[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 52 (Friday, March 17, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16404-16411]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-05441]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

[Docket #: RBS-22-CO-OP-0032]


Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Socially Disadvantaged 
Groups Grant for Fiscal Year 2023

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces that the Rural Business-Cooperative 
Service (RBCS, Agency), a Rural Development (RD) agency of the United 
States Department of Agriculture (USDA), invites applications for 
grants under the Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant (SDGG) program for 
Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. This notice is being issued to allow applicants 
sufficient time to leverage financing, prepare and submit their 
applications, and give the Agency time to process applications within 
FY 2023. A total of $3,000,000 in grant funding will be available for 
FY 2023. 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. All applicants are 
responsible for any expenses incurred in developing and submitting 
their applications.

DATES: Complete applications for grants must be submitted 
electronically by 4:30 p.m. local time on May 16, 2023, through https://www.grants.gov to be eligible for grant funding. Applications received 
after the deadline are not eligible for funding under this notice and 
will not be evaluated. Applicants are advised to not wait until the 
application deadline date to begin the application process through 
Grants.gov.

ADDRESSES: Applicants are encouraged to contact the USDA RD State 
Office well in advance of the application deadline to discuss the 
project and ask any questions about the application process. Contact 
information for USDA RD State Offices can be found at https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices.
    Program guidance as well as application templates may be obtained 
at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-

[[Page 16405]]

services/socially-disadvantaged-groups-grant or by contacting the USDA 
RD State Office. To submit an electronic application, follow the 
instructions for the SDGG funding announcement located at https://www.grants.gov. Applicants are strongly encouraged to file applications 
early to allow sufficient time to manage any technical issues.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Arti Kshirsagar at 
[email protected], Loan & Grant Analyst, Program Management 
Division, RBCS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mail Stop 3226, 
Washington, DC 20250-3226 or call (202) 720-1400. Persons with 
disabilities that require alternative means for communication should 
contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice); or the 711 
Relay Service.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Overview

    Federal Awarding Agency Name: Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
    Funding Opportunity Title: Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant.
    Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
    Funding Opportunity Number: RBCS-SDGG-2023.
    Assistance Listing Number: 10.871.
    Dates: Complete applications for grants must be submitted 
electronically no later than 4:30 p.m. local time on May 16, 2023, 
through https://www.grants.gov to be eligible for grant funding. 
Applications received after the deadline are not eligible for funding 
under this notice and will not be evaluated.
    Rural Development Key Priorities. The Agency encourages applicants 
to consider projects that will advance the following key priorities 
(more details available at https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points):
     Assisting rural communities recover economically through 
better market opportunities and through improved infrastructure;
     Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to 
Rural Development (RD) programs and benefits from RD funded projects; 
and
     Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to 
the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural 
communities.

A. Program Description

    1. Purpose of the Program. The primary objective of the SDGG 
program is to provide technical assistance to socially disadvantaged 
groups through cooperatives and Cooperative Development Centers. Grants 
must be used to provide technical assistance to socially disadvantaged 
groups in rural areas. Technical assistance includes feasibility 
studies, business plans, strategic planning, and leadership training. 
Eligible applicants are cooperative development centers, individual 
cooperatives, or groups of cooperatives (i) that serve socially 
disadvantaged groups and (ii) of which a majority of the board of 
directors or governing board is comprised of individuals who are 
members of socially disadvantaged groups.
    2. Statutory and Regulatory Authority. The SDGG program is 
authorized by the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 
1932(e)(11)).
    Section 736 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, Public 
Law 117-328 (the ``2023 Appropriations Act''), designates funding for 
projects in persistent poverty counties. Persistent poverty counties as 
defined in Section 736 is ``any county that has had 20 percent or more 
of its population living in poverty over the past 30 years, as measured 
by the 1990 and 2000 decennial censuses, and 2007-2011 American 
Community Survey 5-year average, or any territory or possession of the 
United States''. Another provision in Section 736 expands the eligible 
population in persistent poverty counties to include any county seat of 
such a persistent poverty county that has a population that does not 
exceed the authorized population limit by more than 10 percent. This 
provision expands the current 50,000 population limit to 55,000 for 
county seats located in persistent poverty counties. Therefore, 
applicants and/or beneficiaries of technical assistance services 
located in persistent poverty county seats with populations up to 
55,000 (per the 2010 Census) are eligible.
    3. Definitions. The definitions applicable to this notice are as 
follows:
    Agency--RBCS, an agency of the USDA RD 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, paying a cooperative member to 
provide proposed technical assistance to other members of the same 
cooperative, and paying an immediate family member of the applicant to 
provide proposed technical assistance to socially disadvantaged groups.
    Cooperative--A business or organization that is owned and operated 
for the benefit of its members, with returns of residual earnings paid 
to such members based on patronage. Eligible cooperatives for the SDGG 
program are those where a majority of the board of directors or 
governing board are comprised of individuals who are members of 
socially disadvantaged groups.
    Cooperative development center--A nonprofit corporation or 
institution of higher education operated by the grantee for cooperative 
or business development. An eligible cooperative development center for 
the SDGG program is one where a majority of the board of directors or 
governing board are comprised of individuals who are members of 
socially disadvantaged groups. It may or may not be an independent 
legal entity separate from the grantee.
    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; each 
cooperative must meet the eligibility requirements set forth in the 
definition of ``cooperative'' herein. One of the cooperatives must be 
designated as the lead entity and have legal authority to contract with 
the federal government.
    Immediate family(ies)--A group of individuals who live in the same 
household or who are closely related by blood, marriage, or adoption, 
such as a spouse, domestic partner, parent, child, sibling, aunt, 
uncle, grandparent, grandchild, niece, nephew, or first cousin.
    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

[[Page 16406]]

or on behalf of participants or trainees (but not employees) in 
connection with conferences or training projects.
    Project--Any activities to be funded by the SDGG.
    Rural and rural area--Any area of a state other than (a) 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 (b) any 
urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to a city or town described in 
clause (a), and urbanized areas that are rural in character as defined 
by 7 U.S.C. 1991(a)(13)(D). 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 or the San Juan Census Designated Place.
    Rural Development (RD)--A mission area within USDA consisting of 
the Office of Under Secretary for RD, RBCS, Rural Housing Service 
(RHS), and Rural Utilities Service (RUS) 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. References in this 
program to State, State government, or State agency are meant to 
include 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 Freely Associated States and the 
Federated States of Micronesia.
    Technical assistance--An advisory service performed for the purpose 
of assisting cooperatives or groups that want to form cooperatives such 
as market research, product and/or service improvement, legal advice 
and assistance, feasibility study, business planning, marketing plan 
development, and training.
    4. Application of Awards. The Agency will review, evaluate, and 
score applications received in response to this notice based on Section 
E of this notice. Awards under the SDGG program will be made on a 
competitive basis using specific selection criteria contained in 
Section E.1 of this notice. The Agency advises all interested parties 
that the applicant bears the full burden in preparing and applying in 
response to this notice.

B. Federal Award Information

    Type of Award: Grants.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2023.
    Available Funds: $3,000,000 will be available for FY 2023. RBCS 
may, at its discretion, increase the total level of funding available 
in this funding round [or in any category in this funding round] from 
any available source provided the awards meet the requirements of the 
statute which made the funding available to the Agency.
    Award Amount: Maximum is $175,000.
    Anticipated Award Date: September 30, 2023.
    Performance Period: One (1) year.
    Renewal or Supplemental Awards: None.
    Type of Assistance Instrument: Financial Assistance Agreement.

C. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants. Grants may be made to individual 
cooperatives, groups of cooperatives, or cooperative development 
centers that serve socially disadvantaged groups and of which a 
majority of the board of directors or governing board of the applicant 
is comprised of individuals who are members of socially disadvantaged 
groups. Federally recognized Tribes have a government-to-government 
relationship with the United States. Therefore, Tribes may consider 
using a separate entity, such as a tribally owned business, tribal 
authority, tribal non-profit, tribal college, or university to apply 
for SDGG funding that would provide technical assistance to members of 
the Tribe. Applications submitted must include the following for 
eligibility determination:
    (a) Required Documentation Applicants must verify their legal 
structure in the state or the Tribe under which the applicants are 
legally organized or incorporated.
    (b) Applicants must demonstrate that all defined requirements for 
one of the three eligible applicant types have been met. These three 
eligible applicant types are: individual cooperatives, groups of 
cooperatives, or cooperative development centers.
    An applicant is ineligible if:
    (a) It is a public body or individual.
    (b) It has been debarred or suspended or otherwise excluded from or 
ineligible for participation in Federal assistance programs under 
Executive Order 12549, ``Debarment and Suspension.'' The Agency will 
check the Do Not Pay (DNP) system to determine if the applicant has 
been debarred or suspended at the time of application and prior to 
funding any grant award.
    (c) It has 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. The 
applicant must certify as part of the application that there are no 
outstanding judgments against them. The applicant is responsible for 
resolving any issues that are reported in the `Do Not Pay' System and 
if issues are not resolved by the deadline found in this notice, the 
Agency may proceed to award funds to other eligible applicants.
    (d) Any corporation or cooperative (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 2023 Appropriations Act, 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. Certification 
of compliance with this provision is now completed during registration 
or annual recertification in the System for Award Management (SAM) at 
SAM.gov via the Financial Assistance General Certifications and 
Representations.
    2. Cost sharing or matching. There is no cost sharing or matching 
requirements associated with this grant.
    3. Other eligibility requirements.
    (a) Use of funds. Applications must propose technical assistance 
that will benefit -socially disadvantaged groups. Any recipient of 
technical assistance must have a membership that consists of a majority 
of members from socially disadvantaged groups. Please review Section 
D.6 of this notice carefully.
    (b) Project eligibility. Proposed projects must only serve members 
of

[[Page 16407]]

socially disadvantaged groups located in rural areas.
    (c) Grant period eligibility. Applications must include a grant 
period of one-year or less or it will not be considered for funding. 
The proposed time frame should begin no earlier than October 1, 2023 
and end no later than December 31, 2024. Applications that request 
funds for a time period ending after December 31, 2024, will not be 
considered for funding. Projects must be completed by December 31, 
2024, or within 12 months of award funding, whichever is earlier.
    The Agency may approve requests to extend the grant period for up 
to an additional 12 months at its discretion. However, applicants may 
not have more than one SDGG award during the same grant period. If you 
extend the period of performance for your current award, you may be 
deemed ineligible to receive an SDGG in the next grant cycle. Further 
guidance on grant period extensions will be provided in the award 
document.
    (d) Satisfactory performance eligibility. If applicants have an 
existing SDGG award, current performance must be satisfactory to be 
considered eligible for a new SDGG award. Satisfactory performance 
includes being up to date on all financial and performance reports as 
prescribed in the grant award and being current on tasks and timeframes 
for utilizing grant and matching funds as approved in the work plan and 
budget. If applicants have any unspent grant funds on SDGG awards from 
projects prior to September 30, 2021, the application will not be 
considered for funding. If an applicant's FY 2022 award has unspent 
funds of 50 percent or more than what the approved work plan and budget 
projected at the time of evaluation of the FY 2022 application, the FY 
2023 application may not be considered for funding. The Agency will 
verify the performance status of any FY 2022 awards and make a 
determination after the FY 2023 application period closes.
    (e) Completeness eligibility. Applications must provide all the 
information requested in Section D.2 of this notice. Applications 
lacking sufficient information to determine eligibility and scoring 
criteria will be considered ineligible.
    (f) Duplication of current services. Applications must demonstrate 
that services are being provided to new customers or new services to 
current customers. If the work plan and budget are duplicative of an 
existing award, the application will not be considered for funding. If 
the work plan and budget are duplicative of a previous or existing 
Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) and/or SDGG award, the 
application will not be considered for funding.
    (g) Multiple grant eligibility. Applicants may submit only one SDGG 
grant application each funding cycle. If two (2) applications are 
submitted (regardless of the applicant's name) that include the same 
Executive Director and/or advisory boards or committees of an existing 
cooperative or cooperative development center, both applications will 
be determined ineligible for funding.

D. Application and Submission Information

    1. Application template. An application template to assist 
applicants in applying for this funding opportunity is located at 
https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/socially-disadvantaged-groups-grant. Use of the application template is strongly recommended 
to assist with the application process. Application information is also 
available at www.grants.gov. Applicants may also contact the USDA RD 
State Office for more information at https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices.
    2. Content and form of application submission. An application must 
contain all the required forms and proposal elements outlined below.
    (a) Standard Form SF-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance.'' 
This form should include the applicant's Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) 
number. The UEI is assigned automatically to all active SAM.gov 
registered entities If an applicant does not include the UEI number in 
the 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. Applicants are no longer required to complete the Form SF 
424B, ``Assurances--Non-Construction Programs'' as a part of the 
application. This information is now collected through the applicant 
registration or annual recertification in SAM.gov through the Financial 
Assistance General Certifications and Representations.
    (c) Federal Debt and Judgement Certification. Applicants must 
certify that there are no current outstanding Federal judgments against 
the applicant's property and that no grant funds will be used to pay 
for any judgment obtained by the United States. Applicants must also 
certify that they are not delinquent on the payment of Federal income 
taxes, or any Federal debt. There is no standard form to complete, but 
to satisfy the certification requirement, applicants should include 
this statement in the application: ``[INSERT NAME OF APPLICANT] 
certifies that the United States has not obtained an unsatisfied 
judgment against its property, is not delinquent on the payment of 
Federal income taxes, or any Federal debt, and will not use grant funds 
to pay any judgments obtained by the United States.'' A separate 
signature is not required.
    (d) Table of Contents. Applications must contain a detailed Table 
of Contents (TOC) that includes page numbers for each part of the 
application. Page numbers should begin immediately following the TOC.
    (e) Executive Summary. A summary of the proposal, not to exceed one 
(1) page, must briefly describe the project, tasks to be completed, and 
other relevant information that provides a general overview of the 
project.
    (f) Eligibility Discussion. A detailed discussion, not to exceed 
four (4) pages, must describe how the applicant will meet the following 
requirements:
    (1) Applicant Eligibility. Applicants must describe how they meet 
the definition of a cooperative, group of cooperatives, or cooperative 
development center. Applications must also show that the individual 
cooperative, group of cooperatives or cooperative development center 
has a majority of its board of directors or governing board comprised 
of individuals who are members of socially disadvantaged groups, and 
that the applicant serves socially disadvantaged groups. The 
application must include a list of the board of directors/governing 
board and the percentage of board of directors/governing board that are 
members of socially disadvantaged groups. NOTE: Applications will not 
be considered for funding if it fails to show that a majority of the 
board of directors/governing board is comprised of individuals who are 
members of socially disadvantaged groups.
    Applicants must verify their incorporation and status in the state 
that they have applied by providing the State or Tribe's Certificate of 
Good Standing and Articles of Incorporation. Bylaws may also be 
submitted if they provide additional information not included in the 
Articles of Incorporation that will help verify the applicant's legal 
status. If applying as an institution of higher education, 
documentation verifying legal status is not required; however, the 
applicant must demonstrate that they qualify as an Institution of 
Higher

[[Page 16408]]

Education as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001. Applicants can only apply as 
one (1) type of applicant. The requested verification documents should 
be included in Appendix A of the application. If the documents are not 
included, the application will not be considered for funding.
    (2) Use of Funds. Applications must include a brief discussion on 
how the proposed project activities meet the definition of technical 
assistance and identify the socially disadvantaged groups that will be 
assisted.
    (3) Project Area. Applications must provide specific information 
that details the location of the Project area and explain how the area 
meets the definition of ``rural area.''
    (4) Grant Period. Applications must include a time frame for the 
proposed project and discuss how the project will be completed within 
that time frame. See the performance period section above for more 
information.
    (5) Indirect Costs. Applicants should indicate in the application 
if there is a negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA), and if 
so, the rate. The negotiated indirect cost rate approval does not need 
to be included in the application, but it will be required to be 
provided if a grant is awarded. Approval for indirect costs that are 
requested in an application without an approved indirect cost rate 
agreement is at the discretion of the Agency.
    (g) Scoring Criteria. Each of the scoring criteria in Section E.1 
in this notice must be addressed in narrative form, with a maximum of 
three (3) pages for each individual scoring criterion, unless otherwise 
specified. Failure to address each scoring criterion will result in the 
application being determined ineligible.
    (h) Annual Performance Measures. The Agency has established annual 
performance evaluation measures to evaluate the SDGG program. The 
applicant must provide estimates on the following performance 
evaluation measures as part of the narrative:
    (1) Number of cooperatives assisted; and
    (2) Number of socially disadvantaged groups assisted.
    3. System for Award Management and Unique Entity Identifier.
    (a) At the time of application, applicants must have an active 
registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) before applying 
in accordance with 2 CFR part 25. To register in SAM, entities will be 
required to create a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). Instructions for 
obtaining the UEI are available at https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.
    (b) Applicants must maintain an active SAM registration, with 
current, accurate and complete information, at all times during which 
it has an active Federal award or an application under consideration by 
a Federal awarding agency.
    (c) Applicants must complete the Financial Assistance General 
Certifications and Representations in SAM.
    (d) Applicants must provide a valid UEI in its application, unless 
determined exempt under 2 CFR 25.110.
    (e) The Agency will not make an award until the applicant has 
complied with all SAM requirements including providing the UEI. If an 
applicant has not fully complied with the requirements by the time the 
Agency is ready to make an award, the 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.
    4. Submission Dates and Times.
    (a) Application Technical Assistance Deadline Date. Prior to 
official submission of applications, applicants may request technical 
assistance or other application guidance from their State Office, if 
such requests are made prior to April 17, 2023. Agency contact 
information can be found in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
    (b) Application Deadline Date. Complete applications for grants 
must be submitted electronically no later than 4:30 p.m. local time on 
May 16, 2023, through https://www.grants.gov to be eligible for grant 
funding. Please review the Grants.gov website at https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html for 
instructions on the process of registering your organization as soon as 
possible to ensure that you are able to meet the electronic application 
deadline.
    Applications received after the deadline are not eligible for 
funding under this notice and will not be evaluated. The Agency will 
not solicit or consider new scoring or eligibility information that is 
submitted after the application deadline. RBCS also reserves the right 
to ask applicants for clarifying information and additional 
verification of assertions in the application.
    5. Intergovernmental Review. Executive Order (E.O.) 12372, 
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' applies to this 
program. This E.O. 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), please see the White House website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/management/office-federal-financial-management/. If your State has 
a SPOC, you may submit a copy of the application directly for review. 
Any comments obtained through the SPOC must be provided to the USDA RD 
State Office for consideration as part of your application. If your 
state has not established a SPOC, you may submit your application 
directly to the Agency. Applications from Federally recognized Indian 
Tribes are not subject to this requirement.
    6. Funding Restrictions. Grant funds must be used for technical 
assistance as defined.
    (a) No funds made available under this notice shall be used to:
    (1) Plan, repair, rehabilitate, acquire, or construct a building or 
facility, including a processing facility;
    (2) Purchase, rent, or install fixed equipment, including 
processing equipment;
    (3) Purchase vehicles, including boats;
    (4) Pay for the preparation of the grant application;
    (5) Pay expenses not directly related to the funded project;
    (6) Fund political or lobbying activities;
    (7) Fund any activities considered unallowable by the applicable 
grant cost principles, including 2 CFR part 200, subpart E and the 
Federal Acquisition Regulation as stated in 48 CFR chapter 1, 
subchapter E, part 31;
    (8) Fund architectural or engineering design work for a specific 
physical facility;
    (9) Fund any direct expenses to produce 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;
    (10) Fund research and development;
    (11) Purchase land;
    (12) Duplicate current activities or activities paid for by other 
Federal grant programs;
    (13) Pay costs of the project incurred prior to the date of grant 
approval;
    (14) Pay for assistance to any private business enterprise that 
does not have at least fifty-one (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;
    (15) Pay any judgment or debt owed to the United States;
    (16) Pay any operating costs of the cooperative, group of 
cooperatives, or cooperative development center not directly related to 
the project;

[[Page 16409]]

    (17) Pay expenses for applicant employee training or professional 
development not directly related to the project;
    (18) Pay for any goods or services from a person or entity who has 
a conflict of interest with the grantee; or
    (19) Pay for technical assistance provided to a cooperative that 
does not have a membership that consists of a majority of members from 
socially disadvantaged groups.
    (b) Applications will not be considered for funding if it does any 
of the following:
    (1) Requests more than the maximum grant amount;
    (2) Proposes ineligible costs that equal more than ten (10) percent 
of total grant funds requested; or
    (3) Proposes participant support costs that equal more than ten 
(10) percent of total grant funds requested.
    (c) The Agency will consider an application for funding if it 
includes ineligible costs of ten (10) percent or less of total grant 
funds requested if it is determined eligible otherwise. However, if the 
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 
the Agency cannot determine the percentage of ineligible costs, the 
application will not be considered for funding.
    (d) No assistance or funding from this grant can be provided to a 
hemp producer without a valid license issued from an approved State, 
Tribal or Federal plan in accordance with Subtitle G of the 
Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.). 
Verification of valid hemp licenses will occur at the time of award. 
The purpose of this program is to provide technical assistance, so 
funding to produce hemp or marketing hemp production is not eligible.
    7. Other Submission Requirements. Applications will not be accepted 
if the text is less than an 11-point font. Applications will not be 
accepted through mail or courier delivery, in-person delivery, email, 
or fax. Applications must be submitted electronically through 
www.grants.gov. A password is not required to access the website. 
Applicants can locate the Grants.gov downloadable application package 
for this program by using a keyword, the program name, Assistance 
Listing number, or the Funding Opportunity Number for this program.
    The Grants.gov website provides information about applying 
electronically through the site, as well as the hours of operation. 
Users of Grants.gov must already have a UEI number and must also be 
registered and maintain registration in SAM. The UEI is assigned by SAM 
and replaces the formerly known Dun & Bradstreet D-U-N-S Number. The 
UEI number must be associated with the correct tax identification 
number of the SDGG applicant. 2 CFR part 25 requires registration in 
SAM. It is strongly recommended that applicants do not wait until the 
application deadline date to begin the application process through 
Grants.gov.
    Applications must include electronic signatures. Original 
signatures may be required if funds are awarded. After applying 
electronically through Grants.gov, applicants will receive an automated 
acknowledgement from Grants.gov that contain a Grants.gov tracking 
number.

E. Application Review Information

    1. Selection Criteria. All eligible and complete applications will 
be evaluated and scored based on the following selection criteria and 
weights. Evaluators will base scores only on the information provided 
or cross-referenced by page number in each individual evaluation 
criterion. SDGG is a competitive program, so applications will receive 
scores based on the quality of the responses. Simply addressing the 
criteria will not guarantee higher scores. The total points possible 
for the criteria are 105.
    (a) Technical Assistance (maximum score of 25 points). Three-page 
limit. A panel of USDA employees will evaluate the applications to 
determine the ability to assess the needs of and provide effective 
technical assistance to socially disadvantaged groups. Applicants must 
discuss the:
    (1) Needs of the socially disadvantaged groups to be assisted and 
explain how those needs were determined,
    (2) Proposed technical assistance to be provided to the socially 
disadvantaged groups; and
    (3) Expected outcomes of the proposed technical assistance, 
including how socially disadvantaged groups will benefit from 
participating in the project. Applicants will score higher on this 
criterion if examples of the entity's past projects that demonstrate 
successful outcomes in identifying specific needs and providing 
technical assistance to socially disadvantaged groups are provided.
    (b) Work Plan/Budget (maximum of 25 points). Six-page limit. Work 
plans must provide specific and detailed descriptions of the tasks and 
the key project personnel that will accomplish the project's goals. The 
budget will be reviewed for completeness. Applicants must list what 
tasks are to be done, when the tasks will be done, who will do the 
tasks, and how much the tasks will cost. Reviewers must be able to 
understand what is being proposed and understand how all the grant 
funds will be spent. The budget must provide a detailed breakdown of 
estimated costs. These costs should be allocated to each of the tasks 
to be undertaken. (For example: Joe Smith has committed 20% of his 
time. Joe's salary is $60,000 x 20% = $12,000. Project requires travel 
within United States. From main office it is 150 miles at $.585/mile = 
$175.50 Round trip. Overnight trips motel with tax $189/night for 3 
overnights = $567.00. Supplies include 2 boxes of paper @ $50 each = 
$100. etc.) A panel of USDA employees will evaluate the work plan for 
detailed actions and an accompanying timetable for implementing the 
proposal. Clear, logical, realistic, and efficient plans that allocate 
costs to specific tasks using applicable budget object class categories 
provided on the Form SF-424A will result in a higher score. At a 
minimum, the following must be discussed:
    (1) Specific tasks to be completed using grant funds;
    (2) How customers will be identified;
    (3) Key personnel and what tasks they are undertaking; and
    (4) 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 be measurable and go beyond quantitative measurements of 
completing surveys or number of evaluations. Examples include 
discussions of pre-test, post-test, and the evaluation of how task 
results will be measured.
    (c) Experience (maximum score of 25 points). Three-page limit. A 
panel of USDA employees will evaluate the applicant's experience, 
commitment, and availability for identified staff or consultants in 
providing technical assistance, as defined in this notice. Applicants 
must describe the technical assistance experience for each identified 
staff member or consultant, as well as years of experience in providing 
that assistance. Applicants must discuss the commitment and the 
availability of identified staff, consultants, or other professionals 
to be hired for the project--especially those who may be consulting on 
multiple SDGG/RCDG projects. If staff or consultants have not been 
selected at the time of application, the applicants must provide 
specific

[[Page 16410]]

descriptions of the qualifications required for the positions to be 
filled. In addition, resumes for each individual staff member or 
consultant must be included as an attachment in Appendix B of the 
application. The attachments will not count toward the maximum page 
total. The Agency will compare the described experience in this section 
and in the resumes to the work plan to determine relevance of the 
experience. Applications that do not include the attached resumes will 
not be considered for funding. Applications that demonstrate strong 
credentials, education, capabilities, experience, and availability of 
project personnel, that will contribute to a high likelihood of project 
success will receive more points than those that demonstrate less 
potential for success in these areas. Points will be awarded as 
follows:
    (1) 0 points will be awarded if you do not substantively address 
the criterion.
    (2) 1-9 points will be awarded if qualifications and experience of 
some, but not all, staff is addressed and, if necessary, qualifications 
of unfilled positions are not provided.
    (3) 10-14 points will be awarded if (2) is met, plus all project 
personnel are identified but do not demonstrate qualifications or 
experience relevant to the project.
    (4) 15-19 will be awarded if (2) and (3) are met, plus most, but 
not all, key personnel demonstrate strong credentials and/or 
experience, and availability indicating a reasonable likelihood of 
success.
    (5) 20-25 points will be awarded if (2)-(4) are met, plus all 
personnel demonstrate strong, relevant credentials or experience and 
availability indicating a high likelihood of project success.
    (d) Commitment (maximum of 10 points). Three-page limit. A panel of 
USDA employees will evaluate the applicant's commitment to providing 
technical assistance to socially disadvantaged groups in rural areas. 
Applicants must list the number and location of socially disadvantaged 
groups that will directly benefit from the assistance provided. 
Applicants must define and describe the underserved and economically 
distressed areas within the applicant's service area and provide 
current and relevant statistics that support the applicant's 
description of the service area. Projects located in Persistent Poverty 
Counties as defined in the 2023 Appropriations Act, if included, will 
score higher on this factor.
    (e) Local support (maximum of 10 points). Three-page limit. A panel 
of USDA employees will evaluate applications for local support of the 
technical assistance activities. Discussion on local support should 
include previous and/or expected local support and plans for 
coordinating with other developmental organizations in the proposed 
service area or with Tribal, State, and local government institutions. 
Applications that demonstrate strong support from potential 
beneficiaries and other developmental organizations will score higher. 
A maximum of 10 letters of support may be included with the 
application. Points will be awarded as follows:
    (1) 0 points are awarded if the applicant does not adequately 
address this criterion.
    (2) A range of 1-5 points are awarded if the applicant demonstrates 
support from potential beneficiaries and other developmental 
organizations in the discussion but does not provide letters of 
support.
    (3) Additional 1 point is awarded if 2 to 3 support letters are 
provided and show support from potential beneficiaries and/or support 
from local organizations.
    (4) Additional 2 points are awarded if 4 to 5 support letters are 
provided and show support from potential beneficiaries and/or support 
from local organizations.
    (5) Additional 3 points are awarded if 6 to 7 support letters are 
provided and show support from potential beneficiaries and/or support 
from local organizations.
    (6) Additional 4 points are awarded if 8 to 9 support letters are 
provided and show support from potential beneficiaries and/or support 
from local organizations.
    (7) Additional 5 points are awarded if 10 support letters are 
provided and show support from potential beneficiaries and/or support 
from local organizations.
    Support letters should be signed and dated after the publication 
date of this notice and should come from potential beneficiaries and 
other local organizations. Letters received from Congressional members 
or technical assistance providers will not be included in the count of 
support letters received. Additionally, identical form letters signed 
by multiple potential beneficiaries and/or local organizations will not 
be included in the count of support letters received. Support letters 
should be included as an attachment to the application in Appendix C 
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, the date of the letter, the nature of the support, 
and the name and title of the person signing the letter.
    (f) Administrator Discretionary Points (maximum of 10 points). The 
Administrator may choose to award points to applications where:
    (1) The applicant has never received a SDGG award--5 points; or
    (2) The applicant seeks to advance one or more key priorities 
addressed in the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of the Notice--5 
points. Data sources for the key priorities are found at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.
    2. Federal Award Process. Applications will be reviewed in the USDA 
RD State Offices to determine if they are eligible for assistance based 
on requirements in this notice, and other applicable Federal 
regulations. If determined eligible, applications will be scored by a 
panel of USDA employees in accordance with the point allocation 
specified in this notice. The review panel will convene to reach a 
consensus on the scores for each of the eligible applications. The 
Administrator may choose to award up to 10 Administrator priority 
points based on criteria (f) in Section E.1 of this notice. These 
points will be added to the cumulative score for a total possible score 
of 105. Applications will be funded from highest ranking order until 
the funding limitation has been reached. Applications that cannot be 
fully funded may be offered partial funding at the Agency's discretion. 
The Agency reserves the right to offer the applicant less than the 
grant funding requested. Applications that are ranked and not funded 
will not be carried forward into the next competition.

F. Federal Award Administration Information

    1. Federal Award Notices. Applicants selected for funding will 
receive a signed notice of Federal award by postal or electronic mail, 
containing instructions on requirements necessary to proceed with 
execution and performance of the award.
    Applicants not selected for funding will be notified in writing via 
postal or electronic mail and informed of any review and appeal rights. 
Funding of successfully appealed applications will be limited to 
available FY 2023 funding.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. Additional 
requirements that apply to grantees selected for this program can be 
found in 2 CFR parts 200, 400, 415, 417, 418, and 421. All recipients 
of Federal financial assistance are required to report information 
about

[[Page 16411]]

first tier subawards and executive compensation in accordance with 2 
CFR part 170, appendix A. Recipients will be required to have the 
necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the Federal 
Funding Accountability and Transparency Act reporting requirements of 2 
CFR 170.200(b), unless they are exempt under 2 CFR 170.110(b).
    The following additional requirements apply to grantees selected 
for this program:
    (a) Execution of an Agency approved Grant Agreement.
    (b) Acceptance of a written Letter of Conditions.
    (c) Submission of Form RD 1940-1, ``Request for Obligation of 
Funds.''
    (d) Submission of Form RD 1942-46, ``Letter of Intent to Meet 
Conditions.''
    (e) Assurance Agreement. By signing the Financial Assistance 
General Certifications and Representations in SAM, grant recipients 
affirm that they will operate the program free from discrimination. The 
grant recipients will maintain the race and ethnic data on their board 
members and the beneficiaries of the program. The grant recipient will 
provide alternative forms of communication to persons with limited 
English proficiency. The Agency will conduct civil rights compliance 
reviews on grant recipients to identify the collection of racial and 
ethnic data on program beneficiaries. In addition, the compliance 
review will ensure that equal access to the program benefits and 
activities are provided for persons with disabilities and language 
barriers.
    3. Reporting. After grant approval and through grant completion, 
applicants will be required to provide the following:
    (a) An SF-425, ``Federal Financial Report,'' and a project 
performance report will be required on a semiannual basis (due 30 
calendar days after the end of the semiannual period). The project 
performance reports shall include a comparison of actual 
accomplishments to the objectives established for that period;
    (b) A statement providing reasons why established objectives were 
not met, if applicable;
    (c) A statement providing 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 objectives 
during established time periods, and a description of the action taken 
or planned to resolve the situation;
    (d) Objectives and timetable established for the next reporting 
period;
    (e) A final project and financial status report within 90 days 
after the expiration or termination of the grant in accordance with 2 
CFR 200.344; and
    (f) Outcome project performance reports and final deliverables.

G. Agency Contacts

    For general questions about this notice and for program technical 
assistance, please see the contact information in the ADDRESSES and FOR 
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT sections of this notice.

H. Other Information

    1. Paperwork Reduction Act. In accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-13), the information collection 
requirements associated with the programs, as covered in this notice, 
have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under 
OMB Control Number 0570-0052.
    2. National Environmental Policy Act. All recipients under this 
notice are subject to the requirements of 7 CFR part 1970. However, 
awards for technical assistance and training under this notice are 
classified as a Categorical Exclusion according to 7 CFR 1970.53(b), 
and usually do not require any additional documentation. RBCS will 
review each grant application to determine its compliance with 7 CFR 
part 1970. The applicant may be asked to provide additional information 
or documentation to assist RBCS with this determination.
    3. Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act. All 
applicants, in accordance with 2 CFR part 25, must be registered in SAM 
and have a UEI number as stated in Section D.3 of this notice. All 
recipients of Federal financial assistance are required to report 
information about first-tier subawards and executive total compensation 
in accordance with 2 CFR part 170.
    4. 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 in accordance with 7 CFR part 15, subpart A (eCFR 
:: 7 CFR part 15 Subpart A--Nondiscrimination in Federally-Assisted 
Programs of the Department of Agriculture--Effectuation of Title VI of 
the Civil Rights Act of 1964) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act 
of 1973, Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, Title IX, 
Executive Order 13166 (Limited English Proficiency), Executive Order 
11246, and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974.
    5. Nondiscrimination Statement. In accordance with Federal civil 
rights laws and 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 711 Relay Service.
    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.usda.gov/oascr, 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, Rural Development.
[FR Doc. 2023-05441 Filed 3-16-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P