[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 152 (Monday, August 9, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 48274-48335]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-17885]



[[Page 48273]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Part II





Department of Housing and Urban Development





-----------------------------------------------------------------------



Notice of Funding Availability for HOPE VI Neighborhood Networks Grants 
Fiscal Year 2003; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 69, No. 152 / Monday, August 9, 2004 / 
Notices  

[[Page 48274]]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

[Docket No. FR-4933-N-01]


Notice of Funding Availability for HOPE VI Neighborhood Networks 
Grants Fiscal Year 2003

AGENCY: Office of the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian 
Housing, HUD.

ACTION: Notice of funding availability (NOFA).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Overview Information

    A. Federal Agency Name: Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, Office of Public and Indian Housing.
    B. Funding Opportunity Title: HOPE VI Neighborhood Networks Grants 
Fiscal Year 2003.
    C. Announcement Type: Initial announcement.
    D. Funding Opportunity Number: The Federal Register number for this 
NOFA is: FR-4933-N-01. The OMB approval number for this program is: 
2577-0208.
    E. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: The CFDA 
number for this NOFA is 14-866, ``Demolition and Revitalization of 
Severely Distressed Public Housing (HOPE VI)'':
    F. Dates:
    1. Application Due Date: The application due date is September 8, 
2004. See the General Section of the SuperNOFA for application 
submission, delivery and timely receipt requirements.
    2. Estimated Grant Award Date: The estimated award date will be no 
later than September 30, 2004.

Full Text Of Announcement

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Purpose of the Program. This NOFA announces the availability of 
approximately $5 Million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2003 funds to implement 
and expand a Neighborhood Networks program in support of public housing 
agency-owned (PHA) affordable housing.

A. Part of the HOPE VI Program

    The Notice of Funding Availability for Revitalization of Severely 
Distressed Public Housing HOPE VI Revitalization and Demolition Grants; 
Fiscal Year 2003, as published in the Federal Register on October 21, 
2003, page 60178 to 60276, Docket Number FR-4861-N-01 (HOPE VI NOFA), 
stated that funding for Neighborhood Networks within the HOPE VI 
program would be offered under a separate Neighborhood Networks NOFA. 
This is that NOFA.

B. Statutory Authority

    1. The program authority for the HOPE VI Program is Section 24 of 
the United States Housing Act of 1937 Act (42 U.S.C. 1437v), as amended 
by Section 535 of the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 
1998 (Pub. L. 105-276, 112 Stat. 2461, approved October 21, 1998), as 
amended.
    2. The funding authority for Neighborhood Networks for HOPE VI 
Revitalization grantees is provided by the Consolidated Appropriations 
Resolution, 2003 (Pub. L 108-7, approved February 20, 2003), under 
Division K, Title II, Public and Indian Housing, Revitalization of 
Severely Distressed Public Housing (HOPE VI).
    3. The FY2003 appropriation for HOPE VI allocated approximately $5 
million for a Neighborhood Networks initiative for activities 
authorized in Section 24(d)(1)(G) of the Act, which provides for the 
establishment and operation of computer centers in public housing for 
the purpose of enhancing the self-sufficiency, employability, and 
economic self-reliance of public housing residents by providing them 
with onsite computer access and training resources. The HOPE VI 
Neighborhood Networks grant provides funding to be used in conjunction 
with the grantees' HOPE VI revitalization effort to enhance or create 
new Neighborhood Networks Centers (NNCs). The focus of the awards is to 
provide computer and Internet training and communication access centers 
for public housing and other low-income HOPE VI revitalization 
development residents.

C. Definition Of Terms

    1. HOPE VI Neighborhood Networks Plan is a compilation of 
information about the demographics and digital needs of the HOPE VI 
Revitalization Development's residents, as well as the grantee's plan 
to develop and implement its Neighborhood Networks program. The Plan 
Guide is written in accordance with Form HUD-52775, ``HOPE VI 
Neighborhood Networks Plan Guide,'' a document that contains guidance 
to assist in the development of a HOPE VI Neighborhood Networks Plan.
    2. Neighborhood Networks Centers (NNCs) are community centers or 
rooms that provide public housing and other low-income HOPE VI 
revitalization development residents access to computers and the 
Internet for the purpose of:
    a. Training in digital technology, which consists of items such as 
interactive computer learning sessions, Internet web access, Internet 
web telecasts, and producing and receiving satellite broadcasts; and
    b. Accessing information about community and supportive services.
    3. Match. Means at least five percent of the requested grant amount 
is required to be donated from sources other than federal funding for 
Neighborhood Networks uses. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) 
funds are considered local funds, not federal funds.
    4. Neighborhood Networks Coordinator (NNC Coordinator) is a person 
who is responsible for coordinating proposed Neighborhood Networks 
activities, such as ensuring timely implementation in accordance with 
the Neighborhood Networks program.
    a. Neighborhood Networks Coordinator Duties. The Neighborhood 
Networks Coordinator is responsible for:
    (1) Ensuring that the NNC's programs achieve your application's 
goals and objectives.
    (2) Marketing the program to residents;
    (3) Assessing participating residents' needs, interests, skills, 
and job readiness;
    (4) Assessing participating residents' needs for supportive 
services; e.g., childcare during NNC program classes, and 
transportation to the NNC for disabled residents;
    (5) Designing and coordinating grant activities based on residents' 
needs;
    (6) Monitoring the progress of program participants and evaluating 
the overall success of the program.
    (7) Coordinating the type of Neighborhood Networks training 
provided to each participant with other available supportive services 
programs in an effort to ensure proper instructional level.
    5. Nonprofit organization is an organization that is exempt from 
federal taxation. A nonprofit organization can be organized for 
charitable, religious, educational, scientific, literary, or other 
purposes.
    6. Owner entity is the legal entity that holds title to real 
property that contains public housing units.
    7. Person with disabilities means a person who:
    a. Has a condition defined as a disability in Section 223 of the 
Social Security Act;
    b. Has a developmental disability as defined in Section 102 of the 
Developmental Disabilities Assistance Bill of Rights Act; or
    c. Is determined to have a physical, mental, or emotional 
impairment which:

[[Page 48275]]

    (1) Is expected to be of long-continued and indefinite duration;
    (2) Substantially impedes his or her ability to live independently; 
and
    (3) Is of such a nature that such ability could be improved by more 
suitable housing conditions.
    d. The term ``person with disabilities'' may include persons who 
have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) or any conditions 
arising from the etiologic agent for AIDS. In addition, no individual 
shall be considered a person with disabilities, for purposes of 
eligibility for low-income housing, solely on the basis of any drug or 
alcohol dependence.
    e. The definition provided above for persons with disabilities is 
the proper definition for determining program qualifications. However, 
the definition of a person with disabilities contained in Section 504 
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and its implementing regulations must 
be used for the purpose of reasonable accommodation.
    8. Procured Developer is a legal entity that has a contract or 
``Developer Agreement'' with a Public Housing Agency (PHA) to finance, 
rehabilitate and/or construct housing units, community centers (if 
required), and to provide community and supportive services for a HOPE 
VI revitalization grantee.
    9. Program means the HOPE VI Neighborhood Networks program that 
will be developed or expanded by the recipients of grant funds offered 
by this NOFA.
    10. Project is the same as ``low-income housing project'' as 
defined in Section 3(b)(1) of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 
U.S.C. 1437 et. seq.) (1937 Act).
    11. Target Group means the group of residents and families that 
will be given the option of participating in programs at the grantee's 
Neighborhood Networks Center (NNC). See Section III.C. for group member 
requirements.
    12. Surrounding Community means the area surrounding the NNC and 
should be limited to a distance wherein residents are likely to travel 
to the NNC. This distance varies by locality.

D. Program Description

    1. This NOFA provides grants to qualified Public Housing Agencies 
(PHAs) to (1) update, maintain, and expand existing NNCs; or (2) 
establish new NNCs. This expansion or establishment may include 
construction, computer and information technology hardware, staffing, 
and services.
    2. By providing access to computers and the Internet to public 
housing residents, NNCs offer access to a full range of supportive 
services that promote job training; reduction of welfare dependency; 
economic self-sufficiency; increased use of computer technology; 
expanded educational opportunities for residents; and access to health 
and nutrition information. NNCs also fulfill other public housing and 
other low-income HOPE VI revitalization development resident needs 
through access to information via computers and the Internet.
    3. An NNC may be existing or new.
    a. An existing NNC is:
    (1) A computer lab or community technology center that serves 
residents of public housing and is already owned and operated by a PHA, 
nonprofit or procured developer, and which has not received prior 
Neighborhood Networks funding and therefore is not officially 
designated a HUD Public and Indian Housing (PIH) NNC; or
    (2) A computer lab or community technology center officially 
designated a HUD PIH NNC by virtue of PIH funding received prior to 
award of this NOFA.
    b. A new NNC is one that:
    (1) Is not operational;
    (2) Is in development; or
    (3) Needs funding under this grant program to become fully 
operational and serve residents of public housing.

E. Eligible Activities

    Funding from this NOFA may be expended on the following services, 
equipment, and improvements:
    1. Information Technology Equipment. Purchase of computers, 
printers, network hardware, Internet connection hardware, software, and 
other peripheral equipment.
    2. Services.
    a. Increased computer and Internet access for residents during all 
phases of the HOPE VI revitalization process and grant term period, 
including services to those residents that are temporarily or 
permanently relocated using Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV).
    b. Training courses related to computer and Internet use and 
technology;
    c. Use of the NNC as a focus for computer and online access to 
information regarding community and supportive services; and
    d. Creation of online groups whose purpose is to better connect 
residents to each other and the public housing revitalization process.
    3. Physical Improvements.
    a. The construction, renovation, conversion, wiring, and physical 
repair of current or proposed NNC space;
    b. Architectural, engineering, and related professional services 
required to prepare architectural plans or drawings, write-ups, 
specifications, or inspections for the above physical improvements;
    c. Modification to create a space that is accessible to persons 
with disabilities;
    d. The construction, renovation, conversion, or joining of vacant 
dwelling units in a PHA development to create appropriate space for the 
equipment needs and activities of an NNC (such as computers, printers, 
and office space); and
    e. The renovation or conversion of existing common areas in a PHA 
development to accommodate an NNC.
    4. Maintenance and Insurance Costs. This includes installing and 
training in the use and maintenance of hardware and software, and 
obtaining insurance coverage for the space and equipment.
    5. Security and Related Costs. This includes minor refitting and 
locks and other equipment for safeguarding the center.
    6. Distance Learning Equipment Costs. Distance learning equipment 
(including the costs for video casting and purchase/lease/rental of 
distance learning equipment) provided the proposal indicates possibly 
working in a virtual setting with a college, university, or other 
educational organization. If a PHA operates more than one center, 
distance-learning equipment can be used to link one or more centers for 
courses being physically offered at a single site.
    7. Administrative Costs. Administrative costs may include, but are 
not limited to, purchase of furniture, office equipment and supplies, 
salaries for resident employees hired as part of this grant program, 
quality assurance, local travel, and utilities.

F. SuperNOFA Reference

    The subsection entitled ``Funding Opportunity Description'' in 
Section I. of the Notice of HUD's Fiscal Year 2004 Notice of Funding 
Availability (NOFA) Policy Requirements and General Section to the 
Super NOFA for HUD's Discretionary Programs (SuperNOFA), Docket No. FR-
4900-N-01, published in the Federal Register on May 14, 2004 is hereby 
incorporated by reference.

II. Award Information

    A. Available Funds. A total of $4,967,500 is available for funding 
which must be obligated in FY2004.
    B. Number of Awards. This NOFA will result in approximately 20 
awards.
    C. Range of Amounts of Each Award. You may request up to $250,000.
    D. Start Date, Period of Performance. The term of the grants that 
result from this NOFA will start on the date that the

[[Page 48276]]

grant award document is signed by HUD and will continue for 54 months.
    E. Type of Instrument. Grant Agreement.
    F. Supplementation. Current HOPE VI Revitalization and HOPE VI 
Neighborhood Networks grantees may supplement their existing HOPE VI 
Neighborhood Networks program through this grant.
    G. SuperNOFA Reference. Section II, ``Funding Available,'' of the 
SuperNOFA is hereby incorporated by reference.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

    Eligible applicants include, and are limited to, current HOPE VI 
Revitalization grantees. Eligible applicants include all PHAs that are 
carrying out HOPE VI revitalization programs for severely distressed 
public housing, including economic development activities that promote 
the economic self-sufficiency of residents under the revitalization 
program in accordance with Section 24(d)(1)(G) of the United States 
Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437, et seq.).

B. Cost Sharing or Match

1. Match
    HUD is required by the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1437v(c)(1)(A)) to include the requirement for matching 
funds for all HOPE VI-related grants. You are required to have in place 
a match of five percent of the requested grant amount in cash or in-
kind donations. Applications that do not demonstrate the minimum five 
percent match will not be considered for funding.
    a. Match donations must be firmly committed. ``Firmly committed'' 
means that the amount of match resources and their dedication to 
Neighborhood Networks activities must be explicit, in writing, and 
signed by a person authorized to make the commitment. The commitment 
must be in place at the time of award.
    b. You may propose to use your own, non-public housing grant funds 
to meet the match requirement.
    c. The PHA's staff time is not an eligible cash or in-kind match.
    d. Funds from other federal assistance are not an eligible cash or 
in-kind match. CDBG funds are considered local funds, not federal 
assistance funds.
    e. See Section IV.B. of this NOFA for match documentation 
requirements.

C. Other

1. Thresholds
    a. NNC Location: If your NNC is not located within the boundaries 
of one of the public housing projects that are included in any of your 
HOPE VI revitalization developments, your application will not be rated 
or ranked and will be ineligible for funding. See Section I.C. of this 
NOFA for the definition of a project.
    b. Target Group. If your target group includes residents other than 
public housing or other low-income HOPE VI revitalization development 
residents, your application will not be rated or ranked and will be 
ineligible for funding. See Section I.C. of this NOFA for the 
definition of Target Group.
    c. Incorporation of Sections of SuperNOFA. The following 
subsections of Section III. of the SuperNOFA are hereby incorporated by 
reference:
(1) Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number 
requirement;
(2) Compliance with fair housing and civil rights laws;
(3) Conducting business in accordance with core values and ethical 
standards;
(4) Delinquent federal debts;
(5) Name check review;
(6) False statements;
(7) Prohibition against lobbying activities; and
(8) Debarment and suspension.
2. Match Commitment Letters/Memoranda Of Understanding (MOU)
    If the commitment letter/MOU for any match funds/in-kind services 
is not included in the application and provided before the NOFA due 
date, the related match will not be considered. This is not a technical 
deficiency and cannot be corrected during the deficiency period. If the 
match is not met, the application will not be eligible for funding.
3. Program Requirements
    a. Target Group Members: The target group is to be comprised of 
public housing and other low-income HOPE VI revitalization development 
residents.
    b. Resident Needs. Programs offered by NNCs shall be designed to 
meet public housing residents' needs, by emphasizing:
    (1) Helping residents transition from welfare to work;
    (2) Assisting school-age children and youth with homework;
    (3) Providing guidance and preparatory programming to high school 
students (or other interested residents) for postsecondary education 
(college or trade schools);
    (4) Offering life-skills and job training for youth, adults, and 
seniors; and
    (5) Providing access to health care information and other services 
as deemed necessary by results obtained from resident surveys.
    c. Hiring a Neighborhood Networks Coordinator. You are required to 
hire a qualified Neighborhood Networks Coordinator to run the 
Neighborhood Networks program. The coordinator should have two years of 
experience in running a community technology center. The coordinator 
should be hired for the entire term of the grant.
    d. Resident Assessment. You are required to assess residents' needs 
and interests so that program activities are designed to address their 
needs.
    e. Sustainability. You are required to design the program to be 
sustainable after the grant term expires. This can be achieved through 
partnering.
    f. Partnering. You are required to partner with other 
organizations, such as local businesses, schools, libraries, banks, and 
employment agencies, that will help you deliver computer- and Internet-
related supportive services that fulfill residents' needs. These 
organizations can provide additional expertise, volunteers, office 
supplies, training materials, software, equipment, and other resources.
    g. Charging for Services. The NNC may charge non-public housing/
HOPE VI development organizations or individuals for services rendered, 
provided that the timing of, and amount of, charged services do not 
interfere with the amount or scheduling of services to public housing 
and other low-income HOPE VI revitalization development residents. 
Income from this source is considered to be program income and must be 
used to further the HOPE VI Neighborhood Networks program.
    h. Wage Rates. Laborers and mechanics employed in the development 
and operation of Neighborhood Networks Centers must be paid Davis-Bacon 
or HUD-determined prevailing wage rates, respectively, unless they meet 
the qualifications of a volunteer (see 24 CFR part 70).
    i. Energy Star. The Department of Housing and Urban Development has 
adopted a wide-ranging energy action plan for improving energy 
efficiency in all program areas. As a first step in implementing the 
energy plan, HUD, the Environmental Protection Agency and the 
Department of Energy have formed a partnership to promote energy 
efficiency in HUD's affordable housing efforts and programs. The 
purpose of the Energy Star partnership is to promote

[[Page 48277]]

energy efficiency in affordable housing stock while protecting the 
environment. Applicants constructing, rehabilitating, or maintaining 
housing or community facilities are encouraged to promote energy 
efficiency in design and operations. They are urged especially to 
purchase and use Energy Star-labeled products. Applicants providing 
housing assistance or counseling services are encouraged to promote 
Energy Star building by home buyers and renters. Program activities can 
include developing Energy Star promotional and information materials, 
outreach to low- and moderate-income renters and buyers on the benefits 
and savings when using Energy Star products and appliances, and 
promoting the designation of community buildings and homes as Energy 
Star compliant. For further information about Energy Star, see http://www.energystar.gov or call 888-STAR-YES (888-782-7937). Persons with 
hearing or speech impairments can call toll-free through 888-588-9920 
(TTY).
    j. Communications. Notices of, and communications during, all 
training sessions and meetings must be effective for persons who have 
hearing and/or visual disabilities consistent with Section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794) and its implementing 
regulations at 24 CFR 8.6.
    k. Environmental Requirements. (1) HUD Approval. HUD notification 
that you have been selected to receive a HOPE VI Neighborhood Networks 
grant constitutes only preliminary approval. Grant funds may not be 
released under this NOFA (except for activities that are excluded from 
environmental review under 24 CFR part 58 or 50) until the responsible 
entity, as defined in 24 CFR 58.2(a)(7), completes an environmental 
review and you submit and obtain HUD approval of a request for release 
of funds and the responsible entity's environmental certification in 
accordance with 24 CFR part 58 (or HUD has completed an environmental 
review under 24 CFR part 50 where HUD has determined to do the 
environmental review).
    (2) Responsibility. If you are selected for funding and an 
environmental review has not been conducted on the targeted site, the 
responsible entity must assume the environmental review 
responsibilities for projects being funded by this NOFA. If you object 
to the responsible entity conducting the environmental review, on the 
basis of performance, timing, or compatibility of objectives, HUD will 
review the facts and determine who will perform the environmental 
review. At any time, HUD may reject the use of a responsible entity to 
conduct the environmental review in a particular case on the basis of 
performance, timing, or compatibility of objectives, or in accordance 
with 24 CFR 58.77(d)(1). If a responsible entity objects to performing 
an environmental review, or if HUD determines that the responsible 
entity should not perform the environmental review, HUD may designate 
another responsible entity to conduct the review or may itself conduct 
it in accordance with the provisions of 24 CFR part 50. You must 
provide any documentation to the responsible entity (or HUD, where 
applicable) that is needed to perform the environmental review.
    (3) Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessments. If you are 
selected for funding, you, and any participant in the development 
process, must have a Phase I environmental site assessment completed in 
accordance with the ASTM Standards E 1527-00, as amended, for each 
affected site. A Phase I assessment is required whether the 
environmental review is completed under 24 CFR part 50 or 24 CFR part 
58. The results of the Phase I assessment must be included in the 
documents that must be provided to the responsible entity (or HUD) for 
the environmental review. If the Phase I assessment recognizes 
environmental concerns or if the results are inconclusive, a Phase II 
environmental site assessment will be required.
    (4) Request for Release of Funds. You and any participant in the 
development process may not undertake any actions with respect to the 
project that are choice-limiting or could have environmentally adverse 
effects, including demolishing, acquiring, rehabilitating, converting, 
leasing, repairing, or constructing property proposed to be assisted 
under this NOFA. Also, you and any participant in the development 
process may not commit or expend HUD or local funds for these 
activities until HUD has approved a Request for Release of Funds 
following a responsible entity's environmental review under 24 CFR part 
58, or until HUD has completed an environmental review and given 
approval for the action under 24 CFR part 50. In addition, you must 
carry out any mitigating/remedial measures required by the responsible 
entity (or HUD). If a remediation plan, where required, is not approved 
by HUD and a fully funded contract with a qualified contractor licensed 
to perform the required type of remediation is not executed, HUD 
reserves the right to determine that the grant is in default.
    (5) HUD's environmental Web site is located at http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/energyenviron/environment/index.cfm.
    l. Site Control. If new construction, renovation, conversion, or 
repair is done off of the public housing project site, before start of 
construction, you must provide documentation that its procured 
developer or owner entity has control of the proposed property for at 
least 15 years. Control can be demonstrated through a lease agreement, 
ownership documentation, or other appropriate documentation.
    m. Lead-Based Paint. You must comply with lead-based paint testing 
and abatement requirements of the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention 
Act (42 U.S.C. 4821, et seq.). You must also comply with regulations at 
24 CFR part 35, 24 CFR 965.701, and 24 CFR 968.110(k), as they may be 
amended or revised from time to time. Unless otherwise provided, you 
will be responsible for testing and abatement activities. The National 
Lead Information Hotline is 800-424-5323.
    n. The following subsections of Section III of the SuperNOFA are 
hereby incorporated by reference:
    (1) The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990;
    (2) Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing;
    (3) Economic Opportunities for Low- and Very Low-Income Persons 
(Section 3);
    (4) Executive Order 13166, Improving Access to Services for Persons 
With Limited English Proficiency (LEP);
    (5) Accessible Technology;
    (6) Procurement of Recovered Materials;
    (7) Participation in HUD-Sponsored Program Evaluation;
    (8) Executive Order 13202, Preservation of Open Competition and 
Government Neutrality Towards Government Contractors' Labor Relations 
on Federal and Federally Funded Construction Projects;
    (9) OMB Circulars and Government-wide Regulations Applicable to 
Financial Assistance Programs; and
    (10) Drug-Free Workplace.
4. Requirements and Procedures Applicable to All Programs
    a. The following subsections of Section III of the SuperNOFA are 
hereby incorporated by reference:
    (1) Statutory and Regulatory Requirements; and
    (2) Ineligible Applicants.
    b. Salary Limitation for Consultants. FY2003 funds may not be used 
to pay or to provide reimbursement for payment of the salary of a 
consultant whether retained by the federal government or the grantee at 
more than

[[Page 48278]]

the daily equivalent of the rate paid for level IV of the Executive 
Schedule, unless specifically authorized by law.

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Addresses To Request Application Package

    1. This section describes how a PHA may obtain application forms, 
additional information about HUD program NOFAs, and technical 
assistance. Copies of the published NOFAs and application forms for HUD 
programs announced via NOFA may be downloaded from the following Web 
site: http://www.grants.gov/Find or obtained by calling HUD's NOFA 
Information Center at 800-HUD-8929. Persons with speech or hearing 
impairments may call 800-877-8339.
    a. Application Kits. There are no application kits for our programs 
this year. All the information you need to apply will be in the NOFA 
and available on the Internet.
    b. The published Federal Register document is the official document 
that HUD uses to evaluate applications. Therefore, if there is a 
discrepancy between any materials published by HUD in its Federal 
Register publications and other information provided on the Internet or 
in paper copy, the Federal Register publication prevails. Please be 
sure to review your application submission against the requirements in 
the Federal Register file of the NOFA.

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

1. Maximum Length of Application
    a. There are two narrative portions of the application: the Rating 
Factor Response and the HOPE VI Neighborhood Networks Plan. The maximum 
length of each of the two above narratives is 15 pages, for a total of 
30 pages. Any pages after the first 15 for each of the narrative 
sections will not be reviewed. Although submitting pages in excess of 
the page limitations will not disqualify an application, HUD will not 
consider the information on any excess pages, and may result in a lower 
score or failure of a threshold. Text submitted at the request of HUD 
to correct a technical deficiency will not be counted in the page 
limit.
    The narratives must be double-spaced on 8\1/2\ x 11-inch paper, 
with a minimum font size of Times New Roman 12 point and one-inch 
margins on all four sides of the page. Oversized pages will be counted 
as two pages. Single-spaced pages will be counted as two pages. Tables 
or columns are permitted to be single-spaced. Each 15-page maximum does 
not include forms required by the NOFA, including the HOPE VI 
Neighborhood Networks Plan Guide or supporting documentation, e.g., 
commitment and support letters.
    b. Supporting Documentation: Supporting documentation is limited to 
50 documents or 100 pages, whichever is less. If more than one reduced-
size image of a page is included on one page, the page will count as 
two pages. Supporting documentation is limited to third-party 
correspondence and applicant commitment documents that are signed by 
the executive director or a board member.
    c. You should make every effort to submit only that supporting 
documentation which is necessary.
2. Number of Applications Permitted
    Each applicant may submit only one application.
3. Joint Applications
    Joint applications are not permitted. However, you may enter into 
subgrant agreements with procured developers, other HOPE VI partners, 
nonprofit organizations, or state or local governments to perform the 
activities proposed under the application.
4. Exceeding the Maximum Number of Pages
    There maximum length of each narrative portion of the application 
is 15 pages. For each of the narrative portions of the application, any 
pages in addition to the first 15 will not be reviewed. Although 
submitting pages in excess of the page limitations will not disqualify 
an application, HUD will not consider the information on any excess 
pages, and may result in a lower score or failure of a threshold. Text 
submitted at the request of HUD to correct a technical deficiency will 
not be counted in the 15-page limits.
5. Application Components
    a. The Grant Application Detailed Budget (HUD-424-CB) contains 
information that will assist you in developing your application. To 
assist you in filling out the form, HUD has available for your 
voluntary use a Grant Application Detailed Budget Worksheet (HUD-424-
CBW) and Grant Application Detailed Budget Worksheet Instructions (HUD-
424-CBWI). They can be downloaded from http://www.grants.gov/Find.
    b. The application is to be set up as follows:
    Front of Application:
     Acknowledgment of Application Receipt (Form HUD-2993);
     Application for Federal Assistance (Form SF-424)

Tab 1: Response for Rating Factor 1:
     Rating Factor Response Narrative
     Specific Neighborhood Networks Plan and Document 
References
Tab 2: Response for Rating Factor 2:
     Rating Factor Response Narrative
     Specific Neighborhood Networks Plan and Document 
References
Tab 3: Response for Rating Factor 3:
     Rating Factor Response Narrative
     Specific Neighborhood Networks Plan and Document 
References
Tab 4: Response for Rating Factor 4:
     Document References
Tab 5: Response for Rating Factor 5:
     Rating Factor Response Narrative
     Specific Neighborhood Networks Plan and Document 
References
Tab 6: Response for Rating Factor 6:
     Regulatory Barriers Questionnaire (Form HUD-27300);
Tab 7: Neighborhood Networks Plan:
     Neighborhood Networks Plan (based on Form HUD-52775);
Tab 8: Leverage Commitment Documents:
     Letters/MOUs from Partners attesting to leverage donations
Tab 9: Forms and Certifications:
     Applicant Assurances and Certifications (Form HUD-424B)
     Grant Application Detailed Budget (Form HUD-424-CB)
     Grant Application Detailed Budget Worksheet (Form HUD-424-
CBW)
     Applicant/Recipient Disclosure/Update Report (Form HUD-
2880)
     Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (SF-LLL)--if applicable
     Logic Model (Form HUD-96010)

    c. Place the application in a three ring binder and package it as 
securely and simply as possible.
6. Match
    a. Documentation to demonstrate that match donations are firmly 
committed include letters of commitment or Memoranda of Understanding 
(MOUs) that are on organization letterhead and are signed by a person 
authorized to make the stated commitment, whether it be in cash or in-
kind services. The letters of commitment/MOUs must indicate the annual 
level and/or amount of commitment in dollars and indicate how the 
commitment will relate to the proposed program.
    b. If you propose to use your own, non-public housing grant funds 
to meet the match requirement, a document from you that states how the 
match relates to your Neighborhood Networks program must be included in 
the application and signed by the authorized person.

[[Page 48279]]

    c. The letters of commitment/MOUs must be dated no earlier than 90 
days prior to the publication date of this NOFA.
    d. You shall annotate the HUD-424-CB, Grant Application Detailed 
Budget, listing the sources and amount of each match.
7. Rating Factor Format
    The only narrative portions of the application are your response to 
the rating factors and the Plan. An executive summary is not necessary. 
To ensure proper credit for information applicable to each rating 
factor, you should include page-number references to the Plan, forms, 
and supporting documentation in the rating factor responses. Your 
rating factor responses should be as descriptive as possible, ensuring 
that every requested item is addressed. You should make sure to include 
all requested information, according to the instructions of this NOFA. 
This will help ensure fair and accurate review of your application. 
Although information from all parts of the application will be taken 
into account in rating the various factors, if supporting information 
cannot be found by the reviewer, it cannot be used to support a 
factor's rating.
8. Rating Factor Documentation
    a. References to the Neighborhood Networks Plan. (1) When writing 
your factor narrative, you should reference information in your Plan. 
The purpose of including references to the Plan in your factor 
narrative is to increase the amount of information you can include in 
the factor narrative, which is limited in length. It is NOT necessary 
to repeat in the factor narratives the information that you included in 
your Plan.
    (2) Each reference to the Plan should be specific. Each reference 
should include a table name or a one- or two-word subject that the 
reference applies to and the page number of the Plan where the 
referenced information can be found. More than one specific reference 
to the Plan may, and probably should, be included for any one subject 
or factor's narrative.
    b. Knowledge and Experience. (1) Documentation that demonstrates 
staff experience and knowledge may include:
    (a) Lists of contracts, grants, or program descriptions from 
contractors, subgrantees and partners;
    (b) Resumes of current in-house staff listing programs that they 
worked on;
    (c) Neighborhood Networks program descriptions;
    (d) Digital training program descriptions;
    (e) Community and social services program descriptions;
    (f) Course lists;
    (g) Participant completion certificates or lists;
    (h) Attendance rosters;
    (i) Third-party evaluation data and reports; and
    (j) Other documentation showing participation and/or outcomes.
    c. Staff Capacity. Documentation that demonstrates staff capacity 
may include:
    (1) The number of hours per week that in-house staff who were 
included in the documentation of the knowledge and experience subfactor 
will devote to the Neighborhood Networks program;
    (2) MOUs or letters of commitment that include resumes of key staff 
and starting dates;
    (3) Employment agreements that include resumes and starting dates; 
and
    (4) Other documents that include such information.
    d. Program Administration and Fiscal Management. (1) Documentation 
that demonstrates program administration and fiscal management MUST 
include:
    (a) A description of the procurement system structure that you have 
in place, including internal controls;
    (b) A description of the fiscal management structure that you have 
in place, including fiscal controls and internal controls;
    (c) A summary of the results of the last available annual external, 
independent audit, including findings, if any;
    (d) A list of any findings issued or material weaknesses concerning 
PHA operations found by HUD or other federal or state agencies. A 
description of how you addressed the findings and/or weaknesses. If no 
findings or material weaknesses exist, include a statement to that 
effect in the narrative; and
    (e) A description of your management control structure, including 
management roles and responsibilities and evidence that your management 
is results-oriented, e.g., that it has existing production, rental, and 
maintenance goals.
    e. Need/Extent of the Problem. Documentation of need should 
include:
    (1) The sources of the data that you used to contrast the number of 
public housing residents in the existing or proposed NNC's surrounding 
community to availability of no-cost Neighborhood Networks type 
training currently in the surrounding community.
    (2) A list and explanation of Neighborhood Networks and Community 
and Supportive Services (CSS) needs as they apply to the related HOPE 
VI development's public housing residents;
    (3) Specific plan references to data on public housing residents; 
and
    (4) Information on the lack of Neighborhood Networks-related 
training programs currently available and easily accessible to public 
housing residents in the surrounding community. List no-cost training 
that is available through either the PHA or other local or state 
community organizations, including schools and libraries.
    f. Specific Services and/or Activities. You should describe, or 
reference the Plan description of, the following areas:
    (1) How partners are integrated into grant period and grantee 
activities are sustained;
    (2) How staff roles relate to planned courses for paid and 
volunteer staff;
    (3) How temporary and permanently relocated residents will be 
linked to the NNC;
    (4) How computer and Internet knowledge relates to obtaining 
community and supportive services;
    (5) What generally accepted training certifications will be offered 
to participants;
    (6) How training courses build upon one another to teach residents 
job hunting and employment skills; and
    (7) How training courses that build upon one another teach 
residents to use computers and the Internet to provide themselves with 
community and supportive services.
    g. Commitment Letters. Commitment letters/MOU must be submitted to 
HUD with the NOFA application. If a commitment document is not included 
in the application, the donation will not be counted toward this 
factor. Missing commitment documents are not considered ``technical 
deficiencies'' and cannot be submitted during the technical 
deficiencies cure period after the application due date.
    (1) Documentation to demonstrate that leverage is ``firmly 
committed.''
    (a) ``Firmly committed'' means that the amount of leverage 
resources and their dedication to Neighborhood Networks activities must 
be explicit, in writing, and signed by a person authorized to make the 
commitment. Letters of commitment or Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) 
must be on organization letterhead and signed by a person authorized to 
make the stated commitment whether it be in cash or in-kind services. 
The letters of commitment/MOUs must indicate the annual level and/or 
amount of commitment in dollars, the number of days after grant award 
at which the cash or in-kind services will be available, the duration 
of in-kind services, and how the commitment will relate to the proposed 
Neighborhood Networks

[[Page 48280]]

program. The letters of commitment/MOUs must be dated no earlier than 
90 days prior to the publication date of this NOFA.
    (2) You shall annotate the HUD-424-CB to list the sources and 
amount of each donation. Note that public housing funds of any kind are 
not an eligible donation. Applicant staff time is not an eligible 
donation.
    h. Achieving Results and Evaluation Methods. (1) Your narrative 
should identify what you are going to measure, how you are going to 
measure it, and the steps you have in place to adjust your plans if 
outcomes are not met within established time frames.
    (2) You must complete and include the Logic Model (Form HUD-96010) 
in your application.
    i. Incentive Criteria on Regulatory Barrier Removal. You must 
include the completed Form HUD-27300 in your application.
9. HOPE VI Neighborhood Networks Plan Information
    Your HOPE VI Neighborhood Networks Plan, which is based upon the 
Neighborhood Networks Plan Guide, Form HUD-52775, contains a large 
amount of information that applies to your rating factors. Page 
references to the Plan should be included where similar information is 
presented in the Rating Factor narrative of the NOFA. It is not 
necessary to repeat the text of the Plan information in other parts of 
the application.

C. Submission Dates and Times

    1. Application Due Date. The application due date is September 8, 
2004. See the General Section of the SuperNOFA for application, 
submission and timely receipt requirements.
    2. No Facsimiles or Videos. HUD will not accept for review and 
evaluation, or funding, any applications sent by facsimile (fax). 
However, facsimile corrections to technical deficiencies will be 
accepted, as described in Section V.B.1.b. of this NOFA. Also, videos 
submitted as part of an application will not be viewed.
    3. See Section IV.F.1. of this NOFA for the application submission 
address.

D. Intergovernmental Review

    Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs. Executive Order 12372 was issued to foster intergovernmental 
partnership and strengthen federalism by relying on state and local 
processes for the coordination and review of federal financial 
assistance and direct federal development. HUD implementing regulations 
are published in 24 CFR part 52. Executive Order 12372 allows each 
state to designate an entity to perform a state review function. The 
official listing of state points of contact (SPOCs) for this review 
process can be found at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. 
States not listed on the Web site have chosen not to participate in the 
intergovernmental review process and, therefore, do not have a SPOC. If 
your state has a SPOC, you should contact the SPOC to see if it is 
interested in reviewing your application prior to submission to HUD.
    Please make sure that you allow ample time for this review process 
when developing and submitting your applications. If your state does 
not have a SPOC, you may send applications directly to HUD.
E. Funding Restrictions
    1. Statutory Obligation Period. Funds available through this NOFA 
must be obligated on or before September 30, 2004.
    2. Transfer of Funds. HUD does not have the discretion to transfer 
funds available through this NOFA to any other program, grant, or area 
of your current HOPE VI grant.
    3. Limitation on Eligible Expenditures. Expenditures on services, 
equipment, and physical improvements must directly relate to NNC 
activities.
    4. Ineligible Activities. The following activities are not allowed:
    a. Payment of wages and/or salaries to participants receiving 
supportive services and/or training programs;
    b. Purchase or rental of land;
    c. Purchase or rental of vehicles;
    d. Security guard services;
    e. Purchase or rental of telephones and telephone services for 
general use by the program participants;
    f. Cost of application preparation;
    g. Charging for services to public housing/HOPE VI development 
residents and Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) participants; and
    h. Incurring other costs that are not allowable under the HOPE VI 
program, in accordance with Section 24 of the 1937 Act (42 U.S.C. 
1437v), as added by Section 535 of the Quality Housing and Work 
Responsibility Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105-276, 112 Stat. 2461, approved 
October 21, 1998), as amended, and the HOPE VI Grant Implementation 
Guidebook, dated October 1999, as amended, and that are not stated as 
allowable under this NOFA.
    5. Pre-Award Activities. Award funds may not be used to reimburse 
pre-award expenses.
    6. Administrative Costs. Administrative costs must adhere to OMB 
Circular A-87. Administrative costs are included in, and will be 
reviewed with, your budget.
    7. Environmental Reviews. The costs of environmental reviews and 
hazard remediation are eligible costs under the HOPE VI program.
F. Other Submission Requirements
    1. Address for Submitting Applications. Send the original and one 
copy of your completed application to Mr. Milan Ozdinec, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary for Public Housing Investments, Department of 
Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Room 4130, 
Washington, DC 20410-5000. Please make sure that you note the room 
number. The correct room number is very important in ensuring that your 
application is properly accepted and not misdirected.
    2. Applications mailed to the wrong location or office designated 
for receipt of the application, which result in the designated office 
not receiving your application in accordance with the requirements for 
timely submission, will result in your application being considered 
late and will not receive funding consideration. HUD will not be 
responsible for directing packages to the appropriate office(s).
    3. See Section IV.F. of the SuperNOFA for requirements concerning 
timeliness of submission and method of delivery.
    4. SuperNOFA References. The following subsections of Section IV of 
the SuperNOFA are hereby incorporated by reference:
    (1) Addresses to Request Application Package;
    (2) Application Kits;
    (3) Guidebook and Further Information;
    (4) Delivery and Receipt Procedures;
    (5) Proof of Timely Submission; and
    (6) Addresses.

V. Application Review Information

A. Criteria (Factors)

1. Rating Factor 1: Capacity of the Applicant and Relevant 
Organizational Staff (22 Points)
    This factor addresses whether you have the organizational resources 
necessary to successfully implement the proposed activities within the 
grant period. In rating this factor, HUD will consider the extent to 
which the proposal demonstrates that you will have qualified and 
experienced staff dedicated to administering the program.

a. Knowledge and Experience (8 Points)

    (1) Description. Your current capacity to complete the requirements 
of the

[[Page 48281]]

NOFA is based upon the demonstrated knowledge and experience of your 
proposed NNC coordinator, staff, contractors, subgrantees, and other 
partners in planning and successfully managing programs similar to the 
Neighborhood Networks program for which funding is being requested. 
Experience will be judged in terms of recent, relevant, and successful 
experience of your team to undertake eligible program activities. In 
rating this factor, HUD will consider experience within the last 3 
years to be recent; experience should relate to specific activities and 
specific accomplishments. You must provide documentation of knowledge, 
experience, and success. See Section IV.B.8.b of this NOFA for 
documentation requirements for this factor.
    (2) Scoring: (a) If your proposed team has demonstrated knowledge 
and experience working in both computer-related and supportive service 
programs, and that experience is shown to be successful in supporting 
documentation, you may receive up to 8 points.
    (b) If your proposed team demonstrates that it has knowledge and 
experience in both computer-related and supportive service areas, but 
does not have documentation that shows successful outcomes, you may 
receive up to 6 points.
    (c) If your team has demonstrated knowledge and experience in only 
one area, but does not have documented success, you may receive up to 2 
points for this subfactor.
    (d) If your team cannot demonstrate knowledge and successful 
experience in either area, you will receive a score of zero points for 
this subfactor.

b. Staff Capacity (7 Points)

    (1) Description. You will be evaluated based on whether you, your 
contractors, subgrantees, and partners have sufficient experienced and 
knowledgeable personnel, or will be able to quickly access enough 
qualified experts or professionals to deliver the proposed activities 
in a timely and effective fashion. Knowledge and experience must be 
documented. See Section IV.B.8.c of this NOFA for documentation 
requirements for this factor.
    (2) Scoring: (a) If you have staff and partners in place to begin 
the proposed grant at full effort between the grant award date and 
three months after award, you will receive up to a maximum of 7 points;
    (b) If your proposal includes a plan to have staff and partners in 
place to begin the proposed work between three and six months after 
grant award, you will receive up to a maximum of 6 points;
    (c) If your proposal includes a plan to have staff and partners in 
place to begin the proposed work between six and nine months after 
grant award, you will receive up to a maximum of 4 points;
    (d) If your proposal includes a plan to have staff and partners in 
place to begin the proposed work between nine and 12 months after grant 
award, you will receive up to a maximum of 2 points; and
    (e) If your proposal includes a plan to have the staff and partners 
in place later than 12 months after award, you will receive zero 
points.

c. Program Administration and Fiscal Management (7 Points)

    (1) Description. Describe how you will manage the program; how HUD 
can be sure that there is program and financial accountability; and 
describe staff/team members' roles and responsibilities. See Section 
IV.B.8.d. of this NOFA for documentation requirements for this factor.
    (2) Scoring: (a) If you show fiscal management controls, a 
procurement system and a results-oriented management structure that are 
adequate to manage a grant from this NOFA, and you do not have any 
outstanding Inspector General (IG) findings related to the Capital Fund 
Program or HOPE VI, you will receive up to 7 points;
    (b) If you show fiscal management controls, a procurement system 
and management structure and controls that are adequate to manage a 
grant from this NOFA, but you do not demonstrate that your management 
structure and controls are results-oriented, and you do not have any 
outstanding findings, you will receive up to 5 points;
    (c) If you show fiscal management controls, a procurement system 
and management structure and controls that are adequate to manage a 
grant from this NOFA, and you have outstanding findings that have not 
been addressed and closed, you will receive up to 2 points;
    (d) If you do not describe your program management structure and 
fiscal management controls and show that they are adequate, you will 
receive 0 points.
2. Rating Factor 2: Need/Extent of the Problem (8 Points)
    a. Description. (1) This factor addresses the extent to which there 
is a need for funding your proposed program and your indication of the 
importance of meeting the need in the target area. In responding to 
this factor, you will be evaluated on the extent to which you describe 
and document the level of need for your proposed activities and the 
urgency in meeting the need.
    (2) Contrast the number of public housing residents in the area 
around the existing or proposed NNC to availability of no-cost 
Neighborhood Networks type training currently in the surrounding 
community.
    (3) See Section IV.B.8.e of this NOFA for documentation 
requirements for this factor.
    b. Scoring: (1) If there are no computer and Internet facilities 
available in the HOPE VI development's surrounding community to address 
the needs of the public housing residents, you may receive from 7 to 8 
points;
    (2) If computer and Internet facilities available in the HOPE VI 
development's surrounding community are only sufficient to address the 
needs of between 1 and 25 percent of the public housing residents, you 
may receive from 5 to 6 points;
    (3) If computer and Internet facilities available in the HOPE VI 
development's surrounding community are only sufficient to address the 
needs of between 26 and 50 percent of the public housing residents, you 
may receive from 3 to 4 points; and
    (4) If computer and Internet facilities available in the HOPE VI 
development's surrounding community are only sufficient to address the 
needs of 51 to 75 percent of the public housing residents, you may 
receive from 1 to 2 points; and
    (5) If there are sufficient computer and Internet facilities 
available in the HOPE VI development's surrounding community to fulfill 
the needs of your public housing residents, you will receive 0 points.
3. Rating Factor 3: Soundness of Approach (30 Points)
    This factor addresses both the quality and cost-effectiveness of 
your program, as presented in your rating factor responses and your 
Plan. Your factor responses must indicate a clear relationship between 
your proposed activities, the targeted population's needs, and the 
purpose of the program funding. You should include references to your 
Plan.

a. Specific Services and/or Activities (24 Points)

    (1) Description. This factor addresses the services and courses 
that you are going to include in your Neighborhood Networks program and 
their beneficiaries. You must describe the specific services and 
activities you plan to offer, who will benefit from them and

[[Page 48282]]

how they will benefit from them. Tie specific services/activities to 
specific sub-groups, including persons with disabilities, within the 
target group. Your rating factor response must indicate the types of 
activities and training programs you will offer which can help 
residents successfully transition from welfare to work, earn higher 
wages and/or be able to graduate from use of the public housing 
program. See Section IV.B.8.f of this NOFA for documentation 
requirements for this factor.
    (2) Scoring: (a) If all seven of the areas listed in Section 
IV.B.8.f of this NOFA are addressed and fulfill the needs of your 
public housing residents, you will receive up to 24 points;
    (b) If six of the areas listed in Section IV.B.8.f of this NOFA are 
addressed and fulfill the needs of your public housing residents, you 
will receive up to 20 points;
    (c) If five of the areas listed in Section IV.B.8.f of this NOFA 
are addressed and fulfill the needs of your public housing residents, 
you will receive up to 16 points;
    (d) If four of the areas listed in Section IV.B.8.f of this NOFA 
are addressed and fulfill the needs of your public housing residents, 
you will receive up to 12 points;
    (e) If three of the areas listed in Section IV.B.8.f of this NOFA 
are addressed and fulfill the needs of your public housing residents, 
you will receive up to 8 points;
    (f) If two of the areas listed in Section IV.B.8.f of this NOFA are 
addressed and fulfill the needs of your public housing residents, you 
will receive up to 4 points;
    (g) If less than two of the areas listed in Section IV.B.8.f of 
this NOFA are addressed and fulfill the needs of your public housing 
residents, you will receive 0 points;

b. Feasibility (6 Points)

    (1) Description. This factor examines whether your overall 
application is logical, feasible, and likely to achieve its stated 
purpose during the term of the grant. You will be evaluated based on 
whether your application shows that you can communicate well with your 
public housing residents regarding computers and the Internet, whether 
you are using a logical approach in planning and implementing the 
program and whether the amount of funds requested is commensurate with 
the level of effort necessary to accomplish your goals and anticipated 
results.
    (2) Scoring: (a) If your application shows financial feasibility, 
the ability to work with the target group of residents and low-income 
families, a logical plan to provide training courses, and that the 
amount of requested funds is commensurate with the level of effort 
necessary to accomplish your goals and anticipated results, you will 
receive up to 6 points.
    (b) If your application shows financial feasibility and the ability 
to work with the target group of residents and low-income families, you 
will receive up to 4 points.
    (c) If your application shows only financial feasibility, you will 
receive up to 2 points.
    (d) If your application as a whole is not logical and shows poor 
planning, you will receive zero points.
4. Rating Factor 4: Leveraging Resources (25 Points)
    a. Description. (1) This factor addresses your ability to secure 
community resources that can be combined with HUD's grant resources to 
achieve program purposes. In rating this factor, HUD will look at the 
extent to which your partner, coordinates, and leverages your services 
with other organizations serving the same or similar populations.
    (2) Leverage Description and Requirements.
    (a) Leverage may be cash or other resources/services that can be 
donated and may include: in-kind services, contributions, or 
administrative costs provided to you; funds from federal sources (not 
including public housing/HOPE VI funds) as allowed by statute, 
including for example, CDBG; funds from any state or local government 
sources; and funds from private contributions.
    (b) Leverage funds and in-kind services (``donations'') must be 
firmly committed. See Section IV.B.8.g for documentation requirements 
to demonstrate firm commitment.
    (c) Public housing funds of any kind are not an eligible donation. 
Applicant staff time is not an eligible donation.
    (d) Points for this factor will be awarded based on the documented 
evidence of partnerships and firm commitments and the ratio of 
requested funding to the total proposed grant budget.
    (e) Matching funds cannot be counted toward your leverage amount. 
Five percent of the leverage amount stated in your application will be 
subtracted in calculating your leverage amount to avoid double counting 
match funds.
    (f) See Section IV.B.8.g for documentation requirements for this 
factor.
    b. Scoring: (1) Points will be assigned based on the following 
scale:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Leverage as percent of grant amount             Points awarded
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Less than 25 percent.....................  0 points.
25 but less than 50 percent..............  7 points.
50 but less than 100 percent.............  16 points.
100 or more..............................  25 points.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

5. Rating Factor 5: Achieving Results and Evaluation Methods (13 
Points)
    a. Description. (1) Under this rating factor, you must demonstrate 
how they propose to measure their success and outcomes. This rating 
factor requires that you identify goals, interim and final program 
outcomes, and their time frames. Examples of outcomes are: increasing 
the homeownership rates among participants, increasing participants' 
financial stability (e.g., increasing assets of a household through 
savings), or increasing employment stability (e.g., whether persons 
assisted obtain or retain employment for one or two years during 
participation).
    (2) Performance indicators should be objectively quantifiable and 
measure actual achievements against anticipated achievements.
    (3) See Section IV.B.8.h of this NOFA for documentation 
requirements.
    b. Scoring: (1) If you show interim and final measurable outcomes, 
with time frames, for each of several participant sub-groups, and show 
plans for adjusting your program, you will receive up to 13 points.
    (2) If you show interim and final measurable outcomes, with time 
frames, but without plans for adjusting your program, you will receive 
up to 8 points.
    (3) If you show interim and final measurable outcomes, but without 
time frames and plans for adjusting your program, you will receive up 
to 4 points.
    (4) If you do not show interim and final measurable outcomes you 
will receive zero points.
6. Rating Factor 6: Incentive Criteria on Regulatory Barrier Removal (2 
Points)
    a. Description. (1) HUD's Notice, America's Affordable Communities 
Initiative, HUD's Initiative on Removal of Regulatory Barriers: 
Announcement of Incentive Criteria on Barrier Removal in HUD's FY 2004 
Competitive Funding Allocations, Federal Register Docket Number FR-
4882-N-03, published on March 22, 2004, provides that most of HUD's 
competitive NOFAs will include an incentive for local and state 
governments to decrease their regulatory barriers to the development of 
affordable housing.
    (2) Form HUD-27300 contains questions that describe your local and

[[Page 48283]]

state governments' efforts to decrease regulatory barriers.
    b. Scoring: (1) If you are considered a local unit of government 
with land use and building regulatory authority, an agency or 
department of a local unit of government, a nonprofit organization, or 
other qualified applicant applying for funding for a project located in 
the local unit of government's jurisdiction, you are invited to answer 
the 20 questions in Part A of Form HUD-27300. For those applications in 
which regulatory authority is split between jurisdictions (e.g., county 
and town), the applicant should answer the question for that 
jurisdiction that has regulatory authority over the issue in question.
    (a) If you answer ``yes'' in Column 2 for five to ten questions 
from Part A, you will receive one point in the NOFA evaluation.
    (b) If you answer ``yes'' in Column 2 for eleven or more questions 
from Part A, you will receive two points in the NOFA evaluation.
    (2) If you are considered a state government, or an agency or 
department of a state government, applying for funding for a project 
located in the state government's jurisdiction, or areas otherwise not 
covered in Part A, you are invited to answer the 15 questions in Part 
B.
    (a) If you answer ``yes'' in Column 2 for four to seven questions 
from Part B, you will receive one point in the NOFA evaluation.
    (b) If you answer ``yes'' in Column 2 for eight or more questions 
from Part B, you will receive two points in the NOFA evaluation.
    (3) Applicants that will be providing services in multiple 
jurisdictions may choose to address the questions in either Part A or 
Part B for that jurisdiction in which the preponderance of services 
will be performed if an award is made.
    (4) In no case will an applicant receive for this policy priority 
greater than two points for barrier removal activities.

B. Review and Selection Process

    HUD's selection process is designed to ensure that grants are 
awarded to eligible PHAs with the most meritorious applications.
    1. Application Screening. a. HUD will screen each application to 
determine if:
    (1) It meets the threshold criteria listed in Section III.C of this 
NOFA; and
    (2) It is deficient, i.e., contains any technical deficiencies. 
Omissions or incorrect/omitted signatures of the forms and 
certifications listed under Tab 9 in Section IV.B.5.b. of this NOFA are 
considered technical deficiencies.
    b. Corrections to Deficient Applications. The subsection entitled, 
``Corrections to Deficient Applications,'' in Section V.B. of the 
SuperNOFA applies, except that clarifications or corrections of 
technical deficiencies in accordance with the information provided by 
HUD must be submitted within seven calendar days of the date of receipt 
of the HUD notification.
    c. Applications that will not be rated or ranked. HUD will not rate 
or rank applications that are deficient at the end of the cure period 
stated in Section V.B.1.b. of this NOFA or have not met the thresholds 
described in Section III.C of this NOFA. Such applications will not be 
eligible for funding.
    2. Preliminary Rating and Ranking.
    a. Rating.
    (1) HUD staff will preliminarily rate each eligible application, 
solely on the basis of the rating factors described in Section V.A. of 
this NOFA.
    (2) When rating applications, HUD reviewers will not use any 
information included in any HOPE VI application submitted in a prior 
year.
    (3) HUD will assign a preliminary score for each rating factor and 
a preliminary total score for each eligible application.
    (4) The maximum number of points for each application is 100.
    b. Ranking.
    (1) After preliminary review, applications will be ranked in score 
order.
    3. Final Panel Review.
    a. A Final Review Panel made up of HUD staff will:
    (1) Review the preliminary rating and ranking documentation to:
    (a) Ensure that any inconsistencies between preliminary reviewers 
have been identified and rectified; and
    (b) Ensure that the preliminary rating and ranking documentation 
accurately reflects the contents of the application.
    (2) Assign a final score to each application; and
    (3) Recommend for selection the most highly rated applications, 
subject to the amount of available funding, in accordance with the 
allocation of funds described in Section II of this NOFA.
    4. HUD reserves the right to make reductions in funding for any 
ineligible items included in an applicant's proposed budget.
    5. In accordance with the FY2003 HOPE VI appropriation, HUD may not 
use HOPE VI funds to grant competitive advantage in awards to settle 
litigation or pay judgments.
    6. Tie Scores. If two or more applications have the same score and 
there are insufficient funds to select all of them, HUD will select for 
funding the application(s) with the highest score for the Soundness of 
Approach Rating Factor. If a tie remains, HUD will select for funding 
the application(s) with the highest score for the Capacity Rating 
Factor. HUD will select further tied applications with the highest 
score for the Need Rating Factor.
    7. Remaining Funds.
    a. HUD reserves the right to reallocate remaining funds from this 
NOFA to other eligible activities under Section 24 of the Act.
    (1) If the total amount of funds requested by all applications 
found eligible for funding under Section V.B. of this NOFA is less than 
the amount of funds available from this NOFA, all eligible applications 
will be funded and those funds in excess of the total requested amount 
will be considered remaining funds.
    (2) If the total amount of funds requested by all applications 
found eligible for funding under Section V.B. of this NOFA is greater 
than the amount of funds available from this NOFA, eligible 
applications will be funded until the amount of non-awarded funds is 
less than the amount required to feasibly fund the next eligible 
application. In this case, the funds that have not been awarded will be 
considered remaining funds.
    8. Additional Funds. HUD, at its discretion, may award funds above 
the requested grant amount to applications that present a grant program 
that demonstrates that the additional funds can and will be expended 
efficiently and effectively.
    9. The following subsections of Section V. of the SuperNOFA are 
hereby incorporated by reference:
    a. HUD's Strategic Goals;
    b. Policy Priorities;
    c. Threshold Compliance;
    d. Corrections to Deficient Applications;
    e. Rating; and
    f. Ranking.

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

    1. Initial Announcement. The HUD Reform Act prohibits HUD from 
notifying you whether or not you have been selected to receive a grant 
until it has announced all grant recipients. If your application has 
been found to be ineligible or if it did not receive enough points to 
be funded, you will not be notified until the successful applicants 
have been notified. HUD will provide written notification to all 
applicants, whether or not they have been selected for funding.
    2. Authorizing Document. The notice of award signed by the 
Assistant

[[Page 48284]]

Secretary for Public and Indian Housing (grants officer) is the 
authorizing document. This notice will be delivered via fax and the 
U.S. Postal Service.
    3. Applicant Debriefing. Upon request, HUD will provide an 
applicant a copy of the total score received by their application and 
the score received for each rating factor.
    4. SuperNOFA References. The following subsections of Section VI.A. 
of the SuperNOFA are hereby incorporated by reference:
    a. Adjustments to Funding; and
    b. Debriefing.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    1. Grant term. The time period for completion shall not exceed 54 
months from the date the NOFA award is executed.
    2. Flood Insurance. In accordance with the Flood Disaster 
Protection Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4001-4128), your application may not 
propose to provide financial assistance for acquisition or construction 
(including rehabilitation) of properties located in an area identified 
by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as having special 
flood hazards, unless:
    a. The community in which the area is situated is participating in 
the National Flood Insurance program (see 44 CFR parts 59 through 79), 
or less than one year has passed since FEMA notification regarding such 
hazards; and
    b. Where the community is participating in the National Flood 
Insurance Program, flood insurance is obtained as a condition of 
execution of a grant agreement.
    3. Coastal Barrier Resources Act. In accordance with the Coastal 
Barrier Resources Act (16 U.S.C. 3501), your application may not target 
properties in the Coastal Barrier Resources System.
    4. Final Audit. Grantees are required to obtain a complete final 
closeout audit of the grant's financial statements by a certified 
public accountant (CPA), in accordance with generally accepted 
government audit standards. A written report of the audit must be 
forwarded to HUD within 60 days of issuance. Grant recipients must 
comply with the requirements of 24 CFR part 84 or 24 CFR part 85 as 
stated in OMB Circulars A-110, A-87, and A-122, as applicable.

C. Reporting

    1. Periodic Reporting. Grantees will be required to submit 
Neighborhood Networks information on a quarterly basis. The type of 
information that will be required is listed within the scope of the 
HOPE VI Neighborhood Networks Plan Guide, Form HUD-52775. Grantees will 
furnish this information in the CSS portion of the online HOPE VI 
quarterly progress report.
    2. Logic Model Reporting. The reporting shall include submission of 
a completed logic model indicating results achieved against the 
proposed output goal(s) and proposed outcome(s) which you stated in 
your approved application and agreed upon with HUD. The submission of 
the logic model and required information should be in accord with the 
reporting time frames as identified in your grant agreement.
    3. Final Report. The grantees shall submit a final report, which 
will include a financial report and a narrative evaluating the overall 
performance of its HOPE VI Neighborhood Networks Plan. Grantees shall 
use quantifiable data to measure performance against goals and 
objectives outlined in their application. The financial report shall 
contain a summary of all expenditures made from the beginning to the 
end of the grant agreement and shall include any unexpended balances. 
The final narrative and financial report shall be due to HUD 90 days 
after the full expenditure of funds or when the Neighborhood Networks 
program activities are complete.

VII. Agency Contacts

A. Technical Assistance

    1. Before the application due date, HUD staff will be available to 
provide you with general guidance and technical assistance. However, 
HUD staff is not permitted to assist in preparing your application. If 
you have a question or need a clarification, you may call, fax, or 
write Mr. Milan Ozdinec, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Housing 
Investments, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 451 Seventh 
Street, SW., Room 4130, Washington, DC 20410-5000; telephone (202) 401-
8812; fax (202) 401-2370 (these are not toll-free numbers). Persons 
with hearing and/or speech challenges may access these telephone 
numbers via text telephone (TTY) by calling the toll-free Federal 
Information Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

B. Technical Corrections to the NOFA

    1. Technical corrections to this NOFA will be posted on the 
following Web site: www.Grants.gov.
    2. Any technical corrections will also be published in the Federal 
Register.
    3. You are responsible for monitoring these sites during the 
application preparation period.

C. General Information

    General information about HUD's Neighborhood Networks program can 
be found on the Internet at http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/mfh/nnw/nnwindex.cfm.

VIII. Other Information

    A. SuperNOFA References. The following subsections of Section VIII 
of the SuperNOFA are hereby incorporated by reference:
    1. Executive Order 13132, Federalism;
    2. Public Access, Documentation and Disclosure;
    4. Section 103 of the HUD Reform Act; and
    5. The FY2004 HUD NOFA Process and Future HUD Funding Processes.
    B. Environmental Impact. A Finding of No Significant Impact with 
respect to the environment has been made for this notice in accordance 
with HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 50 that implement Section 102(2)(C) 
of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4332). The 
Finding of No Significant Impact is available for public inspection 
between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. in the Office of the General Counsel, 
Regulations Division, Room 10276, Department of Housing and Urban 
Development, 451 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20410-0500.
    C. Paperwork Reduction Act Statement. The information collection 
requirements contained in this document have been approved by the 
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), under the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520) and assigned OMB Control Number 2577-
0208. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, HUD may not 
conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a 
collection of information unless the collection displays a currently 
valid OMB control number. Public reporting burden for the collection of 
information is estimated to average 68 hours per annum per respondent 
for the application and grant administration. This includes the time 
for collecting, reviewing, and reporting the data for the application, 
quarterly reports, and final report. The information will be used for 
grantee selection and monitoring the administration of funds. Response 
to this request for information is required in order to receive the 
benefits to be derived.
    D. Sense of Congress. It is the sense of Congress, as published in 
section 409(a) of the Conference Report of HJR 2, that, to the greatest 
extent practicable, all equipment and products purchased with funds 
made available in this Act should be American-made.


[[Page 48285]]


    Dated: July 30, 2004.
Michael Liu,
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.
BILLING CODE 4210-33-P

[[Page 48286]]

[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.001


[[Page 48287]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.002


[[Page 48288]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.003


[[Page 48289]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.004


[[Page 48290]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.005


[[Page 48291]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.006


[[Page 48292]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.007


[[Page 48293]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.008


[[Page 48294]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.009


[[Page 48295]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.010


[[Page 48296]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.011


[[Page 48297]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.012


[[Page 48298]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.013


[[Page 48299]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.014


[[Page 48300]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.015


[[Page 48301]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.016


[[Page 48302]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.017


[[Page 48303]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.018


[[Page 48304]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.019


[[Page 48305]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.020


[[Page 48306]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.021


[[Page 48307]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.022


[[Page 48308]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.023


[[Page 48309]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.024


[[Page 48310]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.025


[[Page 48311]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.026


[[Page 48312]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.027


[[Page 48313]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.028


[[Page 48314]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.029


[[Page 48315]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.030


[[Page 48316]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.031


[[Page 48317]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.032


[[Page 48318]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.033


[[Page 48319]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.034


[[Page 48320]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.035


[[Page 48321]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.036


[[Page 48322]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.037


[[Page 48323]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.038


[[Page 48324]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.039


[[Page 48325]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.040


[[Page 48326]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.041


[[Page 48327]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.042


[[Page 48328]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.043


[[Page 48329]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.044


[[Page 48330]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.045


[[Page 48331]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.046


[[Page 48332]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.047


[[Page 48333]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.048


[[Page 48334]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.049


[[Page 48335]]


[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN09AU04.050


[FR Doc. 04-17885 Filed 8-3-04; 11:10 am]
BILLING CODE 4210-33-C