FAQs on FY 21 Supplemental McGovern-Dole NOFO_Updated on 12 21 2020.pdf

Frequently Asked Questions on FY 2021 McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program

Standing Supplemental Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

Question 1: Who is eligible to apply?

Answer: Only recipients of active McGovern-Dole agreements may apply. Please refer to Part C.

Eligibility Information in the Supplemental NOFO.

Question 2: Are recipients of active Local and Regional Procurement Program awards able to apply?

Answer: No.

Question 3: What is the intent of this Supplemental NOFO and how should we apply to this supplemental NOFO?

Answer: The Supplemental NOFO was created to provide the administrative tool for expanded transparency on the amendment process for active/current projects. USDA seeks to address the needs identified in existing projects to add commodity, freight, and/or administrative funds when circumstances warrant the action. As noted in the NOFOs, eligible applicants (i.e. those implementing partners with active/current projects) will be contacted directly by the International Food Assistance Division (IFAD) to apply to this Standing Supplemental NOFO once a determination that the circumstances warrant the amendment of active/current projects has been made. Applicants that respond to the standing NOFOs without prior approval from IFAD will not be considered.

Question 4: Does this Supplemental Standing NOFO replace FAS’ FY 2021 annual McGovern-Dole NOFO?

Answer: No, this FY 2021 Supplemental NOFO is distinct from the FY 2021 NOFO for new McGovern-Dole awards. The annual FY 2021 McGovern-Dole NOFO will be a separate announcement published on Grants.gov and referenced on the FAIS homepage.

Question 5: Will/can USDA review and respond to submissions to this Supplemental NOFO earlier than 30 September?

Answer: Please see responses under Answer 1 regarding the invitation to apply. Subject to the availability of funding, invitations to apply will be sent out periodically between now and July 2020. The deadline for submissions on the FY2020 Standing Supplemental NOFOs is August 1, 2020. Under this NOFO, the USDA will not consider amendments requesting supplemental funding after this date. This deadline provides USDA with sufficient time to process the amendments ahead of the end of the FY2020 fiscal year (September 30, 2020). Please note that moving forward and subject to funding availability, USDA intends to issue future Standing Supplemental NOFOs at the beginning of each FY as an ongoing administrative tool for expanded transparency of our current programming.

Question 6: Part A Section 9 Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities refers to additional commodity funds. Does this mean U.S. commodities only or may my organization apply for locally or regionally procured commodities?

Answer: This primarily refers to U.S. commodities. Only organizations with a base award signed in FY 20 may be invited to apply for supplemental local or regional commodity procurement funds. This is also subject to the availability of FY 20 funds as prior year funds did not include a provision allowing for the local and regional procurement of commodities.

Question 7: Will FAS accept unsolicited applications?

Answer: No.

Question 8: Will FAS accept unsolicited applications if my organization currently has an active McGovern-Dole award?

Answer: No, FAS will invite organizations to apply. If your organization currently implements an active McGovern-Dole award and believes it has justification for a supplemental funding request, please begin initial discussions with your McGovern-Dole Program Analyst.

Question 9: Is this NOFO for cost extension to existing awards?

Answer: FAS’ may consider supplemental amendments which also extend the period of performance, however the primary purpose of this supplemental NOFO is to provide supplemental funding which does not extend the life of project/ performance period end date.

Question 10: As FAS is not specifically targeting cost extensions, supplemental funding which also extends the performance period end date, is there a recommended amount of time which should be remaining in an award?

Answer: No, FAS will consider supplemental funding requests on a case-by-case basis.

Question 11: Is there a limit to the number of supplemental awards an organization can receive?

Answer: No.

Question 12: Should an applicant’s budget documents describe the total federal funding or only the new supplemental funds?

Answer: The budget documents (SF-424, SF424A if applicable, Budget Summary, and Budget Narrative if applicable) should describe the total federal funding: the existing awarded amount plus the supplemental funds requested.

Question 13: Does this Supplemental Standing NOFO affect FAS’ administrative (no-cost) amendment process?

Answer: No, FAS will continue to accept requests for administrative (no-cost) amendments.

If your organization currently implements an active McGovern-Dole award and believes an amendment is necessary, please begin initial discussions with your McGovern-Dole Program Analyst.

Question 14: Is this funding provided as a new agreement or an amendment to the existing agreement between FAS and my organization?

Answer: FAS will provide funding as part of a supplement amendment to the existing award between FAS and the recipient organization.

Question 15: Can funding under this standing supplemental NOFO be used in response to

COVID-19?

Answer: Yes, FAS may invite applications for COVID-19 mitigation funding in select cases such as if complications from COVID are delaying project implementation or if costs associated with implementing specific activities in the approved budget has increased due to COVID, then additional funding may be granted.

Question 16: Are all applicants required to answer “yes” to the SAM.gov Grants Certification question: “Does the Non-Federal entity wish to apply for a Federal financial assistance project or program, or is the Non-Federal entity currently the recipient of funding under any Federal financial assistance project or program?”

Answer: Yes, all applicants, both domestic and foreign organizations must answer yes to this question before the supplement award will be signed.

Question 17: Do applicants who are a foreign organization or a foreign public entity also have to certify to the “Financial Assistance General Representations and Certifications” in SAM.gov?

https://sam.gov/SAM/

Answer: Yes, this must be signed before the supplement amendment will be signed. Not all of the terms apply to foreign entities; however, the Lobbying Disclosure term within does apply to foreign organizations and foreign public entities.

Question 18: I have another question which wasn’t covered in this FAQ, how should I ask it?

Answer: Please email your question to MGDAmendments@usda.gov and reference the NOFO number in the subject line. Answers will be posted to Grants.gov.

*Updates from December 21, 2020*

Question 19: Is ITSH (Internal Transportation, Storage and Handling) included in this supplemental funding?

Answer: Yes, supplemental funding provided through this NOFO mechanism may go towards ITSH expenses if it has been determined by IFAD that circumstances warrant an amendment to include additional funding.

Question 20: Page 5 of the NOFO mentions that “The program funding priorities of this NOFO are to provide additional freight, commodity, and/or administrative funds to active McGovern-Dole cooperative agreements.” How is “administrative” defined within this context?

Answer: Within the context of this sentence, “Administrative” funds are defined as FAS funds provided to the recipient under active McGovern-Dole cooperative agreements to cover activities, ITSH, and other approved administrative costs associated with the implementation of the agreement. This would also include allowable indirect costs. If the supplemental amendment was to be made to an award originally signed in FY 20, “Administrative” also refers to funds available for local and regional commodity procurement, provided it is determined by IFAD that circumstances warrant additional funding in this area.

mailto:MGDAmendments@usda.gov