FY18 Iowa RFP Final for STC signature 12 05 17.pdf

USDA-NRCS-IA-IPC-18-01

USDA-NRCS, Iowa FY 2018 RFP

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, Iowa State Office; Commodity Credit Corporation

ACTION: NOTICE

Iowa Partners for Conservation (IPC) Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Announcement for Program Funding – IOWA

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.902, 10.903, 10.912, 10.924, 10.931

SUMMARY:

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), an agency under the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), is announcing potential availability of agreements for the purpose of leveraging NRCS resources, addressing local natural resource issues, encouraging collaboration and developing state-and-community-level conservation leadership. Successful applicant proposals must originate from Iowa and focus on conservation issues as noted in Section I (B) of this notice. Collaborative projects that provide on-the-ground support for Iowa NRCS Field Offices are highly encouraged. Research proposals will be returned to the applicant.

NRCS anticipates that the amount available for support of this program in FY 2018 will be up to $3,000,000.00. Proposals are requested from eligible governmental or non- governmental organizations, and institutions of higher learning for competitive consideration of awards for projects between 1 and 5 years in duration.

This notice identifies the objectives, eligibility criteria, and application instructions for projects.

Proposals will be screened for completeness and compliance with the provisions of this notice.

Incomplete and/or noncompliant proposals will be eliminated from competition, and notification of elimination will be sent to the applicant.

DATES:

Proposals may be submitted to NRCS at any time between the posting of this announcement and 5:00 p.m. CDST on January 31, 2018. Proposals in the possession of NRCS will be added to a list of projects ranked for funding consideration throughout FY 2018. Funding decisions will be made by the NRCS Iowa State Conservationist, informed by the ranking list and the availability of funding in the programs whose CFDA numbers are listed above.

PROPOSAL FORMAT:

In addition to the SF-424 documents available on Grants.gov, the 2018 IPC Request for Proposal Template must be used to submit proposals unless written permission is obtained from Iowa NRCS. Proposals over the number of pages available in the template, not including deliverable table, letters of support and federally required forms, will be rejected. Proposals must be New Times Roman, 11 font and be single spaced. Proposals must be divided into the sections as mandated in Section IV B.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Martin Adkins Judy Martinson Assistant State Conservationist - Partnerships Resource Conservationist Natural Resources Conservation Service Natural Resources Conservation Service Neal Smith Federal Building Neal Smith Federal Building 210 Walnut Street, Suite 693 210 Walnut Street, Suite 693 Des Moines, IA 50309-2180 Des Moines, IA 50309-2180 Phone (515) 284-4370 Phone (515) 323-2229 Email martin.adkins@ia.usda.gov Email Judy.Martinson@ia.usda.gov

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Legislative Authority

Conservation Technical Assistance: Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, Public Law 74-76, N/A Stat. N/A, 16 U.S.C 590 a-f.

B. Overview

The purpose of the Iowa Partners for Conservation awards will be to leverage NRCS and partner resources to:

a. Build soil health on cropland.

b. Improve environmental and economic performance of grasslands.

c. Provide habitat for local wildlife species of concern as identified in the Iowa

Wildlife Action Plan.

d. Reduce the net emissions of greenhouse gasses associated with agriculture.

e. Support the Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy.

Emphasis will be placed on projects that:

a. Provide direct technical assistance to agricultural producers through NRCS Field Offices and the NRCS conservation planning process.

b. Build technical capacity of NRCS and partner field conservation employees.

c. Build the capacity of local watershed groups to develop and implement effective projects.

d. Leverage non-Federal and non-government resources to achieve positive natural resources conservation outcomes.

NRCS will accept proposals under this notice for projects not to exceed five years, submitted by eligible entities based in or with substantial operations in Iowa. RESEARCH PROJECTS WILL NOT BE FUNDED. Eligible entities include Indian Tribes, State and local units of government, non-governmental organizations, and institutions of higher learning.

mailto:martin.adkins@ia.usda.gov mailto:Judy.Martinson@ia.usda.gov

Proposals will be screened for completeness and compliance with the provisions of this notice. The NRCS State Conservationist will make the final selections.

II. FUNDING AVAILABILITY

NRCS anticipates that the amount available for support of this program in FY 2018 may be up to $3,000,000.00, although the availability and composition of available funds has not yet been determined.

Approved Iowa Partners for Conservation awards will not exceed 5 years. If the partner is an Institution of Higher Education or a non-profit, and the agreement is a cooperative or contribution agreement, NRCS will cap the amount of indirect costs (in accordance with agricultural appropriations) and will reimburse at 10% of total direct costs in the budget. The organization may claim the unrecovered indirect costs as part of their match.

In the event cooperative awards are used to administer funds, there will be substantial involvement on the part of the NRCS. This would include NRCS collaboration or participation, or close NRCS oversight and control. This may include:

a. Authority to suspend work if specifications or work statements are not met;

b. Review and approval of one stage of work before another may begin;

c. Review and approval of substantive provisions of proposed sub-grants or contracts beyond existing Federal policy;

d. NRCS and recipient collaboration or joint participation;

e. Project monitoring to permit specified kinds of direction or redirection of the work because of interrelationships with and impacts on other projects;

f. Highly prescriptive NRCS requirements that limit recipient discretion;

g. Review and approval of key personnel; or

h. Direct NRCS operational involvement or participation during the activity.

III. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

A. Applicant Eligibility

Applicants must be a federally recognized Indian Tribes, State and local units of government, non-governmental organizations, or institution of higher learning. Applicants for renewal or supplementation of existing projects are eligible to compete with applications for new Federal awards.

B. Matching Funds Requirements

There is a no match requirement for these grants. However, proposals will be evaluated in part on the relative contribution of non-Federal resources to the project. Non-Federal funds may be derived from any combination of cash, non-cash and in-kind sources.

Matching funds must be secured at time of application. Proposals must include written verification of commitments of matching support (including both cash and in-kind contributions) from third parties. Additional information about matching funds can be found at 2 CFR 200.

C. Award Administration

1. Funds will be awarded through types of agreements/grants as appropriate to the project.

2. Section 1240B of the Food Security Act of 1985, 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2, prohibits duplicative payments. Accordingly, direct or indirect payments cannot be made for a practice for which an individual or legal entity has already received funds, or is contracted to receive funds through any USDA conservation program.

D. Activities Limitation and Implementation

Activities supported through these awards will be limited to those which are within authorities of contributing programs administered by the NRCS.

FORMS AND MATERIALS INFORMATION FOR PROPOSALS

All standard forms necessary for submission are posted on the following website:

Grants.gov - Forms Repository. The Iowa supplemental proposal form is available at the Iowa NRCS website:

http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ia/people/partners/?cid=nrcseprd421663.

A. How to Obtain Materials

The announcement for this funding opportunity can be found on the following web sites:

www.grants.gov and the Iowa NRCS website http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ia/people/partners/?cid=nrcseprd421663.

B. Content and Format

The applicant must have access to Adobe software. A free version of Adobe Reader is available for downloading at https://get.adobe.com/reader/, however, the applicant should be aware that this version has limited function and Iowa NRCS does not guarantee that it will meet the applicant needs in submitting this application.

1. Completed USDA/NRCS forms AND the Iowa IPC Request for Proposal template must to submitted electronically to Martin Adkins at martin.adkins@ia.usda.gov and to Judy Martinson at judy.martinson@ia.usda.gov. Please cc Carolyn.christian@ia.usda.gov.

All standard USDA/NRCS documents and the Iowa IPC Request for Proposal template must contain the content, format, and information set forth below to receive consideration for funding. Applicants should not assume prior knowledge on the part of NRCS or others as to the relative merits of the project described in their application. All federally required forms and letters of support must be submitted at the time of application.

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=bb37bb8ca25f1a4bb265d6abfabc39ec&mc=true&node=pt2.1.200&rgn=div5 http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/USCODE-2010-title16/USCODE-2010-title16-chap58-subchapIV-partIV-sec3839aa-2 https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormsMenu?source=agency https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormsMenu?source=agency http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ia/people/partners/?cid=nrcseprd421663 http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ia/people/partners/?cid=nrcseprd421663 https://get.adobe.com/reader/ mailto:martin.adkins@ia.usda.gov mailto:judy.martinson@ia.usda.gov mailto:Carolyn.christian@ia.usda.gov

Iowa IPC Request for Proposal Format

Proposals that fail to comply with the required content and format will not be considered for funding. Incomplete and/or noncompliant proposals will not be considered. Proposals must be divided into the following sections and are limited to the number of pages stated per section. Please note that this is an Adobe fillable form with character limitations assigned to each section.

I. Summary: 250 words maximum (1/2 page) II. Introduction: One (1) page maximum III. Needs Assessment: One (1) page maximum IV. Program Objectives: One (1) page maximum V. Evaluation: 250 words maximum (1/2 page) VI. Budget: One (1) page maximum VII. Methods: Two (2) page maximum plus Deliverables Table

Each page must be on numbered 8½” x 11” white paper that has one-inch margins. The text of the application must be typed in New Times Roman, no smaller than 11 font, and be single spaced.

SUBMISSION FORMS

The following forms must be submitted at the time of application. The proposal must be completed using the Iowa 2018 IPC Request for Proposal Template. Forms must be signed and dated. Please note that some forms may require multiple signatures within the form. To ensure that all signatures are validated, the applicant is encouraged to hand sign the documents rather than using electronic signatures. All forms can be downloaded from the Iowa NRCS website at:

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ia/people/partners/?cid=nrcseprd4216

63. Forms other than the fillable Iowa NRCS Proposal Form may be downloaded at Grants.gov - Forms Repository.

1. Application Form: (Standard Form 424 Application for Federal Assistance)

Applicants must use this document as the cover sheet for each proposal.

2. Standard Form (SF) 424A, Budget Information - Non-Construction Programs. Fill in all spaces as appropriate. Section B, Item 6, Column 1 should reflect the NRCS funds and Column 2 should reflect the applicant’s matching funds. This form is the summary budget for the project. You must complete the entire form and the dollar amounts must match the SF-424 and the Iowa 2018 IPC Request for Proposal Template.

3. Standard Form (SF) 424B, Assurances - Non-Construction Programs. Applicants, by signing and submitting an application, assure and certify that they are in compliance with the following Federal regulations:

a. 2 CFR Part 417, Government wide Debarment and Suspension (Non-procurement)

b. 7 CFR Part 3018, New Restrictions on Lobbying

c. 2 CFR Part 421, Government wide Requirements for Drug Free Workplace

(Financial Assistance) https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ia/people/partners/?cid=nrcseprd421663 https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ia/people/partners/?cid=nrcseprd421663 https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/FormsMenu?source=agency http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2011-title2-vol1/pdf/CFR-2011-title2-vol1-part417.pdf http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/CFR-2012-title7-vol15/CFR-2012-title7-vol15-part3018 http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-12-08/html/2011-31467.htm http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-12-08/html/2011-31467.htm http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-12-08/html/2011-31467.htm

V. APPLICATION SUBMISSION

4. AD-3031, Assurances Regarding Felony Conviction or Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants: The authority for requesting the following information for USDA agencies and offices is in sections 745 and 746 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016, Pub. L. 114-113, as amended and/or subsequently enacted.

The information will be used to document compliance with appropriations restrictions.

5. GASB 061416 Certification Regarding Lobbying: The applicant certifies no Federal appropriated funds have been used for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee in connection with awarding of any Federal contract or grant.

6. Iowa 2018 IPC Request for Proposal Form: This fillable Adobe form restricts users to the page requirement outlined in the section below. See the help aids on the Iowa NRCS RFP website the criteria requirements for this form. The website is located at https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ia/people/partners/?cid=nrcseprd42166 3).

Additional Pre-Award Requirements.

The following items must be provided in the proposal.

A. DUNS Number: A Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) DUNS number is a unique nine-digit sequence recognized as the universal standard for identifying and keeping track of over 70 million businesses worldwide. All applicants must obtain a DUNS Number prior to submitting a IPC application. Information can be found at:

http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform or by calling 1-866-705-5711. Please note that the registration may take up to 14 business days to complete.

B. SAM: Official U.S. Government system that consolidated the capabilities of

CCR/FedReg, ORCA, and EPLS. To register, go to:

https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/. Please allow a minimum of 5 days to complete the SAM registration. Applicants must continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which they have an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency. NRCS will not make a Federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time NRCS is ready to make the award, NRCS may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award and use that determination as the basis for making a Federal award to another applicant.

Please submit all proposals at the following:

Completed USDA/NRCS forms AND the Iowa supplemental proposal form must to submitted electronically to Martin Adkins at martin.adkins@ia.usda.gov and Judy Martinson at Judy.Martinson@ia.usda.gov. Please cc carolyn.christian@ia.usda.gov.

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ia/people/partners/?cid=nrcseprd421663 https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ia/people/partners/?cid=nrcseprd421663 http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform%20or%20by%20calling%201-866-705-5711 https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/ mailto:martin.adkins@ia.usda.gov mailto:Judy.Martinson@ia.usda.gov

You are encouraged to review the FAQ and naming convention guidelines prior to submitting your proposal. The grants.gov user guide is available at:

http://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm#t=Get_Started%2FGet_Started.htm.

Please note that all applicable forms must contain a valid signature prior to submission.

Electronic signatures occasionally disappear or become corrupted. To ensure that all signatures maintain their integrity, you are encouraged to hand-sign each document prior to emailing it to Iowa NRCS. Please note that some forms have more than one signature required or may require the same signature on multiple pages of the form.

A. Due Date

Proposals may be submitted to NRCS at any time between the posting of this announcement and 5:00 p.m. CDST on January 31, 2018. Proposals received after this time may not be reviewed or considered.

B. Acknowledgement of Submission

NRCS will acknowledge receipt of proposals via email. An applicant who does not receive such an email acknowledgement within 30 days of their submission, but believes he/she submitted a timely proposal must contact the NRCS program contacts listed in the Summary section of this document within 30 days of submission deadline. Please cc carolyn.christian@ia.usda.gov. Failure to do so will result in the proposal not being considered.

C. Withdrawal

Proposals may be withdrawn by written notice at any time before selections are made.

Proposals may be withdrawn by the applicant, or by an authorized representative.

D. Funding Restrictions

Funds may not be used to pay any of the following costs unless otherwise permitted by law, or approved in writing by the Authorized Departmental Officer in advance of incurring such costs:

1. Costs above the amount of funds authorized for the project;

2. Costs incurred prior to the effective date of the grant;

3. Costs which lie outside the scope of the approved project and amendments thereto;

4. Entertainment costs, regardless of their apparent relationship to project objectives;

5. Compensation for injuries to persons, or damage to property arising out of project activities;

6. Consulting services performed by a Federal employee during official duty hours when such consulting services result in the payment of additional compensation to the employee; and

7. Renovation or refurbishment of research or related spaces, the purchase or installation of fixed equipment in such spaces, and the planning, repair, rehabilitation, acquisition, or construction of buildings or facilities.

http://www.grants.gov/help/html/help/index.htm#t%3DGet_Started%2FGet_Started.htm

This list is not exhaustive. Questions regarding the allowances of particular items of cost should be directed to the administrative contact person listed in the Summary section of this document.

Awarded ICP funds will be disbursed through reimbursement of funds previously expended by the awarded organization. Advance payment requests are discouraged and only permitted under extreme circumstances. Some agreement types may not be eligible for advances under any circumstances.

E. Review

Proposals will be screened for completeness and compliance with the provisions of this notice. Incomplete and/or noncompliant proposals will be eliminated from competition, and notification of elimination will be sent to the applicant. Complete proposals received by applicable deadlines will be evaluated based on the Proposal Evaluation Criteria identified in the instructions in section VI.A. Evaluated proposals will be forwarded to the NRCS State Conservationist who will make the final selections.

F. Patents and Inventions

Allocation of rights to patents and inventions shall be in accordance with 7 CFR §3019.36. This regulation provides that small businesses normally may retain the principal worldwide patent rights to any invention developed with USDA support. In accordance with 7 CFR 3019.2, this provision will also apply to commercial organizations for the purposes of the IPC. USDA receives a royalty-free license for Federal Government use, reserves the right to require the patentee to license others in certain circumstances, and requires that anyone exclusively licensed to sell the invention in the United States must normally manufacture it domestically.

G. Natural Resources and Historic Property Review Requirements

1. The Council on Environmental Quality’s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulations at 40 CFR Parts 1500 to 1508 and the NRCS regulation that implements NEPA at 7 CFR Part 650 require that an environmental review be prepared for Federal actions that may have environmental effects. NRCS financial assistance requires compliance with these regulations. As part of the application packet, applicants are required to provide environmental information pertaining to their project if there will be actions with potential to affect the environment to help NRCS determine the appropriate documentation required to comply with NEPA and NRCS regulations. If the application is selected for funding, the NRCS Program Contact, Technical Contact and NRCS Environmental Liaison will coordinate with the selected applicant concerning documentation for compliance with NEPA. The selected applicant will be required to prepare and pay for the preparation of the appropriate NEPA document (e.g., Environmental Assessment or Environmental Impact Statement if required for NEPA compliance). Grant funding cannot be approved until the environmental review requirements demonstrating compliance with NEPA are met.

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/CFR-2012-title7-vol15/CFR-2012-title7-vol15-sec3019-36/content-detail.html http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/CFR-2012-title7-vol15/CFR-2012-title7-vol15-sec3019-36/content-detail.html

2. The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106 and its implementing regulations (36 CFR Part 800), and other related authorities, require federal agencies to determine if a project has the potential to cause an effect to historic properties and, if yes, please address how the adverse effects may be addressed. This NHPA review and compliance in accordance with Section 106 of the NHPA and implementing regulations at 36 CFR Part 800 must be completed by NRCS and may not be delegated. This compliance process includes consultation with SHPOs, Tribes, THPOs, NHOs, and the appropriate preservation community regarding identification, evaluation of NRHP eligibility, evaluation of effects, and if the effects are adverse, treatment. This treatment may include avoidance or other forms of mitigation of adverse effects. This mitigation will occur after the grant is awarded but before it is implemented.

VI. APPLICATION REVIEW AND NOTIFICATION INFORMATION

A. Review and Selection Process

Proposals will be screened for completeness and compliance with the provisions of this notice. Proposals requesting research funding will be immediately rejected and notification of elimination will be sent to the applicant. Incomplete, noncompliant, and/or proposals not meeting the formatting criteria will be eliminated from competition, and notification of elimination will be sent to the applicant. NRCS staff will evaluate complete proposals based on these Proposal Evaluation Criteria (180 points possible):

Proposal Ranking Criteria Points

Addresses one or more Iowa NRCS priorities. 0-20

Provides for direct technical assistance to NRCS customers. 0-25

Provides for information/outreach on a priority issue and/or to a population that is not being reached adequately.

0-15

Objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and contain a timeline for completion.

0-10

Clearly describes project activities. 0-10 Describes staffing of project and brief staff job descriptions. 0-5 Project methodology is innovative. 0-5 Leverages private and/or public-sector partnerships. 0-10 Presents a reasonable scope of activities that can be conducted within the budget, time and resources of the program.

0-10

Contains significant match in the form of cash, non-cash, or in-kind services from applicant and/or contributing organizations.

0-10

The proposal does not rely on partner use of NRCS vehicles, computers, office space, or on training provided by NRCS.

0-15

B. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

Award dates will be determined by the availability of funds and NRCS workloads.

Proposals should have flexible start dates with timelines shown relative to the execution of a grant agreement.

C. Unsuccessful Proposals

Applicants whose proposals do not meet the criteria listed above will be notified of their status within 30 days of the evaluation of their proposal. All other proposals that are not funded will be notified by September 15, 2018.

VII. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Award Notification

Applicants who have been selected for funding will receive official notification from the Iowa NRCS State Office.

Notification for selection is not an authorization to begin performance. A Notice of Grant and Agreement Award signed by the Iowa State Conservationist provided to the selected recipient is the authorizing document.

Note: Appropriations Restrictions: Awards made under this solicitation are subject to the provisions contained in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. No. 112-55), Division A, Sections 738 and739, regarding corporate felony convictions and corporate Federal tax delinquencies.

B. Award Agreement

The award will permit the NRCS Technical Contact to be involved in overseeing the work performed by the selected recipients. Although NRCS will negotiate precise terms and conditions as part of the award process, the anticipated Federal involvement for this project may include:

1. Close monitoring of the recipient’s performance to verify the results.

2. Collaborating during performance of the scope of work.

3. Reviewing substantive terms of proposed contracts.

4. Reviewing qualifications of key personnel (NRCS will not select employees or contractors employed by the award recipient.)

5. Reviewing and commenting on reports prepared under the agreement (the final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient.)

C. Reporting Requirements

Successful applicants for IPC awards have several documentation requirements during each year of the agreement. Failure to promptly submit documentation in the correct format will result in processing delays for reimbursement requests.

Form Number

Form Name Reporting Period

SF-270 Request for Reimbursement At your convenience. No more frequently than once every 30 days.

SF-425 Federal Financial Report March 31, June 30, September 30, December 31

NA Accrual You will receive an email in March, June, September, and December which will provide the due date for your quarterly accrual.

NA Semi-Annual Report June 30th and December 31

NA Final Report Within 90 days of end of project

FORM DESCRIPTIONS

A SF-270 Request for Reimbursement tracks funding expended during the payment request period. It is submitted to the Iowa NRCS technical and administrative contact no more often than every 30 days. Expended funds must be tracked by the awarded organization based on the specific NRCS program(s) utilized to fund the award. Iowa NRCS must have all requirement documentation described below on file prior to processing a reimbursement request.

A SF-425, Federal Financial Report is submitted to the NRCS administrative contact, no later than 30 days after the end of each quarter and 90 days after completion of project. The SF-425 provides for a cumulative report which captures the financial status of the agreement at a specific point in time.

Collecting accrual information allows NRCS to track the amount of funding needed to better anticipate upcoming reimbursement needs.

Written semi-Annual performance progress report are provided to the NRCS program, technical, and administrative contacts on June 30th and December 31st of each year of the agreement. NRCS will provide a template for the formatting that must be used to report project progress. This report is distinct from the quarterly financial report described above.

Each progress report shall cover work performed during the previous 6-month period and include, at a minimum:

Summary of progress, including the results to date and a comparison of actual accomplishments with proposed goals (milestones) for the period and, where project output can be quantified, a computation of the costs per unit of output.

Current problems or unusual developments or delays.

Reasons why goals and objectives were not met, if appropriate.

Additional pertinent information including, where appropriate, analysis and explanation of cost overruns or high unit cost.

Any time extensions.

Any changes to the project’s original objectives, methods, or timeline with a summary of the justification for the changes.

Lessons learned that inform future project activities or broader efforts in the project’s topic area.

The final report is due to the NRCS program, technical, and administrative contacts 90 days after completion of the project. This report is distinct from the Semi-Annual performance progress reports described above. NRCS will provide a template for the formatting that must be used for the Final report. The final report will summarize the project and describe methods, quality control, findings, and recommendations.

D. Freedom of Information and Privacy Act

Applicants should be aware that some or all of the information submitted in their application may be subject to public disclosure through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Applicants are advised to mark confidential information, such as proprietary information, to prevent disclosure.

E. Other Requirements

Selected applicants will be required to comply with the NRCS-USDA General Terms and Conditions for Grants and Cooperative Agreements. A copy of this document may be obtained by contacting the Agency Contacts listed in Section VII.

Signed this_________ day of , 2017 in Des Moines, Iowa.

Kurt Simon State Conservationist Natural Resources Conservation Service

5th December

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.)

To file a complaint of discrimination, complete, sign, and mail the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF), found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call

(866) 632-9992 to request the form.

Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities and you wish to file either an EEO or program complaint please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339 or (800) 845-6136 (in Spanish).

Persons with disabilities who wish to file a program complaint, please see information above on how to contact us by mail directly or by email. If you require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.)

please contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

Equal Employment Opportunity Data Posted Pursuant to the No Fear Act - This is the reporting page for the Notification and Federal Employee Antidiscrimination and Retaliation Act of 2002 (NO FEAR Act), Public Law 107-174.

http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html http://www.usda.gov/nofear/