FY24 NOFO USDA-FAS-10962-0700-10.-24-0001 FINAL.pdf

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

FY2024 Cochran Fellowship Program

Application Submission Deadline: May 3, 2024

Summary The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), Fellowship Programs, announces this funding opportunity to support the Cochran Fellowship Program (CFP) by issuing new awards. This opportunity is available to State cooperative institutions or other colleges and universities in the United States, as defined at 7 USC 3103. This program is intended to support applied research, extension, and education collaborations between U.S. researchers and their foreign counterparts from selected emerging market economies.

A. Program Description

BACKGROUND

Since 1984, the U.S. Congress has made funds available to the Cochran Fellowship Program for training agriculturalists from middle-income countries, emerging markets, and emerging democracies. Training opportunities are for senior and mid-level specialists and administrators working in agricultural trade and policy, agribusiness development, management, animal, plant, and food sciences, extension services, agricultural marketing, and many other areas. Individuals selected for Cochran trainings come from both the public and private sectors. All training occurs in the United States. Training programs are designed and organized in conjunction with U.S.

universities, USDA and other government agencies, agribusinesses, and consultants. The Cochran Fellowship Program is part of the United States Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service. The Cochran Fellowship Program has provided U.S.-based training for over 19,450 international participants from 127 countries worldwide.

SCOPE AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Please see appendix for full SOWs and learning objectives.

• Marketing and Grading of U.S. Hardwood for Pakistan

• Meat Stock Inventory Management for Peru and Ecuador

The Cochran Fellowship Program intends to support the design and delivery of a training program of 1-2 consecutive weeks duration, to take place in either calendar year 2024 or 2025 depending on availability of all parties, for Fellows from multiple countries. More than one such program may be supported.

The host institution shall propose the place(s) of performance in their Technical Proposal.

Funding Opportunity Number

USDA-FAS-10962-0700-10.-24-0001

Assistance Listing Number

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service

10.962 Cochran Fellowship Program-International Training-Foreign Participant

Authorizing Legislation National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, PL 95-113, as amended, 7 USC §§ 3291, 3319a.

B. Federal Award Information

Total Available Federal Funding: Up to $300,000 total, up to $150,000 per award

Anticipated Number of Awards: 2

Cost Share/Match Requirement: None/Not Required

Projected Period of Performance Start: June 24, 2024

Projected Period of Performance End: May 31, 2025

Type of Assistance Instrument:

USDA/FAS anticipates that Cost-Reimbursable Agreements will be funded pursuant to this funding opportunity.

This type of agreement allows for a collaborative relationship between USDA/FAS, the selected recipient, and other collaborating partners. The particular scope and depth of this collaboration may vary throughout performance, depending on the needs of the activity and the desires of the participants.

Additional Awards USDA/FAS reserves the right to make additional awards under this solicitation, consistent with Agency policy and guidance, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than 6 months after the original selection decisions.

No Awards USDA/FAS reserves the right to make no awards under this competition.

C. Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants:

State cooperative institutions or other colleges and universities in the United States, as defined at

7 USC 3103

All applicants must have an active registration in the U.S. Government System for Award Management (www.sam.gov) before the application submission deadline of the announcement;

applicants with inactive, expired, pending, or excluded listings will be deemed ineligible.

Exceptions, waivers, or extensions will not be considered. Please contact the program officer(s) http://www.sam.gov/ listed in Section G, Federal Awarding Agency Contact, if you have questions about this requirement. Applicants with inactive, expired, pending, or excluded listings will be deemed ineligible. Exceptions, waivers, or extensions will not be considered. Please contact the program officer(s) listed in Section G, Federal Awarding Agency Contact, if you have questions about this requirement.

Cost Share/Match Requirement: None/Not Required

Ineligible activities: If an application is submitted that includes any ineligible tasks or activities, that portion of the application will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to which it affects the application, render the entire application ineligible for funding.

Multiple Applications/Awards An individual applicant may submit more than one application in response to this NOFO, and may be offered more than one award.

Substantial Compliance All applications will be reviewed for eligibility and must meet the eligibility requirements described in Section C to be considered eligible. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within seven calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section D of this solicitation or else they will be rejected. However, where a page limit is expressed in Section D with respect to the application, or parts thereof, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed. Applicants are advised that readability is of paramount importance and should take precedence in application format, including selecting a legible font type and size for use in the application.

Evidence of Eligibility Applicants are responsible for including documentation, if necessary, establishing that they meet the stated eligibility requirements, when it is not immediately obvious. Applicants should not presume that USDA/FAS is sufficiently familiar with their organization that this is unnecessary, and USDA/FAS will not make assumptions as to the nature of the applicant’s organization.

D. Application and Submission Information

This announcement contains all information necessary to apply to this funding opportunity.

Deadline for Question Submission: April 30, 2024

Submission Dates and Times Application Submission Deadline: May 3, 2024 at 11:59pm EDT (UTC -04:00) Applications received after this time will not be accepted. Applicants are advised to make their submissions 1-2 days before this deadline in case of computer problems.

Anticipated Award Date: June 3, 2024

Content and Form of Application Submission A complete application package must include:

• Standard Form SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, showing the Unique Entity Identifier, and signed by the applicant

• Standard Form SF-424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs, showing the budget categorization. Applicants are advised to consult 2 CFR 200 Subpart E for guidance on proper categorization of cost items. An improper categorization will not itself be grounds for a determination of ineligibility, but may delay approval and/or adversely impact the application’s evaluation scoring.

• A detailed budget and narrative, in which cost items are quantified and described in sufficient detail to enable USDA/FAS to independently determine that the proposed costs are reasonable and allowable for the project and consistent with applicable regulations.

o Indirect costs are statutorily capped at 10% for cost reimbursable agreements.

• A detailed project narrative or plan of operation o Indicate the name of the institution applying to host the fellows;

o Indicate which SOW (see Appendix) the institution is applying to host;

o Indicate the proposed place(s) of performance;

o Provide an approach to achieve the objectives listed in each section, including topics to be covered, possible field visits and other activities;

o A description of how the award, including the logistical elements, will be administered and the role of the university faculty and support staff;

o A summary of relevant institutional capabilities for hosting international fellows in the applicable topic;

o A brief description of the expertise and international experience of the recipient in the group’s field of interest and various countries;

o An overview of the trainer's qualifications in international training and/or adult education, understanding of the cultural context and needs of the trainees, and knowledge of relevant agricultural, market, and/or trade conditions within the Fellows’ country(ies) or a similar location. Including steps that will be taken for cultural relevancy for Fellows of varying backgrounds and religions, for instance dietary restrictions.

o If necessary, other appropriate collaborating scientists should be identified to meet any of the objectives which the primary trainer cannot address.

o The skills or knowledge expected to be acquired by the fellows at the end of the program;

o Means of flexibility to account for potential program changes and the ability to respond to unforeseen circumstances; this should include information on how unforeseen problems that can arise will be addressed.

o A quality assurance plan.

o Application following designated format:

Clearly outline all aspects of the program plan – what is planned, how this will be conducted, and the anticipated results;

Be written in English and free of excessive grammatical and spelling errors;

Cite source information and/or provide an explanation of the analysis undertaken;

Be submitted in PDF.

• Standard Form SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, if applicable to the applicant

While these guidelines establish the minimum type size requirements, applicants are advised that readability is of paramount importance and should take precedence in selection of an appropriate font for use in the application.

Applicants must submit individual applications for each of the provided SOWS.

Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) Each applicant is required to:

(i) Have an active registration in SAM before submitting its application;

(ii) Have assented to the federal assistance certifications in the SAM platform;

(iii) Provide a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in its application; and

(iv) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency.

SAM.gov registration requires several weeks to process and cannot be expedited; prospective applicants should therefore ensure that registrations are submitted timely.

SAM.gov Registration Instructions Organizations applying to this funding opportunity must have an active SAM.gov registration. If you have never done business with the Federal Government, you will need to register your organization in SAM.gov. If you do not have a SAM.gov account, then you will create an account using login.gov1 to complete your SAM.gov registration. SAM.gov registration is FREE. The process for entity registrations includes obtaining Unique Entity ID (UEI), a 12-character alphanumeric ID assigned an entity by SAM.gov, and requires assertions, representations and certifications, and other information about your organization. Please review the Entity Registration Checklist for details on this process.

Entities outside the United States (defined at 2 CFR 200.1 as “foreign organizations” and “foreign public entities”) must obtain a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code prior to SAM.gov registration An NCAGE is required for all foreign entities prior to registering in SAM.gov. You can complete the registration once you enter the NCAGE. You can submit your request for an NCAGE Code by going to the NATO Support Activity (NSPA) NCAGE Request Tool at CAGE/NCAGE Code Request which contains detailed instructions.

If you have done business with the Federal Government previously, you can check your entity status using your government issued UEI to determine if your registration is active. SAM.gov requires you renew your registration every 365 days to keep it active.

1 Login.gov a secure sign in service used by the public to sign into Federal Agency systems including SAM.gov and Grants.gov. For help with login.gov accounts you should visit http://login.gov/help.

https://login.gov/ https://www.fsd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=622e0a761b8fe114cc45ea04bc4bcb9a https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1#p-200.1(Foreign%20organization) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1#p-200.1(Foreign%20public%20entity) https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/CageTool/home http://login.gov/help

Please note that SAM.gov registration is different than obtaining a UEI only. Obtaining an UEI only validates your organization’s legal business name and address. Please review the Frequently Asked Question on the difference for additional details.

Organizations should ensure that their SAM.gov registration includes a current e-Business (EBiz) point of contact name and email address. The EBiz point of contact is critical for Grants.gov Registration and system functionality.

Contact the Federal Service Desk for help with your SAM.gov account, to resolve technical issues or chat with a help desk agent: (866) 606-8220. The Federal Service desk hours of operation are Monday – Friday 8am – 8pm ET.

Intergovernmental Review Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs, may be applicable to awards resulting from this announcement. USDA implemented the Executive Order in 2 CFR

415.5. USDA/FAS may require applicants selected for funding to provide a copy of their application to their State Point of Contact (SPOC) for review. These reviews are not required before submitting an application. Only applicants that USDA/FAS selects for funding under this announcement are subject to the Intergovernmental Review requirement. For more information about USDA’s implementation for Intergovernmental Review, please visit https://www.usda.gov/ocfo/federal-financial-assistance-policy/intergovernmental-review#:~:text=Executive%20Order%20(EO)%2012372%2C,of%20proposed%20Federal%20fi nancial%20assistance.

Funding Restrictions Generally, funds may not be used in any manner that is prohibited by applicable regulations, including 2 CFR Part 200 and 2 CFR Part 400. Awards issued pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity may only be used for the purpose set forth in the award, consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Capital expenses, such as the purchase of equipment, not entirely attributable to this award, must be pro-rated.

For example, agreement funds and other support may not be used for matching contributions for other federal grants or cooperative agreements, lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. Federal employees are prohibited from acting as an agent of the applicant in any capacity (paid or unpaid) on any proposal submitted under this program. Also, federal funds may not be used to sue the Federal Government or any other government entity.

Compensation for personal services: Employees, consultants, or other personnel, including those of subrecipients, and regardless of the method of engagement, may not exceed the pro-rata equivalent of GS-15 on the General Schedule (for 2024, $159,950 per year, $612.84 per day, or $76.60 per hour). Non-monetizable fringe benefits, such as health insurance coverage, are not included to this ceiling.

Indirect Costs: In general, costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefitting more than one cost objective but not readily assignable to specific awards, without effort disproportionate to the results achieved, are considered indirect costs. These may include facilities not specific to https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0051214&sys_kb_id=dd40f4ef1b9641d0937fa64ce54bcb7a&spa=1 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0051214&sys_kb_id=dd40f4ef1b9641d0937fa64ce54bcb7a&spa=1 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp https://www.usda.gov/ocfo/federal-financial-assistance-policy/intergovernmental-review#:%7E:text=Executive%20Order%20(EO)%2012372%2C,of%20proposed%20Federal%20financial%20assistance https://www.usda.gov/ocfo/federal-financial-assistance-policy/intergovernmental-review#:%7E:text=Executive%20Order%20(EO)%2012372%2C,of%20proposed%20Federal%20financial%20assistance https://www.usda.gov/ocfo/federal-financial-assistance-policy/intergovernmental-review#:%7E:text=Executive%20Order%20(EO)%2012372%2C,of%20proposed%20Federal%20financial%20assistance individual projects, enterprise-wide services such as IT, and enterprise management. For cost-reimbursable agreements, indirect costs may not exceed 10% of direct costs, as stipulated at 7 USC 3319a.

Other Submission Information Applications should be submitted through the ezFedGrants system at https://grants.fms.usda.gov/

Applicants who require assistance with any USDA-managed computer system should reach out to the program officer(s) listed in Section G, Federal Awarding Agency Contact, at least 5 business days in advance of the application submission deadline. Applicants should provide as much detail as possible to facilitate resolution of the issue.

E. Application Review Information

Review and Selection Process In all cases, the agency will conduct an initial responsiveness review of all applications submitted to determine:

1) the application was submitted on time as specified in this announcement (See Section D. Application and Submission Information);

2) the applicant is eligible (see Section C. Eligibility Information);

3) all the required forms and documents are submitted no later than the Application Submission Deadline specified in Section D. Application and Submission Information, Content and Form of Application Submission.

If an applicant is determined to be ineligible or an application is determined to be incomplete, the agency will notify the applicant prior to commencing with evaluation of applications, usually within five business days of the Application Submission Deadline. An applicant that feels such a determination is made in error may request reconsideration, highlighting evidence supporting their claim, by email to the program officer(s) listed in Section G, Federal Awarding Agency Contact, within 3 business days of notification.

The agency will convene a review panel, which may include both federal and non-federal reviewers, to review the eligible applications against the evaluation criteria described below. The reviewers will ensure that the applicant is capable of delivering the programs/activities as described in the announcement based on the applicant’s project narrative and assign a score and provide summary comments based on the evaluation criteria identified below. The review panel will make a recommendation list to the selecting official, who is not a member of the panel.

The selecting official may select applications out of rank order in consideration of strategic program priorities, such as geographical distribution, incorporation of minority-serving institutions, or congressional directive. Selection determinations are final and cannot be appealed.

Prior to selection, the agency may contact the highest ranking applicants to seek clarification and to negotiate technical and programmatic aspects of the application. If an application includes a subaward, FAS may request to speak with all parties included in the application to ensure sufficient planning and coordination has taken place prior to making an award.

Evaluation Criteria Applicants will be evaluated on the extent and quality to which they demonstrate that they have the capabilities, staff, resources, and equipment to successfully perform the project as described in the following factors. Scoring will also be based on the level of detail and how clearly the applicant’s capacities to address these factors are outlined in the proposal.

Technical Expertise (30 points) Applications will be evaluated on the extent and quality to which they demonstrate they have the technical background as well as experience and knowledge of relevant agricultural conditions within the Fellows’ country(ies).

Experience (10 points) Applications will be evaluated on the extend and quality to which they demonstrate experience in implementing international trainings and adult education programming.

Training Plan (30 points) Applications will be evaluated on the extent and quality to which the training program plan fulfill specific training objectives and is relevant to the Fellows’ backgrounds as identified in Section A, including appropriate site visits and meetings.

Quality Assurance Plan (10 points) Applications will be evaluated on the extent and quality to which they provide a quality assurance plan to ensure that quality of the training is being maintained throughout the duration of the program and demonstrates the flexibility to sustain training quality when there are unforeseen circumstances or requested changes to the training plan.

Budget (15 points) Applications will be evaluated on the reasonableness, cost-effectiveness, and adequacy of the proposed budget to accomplish the project. The budget will be evaluated on cost savings, where available, and the inclusion of a budget narrative for each line item.

Overall Quality (5 points) Applications will be evaluated on comprehensiveness, completeness, and correct spelling and grammar.

Integrity in Performance Prior to making a Federal award, the Federal awarding agency is required by 31 USC 3321 and 41 USC 2313 to review information available through any OMB-designated repositories of government-wide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information. Therefore application evaluation criteria may include the following risk based considerations of the applicant: (1) financial stability; (2) quality of management systems and ability to meet management standards; (3) history of performance in managing federal award; (4) reports and https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/3321 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/41/2313 findings from audits; and (5) ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements.

Prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, currently $250,000, the federal agency is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov (currently FAPIIS).

• An applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM.gov and comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov.

• The Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 2

CFR § 200.206

Conflict of Interest The Applicant’s Conflict of Interest (COI) Point of Contact as defined in USDA/FAS Conflict of Interest Policy must notify the USDA/FAS contact identified in Section G of this solicitation of any actual or potential conflict of interest that they are aware of that may provide the Applicant with an unfair competitive advantage in competing for USDA/FAS financial assistance awards within 10 calendar days of becoming aware of the conflict of interest. Examples of an unfair competitive advantage include but are not limited to situations in which an USDA/FAS employee reviewed and commented on or drafted all or part of an applicant’s application. Note that USDA/FAS does not generally consider receiving information from an USDA/FAS employee limited to whether the applicant or the applicant’s proposed project is eligible to compete for funding to confer an unfair competitive advantage. In addition, assistance agreements made under this solicitation will include a term and condition notifying recipients of their COI disclosure obligations and responsibilities under the award including the need to have systems in place to address, resolve and disclose COIs to USDA/FAS.

F. Federal Award Administration Information Federal Award Notices Successful applicants will be notified of the status of their application/award by email. This notification is not authorization to proceed, and such notification should be construed as provisional.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements All successful applicants for all grant and cooperative agreements are required to comply with the applicable General Administrative Terms and Conditions, which can be found at https://www.fas.usda.gov/grants/general_terms_and_conditions/default.asp. The applicant is presumed to have read, understood, and accepted these terms when accepting a USDA/FAS award. Applicants with questions about the applicable terms should contact the program officer(s) listed in Section G, Federal Awarding Agency Contact.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/2/200.206 https://www.fas.usda.gov/grants/general_terms_and_conditions/default.asp

The applicable Terms and Conditions will be for the last year specified at that URL.

Before accepting an award, the applicant should carefully read the award package for instructions on administering the award and the terms and conditions associated with responsibilities under Federal Awards. Recipients must accept all conditions in this NOFO as well as any Special Terms and Conditions in the Notice of Award to receive an award under this program.

Subaward and Executive Compensation Reporting Applicants must ensure that they have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the subaward and executive total compensation reporting requirements established at 2 CFR 170, unless they quality for an exception from the requirements, should they be selected for funding.

Mandatory Disclosures As required by 2 CFR 200.113, non-federal entities or applicants for a Federal award must disclose, in a timely manner, in writing to the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity all violations of Federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially affecting the Federal award. Failure to make required disclosures can result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR 200.339 including suspension and debarment.

Performance Expectations

Government Furnished Items USDA FAS will provide Fellows with:

• J-1 compliant Emergency Medical Insurance

• DS-2019/J-1 visa support for Fellows and related SEVIS requirements

Host Institution should provide

• Ground transportation in applicable cities

• The Fellows’ travel and subsistence expenses (domestic airfare and per diem allowance)

• Secure and guarantee Fellows’ lodging during the entire program

Post-Award Performance Expectations Host institution must:

• Provide digital copies of the training highlights to each Fellow and the Cochran Fellowship Program.

• Ensure that each Fellow completes the Cochran Training Program Evaluation (which will be provided).

• Ensure development of an Action Plan by each Fellow. The Action Plan identifies goals and outlines specific steps or activities which each Fellow will perform upon return to home country. An Action Plan generally includes steps, milestones, measures of progress, responsibilities, assignments, and a timeline. The recipient shall provide a copy of each Fellow’s Action Plan to the Cochran Fellowship Program.

• Provide a brief final report (format at the discretion of the applicant).

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-170.210 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-170.210 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-B/section-200.113 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR86b76dde0e1e9dc/section-200.339

• Provide a pre-training questionnaire to determine Fellows’ baseline knowledge of the learning objectives. (Template and examples shall be provided upon request)

• Provide post-training questionnaire to determine the knowledge gained in each of the learning objectives. (Template and examples shall be provided upon request)

• Provide an analysis of the pre- and post-training questionnaire.

• Complete deliverables two weeks after the completion of each training.

• Provide all transportation within the United States, from the point of arrival to the point of departure.

o The recipient is not responsible for international airfare of participants.

o Please include baggage fees for any domestic flights.

• Lodging accommodation, in single occupancy, for all participants.

• Offer appropriate cross-cultural activities for the purpose of sharing language, culture, or history in accordance with J-1 Visa requirements.

• Please note all meetings with Federal Government offices or officials must be initiated by the Fellowship Programs team.

Reporting Financial Reports, using form SF-425, Federal Financial Report (FFR), must be submitted annually, within 30 days of the end of the reporting period. A final financial report must be submitted within 120 days of the end date of the agreement.

Performance Progress Reports must be submitted annually, within 30 days of the end of the reporting period. A final performance progress report must be submitted within 120 days of the end date of the agreement. The recipient may use any appropriate format for performance progress reports, provided the report includes:

a) A comparison of actual accomplishments to those projected for the period;

b) The reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate; and

c) Additional pertinent information including, when appropriate, analysis and explanation of cost overruns or high unit costs.

Recipients are encouraged to include photographs and other supplemental material in performance progress reports. For awards in which the total lifetime value exceeds $500,000, additional reporting may be required as described in Appendix XII to 2 CFR 200.

Monitoring USDA/FAS through its authorized representatives, has the right, at all reasonable times, to make site visits to review project accomplishments and management control systems and to provide such technical assistance as may be required. During site visits, USDA/FAS will review recipients’ files related to the program.

As part of any monitoring and program evaluation activities, grant recipients must permit USDA/FAS, upon reasonable notice, to review assistance agreement-related records and to interview the organization’s staff and clients regarding the program, and to respond in a timely and accurate manner to FAS requests for information relating to the program.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/2/appendix-XII_to_part_200

Closeout Within 120 days after the end of the period of performance, recipients must submit a final FFR and final progress report detailing all accomplishments and a qualitative summary of the impact of those accomplishments throughout the period of performance. After final reports have been reviewed and approved by the agency, and any residual amount due to the recipient or due to be returned to the agency, the award is subject to closeout. Acceptance of final reports by the agency constitutes a closeout of the award with no further notice or obligation to either party.

This acceptance will indicate the period of performance has expired, and any remaining funds will be deobligated. Records must be retained for a minimum of three years after the final reports are submitted.

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact For all inquiries, contact:

Name: Adam Scheinkman Email Address: Adam.Scheinkman@usda.gov Phone Number: 202-205-9824 Hours of Operation: 8:00 AM to 4:30PM Eastern Time 1400 Independence Ave., SW Washington, DC 20250

H. Other Information Budget Revisions Transfers of funds between direct cost categories in the approved budget when such cumulative transfers among those direct cost categories exceed ten percent of the total budget approved in this Award require written approval from the agency. The total budget amount may not be increased without a bilaterally executed amendment to the award.

Post-Award Program Income In the event program income becomes available to the recipient post-award, it is the recipient’s responsibility to notify the USDA/FAS Program Manager to explain how that development occurred, as part of their request for guidance and/or approval. If approval is granted, an award modification will be issued with an explanatory note in the remarks section of the face page concerning guidance and/or options pertaining to the recipient’s approved request. All instances of program income shall be listed in the progress and financial reports.

Electronic Signatures Consistent with the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN Act), USDA/FAS uses and accepts electronic signatures for application and award documents.

USDA/FAS will neither solicit nor send physical copies of documents.

mailto:Adam.Scheinkman@usda.gov

Appendix:

Cochran Fellowship Program Marketing and Grading of U.S. Hardwood for Pakistan

SCOPE OF WORK

The Cochran Fellowship Program’s Trade Shows & Certificates Team is requesting the design and delivery of a training program on marketing, grading and applications for U.S. Hardwoods products eight (8) Fellows from Pakistan.

Due to the shift from local wood products to higher quality imports, the Pakistani wood market has been seeing high rates of growth, driven by consumers’ demand for higher quality import wood products. Growing awareness of availability of higher quality U.S. hardwood products is a significant factor in driving U.S. hardwood exports in Pakistan.

The program should provide an in-depth overview of the U.S. Hardwood industry including sawmill visits, learning about forestry practices in the hardwood producing areas of the United States, visiting tradeshows, and other applications of hardwood products.

The objective of this program is to increase consumers’ knowledge of species, grades, quality control and sustainability, ultimately increasing U.S. hardwood species into Pakistan at a growth rate of 10-20 percent/annum for the next five years. The goal of this program is to increase Fellows’ capacity for agricultural research, extension, and participation in international trade.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The trainer should ensure that the Fellows increase their knowledge in the following areas:

• Visits to Sawmills & in Hardwood Producing Areas of the United States to learn about Forestry Practices

• Applications of Hardwood Products

• Species and Grades of U.S. Hardwood

• Quality Control & Sustainability

• Structural Applications and Interior Aesthetics

Cochran Fellowship Program Meat Stock Inventory Management for Peru and Ecuador

SCOPE OF WORK

The Cochran Fellowship Program’s Latin America and Caribbean Team is requesting the design and delivery of a training program on Stock Inventory Management with a focus on meat for eight (8) Fellows from the Peru and Ecuador.

The objective of this training is to support Peruvian and Ecuadorian meat importers in developing efficient inventory systems to ensure a consistent supply of U.S. meat products in their markets.

The training should educate the Fellows on agricultural market information systems including techniques for collecting and analyzing meat, livestock, and market news as well as principles of multiple inventory management methods to accurately forecast demand and assist in the development of efficient purchasing programs to balance the risks of inventory gluts or shortages made by externalities. The training should provide Fellows with an in-depth look at the United States' agricultural market information system for meats. It should also focus on adaptation to global meat supply chain shifts and changing demands, price risk management for future market purchases, and strategies to implement inventory controls to prevent losses. In addition to building strong and accurate inventory management systems, the training should emphasize the procedures used by USDA to assure that the nation's meat supply is safe, wholesome, and properly labeled.

When possible, the training provider should coordinate with the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) to organize site visits to ranches, meat processing and packing plants, and/or slaughterhouses. If possible, a relevant food tradeshow should be included in the program to provide an opportunity for Fellows to interact with U.S. meat suppliers. Meetings should be organized with the National Agricultural Inspection Service, Agricultural Marketing Service, Food Safety Inspection Service, and Food and Drug Administration.

The objective of this training is to train Fellows on best practices for the inventory management of meat to ensure consistent supply of quality U.S. meat to Peru and Ecuador. The goal of this program is to increase these countries’ capacity for agricultural research, extension, and participation in international trade.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

The trainer will ensure that the Fellows increase their knowledge in the following areas:

• Overview of U.S. meat products and supply chain o Meat grading, cuts, and standards o U.S. inspection procedures o U.S. meat certification and export procedures

• Understanding of U.S. agricultural market information systems o Techniques for collecting and analyzing meat and livestock data o Analyzing market news

• Principles of meat purchasing and inventory management o Forecasting supply and demand o Distribution management o Meat procurement logistics and managing supply chain disruptions o Price risk management

Seasonality of meat prices Purchasing and price negotiation strategies

• Marketing and promotion of U.S. meat