[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 186 (Monday, September 26, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 59383-59386]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-24649]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service


Notice of Funds Availability for the Rural Microentrepreneur 
Assistance Program for Fiscal Year 2011

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Notice announces the funds available for loans and grants 
under the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP) pursuant to 
7 CFR part 4280, subpart D for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011.
    Total Funding: $13,910,351.
    Technical Assistance (TA) Only Grants: $410,500.
    Microlender TA Grants: $2,607,570.
    Loans: $10,892,281.
    The minimum loan amount a Microenterprise Development Organization 
(MDO) may borrow under this program is $50,000. The maximum loan any 
MDO may borrower in any given year is $500,000. The maximum amount of 
Technical Assistance (TA)-only grants in FY 2011 is $40,000 per grantee 
and total TA-only grants funding will not exceed 10 percent of the 
amount appropriated to the RMAP program in the fiscal year.
    The commitment of program dollars will be made to applicants of 
selected responses that have fulfilled the necessary requirements for 
obligation.

DATES: Applications for participating in this Program will be accepted 
on an on-going basis, but will be awarded each Federal fiscal quarter. 
Applications received after June 30, 2011, will be considered for an 
award of funds available in the first quarter of FY 2012.

ADDRESSES: Applications and forms may be obtained from any Rural 
Development State Office. Applicants must submit an original complete 
application to the USDA Rural Development State Office in the State 
where the applicant's project is located. A list of the USDA Rural 
Development State Offices addresses and telephone numbers are listed 
below.

    Note:  Telephone numbers listed are not toll-free.

Alabama

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

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, 230 N. 1st Ave., Suite 206, 
Phoenix, AZ 85003, (602) 280-8701/TDD (602) 280-8705.

Arkansas

USDA Rural Development State Office, 700 West Capitol Avenue, Room 
3416, Little Rock, AR 72201-3225, 7(501) 301-3200/TDD (501) 301-3279.

California

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

Colorado

USDA Rural Development State Office, 655 Parfet Street, Room E-100, 
Lakewood, CO 80215-5517, (720) 544-2903/TDD (720) 544-2981.

Delaware-Maryland

USDA Rural Development State Office, 1221 College Park Drive, Suite 
200, Dover, DE 19904, (302) 857-3580/TDD (302) 857-3585.

Florida/Virgin Islands

USDA Rural Development State Office, 4440 NW., 25th Place, P.O. Box 
147010, Gainesville, FL 32614-7010, (352) 338-3400/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) 403-6200/TDD (217) 403-6240.

Indiana

USDA Rural Development State Office, 5975 Lakeside Boulevard, 
Indianapolis, IN 46278, (317) 290-3100/TDD (317) 290-3343.

Iowa

USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 873, 210 
Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50309, (515) 284-4663/TDD (515) 284-4858.

Kansas

USDA Rural Development State Office, 1303 S.W. First American Place, 
Suite 100, Topeka, KS 66604-4040, (785) 271-2700/TDD (785) 271-2767.

Kentucky

USDA Rural Development State Office, 771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200, 
Lexington, KY 40503, (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, 967 Illinois Avenue, Suite 4, P.O. 
Box 405, Bangor, ME 04402-0405, (207) 990-9160/TDD (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) 253-4590.

Michigan

USDA Rural Development State Office, 3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 200, 
East Lansing, MI 48823, (517) 324-5190/TDD (517) 324-5169

Minnesota

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

Mississippi

USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Suite 831, 100 
W. Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39269-1608, (601) 965-4316/TDD (601) 
965-5850

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Missouri

USDA Rural Development State Office, 601 Business Loop 70 West, Parkade 
Center, Suite 235, Columbia, MO 65203-2579, (573) 876-0976/TDD (573) 
876-9480.

Montana

USDA Rural Development State Office, 900 Technology Boulevard, Suite B, 
Unit 1, P.O. Box 850, 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 68508-3803, (402) 437-5551/TDD (402) 
437-5093.

Nevada

USDA Rural Development State Office, 1390 South Curry Street, Carson 
City, NV 89703-5146, (775) 887-1222/TDD (775) 885-0633.

New Jersey

USDA Rural Development State Office, 8000 Midlantic Drive, 5th Floor 
North, Suite 500, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054-1522, (856) 787-7700/TDD (856) 
787-7784.

New Mexico

USDA Rural Development State Office, 6200 Jefferson Street, NE., Room 
255, Albuquerque, NM 87109-3434, (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-
6400/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, Federal Building, Room 208, 220 
East Rosser, P.O. Box 1737, 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) 255-2400/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, 1201 NE., Lloyd Blvd., Suite 801, 
Portland, OR 97232-1274, (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, IBM Building, Suite 601, 654 Munos 
Rivera Avenue, San Juan, PR 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 29201-2449, (803) 765-
5163/TDD (803) 765-5697.

South Dakota

USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 210, 200 
Fourth Street, SW, Huron, SD 57350-2461, (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, Temple, TX 76501-7651, (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-
1106, (801) 524-4320/TDD (801) 524-3309.

Vermont/New Hampshire

USDA Rural Development State Office, City Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main 
Street, Montpelier, VT 05602-4449, (802) 828-6000/TDD (802) 223-6365.

Virginia

USDA Rural Development State Office, 1606 Santa Rosa Road, Suite 238, 
Richmond, VA 23229-5014, (804) 287-1550/TDD (804) 287-1753.

Washington

USDA Rural Development State Office, 1835 Black Lake Boulevard SW., 
Suite B, Olympia, WA 98512-5715, (360) 704-7740/TDD (360) 704-7760.

West Virginia

USDA Rural Development State Office, 1550 Earl Core Road, Suite 101, 
Morgantown, WV 26505, (304) 284-4860/TDD (304) 284-4836.

Wisconsin

USDA Rural Development State Office, 4949 Kirschling Court, Stevens 
Point, WI 54481-7044, (715) 345-7600/TDD (715) 345-7614.

Wyoming

USDA Rural Development State Office, 100 East B Street, Room 1005, P.O. 
Box 11005, Casper, WY 82602-5006, (307) 233-6700/TDD (307) 233-6733.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information on this 
Notice, please contact the USDA Rural Development State Office for your 
respective State, as provided in the ADDRESSES section of this Notice.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Environmental Impact Statement

    This document has been reviewed in accordance with 7 CFR part 1940, 
subpart G, ``Environmental Program.'' Rural Development has determined 
that this action does not constitute a major Federal action 
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, and in 
accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, 
42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., an Environmental Impact Statement is not 
required.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, the paperwork 
burden associated with this Notice has been approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control Number 0570-0062.

Overview

    Federal Agency Name: Rural Business-Cooperative Service (an agency 
of the United States Department of Agriculture in the Rural Development 
mission area).
    Solicitation Opportunity Title: Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance 
Program.
    Announcement Type: Initial announcement.

    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number. The CFDA number 
for this Notice is 10.870.


DATES: Applications for participating in this Program will be accepted 
on an on-going basis, but will be awarded each Federal fiscal quarter 
basis. Applications received after June 30,

[[Page 59385]]

2011 will be considered for an award of funds available in the first 
quarter of FY 2012.
    Availability of Notice and Rule. This Notice and the interim rule 
for the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program (RMAP) are available 
on the USDA Rural Development Web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP-LoanAndGrants.html.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    A. Purpose of the Program. The purpose of RMAP is to support the 
development and ongoing success of rural microentrepreneurs and 
microenterprises (businesses generally with ten employees or fewer and 
in need of financing in the amount of $50,000 or less as defined in 7 
CFR 4280.302).
    Assistance provided to rural areas under this program may include 
the provision of loans and grants to rural Microenterprise Development 
Organizations (MDOs) for the provision of microloans to rural 
microenterprises and microentrepreneurs; provision of business-based 
training and technical assistance to rural microborrowers and potential 
microborrowers; and other such activities as deemed appropriate by the 
Secretary to ensure the development and ongoing success of rural 
microenterprises.
    B. Statutory Authority. The RMAP is authorized by Section 379E of 
the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 USC 2008s). 
Regulations are contained in 7 CFR Part 4280, subpart D.
    C. Definition of Terms. The definitions applicable to this Notice 
are published at 7 CFR 4280.302.

II. Award Information

    A. Type of Award: Loan and/or Grant.
    B. Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2011.
    C. Total Funding: $13,910,351.
    Technical Assistance (TA) Only Grants: $410,500.
    Microlender TA Grants: $2,607,570.
    Loans: $10,892,281.
    D. Approximate Number of Awards: 35.
    E. Anticipated Award Date:
     Fourth Quarter, September 15, 2011.
    In the event some program funds allocated for a particular quarter 
of FY 2011 are not obligated, the remaining unobligated funds will be 
carried over to the next Federal fiscal quarter. Any FY 2011 funds not 
obligated under this Notice will be carried over into FY 2012.

III. Eligibility Information

    A. Eligible applicants. To be eligible for this program, the 
applicant must meet the eligibility requirements in 7 CFR 4280.310.
    B. Cost share requirements. The Federal share of the eligible 
project cost of a microborrower's project funded under this Notice 
shall not exceed 75 percent. The cost share requirement shall be met by 
the microlender in accordance with the requirements specified in 7 CFR 
4280.311(d).
    C. Matching fund requirements. The MDO is required to provide a 
match of not less than 15 percent of the total amount of the grant in 
the form of matching funds, indirect costs, or in-kind goods or 
services.
    D. Other eligibility requirements. Applications will only be 
accepted from eligible MDOs. Eligible MDOs must score a minimum of 70 
points out of 100 points to be considered to receive an award. Awards 
each Federal fiscal quarter will be based on ranking with the highest 
ranking applications being funded first, subject to available funding.
    E. Completeness eligibility. All applications must be submitted as 
a complete application, in one package. Applications will not be 
considered for funding if they do not provide sufficient information to 
determine eligibility or are unbound, falling apart, or otherwise not 
suitable for evaluation. Such applications will be withdrawn.

IV. Fiscal Year 2011 Application and Submission Information

    A. Application submittal. Loan applications must be submitted in 
paper format. Grant applications may be submitted in either paper or 
electronic format via Grants.gov.
    If applications are submitted in paper format, they must be bound 
in a 3-ring binder and must be organized in the same order set forth in 
7 CFR 4280.315. To ensure timely delivery, applicants are strongly 
encouraged to submit their applications using an overnight, express, or 
parcel delivery service.
    Applicants are encouraged to submit grant only applications through 
the Grants.gov Web site at: http://www.grants.gov. Users of Grants.gov 
will be able to download a copy of the grant application package, 
complete it off line, and then upload and submit the application via 
the Grants.gov Web site. USDA Rural Development strongly encourages 
applicants not to wait until the application deadline date to begin the 
application process through Grants.gov.
    When applicants enter the Grants.gov Web site, they will find 
information about submitting a grant application electronically through 
the site as well as the hours of operation. Applicants may submit all 
documents electronically through the Web site, including all 
information required for a complete grant application and all necessary 
assurances and certifications under 7 CFR 4280.315. After 
electronically submitting an application through the Web site, the 
applicant will receive an automatic acknowledgement from Grants.gov 
that contains a Grants.gov tracking number. USDA Rural Development may 
request that the applicant provide original signatures on forms at a 
later date.
    All applicants, whether filing applications through http://
www.Grants.gov or by paper, must have a Dun and Bradstreet Data 
Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number, which can be obtained at no 
cost via a toll-free request line at 1-866-705-5711 or online at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.
    Please note that applicants can locate the downloadable application 
package for this program by the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 
Number, which is 10.870, or FedGrants Funding Opportunity Number, which 
can be found at http://www.Grants.gov.
    Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act. All 
applicants, in accordance with 2 CFR part 25, must have a Dun and 
Bradstreet Data Universal Number System (DUNS) number, which can be 
obtained at no cost via a toll-free request line at 1-866-705-5711 or 
online at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. Similarly, in accordance with 
2 CFR Part 25, all applicants must be registered in the Central 
Contractor Registration (CCR) prior to submitting an application. 
Applicants may register for the CCR at http://www.ccr.gov, or by 
calling 1-866-606-8220 and press ``1'' for CCR and maintain an active 
CCR registration with current information at all times during which 
they have an active Federal award or application under consideration by 
an agency. All recipients of Federal financial assistance are required 
to report information about first-tier sub-awards and executive total 
compensation in accordance with 2 CFR part 170.
    B. Content and form of submission. An application must contain all 
of the required elements outlined in 7 CFR 4280.315. Each application 
must address the applicable scoring criteria presented in 7 CFR 
4280.316 for the type of funding being requested.
    C. Submission dates and times. The original complete application 
must be received by the USDA Rural Development State Office no later 
than 4:30 p.m. local time by the application deadline dates listed 
above, regardless

[[Page 59386]]

of the postmark date, in order to be considered for funds available in 
that Federal fiscal quarter.
    Unless withdrawn by the applicant, completed applications that 
receive a score of at least 70 (the minimum required to be considered 
for funding), but have not yet been funded, will be retained by the 
Agency for consideration in subsequent reviews through a total of four 
consecutive quarterly reviews. Applications that remain unfunded after 
four quarterly reviews, including the initial quarter in which the 
application was competed, will not be considered further for an award.

V. Application Review Information

    Awards under this Notice will be made on a competitive basis each 
Federal fiscal quarter. Each application received in the USDA Rural 
Development State Office will be reviewed, scored, and ranked to 
determine if it is consistent with the program requirements. 
Applications will be scored based on the applicable scoring criteria 
contained in 7 CFR 4280.316. Failure to address any of the applicable 
scoring criteria will result in a zero-point score for that section. An 
application must receive at least 70 points to be considered for 
funding in the quarter in which it is scored.

VI. Award Administration Information

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

VII. Agency Contacts

    For general questions about this Notice, please contact your USDA 
Rural Development State Office as provided in the Addresses section of 
this Notice.
    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 
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
    To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, 
Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 
20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (toll free), (202) 260-1026, or (202) 
401-0216 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and 
lender.

    Dated: September 20, 2011.
Judith A. Canales,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Programs.
[FR Doc. 2011-24649 Filed 9-23-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P