USDA-FAS-10960-0700-10-22-0041.pdf

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service

NOTICE OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Upgrading and Improving the Use of Feed Ration Formulation Software in Cambodia, Laos and Nigeria

Deadline: August 12, 2022

A. Program Description

Program Overview The use of advanced technologies in animal production has spurred impressive yields as management decisions have conventionally been focused to improve efficiency, reducing costs, and maximizing profit at the farm level. This approach will continue to translate into growing productivity to fulfill the demands of meat, milk, and eggs of increasing human population, which will also increase GHG emissions, especially in developed countries. U.S. technology that uses a ration formulation software can significantly improve livestock farming productions by integrating locally available ingredients in local language while reducing GHG emissions.

USDA has supported the University of California, Davis, to develop and adapt a livestock feed ration formulation software for a variety of international contexts, including the development of a national feed and forage library database, which also included data on use of premium feed or feed additives, and making the software program available in local languages. Project activities include developing feed ration formulation software, Taurus or PC Dairy, for Cambodia, Laos and Nigeria. The software is a modification of a package of computer programs for formulating and analyzing rations for beef and dairy cattle. Both software programs run on Windows 95 and above. The program comes with an extensive feed library and allows formulation and evaluation of rations for various classes of beef cattle, as well as creating user selected summarization printouts. Locally available feed chemical composition will be integrated into the software depending on the availability of the information. The software programs also include an output of an estimate of GHG emissions based on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recommendations. The calculation methodology for GHG is adjusted based on the production system and type of cattle in each target country. The estimates are used for national inventory with additional information of number of cattle.

This proposed follow-on project will improve the use of this software in the context of Cambodia, Laos, and Nigeria; in order to realize increased productivity and yield in livestock sector, and reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In particular, it is expected to include:

1. Mobile App Development:

A development of a national feed and forage library database, which also includes data on use of premium feed or feed additives ration is currently under development in local languages in each country (Cambodia, Laos and Nigeria). As the existing application is limited to PCs, adoption and use can be facilitated through a mobile phone app for the targeted countries, and for subsequent trainings to be held with relevant stakeholders; and

2. Training for the feed ration formulation software and app utilization.

Issued By Foreign Agricultural Service, Global Programs

NOFO Number

USDA-FAS-10960-0700-10.-22-0041

Assistance Listing (formerly Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance)

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, 3319a

Announcement Type New Agreement

B. Federal Award Information

Total Available Federal Funding: $150,000

Anticipated Number of Awards: 1

Cost Share/Match Requirement: None/Not Required

Projected Period of Performance Start: September 12, 2022

Projected Period of Performance End: September 29, 2023 Extensions to this program are not permitted. Refer to Section H for additional information.

Type of Assistance Instrument: Cost-Reimbursable Agreement

C. Eligibility Information

Eligible Applicants: State cooperative institutions or other colleges and universities in the United States.

All applicants must have an active registration in the U.S. Government System for Award Management (www.sam.gov) by the closing date of the announcement; applicants with inactive, expired, pending, or excluded listings will be deemed not eligible. Exceptions, waivers, or extensions will not be considered. Please contact the program officer(s) listed in Section G if you have questions about this requirement.

Cost Share/Match: Refer to Section B. In-kind contributions are generally allowable towards meeting any cost share/match requirement.

http://www.sam.gov/

D. Application and Submission Information This announcement contains all information necessary to apply.

Submission Dates and Times Application Submission Deadline: August 16, 2022 at 11:59pm EDT 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 technical problems.

Anticipated Award Date: September 2, 2022

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

• Form SF-424, showing the Unique Entity Identifier, and signed by the applicant

• Form SF-424A, 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 denial of the application, but may delay approval and/or adversely impact the application’s scoring.

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

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 an 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 Add parameters here

• Form SF-LLL, if applicable to the applicant

Note: Several standard forms were discontinued as of January 1, 2020, and are no longer required, including the SF-424B, AD-1047, AD-1048, AD-1049, AD-1050, and AD-1052.

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

(i) Be registered 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.

The Federal awarding agency may not make a Federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the Federal awarding agency is ready to make a Federal award, the Federal awarding agency may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another applicant.

Intergovernmental Review For state and local government entities, including public universities, an intergovernmental review may be required pursuant to Executive Order 12372. Applicants requiring an intergovernmental review must contact their state's Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to find out about and comply with the state's process.

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 the program-specific regulations identified in Section A (if any). 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 2021, $143,598 per year, $550 per day, or $68.77 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.

Pre-Award Costs: Costs incurred prior to the effective date of the Federal award, directly pursuant to the negotiation and in anticipation of the Federal award, and where such costs are necessary for efficient and timely performance of the scope of work, are not allowable.

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

Applicants who require technical assistance should reach out to the program officer(s) listed in Section G at least 5 business days in advance of the application deadline. Applicants should provide as much detail as possible to facilitate resolution of the issue.

https://www.govinfo.gov/link/cpd/executiveorder/12372

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 timely as outlined (See 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. An applicant that feels such a determination is made in error may request reconsideration, highlighting evidence supporting their claim.

The agency will appoint a review panel, which may include both federal and non-federal reviewers, to review the eligible applications against the evaluation criteria described. The reviewers will ensure that the organization 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 above. 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, congressional directive, or other documented considerations. These 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 sub-awardee, 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: Technical Approach and Feasibility (30 percent)

i. Soundness and thoroughness of the approach to implementing the activities and achieving outcomes.

ii. Description of practical and best-practice methods for achieving the project’s objectives and outcomes.

iii. Description of specific outputs, outcomes, and a proposed turnaround timelines.

• Factor 2: Management Approach (30 percent)

i. Outline of management approach that describes the management structure, relational links, and lines of communication.

• Factor 3: Cost effectiveness (20 percent)

i. Value for money; the cost relative to the value for the work to be performed.

• Factor 4: Past Performance (20 percent)

i. Demonstration of regional and subject matter expertise. Past programs, with similar objectives, described by the applicant in their proposal, will be positively reviewed.

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.

F. Federal Award Administration Information Federal Award Notices Applicants will be notified of the status of their application 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 Standard Administrative Terms and Conditions, which can be found at the link below. The applicant is presumed to have read, understood, and accepted these terms. Applicants with questions about the applicable terms should contact the program officer(s) listed in Section G.

https://www.fas.usda.gov/grants/general_terms_and_conditions/default.asp

The applicable Standard Administrative Terms and Conditions will be for the last year specified at that URL, unless the application is to continue an award first awarded in an earlier year. In that event, the terms and conditions that apply will be those in effect for the year in which the award was originally made unless explicitly stated otherwise in subsequent mutually-agreed amendments to the award.

Before accepting the award the potential awardee should carefully read the award package for instructions on administering the grant 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.

Reporting Financial Reports, using form SF-425, 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.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/3321 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/41/2313 https://www.fas.usda.gov/grants/general_terms_and_conditions/default.asp

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;

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 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, FAS will review grant recipients’ files related to the grant-funded program.

As part of any monitoring and program evaluation activities, grant recipients must permit FAS, upon reasonable notice, to review grant-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 their grant program.

Close Out 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: Andre G Ntamack Email Address: andre.ntamack@usda.gov Phone Number: 202-720-4128 Hours of Operation: 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/2/appendix-XII_to_part_200 mailto:andre.ntamack@usda.gov

H. Other Information Extensions Extensions to this program are not allowed.

Applicants may request a no-cost extension in order to complete all project activities. The request must be submitted 60 days prior to the expiration of the performance period. Requests for extensions are subject to agency approval.

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.

The Recipient is not authorized at any time to transfer amounts budgeted for direct costs to the indirect costs line item or vice versa, without prior written approval of the agency.

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 FAS Program Manager to explain how that development occurred, as part of their request for guidance and/or approval. The Program Manager will review approval requests for program income on a case-by-case basis; approval is not automatic. Consistent with the policy and processes outlined in 2 C.F.R. Part 200, pertinent guidance and options, as determined by the type of recipient and circumstances involved, may be approved by the Grant Officer. 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.