FSA Conservation Reserve Program Transition Incentive Program: Outreach, Technical Assistance, and Research Agreements

 

This Notice outlines opportunities to partner with the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to promote awareness, increase understanding among landowners and program participants, and increase enrollment in the Conservation Reserve Program-Transition Incentives Program (CRP-TIP). CRP-TIP provides landowners and operators with an incentive to return land to production on an expiring CRP contract by transitioning the farmland to beginning farmer operators. It also provides an opportunity for beginning, veteran, and historically underserved farmers and ranchers to secure land access through farmland purchase or long-term lease.

Active 10.969 Farm Service Agency, Department of Agriculture B - Project Grants Not applicable. II U.S.C. 2501
Section 2501 of Title II of the 2018 Farm Bill, as amended, 16 U.S.C. 3841 Eligibility for this opportunity is limited to the following entity types: o City or township governments, o County governments, o Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), o Native American tribal governments (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), o Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS (other than institutions of higher education), o Public, State-controlled, or private institutions of higher education, o Special district governments, and o State governments Not applicable. - Project Narrative - Application Form - Standard Form (SF) 424A, Budget Information - Non- Construction Programs - Budget Narrative - Grants.gov Lobbying Form - Certification and Disclosure of Lobbying Activities - Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable) - Disclosure of Potential Conflict of Interest - Unique entity identifier (UEI)/DUNS and System for Award Management (SAM) Preapplication coordination is not applicable. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=342627 Review/Selection Process: Applications will be screened for completeness and compliance with the provisions of this notice. Incomplete, noncompliant, and/or applications not meeting the formatting. Applicants must submit their applications via Grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on October 21, 2022. For technical issues with Grants.gov, contact Grants.gov Applicant Support at 1-800- 518-4726 or support@grants.gov. Awarding agency staff cannot support applicants regarding Grants.gov accounts. The agency anticipates making selections by December 6, 2022 and expects to execute awards by January 3, 2023. These dates are estimates and are subject to change. From 30 to 60 days. Not applicable. Not applicable. Merit/Technical Criteria Proposal Ranking Criteria and Associated Points Possible: 1. Project narrative and project results. The number of CRP-TIP Project Types addressed, project goals, and how results and impacts will be measured and/or evaluated. The number of priority States covered in the project. The geographic area to be covered. (0-25 points). 2. Provides for direct technical assistance to CRP contract holders and beginning farmers and ranchers. Details the type of technical assistance that will be provided and how it benefits the target audience. If proposal meaningfully targets and engages beginning-, veterans, and historically underserved communities to benefit from project. (0-25 points). 3. Presents a reasonable scope of activities that can be conducted within the budget, time, and resources of the program. Objectives are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and contain a timeline for completion. (0-10 points). 4. Amount of relevant experience and/or expertise described for required key personnel and/or entities needed to successfully complete the project (0-5 points). 5. Budget and budget narrative are reasonable and in line with proposed scope of work. Costs are described and clearly support the proposed project (0-10 points). 6. Demonstrated relevant experience to the project proposal. Project involves two or more partners from diverse disciplines and expertise to achieve project objectives and outcomes. Partners include private and public sector organizations. Partners contribute to strength and skills necessary to achieve project goals within the specified timeline. (0-15 points). 7. Communication plan is reasonable to reach various agricultural producers via outreach activities. Long-term viability of deliverables (0-10 points). Notice of selection after merit/technical evaluation does not guarantee that an applicant will receive an award. Following notification of selection for funding, the FPAC Business Center, Grants and Agreements Division's staff conducts a final administrative and risk review of those applications. The administrative review includes, but is not limited to, a check to ensure that NFO requirements were met (e.g., applicant meets eligibility criteria, application was submitted via Grants.gov by the established deadline), and proposed costs are allowable, allocable and necessary. During this process, it may be necessary to request further documentation from the applicant (e.g., organizational information as part of the risk assessment, more detail regarding proposed costs). Personnel, Fridge Benefits, Travel, Equipment, Supplies, Construction, Contractual, Other (Rental of facilities, training package, IT services), Indirect costs. Performance Reports: Reporting will follow the guidelines included in the agency’s General Terms and Conditions, which are available at the following website: https://www.fpacbc.usda.gov/about/grants-and-agreements/award-terms-andconditions/index.html. If the Federal share of any agreement awarded under this opportunity notice may include more than $500,000 over the period of performance, recipients must also comply with the post award reporting requirements reflected in Appendix XII of 2 CFR Part 200 —Award Term and Condition for Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters. As required in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 200, Subpart F Audit Requirements, all U.S. States, local governments, Federally-recognized Indian tribal governments, and non-profit organizations expending $750,000 USD or more in Federal award funds in a fiscal year must submit a Single Audit report for that year through the Federal Audit Clearinghouse's Internet Data Entry System. Not applicable. Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Matching requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing.

MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. The total amount of Federal funding the agency expects to award through this opportunity is $4,500,000. However, the agency retains the discretion to award a larger or lesser amount. The estimated funding floor for this opportunity is $50,000 and the estimated funding ceiling is $300,000. The agency expects to make 15-20 awards. Organizations apply for reimbursement as requested. None/Not specified. Melanie Krizmanich
1400 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20250 USA
FPAC.BC.GAD@USDA.GOV
Phone: 202 572-5805 https://www.fsa.usda.gov/programs-and-services/conservation-programs/transition-incentives/index 12-4336-0-3-999 (Cooperative Agreements) FY 22$4,500,000.00; FY 23 est $0.00; FY 24 est $0.00; FY 21$0.00; - The total amount of Federal funding the agency expects to award through this opportunity is $4,500,000. However, the agency retains the discretion to award a larger or lesser amount. The estimated funding floor for this opportunity is $50,000 and the estimated funding ceiling is $300,000. The agency expects to make 15-20 awards. Not applicable. Not applicable.