[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 65 (Wednesday, April 3, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 22979-22988]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-07005]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
[Docket #: RBS-24-CO-OP-0002]
Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Socially Disadvantaged
Groups Grant for Fiscal Year 2024
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces that the Rural Business-Cooperative
Service (RBCS or the 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) 2024. 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 2024. A total of $3,000,000 in grant funding will be
available for FY
[[Page 22980]]
2024. 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 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) on June 3, 2024, through
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 prior to May 3, 2024 to discuss the project and ask any
questions about the application process. Contact information for USDA
RD State Offices can be found at www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices.
Program guidance as well as application templates may be obtained
at www.rd.usda.gov/programs-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 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], Program Management Division, RBCS, USDA, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Mail Stop 3226, Washington, DC 20250-3226 or
call (202) 720-1400.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Awarding Agency Name: Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
Funding Opportunity Title: Socially Disadvantaged Groups Grant.
Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Funding Opportunity Number: RBCS-SDGG-22024.
Assistance Listing Number: 10.871.
Dates: Complete applications for grants must be submitted
electronically no later than 11:59 p.m. ET on June 3, 2024, through
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 www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points):
Addressing Climate Change and Environmental Justice;
Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to the impacts of
climate change through economic support to rural communities.
Advancing Racial Justice, Place-Based Equity, and
Opportunity; Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to RD
programs and benefits from RD funded projects.
Creating More and Better Market Opportunities; Assisting
rural communities recover economically through more and better market
opportunities and through improved infrastructure.
A. Program Description
1. Purpose of the Program. The primary objective of the SDGG
program is to provide technical assistance for cooperative development
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. Eligible
applicants are cooperative development centers, individual
cooperatives, or groups of cooperatives (i) that serve socially
disadvantaged groups and (ii) of which a majority (i.e., greater than
50 percent rounded to the nearest tenth) 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 Division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2024, Public Law 118-42 (the ``2024 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 are eligible.
3. Definitions. The following are the definitions for terms used in
this notice. Additional terms used in this notice are found in the
applicable laws and regulations, in particular 2 CFR part 200 and 7 CFR
part 11. The first letter of each word in a defined term is capitalized
throughout this notice for easy identification.
Agency. RBCS, an agency of the USDA RD or a successor agency.
Board of Directors/Governing Board--The group of individuals that
govern, manage or direct a cooperative development center, cooperative,
or group of cooperatives.
Conflict of Interest. A Conflict of Interest occurs in a situation
in which a person or entity has a competing, or the appearance of a
competing, personal, professional, or financial interests that makes it
difficult for the person or entity to act impartially. No Conflict of
Interest or appearance thereof will be allowed.
For purposes of this program, contractual relationship/payment from
grant funds among the following individuals constitute a Conflict of
Interest or appearance of a Conflict of Interest: (1) Applicant Board
of Directors, employees, consultants, and contractors, (2)
Subrecipients and their employees, consultants, and contractors, and
(3) Immediate family members of the above.
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.
Conflicts of Interest must be handled in accordance with 2 CFR
parts 200 and 400. The following are examples of Conflicts of Interest
and are intended to serve as a nonexclusive list of situations where a
real or apparent Conflict of Interest is present: (1) Using grant funds
to pay a member on the applicant's Board of Directors to provide
proposed technical assistance to socially disadvantaged groups, (2)
Applicant paying a member of a cooperative to
[[Page 22981]]
provide proposed technical assistance to other members of the same
cooperative, or (3) Paying an Immediate family member of the applicant
to provide proposed technical assistance to socially disadvantaged
groups.
Cooperative. A business or organization owned, democratically
governed, controlled and operated by those who use and benefit from it.
Profits and losses generated by the organization are distributed in
proportion to use as patronage to the user-owners, also known as
members. Investment returns to non-members are limited. Eligible
Cooperatives for the SDGG program are those where a majority (i.e.,
greater than 50 percent rounded to the nearest tenth) of the Board of
Directors or Governing Board are comprised of individuals who are
members of socially disadvantaged groups.
Cooperative Development. A type of technical assistance that
establishes and promotes Cooperative businesses through hands-on
activities, often but not exclusively, assisting a group through a
series of stages. These stages include but are not limited to the
following: idea exploration by a group with shared needs, member-use
analysis, identifying a steering committee and guiding them through the
development process, modeling effective democratic processes and good
governance practices, creation of legal and policy documents,
conducting a membership drive, raising member equity, acquiring
sufficient capital, supporting operations, ongoing education and
training, ongoing board development and relations with management,
supporting decision-making regarding patronage, and fostering an
environment that is supportive of Cooperatives.
Cooperative Development Center--A nonprofit institution or
institution of higher education operated by the grantee to start or
continue Cooperative Development. An eligible Cooperative Development
Center for the SDGG program is one where a majority (i.e., greater than
50% rounded to the nearest tenth) of the Board of Directors or
Governing Board is 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.
Key Personnel. Employees, new hires, consultants, and/or
contractors of the Cooperative Development Center who provide technical
assistance including Cooperative Development.
Nonprofit Institution. Any organization or institution, including
an accredited institution of higher education, no part of the net
earnings of which inures, or may lawfully inure, to the benefit of any
private shareholder or individual.
Operating Cost. The day-to-day expenses of running a business; for
example: utilities, rent on the office space a business occupies,
salaries, depreciation, marketing and advertising, and other basic
overhead items.
Participant Support Costs. Direct costs for items such as stipends
or subsistence allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees
paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees (but not employees) in
connection with conferences or training projects.
Persistent Poverty County(ies). 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.
Project. Eligible activities to be funded by the SDGG grant.
Rural and Rural Area. As described in 7 U.S.C. 1991(a)(13), any
area not in a city or town that has a population of more than 50,000
inhabitants, according to the latest decennial census of the United
States, or in any urbanized area (note that the Agency has determined
that the reference to ``urbanized area'' should be read as a reference
to ``urban area'' because the Census Bureau no longer identifies
urbanized areas individually and instead refers to qualifying areas as
``urban areas'') that is contiguous and adjacent to a city or town that
has a population of more than 50,000 inhabitants, and any area that has
been determined to be ``rural in character'' by the Under Secretary for
RD, or as otherwise identified in this definition as follows:
(1) An area that is attached to the urbanized area of a city or
town with more than 50,000 inhabitants by a contiguous area of
urbanized census blocks that is not more than two (2) census blocks
wide. Applicants from such an area should work with their RD State
Office to request a determination of whether their Project is located
in a Rural Area under this provision.
(2) Any portion of a Census Bureau-defined ``Urban Area'' that is
not geographically contiguous and that is also neither adjacent nor
contiguous to a city or town that has a population of more than 50,000.
(3) 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.
(4) For the purposes of this definition, populations of individuals
incarcerated on a long-term or regional basis shall not be included in
determining whether an area is ``rural'' or a ``rural area''.
(5) For the purposes of this definition, the first 1,500
individuals who reside in housing located on a military base shall not
be included in determining whether an area is ``rural'' or a ``rural
area''.
(6) For the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the island is considered
Rural and eligible for Business Programs assistance, except for the San
Juan Census Designated Place (CDP) and any other CDP with greater than
50,000 inhabitants. CDPs with greater than 50,000 inhabitants, other
than the San Juan CDP, may be determined to be eligible if they are
``not urban in character.''
(7) For the State of Hawaii, all areas within the County of
Honolulu are considered Rural and eligible for Business Programs
assistance, except for the Urban Honolulu CDP (``the East Honolulu
CDP'' OR ``other areas deemed to be urban in character'').
(8) For the purpose of defining a Rural Area in the Republic of
Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the
Marshall Islands, the Agency shall determine what constitutes Rural and
Rural Area based on available population data.
(9) The determination that an area is ``rural in character'' will
be made by the Under Secretary of RD. The process to request a
determination under this provision is outlined in paragraph (6)(ii) of
this definition.
(i) The determination that an area is ``rural in character'' under
this definition will apply to areas that are within:
(A) An urbanized area that has two points on its boundary that are
at least
[[Page 22982]]
40 miles apart, which is not contiguous or adjacent to a city or town
that has a population of greater than 150,000 inhabitants or the
urbanized area of such a city or town; or
(B) An urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to a city or town of
greater than 50,000 inhabitants that is within one-quarter mile of a
Rural Area.
(ii) Units of local government may petition the Under Secretary of
RD for a ``rural in character'' designation by submitting a petition to
both the appropriate RD State Director and the Administrator on behalf
of the Under Secretary. The petition shall document how the area meets
the requirements of paragraph (6)(i)(A) or (B) above and discuss why
the petitioner believes the area is ``rural in character,'' including,
but not limited to, the area's population density, demographics, and
topography and how the local economy is tied to a Rural economic base.
Upon receiving a petition, the Under Secretary will consult with the
applicable Governor or leader in a similar position and request
comments to be submitted within 5 business days, unless such comments
were submitted with the petition. The Under Secretary will release to
the public a notice of a petition filed by a unit of local government
not later than 30 days after receipt of the petition by way of
publication in a local newspaper and posting on the Agency's website,
and the Under Secretary will make a determination not less than 15
days, but no more than 60 days, after the release of the notice. Upon a
negative determination, the Under Secretary will provide to the
petitioner an opportunity to appeal a determination to the Under
Secretary, and the petitioner will have 10 business days to appeal the
determination and provide further information for consideration Rural
Development (RD). A mission area within USDA consisting of the Office
of Under Secretary for RD, RBCS, Rural Housing Service, and Rural
Utilities Service, and any successors.
Socially Disadvantaged Group. A group whose members have been
subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of their
identity as members of a group without regard to their individual
qualities.
State. Includes each of the 50 States, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, Guam, American Samoa,
and 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. The process of providing targeted support for
the startup, expansion and operational improvement of cooperatively and
mutually owned businesses typically delivered via multiple contacts
over a period of time. It includes the transfer of skills and knowledge
through research and collection of information to provide guidance and
advice; assessment and analysis through feasibility studies and
business plans, customized training, written information, in person or
virtual exchanges, web-based curriculums, and webinars.
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 2024.
Available Funds: $3,000,000 will be available for FY 2024. The
Agency 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, 2024.
Performance Period: One (1) year. See Section C.3(c) of this notice
for additional guidance on the grant period.
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 (i.e., greater than 50 percent rounded to the nearest tenth)
of the Board of Directors or Governing Board of the applicant is
comprised of individuals who are members of Socially Disadvantaged
Groups. An advisory board for the proposed Project does not meet this
requirement.
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) 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 (see Section
D.2. of this notice). The 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 (E.O.) 12549. 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 DNP 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 2024 Appropriations Act, unless a
Federal
[[Page 22983]]
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
requirement 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 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, 2024,
and end no later than December 31, 2025. Applications that request
funds for a time period ending after December 31, 2025, will not be
considered for funding. Projects must be completed by December 31,
2025, 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 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, 2022, the application will not be considered for
funding. If an applicant's FY 2023 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 2023 application, the FY 2024
application may not be considered for funding. The Agency will verify
the performance status of any FY 2023 awards and make a determination
after the FY 2024 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
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 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) 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 its
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 (TOC). Applications must contain a detailed
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
[[Page 22984]]
must include a list identifying the entire Board of Directors/Governing
Board by name and indicating how each member meets the definition of
Socially Disadvantaged Groups.
An application will not be considered for funding if it fails to
show that a majority of the Board of Directors/Governing Board (i.e.,
greater than 50 percent rounded to the nearest tenth) is comprised of
individuals who are members of Socially Disadvantaged Groups.
Applicants must verify their incorporation and status in the State
in which 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 it qualifies as an institution of
higher education as defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001. Each applicant 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 as defined in Section A.3 of this
notice.
(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 Section C.3(c) of this notice 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
of 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 Evaluation Measures. The Agency has
established annual performance evaluation measures to evaluate the SDGG
program and how the applicant met the measures. 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.
And, if applicable:
(3) Number of jobs created/saved.
(4) Number of jobs created/saved in persistent poverty area and or
underserved and economically distressed areas.
(5) Number of business plans developed.
(6) Number of Cooperatives incorporated.
(7) Number of Feasibility Studies completed.
(8) Number of workshops/seminars conducted.
(9) Number of conferences held.
(10) For consumer coops (grocery, retail), number of people with
access to goods or services.
3. System for Award Management and Unique Entity Identifier.
(a) At the time of application, applicants must have an active
registration in the SAM before applying in accordance with 2 CFR part
25. To register in SAM, entities will be required to obtain a UEI.
Instructions for obtaining the UEI are available at 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 May 3, 2024. 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 11:59 p.m. ET on June 3,
2024, through www.grants.gov to be eligible for grant funding. Please
review the Grants.gov website at www.grants.gov/applicants/applicant-registration 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. No secured/password protected
documents are to be uploaded to grants.gov.
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. The Agency 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 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: 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;
[[Page 22985]]
(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 expenses dealing with production such as 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. Examples also include, but are not limited
to, testing commodities, building fencing for livestock, soil
amendments, soil enrichments, soil treatments, tools, equipment, soil
testing supplies, laboratory fees, hoop houses, software,
subscriptions, and advertising or publicity expenses for the assisted
Cooperative.
(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;
(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;
(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; or
(20) Fund expenses or activities relating to production,
manufacturing-based costs, cybersecurity equipment, supply chain
tracing equipment, and automation costs.
(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. 1639o 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 as detailed in Section D.3
of this notice. The UEI number must be associated with the correct tax
identification number of the SDGG applicant. 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 with 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 following:
(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 activities to be completed, including specific and
detailed descriptions of all tasks. Work plans must indicate all the
Key Personnel, who will accomplish the Project's activities that align
with the goals of the Project. 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 a detailed account of
how much each task will cost. Reviewers must be able to understand what
is being proposed and how all the grant funds will be spent.
[[Page 22986]]
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 percent of his work time. Joe's
salary is $60,000 x 20% (0.20) = $12,000. This Project requires travel
within the United States. The distance from Joe's office to the airport
is 150 miles at $0.585/mile = $175.50 Round trip. The overnight trip
includes lodging expense with tax at $189/night for 3 overnights =
$567.00. Supplies include 2 boxes of paper at $50 each = $100 as an
example.) A panel of USDA employees will evaluate the work plan for
detailed actions and an accompanying timetable for implementing the
proposal. Applicants will receive a higher score to the extent that
they provide a clear, detailed, logical, realistic, and efficient plan
that matches and reconciles with the Form SF424A and that allocates
costs to specific tasks using applicable budget object class categories
(See SF 424-A, Block 6 a-c, e-h, and j). At a minimum, the following
must be discussed:
(1) Specific tasks to be completed using grant funds;
(2) How customers will be identified and selected;
(3) Key Personnel and how their work and experience is tied to the
work plan task (or if not yet hired, a description of new employee
qualifications must be tied to the work plan task); and
(4) The evaluation methods to be used by the applicant to determine
the success of specific tasks and overall Project activities and
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 Section A.3 of 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 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. In
addition, for SDGG program Key Personnel, resumes must list all
Cooperatives or Boards of Directors, in which they are part of.
Points will be awarded as follows:
(1) 0 points will be awarded if you do not substantively address
the criterion.
(2) 1 to 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 to 14 points will be awarded if paragraph (2) of this
section is met, plus all Project personnel are identified but do not
demonstrate qualifications or experience relevant to the Project.
(4) 15 to 19 will be awarded if paragraphs (2) and (3) of this
section 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 to 25 points will be awarded if paragraphs (2) through (4)
of this section 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 (full address if known and
at a minimum provide county(ies)) 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 detailed in
Section A.2 of this notice, if discussed, will score higher on this
criterion.
(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 to5 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 or 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 or 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 or 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 or 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/contractors paid with grant funding,
will not be included in the count of support letters received.
Additionally, letters having the appearance of being identical in form
[[Page 22987]]
and 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; and/or
(2) The applicant seeks to advance one or more key priorities
addressed in the Supplementary Information, Overview section of this
notice--5 points. Applicants seeking these points must discuss in the
application (1 page limit) if they are first time applicants and are
seeking to advance one or more key priorities: (i) Assisting rural
communities recover economically through more and better market
opportunities and through improved infrastructure. Applicant would
receive priority points if the project is located in or serving a rural
community whose economic well-being ranks in the most distressed tier
(distress score of 80 or higher) of the Distressed Communities Index
using the Distressed Communities Look-Up Map available at
www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.
(ii) Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to RD
programs and benefits from RD funded projects. Using the Social
Vulnerability Index (SVI) Look-Up Map (available at www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points), an applicant would receive priority points if the
project is:
Located in or serving a community with score 0.75 or above
on the SVI;
Is a Federally recognized Tribe, including Tribal
instrumentalities and entities that are wholly owned by Tribes; or
Is a project where at least 50 percent of the project
beneficiaries are members of Federally Recognized Tribes and non-Tribal
applicants include a Tribal Resolution of Consent from the Tribe or
Tribes that the applicant is proposing to serve.
(iii) Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to the
impacts of climate change through economic support to rural
communities. Using the Disadvantaged Community and Energy Community
Look-Up Map (available at www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points), applicants
will receive priority in three ways:
If the project is located in or serves a Disadvantaged
Community as defined by the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool
(CEJST), from the White House Council on Environmental Quality;
If the project is located in or serves an Energy Community
as defined by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA); and
If applicants can demonstrate through a written narrative
how the proposed climate-impact projects will improve the livelihoods
of community residents and meet pollution mitigation or clean energy
goals.
See the website, https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points, for
options.
2. Review and Selection 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 Section E.1(f) 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 2024 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 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
[[Page 22988]]
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 program, 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 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 upon request. All requirements found in 2 CFR 200.111 must be
adhered to. 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; 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 www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, 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.
Kathryn E. Dirksen Londrigan,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Development.
[FR Doc. 2024-07005 Filed 4-2-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P