Fertilizer Product Expansion Program

The purpose of FPEP is to expand capacity, improve competition, and increase supply chain resilience within the agricultural fertilizer and nutrient management sector, in connection with the production of agricultural commodities. To meet its purpos

The purpose of FPEP is to expand capacity, improve competition, and increase supply chain resilience within the agricultural fertilizer and nutrient management sector, in connection with the production of agricultural commodities.

Entities are eligible regardless of legal structure and may include Tribes, Tribal Entities, Alaska Native Corporations, for-profit entities, corporations, non-profit entities, producer-owned cooperatives and corporations, certified benefit corporations, and state or local government entities. Private entities must be independently owned and operated.

An applicant selected for this grant must use funds for the purpose of increasing or otherwise expanding the manufacturing and processing of fertilizer and nutrient alternatives and their availability in the United States. Additionally, the fertilizer and nutrient alternatives addressed in the application must be for agricultural use. Within such a project, eligible uses of grant funds would include, but are not limited to: • Construction of a new facility or purchase of an existing facility for purposes of expanding capacity or increasing output, including the purchase of land; • Pre-development costs including, but not limited to, engineering and other professional fees; • Working capital to support expanded capacity or increased outputs; • Modernizing or expanding an existing facility, including expansion and modifications to existing buildings and construction of new buildings at existing facilities; • Purchasing new, or modernizing existing processing and manufacturing equipment; • Developing, customizing, and installing equipment, devices, and technology that improves processing functions, worker conditions, or safety; • Modernizing, developing, customizing, and installing climate‐smart equipment that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases fertilizer use efficiency, improves air and water quality, or meets one or more of USDA's climate action goals; • Ensuring compliance with packaging and labeling requirements under applicable law (including sealing, packaging, boxing, labeling, conveying, and product moving equipment); • Ensuring compliance with occupational and other safety requirements under applicable law; • Engaging in workforce recruitment, training, apprenticeships, and retention to ensure expansion projects will be adequately staffed and crewed and offer opportunities to workers; or • Improving fertilizer and nutrient alternatives logistics (for example: distribution, transportation, and storage) to benefit producers in a cost-efficient manner.

a) Research and development; or b) Manufacturing or processing of fertilizer and nutrient alternatives that are not commercially available and in use; or c) Fertilizer and nutrient alternative logistics activities, such as distribution, or transportation, or storage for which funding is made available under other authorities, e.g., h, and https://www.epa.gov/innovation/next-gen-fertilizer-challenges. d) Site-specific applications of fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation, and herbicides, remote sensing, geographic information systems (GISs), and the Global Positioning System (GPS) https://www.nifa.usda.gov/grants/programs/precision-geospatial-sensor-technologies-programs.

Projects may be between one and five years in duration. The maximum period of performance for this grant is 60 months with up to 24 months of no-cost extensions considered on a case-by-case basis. Anticipated start dates are Fall 2022 for successful candidates submitting in the first application window and Spring 2023 for all other successful candidates.

1. Financial Viability, Technical Merit, and Readiness Applicants must describe in the project narrative, the strength of their proposed project and how the project will achieve financial viability, technical feasibility, and readiness. 2. Market Impact & Opportunities Applicants must describe any plans to procure inputs and provide more product opportunities for producers relative to the existing fertilizer products and to relevant improvements in market access. Applicants may describe any commitments from agricultural producers as input providers or as end users and potential buyers. 3. Climate Impacts & Sustainability Describe how the project will reduce the impacts of climate change through the manufacturing and processing of or the use of sustainable, innovative, increased, and efficient fertilizer and nutrient alternatives fertilizer and nutrient production and use. Include listing of assumptions and methodologies to support such assumptions. 4. Regional Impact & Support Applicants must support of their proposed project as well as any strategies to generate regional support. Applicants should also include information about the scale and scope of any commitments (financial, infrastructure, workforce or otherwise) provided by other Federal, Tribal, State, or local governments, either directly or indirectly. The scale and scope of any commitments or contributions from other third parties should also be discussed. 5. Personnel Applicants must describe key personnel involved with the project. Applications will be awarded priority based on how key personnel will contribute to the likelihood of project success, including but not limited to their leadership's qualifications, training, and experience. Experience of key personnel will be assessed in relation to the scale of the project and the type of the operation. Additional priority will be awarded to applicants that thoroughly describe in narrative and provide resumes and supporting documentation. 6. Discretionary Points During Administrative Agency Review, discretionary points may be assigned by the RBCS Administrator to ensure the diversity of applications, including geographic diversity and size and scale of projects.

Successful applicants will receive a signed notice of Federal award, containing instructions on requirements necessary to proceed with execution and performance of the award.

This NOFO provides two application submission windows. Applicants must submit applications via Grants.gov. Applications must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET) on: 45 days after the date of posting, for applicants requesting financial assistance to contribute to the purpose of the program. Priority will be given to projects that increase the availability of fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphate or potash) and nutrient alternatives to agricultural producers for use in crop years 2023 and 2024; and 90 days after the date of posting, for applicants requesting financial assistance to contribute significantly to the purpose of the program.

Other. Adverse actions by RBS in connection with this program may be appealed by contacting the Area Supervisor of the USDA National Appeals Division. Appeals will be handled in accordance with 7 CFR 1900-B and 7 CFR part 11