A7 - Summer EBT (SLT)

OMB Control No.: 0584-0512

Expiration Date: xx/xx/xxxx

Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children (Summer EBT) Grant Program

Fiscal Year 20XX Request for Applications

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number (CFDA): 10.579

Dates:

Release Date: XXXX X, 20XX

Application Due Date: 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time (EST), XXX XX, 20XX Anticipated Award Date: XXXX X, 20XX

OMB BURDEN STATEMENT: According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information collection is 0584-0512. The time required to complete this information collection is estimated to average 150 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and competing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to the following address: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services, Office of Policy Support, 3101 Park Center Drive, Room 1014, Alexandria, VA 22302, ATTN: PRA (0584-0512). Do not return the completed form to this address.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

On December 31, 2017, Grants.gov officially retired the legacy .PDF application package as a method to apply for a Federal grant. This changed the way many Grants.gov users completed and submitted their grant applications.

For information on Workspace application process, visit:

https://grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace- overview.html

Application Checklist

This application checklist provides a list of the required documents; however FNS expects that applicants will read the entire RFA prior to the submission of their application.

In order to apply, at least four weeks prior to submission, you must have:

• Obtained a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number;

• Registered the DUNS number into the System for Award Management (SAM); and,

• Registered in grants.gov.

When preparing your application, ensure:

• Your application format and narrative meet the requirements included in Section IV “Application and Submission Information,” including page limits, priorities outlined in Section I and all necessary attachments.

When preparing your budget, ensure the following information is included:

• All key staff who are paid by this grant.

• The percentage of time the project director will devote to the project in full-time equivalents.

• Your organization’s fringe benefit amount along with the basis for the computation.

• The type of fringe benefits to be covered with Federal funds.

• Itemized travel expenses (including type of travel), travel justifications and basis for lodging estimates.

• Types of equipment and supplies, justifications, and estimates, ensuring that the budget is in line with the project description.

• Information for all contracts and justification for any sole-source contracts.

• Justification, description and itemized list of all consultant services.

• Indirect cost information (either a copy of a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) or if no agreement exists, the basis of the indirect costs requested). If none requested, please indicate this in the budget narrative.

When submitting your application, ensure you have submitted the following:

• SF-424 – Application for Federal Assistance (fillable PDF in Grants.gov)

• SF-424A – Budget Information and Instruction Form (fillable PDF in Grants.gov)

• SF-424B – Assurances for Non-Construction Programs (fillable PDF in Grants.gov)

• SF-LLL Disclosure of Lobbying Activities.

• Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire (in Section VIII)

• Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (PDF - Upload using the “Add Attachments” button under SF-424 item #15)

When applicable, application packages are required to include the following documents:

• AD-3030 – Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants (fillable PDF in Grants.gov).

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

1. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 5

2. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION 13

3. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION 14

4. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION 16

5. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION 23

6. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION 24

7. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS 29

8. OTHER INFORMATION 32

1. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

BACKGROUND

The Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 Agriculture Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-80) provided authority and funding for FNS to demonstrate and rigorously evaluate methods of reducing or preventing food insecurity and hunger among children in the summer months. In response, FNS has supported demonstrations in twelve States and Tribal Nations since 2011 to test different methods of providing nutrition assistance through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) technology. FNS received additional appropriations in Fiscal Years 2015, 2016, and 2017 to support this work.

The continuing resolution that became law on January 22, 20XX (P.L. 115-120) provided additional funds for FNS to work with States, Tribes, and local partners to explore options to provide nutrition assistance in the summer.

FISCAL YEAR 20XX FUNDING PRIORITIES

The ongoing purpose of the summer demonstrations is to develop and test innovative methods of providing access to food for children during the summer months when schools are not in regular session to reduce or eliminate the food insecurity and hunger of children; and improve the nutritional status of children. As such, FNS seeks to fund innovative EBT projects that will provide insight into new and better ways of achieving this goal. FNS believes that States are laboratories of innovation, and seeks to learn from participating States strategies to improve project efficiency and integrity to best serve participants and the American taxpayer. FNS will support demonstration projects that are data-driven with clear and measurable outcomes for policies and programs.

For program year 20XX, FNS seeks to fund innovative EBT projects that will provide insight into new and better ways of delivering food assistance to children in the summer when they are not in school. FNS will only consider applications that address one or more of the priorities listed below. FNS will fund projects that meet priorities 1 and 2 first, and will fund projects meeting other priorities subject to the availability of funds:

FY 20XX Funding Priorities:

1. Testing substantially new and innovative strategies for improving the Summer EBT project and assessing the effectiveness of these innovations;

2. Serving new communities or populations to promote self-sufficiency, well-being, and economic mobility for participants and their families;

3. Utilizing new technologies to improve project administration or service delivery;

4. Testing new strategies to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, or integrity of project administration;

5. Testing and monitoring innovative service delivery methods to improve customer service;

6. Innovative alignment of operations across State and local agencies to foster collaboration; and/or

7. Piloting other innovations that could strengthen the project and enhance USDA’s understanding of effective methods of project administration.

FNS will consider proposals on a case-by-case basis and make awards subject to the availability of funding for applications that have sufficient technical merit and that align with the priorities listed above. FNS will only accept applications through this opportunity from experienced FNS awardees (i.e., those applicants that successfully administered an FNS-funded demonstration providing EBT benefits to children during the summer months in a prior year). Experienced applicants must propose significantly innovative strategies for improving their Summer EBT project and must be able to offer benefits by early summer 20XX in order to be considered for this award. Experienced applicants may be awarded funds without additional competition.

Under this solicitation:

• FNS is interested in innovative strategies for creating and operating successful Summer EBT projects, and the effectiveness of Summer EBT in reaching truly needy children in areas that are difficult to serve through existing summer meals programs such as rural areas, areas where transportation options are limited, or areas that are not area eligible to operate open sites in the Summer Food Service Program.

• FNS may support demonstrations across two EBT models – a debit card model (SNAP- model), through which Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) EBT systems are used to allow participants to redeem benefits for SNAP-eligible foods at SNAP-authorized retailers; and a food package model (WIC-model), through which Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) EBT systems are used to allow participants to redeem benefits for a prescribed set of foods at WIC-authorized retailers.

• FNS may award food benefit and administrative funds to experienced States and ITOs that have operated a project providing EBT benefits to children when school is not in session in a prior year so that they may test new innovations in summer 20XX.

• Food benefits and administrative funds will be awarded as one-year grants.

• FNS is interested in testing projects in various areas of the country including:

  • Rural areas or areas where transportation options are limited,

  • Areas with differing concentrations of children eligible for free or reduced price meals, and

  • Areas without sufficient nutrition assistance resources in the summer.

The ultimate objective of these demonstrations is to ensure children in need have wholesome and nutritious food over the summer in order to support their development and help them and their families move toward self-sufficiency.

DEMONSTRATION DETAILS

Continued Innovation. The 20XX demonstrations are intended to provide insight into new and better ways of providing nutrition assistance in the summer. Projects should build on grantee experience operating projects in prior years, and incorporate significant new concepts or innovations to test the effectiveness of these concepts.

Evaluation. FNS will conduct research projects on various aspects of the Summer EBT demonstrations and may contract with outside firms to assist with Summer EBT research in the future. As a condition of award, the grantee and its partner State and local-level agencies will be required to cooperate fully with FNS or its designees to provide data and other qualitative and quantitative information on their demonstrations before, during, and after Summer EBT operations.

Benefit Levels and Use. The approximate benefit level is $30 per month per eligible child throughout the summer. The amount of benefits expended will be contingent on the number of eligible children approved to serve. For grantees operating a food package model demonstration, each household selected to participate in the demonstration will receive a monthly Summer EBT food package for each eligible child in the household. For grantees operating a debit card model demonstration, each household selected to participate in the demonstration will receive a $XX per month benefit for each eligible child in the household. If a consenting household contains more than one eligible child, that household will receive one Summer EBT card loaded with the total benefits for all eligible children. Please note that Summer EBT benefits are exempt from State and local sales tax. All SNAP authorized retailers in debit card model States, and all WIC authorized retailers in food package model States, must participate in Summer EBT. Summer EBT cards will be valid for the same items as are SNAP benefits for debit card model demonstrations, or for the foods prescribed in the Summer EBT food package for food package model demonstrations.

Eligible Populations. It is the responsibility of the awardee to confirm the eligibility of each participating child. For the purposes of this demonstration “Eligible Child” means a child who meets all of the following criteria:

1. The child attended a school participating in the National School Lunch and/or School Breakfast Program in the approved service area during the 201X-20XX school year; and

2. The child was eligible to receive free/reduced price school meals during the 201X- 20XX School Year.

Any child who does not meet both conditions should not receive benefits in summer 20XX. Grantees will not need to identify children for a control group. All eligible children approved to serve through this RFA may be provided Summer EBT benefits.

For the purposes of this demonstration, FNS will permit grantees to provide benefits to otherwise eligible children attending Community Eligibility Program (CEP) schools as follows, although applicants may propose other methods:

1. Allow schools/districts with an Identified Student Percentage (ISP) above 62.5%

to serve all children;

2. For schools/districts with an ISP below 62.5%, only allow directly certified children to receive benefits;

3. Allow grantees to serve otherwise eligible children attending schools that have an ISP below 62.5% if those children are members of a households where at least one child in the household is eligible for Summer EBT (e.g., another child in the household is determined to be eligible through application); and

4. Allow schools to use a group ISP. Grantees that choose to use a group ISP must use the same grouping as is used in NSLP/SBP and should consult with FNS to confirm that the grouping is permissible and in keeping with the intent of the Summer EBT program.

Timeline and Activities. The proposal must include a timeline with all activities necessary for successful project implementation. This timeline must include a proposed benefit period that aligns as closely as possible with the summer period during which children in the proposed service area are not in school. Activities should be scheduled so that households receive their benefits before the first day of the first benefit period.

Application Requirements.

The applicant’s proposal shall provide a detailed description of the project, even if some activities are similar to previous project years. FNS will not be able to properly evaluate applications that include statements such as, “refer to the previous year’s application” or “same as previous years.” Strong applications should include at least the following:

• A detailed description of significant new and innovative concepts for providing and/or administering Summer EBT benefits, the methods that will be used to assess the effectiveness of these innovations, and how data, research, analysis, and findings will be shared with FNS.

• The process through which the applicant and/or its partners will identify eligible children and their households, how and when households will be contacted to obtain consent to participate, and how contact data of those consenting to participate will be transferred to partners including FNS or its designees, if requested.

• Use and confidentiality of household information including the role of School Food Authorities (SFA) in the demonstration project, and safeguards to ensure that household confidentiality is protected.

• For applicants choosing active consent (opt-in), a description of how consent will be obtained. For applicants choosing passive consent (opt-out), a description of the process for confirming contact information and allowing households to withdraw consent.

• The process through which benefits will be distributed to households, the issuance cycle for benefits including the dates on which benefits will be loaded and the dates on which they will become unavailable to participants, and, if necessary, how unused prior month benefits will be made available for continued use.

• Systems or processes developed and used to process EBT benefits or manage project data, and the impact that these systems or processes will have on WIC and SNAP operations, if applicable.

• Integration with current EBT systems and how the SNAP or WIC infrastructure will be used in the most efficient way to provide summer demonstration benefits, provide user support, track the redemptions from individual households, and provide data to FNS for evaluation purposes.

• The administrative structure for the demonstration, including which division or agency will lead the project and how partners will communicate and coordinate.

• Training for WIC or SNAP food retailers on the proposed system of using and processing Summer EBT benefits.

• Household support and training including how, when and by whom (e.g. school staff, local SNAP or WIC staff, State staff, EBT contractors) families will be trained on card use and the type of user support that will be provided. Applicants should discuss issues such as providing nutrition education, protecting participant confidentiality, and providing support in languages other than English.

Food Costs. Proposals should assume that food costs will be paid in the same way as SNAP or WIC benefits are paid, utilizing the SNAP or WIC redemption infrastructure (e.g., funds maintained by the State Agency bank for food package model projects).

Applicants must include a separate request for food benefit costs for summer 20XX in their application. This request should be based on the number of children expected to participate, the expected benefit redemption rates, the length of the Summer EBT benefit period, and any other relevant factors.

Administrative Costs.

Administrative costs will be awarded as one-year grants to support Summer EBT projects through the 20XX program year.

Evaluation. As these grant funds are intended to evaluate options for providing nutrition assistance in the summer months, FNS will continue to evaluate the Summer EBT demonstrations and may contract with an outside firm for assistance. FNS will examine strategies for creating and operating successful Summer EBT projects, and the effectiveness of Summer EBT in areas that are difficult to serve through existing summer meal programs. In addition, FNS is interested in learning from States that operate Summer EBT projects and will collaborate with States that propose new and innovative concepts that they are seeking to test, to assess the effectiveness of these innovations.

To accomplish these objectives, FNS and the grantees will need to collect and analyze information on:

• The effectiveness of any new and innovative concepts that are proposed by the States and tested and evaluated in 20XX.

• The process of establishing, launching, and operating Summer EBT, including schedules, roles and responsibilities, and implementation issues.

• Data for the entire summer period and for each benefit period on the numbers of households and children that: consented to participate in the project, received cards, participated by using their cards at least once, participated in Summer EBT in a prior year, and that also participated in SNAP or WIC. This information must be available for the entire project and specific to each service area.

• Data for the entire summer period and for each benefit period on: the total value of benefits issued, the total value of benefits redeemed, and the number of households that exhausted all available benefits for the period.

• Household benefit transaction data as provided by the EBT processor to the State SNAP agency in the daily activity or history file for debit card model projects, or redemptions associated with each card (i.e., from the EBT transaction data) for food package model projects.

• The costs of start-up and on-going operations, benefits, and any other costs of the Summer EBT that are incurred by Federal, State and local governments, providers, and retailers.

As a condition of award, the Awardee and its partners will be required to cooperate fully with FNS or its designees to ensure the quality of the data provided before, during, and after demonstration operations. The Awardee shall retain all information required to operate the demonstrations for a period of at least 5 years and shall make such information available to FNS upon request. To demonstrate readiness to facilitate research and evaluations, applicants must identify a single point of contact who will work as a liaison with FNS for research and evaluation, and must describe any additional research, information, or data that they will provide that is unique to their project.

DEMONSTRATION DELIVERABLES

The Summer EBT awardee shall participate in periodic conference calls with FNS to discuss implementation progress. In addition, the Summer EBT awardee must submit certain deliverables to FNS on time. FNS may consider the applicant’s history of providing deliverables on schedule and of sufficient quality in prior years when considering their proposal. These deliverables include, but are not limited to:

• Grantee-initiated Reports. For any new and innovative concepts that are tested and evaluated in 20XX, the awardee shall provide FNS all data, research, analysis, and findings that are associated with the innovative concepts tested.

• Monthly Implementation Updates: The Agency will conduct conference calls with the Awardee on a monthly basis beginning upon award and ending when Summer EBT benefits are expired at the end of the summer period. The Agency may require additional calls as needed. During these calls, the Awardee should be prepared to provide qualitative and quantitative information on their demonstrations including but not limited to: implementation and assessment of the new and innovative concepts the Awardee is testing, notable accomplishments, project progress, tasks completed, any challenges and how they were addressed, any requested changes to or deviations from the approved project plan and implementation schedule, any goals and objectives that were not met, and key activities planned for the next month. No later than 15 days after the end of each month/benefit period that benefits are redeemed for the duration of the grant project, the Awardee must provide a monthly report for each month in which benefits were available to project participants, or for each benefit period if the benefit period does not align with the calendar month, that includes the following information:

• The number of students issued benefits in that month/benefit period (those eligible to participate and issued an EBT card and benefits);

• The number of participating students in that month/benefit period (those who redeemed any of their benefits in that month);

• The total dollar value of benefits issued in that month/benefit period; and

• The total dollar value of benefits redeemed in that month/benefit period.

• Quarterly Progress Reports. Quarterly progress reports must provide a description of the activities conducted during all phases of the demonstration, major accomplishments with completion dates and budget deviations from the proposed plan, difficulties encountered, solutions developed to overcome difficulties, and major planned activities for the next quarter. The Summer EBT awardee is responsible for obtaining the necessary information from its partners to complete this report. These reports are due no later than 30 days after the end of each quarter. FNS will return and require resubmission of any quarterly progress reports that do not provide sufficient information to document all activities, challenges, accomplishments, or deviations from the approved project plan during the reporting period. A report is required for every quarter. Missing reports will be requested prior to the

submission of the next quarter’s report.

• Quarterly Financial Reports. Financial reports should provide information on demonstration expenditures for the quarter and totals to date, broken down into the same categories as the original budget using SF-425. Financial reports shall be submitted via the Food Programs Reporting System (FPRS). These reports are due no later than 30 days after the end of each quarter. Data must be entered and/or certified by a staff person with USDA Level 2 eAuthentication. A report is required for every quarter. Missing reports must be prior to submitting the next quarter’s report.

• EBT Issuance and Transaction Data. The Summer EBT awardee shall provide FNS or designee with benefit issuance and transaction data equivalent to daily activity or history file data. At a minimum, awardees must be able to provide data with household and store identifiers, date, time, benefit type and amount of each purchase made with Summer EBT cards. Reports should include daily and monthly data. Summer EBT and SNAP or WIC transaction data must be separated. The Awardee shall retain this information for a period of at least 5 years.

• Final Financial Reports. An annual/final financial report on form SF-425 will be due 90 days after the close of the demonstration (unless otherwise noted and justified in the application). Financial reports shall be submitted via FPRS. Data must be entered and/or certified by a staff person with USDA Level 2 eAuthentication.

• Final Progress Reports. A final written progress report, no more than 20 pages in length, will be due no later than 90 days after the close of the demonstration each summer. FNS will return and require resubmission of any reports that do not sufficiently address the required elements detailed below. It must be composed of a short Executive Summary and the following:

• A project description which includes a description of the new or innovative concepts that were tested, a description of the demonstration service areas, the process of developing the EBT system, providing households with EBT cards, training households, redeeming benefits and how the grantee dealt with adverse events or circumstances during the demonstration operations;

• A discussion of the new and innovative concepts that were tested, methods used to assess the effectiveness of these innovations, and all data, research, and analysis associated with the innovative concepts tested.

• A summary of major accomplishments, difficulties encountered, and solutions developed to resolve the difficulties;

• A discussion of lessons learned;

• Data for the entire summer period and for each benefit period on the numbers of households and children that: consented to participate in the project, received cards, participated by using their cards at least once, participated in Summer EBT in a prior

year, and that also participated in SNAP or WIC. This information must be available for the entire project and specific to each service area;

• Data for the entire summer period and for each benefit period on: the total value of benefits issued, the total value of benefits redeemed, and the number of households that exhausted all available benefits for the period; and,

• Recommendations for future operational and policy consideration.

• Other reports as requested by FNS.

2. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION

ANTICIPATED AWARD LEVELS AND PERFORMANCE PERIODS

In FY 20XX, FNS may award funds to only experienced FNS grantees (i.e., those applicants that successfully administered an FNS-funded demonstration providing EBT benefits to children during the summer months in a prior year) contingent upon the availability of funds and the receipt of applications that have sufficient technical merit and that meet the priorities listed on page 5 of this RFA. The period of performance will be approximately May 20XX to May 2019 unless otherwise justified in the application. FNS may elect to fund proposed projects in whole or in part.

USE OF DEMONSTRATION FUNDS

The Summer EBT awardee must use demonstration funds solely for allowable, allocable, necessary and reasonable costs in accordance with 2 CFR Part 200. Awardees must account for Summer EBT funds separately from all other funds and establish financial and management reporting and controls, a separate and distinct audit trail, and a strict accounting system to ensure that Summer EBT funds and other Federal funds, e.g. SNAP or WIC, are not comingled or used inappropriately.

Allowable use of funds includes, but is not limited to: food benefits; personnel costs; contractors; equipment and supplies; meeting expenses; travel; EBT programming; development and manufacture of EBT cards; training; translation services; printing, duplication, and dissemination of materials; costs associated with additional research or analysis conducted by the grantee; and, technology (hardware and software both internal and external to the demonstration) necessary for operating the demonstration and/or participating in any evaluation of the demonstration. SNAP, WIC, NSLP and other partner program funds may not be used for this demonstration. Summer EBT funds may not be used for any non-Summer EBT related SNAP, WIC, or partner costs.

Payment of administrative costs to partners will be handled by the awardee. For debit card model demonstrations, State or local funds used to support the demonstration are not eligible for SNAP matching funds.

If existing SNAP, WIC or NSLP staff will work on the Summer EBT demonstration, the proposal should clearly specify how salaries and any fringe benefits will be allocated among SNAP, WIC or NSLP and Summer EBT funds.

Awards will be governed by amendments to State agency Plans of Operation or Federal/State Agreements.

Equipment and Supplies: Expenditures for both equipment (i.e., items of personal property having a useful life of more than one year and a cost of $5,000 or more) and supplies are allowable expenses.

Food Expenses: No more than 10 percent of the administrative grant funds may be used for food purchases in the grant budget. Food purchases should be limited to educational purposes, including: sample tables, taste tests, or promotional use. Food costs related to conducting a test run of a new product are also deemed an appropriate use of funds.

3. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

1. Eligible applicants

State agencies eligible to serve as lead agency for the demonstration are State agencies that have agreements with FNS to administer the NSLP and the School Breakfast Program, SNAP, or WIC, including ITOs operating WIC. FNS will accept applications from only one eligible State agency per State or ITO and only from experienced FNS grantees (i.e., those applicants that successfully administered an FNS-funded demonstration providing EBT benefits to children during the summer months in a prior year). Applicants must propose projects that meet the priorities listed on page 5 of this RFA and must be able to provide benefits by early summer 20XX in order to be considered for this award.

2. Cost sharing or matching considerations

The award does not have a cost sharing or matching requirement.

3. Other eligibility criteria

State Agency Coordination

These demonstrations will require close coordination among State agencies involved in delivery of Federal food benefits. This RFA is being sent to experienced State agencies. FNS expects that State agencies responsible for overseeing School Meal Programs and SFAs delivering these programs, as well as SNAP and WIC State agencies and those with a role in SNAP or WIC EBT functions including EBT processors will be involved.

4. Pre-application Screening Requirements

In reviewing applications in any discretionary grant competition, Federal Awarding Agencies, in accordance with 2 CFR 200.400, are required, prior to making a Federal award, to review

information available through various OMB-designated repositories for eligibility qualification or financial integrity, and to have in place a framework for evaluating the risks posed by applicants before they receive Federal awards. The evaluation of the information obtained from the designated repository systems and the risk assessment may result in the Food and Nutrition Service Agency (FNS) imposing special conditions that correspond to the degree of risk assessed. The Federal repository systems FNS will review include:

1. SAM, the System for Award Management, the Official U.S. Government system that consolidated the capabilities of CCR/FedReg, ORCA, and EPLS;

2. FAPIIS, the Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System, is a database that has been established to track contractor misconduct and performance;

3. Dun and Bradstreet, the system where applicants establish a DUNS number which is used by the Federal government to better identify related organizations that are receiving funding under grants and cooperative agreements, and to provide consistent name and address data for electronic grant application systems. The Federal government requires that all applicants for Federal grants and cooperative agreements with the exception of individuals other than sole proprietors have a DUNS number.

4. U.S. Department of Agriculture, AD-3030, Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants (If applicable).

Applicants must also respond to the pre-application assessment questions below to allow FNS to evaluate aspects of the applicant’s financial stability, quality of management systems, and history of performance, reports and findings from audits. A questionnaire containing these questions has been provided to facilitate the process. Applicants must answer all the pre-application questions. While answering “yes” may be an indicator of risk, the consideration and evaluation of these questions is only an indicator of potential risk and may or may not result in an additional oversight requirements or special conditions be placed on an award should an award be made.

Decisions regarding additional oversight requirements will take into consideration the total number of risks identified.

5. Acknowledge USDA support: As outlined in 2 CFR 415.2, grant recipients shall include acknowledgement of USDA Food and Nutrition Service support on any publications written or published with grant support and, if feasible, on any publication reporting the results of, or describing, a grant-supported activity. Recipients shall include acknowledgement of USDA Food and Nutrition Service support on any audiovisual which is produced with grant support and which has a direct production cost of over $5,000.

o When acknowledging USDA support, use the following language: “This material is based upon work that is supported by the Food and Nutrition Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.” Grantees are asked to follow the USDA Visual Standards Guide when using the USDA logo.

Grant recipients may be asked to host USDA officials for a site visit during the course of their grant award. All costs associated with the site visit will be paid for by USDA and are not expected to be included in grant budgets.

4. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

1. Applicants may request paper copy of this solicitation and required forms by contacting the FNS Grants Officer at:

XXXX XXXXXX, Grant Officer Grants and Fiscal Policy Division

U.S. Department of Agriculture, FNS 3101 Park Center Drive Room 740

Alexandria, VA 22302

E-mail [email protected]

2. Content and form of application submission (form and format of application submissions) Applications are due April X, 20XX. To be considered for award, they must include:

1. Application in accordance with Application Template (Attachment A): This application must include a request for a one-year grant for administrative funds, a request for a one- year grant for food benefits funds, and a narrative to support both requests.

2. Evaluation Cooperation Agreement (Attachment B)

3. Mandatory Forms:

• Application for federal assistance (SF-424)

• Budget information (SF-424A)

• Assurances – Non-construction programs (SF-424B)

• Disclosure of lobbying activities (SF-LLL)

Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire (found in Section VIII of this RFA)

FNS strongly encourages eligible applicants interested in applying to this program to adhere to the following applicant format. The proposed project plan should be typed on 8 ½” X 11” white paper with at least 1 inch margins on the top and bottom. All pages should be single-spaced, in 12 point font. The project description with relevant information should be captured on no more than 20 pages, not including the cover sheet, table of contents, resumes, letter of commitment(s), endorsement letter(s), budget narrative(s), appendices, and required forms. All pages, excluding the form pages, must be numbered.

Special Instructions:

• Applicants must submit separate applications through Grants.gov for administrative grants and for food benefit grants. Applicants may submit the same project and budget narratives with their administrative and food benefit requests. However, the 424 and 424A must be specific to the submitted application (i.e., the administrative submission has the

424 package for the administrative budget and the food benefit submission has the 424 package for the food benefit budget).

• Late application submissions will not be considered in this competition. FNS will not consider additions or revisions to applications once they are received.

• Applications not submitted via the Grants.gov portal will not be considered.

• If multiple application packages are submitted through the grants.gov web portal by the same applicant in response to this solicitation, FNS will accept the latest application package successfully submitted. All other packages submitted by the applicant will be removed from this competition.

• FNS reserves the right to use this solicitation and competition to award additional grants in the next fiscal year should additional funds be made available.

• Grant awards are subject to the availability of funds.

Cover Sheet

The cover page should include, at a minimum:

• Applicant’s name and mailing address

• Primary contact’s name, job title, mailing address, phone number and e-mail address

• Grant program title and subprogram title (if applicable)

Table of Contents

Include relevant topic page number.

Application Project Summary

The application should clearly describe the proposed project activities and anticipated outcomes that would result if the proposal is funded.

Project Narrative

The project narrative should clearly identify what the applicant is proposing and how it will address a solution, the expected results and/or benefits once the solution is achieved, and how it will meet the RFA program scope and objectives. The proposed project methodology should describe the project design, address program specific methodology needs, procedures, timetables, monitoring/oversight, and the organization’s project staffing. A template is provided in Attachment A.

Application Budget Narrative

The budget narrative should correspond with the proposed project narrative and application budget. The narrative must justify and support the bona fide needs of the budget’s direct cost. If the budget includes indirect costs, the applicant must provide a copy of its most recently approved Federal indirect cost rate agreement. All non-profit organizations must include their 501(c)(3) determination letter issued by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). All funding requests must be in whole dollars.

Indirect Cost Rate: If available, the current indirect cost rate, negotiated with a Federal negotiating agency, should be used. Indirect costs may not exceed the negotiated rate. If a negotiated rate is used, the percentage and base should be indicated. If no rate has been

established the applicant may indicate "None—will negotiate" and a reasonable dollar amount for indirect costs may be requested, which will be subject to approval by USDA. In the latter case, if a proposal is recommended for funding, an indirect cost rate proposal must be submitted prior to award to support the amount of indirect costs requested. USDA will request an indirect cost rate proposal and provide instructions, as necessary. An applicant may elect not to charge indirect costs and, instead, use all grant funds for direct costs. If indirect costs are not charged, the phrase "None requested" should be stated in the budget narrative.

Required Grant Application Forms

Please refer to the Application Checklist on page 3 for a list of required grant forms.

3. Dun and Bradstreet Universal Numbering System and System for Award Management (SAM)

Submission Date

Complete grant applications must be uploaded to www.grants.gov by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on April X, 20XX.

• Late applications will not be considered.

• FNS will not consider additions or revisions to applications once they are submitted.

• Applications must be submitted via the Grants.gov web portal. Mailed, e-mailed or hand-delivered application packages will not be accepted.

• Grant awards are subject to the availability of funding and/or appropriations of funds.

• FNS reserves the right to use this solicitation and competition to award additional grants this or subsequent fiscal years should additional funds become available.

USDA strongly encourages applicants to begin the process at least four weeks before the due date and to submit applications to Grants.gov at least one week before the deadline to allow time to troubleshoot any issues, should they arise. The grants.gov system provides several confirmation notices; applicants should ensure receipt of confirmation that the application was accepted. Applicants experiencing difficulty submitting an application to www.grants.gov should contact the grant support team listed in Section VII: Agency Contacts.

Electronic Submission Details

Please be aware that the grants.gov system provides several confirmation notices; applicants should ensure receipt of confirmation that the application was accepted. Applicants experiencing difficulty submitting applications to www.grants.gov should contact the grant support team noted in Section VII: Agency Contacts.

In order to submit an application, you must:

1. Obtain a DUNS number

   • In order to obtain a DUNS number, if your organization does not have one, or if you are unsure of your organization’s number, contact Dun and Bradstreet via the internet at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform or by calling 1-888-814-1435, Monday thru

Friday, 8am-9pm ET. There is no fee associated with obtaining a DUNS number. There is no fee associated with obtaining a DUNS number.

• It may take 2-3 business days to obtain a DUNS number.

1. Register in the System for Award Management (SAM)

   • SAM combines Federal procurement systems and the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance into one new system. For additional information regarding SAM, see the following link: https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/.https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/

   • Must have organization’s DUNS, entity’s Tax ID Number (TIN), and taxpayer name (as it appears on last tax return). It may take 3-5 business days to register in SAM, however in some instances the SAM process to complete the migration of permissions and/or the renewal of the entity record will require 5-7 days or more.

   • All applicants must have current SAM status at the time of application submission and throughout the duration of a Federal Award in accordance with 2 CFR Part 25.

   • We strongly encourage applicants to begin the process at least 3 weeks before the due date of the grant solicitation.

3. Create a Grants.gov Account: The next step in the registration process is to create an account with Grants.gov. Applicants must know their organization's DUNS number to complete this process. Completing this process automatically triggers an email request for applicant roles to the organization's E-Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC) for review. The EBiz POC is a representative from your organization who is the contact listed for SAM. To apply for grants on behalf of your organization, you will need the Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) role.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-3-username- password.html

4. Authorize Grants.gov Roles: After creating an account on Grants.gov, the EBiz POC receives an email notifying them of your registration and request for roles. The EBiz POC will then log in to Grants.gov and authorize the appropriate roles, which may include the AOR role, thereby giving you permission to complete and submit applications on behalf of the organization. You will be able to submit your application online anytime after you have been approved as an AOR.

For more detailed instructions about creating a profile on Grants.gov, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-4-aor- authorization.html

5. Track Role Status: To track your role request, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration/step-5-track-aor- status.html

2. Electronic Signature: When applications are submitted through Grants.gov, the name of the organization's AOR that submitted the application is inserted into the signature line of the

application, serving as the electronic signature. The EBiz POC must authorize individuals who are able to make legally binding commitments on behalf of the organization as an AOR; this step is often missed and it is crucial for valid and timely submissions.

How to Submit an Application via Grants.gov

Grants.gov applicants can apply online using Workspace. Workspace is a shared, online environment where members of a grant team may simultaneously access and edit different webforms within an application. For each funding opportunity announcement (FOA), you can create individual instances of a workspace.

Below is an overview of applying on Grants.gov. For access to complete instructions on how to apply for opportunities, refer to:

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/apply-for-grants.html

1. Create a Workspace: Creating a workspace allows you to complete it online and route it through your organization for review before submitting.

2. Complete a Workspace: Add participants to the workspace, complete all the required forms, and check for errors before submission.

   1. Adobe Reader: If you decide not to apply by filling out webforms you can download individual PDF forms in Workspace so that they will appear similar to other Standard forms. The individual PDF forms can be downloaded and saved to your local device storage, network drive(s), or external drives, then accessed through Adobe Reader.

NOTE: Visit the Adobe Software Compatibility page on Grants.gov to download the appropriate version of the software at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/adobe-software-compatibility.html

2. Mandatory Fields in Forms: In the forms, you will note fields marked with an asterisk and a different background color. These fields are mandatory fields that must be completed to successfully submit your application.

3. Complete SF-424 Fields First: The forms are designed to fill in common required fields across other forms, such as the applicant name, address, and DUNS number. To trigger this feature, an applicant must complete the SF-424 information first. Once it is completed, the information will transfer to the other forms.

3. Submit a Workspace: An application may be submitted through workspace by clicking the Sign and Submit button on the Manage Workspace page, under the Forms tab. Grants.gov recommends submitting your application package at least 24-48 hours prior to the close date to provide you with time to correct any potential technical issues that may disrupt the application submission.

4. Track a Workspace: After successfully submitting a workspace package, a Grants.gov Tracking Number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) is automatically assigned to the package. The number will be listed on the Confirmation page that is generated after submission.

For additional training resources, including video tutorials, refer to: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-training.html

Applicant Support: Grants.gov provides applicants 24/7 support via the toll-free number 1-800- 518-4726 and email at [email protected]. For questions related to the specific grant opportunity, contact the number listed in the application package of the grant you are applying for.

If you are experiencing difficulties with your submission, it is best to call the Grants.gov Support Center and get a ticket number. The Support Center ticket number will assist the Center with tracking your issue and understanding background information on the issue.

4. Timely Receipt Requirements and Proof of Timely Submission

   1. Online Submission. All applications must be received by 11:59 PM Eastern time XXXXX XX, 20XX. Proof of timely submission is automatically recorded by Grants.gov. An electronic date/time stamp is generated within the system when the application is successfully received by Grants.gov. The applicant AOR will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a tracking number (GRANTXXXXXXXX) from Grants.gov with the successful transmission of their application. Applicant AORs will also receive the official date/time stamp and Grants.gov Tracking number in an email serving as proof of their timely submission.

When the Food and Nutrition Service successfully retrieves the application from Grants.gov, and acknowledges the download of submissions, Grants.gov will provide an electronic acknowledgment of receipt of the application to the email address of the applicant with the AOR role. Again, proof of timely submission shall be the official date and time that Grants.gov receives your application. Applications received by Grants.gov after the established due date for the program will be considered late and will not be considered for funding by the Food and Nutrition Service.

Applicants using slow internet, such as dial-up connections, should be aware that transmission can take some time before Grants.gov receives your application. Again, Grants.gov will provide either an error or a successfully received transmission in the form of an email sent to the applicant with the AOR role. The Grants.gov Support Center reports that some applicants end the transmission because they think that nothing is occurring during the transmission process. Please be patient and give the system time to process the application.

Additional Information on Grants.gov and the Registration Process:

NOTICE: Special Characters not Supported

All applicants MUST follow grants.gov guidance on file naming conventions. To avoid submission issues, please follow the guidance provided in the grants.gov Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Are there restrictions on file names for any attachment I include with my application package?

File attachment names longer than approximately 50 characters can cause problems processing packages. Please limit file attachment names. Also, do not use any special characters (example: &,–,*,%,/,#’, -), this includes periods (.), spacing followed by a dash in the file and for word separation, use underscore (example: Attached_File.pdf) in naming the attachments. Please note that if these guidelines are not followed, your application will be rejected. FNS will not accept any application rejected from www.grants.gov portal due to incorrect naming conventions.

In order to submit an application via grants.gov, applicants must have obtained a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and registered in both the new Systems for Award Management (SAM) and on grants.gov. The applicant is strongly advised to allow ample time to initiate the grants.gov application submission process. All applicants must have SAM status at the time of application submission and throughout the duration of a federal award in accordance with 2 CFR Part 25. Please visit the following websites to obtain additional information on how to obtain a DUNS number (www.dnb.com) and register in SAM (https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/).

Please be aware that the grants.gov system provides several confirmation notices; you need to be sure that you have confirmation that the application was accepted. For tools and tips regarding www.grants.gov, please visit: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/applicant-tools-and- tips.html.

Additional information and applicant resources are available at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/workspace-overview.html

4. Submission Dates and Times APPLICATION DUE DATE

The complete application must be uploaded on www.grants.gov by 11:59 PM Eastern Time

XXXX XX, 20XX. Applications received after the deadline date will be deemed ineligible and will not be reviewed or considered. FNS will not consider any additions or revisions to an application once it is received through the grants.gov web portal. FNS will not accept mailed, faxed, or hand-delivered applications.

Applicants experiencing difficulty submitting applications to www.grants.gov should contact the grants.gov Support Center at Local Toll Free: 1-800-518-4726 or via e-mail at [email protected]

4. Funding Restrictions

Pre-award costs may be awarded for projects funded through this opportunity. Any pre-award costs are spent at the applicant’s own risk and will not be reimbursed for costs that are not approved through this opportunity.

4. Other Submission Requirements

Applicants experiencing difficulty submitting applications to www.grants.gov should contact the grants.gov Support Center at Local Toll Free: 1-800-518-4726 or via e-mail at [email protected].

Additional submission information and instructions is available at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/grantors/grantor-standard-language.html

5. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

1. Review Criteria

EVALUATION OF GRANT APPLICATION CRITERIA

Applications from experienced FNS awardees (i.e., applicants that successfully administered an FNS-funded demonstration providing EBT benefits to children during the summer months in a prior year) that meet the priorities listed on page 5 of this RFA will be reviewed by a technical panel to ensure that the application meets the technical merits of the solicitation and aligns with FNS priorities. Grants will not be competitively awarded.

1. Review and Selection Process

Following the initial screening process, FNS will assemble a panel group to review and determine the technical merits of each application. The panel members will recommend applications for consideration for a grant award based on technical merit and ability to meet the research needs and priorities of FNS. Awards will be made to applicants whose proposals have sufficient technical merit, present a strong capacity to successfully implement a demonstration, and best meet the needs and priorities of the Agency. Cost sharing or matching will not be considered in the review process. FNS may elect to fund proposed projects in whole or in part. FNS reserves the right to make no award if no applications are received that are technically sufficient and meet the needs of the Agency. FNS reserves the right to use this solicitation and competition to award additional grants in the next fiscal year should additional funds be made available.

FNS will pre-screen all applications to ensure the applicants are eligible entities and are in compliance with all Program regulations. FNS will not approve any waivers from Program regulations for any projects submitted in response to this solicitation.

Evaluation Factors and Criteria

FNS will fund only significantly innovative projects that address one or more of the following priorities. FNS will fund projects that meet priorities 1 and 2 first, and will fund projects meeting other priorities subject to the availability of funds:

FY 20XX Funding Priorities:

1. Testing substantially new and innovative strategies for improving the Summer EBT project and assessing the effectiveness of these innovations;

2. Serving new communities or populations to promote self-sufficiency, well-being, and economic mobility for participants and their families;

3. Utilizing new technologies to improve project administration or service delivery;

4. Testing new strategies to improve the efficiency, effectiveness, or integrity of project administration;

5. Testing and monitoring innovative service delivery methods to improve customer service;

6. Innovative alignment of operations across State and local agencies to foster collaboration; and/or

7. Piloting other innovations that could strengthen the project and enhance USDA’s understanding of effective methods of project administration.

NOTE: If a discrepancy exists between the total funding request (submitted on SF-424, SF- 424A, and budget or budget narrative) within the application package in response to this solicitation, FNS will only consider and evaluate the estimated funding request contained on SF-424.

2. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates FNS anticipates awarding grants in May 20XX.

6. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

1. Federal Award Notice

Unless an applicant receives a signed award document with terms and conditions, any contact from a FNS grants or program officer should not be considered as a notice of a grant award. No pre-award or pre-agreement costs incurred prior to the effective start date are allowed unless approved and stated on FNS’ signed award document.

The Government is not obligated to make any award as a result of this RFA. Only the recognized FNS authorized signature can bind the USDA, Food and Nutrition Service to the expenditure of funds related to an award’s approved budget.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements CONFIDENTIALITY OF AN APPLICATION

When an application results in an award, it becomes a part of the record of FNS transactions, available to the public upon specific request.  Under the Privacy Act of 1974, information that the Secretary determines to be of a confidential, privileged, or proprietary nature will be held in confidence to the extent permitted by law.  Therefore, any information that the applicant wishes to have considered as confidential, privileged, or proprietary should be clearly marked within the application.  Furthermore, the applications for authorization contain personally identifying information on individuals doing business with Food and Nutrition Service.  Therefore, the Food and Nutrition Service published USDA e-Authentication Service (system of records) July 26, 2006 in the Federal Register Volume 71 page 42346 to specify the uses to be made of the information in this collection.  Access to records is limited to those persons who process the records for the specific uses stated in this Privacy Act notice.  Records are kept in physically secured rooms and/or cabinets.  Paper records are segregated and physically secured in located cabinets.  Various methods of computer security limit access to records in automated databases.    Any application that does not result in an award will be not released to the public.  An application may be withdrawn at any time prior to the final action thereon.

Safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is any information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, such as name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name, or biometric records, and any other information that is linked or linkable to an individual, such as medical, educational, financial, and employment information (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP 800-122, Guide to Protecting the Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable information, April 2010).

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) is any information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, such as name, social security number, date and place of birth, mother’s maiden name, or biometric records, and any other information that is linked or linkable to an individual, such as medical, educational, financial, and employment information (National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP 800-122, Guide to Protecting the Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable information, April 2010).

Applicants submitting applications in response to this RFA must recognize that confidentiality of PII and other sensitive data is of paramount importance to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. All federal and non-federal employees (e.g., contractors, affiliates, or partners) working for or on behalf of FNS are required to acknowledge understanding of their responsibilities and accountability for using and protecting FNS PII in accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974; Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M-06-15, Safeguarding Personally Identifiable Information; M-06-16, Protection of Sensitive Agency Information; M-07-16, Safeguarding Against and Responding to the Breach of Personally Identifiable Information; and the NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-122, Guide to Protecting the Confidentiality of Personally Identifiable Information.

By submitting an application in response to this RFA, applicants are assuring that all data exchanges conducted throughout the application submission and pre-award process (and during the performance of the grant, if awarded) will be conducted in a manner consistent with applicable Federal laws. By submitting a grant application, applicants agree to take all necessary steps to protect such confidentiality, including the following: (1) ensuring that PII and sensitive data developed, obtained or otherwise associated with UDSA FNS funded grants is securely transmitted. Transmission of applications through Grants.gov is secure; (2) ensuring that PII is not transmitted to unauthorized users, and that PII and other sensitive data is not submitted via email; and (3) Data transmitted via approved file sharing services (WatchDox, ShareFile, etc.), CDs, DVDs, thumb drives, etc., must be encrypted.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND CONFIDENTIALITY OF THE REVIEW PROCESS

The agency requires all panel reviewers to sign a conflict of interest and confidentiality form to prevent any actual or perceived conflicts of interest that may affect the application review and evaluation process. Names of applicants, including States and tribal governments, submitting an application will be kept confidential, except to those involved in the review process, to the extent permitted by law. In addition, the identities of the reviewers will remain confidential throughout the entire process. Therefore, the names of the reviewers will not be released to applicants

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS

Federal Tax Liabilities Restrictions

None of the funds made available by this or any other Act may be used to enter into a contract, memorandum of understanding, or cooperative agreement with, make a grant to, or provide a loan or loan guarantee to, any corporation that has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability, where the awarding agency is aware of the unpaid tax liability, unless a Federal agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and has made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government.

Felony Crime Conviction Restrictions

None of the funds made available by this or any other Act may be used to enter into a contract, memorandum of understanding, or cooperative agreement with, make a grant to, or provide a loan or loan guarantee to, any corporation that was convicted of a felony criminal violation under any Federal law within the preceding 24 months, where the awarding agency is aware of the conviction, unless a Federal agency has considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and has made a determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government.

Debarment and Suspension 2 CFR Part 180 and 2 CFR Part 417

A recipient chosen for an award shall comply with the non-procurement debarment and suspension common rule implementing Executive Orders (E.O.) 12549 and 12669, “Debarment and Suspension,” codified at 2 CFR Part 180 and 2 CFR Part 417. This common rule restricts sub-awards and contracts with certain parties that are debarred, suspended or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in Federal assistance programs or activities. The approved grant recipient will be required to ensure that all sub-contractors and sub-grantees are neither excluded nor disqualified under the suspension and debarment rules prior to approving a sub- grant award by checking the System for Award Management (SAM) at www.sam.gov.

Universal Identifier and Central Contractor Registration 2 CFR Part 25

Effective October 1, 2010, all grant applicants must obtain a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number as a universal identifier for Federal financial

assistance. Active grant recipients and their direct sub-recipients of a sub-grant award also must obtain a DUNS number. To request a DUNS number visit: http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.

The grant recipient must also register its DUNS number in the new Systems for Award Management (SAM). If you were registered in the CCR, your company’s information is already in SAM and you will just need to set up a SAM account. To register in SAM you will need your entity’s DUNS and your entity’s Tax ID Number (TIN) and taxpayer name (as it appears on your last tax return). Registration should take 3-5 days. If you do not receive confirmation that your SAM registration is complete, please contact SAM at https://www.fsd.gov/app/answers/list.

FNS may not make an award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with the requirements described in 2 CFR 25 to provide a valid DUNS number and maintain an active SAM registration with current information.

Reporting Sub-award and Executive Compensation Information 2 CFR Part 170

The Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act (FFATA) of 2006 (Public Law 109– 282), as amended by Section 6202 of Public Law 110–252 requires primary grantees of Federal grants and cooperative agreements to report information on sub-grantee obligations and executive compensation. FFATA promotes open government by enhancing the Federal Government’s accountability for its stewardship of public resources. This is accomplished by making Government information, particularly information on Federal spending, accessible to the general public.

Primary grantees, including State agencies, are required to report actions taken on or after October 1, 2010, that obligates $25,000 or more in Federal grant funds to first- tier sub-grantees. This information must be reported in the Government-wide FFATA Sub-Award Reporting System (FSRS). In order to access FSRS a current SAM registration is required. A primary grantee and first-tier sub-grantees must also report total compensation for each of its five most- highly compensated executives. Every primary and first-tier grantee must obtain a DUNS number prior to being eligible to receive a grant or sub-grant award. Additional information will be provided to grant recipients upon award.

Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2009, Public Law 110-417

Section 872 of this Act requires the development and maintenance of a Federal Government information system that contains specific information on the integrity and performance of covered Federal agency contractors and grantees. The Federal Awardee Performance and Integrity Information System (FAPIIS) was developed to address these requirements. FAPIIS contains integrity and performance information from the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System, information from the SAM database, and suspension and debarment information from the SAM. FNS will review and consider any information about the applicant reflected in FAPIIS when making a judgment about whether an applicant is qualified to receive an award.

Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests

The Freedom of Information ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552, provides individuals with a right to access records in the possession of the Federal Government. The Government may withhold information pursuant to the nine exemptions and the three exclusions contained in the Act.

Application packages submitted in response to this grant solicitation may be subject to FOIA by requests by interested parties. In response to these requests, FNS will comply with all applicable laws and regulations, including departmental regulations.

FNS will forward a Business Submitter Notice to the requested applicant’s point-of-contact. Applicants will need to review requested materials and submit and submit any recommendations within 10 days from the date of FNS notification. FNS will redact Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

For additional information on the Freedom of Information (FOIA) process, please contact Jennifer Weatherly, FNS Freedom of Information Act officer at [email protected].

Privacy Policy

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service does not collect any personal identifiable information without explicit consent. To view the Agency’s Privacy Policy, visit: www.fns.usda.gov/privacy-policy.

CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS AND OTHER GOVERNMENT REQUIREMENTS

This grant will be awarded and administered in accordance with the following regulations 2 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Subtitle A, Chapter II. Any Federal laws, regulations, or USDA directives released after this RFA is posted will be implemented as instructed.

Government-wide Regulations

• 2 CFR Part 25: “Universal Identifier and System for Award Management”

• 2 CFR Part 170: “Reporting Sub-award and Executive Compensation Information”

• 2 CFR Part 175: “Award Term for Trafficking in Persons”

• 2 CFR Part 180: “OMB Guidelines to Agencies on Government-wide Debarment and Suspension (Non-Procurement)”

• 2 CFR Part 200: “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards”

• 2 CFR Part 400: USDA’s implementing regulation of 2 CFR Part 200 “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards”

• 2 CFR Part 415: USDA “General Program Administrative Regulations”

• 2 CFR Part 416: USDA “General Program Administrative Regulations for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments”

• 2 CFR Part 417: USDA “Non-Procurement Debarment and Suspension”

• 2 CFR Part 418 USDA “New Restrictions on Lobbying

• 2 CFR Part 421: USDA “Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance)”

• 41 U.S.C. Section 22 “Interest of Member of Congress”

• Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Public access to Federal Financial Assistance records shall not be limited, except when such records must be kept confidential and would have been excepted from disclosure pursuant to the “Freedom of Information” regulation (5 U.S.C. 552)

General Terms and Conditions of the award may be obtained electronically. Please contact the Grants Officer at:

XXXXXX XXXXX

Grant Officer, Grants and Fiscal Policy Division

U.S. Department of Agriculture, FNS 3101 Park Center Drive Room 740

Alexandria, VA 22302

E-mail XXX [email protected]

3. Reporting

FINANCIAL REPORTING

The award recipient will be required to enter the SF-425, Financial Status Report data into the FNS Food Program Reporting System (FPRS) on a quarterly basis. In order to access FPRS, the grant recipient must obtain USDA e-authentication certification and access to FPRS. For additional information on FPRS, visit: www.fprs.fns.usda.gov.

PROGRESS REPORTING

The recipient will be responsible for managing and monitoring the progress of the grant project activities and performance. The grant terms and conditions will indicate the reporting schedule for submitting project performance/progress reports to FNS. Any additional reporting requirements will be identified in the award terms and conditions, including results of the grant project.

7. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS

For questions regarding this solicitation, please contact the Grants Officer at:

XXXXXX XXXXXXX

Grant Officer, Grants and Fiscal Policy Division

U.S. Department of Agriculture, FNS 3101 Park Center Drive Room 740

Alexandria, VA 22302

E-mail [email protected]

8. OTHER INFORMATION

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. The Food and Nutrition Service reserves the right to provide this debriefing orally or in written format.

RFA 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.

NOTE: The budget and budget narrative, as well as forms SF-424 and SF-424A must be in line with the proposal project description (statement of work) bona fide need. FNS reserves the right to request information not clearly addressed. All funding requests must be in whole dollars.

	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 percentage of time the Project Director will devote to the project in full-time equivalents (FTE)?
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: (FNS reserves the right to request information on all contractual awards and associated costs after the contract is awarded.)
Has the bona fide need been clearly identified in the project description to justify the cost for a contract or sub-grant expense(s) shown on the budget?
A justification for all Sole-source contracts must be provided in the budget narrative prior to approving this identified cost.
Other
Consultant Services. – Has the bona fide need been clearly identified in the project description to justify the cost shown on the budget. The following information must be provided in the justification: description of service, the consultant’s name and an itemized list of all direct cost and fees, number of personnel including the position title (specialty and specialized qualifications as appropriate to the costs), Number of estimated hours X hourly wages, and all expenses and fees directly related to the proposed services to be rendered to the project.
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
Has the applicant obtained a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) from an Federal Agency? If yes, a copy of the most resent and signed 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.

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

Grant Program Accounting System & Financial Capability Questionnaire

PURPOSE

Recipients of Federal funds must maintain adequate accounting systems that meet the criteria outlined in 2 CFR §200.302 Standards for Financial and Program Management. The responses to this questionnaire are used to assist in the Food and Nutrition Service Agency’s (FNS) evaluation of your accounting system to ensure the adequate, appropriate, and transparent use of Federal funds. Failure to comply with the criteria outlined in the regulations above may preclude your organization from receiving an award. This form applies to FNS’ competitive and noncompetitive grant programs. Please return this questionnaire with your application package to us.

ORGANIZATION INFORMATION

Legal Organization Name:

D-U-Ns Number:

FINANCIAL STABILITY AND QUALITY OF MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Requirement	Yes	No
1. Has your organization received a Federal award within the past 3 years?	☐	☐
2. Does your organization utilize accounting software to manage your financial records?	☐	☐
3. Does your accounting system identify the receipt and expenditure of program funds separately for each grant?	☐	☐
4. Does your organization have a dedicated individual responsible for monitoring organizational funds, such as an accountant or a finance manager?	☐	☐

5. Does your organization separate the duties for staff handling the approval of transactions and the recording and payment of funds?	☐	☐
6. Does your organization have the ability to specifically identify and allocate employee effort to an applicable program?	☐	☐
7. Does your organization have a property /inventory management system in place to track location and value of equipment purchased under the award?	☐	☐

Requirement		Yes	No
1. Has your organization been audited within the last 5 fiscal years? (If the answer is “Yes” and this report was issued under the Single Audit Act please note this in the box below marked “Additional Information” and if not issued under the “Single Audit Act”, please attach a copy or provide a link to the audit report in the Hyperlink space below).		☐	☐
2. If your organization has been audited within the last 5 fiscal years, was there a “Qualified Opinion” or an “Adverse Opinion”?		☐	☐
3. If your organization has been audited within the last 5 fiscal years, was there a “Material Weakness” disclosed?		☐	☐
4. If your organization has been audited within the last 5 fiscal years, was there a “Significant Deficiency” disclosed?		☐	☐
Hyperlink (if available):
Additional information including expanding on responses in previous sections:

APPLICANT CERTIFICATION

I certify that the above information is complete and correct to the best of my knowledge.

Authorized Representative’s Signature and Date

Name:

Phone:

Email:

ATTACHMENT A—Application Template

Applicants must use the following format, including titling and numbering system presented below for the application. Applications that do not follow the required format may be disqualified. Use of the electronic version of this document to fill in the narrative under the headings and guidance provided is recommended.

1. Cover Sheet.

1. Demonstration title—Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children Demonstration

2. State Agency or ITO name and address

3. State Agency contact person, job title, address, phone and fax number, email address

4. Level of funding support requested for: Food Benefit Costs in 20XX, and Administrative Costs in 20XX

e) CFDA# 10.579

2. Table of Contents. Include a brief table of contents.

3. Proposal Summary.

1. Provide an executive summary that highlights key information including:

   1. A description of your proposed 20XX project.

   2. A summary of the significant new and innovative concepts that you are seeking to test, and methods of assessing the effectiveness of these concepts.

   3. A description of, and explanation for, the population you are proposing to serve and your proposed service area.

   4. A description of, and explanation for, any significant changes in project administration from prior years.

   5. Your primary goals for the 20XX project year including what you aim to evaluate and learn in 20XX.

2. Provide the following information in tabular form.

   1. Total number of children proposed to serve in 20XX.

   2. Number of children expected to participate (i.e. redeem any benefits during the summer) in 20XX.

   3. Average benefit amount to be issued per child including prorated benefits (total for the summer and for each benefit period) in 20XX.

   4. Projected benefit redemption rate for participating children (i.e. the percentage of benefits redeemed as a share of total available benefits) in 20XX.

   5. Projected food costs for 20XX and how this number was calculated (include participation estimates and benefit redemption estimates).

   6. Total food grant request for 20XX.

Example:

Plan Specification	Proposal for 20XX
Total Number of Children Proposed to Serve in 20XX
Number of Children Expected to Participate (i.e. redeem any benefits during the summer) in 20XX
Average Benefit Amount to be Issued per Child -Total for the Summer
Average Benefit Amount to be Issued per Child -In Benefit Period 1
Average Benefit Amount to be Issued per Child -In Benefit Period 2
Average Benefit Amount to be Issued per Child -In Benefit Period 3
Projected Redemption Rate for Participating Children
Projected food costs
How project costs were calculated (include participation estimates and benefit redemption estimates)
Total Food Grant Request

4. 20XX Program Year Goals. Briefly outline your goals for the 20XX program year. For each goal, provide:

1. Goal – a description of the goal

2. Measure –the qualitative or quantitative measure that you will use to assess your progress towards the goal AND the level of that measure that you aim to achieve

3. Step(s) – the step(s) you will take to achieve the goal

Goals should include (but are not limited to):

1. Effective implementation and analysis of the new and innovative concepts that you are seeking to test.

2. The number of children to whom you propose to provide benefits in 20XX.

3. Participation levels (i.e., the number of children participating by redeeming benefits at least once, or the rate of participation that you aim to achieve).

4. Benefit redemption levels (i.e., the rate of benefit usage among participating children that you aim to achieve).

5. Timeliness of completing project activities.

6. Improved project efficiency or integrity.

7. Improved customer service, outreach, or technical assistance.

Examples:

Goal 1: Provide benefits to children in need who have limited nutrition assistance options in the summer months.

Measure: Provide benefits to 90% of eligible children living in areas not eligible for SFSP open sites in Spring and Field counties.

Step: Determine areas not eligible for SFSP open sites in Spring and Field counties by using FNS’ area eligibility tool (https://www.fns.usda.gov/areaeligibility).

Step: Work with SFAs in those areas to administer benefits.

Goal 2: Ensure that participating children have food benefits for their entire summer period.

Measure: Provide benefits to 95% of consenting households before June 1, 20XX (the first day of summer period).

Step: Provide a template and technical assistance to schools so that they return a higher quality of data by the deadline.

Step: Use multiple external databases to ensure accuracy of household addresses. Step: Complete data cleaning and transmit household information to vendor by May 15, 20XX.

2. Service Areas. Describe each proposed service area (e.g., cities, counties, school districts, etc.). This information should be provided in tabular form and a narrative may also be provided. A template is included in Attachment D. For each service area include:

1. The name of the service area.

2. The project years that the service area has participated in Summer EBT.

3. The type of service area (e.g., county, SFA, city).

4. Whether it is rural, suburban, or urban and the data source you used to determine this criterion.

5. An explanation of why this service area was selected for participation in 20XX.

6. The total number of SFAs in the service area.

7. The number of participating SFAs in service area.

8. The number of participating CEP SFAs in service area.

9. The approximate number of school-age children in the service area (total enrollment).

10. The approximate number of children in the service area meeting Summer EBT eligibility requirements found on page 7 of this RFA.

11. The total number of children proposed to serve in the service area.

12. The number of food retailers accepting Summer EBT benefits in the service area.

13. Any other relevant information about the service area.

2. Benefit Delivery Features and Operation. For each of the sections below, note if the proposal is different from approved prior year plans.

1. Describe in detail the significant new and innovative concepts that you are seeking to test, as well as methods to assess the effectiveness of these innovations, if applicable to this section.

2. Present a detailed description of plans for producing, programming, delivering, redeeming, processing, and settling Summer EBT benefits and, where applicable, Summer EBT cards. Describe proposed method of collecting data to enroll users, supporting card users, loading and pro-rating benefits, ensuring that Summer EBT and SNAP or WIC transactions are recorded separately within the EBT processor’s system, and expire and expunge or return unused benefits if necessary. Discuss important issues such as card branding, easy identification of cards, expiration data imprinting, and reducing stigma.

3. Describe the issuance cycle including: the length (in days) of your summer period, the

first date on which benefits will be available to participants, the last date on which benefits will be available for participants to spend, the beginning and ending dates of each benefit period, any partial or prorated benefit periods, and the date(s) by which cards will be delivered to households.

4. Describe any additional EBT contract and/or WIC MIS modifications that are necessary for this program year and how and when they will be accomplished.

5. Provide a detailed description of how you will meet the requirements to provide data equivalent to daily activity or history file or transaction (redemption) data to FNS during the demonstration. At a minimum, grantees must be able to provide data with a household and store identifiers, foods and amounts of foods purchased, date, time and dollar amount of each purchase made with Summer EBT cards. Discuss any additional information that you may collect and report that is innovative or unique to your project and how you would report it.

6. Describe how you will expire and expunge or terminate unused Summer EBT benefits when the demonstration ends.

2. Identifying Potential Participants, Confirming Eligibility, and Issuing Benefit Cards. Describe in detail the significant new and innovative concepts that you are seeking to test, as well as methods to assess the effectiveness of these innovations, if applicable to this section. Present a detailed description of the population that you propose to serve and explain why this population was selected. Present a detailed description of your plan for identifying potential participants, confirming eligibility, obtaining consent, and issuing benefit cards. Note any differences from approved prior year plans.

2. Communications, Training, and Technical Assistance. Discuss plans for communications, training, and technical assistance activities including, but not limited to:

1. Describing in detail the significant new and innovative concepts that you are seeking to test, as well as methods to assess the effectiveness of these innovations, if applicable to this section.

2. Providing training or informational materials to eligible households.

3. Communication with households to offer technical assistance or information on benefit use and benefit periods.

4. Providing training or informational materials to SNAP or WIC retailers.

5. Providing a help desk or other technical assistance to participants, SNAP or WIC retailers, and others.

6. Ensuring participant access to participating SNAP or WIC retailers.

2. Evaluation and Monitoring Cooperation. Describe procedures and duties associated with evaluation and monitoring of the demonstration, including how the State agency and its partners will work with FNS or its designees to meet evaluation needs. Specifically:

1. Describe in detail the significant new and innovative concepts that you are seeking to test, as well as methods to assess the effectiveness of these innovations. Include any research or analysis that you will conduct, how the data, research, analysis, and findings will be shared with FNS or its designees, and what role FNS will play in this research, if

applicable.

2. Describe which State and/or local agency entity(ies) will work most closely FNS or its designee to provide qualitative or quantitative information on your project throughout the program year.

3. Identify a single point of contact as an evaluation liaison.

4. Provide a process for working with FNS or its designee to troubleshoot and resolve issues and refine procedures as needed.

5. Describe the process to obtain and prepare data and information including, but not limited to, the information necessary to meet any evaluation requirements, and produce all of the deliverables included in this RFA, including retention of the required information for a period of no less than five years.

6. Provide in an appendix to the application a signed Evaluation Cooperation Agreement (Attachment B).

2. Work Plan with Implementation Schedule. In a table, present specific activities and deliverables with a schedule and responsible partner and key staff member. The table should include the day, or range of days, for the 20XX summer period, the beginning and end dates for each benefit period, and the date upon which benefits will no longer be available to participants.

See example:

Activity/Deliverable	Beginning Date	Due Date	Responsible Partner	Key Staff
…	…	…	…	…
Planning meetings with DOE	1/20/18	1/31/18	EBT State Agency, contracts division	Winston Newman
Update outreach materials for participants	4/15/18	4/31/18	DHHS	Jane Burt
…	…	…	…	…

2. Project Structure, Staffing Plan, and Project Partners.

1. Describe in detail the significant new and innovative concepts that you are seeking to test, as well as methods to assess the effectiveness of these innovations, if applicable to this section.

2. Administrative Structure. Briefly describe how the demonstration will be managed, which agency will provide project direction, who are the demonstration partners, and the roles of the partners.

3. Organizational Structure. Provide an organizational chart for the Summer EBT project and a narrative that describes the management relationships and channels of communication that will be used between key personnel.

4. Position Descriptions. Provide a position description for all key project positions. For key positions currently vacant, provide position description and anticipated date of hire.

5. Key Personnel. Key Personnel includes people who fill one or more key positions

and those who will spend 25 percent or more of their time on the project. Identify and describe the duties, experience, capabilities, of key personnel, including:

1. Current positions and what their title on the demonstration will be

2. Salary and percentage of time committed to Summer EBT for each year of the demonstration

3. Specific roles and duties

4. Experience, skills and education and how they are relevant to specific demonstration duties

1. Project Partners. Identify all partner organizations that will contribute to implementing, operating, or promoting your Summer EBT project in 20XX (e.g., partner agencies, SFAs or school districts, participating households, community partners, EBT processors and other private IT specialists, SNAP or WIC retailers). For each, describe the type of partner, its responsibilities and deliverables, the timeframe in which the partner contributed, and any anticipated challenges associated with this partner’s role in Summer EBT.

2. Management Plan.

1. Describe in detail the significant new and innovative concepts that you are seeking to test, as well as methods to assess the effectiveness of these innovations, if applicable to this section.

2. Quality Control. Discuss how the integrity of Summer EBT will be protected and ensured, including management and oversight, monitoring, management and financial controls, corrective actions and adjustment to operations to correct deficiencies or improve on operations.

1. Describe the accountability plan, including internal controls to ensure the integrity of payments or reimbursements to EBT contractor (if applicable), retailers, and local agencies.

2. Describe how you will monitor the integrity of the eligibility determination process in Summer EBT. Describe how you will share information among agencies and other partners, and the internal controls you will implement to ensure that information is used correctly to make accurate eligibility determinations and to deliver benefits to the individuals who are intended to receive them.

3. Describe how you will monitor for benefit trafficking or other fraud in Summer EBT, including how you will share information with your WIC or SNAP offices.

3. External Management. Provide plans for management of outside personnel (those not in the direct line of supervision of the grantee such as project partners identified in this RFA). Describe how strong interrelationships, communication and teamwork will be fostered among partners by the grantee with:

1. Retailers.

2. EBT contractor (if applicable).

3. Local agency(ies).

4. Any other community partners.

4. Contingency Plans. Describe contingency plans for ensuring that the demonstration is not unduly disrupted by any unforeseen changes in key personnel or disruption or failure of benefit issuance systems.

13. Budget. Both administrative funding and food funding will be awarded to experienced applicants through this RFA. Experienced applicants will need to provide 2 budget requests, one for administrative funds and one for food benefit funds. These can both be included together in the overall budget narrative but must be accompanied by a separate SF-424 and 424a specific to administrative or food benefit funds. Applicants must make certain that the food benefit request is sufficient to cover projected participation and redemption rates.

1. Line-item Budget. This budget should include itemized estimates of Summer EBT- related administrative costs and food benefit costs. Applicants may also submit a pre- award request for authorization to begin selected project activities prior to receiving program funding. This should be a separate line item or items in the budget request and the reason for the request should be detailed in the supporting narrative. Limited authorizations for pre-award spending may be approved. However, applicants will need to use non-program funds to support this until the grant award is received. Any pre-award costs are spent at the applicant’s own risk and will not be reimbursed for costs that are not approved through this opportunity. Grant monies from the 2017 award may not be used for your 20XX project unless otherwise approved by FNS.

2. Budget Forms. In addition to the detailed budget, applicants must use separate SF-424As to prepare a budget summary for administrative costs and a budget summary for food benefit costs. The form for administrative costs must include amounts for all major budget categories. Forms are included in the RFA package.

3. Budget Narrative. Provide a detailed explanation for all funds requested in the line-item budget and describe how those costs were derived and how they relate to demonstration goals and each major proposed activity. Details must be provided for both Federal and non-Federal resources, including in-kind contributions. Costs for EBT system changes and retailer system programming must be detailed and supporting documentation (e.g., quotes from EBT vendor, third party processors) must be included. Food costs should be described including how the costs were calculated and any assumptions included in the calculation (e.g., participation estimates, benefit redemption rate estimates, the length of the summer period, and any prorated benefits, etc.).

4. Budget Assumptions. The budget should assume demonstration activities will take place from approximately May 20XX to May 2019 unless otherwise justified in the application.

5. Indirect Cost. Applicants claiming an indirect cost MUST attach a copy of the State Agency’s negotiated and approved rate.

13. Food Package (WIC Model Projects Only). Describe in detail the significant new and innovative concepts that you are seeking to test, as well as methods to assess the effectiveness of these innovations, if applicable to this section. Provide your food package in tabular form. If you are proposing changes to the food package you used in prior years,

describe the changes and explain your reason for proposing these changes.

13. Assurances and Disclosure Attachments. Attach the following mandatory forms, which with their instructions, can be found in an electronic version at https://www.grants.gov.

1. Application for federal assistance (SF-424)

2. Budget information (SF-424A)

3. Assurances – Non-construction programs (SF-424B)

4. Disclosure of lobbying activities (SF-LLL)

13. Appendices. Include the following as a separate appendix:

1. Job descriptions for key personnel who did not work on the project in a prior year or whose duties have changed from prior years, indicating those who must be hired

2. Copies of letters, agreements or memoranda of understanding with any new partners including other State agencies, local agencies, the EBT contractor (if applicable), and key retailer groups.

3. Signed Evaluation Cooperation Agreement (Attachment B).

4. Any other supporting documentation referenced in the application.

Attachment B—Evaluation Cooperation Agreement

Date

As an applicant for a Summer EBT award, agrees to

(State Agency or ITO Name)

foster and provide full cooperation with FNS and its designated agents in all aspects of any evaluation of Summer EBT, including but not limited to:

• Working in cooperation with the FNS or designee to trouble-shoot and resolve issues and refine procedures to the extent of the Summer EBT awardee’s control.

• Making all efforts to ensure the quality of the data provided to FNS or designee.

• Facilitating access of the FNS or designee to participants, SNAP or WIC agency staff, retailers, EBT contractor staff (if applicable) and other demonstration partners for interviews, providing address and contact information and updates to that information as necessary.

• Providing EBT redemption data as described in the RFA.

• Providing copies of demonstration documents, such as meeting notes, progress reports, and memoranda.

• Providing FNS with any and all data, research, analysis, and findings associated with concepts tested by the grantee.

Signed

Authorized Summer EBT Representative with authority to obligate the State Agency or ITO

Attachment C: Data Needs for Summer EBT

(To be retained by awardee for a period of not less than five (5) years)

1. Summer EBT Monthly Participation/Redemption Reports (during summer benefit periods)

• Number of households and number of children receiving Summer EBT benefits

• Number of households and number of children redeeming Summer EBT benefits

• Value of benefits issued (in dollars)

• Value of benefits redeemed (in dollars)

2. Summer EBT transaction data (from Case/Card and History Files):

• Household identifier used in case/card and transaction history files; should not be SSN.

• Case/card file activity for cards issued specifically to access Summer EBT benefits:

  • Card issued/activation

  • Card status change (lost/stolen, replaced, etc.)

• Transactions and other events to be included (all transactions involving Summer EBT benefits; see note 1):

  • Benefit issuance

  • Purchase

  • Return

• Data for each transaction (SNAP or WIC)

  • Date and time

  • Transaction type (debit/credit)

  • Transaction mode (regular/manual)

  • FNS or WIC Retailer ID number (see note 2 below)

  • Dollar amount (for all purchases, and for SNAP issuances and returns)

  • Ending account balance (SNAP only)

• Data for WIC transactions (by food category/subcategory)

  • Issuance data: food items prescribed, item detail (number of units, size of units)

  • Purchase data: food items purchased, item detail (number of units, size of units, unit price)

Notes:

1. For hybrid SNAP model sites, transaction activity at the authorization level is needed to identify transactions affecting Summer EBT benefits. This is different from the ALERT file, which has one record per transaction regardless of the number of benefit authorizations affected. For State, the ALERT file format will be acceptable as long as transactions are identified by benefit type as debiting/crediting Summer EBT benefits. File format for WIC will be identified in each site. Data list includes defined evaluation needs; additional available data will be considered.

2. FNS retailer number is needed for all retailers with Summer EBT transactions, in order to link to FNS STARS/REDE data and determine FNS retailer type. WIC States can provide a crosswalk of State WIC retailer number to FNS retailer number in a separate file, if FNS number is not included in the WIC EBT transaction data. This file or the transaction file should also include WIC retailer type.

3. Summer EBT Summary Reports (requested, not required)

• Participation reports (monthly)

  • Number of households by number of transactions (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or more)

  • Quantity by food item by category and fruit/vegetable $ for WIC sites

  • Amount of benefits remaining in accounts ($ for SNAP and WIC sites; quantity by food item category and fruit/vegetable $ for WIC sites)

  • Amount of benefits expunged from inactive Summer EBT -SNAP accounts or expired from Summer EBT -WIC accounts ($) (one-time report at close-out of POC year)

• Transaction activity reports (monthly reports for debits and credits)

  • Number and value of transactions by time of day (hourly preferred)

  • Number and value of transactions by day of month

  • Number and value of transactions by type of retailer

  • Number of denied transactions, by reason

  • Number of cards by number of transactions (if not always 1 card per household)

• Summer EBT card issuance data (monthly; only count cards issued specifically for Summer EBT)

  • Number issued

  • Number lost/stolen

  • Number replaced

  • Number of PIN locks

4. Descriptive information on the NSLP, SBP, and other Child Nutrition Programs in the project area, including:

• Number of schools offering NSLP with/without SBP; total enrollment in area schools;

• Number and percentage of students approved for free/reduced-price meals;

• Average daily participation in NSLP and SBP;

• Number of schools/other locations with after-school programs offering snacks;

• Availability of other Child Nutrition programs;

• Characteristics of individual schools in the project area (grade range, USDA nutrition programs offered, Team Nutrition/other nutrition promotion and education, enrollment, number of students approved for free and reduced-price meals).

Attachment D—Service Area Information for Experienced Applicants

Service Area Information

Name of Service Area*

Project Years Participating in Summer EBT

Type of Service Area (e.g., County, SFA, City, Other)

Urbanicity (i.e., Urban, Suburban, or Rural)

Data source used to determine urbanicity

Reason Selected for Summer EBT

Total Number of SFAs in Service Area

Number of Participating SFAs in Service Area

Number of Participating CEP SFAs in Service Area

Approximate Number of School-age Children in Service Area

Approximate Number of Summer EBT Eligible Children in Service Area

Total Number of Children Proposed to Serve in Service Area

Number of Food Retailers Accepting Summer EBT Benefits in the Service Area

Other

Example: Springfield School District

2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017

SFA

Rural

NCES

No SFSP sites

1

1

0

10,000

4,000

4,000

7

46

2