[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 155 (Tuesday, August 12, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47083-47087]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-18981]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Office of Advocacy and Outreach
[FOA No.: OAO-00007]
Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Policy Research
Center
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) No.: 10.464.
AGENCY: Office of Advocacy and Outreach (OAO), United States Department
of Agriculture (USDA).
ACTION: Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits
applications from eligible institutions to compete for financial
assistance in the form of a grant to establish a Socially Disadvantaged
Farmers and Ranchers Policy Research Center (The Center) at an 1890
Institution (as defined in 7 U.S.C. 7601).
Authority: The Agricultural Act of 2014, Title XII, Subtitle B,
provides funding for a ``Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers
Policy Research Center.'' Section 12203 directs the Secretary to
award a grant to a college or university eligible to receive
[[Page 47084]]
funds under the Act of August 30, 1890 [Second Morrill Act] (7
U.S.C. 321 et seq.), including Tuskegee University, to establish a
policy research center to be known as the ``Socially Disadvantaged
Farmers and Ranchers Policy Research Center'' for the purpose of
developing policy recommendations for the protection and promotion
of the interests of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
The Center will collect and analyze data, develop policy
recommendations, and evaluate policy concerning socially disadvantaged
farmer and rancher issues.
We will award $400,000 in fiscal year (FY) 2014, ending September
30. Additional funds may be awarded in subsequent years.
DATES: Proposals must be received by September 11, 2014, at 5:00 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, 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) 720-7136, 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).
Funding/Awards: The total funding available for this competitive
opportunity is $400,000. The OAO will award one new grant from this
announcement.
Contents of This Announcement
I. Funding Opportunity Description
II. Award Information
III. Eligibility Information
IV. Proposal and Submission Information
V. Competitive Review and Evaluation Criteria
VI. Award Administration Information
I. Funding Opportunity Description
USDA's Office of Advocacy and Outreach (OAO) invites proposals for
a competitive grant award to establish a new USDA Socially
Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Policy Research Center (The Center).
The Center will specialize in policy research impacting socially
disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. Land loss, land retention, and
access to local, state, and federal programs will be major areas of
research and policy development. The Center's director and staff will
have experience and/or education required to understand the socially
disadvantaged farmers and ranchers communities. The Center will propose
how they will work with other institutions, as appropriate, inside and
outside the land grant community.
Proposed recommendations resulting from the following list of
activities, including but not limited to, shall be submitted to the
Director of OAO:
Analyze current agriculture policy and its implications on
socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
Collect data on where USDA meetings are being held, and
how socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers participate.
Make recommendations on improving participation rates of
socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
Provide recommendations on how to improve diversity of
county office staff and committees.
Provide recommendations on actions to improve USDA program
agencies' outreach and technical assistance to socially disadvantaged
farmers and ranchers.
Collect data on the history of the education of socially
disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and evaluate the result of past
educational efforts in the South and the abilities to meet the
educational needs of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers today.
Collect data on how socially disadvantaged farmers and
ranchers receive agricultural information.
Determine how many socially disadvantaged farmers and
ranchers have received training on the use of information technology
(IT) equipment and provide recommendations on ways to increase the
utilization of IT for their farming organizations.
Provide recommendations on improving the application
approval process for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers
applying for USDA assistance. Determine how past discrimination impacts
access to present programs and provide recommendations to improve
participation among socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
Collect data on the reasons for the decline of socially
disadvantaged farms, ranches, and land ownership. Provide
recommendations on how to track and maintain current data on the number
and location of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
Analyze data collected from all sources, and develop
policy recommendations that will enable socially disadvantaged farmers
and ranchers to stay in farming and preserve their lands.
II. Award Information
A. Statutory Authority
The statutory authority for this action is section 2501(i) of the
Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C.
2279(i)), as added by section 12203 of the Agricultural Act of 2014,
Public Law 113-79, which directs the Secretary of Agriculture to
``award a grant to a college or university eligible to receive funds
under the Act of August 30, 1890 (7 U.S.C. 321 et seq.), including
Tuskegee University, to establish a policy research center to be known
as the `Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Policy Research
Center' for the purpose of developing policy recommendations for the
protection and promotion of the interests of socially disadvantaged
farmers and ranchers.''
B. Expected Amount of Funding
OAO expects to make one award in FY 2014 of $400,000 to fund the
Center. Institutions shall submit only one proposal.
C. Project Period
The project period for awards resulting from this solicitation will
not begin prior to the effective award date and will be for one year.
D. Award Type
Funding for the selected proposal will be in the form of a grant
which must be fully executed no later than September 30, 2014. The
anticipated Federal involvement will be limited to the following
activities:
Approval of awardees' final budget and statement of work
accompanying the grant agreement;
Monitoring of awardees' performance through quarterly and
final reports;
Evaluation of and feedback on awardees' use of federal
funds through periodic performance and financial
[[Page 47085]]
reports and on-site visits to ensure that objectives and award
conditions are being met; and
Facilitation of communication between the Center and USDA
program agencies such as the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources
Conservation Service, Risk Management Agency, Rural Development, Forest
Service, and Agricultural Research Service.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Any 1890 Institution (as defined in 7 U.S.C. 7601) may apply.
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.
IV. Proposal and Submission Information
A. Obtain Proposal Package
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).
B. Form of Proposal Submission
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.
Proposals must be submitted by September 11, 2014, via
www.grants.gov by 5:00 p.m. EST. Proposals received after this deadline
will not be considered.
C. Content of Proposal Package Submission
These guidelines are provided to assist you in preparing a
proposal. Please read them carefully before preparing your submission.
All submissions must contain completed and electronically signed
original application forms, as well as the attachments described below:
Forms. The listed forms can be found in the proposal
package at www.grants.gov.
[cir] Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance;
[cir] Standard Form 424A, Budget Information--Non-Construction
Programs;
[cir] Standard Form 424B, Non-Construction Programs
Attachments. These elements 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. 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.).
[cir] Attachment 1: Program Summary Page. The proposal must contain
a Program Summary Page, which must follow immediately after the budget
form, and should not be numbered. The program summary is limited to 250
words. The program summary should be a self-contained, specific
description of the activities to be undertaken. The summary should
focus on the overall program goals and supporting objectives and plans
to accomplish the goals. The importance of a concise, informative
program summary cannot be overemphasized.
[cir] Attachment 2: Statement of Work. The statement of work format
should be 25 double-spaced pages or less, one-inch margins, and 12-
point font. The overall application may not exceed 45 pages, including
attachments. The proposal should be assembled so that the statement of
work immediately follows the Program Summary. To clarify page
limitation requirements, page numbering for the statement of work
should start with 1 and should be placed on the bottom of the page. All
proposals are to be formatted for standard 8\1/2\'' x 11'' paper. The
statement of work must address the following components:
(1) Active Research
A plan discussing the kind of socially disadvantaged farmer and
rancher activities needed to inform important issues in the development
of agriculture policy impacts to socially disadvantaged farmers and
ranchers. The plan should demonstrate the applicant's deep knowledge of
policy issues, past research projects and their impacts, and how
current and future studies can further the knowledge base. The plan
should describe how the Center will implement and develop capacity to
conduct research on issues relevant to agricultural policy. The plan
should outline a strategy for collaborating with OAO and USDA program
agencies for the purpose of identifying topics and making
recommendations on agricultural policy relating to socially
disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.
(2) Staffing and Organizational Plan
The application must include a staffing and organizational proposal
for the Center, including an analysis of the types of background needed
among staff members. The application should discuss the Center's
capacity to collaborate and issue sub-awards to researchers outside of
the Center. Full resumes (2 page maximum) of proposed staff members
should be included as a separate appendix to the application.
[cir] Attachment 3: Budget Narrative. The budget narrative should
identify and describe the costs associated with the proposed Center,
including sub-awards or contracts and indirect costs. Other funding
sources may also be identified in this attachment. Each cost indicated
must be fully allowable under the Federal Cost Principles in order to
be funded. The budget narrative should not exceed 2 pages.
Funds may be requested under any of the budget categories listed
below, provided that the item or service requested is identified as
necessary for successful conduct of the proposed program, allowable
under applicable Federal cost principles, and not prohibited under any
applicable Federal statute or regulation.
Budget items include:
Personnel
Fringe benefits
Travel
Equipment
Supplies
Contractual items
Other direct costs
Indirect charges
Salaries of faculty members and other personnel who will be working
on the program may be requested in proportion to the effort they will
devote to the program.
Indirect costs are limited by Federal statute to the federally
recognized audited rate for the institution. For reimbursement of
indirect costs, the applicant must include with the application a copy
of its indirect cost rate schedule that reports the
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applicant's federally negotiated audited rate.
Electronic copies of the standard budget form and general
instructions are available at www.grants.gov as part of the application
package.
[cir] Attachment 4: Appendices. Letters of Commitment, Letters of
Support, and approvals or other actions are encouraged but not required
documentation for this funding opportunity. However, applicants can
consolidate all supplemental materials into one additional attachment.
Do not include sections from other attachments as an Appendix.
D. Sub-Awards and Partnerships
The OAO awards funds to one eligible applicant as the awardee.
Please indicate a lead applicant as the responsible party if other
eligible applicants 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.
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 compete for
services, contracts, and products, including consultant contracts, and
conduct cost and price analyses to the extent required by applicable
procurement regulations.
E. Submission Dates and Times
The closing date and time for receipt of proposal submissions is
September 11, 2014, by 5:00 p.m., EST via www.grants.gov. Proposals
received after the submission deadline will be considered late without
further consideration.
F. Confidential Information
In accordance with 7 CFR 2500.017, the names of entities submitting
proposals, as well as proposal content 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
The OAO cannot 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.
The OAO will post questions and answers (Q&A's) relating
to this funding opportunity during its open period at www.grants.gov on
the following Web page: http://www.outreach.usda.gov/grants/. The OAO
will update the Q&A's on a weekly basis and conduct webinars on an as-
needed basis. Questions should be submitted to:
[email protected].
V. Competitive Review and Evaluation Criteria
A. Competitive Review
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 7 CFR
Chapter XXV Part 2500 Subpart C.
Applications for the Center that meet the initial screening
requirements will be evaluated and rated by a technical review panel.
The panel will use the evaluation criteria listed below to score each
application. The evaluation criteria are designed to assess the quality
of the proposed program and to determine the probability of its
success. The evaluation criteria are closely related and are considered
as a whole in judging the overall quality of an application. Points are
awarded only to applications that are responsive to the evaluation
criteria within the context of this program announcement. These review
results will be the primary element used by the OAO in making funding
decisions. Reviewers will determine the strengths and weaknesses of
each application in terms of the evaluation criteria listed below and
assign numerical scores out of a possible
100 points. A summary of all applicant scores and strengths/
weaknesses and recommendations will be prepared. A preliminary funding
recommendation will be provided to the designated approving official
who will make the final funding decision.
B. Evaluation Criteria
The point value following each criterion heading indicates the
maximum numerical relative weight that each section will be given in
the review process. Applicants should take care to ensure that all
criteria are fully addressed in the applications.
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Criteria Points
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(1) Active Research........................................ 50
The applicant demonstrates a proven record of research,
outreach, and community involvement within socially
disadvantaged communities. The applicant will discuss
the activities proposed to address important issues in
the development of agricultural policy impacting
socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. The
applicant demonstrates knowledge of policy issues and
past research projects on socially disadvantaged
farmers and ranchers. The applicant describes in
detail how the Center will implement its statement of
work to develop capacity to conduct research and
provide recommendations on agricultural policy
relevant to socially disadvantaged farmers and
ranchers. The applicant outlines a strategy for
collaborating with OAO and USDA program agencies on
agricultural policy relating to socially disadvantaged
farmers and ranchers.
(2) Staffing and Organizational Arrangements............... 25
The applicant's proposed Center Director and staff
demonstrate appropriate levels of experience,
administrative skills, public administration
experience, and relevant technical expertise. The
applicant demonstrates an adequate level of Center
Director and staff time commitments to the Center. The
applicant demonstrates an ability to work in
collaboration with other practitioners as well as
existing or planned relationships with researchers at
other institutions. The applicant demonstrates the
nature and extent of the organization's support for
research. The applicant demonstrates the commitment of
the university (and proposed institutional unit that
will contain the Center) to support the Center's major
activities.
(3) Budget and Resource Allocation......................... 25
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The applicant provides a budget that yields an
efficient and effective allocation of funds to achieve
the objectives of this announcement, as well as core
administrative functions necessary to carry out the
Center's mission. The application includes a narrative
description and justification for proposed budget line
items and demonstrates that the project's costs are
adequate, reasonable, and necessary for the activities
or personnel to be supported. The budget and narrative
demonstrate a clear relationship to the approach. The
applicant demonstrates the manner in which funds will
be allocated to best serve the Center's goal,
including but not limited to, the level of indirect
costs: (1) Charged by the Center and (2) allowed to
the institutions of researchers receiving sub-awards.
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C. Selection of Reviewers
Reviewers will be selected based upon training and experience in
relevant fields including, outreach, technical assistance, cooperative
extension services, education, statistical, and ethnographic data
collection and analysis, and agricultural programs. Reviewers will be
drawn from a diverse group of experts to create balanced review panels.
More information on the selection of reviewers can be found in 7 CFR
2500.023.
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 original signer of the
SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance. The award notice will be
forwarded to the grantee for execution and 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.
2. The OAO will send notification to unsuccessful applicants via
email or postal mail. The notification will be sent to the original
signer of the SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance.
3. Applicant feedback will be provided using the procedures
established by 7 CFR 2500.026.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
All awards resulting from this FOA will be administered in
accordance with the OAO assistance regulations codified at 7 CFR Part
2500. A listing and description of general federal regulations and cost
principles applicable to the award of assistance agreements under this
FOA can be found in 7 CFR 2500.003.
Applicable Federal statutes, regulations, and guidelines include
the following: (a) Guidelines to be followed when submitting grant
proposals and cooperative agreements and rules governing the evaluation
of proposals; (b) the USDA Uniform Administrative Requirements for
Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals,
and Other Non-Profit Organizations, 7 CFR Part 3019; (c) the USDA
Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations, 7 CFR Part 3015; and (d) the
USDA Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative
Agreements to State and Local Governments, 7 CFR Part 3016.
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 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.
D. Reporting Requirement
In accordance with 7 CFR 2500.045 and 2500.046, 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
calendar 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
calendar 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 calendar days after the completion of
the award period.
Signed this 6th day of August 2014.
Carolyn C. Parker,
Director, Office of Advocacy and Outreach.
[FR Doc. 2014-18981 Filed 8-11-14; 8:45 am]
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