IFRP Production RFA DRAFT Final_508compliant.pdf

RFA Number: TBD DRAFT RFA - FOR COMMENT ONLY FFP International Food Relief Partnership FY 2020 Production RFA

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Issuance Date: TBD Deadline for questions: TBD (10 days from the final RFA’s posting) Closing Date: TBD Closing Time: 12:00 pm (Eastern Standard Time Time) CFDA Number: 98.008

Subject:

Title:

DRAFT - For Comment Only - 2020 Request for Applications (RFA) for the production, packaging, and stockpiling of shelf-stable food commodities.

Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Title II: International Food Relief Partnership (IFRP), Shelf-Stable Food Commodity Production, Packaging and Stockpiling.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) is seeking applications from U.S. non-profit organizations for the production, packaging, and stockpiling of shelf-stable, prepackaged commodities to be distributed under the International Food Relief Partnership (IFRP) program. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Description for a complete description.

Issuance of this Request for Applications (RFA) does not constitute an award commitment on the part of USAID, nor does it commit USAID to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of an application. Further, USAID reserves the right to reject any or all applications received. While it is anticipated that these procedures will be successfully completed, potential applicants are hereby notified of these requirements and conditions for award. Applications are submitted at the risk of the applicant, and all preparation and submission costs are at the applicant's expense.

FFP cannot make final awards until funds have been fully appropriated, apportioned, allocated, and committed. While FFP anticipates that these procedures will be successfully completed, FFP hereby notifies potential applicants these requirements and conditions for award.

For the purposes of this program, this RFA is being issued and consists of this cover letter and the following:

● Section I – Funding Opportunity Description

● Section II – Federal Award Information

● Section III – Eligibility Information

● Section IV – Submission and Application Information

● Section V – Application Review Information

● Section VI – Award and Administration Information

● Section VII – Agency Contacts

● Section VIII – Other Information

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To be eligible for award, the applicant must provide all required information in its application, including the requirements found in any attachments to this www.grants.gov opportunity. Any future amendments to this RFA can be downloaded from www.grants.gov. It is the responsibility of the recipient to ensure that it has received documents related to this RFA in its entirety from www.grants.gov.

USAID may make an award resulting from this RFA to the responsible applicant(s) whose application(s) conforming to this RFA offers the greatest value. USAID may (a) reject any or all applications, (b) accept other than the lowest cost application, (c) accept more than one application (please refer to Section V – Application Review Information, 1) Evaluation Criteria), and (d) waive informalities and minor irregularities in applications received.

USAID may make an award on the basis of initial applications received, without discussions.

Therefore, each initial application must contain the applicant's best terms from a cost and technical standpoint.

In the event of any inconsistency between this RFA and the referenced documents in the RFA, the RFA shall take precedence over any referenced documents, except statute and regulations.. In the event of an inconsistency in the RFA documents or in the text of the RFA, it will be resolved at the discretion of the Agreement Officer (AO).

All questions regarding this RFA should be submitted to FFP, attention Benjamin C.

Vogler, IFRP Program Manager, at IFRP@usaid.gov.

Thank you for your interest in USAID programs.

Sincerely, /S/ Clyde Hicks, Director, Office of Food for Peace

SECTION I – FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

1. General Description http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ mailto:IFRP@usaid.gov

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USAID is seeking grant applications from eligible organizations for the production, packaging, and stockpiling of shelf-stable food commodities in the United States for eventual use by private voluntary organizations and/or public international organizations abroad under the IFRP program.

USAID anticipates awarding up to three grants under this RFA. Subject to availability, the anticipated combined total funding for the IFRP Production grants is approximately $40,000,000 over a five-year period. Applicants may request variable annual funding levels over the life of the activity. Any extension beyond the initial five-year award is subject to the Justification of Restricted Eligibility (JRE) approval process in USAID Automated Directives System (ADS)

303. Applicants should propose an estimated funding level for the first year and out-years, though the final levels may vary each year depending on demand for the product by organizations distributing it.

Historically, approximately 3,000 metric tons of commodities, or approximately 220 million servings, have been provided each year under the program. However, there is no minimum or maximum tonnage required in each proposal.

USAID will accept proposals for any commodity type that meet the requirements above and that may be appropriate for any beneficiary group in the developing world, to include, but not limited to, families, displaced persons, adults, school children, HIV/AIDS patients, and moderately malnourished children. Proposals do not need to be only for commodities used primarily for institutional feeding for children (e.g., in schools).

There are two types of grants under the IFRP process:

1. Commodity production, packaging, and stockpiling grants

2. Transport, delivery, and distribution grants

This solicitation is for the provision of IFRP commodity production, packaging and stockpiling only (# 1 of this paragraph above). Transport, delivery, and distribution grants are awarded under another, separate solicitation. All IFRP commodities produced, packaged, and stockpiled under a grant resulting from this solicitation will be provided in limited or governed amounts to organizations awarded IFRP transport, delivery, and distribution grants at a later date.

Any products produced with non-Federal funds by the awardee in addition to those required as part of the grant agreement may be used by the awardee as they so choose, unless these additional products were included in the cost-share and/or in-kind contribution.

2. Authorizing Legislation

The Food for Peace Act authorizes the USAID Administrator to award grants to U.S. nonprofit organizations for the preparation of shelf-stable prepackaged foods requested by eligible organizations and the establishment and maintenance of stockpiles of the foods in the United

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States. This grant program is referred to as the International Food Relief Partnership (IFRP).

The commodities are to be used as food aid in the developing world.

Authority to carry out the program has been delegated to the Director, USAID’s Office of Food for Peace (FFP). More information on the program can be found here: http://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/agriculture-and-food-security/food-assistance/programs/nutritional-support-programs

3. Project Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for this RFA, the application must include a food commodity meeting the following requirements:

1. Be shelf stable, defined as processed (not raw) and encountering no degradation of nutritional content over a minimum of eighteen (18) months;

2. Be pre-packaged in a manner compatible with containerized shipment capacities;

3. Not resemble milk or breast milk substitution commodities if reconstituted with water;

4. Not require refrigeration;

5. Contain no ingredients known to be widely unacceptable on ethnic or religious grounds that would limit the countries in which programs could be implemented;

and

6. Must be produced in the United States.

4. Federal Award Administration

USAID may make an award resulting from this RFA to the responsible applicant(s) whose application(s) conforming to this RFA offers the greatest value. USAID may (a) reject any or all applications, (b) accept other than the lowest cost application, (c) accept more than one application (see Section B, Selection Criteria), and (d) waive informalities and minor irregularities in applications received.

Awards will be made in accordance with the USAID Standard Provisions for awards to U.S.

NGOs, the USAID ADS 303, and other applicable U.S. Government regulations, which are available on the USAID website (http://www.usaid.gov/pubs/ads). The award will be administered under the 2 CFR 200, 2 CFR 700, and the USAID Standards Provisions, as applicable.

The Agreement Officer is the only individual who may legally commit USAID to the expenditure of public funds. No costs chargeable to the proposed agreement may be incurred before receipt of either a fully executed Agreement or a specific written authorization from the Agreement Officer.

SECTION II – AWARD INFORMATION

1. Estimate of Funds Available http://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/agriculture-and-food-security/food-assistance/programs/nutritional-support-programs http://www.usaid.gov/what-we-do/agriculture-and-food-security/food-assistance/programs/nutritional-support-programs http://www.usaid.gov/pubs/ads

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Subject to the availability of funds, under this Request for Assistance (RFA), USAID’s Office of Food for Peace (FFP) plans to enter into grant award(s) for a combined total of approximately $40,000,000 over a five-year period for up to three grant awards. USAID reserves the right to adjust the number of awards and funding levels.

2. Anticipated Start Date and Performance Period

The anticipated award date is on or around TBD, with production and availability to be required within six months of the award(s). USAID intends to award up to three grant awards under this RFA. The award(s) will be issued for a performance period of five years.

3. Assistance Awards

USAID may (a) reject any or all applications, (b) accept other than the lowest cost application, (c) accept more than one application, and (d) waive informalities and minor irregularities in applications received.

USAID may award the resulting assistance award(s) on the basis of initial applications received, without discussions, negotiations and/or oral presentations. Therefore, each initial application must contain the applicant's best terms from a technical and cost standpoint. However, as part of its evaluation process, USAID may elect to discuss technical, cost, or other pre-award issues with one or more applicants. Alternatively, USAID may proceed with award selection based on its evaluation of initial applications received, use an alternative process (e.g., keep or drop oral presentations), and/or commence negotiations solely with one applicant.

Pursuant to 2 CFR 700.13, it is USAID policy not to award profit under assistance instruments.

However, all reasonable, allocable and allowable expenses, both direct and indirect, which are related to the agreement program and are in accordance with applicable cost standards may be paid under the agreement.

SECTION III – ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligibility Requirements

To be considered for an award, applicants must be a U.S. based non-profit entity as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and exempt from tax under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code.

All sub-awardees must meet the eligibility criteria above.

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2. New Partners

USAID encourages applications from potential new partners.

3. Cost Share

The Food for Peace Act states that preference will be given to organizations that will provide non-federal funds in an amount equal to fifty (50) percent of the amount of funds received under the grant, an in-kind contribution in an amount equal to that percentage, or a combination of such funds and an in-kind contribution. For more information, please review Section V – Application Review Information, 1) Evaluation Criteria.

4. Limit on Number of Applications

Applicants must submit separate applications for each commodity that has a different nutritional content. There are no limits to the number of applications an organization may submit.

5. Minimal Qualification Requirements

USAID has no additional minimal qualification requirements.

SECTION IV – SUBMISSION AND APPLICATION INFORMATION

1. Point of Contact

Benjamin C. Vogler IFRP Program Manager U.S. Agency for International Development Office of Food for Peace (DCHA/FFP) 1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, D.C. 20523 Email: IFRP@usaid.gov

This RFA and any future amendments can be downloaded from http://www.grants.gov. It is the responsibility of the recipient of the application document to ensure that it has been received from Grants.gov in its entirety. USAID bears no responsibility for data errors resulting from transmission or conversion processes.

If you have difficulty registering or accessing the RFA, please contact the grants.gov helpdesk at support@grants.gov for technical assistance.

All application inquiries should be submitted to FFP, attention Benjamin C. Vogler, IFRP Program Manager, at IFRP@usaid.gov.

2. Content and Form of Application Submission mailto:support@grants.gov

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Certain documents are required to be submitted by an applicant in order for the Agreement Officer to make a determination of responsibility. However, it is USAID policy not to burden applicants with undue reporting requirements if that information is readily available through other sources. The following sections describe the documentation that applicants for Assistance award must submit to USAID prior to award. Food for Peace requests applicants submit documentation to IFRP@usaid.gov. All documents should be completed in accordance with the format detailed in this RFA and adhere to the following:

● Written in English and in 12-point Times New Roman font;

● Text in tables or charts may be 10-point Times New Roman font;

● Narratives should be prepared in Microsoft Word with print areas set to 8.5 x 11 inch, letter-sized paper and one-inch margins, left justification and a footer on each page including page numbers, date of submission, and applicant name;

● Spreadsheets should be prepared in Microsoft Excel, with print areas set to 8.5 x 11 inch, letter-sized paper;

● Official (signed) documents, memoranda, and certifications may be submitted as Adobe PDF files; and

● Emailed, faxed and hard copy applications are not acceptable.

Applicants must submit budgets using Standard Form 424, 424A, and 424B, as appropriate, which can be downloaded from the USAID website; and a Detailed Budget, a Summary Budget and a Budget Narrative. Alternatively, the Standard Forms are found on http://www.grants.gov/.

Applicants should retain for their records one copy of the full application and all attachments which accompany their application. To facilitate the competitive review of the applications, applications should conform to the format prescribed below.

Applicants are expected to review, understand, and comply with all aspects of this RFA. Failure to do so will be at the applicant's risk.

Each applicant shall furnish the information required by this RFA.

Applications are comprised of two components: technical applications and cost applications.

Both technical applications and cost applications should be specific, complete, and presented concisely. A lengthy application does not in and of itself constitute a well thought-out application. Technical applications shall demonstrate the applicant's capabilities and expertise with respect to achieving the goals of this program, and the requirements can be found in Section V – Application Review Information, 1) Evaluation Criteria.

Applicants are required to submit separate applications for each commodity that has a different nutritional content. There are no limits to the number of applications an organization may submit.

The Application should be specific, complete, and presented concisely. Applications that do not mailto:IFRP@usaid.gov

Page8 substantially meet the requirements of this RFA will not be considered for award. The application shall be divided into the following sections, with the maximum number of pages given per section as follows:

A. Application Narrative

1. Cover Page (1 page maximum)

2. Executive Summary (2 pages maximum)

B. Technical Narrative

1. Organizational Capabilities/Past Performance (5 pages maximum)

2. Commodity (5 pages maximum)

C. Budget

1. Budget Summary (no page limit)

2. Budget Narrative (no page limit)

D. Annexes (no page limit)

The above bullets correspond to the sections of the RFA described below and constitute the general application format.

A. Application Narrative

The Application Narrative should have the following:

Cover Page (1 page maximum)

● Should have the names of the organizations/institutions involved in the proposed application;

● Proposed sub-awardees are to be listed separately, including a brief narrative describing the unique capacities/skills being brought to the program by each; and

● Cover Page should include information about a contact person for the prime Applicant, including this individual’s name (both typed and his/her signature), title or position with the organization/institution, address, and telephone and fax numbers. Applicants are to acknowledge whether the contact person is the person with authority to contract for the applicant, and if not, that person should also be listed.

Executive Summary (2 pages maximum)

● Should summarize the key elements of the applicant’s capabilities, type of shelf-stable food commodity, and budget; and

● Must be concise and accurate.

B. Technical Narrative

The Technical Narrative should have the following:

Organizational Capabilities/Past Performance (5 pages maximum)

● Applicants must provide evidence of their technical and managerial resources and expertise (or their ability to obtain such) to meet the program objectives. Information

Page9 in this section should include (but is not limited to) the following:

o Brief description of organizational history/expertise;

o Experience in the production, packaging, stockpiling and maintenance of shelf-stable food stocks;

o Overall estimate of the maximum amount of metric tonnage of the shelf-stable food commodity that can be produced, packaged, stockpiled and made readily available for distribution within the first six (6) months of award;

o Description of food processing facilities sufficient to demonstrate capacity to produce the above level of commodities; and o List of all applicable federal, state and local licenses and certifications with expiration dates, as well as quality control and inspection procedures (e.g., Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, ISO or other recognized systems). Prior to an award, the applicant will be required to submit appropriate documentation.

● If the applicant is proposing to make a sub-award(s), all of the information above should be provided with regard to that organization(s).

● No information is required on key personnel.

Commodity (5 pages maximum) Applicants must provide the following information for the proposed commodity:

● Description of the shelf-stable food commodity, including serving size (in grams), list of ingredients and components, specifications, sources and origins of ingredients and components by country, and any changes after reconstitution (if applicable);

● Technical nutritional information (per proposed serving in grams) to include, but not limited to: vitamins, micronutrients, and macronutrients (Note: A Certificate of Analysis should be included in the Annex of the application);

● Intended beneficiary group(s): Children at risk of malnutrition including children 6- 59 months, (or subset thereof such as 6-23 months and 24-59 months, based on product specifications), and school children; and vulnerable populations including but not limited to pregnant and lactating women, the elderly, the institutionalized, people living with HIV, displaced persons and refugees, and families living in poverty;

● Proportion of the daily macro and micronutrient requirements for the beneficiary group to be met per serving size in grams and per 100 grams of product and per serving;

● Preparation and cooking times (if applicable), human resources in terms of training or knowledge required of those providing the commodity, equipment, fuel and other inputs needed;

● Expected shelf-life under normal storage conditions and adverse conditions that might be expected in developing countries (i.e., specificity about the types of storage conditions required, such as temperature limitations);

● Proposed commodity packaging, demonstrating that the commodity will be packaged in a manner compatible with containerized shipment capacities and harsh environments with extreme heat and/or humidity; and

● Lists of places, beneficiary groups to whom the commodity has been provided, and commodity use and degree of success both inside and outside the United States.

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Applicants must provide the following pertaining to environmental considerations for the commodity and its preparation:

● Information on environmental sustainability plans and protocols for the entire supply chain, pertaining to energy and solid wastes, such as cleaner production processes, waste minimization, recycling and disposal of the commodity and or commodity packaging;

● Sustainability updates on the composition of packaging materials being produced, with the goal to reduce waste from the End of Life use of the products in the targeted beneficiaries; and

● Participation in future environmental sustainability analysis conducted by USAID regarding packaging waste through interviews and/or site visits.

C. Budget

While there is no page limit for the cost proposal, applicants are encouraged to be as concise as possible, but still provide the necessary detail to address the items discussed herein. The cost application must illustrate the entire period of performance, using the budget format shown in the SF-424A and include a comprehensive budget, detailed budget, and budget narrative. Standard Forms, including the SF-424, SF-424A and SF-424B; can be accessed electronically at www.grants.gov. Failure to accurately complete these forms could result in the rejection of the application.

For more information on the cost application, please see Section V - Application Review Information, 2. Review of Cost Proposal. Cost applications must be in U.S. dollars only and include budget details as described below for the applicant

Budget

● Applicants must include the following:

o Cost per serving of the commodity, with serving size weight noted (to include production, packaging and stockpiling);

o Cost per metric ton of the commodity (to include production, packaging and stockpiling); and o Administrative and support costs (to include labor, other direct costs, and overhead).

Budget Narrative

● Applicants must submit an accompanying budget narrative which details the total proposed costs for implementation of the proposed program. The budget shall discuss and support the components of each SF-424 budget element, such as:

o A breakdown of all direct costs to include cost elements (communications, office supplies, printer, vehicle, office rent, etc.), unit of measure (monthly estimate, cost per unit), number of units, basis of the estimate and programmatic need for

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o A breakdown of costs by inputs, production, packaging, and storage; and o The breakdown of all costs according to each partner organization (e.g., sub-awardee) in the format described herein.

● Applicants may submit budgets using Standard Form 424, 424A, and 424B, as appropriate, which can be downloaded from the USAID website. Alternatively, the forms are found on grants.gov.

There is no specific maximum dollar amount allowed for administrative and management costs.

All proposed costs will be evaluated in accordance with applicable cost principles.

The awardee will only be required to produce, package, and stockpile the commodities at the awardee’s facility. All costs for rapid transportation, delivery, and distribution of the commodity shall be covered separately by transport, delivery, and distribution grants.

Applicants proposing a cost share should include the same form and a breakdown that shows which costs would be covered by USAID funds and which by the awardee. If the cost share is an in-kind contribution, the budget should show the value of that contribution.

Note: When considering packaging and costs, please note that all packaging must conform to USAID’s Branding and Marking requirements, which can be found at: http://www.usaid.gov/branding

D. Annexes

Annexes are suggested and/or required to have the following:

● A Certificate of Analysis issued by the producer/processor or another entity for the nutritional components of the commodity.

● Applicants shall include Certifications, Assurances, Representations, And Other Statements, as referenced in Section VIII – Other Information.

● If the applicant proposes any sub-awards, applicants shall include signed “letters of commitment” from sub-awardees in this section. The applicant may include additional information if deemed necessary, however, as stated above technical applications should be specific, complete and presented concisely. A lengthy application does not in and of itself constitute a well thought out proposal. Therefore, applicants must avoid unnecessary documentation.

● Each applicant should include a copy of its organization’s most recent Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) issued by its organization’s cognizant audit agency (USAID or another agency of the U.S. federal government) or information to support any indirect costs recovered by a percentage method. Applicants who do not currently have a NICRA from their cognizant audit agency but request funding for http://www.usaid.gov/branding

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o Copies of the applicant's financial reports for the previous 3-year period, which have been audited by a certified public accountant or other auditor satisfactory to USAID;

o Projected budget, cash flow, and organizational chart; and o A copy of the organization's accounting manual.

● Certain documents are required to be submitted by the applicant in order for the Agreement Officer to make a determination of financial responsibility. Applicants shall submit any additional evidence of responsibility to support this determination. The information submitted should substantiate that the applicant:

o Has adequate financial, management, and personnel resources and systems, or the ability to obtain such resources as required during the performance of the award.

o Has the ability to comply with the award conditions, taking into account all existing and currently prospective commitments of the applicant, non-governmental and governmental.

o Has a satisfactory record of performance. Past relevant unsatisfactory performance is ordinarily sufficient to justify a finding of non-responsibility, unless there is clear evidence of subsequent satisfactory performance.

o Has a satisfactory record of integrity and business ethics; and o Is otherwise qualified and eligible to receive a grant under applicable laws and regulations (e.g., EEO).

● Applicants that have never received a grant, cooperative agreement or contract from the

U.S. Government are required to submit a copy of their accounting manual, personnel policies, travel policies, and procurement policies, and audits received for the past three years. If this material has already been submitted to the U.S. Government, the applicant should advise which Federal Agency has a copy.

● Applicants should submit a copy of their Certificate of Compliance if their organization's systems have been certified by the USAID/Washington's Office of Acquisition and Assistance (M/OAA).

3. Data Universal Number System (DUNS) Number and System for Award

Management (SAM)

Each applicant is required to:

● Be registered in SAM before submitting an application;

● Provide a valid DUNS number in its application; and

● Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active award or an application or plan under consideration by USAID.

USAID may not make an award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time USAID is ready to make an award, USAID may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive an award and use that determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.

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Additional information and details for obtaining a DUNS number and registering in SAM can be found at www.grants.gov.

4. Submission Dates and Times

The application submission deadline is TBD, 12:00pm, Washington, D.C. time, i.e. Eastern Standard Time (EST), and all applications must be received no later than this date and time. The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the electronic application is received by the due date and specified time.

Applications that are received late or are incomplete run the risk of not being considered in the review process. Such late or incomplete applications will be considered in USAID's sole discretion depending on the status of USAID's application review process, time of receipt, and/or the quality of other applications received.

5. Funding Restrictions

USAID anticipates awarding up to three grants under this RFA for a total of up to $7.5 million per year. For more information, please review Section I – Funding Opportunity Description, 1) General Description.

6. Pre-Award Certifications, Assurances, and Other Statements of the Recipient

Apparently successful applicants must provide a signed copy of Certifications, Assurances, Representations, and Other Statements of the Recipient as described in ADS 303.3.8 on the USAID website.

Successful applicants will also be required to submit a branding strategy and marking plan.

Agency branding and marking guidance can be found at the following websites: USAID ADS 320 (contains instructions on how to prepare the branding strategy and marking plan) and http://www.usaid.gov/branding/ (contains samples of the USAID logo in various formats).

USAID requires the recognition of the contributions of the American people extended under this Agreement. In this regard, Recipients are reminded of the requirements to acknowledge USAID funding of projects and programs as required by the Standard Provisions. In publications and media products, Recipients will apply, where appropriate, the Agency branding standards published in the Agency’s Graphics Standards Manual (available at www.usaid.gov/branding).

Recipients should also note that the acknowledgement of the U.S. Agency for International Development as a funding source may be applied where texts are publicly published.

7. Pre-Award Costs

No pre-award costs are required.

8. Other Submission Requirements http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/303mav https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/303mav https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/320 https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/320 http://www.usaid.gov/branding/ http://www.usaid.gov/branding

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Certain documents may be required to be submitted by the applicant in order for the Agreement Officer to make a determination of financial responsibility. Applicants shall submit any additional evidence of responsibility, as requested, to support the determination pertaining to adequate financial, management and personnel resources and systems; ability to comply with the award conditions; satisfactory record of performance, integrity and business ethics; along with qualifications and eligibility to receive a grant under applicable laws and regulations.

SECTION V – APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Evaluation Criteria

Technical applications and cost proposals of each proposal will be evaluated separately.

The technical application will be evaluated in accordance with the Technical Evaluation Criteria set forth below. Thereafter, the cost proposal of all applicants submitting a technically acceptable application will be evaluated for general reasonableness, allowability, and allocability. To the extent that they are necessary (if award is not made based on initial applications), negotiations and/or interviews will then be conducted with all applicants whose application, after discussion and negotiation, has a reasonable chance of being selected for award. Awards will be made to responsible applicants whose applications offer the greatest value, cost-effectiveness, and other factors considered.

After it is determined that the minimum eligibility requirements have been met, a Technical Evaluation Committee (TEC) will evaluate proposals according to criteria described below.

Technical Evaluation Criteria Maximum Possible Points A. Organizational Capability 30 B. Commodity: Nutritional Content 40 C. Commodity: Ease of Use 20 D. Cost Share 10 Total Possible Points 100

A. Organizational Capability (30 Total Points)

Organizational capability will be evaluated by the following:

● Successful project management experience. (10 Total Points) o Quality of service, including consistency in meeting goals and targets. (5 pts) o Timeliness of performance, including adherence to agreement schedules.(5 pts)

● Demonstrated institutional capacity to accomplish the range of programmatic activities described in this RFA.(10 Total Points) o Capacity to manage relationships with government officials and institutions.

(5 pts) o Evidence of technical and managerial resources and expertise (or the ability to

Page15 obtain such. (5 pts)

● Facility site visit (10 Total Points)

An example of evaluation criteria for facility site visits is as follows:

● Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)

● Infrastructure and Equipment Maintenance

● Equipment Design

● Sanitation

● Pest Control

● Specification Management

● Food Defense

● Receiving, Warehousing, and Shipping

● Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)

● Label, Allergen, and Net Content Control

● Quality Management

B. Commodity: Nutritional Content (40 Total Points)

The nutritional content evaluation will be based on the proportion of the daily macro and micronutrient needs to be met per serving size in grams and per 100 grams of product with regard to the following beneficiary groups:

● Intended beneficiary group(s): Children at risk of malnutrition including children 6-59 months, (or subset thereof such as 6-23 months and 24-59 months, based on product specifications), and school children; and vulnerable populations including but not limited to pregnant and lactating women, the elderly, the institutionalized, people living with HIV, displaced persons and refugees, and families living in poverty. Guidance on dietary reference intakes (DRIs) for macro and micronutrients may be found in the Dietary Reference Intakes: Recommendations for Individuals, https://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/dietary-reference-intakes

C. Commodity: Ease of Use (20 Total Points)

The ease of use evaluation will be based on the number and level of inputs required to transform the commodity into a food to be eaten to include, but not limited to, time, human resources, equipment, and fuel. (Note: per above, the product must be shelf stable and pre-packaged in a manner compatible with containerized shipment capacities to be considered.)

D. Cost Share (10 Total Points)

Cost share and/or in-kind contribution is highly encouraged. The Food for Peace Act states that preference will be given to organizations that will provide non-federal funds in an amount equal to fifty (50) percent of the amount of funds received under the grant, an in-kind contribution in an amount equal to that percentage, or a combination of such funds and an in-https://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/dietary-reference-intakes

Page16 kind contribution. The cost share/in-kind contribution evaluation will be based on the extent to which this cost share/in-kind contribution is met. A total of 10 points will be given to applicants meeting fifty percent cost share/in-kind contribution, with all lesser cost share/in-kind contribution values being divided by 5 to achieve the allotted point value out of a maximum score of 10. For instance, an applicant proposing a cost share/in-kind contribution of 47 percent would receive 9.4 points under this criterion.

2. Review of Cost Proposal

The cost proposal of all applicants submitting a technically acceptable application will be evaluated to determine if costs are reasonable, allocable, and allowable. If an application is recommended for award following the technical review, USAID may at its option conduct cost negotiations.

Cost will be evaluated for cost reasonableness, allowability, allocability, cost effectiveness and realism, adequacy of budget detail, financial feasibility, and cost sharing. Cost per 100 grams, cost per serving in grams, and other measures that allow for price analysis will also be evaluated.

The applicant's cost share contribution will be reviewed for cost-effectiveness and realism and to verify that the applicant meets the standards set in 2 CFR 200.306.

3. Review and Selection Process

After initial selection, the apparent successful applicant(s) will be asked to provide information pertaining to past performance of similar programs and commodities. This information will be used to make a responsibility determination before a grant is provided.

SECTION VI – AWARD AND ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

USAID may make an award resulting from this RFA to the responsible applicant(s) whose application(s) conforming to this RFA offer(s) the greatest value. USAID may (a) reject any or all applications, (b) accept other than the lowest cost application, (c) accept more than one application, and (d) waive informalities and minor irregularities in applications received.

Awards will be made in accordance with the USAID Standard Provisions for U.S.

Nongovernmental Organizations and other applicable U.S. Government regulations, which are available on the USAID web site.

The Agreement Officer is the only individual who may legally commit the U.S. Government to the expenditure of public funds. No costs chargeable to the proposed agreement may be incurred before the start date of a fully executed Agreement. (In extreme cases, a specific written authorization from the Agreement Officer may be necessary and completed.)

https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/303maa https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/303maa http://www.usaid.gov/

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SECTION VII - AGENCY CONTACTS

Agency contacts may be found in Section IV – Submission and Application Information, 2) Point of Contact.

SECTION VIII – OTHER INFORMATION

Please access the current Certifications, Assurances, Representations, and Other Statements at the following link for all applicable forms: https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/303mav https://www.usaid.gov/ads/policy/300/303mav