NCPN Funding Opportunity Announcement_Sept2025.pdf

Funding Opportunity Title: Plant Protection Act Section 7721 Fiscal Year 2026 National Clean Plant Network (NCPN)

(A) SUMMARY INFORMATION OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT

USDA FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER

USDA-APHIS-10025-PPQ-NCPN-2026

PROGRAM WEBSITES:

Information on the National Clean Plant Network program and this funding opportunity are available at the USDA APHIS NCPN website.

APHIS’ terms and conditions can be found at the following website:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/organization/business-services/asc/terms-conditions

JUSTIFICATION FOR NON-COMPETITION

Leave this section blank.

(B) FULL TEXT OF ANNOUNCEMENT

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This funding opportunity is provided to carry out the provisions as described in Section 7721 of the Plant Protection Act (PPA 7721). This program makes funding available for the National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) through PPA 7721. The purpose of the NCPN program is to establish a network of Clean Plant Centers for diagnostic and pathogen elimination services to produce clean propagative plant material and to maintain blocks of pathogen-tested plant material in sites located throughout the United States. Program priorities align with the goals specified in the NCPN Strategic Plan and include: 1) Optimizing the production, maintenance, and distribution of clean plants, 2) Advancing special initiatives by optimizing the adaptation and implementation of novel technologies and new ideas while increasing the awareness of the importance, availability, and use of clean plants, and 3) Optimizing network resources.

LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY

Include APHIS’ program authority to cooperate and any other significant Federal statutes.

Authorities are to be specific to the particular Program Unit and project(s).

(THE FOLLOWING CITE IS OFTEN USED FOR PPQ & BRS PROGRAMS.)

Under the Plant Protection Act (PPA), as amended, (7 USC §§ 7701 et. seq.), the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to issue regulations and orders to prevent, detect, control, eradicate, suppress, or retard the spread of plant pests or noxious weeds into or within the United States and to cooperate with other Federal agencies or entities, States or political subdivisions of States, national governments, local governments of other nations, domestic or international organizations, domestic or international associations, and other persons to carry out the purposes of the PPA.

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/funding/ncpn

(THE FOLLOWING CITE IS USED BY APHIS PROGRAMS WHEN FUNDING FOR

FARM BILL IS PROVIDED.)

Under 7 U.S.C. 7721 (Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Prevention section) of the 2008 and 2014 Farm Bills, the Secretary of Agriculture is directed to make available Commodity Credit Corporation funds for early plant pest and disease detection and surveillance, for threat identification and mitigation of invasive plant pests and diseases, and for technical assistance in the development and implementation of audit-based nursery certification systems and nursery plant pest risk management systems.

(ADD OTHER AUTHORITIES AS APPROPRIATE FOR THE PROJECT, INCLUDING

RECIPIENT’S AUTHORITY, IF PRACTICAL.)

The PPA 7721 program is authorized under Section 7721 of the Plant Protection Act.

RECIPIENT RESPONSIBILITIES

APHIS specific training is available for all primary personnel responsible for administering this award in your organization. Please share this training as appropriate.

The training can be found at the following website:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/cooperative-agreements-and-grants-training-508.pdf

TYPE OF FEDERAL AWARD

Proposals approved for funding with non-Federal partners will be funded via cooperative agreements. Cooperative agreements are expected to include substantial involvement by APHIS to assist in the completion of the goals and objectives of the work. APHIS’ substantial involvement will be described in the work and financial plan. Interagency agreements will be used if the recipient is a non-APHIS Federal agency.

COST SHARING OR MATCHING REQUIREMENTS

Cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not required for PPA 7721 projects. If a suggester includes contributions as part of a cost share in their budget proposal and it is accepted by APHIS, the commitment of funds becomes legally binding, must be reported on the SF-425, and is subject to audit.

ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE

PPA 7721 NCPN application information can be found on the Grants.gov website by searching Assistance Listing Number 10.025. Application materials and additional information are available on the USDA APHIS NCPN website. All application packages for funding consideration, must be submitted by email to ncpn@usda.gov.

CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION

The application package must include the documents listed below.

□ Project proposal WORK PLAN. See below.

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title7-section7721&num=0&edition=prelim https://www.grants.gov/ https://www.aphis.usda.gov/funding/ncpn mailto:ncpn@usda.gov https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/fy2026-ncpn-work-plan-template.docxv

□ Project proposal FINANCIAL PLAN. See below.

□ Documentation of Pre-Proposal Review Process. See below.

Project Proposal Work Plan

Applicants must submit a project proposal Work Plan that provides details on all aspects of the project. The Work Plan Template is available at the link above from the USDA APHIS NCPN website.

Proposal work plans should not exceed 15 pages (11 point font, single spaced) for proposals covering a single crop or special initiative. For proposals with multiple crops or multiple entities, the work plan may be increased up to 5 pages for each additional crop or entity, up to a maximum of 40 pages. This limitation does not include any proposal cover pages, budget, or appendices.

Project Proposal Financial Plan

Applicants must submit a project proposal Financial Plan that includes details about the project budget. The Financial Plan Template is available at the link above from the USDA APHIS NCPN website. All APHIS awards are subject to the terms and conditions, cost principles, allowable and unallowable costs, direct and indirect costs, cost share and matching, and other considerations as described and defined in:

• PPA 7721 Use of Funds document, found in Appendix D of the FY 2026 PPA 7721 Implementation Plan, and

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

Documentation of Pre-Proposal Review Process

Applicants should provide a letter of support documenting pre-proposal review and coordination with the appropriate NCPN specialty crop governing body. This process is not required for proposals focused on cross-network special initiatives, but these proposals should be coordinated with the appropriate working group. Applicants may request working group or crop governing body contact information at ncpn@usda.gov.

Optional Appendix: Strategic Plans or Annual Reports. Applicants seeking Network support that also have established strategic plans or issue annual entity reports for their operating units may include these as an appendix.

UNIQUE ENTITY IDENTIFIER AND SYSTEM FOR AWARD MANAGEMENT

(SAM)

Your organization will need to be registered with System for Award Management (SAM).

To register, go to: https://sam.gov/. Please allow a minimum of 5 days to complete the SAM registration. In order to register with the SAM, your organization will need a https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/fy2025-ncpn-financial-plan-template.xlsx https://www.aphis.usda.gov/funding/ncpn https://www.aphis.usda.gov/funding/ncpn https://www.aphis.usda.gov/funding/ncpn https://www.aphis.usda.gov/funding/ncpn https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/ppa7721-fy26-implementation-plan.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=36bff1b1599bd122d722fcb83c76da10&mc=true&node=sp2.1.200.e&rgn=div6 mailto:ncpn@usda.gov

Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) which is a 12-character alphanumeric ID assigned to an entity by SAM.gov.

Important: During the SAM registration process, it is mandatory to complete the Financial Assistance Certification Report in order to receive federal financial assistance.

SUBMISSION DEADLINES AND TIMES

The application deadline is 09-03-2025. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered, unless noted otherwise in this announcement. Applications must be submitted via ServiceNow before the deadline, unless specified otherwise in this announcement.

INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVIEW

The Intergovernmental Review Process (CFDA 10.025 & 10.028) is subject to Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs” in the States or Territories of: American Samoa, Arkansas, California, Delaware, District of Columbia, Iowa (State Agencies only), Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Utah (State Agencies only), Virgin Islands, and West Virginia. Awards will not be made until this process has been completed in the applicable states. Names and addresses of States’ Single Point of Contact (SPOC) are listed at:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/spoc_list.pdf For those applicants that have this process in their state, submit your application to the SPOC simultaneously to submitting to APHIS. Failure to meet with this requirement will result in a rejection of your application. A copy of the SPOC waiver or approval letter will be required at the time the award is made.

FUNDING RESTRICTIONS

Project funds as cooperative agreements must be obligated by the recipient within 12 months from the date the funds are made available by APHIS (the date of approval on the Notice of Award) unless otherwise stated in the Notice of Award. Construction is not authorized.

The applicant must submit a copy of its fully executed current Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, negotiated by its recognized Federal Agency, when indirect costs are assessed in the budget. All indirect costs for this award are limited to not more than 15% of total award or the application of their indirect cost rate agreement, whichever is less.

Funding for interagency agreements and internal projects must be obligated by the end of the current fiscal year.

OTHER SUBMISSSION REQUIREMENTS

None

APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

Proposals will be evaluated based on the criteria listed below.

1. Goal Alignment. Proposals are assessed on how closely they align with the stated mission and goals of NCPN. Applicants are requested to clearly state how their requests align with the NCPN Strategic Plan FY 2021-2025.

2. Stakeholder Participation and Focus. Broad stakeholder participation in projects is encouraged and evidence of this should be captured in a proposal. Realistically projected information on program deliverables, specifically outcomes impacting nurseries, growers, and other users of clean plant material is encouraged.

3. Governing Bodies and Harmonization. Networking is one of the hallmarks of NCPN, through NCPN-focused specialty crop governing bodies and their activities to coordinate proposals within their respective crop groups for Network consideration.

Proposals that are discussed and harmonized among clean plant centers working on the same crop groups are encouraged and given priority funding consideration.

4. Overall Merits of Projects. The merit and value of projects as they relate to the implementation of Network operations and initiatives is among the most important factors for consideration. This includes the extent to which the project outcomes and deliverables are likely to have significant impact and value to stakeholders.

Applicants should carefully consider what is asked of them in the suggested work plan template and provide the requested information concisely, but with sufficient detail to convey the impacts of the proposed work.

REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS

USDA/APHIS, USDA/ARS, and USDA/NIFA as represented by the members of NCPN’s Governing Board Core Working Group are responsible for making recommendations of NCPN projects for funding through cooperative agreements. They are assisted in their task by the members of NCPN’s Governing Board that form the panel to participate in the evaluation and recommendation process of proposals. The panel composed of Federal and State employees makes the primary recommendation of projects for funding and submits their recommendations to USDA for final approval. They may seek counsel from subject-matter experts as appropriate. Measures are in place to avoid potential conflicts of interest. In the event of a real or perceived conflict of interest, a panel member shall recuse themselves as appropriate. USDA/APHIS/PPQ has final funding obligating authority in determining which projects are funded for this program.

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

FEDERAL AWARD NOTICES

Applicants who have been selected for funding will receive an Award Document via ezFedGrants. Either the APHIS Grants Specialist or the Program Manager may informally contact the applicant with application/Federal Award status details. The Applicant must provide an E-Signature in ezFedGrants for the Federal Award document, unless another Federal Award signature process is provided to the applicant by APHIS.

ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

Successful applicants must comply with the requirements contained in the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards”, 2 CFR Part 200; Non procurement Debarment and Suspension” 2 CFR 417;

“Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace", 2 CFR Part 421; "New Restrictions on Lobbying", 2 CFR Part 418; and Office of Management and Budget regulations governing "Controlling Paperwork Burdens on the Public", 5 CFR 1320.

In addition to the above mentioned, all recipients/cooperators are subject to the Federal Award's general terms and conditions, project narrative, and budget narrative, as well as the applicable authorization used to issue the Federal Award.

REPORTING

The Project Administrator will provide to the APHIS authorized representative semi-annual accomplishment reports on program activities outlined in this application. The reports will be used by APHIS to verify compliance with provisions of this Agreement.

These reports will be due as specified in the cooperative agreement document.

The Project Administrator will provide to the APHIS authorized representative a properly certified semi-annual Federal Financial Report, SF-425, as specified in the cooperative agreement document. Any requests for an extension of time to submit the SF-425 must be made in writing to APHIS’ authorized representative. Extensions of time to submit the SF- 425 are subject to the discretion of APHIS’ authorized representative and, if allowed, shall be provided by the authorized representative in writing.