FY2022 FFPr NOFO Amendment 1 .pdf

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Foreign Agricultural Service

Modifications

This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), originally issued March 4, 2022, has been modified as follows (see below table) and these changes are also highlighted in yellow in the NOFO.

Mod. No. Date Description of Modification 0001 March 25, Part D 3 b Required Content and Forms Page 17: The most recent single audit has been removed from Organizational Capacity and Staffing. It is a standalone document.

0001 March 25, Part D 3 b Required Content and Forms Page 17: Added “Commodity Management – 4 pages (up to 7 pages if proposing regional monetization)”

0001 March 25, Part D 3 c vi Budget Page 29: Corrected page limit numbers to 26 total and 25 for Budget Narrative.

0001 March 25, Part D c 3 vi Budget Page 29: Added “Include a one page table that lists the total proposed operating budget amount (monetization proceeds + CCC admin funds + expected interest), cost share (if applicable), and then provides the project budget breakdown in three ways: 1) By activity, 2) by project awardee/subrecipient, and 3) by activity and awardee/subrecipient. Each table should show the direct and indirect cost for each line item. A sample table has been added to Appendix D.”

0001 March 25, Appendix D: Added “Budget Breakdown Costs between Applicant/Awardee and Subrecipients” table.

FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICE

International Food Assistance Division

Global Programs

FY 2022 Food Assistance Proposal Instructions and Request for Applications

FOOD FOR PROGRESS (FFPr) PROGRAM

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY (NOFO)

03/04/2022

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is soliciting applications for the Food for Progress (FFPr) Program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. FAS implements this program on behalf of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). Acting on behalf of CCC, FAS expects to enter into multiple cooperative agreements under the FFPr Program to make awards totaling up to $178 million SUBJECT TO AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING. Applications for cooperative agreements will be prioritized for the following countries and regions: Burundi, Central America (El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras), Jamaica, Malawi, Nigeria, Peru, and Thailand. FAS may also review submissions for non-prioritized countries. To fulfill its mandate under the Food for Progress Act of 1985, FAS will enter into cooperative agreements with eligible organizations to implement field-based projects that aim to improve agricultural production and expand trade of agricultural products in developing countries. Programs are primarily funded through the sale of donated commodities within the foreign market where the program is implemented. FAS proposes these FFPr Program guidelines in accordance with 7 CFR part 1499.

Applications must be submitted to USDA through the Food Aid Information System (FAIS) by 5:00:00 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on May 6, 2022. Applications received after this date will not be considered. FAS advises Applicants to begin the submission process early to allow time to address any information technology difficulties that may arise. There will be no exceptions to this application deadline. Applications received by the closing date of this announcement and found incomplete will be contacted by FAS. FAS will grant up to three business days from the date of contact for an Applicant to submit omitted administrative content and forms via FAIS. Please see Part D Section 3 b for a list of required content and forms. Any applications remaining incomplete after the grace period will be rejected and will NOT be considered for funding. Refer to Part C Section 1 and Part D Section 3 b for Applicant eligibility and application requirements. Questions regarding this request for applications will be considered to the extent practicable and should be submitted to ppded@usda.gov. Questions must be received no later than 5:00:00 P.M. EDT on April 29, 2022. Responses will be posted weekly on www.grants.gov. Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the Government nor does it commit the Government to pay for any costs incurred in preparations or submissions of comments or applications. Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant. All preparations and submission costs are at the applicant’s expense.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=9dfff371eeaeee4cef83c4cee94eeee5&mc=true&node=pt7.10.1499&rgn=div5 https://apps.fas.usda.gov/fais/public mailto:ppded@usda.gov http://www.grants.gov/

NEW IN FY22

1. Grace Period for Missing Key Documents: Applications received by the closing date of this announcement and found incomplete will be contacted by FAS by email. FAS will grant up to three business days from the date of contact for an Applicant to submit missing content and forms via FAIS. Please see Part D Section 1 for key dates and Part D Section 3 b for a list of required content and forms. Any applications still remaining incomplete after the grace period will be rejected and will NOT be considered for funding.

2. Climate and Gender as Cross-Cutting Topics: Applicants are encouraged to review new language throughout the NOFO regarding these two relevant cross-cutting topics.

3. Revision of Strategic Analysis and Plan of Operations under Part D Section 3 d Content Guidance: To ensure distinguishable sections and appropriate analysis in light of USDA’s priorities, the Introduction and Strategic Analysis and Plan of Operations have been revised.

Applicants are encouraged to review and follow the guidance closely under these sections to ensure they include all necessary components in the relevant sections of their application.

4. Updated Monetization Requirements: Applicants must take note of the clarified requirement of all projects to attain 70% minimum cost recovery through monetization outlined in Part D Section 3 c

LIST OF ACRONYMS

ADA Agricultural Development Program ADB Asian Development Bank AFOLU Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use AIM4C Agriculture Innovation Mission for Climate APHIS Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service ARS Agricultural Research Service BAAC Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives BCA Burundi Coffee Alliance BRC British Retail Consortium CABEI Central American Bank for Economic Integration CAFTA-DR Central American-Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement CCAFS Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security CIAT The International Center for Tropical Agriculture CLCCG Child Labor in Cacao Coordinating Group CODEX Codex Alimentarius CSA Climate Smart Agriculture DEVIDA Commission Nacional para el Desarrollo y Vida sin Drogas DIASU District Irrigation Advisory Services Unit DIGESA General Directorate of Environmental Health DOA-ED Department of Agriculture-Extension Division DOL United States Department of Labor EBA Ecosystem-Based Adaptation EPA Environmental Protection Agency EU European Union FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAS Foreign Agricultural Service FDA Food and Drug Administration FFPr Food for Progress FFS Farmer Field Schools FISP Farm Input Subsidy Program FMARD Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development FSIS Food Safety Inspection Service FSMA Food Safety Modernization Act GAP Good Agricultural Practices GDP Gross Domestic Product GFSI Global Food Safety Certification GHG Greenhouse Gas GIS Geographic Information Systems GIZ Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GMP Good Manufacturing Practices GoJ Government of Jamaica GOM Government of Malawi GRR Ginger Rhizome Rot HAACP Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points https://fmard.gov.ng/green-alternative/

IADB Inter-American Development Bank IAF Inter-American Foundation ICO International Coffee Organization IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development IFC International Finance Corporation IICA Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture IMPACT International Model for Policy Analysis of Agricultural Commodities and Trade IPM Integrated Pest Management IPPC International Plant Protection Convention IWMU Irrigation Water Management Unit IWRM Integrated Water Resources Management JACRA Jamaican Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority JECFA Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives LDC Least Developed Country MIDAGRI Peruvian Ministry of Agricultural Development and Irrigation MOAF Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries MRL Maximum Residue Limits MSC Management Systems Certification Directorate MSIKA Malawi Strengthening Inclusive Markets for Agriculture NCC National Contracts Commission NCDC National Cacao Development Committee NDC Nationally Determined Contribution NEPC Nigeria Export Promotion Council NGO Non-government organization NIPDS National Irrigation Policy and Development Strategy NOFO Notice of Funding Opportunity NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service NTCWG National Tissue Culture Working Group OIE World Organization for Animal Health PP Percentage Points PRIDE Programme for Rural Irrigation Development QAI Quality Assurance International RADA Rural Agricultural Development Authority SALPIE Small and Less Populous Island Economies SENASA National Agricultural Sanitation Service SON Standards Organization of Nigeria SPG Sustainable Productivity Coalition SPS Sanitary and Phytosanitary Regulations SQF Safe Quality Food TFA Trade Facilitation Agreements TICA Thailand International Cooperation Agency USAID United States Agency for International Development USDA United States Department of Agriculture/ USG United States Government USTR Office of the United States Trade Representative UWI University of the West Indies https://son.gov.ng/about-us https://nepc.gov.ng/blog/market-report/cocoa-beans-profile/ https://son.gov.ng/

WHO World Health Organization WTO World Trade Organization WUA Water Users Associations WUASU Water Users Association Services Unit

Table of Contents

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. Issued By

2. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number

3. CFDA Title

4. Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Title

5. NOFO Numbers

6. Authorizing Authority for Program

7. Appropriation Authority for Program

8. Announcement Type

9. Program Regulations

10. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. Award Amounts, Important Dates, and Extensions

2. Funding Instrument

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

2. Eligibility Criteria

3. Debarment and Suspension

4. Other Submission Requirements and Information

5. Cost Share or Match

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Key Dates and Times

2. Address to Request Application Package

3. Content and Form of Application Submission

a. Application Format

b. Required Content and Forms

c. Content Guidance

d. Food Aid Information System (FAIS)

4. Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM)

5. Intergovernmental Review

6. Funding Restrictions

a. Management and Administration (M&A) Costs

b. Indirect Facilities & Administrative (F&A) Costs

7. Other Submission Requirements

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Application Evaluation Criteria

2. Review and Selection Process

a. Review Process

b. Selection Process

c. Review of Applicant Integrity and Performance Information

d. Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. Notice of Award

2. Administration and National Policy Requirements

a. Domestic Entities

b. Foreign Entities

3. Reporting

a. Federal Financial Reporting Requirements

b. Program Performance Reporting Requirements

c. Closeout Reporting Requirements

4. Monitoring

5. Other Agreement Requirements

a. Organizational Chart

b. Annual Work Plan

c. Monitoring and Evaluation Requirements

d. Subaward Requirement

e. Audit Compliance

G. AWARDING AGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION

H. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

1. Extensions

2. Prior Approval

3. Budget Revisions

4. Program Income

5. Proprietary Information

APPENDIX A – Application Content Checklist

APPENDIX B – Country Specific Guidance

Appendix B.1

Appendix B.2

Appendix B.3

Appendix B.4

Appendix B.5

Appendix B.6

Appendix B.7

APPENDIX C – Budget Summary

APPENDIX D – Budget Narrative Example

APPENDIX E – Results Framework and Illustrative Examples of Foundational Results 102

APPENDIX F – Past Performance Review Template

APPENDIX G – Potential Available Commodities

NOTE If you are going to apply for this funding opportunity and have not obtained a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) or are not currently registered in the System for Award Management (SAM), please take immediate action to obtain a UEI Number, if applicable, and then to register immediately in SAM at www.sam.gov. It may take 4 weeks or more after you submit your SAM registration before your registration is active in SAM.

Detailed information regarding UEI and SAM is also provided in Part C Section 2, Eligibility Criteria, and Part D Section 4, Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM).

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

1. Issued By

Foreign Agricultural Service, Global Programs, International Food Assistance Division

2. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number

10.606

3. CFDA Title

Food for Progress

4. Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Title

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOOD FOR PROGRESS

PROGRAM

5. NOFO Numbers

USDA-FAS-10.606-0700-22-(543) – Burundi USDA-FAS-10.606-0700-22-(100) – El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras USDA-FAS-10.606-0700-22-(127) – Jamaica USDA-FAS-10.606-0700-22-(564) – Malawi USDA-FAS-10.606-0700-22-(560) – Nigeria USDA-FAS-10.606-0700-22-(136) – Peru USDA-FAS-10.606-0700-22-(316) – Thailand

Please refer to Appendix B for Country Specific Guidance for each NOFO number.

6. Authorizing Authority for Program

The Food for Progress (FFPr) Program is authorized by section 1110 of the Food for Progress Act of 1985, 7 U.S.C. 1736o.

7. Appropriation Authority for Program http://www.sam.gov/ https://sam.gov/fal/8dd060990f474eb5b0317611b8c98813/view https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml;jsessionid=8994B700ACE1C80B67BF08AB2BD19784?hl=false&edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title7-section1736o&num=0&saved=%7CKHRpdGxlOjcgc2VjdGlvbjoxNzM2byBlZGl0aW9uOnByZWxpbSk%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7Cprelim

The Food for Progress Program will be funded in FY 2022 through the Commodity Credit Corporation, pursuant to section 1110 of the Food for Progress Act of 1985, 7 U.S.C. 1736o, and not through appropriated funds.

8. Announcement Type

New

9. Program Regulations

Awards within this funding opportunity that are made to Applicants other than foreign public entities (as defined in 2 CFR 200.1) will be subject to the Food for Progress Program regulations, 7 CFR part 1499 (updated on August 28, 2019). As provided in 7 CFR part 1499, awards to Applicants other than foreign public entities will also be subject to 2 CFR part 200, as supplemented by 2 CFR part 400 and 7 CFR part 1499, with the exception that Subpart F of 2 CFR part 200 will not apply to a foreign organization (as defined in 2 CFR section 200.47) or a for-profit entity.

10. Program Overview, Objectives, and Priorities

a. Overview

The Food for Progress (FFPr) Program provides for the donation of U.S. agricultural commodities to developing countries and emerging democracies committed to introducing and expanding free enterprise in the agricultural sector. The commodities are generally sold on the local market and the proceeds are used to support agricultural development activities.

b. Objectives

The FFPr Program has two principal objectives: to improve agricultural productivity and to expand trade of agricultural products.

c. Priorities

The FFPr Program has prioritized the following areas: the Cacao sector, the Coffee sector, the Spices sector, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS), the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), and Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA).

Table 1: Country and Priority Areas Country Priority Area Burundi Coffee El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras SPS, TFA, and CSA Jamaica Spices https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml;jsessionid=8994B700ACE1C80B67BF08AB2BD19784?hl=false&edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title7-section1736o&num=0&saved=%7CKHRpdGxlOjcgc2VjdGlvbjoxNzM2byBlZGl0aW9uOnByZWxpbSk%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7Cprelim https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200#p-200.1(Foreign%20public%20entity) https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=9dfff371eeaeee4cef83c4cee94eeee5&mc=true&node=pt7.10.1499&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=9dfff371eeaeee4cef83c4cee94eeee5&mc=true&node=pt7.10.1499&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=8791260e8297f002cfa5c269b8b0cd40&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=b8d3f086737f4b170ffb10a5a97561cf&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2chapterIV.tpl https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=9dfff371eeaeee4cef83c4cee94eeee5&mc=true&node=pt7.10.1499&rgn=div5 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=8791260e8297f002cfa5c269b8b0cd40&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=8791260e8297f002cfa5c269b8b0cd40&mc=true&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr200_main_02.tpl https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=c5a5c6fd9ab875a78e8757957147f61e&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_147&rgn=div8

Malawi CSA Nigeria Cacao Peru Spices Thailand CSA

Applicants must incorporate climate smart agricultural solutions into their proposals in accordance with EO 14008: Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad (2021) and in the spirit of international commitments. Proposals should demonstrate the contribution of their proposed interventions to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improving climate resilience, and advancing agricultural innovations that can further enhance global efforts to combat climate change. The individual NOFO Country Guidance sections will provide further direction on how the proposals should incorporate climate resilience into their analysis and program design.

In addition, the Global Food Security Act of 2016 and corresponding U.S. Government Feed the Future (FTF) initiative affirms the United States’ commitment to ending global hunger, poverty, and child malnutrition. Where appropriate, entities are encouraged to align proposed interventions with the objectives found in the FTF results framework and are required to ensure that proposed activities are complementary and not duplicative.

USDA supports the recommendations proposed by the Consultative Group to Eliminate the Use of Child Labor and Forced Labor in Imported Agricultural Products. All proposals for country and priority areas in the NOFO that are identified in the U.S. Department of Labor’s report—List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor—must include a child and/or forced labor analysis. The individual NOFO Country Guidance sections will provide further direction on how the proposals should address the use of child and forced labor.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

1. Award Amounts, Important Dates, and Extensions

Available funding for the NOFO: Up to $178,000,000 (total) in FY 2022

Total award funding: $178,000,000 Estimated number of awards: 7 Estimated funding per award: $20-$39 million

Please refer to Appendix B, Country Guidance, for specific budget ranges for each country. All projects in this announcement will be funded subject to availability of funding. Issuance of this solicitation does not constitute an award or commitment on the part of the U.S. Government (USG) to make awards, nor does it commit the USG to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a concept note or full application.

Period of Performance: 36–60 months https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2021/02/f83/eo-14008-tackling-climate-crisis-home-abroad.pdf https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/04/23/fact-sheet-president-bidens-leaders-summit-on-climate/ https://www.feedthefuture.gov/ https://www.feedthefuture.gov/ https://www.feedthefuture.gov/resource/feed-the-future-results-framework-2/ https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ILAB/legacy/files/20120314CGDraftRPTRECS.pdf

Projected Period of Performance Start Date: 10/01/2022 Projected Period of Performance End Date: 09/30/2027

Food for Progress Program awards may be eligible for extensions to their period of performance. Refer to Part H Section 1, Extensions.

2. Funding Instrument

All awards will be made in the form of cooperative agreements. In a cooperative agreement, FAS will be substantially involved throughout the award period of performance. Substantial involvement may include, but is not limited to, the following:

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

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

• FAS review and approval of an evaluation plan

• FAS review and approval of a monetization plan

• FAS review and approval of proposed subawards and contracts, prior to award;

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

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

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

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

Procurement contracts or subawards may be awarded under this cooperative agreement.

Procurement contracts must have an operational or administrative objective and subawards must be related to achieving objectives of project activities. Please note that no subaward or contract may include personnel costs of the prime award recipient.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible Applicants

In accordance with the Food for Progress Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1736o), the following entities are eligible Applicants (see 7 CFR section 1499.2 for definitions):

• The government of an emerging agricultural country

• Intergovernmental organizations

• Private voluntary organizations

• Nonprofit agricultural organizations or cooperatives

• Nongovernmental organizations

• Colleges or universities

• Any other private entity https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml;jsessionid=8994B700ACE1C80B67BF08AB2BD19784?hl=false&edition=prelim&req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title7-section1736o&num=0&saved=%7CKHRpdGxlOjcgc2VjdGlvbjoxNzM2byBlZGl0aW9uOnByZWxpbSk%3D%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7Cprelim https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=9dfff371eeaeee4cef83c4cee94eeee5&mc=true&node=pt7.10.1499&rgn=div5#se7.10.1499_12

2. Eligibility Criteria

Each Applicant, unless exempted by FAS under 2 CFR Section 25.110 (d), is required to:

• Be registered in SAM before the closing date of this announcement;

• Provide a valid unique entity identifier (UEI) in its application; and

• Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which the Applicant has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by FAS.

All Applicants must have an active registration in the SAM database at www.sam.gov – pending or expired registrants are not eligible. This requirement must be met by the closing date of the announcement and will not be waived. Please contact ppded@usda.gov if you have questions about this requirement. Applicants without an active SAM registration will be found ineligible and the application will NOT be considered for funding. All subrecipient organizations must also have active SAM registrations before the subaward is signed, unless the organization has an exemption approved by FAS under 2 CFR Section 25.110(d). Contact ppded@usda.gov early if a subrecipient exemption is sought.

Applicants must include a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in the organizational unit section of Block 8 of the SF-424. All subrecipients listed in the proposal must have a current UEI number. Organizations that do not have a UEI number can obtain a UEI number at no cost by using the web-based form available at: https://sam.gov/content/home

Refer to Part D Section 4, Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management, where SAM requirements are also discussed.

3. Debarment and Suspension

An Applicant or other entity will be considered ineligible to receive an award, subaward, or contract under the FFPr Program if the Applicant or other entity or one of its principals has been debarred or suspended from USG-funded procurements or non-procurement transactions, or is otherwise prohibited by applicable U.S. law or executive order or U.S. policies. See 2 CFR parts 180 and 417. FAS will review the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS.gov) and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) to verify that the Applicant, potential subrecipients and contractors, and their principals have not been debarred or suspended.

4. Other Submission Requirements and Information

For an application to be considered complete, the Applicant must submit in FAIS all required content and forms as listed in Part D Section 3, Required Sections and Forms, by the closing date of the announcement. Applications received by the closing date of this announcement and found incomplete will be contacted by FAS. FAS will grant up to three business days from the date of contact for an Applicant to submit omitted administrative content and forms via FAIS. Please see Part D Section 3 b for a list of required content and forms. Any applications remaining https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=9644ed499b5db03b7b50fbc66e8fc92d&mc=true&node=pt2.1.25&rgn=div5#se2.1.25_1110 http://www.sam.gov/ mailto:ppded@usda.gov https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=9644ed499b5db03b7b50fbc66e8fc92d&mc=true&node=pt2.1.25&rgn=div5#se2.1.25_1110 mailto:ppded@usda.gov https://sam.gov/content/home https://www.fapiis.gov/fapiis/#/home https://sam.gov/SAM/ incomplete after grace period will be rejected and will NOT be considered for funding. As specified in this NOFO, an Applicant must also submit required information to ppded@usda.gov and SAM.gov. There is no limit on the number of applications which an Applicant may submit.

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

Note The required forms vary depending on whether an Applicant is a domestic entity, a foreign organization, or a foreign public entity. An Applicant must submit all of the forms that are required to be submitted by the category of entity to which it belongs.

5. Cost Share or Match

Cost sharing or matching is not required for eligibility but is encouraged to maximize lasting program impacts and engender in-country sustainability. If Applicants choose to provide cost share or matching, Applicants must identify and explain any cost share or match in the budget summary and narrative (7 CFR section 1499.4(b)(4)(i)). Applicants should include cost share and in-kind contributions as part of the total award value on the SF–424 and other required budget documents. Cost share may not be used to reach the three percent minimum monitoring and evaluation budget.

Cost share will be reviewed and considered for bonus points by the review panel as part of the Budget content section.

If an award is made, the Applicant will be responsible for obtaining and providing any cost share and in-kind contributions that are included in the agreement these resources. Award recipients shall not procure these resources with FAS funding. Refer to Part E Section 1 Application Evaluation Criteria for details on how cost share or match will be evaluated.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Key Dates and Times

Application Start Date: March 4, 2022

Question Submission Deadline: April 29, 2022 Questions regarding this NOFO will be considered to the extent practicable and should be submitted to ppded@usda.gov. Please include “FY22 Food for Progress NOFO” in the subject line of your email. Responses to questions will be posted weekly on www.grants.gov

Application Submission Deadline: May 6, 2022 prior to 5:00:00 P.M. EDT FAS will run a report from the FAIS system showing all applications that were submitted prior to 5:00:00 P.M. EDT on May 6,2022. Applications received after this date and time will not be considered. Applications received by this date which are found to be incomplete will be contacted and given up to three business days from the date of contact to submit omitted administrative content and forms via FAIS. Please see Part D Section 3 b for a list of required mailto:ppded@usda.gov https://sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=09d93ea422877b968183214c81dfed25&mc=true&node=pt2.1.400&rgn=div5#se2.1.400_12 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=09d93ea422877b968183214c81dfed25&mc=true&node=pt2.1.400&rgn=div5#se2.1.400_12 https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=9dfff371eeaeee4cef83c4cee94eeee5&mc=true&node=pt7.10.1499&rgn=div5#se7.10.1499_14 content and forms. Applicants should begin the application process early to allow time to address any technical difficulties that may arise. There will be no exceptions to the application deadline.

Anticipated Funding Selection Date: July 20, 2022

Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2022

2. Address to Request Application Package

This NOFO and instructions for submitting the application are available on the FAIS homepage.

Before you can view the FAIS homepage, you must first establish an FAIS account. See the following website for more information: https://www.fas.usda.gov/food-aid-information-system.

These documents are also located on www.grants.gov. However, all applications must be submitted via FAIS. If an Applicant does not have access to the internet or experiences trouble accessing the FAIS homepage, the Applicant can request a hardcopy of the full NOFO by calling

(202) 720-2637 between 9:00 A.M. and 5:00 P.M. EDT or by contacting FAS in writing at:

Food for Progress Branch Director 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Room 6958 Washington, DC 20250

This NOFO plus the appendices constitute the full application package.

3. Content and Form of Application Submission

a. Application Format

All submitted applications must:

• Be written in English

• Use Times New Roman, 12 point font; tables and graphs may use Times New Roman

10 point where appropriate

• Be typed on standard 8.5” x 11” sized paper with 1 inch margins, single spaced, left aligned

• Be paginated with each page consecutively numbered in the footer

• Be submitted as PDF files, unless otherwise specified in the NOFO

• Cite source information and/or provide an explanation of the analysis undertaken throughout proposal, especially in the Introduction and Strategic Analysis

• Adhere to the maximum page limits in Part D Section 3 b, Required Content and Forms

(Regional program proposals are granted an additional three pages per section)

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

https://apps.fas.usda.gov/fais/webapp/files/Instructions%20for%20Submitting%20Proposals%20in%20the%20FAIS.pdf https://www.fas.usda.gov/food-aid-information-system

b. Required Content and Forms

Applications that do not provide the required content and forms by the closing date of this announcement will be contacted by FAS. FAS will grant up to three business days from the date of contact for an Applicant to submit omitted administrative content and forms via FAIS. Any incomplete applications after the grace period will be considered incomplete and will be rejected and will NOT be considered for funding. An Application Content Checklist can be found in Appendix A.

All applications must include the following content and forms to be considered complete:

• Introduction and Strategic Analysis – 15 pages

• Plan of Operation and Activities – 20 pages

• Organizational Capacity and Staffing – 4 pages o Capacity and Staffing o Organizational Chart o In-Country Registration o Curriculum Vitae of Project Lead (4 page maximum but excluded from page count) o Project-Specific Commitment Letters from anticipated subrecipients (if subrecipients are proposed) (no page limit restrictions) o Past Performance Records (no page limit restrictions)

• Results Framework and Monitoring and Evaluation – 25 pages o Project-Level Results Framework – 6 pages o Performance Indicators – 5 pages o Evaluation Plan – 14 pages

• Commodity Management – 4 pages (up to 7 pages if proposing regional monetization)

• Budget – 26 pages o Budget Summary – 1 page o Budget Narrative – 25 pages o Applicant’s most recent approved NICRA agreement (no page limit restrictions) (See

Part D Section 3 c vi, Budget, for more on indirect costs)

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

• SF–LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (Required if Applicant is involved in lobbying activities.)

• Single Audit (Applicant’s most recent; no page limit restrictions)

Additional details on the content of each section of the proposal are found below in Part D Section 3 c, Content Guidance. Applicants should review this guidance to determine which sections require data input directly into FAIS and which sections may be submitted as attachments. FAS strongly discourages, and will not consider, any materials submitted by or on behalf of the Applicant other than those materials specifically requested in this NOFO.

FAS will verify in SAM.gov that the proper forms are completed, and if not, an applicant will be contacted and directed to complete them. An agreement will not be signed until the proper forms are completed within SAM.gov.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms/sf-424-family.html https://www.gsa.gov/Forms/TrackForm/33144

Please be aware that OMB Memorandum 18-24: Strategies to Reduce Grant Recipient Reporting Burden has been approved. Various required forms needed to apply for Federal Financial Assistance no longer need to be completed individually at time of application. They are covered in the Financial Assistance General Certifications and Representations Report.

Effective January 1, 2020, the Financial Assistance General Certifications and Representations Report is a common set of certifications and representations required by Federal statutes or regulations in accordance with the grants guidance under Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations (2 CFR section 200.208 Certifications and Representations). Those non-Federal entities who intend to apply for, or are already recipients of Federal grants or agreements, must read and agree to the corresponding certifications and representations. Registrants who reply yes to the question are required to keep these certifications and representations current, accurate, and complete as part of their entity registration.

All of the terms do not apply to foreign entities however all entity types receiving financial assistance from FAS must respond yes because the Lobbying Disclosure term does apply to foreign entities along with being registered in SAM. All other terms do not apply to foreign entities.

c. Content Guidance

All FFPr Program proposals must include the following as attachments in FAIS

i. Introduction and Strategic Analysis (15 pages)

Introduction Applicants should provide evidence of their understanding of the priority sector and local context, and respond to the priorities outlined in the Country Specific Guidance. This should not be general background information, but an assessment of the country landscape under the thematic area or priority value chain(s), and the status of the enabling environment for farmers, small and medium enterprises, and service providers.

Strategic Analysis Applicants should identify what needs to be addressed within the priority sector based on the above required assessment. As well as provide a clear, cost effective strategy on the proposed interventions and why those intervention points are important for achieving the objectives of the project. This section should also:

• Describe where opportunities for lasting impact exist and why interventions at those points are the most appropriate, context specific, and replicable for creating sustainable change after the proposed project ends.

• Identify the target geographic area(s) and the beneficiary group(s) as well as the criteria and methodology used to select these. Criteria and methodology should help to distinguish why some regions or beneficiary groups will receive resources while others may not. Applicants may include illustrations such as geographic maps, value chain maps, climate vulnerability maps, or other visualizations to support strategic analysis.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=7afb0c0828c3355d943fd0de9f2fdff6&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1208&rgn=div8

• Showcase an understanding of key private sector actors as well as existing USG and other donor funded projects and why collaboration with these various actors will contribute to the success of the proposed project.

• Highlight areas to increase the role of youth, women, minorities, and indigenous communities in the priority sector(s) to advance gender and racial justice and equality.

Explain why such interventions would increase opportunities for these groups.

• Provide an analysis of climate conditions and pre-existing climate smart approaches in the priority sector(s) and why new or further climate smart interventions would be beneficial to sector growth and combatting climate change.

ii. Plan of Operation and Activities (20 pages)

This section should build off the Strategic Analysis (see section i) and expand on how the Applicant will implement the chosen interventions to meet the needs identified in the Introduction and Strategic Analysis. The Applicant should deploy diverse and innovative approaches through the proposed activities to achieve the objectives of the project. Activities laid out in this section should:

• Establish target geographies and beneficiaries – Clearly demonstrate the target geographic area(s) and beneficiaries for each activity.

• Show clear process – Provide detailed steps for the implementation of each activity. This should include major milestones and anticipated activity completion dates.

• Create Economies of Scale – Activities should highlight how economies of scale in both input purchases and sales can be achieved for individual smallholder farmers, such as through farmer organizations, to create more broad-based growth. Explain how chosen interventions create efficiencies in the priority sector(s) that benefit smallholders.

• Foster Local Capacity, Self-Reliance, and Sustainability – The activities must clearly outline how proposed actions will foster local capacity and national self-reliance and ensure sustainability well beyond the life of the project.

• Partner with the private sector – The private sector has the incentives to seek sustainable, profitable growth in their business activities. Applicant will be requested to seek to develop partnerships with responsible private sector firms.

• Embrace Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) principles – Activities should yield positive change more quickly if they are coordinated and collaborative with a broad set of appropriate local actors, test promising new approaches in a continuous search for improvement, and build on what works, while eliminating what does not.

• Address Climate Change – USDA is committed to lead the way with investments in science, research, and climate smart agriculture solutions that improve the profitability and resilience of producers and forest health, while creating new income opportunities and generational wealth that builds in those same communities. Activities should highlight the integration of climate change solutions and adaptations.

• Advance Racial Justice, Equity, and Opportunity – Include explicit efforts to promote gender and racial equity and incorporate critical gender issues. Ensure that women, minorities, and indigenous communities are able to participate in proposed activities and there is equitable access to resources, especially in financing.

• Leverage Other Investments – Specify how activities will work with other USG and development partners. Activities should complement and collaborate with ongoing projects on the ground. The project should not operate in isolation.

• Explain Subrecipients Roles – Clearly state subrecipient roles and responsibilities in these activities and provide justification for their inclusion on the project.

iii. Organizational Capacity and Staffing (4 pages)

Applicants must clearly demonstrate their organizational capacities to implement the proposed project across all aspects of project management. Current and past experience in agricultural projects, especially within the priority area or targeted geographies, must be included in this section.

The Organizational Capacity and Staffing section should also include a staffing plan that demonstrates the technical and geographic expertise required for efficient and effective project implementation, administration, and management. The staffing plan should include a brief description of all long-term staff positions and required levels of experience. The applicant should avoid excessive staffing and be as cost effective as possible. FAS may request changes to the final staffing plan during award negotiation or project implementation.

Applicants must also identify any subrecipients and provide a description of each subrecipient’s responsibilities and capabilities. Subrecipient means an entity that enters into a sub-agreement with the Applicant for the purpose of implementing activities described in an agreement. Such an entity would receive commodities, CCC provided funds, program income, sale proceeds, or other resources from the Applicant to use for this purpose and would be accountable to the Applicant for the use of such commodities, funds, program income, sale proceeds, or resources. The UEI number for each subrecipient must be included in the description. Applicants are encouraged to include U.S. minority and women owned small businesses.

In addition to the Organizational Capacity and Staffing narrative above, Applicants should provide the following items at the end of the Organizational Capacity and Staffing section (included in the page count):

• Organizational Chart – Applicants must include an appropriate and adequate organizational chart that identifies Key Personnel positions. Should the application be selected for funding, the information on Key Personnel will be added to the Plan of Operation in the agreement. Applicants should refer to their organization’s internal administrative policies for determining Key Personnel, which may include positions such as the Chief of Party, Country Director, or Program Manager. If subrecipient(s) are proposed, they should be identified in the organizational chart so that a clear reporting structure between the subrecipient(s) and the Applicant is established.

• In-Country Registration – The Applicant must disclose its registration status in the target country(ies). Applicants not registered must include a plan to become registered and a timeline to complete the registration process.

Applicants must provide the below items related to the Organizational Capacity and Staffing section. Each item will be submitted as separate attachments (all excluded from page count):

• Curriculum Vitae (CV) for proposed project lead (4 page limit) – The Applicant must attach, as part of the proposal, the CV for the proposed project lead, i.e. the Chief of Party, Country Director, or Program Manager. This person will provide major oversight of the proposed FFPr Program project. The CV must clearly demonstrate the project lead’s relevant work experience and qualifications.

• Subrecipient Letters of Commitment – A project-specific commitment letter from each proposed subrecipient should be included as an application attachment.

• Past Performance Reviews – Applicants should identify references for no more than three grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts implemented by the organization. For projects without a CPAR on CPARS.gov, each reference should complete a Past Performance Review form (see Appendix F) and submit it to ppded@usda.gov by the closing date of this announcement. For any reference projects with an existing CPAR on CPARS.gov, the Applicant may provide that CPAR as a substitute for submitting a Past Performance Review form. Please share the CPAR information (contract number, assessment date, and UEI) in an email to ppded@usda.gov.

When selecting references to submit past performance review forms, Applicants are encouraged to select references with knowledge of the Applicant’s past performance of projects that are similar in scope and size to the programming in the Applicant’s proposal, including those specifically mentioned in the Introduction and Strategic Analysis section of the Applicant’s proposal. Applicants are strongly encouraged to include at least one reference for a past or active award outside of the USDA International Food Assistance programs. These reference forms do not have page limit restrictions.

If a proposed subrecipient will receive 20% or more of the proposed operating budget for the project, the subrecipient should have one reference submit a Past Performance Review to ppded@usda.gov by the closing date of this announcement.

iv. Monitoring and Evaluation (25 pages)

There are three monitoring and evaluation documents required in the proposal: 1) a Results Framework (graphic and narrative), 2) a Performance Indicators table, and 3) an Evaluation Plan.

Results Framework (6 page limit) All Applicants are required to submit a Project-Level Results Framework (RF). This must mailto:ppded@usda.gov clearly identify how the proposed project will contribute to the Food for Progress program-level Results Framework, as shown in Appendix E. The RF should be no more than 6 pages. A Project-Level RF has two components:

1. A graphical representation of the project’s theory of change. The suggested length of the graphical RF is 2 pages. A strong graphical RF should:

• Use the FFPr Program-Level RF as the basis of the Project-Level RF.

• Identify which results the proposed project will contribute to, and which the proposed project will NOT contribute to.

o A single project is not expected to contribute to all of the results in the program-level RF. Projects typically contribute to a subset of program-level results, and may also contribute to custom results, reflecting the specific country and programmatic context of the proposed project. The number of results contributed to will not be a factor in proposal evaluation.

• Display the project’s proposed activities and align each with the result(s) the activity will help achieve. Applicants should use short, descriptive activity titles so that readers have enough information to understand how a proposed activity will logically lead to a result.

• Include the names of any external entities with whom the Applicant proposes to coordinate to achieve the result, e.g. USAID or a host government ministry, for any relevant result. Applicants are responsible for subrecipients’ work, so proposed subrecipients need not be separately identified from the Applicant.

• Add custom results, beyond what is available in the Program-Level RF, to communicate additional results the proposed project is designed to achieve. This is particularly important for projects such as TFA and SPS projects that typically work towards results not already displayed on the Program-Level RF.

2. A narrative text, articulating the project’s theory of change, describing the cause-and-effect linkages outlined in the Strategic Analysis, section i. The suggested length of the narrative is 4 pages. A strong narrative should:

• Reference existing research to support the described causal linkages.

• Identify critical assumptions that support the theory of change. Critical assumptions are external conditions that are necessary for success of the project, but over which the project implementers have little or no control. Critical assumptions that have a high probability of occurring and, if realized, will prohibit the project from achieving its desired results are defined as “killer assumptions.” Generally, projects should not have killer assumptions.

• For each FFPr Program Level result that the proposed project does not plan to contribute to, explain why.

• Provide a convincing argument that the project’s theory of change will achieve the intermediate and highest-level results described above and these results will be sustained beyond project completion.

o A strong narrative will tie desired results into the sustainable impact of activities proposed in the Plan of Operations (section ii). Projects should develop local ownership for the project, and develop sustainable partnerships to maximize the potential for the benefits of the project to endure over time.

Overall, the results framework should reflect sound, causal thinking. The project logic should follow a chain of cause and effect relationships. There should be no significant causal gaps or large leaps from one level in the causal hierarchy to the next. Proposed activities should be sufficient to produce outputs, achieve initial and intermediate results, and contribute to the strategic objectives. If activities do not align with results, they should be reconsidered, and the budget should be revised to include activities that directly support results.

Performance Indicators (5 page limit) Applicants must identify and submit a table of standard and custom performance indicators for their proposed project results. Performance indicators identify how to recognize the success of the project and help to clarify results. For each indicator, the Applicant must identify a baseline value (where possible), annual targets for each year of the project, and a life of project target.

Applicants should include,…