[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 16, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12844-12847]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-5126]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business--Cooperative Service


Inviting Rural Business Enterprise Grant Program Preapplications 
for Technical Assistance for Rural Transportation Systems

AGENCY: Rural Business--Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), an Agency within 
the Rural Development mission area, announces the availability of two 
individual grants: one single $496,000 grant from the passenger 
transportation funds appropriated for the RBS Rural Business Enterprise 
Grant (RBEG) program and another single $248,000 grant from the 
Federally Recognized Native American Tribes' funds appropriated for RBS 
under the RBEG program for fiscal year (FY) 2005. Each grant is to be 
competitively awarded to a qualified national organization. These 
grants are to provide technical assistance for rural transportation.

DATES: The deadline for receipt of preapplications in the Rural 
Development State Office is May 16, 2005. Preapplications received at a 
Rural Development State Office after that date would not be considered 
for FY 2005 funding.

ADDRESSES: For further information, entities wishing to apply for 
assistance should contact a Rural Development State Office to obtain 
copies of the pre-application package. A list of Rural Development 
State Offices follows:

District of Columbia

Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA,
    Specialty Lenders Division, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., STOP 
3225, Room 6867, Washington, DC 20250-3225, (202) 720-1400.

Alabama

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    Sterling Center, Suite 601, 4121 Carmichael Road, Montgomery, AL 
36106-3683, (334) 279-3400/TTD (334) 279-3495.

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Alaska

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    800 West Evergreen, Suite 201, Palmer, AK 99645-6539, (907) 761-
7705/TDD (907) 761-8905.

Arizona

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    Phoenix Corporate Center, 230 N. First Ave., Suite 206, Phoenix, AZ 
85003-1706, (602) 280-8700/TTD (602) 280-8705.

Arkansas

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    USDA Service Center, 700 West Capitol Avenue, Room 3416, Little 
Rock, AR 72201-3225, (501) 301-3200/TTD (501) 301-3279.

California

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    430 G Street, Agency 4169, Davis, CA 95616-4169, (530) 792-5800/TTD 
(530) 792-5848.

Colorado

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    655 Parfet Street, Room E-100, Lakewood, CO 80215, (720) 544-2903/
TDD (720) 544-2976.

Delaware-Maryland

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    4607 South DuPont Highway, P.O. Box 400, Camden, DE 19934-9998, 
(302) 697-4300/TDD (302) 697-4303.

Florida/Virgin Islands

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    P.O. Box 147010, 4440 NW. 25th Place, Gainesville, FL 32606, (352) 
338-3402/TDD (352) 338-3499.

Georgia

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    Stephens Federal Building, 355 E. Hancock Avenue, Athens, GA 30601-
2768, (706) 546-2162/TDD (706) 546-2034.

Hawaii

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    Federal Building, Room 311, 154 Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720, 
(808) 933-8380/TDD (808) 933-8321.

Idaho

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    9173 West Barnes Dr., Suite A1, Boise, ID 83709, (208) 378-5600/TDD 
(208) 378-5644.

Illinois

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    2118 West Park Court, Suite A, Champaign, IL 61821, (217) 403-6202/
TDD (217) 403-6240.

Indiana

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    5975 Lakeside Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46278-1996, (317) 290-
3100/TDD (317) 290-3340.

Iowa

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    Federal Building, Room 873, 210 Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 
50309-2196, (515) 284-4663/TDD (515) 284-4558.

Kansas

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    Suite 100, 1303 SW First American Place, Topeka, KS 66604, (785) 
271-2700/TDD (785) 271-2767.

Kentucky

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200, Lexington, KY 40503-5477, (859) 
224-7300/TDD (859) 224-7422.

Louisiana

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    3727 Government Street, Alexandria, LA 71302, (318) 473-7921/TDD 
(318) 473-7655.

Maine

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    P. O. Box 405, 967 Illinois Avenue, Suite 4, Bangor, ME 04402-0405, 
(207) 990-9160/TTD (207) 942-7331.

Massachusetts/Rhode Island/Connecticut

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    451 West Street, Suite 2, Amherst, MA 01002-2999, (413) 253-4300/
TDD (413) 253-4318.

Michigan

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 200, East Lansing, MI 48823, (517) 324-
5190/TDD (517) 337-6795.

Minnesota

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    410 Farm Credit Service Building, 375 Jackson Street, St. Paul, MN 
55101-1853, (651) 602-7800/TDD (651) 602-3799.

Mississippi

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    Federal Building, Suite 831, 100 West Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 
39269, (601) 965-4318/TDD (601) 965-5850.

Missouri

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    601 Business Loop 70 West, Parkade Center, Suite 235, Columbia, MO 
65203, (573) 876-0976/TDD (573) 876-9480.

Montana

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    P. O. Box 850, 900 Technology Blvd., Unit 1, Suite B, Bozeman, MT 
59771, (406) 585-2580/TDD (406) 585-2562.

Nebraska

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    Federal Building, Room 152, 100 Centennial Mall North, Lincoln, NE 
68508, (402) 437-5551/TDD (402) 437-5093.

Nevada

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    1390 South Curry Street, Carson City, NV 89703-9910, (775) 887-
1222/TDD (775) 885-0633.

New Jersey

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    5th Floor North, Suite 500, 8000 Midlantic Drive, Mt. Laurel, NJ 
08054, (856) 787-7700.

New Mexico

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    6200 Jefferson Street, NE., Room 255, Albuquerque, NM 87109, (505) 
761-4950/TDD (505) 761-4938.

New York

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    The Galleries of Syracuse, 441 South Salina Street, Suite 357, 
Syracuse, NY 13202-2541, (315) 477-6435/TDD (315) 477-6447.

North Carolina

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    4405 Bland Road, Suite 260, Raleigh, NC 27609, (919) 873-2000/TDD 
(919) 873-2003.

North Dakota

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    P. O. Box 1737, Federal Building, Room 208, 220 East Rosser Avenue, 
Bismarck, ND 58502-1737, (701) 530-2037/TDD (701) 530-2113.

Ohio

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    Federal Building, Room 507, 200 North High Street, Columbus, OH 
43215-2418, (614) 255-2500/TDD (614) 255-2554.

Oklahoma

USDA Rural Development State Office, 100 USDA, Suite 108, Stillwater, 
OK 74074-2654, (405) 742-1000/TDD (405) 742-1007.

Oregon

USDA Rural Development State Office,

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    101 SW Main Street, Suite 1410, Portland, OR 97204-3222, (503) 414-
3300/TDD (503) 414-3387.

Pennsylvania

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    One Credit Union Place, Suite 330, Harrisburg, PA 17110-2996, (717) 
237-2299/TDD (717) 237-2261.

Puerto Rico

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    654 Munoz Rivera Avenue, IBM Building, Suite 601, San Juan, Puerto 
Rico 00918-6106, (787) 766-5095/TDD (787) 766-5332.

South Carolina

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    Strom Thurmond Federal Building, 1835 Assembly Street, Room 1007, 
Columbia, SC 29201, (803) 765-5163/TDD (803) 765-5697.

South Dakota

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    Federal Building, Room 210, 200 4th Street, SW., Huron, SD 57350, 
(605) 352-1100/TDD (605) 352-1147.

Tennessee

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    3322 West End Avenue, Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37203-1084, (615) 
783-1300.

Texas

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    Federal Building, Suite 102, 101 South Main Street, Temple, TX 
76501, (254) 742-9700/TDD (254) 742-9712.

Utah

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, 125 South State Street, Room 
4311, Salt Lake City, UT 84138, (801) 524-4320/TDD (801) 524-3309.

Vermont/New Hampshire

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    City Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main Street, Montpelier, VT 05602, (802) 
828-6010/TDD (802) 223-6365.

Virginia

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    Culpeper Building, Suite 238, 1606 Santa Rosa Road, Richmond, VA 
23229-5014, (804) 287-1552/TDD (804) 287-1753.

Washington

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    1835 Black Lake Boulevard, SW., Suite B, Olympia, WA 98512-5715, 
(360) 704-7715.

West Virginia

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    Federal Building, 75 High Street, Room 320, Morgantown, WV 26505-
7500, (304) 284-4860/TDD (304) 284-4836.

Wisconsin

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    4949 Kirschling Court, Stevens Point, WI 54481, (715) 345-7615/TDD 
(715) 345-7614.

Wyoming

USDA Rural Development State Office,
    Federal Building, Room 1005, 100 East B Street, Casper, WY 82601, 
(307) 233-6700/TDD (307) 233-6733.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The passenger transportation portion of the 
RBEG program is authorized by section 310B(c)(2) of the Consolidated 
Farm and Rural Development Act (CONACT) (7 U.S.C. 1932(c)(2)). The RBEG 
program is administered on behalf of RBS at the State level by the 
Rural Development State Offices. The primary objective of the program 
is to improve the economic conditions of rural areas. Assistance 
provided to rural areas under this program may include on-site 
technical assistance to local and regional governments, public transit 
agencies, and related nonprofit and for-profit organizations in rural 
areas; the development of training materials; and the provision of 
necessary training assistance to local officials and agencies in rural 
areas.
    Awards under the RBEG passenger transportation program are made on 
a competitive basis using specific selection criteria contained in 7 
CFR part 1942, subpart G, and in accordance with section 310B(c)(2) of 
the CONACT. That subpart also contains the information required to be 
in the application package. For the $248,000 grant, at least 75 percent 
of the benefits of the project must be received by members of federally 
recognized tribes. The project that scores the greatest number of 
points based on the selection criteria and Administrator's points will 
be selected for each grant. Preapplications will be tentatively scored 
by the State Offices and submitted to the National Office for review, 
final scoring, and selection.
    To be considered ``national,'' a qualified organization is required 
to provide evidence that it operates in multi-State areas. There is not 
a requirement to use the grant funds in a multi-State area. Under this 
notice, grants will be made to qualified, private, non-profit 
organizations for the provision of technical assistance and training to 
rural communities for the purpose of improving passenger transportation 
services or facilities. Public bodies are not eligible for passenger 
transportation RBEG grants.
    The information collection requirements contained within this 
Notice have received approval by the Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) under OMB Control Number 0570-0022 (7 CFR part 1942, subpart G).
    Fiscal Year 2005 Preapplications Submission: Each application 
received in a Rural Development State Office will be reviewed to 
determine if this application is consistent with the eligible purposes 
contained in section 310B(c)(2) of the CONACT. Each selection priority 
criterion outlined in 7 CFR part 1942, subpart G, section 
1942.305(b)(3), must be addressed in the application. Failure to 
address any of the criteria will result in a zero-point score for that 
criterion and impact the overall evaluation of the application. Copies 
of 7 CFR part 1942, subpart G, will be provided to any interested 
applicant making a request to a Rural Development State Office listed 
in this notice. All projects to receive technical assistance through 
these passenger transportation grant funds are to be identified when 
the preapplications are submitted to the Rural Development State 
Office. Multiple project preapplications must identify each individual 
project, indicate the amount of funding requested for each individual 
project, and address the criteria as stated above for each individual 
project. For multiple-project preapplications, the average of the 
individual project scores will be the score for that application.
    All eligible preapplications, along with tentative scoring sheets 
and the Rural Development State Director's recommendation, will be 
referred to the National Office no later than June 17, 2005, for final 
scoring and selection for an award.
    The National Office will score preapplications based on the grant 
selection criteria and weights contained in 7 CFR part 1942, subpart G 
and will select a grantee subject to the grantee's satisfactory 
submission of a formal application and related materials in the manner 
and timeframe established by RBS in accordance with 7 CFR part 1942, 
subpart G. It is anticipated that the grantees will be selected by July 
29, 2005. All applicants will be notified by RBS of the Agency's 
decision on the awards.
    Nondiscrimination Statement: ``The U.S. Department of Agriculture 
(USDA) (Departmental Regulation 4300-3), prohibits discrimination in 
all its programs and activities on the basis of

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race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political 
beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status in employment 
or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. 
(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with 
disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program 
information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact 
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
    To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, 
Office of Civil Rights, STOP 9410, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-
5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and 
employer.''

    Dated: February 23, 2005.
Peter J. Thomas,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 05-5126 Filed 3-15-05; 8:45 am]
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