[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 197 (Friday, October 15, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57409-57412]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-22499]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

Rural Housing Service

Rural Utilities Service

[Docket No. RBS-21-BUSINESS-0034]


Strategic Economic and Community Development Program

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, and 
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of solicitation of applications.

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SUMMARY: The Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development (RD) is 
seeking applications for the Strategic Economic and Community 
Development (SECD) priority, as reauthorized by Section 6401of the 
Agriculture Improvement Act, 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) with modifications, 
for projects that support multi-jurisdictional and multi-sectoral 
strategic community investment plans. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, the 
Agency will implement SECD by reserving loan and or grant funds from 
the appropriations of the programs covered by this funding priority. 
This notice describes the requirements by which the Agency will 
consider projects eligible for the covered programs' reserved 
appropriated funds and the information needed to submit an application.

DATES: To apply for SECD funding in FY 2022, applicants must submit 
Form RD 1980-88, ``Strategic Economic and Community Development 
(Section 6401),'' with their program application to the appropriate 
covered program. Each of the seven covered programs have different 
established deadlines for receipt of applications. Please refer to the 
Agency website or the appropriate covered program's Federal Register 
Notice for deadline information. All applicants are responsible for any 
expenses incurred in preparing and submitting applications.

ADDRESSES: This notice will be announced on www.Grants.gov. SECD 
applications, with the exception of Community Connect Grant Program 
SECD applications, must be submitted to the USDA Rural Development 
Office servicing the area where the project is located. A list of the 
USDA Rural Development State Offices can be found at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/about-rd/state-offices. Community Connect applicants 
must submit SECD applications electronically at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/community-connect. For lenders assigned an OneRD Loan 
Guarantee Initiative Customer Relationship Manager (CRM), SECD 
applications must be submitted to their assigned CRM.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For more information, please contact 
your respective Rural Development State Office listed here: https://www.rd.usda.gov/about-rd/state-offices.
    For all other inquiries, you may contact Greg Batson, Rural 
Development Innovation Center, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Stop 
0793, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-0783, 
Telephone: (573) 239-2945. Email: [email protected].
    A checklist of all required application information for regional 
planning priority can be found at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/strategic-economic-and-community-development.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Section 6401 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm 
Bill) re-authorized Section 6025 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 
Farm Bill) with some modifications. Section 6401 of the 2018 Farm Bill 
enables the Secretary of Agriculture to prioritize projects that 
support multi-jurisdictional and multi-sectoral strategic community 
investment plans

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when applying for program funds. These changes were implemented in an 
amendment to 7 CFR 1980 subpart K, which published in the Federal 
Register on September 22, 2020. In FY 2022, the Agency will reserve 
funds from the covered programs, using SECD regulation 7 CFR part 1980, 
subpart K.
    SECD supports projects that promote and implement strategic 
community investment plans. These plans use the unique strengths of 
rural communities to advance prosperity. USDA Rural Development helps 
finance these projects to build community prosperity by using community 
assets, identifying resources, convening partners and leveraging 
federal, state, local or private funding.
    In FY 2022, the Agency plans to implement SECD through reserving 
funds from the covered programs' appropriations. This notice provides 
requirements to applicants submitting applications for the covered 
programs' reserved funds and establishes the above-mentioned priority 
effective upon the publication of this notice.

Rural Development: Rural Development: Key Priorities

    The Agency encourages applicants to consider projects that will 
advance the following key priorities of Rural Development:
     Assisting rural communities recover economically from the 
impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly disadvantaged 
communities;
     Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to 
USDA-Rural Development programs and benefits from Rural Development 
funded projects; and
     Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to 
the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural 
communities.
    For further information, visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.

A. Statutory Authority

    These funds are made available under the Authority of Section 6401 
of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Pub. L. 115-334); 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2008v).

B. Programs

    Section 6401 of the 2018 Farm Bill (7 U.S.C. 2008v), authorizes any 
program under the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (Pub. L. 
87-128), as determined by the Secretary, to give priority to 
applications that support the implementation of multi-jurisdictional 
and multi-sectoral strategic community investment plans. In FY 2022, 
the Agency implements SECD through reserving funds from the covered 
programs, using SECD regulation 7 CFR part 1980, subpart K.
    Accordingly, the Agency is giving priority to projects implementing 
strategic community investment plans in FY 2022 through the following 
Rural Development programs:
     Community Facility Loans; see 7 CFR part 1942, subpart A.
     Community Facilities Grants; see 7 CFR part 3570, subpart 
B.
     Community Facilities Guaranteed Loans; see 7 CFR part 
5001.
     Water and Waste Disposal Programs Guaranteed Loans; see 7 
CFR part 5001.
     Water and Waste Loans and Grants; see 7 CFR part 1780.
     Rural Business Development Grants; see 7 CFR part 4280, 
subpart E.
     Community Connect Grants; see 7 CFR part 1739.

II. Award Information

    Type of Awards: Guaranteed loans, direct loans and grants.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2022 appropriated funds.
    Available Funds: The amount of reserved funds available for SECD 
projects is dependent on the amount of available appropriated funding 
provided to each of the covered programs during the fiscal year.

Regional Planning Priority

    For FY 2022 applications, the following table specifies the 
percentage of funds being reserved:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                         Percentage  of
                        Program                          funds  reserved
                                                            for SECD
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Community Facility Loans..............................                10
Community Facilities Grant Program....................                 5
Community Facilities Guaranteed Loans.................                 5
Water and Waste Disposal Programs Guaranteed Loans....                10
Water and Waste Loans.................................                 5
Water and Waste Grants................................                 3
Rural Business Development Grants.....................                 5
Community Connect Grant Program.......................                10
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Award Amounts: Guaranteed loans, direct loans and grants will be 
awarded in amounts consistent with each applicable covered program.
    Award Dates: Awards for SECD applications submitted to the covered 
programs in FY 2022 will be obligated on or before June 30, 2022, 
except Community Connect. Community Connect SECD awards will be 
obligated upon completion of all required programmatic reviews. The 
Agency will return any reserved funds that are not obligated by the 
obligation deadline to each covered program's regular funding account 
for obligation of eligible projects in that program.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Requirements

    To be considered for SECD reserved funds, both the applicant and 
project must meet the eligibility requirements of the covered program. 
These requirements vary among the covered programs and applicants 
should refer to the regulations for those programs, which are 
referenced in I.A. of this notice.
    The agency supports community and regional planning through the 
SECD regulation without making any changes to the applicant eligibility 
requirements of the covered programs. The SECD regulation includes 
three criteria that a project must meet in order to be considered for 
the SECD reserve funding (see 7 CFR 1980.1010):
    The first criterion, as noted above, is that the project meets the 
applicable eligibility requirements of the covered program for which 
the applicant is applying.
    The second criterion is that the project is ``carried out in a 
rural area'' as defined in 7 CFR 1980.1005. As defined, this means 
either the entire project is physically located in a rural area or all 
the beneficiaries of the service(s) provided through the project must 
either reside in or be located in a rural area. Note that the 
definition of ``rural'' varies among the covered programs and the 
Section 6401 regulation does not change those definitions. Therefore, 
the applicable program regulations as outlined in I.A. should be 
reviewed as necessary.
    The third criterion is that the project supports the implementation 
of a strategic community investment plan on a multi-jurisdictional and 
multi-sectoral basis as defined in 7 CFR 1980.1005.
    In order to be considered for the reserved funds from covered 
programs in FY 2022, applicants must (1) meet all requirements of the 
covered program; (2) meet all requirements in accordance with 7 CFR 
part 1980, subpart K (see7 CFR 1980.1010); and (3) submit Form RD 1980-
88 and the supporting documentation required in 7 CFR 1080.1015 with 
their program application:
     Sufficient information to show that the project will be 
carried out in a rural area, as defined by the appropriate covered 
program; and

[[Page 57411]]

     Identification of any current or previous applications the 
applicant has submitted for funds from the covered programs.

B. Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) for Award 
Management (SAM)

    For covered program applicants, a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number must be obtained and registered in the 
System for Award Management (SAM) prior to submitting an application 
pursuant to 2 CFR 25.200(b). In addition, an entity applicant must 
maintain registration in SAM at all times during which it has an active 
Federal award or an application or plan under consideration by the 
Agency. The applicant must ensure that the information in the database 
is current, accurate, and complete. Applicants must ensure they 
complete the Financial Assistance General Certifications and 
Representations in SAM. Similarly, all recipients of Federal financial 
assistance are required to report information about first-tier 
subawards and executive compensation in accordance to 2 CFR part 170. 
So long as an entity applicant does not have an exception under 2 CFR 
170.110(b), the applicant must have the necessary processes and systems 
in place to comply with the reporting requirements should the applicant 
receive funding. See 2 CFR 170.200(b). An applicant, unless excepted 
under 2 CFR 25.110(b), (c), or (d), is required to: (a) Be registered 
in SAM before submitting its application; (b) provide a valid DUNS 
number in its application; and (c) continue to maintain an active SAM 
registration with current information at all times during which it has 
an active Federal award or an application or plan under consideration 
by a Federal awarding agency. The Federal awarding agency may not make 
a federal award to an applicant until the applicant has complied with 
all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not 
fully complied with the requirements by the time the Federal awarding 
agency is ready to make a Federal award, the Federal awarding agency 
may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal 
award and use that determination as a basis for making a Federal award 
to another applicant. As required by the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB), all grant applications must provide a DUNS number when 
applying for Federal grants, on or after October 1, 2003. Organizations 
can receive a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated toll-free 
number at 1-866- 705-5711 or via internet at http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. Additional information concerning this requirement can be 
obtained on the Grants.gov website at http://www.grants.gov. Similarly, 
applicants may register for SAM at https://www.sam.gov or by calling 1-
866-606- 8220. The applicant must provide documentation that they are 
registered in SAM and their DUNS number. If the applicant does not 
provide documentation that they are registered in SAM and their DUNS 
number, the application will not be considered for funding. Applicants 
no longer must complete the following forms for acceptance of a federal 
award, given that such information is now collected through the 
registration or annual recertification process in SAM.gov:  
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 Drug-
Free Workplace Requirements (Grants).''  Form AD-3031, 
``Assurance Regarding Felony Conviction or Tax Delinquent Status for 
Corporate Applicants.''

C. Cost Sharing or Matching

    Any and all cost sharing, matching, and cost participation 
requirements of the applicable covered program apply to projects 
seeking SECD reserved funds.

D. Other Eligibility Requirements

    Any and all other eligibility requirements (beyond those identified 
in III.A of this notice) found in the covered programs applying to 
applicants, their projects, and the beneficiaries of those projects are 
unchanged by either this notice or the Section 6401 regulation.

IV. Application Evaluation and Selection for Covered Programs Funds

A. Scoring of Applications

    All FY 2022 applications for covered programs will be reviewed, 
evaluated, and scored based on the covered program's scoring criteria. 
This notice does not affect that process. This notice only affects the 
scoring of SECD applications competing for a covered program's SECD 
reserve funds.
    For applicants wishing to be considered for reserved SECD funds in 
FY 2022, the Agency will review, evaluate, and score each application 
based on the criteria specified in 7 CFR 1980.1020, to award points for 
each program's competition for the SECD reserved funds.

B. Selection Process

    The Agency will prioritize applications competing for a covered 
program's reserved funds based on the covered program's awarded points 
plus the SECD earned points to determine which projects receive 
reserved funds.

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

    The Agency will notify SECD applicants who receive funding in a 
manner consistent with award notifications for the covered program.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    Any and all additional requirements of the applicable covered 
programs apply to projects receiving funding in response to this 
notice. Please see the regulations for the applicable covered program.

C. Reporting Requirements

    Any and all post-award reporting requirements contained in the 
covered program apply to all projects receiving reserved funds in 
response to this notice.

VII. Additional Information

Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
information collection requirements contained in 7 CFR part 1980, 
subpart K, have been approved by Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
under OMB Control Number 0570-0068.

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 https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. 
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/SAM. 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. Applicants must ensure they complete 
the Financial Assistance General Certifications and Representations in 
SAM.

[[Page 57412]]

Civil Rights

    Programs referenced in this Notice are subject to applicable Civil 
Rights Laws. These laws include the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Title 
VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act 
of 1968, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Nondiscrimination 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].

Justin Maxson,
Deputy Under Secretary, Rural Development.
[FR Doc. 2021-22499 Filed 10-14-21; 8:45 am]
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