RFP FINAL.pdf

State Agency: Farm to School Program Training and

Curricula

Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Request for Proposals (RFP)

Catalog for Federal Domestic Assistance Number (CFDA): 10.575

Dates:

Release Date: September 26, 2018

Application Due Date: 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time (EST), November 26, 2018

Anticipated Award Date: January 2019

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 45 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and competing and reviewing the collection of information.

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.

For information on Workspace application process, visit:

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

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,” including page limits, priorities outlined in Section I and all necessary attachments.

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

All key staff who are paid by this grant.

The percentage of time the project director will devote to the project in full-time equivalents.

Your organization’s fringe benefit amount along with 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, the basis of the indirect costs requested). If none 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.

Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire (in Section VIII)

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

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

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

II. FEDERAL AWARD INFROMATION

III. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS

IV. PROPOSAL AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

V. PROPOSAL REVIEW INFORAMTION

VI. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORAMTION

VII. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

I. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Introduction

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 needy people 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 (SAs), these programs help fight hunger by reimbursing organizations for providing healthy meals to children that meet Federal meal pattern requirements.

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 elevating 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 (https://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school).

Legislative Authority

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 in eligible schools.

Purpose

This Request for Proposals (RFP) announces the availability of funds to establish one or more new cooperative agreements for FYs 2019-2021 for the purposes of developing a training curriculum, conducting trainings of trainers, and evaluating the results of farm to school trainings for producers to build their capacity to launch or expand farm to school efforts. In addition, the selected applicant will conduct a needs assessment among producers in close collaboration with State agencies (SAs).

FNS expects to fund one or more competitive cooperative agreement award of approximately $1 -

2 million. This project will prepare State agencies, and perhaps additional entities, with the knowledge and skills necessary to implement the developed trainings in their states among agricultural producers (farmers, fishers, or ranchers) on key farm to school topics. 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 3 years.

https://www.fns.usda.gov/farmtoschool/farm-school

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 an accredited public or private institute of higher education, a research or training institution, a non-profit organization, or a for-profit company that has an established producer and SA network and/or have successfully implemented training initiatives with a producer or school focus on a national level. The selected applicant will conduct a needs assessment, work with FNS national office and regional office staff to develop curricula and disseminate the trainings and resources.

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, run farm stands using school garden produce to learn business skills, or practice data visualization techniques using plant growth measurements, all contributing to a holistic 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 key component of the 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 The overall goal of this project is for the selected applicant to conduct a needs assessment among producers in collaboration with SAs and then plan, develop, design, promote, and ultimately execute and evaluate training(s) that use a tiered approach to equip SAs (including Departments of Education, Agriculture, or Health) and other potential training participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to train local producers to effectively engage in farm to school efforts.

Producer-Focused Training

The objectives of the producer-focused trainings are to increase producers’ knowledge and understanding of farm to school programs, increase participation in farm to school activities, and increase the amount of local foods that producers sell to Child Nutrition Programs (CNP). The selected applicant must have an established partnership with State Departments of Agriculture, as well as other producer-focused regional- or national-level entities, such as Cooperative Extension.

The selected applicant will be expected to work closely with these SAs and partners to refine curricula based on needs, determine strategies for conducting trainings among producers within selected States, and coordinate with partners to promote and evaluate trainings. The qualified applicant must conduct a needs assessment in close coordination with SAs to gauge the knowledge and skill gaps specific to farm to school among a wide variety of producers. The needs assessment will be used to inform a Farm to School curriculum targeted to producers. The curriculum should also incorporate CNP procurement and program regulations and build upon existing Farm to

School training resources aimed at producers that will be furnished to the selected applicant. The selected applicant shall work closely with FNS to finalize the curriculum and incorporate FNS and stakeholder input.

Tiered/Cascade Approach to Training

FNS has successfully delivered trainings in a variety of formats. One recent initiative1utilized the train-the-trainer approach, which included SA involvement. This particular training exemplifies an important collaborative policy implementation model between USDA, SAs that administer the

CNPs, partner organizations, and local-level operators. The applicant is encouraged to incorporate the following into the training approach:

Tiered or Cascade Approach: The train-the-trainer model shall be used to train SAs, representatives selected by SAs, or other entities that may be trained, on the curriculum so that training participants (trainers) can in turn deliver the training to local producers interested in selling their products to schools.

Usability: Tangible and client-relevant training materials shall be developed that can be distributed by States and their partners via Internet, in print, and through other technology

(apps, videos, etc.) as appropriate.

Uniformity: Training should be uniform with consistent messaging and materials across all training locations/delivery mechanisms. Certain modules of the training must include criteria furnished by FNS and must be applied consistently across all sites for evaluation purposes.

Differentiation: Training tools and approaches should be differentiated too meet the unique needs of SAs with different levels of experience, various types of producers, and unique regional concerns. In addition to the priority topics and required modules, additional, region-specific modules should be developed that allow States to tailor trainings that meet their unique regional food system needs or markets (e.g. local fish for coastal states or local meat for ranchers).

Equal Opportunity: The curriculum must also address purchasing from small, minority businesses, women’s business enterprises, and labor surplus firms.

1 4https//www.fns.usda.gov/tn/team-school-nutrition-success.

https://www.fns.usda.gov/tn/team-school-nutrition-success

Format

The training format shall rely on a variety of delivery mechanisms, which must include in-person training(s) and one or more of the following approaches:

Webinars

Online, on-demand modules

Peer-to-peer mentoring

Videos

Applied learning through hands-on and participatory exercises

Topics

The training should focus on, but is not limited to, the following topics:

Overview of Child Nutrition Programs:

o National School Lunch Program (NSLP) o School Breakfast Program (SBP) o Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) o Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) o Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) o CNP Meal Pattern Requirements

Navigating Local Procurement Guidelines and Regulations o Geographic preference o Micro-purchases o Formal and informal procurement methods o Responding to RFPs and IFBs

Growing for Schools and Understanding School Purchasing Needs o Menu planning and forecasting (seasonality) o Production and capacity o School food budgets o Food safety o Infrastructure (space, equipment, delivery and storage needs)

Marketing and Selling to Schools o Identifying school customers o Communicating with schools o Coordinating farm visits o Hosting school farmers’ markets o Product development

Building a Client Base and Relationship Building o Identifying school customers o Networking with schools o Networking with other producers o Developing or incorporating state-level resources o USDA resources that support farm to school o Student education

The primary audience for the trainings is producers (farmers, fishers, ranchers, and food processors). SA grantees who receive a Farm to School grant from FNS, such as Departments of

Agriculture, will implement the trainings using the developed curriculum among producers in their

States. Trainings may be requested among other entities as well for similar purposes. The selected applicant will build the training participants’ ability to train producers using the curriculum and evaluation tools. Additionally, the selected applicant will provide technical assistance to the SAs to gauge producers’ needs, promote the trainings, recruit producers, and conduct follow up evaluations with producers after the completion of the training. Under this cooperative agreement, the applicant shall consult closely with FNS to finalize resources, curricula, and evaluation tools.

Project Deliverables for Producer-Focused Training

1. Conduct training needs assessment among producers and stakeholders in close collaboration with SAs, FNS, FNS-selected stakeholders, and applicant-selected partners.

Provide FNS a report of the outcome and proposed next steps.

2. Develop a training program concept that includes a curriculum, recommendations for training delivery formats/methods, and complementary materials best suited for the topic and subtopics covered.

3. Develop and design training curriculum intended for the target audience that covers key priority training topics and that meets the needs of the target audience based on FNS and stakeholder feedback and needs assessments.

4. Develop and design accompanying/supplementary materials, such as PowerPoint slide decks, participant workbooks, videos, instructor’s guide materials, and/or training or technical assistance resources.

5. Develop a training implementation toolkit for SAs and other training participants, which will be used to conduct trainings in their States. Toolkit may include:

Training duration;

Recommended locations, as needed;

Participant identification and recruitment strategies and materials (see Marketing Plan details below);

Logistical needs for implementing the training (registration, technology needs, supplies);

Training evaluation instruments; and, Plans for following up with training participants after the training to track progress.

6. Marketing Plan:

Develop and design marketing materials to provide to SAs and other training participants for use in promoting the training(s) in their States

7. Monitor the implementation of the training program, including tracking of performance measures to describe the reach, implementation, and outcomes of cooperative agreement activities. Monitoring/oversight metrics and instruments may include:

Outputs:

- Number of trainings offered by the consultant and by the SAs.

- Number of SAs or sponsoring organizations reached via trainings and activities offered.

- Aggregation of reports from State agencies to track number of producers trained

Outcomes:

- Pre- and post-test scores among participants trained.

- survey results collected from training participants one year after the training regarding local food sales to schools

Format

The selected applicant will train SAs or their representatives, who will then conduct trainings among producers across their State, as well as FNS regional staff and partners.

All finalized files and associated design files will be provided electronically to FNS and will become property of FNS. The applicant shall submit drafts deliverables to FNS electronically in

Microsoft Suite, as requested. The applicant shall provide a schedule of deliverables (which will be approved by FNS), and will work with FNS to allow adequate review periods for FNS comments. The applicant will coordinate with FNS to obtain comments. The applicant shall incorporate FNS comments into all final deliverables. The applicant shall also provide electronic copies of all references cited in the final deliverables. The applicant shall submit the final deliverables in electronic format (both PDF and Microsoft Suite). For all promotional materials, electronic print-ready files and/or files ready for posting on the Internet for State agencies and will be provided to FNS (including, but not limited to, files on DVD).

Data/Document Rights

The Government has unlimited rights to all programs/documents/materials produced under this cooperative agreement. All documents and materials, to include the source codes of any software, produced under this cooperative agreement shall be Government owned and are the property of the Government with all rights and privileges of ownership/copyright belonging exclusively to the Government. These documents and materials may not be used or sold by the applicant without written permission from the USDA Grants Officer. All materials supplied to the

Government shall be the sole property of the Government and may not be used for any other purpose. This right does not abrogate any other Government rights.

Duplication or disclosure of the data and other information to which the Applicant may have access as a result of this cooperative agreement is prohibited by Public Law. Additional information and requirements will be contained within the Terms and Conditions of the award.

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 other sources of dissemination of best practices learned from implementation and training efforts, such as proposed publications and proposed presentation materials

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 can be found at http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/ECFR?page=browse.

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

Gregory Walton, Chief, Grants and Fiscal Policy Division

U.S. Department of Agriculture, FNS 3101

Park Center Drive Room 740

Alexandra, VA 22301 greg.walton@fns.usda.gov

Use of Funding

The cooperative agreement will be awarded in Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 on a competitive basis, and the total amount of funds to be awarded will range from $1million to $2 million, contingent on 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 grant 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 contained within an application, and/or may negotiate with proposed applicants to stay within available funding. Applicants are encouraged to identify partners with expertise in Farm to School, producer trainings and resources, and developing curricula.

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 for data collection, and technology (both hardware and software) necessary for operating the training.

http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/ECFR?page=browse http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/ECFR?page=browse

Funds must be used by the applicant to provide training for State agencies 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 State agencies or other training participants, as determined by FNS, on Farm to School trainings for producers. 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 accredited public or private academic institute of higher learning, a research or training institution, or for-profit or nonprofit organization by January 2019. The anticipated period of performance of the cooperative agreement will be from

February 2019 – September 2021.

The training(s) of the trainers will take place at central locations accessible to selected SAs, or other training participants identified by FNS, at a time that is convenient for FNS, training participants, and the selected applicant. SAs, or representatives sent by SAs, or other potential training participants, will then conduct the trainings within their States using their staff and/or partners. The applicant will consult with FNS to identify training locations; develop and design training curricula, tools, and materials; implement the training plan, evaluate the training initiative; and accomplish the overall goals of the cooperative agreement. FNS may serve as technical advisors as appropriate.

The applicant may be expected to perform occasional travel, as related to specific project needs, and will be expected to meet with FNS staff at least four times per year and participate in conference calls at least once per month to provide project updates as well as furnish quarterly reports. These 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 implementation phases of this training initiative. Specifically, the applicant will:

Conduct a needs assessment among producers in collaboration with SAs to determine knowledge and skill gaps specific to farm to school;

Develop all applicable tools, resources, materials, and programs (deliverables of the training initiative) that will address the specific needs of SA at the time of training, with input from FNS;

Determine training initiative implementation (format/delivery mechanism) to address the specific needs of SAs at the time of training, with input from FNS;

Execute training initiative as specified in the program requirements section of this RFP, with input from FNS;

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

Evaluate participants’ knowledge and skills, before and after exposure to training initiative activities using assessments created; and, Share evaluation results with FNS at the conclusion of each training and determine whether improvements can be made.

FNS: Substantive involvement by FNS is inherent in the cooperative agreement award. At a minimum, FNS will assist in developing applicable tools, resources, materials, and programs of the training initiative. Specifically, FNS will:

Review deliverables of the training initiative;

Evaluate suggested curricula, resources, and format/delivery mechanisms of the training initiative;

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

Provide input on suggested strategies for rolling out trainings across the nation; and, Discuss evaluation results with applicant at the conclusion of each training.

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

Eligible Applicants

This is a competitive, limited solicitation. The cooperative agreement is only open to accredited public or private academic institutes of higher education, research or training institutions, or nonprofit or for-profit organizations. Special consideration will be given to applicants who have an established producer and SA network and/or have successfully implemented training initiatives with a producer on a national level.

This cooperative agreement will be made on a competitive basis. An award may be made to more than 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.

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. 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 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 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.

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

Application Format and Requirements

Applications should meet the following formatting guidelines:

Typed on 8 ½” X 11” white paper with at least 1 inch margins on the top and bottom;

12 point Times New Roman font size (smaller font may be used in tables, charts and graphs as long as they are clearly readable);

Singled–spaced;

Include a table of contents (not counted towards any page limit);

The project narrative with relevant information should be captured on no more than 15 pages, not including the cover sheet, table of contents, resumes, endorsement letter(s), budget narrative(s), appendices, and required forms.

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

Required Standard Application Forms All applicants must complete the following forms:

The following grants.gov forms are required of grant applicants. They are located at http://www.grants.gov/agencies/aforms_repository_information.jsp:

Non-Construction Grant Projects Forms: SF-424 Family

Application and Instruction for Federal Assistance (SF-424)

Budget Information and Instruction (SF-424A)

Assurance-Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B)

SF LLL (Disclosure of Lobbying Activities): Indicate on the form whether your organization intends to conduct lobbying activities. If your organization does not intend to lobby, write “Not Applicable.”

Optional Form

1. AD-3030, Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and Tax Delinquent Status for

Corporate Applicants. (To be completed by all corporate organizations/for-profit applicants)

Application Content Requirements

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

Grant program title and subprogram title (if applicable)

Table of Contents

Include the title and page number of each application section.

Project Summary

Include a concise description of the project proposal, including the target audience(s), key strategies and activities (design, implementation, monitoring/oversight) and anticipated outcomes that would result if the proposal is funded.

http://www.grants.gov/agencies/aforms_repository_information.jsp

Project Narrative

The project narrative should include a description of the applicant’s plan for conducting a needs assessment among producers in collaboration with SAs to determine training needs, developing a curriculum that meets the needs of producers and stakeholders, and evaluating the impact of that training. Applicants should also include a proposal for evaluation of the efficacy of the training, and the expected results and/or benefits once the training is delivered

(e.g. pre- and post-training tests). The proposal should address how the proposed project will fulfill the RFP program scope and objectives, as well as the specificities of the development, promotion, implementation, and evaluation of the training initiative, management plan, budget and staffing needs, and sub-grantee selection process (where applicable), and expected results and/or benefits upon completion of cooperative agreement.

In preparing your proposal narrative, provide the information requested below, in the order presented below:

Approach and Program Plan: Provide details on the project design and deliverables

(such as recommendations and plans for training curricula design/development, delivery methods, promotion strategies, implementation considerations, and evaluation strategies);

and address program specific methodology needs and procedures.

Workplan: Outline all project activities in the following table. Indicate the specific activity, the date it will occur, the frequency at which it will occur, the location of the activity, who is responsible, and the anticipated output(s). Add additional rows as necessary.

Your project timeline should start on February 1, 2019.

Goal: Develop and evaluate a train-the- trainer curriculum for State agencies that will support their efforts in building producers’ capacity to sell local foods to schools

Activity Date Frequency Location Responsible

Party

Output(s)

Partnerships and/or Sub-Grants List partnerships with relevant stakeholders that will allow the target audience (SAs, other training participants designated by FNS, and producers) to be reached. 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, 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-grantee RFP posting, sub-grantee proposal due date, sub-grantee start dates, webinar and conference timeframes with FNS approval, and all other deliverables and events (as applicable).

Evaluation: Provide a proposed evaluation plan to be carried out with SAs. Include an evaluation plan that lists each recommended monitoring or evaluation instrument, the target audience for each instrument, who is responsible for each monitoring or evaluation activity, how producer training participants will be reached one year after the completion of the training to assess any changes in their sales of local foods to schools, and how instruments will be pilot tested. Include a plan for communicating with SAs during the monitoring and evaluation process to ensure technical assistance, data collection, and evaluation is provided.

Management Plan (Project Management, Staffing, and Quality assurance): Provide a clear description of the activities to be undertaken to manage the project to ensure that project activities are completed on time, within budget, and with quality results. Identify the staff and/or grantees who will manage the project. Describe roles and responsibilities of these employees and/or grantees, as well as relevant qualifications and experience, and a level of effort specified for specific staff proposed, as well as the means to provide quality assurance. Include resumes of key staff or sub-grantees. Note any relevant experience in managing similar activities. The management plan shall also include:

o Chain of Command and Responsibilities: Provide an organizational chart that shows all key personnel, management relationships, and lines of authority, including a written description of how the management plan would be implemented.

o Contingency Plans: Discuss contingency plans for ensuring that the project is not unduly disrupted by any unforeseen changes in key personnel.

o Delineation of FNS involvement: Substantive involvement by FNS CNP is inherent in the cooperative agreement award. FNS will be directly involved in the guidance and development of the training materials and may participate as a reviewer and advisor. Indicate how the Grantee proposes to integrate FNS into its planning process.

Experience and Past Performance: Provide a clear description of previous experience and performance in grant management, sub-grantee selection, and partnerships across fields.

Specifically describe your experience working with producers and SAs. The description of past performance should contain at least one relevant project completed within the past five years.

Any additional RFP specific requirements, such as resumes and letters of commitment from partners and/or subgrantees.

Budget and Budget Narrative

Provide a proposed budget describing appropriate use of cooperative agreement funds and justifying costs.

Your budget must be submitted using the “Budget Information and Instruction Form” (SF-

424A).

Proposed costs must be necessary, reasonable and allocable to carry out the project’s goals and objectives. Include a total project budget.

The budget narrative should correspond with the proposed project narrative, timeline, and application budget. The narrative must justify and support the bona fide needs of the budget’s direct cost.

If the budget includes indirect costs, the applicant must provide a copy of its most recently approved Federal indirect cost rate agreement and a written explanation for how the indirect costs were applied to the budget.

Include a cost estimate to conduct each training of the trainers session among 20-40 participants, which may include SAs or other entities as referred by FNS.

The budget narrative should provide enough detail for reviewers to easily understand how costs were determined and how they related to the goals, objectives, and specific activities of the project.

Use of Sub-grantees: Please identify any sub-grants that you expect to award if this grant is awarded to you. Indicate whether the procurement will be competitive or sole source.

All non-profit organizations must include a copy of their 501(c)(3) determination letter issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). All funding requests must be in whole dollars.

Special Instructions:

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

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

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

4. 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.

5. FNS reserves the right to use this solicitation and competition to award additional cooperative agreements in the next fiscal year should additional funds be made available.

6. Cooperative agreement awards are subject to the availability of funds.

7. Cost sharing is encouraged including, but not limited to, partial salary support for administrative staff and in-kind support (i.e. faculty salaries and facilities costs). There is no cost matching requirement to participate in this cooperative agreement competition.

8. The Institution is responsible for oversight of award activities and fiscal matters. The

Institution will exercise effective internal control of funds that are provided to any sub-grantees.

Submission Information

Electronic Submission: The complete application must be uploaded to www.grants.gov by 11:59

PM, Eastern Standard Time, on November 26, 2018. Applications received after the deadline date will be deemed ineligible and will not be reviewed or considered. USDA will not consider any additions or revisions to an application once it is received. USDA will not accept mailed, faxed, or hand-delivered applications.

Dun and Bradstreet (DUNS) Number

In order to submit an application via grants.gov, applicants must have obtained a Data Universal

Numbering System (DUNS) number and registered in both the new Systems for Award Management

(SAM) and on grants.gov. The applicant is strongly advised to allow ample time to initiate the grants.gov application submission process. Please visit the following websites to obtain additional information on how to obtain a DUNS number (www.dnb.com) and register in

SAM (https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/).

http://www.grants.gov/ www.dnb.com http://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/) http://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/)

DUNS Number: In order to obtain a DUNS number, if your organization does not have one, or if you are unsure of your organization’s number you can contact Dun and Bradstreet via the internet at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform or by calling 1-888-814-1435, Monday thru Friday, 8am-9pm EST.

There is no fee associated with obtaining a DUNS number. Obtaining a DUNS number may take several days to obtain.

System for Award Management (SAM)

The System for Award Management (SAM) is combining Federal procurement systems and the

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance into one new system. For additional information regarding

SAM see the following link:

https://beta.sam.gov

Below is some additional information that should assist the applicant through this process:

SAM Registration: For applicant organizations that were previously registered in the CCR, relevant applicant information is already in SAM; set up a SAM account as necessary to update any information. To register in SAM, the applicant’s DUNS number, Tax ID Number (TIN), and taxpayer name (as it appears on the applicant’s last tax return) are all required. SAM verifies all information submitted by the applicant using several systems. This verification takes at least 48 hours after your registration is submitted to SAM. Applicants must have a valid SAM registration no later than 3 days prior to the application due date of this solicitation. Applicants that do not receive confirmation that SAM registration is complete and active should contact SAM at:

https://www.fsd.gov/app/answers/list.

This will be extremely useful for SAM users that are:

Registering at SAM for the first time

Setting up user permissions from CCR into the SAM registration (called migrating)

Updating / renewing CCR record in SAM

PLEASE BE AWARE: In some instances the process to complete the migration of permissions and/or the renewal of the entity record will require 5-7 days or more. We strongly encourage applicants to begin the process at least 3 weeks before grant the due date of the grant solicitation.

Grants.gov Registration: In order to apply for a cooperative agreement your organization must have completed the above registrations as well as register on Grants.gov. The Grants.gov registration process can be accessed at www.grants.govapplicants/get_reistered.jsp.

Generally, the registration process takes between 3-5 business days.

If you are a new or experienced user, please ensure that your organization’s Point-of-Contact (POC) has designated you as an Authorized Organization Representative (AOR). If you are not designated as an AOR, you will be unable to submit your application package through the grants.gov web portal.

Allow your entity ample time to complete the necessary steps, for the submission of your grant application package, on grants.gov. Please be aware that the grants.gov system provides several http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform https://beta.sam.gov/ http://www.fsd.gov/app/answers/list http://www.grants.govapplicants/get_reistered.jsp confirmation on notices; applicants should ensure receipt of confirmation that the application was accepted

NOTICE: Special Characters not Supported

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 (example: &,–

,*,%,/,#’, -), this includes periods (.), spacing followed by a dash in the file and 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 www.grants.gov portal due to incorrect naming conventions.

In order to submit an application via grants.gov, applicants must have obtained a Data Universal

Numbering System (DUNS) number and registered in both the new Systems for Award Management

(SAM) and on grants.gov. The applicant is strongly advised to allow ample time to initiate the grants.gov application submission process. All applicants must have SAM status at the time of application submission and throughout the duration of a federal award in accordance with 2 CFR Part

25. Please visit the following websites to obtain additional information on how to obtain a DUNS number (www.dnb.com) and register in SAM (https://beta.sam.gov).

Please be aware that the grants.gov system provides several confirmation notices; you need to be sure that you have confirmation that the application was accepted. For tools and tips regarding www.grants.gov, please visit: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-tools-and-tips.html.

APPLICATION DUE DATE

The complete application must be uploaded on www.grants.gov by 11:59 PM, Eastern Time

November 26, 2018. Applications received after the deadline date will be deemed ineligible and will not be reviewed or considered. FNS will not consider any additions or revisions to an application once it is received. FNS will not accept mailed, faxed, or hand-delivered applications.

Applicants experiencing difficulty submitting applications to www.grants.gov should contact the grants.gov Support Center at Local Toll Free: 1-800-518-4726 or via e-mail at support@Grants.gov.

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

Review Criteria

Initial Requirements

FNS will pre-screen all applications to ensure that they contain the required documents and information.

http://www.grants.gov/applicants/submit_application_faqs.jsp http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-tools-and-tips.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-tools-and-tips.html

After the initial screening of applicants, a review panel of technical and program staff will be convened to review and determine the technical merits of each grant application. The panel will evaluate each grant application on how well it addresses each application component.

The panel will assign each application a score using the evaluation criteria and weights specified below.

Evaluation Factors and Criteria

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

Project Design and Implementation (35 points)

1. Goals, approach, and activities are clearly identified and appropriate for the proposed project. The applicant followed directions in the RFP for goals, activities, and timeline.

Activities are reasonable and appropriate for proposed goals;

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

3. The application documents methods that will determine progress and successes and the number of participants reached through activities as well as how participants will be reached;

4. The method(s) selected to monitor progress and success is sufficient to determine if goals are accomplished;

5.…