[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 235 (Monday, December 7, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78821-78824]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-26771]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

[Docket No. RBS-20-BUSINESS-0035]


Notice of Solicitation of Applications for Inviting Applications 
for the Intermediary Relending Program for Fiscal Year 2021

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This Notice is to invite applications under the Intermediary 
Relending Program (IRP) for fiscal year (FY) 2021, subject to 
availability of funding. This Notice is being issued in order to allow 
applicants enough time to leverage financing, prepare and submit their 
applications, and give the Agency time to process applications within 
FY 2021. The Agency anticipates a forthcoming IRP rulemaking that will 
incorporate the program statutory requirements established in the 
Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) and will improve 
and streamline process and efficiency in program administration.
    Successful applications will be selected by the Agency for funding 
and subsequently awarded to the extent that funding may ultimately be 
made available through appropriations. An announcement on the website 
at https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/fy2021-appropriated-funding will 
identify the amount received in the appropriations.
    All applicants are responsible for any expenses incurred in 
developing their applications.

DATES: The deadlines for completed applications to be received in the 
USDA Rural Development State Office for quarterly funding competitions 
is no later than 4:30 p.m. (local time) on: First Quarter--September 
30, 2020, Second Quarter--December 31, 2020, Third Quarter--March 31, 
2021 and Fourth Quarter--June 30, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted to the USDA Rural

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Development State Office for the state where the project is located. 
Applications may be submitted in paper or electronic format to the 
appropriate Rural Development State Office and must be received by 4:30 
p.m. local time on the deadline date(s). Applicants are encouraged to 
contact their respective Rural Development State Office for an email 
contact to submit an electronic application prior to the submission 
deadline date(s). A list of the USDA Rural Development State Office 
contacts can be found at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/page/state-offices.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori Hood at (202) 720-9815, 
[email protected] or David Chestnut at (202) 692-5233, 
[email protected], Program Management Division, Business 
Programs, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, MS 3226, Room 4202-S, 
Washington, DC 20250-3226, or call (202) 720-1400. For further 
information on this notice, please contact the USDA Rural Development 
State Office in the State in which the applicant's headquarters is 
located. A list of Rural Development State Office contacts is provided 
at the following link: https://www.rd.usda.gov/page/state-offices.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Overview

    Solicitation Opportunity Type: Intermediary Relending Program.
    Announcement Type: Solicitation of Applications for FY 2021 funds.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.767.
    Dates: Applications are received on a continuous basis and compete 
for available funds on a quarterly basis. To compete for regular IRP 
funds, applications must be received in the USDA Rural Development 
State Office no later than 4:30 p.m. (local time) on: First Quarter--
September 30, 2020, Second Quarter--December 31, 2020, Third Quarter--
March 31, 2021 and Fourth Quarter--June 30, 2021.
    Set-Aside Funding Dates: The Further Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2020 (Pub. L. 116-94) authorized set-aside funding to projects and 
intermediaries serving Federally-Recognized Native American Tribes, for 
Mississippi Delta Region Counties (as determined in accordance with 
Pub. L. 100-460). Eligible applicants for the set-aside funds must 
demonstrate that at least 75 percent of the benefits of an approved 
loan in this program will assist ultimate recipients in the designated 
areas. The completed application deadline for the Federally Recognized 
Native American Tribes and Mississippi Delta Region Counties projects 
is May 31, 2021. Completed applications for the Rural Empowerment Zone/
Enterprise Communities/Rural Economic Area Partnership projects must be 
submitted by July 15, 2021.

A. Program Description

    1. Purpose of the Program. The purpose of the program is to provide 
direct loans to intermediaries that establish revolving loan programs 
for the purpose of providing loans to ultimate recipients for business 
facilities and community developments in a rural area as outlined in 7 
CFR 4274.301(b). All applicable program requirements in their entirety 
can be found at 7 CFR part 4274 subpart D.
    2. Statutory Authority. This program is authorized under the 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (ConAct) (7 U.S.C. 1936b et 
seq.) and 7 CFR part 4274, subpart D. Awards under the IRP program will 
be made on a competitive basis using specific selection criteria 
contained in 7 CFR 4274.344(c).
    3. Definition of Terms. The definitions applicable to this notice 
are published at 7 CFR 4274.302(a).
    4. Application Awards. The Agency will review, evaluate and score 
applications received in response to this notice based on the 
provisions found in 7 CFR 4274.343 and 4274.344, subpart D, and as 
indicated in this notice. However, the Agency advises that all 
interested parties bear the burden in preparing and submitting an 
application in response to the notice whether or not funding is 
appropriated for this Program in FY 2021.

B. Federal Award Information

    Type of Award: Loan.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2021.
    Available Funds: Anyone interested in submitting an application for 
funding under this Program is encouraged to consult the Rural 
Development Notices of Solicitation of Applications website at: http://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/notices-solicitation-applications-nosas.
    Maximum Award: The Agency anticipates a maximum award of $1 Million 
for eligible Intermediaries submitting a loan request.
    Anticipated Award Dates--Regular Funding: First Quarter--November 
30, 2020, Second Quarter--February 28, 2021, Third Quarter--May 31, 
2021, Fourth Quarter--August 31, 2021.
    Anticipated Award Date--Federally Recognized Native American Tribes 
and Mississippi Delta Region Counties Funding: June 15, 2021.
    Anticipated Award Date--Empowerment Zones/Enterprise Communities/
Rural Economic Area Partnership Funding: August 1, 2021.
    Renewal or Supplemental Awards: None.

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

    Loans may be made to any entity that is identified by USDA Rural 
Development as an eligible borrower in accordance with 7 CFR 4274.307.

2. Cost Share or Matching

    The IRP revolving fund share of the eligible project cost of an 
ultimate recipient's project funded under this Notice shall not exceed 
the lesser of: (a) $250,000, or (b) 75 per cent of the total cost of 
the ultimate recipient's project for which the loan is being made. The 
cost share requirement shall be met by the intermediary in accordance 
with the requirements specified in 7 CFR 4274.331(b).

3. Other

    Applications will only be accepted from eligible intermediaries 
that establish, or have established, revolving loan programs for the 
purpose of providing loans to ultimate recipients for business 
facilities and community developments in a rural area.
    There are no ``responsiveness'' or ``threshold'' eligibility 
criteria for these loans. However, not more than one loan will be 
approved by the Agency for an intermediary in any single fiscal year 
unless the additional request is from this program's set-aside funding.

4. Completeness Eligibility

    Applications will not be considered for funding if they do not 
provide enough information to determine eligibility, are not suitable 
for evaluation or are missing required elements as stated in 7 CFR 
4274.343.

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Address To Request Application Package

    For further information, entities wishing to apply for assistance 
should contact the USDA Rural Development State Office provided in the 
ADDRESSES section of this notice, to obtain copies of the application 
package and also are encouraged to contact their respective Rural 
Development State office for an email contact so submit an electronic 
application prior to the submission deadline date(s). Please note that 
applicants may locate the downloadable application package for this 
program by

[[Page 78823]]

the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number, which is 10.767.
    All 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 online at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.

2. Content and Form of Submission

    An application must contain all the required elements and each 
selection priority criterion outlined in 7 CFR 4274.343 must be 
addressed in the application. An original copy of the application must 
be filed with a Rural Development State Office for the state where the 
Intermediary is located.
    The applicant documentation and forms needed for a complete 
application are located in 7 CFR 4274.343 There are no specific formats 
or limitations on the number of pages required for an application 
narrative, and applicants may request any Agency forms and addresses 
from the ADDRESSES section of this notice. Any form that requires an 
original signature, but is signed electronically in the application 
submission, must be signed in ink by the authorized person prior to the 
disbursement of funds.

3. Submission Dates and Times

    Applications must be in the USDA Rural Development State Office by 
the dates and times as indicated above to compete for available funds 
in that fiscal quarter. If the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or 
federal holiday, the application is due the next business day. The 
Agency will determine the application receipt date based on the actual 
date postmarked.

E. Application Review Information

1. Criteria

    All eligible and complete applications will be evaluated and scored 
based on the selection criteria and weights contained in 7 CFR 
4274.344(c). Failure to address any one of the criteria by the 
application deadline will result in the application being determined 
ineligible, and the application will not be considered for funding.

2. Review and Selection Process

    The Rural Development State Offices will review applications to 
determine if they are eligible for assistance based on the requirements 
contained in 7 CFR part 4274, subpart D. If determined eligible, your 
application will be submitted to the National Office for funding 
competition with all eligible applications received by the application 
deadline. The Agency Administrator reserves the right to award 
additional discretionary points under 7 CFR 4274.344(c)(6).
    In order to distribute funds among the greatest number of projects 
possible, applications will be reviewed, organized and funded by 
ranking each state's highest-scoring project in order from highest to 
lowest subject for competition with ranked applications from other 
states for the available funding.

F. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notices

    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 loan award will be 
approved. An eligible application competing for regular IRP funds, but 
not selected, will be reconsidered in three subsequent quarterly 
funding competitions, for a total of four competitions, provided the 
application and eligibility requirements have not changed. After 
competing in four quarterly competitions, any unsuccessful applicant 
for regular funds will receive written notification indicating that 
their application will no longer be considered for funding. Applicants 
competing for set-aside funding have only one application period per 
fiscal year. Unsuccessful applicants for set-aside funding will receive 
written notification indicating that their application was not 
successful. An unsuccessful applicant for set-aside funding may elect, 
in writing, to submit their project for IRP regular fund competitions 
commencing with the next quarterly application period.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    Additional requirements that apply to intermediaries selected for 
this Program can be found in 7 CFR part 4274, subpart D. All successful 
applicants will be notified by letter which will include a Letter of 
Conditions, and a Letter of Intent to Meet Conditions, which are not 
approval determinations. The loan will be considered approved when all 
conditions in the Letter of Conditions have been met and the Agency 
obligates the funding for the Project.
    In addition, all recipients of Federal financial assistance are 
required to report information about first-tier sub-awards 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 of 2006 (Pub. L. 
109-282) reporting requirements (see 2 CFR 170.200(b), unless you are 
exempt under 2 CFR 170.110(b)).
    Intermediaries must collect and maintain data provided by Ultimate 
Recipients on race, sex, and national origin and ensure Ultimate 
Recipients collect and maintain this data. Race and ethnicity data will 
be collected in accordance with OMB Federal Register notice, 
``Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on 
Race and Ethnicity'' (62 FR 58782), October 30, 1997. Sex data will be 
collected in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 
1972. These items should not be submitted with the application but 
should be available upon request by the Agency.
    The applicant and the Ultimate Recipient must comply with Title VI 
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments 
of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Executive 
Order 12250, Executive Order 13166 Limited English Proficiency (LEP), 
and 7 CFR part 1901, subpart E.

G. Other Information

Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
information collection requirement contained in this notice is approved 
by OMB under OMB Control Number 0570-0070.

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 (866) 705-5711 or online at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. 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.

Nondiscrimination Statement

    In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its 
agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or 
administering USDA Programs are prohibited from discriminating based on 
race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including 
gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital 
status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance 
program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior

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civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded 
by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint 
filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
    Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of 
communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible 
Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or 
contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. 
Additionally, program information may be made available in languages 
other than English.
    To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA 
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or 
write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the 
information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint 
form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed complaint form or 
complaint letter to USDA by:
    (1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 
20250-9410; or
    (2) Email: [email protected].
    USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Rebeckah Adcock,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-26771 Filed 12-4-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P