RFA through Payment

Charisse West – Kansas State University Eric Still – USDA NIFA

Mark Poth – USDA - NIFABruce Mertz – USDA NIFA

The National Institute of Food and Agriculture

NIFA's unique mission is to advance knowledge for agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being, and communities by supporting research, education, and extension programs in the Land-Grant University System and other partner organizations.

NIFA's two key mechanisms for accomplishing its mission of "advancing knowledge“ are:

• National program leadership. We help states identify and meet research, extension, and education priorities in areas of public concern that affect agricultural producers, small business owners, youth and families, and others.

• Federal assistance. We provide annual formula grants to land-grant universities and competitively granted funds to researchers in land-grant and other universities.

RFA through Payment

Begins with the Appropriation Process• Presidents Budget• House Version• Senate Version• Final Approved Version

RFA Development: The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)• Combines aspects of National Research Initiative (NRI)

and Initiative for Future Agriculture and Food Systems (IFAFS)

• Effective FY 2009 (October 1, 2008)• Authorizes funding for fundamental research, applied

research, education, extension, and integrated projects

• Funding FY 2011: $264 million (up ~$2 million)

AFRI Stakeholder Input for RFAs

• Scientific Organizations• NGOs (APLU, NAS, etc.)• Congress (legislation and budget language)• President (Office of Science and Technology Policy,

OMB) and Secretary of Agriculture• National Agricultural Research Education and

Economics Advisory Board• Federal agency (coordination)• Open Stakeholder workshops & listening sessions

Six focal areas:

• Global Food Security and Hunger • Climate Change• Sustainable Bioenergy• Childhood Obesity • Food Safety• Foundational Science

NIFA Fellowships Program RFA• Anticipated release in Summer, 2011

• Pre-doctoral fellowships: $75,000 for two years of support (stipend, tuition, fees, fringe, travel)

• Post-doctoral fellowships: $130,000 for 2 years of support (primarily salary, but also supplies, travel, etc.)

• Projects to focus on Challenge Areas

• Eligibility: U.S. citizens, nationals, and green card holders

AFRI Foundational Programs RFA

1. Plant health and production & plant products

2. Animal health and production & animal products

3. Food safety, nutrition, and health

4. Renewable energy, natural resources, and environment

5. Agriculture systems an technology

6. Agriculture economics and rural communities

Grants for research projects only – awards generally $300-500k in total

AFRI RFA Steps

1. Drafted by a team of National Program Leaders2. Reviewed by program staff 3. Policy staff review for legislative compliance

(possibly by USDA General Council as well)4. NIFA Director review5. Office of the Secretary review6. Return to step 2 for any issues raised at steps 3

through 57. Posted on Grants.gov

Recipient Grant Office Roles

• Read RFAs• Help investigators decide – to apply or

not apply??• Work with PDs/PIs to prepare Budgets• Review Proposal Content• Ensure all proposal attachments are

pdfs

Recipient Grant Office Roles

• Line up proper registrations: DUNS, FEIN and CCR

• If possible, ensure all compliance issues are met prior to submission (IACUC, IRB, NEPA)

• Sign off and Submit Proposal to Grants.gov• Typically 4 to 6 weeks to get application in

order

National Program Leaders

Accept Proposals from grants.gov• Proposals must be Submitted before DEADLINE

Select Peer Review Panel• Dates/Members• Diverse Group• Experts in their field

Make funding recommendations to Deputy Administrator

Preparing Required Award Documents

• Panel Recommendations

• Applicant Award Negotiation

• National Program Leader (NPL) Recommendations

• Recommended Award Data (RAD)

Awards Management Division (AMD)Conducts Administrative Review

• Verifies Required Documents• Allowable/Reasonable Costs• Additional Information/Clarification – Authorized

Representative • Forwards to Authorized Departmental Officer for Signature• Ensures compliance with policy, regulations, and legislation

Notifies Recipient – PD and AR via email

Financial Operations Division- FOD• NIFA utilizes the Automated Standard Application for Payments

(ASAP) system to distribute grants to grantee institutions throughout the United States. ASAP is a web-based electronic grants payment and information system developed by the Financial Management Services (FMS) under the Department of Treasury and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond

• ASAP allow grantee institutions receiving federal grants to draw down funds from accounts pre-authorized by NIFA. ASAP receives payment requests and transmits payment to either the Federal Reserve Bank or the U.S. Treasury for deposit into the grantee’s bank account.

Financial Operations Division-FOD• Notification is sent to AR (Authorized Representative) on

how to access the ASAP system.• Will verify the enrollment status of the Recipient in ASAP. • Will verify and enroll NEW Recipients in ASAP based on

the Duns# (Duns and Bradstreet) and EIN# (Employer Identification Number) listed on the SF-424.

• Once the Grantee is enrolled successfully, Treasury ASAP customer service representative will email the User ID to the AR (Authorized Representative listed on the SF-424). The password will be mailed to the address provided on the SF-424

Financial Operations Division-FOD• The Grantee has 45 days to complete each step of the following

enrollment categories in ASAP.• Initiates RO and POC• Point of Contact Names Organization Officials• Head of Organization Approves Official• Authorization Officials Defines Recipient Profile• Authorizing Official Defines Recipient Organizations Users• Financial Official Defines Banking Information

• If the Recipient fails to complete all steps, the enrollment status will be rejected in ASAP and funds will be delayed.

Financial Operations Division-FOD

• FOD creates the account in ASAP for authorization• FOD authorizes the account and load the money on

the account in ASAP• The Certifying Officer reviews and approves the

authorization and certifies the funds in ASAP. At this point, the funds are available to the Recipient for withdrawal.

• Funds should be available to the Recipient no later than 30 days after the Award date.

Financial Operations Division-FOD

Financial Operations Division ASAP Customer Service

Telephone: 202-401-4527Hour of Operation M-F 7:30am to 4pm

www.ASAPcustomerservice.nifa.usda.govCategories:

Payment Status Return Funds

Post Award Management – AMD Role–No-Cost Extension–Release of Funds–Budget Changes–Project Director Changes–Reporting–Close Out

Financial Reporting• Old SF269 has been replaced by SF425• Financial reports should be submitted

ANNUALLY to AMD: preferred method is email at: awards@nifa.usda.gov.

• Questions concerning administrative matters should be directed to the administrative contact in block 14 of the Award Face Sheet

Post Award Evaluation

• Site Visits

• PD Meetings

• Technical Reporting

• Financial reporting

Offices of Responsibility

• RFAs – OGFM Policy• Awards – OGFM Awards Management Division

(AMB)• Application Review/Processing – Program Offices• Payments/Funding of Awards – OGFM Financial

Operations Division (FOD)• Ask your Administrative Point of Contact

Resources• NIFA Website:

http://www.nifa.usda.gov/funding/applicationinfo.html, http://www.nifa.usda.gov/business/business.html • Grants.gov Applicant Resources:

http://www.grants.gov/applicants/resources.jsp • Grants.gov Grantor Resources:

http://www.grants.gov/agencies/grantors_help_resou.jsp

Questions?