USDA-FAS-10777-0700-10-24-0001.pdf

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

2024 USDA/FAS Borlaug Fellowship Program World Food Prize Event

Application Submission Deadline: March 29, 2024

Summary The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service, Fellowship Programs, announces this funding opportunity to support the Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program by issuing a new award. This opportunity is available to U.S. State Cooperative Institutions or other colleges and universities in the United States and is intended to enhance the capacity of USDA/FAS Fellowship Programs participants for understanding applications of agricultural research.

A. Program Description Program Overview The Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program (the Borlaug Fellowship Program) provides 12-week fellowships to individuals from eligible countries who specialize or have experience in agricultural education, research, extension, or other related fields. This program advances USDA’s agricultural research goals of promoting collaborative programs among agricultural professionals of eligible countries, agricultural professionals of the United States, the international agricultural research system, and other United States entities conducting agricultural research.

The Borlaug Fellowship Program engages a new generation of agricultural scientists as Fellows and allows them to extend the scientific knowledge and collaborative research experience gained through this program to users and intermediaries in the field and marketplace, helping to increase trade and agricultural economic activities and promote the expansion of domestic and international markets in eligible countries. The collaborative nature of the program benefits the Fellow, their home institution, and their country; the U.S. host institution, its professors, researchers, and students; and the global agricultural sector by improving agricultural productivity, systems, and processes through the transfer of new science and agricultural knowledge, technologies, and practices.

As a part of the Borlaug Fellowship Program, participating Fellows and their Mentors will be expected to attend the Borlaug Dialogue International Symposium (the Borlaug Dialogue) hosted by the World Food Prize in Des Moines, Iowa during the week of October 27, 2024.

Dr. Norman E. Borlaug envisioned a prize that would honor those who make significant and measurable contributions to improving the world's food supply. His vision was achieved in 1986 through the creation of the World Food Prize, which is now considered the foremost international award for the achievements of individuals who advance human development by improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world. The World Food Prize recognizes contributions in any field involved in improving global food supply, including food

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service and agriculture science and technology, manufacturing, marketing, nutrition, economics, poverty alleviation, political leadership, and the social sciences.

The World Food Prize Foundation annually hosts the Norman E. Borlaug International Symposium (the Borlaug Dialogue) each October in Des Moines, Iowa. The intent of the Borlaug Dialogue is to bring the world's foremost experts and leaders together to discuss cutting-edge issues in food security and youth education to inspire the next generation to study and work in fields related to global agriculture.

The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) supports an event during the week of the dialogue for current Borlaug Fellows and their Mentors. This event provides an excellent opportunity for Fellows and Mentors to engage in a professional space, share research goals and experiences, and network with leaders, scientists, and other Borlaug Fellows from around the globe on issues related to food security.

Program Objectives The place of performance will be Des Moines, Iowa. The recipient will organize and direct the attendance of participating Borlaug Fellows and Mentors at the annual World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue and is responsible for organizing and conducting all aspects of this week-long engagement with Borlaug Fellows, Mentors, and other participants. Other participants may include USDA/FAS Scientific Exchange Program (SEP) Fellows and Mentors if available (the SEP is similar in design and goal to the Borlaug Fellowship Program but deviates slightly in the format of execution).

In addition, the recipient will organize two activities during the week of the Borlaug Dialogue in collaboration with USDA/FAS Fellowship Programs staff, to be referred to as “the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize”:

1. The Monday Workshop at the World Food Prize:

• Anticipated to take place from 9:00am – 5:00pm on Monday, October 28, 2024

• For current Borlaug Fellowship Program Fellows and Mentors

• This event should take the form of a workshop and facilitate discussion among

Borlaug Fellows and Mentors on topics such as, but not limited to:

o Experiences with collaborative agricultural research o Experiences with transferring new science and agricultural technologies to strengthen agricultural practices in different countries across the globe o Experiences with reducing barriers to new technology adoption o Experiences with developing agricultural extension services o Leadership in the field of agriculture and science, and scientific communication to reach peers, policymakers, and the public o The 2024 World Food Prize theme (TBD by the World Food Prize

Foundation) and how it relates to the work of participating Fellows and Mentors.

• This event should feature a variety of speakers, including one high-level keynote speaker, and should provide the opportunity for USDA and other presenters to discuss visions for international agricultural education, research, and extension. The recipient must find these speakers in consultation with USDA/FAS Fellowship Programs staff.

• This event should also facilitate the building of a Community of Practice for the

Fellows to continue networking and fostering collaboration.

2. The Tuesday Breakfast Workshop at the World Food Prize:

• Anticipated to take place from approximately 7:30am – 10:00am on Tuesday, October 29, 2024

• For current Borlaug Fellowship Program Fellows and Mentors

• This event should also feature speakers, including one high-level keynote speaker, and should provide the opportunity for USDA and other presenters to discuss visions for international agricultural education, research, and extension. The recipient must find these speakers in consultation with USDA/FAS Fellowship Programs staff.

• Following the Tuesday Breakfast Workshop, Fellows and Mentors will proceed to the Borlaug Dialogue to participate in the symposium’s events for the remainder of the day and week.

Expectations for the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize are further described in Section F under Performance Expectations. It is understood that costs may vary depending on the number of participants. For application purposes, please assume up to 50 participating Fellows and Mentors. USDA/FAS Fellowship Programs staff also anticipate attending the event.

The recipient must ensure that all arrangements and fees related to the program, such as, but not limited to, securing a conference venue for the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize, local transportation in Des Moines, catering, other administrative costs, registration fees, etc. are planned and paid in full. The recipient must also reserve a block of rooms at or below the U.S.

government lodging rate for all participants to book. This block of rooms should be in the same hotel as the conference space used for the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize if possible.

(M&IE for participants and all lodging expenses will be covered by funds from other sources.)

USDA/FAS Fellowship Programs staff will confirm the number of participating Fellows and Mentors and their research specialties no later than eight weeks prior to the event date to allow for the creation of a robust and inclusive event program.

Funding Opportunity Number

USDA-FAS-10777-0700-10.-24-0001

Assistance Listing Number

10.777 Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship

Authorizing Legislation National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977, PL 95-113, as amended, 7 USC §§ 3291, 3319a, 3319j

B. Federal Award Information

Total Available Federal Funding: Up to $75,000 Subject to availability of funding.

Anticipated Number of Awards: 1

Cost Share/Match Requirement: None/Not Required

Projected Period of Performance Start: May 1, 2024

Projected Period of Performance End: November 29, 2024

Type of Assistance Instrument:

USDA/FAS anticipates that a Cost-Reimbursable Agreement will be funded pursuant to this funding opportunity.

This type of agreement allows for a collaborative relationship between USDA/FAS, the selected recipient, and other collaborating partners. The particular scope and depth of this collaboration may vary throughout performance, depending on the needs of the activity and the desires of the participants.

Additional Awards USDA/FAS reserves the right to make additional awards under this solicitation, consistent with Agency policy and guidance, if additional funding becomes available after the original selections are made. Any additional selections for awards will be made no later than 6 months after the original selection decisions.

No Awards USDA/FAS reserves the right to make no awards under this competition.

C. Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants: State cooperative institutions or other colleges and universities in the United States, as defined at 7 USC 3103

All applicants must have an active registration in the U.S. Government System for Award Management (www.sam.gov) before the application submission deadline of the announcement;

applicants with inactive, expired, pending, or excluded listings will be deemed ineligible.

Exceptions, waivers, or extensions will not be considered. Please contact the program officer(s) listed in Section G, Federal Awarding Agency Contact, if you have questions about this requirement. Applicants with inactive, expired, pending, or excluded listings will be deemed ineligible. Exceptions, waivers, or extensions will not be considered. Please contact the program officer(s) listed in Section G, Federal Awarding Agency Contact, if you have questions about this requirement.

Cost Share/Match Requirement: None/Not Required

Ineligible activities: If an application is submitted that includes any ineligible tasks or activities, that portion of the application will be ineligible for funding and may, depending on the extent to http://www.sam.gov/ which it affects the application, render the entire application ineligible for funding. Applicants should utilize the active/nonexpired forms available on grants.gov.

Multiple Applications/Awards An individual applicant may not submit more than one application in response to this NOFO, and may not be offered more than one award.

Substantial Compliance All applications will be reviewed for eligibility and must meet the eligibility requirements described in Section C to be considered eligible. Applicants deemed ineligible for funding consideration as a result of the threshold eligibility review will be notified within seven calendar days of the ineligibility determination.

Applications must substantially comply with the application submission instructions and requirements set forth in Section D of this solicitation or else they will be rejected. However, where a page limit is expressed in Section D with respect to the application, or parts thereof, pages in excess of the page limitation will not be reviewed. Applicants are advised that readability is of paramount importance and should take precedence in application format, including selecting a legible font type and size for use in the application.

Evidence of Eligibility Applicants are responsible for including documentation, if necessary, establishing that they meet the stated eligibility requirements, when it is not immediately obvious. Applicants should not presume that USDA/FAS is sufficiently familiar with their organization that this is unnecessary, and USDA/FAS will not make assumptions as to the nature of the applicant’s organization.

D. Application and Submission Information

This announcement contains all information necessary to apply to this funding opportunity.

Applicants may submit questions about this funding opportunity to the Section G contact.

Deadline for Question Submission: March 22, 2024

Submission Dates and Times Application Submission Deadline: March 29, 2024 at 11:59pm EDT (UTC -04:00)

Applications received after this time will not be accepted. Applicants are advised to make their submissions 1-2 days before this deadline in case of computer problems.

Anticipated Award Date: April 26, 2024

Content and Form of Application Submission A complete application package must include:

• Standard Form SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance, showing the Unique Entity Identifier, and signed by the applicant http://www.grants.gov/

• Standard Form SF-424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs, showing the budget categorization. Applicants are advised to consult 2 CFR 200 Subpart E for guidance on proper categorization of cost items. An improper categorization will not itself be grounds for a determination of ineligibility, but may delay approval and/or adversely impact the application’s evaluation scoring.

• A detailed budget and narrative, in which cost items are quantified and described in sufficient detail to enable USDA/FAS to independently determine that the proposed costs are reasonable and allowable for the project and consistent with applicable regulations.

o Indirect costs are statutorily capped at 10% for cost reimbursable agreements.

• A detailed project narrative or plan of operation:

o Indicate the name of the applicant and the personnel/support staff involved Include clearly stated roles and responsibilities for covering all logistical requirements for week-long Fellow and Mentor participation at the Borlaug Dialogue and for facilitating the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize

Describe abilities of personnel and support staff and their commitment to rapidly mobilize and implement Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize o Include a detailed proposal for organizing week-long participation at the Borlaug Dialogue and for facilitating the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize Propose a detailed and cohesive agenda for the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize that both relates to the 2024 World Food Prize themes (refer to the World Food Prize website) and tailors to all participants involved with clear and relevant objectives and goals; identify agenda topics that would appeal to a broad group but still allow for cohesive learning

Identify the expected knowledge to be acquired by the Fellows and Mentors by the end of the week

Include logistical details such as but not limited to arranging travel to-from the airport and around town, negotiating catering contracts, procuring event tickets, paying for registration fees, reserving a hotel room block and conference space, etc.

Include a list of suggested speakers, including keynotes speakers, or other participants proposed for the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize o Describe the applicant’s ability to organize all logistical arrangements for large, diverse groups and previous experiences successfully planning workshops adjacent to major international events o Describe the applicant’s previous experience arranging programming that involves and engages individuals from diverse cultural and academic backgrounds with a variety of research expertise Demonstrate understanding of the cultural context and needs of the

Fellows and their Mentors o Describe the applicant’s expertise or experience with arranging programming that focuses on collaborative agricultural research, transferring new science and agricultural technologies to strengthen agricultural practices in different countries across the globe, reducing barriers to new technology adoption, and/or developing agricultural extension services o Demonstrate the applicant’s flexibility and adaptability in a detailed quality assurance plan that identifies and responds to potential event changes or other unforeseen circumstances, including the ability to implement this event without USDA/FAS Fellowship Programs presence o Ensure the project narrative or plan of operation is organized, written in English, is free of excessive grammatical and spelling errors, contains any source information properly cited, and is submitted in PDF format Applicants are advised that readability is of paramount importance and should take precedence in application format, including selecting a legible font type and size for use in the application.

• Standard Form SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities, if applicable to the applicant

Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM) Each applicant is required to:

(i) Have an active registration in SAM before submitting its application;

(ii) Have assented to the federal assistance certifications in the SAM platform;

(iii) Provide a valid Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) in its application; and

(iv) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency.

SAM.gov Registration Instructions Organizations applying to this funding opportunity must have an active SAM.gov registration. If you have never done business with the Federal Government, you will need to register your organization in SAM.gov. If you do not have a SAM.gov account, then you will create an account using login.gov1 to complete your SAM.gov registration. SAM.gov registration is FREE. The process for entity registrations includes obtaining Unique Entity ID (UEI), a 12-character alphanumeric ID assigned an entity by SAM.gov, and requires assertions, representations and certifications, and other information about your organization. Please review the Entity Registration Checklist for details on this process.

Entities outside the United States (defined at 2 CFR 200.1 as “foreign organizations” and “foreign public entities”) must obtain a NATO Commercial and Government Entity (NCAGE) Code prior to SAM.gov registration An NCAGE is required for all foreign entities prior to registering in SAM.gov. You can complete the registration once you enter the NCAGE. You can submit your request for an NCAGE Code by going to the NATO Support Activity (NSPA) NCAGE Request Tool at CAGE/NCAGE Code Request which contains detailed instructions.

If you have done business with the Federal Government previously, you can check your entity status using your government issued UEI to determine if your registration is active. SAM.gov requires you renew your registration every 365 days to keep it active.

1 Login.gov a secure sign in service used by the public to sign into Federal Agency systems including SAM.gov and Grants.gov. For help with login.gov accounts you should visit http://login.gov/help.

https://login.gov/ https://www.fsd.gov/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=622e0a761b8fe114cc45ea04bc4bcb9a https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1#p-200.1(Foreign%20organization) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-A/subject-group-ECFR2a6a0087862fd2c/section-200.1#p-200.1(Foreign%20public%20entity) https://eportal.nspa.nato.int/AC135Public/CageTool/home http://login.gov/help

Please note that SAM.gov registration is different than obtaining a UEI only. Obtaining an UEI only validates your organization’s legal business name and address. Please review the Frequently Asked Question on the difference for additional details.

Organizations should ensure that their SAM.gov registration includes a current e-Business (EBiz) point of contact name and email address. The EBiz point of contact is critical for Grants.gov Registration and system functionality.

Contact the Federal Service Desk for help with your SAM.gov account, to resolve technical issues or chat with a help desk agent: (866) 606-8220. The Federal Service desk hours of operation are Monday – Friday 8am – 8pm ET.

Funding Restrictions Generally, funds may not be used in any manner that is prohibited by applicable regulations, including 2 CFR Part 200, 2 CFR Part 400, and any program-specific regulations identified in Section A. Awards issued pursuant to this notice of funding opportunity may only be used for the purpose set forth in the award, consistent with the statutory authority for the award. Capital expenses, such as the purchase of equipment, not entirely attributable to this award, must be pro-rated.

For example, agreement funds and other support may not be used for matching contributions for other federal grants or cooperative agreements, lobbying, or intervention in federal regulatory or adjudicatory proceedings. Federal employees are prohibited from acting as an agent of the applicant in any capacity (paid or unpaid) on any proposal submitted under this program. Also, federal funds may not be used to sue the Federal Government or any other government entity.

Compensation for personal services: Employees, consultants, or other personnel, including those of subrecipients, and regardless of the method of engagement, may not exceed the pro-rata equivalent of GS-15 on the General Schedule (for 2024, $159,950 per year, $612.84 per day, or $76.60 per hour). Non-monetizable fringe benefits, such as health insurance coverage, are not included to this ceiling.

Indirect Costs: In general, costs incurred for a common or joint purpose benefitting more than one cost objective but not readily assignable to specific awards, without effort disproportionate to the results achieved, are considered indirect costs. These may include facilities not specific to individual projects, enterprise-wide services such as IT, and enterprise management. For cost-reimbursable agreements, indirect costs may not exceed 10% of direct costs, as stipulated at 7 USC 3319a.

Other Submission Information Applications should be submitted through the ezFedGrants system at https://grants.fms.usda.gov/

Applicants who require assistance with any USDA-managed computer system should reach out to the program officer(s) listed in Section G, Federal Awarding Agency Contact, at least 5 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0051214&sys_kb_id=dd40f4ef1b9641d0937fa64ce54bcb7a&spa=1 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0051214&sys_kb_id=dd40f4ef1b9641d0937fa64ce54bcb7a&spa=1 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp business days in advance of the application submission deadline. Applicants should provide as much detail as possible to facilitate resolution of the issue.

E. Application Review Information

Review and Selection Process In all cases, the agency will conduct an initial responsiveness review of all applications submitted to determine:

1) the application was submitted on time as specified in this announcement (See Section D. Application and Submission Information);

2) the applicant is eligible (see Section C. Eligibility Information);

3) all the required forms and documents are submitted no later than the Application Submission Deadline specified in Section D. Application and Submission Information, Content and Form of Application Submission.

If an applicant is determined to be ineligible or an application is determined to be incomplete, the agency will notify the applicant prior to commencing with evaluation of applications, usually within five business days of the Application Submission Deadline. An applicant that feels such a determination is made in error may request reconsideration, highlighting evidence supporting their claim, by email to the program officer(s) listed in Section G, Federal Awarding Agency Contact, within 3 business days of notification.

The agency will convene a review panel, which may include both federal and non-federal reviewers, to review the eligible applications against the evaluation criteria described below. The reviewers will ensure that the applicant is capable of delivering the programs/activities as described in the announcement based on the applicant’s project narrative and assign a score and provide summary comments based on the evaluation criteria identified below. The review panel will make a recommendation list to the selecting official, who is not a member of the panel.

The selecting official may select applications out of rank order in consideration of strategic program priorities, such as geographical distribution, incorporation of minority-serving institutions, or congressional directive. Selection determinations are final and cannot be appealed.

Prior to selection, the agency may contact the highest-ranking applicants to seek clarification and to negotiate technical and programmatic aspects of the application. If an application includes a subaward, FAS may request to speak with all parties included in the application to ensure sufficient planning and coordination has taken place prior to making an award.

Evaluation Criteria Applicants will be evaluated on the extent and quality to which they demonstrate that they have the capabilities, staff, resources, and equipment to successfully perform the project as described in the following factors. Scoring will also be based on the level of detail and how clearly the applicant’s capacities to address these factors are outlined in the proposal.

Factor 1: Technical Expertise and Experience (30 Points)

The applicant will be evaluated on the extent and quality to which they demonstrate how the program objectives will be achieved through their appropriate technical background, expertise and abilities, and program plans including:

• Experience organizing large and diverse workshops defined and detailed (20 Pts) (Should expertise or experience with these activities be lacking, the applicant may not receive points for this section.)

o Applicant’s brief description of any expertise or experience with organizing logistical arrangements for large group events and successfully planning workshops adjacent to major international events.

o Applicant’s brief description of any expertise or experience with arranging programming that involves and engages individuals from diverse cultural and academic backgrounds with a variety of research expertise.

o Applicant’s brief description of any expertise or experience arranging programming that focuses on collaborative agricultural research, transferring new science and agricultural technologies to strengthen agricultural practices in different countries across the globe, reducing barriers to new technology adoption, and/or developing agricultural extension services.

• PI and other support staff roles and qualifications defined and detailed (10 Pts) o Applicant’s explanation of anticipated roles and responsibilities for personnel/support staff covering all logistical requirements for week-long participation at the Borlaug Dialogue and for facilitating the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize.

o Applicant’s demonstration of the personnel/support staff abilities and their commitment to rapidly mobilize and implement these activities.

Factor 2: Overall Program Plan (30 Pts) The applicant will be evaluated on the extent and quality to which they demonstrate that the overall program design is strategically relevant to the stated objectives including:

• Program design and applicability (15 Pts) o Applicant’s explanation of the expected knowledge to be acquired by the Fellows and Mentors by the end of the event.

o Applicant’s explanation of a detailed and cohesive agenda for the Fellowship

Events at the World Food Prize that both relates to the 2024 World Food Prize theme (refer to World Food Prize website) and tailors to all participants involved with clear and relevant objectives and goals and allowing for cohesive learning.

o Applicant’s demonstration of how the overall program plan and design is cognizant of the cultural context and needs of the Fellows and their Mentors.

o Include a list of suggested speakers or other participants proposed for the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize.

• Program implementation plans and strategies included (15 Pts) o Applicant’s explanation of the overall program plan for organizing week-long participation at the Borlaug Dialogue and for facilitating the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize.

o Applicant’s explanation of logistical details such as but not limited to arranging travel to-from the airport and around town, negotiating catering contracts, procuring event tickets, paying for registration fees, reserving a hotel room block and conference space, etc. (Venue, Lodging and Transportation, Meals, Personnel, Borlaug Dialogue Registration, World Food Prize Laureate Ceremony, Agenda, Communication, and Speakers and Other Invited Guests.)

o Applicant’s demonstration of their flexibility and adaptability in a detailed quality assurance plan that identifies and responds to potential event changes or other unforeseen circumstances, including the ability to implement this event without USDA/FAS Fellowship Programs presence.

Factor 3: Professional detailed budget and budget narrative (30 Pts) The applicant will be evaluated on the reasonableness, cost-effectiveness, and adequacy of the proposed budget to accomplish the program activities, along with the extent to which the budget documents are detailed, organized, in-scope, and appropriate, including:

• Appropriate and detailed content included (15 Pts) o Applicant’s demonstration that the proposed budget is appropriate for the number of participating Fellows and Mentors and the length of engagement.

o Applicant’s use of a detailed budget table that utilizes cost item categories and includes appropriate cost savings where available.

o Applicant’s explanation of proposed participating staff, including their role in the program.

• Budget narrative and budget table included (15 Pts) o Applicant’s use of a clear budget narrative accompanying the budget table to address each line item therein.

o Applicant’s demonstration of successful rounding and calculating with final budget narrative numbers exactly matching the budget line items, rounded to the penny.

Factor 4: Professional formatting, spelling, and grammar (10 Pts) The applicant will be evaluated on the extent to which their budget documents are detailed, organized, in-scope, and appropriate including:

• Professional formatting, spelling, and grammar utilized (10 Pts) o Applicant’s demonstration of professional organization and formatting throughout the project narrative and supporting documents with limited spelling and grammatical errors.

Integrity in Performance Prior to making a Federal award, the Federal awarding agency is required by 31 USC 3321 and 41 USC 2313 to review information available through any OMB-designated repositories of government-wide eligibility qualification or financial integrity information. Therefore application evaluation criteria may include the following risk based considerations of the applicant: (1) financial stability; (2) quality of management systems and ability to meet management standards; (3) history of performance in managing federal award; (4) reports and findings from audits; and (5) ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory, or other requirements.

Conflict of Interest https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/3321 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/41/2313

The Applicant’s Conflict of Interest (COI) Point of Contact as defined in USDA/FAS Conflict of Interest Policy must notify the USDA/FAS contact identified in Section G of this solicitation of any actual or potential conflict of interest that they are aware of that may provide the Applicant with an unfair competitive advantage in competing for USDA/FAS financial assistance awards within 10 calendar days of becoming aware of the conflict of interest. Examples of an unfair competitive advantage include but are not limited to situations in which an USDA/FAS employee reviewed and commented on or drafted all or part of an applicant’s application. Note that USDA/FAS does not generally consider receiving information from an USDA/FAS employee limited to whether the applicant or the applicant’s proposed project is eligible to compete for funding to confer an unfair competitive advantage. In addition, assistance agreements made under this solicitation will include a term and condition notifying recipients of their COI disclosure obligations and responsibilities under the award including the need to have systems in place to address, resolve and disclose COIs to USDA/FAS.

F. Federal Award Administration Information

Federal Award Notices Successful applicants will be notified of the status of their application/award by email. This notification is not authorization to proceed, and such notification should be construed as provisional.

Administrative and National Policy Requirements All successful applicants for all grant and cooperative agreements are required to comply with the applicable General Administrative Terms and Conditions, which can be found at https://www.fas.usda.gov/grants/general_terms_and_conditions/default.asp. The applicant is presumed to have read, understood, and accepted these terms when accepting a USDA/FAS award. Applicants with questions about the applicable terms should contact the program officer(s) listed in Section G, Federal Awarding Agency Contact.

The applicable Terms and Conditions will be for the last year specified at that URL.

Before accepting an award, the applicant should carefully read the award package for instructions on administering the award and the terms and conditions associated with responsibilities under Federal Awards. Recipients must accept all conditions in this NOFO as well as any Special Terms and Conditions in the Notice of Award to receive an award under this program.

Subaward and Executive Compensation Reporting Applicants must ensure that they have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the subaward and executive total compensation reporting requirements established at 2 CFR 170, unless they quality for an exception from the requirements, should they be selected for funding.

Mandatory Disclosures As required by 2 CFR 200.113, non-federal entities or applicants for a Federal award must disclose, in a timely manner, in writing to the Federal awarding agency or pass-through entity all violations of Federal criminal law involving fraud, bribery, or gratuity violations potentially https://www.fas.usda.gov/grants/general_terms_and_conditions/default.asp https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-170.210 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-170.210 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-B/section-200.113 affecting the Federal award. Failure to make required disclosures can result in any of the remedies described in 2 CFR 200.339 including suspension and debarment.

Performance Expectations The recipient will organize and direct the attendance of participating Borlaug Fellows and Mentors at the annual World Food Prize Borlaug Dialogue and is responsible for organizing and conducting all aspects of this week-long engagement with Borlaug Fellows, Mentors, and other participants. In addition, the recipient will execute the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize as detailed in Section A in collaboration with USDA/FAS Fellowship Programs staff. The recipient must ensure that all arrangements and fees related to the program are planned and paid in full as detailed below.

(1) Venue The award recipient must reserve, arrange, and pay for suitable conference space for the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize at a venue in downtown Des Moines, IA.

Ideally this venue should be within a 15-minute walk to the Borlaug Dialogue location.

Conference space within the same hotel in which the Fellows are lodging is preferred to conduct the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize. The award recipient is responsible for ensuring all needed A/V equipment (for PowerPoint presentations), wireless internet, wireless microphones, flipcharts and markers, notepads and pens, and tables and chairs for all participants are accessible and set up in the conference space.

(2) Lodging and Transportation The recipient must also reserve a block of rooms at or below the U.S. government lodging rate for Fellows and Mentors to book. This block of rooms should be in the same hotel as the conference space used for the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize if possible. Lodging expenses do not need to be budgeted for participants under this agreement as this will be covered by other funding sources. The award recipient must arrange and pay for appropriate transportation between the airport and the lodging, between the lodging and the Borlaug Dialogue venue, and between other relevant side events during the week-long Borlaug Dialogue. The award recipient should anticipate that attendees will arrive on Sunday, October 27, 2024, prior to participating fully in the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize and Borlaug Dialogue activities over the course of the week.

(3) Meals The award recipient must ensure breakfast and lunch for all participants is provided during the Monday Workshop at the World Food Prize on Monday, October 28, 2024.

The meals must be provided on-site to encourage the attendees to remain present and actively participate in informal networking. The award recipient must also provide breakfast for all participants during the Breakfast Workshop at the World Food Prize on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. During the Monday Workshop, mid-morning and mid-afternoon coffee and tea with light refreshments must be provided on-site. During the Breakfast Workshop, mid-morning coffee and tea with light refreshments must also be provided on-site. The award recipient must be prepared to accommodate a variety of dietary restrictions and preferences, requesting this information prior to the arrival of https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR86b76dde0e1e9dc/section-200.339 participants, and robust catering plans should be detailed in the proposal. (Please note that daily M&IE does not need to be budgeted and provided to participants as this will be covered by other funding sources.)

(4) Personnel The award recipient shall identify and assign a Principal Investigator (PI), who will be the primary point of contact for USDA/FAS Fellowship Programs staff and who shall oversee all aspects of the agreement’s implementation. The PI must liaise with other units within the award recipient institution, as needed, to ensure that all requirements of the agreement are met. The PI must ensure that USDA/FAS Fellowship Programs staff are included on all communications with other U.S. government employees and agencies over the six-month performance period. The recipient may propose other staff as appropriate to assist the PI in the execution of particular elements of this activity, such as but not limited to:

• An event facilitator to act as a “master of ceremonies,” whose responsibilities might include:

o keeping the workshops on-schedule, or exercising sound judgement to deviate from the schedule if appropriate; and o ensuring active engagement from participants throughout the sessions

• Additional administrative staff as required to make logistical arrangements, ensure appropriate event set-up, and address issues should they arise, whose responsibilities might include:

o ensuring that A/V equipment is operational, and presenters are able to project any PowerPoint presentations without undue delay or interruption o ensuring catering is on time and appropriate for all participants o making the necessary lodging and conference arrangements/bookings

(5) Borlaug Dialogue Registration The award recipient must correspond with the World Food Prize Foundation to organize and pay for the registration of all participating Fellows and Mentors. If possible, the student rate should be explored for attendees.

(6) World Food Prize Laureate Ceremony The award recipient must correspond with the World Food Prize Foundation to determine availability of tickets and block seating during the World Food Prize Laureate Award Ceremony and must work directly with the Foundation to ensure that all participants receive an invitation to the ceremony.

(7) Agenda A final detailed and well-planned agenda must be submitted to USDA/FAS Fellowship Programs staff at least one month prior to the event (ideally by September 15, 2024). This final agenda should incorporate feedback from the weekly conference calls and other planning discussions and outline the timetable of activities for each day of the week-long Borlaug Dialogue engagements, including extensive details for the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize.

(8) Communication The award recipient must organize and conduct weekly conference calls with USDA/FAS Fellowship Programs staff to discuss planning progress, tasks, and other items related to this event. USDA/FAS Fellowship Programs staff must be included on all communications with other U.S. government employees and agencies over the six-month performance period. The recipient is responsible for developing and communicating final agenda details for the week, all logistical guidance and instructions, and program expectations to Fellows, Mentors, and other participants prior to their arrival. The recipient is also responsible for communicating any updates during the week of October 27th as the Fellowship Events at the World Food Prize, the Borlaug Dialogue activities, and other side events occur – or in response to any unforeseen circumstances.

(9) Speakers and Other Invited Guests The award recipient must provide a list of speakers and other specially invited guests, including keynote speakers, to USDA/FAS Fellowship Programs staff at least 30 days prior to the event (ideally by September 15, 2024). This includes but is not limited to representatives of foreign governments, university officials, agribusiness and other private sector representatives, etc.

Reporting Financial Reports, using form SF-425, Federal Financial Report (FFR), must be submitted quarterly, for the periods ending March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 30, within 30 days of the end of the reporting period. A final financial report must be submitted within 120 days of the end date of the agreement.

Performance Progress Reports must be submitted quarterly, for the periods ending March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 30, within 30 days of the end of the reporting period. A final performance progress report must be submitted within 120 days of the end date of the agreement. The recipient may use any appropriate format for performance progress reports, provided the report includes:

a) A comparison of actual accomplishments to those projected for the period;

b) The reasons why established goals were not met, if appropriate; and

c) Additional pertinent information including, when appropriate, analysis and explanation of cost overruns or high unit costs.

Recipients are encouraged to include photographs and other supplemental material in performance progress reports. For awards in which the total lifetime value exceeds $500,000, additional reporting may be required as described in Appendix XII to 2 CFR 200.

Monitoring USDA/FAS through its authorized representatives, has the right, at all reasonable times, to make site visits to review project accomplishments and management control systems and to provide such technical assistance as may be required. During site visits, USDA/FAS will review recipients’ files related to the program.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/2/appendix-XII_to_part_200

As part of any monitoring and program evaluation activities, grant recipients must permit USDA/FAS, upon reasonable notice, to review assistance agreement-related records and to interview the organization’s staff and clients regarding the program, and to respond in a timely and accurate manner to FAS requests for information relating to the program.

Closeout Within 120 days after the end of the period of performance, recipients must submit a final FFR and final progress report detailing all accomplishments and a qualitative summary of the impact of those accomplishments throughout the period of performance. After final reports have been reviewed and approved by the agency, and any residual amount due to the recipient or due to be returned to the agency, the award is subject to closeout. Acceptance of final reports by the agency constitutes a closeout of the award with no further notice or obligation to either party.

This acceptance will indicate the period of performance has expired, and any remaining funds will be deobligated. Records must be retained for a minimum of three years after the final reports are submitted.

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact For all inquiries, contact:

Name: Joyce West Email Address: Joyce.West@usda.gov Phone Number: 202-756-7108 Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm Eastern Time

H. Other Information

Budget Revisions Transfers of funds between direct cost categories in the approved budget when such cumulative transfers among those direct cost categories exceed ten percent of the total budget approved in this Award require written approval from the agency. The total budget amount may not be increased without a bilaterally executed amendment to the award.

Post-award program income In the event program income becomes available to the recipient post-award, it is the recipient’s responsibility to notify the USDA/FAS Program Manager to explain how that development occurred, as part of their request for guidance and/or approval. If approval is granted, an award modification will be issued with an explanatory note in the remarks section of the face page concerning guidance and/or options pertaining to the recipient’s approved request. All instances of program income shall be listed in the progress and financial reports.

Electronic Signatures Consistent with the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN Act), USDA/FAS uses and accepts electronic signatures for application and award documents.

USDA/FAS will neither solicit nor send physical copies of documents.

mailto:Joyce.West@usda.gov