[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 49 (Monday, March 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 13598-13600]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5712]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service


Notice of Funding Availability: Inviting Applications for 
McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition 
Program's Micronutrient-Fortified Food Aid Products Pilot

    Announcement Type: New.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.608.
    Summary: The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) announces it is 
inviting proposals for the McGovern-Dole International Food for 
Education and Child Nutrition (McGovern-Dole) Program Micronutrient-
Fortified Food Aid Products Pilot (MFFAPP). Up to $9 million of funding 
is available for the MFFAPP. Eligible applicants may submit proposals 
through June 10, 2011. The MFFAPP is administered through FAS's 
McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition 
(McGovern-Dole) Program.
    Dates: All applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard 
Time, June 10, 2011. Applications received after this date will not be 
considered.
    For Further Information Contact: Food Assistance Division, Office 
of Capacity Building and Development, Foreign Agricultural Service, 
Portals Office Building, Suite 400, 1250 Maryland Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20024; by phone: (202) 720-4221; by fax: (202) 690-0251; 
or by e-mail at [email protected].
    Supplementary Information:

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    A. Authority: The MFFAPP uses the authority of the McGovern-Dole 
Program, which is authorized by the Farm Security and Rural Investment 
Act of 2002, as amended.
    B. Purpose: Under the MFFAPP, participants will have access to 
resources to introduce and field test new or improved micronutrient-
fortified food aid products. FAS defines micronutrient-fortified food 
aid products as foods used for direct feeding that are nutritionally 
enhanced with vitamin or mineral additions to address the micronutrient 
deficiencies of a population or group. The food aid products must be 
designed to meet the energy and nutrient needs of populations served by 
the McGovern-Dole Program, including school-aged children, children 
under 5 years of age, pregnant and lactating mothers, and infants. The 
process of micronutrient fortification must take place in the United 
States and use U.S. origin products. The participant may develop a new 
product or improve an existing product, either directly or by 
contracting with another party. This pilot does not support field 
testing for products that already exist or have been recently 
developed.
    Through this pilot, FAS hopes to identify new products that provide 
the most improvement in nutrition for the targeted beneficiaries in the 
most cost-effective manner. FAS will examine each proposal for its 
appropriateness to the beneficiary population and targeted country 
context, its intended impact on the nutrition of program beneficiaries, 
and the expected outcomes of the pilot project.
    C. Priorities: 1. FAS is seeking to maximize the cost effectiveness 
of implementing this pilot. Therefore, FAS will give priority 
consideration to otherwise acceptable proposals that will develop and 
field test food aid products in conjunction with current or already-
approved future activities under the McGovern-Dole Program in the 
following countries: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, 
Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chad, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Guinea-
Bissau, Haiti, Kenya, Lao PDR, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, 
Mozambique, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Pakistan, Republic of Congo, 
Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Uganda.
    2. FAS will also consider, but will give a lower priority to, 
proposals for projects to develop and field test food aid products, 
whether or not in conjunction with current or already-approved future 
activities under the McGovern-Dole Program, in countries other than 
those listed in Section I.C.1., provided that the project is short term 
and supports sustainability efforts and the country meets the following 
criteria:

[[Page 13599]]

    a. Low or Lower Middle Income Country--according to World Bank data 
(2008 World Bank);
    b. Greater than 20 percent prevalence of stunting (World Health 
Organization);
    c. Adult literacy rate below 80 percent;
    d. Government support for education;
    e. Absence of civil conflict; and
    f. FAS has a representative covering the country who can provide 
the ability for oversight of program activities.
    3. If an applicant for funding under the MFFAPP proposes to develop 
and field test a food aid product in conjunction with the current or 
approved activities of another entity under the McGovern-Dole Program, 
the applicant must obtain the agreement of such entity that the 
applicant may develop and field test the food aid product in 
conjunction with its activities. The applicant does not have to be the 
entity that is carrying or will carry out the current or approved 
activities under the McGovern-Dole Program.
    4. Please note that the focus of this pilot is on developing and 
field testing new products and not on providing school meals on a large 
scale.

II. Award Information

    A. Award Size: FAS has approximately $9 million available for the 
development, improvement, and field testing of micronutrient-fortified 
food products. The limited funds will generally preclude FAS from 
approving a project costing more than $3 million, although there is no 
minimum or maximum amount set for each MFFAPP-funded project.
    B. Type of Award: All awards will be made in the form of 
competitive grants.

III. Eligibility Information

    For eligibility requirements, see the McGovern-Dole Program 
regulations (7 CFR 1599.3).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    A. Application content: An applicant for funding under the MFFAPP 
shall submit an application that contains the information specified in 
7 CFR 1599.4, which includes a completed form SF-424, an Introductory 
Statement, and a Plan of Operation. Guidance on preparing the 
Introductory Statement and Plan of Operation can be found at the 
following address: http://www.fas.usda.gov/excredits/FoodAid/FFE/FFE.asp. In addition, the application shall include the following:
    1. Information on the micronutrient-fortified food aid products to 
be introduced, including:
    a. A description of the new micronutrient-fortified food aid 
product to be developed and delivered, and an explanation of how the 
newly developed food aid product will be field tested and evaluated; or 
a description of the already existing, but improved, micronutrient-
fortified food aid product to be delivered, and an explanation of how 
the food aid product will be field tested and evaluated;
    b. An explanation of the need for the micronutrient-fortified food 
aid product in the targeted country and information regarding the 
country's current direct distribution operations, if they already 
exist, including a description of any micronutrient-fortified foods 
distributed and current funding resources;
    c. Reasons for selecting the type of micronutrient-fortified food 
aid product;
    d. The intended beneficiaries' health or nutritional deficiencies 
that could be alleviated by the micronutrient-fortified food product; 
and
    e. The impact on the targeted beneficiaries, including an 
explanation of how the identified health or nutritional deficiencies 
will be addressed by introducing new or improved micronutrient-
fortified food aid.
    2. Information about the applicant's past activities in fortifying 
food products and food aid distribution projects, if any.
    3. Information about the costs and logistics that would be involved 
in carrying out the applicant's proposal, including:
    a. A complete description of the costs to develop, or contract to 
develop, and transport the new or improved food aid product to be 
introduced, and a budget proposal for funding these items; and
    b. A description of the distribution process, storage, and 
handling, including shelf life, of the new or improved product.
    4. If the proposal is to develop and field test a food aid product 
in conjunction with current or approved activities under the McGovern-
Dole Program, a written statement from the entity that is carrying or 
will carry out such activities that it has agreed to work with the 
applicant as outlined in its proposal.
    5. Information about the level of government and community support 
for maternal, child, and student health, and nutrition in the targeted 
country.
    6. A detailed description of the methodology, rationale, and 
proposed timeline to be used to field test and evaluate the impact of 
the new or improved micronutrient-fortified food aid product on the 
intended beneficiaries as compared to traditional food assistance 
commodities.
    7. A detailed description of how the project will be evaluated and 
a completed report submitted to FAS.
    B. Method of Submission: The entire application package must be 
submitted electronically either to FAS's online proposal entry system 
located at http://www.fas.usda.gov/excredits/FoodAid/FFE/ApplyForProgram.asp, which is the preferred method, or by e-mail at 
[email protected].
    C. Deadline for Submission: All applications must be received by 5 
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, June 10, 2011. Applications received after 
this date will not be considered.

V. Proposal Review Criteria

    A. Review Process: FAS will review all responsive proposals that 
are submitted by the deadline. FAS will invite comments from other U.S. 
governmental agencies on its award recommendations, but FAS will make 
the final determination about which proposals to fund. After the 
initial evaluations, FAS will undertake an additional review to ensure 
that activities funded under this pilot will be conducted in multiple 
geographic regions.
    B. Criteria: After prioritizing the proposals using the McGovern-
Dole Program and country criteria outlined in Section I.C., FAS will 
review and evaluate each proposal using the following criteria:
    1. Need for the micronutrient-fortified food aid product (20 
percent).
    a. Is the need clearly established with statistics on food 
deficiencies, malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and the effects 
of these conditions on the intended beneficiaries?
    b. Does the targeted country clearly demonstrate commitment to 
reducing the prevalence of malnutrition and under-nutrition in the 
country with education and other support?
    2. Focus on the product to be developed or improved (30 percent).
    a. To what extent would the fortified food aid product provide a 
benefit by ameliorating or preventing a nutritional deficiency disease?
    b. Are the costs to produce or improve the product reasonable?
    c. How easy would it be to transport and use the product, and would 
the shelf life be long enough?
    d. Are there adequate measures in place to distribute, store, and 
handle the product within the targeted country?
    e. Is the product appropriate to address the nutritional needs of 
the

[[Page 13600]]

beneficiaries in the context of the targeted country?
    3. Organizational experience and capability (20 percent).
    a. Does the proposal clearly demonstrate the organization's 
capability and effectiveness in implementing previous food aid 
programs, particularly ones targeting school-aged children, children 
under age 5, or maternal and infant health?
    b. Does the proposal provide evidence that the organization has the 
knowledge, expertise, ability, and resources to successfully implement 
the project, including evidence of its timeliness and quality of 
reporting on past food aid activities?
    c. Does the proposal demonstrate that the organization has an 
experienced management team that can properly implement, monitor, and 
evaluate the project?
    4. Monitoring and evaluation (30 percent).
    a. Are the baselines and target goals well developed, recent, and 
clear?
    b. Is the monitoring and evaluation criteria and process clearly 
described and sufficient to provide FAS with an evaluation report that 
would clearly indicate the benefit and drawbacks of the new product to 
the population?
    c. What are the qualifications of the evaluation team?
    d. Is the organization's plan to develop and submit a final 
evaluation report to FAS clear and well defined?
    e. What is the quality of the project's performance measures, and 
the degree to which they relate to the objectives, deliverables, and 
proposed approach and activities?

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: FAS will notify each applicant in writing of the 
final disposition of its application. FAS will send a letter to each 
approved applicant that will specify the amount of funding. Once the 
approved applicant receives this letter, FAS will begin negotiations 
with the program participant to develop a grant agreement. The 
agreement will incorporate the details of the project as approved by 
FAS and in accordance with the McGovern-Dole Program regulations, 7 CFR 
part 1599. Approved applicants will not receive funding under the 
MFFAPP until the agreement negotiation is complete and the agreement 
has been signed by authorized representatives of the applicant and FAS.
    2. Reporting: An organization receiving funding under the MFFAPP 
will be required to provide quarterly financial reports, semi-annual 
logistics and monitoring reports, and a final evaluation report, as 
provided in the grant agreement. In its final evaluation report, the 
organization will be required to use supporting evidence gathered 
during the pilot to describe the benefits and drawbacks of the new 
product to the population and to address the benefits or drawbacks of 
the new or improved product as compared to traditional food assistance 
commodities. Changes in the original project timelines and adjustments 
within project budgets must be approved by FAS prior to their 
implementation.
    3. Monitoring and Evaluation: A program participant shall submit to 
FAS, in the manner specified in the agreement, an annual financial 
audit in accordance with 7 CFR 1599.13(d). If FAS requires an annual 
financial audit with respect to a particular agreement, and FAS 
provides funds for this purpose, the participant shall arrange for such 
audit and submit it to FAS, in the manner specified in the agreement. 
The participant shall provide to FAS additional information or reports 
relating to the agreement if requested by FAS.

    Signed at Washington, DC on the 24th of January 2011.
John D. Brewer,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-5712 Filed 3-11-11; 8:45 am]
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