Local Food for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program

 

1. Provide an opportunity for States to strengthen their local and regional food system. 2. Help to support local, small, and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers through building and expanding economic opportunities. 3. Establish and broaden partnerships with farmers/producers and schools to ensure distribution of fresh and nutritious foods.

Active 10.185 Agricultural Marketing Service, Department of Agriculture B - Project Grants Not applicable. Procure agricultural commodities (other than tobacco) for sale to other Government agencies, foreign governments, and domestic, foreign, or international relief or rehabilitation agencies, and to meet domestic requirements., Title Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 714c), Section Section 5(c) Eligible entities include the State agencies, commissions, or departments that are responsible for agriculture, procurement, food distribution, emergency response, administration of the National School Lunch Program, or similar activities within the State. AMS will make only one award per State or territory; agencies within the State must coordinate if more than one agency wishes to implement this program. Eligible entities include the State agencies, commissions, or departments that are responsible for agriculture, procurement, food distribution, emergency response, administration of the National School Lunch Program, or similar activities within the State. AMS will make only one award per State or territory; agencies within the State must coordinate if more than one agency wishes to implement this program. Required and conditionally required documents for an application package. LFS requires that all application packages include the following: ? SF-424 - Application for Federal Assistance (in Grants.gov) ? Project Narrative Form o Ensure the required template is used o Ensure the executive summary is no more than 250 words o Ensure the Project Narrative does not exceed the page limit Preapplication coordination is required. AMS will make only one award per State or territory; agencies within the State must coordinate if more than one agency wishes to implement this program. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Only electronic applications may be submitted via Grants.gov. Register in SAM.gov (DUNS number required) Secure access to Grants.gov Secure access to EZFedgrants.gov (E-Authentication level 2 required) Submit application through Grants.gov Submit narrative and supporting documents through Grants.gov This is a non-competitive RFA. Assistance will be awarded on a non-competitive basis. AMS will review each project narrative to ensure that it meets the statutory purpose of the program, all application criteria are fulfilled, and all costs are allowable. A review of applications will be completed to ensure a complete work plan is provided that includes plan and objectives, resources, financial controls, reporting and evaluation, risk and fraud mitigation plans and a timeline for your program. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines From 15 to 30 days. Not applicable. Not applicable. This is a non-competitive RFA. Assistance will be awarded on a non-competitive basis. AMS will review each project narrative to ensure that it meets the statutory purpose of the program, all application criteria are fulfilled, and all costs are allowable. A review of applications will be completed to ensure a complete work plan is provided that includes plan and objectives, resources, financial controls, reporting and evaluation, risk and fraud mitigation plans and a timeline for your program. The expectation of this program is for recipients to spend awarded funds on food purchases, including distribution costs. Applicants may not request direct or indirect costs associated with developing and administering the program. Performance Reports: Performance reports must provide a description of the following activities conducted during the reporting period: budget information, deviations from the proposed plan, difficulties encountered, solutions developed to overcome difficulties, and major planned activities for the next quarter. At the end of each performance year, recipients will be required to provide a final report. This report will include a summary of the data from the quarterly progress reports and a narrative addressing questions 1 through 3 below. The narrative responses will be used to measure the outcome of the program. 1. Percentage of new marketing opportunities established by purchasing from local and regional farmers/producers, and of those, what percentage will likely be sustained after the funding is expended. 2. Percentage of new marketing opportunities established by purchasing from socially disadvantaged farmers/producers, and of those, what percentage will likely be sustained after the funding is expended. 3. Percentage of new marketing opportunities established by purchasing from small businesses, and of those, what percentage will likely be sustained after the funding is expended. In accordance with the provisions of 2 CFR 200, Subpart F - Audit Requirements, nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $750,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Non-Federal entities that expend less than $750,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt for Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in 2 CFR.200.503 2 CFR part 200, Subpart F - Audit requirements apply. Participants are required to comply with record retention and audit requirements in accordance with 7 CFR 210.9(b)(17). Upon request, make all accounts and records pertaining to its school food service available to the State agency and to FNS, for audit or review, at a reasonable time and place. Such records shall be retained for a period of 3 years after the date of the final Claim for Reimbursement for the fiscal year to which they pertain, except that if audit findings have not been resolved, the records shall be retained beyond the 3-year period as long as required for resolution of the issues raised by the audit. 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. Funding will become available upon awarding of agreements. The period of performance will be for one year from time of award. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: TBD State governments will purchase domestic food from local and regional producers, target purchases from small business, and socially disadvantaged farmers/producers, and distribute the food to schools. Funds used for food purchases must be used exclusively for domestic food products (also known as commodities) that are unprocessed or minimally processed. Funds may be used to cover the costs of production, storage and distribution of agricultural products to schools. Funds awarded through this RFA must increase, expand, or replace, and not duplicate, existing activities of the host initiatives. USDA-AMS- Commodity Procurement Program 1400 Independence Ave. SW, Stop-0239 Washington, DC 20250-0239 Questions and request for information should be sent to: LFPA@USDA.gov Elizabeth Lober
1400 Independence Ave. SW, Stop-0239
Washington, DC 20250 USA
Elizabeth.Lober@usda.gov
Phone: (202) 720-9924 https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food-to-usda/lfs 12-2500-1-2-605 (Cooperative Agreements) FY 22$10,000,000.00; FY 23 est $152,893,751.00; FY 24 est $29,142,118.00; FY 21 - Not applicable/available. December 16, 2021 News Release announcing funding for Local Food for Schools Not applicable.