General Services Administration Alert
The General Services Administration (GSA)/System for Award Management (SAM) is experiencing delays processing certain private entity registration information for new registrants, updates to existing entity registrations and annual renewals. If you are not able to upload your application in Grants.gov prior to the funding opportunity close date because of issues related to these delays and are still awaiting a response to your pending SAM.gov help desk ticket, then USDA/NIFA will accept your application through the following process. Please note, this process is only valid for the issues noted above and is a one-time occurrence. Additionally, please allow sufficient time for your SAM.gov issue to be resolved prior to using the alternate submission process. Read more
The purpose of the National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN) is to reduce the vulnerability of the United States food and agricultural system to chemical or biological attack. The network coordinates the development, implementation, and enhancement of diverse capabilities for addressing threats to the Nation’s agricultural economy and food supply. To attain these purposes, the overarching goals of the NPDN are to: produce educated and capable first responders (Detection), provide accurate, reliable, and timely diagnostics and surveillance (Diagnosis), and supply useful, real-time data from innovative information and communication systems (Reporting).
Applicants for the NPDN program must meet all the requirements discussed in this RFA. Failure to meet the eligibility criteria by the application deadline may result in exclusion from consideration or, preclude NIFA from making an award. For those new to Federal financial assistance, NIFA’s Grants Overview provides highly recommended information about grants and other resources to help understand the Federal awards process.
In accordance with section 1472(c) of National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (NARETPA), applications may only be submitted by:
State agricultural experiment stations, State cooperative extension services, all colleges and universities, other research or education institutions and organizations, Federal and private agencies and organizations, individuals, and any other contractor or recipient, either foreign or domestic, to further research, extension, or teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences of the Department of Agriculture.