Tips for Writing NADPRP Proposals

NATIONAL ANIMAL DISEASE PREPAREDNESS & RESPONSE PROGRAM (NADPRP)

Julie Wallin, VS Program Coordinator

Melinda Springer, Management Analyst

July 30, 2020

Today’s Agenda

I. General Information about the 2020 NADPRP Funding Opportunity

II. The Work Plan TemplateA. Executive SummaryB. Project Goals, Objectives,

Need for AssistanceC. ApproachD. Budget JustificationE. Performance and

OutcomesF. Supplemental

InformationG. Additional Information

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About the NADPRP 2020 Funding Opportunity• APHIS will make up to $10 million available for

NADPRP projects in 2020.

• Proposals must directly support one or more of the 2020 funding priorities.

• Applicants may submit more than one proposal.

• Applicants who submit more than one proposal must submit each proposal as a separate application package that includes a separate work plan.

• Cooperative or interagency agreements.

• Most awards $25,000 - $500,000.

• Projects expected to start in January – March 2021 & be completed in 24 months or less.

Funding Opportunity Basics

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About the NADPRP 2020 Funding Opportunity

1. Livestock depopulation and carcass disposal during a high consequence animal disease outbreak response

APHIS will support projects that will improve capabilities and capacities for rapid and large-scale animal depopulation and/or carcass disposal during a high consequence animal disease outbreak response.

2. Livestock BiosecurityAPHIS will support projects that will enhance U.S. livestock biosecurity.

2020 Funding Priorities

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NADPRP 2020 Funding Opportunity: How to ApplyApplication must include the following:

• Work Plan• Financial Plan• SF-424 – Application for Federal Assistance (completed directly in

ezFedGrants)• SF-424A – Budget Information (completed directly in ezFedGrants)• Certification Regarding Lobbying - For awards greater than $100K• SF-LLL – Disclosure of Lobbying Activities - awards >$100K, if

activities to disclose• Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement - If claiming indirect

costs• Single Point of Contact (SPOC) Correspondence – If applicable

All forms can be found on the NADPRP website

Today’s Focus!

The Proposal Work Plan

The Work Plan is the body of your proposal. It’s what reviewers will use to score your proposal.

All information requested in the template is required for all NADPRP proposal work plans, even if the template is not used.

The project proposal work plan must address at least one of the funding priorities described in the 2020 NADPRP Funding Opportunity Announcement.

Provide detailed information.

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Work Plan Template:

General Information

What is the project title?

What organization is submitting the proposal?

Which priority(ies) will the project address?

How much funding is requested?

When will the project begin and end?

Who is the principle investigator, co-investigator(s), and financial point of contact?

Basic Required Information

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General Information

Project Title: A sentence that tells which priority area is being addressed with this proposal and indicates what the project will accomplish

EXAMPLE:

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Avoid these project titles: “Biosecurity”, “Livestock Depopulation”, “Animal Disease Preparedness in STATE AA”

General Information

Select one of these 2020 NADPRP priorities that

this proposal most strongly supports:

□ Advance capabilities and capacities related to rapid large-scale animal depopulation and carcass disposal in a high-consequence animal disease outbreak

□ Enhance U.S. livestock biosecurity

for Writing NADPRP Proposals

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General Information

Total Funding Amount Requested: $00,000 (what will it take to carry out this project?)

Period of Performance: The date the project will begin and end

MMM DD, YYYY (from) – MMM DD, YYYY (to)

Recommendation: Select a start date between January and March of 2021.

EXAMPLE:

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General Information

Submitting Organization and Contacts:

Principle Investigator/Primary Point of Contact

Financial Point of Contact

Co-Investigator

EXAMPLES:

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Work Plan Template:

Executive Summary

What is it?

An executive summary is a brief overview of the proposal.

Include:

An overview of the project.

The problem that the project solves.

What will be delivered/ accomplished.

The target audience that will benefit/use the results.

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Your Executive Summary

• Will be frequently referenced during the review / approval process. Make sure it represents your project well!

• May be used for media purposes, program reports, and project snap shots for upper echelons of government.

• Limit to 350 words!

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Work Plan Template:

Project Goals, Objectives, and Need for Assistance

Project Goals, Objectives, and Need for Assistance

These are the building blocks for the proposal and answers the questions

• Why do the project?

• What are the expected results or benefits?

• What approach will be taken for conducting activities?

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Project Goals

Objectives

Need for Assistance

ObjectivesThese are the building block cornerstone for the project achievements

Make them SMART

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SMART ObjectivesSpecific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound

To make a SMART objective, create a sentence using the following format:

Time + Action Verb + Activity + Purpose

Example: After reading this slide, I will be able to create SMART objectives to submit with my Farm Bill proposal.

Time: At the completion of this project, we will be able to…

Action Verb: Select a verb that suggests knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, or evaluation.

Activity: Where will the skill be gained? HINT: Depopulation, Carcass Disposal, Biosecurity

Purpose: Why this activity? What problem will it solve or gap will it address?

Attainable?

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Examples of Smart Objectives

1. Develop an online module on New World screwworm to increase capabilities of foreign animal disease diagnosticians across the United States in conducting disease outbreak investigations.

2. Deliver an after‐action report to industry identifying prioritized recommendations for effective vaccine use decision making and implementation logistics during a high‐consequence animal disease outbreak.

3. Perform informational outreach to animal stakeholders in FL about FMD through meetings, email messages, website information, brochures, and information sheets to enhance stakeholder understanding about the disease.

Critical Need or Problem Solution

What problem will this project solve?

How does this align with the priority area?

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Background and Significance

Why do this project, how is it valuable?

Describe any existing data that supports the need for this project.

Include documents that justify the need for this project.

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State(s) where the Project will be Conducted?

Where will the project be carried out?

Use 2 digit State code(s)

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Target Audience?

Who will directly benefit from this project outcome? Examples:

Livestock Producers

Veterinarians

State Emergency Management Personnel

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Expected Impact and Value?

What will the target audience and other stakeholders gain related to impact and value?

Reviewers will use this information to critique proposals for rating. Don’t make reviewers draw their own conclusions; tell them who will be impacted and what value this project will have on the target audience.

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Work Plan Template:

Approach

Approach

What is the plan of attack?

Milestones and Timelines

Methods

Additional Contributors

Need for APHIS Assistance

Potential Problems and Anticipated Solutions

Best Practices, Innovations, or Unusual Features

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Milestones and Timeline

For each objective, describe the major project milestones or achievements that will lead to completing the overall objective.

Include start and end dates. Make sure the schedule is reasonable.

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Methods

• Describe the methods that you will use to achieve each milestone for each objective.

• Include any applicable protocols, guidelines, or standards that will be met.

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Objectives & Milestones

Methods

Additional ContributorsWho are the Project Players?

In addition to the principal investigator(s), who is needed to carry out this project?

What role will they play?

Include partnerships – with individuals or with organizations – that the project will leverage to assure success.

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Need for APHIS Assistance

VS will be a cooperator. In addition to overseeing the project, what type of support or assistance will be needed from APHIS Veterinary Services to complete the project?

E.g., We need the APHIS Veterinary Services Area Veterinarian in Charge (AVIC) from our State to participate in our on-site exercise.

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Potential Problems/ Anticipated Solutions

What issues might become a factor

when carrying out this project and

how do you plan to address those

issues when the arise?

Best Practices, Innovation, or

Unusual Features

What best practices does this

project use?

Is this a new method or idea?

Is there a unique feature to the

project plan?

Work Plan Template:

Budget Justification

Budget Justification

• Narrative describing what funds are needed to carry out the project.

• Be sure this section aligns with your Financial Plan.

• The Financial Plan template (Excel format) is on the NADPRP website.

• Refer to Guidelines for Use of Funds for additional information

• All costs must be reasonable and necessary to complete the project.

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Budget Justification

Sections:

• Personnel funded by project

• Equipment

• Supplies

• Travel

• Contracts/ Sub-Agreements

• Other Costs

• In-Kind Contributions

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Personnel Funded by Project

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• What positions / people are needed to

accomplish each objective & milestone?

• What will they specifically do relative to

each objective & milestone?

• Justification.

Equipment

• Type- what do you need?

• Purpose- how will it be used?

• Quantity- How many do you need?

• Planned Disposal- when project is complete?

• Justification.

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Supplies(Consumable)

• Type- what do you need?

• Purpose- how will it be used?

• Quantity- How many do you need?

• Planned Disposal- when project is complete? (For unused supplies totaling more than $5000)

• Justification.

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Travel

• Who is traveling- name and title?

• Purpose- why are they traveling?

• Number of trips?

• Means- How are they traveling? (air, car)

• Number of nights of lodging per trip?

• Justification.

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• Name of contractor/ contributor?• Type of contractor/ contributor?• Purpose for the contract/ agreement? Be Specific!

Contract and Sub-Agreements

• Describe other costs listed in the Financial Plan and the justification for including these costs in the proposal.

Other Costs

• Describe any in-kind contributions to the project. In-Kind

Contributions to Project

Work Plan Template:

Performance & Outcomes

Performance & Outcomes

• For each objective and milestone, how will success be determined? Include quantitative and qualitative measures.

• Examples: number and type of people who will be trained, number of training events provided, number of materials produced, number of surveys to be conducted and how results will be interpreted / used.

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Work Plan Template:

Supplemental Information

Supplemental Information

• Relationship to Other Projects

• Qualifications and Relevant Experience

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Relationship to Other Projects

Is there other work planned that relates to this project?

Do you anticipate other related work being performed?

Do you have any other Federal grants or awards related tothis project?

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Qualifications and Relevant Experience

• Describe the relevant experience of the Principal Investigator & Lead Technical Experts.

• This helps reviewers understand whether the applicants have the skills and experience to conduct the project.

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Work Plan Template:

Additional Information

Naming Convention for Documents

FORMATFunding Year- NADPRP- Document Type - Date of Submission

EXAMPLE2020 NADPRP Work Plan 05.28.2020

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This naming convention should be used for all submitted proposal Work Plans

MORE on FORMAT

Document Type= Proposal Work Plan use Work Plan

Proposal Submission Deadline

September 14, 2020 at 11:59 PM ET

Submit through ezFedGrants

Those submitted after the deadline will not be considered for funding

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Remember that the review panel’s job is to ensure the government’s funds are being well spent.

Proposals selected for funding provide the highest likelihood of high-value tangible end products.

Take some time to think about the proposal. A proposal that is well written and easy to follow will be well received by the review panel.

Don’t wait till the last minute to submit the proposal. If the system is down or corrections are required, it could mean that your proposal will not be submitted by the deadline.

Thank You50