FY '18 1890 Facilities - FINAL - WC - Feb 6th.pdf

1890 Facilities Grants Program

(1890 FGP)

Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Request for Applications (RFA)

APPLICATION DEADLINE: April 6, 2018

ELIGIBILITY: See Part III, A of RFA

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

AGRICULTURE

1890 FACILITIES GRANTS PROGRAM (1890 FGP)

INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE: This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under 10.500.

DATES: Applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on April 6, 2018.

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 six (6) months from the issuance of this notice. Comments received after that date will be considered to the extent practicable.

STAKEHOLDER INPUT: We at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) seek your comments about this RFA. We will consider your comments when we develop the next RFA for the program, if applicable, and we’ll 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 your written stakeholder comments by the deadline set forth in the DATES portion of this notice via email to Policy@nifa.usda.gov. (This email address is only for receiving comments regarding this RFA and not for requesting information or forms.) In your comments, please state that you are responding to the 1890 Facilities Grants Program (1890

FGP) RFA.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: NIFA requests the submission of a new Five-Year Plan of Work for the 1890 FGP for fiscal years (FYs) 2018 through 2022 for the acquisition and improvement of agricultural and food sciences facilities and equipment, including libraries, so that the 1890 land-grant institutions, including Tuskegee University may participate fully in the development of human capital in the food, agricultural, natural resource and human (FANH) sciences. NIFA anticipates the amount available for support of this program in FY 2018 will be approximately $19 million. This RFA is being released prior to the passage of an Appropriations Act for FY 2018. Enactment of additional Continuing Resolutions or an Appropriations Act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program.

This notice identifies the objectives for 1890 FGP projects, deadline dates, funding information, eligibility criteria for projects and applicants, and application forms and associated instructions needed to apply for an 1890 FGP grant.

mailto:Policy@nifa.usda.gov

Table of Contents

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

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

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding B. Types of Applications C. Project and Grant 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 E. Application Disposition

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 CONTACTS

PART VIII—OTHER INFORMATION

A. Use of Funds; Changes B. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards C. Regulatory Information D. Definitions E. Materials Available on the Internet

PART I—FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority

Pursuant to the authority contained in Section 1447 of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA) [7 U.S.C. 3222b], and reauthorized by Section 7123 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA) (Pub. L. 110-246) grants will be awarded under the Facilities Grants Program to the 1890 land-grant institutions, including Tuskegee University, West Virginia State University, and Central State University (per Section 7129 of Pub. L. 113-79).

B. Purpose and Priorities

The 1890 FGP Program directly aligns with:

• 2014-2018 USDA Strategic Plan Goal 1;

• USDA Research, Economics and Education Action Plan, specifically Goal 6;

• 2014-2018 NIFA Strategic Plan, specifically Strategic Goal 1 Sub-goal 1.7

C. Program Area Description

Facilities awards will be made for the acquisition and improvement of FANH science facilities and equipment, including libraries, so that the 1890 land-grant institutions, may participate fully in the research, extension and education enterprises of the higher education system.

Key Information:

Program Code – LS Program Code Name – Section 1447 Facilities Grants Code of Federal Domestic Assistance - 10.500 Requested Project Types – Facilities Projects Application Deadline - Friday, April 6, 2018

Grant Duration Five (5) years

Award Amount Formula – use 2017 amounts

Number of Applications per Institution

One (1)

Award Limit per Institution One (1)

A Letter of Intent not required for this program.

https://www.ocfo.usda.gov/usdasp/sp2014/usda-strategic-plan-fy-2014-2018.pdf https://www.ree.usda.gov/sites/www.ree.usda.gov/files/2017-08/2016USDA_%20REEProgressReportR2.pdf https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/NIFA%20Strategic%20Plan%20FY2014-FY2018.pdf

PART II—AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funding

The anticipated amount available for the 1890 FGP in FY 2018 is approximately $19 million.

This RFA is being released prior to the passage of an Appropriations Act for FY 2018.

Enactment of additional continuing resolutions or an appropriations Act may affect the availability or level of funding for this program.

NIFA will distribute FGP awards as a formula based on legislation in Section 1444(b)(2)(B) of NAREPTA 7 U.S.C. § 3221(b)(2)(B). Distribution will be as follows: Sixty percent (60%) of grant funds in equal amounts among eligible 1890 institutions, and the remaining forty percent (40%) in accordance with the formula set forth in the legislation.

There is no commitment by USDA to fund any particular application or to make a specific number of awards.

The Automated Standard Applications for Payment System (ASAP), operated by the Department of Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service, is the designated payment system for awards resulting from this RFA. For more information see https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsservices/gov/pmt/asap/asap_home.htm.

B. Types of Applications

In FY 2018, eligible applicants must submit a Five-Year Plan of Work (FY 2018 through FY 2022) as a new application.

New application. This is a project application that has not been previously submitted to the 1890 FGP. All new applications will receive a non-competitive review using the screening for administrative requirements, review panel evaluation of proposals using evaluation criteria and selection process described in Part V—Application Review Requirements.

NIFA may choose to issue a new award on a continuation basis. A continuation award is an award instrument by which NIFA agrees to support a specified level of effort for a predetermined period of time with a statement of intention to provide additional support at a future date, provided that performance has been satisfactory, appropriations are available for this purpose, and continued support would be in the best interest of the federal government and the public.

Applications should be submitted for a five-year period. NIFA anticipates making these awards by providing funding for the initial year and in subsequent years (i.e., the remaining four (4) years) as a continuation. A continuation is an award for which an application is approved, but each year of funding is awarded on an annual basis and subject to the availability of annual appropriations and satisfactory progress. It is expected that subsequent years of the project will be at the same funding level as the first year.

https://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/fsservices/gov/pmt/asap/asap_home.htm

C. Project and Grant Types

1. Project Types

Facilities projects. In FY 2018, eligible applicants should request funding for a Five-Year Plan of Work (POW) based on annual allocations in the amount specified for their institution below. A separate budget for each of the five years and a cumulative budget must be submitted. The POW should show the anticipated use of funds for all the Research, Teaching, and Extension programs over a five-year period. It should include a description of anticipated equipment, land needs, new construction, and renovations of existing facilities. The plan should include general methodology, an estimate of the total funds required per year, and a tentative timetable in which to accomplish the projects. The obligation and expenditure of funds awarded under these grants are limited to equipment, land, and buildings that will be used in the administration and conduct of approved Research, Teaching, and Extension work.

The anticipated FY 2018 distribution will be the same as the FY 2017 distribution:

Institution Amount of Distribution Alabama A&M University $952,994 Tuskegee University, $952,994 University of Arkansas-Pine Bluff $904,541 Delaware State University, $700,653 Florida A&M University, $917,876 Fort Valley State University, $1,003,451 Kentucky State University $1,085,676 Southern University $839,115 University of Maryland-Eastern Shore $806,689 Lincoln University $1,185,482 Alcorn State University $885,957 North Carolina A&T State University $1,120,433 Central State University $1,299,250 Langston University $991,768 South Carolina State University $873,540 Tennessee State University $1,089,533 Prairie View A&M University $1,510,902 Virginia State University $992,573 West Virginia State University $826,073

PART III—ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

Applications may only be submitted by the 19 current 1890 Land-Grant Institutions as identified in legislation – Part I, A.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

NIFA does not require matching support for this program and matching resources will not be factored into the review process as evaluation criteria.

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 information about the pre-award phase of the grant lifecycle see http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html.

New Users of Grants.gov

Prior to preparing an application, we recommend that the Project Director/Principal Investigator (PD/PI) first contact an Authorized Representative (AR) 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 two (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. Part II,1 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide contains detailed information regarding the registration process. Refer to item 2, below, to locate the “NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.”

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/applicants/adobe-software-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/download-application-package.html and enter the funding opportunity number where appropriate.

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-NIFA-EF47-006508.

Click “Search.” On the displayed page, click the corresponding link to continue. A Grant Application Package is tied to a particular funding opportunity. You may submit an application ONLY to the particular funding opportunity to which the Grant Application Package is associated.

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.

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/learn-grants/grants-101/pre-award-phase.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html https://get.adobe.com/reader/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/download-application-package.html

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 (https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html ). Grants.gov assistance is also available at:

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 (see https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants):

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. EST).

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

Electronic applications are to be prepared 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 you need to prepare an application in response to this RFA. If there is discrepancy between the two (2) 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. Grants.gov does not check for NIFA required attachments or whether attachments are in PDF format; see Part III, Section 6.1 of the guide for how to check the manifest of submitted files. Partial applications will be excluded from NIFA review. We will accept subsequent submissions of an application until close of business 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. EST, 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. See Part V, Section 2.18 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/ mailto:support@grants.gov https://grants-portal.psc.gov/Welcome.aspx?pt=Grants mailto:electronic@nifa.usda.gov https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/snow-dismissal-procedures/federal-holidays/

Guide for the required certifications and assurances (e.g., Prohibition Against Entities Requiring Certain Internal Confidentiality Agreements).

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

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

a. Field 7. Project Summary/Abstract.

The summary description shall not exceed 250 and include clearly stated objectives as well as the relevance of the project to the goals of the 1890 FGP. 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.

The Project Narrative shall not exceed fifteen (15) pages of written text and up to five (5) additional pages for figures and tables. Formatting shall be one inch margins, no smaller than 12-point font (Times New Roman or Arial), and 1.5 spacing. We have established this maximum of twenty (20) pages to ensure fair and equitable competition. The Project Narrative must include all of the following:

A thorough description of the acquisition, renovation, and/or construction effort(s) being proposed is required. The effort(s) should be realistic based on time and funding constraints as well as other available resources. The specific required components are:

1. Statement of Need – Clearly describe the Five-Year Plan. In accordance with the recommended funding allocation within each institution, the research, teaching, and extension programs must each receive at least 20 percent of the annual allocation. However, if there are unique situations in your institution which warrant a deviation from these guidelines, we will consider requests for reallocation by the submission of a situation statement. The situation statement should clearly demonstrate the need for the deviation and identify the program(s) that will receive more than 20 percent of the allocation. It should also identify the program(s) that will be affected and demonstrate how they will not be negatively impacted by this decision. The request should be submitted to the National Program Leader (NPL), Agency Contact, as described in Part VII of this Request for Applications (RFA) for approval.

Explain the factors or circumstances which led to your institution’s need for the specific construction, renovation, and/or acquisition activities being proposed. State what advantage will be gained through the proposed facilities. The proposal should be linked to a realistic planning effort for programs in FANH sciences. The proposed objectives and time frame for completing the proposed work should be realistic. Construction projects may have a potential for impacting the environment. At least 30 days prior to the start of any construction or major renovation project, the awardee is required to submit an Environmental Assessment to NIFA for review and approval. No activity should begin on this type of project until NIFA reviews and issues a written approval to begin construction. Please see

Article 4, Section g, of the Special Terms and Conditions for further details regarding National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements.

2. Objectives - Please cite and discuss the specific project objectives to be accomplished.

3. Procedures – Each application must contain a comprehensive description of the proposed construction, renovation, enhancement, and acquisition activity. For construction efforts, include gross square feet of space to be built. In addition, provide assignable square feet of space by function: research, teaching, and extension. Include a detailed description of the procedures that you plan to use in accomplishing project goals in the sequence in which you plan to carry them out.

Include sections that address the following:

• stakeholder involvement in problem identification, planning, implementation, and evaluation;

• proposed project activities, listed sequentially;

• techniques to be employed in this project, including their feasibility and rationale;

• methods for monitoring and documenting progress toward project goals;

• expected results;

• how FANH research, extension, and/or education will be supported via the project;

• plans to communicate results to stakeholders and the public;

• risk assessment of any limitations to project completion.

4. Timetable – Provide a five-year milestone chart for accomplishing each facility objective. Provide a chart that sets forth all major phases of the project, with the beginning and ending dates for each milestone. This should be prepared as a function of time either on a quarterly or semiannual basis.

c. Field 12. Add Other Attachments See Part V. Section 4.12 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide (Field 12 on the form) for instructions regarding mandatory Felony Convictions or Tax Delinquent Status.

While you should use the checklist to check the application for completeness, the application should be checked for the following required item(s) to be attached to this field. The list includes:

• Expected Outcomes Table

• Project Timetables

• Felony Convictions or Tax Delinquent Status

• Current and Pending Support, current Curriculum Vitae (CV), and Conflict of Interest for

PDs and Co-PDs.

This is not an exhaustive list of required items; it only serves to highlight items that may be overlooked.

Include the Budget Justification in this field. See end of Section 6 of this subpart for instructions regarding a budget justification.

Expected Outcomes (PDF Attachment) - Title the attachment “Expected Outcomes” in the document header and save file as “ExpectedOutcomes”. Please use a format, similar to what is provided below, to submit expected impacts and attach it as the last page of the application.

Recommended Format for Submitting Expected Outcomes

Expected impacts during the three (3) year period following the completion of the projects

Expected Number

Number of farmers/community members to be served, for example, provided with training and/or new information regarding markets, technology, production practices, etc.

Number of underrepresented students to be supported Number of female students to be supported Number of faculty to be supported

4. R&R Senior/Key Person Profile (Expanded) Detailed information related to the questions on this form is available in Part V, 5 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide. This section of the guide includes instructions about senior/key person profile requirements, 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. Part V.6 also notes the importance and use of the information.

6. SF-424C Budget

The budget for this funding opportunity is the SF-424C and the instructions for completing the form are included below. Do not use the regular SF-424 R&R Budget form.

Special Note: Submit a separate budget for each year of the five-year plan (i.e., five separate budgets) and a cumulative budget totaling the five years.

Complete Budget Form SF-424C (Construction Programs) in accordance with the instructions provided. Please refer to Part II, Section A for the amount to request for additional funding. The form is available as part of the Application Package; and instructions are provided herein:

Column a. - Enter the total estimated cost of each of the items listed on lines 1 through 16 (as applicable) under "COST CLASSIFICATION."

NOTE: This column is for costs associated with this application, not total project costs.

Line 1 - Enter estimated amounts needed to cover administrative expenses. Allowable legal costs are generally only those associated with the purchases of land which is allowable for Federal participation and certain services in support of construction of the project.

Line 2 - Enter estimated site and right(s)-of-way acquisition costs (this includes purchase, lease, and/or easements).

Line 3 - Enter estimated costs related to relocation advisory assistance, replacement housing, and relocation payments to displaced persons and businesses, etc.

Line 4 - Enter estimated basic engineering fees related to construction (this includes start-up services and preparation of project performance work plan).

Line 5 - Enter estimated engineering costs, such as surveys, tests, soil borings, etc.

Line 6 - Enter estimated engineering inspection costs.

Line 7 - Enter estimated costs of site preparation and restoration which are not included in the basic construction contract.

Line 8 – Enter estimated costs for demolition and removal.

Line 9 - Enter estimated cost of the construction contract.

Line 10 - Enter estimated cost of office, shop, laboratory, safety equipment, etc. to be used at the facility, if such costs are not included in the construction contract.

Line 11 - Enter estimated miscellaneous costs. Any miscellaneous costs must be fully explained and justified in the budget justification.

Line 12 - Total of items 1 through 11.

Line 13 - Enter estimated contingency costs. Contingency costs should not exceed 5% of eligible construction costs.

Line 14 - Enter the total of lines 12 and 13.

Line 15 - Enter estimated program income to be earned during the grant period, e.g., salvaged materials.

Line 16 - Subtract line 15 from line 14.

Line 17 -This block is for the computation of the Federal share. Multiply the total allowable project costs from line 16, column "c." by the Federal percentage share (this may be up to 100 percent; consult Federal agency for Federal percentage share) and enter the product on line 17.

Column. b.- Leave blank.

Column. c.-This is the net of lines 1 through 16 in columns "a." and "b.”

NOTE: Budget Justification: A brief narrative justifying the budget needs to be provided in PDF format. The justification should be included as a supplement to the Budget Form SF-424C.

The Budget Justification should follow a standard spreadsheet format (‘Budget Line Item’ = row;

‘Budget Year’ and ‘Cumulative Project’ = columns) including a detailed, itemized breakdown of each of the line item categories reported on the SF-424C Budget form. This Budget Justification attachment provides a more detailed, itemized breakdown for each budget line item reported on the SF-424C Budget form (Include a description for each requested budget line item found on the SF- 424C Budget form (i.e., total budget amount reported on the SF-424C Budget form should equal the total budget amount reported on the Budget Justification attachment). The Budget Justification is to be included in Field 12 – Other Attachments. See Part IV, B.3.c. of this RFA.

Discuss how the budget specifically supports the proposed project activities. Explain how line-items such as land, structure, architectural budget and engineering fees, site work, etc., are necessary and reasonable to achieve project objectives. Describe how funds from previous (active) 1890 FGP awards will support projects in the 2018 POW. Clearly demonstrate that you have adhered to the Program Office recommended allocation of 20% Research, 20% Teaching, 20% Extension, and 40% allocation to Research, Teaching, or Extension based upon institutional need on an overall 5-year plan basis.

7. Supplemental Information Form

Detailed information related to the questions on this form is available 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 (i.e., enter

“Section 1447 Facilities Grants”) and the program code (i.e., enter “LS”). Note that accurate entry of the program code is very important for proper and timely processing of an application.

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

We recommend that you conduct an administrative review of the application before submission via Grants.gov to ensure that it complies with all preparation instructions. An application checklist is included in Part VII of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide to assist with this review.

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 p.m. Eastern Time on April 6, 2018.

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. We strongly encourage you to provide accurate email 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 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, you should cite this number on all future correspondence.

D. Funding Restrictions

The obligation and expenditure of funds awarded under these grants are limited to equipment, land, buildings and other related costs which are or will be used in the administration and conduct of approved research, teaching and extension activities.

In accordance with NARETPA Section 1447 (e), funds provided for this program may not be used for the payment of any overhead costs of the eligible institutions.

According to the Special Terms and Conditions, grantees are expected to complete work under this grant within the project period specified in the grant award. However, if the grantee needs additional time to complete approved activities, NIFA will consider a request to extend the expiration date of award. Project periods, including extensions, are not normally to exceed ten (10) years.

For each institution, the research, teaching and extension programs must each receive a minimum of 20 percent of the allocation on 5-year plan basis (i.e., 20 percent for research, 20 percent for teaching, and 20 percent for extension). The remaining 40 percent will be allocated to the research, teaching, and/or extension programs based on the institutional priorities. If there are unique situations that warrant a deviation from these guidelines, NIFA will consider requests for reallocation. Such reallocations must be justified by the submission of a situation statement which describes the research, teaching, and extension facilities needs in your institution and how previously available Federal funds were utilized. The situation statement should be inserted into the Project Narrative (Part IV, B.3.b.(i) - Statement of Need).

E. Other Submission Requirements

You should follow the submission requirements noted in Part IV, Section 1.9 in the document entitled “NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.”

For information about the status of a submitted application, see Part III, Section 6 of the NIFA Grants.gov Application Guide.

PART V—APPLICATION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS

A. General

We evaluate each application in a two-part process. First, we screen each application to ensure that it meets the administrative requirements as set forth in this RFA. Second, a technical review panel will evaluate applications that meet the administrative requirements.

We select reviewers based upon their training and experience in relevant scientific, extension, or education fields, taking into account the following factors--the:

• Level of relevant formal scientific, technical education, or extension experience of the individual, as well as the extent to which an individual is engaged in relevant research, education, or extension activities;

• Need to include experts from various areas of specialization within relevant scientific, education, or extension fields;

• Need to include other experts (e.g., producers, range or forest managers/operators, and consumers) who can assess relevance of the applications to targeted audiences and to program needs;

• Need to include experts from a variety of organizational types (e.g., colleges, universities, industry, state and federal agencies, and private profit and non-profit organizations) and geographic locations;

• Need to maintain a balanced composition with regard to ethnicity and gender representation; and

• Need to include reviewers who can judge the effective usefulness of each application to producers and the general public.

After the peer review panel has completed its deliberations, the responsible program staff of the 1890 Facilities Grant program will recommend that your project be approved for support from currently available funds or be returned for modifications.

NIFA program representatives reserve the right to negotiate with the PD/PI and/or with the submitting organization or institution regarding project revisions (e.g., reductions in the scope of work, funding level, period, or method of support) prior to recommending any project for funding.

We will send copies of reviews, not including the identity of reviewers, and a summary of the panel comments to the PD after the review process has been completed.

B. Evaluation Criteria

We will use the evaluation criteria below to review applications submitted in response to this

RFA.

Statement of Need (40 total points):

• Does the project narrative clearly describe the advantages that will be gained from the proposed constructions, renovations, and acquisitions? 20 points

• Are the objectives realistic considering the funding and time constraints? 10 points

• Is the facility proposal linked to a realistic university planning effort for programs in the FANH sciences? 10 points

Procedures (15 total points)

Does the proposal provide a sufficient description of the proposed design construction, renovation, and/or acquisition activities? Are there detailed descriptions of the procedures that will be used to accomplish project goals in the sequence in which you plan to carry them out? 15 points

Budget (35 total points)

• Are the anticipated costs allowable, reasonable and necessary? 10 points

• Has an appropriate justification been provided for each budget item? 10 points

• Within each institution, the research, teaching and extension programs must each receive at least 20 percent of the allocation on 5-year plan bases. The remaining 40 percent may be allocated based on institutional needs for research, teaching, or extension. Is the budget consistent with the above Program Office recommended allocation? 10 points

• Is the budget linked to an overall strategic planning process and have carry-over funds been addressed? 5 points

Timetable (10 total points)

Is the time frame clearly delineated and realistic for the work proposed? Does the timeline demonstrate targeted milestones to allow assessment of progress? Does the timeline provide for contingencies or strategies for dealing with unscheduled delays?

10 points

C. Conflicts of Interest and Confidentiality

During the peer evaluation process, we take extreme care to prevent any actual or perceived conflicts of interest that may impact review or evaluation. See http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/competitive_peer_review.html for further information about conflicts of interest and confidentiality as related to the peer review process.

D. Organizational Management Information

Specific management information relating to an applicant must be submitted one-time, with updates on an as-needed basis. This requirement is part of the responsibility determined prior to the award of a grant identified under this RFA, if such information has not been provided previously under this or another NIFA program. We will provide you copies of forms recommended for use in fulfilling these requirements as part of the pre-award process. Although an applicant may be eligible based on its status as one (1) of these entities, there are factors that may exclude an applicant from receiving federal financial and nonfinancial assistance and benefits under this program (e.g., debarment or suspension of an individual involved or a determination that an applicant is not responsible based on submitted organizational management information).

E. Application Disposition

An application may be withdrawn at any time before a final funding decision is made regarding the application. Each application that is not selected for funding, including those that are withdrawn, will be retained by the 1890 Facilities Grants program for a period of three (3) years.

http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/competitive_peer_review.html

PART VI—AWARD ADMINISTRATION

A. General

Within the limit of funds available for such purpose, the NIFA awarding official shall make grants to those responsible, eligible applicants whose applications are judged most meritorious under the procedures set forth in this RFA. The date specified by the NIFA awarding official as the effective date of the grant shall be no later than September 30 of the federal fiscal year in which the project is approved for support and funds are appropriated for such purpose, unless otherwise permitted by law. The project need not be initiated on the grant effective date, but as soon thereafter as practical so that project goals may be attained within the funded project period.

All funds granted by NIFA under this RFA may be used only for the purpose for which they are granted in accordance with the approved application and budget, regulations, terms and conditions of the award, applicable federal cost principles, USDA assistance regulations, and NIFA General Awards Administration Provisions at 7 CFR part 3430, subparts A through E.

B. Award Notice

The award document will provide pertinent instructions and information including, at a minimum, the information described in 2 CFR 200.210.

See http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/awards/awardterms.html to view current NIFA award terms and conditions.

C. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Several federal statutes and regulations apply to grant applications considered for review and to project grants awarded under this program. These may include, but are not limited to, the ones listed on the NIFA web page – http://nifa.usda.gov/federal-regulations.

NIFA Federal Assistance Policy Guide—a compendium of basic NIFA policies and procedures that apply to all NIFA awards, unless there are statutory, regulatory, or award-specific requirements to the contrary—is available at http://nifa.usda.gov/policy-guide.

D. Expected Program Outputs and Reporting Requirements

The output and reporting requirements are included in the award terms and conditions (see http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/awards/awardterms.html for information about NIFA award terms). If there are any program or award-specific award terms, those, if any, will be identified in the award.

1) Performance Reports:

Awardees of Federal funds are responsible for monitoring day-to-day project performance to ensure that project goals and performance schedules are met, contain costs, and accurately report progress to NIFA. An annual performance report is due in NIFA 90 days after completion of the first 12 months of the initial grant award and annually thereafter during the project period. Please report all work performed during the previous 12-month period, including any http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=70b44cfc44976f4a7742464f7cfbb37e&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1210&rgn=div8 http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/awards/awardterms.html http://nifa.usda.gov/federal-regulations http://nifa.usda.gov/policy-guide http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/awards/awardterms.html funded or unfunded time extensions. The performance report is to be submitted through NIFA’s electronic, Web-based inventory system that facilitates both grantee submissions of project outcomes and public access to information on Federally-funded projects. The details of these reporting requirements are included in the award terms and conditions. Further, the performance report shall not exceed five (5) pages in length and must include the following information:

• A comparison of actual accomplishments against the goals and/or objectives established for the facilities program during the reporting period, including relevant percentage-of-completion data and a computation of square footage costs for all projects undertaken;

• The reason for slippage if approved goals were not met;

• Include additional pertinent information including for example, analysis and explanation of cost overruns or unexpectedly high unit costs. Report and explain any favorable or adverse conditions, changes, or situations which are expected to impact the scope, size, cost, or completion schedule for the project, along with a discussion of proposed or actual actions taken by your institution to resolve any problems encountered;

• A summary of activities to be undertaken during the next 12-month period;

• A listing of architectural, engineering, and construction contracts entered into during this reporting period only for each program component in the following format:

Program Component

Name of Contractor

Proposed Amount

Date Approved by NIFA a.

b.

c.

• A detailed breakdown of all project costs incurred to date (cumulative), in the following format:

Cost Item Federal Share Non-Federal Share (if applicable)

2) Additional Performance Report Emphasis:

Additionally, performance reports should include the following:

A. New Facilities Constructed:

1. Facility Name, Cost, Square Footage, and Funds Leveraged, if any

2. Facility Uses for Teaching, Research and Extension

3. Narrative of Programs Supported and Emphasis Areas

4. Photographs

5. Facility Completion Form

B. Final Building Inspection or Occupancy Permit, Facilities Renovated

1. Facility Name, Cost

2. Facility Uses for Teaching, Research, and Extension

3. Narrative of Programs Supported and Emphasis Areas

4. Photographs

5. Final Building Inspection or Occupancy Permit

C. Major Land Purchases

1. Size and Cost

2. Facility Uses for Teaching, Research, and Extension

3. Photographs of Any Farm Activities

D. Major Laboratory, and Farm Equipment and Miscellaneous

E. Impact Describe how completed constructions, renovations and acquisitions impacted the institution’s programs in FANH sciences (Teaching, Research, and Extension).

PART VII—AGENCY CONTACTS

Applicants and other interested parties are encouraged to contact:

Programmatic Contact –

Edwin Lewis, Ph.D.

National Program Leader Division of Community and Education Institute of Youth, Family and Community Location: 4341 Waterfront Centre

Phone: (202) 690-4565 E-mail: elewis@nifa.usda.gov

Administrative/Business Contact –

Adriene Woodin Branch Chief Awards Management Division Location: 2182 Waterfront Centre

Phone: (202) 401-4320 Email: awoodin@nifa.usda.gov

Garland Robertson Senior Grants Management Specialist Awards Management Division Location: 2160 Waterfront Centre

Phone: (202) 401-4326 Email: Garland.Robertson@nifa.usda.gov mailto:elewis@nifa.usda.gov mailto:awoodin@nifa.usda.gov mailto:Garland.Robertson@nifa.usda.gov

PART VIII—OTHER INFORMATION

A. Use of Funds; Changes

1. Delegation of Fiscal Responsibility

Unless the terms and conditions of the award state otherwise, awardees may not in whole or in part delegate or transfer to another person, institution, or organization the responsibility for use or expenditure of award funds.

2. Changes in Budget or Project Plans

In accordance with 2 CFR 200.308, awardees must request prior approval from NIFA for the following program or budget-related reasons:

(i) Change in the scope or the objective of the project or program (even if there is no associated budget revision requiring prior written approval).

(ii) Change in a key person specified in the application or the federal award.

(iii) The disengagement from the project for more than three (3) months, or a 25 percent reduction in time devoted to the project, by the approved project director or principal investigator.

(iv) The inclusion, unless waived by the federal awarding agency, of costs that require prior approval in accordance with 2 CFR 200 Subpart E—Cost Principles of this part or 45 CFR Part 75 Appendix IX, “Principles for Determining Costs Applicable to Research and Development under Awards and Contracts with Hospitals,” or 48 CFR Part 31, “Contract Cost Principles and Procedures,” as applicable.

(v) The transfer of funds budgeted for participant support costs as defined in §200.75 Participant support costs to other categories of expense.

(vi) Unless described in the application and funded in the approved federal awards, the subawarding, transferring or contracting out of any work under a federal award, including fixed amount subawards as described in §200.332 Fixed amount subawards. This provision does not apply to the acquisition of supplies, material, equipment, or general support services.

(vii) Changes in the approved cost-sharing or matching provided by the non-federal entity.

(viii) The need arises for additional federal funds to complete the project.

The awardee will be subject to the terms and conditions identified in the award. See http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/awards/awardterms.html for information about NIFA award terms.

B. Confidential Aspects of Applications and Awards

When an application results in an award, it becomes a part of the record of NIFA transactions, available to the public upon specific request. Information that the Secretary of Agriculture determines to be of a confidential, privileged, or proprietary nature will be held in confidence to the extent permitted by law. Therefore, any information that the applicant wishes to have considered as confidential, privileged, or proprietary should be clearly marked within the http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=3af89506559b05297e7d0334cb283e24&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1308&rgn=div8 http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/awards/awardterms.html application. We will retain for three (3) years a copy of an application that does not result in an award. Such an application will be released only with the consent of the applicant or to the extent required by law. An application may be withdrawn at any time prior to the final action thereon.

C. Regulatory Information

For the reasons set forth in the final Rule related Notice to 2 CFR Part 415, Subpart C, this program is excluded from the scope of the Executive Order 12372, which requires intergovernmental consultation with state and local officials. Under the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the collection of information requirements contained in this notice have been approved under OMB Document No. 0524- 0039.

D. Definitions

Refer to 7 CFR 3430, Competitive and Noncompetitive Non-formula Financial Assistance Programs--General Award Administrative Provisions, for applicable definitions for this NIFA grant program.

E. Materials Available on the Internet

Stakeholder engagement and feedback is necessary for the continued effectiveness of the 1890

FGP.

In April 2017, an 1890 Facilities workshop was conducted at the National Extension and Research Administrative Officers' Conference (NERAOC). NIFA will continue to engage stakeholders via conference calls, site visits, meetings and conferences. Stakeholder feedback obtained in 2017 will be carefully considered during preparation of the 2018 RFA.

For reference purposes, the current Special Terms and Conditions for the 1890 Facilities Program (May 2017) is available on the NIFA Resource webpage --https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/1890-facilities-program-terms-and-conditions-may-2017 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=2a6f6bfbef4c918616eebe5353d0793c&rgn=div5&view=text&node=7:15.1.12.2.13&idno=7#7:15.1.12.2.13.1.17.2 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&SID=2a6f6bfbef4c918616eebe5353d0793c&rgn=div5&view=text&node=7:15.1.12.2.13&idno=7#7:15.1.12.2.13.1.17.2 https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/1890-facilities-program-terms-and-conditions-may-2017