Rfa

OMB BURDEN STATEMENT: Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 10 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.  An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.  Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, Office of Research and Analysis (#0584-0512), Alexandria, VA 22302. Do not return the completed application to this address.

Emergency Food Program Infrastructure Grants

Food and Nutrition Service

The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP)

General Infrastructure Grants

Request for Application

APPLICATION DEADLINE: {Insert Date 45 days after release}

CFDA No. 10.568

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION 3

Purpose 3

Funding and Duration 3

Authorization 3

REQUIREMENTS 4

Who May Apply 4

Allowable Uses of Funding 4

Technology 5

Infrastructure for Time-Sensitive and Perishable Foods 5

Recovered Foods 5

Identification of Donors, EFOs, and Eligible Recipients 5

Facilities and Equipment 5

Other Infrastructure Needs 6

Priority for Projects Serving Native Americans 6

Questions about this Solicitation 6

APPLICATION FORMAT 6

General Guidelines 6

Duns Number 7

Central Contractor Registration Number (CCR) 7

APPLICATION REVIEW AND AWARD PROCESS 7

Screening and Review Process 7

Selection of Grant Applications 8

Determination of Award Amounts 9

Award Notice and Issuance of Funds 9

Debriefing Requests 9

GRANT REQUIREMENTS 9

Required Recordkeeping and Reporting 9

Award Terms and Conditions 10

APPENDIX 11

Appendix A – Application Submission Procedures 12

Appendix B – Application Template and Format 13

Appendix C – Budget Narrative Checklist 16

Appendix D – TEFAP Allowable Expenses 18

Appendix E – Sample Proof of Participation Letter 20

INTRODUCTION

Purpose

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has approximately $3 million, contingent on the availability of funds, in Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 for a grant program to improve the capacity and infrastructure of emergency feeding organizations.

FNS plans to award the grants to selected grantees as soon possible after the close of the RFA, most likely sometime after August 30, 2010. Organizations may use the grant funds for the duration of the project period, beginning the date funding is received through September 30, 2011. FNS will require each grantee to submit semi-annual and final Financial Status Reports (Standard form 425/425A, which replaced SF-269/269A). In addition, a final report will be required and will be due December 31, 2011.

To assist applicants in preparing an application, specifications and information on format, mandatory forms, and administrative procedures are provided in Appendixes A and B. This includes a list of critical application items that if not provided in or with the application will disqualify the applicant from further consideration. Applications that DO NOT meet these initial requirements will be deemed nonresponsive, and will not be evaluated further. FNS will not consider additions or revisions to applications once they are received. FNS will not accept late or incomplete applications.

Funding and Duration

Up to $3 million will be available for General Emergency Food Program Infrastructure Grants. The minimum grant request is $50,000 and the maximum request is $250,000.

Funding of applications will be provided through the Grant Award/Letter of Credit process, upon receipt of a properly executed Grant Agreement and subject to the availability of funding. The submission of an application does not guarantee funding.

FNS may elect to fund a proposal in its entirety, may limit funding to specific components of a proposal, or may negotiate grant requests to remain within appropriated funding.

Funding is available for FY 2010-2011, subject to the availability of funds. All grant funds must be obligated and grant activities completed by September 30, 2011.

The Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number for this competition is 10.568.

This grant does not require any matching funds.

Authorization

These grants will be awarded under the authority provided by Section 209 of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983, Public Law (P.L.) 98-8, as amended by Section 4202 of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, P.L. 110-246. This section allows the Secretary of Agriculture to award grants to emergency feeding organizations to support their infrastructure.

REQUIREMENTS

Who May Apply

Only Emergency Feeding Organizations (EFO) that currently participate in TEFAP and have been participating in TEFAP since at least September 30, 2009 are eligible to apply. EFOs that began participating in TEFAP on October 1, 2009 or later are not eligible to apply. The applicant must include with its application a letter certifying the applicant's participation in TEFAP (see Appendix B, page 14, #8 for more information).

As defined in section 201A of the Emergency Food Assistance Act of 1983, an EFO is a public or nonprofit organization that administers activities and projects (including the activities and projects of a charitable institution, a food bank, a food pantry, a hunger relief center, a soup kitchen, or a similar public or private nonprofit eligible recipient agency) providing nutrition assistance to relieve situations of emergency and distress through the provision of food to needy persons, including low-income and unemployed persons. Food may be provided directly to needy persons for household consumption (i.e., food pantry, food cupboard, or mobile food pantry), as a prepared meal (i.e., a soup kitchen or sandwich site), or through another EFO (i.e., a food bank).

Applicants are encouraged to seek and create partnerships with public or private, nonprofit or for-profit entities, including links with other professionals, community- and faith-based organizations, and local government entities, such as Indian Tribal Organizations (ITO). Award recipients may subcontract to organizations not eligible to apply provided such organizations are necessary for the successful completion of the project.

Requests may be aggregated under one lead agency. For example, one EFO may choose to apply for several unique infrastructure needs on behalf of a group of EFOs, rather than each of those EFOs applying for funding individually. The lead EFO would maintain fiscal and programmatic responsibility for the grant award. An individual EFO may only submit one application, either individually, or as part of an aggregate request under another EFO.

EFOs that primarily serve Native American populations are strongly encouraged to apply and will receive priority consideration.

Allowable Uses of Funding

Funding may be used to carry out activities of the EFO as long as funds are used for a federally allowable TEFAP administrative expense per 7 CFR Part 251. If an applicant is from a State that further restricts allowable TEFAP administrative expenses, allowability will be determined based on Federal regulations, not State-specific policy. Food purchases will not be considered an allowable expense under this grant solicitation. In addition, grant requests with budgets that primarily request funds for salaries and/or benefits will not be funded. No building or land purchases will be funded under this RFA. See Appendix D for more information about TEFAP allowable expenses.

Applicants may submit requests for funding for any of the activities listed in this section and may include more than one activity in their proposals. The total budget of all projects and activities must at be least $50,000, but no more than $250,000.

Grant activities should focus on one or more of the following categories:

Technology

Projects will develop and/or maintain a computerized system for the tracking of time-sensitive food products. Allowable costs may include, but are not limited to, the purchase of computer hardware or software necessary to track time-sensitive products, the development of computer systems dedicated to this task, and/or hiring consultants to assist in these processes.

Infrastructure for Time-Sensitive and Perishable Foods

Projects will develop or improve the collection, storage, distribution, and transportation of time-sensitive and perishable foods. Funds may be used to support capital expenses, infrastructure development/improvement, and operating costs. Requests may include the purchase or lease of trucks and equipment and appliances, such as coolers, freezers and/or temperature controlled storage.

Recovered Foods

Projects will improve the provision of recovered foods to food banks and emergency food providers to reduce hunger. This could include projects that request funds to set-up or improve the ability to “rescue” prepared, unserved, or/and perishable foods from farms, restaurants, caterers, cafeterias, grocery stores, and other organizations.

Identification of Donors, EFOs, and Eligible Recipients

Projects will improve the identification of donors, potential nonprofit emergency food providers, and persons in need of emergency food assistance. Projects may include hiring consultants to identify new donors, EFOs, or potential recipients. Funds requested may be used to set-up or improve the structure of outreach programs aimed at recipients, targeted recruitment of EFOs in underserved areas, or current donor solicitation programs. However, funds may not be used to start-up new EFOs, or for incentives, gifts, or other donor acknowledgements that cost more than $4.00 per item, per donor.

Facilities and Equipment

Projects will repair or expand facilities, equipment, or appliances to support hunger relief agencies in the community. Eligible expenses may include, but are not limited to, the repair or expansion of facilities directly related to the storage, transportation, or distribution of food. Projects may also include the purchase or repair of commercial refrigerators and freezers, pallet jacks, forklifts, truck leases or purchases, repairing or installing generator backups to ensure safe food temperatures, or other related facility, equipment, or applicant repairs and expansions.

Other Infrastructure Needs

Applicants may request funding for other infrastructure needs not listed above.

Priority for Projects Serving Native Americans

While any eligible EFO can apply and may be awarded funding, FNS will place an emphasis on funding projects that primarily benefit or serve Native American communities. In order to receive this priority, 75 percent of the requested grant budget must be directed to grant activities or projects in Native American communities, and grant activities or projects must primarily serve these communities.

Questions about this Solicitation

Any questions regarding this solicitation must be submitted in writing to:

Gregory Walton

Grants Officer

E-mail: [email protected]

To assist applicants in writing their proposals, frequently asked questions and answers about this solicitation will be posted on the FNS website as they accrue during the application period. Please visit http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/programs/tefap/TEFAP_InfrastructureGrant.htm often during the application period to access these questions and answers. Please contact Gregory Walton, Grants Officer at [email protected] if you cannot access this website and need a hard copy of the questions and answers.

APPLICATION FORMAT

Appendix A to this Request for Application provides critical details on application procedures such as size limitations, number of copies, submission procedures and other important administrative information on application submission. These procedures must be followed.

Appendix B to this Request for Application provides a template to create an application. It is essential that applicants carefully read this entire Request for Application prior to starting their application, as elements required in the application are discussed throughout the RFA.

General Guidelines

1. Adhere to the page limit.

2. Read RFA thoroughly prior to beginning your application.

3. Register for your DUNS and Central Contractor Registration numbers early (see below).

4. Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your grant on www.grants.gov.

5. Use the attached checklist to ensure that your application is complete.

Duns Number

Applicants for Federal Government awards are required to have a DUNS number. To obtain a DUNS number if you do not have one already, contact Dun and Bradstreet at 1-866-705-5711 or visit their website at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. There is no charge for a DUNS number. The DUNS number serves as a means of tracking and identifying applications for Federal assistance and is required to be included on all applications for Federal assistance, regardless of the method they are submitted. The DUNS number is also required to complete the additional steps to become a registered www.grants.gov user.

Central Contractor Registration Number (CCR)

A CCR number is required only if you submit your application electronically. FNS strongly encourages applicants to register for a CCR number early if the organization intends to submit their proposal electronically. Completing the CCR Number registration process can take 3 to 5 business days if there are no problems with the applicant’s registration. If there are problems, the process can take up to three weeks. A CCR is needed to access the www.grants.gov website and file your grant application electronically. For more information on how to obtain a CCR, visit http://www.ccr.gov/ and https://www.bpn.gov/ccr/scripts/index.html. CCR Numbers are issued on an annual basis so you may need to re-register for one depending on when you registered previously.

APPLICATION REVIEW AND AWARD PROCESS

Screening and Review Process

FNS will screen all applications that are received on, or before, Month, xx 20xx to ensure that all required application components are included. Only the applications from eligible applicants (see the Requirements section under Who May Apply), and the proposals contained therein, that are complete and conform to the screening requirements of this RFA will be reviewed competitively. FNS will not consider any additions or revisions to applications once they are received. Late or incomplete applications will be deemed non-responsive and will not be forwarded to the panel for review or consideration.

Applications will be reviewed competitively using the following evaluation criteria:

1. Merit of Project Design (33 points)

Soundness: The proposal is comprehensive, feasible, and reasonable to meet the stated needs, given the resources allocated.

Benefit and Need: The proposal clearly describes linkages between the activities planned and the intended benefit or outcome. Appropriate statistics and/or data are included that clearly supports any assertions of poverty and/ or need in the community or communities being served.

Infrastructure Development: The proposal clearly indicates how the activities described will improve or enhance the capacity and infrastructure of the Emergency Food Network.

2. Organization Experience and Management/Staff Capacity/Community Support (33 points)

Experience: The proposal describes the EFO’s experience in and qualifications for administering Federal grants and/or TEFAP. The proposal describes the applicant EFO’s specific expertise and qualifications for management and administration of their proposal grant project.

Oversight: The proposal details effective and continuing oversight by qualified project managers and establishes credibility and capacity of the EFO.

Time Commitments: The proposal includes a discussion of the project timeline that allows sufficient time for proposed tasks and justifies the proposed time commitments of key personnel.

Community Support: The proposal identifies financial partners and has included letter of support for all identified partners who will receive funding as part of this grant project (if applicable).

3. Budget Appropriateness and Economic Efficiency (34 points)

Budget: the proposal includes a line item budget and narrative that describe appropriate use of grant funds and justifies program costs.

Efficiency: The anticipated results identified in the proposal are commensurate with the cost of the project.

4. Emphasis on Native Americans

Up to 15 additional points will be given to applications that primarily benefit Native American communities.

Selection of Grant Applications

After the panel evaluates and scores each proposal, it will rank the proposals numerically, based on the scoring made by the panel members.

The panel will provide recommendation for funding to the grant selection official. The selection officer may follow the panel’s recommendations without amendment, or may consider other factors, such as geographic, demographic, or socioeconomic diversity, or agency priorities, in addition to the panel’s recommendations. Additionally, FNS may select one or more lower ranked applications to diversify the focus area topics and regional representation. In general, the panel will consider awards based on proposals’ rankings until available funds are committed. FNS does, however, reserve the right to fund the applications out of rank order as discussed herein.

Once a grant is awarded, the grantee must sign a grant agreement, which will contain the terms and conditions of the grant, including adherence to regulations, applicable cost principles, and instructions provided in the Grant Requirements section of this announcement.

Determination of Award Amounts

If an application is selected and approved for funding, is realistically and appropriately budgeted, and has technical merit, the grant may be funded at the requested amount. However, FNS reserves the right to:

1. Fund applications outside of numerical ranking for the afore stated reasons;

2. Not fund an application based on a lack of merit; and/or

3. Award a grant at less than the total amount requested, if:

   1. Federal funding is not sufficient to fully fund all applications that merit awards;

   2. It justifies that one, or more proposals could be implemented with less funding; or

   3. It elects to consider other factors, such as geographic, demographic, or socioeconomic diversity, or agency priorities.

Award Notice and Issuance of Funds

FNS expects to notify selected EFOs in writing and issue funds as promptly as possible thereafter, subject to the availability of funds. As more detailed information about the award timeline is available, it will be posted online at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/programs/tefap/TEFAP_InfrastructureGrant.htm. Please do not call or e-mail for updates to this timeline.

Debriefing Requests

Non-selected applicants may request a debriefing to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of submitted proposals. This information may be useful when preparing future grant proposals. Additional information on debriefing requests will be forwarded to non-selected applicants.

GRANT REQUIREMENTS

Required Recordkeeping and Reporting

Semi-Annual Reports—Semi-annual financial progress reports must be submitted to FNS. Financial reports should provide information on the grant expenditures for the period and totals to date using the SF-425. These reports are due 30 days after the end of each reporting period, based upon the effective date of the Grant Agreement. For the period ending December 31, the report is due January 31.

The Recipient is required to enter the SF-425 reporting information into the Food Program Reporting System (FPRS) and post this data on-line.  To access FPRS, the awardee must obtain e-authentication certification. Information about obtaining e-authentication certification will be included in the grant agreement.

Final Report—A final report will be due no later than December 31, 2011. This report will be composed of a short Executive Summary and the following:

1. A project description which includes a concise summary of the major accomplishments, the difficulties encountered and the solutions developed to resolve the difficulties;

2. A discussion of the project results and lessons learned;

3. Plans for the continuation and the potential transferability of the project; and

4. Recommendations for future improvements.

Attached to the final report should be copies of materials used in the operation of the project that may be useful in the consideration of the sustainability of the project. Examples of relevant materials are media or publicity releases and training manuals. Links to materials on websites should also be included.

More detailed specifications for the report will be included in the grant agreements.

The final Financial Status Report will be due no later than December 31, 2011.

Award Terms and Conditions

All costs under the grant awards are subject to the provisions of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars A-87, Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments; A-122, Cost Principles for Non-profit Organizations; and A-21, Cost Principles for Institutions of Higher Education, as well as USDA regulations.

OMB Circulars can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/circulars/

Information about implementing these circulars can be found at the following Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) citations:

• 7 CFR Part 3015: Uniform Federal Assistance Requirements;

• 7 CFR Part 3016: Uniform Federal Assistance Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments;

• 7 CFR Part 3017, Subparts A-E: Government-wide Debarment and Suspension (Non-procurement);

• 7 CFR Part 3018: New Restrictions on Lobbying;

• 7 CFR Part 3019: Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations;

• 7 CFR Part 3021, Subpart F: Government-wide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance);

• 7 CFR Part 3052: USDA Implementation of Audits of States, Local Governments and Non-Profit Organizations

The Code of Federal Regulations can be found at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html

APPENDIX

Appendix A – Application Submission Procedures

Due Date

The completed application package must be received by FNS at or before 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Month, xx 20xx. Applications must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov or via e-mail at [email protected], in sufficient time to ensure timely receipt by the deadline. Late applications will not be considered and will be deemed nonresponsive. Additions or revisions to application already received will not be considered.

Submitting Your Application Electronically

To submit your application electronically, go to www.grants.gov. Click on the “Apply for Grants” tab and read the instructions provided by grants.gov. Standard forms such as SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, SF-424C, and SF-424D are fillable forms on grants.gov. All other sections of your application (executive summary, narrative, letters of support, etc.) must be attachments in any of the following formats: MS Word, Adobe PDF, or MS Excel. All materials must be submitted with the grant application package. FNS will not accept grant documentation that is sent separately.

Submitting Application by E-mail

Application submission for this RFA can be sent to [email protected]. Please follow the application format and process stated above.  The complete application package must be attached to the email as a .PDF file only.  The use of any other software type for the application attachment will not be accepted and therefore your application will not be considered.

Appendix B – Application Template and Format

Application format must follow the outline listed below, including listed page limits. Application must be printed on white paper using Times New Roman, 12-point font and be ready for copying (black and white on 8 ½ by 11 paper). Application packages should not exceed stated length. Do not submit slides, tapes, pamphlets, or other such items. Applications must be submitted electronically via grants.gov or e-mail.

1. Standard forms. The following mandatory forms must be completed, signed, and submitted with the application package. Failure to submit all of these mandatory forms will be deemed nonresponsive and the applications will not be considered in the grant competition.

All forms are available in fillable PDF at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/programs/tefap/TEFAP_InfrastructureGrant.htm. The SF series can also be found at http://www.grants.gov/agencies/aapproved_standard_forms.jsp or, if you submit your application via grants.gov, they can be filled out and submitted online.

1. All projects must complete the following:

   1. SF 424 Core Form: Application for Federal Assistance, including:

      1. Data Universal Number (DUNS)

      2. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number (CFDA #10.568)

   2. SF 424A (Budget Summary – Non-Construction Projects)

   3. SF 424B (Assurances – Non-Construction Projects)

   4. Projects that include construction must also complete a SF 424C (Budget Summary – Construction Projects) and a SF 424D (Assurances – Construction Projects)

   5. SF LLL (Disclosure of Lobbying Activities). Indicate on the form whether your organization intends to conduct lobbying activities. If your organization does not intend to lobby, write “Not Applicable.”

   6. USDA Grant Certification Forms:

      1. AD-1047 Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters;

      2. AD-1048 Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion-Lower Tier Covered Transaction (Must submit with application only if a Sole Source Contractor is identified); and

      3. AD-1049 Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements.

2. Table of Contents (one page or less)

3. Cover Page (one page)

   1. Name of applicant organization

   2. Name of grant solicitation (The Emergency Food Assistance Program General Infrastructure Grants)

   3. If the project primarily serves Native Americans based on the requirements listed in this RFA, include a brief statement indicating that the grant request primarily serves Native Americans.

4. Executive Summary (one page or less)

   1. Name and address of organization.

   2. Name, title, and contact information for project director.

   3. If the project primarily serves Native Americans, identify the reservation(s) and/or tribe(s) served by the project, and the percentage of the grant budget that will be dedicated to this population.

   4. Summary – provide a brief overview of your project.

4. Project Narrative (four pages or less)

   1. Identify the service area and/or target population for the project.

   2. Need(s) to be addressed by the project (include information about the poverty rate in the counties or areas served by your project, including appropriate Census, State, county, or local data, when available).

   3. Project goals and intended outcomes or benefit to the community.

   4. Activities – Identify the key activities that are required to complete your project.

   5. Infrastructure development – Indicate how the activities described will improve or enhance the capacity and infrastructure of the Emergency Food Network.

   6. Timeline – Provide a timeline for the completion of each activity required to meet your project goals.

4. Organizational Experience and Management Capacity (two pages or less)

   1. Mission and history – Provide a brief description of your organization’s mission, and how long the organization has been in operation and/or providing services.

   2. Organizational activities – Provide a brief overview of the organization’s primary activities, including food and nonfood related activities.

   3. Credibility, capability, and capacity to manage the project – Explain how your organization is qualified to manage the project, including any previous experience with Federal grants and TEFAP.

4. Current and pending support (one page limit per organization)

   1. Letters of commitment from partners (required only if project has partners as described in this section), if any, that will have direct roles or will have financial obligations as part of this project. The letter must be on letterhead and signed by an authorized official. The letter should include a brief description of the role the partner will play in the project, as well as a description of any commitments by the partner, if they are applicable to your project.

4. Budget materials (three pages or less, not including Indirect Cost Rate Agreement)

   1. Line item budget.

   2. Budget narrative – Clearly describe how each cost in your line item was derived and what the funds will be used for.

   3. Cost-effectiveness – Provide an explanation of how the project is cost-effective.

   4. Copy of Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (only if applying for indirect costs).

4. Proof of participation in TEFAP

   1. A letter certifying the applicant EFO's participation in TEFAP from the entity with which the applicant has a current TEFAP agreement (see template at Appendix E). For food banks or community action agencies, this will likely be the State agency that administers TEFAP, and for onsite meal programs and food pantries, it will likely be another EFO, such as a food bank.

Appendix C – Budget Narrative Checklist

This checklist will assist you in completing the budget narrative portion of the application. Please review the checklist to ensure the items below are addressed in the budget narrative.

FOR GRANT APPLICANT USE ONLY. DO NOT RETURN THIS FORM WITH THE APPLICATION

	YES	NO
Personnel
Did you include all key employees paid for by this grant under this heading?
Are employees of the applicant’s organization identified by name and position title?
Did you reflect the current yearly salary as a percentage of time to be devoted to the project?
Fringe Benefits
Did you include your organization’s fringe benefit amount along with the basis for the computation?
Did you list the type of fringe benefits to be covered with Federal funds?
Travel
Are travel expenses itemized? For example origination/destination points, number and purpose of trips, number of staff traveling, mode of transportation and cost of each trip.
Are the attendee objectives and travel justifications included in the narrative?
Is the basis for the lodging estimates identified in the budget? For example, include excerpt from travel regulations.
Equipment
Is the need for the equipment justified in the narrative?
Are the types of equipment, unit costs, and the number of items to be purchased listed in the budget?
Is the basis for the cost per item or other basis of computation stated in the budget?
Supplies
Are the types of supplies, unit costs, and the number of items to be purchased reflected in the budget?
Is the basis for the costs per item or other basis of computation stated?
Contractual
Are the products to be acquired or the professional services to be funded described in the budget?
Has the justification for the need to contract or subgrant been included in the budget?
For professional services, are the hours to be devoted to the project and the amounts to be charged to the project clearly stated?
Is the methodology on how the applicant determined the contractual costs included in the budget?
Are there sole-source contracts listed under this heading? If so, has sufficient information been provided in order to approve the use of a single source?
Other
Are all instances in which consultant services would be required listed in the budget?
If requesting funds for consultant services, is the need for these services justified in the budget?
For all other line items listed under the “Other” heading, list all items to be covered under this heading along with the methodology on how the applicant derived the costs to be charged to the program.
Indirect Costs
Is the amount requested based upon a rate approved by a Federal Agency? If yes, is a copy of the negotiated rate agreement must be provided along with the application.
If no negotiated agreement exists, the basis and the details of the indirect costs to be requested should also be reflected in the budget.

Appendix D – TEFAP Allowable Expenses

Grant recipients may use award funds for any expense that is considered an allowable TEFAP administrative cost per 7 CFR Part 251. Funds may be used for the direct expenses associated with the distribution of TEFAP foods and non-USDA foods secured from other sources to the extent that the foods are ultimately distributed by EFOs to the needy. If an applicant is in a State that restricts the use of TEFAP administrative funds per 7 CFR Part 251(e)(2), the allowablity of costs associated with this grant will be determined using Federal regulations, not State-specific TEFAP policy.

Information about allowable costs are specified under OMB regulations at 2 CFR Part 225 (OMB Circular A-87); 2 CFR Part 220 (OMB Circular A-21); 2 CFR Part 215 (OMB Circular A-110); and 2 CFR Part 230 (OMB Circular A-122). Departmental regulations at 7 CFR Part 3016 and TEFAP regulations at 7 CFR Part 251 also specify allowable costs. To be allowable, all costs charged to FNS must be valid obligations of the EFO and must be necessary and reasonable as charges under an approved proposal. The criteria for “necessary and reasonable” are listed below.

Necessary Costs:

1. Are incurred to carry out essential elements of the proposal;

2. Cannot be avoided without adversely affecting the proposal; and

3. Do not duplicate existing efforts.

Reasonable Costs:

1. Provide a program benefit generally commensurate with the cost incurred;

2. Are in proportion to other program costs for the function that the costs serve;

3. Are priority expenditures relative to other demands on availability of administrative resources; and

4. Support, expand, or improve the infrastructure of emergency feeding organizations.

Direct expenses include, but are not limited to the following, regardless of whether they are charged to the grant budget as direct or indirect costs:

1. The intrastate and interstate transport, storing, handling, repackaging, processing, and distribution of foods;

2. Costs associated with determinations of eligibility, verification, and documentation;

3. Costs of providing information to persons receiving food from an EFO concerning the appropriate storage and preparation of such foods;

4. Costs involved in publishing announcements of times and locations of distribution;

5. Costs of recordkeeping, auditing, and other administrative procedures required for program participation;

6. Costs associated with identification of new donors, EFOs, or recipients; and

7. Other costs associated with the day-to-day activities of the EFO.

Costs that are not allowable under this grant include:

1. The purchase of food;

2. The purchase or acquisition of land or buildings;

3. Costs related to activities that are not directly related to the daily activities of the EFO; and

4. Projects that primarily or solely request funds for salaries and/or benefits.

5. Incentives for donors, recipients, or EFOs that are in excess of $4.00 per item, per person or organization.

Appendix E – Sample Proof of Participation Letter

(On letterhead from the TEFAP State agency or EFO)

(Date)

Dear Grant Officer,

I certify that (Applicant EFO name) has a current agreement with (State agency or EFO) and currently participates in the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and has participated in TEFAP since at least September 30, 2009. I certify that (Applicant EFO) is an emergency feeding organization as described in the Emergency Food Program Infrastructure Grants Request for Application. I further certify that, to the best of my knowledge, (Applicant EFO) is currently in compliance with all applicable Federal, State and local regulations and policies, and that there are no material concerns or unresolved significant findings from reviews, audits, or other regulatory assessments pertinent to TEFAP for (Applicant EFO).

I certify that I am a representative of (1) the State agency that administers TEFAP, or (2) an emergency feeding organization that has an agreement with the State agency that administers TEFAP and that agreement authorizes this organization to distribute TEFAP foods and/or administration funds to other emergency feeding organizations with which we have a signed TEFAP agreement.

I may be reached at (phone) or (e-mail) if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

(Name)

(Title)