USDA-FAS-10960-0200-10-23-0005.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Supporting science-based decision making under the Convention on Biological Diversity and

Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

Application Submission Deadline: August 18, 2023

Summary The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service, Trade Policy and Geographic Affairs announces this funding opportunity to support the Technical Agricultural Assistance Program by issuing two new awards. This opportunity is available to all qualified organizations and is intended to support science-based and risk-proportionate decision-making in multilateral forums and in regulatory developments in Africa and Southeast Asia.

A. Program Description The New Technologies and Production Methods Division, within Trade Policy and Geographic Affairs, works to collaborate with U.S. government agencies, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations, and industry to promote U.S. products of biotechnologies and understanding and acceptance of agricultural biotechnologies, including new initiatives related to the technology.

Activity Goals The award(s) will stimulate activities and programs developed in support of science-based decision making under the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (the Protocol) focused on Africa and/or Asia regions with global collaboration as appropriate. These activities are intended to follow on several years of successful regional efforts. The award(s) are anticipated to support preparation for international meetings, including the Conference of Parties-Meeting of the Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (COP- MOP), and associated intersessional meetings and negotiations, which may educate stakeholders on technical issues to allow them to fully participate in international fora dealing with agricultural biotechnologies.

Programming could include, but is not limited to, conducting consultations, organizing virtual seminars and workshops or in-person trainings, and supporting expert participation in activities that:

a) Convey scientific findings of U.S. and international bodies related to agricultural biotechnologies, and experiences in policy and regulation to support innovation and safety.

b) Strengthen regional understanding of the functions of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Protocol; increase government officials’ or other stakeholders’ ability to follow and effectively participate in proceedings under the Protocol and to respond persuasively during negotiations.

https://www.fas.usda.gov/about-fas

c) Strengthen the regulatory capacities of key countries, particularly in Asia and Africa, especially those who are regional leaders, to conduct risk assessments, undertake appropriate risk management practices, and draft science-based policies and legislation for current and emerging technologies. Leverage global collaborations as appropriate.

d) Support and organize attendance, where appropriate, of relevant officials or other stakeholders to relevant activities.

e) Stimulate improved risk communication among government officials and other stakeholders to communicate with their constituency more effectively on new technology issues (including genetic engineering and genome editing) and nurture public confidence in new technologies and regulatory systems, in ways that connect such activities to the Protocol and biodiversity conservation and its sustainable use.

The supported activities may engage regulators, policymakers, and other stakeholders in agricultural biotechnology throughout the world with focus on Africa and/or Asia and leveraging similar efforts elsewhere as conditions warrant. Applicants may, inter alia: design, plan, conduct, and or support workshops, consultations, and meetings, duties for any of which may include:

providing the venue in which the activities take place, consulting on or developing participant lists and agendas, and developing materials needed to conduct the activities; planning, designing, delivering, supporting, and or preparing educational materials and/or demonstrations of agricultural biotechnology; arranging for translation and interpretation services; providing subject matter expertise and advice to foreign officials; entering into subcontracts for subject matter or logistical services; providing support for speakers and participants to attend international meetings and negotiations, and the like, as appropriate.

The activities in this program may support: 1) promoting science-based decision making under the Convention on Biological Diversity 2) promoting science-based regulatory systems to countries in key regions that would increase domestic acceptance, adoption, use and facilitate international trade of products of agricultural biotechnology, 2) engaging with key decision makers and influencers of agricultural biotechnology to enhance understanding of the potential economic, sustainability, and societal contributions of such products, 3) developing alliances to foster collaboration and common messaging at the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and other international fora, and 4) evaluating areas of challenges and opportunities in the process of developing appropriate activities.

Funding Opportunity Number

USDA-FAS-10960-0200-10.-23-0005

Assistance Listing Number

10.960 Technical Agricultural Assistance

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

B. Federal Award Information

Total Available Federal Funding: $80,000

Year one funding is $80,000. Subject to availability of funding, a cumulative total of $800,000 may be available throughout the period of performance of the awards. See Section H, Other Information, for additional information on incremental funding.

Anticipated Number of Awards: multiple

Cost Share/Match Requirement: None/Not Required

Projected Period of Performance Start: October 1, 2023

Projected Period of Performance End: September 30, 2028

Extensions to this program may be permitted, subject to approval. Refer to Section H, Other Information, for additional information.

Type of Assistance Instrument:

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

This type of agreement provides for substantial involvement between USDA/FAS and/or other USDA agencies, and the selected applicant in the performance of the project. This may include:

• close monitoring of the successful applicant’s performance to verify the results proposed by the applicant;

• collaboration during performance of the scope of work;

• in accordance with 2 CFR 200.317 and 2 CFR 200.318, review of proposed procurement;

• approving qualifications of key personnel (USDA will not select the recipient’s employees or contractors; but may disallow costs for specific individuals where required by statute or regulation); and

• review and comment on reports prepared under the cooperative agreement (the final decision on the content of reports rests with the recipient).

C. Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants: institutions of higher education, state cooperative institutions, non-profit organizations, and public international organizations including:

State (includes District of Columbia, public institutions of higher education and hospitals), Public nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Other public institution/organization, U.S. Territories and possessions (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Private nonprofit institution/organization (includes institutions of higher education and hospitals), Quasi-public nonprofit institution/organization, Other private institutions/organizations.

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 may submit separate applications for each region (i.e., Africa and Southeast Asia). In the event that the same applicant is selected for both regions, FAS may, but is not required to, request that the applications be combined into a single award.

Cost Share/Match Requirement: None/Not Required In-kind contributions are generally allowable towards meeting any cost share/match requirement.

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 which it affects the application, render the entire application ineligible for funding.

D. Application and Submission Information

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

Submission Dates and Times Application Submission Deadline: August 18, 2023 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.

Information and Q&A session: July 11, 2023 10:00am EDT via Microsoft Teams Interested applicants are welcome to attend this session. Attendance does not obligate an organization to make an application, nor is attendance required for application submission.

Note Advanced registration is required to attend this informational Q&A session; interested applicants are advised to sign in at least ten minutes in advance. Please reach out to the Federal Awarding Agency Contact in Section G regarding this session.

https://teams.microsoft.com/registration/5zZb7e4BvE6GfuA8-g1Glw,-hFYiU0fT0qn3a8Ik46XVQ,Gz8jq2NZpU6d5oHd3md1zw,9Hd-vxck-k63Z1OiYGkhog,pFGWUPo6xUeP_9AG11I7OA,Gnu3AS0lUEqnTxkrGh0Itg?mode=read&ten antId=ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697&webinarRing=gcc

Anticipated Funding Selection Date: September 1, 2023

Anticipated Award Date: September 15, 2023 http://www.sam.gov/ https://teams.microsoft.com/registration/5zZb7e4BvE6GfuA8-g1Glw,-hFYiU0fT0qn3a8Ik46XVQ,Gz8jq2NZpU6d5oHd3md1zw,9Hd-vxck-k63Z1OiYGkhog,pFGWUPo6xUeP_9AG11I7OA,Gnu3AS0lUEqnTxkrGh0Itg?mode=read&tenantId=ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697&webinarRing=gcc https://teams.microsoft.com/registration/5zZb7e4BvE6GfuA8-g1Glw,-hFYiU0fT0qn3a8Ik46XVQ,Gz8jq2NZpU6d5oHd3md1zw,9Hd-vxck-k63Z1OiYGkhog,pFGWUPo6xUeP_9AG11I7OA,Gnu3AS0lUEqnTxkrGh0Itg?mode=read&tenantId=ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697&webinarRing=gcc https://teams.microsoft.com/registration/5zZb7e4BvE6GfuA8-g1Glw,-hFYiU0fT0qn3a8Ik46XVQ,Gz8jq2NZpU6d5oHd3md1zw,9Hd-vxck-k63Z1OiYGkhog,pFGWUPo6xUeP_9AG11I7OA,Gnu3AS0lUEqnTxkrGh0Itg?mode=read&tenantId=ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697&webinarRing=gcc https://teams.microsoft.com/registration/5zZb7e4BvE6GfuA8-g1Glw,-hFYiU0fT0qn3a8Ik46XVQ,Gz8jq2NZpU6d5oHd3md1zw,9Hd-vxck-k63Z1OiYGkhog,pFGWUPo6xUeP_9AG11I7OA,Gnu3AS0lUEqnTxkrGh0Itg?mode=read&tenantId=ed5b36e7-01ee-4ebc-867e-e03cfa0d4697&webinarRing=gcc

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

• 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 scoring.

• All application materials should demonstrate professional organization and formatting throughout with limited spelling and grammatical errors.

• 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.

Since these awards will be incrementally funded, the detailed budget and narrative should reflect a total of $800,000 for five years with a break down for every year, including $80,000 for the first year.

o Prepare a detailed budget table that utilizes cost item categories and includes appropriate cost savings where available.

o Demonstrate that the proposed budget is appropriate for the number of activities, type of activities, and number of participants;

o Provide a clear budget narrative accompanying the budget table to address each line item therein;

o Demonstrate appropriate addition of line items and rounding to the penny as necessary;

o If indirect costs are included in the budget, attach a copy of the latest indirect cost rate agreement negotiated with a cognizant federal agency. If a negotiated indirect cost agreement does not exist, please attach a description of the basis for the indirect cost calculation.

• A detailed project narrative or plan of operation o Project narrative should not exceed 7 pages;

o Indicate the region (s) for which the application is being submitted (Africa or Asia or both);

o Provide an application responsive to the program that demonstrates originality and relevance to USDA/FAS’s mission and the New Technologies and Production Methods Division mission as noted in Section A;

o Provide a plan showing how the activities will achieve the objectives in section A, description of specific activities proposed with timelines, proposed target audiences, and how progress will be measured;

o Provide a description of how the award will be administered, including logistical elements, such as, but not limited to, organization of online or in-person seminars, workshops and trainings;

o Demonstrate ability to manage logistics, including but not limited to organizing online trainings and workshops, and for any proposed in-person activities:

https://www.fas.usda.gov/about-fas procuring travel arrangements, and reserving conference rooms, hotel and/or other accommodations, and if applicable securing insurance coverage;

o Include a narrative description of the proposed activities, and how they will be conducted, the role of the applicant and any other collaborators and the desired result;

o Briefly describe the expertise and international experience of the applicant in the field of interest and various countries;

o Demonstrate knowledge of the Convention on Biological Diversity and Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, the process of intersessional meetings and negotiations, and their impacts on the trade, handling and use of products of agricultural biotechnologies, and specific training needs of Africa and/or Asia regions;

o Identify knowledge and skills to be gained by program participants, relevant to their region with a focus on Africa and/or Asia;

o Demonstrate flexibility in the training plan to account for potential program changes and explain the institution’s ability to respond to unforeseen circumstances;

o Incorporate elements of leadership, diversity, and science communication to empower participants to advocate for sound science-based policy to peers, decision-makers, and the public;

• Provide a Curriculum Vitae of Project Leader or Principal Investigator focused on relevant prior experience, not to exceed 3 pages;

• 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 requires several weeks to process and cannot be expedited; prospective applicants should therefore ensure that registrations are submitted timely.

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.

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 http://login.gov/help

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.

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.

Intergovernmental Review Not applicable.

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. 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 2023, $152,771 per year, $585.33 per day, or $73.17 per hour). Non-monetizable fringe benefits, such as health insurance coverage, are not included to this ceiling.

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 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

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. Pursuant to USDA Departmental Regulation DR2255-001, a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) with a cognizant U.S. Government agency will be honored, except where prohibited by statute.

Other Submission Information Applications should be submitted through the ezFedGrants system at https://grants.fms.usda.gov/. Applicants who do not have access to ezFedGrants may submit their application by email to the Federal Awarding Agency Contact listed in Section G.

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 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 5 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.

Applications for each region will be reviewed and ranked separately, using the same criteria.

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 Factor 1: Overall Program Plan and Technical Experience (55 Points) Applicants will be evaluated on the extent and quality to which they demonstrate that the overall program design is strategically aligned and relevant to the stated objectives including:

• Technical Experience, Program Design Applicability and Alignment (30 Points) o Applicant’s explanation of their international expertise related to achieving the objectives of the proposed project and ability to address any knowledge gaps of participants, including its ability to tailor program implementation to the needs of the target audience;

o Applicant's explanation of the proposed plan and approach to achieve the goals of the project effectively and efficiently, including a description of what is being proposed, how it will be conducted, and what is the desired result;

o Applicant’s demonstration of the expected skills or knowledge to be acquired by the participants by the end of the trainings and/or workshops;

o Applicant's demonstration of originality and relevance to USDA/FAS’s strategic goals;

• Program Implementation Plans and Strategies Included (25 Points) o Applicant’s demonstration of a plan for achieving the objectives of the proposed project, including having the necessary partnerships, contacts or established network in the indicated region;

o Applicant’s demonstration of their ability to manage logistics, including but not limited to organizing online trainings and workshops, for any proposed in-person activities: procuring travel arrangements, and reserving conference rooms, hotel and/or other accommodations, and if applicable securing insurance coverage;

Factor 2: Budget and budget narrative (30 Pts) Applicants will be evaluated on the reasonableness, cost-effectiveness, and adequacy of the proposed budget to accomplish the project, along with the extent and quality 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 activities, type of activities, and number of participants;

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

• 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 3: Support of Leadership and Communication (10 Pts) Applicants will be evaluated on the extent and quality to which they demonstrate elements of leadership training and/or workshops in the application package including:

• Applicant's resources or the ability to incorporate elements of leadership and science communication element to empower participants to advocate for sound science-based policy under the Convention on Biological Diversity and Cartagena Protocol to peers, decision-makers, and the public. (10 Pts)

Factor 4: Professional formatting, spelling, and grammar (5 Pts) Applicants will be evaluated on the extent to which the application package documents are detailed, organized, in-scope, and appropriate including: (5 Pts)

• Applicant’s demonstration of professional organization and formatting throughout the project narrative and supporting documents with limited spelling and grammatical errors.

(5 Pts)

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.

Prior to making a Federal award with a total amount of Federal share greater than the simplified acquisition threshold, currently $250,000, the federal agency is required to review and consider any information about the applicant that is in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov (currently FAPIIS).

• An applicant, at its option, may review information in the designated integrity and performance systems accessible through SAM.gov and comment on any information about itself that a Federal awarding agency previously entered and is currently in the designated integrity and performance system accessible through SAM.gov.

• The Federal awarding agency will consider any comments by the applicant, in addition to the other information in the designated integrity and performance system, in making a judgment about the applicant's integrity, business ethics, and record of performance under Federal awards when completing the review of risk posed by applicants as described in 2

CFR § 200.206

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/3321 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/41/2313 https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/2/200.206

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.

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.

Performance Expectations

Recipient(s) design and implement activities as described in project narrative, in consultation with New Technologies and Production Methods Division and responsive to stakeholder needs, as appropriate including but not limited to:

1) Developing online or in person seminars, workshops and trainings;

2) Supporting participant travel to international negotiations or intercessional activities.

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 the for the period;

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

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.

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, or after an amendment has been issued to close out a grant, whichever comes first, 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: Jennifer Rowland Email Address: jennifer.rowland@usda.gov Phone Number: 202-690-1941 Hours of Operation: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm EDT

H. Other Information

Incremental Funding

These awards will be incrementally funded with a potential cumulative total of $800,000 over the 5-year period of performance. The first year of funding will be $80,000 and anticipated subsequent amount of $720,000 to be allocated over the remaining four-year period. The detailed budget and narrative should reflect a total budget of $800,000 for five years with a break down https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/2/appendix-XII_to_part_200 for every year, including $80,000 for the first year. All incremental funding will be based on funding availability, satisfactory performance, and other applicable considerations.

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 recipient’s approved request. All instances of program income shall be listed in the progress and financial reports.