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The information on this webpage is associated with all Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Economic Research Service (ERS), and National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) extramural agreements.

This website contains information on Agreement Authorities, Restrictions and Limitations; Extramural Agreement Terms & Conditions; ARS, ERS and NASS implementation of Public Access requirements; Geospatial Data requirements; Scientific Integrity requirements, BABA Act information, Requirements to do business with the Federal government; Extramural reporting requirements; Extramural Agreement Methods of Payment; Information for Agency  Partners (Sponsors of Funding); and links to Federal resources.

 REQUIREMENT TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

Cooperators are required to have Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and be registered in SAM.GOV.

Cooperators should register or renew their registrations in SAM.GOV as early as possible.  Additional guidance on submitting new, or updating existing entity registration information in SAM can be found at SAM.gov | Home

NOTE: Subrecipients are only required to obtain a UEI, which is necessary for FFATA reporting. Additional details can be found at 2 CFR 25.300.

 EXTRAMURAL AGREEMENT AUTHORITIES, RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS 

 EXTRAMURAL AGREEMENT TERMS & CONDITIONS - FEDERALLY FUNDED AND NON-FUNDED

  • Public Access Requirements: 
    • Ensuring Free, Immediate, and Equitable Access to Federally Funded Research: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/08-2022-OSTP-Public-Access-Memo.pdf
    • Public Access and Open Science at USDA: https://www.nal.usda.gov/services/public-access
    • USDA Departmental Regulation 1020-006 – This regulation makes all peer-reviewed, scholarly publications and digital scientific research data assets arising from unclassified scientific research, supported wholly or in part by the USDA, accessible to the public to the extent practicable.
    • USDA PubAg Manuscript Submissions – Final peer-reviewed, accepted manuscripts must be made freely accessible to the public through the USDA public access repository – PubAg https://submit.nal.usda.gov/ – within 12 months of the date on which the publisher makes the article available online.
    • Ag Data Commons – Published datasets must also be made freely accessible to the public through the USDA public access data catalog –  Ag Data Commons – within 12 months of the publication date of the associated scholarly publication.
    • The public access term can be found in the “ARS-ERS-NASS General Terms and Conditions," above.
    • Questions and Answers:

      Where does the public access information get reported in the Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR)? 

      A: The RPPR mandatory reporting category, Accomplishments, “how have the results been disseminated to communities of interest” must include information addressing the sharing of publications, including published data.

      Who is responsible for submitting the full text of the manuscript to USDA PubAg?

      A: Any author can submit manuscripts to the submit site (PubAg), but the Agency PI must ensure that this is done (for ARS, submissions are expected to be completed by ARS PIs in an internal system (ARIS)).

      If the Agency PI makes the ADC catalog record, then do I the Cooperator have to do anything?

      A: If the Agency PI makes the ADC catalog record, then the Cooperator doesn’t have to do anything.

      Who will review the Cooperator’s Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) for compliance?

      A: The Agency PI is responsible for RPPR compliance.

  • Geospatial Data:

 SCIENTIFIC INTEGRITY AND RESEARCH MISCONDUCT: 

Reporting an Allegation

Anyone who suspects that researchers or research institutions performing federally funded research may have engaged in research misconduct is encouraged to make a formal allegation of research misconduct to the Office of Inspector General (OIG). Suspected research misconduct may be reported to OIG using any of the following methods:

OIG Hotline:

Telephone:
(202) 690-1622
(800) 424-9121
(202) 690-1202 (TDD)

Email:
usda_hotline@oig.usda.gov  

U.S. Mail:
US Department of Agriculture
Office of Inspector General
PO Box 23300                                                    Washington, DC 20026-3399

 Required Information when Making an Allegation via the OIG Hotline:

To the extent known, the following details should be included in any formal allegations made to the OIG:

  • The names of involved individuals and research projects
  • Sources of funding
  • Important dates
  • Any documentation that bears upon the allegation
  • Any other potentially relevant information.

Suspected research misconduct, as well as concerns involving human subject research protections (7 CFR Part 1c), and animal welfare requirements (9 CFR Parts 1 - 4) can be reported directly to your respective awarding agency by emailing the Agency Scientific Integrity Officer:

ARS
Pam Starke-Reed
Phone: (301) 504-4788
Email: pamela.starke-reed@usda.gov

ERS
Kelly Maguire
Phone: (202) 694-5448
Email: kelly.b.maguire@usda.gov

NASS
Denise A. Abreu
Phone: 202-631-0056
Email: denise.abreu@usda.gov
 

 BUILD AMERICA, BUY AMERICA (BABA) ACT

BABA Award Term Definitions:

“Buy America Preference” means the “domestic content procurement preference” set forth in section 70914 of the Build America, Buy America Act, which requires the head of each Federal agency to ensure that none of the funds made available for a Federal award for an infrastructure project may be obligated unless all of the iron, steel, manufactured products, and construction materials incorporated into the project are produced in the United States.

“Construction materials” means articles, materials, or supplies that consist of only one of the items listed in paragraph (1) of this definition, except as provided in paragraph (2) of this definition. To the extent one of the items listed in paragraph (1) contains as inputs other items listed in paragraph (1), it is nonetheless a construction material.

  (1) The listed items are:

(i) Non-ferrous metals;

(ii) Plastic and polymer-based products (including polyvinylchloride, composite building materials, and polymers used in fiber optic cables);

(iii) Glass (including optic glass);

(iv) Fiber optic cable (including drop cable);

(v) Optical fiber;

(vi) Lumber;

(vii) Engineered wood; and

(viii) Drywall.

(2) Minor additions of articles, materials, supplies, or binding agents to a construction material do not change the categorization of the construction material. 

 “Infrastructure” means public infrastructure projects in the United States, which includes, at a minimum, the structures, facilities, and equipment for roads, highways, and bridges; public transportation; dams, ports, harbors, and other maritime facilities; intercity passenger and freight railroads; freight and intermodal facilities; airports; water systems, including drinking water and wastewater systems; electrical transmission facilities and systems; utilities; broadband infrastructure; and buildings and real property; and structures, facilities, and equipment that generate, transport, and distribute energy including electric vehicle (EV) charging.

“Infrastructure project” means any activity related to the construction, alteration, maintenance, or repair of infrastructure in the United States regardless of whether infrastructure is the primary purpose of the project. See also paragraphs (c) and (d) of 2 CFR 184.4.

“Iron or steel products” means articles, materials, or supplies that consist wholly or predominantly of iron or steel or a combination of both.

EXTRAMURAL AGREEMENT REPORTING REQUIREMENTS - *NEW* 

The following are the standard reporting requirements for ARS, ERS and NASS extramural agreements. When applicable, the Cooperator must also comply with any additional reporting requirements specified in the award/agreement, or as required per conditions of applicable statutory and national policies.

Performance Reporting

Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR) - for awards executed 10/11/2016 and thereafter.  The RPPR has been mandated by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and coordinated by the National Science Foundation (This is the document found on the National Science Foundation website).  Recipients must meet mandatory reporting requirements and any other reporting requirements that may have been identified in the award document.   Reports must also include the provisions set forth in eCFR :: 2 CFR 200.329 -- Monitoring and reporting program performance.

  • How the results have been disseminated to communities of interest must include information addressing the sharing of publications, including published data. 
  • For more information on Federal performance reporting requirements, refer to 2 CFR 200.329(c) and 7 CFR 550.124(a). 
  • Refer to the Forms & Certifications webpage for a link to the RPPR.

Financial Reporting

The Cooperator must submit financial reports to the Agency ADO and Agency Principal Investigator at the interval required by the REE Agency, as identified on the Award Face Sheet; electronic submission is preferred (2 CFR 200.328). Refer to the Forms & Certifications webpage for a link to the form(s). 

  • Financial reports are to be prepared on the OMB-approved SF-425, Federal Financial Report (FFR). 
  • If the terms and conditions of the agreement identify additional financial reporting requirements (i.e. 7 CFR 550.123(a)(c)), they must be provided to the Agency with the FFR.

Intellectual/Invention Reporting

Recipients of federal funding agreements are required to report subject inventions to the federal funding agency and complete other reporting, as required by the Bayh-Dole Act and its implementing regulations.  This is accomplished through iEdison, an interagency online reporting system for recipients of Federal funding agreements. Refer to 2 CFR 200.315, 2 CFR 200.448 and 7 CFR 550 (sections 550.111(b)(5) and 550.124(b)) for additional information. 

The Agency does not require a Final Invention Statement.

  • Within 120 days of the End Date of the Period of Performance, Cooperators shall report by email to the Agency ADO and Agency PI that no inventions or patents resulted from their funding agreement.  The email notification must include the Cooperator Name, Principal Investigator Name, and Federal award identification number (FAIN).

Publications and Information Dissemination Products

  • The cooperator must submit to the Agency PI copies of all final information dissemination products (including publications and applicable audiovisuals) resulting from the research conducted under the GA or CA.
  • It is USDA policy to provide public access to all scholarly publications and digital scientific research data assets that arise from USDA-supported scientific research. Refer to "Public Access requirements" section above for information on peer-reviewed, scholarly publications and digital scientific research data assets arising from unclassified scientific research, supported wholly or in part by the USDA, and requirements for the submission of final peer-reviewed, accepted manuscripts.
  • Acknowledgement of REE Agency support must appear on any information dissemination products produced with any Federal financial assistance support, including those which report the results of, or describe a Federal financial assistance-supported activity (whether or not copyrighted), per 2 CFR § 415.2 - Acknowledgement of USDA support on information dissemination products.
  • In accordance with 7 CFR 550, sec 550.111(b)(7), when appropriate, the Cooperator PI will work with the Agency PI to prepare findings for peer-reviewed publication in scientific journals, and make presentations/talks to shareholders, etc. as per sec. 550.119(d), the Cooperator must submit to the agency PI copies of all final publications and audiovisuals resulting from the research conducted under the Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement.

Tangible Personal Property Reporting

Tangible personal property means property of any kind, except real property, that has physical existence. It includes equipment and supplies. Unless otherwise specified in the terms and conditions of the agreement, upon termination or expiration of the agreement, the Cooperator must identify personal property/equipment purchased with any Federal funds under the agreement on the OMB-approved SF-428-B Report Form and Instructions, and provide the signed document to the Agency ADO, as part of the closeout requirements. Refer to the Forms & Certifications webpage for a link to the form and other related forms. For information on tangible personal property reporting, refer to 7 CFR 550.124(c) and 2 CFR 200 Subpart D Property Standards:

 EXTRAMURAL AGREEMENT PAYMENT

The Cooperator's method of payment is identified on the Award Face Sheet (REE-451). Method of payment will indicate: HHS-PMS or EFT/Treasury Check.

HHS-PMS: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Payment Management System (PMS), Program Support Center. https://pms.psc.gov/. HHS-PMS is the default method of payment for all ARS-funded agreements.

•  About the Program Support Center: https://pms.psc.gov/about-us.html

•  PMS User Guide | HHS PSC FMP Payment Management Services

•  PMS Help Desk | HHS PSC FMP Payment Management Services

EFT/Treasury check: The recipient must submit invoices to the REE Agency ADO on the OMB-approved “Request for Advance or Reimbursement” SF 270 (OMB 4040-0012).

•  Additional invoice backup or itemization requirements may be identified by REE Agency in the REE Award, generally in the Statement of Work, “Mutual Agreements” section (7 CFR Part 550 (for Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement), and the REE-452 (for a Research Support Agreement)).

•  Payment is usually made via electronic funds transfer. 

 INFORMATION FOR AGENCY PARTNERS (SPONSORS OF FUNDING) 

     Agency Fringe Benefits: 

      ARS Indirect Costs:

NOTICE regarding USDA, National Institute for Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) Federal awards to Non-Federal Entities (NFE) with the USDA, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) as a subrecipient. 

USDA-NIFA awards many grants to NFEs with USDA-ARS identified as a co-Principal Investigator (subrecipient).  As a subrecipient, USDA-ARS shall receive a sub-award from the NFE.  Subject to the eligibility requirements identified in a USDA-NIFA or another Federal funding opportunity announcement, USDA-ARS may apply as a subrecipient of the NFE.  The Agency’s legal authority to enter into a competitive grant proposal for research as a NFE’s subrecipient for which grant funds will be provided to the Agency is 7 USC 3318a. Therefore, a NFE who is a prime recipient of a USDA-NIFA grant or other Federal grant has the authority to issue a sub-award to USDA-ARS.

Trust Fund and Reimbursable Cooperative Agreements:

REE-22— General Provisions

Public Access Requirements: 

USDA Non-Discrimination Statement:

 LINKS TO FEDERAL RESOURCES