fy 15 fsma rfa-to post.pdf

National Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program: Regional Center Grants to Enhance Food Safety

FY 2015 Request for Applications

APPLICATION DEADLINE: June 29, 2015

ELIGIBILITY: See Part III, A of RFA

U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE; U.S. DEPARTMENT OF

AGRICULTURE

NATIONAL FOOD SAFETY TRAINING, EDUCATION, EXTENSION, OUTREACH,

AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE COMPETITIVE GRANTS PROGRAM: REGIONAL

CENTER GRANTS TO ENHANCE FOOD SAFETY

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE: This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under 10.328.

DATES: Applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on June 29, 2015 Applications received after this deadline will normally not be considered for funding (see Part IV, C. of this RFA). Comments regarding this request for applications (RFA) are requested within 6 months from the issuance of this notice. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent practicable.

STAKEHOLDER INPUT: National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) seeks your comments about this RFA. We will consider the comments when we develop the next RFA for the program, if applicable, and we will use them to meet the requirements of section 103(c)(2) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7613(c)(2)).

Submit written stakeholder comments by the deadline set forth in the DATES portion of this Notice to: Policy@nifa.usda.gov. (This e-mail address is intended only for receiving comments regarding this RFA and not requesting information or forms.) In your comments, please state that you are responding to the RFA for the National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program: Regional Center Grants to Enhance Food Safety.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: NIFA requests applications for the National Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program: Regional Center Grants to Enhance Food Safety for fiscal year (FY) 2015 to develop and implement a comprehensive food safety training, education and technical assistance program for those affected by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The intention of this program is to begin building an infrastructure that will support a national food safety training, education, extension, outreach, and technical assistance system and provide significant opportunities for funding through subcontracts and for partnerships with eligible stakeholder groups, including community-based and non-governmental organizations. The amount available to support this program in FY 2015 (for the establishment of up to 2 NIFA Regional Centers) is approximately $2.3 million.

In accordance with section 1492 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3371), as added by section 7128 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79), for grants awarded after October 1, 2014, the recipient of an award from the program must provide funds, in-kind contributions, or a combination of both, from sources other than funds provided through such grant in an amount that is at least equal to the amount awarded mailto:Policy@nifa.usda.gov by NIFA. However, because this program is well aligned with the 2014 Research, Education and Economics Action Plan, applicants to this program may be eligible for a waiver of the match requirement (see Part IV, C. for instructions on requesting a waiver).

This RFA identifies the objectives for the National Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program: Regional Center Grants to Enhance Food Safety, the eligibility criteria for applicants, application forms, and associated instructions needed to apply for grants through this program.

http://www.ree.usda.gov/ree/news/USDA_REE_Action_Plan_03-2014.pdf

Table of Contents

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority and Background B. Purpose and Priorities C. Program Area Description

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding B. Types of Applications C. Project Types

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants B. Cost Sharing or Matching

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Electronic Application Package B. Content and Form of Application Submission C. Submission Dates and Times D. Funding Restrictions E. Other Submission Requirements

PART V—APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

A. General B. Evaluation Criteria C. Conflicts of Interest and Confidentiality D. Organizational Management Information

PART VI—AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General B. Award Notice C. Administrative and National Policy Requirements D. Expected Program Outputs and Reporting Requirements

PART VII—AGENCY CONTACT

PART VIII—OTHER INFORMATION

A. Access to Review Information B. Use of Funds; Changes C. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards D. Regulatory Information E. Definitions

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority and Background

On January 4, 2011, President Obama signed the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), which amended the Food and Drug Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. §§ 391 et seq. Section 209 of FSMA added section 1011, Subsection (d) entitled “National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach and Technical Assistance Program”. This program will award competitive grants to organizations to develop and implement food safety training, education, extension, outreach, and technical assistance to owners and operators of small and medium-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small processors, or small fresh fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers. Paragraph (d)(2) requires that the competitive grant program be carried out in accordance with Section 405 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (AREERA). Thus, the authority for the National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program: Regional Centers Grants to Enhance Food Safety is under Section 405 AREERA (7 U.S.C. 7625).

B. Purpose and Priorities

The National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Grant Program: Regional Centers Grants to Enhance Food Safety will award grants that increase the understanding and adoption of established food safety standards, guidance, and protocols.

This program is designed to develop and implement a comprehensive food safety training, education and technical assistance program for those affected by the FSMA. Specifically, this program will address the needs of owners and operators of small and medium-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially disadvantaged farmers, small processors, or small fresh fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers. Grants awarded through this program, to the extent possible, will be carried out in a manner that facilitates the integration of food safety standards and guidance with a variety of agricultural production and processing systems, including conventional, sustainable, organic, and conservation and environmental practices carried out by the eligible entities. The assistance provided by these programs shall be coordinated with and delivered in cooperation with similar services or assistance by other federal agencies or programs serving those eligible entities.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) have joined in a collaborative partnership to administer and manage the National Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program: Regional Center Grants to Enhance Food Safety. This program is designed to develop and implement a comprehensive food safety training, education and technical assistance program for those affected by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The intention of this program is to begin building an infrastructure that will support a national food safety training, education, extension, outreach, and technical assistance system and provide significant opportunities for funding through subcontracts and for partnerships with eligible stakeholder groups, including community-based and non-governmental organizations. The joint program will award competitive grant funds that enable awardees to establish one National Coordination Center and four Regional Centers for Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance. The National Coordination Center will coordinate the overall program, while the Regional Centers will reach out into local communities to work with FSMA audiences across the country. Regional Centers will also coordinate with one another through the National Coordination Center.

NIFA is issuing this RFA to request applications for the establishment of two Regional Centers, one in the Southern Region and one in the Western Region as defined by NIFA’s Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (http://www.sare.org/) for the Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Program. The FDA will issue a separate Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to request applications for the establishment of two Regional Centers, one in the North Central Region and one in the Northeast Region for the Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Program. Although applications for the four Regional Centers will be submitted to separate agencies, FDA and NIFA will work jointly to manage and administer the overall program for the duration of the awards. The Regional Centers will lead, manage, and coordinate the regional development and implementation of food safety training, education, outreach and technical assistance programs for the intended audiences. Project Teams for the Regional Centers will be required to assemble training teams that include representatives from non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations. Training teams are also highly encouraged to include representatives from food hubs, local farm cooperatives, Extension, and others who can address specific needs of the communities they serve.

FDA has previously issued a separate Funding Opportunity Announcement for the National Coordination Center for Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-FD-15-003.html). Under the umbrella of the National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grant Program, jointly managed by FDA and NIFA, the National Coordination Center and the Regional Centers will work together to begin building an effective, seamless and sustainable program that will meet the needs of intended audiences affected by new FSMA guidelines.

This program is well aligned with the NIFA, REE, and USDA Strategic Plans. This program addresses sub-goals 1.6 and 1.7 of Goal 1 - Science: Catalyze exemplary and relevant research, education and extension programs of the NIFA strategic plan:

• 1.6 - Reduce the incidence of food-borne illness and provide a safer food supply; and

• 1.7 - Ensure the development of human capital, communities, and a diverse workforce through research, education, extension and engagement programs in food and agricultural sciences to support a sustainable agriculture system;

The program addresses the 2014 USDA’s Research, Education, and Economics (REE) Action Plan

• Goal 5 – Food Safety (Strategy 5: Develop intervention and control strategies for foodborne contaminants along the food production continuum);

• Goal 6 – Education and Science Literacy (Strategy 4: Provide educational and training opportunities to beginning farmers and ranchers; and Strategy 5: Enhance existing partnerships with land-grant universities and other educational organizations to identify and assist minority producers, beginning farmers, and women producers and remove http://www.sare.org/ http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-FD-15-003.html http://www.nifa.usda.gov/about/pdfs/strat_plan_2014.pdf http://www.usda.gov/documents/usda-ree-science-action-plan.pdf http://www.ocfo.usda.gov/usdasp/sp2014/usda-strategic-plan-fy-2014-2018.pdf program barriers to participation). The program also addresses Objective 4.3 of the USDA Strategic Plan for FY 2014-2018: Protect Public Health by Ensuring Food is Safe.

atension programs of the USDA NIFA an Stakeholder Input

Stakeholder input was solicited from partners and collaborators in land-grant and non-land-grant universities, professional organizations representing food and nutrition, and other federal food safety agencies during a series of formal and informal stakeholder sessions throughout Fiscal Years 2014 and 2015. On-going activities at FDA for developing and finalizing new FSMA guidelines, and the implications for various stakeholder audiences affected by the guidelines, were discussed. Additional stakeholder input is solicited within this RFA, and on-going input will be solicited throughout Fiscal Years 2015 through 2017.

C. Program Area Description

FSMA empowered the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and its Federal food safety partners, to better protect public health, while strengthening the food safety system, by focusing increasingly on preventive food safety measures. FSMA provided FDA with new enforcement authorities not only to focus on prevention but to help contain problems as they occurred. The law also directed FDA to build an integrated national food safety system in partnership with state and local authorities.

To build an integrated national food safety system, new training related to FSMA will need to be available to all produce growers and vendors, to processors, and to merchant wholesalers.

Owners and operators of small and medium-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small food processors, and small fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers frequently have limited access to adequate and affordable food safety training, education, and outreach. Further, they have limited access to the technical assistance that will enable them to implement new food safety guidelines in their respective environments. NIFA, in close collaboration with FDA, will competitively award grants to organizations that develop and implement food safety training, education, extension, outreach and technical assistance to key target audiences, including owners and operators of small and medium-sized farms, small food processors, and small fruit and vegetable vendors affected by FSMA. The program will focus on helping those audiences understand and interpret new Federal food safety guidelines enacted under FSMA, thus enabling them to implement those guidelines in their respective environments and in each of their various agricultural production and processing systems. The intention of this program is to begin building an infrastructure that will support a national food safety training, education, extension, outreach, and technical assistance system and provide significant opportunities for funding through subcontracts and for partnerships with eligible stakeholder groups, including community-based and non-governmental organizations.

Program Area Priorities:

For FY 2015, the National Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program: Regional Center Grants to Enhance Food Safety are expected to describe Regional Centers that have a leading role in coordinating the development and implementation of FSMA-related training, education, and outreach programs and resources for small and medium-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially disadvantaged farmers, small processors, and/or small fresh fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers. An outreach plan for conducting education and training to a cadre of regional FSMA trainers must be developed, along with an implementation plan for extending both training and technical assistance to the targeted audiences of farmers, processors and vendors in the respective regions. The implementation plan must include details about how the project teams will assemble and prepare training teams that are required to include representatives from non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations. The National Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grants Program: Regional Center Grants to Enhance Food Safety program will fund projects that provide significant funding opportunities through subcontracts to or partnerships with eligible stakeholders, including community-based and non-governmental organizations and others who work directly with the target audiences, for the purpose of providing training and outreach to small and medium-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small food processors, and small fruit and vegetable vendors, and for the various production and processing systems. Project teams are highly encouraged to include representatives from Extension, food hubs, local farm cooperatives, and others who can address specific needs of the communities they serve.

Regional Centers for National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Program Area Priority Code – A4182 Program Code Name – Regional FSMA Center Application Deadline – June 29, 2015 Proposed Budget Requests – Budgets for each regional center may not exceed $1,150,000 total, including indirect costs, for project periods of up to 3 years. The program anticipates making up to 2 new awards.

Requested Grant Type – Standard grants Program Area Priority Contacts – Dr. Damanna Ramkishan Rao, ramkishan.rao@nifa.usda.gov; Dr. Jodi Williams, jwilliams@nifa.usda.gov

Applications for the Regional Centers must address all of the following:

• Work collaboratively with the National Coordination Center and other FDA Regional Centers for Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance (http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-FD-15-003.html) to ensure that training curricula and resources cover core competencies across all funded regional centers, and to provide annual updates to NIFA/FDA on overall program accomplishments.

• Demonstrate a capacity to lead, manage, and coordinate the development and implementation of food safety training, education, extension, and outreach programs related to the new FSMA guidelines that can be implemented across a variety of mailto:ramkishan.rao@nifa.usda.gov mailto:jwilliams@nifa.usda.gov http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-FD-15-003.html agricultural production and food processing systems. Training programs should include development and/or adaptation of already-existing curricula, educational materials, teaching tools, background resources, etc. Curricula, materials, and resources must be consistent with FSMA produce safety standards and preventive control requirements for manufacturing, processing, packing, and holding human food. The materials should be individualized (or readily modified) for the various target audiences, processing, and production systems;

• Identify, recruit, and train a network of key individuals within the respective regions who can reach the target audiences at the regional or local levels. This network must include representatives from non-governmental organizations and community-based organizations to ensure participatory capacity building in the local communities and is highly encouraged to include representatives from Extension, food hubs, local farm cooperatives, and others who can address specific needs of the communities they serve.

The Regional Centers will coordinate the network in developing and implementing training, education, extension, outreach, and providing technical assistance throughout communities in their respective localities using curricula, materials, and resources that they develop or adapt from other sources. Curricula, materials, and resources must be consistent with FSMA guidelines. Regional Centers are strongly encouraged to support these training, education, extension, outreach and technical assistance activities through subcontracts or other resource-sharing partnerships with regional or local entities.

• Ensure that training and other activities reach all key target audiences, including small and medium-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small food processors, and small fruit and vegetable vendors, and for the various production and processing systems;

• All applicants must clearly demonstrate a significant partnership with community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations and/or other local entities currently working with the target audiences, which may be accomplished through subcontracts to these groups. Significant partners must be actively involved in the development of educational materials and the implementation of training programs to include the identification, recruitment, and training of local trainers.

• Develop and implement a process for reporting progress to FDA and NIFA through the National Coordination Center. Progress must be reported on an annual basis, but can be reported more frequently if desired; and

Other Requirements

• All applicants must clearly demonstrate a capacity to lead, manage, and coordinate a Regional Center focused on developing and implementing training, education, extension, outreach, and technical assistance related to FSMA produce safety standards and preventive control guidelines for manufacturing, processing, packing, and holding food for the range of target audiences, production, and processing systems;

• Applicants should describe multi-state and multi-institutional projects that involve organizations with knowledge and expertise in working with the various regions and audiences, and with the various production and processing systems;

• Successful applicants will demonstrate significant partnerships and collaborations with eligible stakeholders, including community-based organizations, non-governmental organizations, food hubs, farm cooperatives, Extension, and/or others skilled at working with key target audiences and will document in the application how resources will be shared with these entities to facilitate direct work with the target audiences;

• Applicants should demonstrate that project teams have a strong track record of serving key target audiences, including owners and operators of small and medium-sized farms, beginning farms, socially-disadvantaged farmers, small food processors, and small fruit and vegetable vendors;

• Applicants should demonstrate that projects will work with target audiences to enhance the co-management of food safety, conservation systems, and ecological health;

• Applicants should demonstrate that projects address a variety of agricultural production and processing systems, encompassing conventional, sustainable, organic, and conservation systems; and

• Projects that address/evaluate costs associated with maintaining FSMA-related education, training, and technical assistance beyond the life of the grants are highly encouraged.

This program encourages projects that, where possible, support activities being implemented by the Cooperative Extension System’s eXtension Initiative. This may ensure that project results are widely distributed to a variety of audiences. For detailed guidance on how to partner with eXtension, go to http://create.extension.org/node/2057.

The focus of this grant opportunity is specifically to award competitive grant funds that enable awardees to develop and implement training, education, extension, outreach, and technical assistance related to new FSMA guidelines. Proposals with a focus on research, formal classroom education, or clinical interventions will not be considered for funding.

Post Award Program Management In addition, this grant opportunity has common programmatic conditions in order to execute a seamlessly collaborative program between FDA and NIFA as one national unit. To fulfill this purpose, the following common programmatic terms and conditions will be followed:

• Each Regional Center will develop a communication plan to ensure transparent open communication channels among all Regional Centers, the National Coordination Center, and staff at NIFA and FDA;

• The communication plan must include sharing of all the data pertinent to the activities conducted by the Regional Center, including plans for the development of a sustainable national network for food safety training, education, extension, outreach and technical assistance;

• Active communication among all Regional Centers, the National Coordination

Center, and staff at NIFA and FDA should involve joint meetings through teleconferences, webinars, and/or other mechanisms;

The Regional Centers will work collaboratively with, and seek advice from, the National Coordination Center, FDA and NIFA staff to ensure that training curricula developed and/or adapted will help key target audiences understand and http://create.extension.org/node/2057 implement food safety practices consistent with new FSMA guidelines.

• The Project Director will be responsible for managing all technical and programmatic aspects of the grant and will be responsible for appropriately acknowledging USDA/NIFA support in publications, announcements, news programs, and other media;

• The Project Director and members of the project team will be responsible for attending an annual meeting with staff from NIFA, FDA, Regional Centers, and the National Coordination Center, beginning in the second year of the award, where they will provide updates on project progress, completed training materials or curricula, and any other significant programmatic outputs.

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

The amount available for NIFA support of this program in FY 2015 is approximately $2.3 million. There is no commitment by USDA to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards.

Awards issued as a result of this RFA will have designated the Automated Standard Applications for Payment System (ASAP), operated by the Department of Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service, as the payment system for funds. For more information see http://fms.treas.gov/index1.html.

B. Types of Applications

New application. This is a project application that has not been previously submitted to the National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grant Program: Regional Centers Grants to Enhance Food Safety. We will review all new applications competitively using the selection process and evaluation criteria described in Part V—Application Review Requirements.

C. Project Types

Regional Centers Applications submitted to the National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grant Program: Regional Centers Grant to Enhance Food Safety must describe Regional Centers that have a leading role in coordinating the development and implementation of FSMA-related training, education, Extension, outreach, and technical assistance programs and resources for small and medium-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially disadvantaged farmers, small processors, and/or small fresh fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers. The maximum funding amount for the Regional Centers is $1,150,000 total, including indirect costs, for project periods of up to 3 years.

http://fms.treas.gov/index1.html

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

Applications may be submitted by the following eligible applicants only:

• The Cooperative Extension Service for a U.S. state or territory;

• Non-government organizations and/or community based organizations;

• Organizations representing owners and operators of farms, small food processors, or small fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers that has a commitment to public health and expertise in administering programs that contribute to food safety;

• Federal, State, local, or tribal agencies;

• An institution of higher education (as defined in Section 101(a) of the Higher Education

Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001(a)) or a foundation maintained by an institution of higher education;

• A collaboration of two or more eligible entities.

Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply directly for grant funds provided such organizations are necessary for the conduct of the project. Failure to meet an eligibility criterion by the time of application deadline may result in the application being excluded from consideration or, even though an application may be reviewed, will preclude NIFA from making an award.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

In accordance with section 1492 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3371), as added by section 7128 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79), for grants awarded after October 1, 2014, the recipient of an award from the National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grant Program must provide funds, in-kind contributions, or a combination of both, from sources other than funds provided through such grant in an amount that is at least equal to the amount awarded by NIFA. The matching funds requirement does not apply to grants awarded:

1. To a research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA); or

2. To an entity eligible to receive funds under a capacity and infrastructure program (as defined in section 251(f)(1)(C) of the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994, 7 U.S.C. 6971(f)(1)(C)), including a partner (see Part VIII, E. Definitions for definition of partnership) of such an entity.

3. Non-exempt applicants can request that NIFA waive the match requirement for one year for a particular application where proposed activities are consistent with priorities established by the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board.

Entities eligible to receive funds under a capacity and infrastructure program and exempt from the matching funds requirement include:

a) 1862 Land-grant Institutions, including State Agricultural Experiment Stations receiving funding under the Hatch Act of 1887

b) 1890 Land-grant Institutions

c) 1994 Land-grant Institutions

d) Recipients of Continuing Animal Health and Disease, Food Security, and

Stewardship Research, Education, and Extension Program Funds — Capacity and Infrastructure Program (CIP)

e) Hispanic-Serving Agricultural Colleges and Universities (HSACU)

f) Insular Area Schools Eligible to Receive Funds from the Distance

Education/Resident Instruction Grant Programs

g) Recipients of McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Program Funds

h) Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA) - (for exemption from the new matching requirement, these applications must include NLGCA certification, see instructions for requesting certification at http://www.nifa.usda.gov/form/form.html, and for attaching the certification in Part IV, C. of this RFA)

i) Recipients of funds under a program established under section 1417(b) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3152(b)), including: (1) 1890 Institution Teaching, Research, and Extension Capacity Building Grants Program; (2) Higher Education Challenge Grants Program; (3) Higher Education Multicultural Scholars Program; and (4) Food and Agricultural Sciences National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate Fellowship Grants Program.

j) Individual public or private, nonprofit Alaska Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions of higher education (see 20 U.S.C. 1059d).

A proposal submitted in response to this RFA may indicate that the work will be completed by multiple entities as a collaborative partnership. All partners must have a substantial involvement in the project throughout the life of the project. If a partnership among multiple entities is proposed, the proposal must clearly identify the following:

1) A narrative of each entity’s clearly established role in the project;

2) How each entity involved as a partner on the project will contribute to execution of project objectives, determination of experimental design, development of the project work plan and time table, and submission of collaborative, timely reports; and

3) A comprehensive project budget that reflects each entity’s financial or third party in-kind contribution (see section 2 of 7 CFR 3430 or section 96 of 2 CFR part 200) to the total project budget costs.

If a proposal indicates that the work on the project will be completed by multiple entities as partners, and at least one entity is exempt from the matching requirement under #2 above, the entire project will be exempt from the matching requirement regardless of whether all entities http://www.nifa.usda.gov/form/form.html involved are otherwise exempt. Any partner entity can serve as the lead entity on the project. All partners must be significantly involved in the project.

After proposals have been recommended for award, NIFA will determine if the submitted proposal and proposed division of work reflects substantial involvement of all entities involved.

If a proposal is recommended for award to a lead entity not otherwise exempt from the matching requirement and the proposal does not reflect substantial involvement of at least one partner that is exempt under #2 above, then the matching requirement will apply. Exemption from the matching requirement for an entity not otherwise exempt is limited to the project for which it is a partner.

Waiver of Match - NIFA may waive the matching funds requirement for a recipient for one year with respect to a competitive grant that involves research or extension activities that are consistent with the priorities established by the National Agricultural Research, Education, Extension and Economics Advisory Board for the year involved. To determine whether proposed activities are consistent with the priorities of the NAREEEAB, please refer to the 2014 Research, Education and Economics Action Plan. Instructions for requesting a waiver are included in Part IV, C. of this RFA.

PART IV—APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Electronic Application Package

Only electronic applications may be submitted via Grants.gov to NIFA in response to this RFA.

We urge you to submit early to the Grants.gov system. For an overview of the Grants.gov application process see http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/grant-application-process.html.

New Users of Grants.gov

Prior to preparing an application, we recommend that the PD/PI first contact an Authorized Representative (AR, also referred to as Authorized Organizational Representative or AOR) to determine if the organization is prepared to submit electronic applications through Grants.gov. If not (e.g., the institution/organization is new to the electronic grant application process through Grants.gov), then the one-time registration process must be completed PRIOR to submitting an application. It can take as long as 2 weeks to complete the registration process so it is critical to begin as soon as possible. In such situations, the AR should go to “Register” in the top right corner of the Grants.gov web page (or go to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html) for information on registering the institution/organization with Grants.gov. Item 2. below mentions the “NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.” Part II.1. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide contains additional explanatory language regarding the registration process.

Steps to Obtain Application Package Materials

To receive application materials:

1. You must download and install a version of Adobe Reader compatible with Grants.gov to access, complete, and submit applications. For basic system requirements and download instructions, see http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html. Grants.gov has a test package that will help you determine whether your current version of Adobe Reader is compatible.

2. To obtain the application package from Grants.gov, go to http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html. Under Step 1 click on “Download a Grant Application Package,” and enter the funding opportunity number USDA-NIFA-FSMA-005056 in the appropriate box and click “Download Package.”

From the search results, click “Download” to access the application package.

Contained within the application package is the “NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.”

This guide contains an introduction and general Grants.gov instructions, information about how to use a Grant Application Package in Grants.gov, and instructions on how to complete the application forms.

If you require assistance to access the application package (e.g., downloading or navigating Adobe forms) or submitting the application, refer to resources available on the Grants.gov website (http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-resources.html). Grants.gov assistance is also available at:

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/grant-application-process.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/grant-application-process.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support/technical-support/software/adobe-reader-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-resources.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-resources.html

Grants.gov customer support 800-518-4726 Toll-Free or 606-545-5035

Business Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Closed on federal holidays.

Email: support@grants.gov

Grants.gov iPortal: Top 10 requested help topics (FAQs), Searchable knowledge base, self-service ticketing and ticket status, and live web chat (available 7 a.m. - 9 p.m. ET). Get help now!

Have the following information available when contacting Grants.gov:

• Funding Opportunity Number (FON)

• Name of agency you are applying to

• Specific area of concern

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

You should prepare electronic applications following Parts V and VI of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide. This guide is part of the corresponding application package (see Section A.

of this Part). The following is additional information needed to prepare an application in response to this RFA. If there is discrepancy between the two documents, the information contained in this RFA is overriding.

Note the attachment requirements (e.g., PDF) in Part III section 3. of the guide. ANY PROPOSALS THAT ARE NON-COMPLIANT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS (e.g., content format, PDF file format, file name restrictions, and no password protected files) WILL BE AT RISK OF BEING EXCLUDED FROM NIFA REVIEW. Partial applications will be excluded from NIFA review. We will accept subsequent submissions of an application until 5:00 pm EST on the closing date in the RFA (see Part V, 2.1 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further information).

For any questions related to the preparation of an application, review the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide and the applicable RFA. If assistance is still needed for preparing application forms content, contact:

• Email: electronic@nifa.usda.gov

• Phone: 202-401-5048

• Business hours: Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET, excluding federal holidays.

1. SF 424 R&R Cover Sheet Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 2. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

2. SF 424 R&R Project/Performance Site Location(s) Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 3. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/%23url=2015 mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants mailto:electronic@nifa.usda.gov

3. R&R Other Project Information Form Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 4. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

a. Field 7. Project Summary/Abstract. The summary should also include the relevance of the project to the goals of the National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Competitive Grant Program: Regional Centers to Enhance Food Safety.

See Part V. 4.7 of NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further instructions and a link to a suggested template.

b. Field 8. Project Narrative.

NOTE: The Project Narrative shall not exceed a total of 20 pages of written text with 12 point font regardless of whether it is single- or double-spaced, including all figures and tables. We have established this maximum of 20 pages to ensure fair and equitable competition. Appendices to the Project Narrative are allowed if they are directly germane to the proposed project. Do not add appendices to circumvent the page limit. The Project Narrative must include all of the following:

a. Introduction: Include a clear statement of the long-term goal(s) and supporting objectives of the proposed activities. Summarize the body of knowledge or other past activities that substantiate the need for the proposed project. Describe ongoing or recently completed significant activities that relate to the proposed project including the work of key project personnel. Include preliminary data/information pertinent to the proposed project. In addition, this section should include in-depth information on the following, when applicable:

(1) Estimates of the magnitude of the issues and their relevance to stakeholders.

(2) The role of stakeholders in problem identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation as appropriate.

(3) Reasons for performing the work at the proposing institution.

b. Objectives: All applications must include a statement(s) of specific aims of the proposed effort in clear, concise, complete, and logically arranged terms.

c. Methods: Explicitly state the procedures or methodology you will apply to the proposed effort. This section should include but not necessarily be limited to, descriptions of:

(1) stakeholder involvement in problem identification, planning, implementation and evaluation;

(2) proposed project activities, listed sequentially;

(3) techniques to be employed in this project, including their feasibility and rationale;

(4) expected results;

(5) how extension and education activities will be evaluated;

(6) how data will be analyzed or interpreted;

(7) plans to communicate results to stakeholders and the public;

(8) pitfalls that might be encountered; and

(9) limitations to proposed procedures.

d. Project Timetable: The proposal should outline all important phases as a function of time, year by year, for the entire project, including periods beyond the grant funding period.

c. Field 9. Bibliography & References Cited.

No page limit. Submit as an attachment in PDF format. Title the attachment as “Bibliography & References Cited” in the document header and save file as “BibliographyReferencesCited”.

All work cited in the text should be referenced in this section of the application. All references must be complete, include titles and all co-authors, conform to an acceptable journal format, and be listed in alphabetical order using the last name of the first author or listed by number in the order of citation.

d. Field 12. Other Attachments.

Project Management - PDF Attachment. No page limit.

Provide a brief summary of key staff managing this project, their functions, timelines, accounting procedures (for funds used by the parent organizations and local sites), reporting, percent of time dedicated to this project, time commitment of project staff to other projects, and collaborative efforts with the grantees. For educational and training programs, provide documentation of program coordination with the appropriate local and/or community partners involved. Title the attachment as “Project Management” in the document header and save file as “ProjectManagement”.

4. R&R Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 5. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide. This section of the Guide includes information about the people who require a Senior/Key Person Profile, and details about the Biographical Sketch and the Current and Pending Support, including a link to a suggested template for the Current and Pending Support.

5. R&R Personal Data – As noted in Part V, 6. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide, the submission of this information is voluntary and is not a precondition of award.

6. R&R Budget Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part V, 7. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

Matching. If you conclude that the project meets the criteria for a waiver and wish to seek approval for a waiver (as specified under Part III, B.), a justification should be included in the Budget Narrative. NIFA will consider this justification when ascertaining final matching requirements. NIFA retains the right to make final determinations regarding matching requirements.

For those projects where a waiver is not sought, applications shall include written verification of commitments of matching support (including both cash and fair market value of in-kind contributions) from third parties (non-federal sources) in an amount at least equal to the amount awarded by the Federal government. Written verification means:

(a) For any third party cash contributions, a separate pledge agreement for each donation submitted on Donor Organization letterhead and signed by the authorized representative of the donor organization and the applicant organization, which must include: (1) the name, address, and telephone number of the donor; (2) the name of the applicant organization; (3) the title of the project for which the donation is made; (4) the dollar amount of the cash donation; and (5) a statement that the donor will pay the cash contribution during the grant period.

(b) For any third party in-kind contributions, a separate pledge agreement for each contribution submitted on Donor Organization letterhead and signed by the AR of the donor organization and the applicant organization, which must include: (1) The name, address, and telephone number of the donor; (2) the name of the applicant organization; (3) the title of the project for which the donation is made; (4) a good faith estimate of the current fair market value of the third party in-kind contribution including a basis for the estimate; and (5) a statement that the donor will make the contribution during the grant period.

Summarize on a separate page the sources and the amount of all matching support from outside the applicant organization and place that information in the proposal as part of the Budget Justification attachment (see Field K on the Form R&R Budget).

7. Supplemental Information Form Information related to the questions on this form is dealt with in detail in Part VI, 1. of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

a. Field 2. Program to which you are applying. Enter the program code name (“Regional

FSMA Center”) and the program code (i.e., enter “A4182”).

b. Field 8. Conflict of Interest List. See Part VI, 1.8 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide for further instructions and a link to a suggested template.

C. Submission Dates and Times

Instructions for submitting an application are included in Part IV, Section 1.9 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

Applications must be received by Grants.gov by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on June 29, 2015.

Applications received after this deadline will normally not be considered for funding.

If you have trouble submitting an application to Grants.gov, you should FIRST contact the Grants.gov Help Desk to resolve any problems. Keep a record of any such correspondence.

See Part IV. A. for Grants.gov contact information.

We send email correspondence to the AR regarding the status of submitted applications.

Therefore, applicants are strongly encouraged to provide accurate e-mail addresses, where designated, on the SF-424 R&R Application for Federal Assistance.

If the AR has not received correspondence from NIFA regarding a submitted application within 30 days of the established deadline, contact the Agency Contact identified in Part VII of the applicable RFA and request the proposal number assigned to the application. Failure to do so may result in the application not being considered for funding by the peer review panel. Once the application has been assigned a proposal number, this number should be cited on all future correspondence.

D. Funding Restrictions

NIFA has determined that grant funds awarded under this authority may not be used for:

• General Purpose Equipment – Equipment which does not have a particular scientific, technical, or programmatic purpose. It includes passenger carrying vehicles, typewriters, furniture (tables, chairs, file cabinets, book cases, etc.), copy machines, fax machines, etc;

• Entertainment – Banquets, awards ceremonies, and meals for persons not in a travel status, tickets to shows or sporting events, and alcoholic beverages;

• Incentives – Federal funds may not be used to offer targeted program participants incentives (e.g., fast-food coupons, gift certificates, etc.) to entice participation. This is prohibited under the OMB Guidance;

• Renovation or refurbishment of research, education, or extension space;

• Purchase or installation of fixed equipment in such space;

• Planning, repair, rehabilitation, acquisition, or construction of buildings or…