[Federal Register Volume 71, Number 223 (Monday, November 20, 2006)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67093-67095]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E6-19499]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service


Inviting Rural Business Enterprise Grant Program Applications for 
Feasibility Studies or Feasibility and Marketing Studies

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 
grants up to $50,000 per application from the Rural Business Enterprise 
Grant (RBEG) Program for fiscal year (FY) 2007 for feasibility studies 
or feasibility and marketing studies, to be competitively awarded. The 
amount available for these competitive grants is $250,000. Funding 
under this announcement is targeted to the Rural Economic Area 
Partnerships (REAP) Zones. A list of current REAP Zones is available at 
http://www.ezec.gov/communit/reap.html. This notice is being issued 
prior to passage of a final appropriations bill to allow applicants 
sufficient time to leverage financing, submit applications, and give 
the Agency time to process applications.

DATES: The deadline for receipt of applications in the Rural 
Development State Office is December 8, 2006. Applications received at 
a Rural Development State Office after that date will not be considered 
for FY 2007 funding.

ADDRESSES: For further information, entities located in REAP Zones 
wishing to apply for assistance should contact a Rural Development 
State Office to receive further information and copies of the 
application package. REAP Zones are located in the states of New York, 
North Dakota, and Vermont. Contact information for the Rural 
Development State Offices in those states is as follows:

New York, USDA Rural Development State Office, The Galleries of 
Syracuse, 441 South Salina Street, Suite 357, Syracuse, NY 13202-2541, 
(315) 477-6400/TDD (315) 477-6447.
North Dakota, USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, 
Room 208, 220 East Rosser, P.O. Box 1737, Bismarck, ND 58502-1737, 
(701) 530-2037/TDD (701) 530-2113.
Vermont/New Hampshire, USDA Rural Development State Office, City 
Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main Street, Montpelier, VT 05602, (802) 828-
6000/TDD (802) 223-6365.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Overview

    Federal Agency: Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS).
    Funding Opportunity Title: Rural Business Enterprise Grants.
    Announcement Type: Initial announcement.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.769.
    Dates: Application Deadline: Completed applications must be 
received in the Rural Development State Office no later than December 
8, 2006, to be eligible for FY 2007 grant funding.

[[Page 67094]]

Applications received after this date will not be eligible for FY 2007 
grant funding.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    The RBEG program is authorized by section 310B(c) of the 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (CONACT) (7 U.S.C. 
1932(c)). Regulations are contained in 7 CFR part 1942, subpart G. The 
primary objective of the program is to improve the economic conditions 
of rural areas. The program is administered on behalf of RBS at the 
State level by the Rural Development State Offices. Assistance provided 
to rural areas under this program may include feasibility studies or 
feasibility and marketing studies for business development and economic 
development planning. The maximum grant available under this NOFA is 
$50,000. Awards are made on a competitive basis using specific 
selection criteria contained in 7 CFR part 1942, subpart G. Information 
required to be in the application package include an SF-424, 
``Application for Federal Assistance,'' RD 1940-20, ``Request for 
Environmental Information,'' Scope of Work Narrative, Income Statement, 
Balance Sheet or Audit for previous three years, AD-1047, ``Debarment/
Suspension Certification,'' AD-1048, ``Certification Regarding 
Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion,'' AD-
1049, ``Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements,'' 
Restrictions on Lobbying, RD 400-1, ``Equal Opportunity Agreement,'' RD 
400-4, ``Assurance Agreement,'' Letter stating Board authorization to 
obtain assistance, Letter certifying citizenship, as referenced in 7 
CFR 1942.307(b), and Evidence of Insurance and Bonding equal to the 
amount of Federal funds with the Agency listed as the loss payee. 
Applications will be tentatively scored by the State Offices and 
submitted to the National Office for review. To ensure that only high 
quality projects are funded, States may submit only those projects to 
the National Office that score one-hundred (100) or more of the points 
available at the State level. After submission to the National Office, 
applications will be ranked based on merit. The Agency Administrator 
may then assign up to 50 discretionary points to ensure geographic 
distribution of funds. After the assignment of discretionary points, 
final selections will be made.

Definitions

    The definitions are published at 7 CFR 1942.304.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2007.
    Total Funding: $250,000.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 5.
    Average Award: $50,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: February 15, 2007.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

    Grants may be made to public bodies and private nonprofit 
corporations serving rural areas. Public bodies include States, 
counties, cities, townships, and incorporated town and villages, 
boroughs, authorities, districts, and Indian tribes on Federal and 
State reservations and other Federally recognized Indian Tribal groups 
in rural areas.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

    Matching funds are not required.

C. Other Eligibility Requirements

    Applications will only be accepted from Rural Economic Area 
Partnerships (REAP) Zones for feasibility studies or feasibility and 
marketing studies.

D. Completeness Eligibility

    Applications will not be considered for funding if they do not 
provide sufficient information to determine eligibility or missing 
required elements.

IV. Fiscal Year 2007 Application and Submission Information

A. Address To Request Application Package

    For further information, entities wishing to apply for assistance 
should contact the Rural Development State Office identified in this 
NOFA to obtain copies of the application package.

B. Content and Form of Submission

    An application must contain all of the required elements. Each 
application received in a Rural Development State Office will be 
reviewed to determine if it is consistent with the eligible purposes 
contained in section 310B(c) of the CONACT. Each selection priority 
criterion outlined in 7 CFR 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 will 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.

C. Submission Dates and Times

    Application Deadline Date: December 8, 2006.
    Explanation of Deadlines: Applications must be in the Rural 
Development State Office by the deadline date. All eligible 
applications, along with tentative scoring sheets and the Rural 
Development State Director's recommendation, will be referred to the 
National Office no later than December 29, 2006, for final scoring and 
selection for an award.

V. Application Review Information

    The National Office will score applications 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 
established by RBS in accordance with 7 CFR part 1942, subpart G.

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

    Successful applicants will receive notification for funding from 
the Rural Development State Office. Applicants must comply with all 
applicable statutes and regulations before the grant award will be 
approved. Unsuccessful applications will receive notification by mail.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    Additional requirements that apply to grantees selected for this 
program can be found in the 7 CFR part 1942, subpart G and 7 CFR 
chapter XXX.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For general questions about this announcement, please contact your 
USDA Rural Development State Office identified in this NOFA.

Nondiscrimination Statement

    ``The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits 
discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, 
color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, 
marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual 
orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or 
because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any 
public assistance program. (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

[[Page 67095]]

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, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA 
is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.''

    Dated: November 14, 2006.
Jackie J. Gleason,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
 [FR Doc. E6-19499 Filed 11-17-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P