fy24-nadprp-tribal-funding-opportunity-announcement.pdf

Tribal Nations:

National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program Fiscal Year 2024 Cooperative/Interagency Agreements

Fiscal Year 2024 Funding Opportunity Announcement Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-APHIS-10025-VSSP0000-24-0003 Publication Date: October 24, 2023 Application Due Date: January 19, 2024, 11:59 PM Hawaii Standard Time

Funding Opportunity: USDA Tribal Nations National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program Fiscal Year 2024

The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services (VS) is announcing the availability of cooperative agreement funding for Tribes and Tribal partners to conduct projects to support the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP) as described in Section 12101 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (aka “2018 Farm Bill”).

Through the NADPRP program, APHIS provides funds to support high-value projects that will help prevent the introduction and spread of foreign and emerging animal diseases that threaten U.S. agriculture. Each year, APHIS makes funding available to support projects in priority areas of animal disease preparedness and response that are identified through consultation with eligible entities and stakeholders. Additional details about the program and this funding opportunity, including additional information for applicants, are available on the USDA APHIS NADPRP website.

SYNOPSIS

Funding Opportunity Title: Tribal Nations: National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program

(NADPRP) 2024

Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-APHIS-10025-VSSP0000-24-0003

Funding Type: Cooperative Agreements

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.025, Plant and Animal Disease, Pest Control, and Animal Care

Application Due Date: Applications must be received by January 19, 2024, 11:59 PM Hawaii Standard Time.

Applications received after this deadline will not be considered for funding.

Funding Opportunity Description: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS) is announcing the availability of up to $500,000 in funds in the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP) to support Tribal projects in the topic areas listed below.

1. Projects to Deliver Outreach & Education on Animal Disease Prevention, Preparedness, and Response

2. Projects to Increase Livestock and Poultry Biosecurity

3. Projects that Support Training & Exercises for Tribal Nations Animal Agriculture Sector Responders

4. Projects to Develop, Enhance, and Exercise Tribal Animal Disease Emergency Response Plans

5. Projects to Enhance Animal Disease Traceability for a Disease Outbreak https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2/text https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/nadprp/ad-preparedness-response-program

Eligible Applicants:

1. Native American Indian Tribes1

2. Tribal Organizations2

3. Tribal Colleges & Universities (TCUs)3

Cost Sharing: Not required.

1 Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are listed on the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

Federal Register: Indian Entities Recognized by and Eligible to Receive Services from the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs 2 25 CFR § 900.6 defines tribal organization as the recognized governing body of any Indian tribe; any legally established organization of Indians which is controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by such governing body or which is democratically elected by the adult members of the Indian community to be served by such organization and which includes the maximum participation of Indians in all phases of its activities: Provided, That in any case where a contract is let or grant made to an organization to perform services benefiting more than one Indian tribe, the approval of each such Indian tribe shall be a prerequisite to the letting or making of such contract or grant.

3 As recognized by the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) AIHEC: Who We Serve https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/01/28/2022-01789/indian-entities-recognized-by-and-eligible-to-receive-services-from-the-united-states-bureau-of https://www.aihec.org/tcu-locations/

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Synopsis Full Announcement A. Program Description

A.1 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A.2 FY2024 FUNDING PRIORITIES

A.3 ALIGNMENT WITH USDA APHIS GOALS

A.4 LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY

B. Federal Award Information

B.1 COST GUIDANCE

C. Eligibility Information

C.1 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

C.2 COST SHARING

C.3 THRESHOLD ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

D. Application and Submission Information

D.1 OBTAINING AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

D.2 CONTENT AND FORM OF THE APPLICATION PACKAGE

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

D.4 SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

D.5 FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

D.6 OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

E. Application Review Information

E.1 EVALUATION CRITERIA

E.2 SELECTION AND REVIEW PROCESS

F. Federal Award Administration Information

F.1 AWARD NOTICES

F.2 ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

F.3 REPORTING

F. 4 PROJECT EVALUATION

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts H. Other Information

H.1 DEFINITIONS

APPENDIX 1. FY 2024 NADPRP Funding Priority Topics APPENDIX 2. New Applicant Information APPENDIX 3. Tips For Applicants

FULL ANNOUNCEMENT

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Awarding Agency Name: United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Veterinary Services (VS)

Funding Opportunity Title: Tribal Nations: National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program

(NADPRP) 2024

Announcement Type: Initial Announcement

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.025

Key Dates: Applications must be received through ezFedGrants (eFG) by January 19, 2024, 11:59 PM Hawaii Standard Time. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered for funding.

The agreement performance period is estimated to begin between June 1-July 31, 2024, and end no later than 24 months after the start date.

Applicants can find the funding opportunity information on the ezFedGrants website and the Grants.gov website by searching CFDA number 10.025 or Funding Opportunity Number USDA-APHIS-10025-VSSP0000- 24-0003. Information is also available on the USDA APHIS NADPRP website.

Eligible applicants must submit all application materials electronically using the ezFedGrants system.

A.1 FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

This funding opportunity is provided to carry out the NADPRP as described in Section 12101 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (aka “2018 Farm Bill”). Through the NADPRP program, APHIS provides funds to support high-value projects that will help prevent the introduction and spread of foreign and emerging animal diseases that threaten U.S. agriculture. Each year, APHIS makes funding available to support projects in animal disease preparedness and response priority topic areas that are identified through consultation with eligible entities and stakeholders. Additional details about the program are available on the USDA APHIS NADPRP website.

APHIS will make available up to $500,000 in funds to support NADPRP Tribal projects in federal fiscal year 2024. In this funding opportunity, the NADPRP is seeking proposals for projects that address the funding priority topics described in Section A.2 and funds will be awarded to eligible entities described in Section C.

A.2 FY2024 FUNDING PRIORITIES

APHIS will consider project proposals that clearly and directly support one of the animal disease preparedness and response topics described below.

Appendix 1 includes important details about each topic and specific priorities within each topic.

1. Projects to Deliver Outreach & Education on Animal Disease Prevention, Preparedness, and Response

2. Projects to Increase Livestock and Poultry Biosecurity

3. Projects that Support Training & Exercises for Tribal Nations Animal Agriculture Sector Responders https://www.usda.gov/ocfo/ezfedgrants https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/nadprp/ad-preparedness-response-program https://www.usda.gov/ocfo/ezfedgrants https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/nadprp/ad-preparedness-response-program https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/nadprp/ad-preparedness-response-program

4. Projects to Develop, Enhance, and Exercise Tribal Animal Disease Emergency Response Plans

5. Projects to Enhance Animal Disease Traceability for a Disease Outbreak

NADPRP uses the Animal Health Protection Act definition of Livestock, which is “all farm-raised animals” (Animal Health Protection Act, 7 USC Ch. 109); this includes poultry, equines, farm-raised aquatic animals, and other traditional and non-traditional farm-raised animals.

Regardless of the topic, APHIS will prioritize funding to proposals that:

• Focus on animal disease preparedness and response.

• Leverage existing resources through partnerships with local, State, and/or Federal government agencies, Native American Tribal governments, Native American Tribal organizations, Native American Colleges & Universities, industry organizations, professional associations, producer groups, and/or non-profit organizations with direct and significant interest in livestock and poultry disease prevention, preparedness, and response.

• Address known gaps, problems, and areas of concern related to prevention, preparedness, and response for animal disease outbreaks.

• Build on scientifically based innovation, existing tools/techniques, and findings from projects previously funded by NADPRP.

• Address animal disease preparedness and response concerns and needs of Tribal communities.

A.3 ALIGNMENT WITH USDA APHIS GOALS

This funding opportunity supports APHIS Veterinary Services’ (VS) mission to protect animal health as well as USDA APHIS Strategic Plan Goal 1: Protect agriculture from plant and animal diseases and pests, Objective 3:

Ensure effective emergency preparedness and response.

A.4 LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY

The NADPRP program is authorized under Section 12101 of the 2018 Farm Bill.

B. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Total Amount to be Awarded: APHIS will make available up to $500,000 in funds to support projects that address the funding priorities described in Section A.2 and Appendix 1. There is no commitment by USDA to fund any application or to make any federal award as a result of this announcement.

Type of Assistance Instrument: Most awards will be funded via cooperative agreements. Cooperative agreements include substantial involvement by APHIS to assist in the completion of the goals and objectives of the work.

Anticipated Awards: APHIS anticipates that most agreements awarded will range from $10,000 to $100,000.

Anticipated Award Start Date: APHIS anticipates that work covered under these agreements will start between June 1 and July 31, 2024, but flexibility may be allowed to accommodate specific project needs.

Period of Performance: Projects must be completed within 24 months. The period of performance will depend on the nature of the work; one to two years from date of award is typical. Funding will not be allowed, nor activities approved to occur, either before or after the designated period of performance. A pre-award must be established if activities need to occur before the period of performance.

Competitive Process: Funds will be awarded to the highest quality proposals through a competitive review and award process. The proposal review process is described in Section E. The number of awards is contingent https://www.aphis.usda.gov/about_aphis/downloads/aphis-strategic-plan.pdf on the submission of a sufficient number of meritorious applications. Final funding decisions are at the discretion of USDA.

Based on reviewer recommendations, APHIS may award less than the requested amount of funds for a project. In these cases, applicants may accept or decline the award that is offered. If applicants accept a reduced funding level, applicants will submit a revised application that addresses reviewer concerns and aligns with the award amount. APHIS will provide additional guidance to applicants in these situations.

B.1 COST GUIDANCE

All APHIS awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, allowable and unallowable costs, direct and indirect costs, cost share and matching, and other considerations as described and defined in:

• NADPRP Guidelines for Use of Funds for APHIS Veterinary Services Farm Bill Cooperative Agreements.

This document includes information on how to calculate indirect costs for NADPRP Awards, and

• 2 CFR Subpart E, Cost Principles – General Provisions for Selected Items of Cost.

All applicants must submit a detailed Financial Plan that adheres to the documents referenced above.

C. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

C.1 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

NADPRP eligible applicants are:

1. Native American Indian Tribes1

2. Tribal Organizations2

3. Tribal Colleges & Universities (TCUs)3

Note: This list does not preclude award Recipients from collaborating with other entities who may have direct and significant interest in livestock and poultry animal disease prevention, preparedness, and response, such as land grant or other universities, State departments of agriculture, livestock organizations, or veterinary associations.

C.2 COST SHARING

Cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not required for NADPRP projects. If an applicant includes contributions as part of a cost share in their budget proposal and it is accepted by APHIS, the commitment of funds becomes legally binding, must be reported on the SF-425, and is subject to audit. Additional information about cost sharing is available in the NADPRP Guidelines for Use of Funds for APHIS Veterinary Services Farm Bill Cooperative Agreements.

1 Federally recognized Native American tribal governments are listed on the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Interior.

Federal Register: Indian Entities Recognized by and Eligible to Receive Services from the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs 2 25 CFR § 900.6 defines tribal organization as the recognized governing body of any Indian tribe; any legally established organization of Indians which is controlled, sanctioned, or chartered by such governing body or which is democratically elected by the adult members of the Indian community to be served by such organization and which includes the maximum participation of Indians in all phases of its activities: Provided, That in any case where a contract is let or grant made to an organization to perform services benefiting more than one Indian tribe, the approval of each such Indian tribe shall be a prerequisite to the letting or making of such contract or grant.

3 As recognized by the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC) AIHEC: Who We Serve https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/farmbill/nadprp-guidelines-funds.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=36bff1b1599bd122d722fcb83c76da10&mc=true&node=sp2.1.200.e&rgn=div6 https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/farmbill/nadprp-guidelines-funds.pdf https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/01/28/2022-01789/indian-entities-recognized-by-and-eligible-to-receive-services-from-the-united-states-bureau-of https://www.aihec.org/tcu-locations/

C.3 THRESHOLD ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Application packages must meet these initial screening criteria to be considered for further review. Proposals that do not meet these initial screening criteria will not be considered.

1. Proposals must be submitted by eligible entities.

2. Proposals must address the funding priorities listed in Section A and described in detail in Appendix

1.

3. All required documents and forms listed in Section D.2 must (a) be included in the application package, and (b) comply with the submission instructions described in Section D of this announcement. Application packages with missing or incomplete documents or forms will not be considered for review.

4. Proposals, including all associated documents and forms, must be submitted in eFG on or before the proposal submission deadline. Proposals received after the submission deadline will not be considered.

D. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

We strongly urge applicants to complete the following activities as soon as possible: (1) Register and maintain an active System for Awards Management (SAM) account, (2) create a Login.gov Account, and (3) establish an ezFedGrants (eFG) account. Instructions for these steps are available in Appendix 2 and on NADPRP’s Here’s How to Get Ready Now web page.

Applicants may submit more than one project proposal. Applicants who submit more than one proposal must submit each proposal as a separate application package.

D.1 OBTAINING AN APPLICATION PACKAGE

Applicants can find all application materials on the ezFedGrants (eFG) website or the Grants.gov website by searching CFDA number 10.025 or Funding Opportunity Number USDA-APHIS-10025-VSSP0000-24-0003.

Application materials and additional information is also available on the USDA APHIS NADPRP website.

D.2 CONTENT AND FORM OF THE APPLICATION PACKAGE

For Non-Federal applicants, the application package must include the documents listed below. Note that application documents must be in PDF format before they can be uploaded in eFG. The total size of all PDF attachments cannot exceed 20mb.

□ Project proposal WORK PLAN. See below.

□ Project proposal FINANCIAL PLAN. See below.

□ SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance”.

□ SF-424A, “Budget Information – Non-Construction Programs”.

□ Certification Regarding Lobbying. Required if the Federal Assistance portion of the project’s financial plan / budget is greater than $100,000.

□ SF-LLL “Disclosure of Lobbying Activities”. Required if the Federal Assistance portion of the project’s financial plan / budget is greater than $100,000.

□ A signed copy of the current Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) must be attached to the Application in ezFedGrants if indirect costs are assessed (2 CFR Part 200.19).

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/nadprp-funding-how-to https://www.usda.gov/ocfo/ezfedgrants https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/search-grants.html

Applicants should refer to Appendix 3: Tips for Applicants when preparing a proposal package for submission.

Any proposal with missing or significantly incomplete documents or forms will result in a rejected application.

Project Proposal Work Plan

Applicants must submit a project proposal Work Plan that provides details on all aspects of the project. The NADPRP Project Work Plan Template is available on the USDA APHIS NADPRP website. Applicants are strongly encouraged to use this template. Applicants who do not use the template must include all information requested in the template in their Work Plan. Work Plans should not exceed 25 pages and must be submitted in PDF format. Refer to Appendix 3 for helpful information about the Work Plan.

Project Proposal Financial Plan

Applicants must submit a project proposal Financial Plan that includes details about the project budget. When preparing a Financial Plan, applicants must comply with the guidance and funding restrictions described in Section B.1. The NADPRP Project Financial Plan Template are available on the USDA APHIS NADPRP website.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to use this template. Applicants who do not use the template must include all information requested in the template in their Financial Plan. Financial Plans must be submitted in PDF format. Information in the Financial Plan must match the funding and budget information in the SF- 424, SF-424A, and Work Plan. Refer to Appendix 3 for helpful information about the Financial Plan.

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

System for Award Management (SAM)

All applicants (except federal agencies) are required to register in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior to submitting an application and to continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information throughout the award period of performance (2 CFR §200.205). To register, go to the SAM website. When creating a SAM account, it may take up to two weeks before the account appears in federal systems. Applicants who are not already registered in SAM are encouraged to complete this task as soon as possible.

Additional instructions for SAM registration are available in Appendix 2 and on NADPRP’s Here’s How to Get Ready Now web page.

D.4 SUBMISSION DATES AND TIMES

The closing date and time for receipt of proposal submissions is January 19, 2024, 11:59 PM Hawaii Standard Time. Proposals received after the submission deadline will not be considered.

All applicants must submit all application materials electronically using ezFedGrants. We urge applicants to submit their application early.

• To submit an application in ezFedGrants, applicants must have a Login.gov Account and an ezFedGrants Account. Applicants who do not already have these are encouraged to create the accounts as soon as possible. Additional instructions on these activities are available in Appendix 2 and on NADPRP’s Here’s How to Get Ready Now web page

• eFG will not permit applicants to submit an application package after the deadline of January 19, 2024, 11:59 PM Hawaii Standard Time. Late application packages cannot be accepted.

• Applicants who encounter problems with the eFG application process may contact VS.NADPRP@usda.gov – at least 48 hours before the deadline – for additional assistance with submitting an application package.

All applications must be complete and submitted by the deadline without exception.

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/nadprp-funding-how-to https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/nadprp-funding-how-to https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/nadprp-funding-how-to mailto:VS.NADPRP@usda.gov

D.5 FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

Funding restrictions, including unallowable costs, indirect cost cap, and cost restrictions are provided in the NADPRP Guidelines for Use of Funds and described in 2 CFR Subpart E, Cost Principles – General Provisions for Selected Items of Cost.

D.6 OTHER SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• Letters of support are not required but may be included. Letters of support from State / Tribal animal health officials or livestock producer organizations are helpful for some types of projects. If included, letters of support should be uploaded in PDF format as attachments in the ezFedGrants system.

Applicants should not request letters of support from APHIS VS employees; NADPRP will solicit input from APHIS VS experts during the review process.

• Curriculum vitae (CV’s) are not required. We encourage applicants to briefly describe the relevant professional experience of the project leader(s) in the Work Plan instead of attaching CV’s.

• Applicants may not use resources provided by the USDA APHIS National Veterinary Stockpile to complete their projects.

• Applicants must describe support needed from APHIS Veterinary Services personnel to accomplish their project. This includes participation by APHIS personnel in events associated with the project (e.g., workshops, planning meetings) or services to be provided by VS subject matter experts (e.g., data, information, analyses) to complete the project. This does not include support from the VS Program Manager to oversee and advise on the project.

• Applicants experiencing technical difficulties should contact VS.NADPRP@usda.gov at least 48 hours before the application deadline. APHIS complies with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

E. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

The USDA is responsible for approving NADPRP funded projects. This is a competitive funding opportunity.

Applications that meet the threshold eligibility criteria in Section C will compete for available funds with all other eligible applications submitted in response to this funding opportunity announcement.

E.1 EVALUATION CRITERIA

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated based on the criteria listed below. Applicants should explicitly address these criteria in their project Work Plan.

1. Clear, strong, and direct alignment with one or more of the priority topics described in Appendix 1 of the funding opportunity announcement.

2. Extent to which the project addresses one or more critical current needs directly related to a funding priority topic or addresses an important gap in knowledge or capabilities directly related to a funding priority topic.

3. Feasibility of success demonstrated by a well-organized plan of action, a technically sound approach, a reasonable timeline to complete activities, consideration of key partnerships and collaborations needed for project success, and skills and experience of the applicants.

4. Extent to which the project outcomes and deliverables are likely to have significant impact and value to Tribal communities.

5. Cost effectiveness, including whether all project costs are reasonable and necessary to produce expected outcomes and whether the project makes good use of existing resources.

mailto:VS.NADPRP@usda.gov https://www.fcc.gov/general/section-508-rehabilitation-act

E.2 SELECTION AND REVIEW PROCESS

Eligible proposals will be evaluated by a team of subject matter experts nominated by APHIS VS and by the NADPRP Consultation Board. To avoid potential conflicts of interest, reviewers may have no association with projects they are reviewing. In the event of a real or perceived conflict of interest, a reviewer shall recuse themselves as appropriate. The review team may seek counsel from additional subject-matter experts as appropriate. USDA will consider the review team’s recommendations in making final funding determinations.

During the application review process, APHIS will conduct a risk assessment for applicants. Applicants will be verified in the System for Award Management (SAM) to ensure they have not been disbarred or suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any federal department or agency. APHIS may not issue a federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifiers and SAM requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements, APHIS may determine that the applicant is not eligible to receive a federal award.

When anticipated total federal share exceeds the simplified acquisition threshold, APHIS is required to review and consider information about the applicant included in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM. An applicant, if desired, may review and comment on any information about their organization previously entered and currently in the system. When completing the risk assessment, APHIS will consider applicant comments in addition to other information in the designated integrity and performance system to assess applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under federal awards.

F. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

APHIS will administer the agreements and collaborate with project recipients to provide advice, receive and review project documents, offer comments and suggestions, track project performance, and communicate with recipients as necessary to ensure progress in accomplishing the project, identifying obstacles, and resolving concerns.

Recipients will track performance and expenditures, provide progress reports and project deliverables in accordance with the project Work Plan, and communicate with VS staff to assess and evaluate progress.

F.1 AWARD NOTICES

All applicants will be notified by email after the list of awarded projects is approved by the Secretary of Agriculture and announced by USDA. Awards will be executed as soon as possible after the awarded projects are announced. Pre-awards may be requested if there is urgency to begin work before the award can be executed.

Applicants selected for funding will receive instruction on next steps to process a Notice of Award (NOA) via ezFedGrants. The Notice of Award will provide pertinent instructions and information including but not limited to the information described in 2 CFR § 200.210 and a reference to the APHIS General Terms and Conditions.

F.2 ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

Successful applicants must comply with the requirements contained in the 2 CFR Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. Successful applicants also must comply with the APHIS General Terms and Conditions, the approved project Work Plan, and the approved project Financial Plan.

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=70b44cfc44976f4a7742464f7cfbb37e&mc=true&node=se2.1.200_1210&rgn=div8 https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/business-services/financial-management-division/Financial_Services_Branch/Agreements_Service_Center/Terms-Conditions-for-APHIS-Awards https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/business-services/financial-management-division/Financial_Services_Branch/Agreements_Service_Center/Terms-Conditions-for-APHIS-Awards https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200

F.3 REPORTING

The Recipient’s Project Coordinator shall provide quarterly performance and financial reports to the VS Program Manager through the ezFedGrants system and in compliance with the APHIS General Terms and Conditions. Quarterly performance and financial reports are required and must be submitted in ezFedGrants.

The reports will be used to verify compliance with provisions of the Cooperative Agreement.

F. 4 PROJECT EVALUATION

The Recipient’s performance will be evaluated through the review of quarterly performance and financial reports, as well as periodic discussions of project progress with the VS Program Manager. Performance is evaluated based on the following criteria to determine if the Recipient met the project standards included in the proposal Work and Financial Plans and if expected results and benefits were achieved:

1. Adherence to the project objectives.

2. Adherence to project schedule.

3. Adherence to project budget.

4. Delivery of results that meet the agreement performance standards and achieve stated outcomes.

G. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

For questions about the NADPRP program and about this funding opportunity, required documents, or the ezFedGrants application process, please contact VS.NADPRP@usda.gov. You may also contact the following APHIS VS program staff: Julie Wallin, NADPRP Program Coordinator, julie.e.wallin@usda.gov, 970-494-7258.

H. OTHER INFORMATION

The USDA is not obligated to make any award as a result of this announcement nor to make any changes to future announcements. Only the APHIS Authorized Departmental Officer can bind the Government to an expenditure of funds and this obligation of funds shall only occur in writing by authorized officials and under the approved USDA, APHIS Cooperative Agreement format.

NADPRP funding is directed towards all livestock species. The NADPRP uses the Animal Health Protection Act definition of Livestock, which is “all farm-raised animals” (Animal Health Protection Act, 7 USC Ch. 109); this includes poultry, equines, farm-raised aquatic animals, and other traditional and non-traditional farm-raised animals.

H.1 DEFINITIONS

This announcement uses definitions as described in Section 8302 of the Animal Health Protection Act. Per the Animal Health Protection Act 7 (USC Ch. 109), the term “livestock” includes “all farm-raised animals” and includes poultry, equines, farm-raised aquatic animals, and other traditional and non-traditional farm-raised animals.

APPENDIX 1. FY 2024 NADPRP FUNDING PRIORITY TOPICS

APHIS will consider project proposals that clearly and directly support one of the animal disease preparedness and response topics described below. Regardless of the priority topic, applicants are encouraged to submit proposals that:

• Focus on animal disease preparedness and response.

mailto:VS.NADPRP@usda.gov mailto:julie.e.wallin@usda.gov https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title7-section8302&num=0&edition=prelim

• Leverage existing resources through partnerships with local, State, and/or Federal government agencies, Native American Tribal governments, Native American Tribal organizations, Native American Colleges & Universities, industry organizations, professional associations, producer groups, and/or non-profit organizations with direct and significant interest in livestock and poultry disease prevention, preparedness, and response.

• Address known gaps, problems, and areas of concern related to prevention, preparedness, and response for animal disease outbreaks.

• Build on scientifically based innovation, existing tools/techniques, and findings from projects previously funded by NADPRP.

• Address animal disease preparedness and response concerns and needs of Tribal communities.

2024 NADPRP Tribal Nations Priority Topics

TOPIC 1: PROJECTS TO DELIVER OUTREACH & EDUCATION ON ANIMAL DISEASE PREVENTION, PREPAREDNESS, AND

RESPONSE

APHIS will support projects that will deliver outreach and education on livestock and poultry disease prevention, preparedness, and response topics to Tribal communities. Target audiences may include but are not limited to backyard livestock and poultry owners as well as owners, personnel, volunteers, visitors, and others who are associated with aquaculture facilities, managed bison or cervid herds, demonstration farms, agricultural exhibits/shows/fairs, wildlife sanctuaries or rehabilitation facilities, and other locations or facilities that include domestic livestock and poultry. APHIS VS encourages outreach and education projects that leverage or expand on existing educational materials and use innovative delivery methods to entice audiences to engage with the educational materials.

Examples of proposals that will be considered in this area include but are not limited to projects that:

• Deliver outreach & education to Tribal communities in areas of animal disease prevention, biosecurity, early disease detection recognition and reporting, and raising awareness about roles & responsibilities and what happens in an animal disease outbreak.

• Identify and address information gaps among Tribal communities in the outreach & education areas listed above.

• Develop and conduct Tribal agri-business and community-level outreach on critical community and business roles in animal disease prevention, preparedness, and response and the roles of other entities and agencies at local, Tribal, State, and/or Federal levels.

• Develop outreach & education to increase the number of Tribal livestock and poultry premises that have premises identification numbers (PINs) or other location identifiers to help identify where animals are located in an animal disease outbreak.

TOPIC 2: PROJECTS TO INCREASE LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY BIOSECURITY

APHIS VS will support projects to enhance biosecurity in Tribal communities, including Tribal livestock and poultry owners and the target audiences described in Topic 1 (Outreach & Education). APHIS VS encourages projects that leverage or expand on existing biosecurity educational and training materials that are available online and supported by Tribal communities, universities and extension services, industry organizations, offices of State Animal Health Officials, and other trusted sources.

Examples of proposals that will be considered in this area include but are not limited to projects that:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/traceability/state-pin/state-pin

• Develop and deliver outreach and education to Tribal communities to improve awareness and understanding of biosecurity measures and the importance of biosecurity.

• Help Tribal livestock and poultry owners and other key audiences develop herd / flock / premises plans to prevent the introduction and spread of animal diseases through biosecurity and other activities. Projects may include developing and delivering outreach materials and templates to guide biosecurity plan development and educating audiences about the importance and value of these plans. Projects may target biosecurity planning for all types of livestock or poultry premises.

• Encourage Tribal livestock and poultry owners to participate in industry-driven biosecurity programs and develop and implement biosecurity plans. This may include projects to assist in socializing and implementing biosecurity programs among Tribal Nations livestock and poultry owners, veterinarians, and others.

• Develop, improve, and/or validate biosecurity methods. Proposals in this area may include methods to increase livestock and poultry owners’ and managers’ implementation of effective biosecurity measures and whole community approaches to increase the adoption and use of biosecurity practices (e.g., see something, say something).

• Develop and validate biosecurity assessment tools that may help identify gaps in current biosecurity activities and solutions to improve biosecurity for individual producers and at the community level.

TOPIC 3: PROJECTS THAT SUPPORT TRAINING & EXERCISES FOR TRIBAL NATIONS ANIMAL AGRICULTURE SECTOR

RESPONDERS

APHIS VS will support projects that will enhance capabilities and capacity of Tribal governments and Tribal communities for animal health emergency response situations through training and exercises. Proposals in this area should target training towards Tribal responders or potential responders in an animal disease outbreak response, including livestock and poultry owners and veterinarians. The scope of training and exercises may include, but is not limited to, instruction in the following animal health emergency response critical activities:

• Incident Coordination and Management – National Response Framework (NRF), National Incident Management System (NIMS) Incident Command System (ICS), and Incident Management Teams

(IMT)

• Communication, including public messaging

• Information Management

• Logistics

• Health, safety, and security of responders

• Biosecurity

• Mass depopulation and euthanasia

• Disposal (carcass and waste management)

• Cleaning and disinfection (decontamination of premises and equipment)

Examples of proposals that will be considered in this area include but are not limited to projects that:

• Support registration and travel costs for Tribal representatives to participate in animal disease emergency management training and/or exercises including but not limited to events hosted by the USDA APHIS VS Training and Exercise Program and emergency management conferences.

• Train and exercise Tribal responders or potential responders to collaborate in animal disease response events and conduct critical activities for incident response such as those listed above.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/sa_training_and_development/vstep/vstep-webinars

• Assess and address gaps in animal disease response capabilities of Tribal Nations.

• Build Tribal Nations capabilities and knowledge of the National Response Framework (NRF), National Incident Management System (NIMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS).

• Deliver position specific Incident Management Team (IMT) training to Tribal animal agriculture responders. Practice and test abilities through emergency response exercises to identify and address gaps and additional needs for training.

• Develop, conduct, and evaluate emergency management exercises to practice and strengthen Tribal animal agriculture sector responders training. Exercises may be discussion-based or operations-based and should validate the animal health emergency preparedness and response activities listed above.

TOPIC 4: PROJECTS TO DEVELOP, ENHANCE, AND EXERCISE TRIBAL ANIMAL DISEASE EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLANS

APHIS VS will support projects to develop, update, enhance, test, and/or exercise Tribal emergency response plans for livestock and poultry animal disease outbreaks. These response plans should be realistic, adaptable to different situations, align with USDA plans and guidelines, and should be easily coordinated with plans from other States or Tribes.

Examples of proposals that will be considered in this priority area include but are not limited to projects that:

• Develop, update, enhance, test, and/or exercise Tribal Nations emergency response plans for livestock and poultry animal diseases such as:

o Plans for managing, coordinating, and collaborating with other agencies to conduct critical response activities for an animal disease outbreak.

o Logistics plans to support animal disease preparedness and response activities, such as plans to:

Acquire and use resources from the National Veterinary Stockpile, such as personal protective equipment (PPE), in a livestock or poultry animal disease outbreak.

Inventory current resources, acquire additional resources, and maintain and/ or store resources so they are available and ready for emergency response. Plans may include human resources, supplies such as PPE, or materials such as carbon sources to support carcass disposal.

Collect and transport movement and disease surveillance samples for diagnostics using the National Animal Health Laboratories Network (NAHLN) diagnostics.

o Operational and logistic plans for collaboration or coordination across Tribal, Federal, and State entities to rapidly support livestock and poultry disease response.

o Plans for initial livestock and poultry disease containment in an animal disease outbreak.

o Plans to implement and coordinate animal depopulation and disposal activities during an animal disease outbreak response to enhance capabilities for timely performance of these activities for livestock and poultry.

o Plans to implement livestock and poultry movement controls and continuity of business activities in coordination with State animal health officials.

o Plans for disease control and response for agricultural fairs, shows, and exhibitions that include identifying and mitigating risks and what actions will be taken in the event of disease exposure.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/emergency-management/nvs/!ut/p/z1/04_iUlDg4tKPAFJABpSA0fpReYllmemJJZn5eYk5-hH6kVFm8X6Gzu4GFiaGPu6uLoYGjh6Wnt4e5mYGBh5m-l76UfgVFGQHKgIAHq7ZJA!!/

• Develop and implement processes to inventory and analyze the types, numbers, and locations of livestock and poultry on Tribal lands, including processes for maintaining and updating this information over time.

• Develop animal emergency response communication plans, including animal disease detection notification processes and plans for sharing information with stakeholder groups within and outside of the Tribal Nations network during an animal disease outbreak. Communication plans may also include enhancing stakeholder understanding of Tribal animal disease emergency response plans, addressing community concerns during response activities, and community emotional preparation and mitigation in preparation of response activities.

• Enhance Tribal animal disease outbreak response planning and coordination among multiple groups, including but not limited to Federal, State, Tribal, animal industry, wildlife, environmental, public health, university extension services, and other entities. This may include proposals to support workshops for Tribal Nations’ audiences on animal disease preparedness and emergency response topics. Priority will be given to proposals that include exercises or produce materials that Tribal Nations can use in an outbreak.

• Assess and identify mitigations and develop solutions for obstacles that may hinder effective response to a high-consequence animal disease outbreak on Tribal lands and in Tribal communities.

This may include but is not limited to social or cultural concerns, wildlife or invasive species that may hinder emergency response, and other topics.

TOPIC 5: PROJECTS TO ENHANCE ANIMAL DISEASE TRACEABILITY FOR A DISEASE OUTBREAK

Animal disease traceability (ADT) is a critical part of national preparedness for animal disease outbreaks and aligns with the purpose of the NADPRP. APHIS VS will support projects that will improve ADT capabilities as described below.

Examples of proposals that will be considered in this area include but are not limited to projects that:

• Plan, implement, evaluate, enhance, and/or exercise approaches and systems to enhance animal disease traceability. USDA approved EID tags, EID readers, and associated equipment may be included in proposals. This may include panel (stationary) and hand-held readers, USDA approved official Radio Frequency ID tags (RFID), data loggers to integrate data from panel readers, equipment installation, and consultation for set up of traceability systems and record management.

• Establish processes to quickly trace livestock and poultry during an animal disease outbreak, improve accuracy and efficiency of animal identification, reduce the overall number of animals involved in a disease investigation, and quickly identify “at-risk” movements.

• Establish processes for data quality and reporting of livestock and poultry inventories and movements during an animal disease outbreak to assess possible exposure/ infection and help identify where disease is likely to impact next based on susceptible species.

Application packages that include EID tags and/ or tag reading equipment should describe:

o How the project will enhance Tribal Nations’ ability to capture, store, access, and share animal disease traceability data with regulatory authorities in an animal disease outbreak.

o Procedures and guidelines for Tribes to correctly collect, handle, store, and use traceability information.

o Training and/or exercises to assure that users are trained to use and maintain equipment and trained to access and share traceability data with regulatory officials in an animal disease outbreak.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/SA_Traceability

APPENDIX 2. NEW APPLICANT INFORMATION

Applicant organizations must complete and maintain the following registrations to be eligible to apply for or receive a NADPRP award. These registrations must all be completed before the application can be submitted. Registration can take 6 weeks or more, so applicants should begin the registration process AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Failure to complete registrations in advance of a due date is not a valid reason for a late submission. Take these steps before submitting your application in ezFedGrants. This information is also available on NADPRP’s Here’s How to Get Ready Now web page.

1. Register with System for Award Management (SAM): Organizations who wish to apply for NADPRP funding are required to be registered with SAM. Instructions for registering with SAM are available here: Register With SAM. Please allow at least 10 business days (2 weeks) after you submit your registration for it to become active in SAM plus at least an additional 24 hours for your registration to become available in other government systems such as ezFedGrants. You can register in SAM any time, and entities interested in applying for NADPRP funding should register now to avoid any future delays associated with mandatory SAM registration.

Be sure to complete the Marketing Partner ID (MPIN) and Electronic Business Primary Point of Contact fields during the registration process. These are mandatory fields that are required when submitting grant applications. During the SAM registration process, it is mandatory to complete the Financial Assistance Certification Report to receive federal financial assistance.

2. Create a Login.gov Account: All applicants must have a Login.gov Account to submit proposals for NADPRP funding opportunities. Login.gov is the system used by USDA agencies to enable customers to obtain accounts for accessing USDA Web applications and services via the Internet safely and securely. Go to the Login.gov website and select ‘Create Account’ to get started.

3. Establish an ezFedGrants (eFG) Account: Applicants must have an active account in the USDA ezFedGrants system to submit their application for NADPRP Funding. The ezFedGrants system requires each applicant to have a minimum of at least one Grants Administrative Officer (GAO) and one Signatory Official (SO). We recommend identifying these individuals prior to submitting proposals to help speed up the application process. For help with the USDA ezFedGrants system, applicants may contact the ezFedGrants help desk at ezFedGrants@cfo.usda.gov.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalhealth/animal-disease-information/farm-bill/nadprp-funding-how-to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html http://www.login.gov/ mailto:ezFedGrants@cfo.usda.gov

APPENDIX 3. TIPS FOR APPLICANTS

Best Practices

• Get started early. Do not wait until the day of the application deadline.

• Complete the following registrations as soon as possible to avoid delays in submitting your application to ezFedGrants: (1) Register and maintain an active System for Awards Management (SAMs) account, (2) create a Login.gov Account, and (3) establish an ezFedGrants (eFG) account.

Instructions and information to complete these registrations are available in Appendix 2 and on NADPRP’s Here’s How to Get Ready Now web page.

• Read and follow all application instructions in this FOA.

• Applicants can submit as many proposals as they wish. If you want to submit proposals for more than one project, submit each proposal in a separate application package. This makes it easier for reviewers to score and rank proposals and improves the likelihood of funding.

• Make sure that every item in the Budget and Financial Plan is described with enough information so that reviewers can verify that the cost is reasonable and justifiable.

• Check that the total…