Opportunity Information: Apply for USDA 2013 SCEP
Apply for USDA 2013 SCEP
- The Foreign Agricultural Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Scientific Cooperation Exchange Program with Peoples Republic of China" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.614 Scientific Cooperation Exchange Program with China.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 11, 2013 and posted on Feb 11, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 12, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Small businesses State governments Public and State controlled institutions of higher education Independent school districts Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education County governments City or township governments Special district governments Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments) For profit organizations other than small businesses Private institutions of higher education Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized) Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Scientific Cooperation Exchange Program (SCEP) with the Peoples Republic of China is a USDA Foreign Agricultural Service grant opportunity designed to fund short-term, two-way scientific exchange visits between U.S. and Chinese agricultural research teams. The core purpose is practical knowledge and technology transfer in agriculture, with trips structured to either initiate new collaborations or strengthen existing relationships among U.S. and Chinese academic institutions, government entities, and private-sector organizations. Rather than being a typical research project grant focused on generating new data over multiple years, SCEP is centered on organized, intensive in-country engagement that helps researchers and institutions build working linkages, compare approaches, and accelerate adoption of proven practices and technologies.
Under this program, a U.S. research team can include up to five members, led by a Principal Investigator who must be a U.S. citizen. All team members must be employed by a U.S.-based public, private, or academic institution, which sets a clear eligibility boundary around where participants work and helps ensure the exchange directly benefits U.S. institutional capacity. USDA and the PRC Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) work with selected teams to build a multi-city agenda in the host country, indicating that travel is not limited to a single site visit and may include multiple research institutes, universities, laboratories, farms, or relevant companies depending on the topic. Each exchange visit can last up to 14 days, emphasizing short, high-impact programs rather than long residencies.
Cost responsibility is split in a specific way. The U.S. team is responsible for international airfare between the United States and China, while the PRC MOA covers in-country, program-related expenses. Those in-country costs include lodging, local transportation, meals, and cultural activities connected to the official program. This structure matters for budgeting because applicants must plan to fund the international travel portion while expecting major on-the-ground expenses to be handled by the partner country, reducing the overall cash burden for the visit itself but still requiring a credible plan for airfare and any other non-covered costs. The listing indicates there is a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants should expect to document some level of shared financial commitment or leveraged support as part of a complete application, even though the award ceiling and floor are shown as zero in the summary data (typically a sign that funding amounts are defined in the full announcement rather than in the database fields).
SCEP identifies priority focus areas that shape what proposals are most competitive. These include new animal biotechnologies, crop breeding for drought tolerance, pesticide residue management, swine genetics, and Ug99 black stem rust (a serious wheat disease threat). Proposals aligned with these themes are clearly encouraged, and strong applications would generally be expected to show why the proposed exchange is timely, how it advances technical capacity on both sides, what institutions will be engaged during the multi-city program, and what tangible outputs will result (for example, shared protocols, cooperative work plans, training modules, technology demonstrations, or follow-on collaboration frameworks).
Administratively, this opportunity is listed as discretionary and uses an "Other" funding instrument type, with an expectation of about five awards. It is associated with CFDA number 10.614 (Scientific Cooperation Exchange Program with China). The opportunity was posted on February 11, 2013, and had an application closing date of March 12, 2013, later archived on April 11, 2013. Eligible applicants are broad and include many organization types such as state and local governments, public and private institutions of higher education, nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities), for-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits), independent school districts, special districts, and Native American tribal governments and organizations.
For applicants needing assistance accessing the full announcement, the listed program contact is Jamilah Fagbene, International Trade Specialist at USDA, reachable by phone at 202-720-3160. The announcement also points applicants to the Foreign Agricultural Service website for additional information and the complete application requirements, which would typically include detailed instructions on proposal format, selection criteria, allowable costs, match documentation, and reporting expectations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Scientific Cooperation Exchange Program (SCEP) with the People's Republic of China?
SCEP is a USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) grant opportunity that supports short-term, two-way scientific exchange visits between U.S. and Chinese agricultural research teams. The program is designed around practical knowledge and technology transfer through organized in-country engagement, not a multi-year research project focused on generating new data.
What is the main purpose of SCEP?
The core purpose is practical knowledge and technology transfer in agriculture by enabling structured exchange visits that help teams initiate new collaborations or strengthen existing relationships among U.S. and Chinese academic institutions, government entities, and private-sector organizations.
Is SCEP a typical research grant?
No. The program is described as being centered on organized, intensive in-country engagement that helps researchers and institutions build working linkages, compare approaches, and accelerate adoption of proven practices and technologies, rather than funding a traditional multi-year research project.
What kinds of activities does SCEP fund?
The opportunity funds short-term scientific exchange visits with a multi-city agenda in the host country. Visits may include engagement with multiple research institutes, universities, laboratories, farms, or relevant companies depending on the topic of the exchange.
How long can an exchange visit last?
Each exchange visit can last up to 14 days, reflecting the program's emphasis on short, high-impact exchanges rather than long residencies.
How many people can be on a U.S. research team?
A U.S. research team can include up to five members.
Who must lead the U.S. team?
The team must be led by a Principal Investigator (PI) who must be a U.S. citizen.
What employment requirements apply to U.S. team members?
All team members must be employed by a U.S.-based public, private, or academic institution. This defines eligibility around where participants work and is intended to ensure the exchange benefits U.S. institutional capacity.
Who helps build the agenda for the exchange visit?
USDA and the People's Republic of China (PRC) Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) work with selected teams to build a multi-city agenda in the host country.
Is the travel limited to a single location in China?
No. The program description indicates a multi-city agenda, suggesting the exchange can involve multiple sites and institutions rather than a single site visit.
What costs is the U.S. team responsible for?
The U.S. team is responsible for international airfare between the United States and China.
What costs are covered by the PRC Ministry of Agriculture (MOA)?
The PRC MOA covers in-country, program-related expenses. The covered in-country costs include lodging, local transportation, meals, and cultural activities connected to the official program.
Does the program require cost sharing or matching?
Yes. The listing indicates there is a cost-sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants should expect to document some level of shared financial commitment or leveraged support as part of the application.
The summary shows an award floor and ceiling of zero. What does that mean?
Based on the provided information, the zero values are described as typically indicating that funding amounts are defined in the full announcement rather than in the database summary fields.
What are the priority focus areas for SCEP proposals?
SCEP identifies priority focus areas that shape what proposals are most competitive. These include:
- New animal biotechnologies
- Crop breeding for drought tolerance
- Pesticide residue management
- Swine genetics
- Ug99 black stem rust
How should proposals align with the program priorities?
Proposals aligned with the listed priority themes are encouraged. Strong applications would generally be expected to explain why the exchange is timely, how it advances technical capacity on both sides, what institutions will be engaged during the multi-city program, and what tangible outputs will result from the exchange.
What are examples of tangible outputs that could result from an exchange?
The opportunity description provides examples of tangible outputs such as shared protocols, cooperative work plans, training modules, technology demonstrations, or follow-on collaboration frameworks.
What type of grant is this (administratively)?
The opportunity is listed as discretionary and uses an "Other" funding instrument type.
About how many awards are expected?
The opportunity indicates an expectation of about five awards.
What is the CFDA number associated with this program?
The program is associated with CFDA number 10.614 (Scientific Cooperation Exchange Program with China).
When was this opportunity posted and when did it close?
It was posted on February 11, 2013, with an application closing date of March 12, 2013. It was later archived on April 11, 2013.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants are broad and include many organization types, including:
- State and local governments
- Public and private institutions of higher education
- Nonprofits (including both 501(c)(3) and certain non-501(c)(3) entities)
- For-profit organizations (including small businesses and other for-profits)
- Independent school districts
- Special districts
- Native American tribal governments and organizations
Where can applicants find the full announcement and complete application requirements?
The announcement directs applicants to the Foreign Agricultural Service website for additional information and the complete application requirements, which would typically include detailed instructions on proposal format, selection criteria, allowable costs, match documentation, and reporting expectations.
Who is the program contact for help accessing the full announcement?
The listed program contact is Jamilah Fagbene, International Trade Specialist at USDA.
How can applicants contact the program representative?
Jamilah Fagbene can be reached by phone at 202-720-3160.
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