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

Federal · USDA — Foreign Agricultural ServiceDue Tuesday, October 27, 2026

Client: USDA — Foreign Agricultural Service
RFP Number: USDA-FAS-10621-0750-106-27-0001
Posted: 8/24/2026
Category: Farming & Agriculture
Budget: $2,000,000
NAICS: —
Set-aside: —
Contact: Angel Gonzalez [email protected] 202-615-1742
Email: [email protected]

Description

AI Generated

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service seeks to support the Assisting Specialty Crop Exports Initiative by funding low-oxygen storage and packaging systems with phytosanitary traceability for U.S. tree nuts. The project addresses trade barriers in markets like India, Korea, and Japan by establishing verifiable, non-invasive, and traceable technologies to validate low-oxygen conditions and control insect pests without chemical residuals. Eligible applicants include U.S. academic institutions, state governments, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, U.S. trade associations, U.S. agricultural cooperatives, international organizations, foreign entities, and private sector businesses. All applicants must hold an active SAM.gov registration. Applications must be submitted electronically through the ezFedGrants system by October 26, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Successful applicants requesting over $100,000 must submit additional lobbying forms prior to receiving an award.

Key solicitation details

AI-extracted from Current NOFO - USDA-FAS-10621-0750-106-27-0001FINAL NOFO.pdf. Confirm against the original documents before bidding.

USDA FAS is offering a cooperative agreement to develop processes and technologies for phytosanitary validation and traceability of low-oxygen storage and packaging systems for U.S. tree nuts and specialty crops. The award is up to $2,000,000 over five years. Eligible applicants include U.S. academic institutions, state governments, nonprofits, trade associations, agricultural cooperatives, international organizations, and private sector businesses.

Issued by: United States Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service
Application Submission Deadline: October 26, 2026 at 11:59pm Eastern Daylight Time
How to submit: Electronic via USDA's ezFedGrants online system
Submission details: Submitted at https://grants.fms.usda.gov/. Requires an active SAM.gov registration and an identity-proofed login.gov account. Narrative limited to 10 pages.
Contract term: Up to 5 years
Estimated value: $2,000,000.00
Funding: 10.621 Assisting Specialty Crop Exports

How proposals are evaluated

Technical Approach and Scope of Work	20 Points
Project Implementation Plan	30 Points
External Project Support and Collaboration	25 points
Budget	up to 15 points
Professional Formatting, Spelling, and Grammar	10 Points

Scope of work

Develop processes and technologies for phytosanitary validation and traceability of low-oxygen storage and packaging systems
Provide a compilation of proposed verification processes for each type of packaging or storage technology
Address bulk and retail packaging solutions, including bulk bins, super sacks with internal liners, and sensors
Incorporate digital mapping traced throughout the handling and logistics chain with digital record keeping
Provide non-invasive verification solutions capable of measuring low-oxygen levels (less than 1% by volume)
Provide estimates of per unit and capital costs for candidate technologies
Provide funding support from the award for pilot studies or testing with sensor developers and packaging companies
Create and coordinate a technical group of U.S. tree nut industry experts, researchers, and advisors post-award

Minimum qualifications

Active registration in SAM.gov before the date of award
Access to and familiarity with contemporary U.S. tree nut storage, transport, and packing processes
Ability to coordinate technical input from tree nut sector experts, researchers, and advisors
Include letters of support from at least two (2) U.S. tree nut industry organizations

Documents to include with the bid

Standard Form SF-424, Application for Federal Assistance
Standard Form SF-424A, Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs
Detailed budget narrative
Project Narrative (up to 10 pages)
Letters of support from at least two U.S. tree nut industry organizations
Latest Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) or indirect cost basis description, if applicable
Grants.gov Lobbying Form (if award exceeds $100,000)
Standard Form SF-LLL, Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (if applicable)

Grants.gov funding details

Funding opportunity: USDA-FAS-10621-0750-106-27-0001 · Assisting Specialty Crop Exports: Low Oxygen Storage and Packaging Systems for U.S. Tree Nuts with Phytosanitary Traceability
Agency: USDA — Foreign Agricultural Service
Assistance listing: 10.621 Assisting Specialty Crop Exports
Total program funding: $2.0M
Award size: $2.0M
Expected awards: 1
Applications close: Oct 26, 2026
Instrument: Cooperative Agreement
Cost sharing required: No
Eligible applicants: Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification); This opportunity is available to U.S. academic institutions, state governments, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) designation, U.S. trade associations, U.S. agricultural cooperatives, international organizations, foreign entities, and any other entity including private sector businesses.All applicants must have an active registration in the U.S. Government System for Award Management (www.sam.gov) before the date of award. Applicants with inactive, expired, pending, or excluded listings will be deemed ineligible. Exceptions, waivers, or extensions will not be considered. More information about SAM.gov registration can be found in this document in Section 9, Other Information.

Source: Grants.gov (U.S. federal public data).

Source and verification

Original source

Craxy AI summarizes this opportunity from the original listing and available solicitation documents. Confirm submission instructions and amendments with the issuing source before responding.

1 cached source fileDocuments checked Oct 2, 2026

Ready to bid on this RFP?