FFIG FY22 RFA.pdf

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Fraud Framework Implementation Grant Program Fiscal Year 2022 Request for Applications (RFA) Catalog for Federal Domestic Assistance Number (CFDA): 10.535

Release Date: February 24, 2022 Application Due Date: 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time (EST), April 25, 2022 Anticipated Award Date: July 2022

OMB BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number.

The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-0512. The estimated average time required to complete this information collection is 45 hours per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

This Application Checklist provides applicants with a list of the required documents. However, FNS expects that applicants will read the entire RFA prior to the submission of their application and comply with all requirements outlined in the solicitation. The Application Checklist is for applicant use only and should not be submitted as part of the Application Package.

Complete the following at least four weeks prior to submission:

1. Obtain a Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) or UEI (Universal Entity

Identifier number;

2. Register the DUNS/UEI number in the System for Award Management (SAM); and,

3. Register in Grants.gov.

NOTE: From now until April 3, 2022, entities that are not already registered in SAM.gov and who wish to do business with the federal government need to obtain and/or use a UEI (DUNS) to register their entity on SAM.gov. On and after April 4, 2022, entities can register in SAM.gov and will be assigned their Unique Entity ID (SAM) within SAM.gov. They will no longer obtain or use a UEI (DUNS) for entity registration or reporting. For additional information on the UEI process, please visit: SAM.gov | Duns - Sam UEI

When preparing your application, ensure:

1. Application format and narrative meet the requirements included in Section IV “Application and Submission Information.” This includes page limits, priorities outlined in Section I “Program Description”, and all necessary attachments.

When preparing your budget, ensure the following information is included:

1. All key staff proposed to be paid by this grant.

2. The percentage of time the Project Director will devote to the project in full-time equivalents

(FTEs).

3. Your organization’s fringe benefit rate and amount, as well as the basis for the computation.

4. The type of fringe benefits to be covered with Federal funds.

5. Itemized travel expenses (including type of travel), travel justifications and basis for lodging estimates.

6. Types of equipment and supplies, justifications, and estimates, ensuring that the budget is in line with the project description.

7. Information for all contracts and justification for any sole-source contracts.

8. Justification, description and itemized list of all consultant services.

9. Indirect cost information (either a copy of a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) or if no agreement exists and the applicant has never been approved for a NICRA, they may charge up to 10% de minimis). If applicant is requesting the de minimis rate or indirect costs are not requested, please indicate this in the budget narrative.

When submitting your application, ensure you have submitted the following:

1. SF-424 – Application for Federal Assistance (fillable PDF in Grants.gov)

2. SF-424A – Budget Information and Instruction Form (fillable PDF in Grants.gov)

3. SF-424B – Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (fillable PDF in Grants.gov)

4. SF-LLL – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities

5. FNS-906 – Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire (Appendix

A)

6. Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (PDF - Upload using the “Add Attachments” button under SF-424 item #15)

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

https://sam.gov/content/duns-uei

Table of Contents Application Checklist 2

1. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES 5

Program Description

Key Objectives

2. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION 7

Allowable Costs

3. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION 9

Eligible Applicants

Cost Sharing or Matching Considerations

Other Eligibility Criteria

Pre-Award Screening Requirements

Acknowledgement of USDA Support

4. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION 10

Address to Request Application Package

Content and Form of Application Submission

Submission Date

Preparing for Electronic Application Submission through Grants.gov

How to Submit an Application via Grants.gov

Grants.gov Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

Intergovernmental Review

5. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION 15

Evaluation of Grant Application Criteria

1. REVIEW CRITERIA

2. EVALUATION FACTORS AND CRITERIA

3. Review and Selection Process

6. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION 18

1. FEDERAL AWARD NOTICE

2. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

Confidentiality of an Application

Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality of the Review Process

Administrative Regulations

Code of Federal Regulations and Other Government Requirements

3. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Financial Reports

Performance Progress Report (PPR)

7. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS 22

8. OTHER INFORMATION 22

Debriefing Requests

APPENDIX 23

RFA Budget Narrative Checklist

FNS-908 Performance Progress Report (PPR) – For Reference Only

Introduction

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the nutrition assistance programs of the U.S.

Department of Agriculture, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is the cornerstone of USDA's nutrition assistance programs. It began in its modern form in 1961 but has its origins in the Food Stamp Plan to help the needy in the 1930's. SNAP is the largest program in the domestic hunger safety net and provides nutrition assistance benefits via an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card to millions of low-income people. These benefits help supplement household food budgets so recipients can purchase more healthy food. FNS works in partnership with State agencies in the administration of SNAP.1

While the vast majority of recipients are eligible and use their benefits as intended, there are some who violate program rules. Program violations may include a number of activities, such as falsifying income or identity in order to be eligible for benefits they may not be entitled to, or by using benefits for anything other than their intended purpose. Program violations can result in severe penalties, such as criminal punishment and permanent disqualification from the program. SNAP has zero tolerance for fraud and continues to work with its State partners to implement measures to improve program integrity.

From 2014 to 2017, FNS partnered with 10 State agencies to pilot new strategies and improve the use of analytics to more effectively detect potential fraud, improve administration, and increase oversight.

The lessons learned and ideas tested during these pilots led to the development of the SNAP Fraud Framework. The SNAP Fraud Framework is a collection of procedures, innovative ideas and promising practices to help State agencies improve fraud prevention, detection and investigation techniques and processes. This framework and its supporting documents are designed to support States as they develop new efforts or improve on existing ones to prevent, detect, and investigate fraud. There is no simple solution to combat fraud and each State may require a different approach to improve program integrity. The SNAP Fraud Framework acknowledges the need for State flexibility by offering a menu of options for States to implement as they work to improve program operations and efforts.

The SNAP Fraud Framework is intended to share best practices with personnel directly administering and enforcing the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008. It includes sensitive fraud detection and investigative techniques and therefore has not been shared beyond FNS and SNAP State agencies, the only eligible applicants for this grant opportunity. State agencies that do not have access to the SNAP Fraud Framework should contact their FNS Regional Office.

Program Description The purpose of the SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation Grant Program is to support State agency efforts to improve and expand recipient fraud prevention, detection and investigation efforts using the procedures, ideas and practices outlined in the SNAP Fraud Framework. Successful applications will specifically incorporate one or more of these procedures, ideas and practices in their proposals. This grant opportunity is not intended to support retailer fraud-related projects.

1 Throughout this RFA, “State agencies” refers to the agencies that administer SNAP in the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, and Guam.

1. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES

Section 29(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2036) authorizes FNS to provide grants on a competitive basis to State agencies to strengthen program integrity activities in SNAP. Up to $5 million has been appropriated in FY 2022 for State agencies to implement practices described in the SNAP Fraud Framework.

Listed in the next section are some general examples of potential project ideas for each program objective, which can be found in the SNAP Fraud Framework. Applicants should identify projects that best fit the needs of the State and that the State can successfully implement. Additionally, we encourage applicants to consider foundational projects that the State agency can build on for future growth in the fraud control area, such as data quality improvement, strategic planning, or the development of a training program.

Key Objectives Below is a list of the Program Objectives. As noted in the section below, within “Activities/Indicators Tracker”, proposed activities should be clearly aligned to these Objectives and their associated Activities and Indicators.

# Objectives 1 Organizational Management: This objective aims to help States establish and communicate priorities, organize employees, and manage both large-scale and day-to-day processes.

Many of the concepts described in this component are the foundation for successful program integrity initiatives.

Examples of the types of projects that would fall under this objective include:

• Establish a strategic plan that addresses recipient integrity

• Improve documentation around recipient fraud processes and procedures that align with strategic priorities

• Enhance data analysis skills within fraud unit

2 Performance Measurement: This objective offers recommendations encouraging States to consistently capture and analyze their own performance.

• Assess the impact of current integrity efforts and initiatives through active monitoring of a defined set of metrics

• Establish metrics, measures, and key performance indicators to track performance

• Automate data gathering and calculations currently done manually

3 Recipient Integrity Education: This objective provides targeted integrity education initiatives to help ensure recipients have the necessary information and tools to use SNAP benefits as intended—preventing fraud before it occurs. When producing recipient integrity education material, States are encouraged to educate the public and applicants about SNAP fraud, rather than emphasizing the consequences as a deterrent to applying.

• Improve client integrity education messaging through various channels, in multiple languages, and in plain language rather than in legal jargon.

• Ensure SNAP recipients as well as the public understand what SNAP fraud is, and how to avoid committing program violations.

4 Fraud Detection: Here, the SNAP Fraud Framework stresses the importance of proactively detecting fraud from the application process and continuing throughout the recipient’s time in the Program.

Examples of the types of projects that would fall under this component include:

• Strengthen efforts to detect potential fraud at the time of application

• Improve the use of data analytics to monitor EBT card replacements and predict potential incidents of trafficking

• Enhance internal controls to protect against employee fraud

5 Investigations and Dispositions: This objective aims to provide states with tools and suggestions to improve fraud case management from initial fraud referral through disposition.

Examples of the types of projects that would fall under this objective include:

• Implement a data-driven process for prioritizing SNAP fraud investigations

• Establish standardized procedures for developing effective evidence packages

• Improve internal fraud referral and feedback processes

6 Analytics and Data Management: This objective details the necessary people, processes, and technology to launch and maintain an analytics capability. Data analytics can play a valuable role in preventing, detecting, and investigating SNAP fraud.

Examples of the types of projects that would fall under this objective include:

• Clean up existing data to eliminate erroneous or duplicate values and improve usability

• Improve data management processes (e.g., quality, storage, protection, security, standardization)

7 Learning and Development: The final objective contains recommendations for States to invest in training and professional development opportunities to promote employee engagement and to ensure employees are aware of new and emerging trends in fraud.

Examples of the types of projects that would fall under this objective include:

• Establish a standardized training program for employees throughout the organization that focuses on their roles in recipient integrity activities

• Create a mentoring or coaching program for professional development in support of recipient integrity efforts

The following information is intended to provide applicants with information to help applicants make informed decisions about proposal submissions.

1. Total amount of funding expected to award: $5 million

2. Anticipated number of awards: From 2 to 9

3. Anticipated award announcement date: July 2022

4. Expected amounts of individual Federal awards: FNS anticipates that funding per award will range from approximately $250,000 to $750,000.

5. Anticipated start dates and period of performance: The period of performance begins on August

1, 2022 and will not exceed two (2) years from the start date, or September 30, 2024.

6. Application due date: April 25, 2022

2. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Please note:

1. Grant awards are subject to the availability of funding and/or appropriations of funds.

2. FNS reserves the right to use this solicitation and competition to award additional grants this year or the subsequent fiscal year, should additional funds become available.

Program Requirements

The goal of the SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation Grant is to help States implement promising practices contained in the SNAP Fraud Framework. The awards will support new projects that fall under any of the seven components of the SNAP Fraud Framework. The seven components can be found listed under the Program Goals heading of this RFA and fully described in the SNAP Fraud Framework document. Proposals should clearly describe the intent and scope of activities and their relation to any of the seven components of the SNAP Fraud Framework. State agencies that do not have access to the SNAP Fraud Framework should contact their FNS Regional Office.

Proposed projects must be sustainable. A significant part of the evaluation criteria will be dependent on how clear a proposal demonstrates the State agency’s ability to continue funding and implementing activities at the same level once the grant ends. This applies to all proposals, including those that propose hiring personnel to implement a part of the project.

Funds from this RFA are for new projects and shall not be used for the ongoing cost of carrying out an existing project. Additionally, funds may not be used to offset costs for existing personnel.

Recipients of prior SNAP recipient integrity grant awards are eligible for this opportunity should they choose to apply; however, proposals for this grant program must be for new projects.

Each project design should include quantifiable objectives, measures to assess progress toward meeting those objectives, project activities linked to meeting specific objectives, and a list of deliverables and/or milestones for the duration of the project. Applicants must also include a clear and reasonable timeline, and a narrative description of how the project will be staffed and managed, including a project organizational chart. Every grantee must assess and report on its progress each quarter by using performance measures tied to specific project objectives. These measures can include process measures, output measures, and outcome measures. The proposal should describe the process for collecting and reporting these data including the data source.

The proposal’s project description must capture a bona fide need. The budget and budget narrative must be in line with the proposed project description. FNS reserves the right to request information not clearly addressed.

We encourage potential applicants to carefully read and review the Evaluation of Grant Application Criteria listed in this RFA under Application Review Information (Section V). These criteria outline the qualities FNS expects successful proposals to have; they will also guide the reviewers’ evaluation of proposals.

Allowable Costs Allowable Uses of Funds Among other costs, budgets may include expenses related to personnel, contractors, equipment and supplies, meeting expenses, travel, and trainings.

• Expenditures for both equipment (i.e., items of personal property having a useful life of more than one year and a cost of $5,000 or more) and supplies are allowable expenses

• Funds from this RFA are for new projects and shall not be used for the ongoing cost of carrying out an existing project.

• FNS does not intend for this grant program to fund compliance with existing statutory or regulatory program requirements, such as data matching. FNS will continue to fund all State agency activities through 50% Federal matching of administrative costs.

• Grantees may use grants funds to procure contracts for good or services.

Please note: Funds noted for an existing or ongoing project will be removed from the budget and may cause the budget score to be marked down.

Restrictions on Funding Use

• Grant funds cannot be used for the ongoing cost of carrying out an existing project.

• Pre-award costs are unallowable and will not be awarded for this grant project.

• SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation Grant-funded projects may benefit other governmental programs; however, grant funds must only support SNAP’s share of the project costs.

Type of Award FNS will award SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation Grants in the form of a Federal grant.

FNS will provide funding for approved grants through the Grant Award/Letter of Credit process, upon receipt of a properly executed Grant Agreement and subject to the availability of funding.

Eligible Applicants

This grant opportunity is open to the 53 State agencies that administer SNAP. State Agencies may submit applications on behalf of specific counties or districts. FNS will consider only one application per State agency.

Cost Sharing or Matching Considerations

• There are no cost sharing or matching requirements for this program.

Other Eligibility Criteria

• N/A

Pre-Award Screening Requirements

In reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, prior to making a Federal award, Federal awarding agencies, in accordance with 2 CFR 200.205, are required to review information available through any OMB-designated repositories of government-wide eligibility qualifications or financial integrity information. Additionally, Federal awarding agencies are required to have a framework in place for evaluating the risks posed by applicants before they receive Federal awards.

The FNS review of risk posed by applicants will be based on the following:

1. SAM.gov, the System for Award Management, the Official U.S. Government system that consolidated the capabilities of CCR/FedReg, ORCA, and EPLS

2. FAPIIS, the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System that has been established to track contractor misconduct and performance

3. FNS Risk Assessment Questionnaire; Applicants must complete and return the Grant Program

Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire that allows FNS to evaluate

3. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

aspects of the applicant’s financial stability, quality of management systems, and history of performance, reports and findings from audits. The questionnaire contains a number of questions that may be an indicator of potential risk. The evaluation of the information obtained from the designated systems and the risk assessment questionnaire may result in FNS imposing special conditions or additional oversight requirements that correspond to the degree of risk assessed.

Acknowledgement of USDA Support

As outlined in 2 CFR 415.2, grant recipients shall include acknowledgement of USDA Food and Nutrition Service support on any publications written or published with grant support and, if feasible, on any publication reporting the results of, or describing, a grant-supported activity. Recipients shall include acknowledgement of USDA Food and Nutrition Service support on any audiovisual which is produced with grant support and which has a direct production cost of over $5,000.

• When acknowledging USDA support, use the following language: "This material is based upon work that is supported by the Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.” Grantees should follow the USDA Visual Standards Guide when using the USDA logo.

• Grant recipients may be asked to host USDA officials for a site visit during the course of their grant award. All costs associated with the site visit will be paid for by USDA and are not expected to be included in grant budgets.

Address to Request Application Package

Applicants may request a paper copy of this solicitation and required forms by contacting the FNS Grants Officer at:

Gregory Walton; Grant Officer Grants and Fiscal Policy Division

U.S. Department of Agriculture, FNS 1320 Braddock Place, Room 620

Alexandria, VA 22314 E-mail:

greg.walton@usda.gov

Content and Form of Application Submission

FNS strongly encourages eligible applicants interested in applying to this program to adhere to the following applicant format. The proposed project plan should be presented on 8 ½” x 11” white paper with at least 1-inch margins on the top and bottom. All pages should be single-spaced, in 12-point font. The project description with relevant information should be captured on no more than 25 pages, not including the cover sheet, table of contents, resumes, letter of commitment(s), endorsement letter(s), budget narrative(s), appendices, and required forms. All pages, excluding the form pages, must be numbered.

Special Instructions Late application submission will not be considered in this competition. FNS will not consider additions or revisions to applications unless they are submitted via Grants.gov by the deadline.

No additions or revisions will be accepted after the deadline.

Applications submitted without the required supporting documents, forms, certification will not be considered.

4. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/visual-standards-guide-january-2013.pdf mailto:greg.walton@usda.gov

Applications missing a written proposal and/or budget narrative will not be considered.

FNS reserves the right to request clarification on any application submitted in response to this solicitation.

Applications not submitted via Grants.gov will not be considered.

If multiple application packages are submitted through Grants.gov by the same applicant in response to this solicitation, FNS will accept the latest application package successfully submitted. All other packages submitted by the applicant will be removed from this competition.

Cover Sheet The cover page should include, at a minimum:

Applicant’s name and mailing address Primary contact’s name, job title, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address Grant program title and subprogram title (if applicable) Table of Contents The Table of Contents should include relevant sections, subsections and associated page numbers.

Application Project Summary The application should clearly describe the proposed project activities and anticipated outcomes that would result if the proposal were to be funded.

Project Narrative The project narrative should clearly identify what the applicant is proposing and how it will address a solution, the expected results and/or benefits once the solution is achieved, and how it will meet the RFA program scope and objectives. The proposed project methodology should describe the project design, address program specific methodology needs, procedures, timetables, monitoring/oversight, and the organization’s project staffing.

Activities/Indicators Tracker Proposed Activities and indicators measuring success must be mapped to Program Objectives (as described in Section I – PROGRAM DESCRIPTION) in the below format (note that additional Activities/Indicators can be added as needed). Note: Indicators are defined as any metric you anticipate will be able to be tracked during the period of performance of the grant. Common examples include Number of People Attended, Number of People Impacted, Number of Conferences Delivered, Number of Materials Created, Number of Trainings, Number of People Trained.

(Example)

Objective # 1 Activity Grant-funded activities or trainings Indicator(s) No. Trained Activity Measuring Students’ Nutrition Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors Indicator(s) No. Impacted

Objective #

Activity

Indicator(s)

Objective #

Activity

Indicator(s)

Application Budget Narrative The budget narrative should correspond with the proposed project narrative and application budget.

The narrative must justify and support the bona fide needs of the budget’s direct cost. If the budget includes indirect costs, the applicant must provide a copy of its most recently approved Federal indirect cost rate agreement. All non-profit organizations must include their 501(c)(3) determination letter issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). All funding requests must be in whole dollars.

Indirect Cost Rate A current Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), negotiated with a Federal negotiating agency, should be used to charge indirect costs. Indirect costs may not exceed the negotiated rate. If a NICRA is used, the percentage and base should be indicated. If the applicant does not have, and has never been approved for, a NICRA, they may charge up to 10% de minimis.

In this instance, the applicant must indicate they are requesting the de minimis rate. An applicant may elect not to charge indirect costs and, instead, use all grant funds for direct costs. If indirect costs are not charged, the phrase "none requested" should be stated in the budget narrative. For questions related to the indirect cost rate, please work with the Grant Officer as noted in Section VII of this RFA.

Required Grant Application Forms

Please refer to the Application Checklist for a list of required grant forms.

Submission Date Complete grant applications must be uploaded to Grants.gov (www.grants.gov) by 11:59 PM EST on the due date listed on the cover page.

1. Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov. Mailed, e-mailed or hand-delivered application packages will not be accepted.

2. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

3. FNS will not consider additions or revisions to applications unless they are submitted via

Grants.gov by the deadline. No additions or revisions will be accepted after the deadline.

4. If multiple application packages are submitted through Grants.gov by the same applicant in response to this solicitation, FNS will accept the latest application package successfully.

submitted. All other packages submitted by the applicant will be removed from this competition.

FNS strongly encourages applicants to begin the registration process at least four weeks before the due date and to submit applications to Grants.gov at least one week before the deadline to allow time to troubleshoot any issues, should they arise. Please note that upon submission, Grants.gov may send multiple confirmation notices; applicants should ensure receipt of confirmation that the application was accepted. Applicants experiencing difficulty submitting applications through the grants.gov web portal should contact the Grant Officer noted in the Agency Contacts (Section VII) of this RFA. FNS will evaluate submission issues on a case-by-case basis.

Preparing for Electronic Application Submission through Grants.gov Applicants must register with Grants.gov, Dun and Bradstreet and Sam.gov in order to submit an application to FNS via Grants.gov, as required. FNS strongly encourages http://www.grants.gov/ applicants to begin the registration process at least four weeks before the due date.

In order to submit an application, you must:

1. Obtain a DUNS/UEI number

a) If your organization does not have a DUNS number, or if you are unsure of your organization’s DUNS, contact Dun & Bradstreet at https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform or by calling 1-888-814-1435, Monday thru Friday, 8am-9pm ET. There is no fee associated with obtaining a DUNS number.

b) It may take 2-3 business days to obtain a DUNS number.

NOTE: From now until April 3, 2022, entities that are not already registered in SAM.gov and who wish to do business with the federal government need to obtain and/or use a UEI (DUNS) to register their entity on SAM.gov. On and after April 4, 2022, entities can register in SAM.gov and will be assigned their Unique Entity ID (SAM) within SAM.gov.

They will no longer obtain or use a UEI (DUNS) for entity registration or reporting. For additional information on the UEI process, please visit: https://sam.gov/content/duns-uei.

2. Register in the System for Award Management (SAM)

a) SAM combines Federal procurement systems and the Catalog of Federal

Domestic Assistance into one system. For additional information regarding SAM.gov, see the following link: https://sam.gov/content/home

b) To register, you must have your organization’s DUNS, entity’s Tax ID Number (TIN), and taxpayer name (as it appears on last tax return). It may take up to 5

– 7 business days or more to register and/or complete the migration of permissions and/or the renewal of an entity record.

c) All applicants must have current SAM status at the time of application submission and throughout the duration of a Federal Award in accordance with 2 CFR Part 25.

d) We strongly encourage applicants to begin the process at least 3 weeks before the due date of the grant solicitation.

3. Create a Grants.gov Account:

The next step in the registration process is to create an account with Grants.gov. Applicants must know their organization's DUNS number to complete this process. For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html.

4. Authorize Grants.gov Roles:

After creating an account on Grants.gov, the E-Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC) receives an email notifying them of the registration and request for roles. The E-Biz POC will need to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles. An approved Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) must complete and submit the application online at Grants.gov. To learn more about the E-Biz POC role and other profile roles, please visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html.

https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform https://sam.gov/content/duns-uei https://sam.gov/content/home https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/authorize-roles.html

To track the status of a role request, please visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html.

Electronic Signature: When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization's AOR that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC must authorize individuals who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as an AOR; this step is often missed and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

How to Submit an Application via Grants.gov Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different forms within an application. For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html

Applicant Support: Grants.gov provides applicants 24/7 (except Federal holidays) support via the toll-free number 1-800-518- 4726 and email at support@grants.gov. If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov Support Center and get a ticket number. The Support Center ticket number will assist the Center with tracking your issue and understanding background information on the issue.

For questions related to the specific grant opportunity, please contact the Grant Officer noted in the Agency Contacts (Section VII) of this RFA.

Grants.gov Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission All applications must be received by 11:59 PM EST on the due date listed on the cover page. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The applicant AOR will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application.

Applicant AORs will also receive the official date/time stamp and Grants.gov Tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

When FNS successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov and acknowledges the download of submissions, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgment of receipt of the application to the email address of the applicant with the AOR role. Again, proof of timely submission shall be the official date and time that Grants.gov receives your application. Applications received by Grants.gov after the established due date for the program will be considered late and will not be considered for FNS funding.

Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission could take significant time. Again, Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the applicant with the AOR role. The Grants.gov Support Center reports that some applicants end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Please be patient and give the system time to process the application.

Additional Information on Grants.gov and the Registration Process:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration/track-role-status.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html mailto:support@grants.gov

NOTICE: Special Characters and Naming Conventions All applicants MUST follow Grants.gov guidance on file naming conventions. To avoid submission issues, please follow the guidance provided by Grants.gov (per the Grants.gov Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

What are the file name requirements or limitations for attachments?

Please use only the following UTF-8 characters (Uniform Transformation Format 8-bit) when naming your attachments: A-Z, a-z, 0-9, underscore, hyphen, space, period, parenthesis, curly braces, square brackets, ampersand, tilde, exclamation point, comma, semi colon, apostrophe, at sign, number sign, dollar sign, percent sign, plus sign, equal sign, and limit the file name to 50 or fewer characters.

Subaward budget forms are limited to 30 characters or less including the file extension. Attachments that do not follow this rule may cause the entire application to be rejected or cause issues during processing.

We recommend saving the application documents by typing the file name in the SAVE FILE AS field rather pasting a file name typed in a word processing application. Certain word processing applications use proprietary characters which cannot be read by Adobe Reader.

Additional information and applicant resources are available at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html.

Intergovernmental Review This funding opportunity is subject to the requirements of EO 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs”. This Executive Order was issued with the desire to foster the intergovernmental partnership and strengthen federalism by relying on State and local processes for the coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance and direct Federal development. The Order allows each State to designate an entity to perform this function.

If you are located within a State that does not have a SPOC, you may send application materials directly to a Federal awarding agency.

Evaluation of Grant Application Criteria

1. REVIEW CRITERIA

FNS will pre-screen all applications to ensure the applicants are eligible entities and are in compliance with all Program regulations. FNS will not approve any waivers from Program regulations for any projects submitted in response to this solicitation.

Additionally, the review committee will evaluate proposals against the criteria below. The project narrative sections include a point value to indicate the importance of each section; however, reviewers will be evaluating proposals based on all sections regardless of whether point values are provided.

2. EVALUATION FACTORS AND CRITERIA

The following selection criteria will be used to evaluate applications for this RFA.

1. Soundness or Merit of Project Design (35 points)

Demonstrated Need: The proposal clearly describes the need to strengthen program integrity by focusing on at least one component of the SNAP Fraud Framework and provides evidence that the proposed approach is well-suited to solve the identified issue.

5. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

Impact: The proposal clearly demonstrates:

• A direct effect on the SNAP State agency process and provides evidence that the changes would help combat recipient fraud and benefit trafficking.

• A clear progression from idea to practice in a State agency.

• A clear description of the impact the project is expected to make. Impact can be described in terms of the degree to which the new or improved processes are expected to help the State agency expand its current efforts to eliminate recipient fraud.

Quality: The proposal shows thought, analysis, clarity, and the use of relevant facts and knowledge.

This includes clear understanding of the SNAP Fraud Framework.

Application of the SNAP Fraud Framework: The proposed project integrates principles, procedures, ideas and/or practices outlined in the SNAP Fraud Framework.

Feasibility: The application proposes projects that are capable of being accomplished and likely to be implemented. The proposal demonstrates State agency readiness and leadership’s interest to implement activities. It should also demonstrate that the proposed project is appropriate given the current capacity of the agency. We encourage applicants to consider foundational projects that the State agency can build on for future growth in the fraud control area.

2. Implementation and Evaluation (15 points)

Timeline: The proposal includes a project timeline that outlines proposed tasks and demonstrates that sufficient time is allotted for each activity. Period of performance is commensurate with project scope.

Evaluation: The proposal describes a well-thought-out, organized review and evaluation process that will measure whether the goals of the project have been met. The evaluation should focus on measuring the impact the project seeks to make. Please be sure to include information on who will measure the goals of the project, how the goals will be measured, when the goals will be measured and what the organization will be measuring.

3. Sustainability (20 points)

The proposal shows that the project is very likely to be sustained after the grant period ends. The proposal should clearly demonstrate State agency’s ability to continue funding and implementing activities once the grant ends. This also applies personnel hired under this grant program, as applicable.

4. Budget Appropriateness and Economic Efficiency (20 points)

Budget: The proposal includes:

• A line-item budget – please refer to the Application Checklist on page III and Budget Narrative Checklist in Appendix B to assure each category is addressed in the budget.

• A narrative that demonstrates how funds will be spent, by whom and for what purpose.

• The narrative should provide enough detail for reviewers to easily understand how costs were determined and how they relate to the goals and objectives of the project. There should be adequate justification for budget costs based on current industry costs/standards. Information on costs should be obtained from applicable organizations or from online sources.

• Additionally, a copy of the approved negotiated indirect cost rate agreement must be attached if indirect costs are shown as a budget expense to the project.

• If applicable, the budget must show how the costs are allocated among the benefiting programs and demonstrate that this grant is only going to fund SNAP’s share.

Efficiency: The proposal is cost effective – it demonstrates that the anticipated results are commensurate with the cost of the project.

Contractual and Consultant Costs: Proposals who wish to hire a consultant or contract work out must provide the following information:

• Consultant’s name and description of service

• Itemized list of all direct costs and fees

• Salaries must have the number of personnel including the position title

• Specialty and specialized qualifications as appropriate to the salary

• Number of estimated hours times hourly wages

• All expenses and fees directly related to the proposed services to be rendered to the project

• Applicants that are required to issue a bid should provide a narrative explaining the requirement and provide a reasonable estimate of Contractual and Consultant Costs.

NOTE: Proposal submissions that omit the required budget forms, budget narratives and/or line item descriptions will not receive the full point value for this criterion. Therefore, applicants should recognize that a well-written budget narrative that justifies the proposed project expenditures assists the reviewers during the review process.

5. Staff Capability and Management (10 points)

Oversight: The proposal demonstrates that effective and consistent oversight by qualified project managers will be implemented throughout the project.

Communication: The proposal demonstrates that effective communication will exist within the organization. The proposal includes an organizational chart of the proposed project.

Staff: The proposal identifies the project director or manager and other key staff. The proposal includes resumes that demonstrate that the proposed staff has the appropriate technical and experiential backgrounds for their proposed roles. If the applicant is unable to identify the project director or manager and key staff, it must include with the application package job descriptions for positions that must be assigned. Applicants should address their contingency or back-up plans in the event of key staff departures.

Time Commitment: The proposal outlines the amount of time and effort the project director or manager, key staff, and, if applicable, partnering organizations, will contribute to the project.

3. Review and Selection Process

Following the initial screening process, FNS will assemble a panel group to review and determine the technical merits of each application. The panel will evaluate the proposals based on how well they address the required application components and array the applications from highest to lowest score.

The panel members will recommend applications for consideration for a grant award based on the evaluation scoring. The Selecting Official reserves the right to accept the panel’s recommendation or to select an application for funding out of order to meet agency priorities, program balance, geographical representation, or project diversity. If applicant is a previous SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation grantee, past performance will be evaluated and may impact the Selecting Official’s decision. FNS reserves the right to use this solicitation and competition to award additional grants in the next fiscal year should additional funds be made available.

NOTE: If a discrepancy exists between the total funding request (submitted on SF-424, SF-424A, and budget or budget narrative) within the application package in response to this solicitation, FNS will only consider and evaluate the estimated funding request contained on SF-424

1. FEDERAL AWARD NOTICE

The Government is not obligated to make any award as a result of this RFA. Unless an applicant receives a signed award document with terms and conditions, any contact from a FNS Grants or Program Officer should not be considered as a notice of a grant award. No pre-award or pre-agreement costs incurred prior to the effective start date are allowed unless approved and stated on FNS’ signed award document (FNS-529). Only the recognized FNS authorized signature can bind the USDA, Food and Nutrition Service to the expenditure of funds related to an award’s approved budget.

2. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

Confidentiality of an Application

When an application results in an award, it becomes a part of the record of FNS transactions, available to the public upon specific request. Information that the Secretary determines to be of a confidential, privileged, or proprietary nature will be held in confidence to the extent permitted by law. Therefore, any information that the applicant wishes to have considered as confidential, privileged, or proprietary should be clearly marked within the application. Any application that does not result in an award will be not released to the public. An application may be withdrawn at any time prior to the final action thereon.

Safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is any information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, such as name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name, or biometric records, and any other information that is linked or linkable to an individual, such as medical, educational, financial, and employment information (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP 800-122, Guide to Protecting the Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable information, April 2010).

Applicants submitting applications in response to this RFA must recognize that confidentiality of PII and other sensitive data is of paramount importance to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. All federal and non-federal employees (e.g., contractors, affiliates, or partners) working for or on behalf of FNS are required to acknowledge understanding of their responsibilities and accountability for using and protecting FNS PII in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974; Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-06-15, Safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information; M-06-16, Protection of Sensitive Agency Information; M-07-16, Safeguarding Against and Responding to the Breach of Personally Identifiable Information; and the NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-122, Guide to Protecting the Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information.

By submitting an application in response to this RFA, applicants are assuring that all data exchanges conducted throughout the application submission and pre-award process (and during the performance of the grant, if awarded) will be conducted in a manner consistent with applicable Federal laws. By

6. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

submitting a grant application, applicants agree to take all necessary steps to protect such confidentiality, including the following: (1) ensuring that PII and sensitive data developed, obtained or otherwise associated with UDSA FNS funded grants is securely transmitted. Transmission of applications through Grants.gov is secure; (2) ensuring that PII is not transmitted to unauthorized users, and that PII and other sensitive data is not submitted via email; and (3) Data transmitted via approved file sharing services (WatchDox, ShareFile, etc.), CDs, DVDs, thumb drives, etc., must be encrypted.

Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality of the Review Process The agency requires all panel reviewers to sign a conflict of interest and confidentiality form to prevent any actual or perceived conflicts of interest that may affect the application review and evaluation process. Names of applicants, including States and tribal governments, submitting an application will be kept confidential, except to those involved in the review process, to the extent permitted by law. In addition, the identities of the reviewers will remain confidential throughout the entire process.

Therefore, the names of the reviewers will not be released to applicants.

Administrative Regulations Federal Tax Liabilities Restrictions None of the funds made available by this or any other Act may be used to enter into a contract, memorandum of understanding, or cooperative agreement with, make a grant to, or…