USDA Request for Proposals- 2012 Borlaug Fellowship ...harvest.cals.ncsu.edu/ckfinder/userfiles/files/2016 SCEP... · Web viewEach year, China produces 20 percent of the world’s

USDA Request for Expressions of Interest2016 U.S.-China Scientific Cooperation Exchange Program

U.S.-CHINA SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION EXCHANGE PROGRAM

FISCAL YEAR 2016 PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT

U.S. EXCHANGE OPPORTUNITIES TO CHINA

Application Deadline: February 25, 2016, 11:59 PM EST Telephone: (202) 720-0858 and (202) 720-9845Email: [email protected] [email protected] Website: http://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/scientific-cooperation-exchange-program

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number (CFDA) - 10.614

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mailto:[email protected]



Table of ContentsSummary of Award Opportunity..............................................................................................3Section I: Funding Opportunity Description..............................................................................3

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION..........................................................................................................3B. PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES...................................................................................................5

Section II: Award Information..................................................................................................6Section III: Eligibility Information.............................................................................................7

A. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.....................................................................................................7B. COST SHARING AND MATCHING REQUIREMENTS.....................................................................7

Section IV: Application and Submission Information................................................................7

A. ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGE........................................................................7B. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSION...............................................................8C. SUBMISSION DEADLINES AND TIMES.......................................................................................9

Section V: Application Review Information..............................................................................9

A. REVIEW CRITERIA...................................................................................................................10B. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS.........................................................................................10

Section VII: Agency Contact...................................................................................................10Section VIII: Other Information..............................................................................................10

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USDA FOREIGN AGRICULTURAL SERVICEU.S.-CHINA SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION EXCHANGE PROGRAM

U.S. EXCHANGE OPPORTUNITIES TO CHINA

Summary of Award Opportunity USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) is seeking to identify U.S. organizations interested in traveling to China through the U.S.-China Scientific Cooperation Exchange Program (SCEP). This bilateral exchange program allows research teams to visit the partner country for up to 14 days in order to transfer knowledge and technology in agriculture. Teams may consist of up to six persons, if interpretation services are not required, and five persons, if interpretation services are required. It is recommended that exchange programs occur between April and September 30, 2016. Each exchange program should last 14 days, unless otherwise approved in advance. This notice identifies the U.S.-China Scientific Cooperation Exchange Program deadline, legislative authority, eligibility and proposal requirements, funding restrictions, cost share requirements, allowable and unallowable costs, reporting requirements, program purpose and priorities, focus areas and recommended topics, application and submission information, application review, selection, and notification process, agency program contact information, and mailing address.

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE:This program is listed in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance under 10.961.

AWARD TYPE:Non-award

DEADLINE: Applications must be received by February 25, 2016, 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Requests for short-term deadline extensions will be accepted upon a formal request to the program managers referenced in this announcement; without such a request, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. Applications will be considered for approval, pending available funding.

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Section I: Funding Opportunity Description

A. PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONIn 1978, USDA signed a cooperative agreement with China’s Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) to exchange science and technology teams in agriculture in order to promote agricultural cooperation, development, and trade between the United States and China. Subsequently, SCEP has been incorporated into Presidential and Departmental initiatives and has facilitated the exchange of approximately 2,300 U.S. and Chinese professionals.

SCEP allows U.S. and Chinese teams to visit the partner country for up to 14 days in order to transfer knowledge and technology in agriculture. Teams may consist of up to six persons (six persons if interpretation services are not required; five persons if interpretation services are required). Note: Three selected topics may consist of up to eight persons (eight persons if interpretation services are not required; seven persons, if interpretation services are required). The increased number of participants will be indicated next to the selected topic listed below. USDA and MOA consult with the teams to design multi-city program agendas that initiate or strengthen linkages between our academic, public, and private institutions. Neither USDA nor MOA guarantee that all meeting requests will be honored and reserves the right to make changes to proposed dates and agendas.

SCEP is a cost share program. The U.S. team is responsible for the roundtrip international airfare. China’s MOA will cover most in-country program related expenses, including lodging, local transportation, meals, translations, and cultural activities. U.S. Teams will not receive direct funds from either USDA or MOA and thus a program budget is not required. Organizations applying to SCEP should obtain, as applicable, internal approvals to accept in-kind contributions prior to submitting an application.

USDA plans to accept one team for each of the eight topics listed below (i.e. a total of eight separate teams). Organizations may submit multiple proposals (limited to one proposal per topic) if interested in more than one of the topics identified below (i.e. up to eight separate proposals).

Priority consideration will be given to innovative proposals that address the topics and goals below:

Agriculture Risk Management This program will allow participants to mutually learn about China’s crop insurance programs and share knowledge on the U.S.’s crop insurance programs. China seeks to learn more about the U.S. system of crop insurance as they initiate reform to their crop insurance subsidy system. Since 2007, China’s Central Government began providing a premium subsidy for crop insurance. By 2013, China’s agricultural insurance rose to 30.6

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billion CNY; ranking China as the second largest agricultural crop insurance market in the world1. The program will focus on the results of investment and the development of new approaches and incentives in crop insurance and risk management. The goal is to learn about how China manages its system and offer information on how the U.S. handles crop insurance. Preference is given to team members who are experts or knowledgeable about U.S. crop insurance and support programs.

Farm Support Programs This program will provide participants the opportunity to better understand the methods China uses to support rural livelihoods and agricultural productivity so that the U.S. can better engage and find opportunities for mutual cooperation. China has a very complex system for supporting and subsidizing agriculture. In the U.S., these programs are managed and funded through the U.S. Farm Bill. China uses different levers of support including price supports and other subsidies. Preference is given to team members who are experts or knowledgeable about China’s agricultural support programs.

Grain and Oilseed Storage and Warehousing This program will provide Chinese and U.S. technical experts the opportunity to better understand the methods each country uses for grain and oilseed storage and warehousing. China holds over half the world’s corn stocks and very high wheat and rice stocks. China is also the top export market for U.S. agricultural products. China accounts for over 60 percent of global soybean imports; of which, the U.S. supplies more than 40 percent2. USDA would like to share its experience in this area and learn more about China’s grain storage facilities, storage system, efforts to rotate growing stocks and to better understand China’s plans and strategy for how to improve storage and storage management. Note: China’s stocks and storage/warehousing systems are not fully transparent and participants should be mindful of sensitivities and be clear and considerate in approach. Preference is given to team members who are experts or knowledgeable about storage/warehousing systems and management, grain inspection, and similar expertise.

Post-harvest Loss (8 person team (7 participants + 1 interpreter)) This program will provide Chinese and U.S. technical experts the mutual opportunity to discuss the issue of post-harvest loss. Post-harvest losses occur between harvest and the moment of human consumption. Post-harvest loss is a significant food security issue for China. Each year, China produces 20 percent of the world’s food, yet more than 50 million tons of food is lost or wasted along agricultural supply chains. The post-harvest

1 Wang, K., Q. Zhang, S. Kimura, and S. Akter (2015). Is the crop insurance program effective in China? Evidence from farmers analysis in five provinces. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, Vol. 14 (No. 10): 2109–21202 Gale, F. (2015). “U.S. Agricultural Trading Relationship with China Grows.” USDA, Economic Research Service. Amber Waves. May 2015. Retrieved from: http://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2015-may/us-agricultural-trading-relationship-with-china-grows.aspx

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http://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2015-may/us-agricultural-trading-relationship-with-china-grows.aspx

http://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2015-may/us-agricultural-trading-relationship-with-china-grows.aspx


system encompasses a sequence of activities and operations that can be divided into technical (e.g. harvesting, field drying, threshing, cleaning, storage, process) and economic (e.g. transporting, marketing, quality control, nutrition, administration, management). Storage, for example, in China is only one link – although the most significant – in the supply chain that contributes to post-harvest losses for all types of food (e.g. 5.7-8.6 percent for grain, 2.5-3.7 percent for meats, and 10-15 percent for perishable food)3. A significant factor is that China’s agricultural production system has long been based on small-scale production; currently about 250 million small farmers. Preference is given to team members who are experts or knowledgeable in post-harvest handling, storage technology, and processing and distribution best practices.

Water Management and Conservation (8 person team (7 participants + 1 interpreter))This program will provide Chinese and U.S. technical experts the mutual opportunity to share best practices and methods each country utilizes in water management and conservation. China is rich in water resources, but available water is less than one quarter of the world average and suffers chronic water shortages due to uneven distribution of water resources and rainfall, geographic mismatch between population, production centers, and water resources, and pollution. In January 2011, the Central Government’s annual “No. 1 Document” outlined a plan to expedite water conservancy development and reform and sustainable use and management of water resources by investing USD$635 billion over next 10 years4. The focus of this program is to share the U.S. experience with water management and conservation and to learn more about China’s objectives, measures and policies, irrigation management, enforcement, and collaborative stakeholder process in its water management and conservation system.

Soil Fertility Management and Sustainability (8 person team (7 participants + 1 interpreter))This program will provide Chinese and U.S. technical experts the mutual opportunity to share best practices and methods each country utilizes in soil fertility management and sustainability. Soil fertility is a measure of soil productivity; including physical, chemical and biological factors. More narrowly defined, it is the ability of soil to supply adequate levels of the nutrients that are essential for plant growth. According to the World Bank, China has 22 percent of the world’s population, but only 11.3 percent of its land is arable. In the context of food security challenges, soil fertility management is essential to ensuring continued food production. Over the past thirty years, due to high population pressure and small landholdings, China has adopted high-yielding, external input requiring production technologies to ensure food security. China is the world’s largest consumer of chemical fertilizers5. The focus of this program is for the U.S. and

3 Liu, G. (2014), “Food Losses and Food Waste in China: A First Estimate”, OECD Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Papers, No. 66, OECD Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/5jz5sq5173lq-en 4 Liu, J. and W. Yang (2012). Water sustainability for China and beyond. Science, Vol. 337 (No. 6095): 649-650.5 Zhen, L., M.A. Zoebisch, G. Chen, and Z. Feng (2006). Sustainability of farmers’ soil fertility management practices: A case study in the North China Plain. Journal of Environmental Management, Vol. 79 (No. 4): 409-419.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/5jz5sq5173lq-en


China technical experts to share their respective experiences in maintaining soil quality and productivity, assessment of changes (positive and negative), linkage between land quality and land management, and environmental sustainability (e.g. current land management practices contribute to off-site environmental damage (including groundwater and food contamination)). Preference is given to team members who are experts or knowledgeable in soil fertility management.

Soil MappingThis program is related to the Soil Fertility Management and Sustainability SCEP topic and will provide Chinese and U.S. technical experts the mutual opportunity to share technical knowledge and methods each country utilizes in soil mapping. The 2nd Chinese National Soil Survey was conducted from 1979 to 1985. In the U.S., soil maps consist of a broad based inventory of soils and non-soil areas compiled with data on geology, topography, vegetation, and climate with Land Remote Sensing Satellite (LANDSAT) images. The U.S. has extensive knowledge in soil mapping and would like to learn more about China’s efforts. The focus of this program is for the U.S. and China technical experts to share their respective experiences in soil mapping including the status of the next Chinese National Soil Survey, methodology, and the use of satellite imagery.

Rangeland ManagementThis program will provide Chinese and U.S. technical experts the mutual opportunity to share best practices and methods each country utilizes in rangeland management. Range and pasture lands are diverse types of land where the primary vegetation produced is herbaceous plants and shrubs. Sustainable rangeland management is a critical concern. China is second in the world in area of rangelands with over 400 million hectares. China rangelands are 41.7 percent of the total land area (representing 11.8 percent of the world’s rangelands) and home to approximately 17 million pastoralists and agro-pastoralists. Rangeland degradation reduces ecosystem health and ecosystem services as well as social and economic impacts including increased frequency of sand and dust storms. The conversion of rangeland to cropland and over-grazing are the leading causes of rangeland degradation in China6. As early as the 1960s, China implemented a series of rangeland management policies aimed at land privatization, restriction of grazing, and the settlement of nomadic communities to address rangeland degradation, increasing population pressures, and pastoral development. By 2013, grazing had been excluded from 96 million hectares of rangeland in the main pastoral areas, accounting for about 24% of the total rangeland7. The focus of this program is for the U.S. and China technical experts to share their respective experiences in rangeland management including the inventorying and monitoring, analysis, treatment, wildlife management, conservation, and management of grazing land resources.

6 Han, J.G., Y.J. Zhang, C.J. Wang, W.M. Bai, Y.R. Wang, G.D. Han, and L.H. Li (2008). Rangeland degradation and restoration management in China. The Rangeland Journal, vol. 30: 233-239.7 Gongbuzeren, Y. Li, and W. Li (2015). China’s rangeland management policy debates: What have we learned? Rangeland Ecology & Management, Vol. 68 (No. 4): 305-314.

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B. PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIESAssignment of a Principal Investigator The Principal Investigator (PI) should be identified in the proposal.

Principal Investigator RolesThe Principal Investigator (PI) will provide USDA with existing contacts and recommended meetings for consultation and approval at least 60 days prior to commencement of the program. The PI is required to identify all team members and potential dates for their SCEP trip within 2 months of their notification of selection. Failure to do so may result in their selection being revoked and awarded to another applicant.

Meetings and Expected BehaviorAll meetings and the final itinerary will be confirmed by China’s MOA in advance. As guests of the Chinese Central government, it is the expectation that U.S. participants will not engage in outside meetings or activities not contained in the approved itinerary; unless otherwise agreed to by all parties in advance.

Travel and Transportation Each member of the proposed team is responsible for international airfare to and from

China; Each member of the proposed team is responsible for obtaining a visa, which will

require a letter of support from your organization and a formal invitation letter from China’s Ministry of Agriculture; USDA’s Trade and Scientific Exchanges Division will provide the latter letter approximately one month prior to the approved travel date;

MOA will arrange and provide local transportation throughout the duration of the exchange program. This includes airport pick-up and drop-off.

Meals and Incidentals (M&IE)MOA will provide the proposed team with meals or the per diem.

Emergency Health InsuranceEach member of the proposed team is responsible for securing emergency medical health insurance.

LodgingMOA will secure lodging for the proposed team for the duration of the exchange program.

Communication

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The PI is the designated point of contact for the proposed team. Communication should occur only between the USDA/FAS staff and the PI.

The PI should communicate all requests through USDA/FAS staff (and not directly to MOA) unless otherwise discussed and approved.

The PI will provide USDA with existing contacts and recommended meetings for consultation and approval at least 60 days prior to commencement of the program.

The PI will notify USDA/FAS immediately upon purchase of international airfare tickets. Flight itineraries will be shared with MOA to arrange airport pickup and drop off.

The host institution will immediately notify USDA/FAS staff of any requested program modifications including but not limited to changes in arrival/departure dates.

No changes/additions to the team make up 4 weeks prior to travel.

OrientationUSDA/FAS staff will host a telephone conference orientation/debrief prior to the proposed team’s departure to China. Information to be covered includes:

Lodging and M&IE; Program plan and anticipated site visits; Transportation; Explain cultural and legal expectations; Program rules, regulations, and expectations; and, Subsequent program evaluation and action plan.

Final Report The Principal Investigator is responsible for submitting a Final Report to USDA/FAS

within 30 days of the program completion date; The report should summarize the activities, accomplishments, and any problems

encountered; Provide a summary of any preliminary research results (i.e. after the data has been

analyzed) to USDA/FAS (and public domain). Open data is an important USG and USDA initiative (it’s one of the USDA Office of the Chief Scientist’s main priorities);

Photos should be included when possible; Completed program evaluations and action plans;

Section II: Award Information

U.S. Teams applying to the program will not receive a financial award. The team’s PI will receive a formal letter from USDA’s Trade and Scientific Exchanges Division to confirm if the proposal was approved for participation in the FY2016 program. Program start dates will be negotiated with MOA, thereafter; the team’s PI will receive a formal letter of invitation from MOA.

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Section III: Eligibility Information

A. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTSProposals may be received from academic institutions such as universities and colleges, including community colleges, accredited in and having a campus located in the United States, acting on behalf of their institutions. U.S. non-profit research organizations, including research laboratories, professional societies, or similar organizations in the United States that are directly associated with education, extension, research, or capacity building activities; private organizations; Federal and State agencies; or consortia led by the eligible organizations listed here are also eligible.

A proposal from a consortium of organizations must be submitted as a single proposal with one U.S. organization serving as the lead and all other organizations as team members.

The Principal Investigator (PI) must be a U.S. citizen and hold a position at an eligible U.S. institution. The team members must be U.S. citizens residing in the United States. Especially encouraged are proposals from smaller academic institutions, as well as Minority Serving Institutions (MSI), in particular American Indian, Alaska Native, Pacific Islander, Hispanic, Asian American, and African American institutions. Also encouraged are proposals from researchers early in their career, extension agents, and women that hold positions at an eligible institution.

B. COST SHARING AND MATCHING REQUIREMENTS This program has no statutory formula.This program has no matching requirements. Program participants are responsible for round trip international airfare.

Section IV: Application and Submission Information

A. ADDRESS TO REQUEST APPLICATION PACKAGEThis announcement contains all instructions and links to all forms required to complete the application. All applications must be submitted to [email protected] and [email protected]. The application deadline is February 25, 2016 11:59 PM EST. Requests for short-term deadline extensions will be accepted upon a formal request to the program managers referenced in this announcement; without such a request, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. No paper or fax submissions will be reviewed.

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B. CONTENT AND FORM OF APPLICATION SUBMISSIONInstitutions may submit proposals to participate in more than one SCEP activity. Institutions should submit a proposal following the guidelines below:

Complete a proposal Project Plan. The Project Plan must be specific to collaboration between the United States and China.

Proposals should not exceed 12 pages, including the biographical information for each team member.

All proposals must also include the following components:

o Cover Page:

Title : The short title should describe the research problem to be addressed by the proposed scientific exchange.

Collaborating Foreign Country : List “People’s Republic of China.” Type of Project : List “Short-term Scientific Exchange with China.” Target Subject Area : List the target subject area(s) addressed in the proposal. U.S. PI : Include the name, title, institution, mailing address, telephone, fax, and

email. Chinese Collaborators (if known) : Include the name, title, institution, mailing

address, telephone, fax, and email. Chinese collaborators are welcomed, but are not required. MOA will help identify contacts based on the proposed topics.

Proposed Exchange Dates and Passports : Indicate the proposed start date and end date for the U.S. team’s visit to China. Dates should be cleared by USDA and MOA prior to arranging and finalizing flights to China. Each member of the team should also provide a legible copy of a valid U.S. passport.

o Executive Summary In a paragraph for the general public, including MOA, describe the issue or

research problem and the main objectives. Highlight the proposed scientific exchange’s benefit to both the United States and China. This section is limited to one page.

o Project Description Problem Statement : Describe the scientific or technical issue. Indicate the status

of any current activities on this topic with China, including the contacts and institutions. Indicate whether USDA/FAS has previously funded a related activity, and provide the title and date of the activity.

Objectives : List the objectives that support broader goals as identified in the Statement of Work.

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Benefits to U.S. Agriculture, Fish, or Forestry: Proposals must indicate a strong benefit to U.S. agriculture or forestry and how it may impact trade. Include plans for disseminating or using the results of the scientific exchange with China. Identify and, if possible, quantify benefits expected from the scientific cooperation.

o Work Plan This section should explain how you plan to accomplish your objectives via the

proposed site visits. Proposed dates of visits, including seasonal, geographic, and other considerations. Proposed schedule of site visits and how those visits will help the team accomplish

the stated objectives. An evaluation plan that defines measurement criteria, including qualitative and

quantitative measures (include baseline data when possible), describe data collection methods that will be employed, and describe how the data will be analyzed. The evaluation plan should also include possible unintended effects.

o Team Description Identify the PI and all other team members. Explain each team member’s role.

Provide biographical information for each team member—not to exceed one page per member including photos of each member.

C. SUBMISSION DEADLINES AND TIMES The application deadline is Thursday, February 25, 2016 at 11:59 PM EST. Requests for short-term deadline extensions will be accepted upon a formal request to the program managers referenced in this announcement; without such a request, applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.

Section V: Application Review Information

All proposals are carefully reviewed by USDA/FAS Program Officers and other FAS staff, including the FAS China offices against the criteria listed below:

A. REVIEW CRITERIA Scientific or Technical Merit - Quality of proposal, well-defined problem, clear

objectives, evidence of creativity and innovation, suitability of investigators and institutions, likelihood objectives can be achieved

Relevance - Addresses important U.S. agricultural or forestry problems, potential usefulness of research results, potential for knowledge and technology transfer

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Potential for Furthering International Cooperation - Expected contributions and mutual benefits from collaboration

B. REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESSAfter review by appropriate offices, it is expected that all applicants will be notified within six weeks after the closing date for applications.

Section VII: Agency Contact

Potential applicants can direct their questions or request help with problems before the deadline for submission of the application for these funding opportunities via the contact information below:

David [email protected](202) 720-0858

Francisco del [email protected](202) 720-9845

Section VIII: Other Information

Related Requests for Expressions of Interest will be posted on the National Institute for Food and Agriculture listserv.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. How do I know if I am eligible or my organization is eligible to apply to Scientific Cooperation Exchange Program (SCEP)?

Eligibility is explained in the “Eligibility Requirements” section of this announcement.

2. Will SCEP accept proposals that do not address a priority focus area or recommended topic?

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Yes, however, priority consideration will be given to proposals that address the focus areas contained in the REI.

3. Do I have to have a Chinese collaborator?Chinese collaborators are welcomed, but are not required, as MOA will help identify contacts for the U.S. Team’s exchange visit.

4. Does SCEP allow for reciprocal visits from Chinese collaborators?This program announcement is only for U.S. teams to travel to China. USDA cannot guarantee that MOA will approve any proposed Chinese collaborator to have a reciprocal visit to the United States under the auspices of SCEP. Chinese collaborators should apply separately to SCEP through MOA.

5. Does SCEP provide funding?No, USDA does not provide funding to support U.S. Teams participating in SCEP, unless otherwise noted.

6. Does SCEP require our institution to pay for any expenses?Yes, all U.S. Teams are responsible for roundtrip international flights to and from China.

7. May I submit my proposal directly to the SCEP program managers?Yes. Please be sure to submit proposals to both program manager email addresses noted in this REI.

8. What process does FAS use to evaluate SCEP proposals?USDA/FAS reviews proposals submitted to SCEP using a programmatic and technical review process. The review process is explained in the “Proposal, Review, Evaluation, and Notification Process” section of this announcement.

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Documents

USDA Request for Proposals- 2012 Borlaug Fellowship ...harvest.cals.ncsu.edu/ckfinder/userfiles/files/2016 SCEP... · Web viewEach year, China produces 20 percent of the world’s