Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP) is sponsored by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This opportunity supports mission-aligned projects and measurable outcomes.

AGRICULTURE, DEPARTMENT OF The purpose of FPEP is to expand capacity, improve competition, and increase supply chain resilience within the agricultural fertilizer and nutrient management sector, in connection with the production of agricultural commodities.

To meet its purpose, FPEP will support the production of agricultural commodities through the manufacturing and processing of fertilizer and nutrient alternatives that are: Independent and outside the dominant fertilizer suppliers. The goal is to increase competition.

Consequently, entities that hold a market share (in either manufacturing, processing, or distribution) that is greater than or equal to the entity that holds the fourth largest share of the market for nitrogen, phosphate, or potash, as applicable, will not be considered for funding; Made in America - Produced in the U.S. by companies located in the U.S. and territories, creating good-paying jobs at home, and reducing the reliance on potentially unstable or inconsistent foreign supplies; Innovative – To improve upon fertilizer production methods and efficient-use technologies to jump start the next generation of fertilizers and nutrient alternatives; Sustainable - Reduces the greenhouse gas impact of transportation, production, and use through renewable energy sources, feedstocks, formulations, and incentivizing greater precision in fertilizer use; and Farmer-focused - a driving factor will be making sure the additional capacity supported by USDA is dedicated to U.S. agricultural commodity production.

The purpose of FPEP is to expand capacity, improve competition, and increase supply chain resilience within the agricultural fertilizer and nutrient management sector, in connection with the production of agricultural commodities. BUSINESS AND COMMERCE - BL Economic Development COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT - CN Rural Community Development _These funding amounts do not reflect the award amounts that are displayed on USASpending.

gov_ **This listing is funded for the current fiscal year. ** **Fiscal Year 2025:** This Rural Development investment will be used for the expansion of an existing facility, a fertilizer blending and distributor, provides agronomy solutions to producers.

The expansion will allow for the installation of a new blender to reduce blend time and enhance efficiency, a new screener to improve quality of material, and is expected to double its manufacturing capacity from 1000 tons per day to 2000 tons per day. The facility is expected to generate 320,000 metric tons supporting producers while creating 15 new jobs.

This Rural Development investment will be used to expand and improve an existing compost facility and anaerobic digestion operation by increasing compost and fertilizer production.

The improvements will increase fertilizer and nutrient alternatives productions by more than 20,000 tons per year and expand the facilities capacity to 56,000 tons of inputs per year, ensuring the ability to meet growing regional feedstock availability and customer demand. Only electronic applications may be submitted via Grants. gov in response to this RFA.

Applicants are urged to submit applications early to the Grants. gov system. For an overview of the Grants.

gov application process, see Grants. gov, Apply for Grants webpage. The RFA contains the information needed to obtain and complete required application forms and RD‐specific attachments.

2 CFR 200, Subpart E - Cost Principles applies to this program. Beneficiary eligibility is the same as applicant eligibility. An applicant selected for this grant must use funds for the purpose of increasing or otherwise expanding the manufacturing and processing of fertilizer and nutrient alternatives and their availability in the United States.

Additionally, the fertilizer and nutrient alternatives addressed in the application must be for agricultural use.

Within such a project, eligible uses of grant funds would include, but are not limited to: • Construction of a new facility or purchase of an existing facility for purposes of expanding capacity or increasing output, including the purchase of land; • Pre-development costs including, but not limited to, engineering and other professional fees; • Working capital to support expanded capacity or increased outputs; • Modernizing or expanding an existing facility, including expansion and modifications to existing buildings and construction of new buildings at existing facilities; • Purchasing new, or modernizing existing processing and manufacturing equipment; • Developing, customizing, and installing equipment, devices, and technology that improves processing functions, worker conditions, or safety; • Modernizing, developing, customizing, and installing climate‐smart equipment that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases fertilizer use efficiency, improves air and water quality, or meets one or more of USDA’s climate action goals; • Ensuring compliance with packaging and labeling requirements under applicable law (including sealing, packaging, boxing, labeling, conveying, and product moving equipment); • Ensuring compliance with occupational and other safety requirements under applicable law; • Engaging in workforce recruitment, training, apprenticeships, and retention to ensure expansion projects will be adequately staffed and crewed and offer opportunities to workers; or • Improving fertilizer and nutrient alternatives logistics (for example: distribution, transportation, and storage) to benefit producers in a cost-efficient manner.

a) Research and development; or b) Manufacturing or processing of fertilizer and nutrient alternatives that are not commercially available and in use; or c) Fertilizer and nutrient alternative logistics activities, such as distribution, or transportation, or storage for which funding is made available under other authorities, e.g., h, and https://www. epa. gov/innovation/next-gen-fertilizer-challenges.

d) Site-specific applications of fertilizers, pesticides, irrigation, and herbicides, remote sensing, geographic information systems (GISs), and the Global Positioning System (GPS) https://www. nifa. usda.

gov/grants/programs/precision-geospatial-sensor-technologies-programs. Contact the headquarters or regional location, as appropriate for application deadlines This RFA provides two application submission windows. Applicants must submit applications via Grants.

gov. Applications must be received by 11:59 pm Eastern Time (ET) on: 45 days after the date of posting, for applicants requesting financial assistance to contribute to the purpose of the program.

Priority will be given to projects that increase the availability of fertilizer (nitrogen, phosphate or potash) and nutrient alternatives to agricultural producers for use in crop years 2023 and 2024; and 90 days after the date of posting, for applicants requesting financial assistance to contribute significantly to the purpose of the program. Preapplication coordination is not applicable.

Environmental impact information is not required for this program. This program is excluded from coverage under E. O.

12372. 2 CFR 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards applies to this program. Opportunity Posted Location: Grants.

gov Application Procedures Location: NOFO 1. Financial Viability, Technical Merit, and Readiness Applicants must describe in the project narrative, the strength of their proposed project and how the project will achieve financial viability, technical feasibility, and readiness. 2.

Market Impact & Opportunities Applicants must describe any plans to procure inputs and provide more product opportunities for producers relative to the existing fertilizer products and to relevant improvements in market access. Applicants may describe any commitments from agricultural producers as input providers or as end users and potential buyers. 3.

Climate Impacts & Sustainability Describe how the project will reduce the impacts of climate change through the manufacturing and processing of or the use of sustainable, innovative, increased, and efficient fertilizer and nutrient alternatives fertilizer and nutrient production and use. Include listing of assumptions and methodologies to support such assumptions. 4.

Regional Impact & Support Applicants must support of their proposed project as well as any strategies to generate regional support. Applicants should also include information about the scale and scope of any commitments (financial, infrastructure, workforce or otherwise) provided by other Federal, Tribal, State, or local governments, either directly or indirectly.

The scale and scope of any commitments or contributions from other third parties should also be discussed. 5. Personnel Applicants must describe key personnel involved with the project.

Applications will be awarded priority based on how key personnel will contribute to the likelihood of project success, including but not limited to their leadership’s qualifications, training, and experience. Experience of key personnel will be assessed in relation to the scale of the project and the type of the operation.

Additional priority will be awarded to applicants that thoroughly describe in narrative and provide resumes and supporting documentation. 6. Discretionary Points During Administrative Agency Review, discretionary points may be assigned by the RBCS Administrator to ensure the diversity of applications, including geographic diversity and size and scale of projects.

Successful applicants will receive a signed notice of Federal award, containing instructions on requirements necessary to proceed with execution and performance of the award.

The following 2CFR policy requirements apply to this assistance listing: Subpart B, General provisions Subpart C, Pre-Federal Award Requirements and Contents of Federal Awards Subpart D, Post Federal; Award Requirements Subpart E, Cost Principles Subpart F, Audit Requirements The following 2CFR policy requirements are excluded from coverage under this assistance listing: **Progress/Performance Reports :**Project performance report will be required on a semiannual basis (due 30 working days after end of the semiannual period).

For the purposes of this grant, semiannual periods end on March 31st and September 30th. The project performance reports shall include the elements prescribed in the Financial Assistance Agreement, including, as appropriate, but not limited to shackle space added, processing capacity added, new value‐added products developed, and jobs created.

, Frequency: Semi-Annually Records associated with the project are required to be maintained per 2 CFR 200. 334. Retention Period: 3 Years Statutory formula is not applicable to this assistance listing.

Cost Sharing Requirement Type: Mandatory Description: Grant requests of less than $5 million have a 40 percent matching fund requirement. For example, a sustainable fertilizer project with total eligible costs of $1. 67 million could request grant funds of $1 million and would be required to provide approximately $670,000 in matching funds.

Grant requests of $5 million or greater (up to the maximum grant request of $100 million) have a 75 percent matching fund requirement. For example, a sustainable fertilizer construction project with total eligible costs of $133. 3 million could request grant funds of $33.

3 million and would be required to provide approximately $100 million in matching funds. MOE requirements are not applicable to this assistance listing. Domestic Assistance Program that uses Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA): 1400 Independence Ave.

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