The regulations in subparts A through E of this part apply to the programs authorized under section 14013 of the FCEA to be administered within the Office of Advocacy and Outreach (OAO). The purpose of this part is to set forth regulations for competitive and noncompetitive grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance agreements awarded through OAO.

Applicant means the entity that has submitted a proposal in response to an OAO Request For Proposal (RFP).

Authorized Departmental Officer (ADO) means the Secretary or any employee of the Department with delegated authority to issue or modify award instruments on behalf of the Secretary.

Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) means the President or Chief Executive Officer of the applicant organization or the official, designated by the President or Chief Executive Officer of the applicant organization, who has the authority to commit the resources of the organization to the project.

Award means financial assistance that provides support to accomplish a public purpose. Awards may be grants, cooperative agreements, or other assistance agreements.

Award agreement means the agreement between OAO and the awardee which sets forth the terms and conditions under which the OAO funds will be made available. Award agreement is used as a general term to describe grant agreements, cooperative agreements, and other assistance agreements.

Award closeout means the process by which the award operation is concluded at the expiration of the award period or following a decision to terminate the award.

Award period means the timeframe of the award from the beginning date to the ending date as defined in the award agreement.

Awardee means the entity designated in the grant agreement, cooperative agreement, or other assistance agreement as the legal entity to which the award is given.

Baseline monitoring is the minimum, basic monitoring that will take place on an ongoing basis throughout the lifetime of every award.

Beginning date means the date the award agreement is executed by the awardee and OAO and from which costs can be incurred.

Community-based organization means a nongovernmental organization with a well-defined constituency that includes all or part of a particular community.

Cooperative agreement means the award of funds to an eligible awardee to assist in meeting the costs of conducting a project which is intended and designed to accomplish the purpose of the program as identified in the RFP, and where substantial involvement is expected between OAO and the awardee when carrying out the activities included in the agreement. This agreement may also be referred to more generally as an award.

Department means the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Disallowed costs means the use of Federal financial assistance funds for unauthorized activities or items as stipulated in the applicable Federal cost principles (2 CFR part 220, 2 CFR part 225, and 2 CFR part 230).

Ending date means the date the award agreement is scheduled to be completed. It is also the latest date award funds will be provided under the award agreement, without an approved time extension.

Participant means an individual or entity that participates in awardee-led activities funded under the award agreement. Furthermore, a participant is any individual or entity who has applied for, otherwise participated in, or received a payment, or other benefit as a result of participating in an activity funded by an OAO award.

Partnering means a joint effort among two or more eligible entities with the capacity to conduct projects intended and designed to accomplish the purpose of the program.

Program leader means the program supervisor within OAO.

Project means activities supported under an OAO award.

Project Director (PD) means the individual designated by the awardee in the proposal and award documentation, and approved by the ADO who is responsible for the direction and management of the award.

Project Officer (PO) means an individual within OAO who is responsible for the programmatic oversight of the award on behalf of the Department.

Request for Proposals (RFP) means an official USDA funding opportunity. At OAO discretion, funding opportunities may be referred to as request for proposals, request for applications, notice of funding availability, or funding opportunity.

Review panel means an evaluation process involving qualified individuals within the relevant field to give advice on the merit of proposals submitted to OAO.

Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture and any other officer or employee of the Department of Agriculture to whom authority may be delegated.

Terminate funding means the cancellation of Federal assistance, in whole or in part, at any time before the ending date.

Several Federal statutes and regulations apply to proposals for Federal assistance considered for review and to grants and cooperative agreements awarded by OAO. These include, but are not limited to:

(a) 7 CFR Part 1, Subpart A—USDA implementation of the Freedom of Information Act;

(b) 7 CFR Part 3—USDA implementation of OMB Circular No. A-129, regarding debt management;

(c) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Pub. L. 88-352), as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin, and 7 CFR part 15, subpart A (USDA implementation);

(d) 2 CFR part 415, General Program Administrative Regulations.

(e) 2 CFR part 416, General Program Administrative Regulations for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments.

(f) 2 CFR part 417, Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension.

(g) 2 CFR part 418, New Restrictions on Lobbying. Imposes prohibitions and requirements for disclosure and certification related to lobbying on awardees of Federal contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and loans.

(h) 2 CFR part 200, subparts B—General Provisions, C—Pre-Federal Award Requirements and Contents of Federal Awards, and D—Post-Federal Award Requirements, as adopted by USDA through 2 CFR part 400.

(i) 2 CFR part 421, Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial Assistance).

(j) 2 CFR part 200, subpart F—Audit Requirements, as adopted by USDA through 2 CFR part 400.

(k) 7 U.S.C. 3318—conferring upon the Secretary general authority to enter into contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements to further the research, extension, or teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences of the Department of Agriculture.

(l) 29 U.S.C. 794 (Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973) and 7 CFR part 15b (USDA implementation of statute)—prohibiting discrimination based upon physical or mental handicap in Federally assisted programs.

(m) 35 U.S.C. 200 et seq.—Bayh-Dole Act, promoting the utilization of inventions arising from federally supported research or development; encouraging maximum participation of small business firms in federally supported research and development efforts; and promoting collaboration between commercial concerns and nonprofit organizations, including universities, while ensuring that the Government obtains sufficient rights in federally supported inventions to meet the needs of the Government and protect the public against nonuse or unreasonable use of inventions (implementing regulations are contained in 37 CFR part 401)

(n) Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972 (20 U.S.C. 1681-1683 and 1685-1686), as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex;

(o) Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (42 U.S.C. 6101-6107), as amended, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of age;

(p) Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act of 1972 (Pub. L. 92-255), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination on the basis of drug abuse;

(q) Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment and Rehabilitation Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91-616), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination on the basis of alcohol abuse or alcoholism;

(r) Sections 523 and 527 of the Public Health Service Act of 1912 (42 U.S.C. 290dd-3 and 290ee-3), as amended, relating to confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient records;

(s) Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination in the sale, rental or financing of housing;

(t) Any other nondiscrimination provisions in the specific statute(s) under which proposals for Federal assistance are made, and the requirements of any other nondiscrimination statute(s) which may apply to the proposal.