PKG00261239-instructions.pdf

Farm to School-Grantee Gathering

Fiscal Year 2020 Request for Applications (RFA)

Catalog for Federal Domestic Assistance Number (CFDA): 10.531

Release Date: April 23, 2020 Application Due Date: 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time (EST), May 24, 2020 Anticipated Award Date: June, 2020

IMPORTANT NOTICE

On December 31, 2017, Grants.gov officially retired the legacy .PDF application package as a method to apply for a Federal grant. This changed the way many Grants.gov users completed and submitted their grant applications. More information on the Grants.gov process can be found by visiting:

https://grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html https://communications.grants.gov/app/l/6q3KZ8jGoQl892veDQGyBvbQ/8wUMOSFAzsZ0MK9DNLgLtg/hysv8Unh3EXvtNpco6IwbQ https://grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

This Application Checklist provides applicants with a list of the required documents. However, FNS expects that applicants will read the entire RFA prior to the submission of their application and comply with all requirements outlined in the solicitation. The Application Checklist is for applicant use only and should not be submitted as part of the Application Package.

Complete the following at least four weeks prior to submission:

Obtain a Dun & Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number;

Register the DUNS number in the System for Award Management (SAM); and, Register in Grants.gov.

When preparing your application, ensure:

Application format and narrative meet the requirements included in Section IV “Application and

Submission Information.” This includes page limits, priorities outlined in Section IV, and all necessary attachments.

When preparing your budget, ensure the following information is included:

All key staff proposed to be paid by this grant.

The percentage of time the Project Director will devote to the project in full-time equivalents

(FTEs).

Your organization’s fringe benefit rate and amount, as well as the basis for the computation.

The type of fringe benefits to be covered with Federal funds.

Itemized travel expenses (including type of travel), travel justifications and basis for lodging estimates.

Types of equipment and supplies, justifications, and estimates, ensuring that the budget is in line with the project description.

Information for all contracts and justification for any sole-source contracts.

Justification, description and itemized list of all consultant services.

Indirect cost information (either a copy of a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) or if no agreement exists and the applicant has never been approved for a NICRA, they may charge up to 10% de minimis). If applicant is requesting the de minimis rate or indirect costs are not requested, please indicate this in the budget narrative.

When submitting your application, ensure you have submitted the following:

SF-424 – Application for Federal Assistance (fillable PDF in Grants.gov) SF-424A – Budget Information and Instruction Form (fillable PDF in Grants.gov) SF-424B – Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (fillable PDF in Grants.gov) SF-LLL – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities FNS-906 – Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (PDF - Upload using the “Add Attachments” button under SF-424 item #15) http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SFLLL_1_2-V1.2.pdf

Application Checklist (continued)

When applicable, application packages are required to include the following documents:

AD-3030 – Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants (fillable PDF in Grants.gov)

AD-1047 – Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters Primary Covered Transactions

AD-1048 – Certification Regarding Department, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion Lower Tier Covered Transactions

AD-1049 – Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements (Grants) Alternative I – For Grantees Other Than Individuals https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad3030 https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad3030 https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-1047 https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-1047 https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-1048 https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-1048 https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-1049 https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-1049

Table of Contents Application Checklist 3

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES 6

II. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION 9

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION 11

Other Eligibility Criteria

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION 14

Address to Request Application Package

Content and Form of Application Submission

Submission Date

Preparing for Electronic Application Submission through Grants.gov

How to Submit an Application via Grants.gov

Grants.gov Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION 19

1. REVIEW CRITERIA

Evaluation of Grant Application Criteria

2. EVALUATION FACTORS AND CRITERIA

3. Review and Selection Process

Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates

VI. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION 21

1. FEDERAL AWARD NOTICE

2. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

Confidentiality of an Application

Conflict of Interest and Confidentiality of the Review Process

Administrative Regulations

Code of Federal Regulations and Other Government Requirements

3. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS

Financial Reports

Performance Progress Report (PPR)

VII. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS 25

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION 25

Debriefing Requests

APPENDIX 26

RFA Budget Narrative Checklist

FNS-908 Performance Progress Report (PPR) – For Reference Only

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION & OBJECTIVES

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers 15 Federal nutrition assistance programs of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The mission of FNS is to reduce hunger and food insecurity in partnership with cooperating organizations by providing children and adults in need access to food, a healthful diet, and nutrition education in a manner that supports American agriculture and inspires public confidence. Among the programs that FNS administers are the Child Nutrition Programs (CNP), including the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Child and Adult Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, and Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program. Administered by State agencies, these programs help fight hunger by reimbursing organizations for providing healthy meals to children that meet Federal meal pattern requirements.

Section 18 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (NSLA) establishes a Farm to School Program in order to assist eligible entities, through grants and technical assistance, in implementing farm to school programs that improve access to local foods and food agriculture education in eligible schools.

The Office of Community Food Systems (OCFS) oversees the Farm to School Program within FNS. The OCFS three pillars of work include the Farm to School Grant Program, training and technical assistance, and research and evaluation. Each year, USDA awards approximately $5 million in grants to help eligible entities implement farm to school programs that improve access to local foods in schools. OCFS clarifies policies and regulations, develops resources, and conducts training to assist our stakeholders with starting or expanding their farm to school activities. USDA also conducts the Farm to School Census, which captures information about the level and impact of farm to school initiatives across the nation.

Purpose

This Request for Proposals (RFP) announces the availability of funds to establish a new three-year cooperative agreement, for the purposes of planning, developing, and executing the Farm to School Grantee Gathering, an annual three-day face-to-face training for new Farm to School Grant Program awardees, beginning with the FY 2020 gathering in September 2020. The applicant will assist FNS in developing an agenda, planning, and overall management of the Farm to School Grantee Gathering. FNS expects to fund one competitive cooperative agreement with an award of approximately $150,000 per fiscal year, over a three-year period. This award is contingent upon the availability of funds. FNS may fund this project, in whole or in part, without further competition, in this or subsequent fiscal years. FNS anticipates the period of performance for this project will be three years.

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to:

• Provide background information and context related to the goals of this funding opportunity;

• Describe the type of cooperative agreement available;

• Solicit funding proposals from eligible entities;

• Describe the requirements for submitting a successful proposal;

• Describe how applicants will be reviewed and selected; and,

• Describe the terms and conditions to which the applicant must adhere, including how the funds can be used.

FNS intends to select a non-profit organization with established relationships and experience with farm to school stakeholders and farm to school activities. The selected applicant will also have experience in planning and carrying out large meetings or conferences as well as the capacity to carry out the project goals and objectives.

Background

Farm to school programs are shaped by their unique community, geographic region, and scope. The term, “farm to school” is generally understood to include efforts that connect schools with local or regional farmers, food processors, and manufacturers in order to serve local or regionally procured foods in school cafeterias. It also includes hands-on learning activities, such as school gardening, farm visits, and culinary classes; and the integration of nutrition-related education into the regular, standards-based classroom curriculum. For example, students dissect vegetables in science class, operate farm stands using school garden produce to learn business skills, or practice data visualization techniques when using plant growth measurements, all contributing to a comprehensive approach to learning that is centered on food, agriculture, and nutrition.

Helping schools find and procure regionally produced food is directly tied to the USDA’s strategic plan and a component of the work of USDA’s Child Nutrition Programs. Bringing more locally sourced foods into school cafeterias is a pivotal activity of many farm to school programs. USDA considers farm to school to be inclusive of many types of producers, such as farmers, ranchers, and fishers, as well as many types of food businesses (e.g. food processors, manufacturers and distributors) and other value-added operations.

Project Goals

Each year, FNS awards grants to eligible schools, not-for-profit organizations, producers and State and local government agencies, through the Farm to School Grant Program. These grants promote greater procurement of local food as well as agricultural and nutrition education activities in the classroom highlighting the value of fresh, local, food products. As a condition of their award, grantees must attend a mandatory three-day training aimed at ensuring the successful operation of their grant.

Training sessions include how to report grant related activities and spending as well as best practices, technical assistance, and peer-to-peer networking activities.

Farm to School grantees may send no more than two representatives from their project to attend the Farm to School Grantee Gathering, with travel costs considered in the grantees’ total grant award.

FNS expects more than 200 attendees will participate in the Farm to School Grantee Gathering each year.

The annual Grantee Gathering also features site visits to various locations where, through experiential learning, participants may see successful farm to school activities in practice.

Finally, the annual Grantee Gathering also features a one-day business meeting for USDA FNS national and regional staff held either the day immediately preceding, or the day immediately following the Grantee Gathering.

The overall goals of this project are for the selected applicant to assist FNS in planning, developing, and executing, the annual Farm to School Grantee gathering; planning and facilitating the farm to school site visits; and arranging the USDA staff meeting.

Key Objectives

1. Assist FNS in Planning the Farm to School Grantee Gathering

The selected applicant will assist FNS with the planning the annual Farm to School Grantee gathering.

Planning the Farm to School Grantee Gathering includes the following activities:

1 Work with FNS to secure a meeting date and location for the Farm to School Grantee Gathering in a city selected by FNS.

2. Research hotel and meeting venues for the Farm to School Grantee Gathering.

3. Work with FNS to arrange an on-site inspection of hotel and meeting venues prior to securing a hotel contract for the Grantee Gathering.

4. Finalize and secure a hotel contract for accommodations and meeting services that may reasonably accommodate 200 to 300 attendees. The contract must cover the three-day meeting as well as one additional day for Federal staff meetings immediately preceding or following the Grantee Gathering.

5. Work with FNS to identify no fewer than three locations that may accommodate the Farm to School Grantee Gathering participant site visits.

6. Secure ground transportation to Farm to School Grantee Gathering site visits that may accommodate all Grantee Gathering participants.

7. Identify audiovisual needs and arrange for the rental of all necessary audiovisual equipment.

8. Work with FNS to establish Grantee Gathering contingencies for an emergency or disaster significantly impacting travel to and attendance at the Grantee Gathering.

9. Oversee and manage Grantee Gathering Planning. Communicate and collaborate with FNS via weekly/bi-weekly conference calls.

2. Assist FNS in Developing Farm to School Grantee Gathering Program

The selected Applicant will assist FNS in the development of the annual Farm to School Grantee Gathering program. This includes the following activities:

1. Work with FNS to develop the Farm to School Grantee three-day training agenda;

including plenary sessions, breakout sessions, snack breaks, meals, networking reception, and site visits as approved by FNS.

2. The applicant will coordinate with Farm to School Grantee Gathering speakers.

3. The applicant will collect all relevant presentation materials from speakers.

5. As approved by FNS, establish a registration fee to cover the cost of meals, breaks, and a networking reception.

6. Will facilitate Farm to School Grantee Gathering site-visits and arrange for facility tour. The site visit must accommodate all Farm to School Grantee Gathering participants and include round trip ground transportation from the Grantee Gathering hotel.

7. Establish and manage online registration process for Farm to School Grantee Gathering Participants. Online system must also include method for electronic payment of registration fees, and selection of site visit preference. The applicant will provide FNS with weekly updated registration reports and handle all participant registration details.

8. Will serve as the point of contact for participants planning to register and attend the Grantee Gathering.

9. Oversee and manage development of Grantee Gathering Program. Communicate and collaborate with FNS via weekly conference calls.

3. Assist FNS in Executing Farm to School Grantee Gathering Program

The selected Applicant will support FNS at the annual Farm to School Grantee Gathering by carrying out the following activities:

1. Provide staffing for Farm to School Grantee Gathering registration services.

2. Manage communications with the hotel staff during the meeting regarding contracted hotel services, and resolve any logistical issues that arise.

3. Provide grantees with open-ended evaluation surveys regarding the Farm to School

Grantee Gathering Program and compile feedback from the participants. Feedback will be utilized to improve Grantee Gathering programing in future years.

4. Provide to FNS the participant responses from Farm to School Grantee Program Evaluation as well as a report summarizing participant feedback no later than 30 days following the end of the Farm to School Grantee Gathering.

5. Oversee and manage execution of the Grantee Gathering. Communicate and collaborate with FNS on a weekly basis, or as needed.

II. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Cooperative Agreement

This award will be issued in the form of a cooperative agreement. This agreement is a legal instrument reflecting a relationship between the Federal government and the Applicant. Cooperative agreements are assistance mechanisms and subject to the same administrative requirements as grants; however, they are different from a grant or a contract. Cooperative agreements allow more involvement and collaboration by FNS in the project compared to a grant, and they provide greater flexibility in direction of project activities than a contract. The roles and responsibilities of both the Applicant and FNS will be clearly stated in the cooperative agreement. FNS’s involvement in this cooperative agreement will include, but is not limited to, reviewing and providing feedback on proposed deliverables, and approving the deliverables/benchmarks before implementation.

This cooperative agreement will be awarded and administered in accordance with 7 U.S.C 3318(b) and applicable documents can be found in Terms and Conditions of Award. The electronic Code of Federal Regulations

For a copy of the general Terms and Conditions, please contact the FNS grants Officer at:

Anna Arrowsmith, Grants and Fiscal Policy Division U.S. Department of Agriculture, FNS

1320 Braddock Place, Suite 620 Alexandra, VA 22314

E-mail Anna.Arrowsmith@usda.gov

Use of Funding

The cooperative agreement will be for a three year period, beginning in Fiscal Year 2020. The cooperative agreement will award approximately $150,000 per year over the three year period, contingent upon the availability of Federal Funds. Funding of the award will be provided through the Grant Award/Letter of Credit. The submission of an application does not guarantee funding. This award is contingent upon the availability of funds. FNS may fund this project, in whole or in part, without further competition, in this or subsequent Fiscal Years. FNS reserves the right to fund more than one awardee under this solicitation. FNS may provide additional funds for this award, should funds become available, without further competition in this or subsequent fiscal years.

FNS will ONLY accept one application package per applicant and may elect to fund an organization’s application in its entirety or only a portion of the submitted application, and/or may negotiate with proposed applicants to stay within available funding. Applicants are encouraged to identify prior experience planning and executing national farm to school conferences or trainings of a comparable size to the project as described in the project goals and objectives. If an applicant wishes to modify or alter their application, they may resubmit their application and replace their prior submission, but only if completed before the stated closing date.

Allowable Use of Funds

All costs must be considered as allowable, allocable, necessary, and reasonable in accordance with 2 CFR part 200, as appropriate. Allowable use of funds includes, but is not limited to; personnel costs, office and research supplies, travel, and technology necessary for conducting the training.

Funds must be used by the applicant to provide meeting services for the Farm to School Grantee Gathering as described in the RFP. Expenditures must conform to the project design and budget identified in the Applicant’s approved proposal. Funds expended by the Applicant may be used to pay sub-contractors for specific elements of the project as described in the approved proposal. Sub-contractors are also subject to the applicable cost principles and uniform administrative regulations.

Unallowable Use of Funds

Cooperative agreements provided through this RFP are intended to provide training to grantees, as determined by FNS. A project’s proposed budget cannot include:

• Any pre-award cost as defined in 2 CFR 200.458; or

• Payments to contracted sub-contractors not directly specified by the Applicant or associated with the project goals described in this RFP.

Period and Place of Performance

FNS anticipates awarding a cooperative agreement to an eligible for-profit or nonprofit organization by June 2020. The anticipated period of performance of the cooperative agreement will be from June 2020 – September 2022.

The Farm to School Grantee Gathering will take place in a city within an FNS region identified by FNS, rotating to a new FNS region each subsequent year. The selected location will be in a city with access to a major airport that may be conveniently accessed via air travel from participants arriving nationwide. The selected location must also honor the Federal per diem rate for lodging as listed by the Government Services Administration.

The Applicant will consult with FNS to identify training locations; develop and design the meeting agenda;

convene the Grantee Gathering training; and evaluate the meeting; thereby accomplishing the overall goals of the cooperative agreement. FNS staff will serve as technical advisors, and approve all tasks and deliverables prior to execution.

The Applicant may be expected to perform occasional travel (including evaluating prospective venues, providing on-site logistics, etc.) as related to specific project needs, and will be expected to participate in conference calls at a frequency no more than once per week and no less than once per month. The meetings and associated costs should be documented within the proposed timeline and funding request.

Roles and Responsibilities

Applicant: At a minimum, the applicant of this cooperative agreement is expected to work collaboratively with FNS through the planning, development, and delivery of the Farm to School Grantee Gathering.

Specifically, the Applicant will:

• Contract with a hotel in advance of the Grantee Gathering for meeting space and lodging;

• Establish a system for on-line registration;

• Assist USDA on developing a three-day Grantee Gathering training agenda;

• Manage logistical responsibilities as specified in the key objectives and activities section of this

RFP, at the direction of FNS;

• Manage and monitor the progress of cooperative project activities and report on progress to FNS using an agreed-upon time frame;

• Evaluate Farm to School Grantee Gathering based upon feedback from participants;

• Share evaluations results with FNS within 30 days following the conclusion of each Grantee

Gathering

FNS: Substantive involvement by FNS is inherent in the cooperative agreement award. At a minimum, FNS will assist in the planning and delivery of the Farm to School Grantee Gathering. Specifically, FNS will:

• Review and approve deliverables of the Farm to School Grantee Gathering;

• Participate in progress meetings and conference calls to discuss accomplishments, difficulties, assistance needed from FNS on technical issues, and major planned activities;

• Provide input on key programming decisions;

• Discuss evaluation results at the conclusion of each training.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Eligible Applicants

This is a competitive, limited solicitation. The cooperative agreement is only open to nonprofit organizations who have experience successfully implementing large farm to school stakeholder trainings and conferences on a national level. Applicants are required to submit documentation of their 501(c) status with their application.

This cooperative agreement will be made on a competitive basis. An award will be made to one entity.

However, the applicants may sub award, by contract or sub-grant, tasks to other organizations in order to complete or provide aspects of the development of the curricula and training.

Cost Sharing or Matching

There are no cost sharing, or matching, requirements.

Other Eligibility Criteria

Suspended or debarred organizations are ineligible to submit applications in response to this grant solicitation.

Letters of Commitment

Any known sub-contract must submit a Letter of Commitment to the applicant, for inclusion with the application, which describes its role in this project, the amount of time it intends to commit to this project, and an affirmation that it will cooperate with the applicant in implementing this project. If the applicant plans to work with an unknown sub-contractor, that sub-contractor must have prior experience working with the federal government and must share reference to prior performance The Letters of Commitment should be on the respective companies or organization’s letterhead and should be addressed to the prospective applicant.

Application Screening Requirements

In reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, Federal Awarding Agencies, in accordance with 2 CFR part 200, are required, prior to making a Federal award, to review information available through various OMB-designated repositories for eligibility qualification or financial integrity, and to have in place a framework for evaluating the risks posed by applicants before they receive Federal awards. The evaluation of the information obtained from the designated repository systems and the risk assessment may result in FNS imposing special conditions that correspond to the degree of risk assessed.

The Federal repository systems FNS will review include:

1. SAM, the System for Award Management, the official U.S. Government system that consolidated the capabilities of CCR/RedReg, ORCA, and EPLS;

2. FAPIIS, the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System, is a database that has been established to track contractor misconduct and performance;

3. Dun and Bradstreet, the system where applicants establish a DUNS number, which is used by the Federal government to better identify related organizations that are receiving funding under grants and cooperative agreements, and to provide consistent name and address data for electronic grant application systems. The Federal government requires that all applicants for Federal grants and cooperative agreements with the exception of individuals other than sole proprietors have a DUNS number.

4. U.S. Department of Agriculture, AD-3030, Representations regarding Felony Conviction and Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants.

Applicants must also respond to the application assessment questions at the end of this solicitation to allow FNS to evaluate aspects of the applicant’s financial stability, quality of management systems, and history of performance, reports and findings from audits. A questionnaire containing these questions has been provided to facilitate the process. Applicants must answer all of the pre-application questions. The consideration and evaluation of these questions is only an indicator of potential risk and may result in additional oversight requirements or special conditions should an award be made. Decisions regarding additional oversight requirements will take into consideration the total number of risks identified.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Address to Request Application Package Applicants may request paper copy of this solicitation and required forms by contacting:

Anna Arrowsmith, Grants and Fiscal Policy Division U.S. Department of Agriculture, FNS

1320 Braddock Place, Suite 620

E-mail Anna.Arrowsmith@usda.gov

Content and Form of Application Submission

FNS strongly encourages eligible applicants interested in applying for this opportunity to adhere to the following applicant format. The proposed project plan should be presented on 8 ½” x 11” white paper with at least 1-inch margins on the top and bottom. All pages must be single-spaced, in 12-point font.

All pages, excluding the form pages, must be numbered.

Special Instructions:

• Late application submission will not be considered in this competition. FNS will not consider additions or revisions to applications unless they are submitted via Grants.gov by the deadline.

No additions or revisions will be accepted after the deadline;

• Grant awards are contingent upon the availability of Federal funds;

• Applications submitted without the required supporting documents, forms, certification will not be considered;

• Applications missing written proposal or budget narrative will not be considered;

• FNS reserves the right to request clarification on any application submitted in response to this solicitation;

• Applications not submitted via Grants.gov will not be considered;

• If multiple application packages are submitted through Grants.gov by the same applicant in response to this solicitation, FNS will accept the latest application package successfully submitted. All other packages submitted by the applicant will be removed from this competition;

Cover Sheet The cover page should include, at a minimum:

• Applicant’s name and mailing address

• Primary contact’s name, job title, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address

Table of Contents Include relevant sections and subsections as well as associated page numbers mailto:Anna.Arrowsmith@usda.gov

Application Project Summary The application should clearly describe the activities proposed for successfully planning and executing the Farm to School Grantee Gathering and anticipated outcomes that would result if the proposal were to be funded.

Project Narrative The project narrative should clearly identify what the applicant is proposing and how it will achieve the planning and execution of the Grantee Gathering. The project narrative should also provide a clear descriptions of the activities to be undertaken to manage the project to ensure that the project activities are completed on time, within budget, and with quality results. Identify the staff who will manage the project and describe the roles and responsibilities of these employees as well as relevant qualifications and experience. The project narrative should also include a description of how the Grantee Gathering will be delivered if there is an event severely limiting air travel for the in-person Grantee Gathering.

The project narrative should also list any relevant partnerships or sub-grants. Describe the role of each partner in the larger project and how the applicant will collaborate and communicate with partners during the project. If the applicant plans to award sub-grants, or sub-contracts, include a description of how the applicant will structure the competitive process for doing so (if applicable). Include a table with anticipated timeframes for sub-grant, or sub-contract, RFP posting, proposal due dates, and start dates.

The project narrative should provide a clear description of previous experience and performance in planning and carrying out national farm to school trainings and conferences, with a description of at least one relevant project completed within the last five years.

The project narrative should provide a clear description of the applicant’s previous experience working with farm to school stakeholders, such as, schools, child-care centers, food producers, State and local government agencies, etc.

Activities/Indicators Tracker

Project Work Plan Table (three page limit): For each item in the work plan table, the applicant must categorize the relevant objective (planning, developing, or executing the grantee gathering), list the activities, start and completion dates, target audiences, and responsible parties needed by recreating the table on the following page. Activities should not begin before June 1, 2020. There is a three page limit on content in the table. All activities must be aligned with the stated objective of planning and executing the Farm to School Grantee Gathering.

The Project Work Plan Table must contain the following seven columns, clearly labeled and in the following order: “Objective”; “Activity”; “Indicator”; “Anticipated Start Date (Month, Year)”;

“Anticipated Completion Date (Month, Year)”; “Target Audience”; and “Responsible Party (Name, Title, Organization).” In the “Objective” column, please clearly indicate with which objective from section 4.2 each activity, indicator, start date, completion date, target audience, and responsible party aligns.

Applicants are encouraged to copy and paste the table into their application, and may add or remove as many rows as necessary to complete the table. Please include in the table any activities mentioned in the Project Work Plan Narrative section, and ensure that the information in the table matches the information provided in the narrative.

Project Work Plan Table Please ensure that content in this table aligns with the Project Work Plan Narrative.

Objective Activity Indicator Anticipated Start Date (Month, Year)

Anticipated Completion

Date (Month, Year)

Target Audience

Responsible Party (Name, Title, Organization)

Application Budget Narrative The budget narrative should correspond with the proposed project narrative and application budget.

The narrative must justify and support the bona fide needs of the budget’s direct cost. Ideally, budget narrative will be presented in a tabular format, with all costs sufficiently itemized. Please review the Budget Narrative Checklist in the appendices of this RFP for additional guidance. If the budget includes indirect costs, the applicant must provide a copy of its most recently approved Federal indirect cost rate agreement. All non-profit organizations must include their 501(c) determination letter issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). All funding requests must be in whole dollars.

Indirect Cost Rate

A current Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), negotiated with a Federal negotiating agency, should be used to charge indirect costs. Indirect costs may not exceed the negotiated rate. If a NICRA is used, the percentage and base should be indicated. If the applicant does not have, and has never been approved for, a NICRA, they may charge up to 10% de minimis.

In this instance, the applicant must indicate they are requesting the de minimis rate. An applicant may elect not to charge indirect costs and, instead, use all grant funds for direct costs. If indirect costs are not charged, the phrase "none requested" should be stated in the budget narrative. For questions related to the indirect cost rate, please work with the Grant Officer as noted in this RFA.

Required Grant Application Forms

Please refer to the Application Checklist for a list of required grant forms.

Submission Date Complete grant applications must be uploaded to www.grants.gov by 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time (EST), on May 24, 2020.

• Applications must be submitted via Grants.gov. Mailed, e-mailed or hand-delivered application packages will not be accepted. For further instructions, please refer to page two of this document

• Late or incomplete applications will not be considered;

• Grant awards are contingent on the availability of Federal funds;

• FNS will not consider additions or revisions to applications unless they are submitted via

Grants.gov by the deadline. No additions or revisions will be accepted after the deadline;

http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/

• If multiple application packages are submitted through Grants.gov by the same applicant in response to this solicitation, FNS will accept the latest application package successfully submitted. All other packages submitted by the applicant will be removed from this competition.

FNS strongly encourages applicants to begin the registration process at least four weeks before the due date and to submit applications to Grants.gov at least one week before the deadline to allow time to troubleshoot any issues, should they arise. Please note that upon submission, Grants.gov may send multiple confirmation notices; applicants should ensure receipt of confirmation that the application was accepted. Applicants experiencing difficulty submitting applications to Grants.gov should contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800-518-4726, or support@grants.gov.

Preparing for Electronic Application Submission through Grants.gov Applicants must register with Grants.gov, Dun and Bradstreet and Sam.gov in order to submit an application to FNS via Grants.gov, as required. FNS strongly encourages applicants to begin the registration process at least four weeks before the due date.

In order to submit an application, you must:

1. Obtain a DUNS number

• If your organization does not have a DUNS number, or if you are unsure of your organization’s DUNS, contact Dun & Bradstreet at https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform or by calling 1-888-814-1435, Monday thru Friday, 8am-9pm ET. There is no fee associated with obtaining a DUNS number.

• It may take 2-3 business days to obtain a DUNS number.

2. Register in the System for Award Management (SAM)

• SAM.gov combines Federal procurement systems and the Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance into one system. For additional information regarding SAM.gov, see the following link: https://www.sam.gov/SAM

• Must have your organization’s DUNS, entity’s Tax ID Number (TIN), and taxpayer name (as it appears on last tax return). It may take 3-5 business days to register in SAM.gov;

however, in some instances the SAM process to complete the migration of permissions and/or the renewal of the entity record will require 5-7 days or more.

• All applicants must have current SAM status at the time of application submission and throughout the duration of a Federal Award in accordance with two CFR Part 25.

• We strongly encourage applicants to begin the process at least 3 weeks before the due date of the grant solicitation.

3. Create a Grants.gov Account:

The next step in the registration process is to create an account with Grants.gov. Applicants must know their organization's DUNS number to complete this process. Completing this process automatically triggers an email request for applicant roles to the organization's E-Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC) for review. The EBiz POC is a representative from your organization who is the contact listed for SAM.gov. To apply for grants on behalf of your organization, you will need the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) role.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/grantors/grantor-registration.html https://www.grants.gov/ https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/grantors/grantor-registration.html

4. Authorize Grants.gov Roles:

After creating an account on Grants.gov, the EBiz POC receives an email notifying them of your registration and request for roles. The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the AOR role, thereby giving you permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. You will be able to submit your application online any time after you have been approved as an AOR.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview/workspace-roles.htm

5. Track Role Status: To track your role request, refer to https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview/workspace-roles.html.

Electronic Signature: When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization's AOR that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC must authorize individuals who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as an AOR; this step is often missed and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

How to Submit an Application via Grants.gov Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different web forms within an application. For each funding opportunity announcement (FOA), you can create individual instances of a workspace.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html

Applicant Support: Grants.gov provides applicants 24/7 support via the toll-free number 1-800-518- 4726 and email at support@grants.gov. If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov Support Center and get a ticket number. The Support Center ticket number will assist the Center with tracking your issue and understanding background information on the issue.

For questions related to the specific grant opportunity, please contact the agency contacts for this opportunity, as listed here.

Grants.gov Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission All applications must be received by May 24, 2020, 11:59pm Eastern time, as detailed here. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The applicant AOR will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application. Applicant AORs will also receive the official date/time stamp and Grants.gov Tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

When FNS successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov and acknowledges the download of submissions, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgment of receipt of the application to the email address of the applicant with the AOR role. Again, proof of timely submission shall be the official date and time that Grants.gov receives your application. Applications received by Grants.gov after the established due date for the program will be considered late and will not be considered for FNS funding.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html mailto:support@grants.gov

Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission could take some time before Grants.gov receives your application. Again, Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the applicant with the AOR role. The Grants.gov Support Center reports that some applicants end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Please be patient and give the system time to process the application.

Additional Information on Grants.gov and the Registration Process:

NOTICE: Special Characters and Naming Conventions All applicants MUST follow grants.gov guidance on file naming conventions. To avoid submission issues, please follow the guidance provided in the grants.gov Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Are there restrictions on file names for any attachment I include with my application package?

File attachment names longer than approximately 50 characters can cause problems processing packages. Please limit file attachment names. Also, do not use any special characters (examples: & – * % / # ’ -). This includes periods (.) and spacing followed by a dash in the file. To separate words in naming a file, use underscore, as in the following example: Attached_File.pdf. Please note that if these guidelines are not followed, your application will be rejected. FNS will not accept any application rejected from www.grants.gov portal due to incorrect naming conventions.

Additional information and applicant resources are available at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. REVIEW CRITERIA

Evaluation of Grant Application Criteria

FNS will pre-screen all applications to ensure the applicants are eligible entities and are in compliance with all Program regulations. FNS will not approve any waivers from Program regulations for any projects submitted in response to this solicitation.

2. EVALUATION FACTORS AND CRITERIA

The following selection criteria will be used to evaluate applications for this RFA. Evaluations will be reviewed to determine the completeness of the proposed plan to accomplish the objectives of planning, developing, and executing the Farm to School Grantee Gathering.

• Project Design and Implementation (25 points)

1. Tasks and activities are clearly identified and appropriate for the planning and execution of the grantee gathering. The applicant followed directions in the RFP for activities, and timeline. Activities are reasonable and appropriate for project;

2. The activities completely address all stated objectives outlined in the Farm to School Grantee Gathering narrative regarding the planning, development, and execution of the Grantee Gathering;

3. The timeline is included and appears reasonable and feasible given proposed activities;

http://www.grants.gov/applicants/submit_application_faqs.jsp http://www.grants.gov/ https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.htmld

4. The application documents methods that will determine progress and successes;

5. All application content requirements, as listed in the Application Checklist of this RFP, are included.

• Budget Appropriateness (15 points)

1. The application contains the budget narrative format required with instructions and details for documenting the expenditure of grant funds;

2. The budget is consistent with the project goals and activities;

3. Calculations of all costs are correct; and

4. Funding requested is allowable, economical, and reasonable in relation to the proposed scope and effort of the proposed project.

• Staff Experience and Management (25 points)

1. Demonstrates that key personnel have an understanding of Child Nutrition Farm to School programs, farm to school meeting/conference planning experience, and have specific skills and experience that qualifies such personnel for their proposed roles.

2. Includes resumes and/or job descriptions for key personnel in management, administration, and technical assistance. Supporting documentation (i.e. resume and chart) is included.

3. Describes the roles of staff and partners clearly as well as a management plan to ensure quality control and coordination of activities.

4. Demonstrates time commitment and availability of key personnel.

5. Provides a contingency plan for the loss of key personnel.

• Organizational Experience and Past Performance (35 points)

1. Demonstrates success in past performance of planning and delivering farm to school conference/meeting services by providing a description of the project size, scope, cost, and timely completion. Supporting documentation is included for past projects.

3. Review and Selection Process Following the initial screening process, FNS will assemble a panel group to review and determine the technical merits of each application. The panel will evaluate the proposals based on how well they address the required application components and array the applications from highest to lowest score. The panel members will recommend applications for consideration for a grant award based on the evaluation scoring. The selecting official reserves the right to accept the panel’s recommendation or to select an application for funding out of order to meet agency priorities, program balance, or project diversity.

FNS reserves the right to use this solicitation and competition to make additional awards in the next fiscal year should additional funds be made available.

NOTE: If a discrepancy exists between the total funding request (submitted on SF-424, SF-424A, and budget or budget narrative) within the application package in response to this solicitation, FNS will only consider and evaluate the estimated funding request contained on SF-424.

Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates The anticipated date the selected applicants will be announced by FNS is June 2020. The anticipated project award date is June 2020.

VI. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. FEDERAL AWARD NOTICE

The Government is not obligated to make any award as a result of this RFA. Unless an applicant receives a signed award document with terms and conditions, any contact from a FNS Grants or Program Officer should not be considered as a notice of a grant award. No pre-award or pre-agreement costs incurred prior to the effective start date are allowed unless approved and stated on FNS’ signed award document (FNS-529). Only the recognized FNS authorized signature can bind the USDA, Food and Nutrition Service to the expenditure of funds related to an award’s approved budget.

2. ADMINISTRATIVE AND NATIONAL POLICY REQUIREMENTS

Confidentiality of an Application

When an application results in an award, it becomes a part of the record of FNS transactions, available to the public upon specific request. Information that the Secretary determines to be of a confidential, privileged, or proprietary nature will be held in confidence to the extent permitted by law. Therefore, any information that the applicant wishes to have considered as confidential, privileged, or proprietary should be clearly marked within the application. Any application that does not result in an award will be not released to the public. An application may be withdrawn at any time prior to the final action thereon.

Safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is any information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, such as name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name, or biometric records, and any other information that is linked or linkable to an individual, such as medical, educational, financial, and employment information (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP 800-122, Guide to Protecting the Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable information, April 2010).