FSA-850 and CPA-52 Environmental Screening Worksheet Preparation

The USDA Farm Service Agency intends to award, as a sole source, a fixed price contract to the University of Wisconsin's Conservation Professional Training Program (UWEX) for FSA-850 Environmental Screening Worksheet Preparation AgLearn Course. Farm Service Agency is proposing continued AgLearn Training evelopment to train students to properly research and complete the FSA-850 (Environmental Screening Worksheet). This will be parts 11 and 12 of the development.

Background:

FSA's environmental compliance program mission is to use all practicable means to ensure FSA compliance with all applicable environmental laws, regulations, and procedures. USDA and FSA goals include provisions for promoting environmental compliance, protection of important environmental resources, and promotion of their resiliency (7 CFR 799.1)

The FSA-850 was developed to assist FSA staff with completing the appropriate level of environmental compliance review while ensuring compliance with all applicable environmental and cultural resource laws, regulations and Executive Orders. The FSA-850 and this subsequent training will target CCC-funded programs, but will have broader applicability within the agency.

This contract may include the ability to tie the FSA-850 into GIS at a later date. An addendum to the contract would be utilized if this happens.

Course Objectives:

Once the AgLearn Training has been successfully completed the student will have the skills necessary to:

• Understand when a site visit is appropriate and necessary to complete the FSA-850
• Understand the full list of available CatExs and when to use them
• Understand the purpose of the Extraordinary Circumstances, when they are triggered and how to proceed if they are triggered
• Know what consultations requirements are, when they are triggered and how they are met
• Know how to complete the FSA-850
• Understand who is required to sign and when signatures should be obtained on the FSA-850

Statement of Work

1. Develop a FSA-850 training course to develop a curriculum based on agency needs including:
a. Work directly with FSA designated staff to address agency specific training needs specific to the FSA-850 form
b. Build the course in the AgLearn platform using FSA approved content development software (CourseAvenue)
c. Develop a fully integrated evaluation component that documents both learners understanding of the process and procedure and their ability to successfully complete the FSA-850
d. Meet USDA Section 508 compliance requirements

2. Ensure agency staff have full access and understanding of course file structure to be able to manage and maintain course content

FSA Responsibilities:

1. Designate lead technical expert
2. Select up to 6 SMEs. Members should be a cross-section of FSA staff from the National, Regional/Area/State/Local levels who have experience in using the FSA-850 in a variety of settings. SME steering team members will:
a. Work with contractor to develop curriculum to meet FSA's needs
b. Develop agency-appropriate examples (case studies/scenarios) For example, CRP, rangeland, cropland, pasture, etc.
c. Review draft course in AgLearn staging environment and provide timely feedback.
d. Steering team members will serve as the content reviewers, and will be provided access to the content in the AgLearn Staging process. Feedback from reviewers will be incorporated by contractor in the final version.
Designate AgLearn technical expert to act as a technical resource.

Contractor Responsibilities:

1. Manage all aspects of the FSA-850 course development, including:
a. tracking deliverables
b. integrating evaluation components
c. coordinating FSA Steering Team

2. Develop curriculum on CourseAvenue, to be deployed on USDA FSA AgLearn platform focusing on agency-appropriate situations. Examples include, but are not limited to CRP, wildlife habitat, rangeland and cropland, and will be resource concern specific and not program specific.
a. Update and integrate the interactive components to be Section 508 compliant and work on the AgLearn platform.
b. Pilot test the online course in the AgLearn staging environment with the FSA Steering team, implementing changes into final course content.
c. Work directly with FSA AgLearn staff in all steps of the process.

FSA and contractor will:

1. Meet weekly via phone during the project to update progress.
2. Immediately communicate any issues or concerns that could significantly impact the project.

Timeline: Projected start date is 7/30/2017 and end date of 7/29/18. Timeline graphic below is approximation - exact milestone dates will be provided with final agreement.

Items to be included in contract language:
All course contents and documents will be property of FSA.