AgPAS (Pre-Award Services)

Complete even if only considering submitting a proposal.

Complete for all proposals requesting funding.

Complete the Non-Funded Questionnaire for )MOU's, )Non-Disclosure Agreements, )Data Use Agreements, )Software Licenses, )Teaming Agreements, )Equipment Loans, etc. (For Material Transfers, use the Material Transfer Agreement instead.)

Questionnaire-Non-Funded

2019 AFRI Foundational and Applied Science Deadlines: USDA-NIFA released the RFA for the 2019 AFRI opportunities on 7 May 2019. It includes 34 opportunities with deadlines from 6/4-9/26/19 in seven different program areas, listed below with available funding in millions:

Plant health and production and plant products ($43.9)
Animal health and production and animal products ($36.8)
Food safety, nutrition, and health ($26.2)
Bioenergy, natural resources, and environment ($21.7)
Agriculture systems and technology ($19.5)
Agriculture economics and rural communities ($22.9)
Crosscutting programs ($21.585)

RFP available: https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/rfa/20190507-fy2019-afri-foundational-and-applied-science-rfa.pdf
Table of deadlines available: https://nifa.usda.gov/afri-deadlines
Download AgPAS's PDF summary of all programs sorted by deadline, Program Area, and Priority Code.
All prospective applicants are urged to complete their Notices of Intent as soon as possible - please include the Program Priority Code in the notes section. All PI's are advised to avoid the cost-sharing requirement by submitting proposals that are not commodity specific. Additionally, IDC is limited to 30% of the Total Federal Funds Requested, per the 2018 Farm Bill. (e.g. a $500,000 proposal may have no more than $150,000 in IDC - the sum total of subawardee and lead institutions.

Standardized Fringe Benefit Rates for UMD: Effective 4/1/2019 ALL proposals routed through AgPAS-ORA should be budgeted with the State Fiscal Year 2020 standardized fringe benefits rates.

Standard fringe rates,
Additional information from the Provost's AMP site. (FAQ's, etc.)
Specific text for Budget Justifications: Please include this text in all budget justifications until further notice: The University of Maryland, College Park, is in the process of negotiating fringe benefit rates with its cognizant audit agency, US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). This budget has been developed with the assumption that the rates will be approved, and go into effect on July 1, 2019. If the rates are not approved, the University will continue to charge benefits to the project based on actual cost and level of effort.

Form	Description	Download
AgPAS Budget	AgPAS's preferred budget. Must be used for USDA-NIFA proposals. This budget auto-calculates options in USDA's allowable IDC rates.	Download
Cost-Share Worksheet	Complete whenever pledging institutional (departmental) cost-share including foregone F&A. Must be signed by Departmental Chair, or designee. (Updated Nov. 2018) NOTE: Third-party cost-share documentation must also be included, must be provided by Fiscal Authority of the third party.	Download
Sub-recipient Commitment Form	Should be completed and included with proposal submission for each prospective subawardee. The AgPAS Contract Administrator will complete with PI's assistance.	Download
Organized Research Unit -or- Significant Project Designation	If your unit or project is authorized to budget for what are normally considered unallowable administrative costs, use this form to apply for special status which would streamline the proposal review process.	Download
Guidelines	Guidelines for Organized Research Unit -or- Significant Project Designation. This document provides further context for determining if your project and/or unit qualifies for status as a Significant Project or Authorized Research Unit.	Download
Material Transfer	Use only when transferring Materials from another institution.	Download
Advanced Account Request	When unofficial notice of funding has been received, and sponsors authorizes pre-award spending, PI/Department may opt to establish an advanced account. PI and Department establish an AANA with understanding that they are operating at risk unitl ORA receives official authorizing notice from the sponsor.	Download
Sub-Award Request Form	(POST AWARD) If the proposal submitted included sub-awards in the budget, PI/Department must complete this form to signal ORA to draft the subaward agreement and collect bilateral signatures.	Download
Sub-Award Modification Request	(POST AWARD) Use to request a modfication to an existing subaward being let to another institution, including changes to performance period, amount awarded, reporting requirements,etc.	Download

Mission/Procedures/Staff

AgPAS was established within the Dean's Office on November 2, 2014 to consolidate all pre-award functions for AGNR. We strive to increase efficiencies by standardizing business processes and responding to opportunities more strategically. Our primary purpose is to ease the administrative burden of AGNR PI's thus allowing you to focus your energy on the science and/or outreach. This results in more proposals submitted and more proposals funded.

PROCEDURES

Snapshot: Single-page overview of AgPAS's routing and submission processes.

Detailed Procedures: Detailed overview of AgPAS's processes.

Time Dependent Review: AgPAS will strive to submit all proposals going forward. Thoroughness of review is dependent on interval of time between proposal's arrival in AgPAS and sponsor's deadline.

STAFF

Name	Contact	Assignments
Gina Hsu	301-314-1076 yhsu1@umd.edu	NFSC PSLA
Ann Legall	301-314-1273 alegall@umd.edu	ENST AES JIFSAN/CFS3
Kirsten McCree	301-314-1081 kmccree@umd.edu	UME AREC VTMD (Interim) DEAN'S OFFICE/IPAN
Chris Aubry	301-405-2904 aubrycp@umd.edu	ANSC (Interim) AGNR
Jeryl Martin-Hannibal	301-314-1052 jmartinh@umd.edu	ANSC VTMD