usda-grants-090915-001 workplan format.docx

National Clean Plant Network (NCPN) Cooperative Agreement Program

WORK PLAN FORMAT

Cover Page Name of Project:

One or Two Sentence Project Description:

Principal Investigator:

Name of Entity:

Address:

City, State, Zip:

Office Phone:

Cell Phone:

Fax:

E-mail Address (Principal Investigator):

Name, Title, and Signature of the Official Authorized by the Institution/Agency to Apply for Federal Financial Assistance: _______________________________________________ Date: ___________ Please complete each section explained on the following pages and maintain the numbering format on your application. Section VI, “Application Review Information” provides more details on the information requested and how it will be used to evaluate applications for funding.

Content – Work Plans (Proposals) should be brief, focused, and specific to the needs of the applicant as transposed against the mission of the National Clean Plant Network. After a brief explanation of applicant purpose, mission, and methods, the focus of the work plan should be on clarity surrounding the details and specifics of the particular requests of NCPN including clarity on anticipated ‘deliverables resulting from NCPN support..

Work Plan Length – Excluding the cover page, applicants shall not exceed 15 pages (font 11, single spaced) in Work Plan length for applications covering up to 2 crops. For each additional crop the Work Plan may be increased by 5 pages up to a maximum not to exceed 25 pages for 4 covered crops or more. This limitation does not include any Federal application forms or proposal cover letters.

Appendices – Applicants may submit documents as Appendices in support of their Work Plan in addition to the Work Plan page limitation. However, any submitted Appendices over 20 pages total may be assessed at the discretion of NCPN. This limitation does not include any letters and support information regarding process compliance or any submitted program or unit Business Plans, Annual Entity Reports, or recommended 5-year Program and Fiscal Plans.

Format - It is very important that applicants keep to the suggested format for visual consistency in proposals and applications; with any non-format data such as spreadsheets, charts, or graphs being submitted as Appendices.

Work Plan Table of Contents - Applicants may also include a Work Plan “Table of Contents” (also excluded from the page maximum count for Work Plan length).

APHIS Agreement No: (To be Completed by USDA for Successful Applicants) Other Identifying Numbers: (Any Applicant Desired Program Identification Numbers)

FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2016

WORK PLAN

Name and Location of the Party Applying for Support

Name of Project Being Supported

Provide a brief one or two sentence description of the proposed project for which funding is being sought.

I. Public Purpose – Project Introduction and Program Need:

Provide an overview of the project and information to help others appreciate the value of the project.

II. Cooperative Interest of USDA in Collaborating Jointly with _____________ in this Program:

Provide information about why you believe that USDA has an interest in collaborating jointly with the applicant in the proposed project. The response should focus on addressing the mission of APHIS and may also include the missions of ARS and NIFA.

III. Alignment with the USDA and NCPN Strategic Goals and Mission Areas:

Refer to Part I. C. “Alignment with the USDA Strategic Goals and Mission Areas” and Part 1 D. “Alignment with NCPN Program Components” and indicate all that apply. A brief paragraph explaining the selection(s) is also required.

IV. Stakeholder Participation and Industry Focus

A. Stakeholder Participation:

Provide a listing of the organizations collaboratively involved with the applicant in activities carried out through this proposal and explain their involvement.

B. Industry Focus:

Indicate the industry or industries being served as a result of the products generated through this project. As applicable, also indicate the commodity, type, and number of deliverables intended for use either by nurseries or growers and the anticipated timeframe for producing and delivering, or otherwise making available, the agreed upon materials and products.

V. Specialty Crop Governing Bodies and Application Harmonization

Indicate the involvement of NCPN-focused specialty crop governing bodies in the process of having the application reviewed for networking, prioritization, harmonization, and coordination with other proposals submitted covering the same NCPN specialty crop grouping.

VI. Project Description

Provide a brief but comprehensive description of the program proposed for funding, including relevant program operation. This must include purpose, objectives, scope of work, methodology/approach, and expected deliverables. After a brief explanation of applicant purpose, mission, and methods, the focus of the work plan should be on clarity surrounding the details and specifics of the particular requests of NCPN including clarity on anticipated ‘deliverables resulting from NCPN support..

The project description should also indicate all of the “NCPN Program Components” (See Part I. D.) that are contained in the project and explain how the components shall be addressed. This includes specific aspects of NCPN governance, operations, research and methods development, outreach and education, and quality assurance and quality control.

VII. Budget Plan

Provide budget details that reflect the expenditures for the project presented (or that will be presented) on Standard Form 424A and expand on the details either in the form of a descriptive budget narrative or as suggested below:

* Applicants must specify type and number of positions and exact salary and number of hours devoted to NCPN

Equipment** _________ ** Specify the type, number, and cost of each piece of equipment requested

Supplies _________

Travel (per diem X number of days)= Airfare X number of trips= Miscellaneous costs= _________

Meeting and Conferences Registration fees X number of conferences _________

*** See additional information on indirect costs below Total $_________

Matching funds: Indicate any cost-sharing, match contributions, or an enumeration of other funds available for program operations in addition to NCPN requested support here in budget fashion as above.

Note: In order to claim indirect costs a current negotiated indirect cost rate agreement must be in place and a copy provided to APHIS at the time of award.

***Indirect Costs – 15% limitation: The 2014 Farm Bill restricts indirect costs charged against a cooperative agreement under Section 10007 (including NCPN) to the lesser of 15% of the total Federal funds provided under the cooperative agreement or the Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement applicable to the recipient as established by law. The applicant must submit a copy of its fully executed current Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, negotiated by its recognized Federal agency, when indirect costs are assessed in the budget.

Business Plans or comparable Annual Entity Reports: The NCPN Governing Board requests applicants for NCPN funding to submit a program or unit Business Plan or Annual Entity Reports along with their application for support to the extent that such a Business Plan or comparable report exists. Such information is useful to NCPN in further ascertaining how NCPN resourcing can best be optimized to support applicant needs.

Long-Term Funding Needs Projections: If funding needs are anticipated to continue for several years, provision of information as part of this application regarding the applicant’s long-term funding needs, categories of anticipated funding needs, and information on any plans for attaining greater self-sufficiency is also suggested.

VIII. Milestones/Time Tables and Performance Measures VERY IMPORTANT - Define and quantify the major milestones for the project and provide a target date for achieving each milestone. List the specific performance measures that will be used to evaluate the success of the project and how each element will be measured. The performance measures should be ‘outcome’ based and indicate the quantity and type of deliverables anticipated under this project as well as the impact of producing and providing those deliverables, including the impact on industry.

Suggested Quantifiable ‘Deliverables’ information might include the following:

· Number of Plant Introductions (New Accessions)

· Number of Tissue Culture Selections Created

· Disease Testing (Number of Tests)--- Elisa, PCR, herbaceous, other

· Number of Indexing Activities --- Buds, indicator plants, selections, other

· Field Diagnostics --- Number of assays

· Numbers of Accessions or Plants in Therapeutics --- Heat Therapy, other therapies

· Amount of Material Planted in Foundations

· Amount of Material Maintained in Established Foundations

· Number of New Releases, Imported and Domestic

· Number of Clean Plant Units Distributed

· Other Deliverables

A document suggesting a performance report outline or template is available by contacting the NCPN Coordinator or the NCPN Administrative Support officer listed on pg. 38 of this Request for Applications.

IX. Principal Investigator and Other Contact Information (Including APHIS/PPQ):

Institution Name:

Principal Investigator:

Provide the name and all contact information for the primary cooperator contact person(s).

Grants and Agreements Contact:

Provide the name and all contact information for the cooperator agreements/grants/budget contact person(s) needed to facilitate the agreement through the cooperator’s process.

Other Persons Crucial to this Program:

Provide the name and all contact information for other persons crucial to this program needed to facilitate the agreement through the cooperator’s process.