[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 123 (Monday, June 27, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41508-41514]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-15124]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
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Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 123 / Monday, June 27, 2016 /
Notices
[[Page 41508]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of Advocacy and Outreach
[FOA No.: OAO-0010]
Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and
Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) No.: 10.443.
AGENCY: Office of Advocacy and Outreach, USDA.
ACTION: Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).
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Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) No.: 10.443.
SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits
applications from eligible entities to compete for financial assistance
through the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers
and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers Program (hereinafter
known as the ``2501 Program'').
The overall goal of the 2501 Program is to assist socially
disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers in owning and operating
farms and ranches while increasing their participation in agricultural
programs and services provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA). This program will assist eligible community-based and non-
profit organizations, higher education institutions, and tribal
entities in providing outreach and technical assistance to socially
disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers.
DATES: Proposals must be received by July 29, 2016, at 11:59 p.m. EST,
at www.grants.gov. Proposals received after this deadline will not be
considered for funding.
ADDRESSES: How to File a Complaint of Discrimination: To file a
complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination
Complaint Form, which may be accessed online at: http://www.ocio.usda.gov/sites/default/files/docs/2012/Complain_combined_6_8_12.pdf, or write a letter signed by you or your
authorized representative.
Send your completed complaint form or letter to USDA by mail, fax,
or email:
Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of
Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410,
Fax: (202) 690-7442, Email: [email protected].
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Agency Contact
U.S. Department of Agriculture, DM--Office of Advocacy and
Outreach, Attn: Kenya Nicholas, Program Director, Whitten Building,
Room 520-A, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250, Phone:
(202) 720-6350, Fax: (202) 720-7704, Email: [email protected].
Persons with Disabilities: Persons who require alternative means
for communication (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.), should
contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Funding/Awards: The total funding potentially available for this
competitive opportunity is $8.4 million. The Office of Advocacy and
Outreach (OAO) will award new grants from this announcement, subject to
availability of funds and the quality of applications received. All
applications will be considered new projects and applicants will
compete based on their organization's entity type (e.g., nonprofit
organization, higher education institution), as described below. The
maximum amount of requested federal funding for projects shall not
exceed $200,000. Projects that are part of multi-year initiatives will
only be funded for one year and will be eligible to compete for
additional funding in subsequent years.
Funding will be awarded based on peer competition within the three
categories described below along with the amount of funding OAO
anticipates awarding to organizations within each category. OAO
reserves the discretion to allocate funding between the three
categories based upon the number and quality of applications received.
There is no commitment by OAO to fund any particular application or to
select a specific number of awardees within each category.
1. Category #1: Eligible entities described in Sections III.A.2,
III.A.3, and III.A.4 (1890 Land Grant colleges and universities, 1994
Alaska Native and American Indian Tribal colleges and universities, and
Hispanic-Serving colleges and universities).
2. Category #2: Eligible entities described in Sections III.A.1 and
III.A.6 (i.e., nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations,
including a network or a coalition of community-based organizations,
Indian tribes (as defined in 25 U.S.C. 450b), and national tribal
organizations).
3. Category #3: Eligible entities described in Sections III.A.5 and
III.A.7 (i.e., all other institutions of higher education and other
organizations or institutions, including those that received funding
under this program before January 1, 1996).
Contents of This Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
II. Award Information
III. Eligibility Information
IV. Proposal and Submission Information
V. Application Review Information
VI. Award Administration Information
I. Funding Opportunity Description
A. Background
OAO is committed to ensuring that socially disadvantaged and
veteran farmers and ranchers are able to equitably participate in USDA
programs. Differences in demographics, culture, economics, and other
factors preclude a single approach to identifying solutions that can
benefit our underserved farmers and ranchers. Community-based and non-
profit organizations, higher education institutions, and eligible
tribal entities can play a critical role in addressing the unique
difficulties they face and can help improve their ability to start and
maintain successful agricultural businesses. With 2501 Program funding,
organizations can extend our outreach efforts to connect with and
assist socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers and to
provide them with information on available USDA resources.
1. The 2501 Program was authorized by the Food, Agriculture,
Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990. The Food, Conservation, and Energy
Act of 2008
[[Page 41509]]
expanded the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture (the Secretary)
to provide awards under the program and transferred the administrative
authority to OAO. The 2014 Farm Bill further expanded the program to
include outreach and assistance to veterans. The 2501 Program extends
USDA's capacity to work with members of farming and ranching
communities by funding projects that enhance the equitable
participation of socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and
ranchers in USDA programs. It is OAO's intention to build lasting
relationships between USDA, awardee organizations, and socially
disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers.
2. Organizations may only submit one proposal for funding.
B. Scope of Work
The 2501 Program provides funding to eligible organizations for
training and technical assistance projects designed to assist socially
disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers in owning and operating
viable agricultural enterprises. Proposals must be consistent with
requirements stated in 7 U.S.C. 2279(a)(2). Under this statute,
``outreach and technical assistance shall be used exclusively:
(A) To enhance coordination of the outreach, technical assistance,
and education efforts authorized under agriculture programs; and
(B) To assist the Secretary in:
(i) Reaching current and prospective socially disadvantaged farmers
or ranchers and veteran farmers or ranchers in a linguistically
appropriate manner; and
(ii) improving the participation of those farmers and ranchers in
Department programs, as reported under section 2279-1 of this title''.
Proposal applications from eligible entities must address two or
more of the following priority areas:
1. Assist socially disadvantaged or veteran farmers and ranchers in
owning and operating successful farms and ranches;
2. Improve participation among socially disadvantaged or veteran
farmers and ranchers in USDA programs;
3. Build relationships between current and prospective farmers and
ranchers who are either socially disadvantaged or veterans and USDA's
local, state, regional, and National offices;
4. Introduce agriculture-related information to socially
disadvantaged or veteran farmers and ranchers through innovative
training and technical assistance techniques; and
5. Introduce agricultural education targeting socially
disadvantaged youth and/or socially disadvantaged beginning farmers and
workers, including but not limited to StrikeForce and Promise Zone
areas.
To encourage information sharing and to build capacity among
awardees, the OAO may require Project Directors to attend an annual
training conference that can be expensed with awarded grant funds not
to exceed $1,000 for up to two authorized grantee personnel. The
conference will allow awardees to share ideas and lessons learned,
provide training on performance and financial reporting requirements,
and provide information on USDA programs and services. In addition,
Project Directors will have an opportunity to make contacts and gather
information on best practices.
C. Anticipated Outputs (Activities), Outcomes (Results), and
Performance Measures
1. Outputs (Activities). The term ``output'' means an outreach,
educational component or assistance activity, task, or associated work
product related to improving the ability of socially disadvantaged and
veteran farmers and ranchers to own and operate farms and ranches,
assistance with agriculture related activities, or guidance for
participation in USDA programs. Outputs may be quantitative or
qualitative but must be measurable during the period of performance.
Examples of outputs from the projects to be funded under this
announcement may describe an organization's activities and their
participants such as: Number of workshops or meetings held and number
of participants attending; frequency of services or training delivered,
and to whom; and/or development of products, curriculum, or resources
provided. Other examples include but are not limited to, the following:
a. Number of socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers or ranchers
served;
b. number of conferences or training sessions held and number of
socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers who attended;
c. type and topic of educational materials distributed at outreach
events;
d. creation of a program to enhance the operational viability of
socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers;
e. number of completed applications submitted for consideration for
USDA programs; or
f. activity that supports increased participation of socially
disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and veteran farmers and ranchers in
USDA programs.
Creation of progress and final reports will be required, as
specified in Section VI, Subsection D, ``Reporting Requirement.''
2. Outcomes (Results). The term ``outcome'' means the difference or
effect that has occurred as a result from carrying out an activity,
workshop, meeting, or from delivery of services related to a
programmatic goal or objective. Outcomes refer to the final impact,
change, or result that occurs as a direct result of the activities
performed in accomplishing the objectives and goals of your project.
Outcomes may refer to results that are agricultural, behavioral,
social, or economic in nature. Outcomes may reflect an increase in
knowledge or skills, a greater awareness of available resources or
programs, or actions taken by stakeholders as a result of learning.
Project Directors will be required to document anticipated outcomes
that are funded under this announcement which should include but are
not limited to:
a. Increase in participation in USDA programs among socially
disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers;
b. increase in receptiveness of socially disadvantaged and veteran
farmers and ranchers to outreach efforts through effective
communication;
c. increase in economic stability of socially disadvantaged and
veteran farmers and ranchers within a defined geographic area;
d. increase in community marketing and sales opportunities for the
products of socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers; or
e. increase use of resource conservation and sustainability
practices among socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and
ranchers.
3. Performance Measures. Performance measures are tied to the goals
or objectives of each activity and ultimately the overall purpose of
the project. They provide insight into the effectiveness of proposed
activities by indicating areas where a project may need adjustments to
ensure success. Applicants must develop performance measure
expectations which will occur as a result of their proposed activities.
These expectations will be used as a mechanism to track the progress
and success of a project. Project performance measures should include
statements such as: Whether workshops or technical assistance will meet
the needs of farmers or ranchers in the service area and why; how much
time will be spent in group training or individual hands-on training of
farmers and ranchers in the service area; or whether activities will
[[Page 41510]]
meet the demands of stakeholders. Project performance measures must
include the assumptions used to make those estimates.
Consider the following questions when developing performance
measurement statements:
What is the measurable short-term and long-term impact the
project will have on servicing or meeting the needs of stakeholders?
How will the organization measure the effectiveness and
efficiency of their proposed activities to meet their overall goals and
objectives?
II. Award Information
A. Statutory Authority
The statutory authority for this action is 7 U.S.C. 2279, as
amended, which authorizes award funding for projects designed to
provide outreach and assistance to socially disadvantaged and veteran
farmers and ranchers.
B. Expected Amount of Funding
The total estimated funding expected to be available for awards
under this competitive opportunity is $8.4 million. Funding will be
awarded based on peer competition within the three categories listed
below. OAO reserves the discretion to allocate funding between the
categories based upon the number and quality of applications received.
There is no commitment by OAO to fund any particular application or to
make a specific number of awards within each category.
1. Category #1: Eligible entities described in Sections III.A.2,
III.A.3, and III.A.4 (1890 Land Grant colleges and universities, 1994
Alaska Native and American Indian Tribal colleges and universities, and
Hispanic-Serving colleges and universities). OAO anticipates making
awards totaling at least $2 million for Category #1 applicants.
2. Category #2: Eligible entities described in Sections III.A.1 and
III.A.6 (i.e., nonprofit organizations, community-based organizations,
including a network or a coalition of community-based organizations,
Indian tribes (as defined in 25 U.S.C. 450b), and National tribal
organizations). OAO anticipates making awards totaling at least $2
million for Category #2 applicants.
3. Category #3: Eligible entities described in Sections III.A.5 and
III.A.7 (i.e., all other institutions of higher education and other
organizations or institutions, including those that received funding
under this program before January 1, 1996). OAO anticipates making
awards totaling at least $1 million for Category #3 applicants.
C. Project Period
The performance period for projects selected from this solicitation
will not begin prior to the effective award date and may not exceed one
(1) year. Projects that are part of multi-year initiatives will only be
funded for one year and will be eligible to compete for additional
funding in subsequent years.
D. Award Type
Funding for selected projects will be in the form of a grant which
must be fully executed no later than September 30, 2016. The
anticipated Federal involvement will be limited to the following
activities:
1. Approval of awardees' final budget and statement of work
accompanying the grant agreement;
2. Monitoring of awardees' performance through quarterly and final
financial and performance reports; and
3. Evaluation of awardees' use of federal funds through desk audits
and on-site visits.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Entities
1. Any community-based organization, network, or coalition of
community-based organizations that:
Demonstrates experience in providing agricultural
education or other agricultural-related services to socially
disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers;
provides documentary evidence of work with, and on behalf
of, socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers during the
3-year period preceding the submission of a proposal for assistance
under this program; and
does not or has not engaged in activities prohibited under
Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.
2. An 1890 or 1994 institution of higher education (as defined in 7
U.S.C. 7601).
3. An American Indian tribal community college or an Alaska Native
cooperative college.
4. A Hispanic-Serving Institution of higher education (as defined
in 7 U.S.C. 3103).
5. Any other institution of higher education (as defined in 20
U.S.C. 1001) that has demonstrated experience in providing agricultural
education or other agricultural-related services to socially
disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
6. An Indian tribe (as defined in 25 U.S.C. 450b) or a National
tribal organization that has demonstrated experience in providing
agricultural education or other agriculturally-related services to
socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
7. All other organizations or institutions that received funding
under this program before January 1, 1996, but only with respect to
projects that the Secretary considers are similar to projects
previously carried out by the entity under this program.
B. Cost-Sharing or Matching
Matching is not required for this program.
C. Threshold Eligibility Criteria
Applications from eligible entities that meet all criteria will be
evaluated as follows:
1. Proposals must comply with the submission instructions and
requirements set forth in Section IV of this announcement. Pages in
excess of the page limitation will not be considered.
2. Proposals must be received through www.grants.gov as specified
in Section IV of this announcement on or before the proposal submission
deadline. Applicants will receive an electronic confirmation receipt of
their proposal from www.grants.gov.
3. Proposals received after the submission deadline will not be
considered. Please note that in order to submit proposals organizations
must create accounts in www.grants.gov and in the System for Awards
Management (SAM.gov); both of which could take up to 3 days or longer.
Therefore, it is strongly suggested that organizations begin this
process immediately. Registering early could prevent unforeseen delays
in submitting your proposal.
4. Proposals must address a minimum of two or more of the priority
areas that provide outreach and assistance to socially disadvantaged or
veteran farmers and ranchers as stated in section I, subsection B,
Scope of Work.
IV. Proposal and Submission Information
A. System for Award Management (SAM)
It is a requirement to register for SAM (www.sam.gov). There is NO
fee to register for this site.
Per 2 CFR part 200, applicants are required to: (i) Be registered
in SAM before submitting an application; (ii) provide a valid unique
entity identifier in the application; and (iii) continue to maintain an
active SAM registration with current information at all times
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during which the organization has an active Federal award or an
application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency.
The OAO may not make a Federal award to an applicant until the
applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and
SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the
requirements by the time the OAO is ready to make a Federal award, OAO
may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal
award and use that determination as a basis for making a Federal award
to another applicant.
SAM contains the publicly available data for all active exclusion
records entered by the Federal government identifying those parties
excluded from receiving Federal contracts, certain subcontracts, and
certain types of Federal financial and non-financial assistance and
benefits. All applicant organizations and their key personnel will be
vetted through SAM.gov to ensure they are in compliance with this
requirement and not on the Excluded Parties List.
B. Obtain Proposal Package From www.grants.gov
Applicants may download individual grant proposal forms from
www.grants.gov. For assistance with www.grants.gov, please consult the
Applicant User Guide at (http://grants.gov/assets/ApplicantUserGuide.pdf).
Applicants are required to submit proposals through www.grants.gov.
Applicants will be required to register through www.grants.gov in order
to begin the proposal submission process. We strongly suggest you
initiate this process immediately to avoid processing delays due to
registration requirements.
Federal agencies post funding opportunities on www.grants.gov. The
OAO is not responsible for submission issues associated with
www.grants.gov. If you experience submission issues, please contact
www.grants.gov support staff for assistance.
Proposals must be submitted by July 29, 2016, via www.grants.gov at
11:59 p.m. EST. Proposals received after this deadline will not be
considered.
C. Content of Proposal Package Submission
All submissions must contain completed and electronically signed
original application forms, as well as a Narrative Proposal, as
described below:
1. Forms. The forms listed below can be found in the proposal
package at www.grants.gov.
Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal
Assistance;
Standard Form (SF) 424A, Budget Information-Non-
Construction Programs; and
Standard Form (SF) 424B, Non-Construction Programs.
Key Contacts Form
Form AD-1047 Certification Regarding Debarment and
Suspension
Certification Regarding Lobbying
Form AD-1049 Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace
2. Attachments. The elements listed below are required for all
grant proposals and are included in the proposal package at
www.grants.gov as fillable PDF templates. Applicants must download and
complete these attachments and save the completed PDF files to the
application submission portal at www.grants.gov. Attachment 1 will
consist of the Project Summary Page and the Project Narrative.
Attachment 2 will consist of the Budget Narrative. Attachment 3 will
consist of Appendices. NOTE: Please number each page of each attachment
and indicate the total number of pages per attachment (i.e., 1 of 10, 2
of 10, etc.).
Attachment 1: Project Summary Page and Project Narrative.
The proposal must contain a Project Summary Page, which should not be
numbered and must follow immediately after the SF Form 424, Application
for Federal Assistance form. The Project Summary Page is limited to 250
words. It should be a synopsis or summary of the project's goals and
objectives. It should be written as a CONCISE notice or advertisement
about your organization, including its name; two or three sentences
describing your project; the project's geographic service area; and the
Project Director's name, email address, and telephone number. No points
will be given or subtracted for the Project Summary Page. This will
allow OAO to quickly glean pertinent information on the project.
Organizations can expect that the Project Summary Page may be used in
its entirety or in part for media purposes to include press releases,
in informational emails to potential stakeholders or partners, to
provide upper echelons of government with a snapshot of an
organization, and for demographic purposes. Please do not restate the
objectives of the 2501 Program (i.e. ``to provide outreach and
assistance for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and veterans
farmers and ranchers''); it should reflect the goal of your specific
project.
Attachment 1: Project Narrative. In 15 double-spaced pages
or less, using one-inch margins and 12-point font, indicate the
organization that will conduct the project, the geographical area
served by the project, and the priority areas that will be addressed by
the project. Please be concise and note, members of the reviewing panel
will not be required to review proposals of organizations which have
deviated from these formatting specifications or have used alternative
font sizes and margins.
[cir] Discuss the merits of your proposed project. Specifically,
proposals must: (1) Define and establish the existence of the needs of
socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, veteran farmers and
ranchers, or both in the defined geographic area; (2) identify the
experience of the organization(s) taking part in the project; (3)
identify the geographic area of service; and (4) discuss the potential
impact of the project.
[cir] Identify the qualifications, relevant experience, education,
and publications of each Project Director or collaborator. Also,
specifically address the work to be completed by key personnel and the
roles and responsibilities within the scope of the proposed project.
This includes past completed projects and financial management
experiences.
[cir] In an organized format, create a timeline for each task to be
accomplished during the period of performance timeframe. Relate each
task to one of the four priority areas in Section I, Subsection B. The
timeline is part of the 15 page limit but can be as simple as a one-
page description of tasks.
Attachment 2: Budget Narrative. The Budget Narrative
should identify and describe the costs associated with the proposed
project, including sub-awards or contracts and indirect costs. An
eligible entity that has never received a negotiated indirect cost rate
may elect to charge a de minimis rate of 10 percent of modified total
direct costs in accordance with 2 CFR 200.414(f). Organizations with
previously approved indirect cost rates must submit their negotiated
indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA) with this application in
Attachment 3. Other funding sources may also be identified in this
attachment. Each cost indicated must be reasonable, allocable,
necessary and allowable under the Federal Cost Principles (2 CFR part
200, subpart E-Cost Principles) in order to be funded. The Budget
Narrative should not exceed two pages and is not part of the Project
Narrative.
Attachment 3: Appendices. Organizations may submit Letters
of Commitment, Letters of Support, or other supporting documentation
which is encouraged but not required.
[[Page 41512]]
Applicants can consolidate all supplemental materials into one
additional attachment. Do not include sections from other attachments
as an Appendix.
Checklist of documents to submit through www.grants.gov:
1. SF-424 Application for Federal Assistance
Note: Ensure this is completed with accuracy; particularly email
addresses and phone numbers. OAO may not be able to reach you if your
information is incorrect.
2. Project Summary Page (no more than 250 words).
3. Project Narrative including a timeline (no more than 15 pages,
12 point font, and 1 inch margins only).
Note: To ensure fairness and uniformity for all applicants,
Project Narratives not conforming to this stipulation may not be
considered.
4. SF-424A Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs.
5. Budget Narrative (not to exceed 2 pages).
6. Key Contacts Form
Note: Please ensure these are completed with accuracy; individuals
not on applicants' Key Contact Form will not receive information about
or access to data that concerns the applicant organization.
7. Form AD-1047 Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension and
Other Responsibility Matters.
8. Certification Regarding Lobbying.
9. Form AD-1049 Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace
Requirements (Grants).
10. Letters of Support, Letters of Recommendation, proof of
501(c)(3) status, r[eacute]sum[eacute]s of key personnel, negotiated
indirect cost rate agreements, etc.
Best practice notes:
* Only submit Adobe pdf file format documents to www.grants.gov.
* Name your documents with short titles to prevent issues with
uploading/downloading documents from www.grants.gov. Documents with
long names may not always upload/download properly.
* WHERE TO UPLOAD ATTACHMENTS ON YOUR APPLICATION: There are three
blocks on the application where you may upload attachments: after block
14, after block 15, and after block 16. All attachments may be uploaded
after each of these blocks on the tab that states: ``Add Attachments.''
D. Sub-Awards and Partnerships
Funding may be used to provide sub-awards, which includes using
sub-awards to fund partnerships; however, the awardee must utilize at
least 50 percent of the total funds awarded, and no more than three
subcontracts will be permitted. All sub-awardees must comply with
applicable requirements for sub-awards. Applicants must provide
documentation of a competitive bidding process for services, contracts,
and products, including consultant contracts, and conduct cost and
price analyses to the extent required by applicable procurement
regulations.
The OAO awards funds to one eligible applicant as the awardee.
Please indicate a lead applicant as the responsible party if other
organizations are named as partners or co-applicants or members of a
coalition or consortium. The awardee is accountable to the OAO for the
proper expenditure of all funds.
E. Submission Dates and Times
The closing date and time for receipt of proposal submissions is
July 29, 2016, at 11:59 p.m., EST via www.grants.gov. Proposals
received after the submission deadline will be considered late without
further consideration. Proposals must be submitted through
www.grants.gov without exception. Additionally, organizations must also
be registered in the SAM (www.sam.gov). Creating an account for both
Web sites can take several days to receive account verification and/or
PIN numbers. Please allow sufficient time to complete access
requirements for these Web sites. Proposal submission deadline is firm.
F. Confidential Information
In accordance with 2 CFR part 200, the names of entities submitting
proposals, as well as proposal contents and evaluations, will be kept
confidential to the extent permissible by law. If an applicant chooses
to include confidential or proprietary information in the proposal, it
will be treated in accordance with Exemption 4 of the Freedom of
Information Act (FOIA). Exemption 4 of the FOIA protects trade secrets,
and commercial and financial information obtained from a person that is
privileged or confidential.
G. Pre-Submission Proposal Assistance
1. The OAO may not assist individual applicants by reviewing draft
proposals or providing advice on how to respond to evaluation criteria.
However, the OAO will respond to questions from individual applicants
regarding eligibility criteria, administrative issues related to the
submission of the proposal, and requests for clarification regarding
the announcement. Any questions should be submitted to
[email protected].
2. The OAO will post questions and answers relating to this funding
opportunity during its open period on the Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQs) section of our Web site: http://www.outreach.usda.gov/grants/.
The OAO will update the FAQs on a weekly basis and conduct webinars on
an as-needed basis.
V. Application Review Information
A. Evaluation Criteria
Only eligible entities whose proposals meet the threshold criteria
in Section III of this announcement will be reviewed according to the
evaluation criteria set forth below. Applicants should explicitly and
fully address these criteria as part of their proposal package. Each
proposal will be reviewed under the regulations established under 2 CFR
part 200.
A review panel that is independent of OAO will use a point system
to rate each proposal, awarding a maximum of 100 points (95 points,
plus an additional 5 discretionary points for programmatic priorities).
Each proposal will be reviewed by at least two members of the
Independent Review Panel who will review and score all applications
submitted. The Independent Review Panel will numerically score and rank
each application within the three categories and funding decisions will
be based on their recommendations to the designated approving official.
Final funding decisions will be made by the designated approving
official.
B. Evaluation Criteria for New Grants Proposals
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Criteria Points
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Project Narrative: Under this criterion, your 45
proposal will be evaluated to the extent to which the
narrative includes a well-conceived strategy for
addressing the requirements and objectives stated in:
Section I, Part B, Scope of Work, (see page 4, Project
Narrative, for further clarification) identifying a
minimum of two or more of the priority areas...........
In addition, the OAO may award up to five discretionary 5
points (one point each) for the following Secretary
priorities and initiatives:............................
Projects assisting beginning farmers and
ranchers (as defined in 7 U.S.C. 3319f);
[[Page 41513]]
Projects to assist StrikeForce states/
communities as identified through the StrikeForce
Initiative;
Projects that propose to assist with USDA's
commitment to Tribal organizations with successful
demonstration on implementation methods
encompassing Tribal participation and buy-in;
Projects located in rural Promise Zones;
Projects with an emphasis on partnering
with other USDA agencies, other Federal, state, and
local entities, to maximize areas of coverage for
outreach (i.e., research, small and beginning
farmers, and feeding programs, etc.);
2. Programmatic Capability: Under this criterion, 10
applicants will be evaluated based on their ability to
successfully complete and manage the proposed project
taking into account the applicant's: Organizational
experience, its staff's expertise and/or
qualifications, and the organization's resources. The
organization must also clearly document its historical
successes and future plans to continue assisting
socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers
3. Financial Management Experience: Under this 5
criterion, applicants will be evaluated based on their
demonstrated ability to successfully complete and
manage the proposed project taking into account the
applicants' past performance in successfully completing
and managing prior funding agreements identified,
Section I, Part C, Performance Measures (see page 6).
Past performance documentation on successfully
completed projects may be at the Federal, state, or
local community level. Per 2 CFR 200.205, if an
applicant is a prior recipient of Federal awards, their
record in managing that award will be reviewed,
including timeliness of compliance with applicable
reporting requirements and conformance to the terms and
conditions of previous Federal awards..................
4. Budget: Under this criterion, proposed project budget 15
will be evaluated to determine whether costs are
reasonable, allowable, allocable and necessary to
accomplish the proposed goals and objectives; and
whether the proposed budget provides a detailed
breakdown of the approximate funding used for each
major activity. Additionally, indirect costs must be
appropriately applied (see page 11). For a list of
unallowable costs, please see 2 CFR part 200, subpart E
5. Tracking and Measuring: Under this criterion, the 20
applicant's proposal will be evaluated based upon
clearly documenting a detailed plan for tracking and
measuring their progress toward achieving the expected
project outputs and outcomes as stated in Section I,
part C, Performance Measures (see pages 4 and 5).
Applicants should indicate how they intend to clearly
document the effectiveness of their project in
achieving proposed thresholds or benchmarks in relation
to stated goals and objectives. For example, state how
your organization plans to connect socially
disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers with
USDA agricultural programs. Applicants must clearly
demonstrate how they will ensure timely and successful
completion of the project with a reasonable time
schedule for execution of the tasks associated with the
projects...............................................
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C. Selection of Reviewers
All applications will be reviewed by members of an Independent
Review Panel. Panel members are selected based upon training and
experience in relevant fields including outreach, technical assistance,
cooperative extension services, civil rights, education, statistical
and ethnographic data collection and analysis, and agricultural
programs and are drawn from a diverse group of experts to create a
balanced panel.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
Proposal Notifications and Feedback
1. The successful applicant will be notified by the OAO via
telephone, email, or postal mail. The notification will advise the
applicant that its proposed project has been evaluated and recommended
for award. The notification will be sent to the Project Manager listed
on the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance. Project Managers
should be the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) and
authorized to sign on behalf of the organization. It is imperative that
this individual is responsive to notifications by the OAO. If the
individual is no longer in the position, please notify the OAO
immediately to submit the new contact for the application. The award
notice will be forwarded to the grantee for execution and must be
returned to the OAO grants officer, who is the authorizing official.
Once grant documents are executed by all parties, authorization to
begin work will be given. At a minimum, this process can take up to 30
days from the date of notification.
2. The OAO will also send notification to unsuccessful applicants
via email or postal mail. The notification will be sent to the Project
Manager listed on the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance.
Project Managers should be the Authorized Organizational Representative
(AOR).
3. Within ten days of award status notification, unsuccessful
applicants may request feedback on their application. Feedback will be
provided as expeditiously as possible. Feedback sessions will be
scheduled contingent upon the number of requests. 7 CFR 2500.026.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
All awards resulting from this solicitation will be administered in
accordance with the Office and Management and Budget (OMB) Uniform
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements
for Federal Awards codified at 2 CFR part 200, as supplemented by USDA
implementing regulations at 2 CFR parts 400 and 415, and OAO Federal
Financial Assistance Programs--General Award Administrative Procedures,
7 CFR part 2500.
In compliance with its obligations under Title VI of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964 and Executive Order 13166, it is the policy of the
OAO to provide timely and meaningful access for persons with Limited
English Proficiency (LEP) to projects, programs, and activities
administered by Federal grant recipients. Recipient organizations must
comply with these obligations upon acceptance of grant agreements as
written in OAO's Terms and Conditions. Following these guidelines is
essential to the success of our mission to improve access to USDA
programs for socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers.
C. Data Universal Numbering System, System for Award Management, and
Central Contractor Registry Registration
In accordance with the Federal Funding Accountability and
Transparency Act (FFATA) and the USDA implementation, all applicants
must obtain and provide an identifying number from Dun and Bradstreet's
(D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS). Applicants can receive a
DUNS number, at no cost, by calling the toll-free DUNS Number request
line at 1-866-705-5711, or visiting the D&B Web site at www.dnb.com.
In addition, FFATA requires applicants to register with the Central
Contractor Registry (CCR) and the
[[Page 41514]]
System for Award Management (SAM). This registration must be maintained
and updated annually. Applicants can register or update their profile,
at no cost, by visiting the SAM Web site at www.sam.gov which will
satisfy both the CCR and SAM registration requirements. This is a
requirement to register for www.grants.gov.
D. Reporting Requirement
In accordance with 2 CFR part 200, the following reporting
requirements will apply to awards provided under this FOA. The OAO
reserves the right to revise the schedule and format of reporting
requirements as necessary in the award agreement.
1. Quarterly Progress Reports and Financial Reports will be
required.
Quarterly Progress Reports. The awardee must submit the
OMB-approved Performance Progress Report form (SF-PPR, Approval Number:
0970-0334). For each report, the awardee must complete fields 1 through
12 of the SF-PPR. To complete field 10, the awardee is required to
provide a detailed narrative of project performance and activities as
an attachment, as described in the award agreement. Quarterly progress
reports must be submitted to the designated OAO official within 30 days
after the end of each calendar quarter.
Quarterly Financial Reports. The awardee must submit the
Standard Form 425, Federal Financial Report. For each report, the
awardee must complete both the Federal Cash Transaction Report and the
Financial Status Report sections of the SF-425. Quarterly financial
reports must be submitted to the designated OAO official within 30 days
after the end of each calendar quarter.
2. Final progress and financial reports will be required upon
project completion. The final progress report should include a summary
of the project or activity throughout the funding period, achievements
of the project or activity, and a discussion of problems experienced in
conducting the project or activity. The final financial report should
consist of a complete SF-425 indicating the total costs of the project.
Final progress and financial reports must be submitted to the
designated OAO official within 90 days after the completion of the
award period.
Signed this 20th day of June 2016.
Christian Obineme,
Associate Director, Office of Advocacy and Outreach.
[FR Doc. 2016-15124 Filed 6-24-16; 8:45 am]
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