McGovern-Dole Questions and Answers Week of 04.26.21.pdf

McGovern-Dole FY2021 Notice of Funding Opportunity

Questions and Answers

Week of April 26th, 2021

1. Q: What type of contributions can be considered cost share? Can applicants include contributions from other donors for School Feeding?

A: Per 7 CFR section 1599.2, cost share may include cash or in-kind contributions provided by recipients, subrecipients, foreign public entities, foreign organizations, or private donors. FAS will use the criteria provided in 2 CFR section 200.306(b) to determine whether the proposed cost share is acceptable.

2. Q: Are applicants required to submit NICRA support for proposed subrecipients, or only for the prime applicant?

A: For the purpose of the application, applicants are required to submit a NICRA for the prime applicant. However, applicants should be aware that, per 2 CFR §200.332(a) requirements for pass-through entities, all pass-through entities must ensure that every subaward is clearly identified to the subrecipient as a subaward, includes the required information at the time of the subaward and, if any of these data elements change, include the changes in subsequent subaward modification(s). If any of this required information is not available, the pass-through entity must provide the best information available to describe the Federal award and subaward. Per 2 CFR

§200.332(a)(1) required information includes Federal award identification and per 2 CFR

§200.332(a)(1)(xiv), indirect cost rate for the Federal award (including if the de minimis rate is charged) per §200.414.

3. Q: Is there an option for proposed subrecipients to submit their NICRA support directly to the funder via a sealed bid? If this is a possibility, how can this information be submitted directly to the funder?

A: As noted in the prior response, it is the responsibility of the pass-through entity to ensure the required information is captured at the time of the subaward. It will be at the pass-through entity’s discretion on how to collect the NICRA.

4. Q: Can applicants submit proof of Country registration as an attachment to allow for more narrative page limits in the Organizational Capacity and Staffing section?

A: The Organizational Capacity and Staffing narrative section has a six-page limit. The one page

In-Country Registration information is not included in the six- page narrative limit. See Part D

Section 3 b, Required Content and Forms.

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5. Q: Can applicants submit the Organizational Chart as an attachment to allow for more narrative page limits in the Organizational Capacity and Staffing

Section?

A: The Organizational Capacity and Staffing narrative section has a six-page limit. The one-page

Organizational Chart is not included in the six-page narrative limit. See Part D Section 3 b, Required Content and Forms.

6. Q: Is the Evaluation Plan submitted as an attachment?

A: Applicants must submit a draft evaluation plan as an attachment. See Part D Section 3 (d) (v.)

(c.)Evaluation Plan.

7. Q: For LRP, the NOFO states “Applicants should use the LRP Program’s

Program-Level RF (Appendix F) as a starting point to identify the specific desired results of proposed activities related to the local and regional procurement component and should add custom results as needed.” Does USDA require applicants to submit three stand-alone Results Frameworks (SO1, SO2, and LRP), or should LRP results be integrated into the two results frameworks for SO1 and SO2?

A: LRP results may either appear on a third page or may be integrated into the SO1 or SO2 graphics, typically on the first two pages; this is for the Applicant to decide based on the results, the space available and how the graphic is developed. Please note that if desired LRP results appear on a third page, they are not considered to be stand-alone and the link between these results and the rest of the desired project results must be clearly reflected in the graphic.

8. Q: Per page 29, the NOFO states, "To help address the gap in nutrition-specific standard indicators available, Applicants may propose custom indicators reflecting anthropometric measures of school children, intended as a proxy for nutritional status, if contextually appropriate." Does USDA have a preference or guidance on which anthropometric measures it requires?

A: Immediately following the quoted sentence on p. 29 is this guidance: “Common measures include weight-for-age, weight-for-height, body mass index, or middle upper arm circumference, and should follow identified best practices.” However, please note that while FAS encourages applicants to address the gap in nutrition-specific standard indicators, USDA does not require anthropometric measures. If an Applicant proposes anthropometric measures, they should choose from any that are contextually appropriate and evidence based.

9. Q: Have there been any updates to the Learning Agenda since 2016, given that many studies have been conducted in the intervening years, as well the emergence of new scenarios for learning?

A: No, there have not been any updates to the McGovern-Dole Learning Agenda.

10. Q: Per Page 32, the NOFO cites "Special Studies (where applicable)". Can

USDA elaborate on what is meant by 'where applicable'?

A: This phrasing intends to indicate that special studies are optional. The applicant should decide if any special studies are applicable to their proposed project and overall evaluation and learning plans.

11. Q: Does USDA have a preference or guidance on how Applicants with existing

McGovern-Dole projects (that would overlap with start-up of the proposed project) should allocate common resources between the two projects? How should this be represented in the budget summary and budget narrative?

A: Federal awards should be treated in a separate and distinct manner and costs should be allocated accordingly. Per 2 CFR section 200.405(d), if a cost supports two or more projects or activities, the cost must be allocated to the projects based on proportional benefit. The Applicant should explain in the budget narrative how certain costs will be proportionally charged to the proposed project versus the existing McGovern-Dole projects, which benefit from the same resources.

12. Q: Per page 37, Section vii, requires a Budget Summary limited to one page. The

Applicant is referred to Appendix D, which has a different (and more detailed) format than the Budget Summary provided on p.17, Table 1. Can USDA confirm that it requires two budget summaries (one matching the format of Table 1, p.17, and one matching the format on Appendix D). Furthermore, if USDA requires the two budget summaries, will it allow the Applicant to provide these summary budgets on two separate pages, rather than on one single page?

A: No, USDA does not require two Budget Summaries. The Budget Summary template is found in Appendix D. The cost-breakdown table requested under Part D Section 3 d i, Introduction and

Strategic Analysis, is different from the one-page, Budget Summary requested under Part D

Section 3 d vii, Budget. Both are required.

13. Q: Per page 39, Section 4 states "Each subrecipient organization must also have an active SAM registration before the subaward is signed, unless the organization has an exemption approved by FAS under 2 CFR Section

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NOT required at the proposal stage. However, Appendix A - Application

Content Checklist (p. 55) contains a checkbox for "DUNS number(s) for proposed subrecipient(s)". Can USDA confirm that the subrecipients do NOT need to have a DUNS number at the proposal stage, and that this requirement is only applicable at award stage?

A: If a proposed subrecipient has an active DUNS at the time of the application, then this information should be provided as part of the proposal. However, if the proposed subrecipient does not have an active DUNS or SAM.gov registration, then the pass-through entity will need to ensure that the organization has a DUNS and is registered in SAM.gov prior to making a sub-award with that organization.

14. Q: Per Page 17, Table 1 (Budget Summary) does not differentiate between the

Prime Recipient's costs and the Subrecipients' costs. Given the required format, should the Prime Recipient include ONLY the Prime Recipient's indirect costs in the Total Indirect Cost category, since all Subrecipient's costs (including their indirect costs) are a direct cost to the Prime Recipient?

A: Correct, only the prime recipient’s indirect costs should be included in the Total Indirect Cost line of the cost-breakdown table in Part D Section 3 d i, Introduction and Strategic Analysis.

15. Q: Per page 81-82, Section 3.4.5: The budget narrative example provided includes very cursory information for the subrecipients' line items. Can USDA confirm that no additional information than the total dollar value is required for non-major subrecipients at the proposal stage?

A: Subrecipient costs should include only the total subaward cost and purpose of the work under the appropriate category; it is not necessary to include the details of the separate cost components of each subrecipient agreement. The name of the subrecipient, the total cost, and a brief description of the purpose should be provided.

16. Q: Per page 55, Appendix A - Application Content Checklist, Section 2

(Required Content and Forms) does not include any required item for proposed

Subrecipients. Can USDA confirm that no documents, bureaucratic paperwork, or any other detail is required on behalf of proposed Subrecipients, with the exception of what is incorporated in the Prime Applicant's proposal (e.g., org chart, budget total value)?

A: Please read the NOFO carefully. The Prime Applicant must submit the application on behalf of the consortium, with the exception of Past Performance Reviews. If a proposed subrecipient will receive 30% or more of the proposed operating budget, one Past Performance Review for the subrecipient must be submitted by a reference to ppded@usda.gov by the closing date of the announcement.

Applicants must include a project-specific commitment letter from each proposed subrecipient, per Part D Section 3 d iv. Organizational Capacity and Staffing.

The Prime Applicant will also need to ensure that each subrecipient has a DUNS number and is registered in SAM.gov prior to making a sub-award with that organization.

17. In countries where USAID has an Early Grade Reading program, will USDA request the implementing organization not to work in grades 1-3, and rather work in grades 4-6 to prevent overlapping USG-funded projects and the challenges that may cause for overlap in literacy approaches?

A: The Applicant must demonstrate strategic program coordination and complementarity in countries where both McGovern-Dole and USAID have active or planned activities. Appendix B contains country-specific guidance.

mailto:ppded@usda.gov