**Northern Plains Area Non-Funded Cooperative Agreement (NFCA)
Process:** 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 to the research effort.***

+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| **ARS Scientist/Unit Support      | **Extramural Agreements Section   |
| Staff Responsibilities:**         | Responsibilities:**               |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| -   Obtain the ARS-416/417/550a   | -   Review and approve the        |
|     (no budget section) template  |     ARS-416/417/550a. Release to  |
|     from the Unit ARIS User;      |     NPS level for their review    |
|     complete the templates and    |     and approval.                 |
|     return to Unit ARIS User.     |                                   |
|                                   | -   Provide Statement of Work     |
| -   **Unit ARIS User:** Enter the |     example(s) upon request from  |
|     ARS-416/417/550a and obtain   |     the scientist. Contact        |
|     line management approval      |     Information:                  |
|     signatures (RL/LD/CD).        |                                   |
|                                   | > 970-492-7029 or                 |
| -   **Allow 2-4 weeks for NPS     | > [jim.quaratino@ars.usda.go      |
|     approval of the ARIS.**       | v](../jim.quaratino@ars.usda.gov) |
|                                   | >                                 |
| -   **Allow 30-90 days for the    | > 970-492-7022 or                 |
|     Cooperator to review and      | > [marc                           |
|     approve the Agreement         | ie.currie-gross@ars.usda.gov](../ |
|     language.**                   | marcie.currie-gross@ars.usda.gov) |
|                                   |                                   |
| -   The research cannot begin     | -   Monitor the ARIS for NPS      |
|     until all Agreement actions   |     approval. Notify the ARS      |
|     are completed and signed by   |     scientist and Unit ARIS User  |
|     all parties.                  |     when NPS approval is          |
|                                   |     received.                     |
| ***Special Note:***               |                                   |
|                                   |                                   |
| > Do **[NOT]{.underline}**        |                                   |
| > engage, or make any plans for   |                                   |
| > the relationship, with the      |                                   |
| > Cooperator until NPS approval   |                                   |
| > of the NFCA has been            |                                   |
| > verified/confirmed. Although    |                                   |
| > rare, there have been instances |                                   |
| > where the NPL(s) have           |                                   |
| > disapproved a proposed NFCA.    |                                   |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| -   Prepare the Statement of Work | -   Review the Statement of Work  |
|     (SOW) for the proposed        |     for the proposed research.    |
|     research.                     |     Contact scientist if          |
|                                   |     revisions are required.       |
| -   Mutual interest in the        |                                   |
|     agreement\'s objective must   | -   Upon NPS approval of the      |
|     be specifically stated in the |     ARS-416/417/550a, prepare the |
|     SOW.                          |     Non-Funded Cooperative        |
|                                   |     Agreement package and send it |
| -   E-mail the SOW to the         |     to the Cooperator for         |
|     Agreements Section.           |     signature.                    |
|                                   |                                   |
| -   Sign and return the ADODR     | -   Send a copy of the fully      |
|     page to the Agreements        |     signed & executed Agreement   |
|     Section within 10 working     |     document to the Cooperator,   |
|     days of receipt.              |     ARS scientist, RL/LD/CD, and  |
|                                   |     LAO.                          |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| -   Obtain the Annual Performance | -   Document the Annual and Final |
|     Reports from the              |     Performance 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  |
| -   Prepare the Annual and/or     |     system for the sibling CRIS   |
|     Final Progress ARS-421        |     project.                      |
|     Report(s) for ARIS to         |                                   |
|     document the research for the | -   Submit the Annual and Final   |
|     sibling CRIS project.         |     Performance Reports prepared  |
|                                   |     by the Cooperator\'s          |
| -   Enter publications via the    |     Principal Investigator to the |
|     ARS-115 as applicable to the  |     Assistant Area Director for   |
|     Cooperative Research          |     review and approval.          |
|     Agreement.                    |                                   |
|                                   | -   Close the Agreement through   |
|                                   |     appropriate channels.         |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
| > **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      |
|                                   |     approval.                     |
| -   **Unit ARIS User:** Create a  |                                   |
|     work record of the existing   | ```{=html}                        |
|     ARIS and modify accordingly.  | <!-- -->                          |
|     Obtain line management        | ```                               |
|     approvals (RL/LD/CD).         | -   Upon NPS approval of the      |
|                                   |     ARS-416/417/550a, prepare the |
| -   Prepare the expanded SOW.     |     Agreement amendment document  |
|     E-mail the SOW to the         |     and send it to the Cooperator |
|     Agreements Section.           |     for signature.                |
|                                   |                                   |
|                                   | ```{=html}                        |
|                                   | <!-- -->                          |
|                                   | ```                               |
|                                   | -   Send a copy of the fully      |
|                                   |     signed & executed Agreement   |
|                                   |     amendment document to the     |
|                                   |     Cooperator, ARS scientist,    |
|                                   |     RL/LD/CD, and LAO.            |
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+