Assisting Specialty Crop Exports: Low Oxygen Storage and Packaging Systems for U.S. Tree Nuts with Phytosanitary Traceability

Scores listed: 65 points (the notice's total wasn't found; check it).

Narrative limit: 10 pages (check the notice for what counts toward it).

1. Project Implementation Plan (30 points, about 4.5 pages)
   What reviewers look for (notice p. 12): Does the applicant describe and demonstrate their experience and ability to implement the project described in a credible, effective, and time-bound manner? • Does the applicant articulate their experience and ability to manage a portfolio of subawards for industry and academic researchers and companies? Do they note how they would facilitate collaboration between domestic and international researchers and companies (if appropriate)? • Do they explain how they would manage commercial privacy and intellectual property privacy of different companies/technologies involved in the project (if needed or requested by the companies involved)? • Have they developed an appropriate and organized plan for implementing the project which is expected to result in new data verification systems with phytosanitary traceability for oxygen content through handing and logistics of tree nuts and other…
   [[NEEDS: your answer to this criterion, with facts and numbers from your organization]]

2. External Project Support and Collaboration (25 points, about 4 pages)
   What reviewers look for (notice p. 12): Does the applicant describe a credible plan for consulting with tree nut sector industry experts, researchers and advisors, and do they have experience in working with multiple organizations including USDA, specialty crop processors/handlers, and agricultural associations? • Does the applicant describe a plan for consultation and coordination with USDA agencies: FAS, ARS, and APHIS throughout the project to ensure the verification processes are technically sound and supported by USDA? • Does the applicant describe the specialty crop stakeholders, other than the applicant and companies/organizations involved, who support this project and why? • Does applicant include letters of support from at least two (2) U.S. tree nut industry organizations? • If specific tree nut producers/processors/handlers have been identified to be involved in testing new technology or processes in collaboration…
   [[NEEDS: your answer to this criterion, with facts and numbers from your organization]]

3. Professional Formatting, Spelling, and Grammar (10 points, about 1.5 pages)
   What reviewers look for (notice p. 13): To what extent are the applicant’s proposal documents detailed, organized, and clear? • Has the applicant demonstrated professional organization and formatting throughout the project narrative and supporting documents with limited spelling and grammatical errors? 6.3 Review and Selection Process The agency will convene a review panel to review the eligible applications against the evaluation criteria described above. USDA/FAS documents that reviewers, whatever their affiliation, are free from a conflict of interest that would affect their assessment of an applicant, whether positively or negatively. The reviewers will ensure that the applicant can deliver the programs/activities as described in the announcement based on the applicant’s project narrative and assign a score and provide summary comments based on the evaluation criteria identified above. The review panel will make a…
   [[NEEDS: your answer to this criterion, with facts and numbers from your organization]]