Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement; Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers, 33904-33911 [2019-14825]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 136 (Tuesday, July 16, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33904-33911]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-14825]


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                                                Federal Register
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 136 / Tuesday, July 16, 2019 / 
Notices

[[Page 33904]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

[FOA No. OPPE-013]


Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement; Outreach and 
Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran 
Farmers and Ranchers

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) No.: 10.443--
Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and 
Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers.

AGENCY: Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE), USDA.

ACTION: Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) FY 2019.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits 
applications from community-based and non-profit organizations, 
institutions of higher education, and Tribal entities to compete for 
financial assistance through the Outreach and Assistance for Socially 
Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers 
Program (hereinafter referred to as the ``2501 Program''). Individual 
applicants do not meet the eligibility criteria.
    Funding is being provided to eligible entities who, in partnership 
with the Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement (OPPE), will 
conduct outreach initiatives and training to achieve the overall goal 
of the 2501 Program--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 is a non-
construction grant.

DATES: Only one project proposal may be submitted per eligible entity. 
Proposals must be submitted through www.grants.gov and received by 
August 15, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. EST. Proposals submitted after this 
deadline will not be considered for funding.
    OPPE will host two (2) teleconferences during the open period of 
this announcement to answer any clarifying questions as follows:

 July 23, 2019 at 2 p.m. EST, Telephone Number: (800) 230-1085, 
Passcode: 469845
 August 6, 2019 at 2 p.m. EST, Telephone Number: (800) 230-
1059, Passcode: 469846

Filing a Complaint of Discrimination

    To file a program discrimination complaint, you may obtain a 
complaint form by sending an email to [email protected]. You or 
your authorized representative must sign the complaint form. You are 
not required to use the complaint form. You may write a letter instead. 
If you write a letter, it must contain all the information requested in 
the form and be signed by you or your authorized representative. 
Incomplete information will delay the processing of your complaint. 
Employment civil rights complaints will not be accepted through this 
email address.
    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 PLEASE CONTACT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement, Attn: Kenya Nicholas, 
Assistant Deputy Director, J.L. 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). 
Additionally, alternative means for submissions due to disability 
status will be approved on a case-by-case basis.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Funding/Awards: The total funding 
potentially available for this competitive opportunity is approximately 
$16 million (including funds provided in the 2018 Farm Bill and the 
Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2019). The OPPE will award grants 
from this announcement, subject to availability of funds and the 
quality of applications received. All applicants will compete based on 
their organization's entity type (e.g., nonprofit organization or 
higher education institution), as described below. Projects that are 
part of multi-year initiatives will be funded in accordance with the 
approved statement of work. Additionally, USDA has the discretion to 
fund multi-year projects in an effort to maximize outreach and 
technical assistance ensuring geographical distribution of funds. 
Eligible entities may receive subsequent years funding provided that:
    (a) Activities and associated costs do not overlap with projects 
awarded in previous years; and
    (b) recipients are current and compliant with existing financial 
and progress reporting. The progress of existing projects, along with 
the percentage of funds used to date, may impact funding decisions.
    Funding will be awarded based on peer competition within the three 
categories described below along with the amount of anticipated funding 
for each category. The OPPE reserves discretion to allocate funding 
between the three categories based upon the number and quality of 
applications received. There is no commitment by the OPPE to fund any 
particular application or to select a specific number of recipients 
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 
Tribal Land-Grant, Alaska Native and American Indian Tribal colleges 
and universities, and Hispanic-Serving Institutions of higher 
education).
    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 including 
1862 colleges, nonprofit organizations without a 501(c)(3) status 
certification from the

[[Page 33905]]

IRS, 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

    The OPPE 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 local 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 expanded the authority of the Secretary of Agriculture (the 
Secretary) to provide awards under the program and transferred the 
administrative authority to the OPPE. The Agricultural Act of 2014 
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 the OPPE's intention to 
build lasting relationships between USDA, the recipient's 
organizations, and socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and 
ranchers.
    2. Only one proposal will be accepted from each organization. This 
does not apply to applicants in the State of Massachusetts. The State 
fiscal transfer agent may submit multiple proposals ensuring that only 
one proposal is submitted on behalf of each of its individual fiscally 
sponsored organizations.

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. This is a non-construction grant. 
Proposals must be consistent with requirements stated in 7 U.S.C. 
2279(c)(3). Under this statute, the outreach and technical assistance 
program funds shall be used exclusively:
    1. To enhance coordination of the outreach, technical assistance, 
and education efforts authorized under agriculture programs;
    2. To assist the Secretary of Agriculture in:
    a. Reaching current and prospective socially disadvantaged farmers 
or ranchers and veteran farmers or ranchers in a linguistically 
appropriate manner; and
    b. improving the participation of those farmers and ranchers in 
USDA programs.
    Proposals 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 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 ranchers, in rural and persistent poverty communities.
    OPPE is required to seek input from stakeholders providing 
technical assistance under this grant program at least annually. This 
is to ensure that the program is responsive to the eligible entities 
providing technical assistance (7 U.S.C. 2279(c)(4)(J)). To fulfill 
this obligation, the OPPE may require Project Directors to attend an 
annual training conference that can be expensed with awarded grant 
funds not to exceed $1,000 per award. The conference will allow 
recipients, USDA officials, and other agriculture-related guests to 
share ideas and lessons learned; provide training on performance and 
financial reporting requirements; and provide information on USDA 
programs and services. Project Directors will also have an opportunity 
to make contacts in their field and regions and gather information on 
best practices. Stakeholder input will also be accepted by those unable 
to attend the annual symposium in person by September 30th of each 
fiscal year at: [email protected].

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.
    Progress and Financial Reports will be required, as specified in 
Section VI, Subsection D, ``Reporting Requirement.''
    2. Outcomes (Results). The term ``outcome'' means the difference or

[[Page 33906]]

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. 
Specifically, outcomes must be quantitative as it relates to the 
project goals and objectives.
    Project Directors will be required to document anticipated outcomes 
that are funded under this announcement including, but not limited to 
the following:
    a. Number of new farmers and/or ranchers as a result of your award;
    b. number of farmers and/or ranchers whom applied to participate in 
USDA's programs and services among socially disadvantaged and veteran 
farmers and ranchers by program area, race, sex, national origin and 
disability;
    c. number of applications approved for funding among socially 
disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers as a result of your 
activities funded with grant funds by program area, race, sex, national 
origin and disability;
    d. number of farmers and/or ranchers whom have increased access to 
and participation in USDA's programs and services for socially 
disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers to increase outreach 
efforts through effective communication linguistically appropriate;
    e. increase in sustainability and retention of socially 
disadvantaged and veteran farming operations;
    f. increase in profitability and economic stability resulting from 
increased marketing and sales opportunities for the products of 
socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers; and
    g. increase in the number of USDA Agency's programs and services 
utilized.
    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 
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(c), 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 approximately $16 million, 
including funds provided in the 2018 Farm Bill and the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act of 2019. Funding will be awarded in the following 
three categories for a maximum of $750,000:
    A. Proposals less than $300,000
    B. Proposals between $300,000-$525,000
    C. Proposals exceeding $525,000

C. Project Period

    The performance period for projects selected from this solicitation 
will not begin prior to the effective award date listed in the grant 
agreement. The maximum project period is three (3) years.

D. Award Type

    Funding for selected projects will be in the form of a grant 
agreement which must be fully executed no later than September 30, 
2019. The anticipated Federal involvement will be limited to the 
following activities:
    1. Approval of recipients' final budget and statement of work 
accompanying the grant agreement;
    2. Monitoring of recipients' performance through quarterly, annual 
and final financial and performance reports; and
    3. Evaluation of recipients' use of federal funds through desk 
audits and on-site visits.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Entities

    1. Any not for profit 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 or veteran farmers and ranchers;
     provides documentary evidence of work with, and on behalf 
of, socially disadvantaged or 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. 5304) 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 similar to projects previously 
carried out by the entity under this program.

B. Cost-Sharing or Matching

    Matching is not required for this program.

[[Page 33907]]

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 several 
weeks. 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.
    5. Incomplete or partial applications will not be eligible for 
consideration.

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: (1) Be registered 
in SAM prior to submitting an application; (2) provide a valid unique 
entity identifier in the application; and (3) continue to maintain an 
active SAM registration with current information at all times during 
which the organization has an active Federal award or an application or 
plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency. The OPPE may not 
make a Federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied 
with all applicable unique entity identifier and SAM requirements. If 
an applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time 
the OPPE is ready to make a Federal award, OPPE 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. Organizations 
identified as having delinquent Federal debt may contact the Treasury 
Offset Program at (800) 304-3107 for instructions on resolution, but 
will not be awarded a 2501 Program grant prior to resolution.

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 https://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 
OPPE 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 August 15, 2019, 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 Project Summary, Project 
Narrative, and a Budget Narrative as described below:
    1. Forms and documents. The forms listed below can be found in the 
proposal package at www.grants.gov and must be submitted with all 
applications. Required forms are provided as fillable PDF templates. 
Applicants must download and complete these forms and submit them in 
the application submission portal at www.grants.gov. PDF documents 
listed below are documents the applicant must create in Word format and 
then submit in PDF format.
     Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal Assistance
     Standard Form (SF) 424A, Budget Information-Non-
Construction Programs
     Standard Form (SF) 424B, Assurances--Non-Construction 
Programs
     Key Contacts Form (please provide first, middle, and last 
names)
     PDF document of 1-Page Project Summary
     PDF document of Project Narrative
     PDF document of Budget Narrative
     Form AD-3031, Assurance Regarding Felony Conviction or Tax 
Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants
    Please note, additional required forms from organizations being 
awarded 2501 Grant funds will be provided for execution upon grant 
approval.
    2. Attachments. The attachments listed below are required for all 
proposals and must be included in the proposal package 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. Please submit the summary and narratives in PDF format to 
preserve the content and formatting. Attachment 3 will consist of 
Appendices. NOTE: Number each page of each attachment and indicate the 
total number of pages per attachment (i.e., 1 of 15, 2 of 15, etc.). DO 
NOT PASSWORD PROTECT ANY OF YOUR SUBMITTED DOCUMENTS. Documents that 
are password protected cannot be viewed by the OPPE staff or members of 
the Independent Review Panel.
    Attachment 1: Project Summary Page. 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 and should be 
written as a CONCISE summary or advertisement about your project. It 
should contain:
     Your organization's name;
     Name of your project;
     Three or four sentences describing your project;
     The primary populations/communities you serve;
     The project's geographic service area (counties, state(s), 
etc.); and
     Project Director's name, email address, and telephone 
number.
    No points will be given or subtracted for the Project Summary Page 
as it will be used for informational purposes. Organizations can expect 
that the Project Summary Page may be used in its entirety or in part 
for media purposes to include press releases, informational

[[Page 33908]]

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 20 double-spaced pages 
or less, using 1-inch margins and 12-point font, indicate the 
organization that will conduct the project and the priority areas that 
will be addressed by the project. Please be concise. Note: Members of 
the review panel will not be required to review proposals from 
organizations that have deviated from these formatting specifications.
    [cir] Project proposals should include a well-conceived strategy 
for addressing the priority areas stated in Section I, Part B, Scope of 
Work. Additionally, proposals must: (1) Define and establish the 
existence of the needs of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, 
veteran farmers and ranchers, or both; (2) identify the geographic area 
of service; and (3) discuss the potential impact of the project.
    [cir] Programmatic Capability: Project proposals must: (1) Identify 
the experience of the organization(s) taking part in the project (past 
successes); (2) identify the names of organizations that will be your 
partners in the project if any; (3) identify the qualifications, 
relevant experience, education, and publications of each Project 
Director or collaborator; (4) specifically address the work to be 
completed by key personnel and the roles and responsibilities within 
the scope of the proposed project.
    [cir] Financial Management Experience: Document a demonstrated 
ability to successfully manage and complete your project by including 
details of past successfully completed projects and financial 
management experiences.
    [cir] Tracking and Measuring: Clearly document a detailed plan for 
tracking and measuring the progress and results of the project in terms 
of achieving expected project outputs and outcomes as stated in Section 
I, Part C, Performance Measures.
    [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 five 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. Please 
refer to 2 CFR 200 Subpart E--Cost Principles, to review allowable/
unallowable costs. Applicants may charge their negotiated indirect cost 
rate or 10 percent, whichever is lower. Indirect cost rates exceeding 
10 percent will not be permitted. 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 
abbreviated Articles of Incorporation for recently established 
organizations (must have been established at least 3 years prior to 
this application); r[eacute]sum[eacute]s for key personnel; Letters of 
Commitment; Letters of Intent, Partnership Agreements, or Memoranda of 
Understanding with partner organizations; Letters of Support; 501(c)(3) 
certification from the IRS, or other supporting documentation which is 
encouraged but not required. 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. The OPPE 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 20 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. SF 424B, Assurances--Non-Construction Programs
    6. Budget Narrative (not to exceed 2 pages)
    7. Key Contacts Form (include the Project Director/Manager and 
Financial Representative). Provide first, middle, and last names.

    Note:  Please ensure this form is completed with accuracy. 
Individuals not listed on an applicants' Key Contact Form will not 
receive information about or access to data that concerns the 
applicant organization.

    8. R[eacute]sum[eacute]s of key personnel, Partnership Agreements, 
Letters of Intent, Support, or Recommendation, proof of 501(c)(3) 
status (if applicable), etc.
    Best practice notes:
    * Complete the following as soon as possible:
    (1) Obtain a registered DUNs number.
    (2) Register and maintain an active System for Award Management 
(SAMs) account.
    (3) Register in www.grants.gov.
    * Only submit Adobe PDF file format documents to www.grants.gov to 
preserve content and formatting.
    * Documents must be named with short titles to prevent issues with 
uploading/downloading documents from www.grants.gov. Documents with 
long names may not always upload/download properly.
    * Do not password protect any submitted forms or documents.
    * Ensure all the information on your SF-424 Application and Key 
Contact forms are correct. Please include first, middle, and last names 
on Key Contact forms.
    UPLOADING ATTACHMENTS ON YOUR APPLICATION. There are three blocks 
on the application where you may upload attachments:
    * On block 14, click on ``Add Attachment'' to upload your Project 
Summary and Project Narrative.
    * In the section that reads ``Budget Narrative File(s)'', type in 
the ``Mandatory Budget Narrative Filename''. Just below the file name, 
click on ``Add Mandatory Budget Narrative'' to upload your Budget 
Narrative.
    * After block 15, click on ``Add Attachments'' to add all your 
supporting documents (r[eacute]sum[eacute]s, Partnership Agreements, 
Letters of Support, etc.).

D. Sub-Awards and Partnerships

    Funding may be used to provide sub-awards, which includes using 
sub-awards to fund partnerships; however, the recipient must utilize at 
least 50 percent of the total funds awarded, and no more than three 
sub-awards 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.

[[Page 33909]]

    The OPPE awards funds to one eligible applicant as the recipient. 
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 recipient will be held accountable to the 
OPPE for the proper administrative requirements and expenditure of all 
funds.

E. Submission Dates and Times

    The closing date and time for receipt of proposal submissions is 
August 15, 2019, 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 
websites can take several weeks to receive account verification and/or 
PIN numbers. Please allow sufficient time to complete access 
requirements for these websites. The 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. Any information that the 
applicant wishes to have considered as confidential, privileged, or 
proprietary should be clearly marked as such in the proposal. If an 
applicant chooses to include confidential or proprietary information in 
the proposal, it will be kept confidential to the extent permitted by 
law.

G. Pre-Submission Proposal Assistance

    1. The OPPE may not assist individual applicants by reviewing draft 
proposals or providing advice on how to respond to evaluation criteria. 
However, the OPPE 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]. Additionally, OPPE will host public 
teleconferences to address clarifying questions during the open period 
of this solicitation as listed on Page 1.
    2. The OPPE will post questions and answers relating to this 
funding opportunity during its open period on the Frequently Asked 
Questions (FAQs) section of our website: https://www.outreach.usda.gov/grants/. Reviewing this section of our website will likely save you 
valuable time. The OPPE will update the FAQs on a weekly basis and 
conduct webinars on an as-needed basis.
    3. Please visit our website at: https://www.outreach.usda.gov/grants/index.htm to review the most recent Terms and Conditions for 
administering our grants. This version is subject to change upon new 
program requirements.

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 evaluated under the regulations established under 2 
CFR part 200.
    An Independent Review Panel will use a point system to rate each 
proposal, awarding a maximum of 100 points (80 points, plus an 
additional 20 discretionary points for secretarial 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 funding categories. Funding decisions will 
be based on the Independent Review Panel's recommendations to the 
designated approving official. Final funding decisions will be made by 
the designated approving official and are not appealable.
    Please be patient as processing all submitted applications, vetting 
key personnel, proposal reviews, approval process, and agreement 
creation is a lengthy process that takes approximately two to three 
months. All applicants will be notified of their application status 
when final selections have been made.

B. Evaluation Criteria for New Grants Proposals

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Criteria                              Points
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Project Narrative: Under this criterion, your                      40
 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 5, Project
 Narrative, for further clarification) identifying a
 minimum of two or more of the priority areas...........
In addition, the OPPE may award up to 20 discretionary                20
 points (five (5) points each) for the following
 eligible entities:.....................................
 Nongovernmental and community-based
 organizations with an expertise in working with
 socially disadvantaged and/or veteran farmers and
 ranchers (2018 Farm Bill provision).
 Projects to assist states/communities
 identified as rural and/or persistent poverty;.........
 Projects assisting beginning and/or youth
 farmers and ranchers (as defined in 7 U.S.C. 3319f);...
 Projects with an emphasis on partnering and
 leveraging funding with other organizations, entities
 or programs to maximize areas of coverage for outreach
 (i.e., nonprofits, for profits, Federal, state, tribal
 and local entities, higher education institutions,
 etc.)..................................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Programmatic Capability: Under this criterion,                    10.
 applicants will be evaluated based on their ability to
 successfully complete and manage the proposed project
 considering 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 considering the applicants'
 past performance in successfully completing and
 managing prior funding agreements identified, Section
 I, Part C, Performance Measures (see page 8). 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..................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[[Page 33910]]

 
4. Tracking and Measuring: Under this criterion, the                  15
 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 (see page 6). 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. Specifically, how many new or existing
 farmers and ranchers were assisted in applying for
 USDA's programs and services, versus the number of
 farmers and ranchers approved. 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. This criterion should clearly address how you
 will quantify the tracking of your progress and
 measuring the success of your planned project..........
------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Budget: Under this criterion, proposed project budget              10
 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 (10
 percent maximum) must be appropriately applied (see
 page 14). Food for conferences may not exceed $10 per
 person. Additionally, cattle for demonstration projects
 only, may not exceed $4000, which includes any
 transportation costs, feed/feeding lot, etc.). Grant
 funds may NOT be used to pay attendees as an incentive
 for participation in conferences nor be advertised as
 such. For a list of unallowable costs, please see 2 CFR
 Part 200, subpart E....................................
------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 assisting socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and 
ranchers. This assistance includes, but is not limited to, bringing 
increased awareness of USDA's programs and services in underserved 
communities, 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, including applicant peers, to create a 
balanced panel.

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

Proposal Notifications and Feedback
    1. Successful applicants will be notified by the OPPE via 
telephone, email, and/or postal mail that its proposed project has been 
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 
OPPE. If the individual is no longer in the position, please notify the 
OPPE immediately to submit the new contact for the application by 
updating your organization's Key Contact form and forwarding a 
r[eacute]sum[eacute] of the new key personnel. The award notice will be 
forwarded to the recipient for execution and must be returned to the 
OPPE Director, 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. Within 10 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 and in accordance with 
7 CFR 2500.026.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    All awards resulting from this solicitation will be administered in 
accordance with the Office of 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 OPPE 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 OPPE 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 OPPE'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 
www.grants.gov.

    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 (866) 705-5711 or visiting the D&B website at www.dnb.com.
    In addition, FFATA requires applicants to register with 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 website at www.sam.gov. This is a 
requirement to register for www.grants.gov.
    All applicants must register for an account on www.grants.gov to 
submit their application. There is no cost for registration. All 
applications must be submitted through www.grants.gov. This website is 
managed by the Department of Health and Human Services, not OPPE. Many 
Federal agencies use this website to post Funding Opportunity 
Announcements (FOA). Please click on the ``Support'' tab to contact 
their customer support personnel for help with submitting your 
application.

D. Reporting Requirement

    Your approved statement of work, timeline, and budget are your 
guiding documents in carrying out the activities of your project and 
for your reporting requirements. Please familiarize yourself with 
USDA's grants management system called ezFedGrants: https://www.nfc.usda.gov/FSS/ClientServices/ezFedGrants/. In accordance with 2 
CFR part 200, the

[[Page 33911]]

following reporting requirements will apply to awards provided under 
this FOA. The OPPE 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 as follows:
     Quarterly Progress Reports. The recipient must submit the 
most current OMB-approved Performance Progress Report form (SF-PPR). 
For each report, the recipient must complete fields 1 through 12 of the 
SF-PPR. To complete field 10, the recipient 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 OPPE official via 
ezFedGrants within 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter.
     Quarterly Financial Reports. The recipient must submit SF 
425, Federal Financial Report. For each report, the recipient 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 OPPE official via ezFedGrants within 30 
days after the end of each calendar quarter.
    2. Annual reports may be warranted for multi-year projects.
    3. Final Progress and Financial Reports will be required upon 
project completion. This report must include a summary of the project 
or activity throughout the funding period, achievements of the project 
or activity, and a discussion of overall successes and issues 
experienced in conducting the project or project activities. It should 
convey the impact your project had on the communities you served and 
discuss the project's accomplishments in achieving expected outcomes. 
This requirement includes, but is not limited to, the number of new 
USDA applicants as a result of your award, the number of approved 
applicants for USDA programs and services, increased awareness of USDA 
programs and services, etc. 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 OPPE 
official via ezFedGrants within 90 days after the completion of the 
award period as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    Report                             Performance period            Due date      Grace period
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Form SF-425, Federal Financial Report and       1 October thru 31 December......      12/31/2019       1/30/2020
 Progress Report (Due Quarterly).               1 January thru 31 March.........       3/31/2020       4/30/2020
                                                1 April thru 30 June............       6/30/2020       7/30/2020
                                                1 July thru 30 September........       9/30/2020      10/30/2020
                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------
Annual and Final Progress and Financial              Earlier of December 30, 2020, or 90 days after project
 Reports.                                                                  completion.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Dates subject to change at the discretion of OPPE.


    Signed this 8th day of July 2019.
Riley Pagett,
Chief of Staff, Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement.
[FR Doc. 2019-14825 Filed 7-15-19; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE P