Solicitation of Input from Stakeholder on Title II Food for Peace Non-Emergency Programming

The CADI, funded through an interagency agreement between the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) and the State Department's Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, supports a portfolio of projects in Eastern Europe (non-E.U.), the South Caucasus, and Central Asia. These projects are designed to make American agriculture safer, stronger, and more prosperous. Specifically, the portfolio seeks to prevent and remove trade barriers for U.S. agricultural exports and support U.S. exporters and trading partners. Collectively, the portfolio is working to:• Add over $622 million to the U.S. economy by removing trade barriers.• Contribute an additional $312 million to the U.S. economy through direct support to American exporters and trading partners.• Avoid over $50 billion in potential economic harm to the U.S. economy by preventing lost market access due to the spread of livestock contagions to the United States and new trade barriers.The awardee will conduct original basic and applied research that will focus on advancing a trade agenda that benefits America’s ranchers, farmers, and producers.Through this applied research, the awardee will:• Provide throughout the period of performance actionable recommendations to help achieve the CADI portfolio’s targets.• Track the portfolio’s attributable accomplishments toward these trade outcomes, including the development of U.S. county-level impact estimates.DELIVERABLES1. Final report on the recipient’s research to quantify the CADI portfolio’s direct economic impact on American farmers;2. Annual economic impact report that quantifies the CADI portfolio’s direct economic impact on American farmers. This report will specifically analyze the CADI’s portfolio of projects’ progress toward achieving the following targets:a. Armenia:i. Add $92,851,795 to the U.S. economy by increasing the sale of 200,000 MT U.S. wheat (40k MT sold once per year, for 5 years) through technical assistance to trading partners.ii. Add $2,197,937 to the U.S. economy by increasing U.S. exports to Armenia by 5% using short-term training and technical assistance to remove food safety-related technical barriers to trade.b. Georgia:i. Add $92,851,795 to the U.S. economy by facilitating the sale of 200,000 MT U.S. wheat (40k MT sold once per year, for 5 years) through technical assistance to trading partners.ii. Add $15,443,458 to the U.S. economy by increasing the U.S. market share of the Georgian poultry market by 1.1% over 5 years through short-term agricultural trade promotion and technical assistance.iii. Add $892,190 to the U.S. economy by facilitating $433,102 in the export of U.S. aquaculture inputs short-term agricultural trade promotion and technical assistance.c. Kazakhstan:i. Contribute $28,000,000 to the U.S. economy by supporting 1,000,000 bushels of expanded market opportunity for U.S. wheat, per year for 5 years, through improved agricultural production data.d. Ukraine:i. Maintain $439,441,866 in U.S. economic activity by ensuring $224,994,460 in U.S. agricultural exports to Ukraine continue over 5 years by preventing new barriers to U.S. agricultural exports.ii. Protect $50,000,000 in damage to the U.S. economy by maintaining U.S. pork’s global market access by preventing the spread of African Swine Fever to the United States.iii. Catalyze $1,030,000 in U.S. economic activity by unlocking the Ukrainian livestock genetics market and facilitating $500,000 in U.S. livestock genetics exports through short-term agricultural trade promotion and technical assistance.iv. Add $31,135,852 to the U.S. economy by unlocking the Ukrainian purebred cattle market, and supporting U.S. exporters in achieving 50% market share for 5 years.v. Contribute $14,255,778 to the U.S. economy by supporting 250,000 bushels of expanded market opportunity for U.S. wheat, per year for 5 years, through improved agricultural production data.vi. Contribute $16,731,044 to the U.S. economy by supporting 250,000 bushels of expanded market opportunity for U.S. oilseeds, per year for 5 years, through improved agricultural production data.e. Uzbekistan:i. Add $9,177,352 to the U.S. economy by increasing U.S. market share of soybean exports by 5%, and sustain this market share for 5 years through short-term agricultural trade promotion and technical assistance.ii. Add $4,735,105 to the U.S. economy by increasing U.S. market share of distilled spirits exports by 6.2%, and sustaining that market share for 5 years through short-term agricultural trade promotion and technical assistance.3. A quarterly presentation to the USDA/FAS CADI management team on the CADI portfolio’s progress toward achieving America First trade targets, providing strategic recommendations to maximize outcomes for the benefit of American agriculture; and,4. Annually, provide at least one success story per country where CADI operates. Each story must include a detailed analysis of USDA/FAS accomplishments in one of the following areas:a. Preventing or removing trade barriersb. Assisting U.S. exporters and trading partnersAll work under this research program is unclassified. The awardee shall ensure that all information is safeguarded against unauthorized access. Any personnel performing work under this agreement who will have access to non-public information will require Public Trust (Moderate Risk) background investigations (also known as T2 background investigation) that will be issued by USDA prior to beginning work.The projected Period of Performance is from November 1, 2026 - September 31, 2028, with the possibility of an extension as described in Section 9.1.The work will require Temporary Duty Travel (TDY) to foreign and domestic locations that remain to be determined. A total of 4 one-week international TDYs to Eastern Europe (non-E.U.), the South Caucasus and Central Asia should be included in the budget, as well as four one-week domestic trips to locations to be determined. Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-FAS-10960-0700-109-26-0003. Assistance Listing: 10.960. Funding Instrument: G. Category: AG. Award Amount: Up to $333K per award.

The occurrence of insects as well as pesticide residuals can be significant barriers for U.S. horticultural exports. Each importing country can have unique phytosanitary and maximum residue limit (MRL) requirements, which creates operational and logistical challenges. To maximize return to growers, U.S. shippers need tools that can universally address all such requirements while maintaining product quality. Currently, tree nuts and many other durable specialty crops require fumigations or freezing, which are both expensive and create bottlenecks in marketing.More and more tree nut handlers are using a modified atmosphere (MA) or controlled atmosphere (CA) technology in which low-oxygen conditions (<1% by volume) are maintained during storage and/or in packaging. Low-oxygen conditions are known to control insect pests, leave no chemical residuals, and result in high quality products since the lipid oxidation that causes rancidity is markedly suppressed. While this approach is being used as a condition of sale, there is currently no efficient way for shippers to validate the low-oxygen conditions for customers, let alone importers with phytosanitary requirements for insect control. Technically and economically viable, verifiable, and preferably traceable technologies are critically needed before low-oxygen storage and packaging approaches can be used for export to most countries.Currently, the existing low-oxygen technologies do not incorporate digital mapping or official record-keeping during the packing or storage process, so there is no non-invasive manner to verify the oxygen content over time within the gas-impermeable liners and/or confirm seal integrity. This limits the ability to verify that a low-oxygen environment has been maintained at a specific oxygen level over a certain period of time, which would be necessary to ensure the conditions were met to act as a phytosanitary treatment. Counties such as India, Korea, and Japan require phytosanitary treatments, such as fumigation, for post-harvest pest management before many types of U.S. tree nuts can be imported into the countries. Additionally, buyers in other markets also request pest management treatments as a condition of sale in commercial transactions. Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-FAS-10621-0750-106-27-0001. Assistance Listing: 10.621. Funding Instrument: CA. Category: AG. Award Amount: Up to $2M per award.

The National Quantum Initiative (NQI) Act1aims to ensure the continuing leadership of the United States (U.S.) in quantum information science and technology. In conformance with the NQI goals, an argument2-5was set forth for a renewed emphasis on identifying and fostering early adoption of quantum technologies to transform the field of Quantum Information Science and Engineering (QISE) and to accelerate broader impacts on society. A systematic approach to maturing quantum technology platforms by integrating end-users and potential customers from other fields of science and engineering and other sectors of the economy into cycles of research, development, and demonstration should lower the barriers for end-users to pioneer new applications. NSF support for use-inspired and translational research in QISE, combined with continued strong support of the underlying foundational research, is anticipated to accelerate development of a market for quantum technologies. With this program solicitation, the Foundation is taking the next step in implementing the National Quantum Virtual Laboratory (NQVL) concept as an overarching shared infrastructure designed to facilitate the translation from basic science and engineering to the resultant technology, while at the same time emphasizing and advancing its scientific and technical value. The NQVL aims to develop and utilize use-inspired and application-oriented quantum technologies. In the process, NQVL researchers will explore quantum frontiers6, foster the development of QISE education and workforce development strategies, engage in outreach activities at all levels, and promote input and participation from the full spectrum of talent in QISE, thereby lowering barriers at all entry points of the research enterprise. Engagement with all sectors of the United States (U.S.) QISE community will be necessary for this initiative to succeed, and, indeed, the project is designed to include participation from a full spectrum of organizations who have expertise to contribute. In particular, NSF recognizes that the involvement of industry partners is essential and will welcome these to be a part of the overall structure. Partnerships with other U.S. Federal agencies under the NQI umbrella are also encouraged. While this solicitation lays out the vision for the entire NQVL program that includes Quantum Science and Technology Demonstration (QSTD) projects, support for enabling technologies through Transformative Advances in Quantum Systems (TAQS), as well as a central coordination hub, only proposals for Design- and Implementation-phase QSTDs are solicited at this time. Submission of a QSTD:Design proposal is contingent upon the existence of a QSTD:Pilot project in the same topical area, and the positive recommendation from the Conceptual Design Review of the QSTD:Pilot project. The QSTD:Design project builds on progress made in the QSTD:Pilot phase. Submission of a QSTD:Implementation proposal is contingent upon the existence of a QSTD:Design project in the same topical area, and the positive recommendation from the Preliminary Design Review of the QSTD:Design project. The QSTD:Implementation project builds on progress made in the QSTD:Design phase. It is required that prospective PIs contact the NQVL Program Officer(s) as soon as possible, but not later than two weeks before submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation, to ascertain that the focus and budget of their proposal is appropriate for this solicitation. H.R.6227 - National Quantum Initiative Act,https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/6227 Accelerating Progress Towards Practical Quantum Advantage, A National Science Foundation Project Scoping Workshop (2022),https://arxiv.org/abs/2210.14757 Quantum Computer Systems for Scientific Discovery, PRX Quantum 2, 017001 (2021)https://doi.org/10.1103/PRXQuantum.2.017001 Development of Quantum InterConnects for Next-Generation Information Technologies, PRX Quantum 2, 017002 (2021)https://doi.org/10.1103/PRXQuantum.2.017002 Quantum Simulators: Architectures and Opportunities, PRX Quantum 2, 017003 (2021)https://doi.org/10.1103/PRXQuantum.2.017003 Quantum Frontiers: Report on Community Input to the Nation's Strategy for Quantum Information Science,https://www.quantum.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/QuantumFrontiers.pdf Funding Opportunity Number: 24-586. Assistance Listing: 47.041,47.049,47.070,47.074,47.076,47.084. Funding Instrument: G. Category: ST. Award Amount: $32M total program funding.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) announces this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to solicit applications for research on how mind and body interventions through psychological and/or physical inputs (e.g., mindfulness meditation, yoga, acupuncture, massage, and other brain and/or body based interventions) impact mechanisms of emotional well-being (EWB) and their associations with whole person health (WPH), consistent with the NIH priority to address the health needs of the American people and improve their well-being. The NOFO will support rigorous and well-powered mechanistic research studies that are supported by strong preliminary data. The studies should examine the effects of mind and body interventions on innovative mechanisms of EWB (as the primary outcome), as well as the associated relationship with the Whole Person Health Index (WPHI, as a secondary outcome). To enhance research safety, rigor, and efficiency of NIH-funded mechanistic clinical trials, this initiative will use a two-phased award funding mechanism (R61/R33). The funding will support an initial phase (R61) to establish feasibility benchmarks for the proposed mechanistic clinical trial(s), followed by a second phase (R33) to complete the full-scale trials, which will be contingent upon successful completion of R61 milestones. Applications should provide preliminary data that are comparable in quality and quantity to those expected for an R01 proposal. Funding Opportunity Number: PAR-25-449. Assistance Listing: 93.213. Funding Instrument: G. Category: HL.

Complementary and Integrative Health - Training, Institutional is sponsored by Department of Health And Human Services. NCCIH is the lead Federal agency for scientific research on the fundamental science, usefulness, and safety of complementary and integrative treatments and practices. NCCIH seeks to build knowledge across disciplines, focusing on the whole person, and taking a transdisciplinary approach that integrates the natural, social, and health sciences and transcends traditional boundaries. To address the need for objective evidence on the fundamental science, safety and efficacy of complementary and integrative health approaches, NCCIH supports rigorous scientific investigation to better understand how these interventions impact health, for whom, and the optimal methods of practice and delivery. By deepening our scientific understanding of the connections that exist across domains of human health, we can better understand how conditions interrelate, define multicomponent interventions that address these problems, and expand how we support patients through the full continuum of their health experience, including the return to health. To evaluate complementary and integrative health approaches. The following objectives support this goal: (1) coordinate and facilitate the investigation of complementary and integrative health approaches through peer-reviewed grant solicitations; (2) interface with the NCCIH National Advisory Council; (3) conduct technology assessment conferences for the purpose of establishing areas of Clinical and Pre-clinical research that need to be further developed within complementary health approaches; and (4) maintain a comprehensive bibliographic data base in conjunction with the National Library of Medicine. The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) regularly examines and redefines its research priorities. In setting research priorities, NCCIH considers its existing research portfolio, its 5-year strategic plan, the recommendations of the National Advisory Council for Complementary and Integrative Health, current scientific advances, the plans of other NIH institutes and centers, and input from expert panels and stakeholders. Research constituting a rigorous evidence base for complementary health approaches will be developed through a range of research strategies including basic and translational research, and clinical investigation. Priority setting also takes into account: 1)scientific promise, 2)amenability to rigorous scientific inquiry,3) potential to change health practices, and 4) relationship to use and practice. Research Approaches Basic, translational, efficacy/effectiveness, and implementation research for Complementary and Integrative Health approaches need to be studied across the research continuum. NCCIH continues to emphasize basic research that defines biological effects and mechanisms of action; this research is aimed at understanding the nature of complementary health approaches such as their biology, physiology, and physical, chemical and behavioral properties. NCCIH also supports the development of tools, models, and methodologies for studying these approaches. NCCIH continues to encourage efficacy studies to determine specific clinical effects of complementary health approaches under carefully controlled conditions that minimize nonspecific and contextual effects. There is also the need to strengthen translational and preliminary clinical research required to design and implement definitive clinical research and "real world" outcomes and effectiveness research that capitalizes on the reality that many complementary health approaches are in widespread public use. NCCIH’s support of translational research addresses the need for valid, reliable and relevant research tools, outcome measures, and innovative methodology to enhance the rigor of complementary health approaches within clinical studies and to ensure that they are maximally informative. NCCIH emphasizes studies that inform the design of future trials such as those that will: develop and validate outcome measures; standardize treatment protocols or algorithms; validate treatment algorithms and/or; develop measures of quality control or treatment fidelity; assess effects of various doses or intervention durations; or establish feasibility of interventions or study designs in specific populations for future studies. This listing is currently active. Program number: 93.485. Last updated on 2026-01-12.