McGovern Dole Questions and Answers Week of 5.3.21.pdf

McGovern-Dole FY2021 Notice of Funding Opportunity

Questions and Answers

Week of May 3rd, 2021 (up to 12:00pm Thursday)

1. Q: If an applicant is interested in procuring a commodity regionally, but that commodity is not available under USDA's list of commodities (i.e. fortified rice kernels), can such procurement count as regional procurement to be budgeted under the LRP component of the award? Or, if USDA does not recognize the product as commodity, can the procurement be budgeted as a non-food item (i.e.

vitamins and minerals)?

A: Applicants may propose to locally or regionally procure an agricultural commodity or a product of an agricultural commodity that is not included in Appendix H – Potential Available

Commodities for FY 2021 Food Aid Solicitations. Please see 7 CFR Section 1599.6 for the local and regional procurement regulations.

2. Q: Will USDA accept support letters from the national government?

A: Letters of support are not requested in the NOFO. FAS strongly discourages, and will not consider, any materials submitted by or on behalf of the Applicant other than those materials specifically requested in the NOFO.

3. Q: What are the expectations for programming in the first year of a new award , particularly if the new award overlaps at all with previous/existing awards? For example, should activities be limited until the baseline is completed and, if so, limited to what kind of activity?

A: FAS expects Applicants to include a realistic anticipated timeline for each activity, as described in Part D Section 3 d ii Plan of Operations and Activities. If an Applicant is targeting beneficiaries that are currently supported by a McGovern-Dole project, the Applicant may propose a timeline of activities that reduces the likelihood of a gap in school feeding or other activity. Applicants should consider the guidance provided in the monitoring and evaluation policy, commodity procurement and delivery timeline, and other start-up requirements when determining the start of the implementation of activities. Baseline expectations are described in the monitoring and evaluation policy, and an awardee may discuss the specific context of any continuing activities with FAS once awarded.

4. Q: The Country Specific Guidance for Guatemala seems to emphasize primary school and early grade reading. Does this mean that applicants should focus there and not on pre-school or secondary school? Or should applicants transition the focus from primary to secondary school?

https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=9dfff371eeaeee4cef83c4cee94eeee5&mc=true&node=pt7.10.1599&rgn=div5%22%20/l%20%22se7.10.1599_16 https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/resources/monitoring-and-evaluation-policy https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/resources/monitoring-and-evaluation-policy

A: Applicants should work on improving the quality of pre-and primary school education, as described in the Country Specific Guidance for Guatemala.

5. Q: Does USDA allow applicants to submit letters of support or MOUs from highly strategic non-subrecipient partners with whom they collaborate? Would these letters be included in the same attachments as those of sub-recipient partners?

A: Letters of support and MOUs are not requested in the NOFO. FAS strongly discourages, and will not consider, any materials submitted by or on behalf of the Applicant other than those materials specifically requested in the NOFO.

6. Q: How should applicants present activities related to LRP in relation to the results frameworks? Can applicants include LRP activities under MGD Result

1.2.1.1 and 1.3.1.1 (Increased access to food) and under the following activity:

Develop Partnerships with Farmer Groups to Supply Food to Schools? Or should activities be listed under each of the results in the LRP framework, using that numbering system?

A: For all proposed activities, including activities related to the local and regional procurement components of their project, it is up to the Applicant to display in their submitted results framework which result(s) each activity is designed to contribute to. Activities related to the local and regional procurement component should be aligned under any relevant result; this is for the Applicant to communicate.

7. Q: The NOFO guidance mentions risk of climate change to family farming. Is there an estimated percentage of resources to allocate to mitigating this risk?

Will use of technologies, provision of seeds, inputs for recovery of plots and technologies be allowed or restricted?

A: FAS does not set an estimated percentage of the budget to be allocated to mitigate any risks.

Applicants should propose contextually appropriate activities that contribute to the achievement of McGovern-Dole Program objectives.

8. Q: The policy of the US administration is to reduce migration and support for returned migrants in Guatemala. Because LRP adds to economic opportunities for farmers, does USDA allow for more than 10% of local purchases? Would this be seen as favorable?

A: A target of 10% of the total proposed federal award amount dedicated to local and regional procurement budget is strongly recommended. FAS does allow for more than 10%, however, Applicants must propose contextually appropriate and feasible uses of locally and regionally procured commodities. The donation of U.S. commodities remains an integral part of

McGovern-Dole and applicants are strongly encouraged to use U.S. donated commodities to maximize program reach of targeted beneficiaries in the most cost-effective manner.