FY 2021 PTIG Request for Applications.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Fiscal Year 2021 Process and Technology Improvement Grants

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

CFDA#: 10.580

DATES:

RFA Release Date: April 23, 2021

Application Due Date: 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time (EST), June 22, 2021

Award Date: September 2021

OMB BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-0512. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 50 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

II

USDA’s Non-Discrimination Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, USDA, its Mission Areas, agencies, staff offices, employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs).

Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language) should contact the responsible Mission Area, agency, or staff office; the USDA TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY); or the Federal Relay

Service at (800) 877- 8339.

III

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

This application checklist provides a list of the required documents; however the Food and

Nutrition Service (FNS) expects that applicants will read the entire Request for Application

(RFA) prior to the submission of their application.

In order to apply, at least four weeks prior to submission, you must have:

Obtained a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number;

Registered the DUNS number into the System for Award Management (SAM); and, Registered in Grants.gov.

The RFA discusses these requirements in Section II “Federal Award Information” on page 3.

When preparing your application, ensure:

Your application format and narrative meet the requirements included in Section V

“Application and Submission Information.”

o The application should be 25 pages or less, excluding the cover sheet, table of contents, resumes, letter(s) of commitment, letter(s) of endorsement, appendices, and required forms.

o The application includes a line-item budget narrative, formatted in a table.

o Line-item budget and other budget references in the application must be consistent with the SF-424A form.

Application should meet priority requirements outlined in Section I “Program Description” and all necessary attachments.

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

Cost Allocation o If other programs will benefit from this project, the costs supported by the grant will only fund the SNAP aspects of the project.

Personnel o Proposal includes all key employees paid for by the grant.

o Proposal identifies employees by name, position, and title.

o Proposal reflects employees' current yearly salary as a percentage of time to be devoted to the project in full-time equivalents (FTE).

o Fringe benefits: the budget includes fringe benefit amount along with type of benefit and basis for computation.

Travel o Expenses are itemized and explained in the budget narrative. For example:

origination/destination points, number and purpose of trips, number of staff traveling, mode of transportation, and cost of each trip.

o Attendee objectives and travel justifications are included in the budget narrative.

o Basis for lodging estimates are identified in the budget narrative.

Equipment o Equipment costs are justified in the budget narrative.

o Types of equipment, unit costs, and number of items are listed in the budget narrative, along with basis for cost per item.

IV

Supplies o Types of supplies, unit costs, and number of items are listed in the budget narrative, along with basis for cost per item.

Contractual and Consultant Costs o The need for a contractor has been identified in the proposal, and the cost is justified in the budget narrative.

o Applicants that are required to issue a bid have provided a narrative explaining the requirement and provided a reasonable estimate for contractual and consultant costs.

Indirect Cost Information o Either a copy of a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) or, if no agreement exists, the basis of the indirect costs requested. If none requested, please indicate this in the budget narrative.

Other o Any other costs associated with this project are itemized, explained, and reasonable.

As part of the application, applicants must certify:

Grant funds will be used for a new project and will not be used for ongoing costs to carry out an existing project.

No more than 25% of the required grant funds support outreach activities.

The RFA discusses these requirements in Section II “Federal Award Information” on page 3.

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

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

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

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

SF-LLL – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities.

Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire (in Appendix A)

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

FNS-906 – Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire

When applicable, application packages are required to include the following documents:

AD-3030 – Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and Tax Delinquent Status for

Corporate Applicants (fillable PDF in Grants.gov)

All non-profit organizations must include their 501(c)(3) determination letter issued by the

Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Letter(s) of Commitment

Letter(s) of Endorsement

The IRS determination letter, the letter of commitment, and the letter of endorsement are all discussed in Section V “Application and Submission Information” on page 10.

AD-1047 – Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility

Matters Primary Covered Transactions

AD-1048 – Certification Regarding Department, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary

Exclusion Lower Tier Covered Transactions https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-individual-family.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-1047 https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-1048

V

AD-1049 – Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (Grants) Alternative

I – For Grantees Other Than Individuals

AD-1050 – Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (Grants) Alternative

II – For Grantees Who Are Individuals

AD-1052 – Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace State and State Agencies, Federal

Fiscal Year https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-1049 https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-1050 https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-1052

VI

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION

PURPOSE

Fiscal Year 2021 Priorities

II. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

FUNDING AND DURATION

Funding per Award

Type of Award

Procurement Contracts

Allowable Uses of Funds

Restrictions on Funding Use

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

ELIGIBLE ENTITIES

Eligible Applicants

Cost Sharing or Matching

Number of Applications and Partnership Criteria

IV. GRANT FORMS AND REQUIREMENTS

PRE-APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) Number

System for Award Management (SAM)

Grants.gov Registration

How to Submit an Application via Grants.gov

Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

Grants.gov File Name Procedures

Intergovernmental Review

Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire

V. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS

Cover Sheet

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

VII

Racial Equity and Inclusion (New in FY 2021)

Project Narrative

Activities/Indicators Tracker

Note: As mentioned above, please only include as many objectives, activities and indicators as you anticipate having for your project within your Activities/Indicators Tracker tables

1. Project Design (35 points)

2. Organizational Experience, Staff Capability, and Management (15 points)

3. Evaluation (20 points)

4. Budget Appropriateness and Economic Efficiency (30 points)

5. Presentation

6. Bonus Points (up to 9 points total):

LETTERS OF COMMITMENT OR ENDORSEMENT

Letters of Commitment

Letters of Endorsement

APPLICATION DEADLINE

VI. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

DEBRIEFING REQUESTS

VII. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

FEDERAL AWARD NOTICE

ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

Confidentiality of an Application

Conflict Of Interest and Confidentiality of the Review Process

Administrative Regulations

CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND OTHER GOVERNMENT REQUIREMENTS

Government-Wide Regulations

Acknowledge USDA Support

REPORTING

Financial Reporting

Progress Reporting

VIII. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACT

APPENDIX A: GRANT PROGRAM ACCOUNTING SYSTEM & FINANCIAL CAPABILITY

QUESTIONNAIRE

Purpose

VIII

Organization Information

Financial Stability and Quality of Management Systems

Audit Reports and Findings

Applicant Certification

APPENDIX B: DRAFT REPORTING FORM

APPENDIX C: TIPS FOR PROPOSAL WRITERS

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION

Section 11(t) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (Public Law 116-94), as amended, Grants for Simplified Application and Eligibility Determination Systems and Improved Access to

Benefits, authorizes the Food and Nutrition Service Agency (FNS) to annually award up to $5 million* in grants to State agencies; public health, or educational entities; or private nonprofit entities, such as community-based or faith-based organizations, food banks, or other emergency feeding organizations. Grants authorized by Section 11(t), known as Process and Technology

Improvement Grants, allow applicants to “develop and implement supplemental nutrition assistance program simplified application and eligibility determination systems.”

Throughout this Request for Applications (RFA), the term “State agencies” refers to the agencies of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, and Guam that administer SNAP.

*These awards are contingent upon the availability of funds.

PURPOSE

Process and Technology Improvement Grants support efforts by State agencies and their community-based and faith-based partners to develop and implement projects that focus on improving the quality and efficiency of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) operations and processes.

Fiscal Year 2021 Priorities

New for 2021: Projects that advance racial equity and inclusion and/or serve underserved populations such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian

Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities;

lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities;

persons who live in rural areas; elderly persons; Limited English Proficiency (LEP) persons; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality are especially encouraged. While proposals that target these populations are not required, every project, regardless of focus, must analyze how their project will impact racial equity and inclusion.

Please see the requirements for the new Racial Equity and Inclusion section for information on how to conduct this analysis for your proposal.

This grant competition requires applicants to respond to at least one of the following three priority areas and to report qualitative and quantitative data in order to measure meeting the objective(s) associated with those priority area(s).

Proposed project activities should be clearly aligned to at least one of these objective(s) in the new Activities/Indicators Tracker under Section V.

1. Increase the use of human-centered design in SNAP applications and notices

(Objective #1) Proposals targeted towards this priority area will aim to increase the use of human-centered design1 in SNAP applications and notices. Such proposals could include:

Projects that design applications to better meet the needs of SNAP applicants.

o Applications with this approach would be easier to understand, shorter, and more user friendly. They would use plain language and consider common errors, identifying opportunities to improve the user experience.

User testing on notices to better meet participant needs.

User testing, including reviews with both eligibility workers and selected households, to determine new ways to ask application questions that improve clarity, accuracy, and make them easier to complete.

2. Improve preparedness for public health emergency and pandemic response by strengthening virtual and disaster response operations (Objective #2) Proposals targeted towards this priority area will implement projects that improve day to day SNAP operations and increase adaptability and responsiveness of SNAP processes.

Such proposals could include:

Improvements to telephonic interview and signature capabilities.

Development and/or enhancement of mobile responsive websites and online applications.

Development of virtual call centers and enhancement of remote work capabilities for eligibility workers.

Modernization of verification processing such as document imaging, scanning, and categorization software and equipment (such as optical character recognition software, or software to automatically detect document types for upload into client casefiles).

The development of more streamlined options for applicants to submit verification documents remotely. This might include online options such as client portals or secure text messaging and mobile-optimized websites.

Staff training for public health emergency, disaster, and pandemic response.

3. Improve SNAP customer service responsiveness and effectiveness (Objective #3) Proposals targeted towards this priority area should focus on improving SNAP customer service and increasing client access. Such proposals could include:

Modernizing call centers. Such as:

o Increasing the tasks call centers can complete by phone.

o Increasing the ability to handle high call volume and overall responsiveness.

o Improvements to the training of call center staff.

o Improvements to call center equipment that will increase overall effectiveness.

o Engaging in business process improvement efforts.

1 https://methods.18f.gov/about/ https://methods.18f.gov/about/

Increasing effective partnerships with community partners to improve customer service responsiveness and effectiveness.

Collaborating with stakeholders in user testing, focus groups, business process improvement efforts, or other methods to determine ways to improve SNAP customer service.

The examples above are suggestions. FNS welcomes other projects that support these priorities.

FNS also highly encourages applicants to propose innovative ideas to solve both common and unique problems. Proposed activities should clearly align to these priorities/objectives in the

Activities/Indicators Tracker in Section V.

Proposals supporting any of the priority areas above will undoubtedly affect one or more aspects of the SNAP certification process. Proposals must identify how one or more of the following

SNAP processes will be improved as a result of the proposed project:

SNAP Application Intake

SNAP Application Screening

Interview

Verification

Notices

Client Reporting

Recertification

Able Bodied Adult Without

Dependents (ABAWD) screening

FNS is particularly interested in projects in any of the priority areas that take advantage of existing, or create new, public-private partnerships2 (PPPs) to increase food security in a cost-efficient and accountable manner. PPPs that are of particular interest to FNS3 will leverage expertise from outside the public sector to strengthen services to increase access for SNAP clients or test new technologies that benefit both public and private partners. While project proposals that rely on contractors or consultants to fulfill services are acceptable, they are not considered PPPs for purposes of this RFA.

II. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

FUNDING AND DURATION

Process and Technology Improvement Grants are contingent on the availability of funding.

FNS may allocate up to $5 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 for these grants. Submitting a grant proposal does not guarantee funding. FNS reserves the right to use this solicitation and competition to award additional grants in the next fiscal year should additional funds be made available.

2 Public-Private Partnership (PPP) is defined as a long-term contract between a private party and a government entity, for providing a public asset or service, in which the private party bears significant risk and management responsibility. For purposes of this RFA, PPPs do not include service contracts, which are categorized as public procurement projects.

3 Example: the FY20 award for the San Francisco Human Services Agency features a collaboration with a

University of Chicago professor on human-centered design principles.

FNS will award the grants through a competitive process and will notify selected grantees of the grant award no later than September 30, 2021. Grantees may use the grant funds for the duration of the project period, which is expected to be September 30, 2021 through September 30, 2024.

FNS reserves the right to request information on all contractual awards and costs after the award of the grantee’s contract.

Funding per Award

Generally, FNS awards between 6-11 grants annually. The amount of each award is dependent on the availability of funding and the number of awards granted. FNS anticipates that funding per award will likely range from $20,000 to $2,000,000.

Type of Award

FNS will award Process and Technology Improvement Grants in the form of a Federal grant.

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

Procurement Contracts

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

Allowable Uses of Funds

Funds from this RFA are for new projects.

If the activities funded under this grant are part of a larger eligibility system project with total projected costs exceeding $6 million, an Advance Planning Document (APD) must be submitted and approved prior to the expenditure of these grant funds. Guidance on the

APD process is available at www.fns.usda.gov/apd/.

Process and Technology Improvement Grant funded projects may benefit other governmental programs; however, grant funds must only support SNAP’s share of the project costs.

Restrictions on Funding Use

Process and Technology Improvement Grant funds cannot be used for the ongoing cost of carrying out an existing project.

FNS will pre-screen all applications to ensure the applicants are eligible entities and are in compliance with all Program regulations. Projects predicated on waiving SNAP regulations are not allowable. However, if during the grant application period, a State agency determines a waiver is needed, the State may apply for the waiver, though FNS cannot guarantee the waiver will be approved.

Projects may not be devoted toward outreach activities. The drafting or printing of informational materials, pure application assistance, screening/pre-qualifying applicants, or other similar activities cannot be funded by Process and Technology Improvement

Grants.

Pre-award costs will not be awarded for these grant projects.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/apd/

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

ELIGIBLE ENTITIES

Eligible Applicants

The entities eligible to receive grants under this competition are:

The 53 State agencies that administer SNAP4;

State or local governments4;

Agencies providing health or welfare services;

Public health or educational entities; and

Private non-profit entities5 such as community-based or faith-based organizations, food banks, or other emergency feeding organizations.

Note: Any eligible entity that received a Process and Technology Improvement Grant award last fiscal year (FY 2020) is ineligible to apply and receive a PTI grant this fiscal year (FY 2021).

This restriction only applies to the lead entity on the award (i.e. the recipient whose name appears in block 9 of the awarded project’s FNS-529) and not to partner organizations or government agencies on a particular project.

Cost Sharing or Matching

There is no cost sharing or matching required for this grant.

Number of Applications and Partnership Criteria

As noted above, nongovernmental entities may apply for this grant, either individually with consent from the State agency or in partnership with the State agency.

For the purposes of this grant competition, State agencies may submit more than one application each, or enter into more than one partnership. However, if the State submits more than one application, the State must make explicit in each application its relationship to any others. State agencies that submit more than one application should carefully consider the allocation of time stated in each application. State agencies with more than one partner organization may also consider submitting a single application designed to make sub-grants to the partner organizations. Proposals forwarded by any given State agency should request funding for distinct, non-overlapping activities.

4 State agencies and State and local governments should have the necessary approvals of State officials (such as councils or legislatures) of funding prior to submitting the application. Applicants should also acknowledge in their application that all necessary approvals for funding have been obtained.

5 Non-profit organizations are required to submit a copy of the IRS Determination Letter, form 501(c)(3) or proof of application for exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, a list of their Board of Directors if applicable, and their most recent audited financial statements signed by the Treasurer or the Treasurer of the board. Educational entities are also required to submit their most recent financial statements signed by the Treasurer or Treasurer of the board. Applications submitted without these will be considered non-responsive and eliminated from consideration. All corporations, including nonprofit corporations are required to complete the attached representation regarding felony convictions and tax delinquency.

FNS has designed this grant competition to allow State agencies to work in concert with nongovernmental entities that wish to apply for this grant through “Letters of Commitment or

Endorsement.”

IV. GRANT FORMS AND REQUIREMENTS

PRE-APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

In reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, Federal Awarding Agencies, in accordance with 2 CFR 200.400, are required, prior to making a Federal award, to review information available through various OMB-designated (Office of Management and Budget) repositories for eligibility qualification or financial integrity, and to have in place a framework for evaluating the risks posed by applicants before they receive Federal awards. The evaluation of the information obtained from the designated repository systems and the risk assessment may result in FNS imposing special conditions that correspond to the degree of risk assessed. The

Federal repository systems FNS will review include:

1. Dun and Bradstreet is a system where applicants establish a Data Universal Numbering

System (DUNS) number, which the Federal government uses to better identify related organizations that are receiving funding under grants and cooperative agreements, and to provide consistent name and address data for electronic grant application systems. The

Federal government requires that all applicants for Federal grants and cooperative agreements, with the exception of individuals other than sole proprietors, have a DUNS number;

2. The System for Award Management (SAM), the Official U.S. Government system that consolidated the capabilities of Central Contractor Registry (CCR)/FedReg, Online

Representations and Certifications (ORCA), and Excluded Parties List System (EPLS);

3. The Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) is a database that was established to track contractor misconduct and performance;

4. U.S. Department of Agriculture, AD-3030, Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants (if applicable).

5. Do Not Pay (DNP) is a repository to assist Federal agencies detect and prevent improper payments made to vendors, grantees, loan recipients, and beneficiaries.

Some of this information may take days or weeks to complete. Please plan accordingly as applications must be completely submitted in Grants.gov before the application deadline.

Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) Number

In order to submit an application via www.Grants.gov, applicants must have a valid DUNS number and registered in both the SAM and on www.Grants.gov.

Obtaining and Registering a DUNS Number

Please visit the following websites to obtain additional information on how to obtain a DUNS number (https://www.dnb.com/duns-number.html) and register in SAM http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.dnb.com/duns-number.html

(https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/). If your organization does not have a DUNS number or if you are unsure of your organization’s number, you can contact Dun and Bradstreet via the internet at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform or by calling 1-888-814-1435, Monday thru Friday, 8am-9pm EST. There is no fee associated with obtaining a DUNS number. It may take 2-3 business days to obtain a DUNS number.

System for Award Management (SAM)

The System for Award Management (SAM) combines the Federal procurement systems and the

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance into one new system. All applicants must have SAM status at the time of application submission and throughout the duration of a Federal award in accordance with 2 CFR Part 25. For information regarding SAM see the following link:

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/index.jsf

We strongly encourage applicants to begin the process at least 4 weeks before the due date of the grant solicitation. For applicant organizations that were previously registered in the CCR, relevant applicant information is already in SAM; set up a SAM account as necessary to update any information. To register in SAM, the applicant’s DUNS number, Tax ID Number (TIN), and taxpayer name (as it appears on the applicant’s last tax return) are all required. SAM verifies all information submitted by the applicant using several systems. It may take 3-5 business days to register in SAM, however, in some instances, the SAM process to complete the migration of permissions and/or the renewal of the entity record will require 5-7 days or more. Applicants must have a valid SAM registration no later than 3 days prior to the application due date of this solicitation. All applicants must have current SAM status at the time of application submission and throughout the duration of a Federal award in accordance with 2 CFR Part 25.

Applicants that do not receive confirmation that SAM registration is complete and active should contact SAM at: https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/fsdlogin.do.

The General Services Administration created a SAM training. To view the presentation, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmHcKCchaiY. This training will be extremely useful for SAM users that are:

Registering in SAM for the first time;

Setting up user permissions from CCR into the SAM registration (called migrating); or

Updating/renewing CCR record in SAM.

Grants.gov Registration

In order to apply for a grant, your organization must have completed the above registrations as well as register on www.Grants.gov. The Grants.gov registration process can be accessed at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html.

If you are a new user, please ensure that your organization’s E-Business Point-of-Contact (EBiz

POC) has designated you as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). If you are not designated as an AOR, you will be unable to submit your application package through the

Grants.gov web portal.

https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/ http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform https://www.fsd.gov/fsd-gov/fsdlogin.do http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmHcKCchaiY https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/register.html

Generally, the registration process takes between 3-5 business days. The Grants.gov system provides several confirmation notices; applicants should ensure receipt of confirmation that the application was accepted.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html

Please be aware that the Grants.gov system provides several confirmation notices;

applicants should ensure receipt of confirmation that the application was accepted.

Applicants experiencing difficulty submitting applications to Grants.gov should contact the

Grants.gov Applicant Support team noted in Section VIII: Federal Awarding Agency

Contact.

Electronic Signature

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

How to Submit an Application via Grants.gov

Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different webforms within an application. For each RFA, you can create individual instances of a workspace.

For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to:

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

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to:

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

Applicant Support

Grants.gov provides applicants 24/7 support via the toll-free number 1-800-518-4726 and email at support@grants.gov. For questions related to the specific grant opportunity, contact the number listed in the application package of the grant you are applying for.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov Support

Center and get a ticket number. The Support Center ticket number will assist the Center with tracking your issue and understanding background information on the issue.

Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

Online Submission

All applications must be received by 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time, on June 22, 2021. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html mailto:support@grants.gov applicant AOR will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number

(GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application.

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

When FNS successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov, and acknowledges the download of submissions, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgment of receipt of the application to the email address of the applicant with the AOR role. Again, proof of timely submission shall be the official date and time that Grants.gov receives your application.

Applications received by Grants.gov after the established due date for the program will be considered late and will not be considered for funding by FNS.

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

Grants.gov File Name Procedures

All applicants must follow Grants.gov guidance on file naming conventions. To avoid submission issues, please follow the guidance provided in the Grants.gov Frequently Asked

Questions (FAQ): https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html.

File attachment names longer than approximately 50 characters can cause problems processing packages. Please limit file attachment names. Also, do not use any special characters (e.g. & – *

% / # -), this includes periods (.), or spacing followed by a dash in the file name. For word separation, use underscore (example: Attached_File.pdf) in naming the attachments. Please note that if these guidelines are not followed, your application will be rejected. FNS will not accept any application rejected from the Grants.gov portal due to incorrect naming conventions.

Intergovernmental Review

This funding opportunity may be subject to the requirements of EO 12372, “Intergovernmental

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

If you are located within a State that does not have a Special Point of Contact (SPOC), you may send application materials directly to a Federal awarding agency.

For a list of State agency contacts, please visit the Office of Management website at:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SPOC-4-13-20.pdf https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SPOC-4-13-20.pdf

Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire

Applicants must also respond to the Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability

Questionnaire to allow FNS to evaluate aspects of the applicant’s financial stability, quality of management systems, and history of performance, reports, and findings from audits. A questionnaire containing these questions has been provided in Appendix A to facilitate the process. Applicants must answer all the pre-application questions. While answering “yes” may be an indicator of risk, the consideration and evaluation of these questions is only an indicator of potential risk and may or may not result in an additional oversight requirements or special conditions be placed on an award should an award be made. Decisions regarding additional oversight requirements will take into consideration the total number of risks identified.

V. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Applicants may request a paper copy of this solicitation and required forms by contacting the

FNS Grants Officer. Contact information can be found in Section VIII of this RFA.

CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSIONS

The Process and Technology Improvement Grant applications should adhere to the formats and requirements listed in this section.

Additionally, the review committee will evaluate proposals against the criteria below. The project narrative sections include a point value to indicate the importance of each section;

however, reviewers will be evaluating proposals based on all sections regardless of whether point values are provided. FNS has provided a checklist at the beginning of this document to assist applicants in meeting the necessary requirements. Proposals will be scored on the basis of points and can receive up to 109 points. Every proposal must include the following sections: Cover

Sheet, Table of Contents, Executive Summary, Racial Equity and Inclusion, Project Narrative

(including Project Design; Organizational Experience, Staff Capability, and Management;

Evaluation; and Budget Appropriateness and Economic Efficiency), and the Activities/Indicator

Tracker. Details on requirements for each section are described below.

Cover Sheet

The cover page should include the following:

1. Applicant’s name and mailing address;

2. Project title;

3. Project summary (a one to two sentence description of project); and

4. Primary contact’s name, job title, phone number, and e-mail address.

Table of Contents

Proposals must include a table of contents that mirrors the outline included in this section of the

RFA and include relevant topic page numbers.

Executive Summary

The executive summary must include the following:

1. The specific problem that prompted the applicant to submit a Process and Technology

Improvement Grant application;

2. How exactly the project proposed in this grant application solves the problem identified;

3. Identify the State agency and/or eligible entities involved in the project;

4. Amount of funding requested;

5. Which priority area(s)/objective(s) the proposal addresses;

6. Which SNAP processes will be improved by the project; and

7. If the State or applicant has received any FNS grant in the last 3 years.

Note: The executive summary should not exceed one page.

Racial Equity and Inclusion (New in FY 2021)

In addition to improving the quality and efficiency of SNAP operations and processes, PTIGs also present opportunities to address historic inequities through innovative programs and solutions. The new Racial Equity and Inclusion section aligns with USDA’s priorities of advancing equity6 by reducing systemic barriers for the historically underserved and marginalized by improving access for all SNAP clients and applicants.

In alignment with USDA’s priorities, all FY 2021 proposals must (1) clearly outline the project’s potential impacts on racial equity and inclusion; and (2) include analysis of the project’s impacts to specific underserved communities, where relevant.

When completing this section, applicants should consider the following guiding questions and project activity examples. Applicants are not required to submit explicit answers to these questions or incorporate these activities into their proposals, they are only meant to assist in crafting meaningful applications. While all proposals must outline and analyze how their project will impact racial equity and inclusion, they are not required to have significant impact in this area. However, proposals that demonstrate a project’s ability to effect a meaningful impact in this area may be awarded up to 3 bonus points (see Bonus Points).

Guiding questions:

1. How is your organization’s view on racial equity and inclusion incorporated in this project proposal?

2. What forms of diversity (racial, gender, cultural, citizenship status, linguistic, etc.) do you think strengthen the quality of the proposal and why? Does your organization’s leadership and project management team reflect this diversity?

3. How do you propose to draw upon diverse perspectives in the community or field that the proposed work will serve? Did your project design include consultation with members of the group your project intends to serve? What type of consultation?

4. Has your organization had prior success in improving access for an underserved and/or marginalized community? If so, how can lessons learned be applied to this proposal?

6 The term “equity” means the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.

5. What racial equity and inclusion challenges does your organization face?

6. What policies or technologies are in place that may be barriers to meeting the needs of underserved/vulnerable populations in your project area?

7. How will you measure the impact of your proposal on promoting equity in specific communities? What data collection methodologies will be used? Are the data collection methodologies sensitive to the needs of the community they intend to serve?

8. How will the project reduce racial/ethnic disparities in access to SNAP? How will they promote equity?

9. How will racial equity and inclusion efforts extend beyond the project’s period of performance?

Project/Activity Examples:

1. Develop a specific strategy with applicable timelines to increase participation in underserved communities7 with specific and targeted outreach activities and consultation and partnership with representatives and organizations from underserved communities.

2. Reduce technological or process-based barriers to entry for vulnerable populations such as individuals with disabilities, LGBTQ+ persons, and Limited English Proficiency

(LEP) populations.

3. Proposals from Community-Based Organizations and/or faith-based organizations that work directly with and are comprised of members from the community they serve.

4. Assess potential barriers on participation for people of color and other underserved groups and identify a specific plan to minimize barriers on participation for people of color and other underserved groups.

5. Identify a specific strategy to increase equity in the SNAP application process.

6. Utilize analytical demographic data to identify disparities and set goals to eliminate those disparities, instituting racial equity tools to analyze and change policies and practices, and organize internally to build skills and a culture that supports racial equity.

Project Narrative

The project narrative clearly articulates what project the applicant is proposing, how the project will address the specific problem identified by the applicant, and the project’s expected results and/or benefits. The proposed project methodology should describe the project design, address program specific methodology needs, procedures, timetables, monitoring/oversight, and the organization’s project staffing.

The project’s narrative should include the following four sections, in the order presented below:

1. Project Design

2. Organizational Experience, Staff Capability, and Management

3. Evaluation

4. Budget Appropriateness and Economic Efficiency

7 The term “underserved communities” refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, as exemplified by the list in the preceding definition of “equity.”

Activities/Indicators Tracker

Proposed Activities and Indicators measuring success must be mapped to the Program

Objective(s)/priority areas (as described in Section I “Program Description” under Purpose) that you choose. Please use the format below and add additional Activities/Indicators as needed. You are not required to have more than one objective, however for each objective there must be at least one proposed activity and at least one proposed indicator. Additional activities and indicators can be added by adding rows to the sample table below – there is no upper limit, but please note that you will be required to report on these indicators on a quarterly basis, where applicable. Note: Indicators are defined as any metric you anticipate will be able to be tracked during the period of performance of the grant. Please see Appendix B for a sample of what the reporting form will look like and how these activities and indicators will be pulled in in order to help guide you to complete this section.

Objective <enter #>: Must be one of the three objectives from pages 1-3 of the RFA

Proposed Activity 1:

Indicator 1:

Indicator 2:

Proposed Activity 2:

Objective <enter #>: Must be one of the three objectives from pages 1-3 of the RFA

Proposed Activity 1:

Proposed Activity 2:

Indicator 2:

Note: As mentioned above, please only include as many objectives, activities and indicators as you anticipate having for your project within your Activities/Indicators Tracker tables.

1. Project Design (35 points)

Problem Analysis

The proposal clearly defines the problem.

The proposal clearly defines the solution and provides evidence or compelling justification that the proposed project will solve or ameliorate the identified problem.

o The proposal includes a proposed solution that is either innovative, building on strengths of the current SNAP processes, or helps to address ongoing issues that the applicant is encountering in their SNAP activities.

Impact

The proposal clearly quantifies the proposed project’s direct effect on the SNAP certification process and provides measurable evidence that the proposed changes will benefit the applicant, recipient, or caseworkers. For example, proposals may demonstrate impact by measuring time savings or cost savings, listing out the benefit(s) that applicants or participants may experience while going through the application or certification process, the percentage of the caseload that is expected to benefit, or the size of positive impact on a specific population, such as elderly applicants. It is recommended to include these measurable indicators as part of the Activities/Indicators Tracker as mentioned on page 13. The proposal should also include a description of how the project integrates with and supports the State’s current or planned process improvement and/or technology initiatives.

Implementation

The proposal clearly articulates how the applicant will implement this project.

The proposal includes a project timeline that outlines proposed tasks and demonstrates that sufficient time is allotted for each activity.

Sustainability

The proposal shows that the State has a plan for sustaining the project after the grant period of performance ends.

Letters of Commitment or Endorsement

The application includes letters of commitment or endorsement that clearly outline either the State agency’s endorsement or partnership with other entities by following the guidelines found on page 18 of this RFA.

2. Organizational Experience, Staff Capability, and Management (15 points)

Oversight

The proposal describes a plan for effective and consistent oversight by qualified project managers that will be implemented throughout the project.

The proposal includes an organizational chart for the project, including names of key personnel where applicable.

Communication

The proposal includes an internal communication plan.

If applicable, the proposal provides a communication plan for communicating externally with partner organizations.

Staff

The proposal identifies the project director or manager and other key staff.

The proposal includes resumes and proposed project job descriptions that demonstrate that staff have the appropriate technical and experiential backgrounds to implement the project.

If there are staff hired for this project, the proposal includes job descriptions for these positions.

Applicants should address their contingency or back-up plans in the event of key staff departures.

Time Commitment

The proposal identifies key staff and outlines the amount of time key staff will devote to the project, expressed as a percentage of Full Time Equivalents (FTE)

If applicable, the proposal identifies the amount of time key staff will spend managing partnering organizations.

3. Evaluation (20 points)

Evaluation

Please note: While this RFA requires completion of the Activities/Indicators Tracker we also expect the applicant to conduct their own evaluation independent of this reporting to FNS that includes evaluating overall success of the project at completion. The proposed plan should include information from the Activities/Indicators Tracker and should also include additional evaluation elements outlined below, as well as any further criteria proposed by the applicant.

The proposal includes a comprehensive evaluation process that is specific and data-driven and measures whether the problem identified is addressed by the proposed project intervention.

The proposed evaluation plan details who will measure the goals of the project.

The proposed evaluation plan details what criteria will be evaluated and how the applicant will evaluate the criteria.

The proposed evaluation plan details at what intervals during the grant period of performance the evaluation will be conducted.

4. Budget Appropriateness and Economic Efficiency (30 points)

Applications must include…