FY 2019 LRP NOFO_3_26_19_Final.pdf

FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE

Food Assistance Division

Office of Capacity Building and Development

FY 19 Food Assistance Proposal Guidance and Request for Applications

LOCAL AND REGIONAL FOOD AID PROCUREMENT PROGRAM

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

March 26, 2019

This page is left blank intentionally for formatting purposes.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service

Notice of Availability of Funds and Funding Opportunity Announcement for the USDA Local and Regional Food Aid Procurement program

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Request for Application

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: USDA-FAS-10.612-0700-19

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER: 10.612

DATES: Applications must be submitted to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Food Aid Information System (FAIS) by 5:00:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) by May 29, 2019. Applications received after this date and time will not be considered. The USDA Foreign Agricultural Services (FAS) advises Applicants to begin the process early to allow time to address any information technology difficulties that may arise. There will be no exceptions to this application deadline. Please be advised that incomplete applications will not be reviewed. Refer to Part C 3 and Part D 2 for application requirements to make an application considered complete.

Comments regarding this request for applications will be considered to the extent practicable and should be submitted to ppded@fas.usda.gov. Please include “FY19 MGD NOFO” in the subject line of your e-mail. Questions must be received no later than 5:00:00 P.M. EDT May 22, 2019, and responses to questions will be posted on FAIS within three (3) business days.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: FAS is soliciting proposals for the Local and Regional Food Aid Procurement (LRP) program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019. FAS expects to award multiple cooperative agreements under LRP, totaling up to $15 million. Applications for cooperative agreements will be prioritized for the following countries: Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Liberia, Nepal, and Nicaragua. FAS may give preference for funding to eligible entities that have, or are working towards, projects under the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition program (McGovern-Dole).

To fulfill its mandate under the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, as amended by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, FAS will enter into cooperative agreements with eligible organizations to implement field-based projects that improve local or regional procurements of eligible commodities, including strengthening local production to provide development assistance and respond to food crises and disasters in developing countries. FAS proposes these LRP guidelines in accordance with 7 CFR § 1590.

https://apps.fas.usda.gov/fais/public

NEW IN FY19

This year’s proposal submission changes are outlined below:

• Individualized NOFOs for Each Country: This year’s solicitation is an umbrella announcement containing separate NOFOs for each country. Applicants should specify which country/NOFO they are applying to and may submit more than one application. Application instructions, award terms and conditions, scoring criteria, etc. are the same for each NOFO contained in this announcement.

NOFO numbers can be found in Part A 4 and Appendix B.

• Merit and Criteria:

o Please refer to the updated table of Merit and Criteria in Table 1, Part E 1 Criteria.

o Please note that “overall application quality” is a new scored aspect within Merit and

Criteria. Refer to Part E 1.

o FAS will review and score Negative Factors and Positive Factors in FY 19. Please refer to

Part E 6 Negative Factors and Part E 7 Positive Factors. Negative Factors will be scored and can result in a maximum of five points deducted from the Applicant’s overall score.

Positive Factors will be scored and can result in a maximum of five points bonus to the Applicant’s overall score.

o The score of the Project Level Results Framework has been combined with the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) section and the Other Details section has been combined into the Introduction and Strategic Analysis section.

LIST OF ACRONYMS

CFR Code of Federal Regulations CV Curriculum Vitae DUNS Data Universal Number System EMMA Emergency Market Mapping Analysis FAD Food Assistance Division FAIS Food Aid Information System FAO United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization FAS Foreign Agricultural Service FEWS NET Famine Early Warning System Network FFPr Food for Progress FPMA Food Price Monitoring and Analysis Tool FTF Feed the Future FY Fiscal Year GAIN Global Agricultural Information Network GFSS Global Food Security Strategy GDP Gross Domestic Product HGSF Home Grown School Feeding IR Intermediate Results ITSH Internal Transport, Storage, and Handling LRP Local and Regional Procurement M & E Monitoring and Evaluation McGovern-Dole McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program MIFIRA Market Information and Food Insecurity Response Analysis MT Metric Tons NGO Non-Governmental Organization NICRA Negotiated Indirect Cost Recovery Agreement NIFA National Institute of Food and Agriculture NOFO Notice of Funding Opportunity OCBD Office of Capacity Building and Development OMB Office of Management and Budget PER Public Expenditure Review PMP Performance Monitoring Plan PVO Private Voluntary Organization RCT Randomized Control Trial RF Results Framework SAM System for Award Management SCP Structure, Conduct and Performance Framework SF Standard Form

SFHB School Feeding and Humanitarian Branch SO Strategic Objective UN United Nations USAID United States Agency for International Development USDA United States Department of Agriculture USG United States Government WFP World Food Programme

Table of Contents

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. ISSUED BY

2. CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER AND TITLE

3. NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TITLE

4. NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBERS

5. AUTHORIZING AUTHORITY FOR PROGRAM

6. APPROPRIATION AUTHORITY FOR PROGRAM

7. PROGRAM TYPE

8. PROGRAM REGULATIONS

9. PROGRAM OVERVIEW, OBJECTIVES, AND PRIORITIES

10. US GOVERNMENT STRATEGIES

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. AWARD AMOUNTS

2. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

3. EXTENSIONS

4. FUNDING INSTRUMENT

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

2. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

3. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS AND INFORMATION

4. COST SHARE OR MATCHING

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE

2. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

a. Application Format

b. Required Sections and Forms

c. Content Guidance

i. Introduction and Strategic Analysis

ii. Plan of Operation and Activities

iii. Sustainability and Lasting Impact

iv. Procurement Approach

v. Commodity Management

vi. Economic Impact

vii. Organizational Capacity and Staffing

viii. Monitoring and Evaluation

ix. Budget

x. Requirements to be Submitted in the Food Aid Information System (FAIS)

3. UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT (SAM)

4. SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

5. INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

6. FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

7. OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. CRITERIA

2. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

3. REVIEW OF INTEGRITY AND PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

4. ANTICIPATED ANNOUNCEMENT AND AWARD DATE

5. NON-RESPONSIVENESS CRITERIA

6. NEGATIVE FACTORS

7. POSITIVE FACTORS

8. ADDITIONAL FACTORS

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. FEDERAL AWARD NOTICES

2. ADMINISTRATION AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

3. REPORTING

4. PRE-AWARD COSTS

5. NEGOTIATIONS

6. AUDIT COMPLIANCE

7. MONITORING

8. OTHER REQUIREMENTS OF PERFORMANCE

9. PROGRAM INCOME

G. AWARDING AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

1. CONTACT AND RESOURCE INFORMATION

2. HOURS OF OPERATION

3. ADDRESS

4. PHONE, FAX, EMAIL

H. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

2. EXTENSIONS

3. PRIOR APPROVAL

4. PROGRAM INCOME

5. BUDGET REVISIONS

APPENDIX A – APPLICATION CONTENT CHECKLIST

APPENDIX B – COUNTRY SPECIFIC GUIDANCE

BURKINA FASO

CAMBODIA

LIBERIA

NEPAL

NICARAGUA

APPENDIX C – BUDGET SUMMARY

APPENDIX D – BUDGET NARRATIVE INSTRUCTIONS

APPENDIX E – LRP RESULTS FRAMEWORK

APPENDIX F – LOCAL AND REGIONAL PROCUREMENT STANDARD INDICATORS

APPENDIX - G USDA MONITORING AND EVALUATION POLICY

APPENDIX H – COMMODITY PROCUREMENT AND DISTRIBUTION PLAN

TEMPLATE………………………………………………………………………………………….130

APPENDIX I – USDA STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR PUBLIC

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

APPENDIX J – STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR FOREIGN

ORGANIZATIONS………………………………………………………………………………….146

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. Issued By

Foreign Agricultural Service, Office of Capacity Building and Development, Food Assistance Division

2. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number and Title

10.612 USDA Local and Regional Food Aid Procurement Program

3. Notice of Funding Opportunity Title

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE LOCAL AND REGIONAL

FOOD AID PROCUREMENT PROGRAM

4. Notice of Funding Opportunity Numbers

Country-Specific NOFO Numbers USDA-FAS-10.612-0700-19-686 – Burkina Faso USDA-FAS-10.612-0700-19-442 – Cambodia USDA-FAS-10.612-0700-19-669 – Liberia USDA-FAS-10.612-0700-19-367 – Nepal USDA-FAS-10.612-0700-19-524 – Nicaragua

5. Authorizing Authority for Program

The LRP Program is authorized in the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, Title III, Part C, Section 3206, Public Law 110-246, 122 Stat. 1840, 7 U.S.C 1726c, as amended by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Public Law 115-334.

6. Appropriation Authority for Program

Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2019 Public Law 116-6.

7. Announcement Type

New

8. Program Regulations

Awards made within this funding opportunity will be subject to 7 CFR 1590 and 2 CFR 200 as adopted by 2 CFR 400. The regulations (7 CFR § 1590) supporting LRP were issued on July 1, 2016. These regulations are currently being revised in accordance with the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018.

9. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

LRP aims to support development activities to strengthen the capacity of food-insecure developing countries and address the causes of chronic food insecurity. Under LRP, recipients use FAS-provided funds to purchase eligible commodities in developing countries and pay for associated administrative and operational costs related to the implementation of field-based projects in a foreign country pursuant to an agreement with FAS. LRP also supports the consumption of locally or regionally produced food and strengthens local value chains and all associated procurement activities. LRP will focus primarily on development programs, although the regulations also provide for the furnishing of food assistance in the form of an emergency response (7 CFR § 1590.1(a)(2)). Given the role of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as the lead agency in the provision of U.S. emergency humanitarian assistance, any emergency response will be determined in consultation with the USAID Administrator, as provided for in section 3206(b)(2) of the 2008 Farm Bill, as amended, to ensure programs address the highest priority needs only and are not duplicative.

Funds provided by FAS under LRP may be used to provide food assistance in the form of development assistance, emergency response, or both, through a field-based project.

Proposals must demonstrate how the requested amount of funding will achieve the most cost-effective use of the funds in supporting and achieving the key objectives of the proposed project. FAS may give preference for funding to eligible entities that have, or are working towards, projects under McGovern-Dole. Applications will be prioritized for Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Liberia, Nepal and Nicaragua as described in Appendix B.

10. US Government Strategies

Feed the Future and Global Food Security Strategy

The Global Food Security Act of 2016 and corresponding U.S. Government Global Food Security Strategy (GFSS) affirms the United States’ commitment to ending global hunger, poverty, and child malnutrition. Where appropriate, entities are strongly encouraged to align proposed interventions with the objectives found in the GFSS and required to ensure that proposed activities are complementary and not duplicative.

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=4c2c800138711d50775161c3c22e6885&mc=true&node=pt7.10.1590&rgn=div5 http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=4c2c800138711d50775161c3c22e6885&mc=true&node=pt7.10.1590&rgn=div5

USDA Global Food Security Council guidance commits LRP to report on select Feed the Future (FtF) indicators, particularly in the area of nutrition and health, which are identified and defined as standard LRP performance indicators. Four FY 19 LRP priority countries are also GFSS Aligned Countries: Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Liberia, and Nicaragua, and Nepal is a GFSS Target Country. Proposals submitted for these countries should demonstrate contemplated alignment of the proposed LRP activities with GFSS in the country of application. Proposals should describe how and why proposed activities align with GFSS. Proposals that do not align proposed LRP activities with GFSS should demonstrate that alignment was considered and note why LRP objectives would be reached without GFSS alignment.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. Award Amounts

Anticipated Funding: Up to $15,000,000 (total) in FY 19

The Local and Regional Procurement Program anticipates making one to five awards between $2 and $4 million each. All projects in this announcement will be funded subject to availability of appropriated funding. Issuance of this solicitation does not constitute an award or commitment on the part of the U.S. Government (USG) to make awards, nor does it commit the USG to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a concept note or full application.

2. Period of Performance

All awards will be fully funded up front. FAS seeks proposals for up to a three-year implementation period, except if indicated otherwise under Country Specific Guidance.

Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): 10/01/2019 Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): 09/30/2022

3. Extensions Local and Regional Procurement Program awards may be eligible for extensions to their period of performance. Refer to Part H 2 Extensions.

4. Funding Instrument

All awards will be made in the form of cooperative agreements as a result of this solicitation (2 CFR § 200.24). In a cooperative agreement, FAS will be substantially involved throughout the award implementation period. Substantial involvement may include, but is not limited to, the following:

• FAS specifies the manner, method, performance, or timing of the work in an approved work plan;

• FAS review and approval of one stage of work before a subsequent stage may begin during the performance period;

• FAS review and approval of an evaluation plan;

• FAS review and approval of proposed sub-grants and contracts, prior to award;

• FAS participation in the selection and approval of the individuals or organizations that will conduct all required evaluations;

• FAS participation in data collection and analysis for required evaluations and other performance reports;

• FAS approval of an organizational chart identifying the names, roles and responsibilities of all the Applicant’s key personnel and any subsequent changes or absences; and

• FAS provision of specific direction or redirection of the work during the period of performance.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

In accordance with LRP regulations (7 CFR § 1590.3(a)(1)) and 7 USC 1726c, a private voluntary organization, a cooperative, or an intergovernmental organization is eligible to submit an application to become an Applicant under LRP. See 7 CFR 1590.2 for the definition of a private voluntary organization.

2. Eligibility Criteria

a. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) Refer to Part D 3 where SAM requirements are also discussed.

Each Applicant, unless excepted under 2 CFR § 25.110(b) or (c), or has an exception approved by USDA-FAS under 2 CFR § 25.110(d), is required to: (i) be registered in SAM before submitting its application; (ii) provide a valid unique entity identifier in the application; and (iii) continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which the Applicant has an active federal award or an application or plan under consideration by FAS. Applicants without an active SAM registration will be found ineligible and the application will not be considered for funding. All subrecipient organizations must also have active SAM registrations before the subaward is signed.

Applicants must include a valid data universal number system (DUNS) number in the organizational unit section of Block 8 of the SF-424. All subrecipients listed in the proposal must have a current DUNS number. Organizations that do not have a DUNS number can obtain a DUNS number at no cost by using the web-based form available at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. Instructions for registering in SAM can be found at https://www.sam.gov. After initial registration in SAM the Applicant is required to review and update the registration every 12 months from the date of initial registration to ensure the information is accurate.

Applicants registering in SAM are encouraged to register early. The registration process can take approximately four weeks to be completed.

Therefore, registration should be done in sufficient time to ensure it does not impact your ability to meet required submission deadlines.

Effective as of June 2017, you can no longer access the System for Award Management (SAM) using Internet Explorer (IE) Versions older than IE11. You either need to upgrade to an Internet Explorer version of IE11 or higher, or access SAM with another supported browser type (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc.).

Each Applicant must have an active registration in SAM prior to the closing date of the announcement.

b. Debarment and Suspension An entity (including subcontractors, subrecipients and key personnel) will be considered ineligible if the entity has been designated by the United States Government (USG) as debarred or suspended in USG funded procurements or otherwise prohibited by applicable U.S. law or executive order or U.S. policies. FAS will review, inter alia:

i. U.S. State Department, Terrorist Exclusion List:

http://www.state.gov/j/ct/rls/other/des/123086.htm

ii. U.S. Department of Treasury, Specially Designated Nationals List:

http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/SDN- List/Pages/default.aspx

iii. General Services Administration, System for Award Management (SAM):

http://www.sam.gov

iv. All Applicants and subrecipients must comply with the conflict of interest requirements in 2 CFR § 400.2.

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform https://www.sam.gov/ http://www.state.gov/j/ct/rls/other/des/123086.htm http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/SDN-List/Pages/default.aspx http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/SDN-List/Pages/default.aspx http://www.sam.gov/

3. Other Submission Requirements and Information

An Applicant must submit all required sections and forms as listed in Part D 2 b Required Sections and Forms to be considered complete. Incomplete applications will not be considered. There is no limit on the number of applications which an Applicant may submit.

4. Cost Share or Matching

Cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not required for eligibility, but is encouraged to maximize program impacts and engender in-country sustainability.

Applicants must identify and explain any cost sharing in the budget summary and narrative (7 CFR § 1590.4(b)(4)(i)). Applicants should include cost share and in-kind contributions as part of the total award value on the SF-424 and other required budget documents. If an award is made, the Applicant will be responsible for obtaining these resources. Award Applicants shall not procure these resources with FAS funding.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Address to Request Application Package

This NOFO and instructions for submitting the application can be located on the FAIS home page (https://apps.fas.usda.gov/fais/public). This document is also located on Grants.gov at: www.grants.gov. However, your application must be submitted via FAIS. If an Applicant does not have access to the internet or experiences trouble accessing the home page, the Applicant should contact FAS in writing at 1400 Independence Ave. SW Room 4159 Washington, DC 20250 or by calling (202) 720- 2637 between 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. EDT to request the NOFO application and instructions via mail.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

a. Application Format Applications submitted must:

• Be written in English;

• Be written using Times New Roman, 12-point font;

• Be typed on standard 8.5” x 11” sized paper with 1-inch margins;

• Be paginated with each page consecutively numbered;

• Cite source information and/or provide an explanation of the analysis http://www.grants.gov/ undertaken;

• Be submitted in PDF;

• Not exceed eighty-one (81) pages, excluding the cover page and appendices;

and adhering to the following page limit guidelines:

o Introduction: a maximum of one (1) page o Strategic Analysis: a maximum of five (5) pages o Plan of Operations and Activities: a maximum of ten (10) pages1 o Sustainability and Lasting Impact: a maximum of five (5) pages o Procurement Approach: a maximum of five (5) pages o Commodity Management: a maximum of five (5) pages o Economic Impact: a maximum of three (3) pages o Organizational Capacity and Staffing: a maximum of five (5) pages o Monitoring and Evaluation: a maximum of twenty-one (21) pages

• Results Framework: a maximum of five (5) pages

• Indicators: a maximum of four (4) pages

• Evaluation Plan: a maximum of twelve (12) pages o Budget Summary: a maximum of one (1) page o Budget Narrative: a maximum of twenty (20) pages

Note: If an application exceeds the limit for any section, the application will be reviewed, but the review will be restricted to the section’s page limit.

b. Required Sections and Forms Each application must include the following sections and forms to be considered complete:

• Introduction

• Strategic Analysis

• Plan of Operation and Activities o Value Chain Map o Activities Section

• Sustainability and Lasting Impact

• Procurement Approach o Commodity Selection o Commodity Total Calculation o Method of Procurement o Procurement and Distribution Plan o Market Impact Analysis

• Commodity Management

1 Includes Value Chain Map

• Economic Impact

• Organizational Capacity and Staffing o Organizational Chart o Curriculum Vitae o In-Country Registration o Past Performance Records o Audited Financial Statements (if applicable)

• Monitoring and Evaluation o Project-Level Results Framework o Indicators o Evaluation Plan

• Budget o Standard Budget Summary o Budget Narrative o SF-424 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html o Applicant’s most recent approved NICRA agreement

• USDA AD-3030

• USDA AD-3031

• USDA AD-1047 or USDA AD-1048 Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension (depending on organization type)

• USDA AD-1049, USDA AD-1050, or USDA AD-1052 Certificate Regarding

Drug Free Workplace Requirements (depending on organization type)

• SF-424B https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html

• Certification Regarding Lobbying. If paragraph two of the certification applies, then complete and submit the SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying.

• Project-specific commitment letters from anticipated subrecipients (if subrecipients are proposed).

Applications that do not provide the required information outlined within this NOFO will be considered incomplete and will not be considered for funding. All Applicants must refer to and follow the LRP Regulations, 7 CFR § 1590.4, as well as the guidance within this notice.

Further details on submission dates and times can be found in Part D 4. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. An application content checklist can be found in Appendix A.

Applicants should review the FAS guidance for each of these sections, which requires submission as an attachment or data input directly into FAIS. More detailed information on the contents of each section is provided below in Part D 2 c.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/AD_3030_2_0-V2.0.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/AD_3031_1_1-V1.1.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/AD_1047-V1.0.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/AD_1048-V1.0.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/AD_1049-V1.0.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/AD_1050-V1.0.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/AD_1052-V1.0.pdf https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5413566.pdf https://www.gsa.gov/Forms/TrackForm/33144

Please be aware that OMB Memorandum 18-24: Strategies to Reduce Grant Recipient Reporting Burden has been approved. After January 1, 2020, the following forms will need to be completed in SAM on an annual basis and will no longer be required to be submitted as part of your application package:

• USDA AD-3030

• USDA AD-3031

• USDA AD-1047 or USDA AD-1048 Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension (depending on organization type)

• USDA AD-1049, USDA AD-1050, or USDA AD-1052 Certificate Regarding

Drug Free Workplace Requirements (depending on organization type)

• SF-424B https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html

• The Certification Regarding Lobbying. If paragraph two of the certification applies, then complete and submit the SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying.

c. Content Guidance

All LRP proposals must include the following, either entered into FAIS or included as an attachment:

i. Introduction and Strategic Analysis

Provide a one-paragraph summary of the proposed project. The summary should address the duration of the project, estimated total value of the program, number of direct beneficiaries (i.e. number of school age children) and the main focus of the proposed interventions.

This section should explain the strategy behind the proposed method of intervention and describe how the project will implement this strategy. The strategic analysis should:

• Identify the targeted beneficiaries, regions, and specific needs of the targeted population, and the rationale for their selection;

• Explain the state of food security in the targeted region; including access to diverse, nutrition, and quality foods, and a brief description of the capacity of producers, producer organizations, and market linkages in the target region;

• Explain the selection for the local procurement in the target area and reference the value chain and market analysis to support the strategic analysis and how the commodity selection was determined in the context of other school feeding programs in the region or country, and the cultural appropriateness of the local diet, including cultural acceptability;

https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/AD_3030_2_0-V2.0.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/AD_3031_1_1-V1.1.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/AD_1047-V1.0.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/AD_1048-V1.0.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/AD_1049-V1.0.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/AD_1050-V1.0.pdf https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/AD_1052-V1.0.pdf https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5413566.pdf https://www.gsa.gov/Forms/TrackForm/33144

• Explain the working relationship with the Applicant government, the collaboration done to develop the proposed project, and how the project would leverage other development resources to achieve results;

• Describe the current government-supported school feeding programs or school feeding initiatives. Applicants should include information on how the LRP activities will complement the school-feeding programs when relevant. This includes school feeding policies, modalities of cash transfer, and how the LRP program will strengthen the handover strategy to the local Government;

• Identify specific in-country constraints, including potential climate and other environmental risks, that could obstruct the project’s efforts to address the identified needs;

• Provide a realistic assessment of opportunities to link, complement, and leverage USG and other donor funded activities. Please include any current programs, policies, and strategies of other stakeholders (e.g., recipient government, USG, other donors, private sector, etc.) to demonstrate how the proposal would increase the capacity of local and regional food market systems2. World Food Programme (WFP) Applicants should include evidence of collaboration with other United Nations agencies, notably FAO and the Rome-based agencies, and the reporting practice of each agency that documents collaboration with those agencies;

• Method of Educating the Public: State the methods of notifying consumers in the Applicant country of the source of funding for program activities;

• Method of Choosing Beneficiaries: Briefly identify the criteria and methodology used to target the geographic area(s) and the beneficiary group(s).

Criteria and methodology should help to distinguish why some regions or beneficiary groups will receive resources (funds or agricultural products) while others may not. Applicants should consider the following questions when preparing a response:

• Why and with what methodology did the Applicant select the geographic area(s), institutions, and beneficiaries?

• Which sources of information did the Applicant use (i.e. government agency survey, computer database, interviews, assessments, etc.)?

• With whom did the Applicant collaborate to target regions, institutions, and beneficiaries?

2 A food market system is defined as the network of all the activities that take place within the food system between the farm gate and the consumer. This includes processing, wholesaling, retailing, food service, and transportation functions.

• Target Geographic Area: List the targeted geographic areas where the proposed activities will take place; the inclusion of maps for illustration is encouraged and can be uploaded in FAIS as an attachment.

ii. Plan of Operation and Activities

The Plan of Operation must include a list of the activities to be implemented with a brief statement of the objectives to be accomplished and a detailed description of each activity, including the implementation steps and anticipated completion dates.

Applicants should map their activities into the Value Chain Map to demonstrate how each intervention addresses the proposed strategy.

a. Value Chain Map

To demonstrate an understanding of the food system within the target area of intervention, Applicants should map the value chain(s) of proposed commodities. The selection of the commodity for procurement should be shown in the Value Chain Map. The Value Chain Map should be a visual representation (such as: graphic or diagram) and include the following information:

• Types of producers and volumes produced: What type of producer is producing each commodity? Where are they located? Are commodities produced locally, domestically, or imported from neighboring countries?

The Value Chain Map should show approximate current production data of the chosen commodities in the targeted regions. Applicants must demonstrate how the project will consider seasonal fluctuations in agricultural harvests, labor markets, and food commodity prices, including those for the same of like products.

• Input supply: What inputs are important to the production of each commodity? To what degree are they available and used? Please include recent supply (production), demand (consumption), import, and export statistics along with sources (such as USDA GAIN Reports); to support these statements.

• Producer organization: Are producers organized into groups or cooperatives? If so, what is the nature of that organization and what role does it play in the procurement of inputs or marketing of commodities?

• Levels of aggregation: Who handles and trades each commodity in between production and processing and/or end markets? What are the storage and transportation conditions at each level? The map should depict the flow of commodities so that it is clear what percentages of production go through each channel.

• Processing: What processing does this commodity typically undergo?

Are processing facilities centralized or do they occur locally?

• Distribution: What is the nature of distribution? Also, to be discussed in Market Impact Analysis.

• End market use: Who consumes each commodity?

• Governance and Enabling Environment: Governance overlays all levels of the Value Chain Map. Include current laws, regulations, and initiatives that are relevant to the function of the value chain. Please expand on initiatives that are enforced and to what degree do producers avail extension services.

b. Activities Section

The Activities Section is evaluated based on the quality and technical merit of the content submitted, including in-depth description of each activity, and how each activity will be implemented. Applicants should demonstrate how activities will address the needs identified in the Introduction and Strategic Analysis section, including the constraints on smallholder farmers, and how to satisfy the demands of local or regional procurement. Furthermore, this section must detail how these activities will produce the results stated in the project-level Results Framework (RF). Applicants should reference the Value Chain Map in this section to demonstrate how their proposed interventions are targeting leverage points, including economic and social structures, commercial incentives, and social norms and incentives, which will spur behavior and ultimately market change. The activities section should include the following:

• Explain how the project will strengthen the ability of local and regional farmers, community farmer groups, farmer cooperatives and associations, processors, agribusinesses and governments to supply food to school meals programs and or during crises and disasters;

• Describe in detail the project’s targeted interventions, and demonstrate how the project will complement existing efforts in school feeding;

• Describe how the program will incorporate strategies to improve the nutritional status of beneficiaries, and improve access to diverse, nutritional, quality foods. The Applicant must identify all beneficiaries and whether they are children, adolescent girls, mothers, or other adults that will be targeted for improved food security and nutrition as well as improved access to diverse, nutritious, and safe foods;

• This section should distinguish the activities to be implemented by the Applicant from those to be implemented in coordination with other partners. Applicants must provide a brief description of the capacity of all subrecipients and their role in project implementation.

iii. Sustainability and Lasting Impact

Capacity development is an important factor to enhance global food security and long-term self-reliance is key to the success of development program interventions such as LRP. Applicants should explain how proposed activities will be implemented in a manner that ensures sustainability, and how outcomes will be sustained after the project ends. Applicants should include information on their collaboration with the host government and engagement with the private sector, and their efforts to build local capacity and strengthen market linkages for local and regional procurement of commodities. Proposals must include information on any type of capacity-building training. This section should include a handover and exit strategy for the project. Applicants should demonstrate how they will overcome the current barriers and how they will develop buy-in from stakeholders including producer groups, community leaders, school feeding management staff, government officials.

iv. Procurement Approach

Applicants must present a comprehensive description of their approach to procuring requested commodities and illustrate consideration of market impacts and beneficiary needs. This section of the proposal should include:

• Commodity Selection: Applicants should consider activities that will help producers reduce food loss and waste to meet market demand for nutritious and safe food. When selecting a commodity based on the analysis of the value chain, Applicants should provide a clear explanation of how the proposed commodity, when prepared, will address the nutritional and micronutrient deficiencies of the intended beneficiaries. The applicant must explain the intended (per serving) nutritional contributions from the ration such as calories, protein, and key micronutrients that are age appropriate.

The applicant should also demonstrate that the seasonality of the selected commodities has been considered, including verifying that sufficient quantities, and sufficient storage if applicable, will be available at times that align with the school calendar.

• Commodity Total Calculation: The total amount of each commodity needed for the project should be calculated. Please use the following formula to calculate the number of metric tons (MT) needed for each commodity:

MT of each commodity = (G×S×D)/1,000,000

G = grams, per student, per day

S = number of students

D = number of days that the ration is provided

• Method of Procurement: Describe if the requested commodities will be procured directly from local or regional markets or if vouchers will be used to procure the requested commodities. Provide a justification for why the method was chosen. Market analyses of voucher and cash transfer programs should include analysis of the relevant commodity market(s) in the project location, using previous market analyses as references whenever possible.

The analysis should demonstrate that vendors can respond to the increased demand that the cash/voucher project will create, without causing a shortage of the commodities in question and/or causing prices to rise for other low-income consumers who are not part of the project. In order for cash transfer or food voucher projects to work successfully, food supplies in the market must already meet or exceed demand, and a sudden loss in purchasing power, or demand, should be the primary constraint to meeting acute food security needs.

• Procurement and Distribution Plan: Through the Procurement and Distribution Plan, the Applicant should outline the timing of commodity procurement and distribution (or of food vouchers and cash transfers, if applicable). The plan should include dates that are sensitive to seasonal market fluctuations in both procurement and distribution markets. A Procurement and Distribution Plan should be submitted regardless of the procurement modality (see Appendix H for the Procurement and Distribution Plan template).

• Market Impact Analysis: Provide an analysis of the impact of procurement(s) on markets in the location of the commodity origin and distributions in the project implementation area. The analysis should demonstrate that the proposed intervention is unlikely to do discernible economic harm to key market actors, such as producers, buyers, distributors, and consumers, and that the eligible commodities can be procured locally or regionally without a disruptive impact on farmers located in, or the economy of, the target country or any country in the target region. The analysis will also assert that the eligible commodities can be procured without unduly disrupting world prices for agricultural commodities or normal patterns of commercial trade with foreign countries. The section will also reference the sources and methodologies used in completing the market impact analysis. Applicants should also provide a plan for conducting a yearly market study for each year of local and regional procurement of commodities which should identify any potential negative effects, such as unusual changes in commodity prices. More information can be found in Part F 8 Other Requirements.

• Also include the following information:

o Tonnage and packaging of commodity to be purchased as a percentage of the estimated total tonnage produced (in location of origin) and consumed (in location of distribution) to demonstrate Applicant’s understanding of the economic impact of the project. Applicants must demonstrate how the project will consider seasonal fluctuations in agricultural harvests, labor markets, and food commodity prices, including those for same or like products (substitutable commodities);

o Relevant local, regional, and international trading patterns, including trade for further processing of the commodities;

o Issues with competition at different levels of the market system; and o Possible negative impact on stakeholders (e.g., traders, wholesalers, transporters, retailers, local producers, wage laborers, vulnerable non-beneficiaries).

o To assist in developing an analysis, USDA recommends consulting the Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) and, as appropriate, using market assessment tools such as:

MIFIRA, or Market Information and Food Insecurity Response

Analysis;

EMMA, or Emergency Market Mapping and Analysis;

SCP, or Structure, Conduct and Performance Framework;

FPMA, or Food Price Monitoring and Analysis Tool; or other appropriate tools.

v. Commodity Management

All proposed eligible commodities, processed and unprocessed, must be produced or processed within the target country or region, and must satisfy relevant quality, safety, and hygienic standards. Applicants must demonstrate that they have considered how to meet the standards outlined below and have plans or protocols in place to meet them during program implementation. For grains, legumes, and pulses, the commodities must meet national food safety standards. If the country does not have food safety standards, the commodities must adhere to Codex Alimentarius standards, as recommended in the International Code of Practices:

General Principles of Food Hygiene CAC/RCP 1-1969 Rev 4-2003, including Annex Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) System and Guidelines. Food safety activities may include but are not limited to the following:

• For commodities other than grains, legumes, and pulses, the commodities must adhere to Codex Alimentarius standards as recommended in the International Code of Practices: General Principles of Food Hygiene CAC/RCP 1-1969 Rev 4-2003, including Annex Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) System and Guidelines.

• Cereals, groundnuts, tree nuts, or derived food products must be tested for aflatoxins at a government or private laboratory or by an independent inspection company within the region. The maximum acceptable total aflatoxin level is 20 parts per billion.

• Unprocessed commodities must be purchased in the target country or another developing country in the target region. For processed commodities, both processing and production of the primary commodity must take place in the target country or in a developing country in the target region.

• Special Needs and Distribution Methods: Each proposal must include detailed information on special needs and distribution of commodities.

Each text section has a 5,000 maximum character limit in FAIS.

• Transportation and Storage: Applicants must provide a clear description of any port, transportation, storage, and warehouse facilities that would be used with sufficient detail to demonstrate that the facilities would be adequate to handle the requested commodities without undue spoilage or waste, and, in the cases where the Applicant proposes to distribute some or all of the requested commodities, Applicants must provide a clear description of how they would transport commodities from the procurement market to the point at which distribution is made to the beneficiaries (7 CFR § 1590.5(e)(5)).

The Applicant must address inland transportation, handling, and storage (at all levels) of the procured commodities.

• Processing or Packaging: Applicants must provide information on any reprocessing or repackaging of the requested commodities that would occur prior to the distribution. Applicants should indicate if no reprocessing or repackaging of the requested commodities will take place.

• Duty-Free Entry: Applicants must indicate that commodities procured regionally for direct distribution will be imported and distributed free from all customs, duties, tolls, and taxes. Additionally, Applicants must provide information on the action it has taken or will take to ensure that any requested commodities for direct distribution will be imported and distributed free from all customs, duties, tolls, and taxes (7 CFR § 1590.9(a)).

• Applicants should ensure that all the requested information aligns with the timeline and amounts indicated in the Procurement and Distribution Plan, submitted under the procurement approach section (see Appendix H Procurement and Distribution Plan template)

vi. Economic Impact

LRP is expected to maximize the impact of food assistance by realizing results achieved under the USDA Local and Regional Food Aid Procurement Pilot Project during the period of 2009-2012 and documented in an independent evaluation report (http://www.fas.usda.gov/newsroom/local-and-regional-food-aid-procurement-pilot-project-independent-evaluation-report). This includes: cost savings in transport, shipping, and handling; better match between Applicants’ needs and program commodity availability; and time savings between the procurement and delivery of food, which is especially important in emergency situations. The Applicant will also assert that procurement of commodities will not, to the best of its knowledge, unduly impact world prices or normal patterns of commercial trade. If applicable, the plan must provide information on the extent to which any sale or barter of the requested commodities would displace or interfere with any sales that may otherwise be made by the Applicant or any other entity in the target country (Executive Order 12866 and 13563).

To show the summary of the Economic Impact, applications should show the following:

• Timeliness: Applicants must demonstrate timeliness by providing analysis of using the LRP approach instead of actual transoceanic food aid deliveries to the same country, and during the same time period. This analysis should take procurement type, infrastructure, climate conditions, geography (landlocked versus coastal), regulations in procurement locations and http://www.fas.usda.gov/newsroom/local-and-regional-food-aid-procurement-pilot-project-independent-evaluation-report http://www.fas.usda.gov/newsroom/local-and-regional-food-aid-procurement-pilot-project-independent-evaluation-report distribution zones, commodity type, capacity of suppliers, and other relevant factors into consideration.

• Cost Effectiveness: Applicants must provide estimate of cost‐effectiveness by comparing LRP activities (including procurement type) against transoceanic deliveries to the same country matched in time, and by commodity. In generating cost‐effectiveness estimates, Applicants must include the cost of the purchased commodity, ocean freight, and internal transport, storage, and handling (ITSH) for food aid shipments from the United States using USDA commodity and ocean freight costs. Please note that while voucher programs do not incur storage or handling costs, they do involve other costs such as printing, distribution, monitoring, and training which must be taken into account.

vii. Organizational Capacity and Staffing

In a five-page narrative, Applicants must clearly demonstrate organizational capabilities to develop, manage, implement, monitor and report, and provide for accountability and sustainability for the proposed project in the target country. Project management capability and current and past experience in implementing food aid (agriculture, nutrition, or logistics and procurement projects), including experience within the target country, must be included in this narrative.

The five-page narrative should also include information on the staffing plan. The staffing plan should include a brief description of all long-term staff positions and levels of experience. Applicants should propose an overall staffing plan that demonstrates technical and regional/national expertise required for efficient and effective project implementation, administration and management. The staffing plan should be as cost effective as possible. The staffing plan should demonstrate a solid understanding of key technical and organizational requirements and an appropriate mix of skills, while avoiding excessive staffing. FAS may request changes to the final staffing plan during award negotiation or project implementation.

Within the five-page Organizational Capacity and Staffing narrative, Applicants must also identify any subrecipient that would be involved and provide a description of each subrecipient responsibilities and its capability to perform those responsibilities. Subrecipient means a non-Federal entity which receives procured commodities, FAS-provided funds, program income, sale proceeds, or other resources from the Applicant for the purpose of implementing, in the target country, activities described in the agreement, and that is accountable to the

Applicant for the use of such commodities, funds, program income, sale proceeds, or resources. The subrecipient DUNS number should be included in the description. If subrecipients are proposed, project-specific commitment letters should be included. The project-specific commitment letters should be separate attachments beyond the five-page Organizational Capacity and Staffing narrative.

• Organizational Chart (submitted as a separate attachment beyond the five-page Organizational Capacity and Staffing narrative): Applicants must include an appropriate and adequate organizational chart…