Final RFA - Participation in WIC & Prevalence of Health Risks Associated with Maternal Mortality.pdf

Information Collection: 0584-0512 Expiration date: 07/31/2025

Participation in WIC & Prevalence of Health Risks Associated with Maternal Mortality

Fiscal Year 2024 Request for Applications (RFA) Assistance Listing Number (ALN): 10.557

Release Date: November 15, 2023

Application Due Date: 11:59 pm, Eastern Standard Time (EST), February 14, 2024

Anticipated Award Date: March 2024

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The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-0512. The estimated average time required to complete this information collection is 35 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.

Application Checklist

This Application Checklist provides applicants with a list of the required actions and documents that must be completed. 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:

Obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number;

Register the UEI number in the System for Award Management (SAM); and, Register in grants.gov.

When preparing your application, ensure:

Application format and narrative meet the requirements included in Section 4 –

Application and Submission Information. This includes page limits, priorities outlined in Section 5 – Application Review Information, and all necessary attachments.

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

All key staff proposed to be paid by this grant.

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

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

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

Itemized travel expenses (including type of travel), travel justification, and basis for lodging estimate.

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

Information for all contracts and justification for any sole-source contracts Justification, description, and an itemized list of all consultant services.

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 an applicant is requesting the de minimis rate or indirect costs are not required, please state this in the budget narrative.

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

SF-424 – Application for Federal Assistance (fillable PDF in Grants.gov) SF-424A – Budget Information and Instruction Form (fillable PDF in Grants.gov) SF-424B – Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (fillable PDF in Grants.gov) SF-LLL – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities FNS-906 – Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (PDF - Upload using the “Add Attachments” button under SF-424 item #15) Resumes of key staff Letters of support/commitment from key staff and partners Additional attachments as required http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html

Table of Contents

1. Program Description and Objectives

Program Description

Key Objectives

2. Federal Award Information

Allowable Costs

Unallowable Costs

3. Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants

Ineligible Applicants ............................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

Cost Sharing or Matching Considerations

Other Eligibility Criteria ....................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

Pre-Award Screening Requirements

Acknowledgement of USDA Support

4. Application and Submission Information

Content and Form of Application Submission

Special Instructions:

Cover Sheet

Table of Contents

Application Project Summary

Project Narrative

Activities/Indicators Tracker

Application Budget Narrative

Indirect Cost Rate

Required Grant Application Forms

Letter of Intent

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

Funding Restrictions

5. Application Review Information

Review Criteria

Name of Selection Criteria 1 (XX points)

Name of Selection Criteria 2 (XX points)

Name of Selection Criteria 3 (XX points)

Name of Selection Criteria 4 (XX points)

Name of Selection Criteria 5 (XX points)

Name of Selection Criteria 6 (XX points) ........................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

Review and Selection Process

6. Federal Award Administration Information

Federal Award Notice

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

Reporting Requirements

Financial Reports

Performance Progress Reports (PPR)

7. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

8. Other Information

Debriefing Requests

Appendix

RFA Budget Narrative Checklist

FNS-906 Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire

1. Program Description and Objectives

Executive Summary

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides grants to states to provide supplemental foods, healthcare referrals, and nutrition education to pregnant and post-partum individuals, infants, and children up to age five who are low-income and found to be at nutritional risk. While WIC participation is shown to improve several maternal outcomes,1 more evidence, unique data sets, and innovative approaches to epidemiological evaluation are needed to understand and document the impact of WIC participation on maternal health, specifically the impact of WIC participation on maternal morbidity and mortality. The goal of this request for applications (RFA) is to initiate and support a rigorous academic research program that will build evidence of WIC’s impact on maternal health outcomes associated with morbidity and mortality. The legislative authority for this Request for Applications is contained in the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 Section 17 (g)(5)2 as amended. Under this provision, subject to the availability of funds, the Secretary of Agriculture may award competitive grants and cooperative agreements for the support of research projects to further the WIC program. This RFA will provide up to $1,000,000 in funding, through a one-time cooperative agreement, to an external entity that will provide financial, technical, and evaluation support for a competitive academic subgrant program. Eligible external entities are accredited public and private institutions of higher education (colleges/universities). By the end of the cooperative agreement period of performance, the successful recipient of this RFA will accomplish three objectives:

1) Initiate and sustain a competitive subgrant program to support small-scale research grants to a diverse group of early career researchers, doctoral candidates, post-doctoral research scholars, and established researchers (“Research Subgrants”);

2) Expand the existing network of researchers collaborating on efforts to understand the role of WIC in addressing maternal morbidity and mortality. (“Supporting the Research Community”); and

3) Carry out a comprehensive dissemination plan to ensure that knowledge gained during this evaluation is made available to FNS, subgrantees, the research community, and to the public. (“Dissemination”)

Program Description

Introduction The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) works to end hunger and promote nutrition security3 through the administration of a variety of federal

1 Caulfield LE, Bennett WL, Gross SM, Hurley KM, Ogunwole SM, Venkataramani M, Lerman JL, Zhang A, Sharma R, Bass EB. Maternal and Child Outcomes Associated With the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 253. (Prepared by the Johns Hopkins University Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. 75Q80120D00003.) AHRQ Publication No. 22-EHC019. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; April 2022. DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23970/AHRQEPCCER253 2 https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/wic-laws-and-regulations. Accessed on April 1, 2023 3 USDA Food and Nutrition Service. (2022). USDA Actions on Nutrition Security. Available at: https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/usda-actions-nutrition-security.pdf. Accessed on May 4, 2023.

https://doi.org/10.23970/AHRQEPCCER253 https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/wic-laws-and-regulations https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/usda-actions-nutrition-security.pdf https://fns-prod.azureedge.us/sites/default/files/resource-files/usda-actions-nutrition-security.pdf nutrition assistance programs. WIC is a federal nutrition assistance program that serves pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding individuals; infants; and children up to five years old who are low-income and at nutrition risk. WIC provides nutritious foods, nutrition education including breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health and social services to participants in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, 33 Indian Tribal Organizations, American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In fiscal year (FY) 2023, roughly 6.3 million women, infants, and children across the United States received WIC benefits.4

Legislative Authority:

The legislative authority for this Request for Applications is contained in the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 Section 17 (g)(5)5 as amended. Under this provision, subject to the availability of funds, the Secretary of Agriculture may award competitive grants and cooperative agreements for the support of research projects to further the WIC program. This RFA will provide up to $1,000,000 in funding, through a one-time cooperative agreement, to an external entity that will provide financial, technical, and evaluation support for a competitive academic subgrant program. Eligible external entities include accredited public and private institutions of higher education (colleges/universities). This grant will be awarded as a cooperative agreement. This agreement is a legal instrument reflecting a relationship between the Federal government and the Grantee.

Cooperative agreements will allow more involvement and collaboration by FNS in this project.

Background Rates of maternal morbidity (any health condition attributed to and/or aggravated by pregnancy and childbirth that has negative outcomes to the woman’s well-being) and mortality (the death of a woman while pregnant or within 1 year of the end of pregnancy from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy) in the United States are increasing.6 In 2021, more than 1,200 people died of maternal causes at a rate of almost 33 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared to 861 deaths (23.8 per 100,000 live births) in 2020 and 754 deaths (20.1 per 100,000 live births) in

2019.7 More than 80 percent of these deaths can be prevented, and half occur from one week to one year after delivery.8 About three quarters of maternal deaths are caused by mental health conditions, hemorrhage, cardiovascular and coronary conditions, infection, thrombotic embolism, and cardiomyopathy based on a review of deaths in 36 States.9 Moreover, pregnancy and postpartum complications including anemia, anxiety and depression, hypertension, and infections, among other health conditions, has increased substantially in the US in recent years, impacting more than 50,000 individuals annually.10

4 USDA Economic Research Service. WIC Program. Available at: https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/wic-program/ Accessed on September 18, 2023.

5 https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/wic-laws-and-regulations. Accessed on April 1, 2023 6 Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Web Portal. NIH. Available at https://orwh.od.nih.gov/mmm-portal/what-mmm. Accessed May 2, 2023.

7 Hoyert DL. Maternal mortality rates in the United States, 2021. NCHS Health E-Stats. 2023.

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:124678 8 Trost SL, Beauregard J, Njie F, et al. Pregnancy-Related Deaths: Data from Maternal Mortality Review Committees in 36 US States, 2017-2019. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, US Department of Health and Human Services; 2022.

9 Ibid.

10 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Severe Maternal Morbidity in the United States. https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/severematernalmorbidity.html https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/wic-program/ https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/wic-program/ https://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/wic-laws-and-regulations https://orwh.od.nih.gov/mmm-portal/what-mmm https://orwh.od.nih.gov/mmm-portal/what-mmm https://dx.doi.org/10.15620/cdc:124678 https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/severematernalmorbidity.html

Research shows that the maternal health crisis in the US is particularly perilous for Black women, Native women, and women in rural communities. Individuals in these groups experience maternal mortality and morbidity at significantly higher rates than their white and urban counterparts.1112 These concerning conditions have prompted government-wide efforts to combat maternal morbidity and mortality and to address the increasing disparities in maternal health. To this end, the Biden-Harris Administration issued a Fact Sheet in June 2022 detailing a “Maternal Health Blueprint” in which they stated a commitment to “cutting the rates of maternal mortality and morbidity, reducing the disparities in maternal health outcomes, and improving the overall experience during and after pregnancy for people across the country.”13

WIC, established in 1974, is administered by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S.

Department of Agriculture (USDA) and is an important part of a whole-of-government approach to combating adverse maternal health outcomes. WIC provides nutritious foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals to health, social, and community services to participants at no charge. Individuals who are postpartum are eligible for up to 12 months if they are breastfeeding and 6 months if they are not breastfeeding. For pregnant individuals, WIC seeks to improve fetal development and reduce the incidence of low birth weight, short gestation, anemia, and other maternal complications through intervention during the prenatal period. For breastfeeding and postpartum individuals, WIC also seeks to improve dietary intake, promote and support breastfeeding as the optimal method of infant feeding, and continues to provide important referrals to healthcare, social, and other community services.

A substantial body of research has demonstrated that WIC is a successful, cost-effective program that improves the nutrition and health of families with low-income.14 However, a recent review of 82 quantitative and 16 qualitative studies comparing the WIC participants with eligible non-participants identified several gaps in our understanding of the impact of WIC participation on maternal health outcomes.15 Specifically, the review found the strength of evidence was low for several important maternal health outcomes and highlighted gaps that require new studies with

11 Hill, L., Artiga, S., Ranji, U. Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Health: Current Status and Efforts to Address Them. KFF. Available at https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/racial-disparities-in-maternal-and-infant-health-current-status-and-efforts-to-address-them/. Accessed April 2, 2023.

12 U.S. Government Accountability Office. Maternal Morbidity and Mortality: Additional Efforts Needed to Assess Program Data for Rural and Underserved Areas. Available at: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao- 21-283. Accessed May 4, 2023.

13 The White House. FACT SHEET: President Biden’s and Vice President Harris’s Maternal Health Blueprint Delivers for Women, Mothers, and Families. Available at:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/24/fact-sheet-president-bidens-maternal-health-blueprint-delivers-for-women-mothers-and-families/. Accessed April 2, 2023.

14 Carlson, S., Neuberger, Z. WIC Works: Addressing the Nutrition and Health Needs of Low-Income Families for More than Four Decades. CBPP. 2021. Available at:

https://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/5-4-15fa.pdf. Accessed April 1, 2023.

15 Caulfield LE, Bennett WL, Gross SM, Hurley KM, Ogunwole SM, Venkataramani M, Lerman JL, Zhang A, Sharma R, Bass EB. Maternal and Child Outcomes Associated With the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Comparative Effectiveness Review No. 253. (Prepared by the Johns Hopkins University Evidence-based Practice Center under Contract No. 75Q80120D00003.) AHRQ Publication No. 22-EHC019. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; April 2022. DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23970/AHRQEPCCER253 https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/racial-disparities-in-maternal-and-infant-health-current-status-and-efforts-to-address-them/ https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/racial-disparities-in-maternal-and-infant-health-current-status-and-efforts-to-address-them/ https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-21-283 https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-21-283 https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/24/fact-sheet-president-bidens-maternal-health-blueprint-delivers-for-women-mothers-and-families/ https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/06/24/fact-sheet-president-bidens-maternal-health-blueprint-delivers-for-women-mothers-and-families/ https://www.cbpp.org/sites/default/files/atoms/files/5-4-15fa.pdf https://doi.org/10.23970/AHRQEPCCER253 strong designs to provide insights into the majority of maternal health outcomes associated with maternal participation in WIC.

Program Description To address these gaps and support current and future research into the impact of WIC on maternal health outcomes, the goal of this RFA is to facilitate rigorous academic research into WIC’s relationship to this important public health concern. The grantee is expected to propose a robust academic subgrant program to investigate this relationship using existing secondary data, identifying and constructing novel data sets to further examine this relationship, and by supporting and growing a diverse academic community that is invested in sustaining research related to the relationship between WIC and maternal health outcomes. Subgrant program analyses will be required to examine the prevalence of these conditions by participation in WIC overall and by race, ethnicity, and age. The findings from this analysis will inform actions to improve maternal health in groups at highest risk for maternal morbidity and mortality.

The following expands on the activities necessary for the Cooperator to meet the aforementioned objectives by specifying a minimum set of activities that the Cooperator will conduct, in collaboration with FNS. In addition to the activities specified below, FNS expects that Applicants will propose innovative approaches to meet the overall Goal and Objectives of this cooperative agreement:

Objective 1: Research Subgrants

During the period of performance of the cooperative agreement, the grantee shall initiate and maintain at least one round of a competitive subgrants program to support and foster innovative academic research. Subgrants should evaluate the impact of WIC participation on maternal health conditions and outcomes through investigations using secondary analysis of available data sets (e.g., PRAMS, state birth certificate data).

Applicants should propose a target number and scale of subgrants and the number of rounds through which subgrants shall be administered as well as a justification for each element of the approach. The grantee, in collaboration with FNS, will competitively select, monitor, and support a synthesis of the proposed evaluations. The subgrant RFA will describe the subgrant opportunity, explain subgrant eligibility, and establish evaluation criteria for the subawards. Subgrants applications should include, at a minimum, a full research narrative including a clearly defined set of research questions and objectives that articulate how the proposed project will provide insights into the impact of WIC participation on maternal morbidity and mortality; the proposed data source(s) used for the analysis; a detailed budget justification; letters of support, if needed;

documentation of procedures used to maintain the quality and integrity of data and analyses; and biosketches for key members of the research team. Before the subgrant RFA is published, FNS must approve all RFA content. Applicants for this RFA should build a 6-week review timeline into their overall project guideline.

Applicants should also describe how they will publicize the subgrant opportunity to researchers, with specific attention to how the opportunity will include a focus on diversifying the research pipeline around the topic of WIC participation and maternal health outcomes. Ensuring equitable access to the subgrant program is an FNS priority; therefore, applicants should directly address this equity priority in their applications and demonstrate how they intend to operationalize the equity opportunity in this subgrant program. Applicants should also describe how subgrant applicants will receive equitable consideration for subgrant awards through the subgrant application evaluation process and how pre-application technical assistance will be provided to potential applicants, ensuring that potential applicants from lesser-resourced universities have sufficient support to complete all requirements for submitting subgrant proposals.

Applicants should describe how they will develop a strategy, based on the data subgrantees propose to access (e.g., PRAMS), for pooling and submitting aggregate data requests to local, state, and federal agencies to reduce burden for subgrantees and for the agencies or organizations who provide such data. The application should clearly propose what data sets will be included or made available to subgrantees, and how the grantee will work with subgrantees to obtain additional data, as needed. If the grantee proposes to use data sets not described in this RFA, they should clearly state the data source, describe proposed variables and how they could be used to address the goals of this RFA, and how they plan to obtain access, maintain appropriate data privacy and sharing agreements, and protect data privacy. If proposed data sets require special access (e.g., WIC State administrative data, electronic benefit redemption data), the Applicant should propose how and when they will request data access, if not already obtained, how this will be publicized to subgrantee applicants, and evidence of their ability to acquire such data in a timeframe appropriate to meet the goals and objectives of this RFA. If necessary, the grantee will be responsible for supporting subgrant awardee IRB applications or other data use applications, as necessary.

After sub-grant selection, the Cooperator will submit updated project summaries to FNS for the publication of subgrant projects on the FNS website and will schedule and hold a virtual meeting, inviting sub-grantees, key FNS staff, and members of the Cooperator’s implementation team.

Objective 2: Supporting the Research Community The Cooperator will be responsible for expanding the existing network of researchers collaborating on efforts to understand the role of WIC in addressing maternal morbidity and mortality. This may include but is not limited to providing direction and technical support to potential subgrantee applicants (pre-award) and subgrantees (post-award); encouraging participation in scientific meetings; disseminating findings to diverse audiences including through the publication of peer-reviewed manuscripts in a manor making them available to the general public; coordinating communities of practice; and promoting innovative research techniques.

Applicants should include a detailed description of how they plan to meet the diverse needs of subgrantee applicants from different backgrounds and with different areas of expertise, experience, and education. As part of this objective, applicants must propose a mentorship program as one of the ways the ways to support the research community. FNS encourages applicants to establish a diverse mentoring program for subgrantees that brings in mentors with a variety of experiences, expertise, training, and backgrounds.

In their submission, applicants shall explicitly state the agile implementation strategies they will use to provide technical assistance, mentorship, and guidance to subgrantees. The description shall include, but not be limited to:

(1) How the applicant will regularly communicate with subgrantees and the frequency of this communication;

(2) How the applicant will resolve issues subgrantees encounter when accessing, managing, and maintaining data sets;

(3) How the applicant will promote innovative research methods; the use, merging, or creation of new data sets to further build research capacity for this project and make information about the innovative approaches available to the broader research community;

(4) How the Applicant will develop capacity and expertise to examine the impact of WIC participation on maternal health outcomes through sustained mentorship, beyond the scope of subgrants;

(5) How the applicant will coordinate opportunities for subgrantees to hear and learn from each other through a structured learning collaborative or other approach that includes regular dialogue between subgrantees; and

(6) How the applicant will liaise with FNS and encourage dialogue between the program and subgrantees to maximize subgrantee exposure to research regarding federal programs and policy.

Objective 3: Dissemination

FNS values making knowledge gained through the research process available and actionable to program administrators, policy makers, program participants, the research community, and the public.

The grantee will develop and maintain a website (this can be part of an existing organizational website) for the subgrant program; prepare, publish, promote, and update overviews of subgrant projects; and synthesize findings into a final summary. Applicants should include a description of the format that their final summary would take (e.g., peer-reviewed manuscript(s), final report) and explain why the proposed approach is appropriate to meet the needs described in this RFA.

FNS encourages proposals that include innovative dissemination strategies and that focus on the translation of research findings into actionable recommendations and useful tools. The Cooperator should develop and maintain a comprehensive strategy to disseminate results of funded subgrant studies through print or electronic methods, including but not limited to, innovative use of web-based communication, social media, infographics, podcasts, newsletters, working papers, dashboards, and webinars.

The Cooperator and subgrantees will be required to participate in a conference, arranged by the grantee, in Washington, DC, (this should include hybrid and virtual options, and should be included as part of Applicant’s budget narratives) to present findings of completed research projects and next steps to sustain lines of inquiry beyond the completion of this award. All costs to attend the conference shall be included in the cooperative agreement and should be specified as part of the subgrants granted to researchers. FNS is not responsible for conference travel arrangements partnership staff or subgrantees.

FNS and the Cooperator will also require subgrant awardees to prepare research overviews of each funded project and supply FNS with a publishable copy for inclusion on the FNS website, in addition to inclusion on the website established and maintained by the Cooperator.

Example Research Question to be addressed through the subgrant award process:

1. What is the prevalence of adverse health conditions or outcomes among WIC participants who are included in the PRAMS data set and how has this changed over time?

2. Does the incidence of adverse health conditions or outcomes among WIC participants included in PRAMS data differ by participant characteristics and documented social determinants (e.g., race, ethnicity, age, location of residence, income)?

3. What is the impact of WIC participation on maternal health outcomes collected and documented through PRAMS data? Is the impact of WIC enhanced or attenuated by participation in other federal programs (e.g., SNAP, Medicaid)?

Key Objectives

Below is a list of the Program Objectives. As noted in Section 4, within the “Activities/Indicators Tracker,” proposed activities should be clearly aligned to these objectives and their associated activities and indicators.

Application proposals must include at least three of the three objectives identified below. Note: If awarded, grantees will be required to report on progress towards activities aligned with the required objective(s) and must use the FNS-908 Performance Progress Report. Carefully considering proposed activities and indicators will prepare grantees for their progress reporting requirements if awarded.

# Objective 1 Initiate and sustain a competitive subgrant program to support small-scale research grants to a diverse group of early career researchers, doctoral candidates, post-doctoral research scholars, and established researchers (“Research Subgrants”)

2 Expand the existing network of researchers collaborating on efforts to understand the role of WIC in addressing maternal morbidity and mortality, including by the development of a mentorship program for subgrantees and other researchers.

(“Supporting the Research Community”)

3 Carry out a comprehensive dissemination plan to ensure that knowledge gained during this evaluation are made available to FNS, subgrantees, the research community, and to the public. (“Dissemination”)

Purpose of Cooperative Agreement

This grant will be awarded in the form of a cooperative agreement. This agreement is a legal instrument reflecting a relationship between the Federal government and the Grantee.

Cooperative agreements allow more FNS involvement and collaboration in the project compared to a typical grant and provide less direction of project activities than a contract. The roles and responsibilities of both the Grantee and FNS will be stated in the Terms and Conditions of the cooperative agreement but are broadly outlined below.

FNS. To the extent practicable, FNS is available to provide technical consultation to the Grantee as needed. FNS will comment on major project aspects and issues in advance of their implementation in a manner and timeframe agreed upon between the Grantee and FNS.

At FNS’s discretion, FNS involvement with the Grantee may include:

1. Providing comments on and having ongoing conversations with the Grantee regarding their plans to meet this RFA’s requirements;

2. Reviewing administration, dissemination, and evaluation (once designed) plans associated with implementing the selected telehealth innovations at WIC agencies funded by this cooperative agreement;

3. Approving the date and time of meetings or conferences;

4. Approving the agendas for meetings or conferences;

5. Reviewing and co-authoring manuscripts;

6. Receiving copies of all Grantee-produced documents (e.g. Final report, peer-reviewed publication upon submission) resulting from this cooperative agreement.

Grantee: For purposes of this RFA, the Grantee is the accredited institution of higher education (college/university) that will be competitively selected based on the merits of its application. The Grantee has overall responsibility for administering the competitive subgrant RFA, awarding and monitoring subgrants, coordinating project implementations, evaluating project success, providing technical and evaluation-based assistance, developing and disseminating deliverables and implementation practices/tools, and reporting to FNS.

The Grantee shall:

1. Select or hire appropriately credentialed personnel to manage and operate project components.

2. Delegate responsibilities to their staff or other partners as appropriate.

3. Conduct appropriate training and provide necessary support for staff, partners, and subgrantees to successfully handle project responsibilities. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

a. providing data on participating WIC State and local agencies and external organizations to FNS,

b. providing subgrantees training and/or consultation on Section 508 compliance to ensure that all documents circulated or published meet Section 508 standards, and

c. coordinating site visits to participating sites for FNS if requested.

4. Keep FNS informed on critical junctures and checkpoints after award of cooperative agreement, including updates to plans that are submitted in preliminary form in the application, as well as plans developed after award of subgrants.

5. Meet specific obligations and approval points as specified by the cooperative agreement (FNS has provided reference review timelines throughout this RFA).

6. Submit timely progress reports, financial reports, and annual reports throughout the award period and submit a final progress report and final financial report.

7. Attend and facilitate grant and subgrant progress meetings.

8. Ensure subgrantees account for project funds separately from Federal food and nutrition assistance administrative funds and establish financial and managerial reporting controls to assure project funds are not commingled or used inappropriately.

The Grantee must establish and maintain documented evidence clearly demonstrating expenditures of project funds are used solely for project purposes.

9. Provide FNS with any data files created and used to generate reports, presentations, and publications resulting from this grant. Such data shall be accompanied with analytic code, source code, output files, and codebooks and other applicable documentation sufficient for FNS to replicate analyses.

10. Carry out all activities necessary to fulfill the items as described in this RFA.

11. Coordinate other grant-related dissemination activities.

12. For internal use and informational purposes, provide FNS with an electronic copy of all documents resulting from this cooperative agreement.

The Grantee shall work cooperatively with FNS to:

1. Within 4 weeks of the start of this cooperative agreement’s period of performance, host a kick-off and project planning meeting where the Grantee will present its proposal and its plan to disseminate the RFA and work with USDA and relevant academic and programmatic partners to form project ideas. Additionally, potential evaluation strategies shall be presented, and the implementation and evaluation framework shall be presented and discussed.

2. Within 6 weeks of the start of this cooperative agreement’s period of performance, submit a project timeline based on the proposal and any changes discussed during the kick-off and project planning meetings.

3. Grantee is expected to set up a project website for communication and dissemination of resources and materials related to this project. All web content must be approved by FNS prior to launch. FNS requires 2 weeks for review and 1 week to approve final website.

4. Two months prior to the scheduled release of the subgrantee RFA, lead a virtual meeting with FNS during which the Grantee presents and explains the subgrant RFA, including the communication plan for the RFA, to FNS.

5. Prior to selection of subgrantees, submit to FNS the proposals and summaries of all proposals submitted and discuss the proposals with FNS. The timeline should allow 2 weeks for FNS to review. At a minimum, summaries shall include the following information: the name of the academic organization and point of contact for the project, the requested award amount, a brief description of the proposed project and data sources, and a subgrant timeline. FNS will approve final selection decisions for the subgrants.

6. Should any subgrant applicants who are not selected request a debrief or explanation, the Grantee is responsible for addressing the request. FNS does not need to review or participate in requests for debriefs. Should the Grantee want FNS to review debrief plans or explanation, the timeline should allow 1 week for FNS review.

7. After subgrantees are selected, publish updated summaries of selected subgrant projects on the public-facing website created for this effort and, upon request, prepare publication material for FNS’s website. Materials related to or intended for use by subgrantees that will be posted on the public-facing website or FNS’s website require FNS’s review and approval.

The timeline should allow 1 week for FNS to review any materials for website posting.

8. Following award of subgrants, host a virtual post-competition project meeting with FNS and the subgrant awardees. This meeting will provide an opportunity for subgrantees to present an overview of their project plans and concepts to FNS and the Grantee, who will provide feedback during this meeting and through subsequent communications.

9. In collaboration with subgrantees, evaluate the overall project being funded by USDA and document the impact, however significant, that the overall project has on understanding the relationship between WIC participation and maternal health outcomes. Applications for this USDA RFA should articulate the proposed approach to developing an evaluation plan for subgrant projects. Other measures, including KPIs, shall be included in the evaluation to capture relevant outcomes and process metrics.

10. Fulfill reporting requirements:

a. Subgrantee reporting requirements: The Grantee shall require that each subgrantee submit quarterly progress reports as part of their subgrant requirements. The Grantee shall submit these subgrantee quarterly progress reports to FNS as well.

Similarly, the Grantee shall require that each subgrantee submit a final report by the end of the subgrantee’s period of performance, and the Grantee shall also submit the subgrantees’ final report to FNS. Final reports shall describe the subgrant projects; the approach to evaluation, including methodology and any guiding theories or framework; results of the implemented projects; and a discussion of strengths, limitations, lessons learned, and possible next steps in dissemination. Final reports must also include an executive summary.

b. Grantee reporting requirements: The Grantee will submit to FNS quarterly progress reports, annual progress reports, and a final report. The Grantee also must submit Subgrantee reports to FNS.

c. In addition to subgrantee progress and final reports, the Grantee shall submit its own quarterly and final report to FNS. Similar to the requirements for subgrantee reports, the Grantee’s final report shall include an executive summary; a summary of the overall project as well as the subgrant projects funded through this RFA; the approach to evaluation, including methodology and any guiding theories or framework; results of the implemented projects; a discussion of strengths, limitations, lessons learned, and recommendations for future research; and next steps for dissemination of project information, results, and materials to various audiences.

11. Host an informational webinar for potential applicants to coincide with the posting of the subgrantee RFA(s) to help inform potential subgrantee applicants, provide answers to questions, and provide details about available technical assistance. Presentation materials for the informational webinar must be reviewed and approved by FNS. Timeline should include 2 weeks for FNS review.

12. Aid subgrantees in identifying, applying for, receiving, securely storing, and using data.

Technical assistance includes, but is not limited to, providing guidance and technical support and, when needed, consult with FNS.

13. Sponsor and coordinate meetings for subgrantee projects. First, a kick-off and planning orientation meeting at the beginning of the cooperative agreement. Last, a closeout session with subgrantees at the project’s completion.

14. Provide FNS with an electronic copy of all dissemination materials (for example, outreach materials and documents, PowerPoint slides, and demonstration and operational versions of applications) resulting from grant and subgrant activity at the time of submission for publication and in final form when published. FNS will provide comments and approval on documentation at FNS discretion. All materials generated by efforts funded through this cooperative agreement must be reviewed and approved by FNS before general distribution.

Information to be published by FNS on the USDA website requires FNS review and clearance.

15. Work collaboratively with the FNS and FNS-sponsored contractors on an as-needed basis to clarify work being accomplished and to participate in any research and evaluation efforts related to WIC and maternal health.

Interim Deliverables

Once awarded, the Grantee will provide quarterly progress reports and financial reports to identified FNS contact persons. The Grantee will also produce an annual report (not to exceed 10 pages) or another agreed upon interim deliverable, suitable for public release, to FNS for publishing on the FNS website. Annual reports will include a description of the focus area, the implemented projects by sub-grantees, and status of implementation and evaluation for that year and, in subsequent years, since the last annual reporting.

Final Deliverable(s) The project description shall address how the findings will be disseminated to program stakeholders and the academic community. At a minimum, the Grantee shall prepare and deliver to FNS one final report, or another agreed-upon deliverable or set of deliverables (e.g., special issue of an academic journal) integrating all the information learned from all work funded by this project in an acceptable format for FNS to circulate publicly (e.g., on the FNS website), and submit at least one peer-reviewed journal article for publication based on research using grant funds. All materials that will be published on FNS’s website must be 508-compliant. Please see http://www.section508.gov/ for more information. FNS recognizes that the journal article may not be published by the end of the grant period, but a submitted draft is required.

FNS reserves the right to utilize, disseminate, or share any deliverables produced with funding under this grant project in accordance with 2 CFR part 200 (including, but not limited to, tools developed by sub-grantees using grant funds).

Meetings In meetings with FNS, the Grantee and subgrantees shall provide an overview of the activities conducted since the last meeting, major accomplishments with completion dates and budget, deviations from the proposed plan, lessons learned and challenges encountered, solutions developed to overcome difficulties, preliminary findings, assistance needed from FNS on technical issues, and major planned activities for the next quarter. Should a major issue arise between meetings, the Grantee shall contact the FNS Grants and Program Officers immediately. Between the start of this cooperative agreement and the awarding of the subgrants (~ the first year of this cooperative agreement), meetings with FNS shall occur at least monthly. The Grantee shall provide FNS with an agenda a minimum 3 business days prior to each call. The Grantee shall also prepare minutes for each call and distribute to FNS no later than 5 business days after the call.

Reports and Products Review All reports and products generated by efforts funded through this cooperative agreement are subject to review and approval by FNS before publication. This includes reviews of communications materials meant for general and WIC audiences, presentations, final reports, and other items. All materials that will be published on FNS’s website or delivered to subgrantees must be Section 508-compliant. Please refer to the following website for more information: http://www.section508.gov/ . The Grantee is responsible for delivering 508-compliant documents to FNS for publication. All deliverables funded by this cooperative agreement must be provided in an acceptable format for FNS to publish on its website and project findings shall be prepared for presentation at one or more national conferences.

Project timelines should factor in FNS review of reports and products as follows:

• Subgrantee RFAs – 2 drafts plus one final required. FNS requires 2 weeks for the first draft, 4 weeks for the second draft, and 1 week for the final.

http://www.section508.gov/ http://www.section508.gov/

• Technical Assistance Materials -- 2 drafts plus one final required. FNS requires 2 weeks to review each draft and 1 week to review the final.

• Project website must be reviewed prior to launch. FNS requires two weeks for review and one week to approve final website. Following website launch, all other materials for website posting require 1 week for FNS review and approval.

• Any communications related materials to be released by or conducted by the Grantee, such as but not limited to press releases, webinars, and presentation materials, require prior FNS review and approval. FNS requires 2 weeks to review a draft and 1 week to approve final materials.

• For any project related reports and products, timelines should allow 2 weeks for items 30 pages or less, and 4 weeks for items greater than 30 pages in length. Timelines should allow for FNS review of two drafts and one final version of all deliverables.

Data and Materials Property The State possesses and retains all right, title, and interest in and to State’s data, and Grantee’s use and possession thereof is solely on the Federal Government’s behalf. The Federal Government possesses and retains all right, title, and interest in and to materials developed as part of this cooperative agreement. All data, records, documents, communications, and other materials developed and used in the performance of this cooperative agreement shall be maintained by Grantee and made accessible for a period of 3 years from the date of final payment under this Agreement, or for such further period as may be necessary to resolve any matters which may be pending.

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

• Total amount of funding expected to award: $1,000,000.00

• Anticipated number of awards: 1

• Minimum award amount (award floor): $1.00

• Maximum award amount (award ceiling): $1,000,000.00

• Anticipated award announcement date: March 2024

• Anticipated period of performance (start and end date of the award): March 2024, not to exceed 4 years and 2 quarters.

• Application due date: February 14, 2024; 11:59 pm

Please note:

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

• 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.

Allowable Costs

Among other allowable costs, budgets may include expenses related to personnel, contractors, and, whether in-person or virtual, FNS-approved meeting, conference, and training travel expenses.

Software and Licensing: Software and licensing costs shall be specified for all years of the project.

Travel: To the extent possible, applicants should limit travel-related expenses and, instead, rely on virtual meeting platforms (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams). When necessary, however, travel expenses are permissible.

Unallowable Costs

All costs proposed in the budget and detailed in the budget narrative must be allowable, reasonable, necessary, and allocable. Refer to 2 CFR Part 200 Subpart E – Cost Principles for a detailed description of all allowable and unallowable costs.

3. Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants

Eligible entities are accredited public and private institutions of higher education (colleges/universities). There shall be a single Grantee, but the Grantee may partner with other organizations through subcontracting to meet RFA requirements.

Entities not meeting this status will be deemed ineligible and removed from competition without further consideration.

• NOTE: Applicants must submit all required information with their application package, including but not limit to, the proposal narrative and budget narrative, to be considered a responsive applicant. Those applicants who fail to submit any required documents or forms will be deemed nonresponsive and therefore ineligible and removed from further consideration.

Cost Sharing or Matching Considerations

• There are no cost sharing or matching requirements. Any matching or cost sharing offered is at the discretion of the applicant.

Pre-Award Screening Requirements

In reviewing…