[Federal Register: November 2, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 213)]
[Notices]
[Page 65825-65828]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr02no00-41]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Commodity Credit Corporation
Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Pilot Program: Opportunity To
Submit Grant Applications
AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation, Agriculture.
ACTION: Notice of opportunity to submit grant applications.
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SUMMARY: USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation will be making grants to
States and Indian tribal governments. The grants must be used to
provide coupons to low-income seniors that they may exchange for
eligible foods at farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community
supported agriculture programs. Eligible foods are fresh, nutritious,
unprepared, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Ten million
dollars are available for grants for the 2001 farmers' market season.
DATE: Applications must be received on or before December 1, 2000.
ADDRESSES: Applications must be sent to Diane Kriviski, Grants
Management Specialist, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, Grants
Management Division, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 738, Alexandria,
Virginia 22302.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Diane Kriviski at (703) 305-2049.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. What Is the Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program?
A. Background
The Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Pilot Program is a new
program established by USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). Under
the program, CCC will make grants to States and Indian tribal
governments. The grants must be used to provide low-income seniors
coupons they may exchange for eligible foods at farmers' markets,
roadside stands, and community supported agriculture programs. Eligible
foods are fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grown fruits,
vegetables, and herbs. The grant funds may be used only to support the
costs of the foods that are provided under the program; no
administrative funding is available. USDA's Food and Nutrition Service
(FNS) will assist CCC in evaluating the grant applications.
B. Purpose
The purposes of the Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Pilot Program
are to (1) provide resources in the form of fresh, nutritious,
unprepared, locally grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs from farmers'
markets, roadside stands and community supported agriculture programs
to low-income seniors, (2) increase the domestic consumption of
agricultural commodities by expanding or aiding in the expansion of
domestic farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community supported
agriculture programs, and (3) develop or aid in the development of new
and additional farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community
supported agriculture programs.
C. Authority
Funds are being made available for this pilot program pursuant to
the CCC Charter Act. Section 5(e) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 714c(e))
authorizes CCC to use its resources to ``Increase the domestic
consumption of agricultural commodities by expanding or aiding in the
expansion of domestic markets or by developing or aiding in the
development of new and additional markets, marketing facilities, and
uses for such commodities.''
II. Who Is Eligible for These Grants?
All States and federally recognized Indian tribal governments are
eligible for these grants. Indian tribal governments may apply directly
or as part of a State application. Each State may submit only one
application on behalf of all interested State agencies, local
governments, and non-profit organizations in that State, and any Indian
tribal governments that want to participate through the State. Each
applicant State must designate a lead State agency. However, the lead
State agency may make subgrants to other State agencies, Indian tribal
governments, local governments, and
[[Page 65826]]
non-profit organizations. Also, Indian tribal governments may make
subgrants to local governments and non-profit organizations in the
areas they serve. Interested State agencies, local governments, and
non-profit organizations should contact their Governor's office or
Indian tribal governments to work together on an application. States
and Indian tribal governments that choose to subgrant all or part of
the pilot program funds are responsible for ensuring that the funds are
spent in accordance with requirements for the pilot program.
III. How Much Is Available for the Grants and When Must the Funds
Be Spent?
Ten million dollars are available for the grants. Grant funds may
be obligated beginning with the grant award (expected in early January
2001) through December 31, 2001. The grants will be awarded through a
competitive process. We may adjust the amounts requested in the grant
applications to ensure that the grants we award are funded at
appropriate levels. The submission of a grant application does not
guarantee funding.
All program activities under the grants must be completed by
December 31, 2001. The pilot program will be evaluated during and after
the grant period. If it is successful, we expect to continue the
program in the 2002 farmers' market season. The evaluation will also
help us decide whether we need to make any changes in order to improve
the program. You must cooperate with the evaluation by providing
requested data and access to your records.
IV. What Are the Reporting Requirements for Grantees?
You will be required to submit quarterly financial status reports,
quarterly progress reports, and a final report. The quarterly financial
and progress reports are due April 30, July 31, and October 31, 2001.
The final report is due March 31, 2002. The progress reports and the
final report must indicate the number of outlets authorized to receive
coupons (i.e. farmers, farmers' markets, roadside stands, and/or
community supported agriculture programs) by category and the number of
recipients who have been issued coupons.
V. How Do I Submit a Grant Application?
Your grant application must be received by FNS on or before
December 1, 2000. Applications will be accepted until 5 p.m. on
December 1, 2000. You must meet this deadline by delivering the
application or by mailing it sufficiently in advance of the deadline to
ensure its timely receipt. We will return late applications without
consideration in the competition. We will not consider additions or
revisions to applications once they are received.
You must submit an original and two copies of your application. The
original must bear the original signature of your authorized
representative. The original must be ready for copying, that is single-
sided, unstapled, unbound, and on 8\1/2\'' x 11'' paper. Your
original and copies must be on white paper. We reserve the right to
reject any application containing a grant proposal over 25 pages in
length. We will not accept applications sent by datafax and/or
e-mail.
Your application must be delivered or mailed to: Diane Kriviski,
Grants Management Specialist, Food and Nutrition Service, USDA, Grants
Management Division, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 738, Alexandria,
Virginia 22302.
Call Diane Kriviski at (703) 305-2049 with any questions about the
grant application. We will respond by telephone to questions seeking
clarification, whether technical in nature or relating to the
application procedures.
VI. What Is the Meaning of the Terms Used in This Request for Grant
Applications?
The following definitions and conditions apply to this pilot
program:
Community supported agriculture program means a program under which
a farmer grows food for a group of shareholders (or subscribers) who
pledge to buy a portion of the farmer's crop that season.
Coupon means a coupon, voucher, or other negotiable financial
instrument by which benefits under the pilot program are transferred to
pilot program recipients. Coupons must contain a date by which the
recipient must use the coupon, a date by which the farmer must submit
the coupon for payment, a unique and sequential serial number, a
denomination, and an identifier for the redeeming farmer. The
denominations of the coupons must be sufficiently small to ensure that
recipient can redeem coupons at or near their full value.
Eligible foods means fresh, nutritious, unprepared, locally grown
fruits, vegetables, and herbs for human consumption. Eligible foods may
not be processed or prepared beyond their natural state except for
usual harvesting and cleaning processes. Honey, maple syrup, cider, and
nuts are examples of foods that are not eligible for purposes of the
pilot program.
Farmer means an individual who sells produce at farmers' markets,
roadside stands, and community supported agriculture programs, but does
not include an individual who exclusively sells produce grown by
someone else, such as wholesale distributors.
Farmers' market means an association of local farmers who assemble
at a defined location for the purpose of selling their produce directly
to consumers.
Federally recognized Indian tribal government means the same as
that term is defined in 7 CFR 3017.3.
Locally grown means grown within the borders of the State that your
project serves. If you choose, locally grown may also mean grown in
areas of States adjacent to the State your project serves, as long as
those areas are part of the United States.
Recipient means a person who meets the age and income eligibility
limits for your project and to whom you have issued coupons.
Roadside stand means a location at which a single, individual
farmer sells his/her produce directly to consumers.
State means the 50 States of the United States and the District of
Columbia.
VII. What Do I Have To Include in My Grant Proposal?
Your grant application must include a grant proposal that describes
in detail your plan to operate a project under the Seniors Farmers'
Market Nutrition Pilot Program. At a minimum, your grant proposal must
address the following areas in sufficient detail to demonstrate your
ability to meet the requirements of the pilot program and must be
organized as follows:
1. General Administration Requirements
a. Purpose. Describe how your project will achieve the purposes
(stated above) of the program. Include:
Proposed period of operation.
Proposed age and income eligibility limits for recipients.
If you propose to serve people under the age of 60 or with household
incomes above 185% of the poverty income guidelines (currently $20,813
for a two-person household), include a justification for your
eligibility limit.
Number of recipients you estimate you will serve during
the grant period.
Frequency of coupon issuance, value of coupons at each
issuance to a recipient, and maximum total amount a recipient will be
issued during the grant period.
[[Page 65827]]
Service area.
Describe any current or prior experience you have with farmers'
market projects or programs. If you operated a farmers' market program
for seniors during the 2000 farmers' market season, indicate the amount
you spent for this program and include an assurance that you will
maintain this level of funding (in addition to any pilot program funds)
during the grant period.
b. Administrative capacity. Describe your administrative capacity
to operate the project. Because administrative funding will not be
provided under the grant, describe how you and any participating
organizations will pay the administrative costs of the program.
Identify the organization within the lead State agency or Indian tribal
government and key staff who will direct the work of the your project
and ensure all requirements of the grant agreement are met.
c. Financial management. Describe your financial management system,
including how the system will provide accurate, current and complete
disclosure of the financial status of the program and quarterly
financial status reports.
d. Record keeping. Describe your record keeping system, including
your system for maintaining separate records for funds received under
this grant and records pertaining to financial operations, coupon
issuance and redemption, market authorization, and participation.
2. Funding Request
Indicate the amount of funds you are requesting and how you
determined that amount.
3. Recipient Certification and Benefit Delivery
a. Recipient certification and coupon issuance. Describe how you
will determine the eligibility of recipients and issue coupons to
recipients.
b. Coupon redemption system. Describe your coupon redemption
system, including how you will ensure that coupons are redeemed only by
authorized farmers, farmers' markets, roadside stands, and/or community
supported agriculture programs and only for eligible foods, how you
will ensure that no cash change is issued for purchases that are in an
amount less than the value of the coupon(s), and how you will ensure
that no State or local taxes will be collected on purchases of food
with coupons.
c. Market management system. Describe how you will manage your
markets, including your proposed criteria and procedures for
authorizing farmers, farmers' markets, roadside stands, and/or
community supported agriculture programs.
d. Number of markets. Indicate in each category the number of
farmers, farmers' markets, roadside stands, and/or community supported
agriculture programs you estimate you will authorize.
e. Eligible foods. List all eligible foods.
f. Coupons. Describe your proposed coupons, including the
denominations.
4. Nutrition Education
Describe any nutrition education you will provide recipients.
VIII. What Do I Have To Include in My Application Package?
Your grant application must demonstrate your willingness and
ability to comply with the requirements described in this notice and
any additional standards and procedures that you specify in your grant
application and are approved by CCC. If your application does not
adequately address these requirements, it will be considered
nonresponsive and will not receive further consideration.
Your grant application must include the following items. You may
get copies of these forms by calling Diane Kriviski at (703) 305-2049.
1. Grant proposal, as described in Section VII of this notice.
2. Application for Federal Assistance, SF-424--This is a required
standard form for applications for Federal assistance.
(This form is available at www.whitehouse.gov/OMB/grants/#forms)
3. Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs, SF-424A--Budget
estimates show how the grant money will be spent. Approved grant funds
must be obligated and expended in accordance with the amounts indicated
on the Budget Information form, SF-424A, and must reflect any
adjustments made in the grant approval notification. (This form is
available at www.whitehouse.gov/OMB/grants/#forms)
4. Assurances/Certifications--Applicants must provide the following
forms:
Assurances--Non-Construction Programs, SF-424B (This form
is available at www.whitehouse.gov/OMB/grants/#forms).
Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other
Responsibility Matters--Primary Covered Transactions, AD-1047.
Certification Regarding Drug Free Workplace Requirements--
Alternative II, AD-1050.
Certification Regarding Lobbying.
IX. What Are the Terms and Conditions of the Grant?
In addition to the requirements described in this notice, you must
agree to comply with the USDA regulations and Office and Management and
Budget (OMB) circulars listed below. Copies of these documents are
available from FNS upon request.
7 CFR Part 3016: ``Uniform Administrative Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments''
other than Entitlement Programs (Reference OMB Circular A-102 Common
Rule).
7 CFR Part 3017: Subparts A-E ``Government-wide Debarment
and Suspension (Non-procurement)''.
7 CFR Part 3017: Subpart F ``Government-wide Requirements
for Drug-free Workplace (Grants)''.
7 CFR Part 3018: ``New Restrictions on Lobbying''.
X. How Will My Application Be Evaluated?
A. Panel Review
All grant applications that meet the deadline for submission will
be screened for completeness and conformity to the requirements of this
request for grant applications. A panel will determine the technical
merit of each grant application and provide a numerical score.
B. Evaluation Criteria
Project Implementation 35 Total Points
Project implementation goals and objectives are clearly specified
and linked to the requirements and purposes of the Seniors Farmers'
Market Nutrition Pilot Program.--15 points
Project implementation tasks follow directly from the project goals
and objectives and the requirements and purposes of the Seniors
Farmers' Market Nutrition Pilot Program and the necessity of the tasks
is adequately explained.--15 points
The roles and duties of all key staff are thoroughly and clearly
explained.--5 points
Soundness of Project Design 30 Total Points
The grant proposal describes the oversight necessary to ensure high
quality products, services, or outcomes and to keep the project on time
and within budget, including a clearly defined chain of command, and
appropriate plans for managing outside personnel.--15 points
The organization of the project allows sufficient time for proposed
tasks, and
[[Page 65828]]
clearly discusses and demonstrates that effective communication will
exist among staff. Proposals should include a project timeline and
organization chart showing key activities and dates. The timeline
provides adequate, realistic periods to complete the proposed
activities/tasks. Letters have been submitted to document any resources
available to the project from other sources.--15 points
Budget Appropriateness and Efficiency 25 Total Points
The proposed budget request is adequate to support the project and
both Federal and non-Federal resources are provided.--10 points
Budget justifications are provided, including descriptions of how
categorical costs were derived, discussions of the necessity,
reasonableness, and allocability of proposed costs, and links between
expenditures and specific activities/tasks.--10 points
The level of Federal support requested is economical and reasonable
in relation to the proposed scope and effort of the project.--5 points
Presentation 10 Total Points
The grant proposal is well presented, well organized, complete,
clear, and succinct. Proposals should be relatively brief and concise.
The maximum acceptable proposal length is 25 pages.
Bonus Points 6 Total Points
Up to six additional points will be awarded to grant proposals that
include a nutrition education component. These additional points will
be added to the panel's total score, so that the maximum total points a
proposal could receive is a total of 106 points.
C. Grant Awards
After the panel evaluates and scores the grant applications, they
will be ranked by score, starting with the highest score. In general,
CCC will award the grants in rank order until the total available funds
are committed. However, the selecting official may take into account
CCC priorities in addition to the scores. Also, if the selecting
official determines that some or all of the applications lack technical
merit, CCC may decide to award no grants, or less than the total amount
of funds set aside for this purpose. Finally, CCC reserves the right to
fund successful applications at an amount less than requested if it is
judged that the application can be implemented with less, or if Federal
funding is not sufficient to fully fund all successful applications.
CCC also reserves the right to deny an otherwise worthwhile application
if the success of the application is dependent upon an amount of
funding that is not available.
We will notify grant applicants of awards as soon as possible after
the applications have been reviewed. We expect to complete the review
by early January 2001. CCC will provide funding for approved grant
applications upon receipt of a properly executed grant agreement and
subject to available funding.
Dated: October 30, 2000.
August Schumacher, Jr.,
President, Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 00-28201 Filed 10-30-00; 4:41 pm]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P
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