[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 97 (Wednesday, May 20, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28937-28943]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-12225]
[[Page 28937]]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Inviting Applications for Socially-Disadvantaged Groups Grants
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service announces the
availability of $3,000,000 in competitive grant funds for the FY 2015
Socially-Disadvantaged Groups Grant (SDGG) program, formerly known as
the Small Socially-Disadvantaged Producer Grant program, as authorized
by the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015
(Pub. L. 113-235). We are requesting proposals from applicants who will
provide technical assistance to socially-disadvantaged groups in rural
areas. The Agency is encouraging applications that direct grants to
projects based in or serving census tracts with poverty rates greater
than or equal to 20 percent. This emphasis will support Rural
Development's (RD) mission of improving the quality of life for rural
Americans and commitment to directing resources to those who most need
them. Eligible applicants include Cooperatives, Groups of Cooperatives,
and Cooperative Development Centers.
DATES: Completed 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 20, 2015. You may also hand carry your
application to one of our field offices, but it must be received by
close of business on the deadline date.
Electronic copies must be received by http://www.grants.gov no
later than midnight Eastern time July 14, 2015. Late applications are
not eligible for funding under this Notice and will not be evaluated.
ADDRESSES: You should contact the USDA Rural Development State Office
(State Office) located in the State where you are headquartered if you
have questions. Contact information for State Offices can be found at:
http://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices. You are encouraged to
contact your State Office well in advance of the application deadline
to discuss your project and ask any questions about the application
process. Program guidance as well as application templates may be
obtained at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_SDGG.html or by contacting
your USDA Rural Development State Office.
If you want to submit an electronic application, follow the
instructions for the SDGG funding announcement located at http://www.grants.gov. Please review the Grants.gov Web site at http://grants.gov/applicants/organization_registration.jsp for instructions on
the process of registering your organization as soon as possible to
ensure you are able to meet the electronic application deadline. You
are strongly encouraged to file your application early and allow
sufficient time to manage any technical issues that may arise. If you
want to submit a paper application, send it to the State Office located
in the State where you are headquartered. If you are headquartered in
Washington, DC, please contact the Grants Division, Cooperative
Programs, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, at (202) 690-1376 for
guidance on where to submit your application.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Grants Division, Cooperative Programs,
Rural Business-Cooperative Service, United States Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., MS 3253, Room 4208-South,
Washington, DC 20250-3250, or call 202-690-1376.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Agency Name: USDA Rural Business Cooperative Service.
Funding Opportunity Title: Socially-Disadvantaged Groups Grant.
Announcement Type: Initial funding request.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.871.
Dates: Application Deadline. You must submit your complete
application by July 20, 2015, or it will not be considered for funding.
Electronic applications must be received by http://www.grants.gov no
later than midnight Eastern Time July 14, 2015, or it will not be
considered for funding.
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 0570-0052.
A. Program Description
The SDGG Program is authorized by 310B (e)(11) of the Consolidated
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932 (e)(11)). The primary
objective of the SDGG program is to provide Technical Assistance to
Socially-Disadvantaged Groups. Grants are available for Cooperative
Development Centers, individual Cooperatives, or Groups of Cooperatives
that serve Socially-Disadvantaged Groups and where a majority of the
boards of directors or governing board is comprised of individuals who
are members of Socially-Disadvantaged Groups.
Definitions
The definitions you need to understand are as follows:
Agency--Rural Business-Cooperative Service, an agency of the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development or a
successor agency.
Conflict of Interest--A situation in which a person or entity has
competing personal, professional, or financial interests that make it
difficult for the person or business to act impartially. Federal
procurement standards prohibit transactions that involve a real or
apparent conflict of interest for owners, employees, officers, agents,
or their immediate family members having a financial or other interest
in the outcome of the project; or that restrict open and free
competition for unrestrained trade. Specifically, project funds may not
be used for services or goods going to, or coming from, a person or
entity with a real or apparent conflict of interest, including, but not
limited to, owner(s) and their immediate family members. Examples of
conflicts of interest include using grant funds to pay a member of the
applicant's board of directors to provide proposed technical assistance
to socially-disadvantaged groups; pay a cooperative member to provide
proposed technical assistance to other members of the same cooperative;
and pay an immediate family member of the applicant to provide proposed
technical assistance to socially-disadvantaged groups.
Cooperative--A business or organization owned by and operated for
the benefit of those using its services and where a majority of the
board of directors or governing board is comprised of individuals who
are members of Socially-Disadvantaged Groups. Profits and earnings
generated by the cooperative are distributed among the members, also
known as user-owners.
Cooperative Development Center--A nonprofit corporation or
institution of higher education operated by the grantee for cooperative
or business development and where a majority of the board of directors
or governing board is comprised of individuals who are members of
Socially-Disadvantaged
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Groups. It may or may not be an independent legal entity separate from
the grantee. The Center's main objective is to provide Technical
Assistance to existing Cooperatives and to groups that want to form
Cooperatives.
Feasibility Study--An analysis of the economic, market, technical,
financial, and management feasibility of a proposed Project.
Group of Cooperatives--A group of Cooperatives whose primary focus
is to provide assistance to Socially-Disadvantaged Groups and where a
majority of the board of directors or governing board is comprised of
individuals who are members of Socially-Disadvantaged Groups.
Operating Cost--The day-to-day expenses of running a business; for
example: utilities, rent on the office space a business occupies,
salaries, depreciation, marketing and advertising, and other basic
overhead items.
Participant Support Costs--Direct costs for items such as stipends
or subsistence allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees
paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees (but not employees) in
connection with conferences, or training projects.
Project--Includes all activities to be funded by the Socially-
Disadvantaged Groups Grant.
Rural and Rural Area--Any area of a State:
(1) Not in a city or town that has a population of more than 50,000
inhabitants, according to the latest decennial census of the United
States; and
(2) The contiguous and adjacent urbanized area,
(3) Urbanized areas that are rural in character as defined by 7
U.S.C. 1991 (a) (13).
(4) For the purposes of this definition, cities and towns are
incorporated population centers with definite boundaries, local self-
government, and legal powers set forth in a charter granted by the
State. Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph, within
the areas of the County of Honolulu, Hawaii, and the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the Secretary may designate any part of the areas as a
rural area if the Secretary determines that the part is not urban in
character, other than any area included in the Honolulu census
designated place (CDP) or the San Juan CDP.
Rural Development--A mission area within USDA consisting of the
Office of Under Secretary for Rural Development, Rural Business-
Cooperative Services, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Utilities
Service and any successors.
Socially-Disadvantaged Group--A group whose members have been
subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of their
identity as members of a group without regard to their individual
qualities.
State--Includes each of the 50 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 Socially-Disadvantaged Group such as market research, product and/
or service improvement, legal advice and assistance, Feasibility Study,
business plan, marketing plan development, and training.
B. Federal Award Information
Type of Award: Competitive Grant.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2015.
Total Funding: $3,000,000.
Maximum Award: $175,000.
Project Period: 1 year.
Anticipated Award Date: September 30, 2015.
C. Eligibility Information
Applicants must meet all of the following eligibility requirements.
Applications which fail to meet any of these requirements by the
application deadline will be deemed ineligible and will not be
evaluated further.
1. Eligible Applicants. Grants may be made to individual
Cooperatives, Groups of Cooperatives, and Cooperative Development
Centers that serve socially disadvantaged groups and where a majority
of the board of directors or governing board is comprised of
individuals who are members of Socially-Disadvantaged Groups.
Federally-recognized Tribes and tribal entities must demonstrate that
they meet all definition requirements for one of the three eligible
applicant types. You must be able to verify your legal structure in the
State in which you are incorporated. Grants may not be made to public
bodies or to individuals.
(a) An applicant is ineligible if they have been debarred or
suspended or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in
Federal assistance programs under Executive Order 12549, ``Debarment
and Suspension.'' In addition, an applicant will be considered
ineligible for a grant due to an outstanding judgment obtained by the
U.S. in a Federal Court (other than U.S. Tax Court), is delinquent on
the payment of Federal income taxes, or is delinquent on Federal debt.
(b) Any corporation (i) that has been convicted of a felony
criminal violation under any Federal law within the past 24 months or
(ii) that has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed,
for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted
or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant
to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax
liability, is not eligible for financial assistance provided with funds
appropriated by the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations
Act, 2015, unless a Federal agency has considered suspension or
debarment of the corporation and has made a determination that this
further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the
Government.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching. No matching funds are required.
3. Other Eligibility Requirements.
Use of Funds: Your application must propose Technical Assistance
that will benefit Socially-Disadvantaged Groups. Please review section
D (6) of this Notice, ``Funding Restrictions,'' carefully.
Project Area Eligibility: The proposed Project must take place in a
Rural Area as defined in this Notice.
Grant Period Eligibility: If awarded, grant funds must be used
within 12 months. Applications must have a time frame of one year or
less. Your proposed time frame should begin no earlier than the grant
award date and end no later than December 31, 2016. However, you should
note that the anticipated award date is September 30, so your proposed
start date should be after September 30, 2015. Projects must be
completed within the 12-month time frame. The Agency may approve
requests to extend the grant period for up to an additional 12 months
at its discretion. Further guidance on grant period extensions will be
provided in the award document.
However, you may not have more than one active SDGG during the same
grant period. If you receive another SDGG during the next grant cycle,
the first grant must be closed before funds can be obligated for the
new grant. Applications that request funds for a time period ending
after December 31, 2016, will not be considered for funding.
If you have an existing Small Socially-Disadvantaged Producer Grant
award, you must be performing satisfactorily to be considered eligible
for a new SDGG award. Satisfactory performance
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includes being up-to-date on all financial and performance reports and
being current on all tasks as approved in the work plan. The Agency
will use its discretion to make this determination.
Completeness Eligibility: Your application must provide all of the
information requested in Section D (2) of this Notice. Applications
lacking sufficient information to determine eligibility and scoring
will be considered ineligible.
Multiple Grant Eligibility: You may only submit one SDGG grant
application each funding cycle.
D. Application and Submission Information
1. Address To Request Application Package
The application template for applying on paper for this funding
opportunity is located at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_SDGG.html. Use
of the application template is strongly recommended to assist you with
the application process. You may also contact your USDA Rural
Development State Office for more information. Contact information for
State Offices is located at http://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices. You may also obtain an application package by calling 202-690-
1376.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
You may submit your application in paper form or electronically
through Grants.gov. Your application must contain all required
information.
To submit an application electronically, you must follow the
instructions for this funding announcement at http://www.grants.gov.
Please note that we cannot accept emailed or faxed applications.
You can locate the Grants.gov downloadable application package for
this program by using a keyword, the program name, or the Catalog of
Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this program.
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.
To use Grants.gov, you must already have a DUNS number and you must
also be registered and maintain registration in SAM. We strongly
recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to
begin the application process through Grants.gov.
You must submit all of your application documents electronically
through Grants.gov. Applications must include electronic signatures.
Original signatures may be required if funds are awarded.
After electronically submitting an application through Grants.gov,
you will receive an automatic acknowledgement from Grants.gov that
contains a Grants.gov tracking number.
If you want to submit a paper application, send it to the State
Office located in the State where you are headquartered. You can find
State Office contact information at: http://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices.
Your application must also contain the following required forms and
proposal elements:
a. Form SF-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance,'' to include
your DUNS number and SAM Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code
and expiration date. Because there are no specific fields for a CAGE
code and expiration date, you may identify them anywhere you want to on
the form. If you do not include the CAGE code and expiration date and
the DUNS number in your application, it will not be considered for
funding.
b. Form SF-424A, ``Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs.''
This form must be completed and submitted as part of the application
package.
c. Form SF-424B, ``Assurances--Non-Construction Programs.'' This
form must be completed, signed, and submitted as part of the
application package.
d. Form AD-3030, ``Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and
Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants,'' if you are a
corporation. A corporation is any entity that has filed articles of
incorporation in one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the
Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and the Republic
of the Marshall Islands, or the various territories of the United
States including American Samoa, Guam, Midway Islands, the Commonwealth
of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin
Islands. Corporations include both for profit and non-profit entities.
e. You must certify that there are no current outstanding Federal
judgments against your property and that you will not use grant funds
to pay for any judgment obtained by the United States. To satisfy the
Certification requirement, you should include this statement in your
application: ``[INSERT NAME OF APPLICANT] certifies that the United
States has not obtained an unsatisfied judgment against its property
and will not use grant funds to pay any judgments obtained by the
United States.'' A separate signature is not required.
f. Table of Contents. Your application must contain a detailed
Table of Contents (TOC). The TOC must include page numbers for each
part of the application. Page numbers should begin immediately
following the TOC.
g. Executive Summary. A summary of the proposal, not to exceed one
page, must briefly describe the Project, tasks to be completed, and
other relevant information that provides a general overview of the
Project.
h. Eligibility Discussion. A detailed discussion, not to exceed
four pages, must describe how you meet the following requirements:
(i) Applicant Eligibility. You must describe how you meet the
definition of a Cooperative, Group of Cooperatives, or Cooperative
Development Center. Your application must show that your individual
Cooperative, Group of Cooperatives or Cooperative Development Center
serves socially disadvantaged groups and a majority of the board of
directors or governing board is comprised of individuals who are
members of Socially-Disadvantaged Groups. Your application must include
a list of your board of directors/governing board and the percentage of
board of directors/governing board that are members of Socially-
Disadvantaged Groups. NOTE: Your application will not be considered for
funding if you fail to show that a majority of your board of directors/
governing board is comprised of individuals who are members of
Socially-Disadvantaged Groups.
If applying as a Cooperative or a Group of Cooperatives, you must
verify your incorporation and status in the State that you have applied
by providing the State's Certificate of Good Standing and your Articles
of Incorporation. If applying as a nonprofit corporation, you must
provide evidence of your status as a nonprofit corporation in good
standing and your Articles of Incorporation. If applying as an
institution of higher education, you must qualify as an Institution of
Higher Education as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001. You must apply as only
one type of applicant. If the requested verification documents are not
included, your application will not be considered for funding.
(ii) Use of Funds. You must provide a detailed discussion on how
the proposed Project activities meet the definition of Technical
Assistance and identify the socially-disadvantaged groups that will be
assisted.
(iii) Project Area. You must provide specific information that
details the
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location of the Project area and explain how the area meets the
definition of ``Rural Area.''
(iv) Grant Period. You must provide a time frame for the proposed
Project and discuss how the Project will be completed within that time
frame. You must have a time frame of one year or less.
i. Scoring Criteria. Each of the scoring criteria in this Notice
must be addressed in narrative form, with a maximum of two pages for
each individual scoring criterion, unless otherwise specified. Failure
to address each scoring criteria will result in the application being
determined ineligible.
j. The Agency has established annual performance evaluation
measures to evaluate the SDGG program. You must provide estimates on
the following performance evaluation measures as part of your
narrative:
Number of businesses assisted;
Number of cooperatives assisted; and
Number of socially disadvantaged groups assisted.
3. DUNS Number and SAM
In order to be eligible (unless you are excepted under 2 CFR
25.110(b), (c) or (d), you are required to:
(a) Provide a valid DUNS number in your application, which can be
obtained at no cost via a toll-free request line at (866) 705-5711;
(b) Register in SAM before submitting your application. You may
register in SAM at no cost at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/;
and
(c) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current
information at all times during which you have an active Federal award
or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding
agency.
The Agency may not make a Federal award to you until you have
complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements. If you have not
fully complied with requirements by the time the Agency is ready to
make a Federal award, the Agency may determine that the applicant is
not qualified to receive a Federal award and the Agency may use this
determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.
4. Submission Dates and Times
Application Deadline Date: July 20, 2015.
Explanation of Deadlines: Paper applications must be postmarked and
mailed, shipped, or sent overnight by July 20, 2015. The Agency will
determine whether your application is late based on the date shown on
the postmark or shipping invoice. You may also hand carry your
application to one of our field offices, but it must be received by
close of business on the deadline date. If the due date falls on a
Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday, the reporting package is due the
next business day. Late applications are not eligible for funding and
will not be evaluated further.
Electronic applications must be RECEIVED by http://www.grants.gov
by midnight Eastern time July 14, 2015, to be eligible for funding.
Please review the Grants.gov Web site at http://grants.gov/applicants/organization_registration.jsp for instructions on the process of
registering your organization as soon as possible to ensure you are
able to meet the electronic application deadline. Grants.gov will not
accept applications submitted after the deadline.
5. Intergovernmental Review
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 a SPOC may be obtained at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc. If your State has a 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 a SPOC or you do not want to submit your application to the
SPOC, Rural Development will submit your application to the SPOC or
other appropriate agency or agencies.
You are also encouraged to contact Cooperative Programs at 202-690-
1376 or [email protected] if you have questions about this process.
6. Funding Restrictions
Grant funds must be used for Technical Assistance. No funds made
available under this solicitation shall be used to:
a. Plan, repair, rehabilitate, acquire, or construct a building or
facility, including a processing facility;
b. Purchase, rent, or install fixed equipment, including processing
equipment;
c. Purchase vehicles, including boats;
d. Pay for the preparation of the grant application;
e. Pay expenses not directly related to the funded Project;
f. Fund political or lobbying activities;
g. To fund any activities considered unallowable by the applicable
grant cost principles, including 2 CFR part 200, subpart E and the
Federal Acquisition Regulation.
h. Fund architectural or engineering design work for a specific
physical facility;
i. 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;
j. Fund research and development;
k. Purchase land;
l. Duplicate current activities or activities paid for by other
funded grant programs.
m. Pay costs of the Project incurred prior to the date of grant
approval;
n. Pay for assistance to any private business enterprise that 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;
o. Pay any judgment or debt owed to the United States;
p. Pay any Operating Costs of the Cooperative, Group of
Cooperatives, or Cooperative Development Center not directly related to
the Project;
q. Pay expenses for applicant employee training; or
r. Pay for any goods or services from a person who has a Conflict
of Interest with the grantee.
In addition, your application will not be considered for funding if
it does any of the following:
Requests more than the maximum grant amount;
Proposes ineligible costs that equal more than 10 percent
of total grant funds requested; or
Proposes Participant Support Costs that equal more than 10
percent of total grant funds requested.
We will consider your application for funding if it includes
ineligible costs of 10 percent or less of total grant funds requested,
as long as it is determined eligible otherwise. However, if your
application is successful, those ineligible costs must be removed and
replaced with eligible costs before the Agency will make the grant
award or the amount of the grant award will be reduced accordingly. If
we cannot determine the percentage of ineligible costs, your
application will not be considered for funding.
7. Other Submission Requirements
(a) You should not submit your application in more than one format.
You must choose whether to submit
[[Page 28941]]
your application in hard copy or electronically. Applications submitted
in hard copy should be mailed or hand-delivered to the State Office
located in the State where you are headquartered. You can find State
Office contact information at: http://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices.your State Office. To submit an application electronically, you
must follow the instructions for this funding announcement at http://www.grants.gov. A password is not required to access the Web site.
(b) National Environmental Policy Act. This NOFA has been reviewed
in accordance with 7 CFR part 1940, subpart G, ``Environmental
Program.'' We have determined that an Environmental Impact Statement is
not required because the issuance of regulations and instructions, as
well as amendments to them, describing administrative and financial
procedures for processing, approving, and implementing the Agency's
financial programs is categorically excluded in the Agency's National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulation found at 7 CFR
1940.310(e)(3) of subpart G, ``Environmental Program.'' We have
determined that this NOFA does not constitute a major Federal action
significantly affecting the quality of the human environment.
Individual awards under this NOFA are hereby classified as Categorical
Exclusions according to 7 CFR 1940.310(e), the award of financial
assistance for planning purposes, management and feasibility studies,
or environmental impact analyses, which do not require any additional
documentation.
(c) Civil Rights Compliance Requirements. All grants made under
this Notice are subject to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as
required by the USDA (7 CFR part 15, subpart A) and Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
E. Application Review Information
1. Scoring Criteria
All eligible and complete applications will be evaluated based on
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. Evaluators will base scores only on the information
provided or cross-referenced by page number in each individual scoring
criterion. The total points possible for the criteria are 60.
I. Technical Assistance (maximum score of 15 points). A panel of
USDA employees will evaluate your application to determine your ability
to assess the needs of Socially-Disadvantaged Groups. You must explain
why the proposed Technical Assistance is needed and provide a detailed
plan that describes your method of providing assistance. You must also
identify the expected outcomes of the proposed Technical Assistance.
Higher points are awarded if you identify specific needs of the
Socially-Disadvantaged Groups to be assisted; clearly explain a logical
and detailed plan of assistance for addressing those needs; and discuss
realistic outcomes of planned assistance.
II. Experience (maximum score of 15 points). A panel of USDA
employees will evaluate your length of experience for identified staff
or consultants in providing Technical Assistance, as defined in this
Notice. You must describe the specific type of Technical Assistance
experience for each identified staff member or consultant, as well as
years of experience in providing that assistance. In addition, resumes
for each individual staff member or consultant must be included as an
attachment, listing their experience for the type of Technical
Assistance proposed. The attachments will not count toward the maximum
page total. We will compare the described experience to the work plan
to determine relevance of the experience. Applications that do not
include the attached resumes will not be considered for funding.
Higher points will be awarded if a majority of identified staff or
consultants demonstrate 5 or more years of experience in providing
relevant Technical Assistance in accordance with the work plan. Maximum
points will be awarded if all of the identified staff or consultants
demonstrate 5 or more years of experience in providing relevant
Technical Assistance.
III. Commitment (maximum of 10 points). A panel of USDA employees
will evaluate your commitment to providing Technical Assistance to
Socially-Disadvantaged Groups in Rural Areas. You must list the number
and location of Socially-Disadvantaged Groups that will directly
benefit from the assistance provided. If you define and describe the
underserved and economically distressed areas within your service area
and provide current and relevant statistics that support your
description of the service area, you will score higher on this factor.
IV. Work Plan/Budget (maximum of 15 points)--Four page limit. Your
work plan must provide specific and detailed descriptions of the tasks
and the key project personnel that will accomplish the project's goals.
Budget will be reviewed for completeness. You must list what tasks are
to be done, when it will be done, who will do it, and how much it will
cost. Reviewers must be able to understand what is being proposed and
how the grant funds will be spent. The budget must be a detailed
breakdown of estimated costs. These costs should be allocated to each
of the tasks to be undertaken. The amount of grant funds requested will
be reduced if the applicant does not have justification for all costs.
A panel of USDA employees will evaluate your work plan for detailed
actions and an accompanying timetable for implementing the proposal.
Clear, logical, realistic, and efficient plans will result in a higher
score. You must discuss at a minimum:
a. Specific tasks to be completed using grant funds;
b. How customers will be identified;
c. Key personnel; and
d. The evaluation methods to be used to determine the success of
specific tasks and overall project objectives. Please provide
qualitative methods of evaluation. For example, evaluation methods
should go beyond quantitative measurements of completing surveys or
number of evaluations.
V. Local support (maximum of 5 points). A panel of USDA employees
will evaluate your application for local support of the Technical
Assistance activities. Applicants that demonstrate strong support from
potential beneficiaries and other developmental organizations will
receive more points than those not showing such support.
(i) 0 points are awarded if you do not address this criterion.
(ii) 1 point is awarded if you provide 2-3 support letters that
show support from potential beneficiaries and/or support from local
organizations.
(iii) 2 points are awarded if you provide 4-5 support letters that
show support from potential beneficiaries and/or support from local
organizations.
(iv) 3 points are awarded if you provide 6-7 support letters that
show support from potential beneficiaries and/or support from local
organizations.
(v) 4 points are awarded if you provide 8-9 support letters that
show support from potential beneficiaries and/or support from local
organizations.
(vi) 5 points are awarded if you provide 10 support letters that
show support from potential beneficiaries and/or support from local
organizations.
You may submit a maximum of 10 letters of support. Support letters
should come from potential beneficiaries and
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other local organizations. Letters received from Technical Assistance
providers and Congressional members will not be included in the count
of support letters received. Support letters should be included as an
attachment to the application and will not count against the maximum
page total. Additional letters from industry groups, commodity groups,
Congressional members, and similar organizations should be referenced,
but not included in the application package. When referencing these
letters, provide the name of the organization, date of the letter, the
nature of the support, and the name and title of the person signing the
letter.
2. Review and Selection Process
The State Offices will review applications to determine if they are
eligible for assistance based on requirements in this Notice, and other
applicable Federal regulations. If determined eligible, your
application will be scored by a panel of USDA employees in accordance
with the point allocation specified in this Notice. The panel will
consist of USDA employees with expertise in providing Technical
Assistance to Socially-Disadvantaged Groups. The review panel will
convene to reach a consensus on the scores for each of the eligible
applications. A recommendation will be submitted to the Administrator
to fund applications in highest ranking order. Applications that cannot
be fully funded may be offered partial funding at the Agency's
discretion. If your application is ranked and not funded, it will not
be carried forward into the next competition.
F. Federal Award Administration Information
1. Federal Award Notices
If you are selected for funding, you will receive a signed notice
of Federal award by postal mail, containing instructions on
requirements necessary to proceed with execution and performance of the
award.
If you are not selected for funding, you will be notified in
writing via postal mail and informed of any review and appeal rights.
Funding of successfully appealed applications will be limited to
available FY 2015 funding.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Additional requirements that apply to grantees selected for this
program can be found in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart A, and 2 CFR parts
200, 215, 400, 415, 417, 418, and 421. All recipients of Federal
financial assistance are required to report information about first-
tier subawards and executive compensation (See 2 CFR part 170). You
will be required to have the necessary processes and systems in place
to comply with the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act
reporting requirements (See 2 CFR 170.200(b), unless you are exempt
under 2 CFR 170.110(b)). These regulations may be obtained at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html.
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 Requirement (Grants).''
Form AD-3031, ``Assurance Regarding Felony Conviction or
Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants.'' Must be signed by
corporate applicants who receive an award under this Notice.
Form RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement.''
SF LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,'' if
applicable.
3. Reporting
After grant approval and through grant completion, you will be
required to provide the following:
a. A SF-425, ``Federal Financial Report,'' and a project
performance report will be required on a semiannual basis (due 30
working days after end of the semiannual period). For the purposes of
this grant, semiannual periods end on March 31st and September 30th.
The project performance reports shall include the following: A
comparison of actual accomplishments to the objectives established for
that period;
b. Reasons why established objectives were not met, if applicable;
c. Reasons for any problems, delays, or adverse conditions, if any,
which have affected or will affect attainment of overall project
objectives, prevent meeting time schedules or objectives, or preclude
the attainment of particular objectives during established time
periods. This disclosure shall be accompanied by a statement of the
action taken or planned to resolve the situation; and
d. Objectives and timetable established for the next reporting
period.
e. Provide a final project and financial status report within 90
days after the expiration or termination of the grant.
f. Provide outcome project performance reports and final
deliverables.
G. 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. You may also contact
National Office staff: Melinda Martin, SDGG Program Lead,
[email protected], or call 202-690-1376.
H. Other Information
Non Discrimination Statement
USDA prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and
applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin,
age, disability, sex, gender identify, 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.)
To File a Program Complaint
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/complain_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].
Persons With Disabilities
Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech
disabilities and who wish to file either an EEO or program complaint,
please contact USDA through the Federal Relay
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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: May 14, 2015.
Lillian Salerno,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-12225 Filed 5-19-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P