FY19 PTIG RFA Final.pdf

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Fiscal Year 2019 Process and Technology Improvement Grants

REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS

CFDA#: 10.580

DATES:

RFA Release Date: April 11, 2019

Application Due Date: 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time (EST), June 10, 2019

Award Date: By September 30, 2019

II

IMPORTANT NOTICE

On December 31, 2017, Grants.gov officially retired the legacy .PDF application package as a method to apply for a Federal grant. This changed the way many Grants.gov users completed and submitted their grant applications.

For information on Workspace application process, visit:

https://grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html.

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 both a line-item budget and a budget narrative.

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)

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.

V

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

AUTHORIZING LEGISLATION

PURPOSE

Fiscal Year 2019 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

Authorize Grants.gov Roles

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

VI

Executive Summary

Project Narrative

Activities/Indicators Tracker (new in 2019)

1. Project Design (35 points)

2. Organizational Experience, Staff Capability, and Management (10 points)

3. Evaluation (20 points)

4. Budget Appropriateness and Economic Efficiency (30 points)

5. Presentation (5 points)

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

Organization Information

Financial Stability and Quality of Management Systems

VII

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, 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 Application (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.

*This solicitation is 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 2019 Priorities NEW IN 2019: This grant competition requires applicants to respond to at least one of the following 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 these objective(s) in the new Activities/Indicators Tracker under Section V.

1. Improve and/or Modernize Notices (Objective #1) Proposals targeted towards this priority area will aim to improve and/or modernize client notices. Such proposals could include:

Improvements to the clarity of language on notices (this could be achieved by utilizing the new FNS SNAP Notice Toolkit or through an independent initiative).

o This toolkit is currently only available to State agencies via the FNS Partnerweb, but can be shared with other organizations upon request. The toolkit will also be available to interested entities as an attachment on the Grants.gov posting for this grant competition.

Implementation of electronic notices (e-notices).

o E-notices allow States to provide designated notices to households through an online account on a secure website or portal instead of mailing paper notices to physical addresses. Additional information about the e-notices State Option can be found in the Electronic Notice Waivers and Options memo dated November 3, 2017, located here. Proposals involving e-notices must be sure to follow all guidelines set forth in the memo.

Use of reminder functions, such as implementing text message reminders and/or mobile push notifications to clients.

2. Improve Customer Service (Objective #2)

Proposals targeted towards customer service will implement projects that improve the client’s experience. Such proposals could include:

Modernization or improvement to call centers, client hotlines, and/or local lobby management. This project type is of particular interest to FNS and could include:

o Implementation of or improvement to existing Interactive Voice Response (IVR) technology;

o Conducting Business Process Reengineering (BPR) to enhance workflows for handling calls;

o Reduction in time from when a caller dials to when their issue is resolved (including reducing wait times); and/or o Other methods to improve the client experience.

Efforts to reduce the amount of time between when a client applies and a decision is made on their case. This could involve technological improvements to help Eligibility Workers successfully process applications faster while following all State and Federal policies.

3. Improve the Application and Interview Process (Objective #3)

Proposals targeted towards this priority area should focus on training Eligibility Workers to enhance conversations that occur during household interviews, including:

Ensuring all households are screened for deductions for which they may be eligible;

Ensuring clients understand work requirements (when applicable);

Taking steps to ensure clients understand all of their rights and responsibilities as a SNAP household.

This priority area can also include improvements made to applications (both online and paper-based), including reviews with both Eligibility Workers and selected households to conduct usability testing or other efforts to improve applications and make them easier to understand and complete.

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 ABAWD screening Projects that serve traditionally underserved populations such as elderly, disabled, Limited English Proficiency (LEP) households, rural communities, veterans, homeless, or populations residing in economically depressed geographic areas are especially encouraged.

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) 2019 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.

FNS will award the grants through a competitive process and will notify selected grantees of the grant award no later than September 30, 2019. Grantees may use the grant funds for the duration of the project period, which is expected to be September 30, 2019 through September 30, 2022.

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 grant projects.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

ELIGIBLE ENTITIES

Eligible Applicants The entities eligible to receive grants under this competition are:

The 53 State agencies that administer SNAP1;

State or local governments1;

Agencies providing health or welfare services2;

Public health or educational entities2; and Private non-profit entities2 such as community-based or faith-based organizations, food banks, or other emergency feeding organizations.

New eligibility criteria: An eligible entity that received a Process and Technology Improvement Grant award last fiscal year (FY 2018) is ineligible to apply this fiscal year (FY 2019). This 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

1 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.

2 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.

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.

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,” discussed on page 15.

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).

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 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 (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.

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.

Authorize Grants.gov Roles After creating an account on Grants.gov, the EBiz POC receives an email notifying them of your registration and request for roles. The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the AOR role, thereby giving you permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. You will be able to submit your application online any time after you have been approved as an AOR.

Track Role Status To track your role request, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/track-my-application.html.

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.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

Create a Workspace

Creating a workspace allows you to complete a grant proposal online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

Complete a Workspace Add participants to the workspace, complete all the required forms, and check for errors before submission

a) Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out webforms, you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace so that they will appear similar to other Standard forms. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html.

b) Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

c) Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and DUNS number. To trigger this feature, an applicant must complete the SF-424 information first. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

Submit a Workspace An application may be submitted through Workspace by clicking the Sign and Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

Track a Workspace After successfully submitting a Workspace package, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (e.g.

GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the package. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission.

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 10, 2019. 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 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/2018/07/SPOC-July2018.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.

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.

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

Activities/Indicators Tracker (new in 2019) 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 1-2 of the RFA Proposed Activity 1:

Indicator 1:

Indicator 2:

Proposed Activity 2:

Indicator 1:

Indicator 2:

Objective <enter #>: Must be one of the three objectives from pages 1-2 of the RFA Proposed Activity 1:

Indicator 1:

Indicator 2:

Proposed Activity 2:

Indicator 1:

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 11. 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 15 of this RFA.

2. Organizational Experience, Staff Capability, and Management (10 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 (see page 11), 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 the required budget forms outlined in Section IV “Grant Forms and Requirements” on page 5, a budget narrative, and a line-item budget to receive the full point value for this criterion. A well-written budget narrative aligns with the line-item budget, justifies the proposed project expenditures, and assists reviewers during the proposal review process.

Budget The proposal includes:

A line-item budget. A checklist is included at the beginning of this document to provide additional guidance on what should be included in the line-item budget.

A budget narrative that articulates how funds will be spent, by whom, and for what purpose. The budget narrative should align with the itemized budget and provide enough detail for reviewers to easily understand how costs were determined and how they relate to the goals and objectives of the project. Budget estimates should be adequately justified based on current industry costs/standards or estimates from vendor, when possible. The information on costs should be obtained from applicable organizations or from online sources.

If indirect costs are shown as a budgetary expense for the project, a copy of the approved Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) must be provided with the application. Indirect costs may not exceed the negotiated rate. If a NICRA is used, the percentage and base should be indicated. If the applicant does not have, and has never been approved for, a NICRA, they may charge up to 10% de minimis; in this instance, the applicant must note that this is what they are requesting. An applicant may elect not to charge indirect costs and, instead, use all grant funds for direct costs. If indirect costs are not charged, the phrase "None requested" should be stated in the budget narrative.

If applicable, the budget must show how the costs are allocated among the benefiting programs and demonstrate that this grant is only going to fund SNAP’s share of project costs.

If desired, a tiered budget and narrative that describes adjustments the applicant would make if it were awarded a different level or levels of funding (only the primary budget will be analyzed against this criterion).

All non-profit organizations must include their 501(c)(3) determination letter issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

The proposed budget should mirror the requested amounts that are listed in the submitted

SF-424A.

All funding requests must be in whole dollars.

Efficiency The proposal must demonstrate that the anticipated results are commensurate with the cost of the project.

Contractual and Consultant Costs Proposals that include hiring a consultant or contractor must provide the following information:

o Consultant’s name and description of service;

o Itemized list of all direct costs and fees;

o The number of personnel, including position titles;

o Specialty and specialized qualifications as appropriate to the salary;

o Number of estimated hours times hourly wage for each staff member; and o All expenses and fees directly related to the proposed services to be rendered for the project.

Applicants who are required to issue a bid should include a narrative explaining the requirement and provide a reasonable estimate of Contractual and Consultant Costs.

5. Presentation (5 points) FNS strongly suggests that applications closely adhere to the application format described below.

FNS cannot guarantee that improperly formatted proposals will be considered. Please be as clear and concise as possible. The beginning of this solicitation includes a checklist and tips to ensure your proposal is complete and properly formatted.

Size, Font, and Page Limit

All pages are single-spaced with 1-inch margins and 12-point font.

The proposed project plan is typed on 8 ½” X 11” white paper.

The grant application is no more than 25 pages, not including the cover sheet, table of contents, resumes, letter(s) of commitment, letter(s) of endorsement, appendices, and required forms.

All pages, excluding the form pages, are numbered.

The proposal is well-presented, well-written, and void of grammatical errors.

6. New in 2019: Bonus Points (up to 3 points) Up to three bonus points will be awarded to proposals that are particularly data-driven. This can include incorporating user experience testing during the proposed project (such as testing iterations of a tool with the projected user group to ensure future rollout success) or having conducted surveys, interviews, or other data collection or research in advance of submission of a proposal in order to more accurately determine what the quantifiable problem is that the proposed solution is intended to solve. (NOTE: Pre-award costs will not be provided under this grant. Any work completed prior to receiving an award cannot be reimbursed.) Inclusion of specific quantifiable statistics to bolster the argument that the proposed project is necessary in order to better serve SNAP clients as well as mathematically sound and well-reasoned quantifiable projections for improvement to the client or eligibility worker experience may earn additional points.

LETTERS OF COMMITMENT OR ENDORSEMENT

State agencies submitting an application on their own do not require letters of endorsement or commitment. If a State agency submits an application in partnership with other organization(s), the State must provide a letter of commitment from the proposed partner.

FNS also welcomes grant proposals from entities other than a State agency; however, such applicants must demonstrate that the State agency strongly endorses and/or is involved in the proposed project through a letter of endorsement.

Letters of endorsement from the State are also required when local or county governments submit an application.

Unless the applicant is a State agency submitting an application on its own, a letter of commitment or letter of endorsement must be included in the application package to be considered for funding. Such letters may be addressed to the FNS Grants Officer. Applications that require a letter of commitment or letter of endorsement, which fail to provide one, will not be considered. Please refer to the letters descriptions below for additional information.

Letters of Commitment A letter of commitment is required if the grant proposal is from a State agency working in partnership with another organization(s). The State agency applying must submit a letter(s) of commitment from its partners. The letter(s) of commitment must describe:

The organization’s role in the project;

The amount of time the partner organization intends to commit to the project and an attestation that it will cooperate with the grant applicant in implementing the project; and The letter must be on the respective organization’s letterhead and signed by an authorizing individual.

Letters of Endorsement A letter of endorsement is required if an applicant is an entity other than a State agency and is not directly partnering with a State agency on the project. The State agency’s letter of endorsement must:

Explain that the State agency is aware of the project and its projected impact on the State’s eligibility system;

Acknowledge whether the project creates any additional work for the State agency and identify the State capacity to address the additional work;

Express support for the proposed project;

Describe how the proposed project will support the State agency’s current or planned technology and/or business process improvement efforts and priorities; and The letter must be on the respective State agency’s letterhead and signed by an authorizing official.

APPLICATION DEADLINE

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