PKG00261810-instructions.pdf

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Fraud Framework Implementation Grant Program Fiscal Year 2020 Request for Applications

Catalog for Federal Domestic Assistance Number (CFDA): 10.535

Release Date: May 20, 2020 Application Due Date: 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time (EST), July 3, 2020 Anticipated Award Date: September 30, 2020

OMB BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-0512. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 3 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

II

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

This application checklist provides a list of the required documents; however, FNS expects that applicants will read the entire RFA prior to the submission of their application.

In order to apply, at least four weeks prior to submission, you must have:

Obtained a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number;

Registered the DUNS number into the System for Award Management (SAM); and, Registered in grants.gov.

When preparing your application, ensure:

Your application format and narrative meet the requirements included in Section IV

“Application and Submission Information”.

o The application should be less than 25 pages, excluding the cover sheet, table of contents, resumes, appendices, and required forms.

o The application includes both a line-item budget and a budget narrative.

o Line-item budget and other budget references in the applications must be consistent with the SF-424A form.

Application should meet priority requirements outlined in Section I “Program Description”, and all necessary attachments.

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

Cost Allocation o If other programs will benefit from this project, the costs supported by the grant will only fund the SNAP aspects of the project

Personnel o Proposal includes all key employees paid for by the grant o Proposal identifies employees by name, position and title o Proposal reflects employees' current yearly salary as a percentage of time to be devoted to the project in full-time equivalents (FTE) o Fringe Benefits: the budget includes fringe benefit amount along with type of benefit and basis for computation Travel o Expenses are itemized and explained in the budget narrative. For example origination/destination points, number and purpose of trips, number of staff traveling, mode of transportation and cost of each trip.

o Attendee objectives and travel justifications are included in the budget narrative o Basis for lodging estimates are identified in the budget narrative

Equipment o Equipment costs are justified in the budget narrative o Types of equipment, unit costs and number of items are listed in the budget narrative, along with basis for cost per item

III

Supplies o Types of supplies, unit costs, and number of items are listed in the budget narrative, along with basis for cost per item Contractual and Consultant Costs o The need for a contractor has been identified in the proposal and the cost is justified in the budget narrative o Applicants that are required to issue a bid have provided a narrative explaining the requirement and provided a reasonable estimate for contractual and consultant costs

Indirect cost information o Either a copy of a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) or if no agreement exists, the basis of the indirect costs requested. If none requested, please indicate this in the budget narrative.

Other o Any other costs associated with this project are itemized, explained and reasonable

As part of the application, applicants must certify:

Grant funds will be used for a new project and will not be used for ongoing costs to carry out existing project

The RFA discusses these requirements in Section II “Federal Award Information.”

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 (in

Appendix A) Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (PDF - Upload using the “Add Attachments” button under SF-424 item #15)

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

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 http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/forms.html https://apply07.grants.gov/apply/forms/sample/SFLLL_1_2-V1.2.pdf 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

IV

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Introduction

Grant Opportunity

Program Goals

1. Organizational Management

2. Performance Measurement

3. Recipient Integrity Education

4. Fraud Detection

5. Investigations and Dispositions

6. Analytics and Data Management

7. Learning and Development

II. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

Program Requirements

Funding

Funding per Award

Type of Award

Allowable Uses of Funds

Restrictions on Funding Use

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Eligible Applicants

Cost Sharing or Matching

Pre-Application Requirements

Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire Acknowledge USDA support ……………………………………………………………….. 13

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Content and Form of Application Submissions

Cover Sheet

Table of Contents

Application Project Summary

Project Narrative

Activities/Indicators Tracker

Application Budget Narrative

Required Grant Application Forms

V

Size, Font, and Page Limit Special Instructions …………………………………………………………………………15

Submission Date ………………………………………………………………………………15 Electronic Submission Details

Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) Number

System for Award Management (SAM)

Grants.gov Registration

Authorize Grants.gov Roles

Electronic Signature

How to Submit an Application via Grants.gov

Applicant Support

Grants.gov File Name Procedures

Application Deadline and Proof of Timely Submission

Intergovernmental Review

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

Evaluation Factors and Criteria

1. Soundness or Merit of Project Design (30 points)

2. Implementation and Evaluation (15 points)

3. Sustainability (10 points)

4. Budget Appropriateness and Economic Efficiency (20 points)

5. Staff Capability and Management (10 points)

Review and Selection Process

Determination of Award Amounts

Debriefing Requests

VI. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

Administrative and National Policy Requirements

Confidentiality of an Application

Safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information

Conflict Of Interest and Confidentiality of the Review Process

Administrative Regulations

Code of Federal Regulations and Other Government Requirements

Government-wide Regulations

Reporting

Financial Reporting

Progress Reporting

VI

VII. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACT

APPENDIX A: GRANT PROGRAM ACCOUNTING SYSTEM & FINANCIAL

CAPABILITY QUESTIONNAIRE

Purpose

Organization Information

Financial Stability and Quality of Management Systems

Audit Reports and Findings

Applicant Certification

APPENDIX B: BUDGET NARRATIVE CHECKLIST

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Introduction

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers the nutrition assistance programs of the U.S.

Department of Agriculture, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

SNAP is the cornerstone of USDA's nutrition assistance programs. It began in its modern form in 1961 but has its origins in the Food Stamp Plan to help the needy in the 1930's. SNAP is the largest program in the domestic hunger safety net and provides nutrition assistance benefits via an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card to millions of low-income people. These benefits help supplement household food budgets so recipients can purchase more healthy food. FNS works in partnership with State agencies in the administration of SNAP.1

While the vast majority of recipients are eligible and use their benefits as intended, there are some who violate program rules. Program violations may include a number of activities, such as falsifying income or identity in order to be eligible for benefits they may not be entitled to, or by using benefits for anything other than their intended purpose. Program violations can result in severe penalties, such as criminal punishment and permanent disqualification from the program.

SNAP has zero tolerance for fraud and continues to work with its State partners to implement aggressive measures to improve program integrity.

From 2014 to 2017, FNS partnered with 10 State agencies to pilot new strategies and improve the use of analytics to more effectively detect potential fraud, improve administration, and increase oversight. The lessons learned and ideas tested during these pilots led to the development of the SNAP Fraud Framework. The SNAP Fraud Framework is a collection of procedures, innovative ideas and promising practices to help State agencies improve fraud prevention, detection and investigation techniques and processes. This framework and its supporting documents are designed to support States as they develop new efforts or improve on existing ones to prevent, detect, and investigate fraud. There is no simple solution to combat fraud and each State may require a different approach to improve program integrity. The SNAP Fraud Framework acknowledges the need for State flexibility by offering a menu of options for States to implement as they work to improve program operations and efforts.

The SNAP Fraud Framework is intended to share best practices with personnel directly administering and enforcing the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008. It includes sensitive fraud detection and investigative techniques and therefore has not been shared beyond FNS and SNAP State agencies, the only eligible applicants for this grant opportunity. State agencies that do not have access to the SNAP Fraud Framework should contact their FNS Regional Office.

1 Throughout this RFA, “State agencies” refers to the agencies that administer SNAP in the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, and Guam.

Grant Opportunity

Section 29(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2036) authorizes FNS to provide grants on a competitive basis to State agencies to strengthen program integrity activities in SNAP. Up to $5 million has been appropriated in FY 2020 for State agencies to implement practices described in the SNAP Fraud Framework.

Purpose

The purpose of the SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation Grant Program is to support State agency efforts to improve and expand recipient fraud prevention, detection and investigation efforts using the procedures, ideas and practices outlined in the SNAP Fraud Framework.

Successful applications will specifically incorporate one or more of these procedures, ideas and practices in their proposals. This grant opportunity is not intended to support retailer fraud-related projects.

Program Goals

The overall goal of the SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation Grant is to improve State agencies’ recipient fraud prevention, detection and investigation efforts using principles from the seven components that make up the SNAP Fraud Framework. State agencies will use resources from this grant opportunity to fund projects that support the State’s implementation of the SNAP Fraud Framework. Activities proposed in the RFA should clearly align with one or more of the components described in the SNAP Fraud Framework and listed below.

Listed below are some general examples of potential project ideas for each component; however, applicants should identify projects that best fit the needs of the State and that the State can successfully implement. Additionally, we encourage applicants to consider foundational projects that the State agency can build on for future growth in the fraud control area, such as data quality improvement, strategic planning, or the development of a training program.

The seven components of the SNAP Fraud Framework are:

1. Organizational Management This component aims to help States establish and communicate priorities, organize employees, and manage both large-scale and day-to-day processes. Many of the concepts described in this component are the foundation for successful program integrity initiatives.

Examples of the types of projects that would fall under this component include:

• Establish a strategic plan that addresses recipient integrity

• Improve documentation around recipient fraud processes and procedures that align with strategic priorities

• Enhance data analysis skills within fraud unit

2. Performance Measurement This component offers recommendations encouraging States to consistently capture and analyze their own performance.

Examples of the types of projects that would fall under this component include:

• Assess the impact of current integrity efforts and initiatives through active monitoring of a defined set of metrics

• Establish metrics, measures and key performance indicators to track performance

• Automate data gathering and calculations currently done manually

3. Recipient Integrity Education This component provides targeted integrity education initiatives to help ensure recipients have the necessary information and tools to use SNAP benefits as intended—preventing fraud before it occurs.

Examples of the types of projects that would fall under this component include:

• Ensure SNAP recipients as well as public audiences can easily report SNAP fraud by disseminating information and improving hotlines or online reporting

• Improve client integrity education messaging through various channels

4. Fraud Detection Here, the SNAP Fraud Framework stresses the importance of proactively detecting fraud from the application process and continuing throughout the recipient’s time in the Program.

Examples of the types of projects that would fall under this component include:

• Strengthen efforts to detect potential fraud at the time of application

• Improve the use of data analytics to monitor EBT card replacements and predict potential incidents of trafficking

• Enhance internal controls to protect against employee fraud

5. Investigations and Dispositions This component aims to provide states with tools and suggestions to improve fraud case management from initial fraud referral through disposition.

Examples of the types of projects that would fall under this component include:

• Implement a data-driven process for prioritizing SNAP fraud investigations

• Establish standardized procedures for developing effective evidence packages

• Improve internal fraud referral and feedback processes

6. Analytics and Data Management This component details the necessary people, processes, and technology to launch and maintain an analytics capability. Data analytics can play a valuable role in preventing, detecting, and investigating SNAP fraud.

Examples of the types of projects that would fall under this component include:

• Clean up existing data to eliminate erroneous or duplicate values and improve usability

• Improve data management processes (e.g., quality, storage, protection, security, standardization)

7. Learning and Development

The final component contains recommendations for States to invest in training and professional development opportunities to promote employee engagement and to ensure employees are aware of new and emerging trends in fraud.

Examples of the types of projects that would fall under this component include:

• Establish a standardized training program for employees throughout the organization that focuses on their roles in recipient integrity activities

• Create a mentoring or coaching program for professional development in support of recipient integrity efforts

II. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

A total of up to $5 million in Federal funding is available for the SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation Grant. FNS will award the grants through a competitive process by September 30, 2020. Grantees may use grant funds for the duration of the project period. The period of performance begins on September 30, 2020 and will not exceed two (2) years from the start date, or September 30, 2022. States may specify shorter performance periods as appropriate given the scope of the project. FNS intends to fund multiple grants under this RFA in order to maximize the benefit to State agencies. The number of grants awarded will be dependent on the quality and nature of the grants received.

Program Requirements

The goal of the SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation Grant is to help States implement promising practices contained in the SNAP Fraud Framework. The awards will support new projects that fall under any of the seven components of the SNAP Fraud Framework. The seven components can be found listed under the Program Goals heading of this RFA and fully described in the SNAP Fraud Framework document. Proposals should clearly describe the intent and scope of activities and their relation to any of the seven components of the SNAP Fraud Framework. State agencies that do not have access to the SNAP Fraud Framework should contact their FNS Regional Office.

Proposed projects must be sustainable. A significant part of the evaluation criteria will be dependent on how clear a proposal demonstrates the State agency’s ability to continue funding and implementing activities at the same level once the grant ends. This applies to all proposals, including those that propose hiring personnel to implement a part of the project.

Funds from this RFA are for new projects and shall not be used for the ongoing cost of carrying out an existing project. Additionally, funds may not be used to offset costs for existing personnel. Recipients of prior SNAP recipient integrity grant awards are eligible for this opportunity should they choose to apply; however, proposals for this grant program must be for new projects.

Each project design should include quantifiable objectives, measures to assess progress toward meeting those objectives, project activities linked to meeting specific objectives, and a list of deliverables and/or milestones for the duration of the project. Applicants must also include a clear and reasonable timeline, and a narrative description of how the project will be staffed and managed, including a project organizational chart. Every grantee must assess and report on its progress each quarter by using performance measures tied to specific project objectives. These measures can include process measures, output measures, and outcome measures. The proposal should describe the process for collecting and reporting these data including the data source.

The proposal’s project description must capture a bona fide need. The budget and budget narrative must be in line with the proposed project description. FNS reserves the right to request information not clearly addressed.

We encourage potential applicants to carefully read and review the Evaluation of Grant Application Criteria listed in this RFA under Application Review Information (Section V).

These criteria outline the qualities FNS expects successful proposals to have; they will also guide the reviewers’ evaluation of proposals.

Funding

Funding per Award FNS anticipates that funding per award will range from approximately $250,000 to $750,000.

Type of Award FNS will award SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation Grants in the form of a Federal grant.

FNS will provide funding for approved grants through the Grant Award/Letter of Credit process, upon receipt of a properly executed Grant Agreement and subject to the availability of funding.

Allowable Uses of Funds Among other costs, budgets may include expenses related to personnel, contractors, equipment and supplies, meeting expenses, travel, and trainings.

• Expenditures for both equipment (i.e., items of personal property having a useful life of more than one year and a cost of $5,000 or more) and supplies are allowable expenses

• Funds from this RFA are for new projects and shall not be used for the ongoing cost of carrying out an existing project.

• FNS does not intend for this grant program to fund compliance with existing statutory or regulatory program requirements, such as data matching. FNS will continue to fund all State agency activities through 50% Federal matching of administrative costs.

• SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation Grant-funded projects may benefit other governmental programs; however, grant funds must only support SNAP’s share of the project costs.

• Grantees may use grants funds to procure contracts for good or services.

Restrictions on Funding Use

• Grant funds cannot be used for the ongoing cost of carrying out an existing project.

• Pre-award costs will not be awarded for this grant project.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Eligible Applicants

This grant opportunity is open to the 53 State agencies that administer SNAP. State Agencies may submit applications on behalf of specific counties or districts. FNS will consider only one application per State agency.

Cost Sharing or Matching

There is no cost sharing or matching required for this grant.

Pre-Application Requirements

In reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, Federal Awarding Agencies, in accordance with 2 CFR 200.400, 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 the Food and Nutrition Service Agency (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/FedReg, 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.

Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire Applicants must also respond to the Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire, which is included in Appendix A, 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 the pre-application questions. While answering “yes” may be an indicator of risk, the consideration and evaluation of these questions is only an indicator of potential risk and may or may not result in an additional oversight requirements or special conditions be placed on an award should an award be made. Decisions regarding additional oversight requirements will take into consideration the total number of risks identified.

Acknowledge USDA support

As outlined in 2 CFR 415.2, grant recipients shall include acknowledgement of USDA Food and Nutrition Service support on any publications written or published with grant support and, if feasible, on any publication reporting the results of, or describing, a grant-supported activity.

Recipients shall include acknowledgement of USDA Food and Nutrition Service support on any audiovisual which is produced with grant support and which has a direct production cost of over $5,000.

• When acknowledging USDA support, use the following language: "This material is based upon work that is supported by the Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.” Grantees are asked to follow the USDA Visual Standards Guide when using the USDA logo.

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

Applicants may request a paper copy of this solicitation and required forms by contacting the FNS Grants Officer at:

Trinity Richardson Grant Officer, Grants and Fiscal Policy Division

U.S. Department of Agriculture, FNS 1320 Braddock Place

Alexandria, VA 22314 E-mail: trinity.richardson@usda.gov

Content and Form of Application Submissions

The SNAP Fraud Framework Implementation Grant applications should adhere to the formats and requirements listed in this section.

Cover Sheet The cover page should include the following:

1. Applicant’s name and mailing address;

2. Project title; and

3. Primary contact’s name, job title, phone number and e-mail address.

Table of Contents Include relevant topic page number

Application Project Summary The application should clearly describe the proposed project activities and anticipated outcomes that would result if the proposal is funded.

Project Narrative https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/visual-standards-guide-january-2013.pdf file://fnsva/users/TRichardson/GMOB/FY20%20SNAP%20Fraud%20Framework/trinity.richardson@usda.gov

The project narrative should clearly identify what the applicant is proposing and how it will address a solution, the expected results and/or benefits once the solution is achieved, and how it will meet the RFA program scope and objectives. The proposed project methodology should describe the project design, address program specific methodology needs, procedures, timetables, monitoring/oversight, and the organization’s project staffing.

Activities/Indicators Tracker Proposed Activities and indicators measuring success must be mapped to SNAP Fraud Framework components (as described in Section I “Program Description”) in the below format (note that additional Activities/Indicators can be added as needed). Note: Indicators are defined as any metric you anticipate will be able to be tracked during the period of performance of the grant.

Objective <enter #>:

Proposed Activity 1:

Indicator 1:

Indicator 2:

Proposed Activity 2:

Indicator 1:

Indicator 2:

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.

All funding requests must be in whole dollars. Refer to the Application Checklist on page III and Budget Narrative Checklist in Appendix B to assure each category is addressed in the budget.

If the budget includes indirect costs, the applicant must provide a copy of its most recently approved Federal indirect cost rate agreement. If available, the current Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA), negotiated with a Federal negotiating agency, should be used.

Indirect costs may not exceed the negotiated rate. If a NICRA is used, the percentage and base should be indicated. 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.

Required Grant Application Forms Please refer to the Application Checklist on page III for a list of required grant forms

Size, Font, and Page Limit

• All pages should be typed on 8 ½” X 11” white paper, single-spaced, with 1-inch margins and 12-point font.

• The grant application is no more than 25 pages, not including the cover sheet, table of contents, resumes, letter(s) of commitment, endorsement letter(s), appendices, and required forms.

• All pages, excluding the form pages, are numbered.

• The proposal is well-presented, well-written and void of grammatical errors.

Special Instructions

• Late application submission will not be considered in this competition. FNS will not consider additions or revisions to applications once they are received.

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

• Applications not submitted via the Grants.gov portal will not be considered.

• If multiple application packages are submitted through the grants.gov web portal 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 reserves the right to use this solicitation and competition to award additional grants in the next fiscal year should additional funds be made available.

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

Submission Date

Complete grant applications must be uploaded to www.grants.gov by 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time (EST), on July 3, 2020.

• Late applications will not be considered.

• FNS will not consider additions or revisions to applications once they are submitted.

• Applications must be submitted via the Grants.gov web portal. Mailed, e-mailed or hand-delivered application packages will not be accepted.

• Grant awards are contingent upon the availability of funding and/or appropriations of funds.

• FNS reserves the right to use this solicitation and competition to award additional grants this or subsequent fiscal years should additional funds become available.

USDA strongly encourages applicants to begin the 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. The grants.gov system provides several confirmation notices; applicants should ensure receipt of confirmation that the application was accepted. Applicants experiencing difficulty submitting an application to www.grants.gov should contact the grant support team listed in Section VII: Agency Contacts.

http://www.grants.gov/

Electronic Submission Details

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

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 https://www.grants.gov/ https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform 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 webforms 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.

Grants.gov File Name Procedures 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): https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html.

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 (example:

&,–,*,%,/,#’, -), this includes periods (.), spacing followed by a dash in the file. For word separation, use underscore (example: Attached_File.pdf) in naming the attachments. Please note that if these guidelines are not followed, your application will be rejected. FNS will not accept any application rejected from 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 https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html mailto:support@grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-faqs.html https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.htmld

Application Deadline and Proof of Timely Submission

All applications must be received by 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time, on July 3, 2020. 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.

USDA will not accept mailed, faxed, or hand-delivered applications. FNS will deem applications received after the deadline as ineligible and will not review late applications. FNS will not consider any additions or revisions to an application after it is submitted. Additionally, FNS will not review incomplete applications.

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 funding by FNS.

Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can 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.

Please allow sufficient time to complete your application package and ensure the package is uploaded through the www.grants.gov web portal. If the same applicant in response to this solicitation submits multiple application packages through the Grants.gov web portal, FNS will accept the latest application package successfully submitted. All other packages submitted by the applicant will be removed from this competition.

USDA strongly encourages applicants to begin the process at least 4 weeks before the due date and to submit applications to Grants.gov at least 1 week before the deadline to allow time to troubleshoot any issues, should they arise. Applicants experiencing difficulty submitting an application to www.grants.gov should contact the Grants.gov Support Center at 1-800-518-4726 or via e-mail at support@Grants.gov.

Additional information and applicant resources are available at:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html mailto:support@Grants.gov https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.htmld

Intergovernmental Review

This funding opportunity may be subject to the requirements of EO 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.” This Executive Order was issued with the desire to foster the intergovernmental partnership and strengthen federalism by relying on State and local processes for the coordination and review of proposed Federal financial assistance and direct Federal development. The Order allows each State to designate an entity to perform this function.

If you are located within a State that does not have a Special Point of Contact SPOC, you may send application materials directly to a Federal awarding agency.

Please be aware that the grants.gov system provides several confirmation notices;

applicants should ensure receipt of confirmation that the application was accepted.

Applicants experiencing difficulty submitting applications to www.grants.gov should contact the agency contact noted in Section VII: Federal Awarding Agency Contact.

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

FNS will pre-screen all applications to ensure the applicants are eligible entities and are in compliance with all Program regulations. If an application does not include all appropriate information, FNS will consider the application to be non-responsive and will eliminate it from further evaluation. FNS will not approve any waivers from Program regulations for any projects submitted in response to this solicitation.

Additionally, the review committee will evaluate proposals against the criteria below. The project narrative sections include a point value to indicate the importance of each section;

however, reviewers will be evaluating proposals based on all sections regardless of whether point values are provided.

Evaluation Factors and Criteria

The following selection criteria will be used to evaluate applications for this RFA.

1. Soundness or Merit of Project Design (35 points)

Demonstrated Need: The proposal clearly describes the need to strengthen program integrity by focusing on at least one component of the SNAP Fraud Framework, and provides evidence that the proposed approach is well-suited to solve the identified issue.

Impact: The proposal clearly demonstrates:

• A direct effect on the SNAP State agency process and provides evidence that the changes would help combat recipient fraud and benefit trafficking.

• A clear progression from idea to practice in a State agency.

• A clear description of the impact the project is expected to make. Impact can be described in terms of the degree to which the new or improved processes are expected to help the State agency’s expand its current efforts to eliminate recipient fraud.

Quality: The proposal shows thought, analysis, clarity, and the use of relevant facts and knowledge. This includes clear understanding of the SNAP Fraud Framework.

Application of the SNAP Fraud Framework: The proposed project integrates principles, procedures, ideas and/or practices outlined in the SNAP Fraud Framework.

Feasibility: The application proposes projects that are capable of being accomplished and likely to be implemented. The proposal demonstrates State agency readiness and leadership’s interest to implement activities. It should also demonstrate that the proposed project is appropriate given the current capacity of the agency. We encourage applicants to consider foundational projects that the State agency can build on for future growth in the fraud control area.

2. Implementation and Evaluation (15 points)

Timeline: The proposal includes a project timeline that outlines proposed tasks and demonstrates that sufficient time is allotted for each activity. Period of performance is commensurate with project scope.

Evaluation: The proposal describes a well-thought-out, organized review and evaluation process that will measure whether the goals of the project have been met. The evaluation should focus on measuring the impact the project seeks to make. Please be sure to include information on who will measure the goals of the project, how the goals will be measured, when the goals will be measured and what the organization will be measuring.

3. Sustainability (20 points)

The proposal shows that the project is very likely to be sustained after the grant period ends. The proposal should clearly demonstrate State agency’s ability to continue funding and implementing activities once the grant ends. This also applies personnel hired under this grant program, as applicable.

4. Budget Appropriateness and Economic Efficiency (20 points)

Budget: The proposal includes:

• A line item budget – please refer to the Application Checklist on page III and Budget Narrative Checklist in Appendix B to assure each category is addressed in the budget.

• A narrative that demonstrates how funds will be spent, by whom and for what purpose.

• The narrative should provide enough detail for reviewers to easily understand how costs were determined and how they relate to the goals and objectives of the project. There should be adequate justification for budget costs based on current industry costs/standards. Information on costs should be obtained from applicable organizations or from online sources.

• Additionally, a copy of the approved negotiated indirect cost rate agreement must be attached if indirect costs are shown as a budget expense to the project.

• If applicable, the budget must show how the costs are allocated among the benefiting programs and demonstrate that this grant is only going to fund SNAP’s share.

Efficiency: The proposal is cost effective – it demonstrates that the anticipated results are commensurate with the cost of the project.

Contractual and Consultant Costs: Proposals who wish to hire a consultant or contract work out must provide the following information:

• Consultant’s name and description of service

• Itemized list of all direct costs and fees

• Salaries must have the number of personnel including the position title

• Specialty and specialized qualifications as appropriate to the salary

• Number of estimated hours times hourly wage

• All expenses and fees directly related to the proposed services to be rendered to the project

• Applicants that are required to issue a bid should provide a narrative explaining the requirement and provide a reasonable estimate of Contractual and Consultant Costs.

NOTE: Proposal submissions that omit the required budget forms, budget narratives and/or line item descriptions will not receive the full point value for this criterion. Therefore, applicants should recognize that a well-written budget narrative that justifies the proposed project expenditures assists the reviewers during the review process.

5. Staff Capability and Management (10 points)

Oversight: The proposal demonstrates that effective and consistent oversight by qualified project managers will be implemented throughout the project.

Communication: The proposal demonstrates that effective communication will exist within the organization. The proposal includes an organizational chart of the proposed project.

Staff: The proposal identifies the project director or manager and other key staff. The proposal includes resumes that demonstrate that the proposed staff has the appropriate technical and experiential backgrounds for their proposed roles. If the applicant is unable to identify the project director or manager and key staff, it must include with the application package job descriptions for positions that must be assigned. Applicants should address their contingency or back-up plans in the event of key staff departures.

Time Commitment: The proposal outlines the amount of time and effort the project director or manager, key staff, and, if applicable, partnering organizations, will contribute to the project.

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, geographical representation, or project diversity. FNS reserves the right to use this solicitation and competition to award additional grants in the next fiscal year should additional funds be made available.

As mentioned above, FNS is interested in funding projects that address priorities specified in Section I of this RFA. However, FNS reserves the right to award grants to several such entities, or not to award any grants to such entities if it does not receive acceptable applications.

Determination of Award Amounts

If an application has been selected for funding and the budget submission is realistic and well-supported, the application will be funded at the level requested. However, FNS reserves the right to fund applications at a lesser amount if it judges that the application can be implemented with less, or if Federal funding is not sufficient to fully fund all applications that merit awards.

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.

Debriefing Requests

Non-selected applicants may request a debriefing to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of submitted proposals. This information may be useful when preparing future grant proposals.

Additional information on debriefing requests will be forwarded to non-selected applicants.

VI. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

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.

Grant funds cannot be use for pre-award or pre-agreement costs incurred prior to the effective start date.

The Government is not obligated to make any award as a result…