[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 94 (Tuesday, May 14, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41928-41939]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-10363]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Housing Service
[Docket No. RHS-24-CF-0014]
Announcement of the Availability of Puerto Rico Rural Partners
Network Rural Community Development Initiative
AGENCY: Rural Housing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of funding of availability (NOFA).
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SUMMARY: The Rural Housing Service (RHS or the Agency), a Rural
Development (RD) agency of the United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA), announces the acceptance of applications under the Puerto Rico
Rural Partners Network (RPN) Rural Community Development Initiative
(RCDI) program to provide authorized activities in Puerto Rico areas
affected by a disaster declared by the President or the Secretary of
Agriculture. These grants will be made to qualified intermediary
organizations that will provide financial and technical assistance to
recipients to develop their capacity and ability to undertake projects
related to housing, community facilities, or community and economic
development that will support the community. The maximum grant award
amount available to an intermediary is $250,000. The Consolidated
Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009,
created the Disaster Assistance Fund (DAF) and the Secretary of
Agriculture has authorized $1,000,000 of DAF funds to be utilized in
Puerto Rico for the RCDI program for the purposes described in this
NOFA.
DATES: Completed applications must be submitted using one of the
following methods:
Paper submissions: Paper applications must be received by
4:00 p.m. local time by the Puerto Rico Rural Development State Office
July 3, 2024.
Electronic submissions: Electronic applications must be
submitted via Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 28, 2024.
Prior to official submission of applications, applicants may
request technical assistance or other application guidance from the
Agency, as long as such requests are made prior to June 24, 2024.
ADDRESSES: Application information for electronic submissions may be
found at https://www.Grants.gov/. Applicants may also request paper
application packages from the Puerto Rico Rural Development State
Office at (787) 766-5095.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Danna Quiles, Community Programs
Director, Puerto Rico Rural Development State Office, United States
Department of Agriculture, 654 Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera Ave., Suite 601, San
Juan, Puerto Rico 00918, Phone: (787) 766-5346, Email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Awarding Agency Name: Rural Housing Service, (RHS).
Funding Opportunity Title: Puerto Rico RPN RCDI.
Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA).
Funding Opportunity Number: USDA-RD-HCFP-PR-RPN-RCDI-2024.
Assistance Listing: 10.446.
Dates: Applications must be submitted using one of the following
methods:
Paper submissions: The deadline for receipt of a paper
application is 4 p.m. local time, to the Puerto Rico Rural Development
State Office, 654 Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera Ave., Suite 601, San Juan, Puerto
Rico 00918. July 3, 2024. Applicants intending to mail applications
must provide sufficient time to permit delivery on or before the
closing deadline date and time. Acceptance by the United States Postal
Service or private mailer does not constitute delivery. Facsimile
(FAX), electronic mail, and postage due applications will
[[Page 41929]]
not be accepted. The application dates and times are firm. The Agency
will not consider any application received after the deadline.
Electronic submission: Electronic applications will be
accepted via Grants.gov. The deadline for receipt of an electronic
applications via Grants.gov is 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 28,
2024. The application dates and times are firm. The Agency will not
consider any application received after the deadline. The Agency
recommends not filing electronic submissions too close to the
submission deadline in the event there is a problem with the system.
Applicants that choose to mail applications in lieu of an electronic
submission must provide sufficient time to permit delivery on or before
the closing deadline date and time. Acceptance by the United States
Postal Service or private mailer does not constitute delivery.
Facsimile (FAX), electronic mail and postage due applications will not
be accepted. Prior to official submission of applications, applicants
may request technical assistance or other application guidance from the
Agency, as long as such requests are made prior to June 24, 2024.
Technical assistance is not meant to be an analysis or assessment of
the quality of the materials submitted, a substitute for agency review
of completed applications, nor a determination of eligibility, if such
determination requires in-depth analysis. The Agency will not accept
any applications or consider additional information or documentation
received after the application deadline. The application dates and
times are firm. The Agency reserves the right to contact applicants to
seek clarification information on materials contained in the submitted
application.
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):
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.
For further information, visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.
A. Program Description
1. Purpose of the Program.
The program is designed to assist qualified private organizations,
nonprofit organizations, and public (including tribal) intermediary
organizations located in Puerto Rico, proposing to carry out financial
and technical assistance programs to improve housing, community
facilities, and community and economic development projects in rural
areas of Puerto Rico where a Presidential declaration of a major
disaster was made under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C 5121 et seq.) (Stafford Act). This
program requires the intermediary (Grantee) to provide a program of
financial and technical assistance to recipients. The recipients will,
in turn, provide programs to their communities (beneficiaries).
Awards made under this NOFA will help rural communities and
nonprofits to build capacity and technical assistance for readiness for
more competitive funding applications and successful project
completion. The aim is to support rural communities and nonprofit
organizations in Puerto Rico's Rural Partners Community Networks to
access federal funding to address community and economic challenges in
areas where a Presidential declaration of a major disaster was issued.
2. Statutory and Regulatory Authority.
Congress created the RCDI program in 1999 (Pub. L. 106-78), and The
Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing
Appropriations Act, 2009, Public Law 110-329 (7 U.S.C. 6945) (``the
Act''), created the Disaster Assistance Fund (DAF). The Act authorized
additional amounts for authorized activities in areas affected by a
disaster declared by the President or the Secretary of Agriculture.
This program is implemented under the guidelines announced in this
Notice and 2 CFR part 200.
3. Definitions.
Agency--The Rural Housing Service or its successor.
Beneficiary--Entities or individuals that receive benefits from
assistance provided by the Recipient.
Capacity--The ability of a Recipient to implement housing,
community facilities, or community and economic development projects.
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. Regarding use
of grant funds, 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. An example of a conflict of interest occurs
when an employee of the grantee, a member of the grantee's board of
directors, or the immediate family of either, has the appearance of a
professional or personal financial interest in a recipient receiving
the benefits or services of the grant.
Federally recognized Tribes--Tribal entities recognized and
eligible for funding and services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs,
based on the most recent notice in the Federal Register published by
the Bureau of Indian Affairs (pursuant to Pub. L. 103-454) and Tribes
that received federal recognition after the most recent publication.
Tribally designated housing entities (TDHE) are eligible RCDI
recipients. There are no federally recognized tribes nor TDHEs in
Puerto Rico.
Financial assistance--Funds, not to exceed $10,000 per award, used
by the intermediary to purchase supplies and equipment to build the
recipient's capacity.
Funds--The Puerto Rico RPN RCDI grant funds that have been provided
by the Grantee.
Intermediary--A qualified private organization, nonprofit
organization (including faith-based and community organizations and
philanthropic organizations), or public (including tribal)
organization, located in Puerto Rico, that provides financial and
technical assistance to multiple recipients.
Low-income rural community--An authority, district, economic
development authority, regional council, federally recognized Tribe, or
unit of government representing an incorporated city, town, village,
county, township, parish, Indian reservation or borough whose income is
at or below 80 percent of either (i) the state median household income
of $21,967 or (ii) national Median Household Income of $69,021,
whichever is higher, as measured by the 2020 Census.
[[Page 41930]]
Recipient--The entity that receives the financial and technical
assistance from the intermediary. The recipient must be a nonprofit
community-based housing and community development organization, low-
income rural community, municipality, or a federally recognized tribe,
within the selected (15) communities in the geographical area of the
Puerto Rico RPN (see Appendix A). There are no federally recognized
tribes nor TDHEs in Puerto Rico.
Rural and rural area--All Census Designated Places (CDP) in Puerto
Rico with populations of 50,000 or less. Under this new methodology,
all CDPs whose populations exceed 50,000 are not rural; however,
individual census tracts within those CDPs with the following
characteristics are designated as rural areas:
Population density of 2,000 or less per square kilometer
that are clearly not urban in character (e.g., not an industrial/
commercial area like a major airport, sportsplex, or a shopping
center).
Population density greater than 2,000 per square kilometer
that are contiguous to other census tracts, the majority of whose
population densities is 2,000 or less.
Rural Partners Network Community Network--pre-selected geographic
boundaries at the municipal level where the RPN pilot is serving to
provide place-based assistance. The three RPN Community Networks in
Puerto Rico are the Southwest Community Network, the Central Mountain
Community Network, and the East Community Network. The Southwest
Community Network is comprised of Mayaguez, Maricao, and
Gu[aacute]nica; the Central Mountain Community Network is comprised of
9 municipalities: Utuado, Jayuya, Orocovis, Ciales, Villalba, Ponce,
Adjuntas, Barranquitas, and Coamo; and the East Community Network is
comprised of Fajardo, Ceiba, Naguabo, and El Yunque National
Rainforest.
Technical assistance--Skilled help in improving the recipient's
abilities in the areas of housing, community facilities, or community
and economic planning development, including assistance with
organizational structure, planning pre-award and post-award management,
disaster recovery training in response to a Presidentially declared
disaster, vacant and abandoned properties solutions, and drafting
bylaws.
4. Application of Awards.
The Agency will review, evaluate, and score applications received
in response to this notice based on the provisions indicated in this
notice. Awards under this program will be made on a competitive basis
using specific selection criteria contained in this notice. The Agency
advises all interested parties that the applicant bears the full burden
of the costs incurred in connection with the preparation and submission
of an application in response to this notice.
Awards under the Puerto Rico RPN RCDI Program are limited and are
awarded through a competitive process. No reimbursement will be made
for any funds expended prior to execution of the RCDI Grant Agreement
and prior to the Agency's approval of recipients not identified in the
application unless the intermediary is a nonprofit or educational
entity and has requested and received written Agency approval of the
costs prior to the actual expenditure. This exception is applicable for
up to 90 days prior to grant closing and only applies to grantees that
have received written approval but have not executed the Grant
Agreement.
The Agency cannot retroactively approve reimbursement for
expenditures prior to execution of the Grant Agreement.
B. Federal Award Information
Qualified private organizations, nonprofit organizations and public
(including Tribal) intermediary organizations, located in Puerto Rico,
proposing to carry out financial and technical assistance programs will
be eligible to receive grant funding as an Intermediary under this
program.
Type of Award: Grant.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2024.
Available Funds: A total of $1,000,000 will be made available to
intermediaries proposing to serve areas in Puerto Rico affected by a
disaster declared by the President.
Award Amounts: Grant funds are limited and are awarded through a
competitive process. The maximum grant award amount available to an
intermediary is $250,000. The intermediary must provide a program of
financial and technical assistance to recipients to develop their
capacity and ability to undertake projects related to housing,
community facilities, or community and economic development that will
support the community.
Anticipated Award Date: August 15, 2024.
Performance Period: Grant funds must be utilized within three years
from the date of the award.
The intermediary must provide a program of financial and technical
assistance to one or more of the following: a nonprofit, low-income
rural community, or local municipality, or a federally recognized
tribe.
Renewal or Supplemental Awards: The Agency does not anticipate any
additional awards.
Type of Assistance Instrument: Grant agreement.
C. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants. Applicants must meet all the following
eligibility requirements by the application deadline. Applications that
fail to meet any of these requirements by the application deadline will
be deemed ineligible, will not be evaluated further, and will not
receive a federal award under this funding opportunity:
(a) Qualified private organizations, nonprofit organizations
(including faith-based organizations in accordance with 7 CFR part 16,
community organizations and philanthropic foundations), and public
(including Tribal) intermediary organizations are eligible applicants.
Definitions that describe eligible organizations and other key terms
are listed above in section A(3) ``Definitions.''
(b) The recipient must be a nonprofit community-based housing and
development organization, a low-income rural community, municipality,
or a federally recognized tribe within the selected fifteen (15)
communities in the geographical of the Puerto Rico RPN (see Appendix
A). There are no federally recognized tribes nor TDHEs in Puerto Rico.
(c) Private nonprofit, faith, or community-based organizations must
provide a certificate of incorporation and a certificate of good
standing from the Secretary of State of the State of incorporation, or
other similar and valid documentation of current nonprofit status. For
low-income rural community recipients, the Agency requires evidence
that the entity is a public body and census data verifying that the
median household income of the community where the office receiving the
financial and technical assistance is located is at, or below, 80
percent of the State ($21,967) or national median household income
($69,021), whichever is higher, and provide evidence documenting that
the recipient is located within Puerto Rico RPN Community Networks.
(d) Grant funds will be disbursed pursuant to relevant provisions
of 2 CFR parts 200 and 400.
(e) Grant funds will be disbursed on an advance or reimbursement
basis.
(f) Successful applications will be selected by the Agency for
funding and will be awarded from funds appropriated for the Puerto Rico
RPN RCDI program.
[[Page 41931]]
2. Cost Sharing or Matching.
There are no cost sharing or matching requirements associated with
this grant program.
3. Other Eligibility Requirements.
The Intermediary must be located in Puerto Rico. The recipient and
beneficiary, but not the intermediary, must be in an eligible RPN rural
area (see Appendix A). The physical location of the recipient's office
that will be receiving the financial and technical assistance must be
in an eligible RPN rural area. If the recipient is a low-income
community, the median household income of the area where the office is
located must be at or below 80 percent of the State ($21,967) or
national median household income ($69,021), whichever is higher. The
Puerto Rico Rural Development State Office can assist in determining
the eligibility of an area.
(a) Grant funds must be utilized in a timely manner to ensure that
the goals and objectives of the program are met.
(b) Individuals cannot be recipients.
(c) The intermediary must provide a program of financial and
technical assistance to the recipient.
(d) The intermediary organization must have been legally organized
for a minimum of three years and have at least three years prior
experience working with private nonprofit community-based housing and
development organizations, low-income rural communities, or tribal
organizations in the areas of housing, community facilities, or
community and economic development. The intermediary organization may
contract with a nonaffiliated organization for not more than 49 percent
of the awarded grant to provide the proposed technical assistance.
(e) Proposals must be structured to utilize the grant funds within
3 years from the date of the award.
(f) Each applicant, whether individually or jointly, may only
submit one application for RCDI funds under this Notice.
(g) The intermediary and the recipient cannot be the same entity.
The recipient can be a related entity to the intermediary, if it meets
the definition of a recipient, provided the relationship does not
create a conflict of interest that cannot be resolved to Rural
Development's satisfaction.
(1) Eligible activities:
Capacity Building
Build grant writing, program application and post award
management and reporting capacity.
Provide assistance to community based-organizations and
other types of organizations that needs to formalize its organization--
legal, administrative and financial capacity--including assisting with
filing for System Award Management (SAM) and Unique Entity Identifier
(UEI) registrations, and requirements.
Board training.
Funding
Assisting with completing a grant application in
accordance with federal regulations.
Assisting with capacity assessment, planning, short,
medium, long-term solutions and coordination of funding and service
resources.
Assisting with completion of environmental reports and/or
documentation required for submittal of applications.
Accessing alternative funding sources.
Funding identification program alignment and project
management to include predevelopment grant writing, technical
assistance, and post award management.
Planning
According to the need or project, developing the necessary
planning instrument such as: Strategic plan development, Viability
Plans, Community Resiliency Plans, Community Emergency Plans, and/or
Feasibility Plans.
Developing successful community facilities.
Creating training tools, such as videos, workbooks, and
reference guides.
Project coordination--of funding and service resources--
and implementation program for the short-, medium- and long-term
solutions.
Providing Professional service fees for a Project Manager/
Coordinator for assistance or implementation of the plans.
Relationship Building
Align outreach and site visit coordination.
Engage with cultural, faith based and community
stakeholders.
Create alliances and partnerships to leverage mutual
interest, promote efficiency, innovation and collaboration.
Guide in the creation of a volunteer program.
Municipal Support
Planning, implementation strategies, project management,
and identification of funds for community development projects and
services.
Strengthen community empowerment organizations and
structure for supporting community development.
Assist with Nuisance program development and strategies
for providing affordable housing.
Assist with Childcare, elderly services and housing,
ownership titles orientation as part of disaster preparedness, support
disaster recovery and climate change awareness in community development
projects.
(2) Eligible recipients are:
(a) A municipality of any of the fifteen (15) RPN municipalities
that compose the community networks (see Annex), private nonprofit, a
community-based organization, or a rural community located in a Puerto
Rico RPN Community Network. Particularly, organizations that have a
community development project, services or initiatives in a RPN
Community Network and needs assistance and capacity building to be
eligible for federal funding and/or to implement the project, service
or initiative.
(b) Recipients can benefit from more than one Puerto Rico RPN RCDI
application; however, after grant selections are made, the recipient
can only benefit from multiple RCDI-RPN grants if the type of financial
and technical assistance the recipient will receive is not duplicative.
The services described in multiple Puerto Rico RPN RCDI grant
applications must have separate and identifiable accounts for
compliance purposes.
(c) If the recipient is a low-income rural community, identify the
unit of government to which the financial and technical assistance will
be provided. The financial and technical assistance must be provided to
the organized unit of government representing that community, not the
community at large.
(3) Intermediary requirements:
Grant funds must be utilized in a timely manner to ensure that the
goals and objectives of the program are met.
(a) The intermediary must have been legally organized for a minimum
of three years.
(b) The intermediary must provide a program of financial and
technical assistance to the recipient.
(c) The intermediary must provide the latest financial information
to show the intermediary's financial viability to carry out the
proposed work. A current audit report is preferred.
(d) The intermediary must provide evidence of their experience in
successfully completing and administering similar activities for
technical assistance and capacity building to municipalities, rural
communities, nonprofit, community-based organizations, during the past
[[Page 41932]]
three years in activities such as: SAM registrations, 501(c)(3)
process, drafting bylaws, planning a community development project,
implementing and managing a community project, searching for federal
resources, drafting a successful proposal, financial planning,
strategic planning, implementing a community empowerment approach,
assessing and resolving on land ownership and title documentation, and
a nuisance management program among others.
D. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package.
Application information for electronic submissions may be found at
https://www.grants.gov.
Applicants may also request paper application packages from the
Puerto Rico Rural Development State Office located at 654 Mu[ntilde]oz
Rivera Ave., Suite 601, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918 or at (787) 766-
5095.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission.
If the applicant is ineligible or the application is incomplete,
the Agency will inform the applicant in writing of the decision,
reasons therefore, and its appeal rights and no further evaluation of
the application will occur.
A complete application for Puerto Rico Rural Partners Network RCDI
Program funds must include the following:
(a) A summary page, double-spaced between items, listing the
following:
(This information should not be presented in narrative form.)
Applicant's name,
Applicant's address,
Applicant's telephone number,
Name of applicant's contact person, email address and
telephone number,
County where applicant is located,
Congressional district number where applicant is located,
Amount of grant request, and
Proposed number and type of recipients.
(b) A detailed Table of Contents containing page numbers for each
component of the application.
(c) A project overview including the following items, which will
also be addressed separately and in detail under ``Building Capacity
and Expertise'' of the ``Evaluation Criteria.''
The type of technical assistance to be provided to the recipients
and how it will be implemented.
How the capacity and ability of the recipients will be
improved.
The overall goals to be accomplished.
The benchmarks to be used to measure the success of the
program.
Benchmarks should be specific and quantifiable.
What deliverables and outcomes are expected to be produced
from the technical assistance.
Define the process to provide mentorship and maintenance
of efforts.
Describe the technical assistance provided to the
recipient demonstrating at least 50 percent l interaction.
Timeline describing the proposed tasks to be accomplished
and the schedule for the implementation.
Outreach activities proposed.
(d) Organizational documents, such as a certificate of
incorporation and a current good standing certification from the
Secretary of State where the applicant is incorporated and other
similar and valid documentation of current status, from the
intermediary that confirms it has been legally organized for a minimum
of three years as the applicant entity.
The applicant must maintain documentation on file for a period of
at least three years after grant closing except that the records shall
be retained beyond the three-year period if audit findings have not
been resolved.
(e) The following information is required for each Recipient:
Recipients do not have to be identified in the application,
however, Recipients must be determined eligible by the Puerto Rico
Rural Development State office prior to the Intermediary providing
assistance to the Recipient.
(1) Recipient's name,
(2) Complete address (mailing and physical location, if different),
(3) County where located,
(4) Congressional district where recipient is located,
(5) Contact person's name, email address and telephone number, and
(6) Form RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement.'' If the Form RD 400-4 is
not submitted for each recipient, the recipient will be considered
ineligible.
(f) Submit evidence that each recipient entity is eligible.
Documentation must be submitted to verify recipient eligibility. Links
to websites are not acceptable. Acceptable documentation varies
depending on the type of recipient:
(1) Nonprofits--provide a current valid letter confirming nonprofit
status from the Secretary of State of the State of incorporation, a
current good standing certification from the Secretary of State of the
State of incorporation, or other valid documentation of current
nonprofit status of each recipient.
A nonprofit recipient must provide evidence that it is a valid
nonprofit when the intermediary applies for the RCDI grant.
Organizations with pending requests for nonprofit designations are not
eligible.
(2) Low-income rural community--provide evidence the entity is a
public body (e.g., copy of Charter, relevant Acts of Assembly, relevant
court orders (if created judicially) or other valid documentation), and
2021 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (2017-2021 data
set) data as evidence that the median household income is at, or below,
80 percent of either the State or national median household income. We
will only accept data and printouts from https://data.census.gov/cedsci/.
(3) Federally recognized Tribes--The 2024 list is available at 89
FR 944, pages 944-948 at the following link: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2024-01-08/pdf/2024-00109.pdf. For Tribes that received
federal recognition status publication, outside the publication cited
above, statutory citations and additional documentation will suffice.
An intermediary proposing to serve one or more federally recognized
Tribes must include a resolution of support with its application from
the Tribes it proposes to serve. If the resolution of support is not
submitted for each Tribe, the Tribe will be considered ineligible as a
recipient. This requirement is being added to ensure collaboration
during the application process between intermediaries and all Tribes
that they propose to serve. There are no federally recognized tribes
nor TDHEs in Puerto Rico.
(g) Each of the ``Evaluation Criteria'' must be addressed
specifically and individually by category. Present these criteria in
narrative form. Narrative (not including attachments) must be limited
to five pages per criterion.
(h) A timeline identifying specific activities and proposed dates
for completion.
(i) A detailed project budget that includes the RCDI grant amount.
This should be a line-item budget, by category. Categories such as
salaries, administrative, other, and indirect costs that pertain to the
proposed project must be clearly defined. Supporting documentation
listing the components of these categories must be included. The budget
should be dated as follows: year 1, year 2, and year 3, as applicable.
(j) The indirect cost category in the project budget should be used
only when a grant applicant has a federally negotiated indirect cost
rate. A copy of the current rate agreement must be provided with the
application. Non-federal entities that have never received a negotiated
indirect cost rate, except for
[[Page 41933]]
those non-federal entities described in Appendix VII to Part 200--
States and Local Government and Indian Tribe Indirect Cost Proposals,
paragraph (D)(1)(b), may use the de minimis rate of 10 percent of
modified total direct costs (MTDC).
(k) Form SF-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance.''
(Do not complete Form SF-424A, ``Budget Information.'' A separate
line-item budget should be presented as described in Letter (j) of this
section.)
(l) Certification of Non-Lobbying Activities, RD Instruction 1940-Q
Exhibit A-1, ``Certification for Contracts, Grants and Loans'' or
equivalent.
(m) Standard Form LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,'' if
applicable.
Applicants must collect and maintain data provided by recipients on
race, sex, and national origin and ensure Ultimate Recipients collect
and maintain this data. Race and ethnicity data will be collected in
accordance with OMB Federal Register notice, ``Revisions to the
Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and
Ethnicity'' (62 FR 58782), October 30, 1997. Sex data will be collected
in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. These
items should not be submitted with the application but should be
available upon request by the Agency.
The applicant and the recipient must comply with Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972,
the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975,
Executive Order 12250, Executive Order 13166 Limited English
Proficiency (LEP), and 7 CFR part 1901, subpart E.
(n) Identify and report any association or relationship with Rural
Development employees. (A statement acknowledging whether or not a
relationship exists is required.)
3. System for Award Management and Unique Entity Identifier.
At the time of application, each applicant must have an active
registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting
its application in accordance with 2 CFR part 25 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-25). In order to register in
SAM, entities will be required to obtain a Unique Entity Identifier
(UEI). Instructions for obtaining the UEI are available at https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.
(a) 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.
(b) Applicants must ensure they complete the Financial Assistance
General Certifications and Representations in SAM.
(c) Each Applicant must provide a valid UEI in its application,
unless determined exempt under 2 CFR 25.110 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-I/part-25/subpart-A/section-25.110).
(d) Each applicant must provide documentation that it is registered
in SAM and include its UEI number. If the applicant does not provide
documentation confirming that it is registered in SAM and its UEI
number, the application will not be considered for funding.
(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.
Completed applications must be submitted using one of the following
methods:
Paper submissions: Paper application must be received by 4:00 p.m.
local time by the Puerto Rico Rural Development State Office located at
654 Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera Ave., Suite 601, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918,
on July 3, 2024. Applicants intending to mail applications must provide
sufficient time to permit delivery on or before the closing deadline
date and time. Acceptance by the United States Postal Service or
private mailer does not constitute delivery. Facsimile (FAX),
electronic mail, and postage due applications will not be accepted. The
application dates and times are firm. The Agency will not consider any
application received after the deadline. To submit a paper application,
the original application package must be submitted to the Puerto Rico
Rural Development State Office located at 654 Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera Ave.,
Suite 601, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918. The applicant should contact
the Puerto Rico Rural Development State Office to see if applications
may be submitted to Field Offices.
Applicants may also request paper application packages from the
Puerto Rico Rural Development State office at 654 Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera
Ave., Suite 601, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918, or (787) 766-5095.
Electronic submissions: Applications will not be accepted via FAX
or electronic mail. Applicants may file an electronic application at
https://www.grants.gov. Application information for electronic
submissions may be found at https://www.Grants.gov/. Electronic
applications must be submitted via Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern
Time on June 28, 2024. The application dates and times are firm. The
Agency will not consider any application received after the deadline.
Follow the instructions at Grants.gov for registering and submitting an
electronic application. If a system problem or technical difficulty
occurs with an electronic application, please use the customer support
resources available at the Grants.gov website.
Technical difficulties applying through Grants.gov will not be a
reason to extend the application deadline. If an application is unable
to be submitted through Grants.gov, a paper application must be
received in the Puerto Rico Rural Development State Office by the
deadline noted previously.
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) to facilitate this consultation. For a list of
States that maintain a 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 your 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. There are
no federally recognized tribes nor TDHEs in Puerto Rico.
6. Funding Restrictions.
The following are examples of eligible and ineligible purposes
under the Puerto Rico RPN RCDI program. Activities that meet the
objectives of the Puerto Rico RPN RCDI program and meet the criteria
outlined in this Notice will be considered eligible. These examples are
illustrative and are not
[[Page 41934]]
meant to limit the activities proposed in the application:
(a) The intermediary must work directly with the recipient, not the
ultimate beneficiaries. For example:
The intermediary provides training and technical assistance to the
recipients on developing and updating materials related to the
prevention, treatment and recovery activities for opioid use disorder
and ensures that high-quality training is provided to communities
affected by the opioid epidemic.
(b) The intermediary provides training to the recipient on how to
conduct homeownership education classes. The recipient then provides
ongoing homeownership education to the residents of the community--the
ultimate beneficiaries. This ``train the trainer'' concept fully meets
the intent of this initiative. The intermediary is providing technical
assistance that will build the recipient's capacity by enabling it to
conduct homeownership education classes for the public. This is an
eligible purpose. However, if the intermediary directly provided
homeownership education classes to individuals in the recipient's
service area, this would not be an eligible purpose because the
recipient would be bypassed.
(c) If the intermediary is working with a low-income community as
the recipient, the intermediary must provide the technical assistance
to the entity that represents the low-income community and is
identified in the application.
If the intermediary provides technical assistance to the Board of
the low-income community on how to establish a cooperative, this would
be an eligible purpose. However, if the intermediary works directly
with individuals from the community to establish the cooperative, this
is not an eligible purpose.
The recipient's capacity is built by learning skills that will
enable it to support sustainable economic development in its community
on an ongoing basis.
(d) The intermediary may provide technical assistance to the
recipient on how to create and operate a revolving loan fund. The
intermediary may not monitor or operate the revolving loan fund. RCDI
funds cannot be used to fund revolving loan funds.
(e) The intermediary may work with recipients to build their
capacity to provide planning and leadership development training. The
recipients of this training would be expected to assume leadership
roles in the development and execution of regional strategic plans. The
intermediary would work with multiple recipients in helping communities
recognize their connections to the greater regional and national
economies.
(f) The intermediary could provide training and technical
assistance to the recipients on developing emergency shelter and
feeding, short-term housing, search and rescue, and environmental
accident, prevention, and cleanup program plans. For longer term
disaster and economic crisis responses, the intermediary could work
with the recipients to develop job placement and training programs and
develop coordinated transit systems for displaced workers.
7. Other Submission Requirements.
Fund uses must be consistent with the Puerto Rico RPN RCDI purpose.
Eligible purposes of grant funds include, but are not limited to, the
following:
(a) Provide technical assistance to develop recipients' capacity
and ability to undertake projects related to housing, community
facilities, or community and economic development, (e.g., the
intermediary hires a staff person to provide technical assistance to
the recipient or the recipient hires a staff person, under the
supervision of the intermediary, to carry out the technical assistance
provided by the intermediary). Hiring must support the intermediary's
training purpose. Additional staff can be hired as a secondary purpose
needed to carry out technical assistance/training to the recipient and
must support the intermediary's training purpose.
(b) Develop the capacity of recipients to conduct community
development programs, (e.g., homeownership education or training for
business entrepreneurs).
(c) Develop the capacity of recipients to conduct developmental
initiatives (e.g., programs that support micro-enterprise and
sustainable development).
(d) Develop the capacity of recipients to increase their leveraging
ability and access to alternative funding sources by providing training
and staffing.
(e) Develop the capacity of recipients to provide the technical
assistance component for essential community facilities projects.
(f) Assist recipients in completing pre-development requirements
for housing, community facilities, or community and economic
development projects by providing resources for professional services,
e.g., architectural, engineering, or legal. While this is an eligible
purpose, applicant needs to ensure the capacity of the recipient is
being expanded with appropriate training during the process.
(g) Improve recipient's organizational capacity by providing
training and resource material on developing strategic plans, board
operations, management, financial systems, and information technology.
(h) Purchase of computers, software, and printers is limited to
$10,000 per award at the recipient level when directly related to the
technical assistance program being undertaken by the intermediary.
(i) Provide funds to recipients for training-related travel costs
and training expenses related to Puerto Rico RPN RCDI.
The following is a list of ineligible uses of grant funds:
Pass-through grants, and any funds provided to the
recipient in a lump sum that are not reimbursements.
Funding a revolving loan fund (RLF).
Construction (in any form).
Salaries for positions involved in construction,
renovations, rehabilitation, and any oversight of these types of
activities.
Intermediary preparation of strategic plans for
recipients.
Funding prostitution, gambling, or any illegal activities.
Grants to individuals.
Funding a grant where there may be a conflict of interest,
or an appearance of a conflict of interest, involving any action by the
Agency.
Paying obligations incurred before the beginning date
without prior Agency approval or after the ending date of the grant
agreement.
Purchasing real estate.
Improvement or renovation of the grantee or recipient's
office space or for the repair or maintenance of privately-owned
vehicles.
Any purpose prohibited in 2 CFR part 200 or 400.
Using funds for recipient's general operating costs.
Using grant funds for Individual Development Accounts.
Purchasing vehicles.
In accordance with 31 U.S.C. 1345, ``Expenses of
Meetings,'' appropriations may not be used for travel, transportation,
and subsistence expenses for a meeting. RCDI grant funds cannot be used
for these meeting-related expenses.
RCDI funds may be used to pay for a speaker as part of a program,
equipment to facilitate the program, and the actual room that will
house the meeting.
RCDI funds cannot be used for meetings; they can, however, be used
for travel, transportation, or subsistence
[[Page 41935]]
expenses for program-related training and technical assistance
purposes. Any training not delineated in the application must be
approved by the Agency to verify compliance with 31 U.S.C. 1345. Travel
and per diem expenses (including meals and incidental expenses) will be
allowed in accordance with 2 CFR parts 200 and 400.
E. Application Review Information
1. Criteria.
All eligible and complete applications will be evaluated and scored
based on the selection criteria and weights contained in this Notice.
Failure to address any of the application criteria by the application
deadline will result in the application being determined ineligible,
and the application will not be considered for funding.
All applications that are complete and eligible will be scored and
ranked competitively. The categories for scoring criteria used are the
following:
(a) Building Capacity and Expertise--Maximum 40 Points
The applicant must demonstrate how it will improve the recipients'
capacity, through a program of financial and technical assistance, as
it relates to the Puerto Rico RPN RCDI Program purposes.
Capacity--Building financial and technical assistance should
provide new functions to the recipients or expand existing functions
that will enable the recipients to undertake projects in the areas of
housing, community facilities, or community and economic development
that will benefit the community. Capacity-building financial and
technical assistance may include, but is not limited to: training to
conduct community development programs (e.g., homeownership education,
or the establishment of minority business entrepreneurs, cooperatives,
or micro-enterprises); organizational development (e.g., assistance to
develop or improve board operations, management, and financial
systems); instruction on how to develop and implement a strategic plan;
instruction on how to access alternative funding sources to increase
leveraging opportunities; and, staffing (e.g., hiring a person at
intermediary or recipient level to provide technical assistance to
recipients).
The program of financial and technical assistance that is to be
provided, its delivery, and the measurability of the program's
effectiveness will determine the merit of the application.
All applications will be competitively ranked and the applications
providing the most improvement in capacity development and measurable
activities being ranked the highest.
The narrative response must contain the following items. This list
also contains the points for each item.
(1) Describe how the applicant will identify and will select the
recipients in the RPN area and how the applicant will assess the
recipient's needs for technical assistance and capacity building as
described in purpose of the program (pages 6 to 8) (8 Points).
(2) The scope of the technical assistance to be provided to the
recipients and the activities that will be conducted to deliver the
technical assistance, particularly providing customized-individualized
technical assistance and capacity building (7 Points).
(3) Identify which RCDI-RPN purpose areas will be addressed with
this assistance: planning, project management, grant management and
post award, development of bylaws, budgeting, financial planning,
funding identification, implementation, community development and
empowerment initiatives, grant eligibility and writing. (5 Points).
(4) Describe how the results of the technical assistance will be
measured and describe the benchmarks to be used to measure
effectiveness. Benchmarks should be specific and quantifiable (10
Points).
(5) Demonstrate that the applicant/intermediary has conducted
programs of technical assistance and capacity building in rural
communities, for municipalities, community-based organizations and
nonprofits and achieved measurable results and best practices in
successfully implementing and completing the community development
project. (10 Points).
(b) Soundness of Approach--Maximum 15 Points
The applicant can receive up to 15 points for soundness of
approach. The overall proposal will be considered under this criterion.
The maximum of 15 points for this criterion will be based on the
following:
(1) The proposal fits the objectives for which applications were
invited, is clearly stated, and the applicant has defined how this
proposal will be implemented (7 Points).
(2) The ability to provide the proposed technical assistance and
capacity building based on prior accomplishments (6 Points).
(3) Cost effectiveness will be evaluated based on the budget in the
application. The proposed grant amount and matching funds should be
utilized to maximize capacity building at the recipient level (2
Points).
(c) RPN Community Network--15 Points
The RPN Community Network is defined as the boundaries of the three
Community Networks. The Southwest Community Network is comprised of
Mayaguez, Maricao, and Gu[aacute]nica; the Central Mountain Community
Network is comprised of 9 municipalities: Utuado, Jayuya, Orocovis,
Ciales, Villalba, Ponce, Adjuntas, Barranquitas, and Coamo; and the
Eastern Community Network is comprised of Fajardo, Ceiba, Naguabo, and
El Yunque National Rainforest.
The applicant must indicate the targeted group that will benefit
from the technical assistance and capacity building within the
Community Network and will be scored as follows in the table
illustrated below:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scoring
Type of recipient (points)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Community Based Organization (minimum 6)................... 4
Combination of municipality, community-based organization 4
and Not-For Profit (minimum 5)............................
Combination of Community-based organization and nonprofits 3
(minimum 5)...............................................
Not-For Profit (minimum 7)................................. 3
Municipalities (minimum 3)................................. 1
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 41936]]
The applicant must indicate in the work description which areas of
technical assistance they will provide:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Scoring
Type of technical assistance (percent)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Capacity building.......................................... 40
Build grant writing, program application and
post award management and reporting capacity..........
a. Train, mentors, one-on-one assistance with
organizations to write successful grant
applications or proposals.........................
b. Assist with completing a grant application in
accordance with federal regulations...............
Provide assistance to community based-
organizations and other types of organizations that
need to formalize its organization--legal,
administrative and financial capacity--including
assisting with filing for System Award Management
(SAM) and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)
registrations, and requirements.......................
a. Prepare organizations to apply for and receive
federal funding (SAMS, UEI).......................
Board training................................
a. Identification, selection and creation of the
board of directors................................
b. Draft by-laws...................................
Funding:......................................
a. Assist in the capacity assessment, planning,
short, medium, long-term solutions and
coordination of funding and service resources.....
b. Assisting with the identification of
environmental reports and/or documentation
required for submittal of applications............
c. Identifying funding sources for matching or
grants based on reimbursement.....................
d. Developing cost estimates.......................
e. Guidance to define administrative cost..........
Planning................................................... 20
According to the need or project, developing
the necessary planning instrument such as: Strategic
plan development, Viability plans, Community
Resiliency Plans, Community Emergency Plans, and/or
Feasibility Plans.....................................
Developing successful community facilities....
Creating training tools, such as videos,
workbooks, and reference guides.......................
Project coordination--of funding and service
resources--and implementation program for the short-,
medium- and long-term solutions.......................
Professional service fees for a Project
Manager/Coordinator for assistance or implementation
of the plans..........................................
Creation of action plans for project
deployment............................................
Relationship building...................................... 20
Align outreach and site visit coordination....
Engagement with cultural, faith-based and
community stakeholders................................
Creating alliances and partnerships to
leverage mutual interest, promote efficiency,
innovation and collaboration..........................
Guide in the creation of a volunteer program..
Municipal Support:......................................... 20
Planning implementation strategies, project
management, and identification of funds for community
development projects and services.....................
Strength community empowerment organizations
and structure for supporting community development....
Nuisance program development and strategies
for providing affordable housing......................
Childcare, elderly services and housing,
ownership titles orientation as part of disaster
preparedness, support disaster recovery and climate
change awareness in community development projects....
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(d) State Director's Points--Maximum 30 Points
The State Director may award up to 30 discretionary points for
projects to address items such as geographic distribution of funds,
emergency conditions caused by economic problems, natural disasters and
other initiatives identified by the Secretary. The State Director may
also award points to any application that will advance the following
key priorities:
(1) Addressing Climate Change and Environmental Justice: Reducing
climate pollution and increasing resilience to the impacts of climate
change through economic support to rural communities. Applicants may
receive priority points addressing climate change in three ways:
Option 1: Applicants will receive points 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 (CEQ). CEJST is a tool to help Federal
agencies identify disadvantaged communities that will benefit from
programs included in the Justice40 initiative. Census tracts are
considered disadvantaged if they meet the thresholds for at least one
of the CEJST's eight (8) categories of burden: Climate, Energy, Health,
Housing, Legacy Pollution, Transportation, Water and Wastewater, or
Workforce Development.
Option 2: Applicants will receive points if the project is located
in or serves an Energy Community as defined by the Inflation Reduction
Act (IRA). The IRA defines energy communities as:
A ``brownfield site'' (as defined in certain subparagraphs
of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA))
A ``metropolitan statistical area'' or ``non-metropolitan
statistical area'' that has (or had at any time after 2009)
0.17% or greater direct employment or 25% or greater local
tax revenues related to the extraction, processing, transport, or
storage of coal, oil, or natural gas; and has an unemployment rate at
or above the national average unemployment rate for the previous year
A census tract (or directly adjoining census tract) in
which a coal mine has closed after 1999; or in which a coal-fired
electric generating unit has been retired after 2009.
Option 3: Applicants will receive points by demonstrating through
written narrative how proposed climate-impact projects improve the
livelihoods of community residents and meet pollution mitigation or
clean energy goals.
[[Page 41937]]
Information on whether your project qualifies for priority points
can be found at the following website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.
(2) Advancing Racial Justice, Place-Based Equity, and Opportunity:
Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to RD programs and
benefits from RD funded projects.
This priority aligns with the Executive Order on Advancing Racial
Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal
Government. The Applicant receives priority points if the project is
located in or serving a community with score 0.75 or above on the CDC
Social Vulnerability Index. Please use Community Look-Up Map to look up
map or list to determine if your project qualifies for priority points.
US Territories are considered socially vulnerable and qualify for
priority points.
Information on whether your project qualifies for priority points
can be found at the following website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.
(3) Creating More and Better Markets: Assisting rural communities
to recover economically through more and better market opportunities
through improved infrastructure.
Applicants receive priority points if the project is located in or
serving a rural community whose economic well-being ranks in the most
distressed tier of the Distressed Communities Index. The Distressed
Communities Index provides a score between 1-100 for every community at
the zip code level. The most distressed tier of the index are those
communities with a score over 80. Please use the Distressed Communities
Index Look-Up Map to determine if your project qualifies for priority
points by using the following link: http://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points/rural-develoment-priorities-fy-2024. For additional information
on data sources used for this priority determination, please download
the Data Sources for Rural Development Priorities document.
US Territories are considered distressed and qualify for priority
points.
Information on whether your project qualifies for priority points
can be found at the following website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.
2. Review and Selection Process.
If requests exceed funds available, the applications will be rated
and ranked by a review panel based on the ``Application Review
Information'' contained in this Notice.
(a) If there is a tied score after the applications have been rated
and ranked, the tie will be resolved by reviewing the scores for
``Building Capacity and Expertise'' and the applicant with the highest
score in that category will receive a higher ranking. If the scores for
``Building Capacity and Expertise'' are the same, the scores will be
compared for the next criterion, in sequential order, until the highest
score can be determined. If all scores are equal Agency discretion
applies.
(b) Initial screening: The Puerto Rico Rural Development State
Office will screen each application to determine eligibility during the
period immediately following the application deadline. Listed below are
examples of reasons for rejection from previous funding rounds. The
following reasons for rejection are not all inclusive; however, they
represent the majority of the applications previously rejected.
Recipients were not located in eligible rural areas based
on the definition in this Notice.
Applicants failed to provide evidence of recipient's
status, i.e., documentation supporting nonprofit evidence of
organization.
Application did not follow the RPN RCDI structure with an
intermediary and recipients.
Intermediary did not provide evidence it had been
incorporated for at least three years as the applicant entity.
Applicants failed to address the ``Application Review
Information'' in this Notice.
The purpose of the proposal did not qualify as an eligible
RPN RCDI purpose.
Inappropriate use of funds (e.g., construction or
renovations).
The applicant proposed providing financial and technical
assistance directly to individuals.
The application package was not received by closing date
and time.
3. Anticipated Announcement and Federal Award Dates.
August 15, 2024.
F. Federal Award Administration Information
1. Federal Award Notices.
Within the limit of funds available for such purpose, the awarding
official of the Agency shall make grants in ranked order to eligible
applicants under the procedures set forth in this Notice.
Successful applicants will receive a selection letter by mail
containing instructions on requirements necessary to proceed with
execution and performance of the award. This letter is not an
authorization to begin performance. In addition, selected applicants
will be requested to verify that components of the application have not
changed at the time of selection and on the award obligation date, if
requested by the Agency.
The award is not approved until all information has been verified,
and the awarding official of the Agency has signed Form RD 1940-1,
``Request for Obligation of Funds'' and the grant agreement.
Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification, including
notification of appeal rights, by mail.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements.
Grantees will be required to do the following:
(a) Execute a Rural Community Development Initiative Grant
Agreement.
(b) Execute Form RD 1940-1, ``Request for Obligation of Funds.''
(c) Use Form SF 270, ``Request for Advance or Reimbursement,'' to
request reimbursements. Provide receipts for expenditures, timesheets
and any other documentation to support the request for reimbursement.
(d) Provide financial status and project performance reports on a
quarterly basis starting with the first full quarter after the grant
award.
(e) Maintain a financial management system that is acceptable to
the Agency.
(f) Ensure that records are maintained to document all activities
and expenditures utilizing RCDI grant funds and matching funds.
Receipts for expenditures will be included in this documentation.
(g) Provide annual audits or management reports on Form RD 442- 2,
``Statement of Budget, Income and Equity,'' and Form RD 442-3,
``Balance Sheet,'' depending on the amount of Federal funds expended
and the outstanding balance.
(h) Collect and maintain data provided by recipients on race, sex,
and national origin and ensure recipients collect and maintain the same
data on beneficiaries. Race and ethnicity data will be collected in
accordance with OMB Federal Register notice, ``Revisions to the
Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and
Ethnicity,'' (62 FR 58782), October 30, 1997. Sex data will be
collected in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972. These items should not be submitted with the application but
should be available upon request by the Agency.
(i) Provide a final project performance report.
(j) Identify and report any association or relationship with Rural
Development employees.
(k) The intermediary and recipient must comply with Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the
[[Page 41938]]
Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973, Executive Order 12250, Age Act of 1975, Executive Order 13166
Limited English Proficiency, and 7 CFR part 1901, subpart E.
(l) The grantee must comply with policies, guidance, and
requirements as described in the following applicable Code of Federal
Regulations, and any successor regulations:
(1) 2 CFR parts 200 and 400 (Uniform Administrative Requirements,
Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards).
(2) 2 CFR parts 417 and 180 (Government-wide Debarment and
Suspension (Nonprocurement)).
3. Reporting
After grant approval and through grant completion, you will be
required to provide the following, as indicated in the Grant Agreement:
(a) SF-425, ``Federal Financial Report'' and SF-PPR, ``Performance
Progress Report'' will be required on a quarterly basis (due 30 working
days after each calendar quarter). The Performance Progress Report
shall include the elements described in the grant agreement.
(b) Final financial and performance reports will be due 120
calendar days after the period of performance end date.
(c) A summary at the end of the final report with elements as
described in the grant agreement to assist in documenting the annual
performance goals of the RPN RCDI program for Congress.
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
Contact the Puerto Rico Rural Development State Office at 654
Mu[ntilde]oz Rivera Ave., Suite 601, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00918, or
(787) 766-5095.
H. Other Information
1. Civil Rights 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 7 CFR part 15,
subpart A, 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.
2. Paperwork Reduction Act
The paperwork burden has been approved by the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control Number 0575-0180.
3. National Environmental Policy Act
All recipients under this notice are subject to the requirements of
7 CFR part 1970, available at: https://rd.usda.gov/resources/environmental-studies/environmental-guidance.
4. 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; or the 711 Federal
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/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 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.
Joaquin J. Altoro,
Administrator, Rural Housing Service, USDA Rural Development.
Appendix A: Rural Partners Network: Community Networks Puerto Rico
[GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] TN14MY24.113
[[Page 41939]]
[FR Doc. 2024-10363 Filed 5-13-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XV-P