Common Bean Productivity Research for Global Food Security Competitive Program
Fiscal Year 2012: The following represents examples of funded projects:
1.
Development of transgenic beans for broad-spectrum resistance against fungal diseases.
($250K)
2.
Developing and Delivering Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) Germplasm with Resistance to the Major Soil Borne Pathogens in East Africa.
($1.9M)
3.
Improving bean yields by reversing soil degradation and reducing soil borne pathogens on small-holder farms in Western Kenya.
($1M)
4.
Routine and reproducible transformation system for common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris).
($250K)
5.
Genetic approaches to reducing fungal and Oomycete soilborne problems of common bean in Eastern and Southern Africa.
($1.1M)
Total Awards = $4.5M.
Fiscal Year 2013: No additional projects will be awarded and reports from current grants are not due until October-November 2013.
Pertinent data to be provided by Program at a future date.
Fiscal Year 2014: Project reports are not due until October-November 2014.
Pertinent data to be provided by Program at a future date.
Established in 1862, the Department of Agriculture serves all Americans through anti-hunger efforts, stewardship of nearly 200 million acres of national forest and rangelands, and through product safety and conservation efforts. The USDA opens markets for American farmers and ranchers and provides food for needy people around the world.
Program Accomplishments
Fiscal Year 2012: For the FY 2012 award cycle, $ 4,500,000 was available for project grant awards via a one-time Interagency Agreement with USAID. Administrative costs were borne by NIFA which took a $500,000.00 overhead from the agreement.
A total of 20 applications requesting a total of $10,168,655.00 were received in this one-time competition. In June 2012, a 6-member peer review panel evaluated these applications in a virtual format. The peer panel included faculty and administrators from land grant and non-land grant colleges and universities and practitioners from the food and agricultural sciences community.
Funds were available to support two types of awards called for: common bean transformation and disease mitigation in Africa.
Common Bean Transformation = $500,000.00 available, grants of up to $250,000 called for; 14 proposals and 2.5 awards; 18% success rate; Unfunded proposal requests = $2,683,022.
Common Bean Disease Mitigation in Africa = 6 proposals; 3 awards; 50% success; Available =$4,000,000; Unfunded proposal requests = $6,485,633. Fiscal Year 2013: NOTE:
This program represents a Reimbursable Agreement with one (1) year funding.
No Projected Funds. Pertinent details to be provided by Program at a future date. Fiscal Year 2014: NOTE:
This program represents a Reimbursable Agreement with one (1) year funding.
No Projected Funds. Pertinent details to be provided by Program at a future date.
Uses and Use Restrictions
In collaboration with and using funding provided by the U. S. Agency for International Development, NIFA is seeking research proposals to develop approaches and/or methods to address challenges to common bean production among smallholder producers.
Applications are being solicited for the BPR under the following areas:
(1) Reducing Production Constraints from Soil Borne Pathogens: Soil borne pathogen pressure on common bean is a significant constraint to production.
Such pathogens and associated root rots already reduce production in areas with high rainfall.
As rainfall increases, as is expected around the equatorial zone in Africa, in particular East Africa, pathogen-related production constraints may become even more limiting.
(2) Improving Transformation Technologies in Common Bean: Although success in transforming common bean has been limited to date, it is a promising strategy to address key production constraints.
Developing and/or improving the methodologies and approaches necessary to efficiently transform this recalcitrant species is necessary to removing roadblocks to transformation.
Grant funds may not be used for the renovation or refurbishment of research, education, or extension space; or the planning, repair, rehabilitation, acquisition, or construction of buildings or facilities.
The applicant should use the current negotiated indirect cost rate established (i.e., approved) by its cognizant Federal agency.
If the applicant does not have a current negotiated rate, the applicant should request a rate from the Federal agency from which the applicant receives the most funding.
Fully discretionary.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
Eligible U.S.
public or private research or educational institutions or organizations.
Beneficiary Eligibility
U.S. organizations or organizations in Feed the Future countries.
Credentials/Documentation
No Credentials or documentation are required. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-87.
Aplication and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
Preapplication coordination is not applicable.
Environmental impact information is not required for this program.
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.
12372.
Application Procedures
This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-102. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110.
Award Procedures
Applications are subjected to a system of peer and merit review in accordance with section 103 of the Agricultural Research, Extension and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 1613) by a panel of qualified scientists and other appropriate persons who are specialists in the field covered by the proposal. Within the limit of funds available for such purpose, the NIFA Authorized Departmental Officer (ADO) shall make grants to those responsible, eligible applicants whose applications are judged most meritorious under the procedures set forth in the RFA. Reviewers will be selected based upon training and experience in relevant scientific, extension, or education fields, taking into account the following factors:
(a) The level of relevant formal scientific, technical education, or extension experience of the individual, as well as the extent to which an individual is engaged in relevant research, education, or extension activities;
(b) the need to include as reviewers experts from various areas of specialization within relevant scientific, education, or extension fields;
(c) the need to include as reviewers other experts (e.g., producers, range or forest managers/operators, and consumers) who can assess relevance of the applications to targeted audiences and to program needs;
(d) the need to include as reviewers experts from a variety of organizational types (e.g., colleges, universities, industry, state and Federal agencies, private profit and non-profit organizations) and geographic locations;
(e) the need to maintain a balanced composition of reviewers with regard to minority and female representation and an equitable age distribution; and
(f) the need to include reviewers who can judge the effective usefulness to producers and the general public of each application.
Evaluation Criteria will be delineated in the RFA.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.
Authorization
Economy Act, 31 U.S.C 1535; Consolidated Appropriations Act 2010, Public Law 111-117; Section 632(a) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, 22 U.S.C 2151.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
> 180 Days.
Appeals
Not Applicable.
Renewals
Not Applicable.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
This program has no statutory formula.
This program has no matching requirements.
This program does not have MOE requirements.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
The term under this grant program may not exceed five years. Method of awarding/releasing assistance: by letter of credit.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Grantees are to submit initial project information, quarterly, and annual reports to NIFA"s electronic, Web-based inventory system that facilitates both grantee submissions of project outcomes and public access to information on Federally-funded projects.
The details of these reporting requirements are included in the award terms and conditions.
No cash reports are required.
Grantees are to submit initial project information, quarterly, and annual reports to NIFA"s electronic, Web-based inventory system that facilitates both grantee submissions of project outcomes and public access to information on Federally-funded projects.
The details of these reporting requirements are included in the award terms and conditions.
Grantees are to submit initial project information and annual reports to NIFA" s electronic, Web-based inventory system that facilitates both grantee submissions of project outcomes and public access to information on Federally-funded projects.
The details of these reporting requirements are included in the award terms and conditions.
An annual Federal Financial Report (SF-425) must be submitted within 90 days after the completion of the first year of the project, and annually thereafter during the life of the grant to the Awards Management Division, Office of Grants and Financial Management.
A final Federal Financial Report (SF-425) is due within 90 days of the expiration date of the grant and should be submitted to the Awards Management Division, Office of Grants and Financial Management at the address listed below, in accordance with instructions contained in 2 CFR 3430.55 (also refer to Section 3015.82 of the Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations).
Awards Management Division (AMD)
Office of Grants and Financial Management (OGFM)
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)
U.S.
Department of Agriculture
STOP 2271
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20250-2271
Telephone: (202) 401-4986
The details of these reporting requirements are included in the award terms and conditions.
Grantees are required to submit initial project information, quarterly, and annual summary reports to NIFA s electronic, Web-based inventory system that facilitates both grantee submissions of project outcomes and public access to information on Federally-funded projects.
The details of these reporting requirements are included in the award terms and conditions.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. Audits will be conducted in accordance with guidelines established in the revised OMB Circular No. A-133, "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit Organizations," and implemented in 7 CFR 3052. This program is also subject to audit by the cognizant Federal audit agency and the USDA Office of Inspector General.
Records
No Data Available.
Financial Information
Account Identification
12-1500-0-1-352.
Obigations
(Project Grants) FY 12 $4,500,000; FY 13 est $0; and FY 14 est $0 - The difference between the appropriation and obligation numbers reflects legislatively authorized set-asides deducted as appropriate, and in some cases the availability of obligational authority from prior years.
NOTE:
This program represents a Reimbursable Agreement with one (1) year funding.
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
If minimum or maximum amounts of funding per competitive project grant are established, these will be announced in the program announcement or Request for Application (RFA).
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature
2 CFR Part 215-Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, Other Non-Profit Organizations, State/Local/Indian Tribes; 2 CFR Part 220 - Cost Principles for Educational Institutions; 2 CFR Part 230 - Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations, 2 CFR Part 225 - Cost Principles for State/Local/Indian Tribes, 7 CFR Part 3430, Competitive and Noncompetitive Non-formula Federal Assistance Programs - General Award Administrative Provisions and Program-Specific Administrative Provisions; 7 CFR Part 3015, USDA Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations; 7 CFR Part 3017, Government wide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement) ; 7 CFR Part 3018, New Restrictions on Lobbying; 7 CFR Part 3019, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, Hospitals, and Other Non-profit Organizations; and 7 CFR Part 3021- USDA implementation of Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-free Workplace (Financial Assistance).
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
None.
Headquarters Office
USDA, NIFA, National Program Leader, Institute of Food Production and Sustainablity, Division of Animal Systems, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., STOP 2240, Washington, District of Columbia 20250-2240 Phone: (202) 401-6134 Fax: (202) 401-1602
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
Within guidelines established for the program as described in the Request for Application (RFA).
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