[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 103 (Wednesday, May 30, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29949-29955]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-10301]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service


Announcement of the Grants to Assist Small, Minority Producer 
Program Application Deadlines

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of solicitation of applications.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service announces the 
availability of approximately $1.1 million competitive grant funds for 
fiscal year (FY) 2007 for cooperatives and association of cooperatives 
to assist small, minority agricultural producers. USDA Rural 
Development Cooperative Programs hereby requests proposals from 
eligible cooperatives and associations of cooperatives interested in a 
competitively awarded grant. The cooperatives and associations of 
cooperatives will use the grant money to fund technical assistance to 
small, minority agricultural producers in rural areas. The maximum 
award per grant is $175,000.

DATES: Applications for grants must be submitted on paper or 
electronically according to the following deadlines:
    Paper copies must be postmarked and mailed, shipped, or sent 
overnight no later than July 30, 2007, to be eligible for FY 2007 grant 
funding. Late applications are not eligible for FY 2007 grant funding.
    Electronic copies must be received by July 30, 2007, to be eligible 
for FY 2007 grant funding. Late applications are not eligible for FY 
2007 grant funding.

ADDRESSES: Application materials for the Small, Minority Producers 
Grant Program (SMPG) may be obtained at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/smpg/smpg.htm or by contacting the applicant's USDA Rural 
Development State Office at (202) 720-4323 and pressing ``1''.
    Submit electronic grant applications at http://www.grants.gov, 
following the instructions found on this Web site. Submit completed 
paper applications for a grant to the applicant's State Office as 
follows:
    A list of Rural Development State Offices follows:

Alabama
    USDA Rural Development State Office, Sterling Center, Suite 601, 
4121 Carmichael Road, Montgomery, AL 36106-3683, (334) 279-3400.
Alaska
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 800 West Evergreen, Suite 201, 
Palmer, AK 99645-6539, (907) 761-7705.
Arizona
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 230 North First Avenue, Suite 
206, Phoenix, AZ 85003-1706, (602) 280-8701.
Arkansas
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 700 West Capitol Avenue, Room 
3416, Little Rock, AR 72201-3225, (501) 301-3200.
California
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 430 G Street, 4169, 
Davis, CA 95616-4169, (530) 792-5800.
Colorado
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 655 Parfet Street, Room E-100, 
Lakewood, CO 80215, (720) 544-2915.
Delaware-Maryland
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 1221 College Park Drive, Suite 
200, Dover, DE 19904, (302) 857-3580.
Florida/Virgin Islands
    USDA Rural Development State Office, P. O. Box 147010, 4440 NW. 
25th Place, Gainesville, FL 32614-7010, (352) 338-3402.
Georgia
    USDA Rural Development State

[[Page 29950]]

Office, Stephens Federal Building 355 E. Hancock Avenue, Athens, GA 
30601-2768, (706) 546-2162.
Hawaii
    USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 311, 
154 Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720, (808) 933-8380.
Idaho
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 9173 West Barnes Dr., Suite 
A1, Boise, ID 83709, (208) 378-5600.
Illinois
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 2118 West Park Court, Suite A, 
Champaign, IL 61821, (217) 403-6200.
Indiana
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 5975 Lakeside Boulevard, 
Indianapolis, IN 46278, (317) 290-3100.
Iowa
    USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 873, 
210 Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50309, (515) 284-4663.
Kansas
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 1303 SW First American Place, 
Suite 100, Topeka, KS 66604, (785) 271-2700.
Kentucky
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 771 Corporate Drive, Suite 
200, Lexington, KY 40503, (859) 224-7300.
Louisiana
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 3727 Government Street, 
Alexandria, LA 71302, (318) 473-7920.
Maine
    USDA Rural Development State Office, P.O. Box 405, 967 Illinois 
Avenue, Suite 4, Bangor, ME 04402-0405 (207) 990-9160.
Massachusetts/Rhode Island/Connecticut
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 451 West Street, Amherst, MA 
01002 (413) 253-4300.
Michigan
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 200, 
East Lansing, MI 48823, (517) 324-5188.
Minnesota
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 410 AgriBank Building, 375 
Jackson Street St, Paul, MN 55101, (651) 602-7800.
Mississippi
    USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Suite 831, 
100 West Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39269, (601) 965-4316.
Missouri
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 601 Business Loop 70 West, 
Parkade Center, Suite 235, Columbia, MO 65203, (573) 876-0976.
Montana
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 900 Technology Blvd., Unit 1, 
Suite B, Bozeman, MT 59718, (406) 585-2580.
Nebraska
    USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 152, 
100 Centennial Mall North Lincoln, NE 68508, (402) 437-5551.
Nevada
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 1390 South Curry Street, 
Carson City, NV 89703-5146, (775) 887-1222.
New Jersey
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 5th Floor North, 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.
New York
    USDA Rural Development State Office, The Galleries of Syracuse, 441 
South Salina Street, Syracuse, NY 13202, (315) 477-6400.
North Carolina
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 4405 Bland Road, Suite 260, 
Raleigh, NC 27609, (919) 873-2000.
North Dakota
    USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 208, 
P.O. Box 1737, 220 East Rosser, Bismarck, ND 58502-1737 (701) 530-2037.
Ohio
    USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 507, 
200 North High Street, Columbus, OH 43215-2477, (614) 255-2500, Ext. 4.
Oklahoma
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 100 USDA, Suite 108, 
Stillwater, OK 74074-2654, (405) 742-1000.
Oregon
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 1201 Northeast Lloyd 
Boulevard, Suite 801, Portland, OR 97232, (503) 414-3300.
Pennsylvania
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 1 Credit Union Place, Suite 
330, Harrisburg, PA 17110-2996, (717) 237-2262.
Puerto Rico
    USDA Rural Development State Office, IBM Building, Suite 601, 654 
Munoz Rivera Avenue, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936-6106, (787) 766-5095.
South Carolina
    USDA Rural Development State Office, Strom Thurmond Federal 
Building, 1835 Assembly Street, Room 1007, Columbia, SC 29201, (803) 
765-5163.
South Dakota
    USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 210, 
200 4th Street, SW., Huron, SD 57350, (605) 352-1100.
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.
Utah
    USDA Rural Development State Office, Wallace F. Bennett Federal 
Building, 125 South State Street, Room 4311, Salt Lake City, UT 84138 
(801) 524-4324.
Vermont/New Hampshire
    USDA Rural Development State Office, City Center, 3rd Floor, 89 
Main Street, Montpelier, VT 05602 (802) 828-6080.
Virginia
    USDA Rural Development State Office, Culpeper Building, Suite 238, 
1606 Santa Rosa Road, Richmond, VA 23229 (804) 287-1552.
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, 75 High Street, Suite 320, 
Morgantown, WV 26505 (304) 284-4860.
Wisconsin
    USDA Rural Development State Office, 4949 Kirschling Court, Stevens 
Point, WI 54481 (715) 345-7600.
Wyoming
    USDA Rural Development State Office, Dick Cheney Federal Building, 
P.O. Box 11005, 100 East B Street, Room 1005, Casper, WY 82602-5006 
(307) 233-6700.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Visit the program Web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/smpg/smpg.htm for application assistance 
or contact the USDA Rural Development State Office. Applicants are 
encouraged

[[Page 29951]]

to contact their State Offices well in advance of the deadline to 
discuss their projects and ask any questions about the application 
process.

Overview

    Federal Agency: Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS).
    Funding Opportunity Title: Small, Minority Producer Grant.
    Announcement Type: Initial announcement.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.771
    Dates: Application Deadline: Completed applications for grants may 
be submitted on paper or electronically according to the following 
deadlines:
    Paper copies must be postmarked and mailed, shipped, or sent 
overnight no later than July 30, 2007, to be eligible for FY 2007 grant 
funding. Late applications are not eligible for FY 2007 grant funding.
    Complete electronic copies must be received by July 30, 2007, to be 
eligible for FY 2007 grant funding. Late applications are not eligible 
for FY 2007 grant funding.

Programs Affected

    This will not affect other programs in USDA Rural Development.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    This solicitation is issued pursuant to the Revised Continuing 
Resolution, 2007, Public Law 110-5 dated February 15, 2007 which 
authorizes not to exceed $1,473,000 for cooperatives or associations of 
cooperatives whose primary focus is to provide assistance to small, 
minority agricultural producers and whose governing board and/or 
membership is comprised of at least 75 percent minority members. The 
Secretary of Agriculture has delegated the program's administration to 
USDA Rural Development Cooperative Programs.
    The primary objective of this grant program is to assist small, 
minority agricultural producers through cooperatives and associations 
of cooperatives. USDA Rural Development Cooperative Programs will 
competitively award grants to fund cooperatives and/or associations of 
cooperatives to provide technical assistance to small, minority 
agricultural producers in rural areas. The maximum award amount per 
grant is $175,000.

Definitions

    Agency--Rural Business-Cooperative Service, an agency of the United 
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development or a 
successor agency.
    Agricultural Commodity--An unprocessed product of farms, ranches, 
nurseries, and forests. Agricultural commodities include: livestock, 
poultry, and fish; fruits and vegetables; grains, such as wheat, 
barley, oats, rye, triticale, rice, corn, and sorghum; legumes, such as 
field beans and peas; animal feed and forage crops; seed crops; fiber 
crops, such as cotton; oil crops, such as safflower, sunflower, corn, 
and cottonseed; trees grown for lumber and wood products; nursery stock 
grown commercially; Christmas trees; ornamentals and cut flowers; and 
turf grown commercially for sod. Agricultural commodities do not 
include horses or animals raised as pets, such as cats, dogs, and 
ferrets.
    Cooperative Programs--The office within USDA Rural Development, and 
its successor organization, that administers programs authorized by the 
Cooperative Marketing Act of 1926 (7 U.S.C. 451 et seq.) and such other 
programs identified in USDA regulations.
    Economic Development--The economic growth of an area as evidenced 
by increase in total income, employment opportunities, decreased out-
migration of population, value of production, increased diversification 
of industry, higher labor force participation rates, increased duration 
of employment, higher wage levels, or gains in other measurements of 
economic activity, such as land values.
    Feasibility Study--An analysis of the economic, market, technical, 
financial, and management feasibility of a proposed project.
    Minority--Individuals who have been subjected to racial, ethnic, 
gender prejudice or cultural bias within American society because of 
their identities as members of groups and without regard to their 
individual qualities. Minority groups are Women, African Americans not 
of Hispanic Origin, American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asian 
and Pacific Islanders.
    Minority Association of Cooperatives--An association of 
cooperatives whose primary focus is to provide assistance to small, 
minority agricultural producers and where the governing board and/or 
membership is comprised of at least 75 percent minority.
    Minority Cooperative--A farmer- or rancher-owned and -controlled 
business, organized and chartered as a cooperative, from which benefits 
are derived and distributed equitably on the basis of use by each of 
the farmer or rancher owners whose primary focus is to provide 
assistance to small, minority agricultural producers and where the 
governing board and/or membership is comprised of at least 75 percent 
minority.
    Operating Cost--The day-to-day expenses of running a business; for 
example: utilities, rent, salaries, depreciation, product production 
costs, marketing and advertising, and other basic overhead items.
    Project--Includes all activities to be funded by the Small Minority 
Agricultural Producer Grant and any matching funds.
    Small, Minority Agricultural Producer--Minority persons or 100 
percent minority-owned entities, including farmers, ranchers, loggers, 
agricultural harvesters, and fishermen, with gross annual sales of not 
more than $250,000 that engage in the production or harvesting of an 
agricultural commodity.
    Rural and Rural Area--Includes all the territory of a State that is 
not within the outer boundary of any city or town having a population 
of 50,000 or more and the urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to 
such city or town, as defined by the U.S. Bureau of the Census using 
the latest decennial census of the United States.
    Rural Development--A mission area within USDA consisting of the 
Office of Under Secretary for Rural Development, Rural Development 
Business and Cooperative Programs, Rural Development Housing Programs, 
and Rural Development Utilities Programs and their successors.
    State--Includes each of the several States, the Commonwealth of 
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, Guam, American 
Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and, as may be 
determined by the Secretary to be feasible, appropriate and lawful, the 
Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands 
and the Republic of Palau.
    Technical Assistance--An advisory service performed for the benefit 
of a small, minority agricultural producer such as market research; 
product and/or service improvement; legal advice and assistance; 
feasibility study, business plan, and marketing plan development; and 
training. Technical assistance does not include the operating costs of 
a cooperative being assisted.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Grant
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2007
    Approximate Total Funding: $1.1 million
    Approximate Number of Awards: 6

[[Page 29952]]

    Approximate Average Award: $175,000
    Floor of Award Range: None
    Ceiling of Award Range: $175,000
    Anticipated Award Date: September 14, 2007
    Budget Period Length: 12 months
    Project Period Length: 12 months

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

    Applicants must be a minority cooperative or a minority association 
of cooperatives.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

    No matching funds are required.

C. Other Eligibility Requirements

    Use of Funds: The funds may only be used for technical assistance 
projects.
    Project Area Eligibility: The Project proposed must take place in a 
rural area.
    Grant Period Eligibility: If awarded, funds must be expended in 1 
year. Applications must have a time frame of no more than 365 days with 
the time period beginning no earlier than October 1, 2007 and ending no 
later than December 31, 2008. Projects must be completed within the 1-
year time frame. The Agency will not approve requests to extend the 
grant period. Applications that request funds for a time period ending 
after December 31, 2008, will not be considered for funding.
    Completeness Eligibility: Applications lacking sufficient 
information to determine eligibility and scoring will be considered 
ineligible. Applications that are non-responsive to this notice will be 
considered ineligible.
    Multiple Grant Eligibility: An applicant may not submit more than 
one grant application in any one funding cycle.
    Activity Eligibility: Applications must propose technical 
assistance, as defined, to benefit their members or other small 
minority agricultural producers who are not members or they will not be 
considered for funding. Applications that have ineligible costs that 
equal more than 10 percent of the total project costs will be 
determined ineligible and will not be considered for funding. An 
application that has ineligible costs of 10 percent or less of total 
project costs and is selected for funding, must remove all ineligible 
costs from the budget and replace them with eligible activities or the 
amount of the grant award will be reduced accordingly. An applicant may 
not submit an application that duplicates current activities or 
activities to be paid for by other Federally funded grant programs.

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Address To Request Application Package

    The application package for applying on paper for this funding 
opportunity can be obtained at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/smpg/smpg.htm. Alternatively, applicants may contact their USDA Rural 
Development State Office at the above list. For electronic 
applications, applicants must visit http://www.grants.gov and follow 
the instructions.

B. Content and Form of Submission

    Applications must be submitted on paper or electronically. An 
application guide may be viewed at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/smpg/smpg.htm. It is recommended that applicants use the template 
provided on the Web site. The template can be filled out electronically 
and printed out for submission with the required forms for paper 
submission or it can be filled out electronically and submitted as an 
attachment through http://www.grants.gov.
    Applications submitted by paper form, applicants must submit one 
signed original of the completed application. The application should be 
in the following format:
    Font size: 12 point unreduced
    Paper size: 8.5 by 11 inches
    Printed on only one side of each page.
    Held together only by rubber bands or metal or plastic clips; not 
bound in any other way.
    The submission must include all pages of the application. It is 
recommended that the application be in black and white, and not color.
    If the application is submitted electronically, the applicant must 
follow the instructions given at the Internet address: http://www.grants.gov. Applicants are advised to visit the site well in 
advance of the application deadline if they plan to apply 
electronically to ensure that they have obtained the proper 
authentication and have sufficient computer resources to complete the 
application.
    Applicants must complete and submit the following elements. The 
Agency will screen all applications for eligibility and to determine 
whether the application is complete and sufficiently responsive to the 
requirements set forth in this notice to allow for an informed review. 
Information submitted as part of the application will be protected to 
the extent permitted by law.
    1. Form SF-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance.'' The form 
must be completed, signed and submitted as part of the application 
package.
    Please note that applicants are required to have a Dun and 
Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number. The DUNS 
number is a nine-digit identification number, which uniquely identifies 
business entities. There is no charge. To obtain a DUNS number, access 
http://www.dnb.com/us/ or call 866-705-5711. For more information, see 
the SMPG Web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/smpg/smpg.htm 
or by contacting the applicant's USDA Rural Development State Office. 
In addition to the DUNS number, an applicant must provide a legal 
Employment Identification Number.
    2. Form SF-424A, ``Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs.'' 
This form must be completed and submitted as part of the application 
package.
    3. Form SF-424B, ``Assurances--Non-Construction Programs.'' This 
form must be completed, signed, and submitted as part of the 
application package.
    4. Table of Contents. For ease of locating information, each 
application must contain a detailed Table of Contents (TOC) immediately 
following the SF-424B. The TOC must include page numbers for each 
component of the application. Pagination should begin immediately 
following the TOC.
    5. Eligibility Discussion: A detailed discussion, not to exceed 
four pages, must describe how the applicant meets the following 
requirements.
    (i) Applicant Eligibility: If the applicant is a cooperative, the 
application must reference the business's good standing as a 
cooperative in its state of incorporation. If the applicant is an 
association of cooperatives, the application must reference the 
association's good standing as a legal business structure in its state 
of incorporation. If the applicant is selected for a grant, they must 
provide their Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws along with the 
State's Certificate of Good Standing to verify they are incorporated as 
a cooperative or an association of cooperatives in the State they have 
applied. The applicant must describe how it meets the definition of a 
``minority cooperative'' or ``minority association of cooperatives'' as 
defined in the Definitions section of this Notice. The applicant must 
apply as only one type of applicant.
    (ii) Use of Funds: The applicant must provide a detailed discussion 
on how the proposed project activities meet the definition of technical 
assistance.

[[Page 29953]]

    (iii) Project Area: The applicant must provide information on where 
the projects are planned to be located and that the areas meet the 
``rural area'' definition.
    (iv) Grant Period: The applicant must provide a time frame for the 
proposed project and discuss how the project will be completed within 
that time frame.
    6. Budget/Work Plan: The applicant must describe, in detail not to 
exceed four pages, the purpose of the grant, what type of assistance 
will be provided, and the total amount of funds needed to assist for 
each project. The budget must also present a breakdown of estimated 
costs associated with each task/activity for each project. The amount 
of grant funds requested will be adjusted if the applicant does not 
have justification for all costs.
    7. Evaluation Criteria: Each of the evaluation criteria referenced 
in this notice must be addressed, specifically and individually on 
separate pages, in narrative form, not to exceed a total of one page 
for each evaluation criteria. Failure to address the evaluation 
criteria by the application deadline will result in the application 
being determined ineligible.

C. Submission Dates and Times

    Application Deadline Date: July 30, 2007.
    Explanation of Deadlines: Paper applications must be postmarked and 
mailed, shipped, or sent overnight by the deadline date (see Section 
IV.F. for the address). Electronic applications must be received by 
http://www.grants.gov by the deadline date. Courier applications must 
be delivered by the deadline date. If the Applicant's application does 
not meet the deadline, it will not be considered for funding. 
Applicants will be notified if their application did not meet the 
submission deadline. Applicants will also be notified by mail or by e-
mail if their application is received on time.

D. Intergovernmental Review of Applications

    Executive Order (EO) 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs, applies to this program. This EO requires that Federal 
agencies provide opportunities for consultation on proposed assistance 
with State and local governments. Many states have established a Single 
Point of Contact (SPOC) to facilitate this consultation. A list of 
States that maintain an SPOC may be obtained at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/spoc.html. If your State has an SPOC, you 
may submit your application directly for review. Any comments obtained 
through the SPOC must be provided to Rural Development for 
consideration as part of your application. If your State has not 
established an SPOC or you do not want to submit your application, 
Rural Development will submit your application to the SPOC or other 
appropriate agency or agencies.
    You are also encouraged to contact Cooperative Programs at 202-720-
7558 or [email protected] if you have questions about this process.

E. Funding Restrictions

    Grant funds must be used for technical assistance. No funds made 
available under this solicitation shall be used to:
    1. Plan, repair, rehabilitate, acquire, or construct a building or 
facility, including a processing facility;
    2. Purchase, rent, or install fixed equipment, including processing 
equipment;
    3. Purchase vehicles, including boats;
    4. Pay for the preparation of the grant application;
    5. Pay expenses not directly related to the funded project;
    6. Fund political or lobbying activities;
    7. Fund any activities prohibited by 7 CFR parts 3015 and 3019;
    8. Fund architectural or engineering design work for a specific 
physical facility;
    9. Fund any direct expenses for the production of any commodity or 
product to which value will be added, including seed, rootstock, labor 
for harvesting the crop, and delivery of the commodity to a processing 
facility;
    10. Fund research and development;
    11. Purchase land;
    12. Duplicate current services or replace or substitute support 
previously provided;
    13. Pay costs of the project incurred prior to the date of grant 
approval;
    14. Pay for assistance to any private business enterprise which 
does not have at least 51 percent ownership by those who are either 
citizens of the United States or reside in the United States after 
being legally admitted for permanent residence;
    15. Pay any judgment or debt owed to the United States;
    16. Pay the operating costs of cooperative and/or association of 
cooperatives; or
    17. Pay expenses for applicant employee training.

F. Other Submission Requirements

    Applicants may submit their paper application for a grant to their 
Rural Development State Office listed under the Addresses section. 
Applicants may submit their application electronically at http://www.grants.gov. Applications may not be submitted by electronic mail, 
facsimile, or hand-delivery. Each application submission must contain 
all required documents in one envelope, if sent by mail or express 
delivery service.

V. Application Scoring Criteria Review Information

A. Criteria:

    All eligible and complete applications will be evaluated based upon 
the following criteria. Failure to address any one of the following 
criteria by the application deadline will result in the application 
being determined ineligible and the application will not be considered 
for funding. The total points possible for the criteria are 60 and the 
maximum number of points for each of the following sections is 15. Any 
application receiving less than 40 total points will not be funded.
    1. Rural Area: Projects must be in rural areas. Points will be 
awarded based upon the rural area where the proposed project is 
located. The Agency will determine if the area meets the rural area 
definition by using the following Web site: http://maps.ers.usda.gov/loanlookup/viewer.htm.
    (i) If the proposed project is located in a city or town with a 
population of at least 15,000 and no more than 25,000 people, 5 points 
will be awarded;
    (ii) If the proposed project is located in a city or town with a 
population of at least 5,000 and less than 15,000 people, 10 points 
will be awarded; or
    (iii) If the proposed project is located in a city or town with a 
population of less than 5,000 people, 15 points will be awarded.
    (iv) If the proposed project is located in an unincorporated area, 
15 points will be awarded.
    If the applicant proposes to provide assistance in multiple areas 
or cities, the applicant must list the areas or cities where the 
assistance will be provided, the population for each and the amount of 
assistance of each area. Points will be calculated by using the above 
point scale for each, with the points awarded using a weighted average 
of the points for the areas served. The information needed for this 
criterion may be obtained using the population finder tool at http://www.census.gov/.
    2. Per capita personal income: Points will be awarded 
proportionally based upon a comparison of the per capita personal 
income of the county in which a proposed project is located to the 
state per capital personal income:

[[Page 29954]]

    (i) If the per capita personal income level in the county where the 
proposed project will be located is less than 80 percent of the state 
per capita personal income level, 15 points will be awarded;
    (ii) If the per capita personal income level in the county where 
the proposed project will be located is at least 80 percent and less 
than 90 percent of the state per capita personal income level, 10 
points will be awarded;
    (iii) If the per capita personal income level in the county where 
the proposed project will be located is at least 90 percent and less 
than 100 percent of the state per capita personal income level, 5 
points will be awarded; or
    (iv) If the per capita personal income level in the county where 
the proposed project will be located is equal to or exceeds the state 
per capita personal income, no points will be awarded.
    If the applicant proposes to provide assistance in multiple rural 
counties, the applicant must list the counties where the assistance 
will be provided; the percentage of assistance intended to be spent in 
each county, and the per capita personal income level for each county. 
Points will be calculated by using the above point score for each 
county's per capital personal income level, with the total points 
awarded in proportion to where the assistance is directed. (For 
example, if 50% of the grant money will be spent in a county where the 
per capita income is below 80 percent, and 50% will be spent in a 
county where the per capita income is between 90 and 100 percent, 
points will be calculated as follows: [(.5)*(15) + (.5)*(5) = 10 
points]. The information needed for this criterion may be obtained at 
http://www.bea.gov.
    3. Experience. Points will be awarded based upon the relevant 
experience of the staff or the consultants hired to provide the 
proposed technical assistance.
    (i) If the staff or consultants have no experience in providing 
technical assistance, 0 points will be awarded;
    (ii) If each of the staff or consultants has 3 years of experience 
in providing technical assistance, 5 points will be awarded;
    (iii) If each of the staff or consultants have at least 3 years of 
experience in providing the same type of technical assistance as 
proposed in the project, 10 points will be awarded; or
    (iv) If each of the staff or consultants has at least 3 years of 
experience in providing the same type of technical assistance as 
proposed in the project to small, minority agricultural producers, 15 
points will be awarded.
    Applicants must describe the specific type of technical assistance 
that each staff member or consultant has experience in providing. 
Resumes of each individual staff member or consultant must be included 
as an attachment listing their experience for the type of technical 
assistance, along with a list of small, minority agricultural producers 
they've assisted. The attachments will not count toward the maximum 
page total. The Agency will compare the described assistance and the 
resumes to the work plan to determine point total.
    4. Number of small, minority agricultural producers assisted. 
Points will be awarded based upon the number of agricultural, minority 
producers being assisted.
    (i) If the proposed project will benefit 1-10 producers, 5 points 
will be awarded;
    (ii) If the proposed project will benefit 11-50 producers, 10 
points will be awarded; or
    (iii) If the proposed project will benefit more than 50 producers, 
15 points will be awarded.
    Applicants must list the number of small, minority agricultural 
producers that will directly benefit from the assistance provided.

B. Review and Selection Process

    The Agency will screen all proposals to determine whether the 
application is eligible and sufficiently responsive to the requirements 
set forth in this notice to allow for an informed review. Applications 
will be tentatively scored by the State Offices and submitted to the 
National Office for review and selection. The National Office will 
review the scores based upon the point allocation specified in this 
notice. The applications will be funded in scoring rank order and will 
be submitted to the Administrator in rank order, together with funding 
level recommendations.

C. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

    Award Date: The announcement of award selections is expected to 
occur on or about September 14, 2007.

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

    Successful applicants will receive a notification of tentative 
selection for funding from Rural Development. Applicants must comply 
with all applicable statutes, regulations, and this notice before the 
grant award will receive final approval.
    Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification, including 
mediation procedures and appeal rights, by mail.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    7 CFR parts 3015, 3019, and subparts A and F of part 4284 are 
applicable to grants made under this notice. These regulations may be 
obtained at http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/page1.
    The following additional requirements apply to grantees selected 
for this program:
     Agency approved Grant Agreement.
     Letter of Conditions.
     Form RD 1940-1, ``Request for Obligation of Funds.''
     Form RD 1942-46, ``Letter of Intent to Meet Conditions.''
     Form AD-1047, ``Certification Regarding Debarment, 
Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters-Primary Covered 
Transactions.''
     Form AD-1048, ``Certification Regarding Debarment, 
Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion-Lower Tier Covered 
Transactions.''
     Form AD-1049, ``Certification Regarding a Drug-Free 
Workplace Requirements (Grants).''
     Form RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement.''
     Form 2006-38, ``Civil Rights Impact Analysis.'' Prior to 
approval of all grants, a Civil Rights Impact Analysis will be 
conducted.
    Additional information on these requirements can be found at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/smpg/smpg.htm.
    Fund Disbursement: The Agency will determine, based on 7 CFR 3015, 
3016 and 3019, as applicable, whether disbursement of a grant will be 
by advance or reimbursement. As needed, but not more frequently than 
once every 30 days, an original of SF-270, ``Request for Advance or 
Reimbursement,'' may be submitted to Rural Development. Recipient's 
request for advance shall not be made in excess of reasonable outlays 
for the month covered.
    Reporting Requirements: Grantees must provide Rural Development 
with an original or an electronic copy that includes all required 
signatures of the following reports. The reports should be submitted to 
the Agency contact listed on the Grant Agreement and Letter of 
Conditions. Failure to submit satisfactory reports on time may result 
in suspension or termination of the grant. Grantees will need to 
submit:
    1. Form SF-269 or SF-269A. A ``Financial Status Report,'' listing 
expenditures according to agreed upon budget categories, on a 
semiannual basis. Reporting periods end each March 31 and September 30. 
Reports are due 30 days after the reporting period ends.
    2. Semiannual performance reports that compare accomplishments to 
the

[[Page 29955]]

objectives stated in the proposal. Identify all tasks completed to date 
and provide documentation supporting the reported results. If the 
original schedule provided in the work plan is not being met, the 
report should discuss the problems or delays that may affect completion 
of the Project. Objectives for the next reporting period should be 
listed. Compliance with any special condition on the use of award funds 
must be discussed. Reports are due as provided in paragraph (1) of this 
section. Supporting documentation must also be submitted for completed 
tasks. The supporting documentation for completed tasks include, but 
are not limited to, feasibility studies, marketing plans, business 
plans, articles of incorporation, and bylaws as they relate to the 
assistance provided.
    3. Final project performance reports that compare accomplishments 
to the objectives stated in the proposal. Identify all tasks completed 
and provide documentation supporting the reported results. If the 
original schedule provided in the work plan was not met, the report 
must discuss the problems or delays that affected completion of the 
project. Compliance with any special condition on the use of award 
funds must be discussed. Supporting documentation for completed tasks 
must also be submitted. The supporting documentation for completed 
tasks includes, but is not limited to, feasibility studies, marketing 
plans, business plans, articles of incorporation, and bylaws as they 
relate to the assistance provided. The final performance report is due 
within 90 days of the completion of the project. The report must also 
include a summary at the end of the report with the number of small 
minority agricultural producers assisted to assist in documenting the 
annual performance goals of the SMPG program for Congress.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For general questions about this announcement and for program 
technical assistance, please contact the appropriate State Office as 
indicated in the Addresses section of this notice.

VIII. Non-Discrimination 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, martial 
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 
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 and employer.

    Dated: May 22, 2007.
Jackie J. Gleason,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
 [FR Doc. E7-10301 Filed 5-29-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P