[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 85 (Friday, May 2, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 25100-25102]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-10096]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service


Inviting Applications for the Rural Economic Development Loan and 
Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2014

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This Notice is to invite applications for loans and grants 
under the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) programs 
pursuant to 7 CFR part 4280, subpart A for fiscal year (FY) 2014. 
Funding to support $30.6 million in loans and $9.2 million in grants is 
currently available. The commitment of program dollars will be made to 
applicants of selected responses that have fulfilled the necessary 
requirements for obligation.

[[Page 25101]]

    All applicants are responsible for any expenses incurred in 
developing their applications.

DATES: Applications received during each month in the USDA Rural 
Development State Office no later than 4:30 p.m. (local time) on the 
last business day of each month will be considered for funding the 
following month in FY 2014.

ADDRESSES: Submit applications in paper format to the USDA Rural 
Development State Office in the state where your project is located. A 
list of the USDA Rural Development State Offices addresses and 
telephone numbers can be found online at: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/StateOfficeAddresses.html.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please contact the USDA Rural 
Development State Office provided in the ADDRESSES section of this 
Notice where the project will be located.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Overview

    Federal Agency: Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
    Funding Opportunity Type: Rural Economic Development Loans and 
Grants.
    Announcement Type: Initial Announcement.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.854.
    Dates: Application Deadline: Completed applications must be 
received in the USDA Rural Development State Office no later than 4:30 
p.m. (local time) on the last business day of each month to be 
considered for funding in the following month in FY 2014.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    A. Purpose of the Program. The purpose of the program is to promote 
rural economic development and job creation projects.
    B. Statutory Authority. These programs are authorized under 7 CFR 
part 4280, subpart A. Assistance provided to rural areas, as defined, 
under this program may include business startup costs, business 
expansion, business incubators, technical assistance feasibility 
studies, advanced telecommunications services and computer networks for 
medical, educational, and job training services, and community 
facilities projects for economic development. Awards are made on a 
competitive basis using specific selection criteria contained in 7 CFR 
part 4280, subpart A. Information required to be in the application 
includes an SF-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance;'' a 
Resolution of the Board of Directors; AD-1047, ``Debarment/Suspension 
Certification;'' Assurance Statement for the Uniform Act; Restrictions 
on Lobbying, AD-1049, ``Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace 
Requirements;'' Form RD 400-1, ``Equal Opportunity Agreement;'' Form RD 
400-4, ``Assurance Agreement;'' Seismic Certification (if 
construction); Form RD 1940-20, ``Request for Environmental 
Information;'' RUS Form 7, ``Financial and Statistical Report;'' and 
RUS Form 7a, ``Investments, Loan Guarantees, and Loans,'' or similar 
information; and written narrative of project description. Applications 
will be tentatively scored by the State Offices and submitted to the 
National Office for review.

Definitions

    C. Definition of Terms. The definitions applicable to this Notice 
are published at 7 CFR 4280.3.
    D. Application awards. The Agency will review, evaluate, and score 
applications received in response to this Notice based on the 
provisions found in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart A and as indicated in this 
Notice. However, the Agency advises all interested parties that the 
applicant bears the burden in preparing and submitting an application 
in response to this Notice whether or not funding is appropriated for 
these programs in FY 2014.

II. Award Information

    Type of Awards: Loans and Grants.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2014.
    Maximum Award: The following are maximum amounts per award: Loans--
$2,000,000; Grants--$300,000.
    Award Dates: The last day of the month following the month in which 
application was received.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

    Loans and grants may be made to any entity that is identified by 
USDA Rural Development as an eligible borrower under the Rural 
Electrification Act. In accordance with 7 CFR 4280.13, applicants that 
are not delinquent on any Federal debt or otherwise disqualified from 
participation in these programs are eligible to apply. An applicant 
must be eligible under 7 U.S.C. 940c. Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, any former Rural Utilities Service borrower that has 
repaid or prepaid an insured, direct or guaranteed loan under the Rural 
Electrification Act of 1936, or any not-for-profit utility that is 
eligible to receive an insured or direct loan under such Act, shall be 
eligible for assistance under section 313(b)(2)(B) of such Act in the 
same manner as a borrower under such Act. All other restrictions in 
this Notice will apply.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

    For loans, either the Ultimate Recipient or the Intermediary must 
provide supplemental funds for the project equal to at least 20 percent 
of the loan to the Intermediary. For grants, the Intermediary must 
establish a Revolving Loan Fund and contribute an amount equal to at 
least 20 percent of the Grant. The supplemental contribution must come 
from Intermediary's funds which may not be from other Federal Grants, 
unless permitted by law.

C. Other Eligibility Requirements

    Applications will only be accepted for projects that promote rural 
economic development and job creation.

D. Completeness Eligibility

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

IV. Fiscal Year 2014 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 
Notice to obtain copies of the application package.
    Applicants are encouraged to submit grant applications only through 
the Grants.gov Web site at: http://www.grants.gov. Applications may be 
submitted in either electronic or paper format. Users of Grants.gov 
will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it 
off line, and then upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov 
Web site. Applications may not be submitted by electronic mail.
     When you enter the Grants.gov Web site, you will find 
information about submitting an application electronically through the 
site as well as the hours of operation. USDA Rural Development strongly 
recommends that you do not wait until the application deadline date to 
begin the application process through Grants.gov. To use Grants.gov, 
applicants 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 at http://www.dnb.com.

[[Page 25102]]

     You may submit all documents electronically through the 
Web site, including all information typically included on the 
application for REDLGs and all necessary assurances and certifications.
     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.
     If applicants experience technical difficulties on the 
closing date and are unable to meet the deadline, you may submit a 
paper copy of your application to your respective Rural Development 
State Office. Paper applications submitted to a Rural Development State 
Office must meet the closing date and local time deadline.
     Please note that applicants must locate the downloadable 
application package for this program by the Catalog of Federal Domestic 
Assistance Number or FedGrants Funding Opportunity Number, which can be 
found at http://www.grants.gov.

B. Content and Form of Submission

    An application must contain all of the required elements. Each 
selection priority criterion outlined in 7 CFR 4280.42(b), 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 4280, 
subpart A, will be provided to any interested applicant making a 
request to a Rural Development State Office. An original copy only of 
the application is to be filed with the Rural Development State Office 
for the State where the Intermediary is located.

C. Submission Dates and Times

    Application Dates: No later than 4:30 p.m. (local time) on the last 
business day of each month to be considered for funding in the 
following month.
    Explanation of Dates: Applications must be in the USDA Rural 
Development State Office by the dates as indicated above.

V. Application Review Information

    The National Office will score applications based on the grant 
selection criteria and weights contained in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart A, 
and will select an Intermediary
    subject to the Intermediary's satisfactory submission of the 
additional items required by
    that subpart and the USDA Rural Development Letter of Conditions.

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 loan/grant award will be 
approved. Provided the application and eligibility requirements have 
not changed, an application not selected will be reconsidered in three 
subsequent funding competitions for a total of four competitions. If an 
application is withdrawn, it can be resubmitted and will be evaluated 
as a new application.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    Additional requirements that apply to Intermediary's selected for 
this program can be found in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart A. Applicable 
provisions of 7 CFR parts 3015, 3019, and 3052 also apply.

VII. Agency Contacts

    For general questions about this announcement, please contact your 
USDA Rural Development State Office provided in the ADDRESSES section 
of this Notice.

VIII. Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
information collection requirement contained in this Notice is approved 
by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control Number 
0570-0024.
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act
    All applicants, in accordance with 2 CFR part 25, must have a 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/webor. Similarly, 
all grant applicants must be registered in the System for Award 
Management (SAM) prior to submitting an application. Applicants may 
register for the SAM at http://www.sam.gov. All recipients of Federal 
financial grant assistance are required to report information about 
first-tier sub-awards and executive total compensation in accordance 
with 2 CFR part 170.
    Nondiscrimination Statement:
    The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination 
against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the 
bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender 
identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, 
marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all 
or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance 
program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any 
program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all 
prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment 
activities.)
    If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of 
discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form 
(PDF), found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the 
form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information 
requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to 
us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of 
Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410, 
by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at [email protected].
    Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech 
disabilities and wish to file either an EEO or program complaint may 
contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339 or 
(800) 845-6136 (in Spanish).
    Persons with disabilities, who wish to file a program complaint, 
please see information above on how to contact us by mail directly or 
by email. If you require alternative means of communication for program 
information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) please 
contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

    Dated: April 25, 2014.
Lillian E. Salerno,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-10096 Filed 5-1-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P