**Northern Plains Area Specific Cooperative Agreement Process (outgoing
funds to a university):** The proposed research must support the mission
of ARS; be of mutual interest to all parties; supplement the program(s)
of the scientist and unit; be fully documented and tracked. ***All
parties must mutually contribute resources to the effort.***

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| **ARS Scientist/Unit Support      | **Extramural Agreements Section   |
| Staff Responsibilities:**         | Responsibilities:**               |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| -   Obtain the ARS-416/417/550a   | -   Review and approve the        |
|     template from the Unit ARIS   |     ARS-416/417/550a. Release to  |
|     User; complete and return to  |     NPS level for their review    |
|     Unit ARIS User.               |     and approval.                 |
|                                   |                                   |
| -   **Unit ARIS User:** Enter the | -   Provide Statement of Work &   |
|     ARS-416/417/550a and obtain   |     Budget example(s) upon        |
|     line management approval      |     request from the scientist.   |
|     signatures (RL/LD/CD).        |     Contact Information:          |
|                                   |                                   |
| -   **Allow 2-4 weeks for NPS     | > 970-492-7029 or                 |
|     approval of the ARIS.**       | > [jim.quaratino@ars.usda.go      |
|                                   | v](../jim.quaratino@ars.usda.gov) |
| -   **Allow 30-60 days for the    | >                                 |
|     Cooperator to review and      | > 970-492-7022 or                 |
|     approve the Agreement         | > [marc                           |
|     language.**                   | ie.currie-gross@ars.usda.gov](../ |
|                                   | marcie.currie-gross@ars.usda.gov) |
| -   The research ***[cannot       |                                   |
|     begin]{.underline}***, and    | -   Monitor the ARIS for NPS      |
|     funds are                     |     approval. Notify the ARS      |
|     **[NOT]{.underline}**         |     scientist and Unit ARIS User  |
|     available for Cooperator use, |     when NPS approval is          |
|     until all Agreement actions   |     received.                     |
|     are completed and signed by   |                                   |
|     all parties.                  |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| -   Prepare the Statement of Work | -   Review the Statement of Work  |
|     (SOW) and REE-454 Budget page |     and Budget for the proposed   |
|     for the proposed research.    |     research. Contact the         |
|                                   |     scientist if revisions are    |
| -   Mutual interest in the        |     required.                     |
|     agreement\'s objective must   |                                   |
|     be specifically stated in the | -   Upon NPS approval of the      |
|     SOW.                          |     ARS-416/417/550a, prepare the |
|                                   |     Specific Cooperative          |
| -   E-mail the SOW & Budget to    |     Agreement package and send it |
|     the Agreements Section.       |     to the Cooperator for         |
|                                   |     signature.                    |
| -   Prepare the AD-700 & mail to  |                                   |
|     the Agreements Section.       | -   Send a copy of the fully      |
|                                   |     signed & executed Agreement   |
| -   Sign and return the ADODR     |     document to the Cooperator,   |
|     page to the Agreements        |     ARS scientist, RL/LD/CD, and  |
|     Section within 10 working     |     LAO.                          |
|     days of receipt.              |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| -   Obtain the Annual Performance | -   Document the Performance and  |
|     Reports from the              |     Financial reports under the   |
|     Cooperator\'s Principal       |     Terms and Conditions of the   |
|     Investigator by August 1 of   |     Agreement.                    |
|     each year. Forward the report |                                   |
|     to the Agreements Section.    | -   Monitor the ARS-421           |
|                                   |     Annual/Final Progress Report  |
| -   Forward any Financial Reports |     system for the report on the  |
|     received from the Cooperator  |     sibling CRIS project.         |
|     to the Agreements Section.    |                                   |
|     Give a copy to the LAO/Budget | -   Submit the Annual and Final   |
|     Staff.                        |     Performance Reports (prepared |
|                                   |     by the Cooperator\'s          |
| -   Prepare the Annual and/or     |     Principal Investigator) to    |
|     Final Progress ARS-421        |     the Assistant Area Director   |
|     Report(s) for ARIS to         |     for review and approval.      |
|     document the research.        |                                   |
|                                   | -   Obtain Final Financial        |
| -   Obtain the Final Performance  |     Reports from the Cooperator   |
|     Report from the Cooperator\'s |     and deobligate any remaining  |
|     Principal Investigator after  |     funds (if applicable).        |
|     the research is complete. The |                                   |
|     Final Performance Report is   | -   Close the Agreement through   |
|     due 90 days after the         |     appropriate channels.         |
|     agreement terminates.         |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| -   Enter publications via the    |                                   |
|     ARS-115 as applicable to the  |                                   |
|     Cooperative Research          |                                   |
|     Agreement.                    |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| > **For Amendments to the         | -   Review and approve the        |
| > Agreement:**                    |     revised ARS-416/417/550a.     |
|                                   |     Release to NPS level for      |
| -   Notify the Unit ARIS User of  |     their review and approval.    |
|     your wish to extend the time, |     Monitor the ARIS for NPS      |
|     add funds, or both.           |     approval.                     |
|                                   |                                   |
| -   **Unit ARIS User:** Create a  | ```{=html}                        |
|     work record of the existing   | <!-- -->                          |
|     ARIS and modify accordingly.  | ```                               |
|     Obtain line management        | -   Upon NPS approval of the      |
|     approvals (RL/LD/CD).         |     revised ARS-416/417/550a,     |
|                                   |     prepare the Agreement         |
| -   Prepare the expanded SOW, new |     amendment document and send   |
|     Budget and AD-700 for the     |     it to the Cooperator for      |
|     added funds. E-mail the SOW   |     signature.                    |
|     and Budget to the Agreements  |                                   |
|     Section. Mail the AD-700.     | ```{=html}                        |
|                                   | <!-- -->                          |
|                                   | ```                               |
|                                   | -   Send a copy of the fully      |
|                                   |     signed & executed Agreement   |
|                                   |     amendment document to the     |
|                                   |     Cooperator, ARS scientist,    |
|                                   |     RL/LD/CD, and LAO.            |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+