Questions and Answers Illinois – Equitable Access Towards Sustainable Systems (EATS) funded by LFPA(24-444-80-3189-01)

Questions & Answers

  1. Question: What is the minimum and maximum award?
    • Answer: Applicants can apply for awards from $150,000 to $2.5 million.
  2. Question: How many awards will be given out? How will awards be distributed?
    • Answer: For award distribution, Illinois is divided into seven regions. Each region can receive a pre-determined number of awards based on population density for those needing food.
  3. Question: Do growers or producers have to be a specific size or produce a certain amount of poundage to participate in LFPA?
    • Answer: Regardless of how much poundage they produce, growers and producers of all sizes are encouraged to participate. We encourage you to partner with lead agencies and community partners with similar capacities or capacities that can handle cold storage and distribution for your amount of product.
  4. Question: Is there a list of culturally requested food?
    • Answer: Yes, see Appendix A - Criteria and Definitions for the list of culturally requested foods by region.
  5. Question: Farmers that qualify are described as not having the same opportunity as others. Can you provide examples on who meets the criteria?
    • Answer: Yes, see Appendix A - Criteria and Definitions for the list of criteria that meets Illinois' definition of an underserved/socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher.
  6. Question: Can I participate if I don't qualify as socially disadvantaged?
    • Answer: Currently, we are focused on sourcing from socially disadvantaged growers and producers. We encourage you to consider participating in the Local Foods for Schools Cooperative Agreement Program or the Farm to Food Bank Program.
  7. Question: What are my options for transporting food?
    • Answer: How food is transported depends on the capacity of the partners within your region. We encourage lead agencies to collaborate with community partners to leverage resources. Some funding is available to rent infrastructure needed to transport or store products and to cover the cost of associated services/personnel.
  8. Question: What quality of fresh produce are acceptable?
    • Answer: Produce purchased with LFPA funds is intended to be fresh, high-quality products produced following minimum food safety standards. It is not meant to be food rescue quality or seconds. Please refer to Appendix A - Criteria and Definitions for the list of allowable foods.
  9. Question: Can a lead agency also be a farmer or community-based organization (CBO)?
    • Answer: Yes
  10. Question: Can food hubs be a CBO and/or funding lead agency?
    • Answer: Yes
  11. Question: Do farmers need to be from Illinois?
    • Answer: Yes, all food products purchased with Illinois LFPA funds must be grown and produced in Illinois. Participating lead agencies and community partners must distribute that food to underserved communities in Illinois.
  12. Question: Does the lead agency and community partners need to be from Illinois?
    • Answer: All food products purchased with Illinois LFPA funds must be grown and produced in Illinois. Participating lead agencies and community partners must distribute that food to underserved communities in Illinois.
  13. Question: Can the lead agency contract with others to oversee additional aspects of the project.
    • Answer: Yes
  14. Question: Do I need FSMA Certifications, if so where can I get it?
    • Answer: FSMA certification is not required. Completion of the LFPA food safety course for safe produce handling OR completion of other approved food safety certificates (i.e., FSMA, GAP, etc.) are required.
  15. Question: Does the food purchased from farmers have to be provided to the communities for FREE or can it be subsidized? For example, can a Farmer of Color whose customers meet the definition of underserved community provide a deep discount to their existing customers for the duration of the grant OR do they have to provide the food for free?
    • Answer: It must be provided for free.
  16. Question: Could farmers provide a portion of food in a CSA box as free, provided through this program?
    • Answer: The food must be provided to the communities for free
  17. Question: Can the lead organization purchase products from underserved farmers and then do some basic processing/value-added that could be distributed to communities in need in the off season, like winter of 2024?
    • Answer: Yes, but the products would need to be distributed before end of project period.
  18. Question: Can lead agencies or farms hire or subcontract someone to navigate GATA requirements?
    • Answer: Yes
  19. Question: Depending on the size of the grant award, larger awards will result in the need for Fiscal Administrative Review/audit. Would the cost of an audit be considered an allowable administrative expense.
    • Answer: Yes
  20. Question: Are applicants required to provide letters of support from farmers?
    • Answer: Yes. Up to a maximum of 5 letters of support should be included with the application. See Appendix D - Application Checklist for application package requirements.
  21. Question: Do I need liability insurance?
    • Answer: Some lead agencies may have umbrella coverage for the products they distribute. This is on a case-by-case basis and is not guaranteed. We encourage each grower and producer to purchase liability insurance that fits their needs.
  22. Question: We run an At-Risk after school program.  However, we would like to expand our services.  I'm wondering if this grant is something that we can apply for? 
    • Answer:  If you determine that you meet all of the criteria of a "Lead Agency" under the IL-EATS NOFO page link on the right hand side IL-EATS - Appendix A - Criteria and Definitions then we would encourage you to apply.  If you do not feel that you meet the criteria to be a "Lead Agency," you may be interested as a partner with a Lead Agency as a Community-Based Organization to get food to underserved communities.  For more information regarding potential Lead Agencies in your region go to this site here: Local Food Purchasing Assistance Website.
  23. Question: The Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure (RFSI) grant was mentioned as another opportunity for funding infrastructure. What can the RFSI funding be used for?
    • Answer: RFSI funding is a separate grant from IL-EATS and the funding will focus on infrastructure activities in each state that:
      • Expand capacity for processing, aggregation, and distribution of agricultural products to create more and better markets for producers;
      • Modernize manufacturing, tracking, storage, and information technology systems;
      • Enhance worker safety through adoption of new technologies or investment in equipment or facility improvements;
      • Improve the capacity of entities to comply with federal, state, and local food safety requirements;
      • Improve operations through training opportunities;
      • Support construction of a new facility;
      • Modernize or expand an existing facility (including expansion and modifications to existing buildings and/ or construction of new buildings at existing facilities);
      • Construction of wastewater management structures, etc.;
      • Modernize processing and manufacturing equipment; and
      • Develop, customize, or install equipment that reduces greenhouse gas emissions, increases efficiency in water use, improves air and/or water quality, and/or meets one or more of USDA's climate action goals.
    • Infrastructure Grant Proposal Applicants should contact their State Department of Agriculture for specific grant details. Also here: Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program | Agricultural Marketing Service (usda.gov)
  24. Question: For farmers that are raising livestock, does meat need to be processed at a USDA facility or can an Illinois State facility be okay and what type of license does a meat and/or poultry processing facility need to sell product to a lead agency?
    • Answer: Any producer selling meat and/or poultry to a lead agency must possess a current license with USDA Food Safety Inspection Service or a State of Illinois Type I license. Proof of license will be required prior to selling to a lead agency.
  25. Question: In the IL-EATS NOFO it lists the Capacity section as 35 points, but in the IL-EATS TA session the points were listed differently. Is the Capacity section still 35 points?
    • Answer: Yes, the Capacity section of the IL-EATS application proposal narrative is worth 35 points. The capacity section is broken into two-capacity areas 1) Overall Capacity (worth 20 points) and 2) Prior Experience/Performance demonstrating Capacity (worth 15 points) for a total of 35 points tied to the Capacity section.
  26. Question: Does the Timeline/Workplan get inserted in the Quality section of the narrative?
    • Answer: No, the Timeline/Workplan (see Appendix F) is a separate attachment (not included in the 20-page limit) that is required and should not be inserted into the Quality section as this will lengthen the number of pages of your program proposal in which a 20-page limit applies.
  27. Question: Can farmers be added or replaced during the program?
    • Answer: Yes, we encourage grantees to add underserved/socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers as they are identified as a partner that meets the IL-EATS criteria and can assist with carrying out the program workplan and meet the nutritional and cultural food needs in the identified communities. Lead agencies are expected to have some sort of a contractual agreement with farmers, which will allow them to enter and exit the program on a seasonal basis or their production schedule.
  28. Question: Can we apply for funding toward indirect costs? "Including organizations that are choosing not to claim payment…" implies that there would be an option to claim payment.
    • Answer: No, applicants are not allowed to budget for Indirect Costs for the IL-EATS program.
  29. Question: Why did you put the lead agencies on the Local Food Purchasing Assistance Website….Will there be other leads?
    • Answer: The Make Connections section on the LFPA website provides a list of potential lead agencies for IL-EATS that were identified during the IL-EATS/LFPA program planning process through listening sessions and surveys completed by stakeholders. All organizations listed on the LFPA website must complete the competitive grant application process and are not guaranteed funding. The list was provided so that Community-Based Organizations, underserved/socially disadvantaged farmers/ranchers, and other community partners that want to collaborate and participate in IL-EATS as a partner with a potential Lead Agency would have the contact information to do so.
  30. Question: What is the anticipated wait time for reimbursement?
    • Answer: Our goal is 30 to 60 days.
  31. Question: We are MO NFP with Illinois. Does the W-9 have to be from Illinois number or can we use with Missouri ID?
    • Answer: W-9 is a federal number and would not need a separate federal number for Illinois.
  32. Question: How will farmers and ranchers go about taking the LFPA food safety course if needed? Is there someone we need to connect them with?
    • Answer: The University of IL will be offering a food safety course later in the year. For more information contact Uie-lfpa@illinois.edu
  33. Question: This looks like only those experienced in this will score on the points. Will there be considerations for new farmers to have the opportunity to be awarded a grant?
    • Answer: This is a new program and there is no agency that has experience as an IL-EATS provider. The Lead agency will serve as the fiscal and administrative agent for the grant and will work with farmers. While a farmer may apply as a Lead Agency, our goal is to bring in as many farmers as possible to this project as a partner with a lead agency.
  34. Question: How are you defining an administrative expense? Is shipping and transportation considered administrative, or is it a different category?
    • Answer: The budget includes the following line-item categories: personnel, fringe, travel, supplies, contractual services, consultants, occupancy, telecommunications, training and education, and direct administrative costs. In developing your budget, administrative costs to operate the program should utilize all of the applicable line items listed above. Transportation costs will depend on each unique organization, but may be categorized under contractual services, travel, and/or supplies.
  35. Question: Do we budget for 2 years, or since the renewal is in July 2024, do we only provide a budget for December 2023 to June 2024
    • Answer: There are two separate timelines in the NOFO, one is for a timeline/workplan which is for 12-months (December 2023 - November 2024) and the other is a State Fiscal Year 2024 budget from December 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.
  36. Question: Can we extend expenses beyond 6/30/2024?
    • Answer: The State has an option for up to two renewals for grantees in good standing from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025 and then July 1, 2025 through September 30, 2025. Those offered a renewal will be asked to provide a full 12-month budget in the spring of 2024.
  37. Question: Are audit costs allowed in the budget, including any fees we currently spend, or incremental because we are in this program?
    • Answer: Yes, audit costs are allowed if the amount of the award meets the threshold for a single audit. If the lead agency has multiple grant awards, a percentage of an agency's audit costs must be applied based on the cost allocation plan.
  38. Question: It says 12-month timeline, but doesn't the grant go through 9/30/2025? Or would this be a 19-month timeline?
    • Answer: The grant goes through 9/30/2025, but a 12-month timeline was requested since some of the workplan activities may not occur until after the growing season is well into play, which would be after the start of the next State Fiscal Year (July 1, 2024). For grantees in good standing requesting to renew their contract, IDHS will request an updated 12-month workplan for the next State Fiscal Year at that time.
  39. Question: Should we invoice everything once a month, or some other timing?
    • Answer: Invoicing is expected on a monthly basis and is due by the 15th of the month following services. For example, December's invoice will be due by January 15th .
  40. Question: Can you direct me as to where to go for the CSA link so I can submit the budget for IL-EATS?
    • Answer: Go to the IDHS CSA Tracking System page which provides a link to the CSA tracking system, the CSA Provider User Manual, and information on how to register for the CSA tracking system.
  41. Question: After being sent the link to the recording of the IL-EATS TA session from 9-15-23, will it expire or can I watch it at anytime? 
    • Answer: The email sent with the link to the recording will not expire as long as you do not delete the email.  Also, the email with the link will only work for the email recipient.  For example, if you try forwarding the email with the link to someone else, they will not be able to access the recording. 
  42. Question: How many months should be included on the IL-EATS NOFO CSA budget?  Is it only from December 2023-June 30, 2024 or 12 months?
    • Answer: The CSA budget should be for December 2023 through June 30, 2024, which is the end of State Fiscal Year 2024.  However, we recommend  applicants include in the 12-month work plan from December 2023 through November 30, 2024 their expected costs for that time period.
  43. Wages/salaries for staff - Can an organization pay staff an hourly rate/salary and then give the individual a bonus at the end of the two year grant as part of their wage/salary package?

    Answers:

    • Per § 200.430 Compensation-personal services incentive compensation to employees based on cost reduction, or efficient performance, suggestion awards, safety awards, etc., is allowable to the extent that the overall compensation is determined to be reasonable and such costs are paid or accrued pursuant to an agreement entered into in good faith between the non-Federal entity and the employees before the services were rendered, or pursuant to an established plan followed by the non-Federal entity so consistently as to imply, in effect, an agreement to make such payment.
    • These costs should be clearly indicated in the CSA budget and the narrative should indicate the entity's policy/procedure.
    • Any costs for the grant must be paid in the year that costs are incurred so would need to be done annually.
  44. Audit costs can be placed under admin costs. Since the 2025 audit will not be complete until 2026 and paid for in 2026 can this cost be put into the grant since it will be after the grant period has ended?
    • Answer: This cost is outside the program agreement period and thus not allowable.
  45. Can we invoice the state for items that the organization has received and was given an invoice from the farmer but has not paid the farmer for them yet?
    • Answer: Agreements between the lead agencies and the farmers are up to them. Any costs submitted to DHS for reimbursement must have back up documentation behind them indicating the food was received by the lead agency.
  46.  "For awards greater than $400,000 at least 70% of the budget needs to be for food, administrative expenses should not exceed 20%." Are there any expenses (for example, transportation) that would count as neither food nor administrative expenses? Or does food effectively need to account for 80% of the budget?
    • Answer: The 20% limit on administrative expenses is intended to be cap for general operations. The remaining 10% would be budgeted under the various budget lines and be directly related to collection, safe storage, and distribution of the food. There is no limit to the 30% non-food for collection, safe storage and distribution of food.
  47. Extension pointed to Q&A #34, which lists multiple line items (personnel, fringe, travel, supplies, contractual services, consultants, occupancy, telecommunications, training and education, and direct administrative costs). The Q&A seems to indicate that these line items are all subcategories of administrative expenses. Is that correct?
    • Answer: This is correct in that they are non-food costs but allowable to the grant.
  48. What flexibility exists under the three different award payment methods for lead agencies to potentially pay farmers (in full or in part) in advance of the growing season? We understand that only two months of advance payments will be provided to lead agencies, but are there any limits on lead agencies paying farmers in advance of delivery? For example, can a farmer send (and can the lead agency pay and receive reimbursement for) an invoice in October for a product delivery that will occur in May? Or do invoices and claims for reimbursement need to occur in the month the product is delivered?

    Answers:

    • Agreements between lead agencies and farmers are defined by the lead agency. Lead agencies would need to be sure that any advance payments to farmers would result in receipt of the product prior to the end of the state fiscal year (June 30). Payments cannot be made in SFY24 for products available in SFY25 (starts 7/1/24).
    • Advance payment requests can be submitted to the Department per the agreement. Subsequent monthly payments will be based on each monthly invoice submitted to the grant program, and will be adjusted up or down, based on a comparison of actual cumulative expenditures to cumulative advance payments, to date. Grantees that do not expend all advance payment amounts by the end of the grant term or that are unable to demonstrate that all incurred costs were necessary, reasonable, allowable, or allocable as approved in their respective grant budget, must return the funds or be subject to grant funds recovery.
    • In order for a payment to be a REIMBURSEMENT the costs on the invoice must be for items in hand and backup documentation must be on file to support the claim.
  49. Are we able to elect a 10% de minimis indirect cost rate for this grant or does this NOFO not allow any indirect costs? The NOFO states no indirect but then states we are supposed to elect in CARS.
    • Answer: Indirect costs are not allowed for this grant. There is a Centralized Indirect Cost Rate Process for all State of Illinois grantees receiving awards from Illinois grant making agencies must substantiate or elect an indirect cost rate for their organization even if they will not be charging these costs to the grant.
  50. What costs fall under "direct administrative" costs?
    • Answer: The salaries of administrative and clerical staff should normally be treated as indirect (F&A) costs. Direct charging of these costs may be appropriate only if all of the following conditions are met: (1) Administrative or clerical services are integral to a project or activity; (2) Individuals involved can be specifically identified with the project or activity; (3) Such costs are explicitly included in the budget or have the prior written approval of the State awarding agency; and (4) The costs are not also recovered as indirect costs.
  51. If the budget entered into the CSA is only for December 2023 - June 30, 2024 but a lead agency wants to participate for all of SFY24 and SFY25 where would they show how much funding would be needed?
    • Answer: Applicants are encouraged to include a few sentences in their Executive Summary about the length of time they would like to participates in IL-EATS and the total amount of funding they would need to participate for that time period.
  52. Since the reimbursement timeline is not confirmed, we are wondering if we applied for a loan to cover our advance payments for all approved expenses to growers, etc., if we would be able to include interest accrued on that loan as a budgeted expense item?
    • Answer: Interest costs are not an allowable expense under the terms of the federal grant award.
  53. Where can I find the information about the criteria to be eligible for advance payment options?
    • Answer: All grantees are eligible to request the Advance Payment option. The forms needed for this are provided under IL-EATS - Appendix I - Advance Payment Request (Optional).
  54. How does being awarded LFPA grant money as a lead agency affect taxes? Is the award taxed as income or is it considered tax deductible as a break even program?
    • Answer: We would not expect this program to generate any revenue as the food items are donated to the community. Entities may want to discuss with their accountants for specifics.
  55. Where can I access the information regarding 2 CFR 200.302 (Financial Management) and 44 IL. Admin. Code 7000.120(b)(1)(A)(i and ii) (Advance Payments)?
  56. When filling out the Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance, #40 asks applicants to list the Illinois counties our project covers and the box will not allow all the counties to fit in the text field for Areas Affected by the Project. Is it OK to just list the region?
    • Answer: An applicant can list the Region being covered in #40 on the Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance if they intend to cover all of the counties included for that region or can say Region X with the exception of XYZ.
  57. When in CSA, for the Uniform Grant Budget Summary page when entering the CSA budget, do we need a  NOFO suffix?
    • Answer: If you are only applying for 1 region then the suffix is optional and not necessary (see #60 below for applicants applying to more than one region).
  58. When applying for more than one region (separate applications), can you explain how we create two budgets (one for each region) in the CSA system?
    • Answer: Applicants that are applying for more than one region are required to submit separate applications and separate budgets.  When in CSA under the Uniform Grant Budget Summary, you will need to include the Region and counties tied to that region in the "State of Illinois Awarding Agency and Project Detail Description" box and complete the process again for the second budget for another region you are applying for.
  59. For the Advancing Equity Section of the Narrative, what is the difference between new markets and new outlets?
    • Answer: An example of a new market would be similar products that there is a demand for (i.e., culturally represented foods or low fat milk) and a new outlet would be where the product is sold.
  60. If applying for more than one region for the IL-EATS grant, which requires a separate budget in the CSA system, what is the suffix that we are required to include since we will be submitting multiple budgets for the same program? 
    • Answer: Contact the program administrator if you will be applying for more than one region to obtain a unique suffix.
  61. When we are formatting the narrative and are required to include the headings tied to each section, are we also required to repeat the full question within each section before we provide our answer?
    • Answer: No you are not required to repeat the full question within each section before providing your answer.  There is a page limit (20 pages) for the Narrative and the question does not need repeated in the narrative, just the headings and the answers to each of the questions.
  62. When applying for the IL-EATS grant are we required to use any of the grant funds in SFY24 or can we use this funding in SFY25-SFY26? 
    • Answer: All grantees applying for the SFY24 IL-EATS grant are expected to incur some costs in SFY24 even if they are not planning to pay for food products until after the start of SFY25.  Grantees are required to adhere to monthly reporting requirements, submit monthly expenditure documentation, etc.  We would expect there to be some level of administrative effort to prepare for implementation of the program with associated costs to tied to SFY24.
  63. Can the budget include the following items: computer, printer, cell phone, cell phone monthly service fee, scale for weighing produce and protein, tablet for recording items being delivered, subcontracting service (e.g. non-profit organization working with individuals with developmental disabilities to provide job opportunities) for the labor provided including inventory of the product from farmer, fuel for our vehicle for delivering food, and pallet jack for moving LFPA/IL-EATS food in the warehouse? What about workman's compensation for staff working 100% of their time on the LFPA project, staff working only 30% of their time on LFPA project would their workman's compensation be covered at 30%?  Are repairs on organization's vehicle covered and at what percentage? Would a liftgate repair and vehicle insurance be covered? 
    • Answer: The Uniform Grant Budget template outlines each of the line items with descriptions of which costs fall in each of the line items.  The Budget Manual also provides helpful information under the "Help" tab in CSA and found here: CSA Tracking System pdf and provides examples of what can go on each line.  The budget points are associated with the CSA budget being submitted as part of the application.  Budget items must be allocated to the % of use on IL-EATS/LFPA program .  If the item is also shared across other programs, it must be properly allocated to the % tied to IL-EATS/LFPA.  If items are not placed in the correct place on the budget, this can be worked out and will not impact an applicant's score for this part of the application.
  64. On the Uniform Grant Application there are fields for: CFDA Title and Funding Opportunity Program Field.  Can you tell me what to put in those fields?
    • Answer:  Page 1 of the UGA pdf is prefilled by DHS.  If there are blank fields on Page 1 that were left blank, please leave them blank.  Page 2 must be fully completed on the UGA and Item 45 is the funding amount being requested by the agency, not the amount of the award. 
  65. What documentation is needed for applying labor costs to the grant when a person is allocating 30% of their time to the grant? If the employee is a salaried employee and they put in more than 40 hours a week is the 30% based off of 40 hours or the amount of hours they put in each week?
    • Answer: There are a number of ways to enter staff time to the Personnel Line of the budget. An annual salary or hourly wage can be entered as well as the % of time and length of time which is entered in based on a Full Time Equivalent (FTE). It is VERY important to include enough information in the narrative to explain the Position and Personnel Costs associated.
  66. If you allocate 20% toward administration in the grant and then labor costs aren't as much as expected can you reallocate the funds to food? Is there paperwork that has to be filled out prior to the reallocate of funds?
    • Answer: The budget entered serves as a spending plan however, many agencies make line item adjustments to their budgets throughout the grant year. The Department has a process for this which aligns with 2 CFR 200.
  67. Would it be permissible to qualify as a lead agency and also receive funds as a Distributing Partner from another lead agency, provided both applications are approved?
    • Answer: Yes
  68. Does the amount we request on our Uniform Grant application have to be spent by June 30, 2024?
    • Answer: The grant award will be made for the state fiscal year (SFY) which ends 6/30/24. Grants are paid on a reimbursement basis via the monthly expenditure documentation process and some grants are not fully drawn down by the end of the SFY. Refer to questions 42 and 51 for more information about grant awards and plans for future years.
  69. Are raw milk and raw cheese allowable items to purchase through LFPA?
  70. Would a food bank be able to work with a farmer referred by an employee at the IL Department of Agriculture?
  71. If we are using our cost allocation plan/policy to request administrative expenses for the LFPA/EATS grant should we include that document in our application?
    • Answer: No you are not required to include your cost allocation plan/policy with your application package maintained on file to be available for review upon request.
  72.  Can you clarify whether we should include a line item for indirect costs in the CSA budget even though these cannot be charged to the grant?
    • Answer: Indirect costs are not allowed for the IL-EATS grant, however you can choose to include them on your CSA budget as In-Kind.
  73. When accessing the budget template, we are unclear if the 20% administrative allowance should be captured as an indirect expense or broken out by line items within the overall budget?  For the remaining 10% (the difference between food purchases and admin min/max), are we able to dedicate that to equipment, supplies, and/or travel?
    • Answer: Refer to questions 28, 34, 46, and 47 to address these questions.
  74. Is there a space you would prefer to see food purchases expenses listed?
    • Answer: Please refer to section D. Application and Submission Information 2) Content and Form of Application Submission E) BUDGET Narrative on the IL-EATS NOFO page to address this question.
  75. Are all items on the budget to be listed as "non-state"?
    • Answer: No, all budgeted line items for IL-EATS that the applicant wishes to be paid with grant funds should be shown under "State."  Non-state is used for in-kind costs to the grant and is not required.
  76. On the Uniform Application for State Grant Assistance, Question #20 is asking for a SAM Cage Code. I have a SAM UEI number, but I do not have a Cage Code. I'm trying to figure out if this is an optional number or a requirement?
    • Answer: The Cage Code is different from the UEI.  If you are registered for a SAM.gov, then you automatically should have been generated a cage code. You should be able to find your cage code if you log in to SAM.gov and search your entity information. See here for more information: SAM.gov Contractor/Vendor Guide .

IL-EATS Technical Assistance Session Held (9/15/23):

If you were unable to attend the IL-EATS TA Session on 9/15/23 and would like a link to a copy of the recording, send an email with this request to DHS.OFWContracting@illinois.gov.