[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 161 (Tuesday, August 24, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 47289-47290]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-18135]



[[Page 47289]]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

[Docket No. RBS-21-CO-OP-0020]


Stakeholder Listening Session and Request for Information on the 
Rural Cooperative Development Grant Program

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Request for information.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS) is hosting a 
listening session and opening a request for information for public 
input about the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program. The 
RCDG program provides financial assistance to nonprofit corporations 
and/or institutions of higher education to start or expand cooperative 
development centers that provide technical and business development 
assistance to individuals and businesses to start, expand, or improve 
cooperatives and other mutually owned businesses. RBCS is currently 
considering how it can streamline application requirements, establish a 
multiyear award process, and provide more relevant performance metrics 
for the program.

DATES: The listening session will be held virtually on:

September 16, 2021, at 2:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m. ET
    https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2283339721495353867

    Comments must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time 
(EST) on https://www.regulations.gov.

ADDRESSES: Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to https://www.regulations.gov and, in the ``Search'' box, type in the Docket No. 
RBS-21-CO-OP-0020. A link to the Notice will appear. You may submit a 
comment here by selecting the ``Comment'' button or you can access the 
``Docket'' tab, select the ``Notice,'' and go to the ``Browse & Comment 
on Documents'' Tab. Here you may view comments that have been submitted 
as well as submit a comment. To submit a comment, select the 
``comment'' button, complete the required information, and select the 
``Submit Comment'' button at the bottom. Information on using 
Regulations.gov, including instructions for accessing documents, 
submitting comments, and viewing the docket after the close of the 
comment period, is available through the site's ``FAQ'' link at the 
bottom. Comments on this information collection must be received by 
October 25, 2021.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:  Natalie Melton, Program Management 
Division, Cooperative Programs, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, 
United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, STOP 3250, 
1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-3250, telephone (202) 
720-1400, or email [email protected].
    Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication (Braille, large print, audio tape, etc.) should contact 
the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600 or (844) 433-2774 (toll-free 
nationwide).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Overview of RCDG

    The RCDG program is authorized under section 310B(e) of the 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (Con Act) (7 U.S.C. 1932 
(e)) as amended by the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 
115-334). The 7 CFR part 4284, subparts A and F are the regulations 
that govern this program. Terms you need to understand are defined in 7 
CFR 4284.504. The primary objective of the RCDG program is to improve 
the economic condition of rural areas through cooperative development. 
Grants are awarded on a competitive basis to non-profit corporations or 
higher education institutions. Grant funds may be used to pay for up to 
75 percent of the cost of establishing and operating centers for rural 
cooperative development and 95 percent of the cost of establishing and 
operating centers for rural cooperative development when the applicant 
is a 1994 Institution as defined by 7 U.S.C. 301. The 1994 Institutions 
are commonly known as Tribal Land Grant Institutions. Centers may have 
the expertise on staff, or they can contract out for the expertise to 
assist individuals or entities in the startup, expansion or operational 
improvement of rural cooperative or mutually owned businesses.
    This notice and listening session request information on RBCS's 
plan to consider ways streamline the application requirements, 
establish a multiyear award process, update performance metrics and 
assess program performance. The public input provided in response to 
this notice from interested stakeholders will advise RBCS on this plan.

Instructions

    Response to this notice is voluntary. Each individual or 
institution is requested to submit only one response as directed in the 
ADDRESSES section of this notice. Submission must not exceed 10 pages 
and fonts must be 12 point or larger, with a page number on each page. 
Responses should include the name of the person(s) or organization(s) 
filing the comment. Comments containing references, studies, research, 
and other empirical data that are not widely published should include 
copies or electronic links of the referenced materials. Comments 
containing profanity, vulgarity, threats, or other inappropriate 
language or content will not be considered. Comments submitted in 
response to this notice are subject to disclosure under the Freedom of 
Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. 552). Responses to this notice may 
also be posted, without change, on a Federal website.
    Therefore, we request that no business proprietary information, 
copyrighted information, or personally identifiable information be 
submitted in response to this notice. In accordance with FAR 52-215-
3(b), responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by 
the Government to form a binding contract. Additionally, the U.S. 
Government will not pay for response preparation or for the use of any 
information contained in the response.
    To inform the Federal government's decision-making, RBCS now seeks 
public input on the following questions.
    1. The authorizing statute prioritizes applications that can 
demonstrate a proven track record in carrying out activities to promote 
and assist the development of cooperatively and mutually owned 
businesses. How can applicants demonstrate they have a proven track 
record?
    2. The authorizing statute prioritizes applications that can 
demonstrate expertise in providing technical assistance in rural areas. 
What criteria or factors should the Agency use to determine expertise 
and experience of the Center in promoting and assisting the development 
of cooperatives and mutually owned businesses? How many years of 
experience are appropriate to show that an organization has experience 
in providing cooperative development technical assistance in rural 
areas?
    3. The authorizing statute prioritizes applications that 
demonstrate how they can improve economic conditions through new 
cooperative approaches. How do you interpret the language ``new 
cooperative approach''? What makes a cooperative approach new?
    4. The authorizing statute prioritizes applications that 
demonstrate commitment to providing technical assistance and other 
services to underserved and economically distressed areas. Developing 
cooperatives among low resource and

[[Page 47290]]

underserved groups requires creative approaches to meeting time and 
capacity restraints. Incubating co-ops, implementing build and recruit 
methods, and developing a cooperative franchise are all examples of 
innovative approaches. How can these approaches be structured to 
clarify members' responsibilities versus the co-op development center's 
responsibility?
    5. The authorizing statute prioritizes applications that network 
with and share the results of their center with other cooperative 
centers and organizations involved in rural economic development. What 
suggestions do you have for documenting the results of networking with 
other cooperative development centers and organizations involved in 
rural economic development efforts?
    6. The authorizing statute prioritizes applications that include 
multistate and multiorganization approaches to rural economic 
development. What suggestions do you have for documenting these 
approaches?
    7. The authorizing statute requires applicants to take all 
practicable steps to develop continuing sources of financial support, 
particularly from private sector sources to support the sustainability 
of a center. How should an applicant demonstrate this requirement? What 
criteria or factors should the Agency use to determine sustainability 
of a center? How would the Agency verify this information beyond 
written application narration?
    8. The authorizing statute permits the Agency to make multiyear 
awards, up to a 3-year period of performance for centers that have been 
previously awarded under this program and have a successful record of 
performance. What criteria or factors should the Agency focus on in 
determining eligibility for applicants proposing multiyear awards?
    9. RBCS is seeking feedback on how the program's performance should 
be assessed. As stated above, the purpose of the program is to improve 
the economic conditions of rural areas through cooperative development. 
The required goals of recipients must include facilitating the creation 
of jobs in rural areas through the development of new rural 
cooperatives, value-added processing, and other rural businesses. Given 
this purpose and these goals, what performance measures should be 
established for the program? How should they be measured?
    10. RBCS is seeking feedback on how an applicant can demonstrate 
the successful establishment of a cooperative or mutually owned 
business given the varying state incorporation laws. What documentation 
should the Agency request to demonstrate establishment?
    11. RBCS is seeking feedback on how applicants can document 
previous expertise when the outcome was no incorporation of a 
cooperative or mutually owned business. Applicants are required to 
discuss their cooperative development expertise when making an 
application to the Agency. This information is used as part of the 
merit- based scoring process. Experience has shown that not all 
cooperative development efforts result in the incorporation of a new 
cooperative; in fact, with some projects the most prudent advice is not 
to proceed. How should ``no-go'' cooperative development technical 
assistance efforts be recognized by the Agency and documented by the 
applicant to show previous cooperative development expertise?
    12. RBCS seeks feedback on when the application deadline for the 
program should be. It is our intention to have a consistent deadline 
from year to year, rather than released at variable times through a 
Federal Register Notice. We also must allow sufficient time for 
processing applications in order to make awards and obligate funds 
prior to September 30 each year.

Non-Discrimination Statement

    In accordance with Federal civil rights laws and U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its 
Mission Areas, agencies, staff offices, 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 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.
    Program information may be made available in languages other than 
English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of 
communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large 
print, audiotape, American Sign Language) should contact the 
responsible Mission Area, agency, or staff office; the USDA TARGET 
Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY); or the Federal Relay Service 
at (800) 877-8339.
    To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should 
complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, 
which can be obtained online at https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-3027, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a 
letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant's 
name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the 
alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the 
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date 
of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or 
letter must be submitted 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) Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
    (3) Email: [email protected].
    USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Karama Neal,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-18135 Filed 8-23-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P