade

d. Coordination of notifications to the WTO

e. Examples of SPS, TBT, and TFA measures commonly imposed by countries to protect domestic agriculture and their negative impact on trade and food supply

f. Role of the TFA in reducing the time and cost of trade, specifically showcasing the benefits to the agricultural sector

2. Overview of the International Standard Setting Bodies and Role of Committees

a. International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and the benefits of compliance

b. International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM)

c. World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH)

d. Codex Alimentarius (Codex)

3. Overview of U.S. regulators and other departments/agencies involved (FDA, APHIS, FSIS, CBP, NOAA & EPA; Enquiry Points)

a. Coordination/communication/correlation between institutions that work with SPS, TBT

& TFA measures

b. Legal framework, guidelines and standards

c. U.S. standards and negotiations in trading; enhancing negotiation skills

d. Purpose & role of the National Notification Authorities, enquiry points & tools available

4. Overview of U.S. SPS surveillance, food safety, evidence-based risk-mitigation strategies

a. U.S. approach to testing products

b. U.S. SPS Risk Management, Pest Risk Analysis, and import authorization procedures, particularly for live animal and plants; including pest list, admissibility & quarantine

5. Regulations for import/export and understanding market access

a. How international trade measures are applied and methods/measure for regulating food imports to protect domestic agriculture while adhering to WTO commitments

b. U.S. customs enforcement of trade facilitation; expediting perishable cargo, percentage of total inspected cargo and cold chain maintenance

c. The division of responsibility for U.S. food regulation/certification and border-agency roles of FDA, FSIS, APHIS, and NOAA

d. Technical requirements for access to markets

e. Requirements for export certificates of agricultural products at federal and state levels

f. Information about requirements for export markets – economies, prices, intelligence, labeling, etc.

g. Sampling and inspection of imports and exports

Cochran Fellowship Program on Food Safety Standards and Regulations

SCOPE OF WORK

The Cochran Fellowship Program is requesting the design and delivery of a global training program for twelve (12) total Fellows from multiple agricultural sectors.

The training programs should provide the Fellows with an in-depth understanding of the U.S.

regulatory system and internationally recognized science-based food safety measures that facilitate international trade. Field visits to food processing sites and laboratories are encouraged to highlight how producers learn, implement, and comply with food safety regulations.

Additional meetings with U.S. producer cooperatives, associations, and companies are also encouraged to demonstrate how private sector and the government work in partnership.

[Note: USDA FAS staff will be responsible for arranging all meetings with U.S. government agencies unless otherwise specified after selection of the implementing partner].

The objective is to improve the Fellows’ understanding of the U.S. food safety and regulatory systems and harmonize their food safety regulatory systems with evidence-based international standards. The goal of this program is to increase the Fellows’ capacity for agricultural research, extension, and participation in international trade.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The trainer shall ensure that the Fellows increase their knowledge in the following areas:

• Understanding the U.S. food safety regulations

• Standards (Codex, SPS regulations, ISO 17025)

• Traceability requirements

• Risk-based assessments, risk analysis/management

• Regulatory offices, roles of (FDA, APHIS, EPA, FSIS)

• Interagency responses to WTO SPS and TBT notifications

• Regulatory measures on biosafety/biotechnology

• Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) implementation

• Distinction between food safety and food quality (Ex: role of AMS in quality standards and grading)

• Understanding food safety and implementation

• Food controls, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Principles (HACCP) design and implementation

• Distribution chain, food safety during transport and storage

• Qualitative and quantitative methods to assess risk

• Food processing and systems

• Food quality and handling

• Monitoring, evaluation, and dissemination

• Certification and equivalence of SPS

• Good manufacturing practices, good agricultural practices & good laboratory practices

• Industry role and partnerships

• Microbiological, chemical analysis and contamination hazards

• Food safety public health alerts and recalls

• Response to foodborne illness outbreaks

• Food safety audits

• Food preservation; food additive use (including food colorings)

• Understanding International Food Safety Standards and Trade

• Pre-registration and post-registration

• Maximum residue levels

• Import/export requirements for food products

• Nutritional and food safety education