[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 112 (Tuesday, June 11, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34979-34983]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-13827]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Announcement of Grant Application Deadlines
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of funds availability and solicitation of applications.
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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural
Utilities Service (RUS) announces its Community Connect Grant Program
application window for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013. In addition, RUS
announces the minimum and maximum amounts for Community Connect grants
applicable for the fiscal year. The Community Connect Grant Program
regulations can be found at 7 CFR 1739, subpart A.
DATES: You may submit completed applications for grants on paper or
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electronically according to the following deadlines:
Paper copies must carry proof of shipping no later than
July 11, 2013 to be eligible for FY 2013 grant funding. Late
applications are not eligible for FY 2013 grant funding.
Electronic copies must be received by July 11, 2013 to be
eligible for FY 2013 grant funding. Late applications are not eligible
for FY 2013 grant funding.
ADDRESSES: You may obtain application guides and materials for the
Community Connect Grant Program via the Internet at the following Web
site: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/utp_commconnect.html. You may also
request application guides and materials from RUS by contacting the
appropriate individual listed in section VII of the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION section of this notice.
Submit completed paper applications for grants to the Rural
Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence
Ave., SW., Room 2868, STOP 1599, Washington, DC 20250-1599.
Applications should be marked ``Attention: Director, Broadband
Division, Rural Utilities Service.''
Submit electronic grant applications at http://www.grants.gov
(Grants.gov), following the instructions you find on that Web site.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kenneth Kuchno, Director, Broadband
Division, Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
telephone: (202) 690-4673, fax: (202) 690-4389.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Agency: Rural Utilities Service (RUS).
Funding Opportunity Title: Community Connect Grant Program.
Announcement Type: Initial announcement.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.863.
Dates: You may submit completed applications for grants on paper or
electronically according to the following deadlines:
Paper copies must carry proof of shipping no later than
July 11, 2013, to be eligible for FY 2013 grant funding. Late
applications are not eligible for FY 2013 grant funding.
Electronic copies must be received by July 11, 2013, to be
eligible for FY 2013 grant funding. Late applications are not eligible
for FY 2013 grant funding.
Items in Supplementary Information
I. Funding Opportunity: Brief introduction to the Community
Connect Grant Program.
II. Award Information: Available funds and minimum and maximum
amounts.
III. Eligibility Information: Who is eligible, what kinds of
projects are eligible, what criteria determine basic eligibility.
IV. Application and Submission Information: Where to get
application materials, what constitutes a completed application, how
and where to submit applications, deadlines, items that are
eligible.
V. Application Review Information: Considerations and
preferences, scoring criteria, review standards, selection
information.
VI. Award Administration Information: Award notice information,
award recipient reporting requirements.
VII. Agency Contacts: Web, phone, fax, email, contact name.
I. Funding Opportunity
The provision of broadband service is vital to the economic
development, education, health, and safety of rural Americans. The
purpose of the Community Connect Grant Program is to provide financial
assistance in the form of grants to eligible applicants that will
provide currently unserved areas, on a ``community-oriented
connectivity'' basis, with broadband service that fosters economic
growth and delivers enhanced educational, health care, and public
safety services. Rural Utilities Service will give priority to rural
areas that have the greatest need for broadband services, based on the
criteria contained herein.
Grant authority will be used for the deployment of broadband
service to extremely rural, lower-income communities on a ``community-
oriented connectivity'' basis. The ``community-oriented connectivity''
concept will stimulate practical, everyday uses and applications of
broadband facilities by cultivating the deployment of new broadband
services that improve economic development and provide enhanced
educational and health care opportunities in rural areas. Such an
approach will also give rural communities the opportunity to benefit
from the advanced technologies that are necessary to achieve these
goals. Please see 7 CFR part 1739, subpart A for specifics.
This notice has been formatted to conform to a policy directive
issued by the Office of Federal Financial Management (OFFM) of the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), published in the Federal
Register on June 23, 2003. This Notice does not change the Community
Connect Grant Program regulation (7 CFR part 1739, subpart A).
The definitions applicable to this Notice are published at 7 CFR
1739.3.
The Agency will review, evaluate, and score applications received
in response to this Notice based on the provisions found in 7 CFR part
1739, subpart A, and as indicated in this notice.
II. Award Information
A. Available Funds
1. General. The Acting Administrator has determined that the
following amounts are available for grants in FY 2013 under 7 CFR
1739.2(a)
2. Grants
a. $21 million is available for grants from FY 2013 and prior year
appropriations. Under 7 CFR 1739.2, the Administrator has established a
minimum grant amount of $100,000 and a maximum grant amount of
$3,000,000 for FY 2013.
b. Assistance instrument: RUS will execute grant documents
appropriate to the project prior to any advance of funds with
successful applicants.
B. Community Connect grants cannot be renewed. Award documents
specify the term of each award.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Who is eligible for grants? (See 7 CFR 1739.10)
1. Only entities legally organized as one of the following are
eligible for Community Connect Grant Program financial assistance:
a. An incorporated organization,
b. An Indian tribe or tribal organization, as defined in 25 U.S.C.
450b(e),
c. A state or local unit of government,
d. A cooperative, private corporation or limited liability company
organized on a for-profit or not-for-profit basis.
2. Individuals are not eligible for Community Connect Grant Program
financial assistance directly.
3. Applicants must have the legal capacity and authority to own and
operate the broadband facilities as proposed in its application, to
enter into contracts and to otherwise comply with applicable federal
statutes and regulations.
4. Applicants must have an active registration with current
information in the System for Award Management (SAM) (previously the
Central Contractor Registry (CCR)) at https:\\www.sam.gov and have a
Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number.
B. What are the basic eligibility requirements for a project?
1. Required matching contributions. Please see 7 CFR 1739.14 for
the requirement. Grant applicants must
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demonstrate a matching contribution, in cash, of at least fifteen (15)
percent of the total amount of financial assistance requested. Matching
contributions must be used to support the broadband operations funded
under the Community Connect Grant Program.
2. To be eligible for a grant, the Project must (see 7 CFR
1739.11):
a. Serve a Rural Area where Broadband Service does not currently
exist, to be verified by RUS prior to the award of the grant;
b. Deploy service at the Broadband Grant Speed, free of all charges
for at least 2 years, to all Critical Community Facilities located
within the proposed Service Area;
c. Offer service at the Broadband Grant Speed to all residential
and business customers within the Proposed Funded Service Area; and
d. Provide a Community Center with at least two (2) Computer Access
Points within the Proposed Funded Service Area, and make service at the
Broadband Grant Speed available therein, free of all charges to users
for at least 2 years.
3. Other requirements.
a. DUNS numbers and SAM registration: Applicants must have Dun and
Bradstreet DUNS number and be registered in System Awards Management
(SAM) at https:\\www.sam.gov prior to submitting an electronic or paper
application. The DUNS number and SAM requirements are contained in 2
CFR part 25. SAM is the repository for standard information about
applicants and recipients.
b. DUNS Number: As required by the OMB, all applicants for grants
must supply a Dun and Bradstreet DUNS number when applying. The
Standard Form 424 (SF-424) contains a field for you to use when
supplying your DUNS number. Obtaining a DUNS number costs nothing and
requires a short telephone call to Dun and Bradstreet. Please see
http://www.grants.gov/applicants/org_step1.jsp for more information on
how to obtain a DUNS number or how to verify your organization's
number.
c. System for Award Management (SAM): In accordance with 2 CFR part
25, applicants, whether applying electronically or by paper must be
registered in SAM prior to submitting an application. Applicants may
register for the SAM at https://www.sam.gov. The SAM registration must
remain active, with current information, at all times during which an
entity has an application under consideration by an agency or has an
active Federal Award. To remain registered in the SAM database after
the initial registration, the applicant is required to review and
update on an annual basis from the date of initial registration or
subsequent updates of its information in the SAM database to ensure it
is current, accurate and complete.
C. See paragraph IV.B of this notice for a discussion of the items
that make up a completed application. You may also refer to 7 CFR
1739.15 for completed grant application items.
IV. Required Definitions for Community Connect Program Regulation
A. General. The regulation for the Community Connect Grant Program
requires that certain definitions affecting eligibility be revised and
published from time to time by the Agency in the Federal Register. For
the purpose of this regulation, the agency shall use the following
definitions:
Broadband Service and Broadband Grant Speed. Until otherwise
revised in the Federal Register, for applications in FY 2013, to
qualify as Broadband Service, the minimum rate of data transmission
shall be three megabits per second (download plus upload speeds) for
both fixed and mobile service and the Broadband Grant Speed will be a
minimum bandwidth of 5 megabits per second (download plus upload
speeds) for both fixed and mobile service to the customer.
B. Where to get application information. The application guide,
copies of necessary forms and samples, and the Community Connect Grant
Program regulation are available from these sources:
1. The Internet: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/utp_commconnect.html.
2. The Rural Utilities Service Broadband Division, for paper copies
of these materials: (202) 690-4673.
C. What constitutes a completed application?
1. Detailed information on each item required can be found in the
Community Connect Grant Program regulation and the Community Connect
Grant Program application guide. Applicants are strongly encouraged to
read and apply both the regulation and the application guide. This
Notice does not change the requirements for a completed application for
any form of Community Connect Grant Program financial assistance
specified in the Community Connect Grant Program regulation. The
Community Connect Grant Program regulation and the application guide
provide specific guidance on each of the items listed and the Community
Connect Grant Program application guide provides all necessary forms
and sample worksheets.
2. Applications should be prepared in conformance with the
provisions in 7 CFR part 1739, subpart A, and applicable USDA
regulations including 7 CFR parts 3015, 3016, and 3019. Applicants must
use the RUS Application Guide for this program containing instructions
and all necessary forms, as well as other important information, in
preparing their application. Completed applications must include the
following:
a. An Application for Federal Assistance. A completed Standard Form
(SF) 424.
b. An executive summary of the Project. The applicant must provide
RUS with a general project overview.
c. Scoring criteria documentation. Each grant applicant must
address and provide documentation on how it meets each of the scoring
criteria detailed in 7 CFR 1739.17.
d. System design. The applicant must submit a system design,
including, narrative specifics of the proposal, associated costs, maps,
engineering design studies, technical specifications and system
capabilities, etc.
e. Service area demographics. The applicant must provide a map of
the Proposed Funded Service Area using the RUS Mapping Tool.
f. Scope of work. The scope of work must include specific
activities and services to be performed under the proposal, who will
carry out the activities and services, specific time-frames for
completion, and a budget for all capital and administrative
expenditures reflecting the line item costs for all grant purposes, the
matching contribution, and other sources of funds necessary to complete
the project.
g. Community-Oriented Connectivity Plan. The applicant must provide
a detailed Community-Oriented Connectivity Plan.
h. Financial information and sustainability. The applicant must
provide financial statements and information and a narrative
description demonstrating the sustainability of the Project.
i. A statement of experience. The applicant must provide a written
narrative describing its demonstrated capability and experience, if
any, in operating a broadband telecommunications system.
j. Evidence of legal authority and existence. The applicant must
provide evidence of its legal existence and authority to enter into a
grant agreement with RUS and to perform the activities proposed under
the grant application.
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k. Additional Funding. If the Project requires additional funding
from other sources in addition to the RUS grant, the applicant must
provide evidence that funding agreements have been obtained to ensure
completion of the Project.
l. Federal Compliance. The applicant must provide evidence of
compliance with other federal statutes and regulations, including, but
not limited to the following:
(i) 7 CFR part 15, subpart A--Nondiscrimination in Federally
Assisted Programs of the Department of Agriculture--Effectuation of
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
(ii) 7 CFR part 3015--Uniform Federal Assistance Regulations.
(iii) 7 CFR part 3017--Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension
(Non-procurement).
(iv) 7 CFR part 3018--New Restrictions on Lobbying.
(v) 7 CFR part 3021--Government wide Requirements for Drug-Free
Workplace (Financial Assistance).
(vi) Certification regarding Architectural Barriers.
(vii) Certification regarding Flood Hazard Precautions.
(viii) An environmental report/questionnaire, in accordance with 7
CFR 1794.
(ix) A certification that grant funds will not be used to duplicate
lines, facilities, or systems providing Broadband Service.
(x) Federal Obligation Certification on Delinquent Debt.
(xi) Assurance Regarding Felony Conviction or Tax Delinquent Status
for Corporate Applicants.
D. How many copies of an application are required?
1. Applications submitted on paper: Submit the original paper
application and a copy in electronic format to RUS.
2. Applications submitted through Grants.gov: The additional paper
copies are not necessary if you submit the application electronically
through Grants.gov.
E. How and where to submit an application. Grant applications may
be submitted on paper or through Grants.gov.
1. Submitting applications on paper.
a. Address paper applications for grants to the Rural Utilities
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave. SW.,
Room 2868, STOP 1599, Washington, DC 20250-1599. Applications should be
marked ``Attention: Director, Broadband Division, Rural Utilities
Service.''
b. Paper applications must show proof of mailing or shipping
consisting of one of the following:
(i) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service (USPS) postmark;
(ii) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
USPS; or
(iii) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier.
c. Due to screening procedures at the Department of Agriculture,
packages arriving via the USPS are irradiated, which can damage the
contents. RUS encourages applicants to consider the impact of this
procedure in selecting their application delivery method.
2. Applications submitted through Grants.gov.
(a) Applicant may file an electronic application at http://www.grants.gov. Applications will not be accepted via facsimile machine
transmission or electronic mail. Grants.gov contains full instructions
on all required passwords, credentialing, and software. 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 Web site.
(b) First time Grants.gov users should go to the ``Get Started''
tab on the Grants.gov site and carefully read and follow the steps
listed. These steps need to be initiated early in the application
process to avoid delays in submitting your application online.
F. Deadlines
1. Paper applications must be postmarked and mailed, shipped, or
sent overnight no later than July 11, 2013 to be eligible for FY 2013
grant funding. Late applications are not eligible for FY 2013 grant
funding.
2. Grant applications submitted through Grants.gov must be received
by July 11, 2013 to be eligible for FY 2013 funding. Late applications
are not eligible for FY 2013 grant funding.
G. Funding Restrictions
1. Eligible grant purposes. Grant funds may be used to finance:
a. The construction, acquisition, or leasing of facilities,
including spectrum, land or buildings to deploy service at the
Broadband Grant Speed to all participating Critical Community
Facilities and all required facilities needed to offer such service to
all residential and business customers located within the Proposed
Funded Service Area;
b. The improvement, expansion, construction, or acquisition of a
Community Center that furnishes free internet access at the Broadband
Grant Speed, provided that the Community Center is open and accessible
to area residents before, during, and after normal working hours and on
Saturday or Sunday. Grant funds provided for such costs shall not
exceed the lesser of ten percent (10%) of the grant amount requested or
$150,000; and
c. The cost of bandwidth to provide service at the Broadband Grant
Speed to Critical Community Facilities for the first 2 years of
operation.
2. Ineligible grant purposes.
a. Grant funds may not be used to finance the duplication of any
existing Broadband Service provided by another entity.
b. Operating expenses other than the cost of bandwidth for two
years to provide service at the Broadband Grant Speed to Critical
Community Facilities.
3. Please see 7 CFR 1739.3 for definitions, 7 CFR 1739.12 for
eligible grant purposes, and 7 CFR 1739.13 for ineligible grant
purposes
V. Application Review Information
A. Criteria
1. Grant applications are scored competitively and subject to the
criteria listed below.
2. Grant application scoring criteria (total possible points: 100).
See 7 CFR 1739.17 for the items that will be reviewed during scoring
and for scoring criteria.
a. An analysis of the challenges of the of the following criteria,
laid out on a community-wide basis, and how the project proposes to
address these issues (up to 50 points): 1. The economic
characteristics; 2. Educational Challenges; 3. Health care needs; and
4. Public safety issues.
b. The extent of the Project's planning, development, and support
by local residents, institutions, and Critical Community Facilities (up
to 40 points);
c. The level of experience and past success of operating broadband
systems for the management team (up to 10 points); and
d. In making a final selection among and between applications with
comparable rankings and geographic distribution, the Administrator may
take into consideration the characteristics of the Proposed Funded
Service Area (PFSA)
B. Review standards
1. All applications for grants must be delivered to Rural Utilities
Service at the address and by the date specified in this notice (see
also 7 CFR 1739.2) to be eligible for funding. Rural Utilities Service
will review each application for conformance with the provisions of
this part. Rural Utilities Service may contact the applicant for
additional information or clarification.
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2. Incomplete applications as of the deadline for submission will
not be considered. If an application is determined to be incomplete,
the applicant will be notified in writing and the application will be
returned with no further action.
3. Applications conforming with this part will then be evaluated
competitively by a panel of Rural Utilities Service employees selected
by the Administrator of Rural Utilities Service, and will be awarded
points as described in the scoring criteria in 7 CFR 1739.17.
Applications will be ranked and grants awarded in rank order until all
grant funds are expended.
C. Selection Process
Grant applications are ranked by final score. Rural Utilities
Service selects applications based on those rankings, subject to the
availability of funds.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
Rural Utilities Service recognizes that each funded project is
unique, and therefore may attach conditions to different projects'
award documents. Rural Utilities Service generally notifies applicants
whose projects are selected for awards by emailing a scanned copy of an
award letter. Rural Utilities Service follows the award letter with a
grant agreement that contains all the terms and conditions for the
grant. An applicant must execute and return the grant agreement,
accompanied by any additional items required by the grant agreement.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. The items
listed in paragraph IV.C.2.k of this notice, and the Community Connect
Grant Program regulation, application guide and accompanying materials
implement the appropriate administrative and national policy
requirements.
C. Reporting
1. Performance reporting. All recipients of Community Connect Grant
Program financial assistance must provide annual performance activity
reports to RUS until the project is complete and the funds are
expended. A final performance report is also required; the final report
may serve as the last annual report. The final report must include an
evaluation of the success of the project. See 7 CFR 1739.19.
2. Financial reporting. All recipients of Community Connect Grant
Program financial assistance must provide an annual audit, beginning
with the first year a portion of the financial assistance is expended.
Audits are governed by United States Department of Agriculture audit
regulations. See 7 CFR 1739.20.
3. Recipient and Subrecipient Reporting. The applicant must have
the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the
reporting requirements for first-tier sub-awards and executive
compensation under the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency
Act of 2006 in the event the applicant receives funding unless such
applicant is exempt from such reporting requirements pursuant to 2 CFR
part 170, Sec. 170.110(b). The reporting requirements under the
Transparency Act pursuant to 2 CFR part 170 are as follows:
a. First Tier Sub-Awards of $25,000 or more (unless they are exempt
under 2 CFR part 170) must be reported by the Recipient to http://www.fsrs.gov no later than the end of the month following the month the
obligation was made.
b. The Total Compensation of the Recipient's Executives (5 most
highly compensated executives) must be reported by the Recipient (if
the Recipient meets the criteria under 2 CFR part 170) to http://www.sam.gov by the end of the month following the month in which the
award was made.
c. The Total Compensation of the Subrecipient's Executives (5 most
highly compensated executives) must be reported by the Subrecipient (if
the Subrecipient meets the criteria under 2 CFR part 170) to the
Recipient by the end of the month following the month in which the
subaward was made.
VII. Agency Contacts
A. Web site: http://www.usda.gov/rus/commconnect.htm. This Web site
maintains up-to-date resources and contact information for the
Community Connect Grant Program.
B. Phone: 202-690-4673
C. Fax: 202-690-4389
D. Main point of contact: Kenneth Kuchno, Director, Broadband
Division, Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Dated: June 6, 2013.
John Charles Padalino,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-13827 Filed 6-10-13; 8:45 am]
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