[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 145 (Thursday, July 28, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45221-45223]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-19141]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service


Notice of Funding Availability: Inviting Applications for the 
Food for Progress Program

    Announcement Type: New.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.606.

SUMMARY: The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) announces it is 
inviting proposals for the Food for Progress (FFPr) program. The total 
resources available are estimated at about $160 million. The FFPr 
Program is administered by FAS.

DATES: All applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard 
Time October 26, 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, 1250 
Maryland Avenue, Suite 400, SW., Washington, DC 20024; or by phone: 
(202) 720-4221; or by fax: (202) 690-0251; or by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    A. Authority: The FFPr program is authorized by the Food for 
Progress Act of 1985, as amended.
    B. Purpose: The FFPr program provides for the donation of U.S. 
agricultural commodities to developing countries and countries that are 
emerging democracies that have made commitments to introduce or expand 
free enterprise in their agricultural economies. Donated commodities 
are typically ``monetized'' (or sold on the local market), and the 
proceeds are used

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to fund agricultural development activities.
    C. Objectives: For this notice, FAS is concentrating FFPr resources 
toward achieving two high-level objectives: (1) Increase agricultural 
productivity and (2) expand trade of agricultural products 
(domestically, regionally, and internationally). For more information 
on the two objectives, please see Section V of this notice.
    D. Priorities: FAS will give priority consideration to otherwise 
acceptable applications that support results for priority countries, 
regions, and objectives sectors listed at: http://www.fas.usda.gov/excredits/FoodAid/FFP/FFPrPriorities.asp.

II. Award Information

    A. Award Size: Grants provided under the FFPr program normally 
range from $5-$15 million.
    B. Type of Award: All awards will be made in the form of 
competitive grants.

III. Eligibility Information

    For eligibility requirements, see the FFPr program regulations (7 
CFR 1499.3).

IV. Application and Submission Information

    A. Application Content: An applicant for funding under FFPr shall 
submit an application that contains the information specified in 7 CFR 
1499.4 which includes a completed form SF-424, an Introductory 
Statement, a Plan of Operation, and a proposed budget. Guidance on 
preparing the Introductory Statement, Plan of Operation, and a budget 
can be found in the proposal entry module of the Food Aid Information 
System (FAIS) at the following address: http://www.fas.usda.gov/fais/public. Additionally, the application shall include a plan to monitor 
the implementation of all program activities, a Performance Monitoring 
Plan, and a plan to evaluate all activities and report to FAS on the 
impact, in accordance with the policy found at: http://www.fas.usda.gov/excredits/FoodAid/FFP/MEPolicy.asp.
    B. Method of Submission: The entire application package must be 
submitted electronically to FAS's online proposal entry system, the 
FAIS, located at http://www.fas.usda.gov/fais/public.
    C. Deadline for Submission: All applications must be received by 5 
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, October 26, 2011. Applications received 
after this date will not be considered.
    D. Frequently Asked Questions: Please see the FAS Web site for 
frequently asked questions on applying for the Food for Progress 
program, available at: http://www.fas.usda.gov/excredits/FoodAid/FFP/ApplicationFAQs.asp.

V. Selecting Project Objectives and Results

    A. Results Frameworks: In an effort to use scarce resources more 
strategically, FAS has developed two results frameworks for the FFPr 
program. The two frameworks correspond to the FFPr program's two high-
level objectives: (1) Increase agricultural productivity and (2) expand 
trade of agricultural products (domestically, regionally, and 
internationally). Applications that do not contribute to one of these 
two high-level objectives will not be funded. The results frameworks 
are available on the FAS Web site at: http://www.fas.usda.gov/excredits/FoodAid/FFP/ResultsFrameworks.pdf.
    B. Incorporating Results Into Applications: Applicants must submit 
an illustration(s) of a framework(s) that shows the intended results 
for the proposed project. The project framework(s) submitted by the 
applicant must be consistent with the program-level frameworks that FAS 
has developed. However, applicants can add or subtract results from/to 
the frameworks as appropriate but cannot modify any of the remaining 
results. Within the Introductory Statement, applicants must also 
provide an assessment of how the proposed project will contribute to 
the high-level objective(s) of the FFPr program frameworks. The 
assessment should focus on the country specific context for the project 
including key problems or barriers that limit an applicant's ability in 
achieving the high-level objective addressed. The assessment should 
provide to USDA an understanding of why the application will include 
results for specific portions of the frameworks and exclude results 
from others. The assessment will allow USDA to follow the contributions 
of the application in the frameworks and to make sure the application 
addresses key problems, barriers, or weaknesses in the country. 
Applicants should also list strengths in the countries or investments 
by other donors that explain the rationale for excluding results.
    C. Additional Information: For specific guidance on how to 
incorporate the frameworks into a proposal and for a list of 
performance management indicators, please see our application guidance 
at: http://www.fas.usda.gov/excredits/FoodAid/FFP/FrameworkGuidance.asp.

VI. 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. 
Government agencies (USG) on its award recommendations, but FAS will 
make the final determination about which proposals to fund.
    B. Criteria: FAS will review and evaluate each proposal using the 
following criteria:
    1. Project Design and Alignment with the Solicitation (18 percent)
    (a) Does the project design incorporate the solicitation's priority 
countries, geographic regions, and objectives?
    (b) Does the application explain the need for the proposed 
activities?
    (c) Are objectives and activities clearly defined, achievable?
    (d) Does the application clearly explain how the applicant will 
implement the project?
    (e) Does the application explain how the applicant will use its 
resources to assure that program objectives are met?
    (f) Is the plan of operation cost-effective, given the proposed 
objectives and activities?
    2. Indicators for Proposed Activities and FFPr Results (23 percent)
    (a) Are the proposed results achievable, realistic, and meaningful?
    (b) Does the application provide an illustration of the results 
framework for the application?
    (c) Does the application include an assessment that addresses the 
need for specific results and the reasoning for including or excluding 
portions of the program frameworks?
    (d) Does the application contain an estimated number of 
beneficiaries?
    (e) Is the number of beneficiaries realistic for the proposed 
activities?
    (f) Are the beneficiaries and criteria for selection explicit?
    (g) Does the application incorporate results and corresponding 
indicators from the FFPr results frameworks?
    (h) Does the application explain how the proposed activities 
directly contribute to the selected results from the FFPr results 
frameworks?
    (i) Does the application present a comprehensive plan to monitor 
proposed activities and performance indicators?
    (j) Does the application present a comprehensive plan to evaluate 
the proposed program and its impact?
    3. Overall Application Quality (9 percent)
    (a) Is each necessary section in the application completed?
    (b) Is each section of the application consistent with the other 
sections?

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    (c) Is the application clearly written?
    4. Commodity Management and Appropriateness (14 percent)
    (a) Does the application demonstrate that the commodity type and 
tonnage are appropriate for the market and will not disrupt commercial 
sales?
    (b) Does the applicant have a clear plan to monetize or distribute 
the commodity?
    (c) Does participant have monetization experience or plans to hire 
an experienced agent?
    (d) Does the application address specific country concerns, 
including customs exemptions, import barriers, tariffs, etc.?
    (e) Does the application include port, warehouse, and handling 
capacity in country as it relates to the commodity, tonnage, and 
packaging?
    5. Organizational Capability and Experience (18 percent)
    (a) Does the application establish the organization's project 
management capability, including its ability to implement, supervise, 
and support projects?
    (b) Does the applicant have sufficient financial management 
capability to implement the proposed program?
    (c) Does the applicant have past experience or expertise in the 
program objectives and/or activities proposed?
    (d) If the applicant has had programs with USDA or USAID, was this 
a productive collaboration with positive outcomes?
    (e) Is applicant registered in country or does it offer a plan to 
become registered?
    (f) Does the organization have experience working in the country of 
the proposed program?
    6. In-Country Coordination (9 percent)
    (a) Does the organization have a working relationship with and 
support from the recipient government?
    (b) Did the organization work with the recipient government to 
develop the proposed activities?
    (c) Does the application explicitly describe its coordination with 
published USG and host government development strategies?
    (d) Does the application describe what other stakeholders (host 
government, USG, other donors, private sector, etc.) are already doing 
to address agricultural development, and explain how the proposed 
program will complement these activities?
    (e) Does the proposed program have private and public sector 
support?
    (f) Does the proposed program have established partnerships with 
and buy-in from beneficiary groups/communities?
    7. Sustainability Plan/Objectives (9 percent)
    (a) Does the applicant provide a satisfactory plan for continuation 
of projects beyond Food for Progress support? If the project is not 
sustainable, is there an explanation?
    (b) Does the organization have a plan for securing local support 
(public, private, other) to maintain programming after the grant's 
completion?
    (c) For an organization that has received previous FFPr grants, 
does the proposal reference sustainable activities launched under 
earlier agreements?
    8. The following factors will reduce a proposal's score because 
they reflect negatively on an organization's ability to successfully 
implement and complete a grant agreement with USDA.
    (a) FAS has terminated an agreement with the organization for 
violations within the last 3 years.
    (b) The organization owes USDA a debt that is not covered by a 
payment plan or other method of resolution.
    (c) The organization has submitted late or has not submitted at all 
two or more required reports in the last three years.
    (d) The organization has not responded to FAS's deadlines for 
documents required to close an agreement on two or more occasions 
within the last 3 years.

VII. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: FAS will notify each applicant in writing of the 
final decision regarding 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 applicant to develop a grant agreement. The 
agreement will incorporate the details of the project as approved by 
FAS and in accordance with the FFPr program regulations, 7 CFR part 
1499.
    2. Reporting: An organization receiving funding under the FFPr 
program will be required to provide quarterly financial reports, semi-
annual logistics and monitoring reports, a baseline study, a mid-term 
evaluation, and a final evaluation report, as provided in the grant 
agreement. All reports must be submitted using the FAIS. All 
organizations receiving funding will be required to report against the 
indicators in the agreement at each reporting cycle. 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 Sec.  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 July 15, 2011.
Suzanne E. Heinen,
Acting Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-19141 Filed 7-27-11; 8:45 am]
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