Objective:
This Non-Funded Cooperative Agreement (NFCA) sets forth a framework of cooperation between the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture’s Office of Energy Policy and New Uses (OEPNU) and the United States Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to encourage: • Communication and interaction between the ARS, OEPNU and FAA research communities to facilitate research that integrates results from that research to assess the dependability of feedstock supplies for the production of advanced biofuels for jet aircraft. • Exchange of ideas, information, and data arising from their respective research efforts. • Develop appropriate science-based data, other information, and summaries regarding the status of the development and sustainable production of agricultural and forestry biomass and other feedstocks suited to the production of advanced aviation biofuels. • Develop a Feedstock Readiness Level tool that provides information regarding the status of different supply chain components related to the availability of biomass and other agricultural and forestry feedstocks for use by biorefiners to produce biofuels suitable for use by jet aircraft. Each agency has existing programs, collaborative contacts, and resources for facilitating the development of the Feedstock Readiness Level tool. Research and development facilitated by this NFCA will be complementary to efforts supported by the ARS, OEPNU and FAA agencies' resources. In pursuing objectives through this NFCA, the ARS, OEPNU and FAA shall handle their own activities and use their own resources, including the expenditure of their own funds, unless otherwise agreed in specific implementing agreements.

Approach:
The programmatic strengths of the ARS, OEPNU and FAA offer opportunities for synergy that can accelerate basic knowledge and technology development that can be applied to plants, animals, and the environment. This NFCA is intended to provide an enabling mechanism for coordination and cooperation whenever appropriate and mutually beneficial, subject to program priorities and budget constraints. In pursuing objectives through this NFCA, the ARS, OEPNU and FAA shall handle their own activities and use their own resources, including the expenditure of their own funds, unless otherwise agreed in specific implementing agreements.