[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 58 (Wednesday, March 26, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16763-16767]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-06622]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Announcement of Grant and Loan Application Deadlines
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of funding availability and solicitation of
applications.
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SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) announces its Revolving Fund
Program (RFP) application window for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014. In addition
to announcing the application window, RUS announces the available
funding of $1,000,000 for competitive grants.
The RFP is authorized under section 306(a)(2)(B) of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (Con Act), 7 U.S.C. 1926
(a)(2)(B). Under the RFP, qualified private, non-profit organizations
receive RFP grant funds to establish a lending program for eligible
entities. Eligible entities for the revolving loan fund will be the
same entities eligible, under paragraph 1 or 2 of Section 306(a) of the
Con Act, 7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(1) or (b)(2), to obtain a loan, loan
guarantee, or grant from the RUS Water, Waste Disposal and Wastewater
loan and grant programs. This year administrative discretion points may
be awarded for work plans that:
1. Directs loans to the smallest communities with the lowest
incomes emphasizing areas where according to the American Community
Survey data by census tracts show that at least 20% of the population
is living in poverty. This emphasis will support Rural Development's
goal of providing 20% of its funding by 2016 to these areas of need.
2. Directs loans to areas which lack running water, flush toilets,
and modern sewage disposal systems, and areas which have open sewers
and high rates of disease caused by poor sanitation, in particular,
colonias or Substantially Underserved Trust Areas.
3. Directs loans that emphasize energy and water efficient
components to reduce costs and increase sustainability of rural
systems.
DATES: You may submit completed applications for grants on paper or
electronically according to the following deadlines:
Paper copies must be postmarked and mailed, shipped, or
sent overnight no later than May 27, 2014 to be eligible for FY 2014
grant funding. Late or incomplete applications will not be eligible for
FY 2014 grant funding.
Electronic copies must be received by May 27, 2014 to be
eligible for FY 2014 grant funding. Late or incomplete applications
will not be eligible for FY 2014 grant funding.
ADDRESSES: You may obtain application guides and materials for the RFP
program at the Water and Environmental Programs (WEP) Web site: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWP-revolvingfund.html. You may also request
application guides and materials by contacting Joyce M. Taylor at (202)
720-0499.
Submit completed paper applications for RFP grants to the Rural
Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence
Ave. SW., Room 2233, STOP 1570, Washington, DC 20250-1570. Applications
should be marked Attention: Joyce M. Taylor, Water and Environmental
Programs.
Submit electronic grant applications at http://www.grants.gov
(Grants.gov) and follow the instructions you find on that Web site.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joyce M. Taylor, Community Programs
Specialist, Water Programs Division, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Rural Utilities Service, STOP 1570, Room 2233-S, 1400 Independence Ave.
SW., Washington, DC 20250-1570; Telephone: (202) 720-0499: Fax: (202)
690-0649.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Agency: Rural Utilities Service (RUS).
Funding Opportunity Title: Grant Program to Establish a Fund for
Financing Water and Wastewater Projects (Revolving Fund Program (RFP)).
Announcement Type: Solicitation of Applications.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.864.
Due Date for Applications: Applications must be mailed, shipped or
submitted electronically through Grants.gov no later than May 27, 2014
to be eligible for FY 2014 grant funding.
Items in Supplementary Information
I. Funding Opportunity: Brief introduction to the RFP.
II. Award Information: Available funds, maximum amounts $1,000,000.
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
Drinking water systems are basic and vital to both health and
economic development. With dependable water facilities, rural
communities can attract families and businesses that will invest in the
community and improve the quality of life for all residents. Without
dependable water facilities, the communities cannot sustain economic
development.
RUS provides financial and technical assistance to help communities
bring safe drinking water and sanitary, environmentally sound waste
disposal facilities to rural Americans. It supports the sound
development of rural communities and the growth of our economy without
endangering the environment.
The Revolving Fund Program (RFP) has been established to assist
communities with water or wastewater systems. Qualified private, non-
profit organizations, who are selected for funding, will receive RFP
grant funds to establish a lending program for eligible entities.
Eligible entities for the revolving loan fund will be the same entities
eligible to obtain a loan, loan guarantee, or grant from the Water and
Waste Disposal loan and grant programs administered by RUS, under 7
U.S.C.1926(a)(1) and (2). As grant recipients, the non-profit
organizations will set up a revolving loan fund to provide loans to
finance predevelopment costs of water or wastewater projects, or short-
term small capital projects not part of the regular
[[Page 16764]]
operation and maintenance of current water and wastewater systems. The
amount of financing to an eligible entity shall not exceed $100,000.00
and shall be repaid in a term not to exceed 10 years. The rate shall be
determined in the approved grant work plan.
II. Award Information
Available funds: Rural Development is making $1,000,000 available
for competitive grants in FY2014.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Who is eligible to apply?
An applicant is eligible to apply for the RFP grant if it:
1. Is a private, non-profit organization;
2. Is legally established and located within one of the following:
(a) A state within the United States;
(b) The District of Columbia;
(c) The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; or
(d) A United States territory;
3. Has the legal capacity and authority to carry out the grant
purpose;
4. Has a proven record of successfully operating a revolving loan
fund to rural areas;
5. Has capitalization acceptable to the Agency, and is composed of
at least 51 percent of the outstanding interest or membership being
citizens of the United States or individuals who reside in the United
States after being legally admitted for permanent residence;
6. Has no delinquent debt to the Federal Government;
7. Has no outstanding judgments to repay a Federal debt;
8. Demonstrates that it possesses the financial, technical, and
managerial capability to comply with Federal and State laws and
requirements;
9. Corporations that have been convicted of a felony (or had an
officer or agency acting on behalf of the corporation convicted of a
felony) within the past 24 months are not eligible. Any Corporation
that has any unpaid federal tax liability that has been assessed, for
which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or
have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to
an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax
liability is not eligible.
B. What are the basic eligibility requirements for a project?
1. The following activities are authorized under the RFP statute:
(a) Grant funds must be used to capitalize a revolving fund program
for the purpose of providing direct loan financing to eligible entities
for pre-development costs associated with proposed or with existing
water and wastewater systems, or,
(b) Short-term costs incurred for equipment replacement, small-
scale extension of services, or other small capital projects that are
not part of the regular operations and maintenance activities of
existing water and wastewater systems.
2. Grant funds may not be used to pay any of the following:
(a) Payment of the Grant Recipient's administrative costs or
expenses, or,
(b) Delinquent debt owed to the Federal Government.
IV. Application and Submission Information
A. The grant application guide, copies of necessary forms and
samples, and the RFP regulation are available from these sources:
1. The Internet: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/UWP-revolvingfund.html
or http://www.grants.gov.
2. For paper copies of these materials, you may call (202) 720-
9589.
B. You may file an application in either paper or electronic
format.
Whether you file a paper or an electronic application, you will
need a DUNS number.
1. DUNS Number.
DUNS Number. The applicant for a grant must supply a Dun and
Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number as part of an
application. The Standard Form 424 (SF-424) contains a field for the
DUNS number. The applicant can obtain the DUNS number free of charge by
calling Dun and Bradstreet. Please see http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform
for more information on how to obtain a DUNS number or how to verify
your organization's number. Prior to submitting an application, the
applicant must register in the System for Award Management (SAM)
(formerly Central Contractor Registry, (CCR)). Applicants may register
for the SAM at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/. The SAM
registration must remain active with current information at all times
while RUS is considering an application or while a Federal Grant Award
or loan is active. To maintain the registration in the SAM database the
applicant must review and update the information in the SAM database
annually from date of initial registration or from the date of the last
update. The applicant must ensure that the information in the database
is current, accurate, and complete.
2. Applications submitted by paper:
(a) Send or deliver paper applications by the U.S. Postal Service
(USPS) or courier delivery services to: Water and Environmental
Programs, Rural Utilities Service, 1400 Independence Avenue SW.,
Attention: Joyce M. Taylor, Mail STOP 1570, Room 2233-S, Washington, DC
20250-1570.
(b) For paper applications mail or ensure delivery of an original
paper application (no stamped, photocopied, or initialed signatures)
and two copies by the deadline date. The application and any materials
sent with it become Federal records by law and cannot be returned to
you.
3. Electronically submitted applications:
(a) Applications will not be accepted by fax or electronic mail.
(b) Electronic applications for grants will be accepted if
submitted through Grants.gov at http://www.grants.gov.
(c) Applicants must preregister successfully with Grants.gov to use
the electronic applications option. Application information may be
downloaded from Grants.gov without preregistration.
(d) Applicants who apply through Grants.gov should submit their
electronic applications before the deadline.
(e) 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.
(f) Grants.gov has two preregistration requirements: A DUNS number
and an active registration in the SAM. See Item 1 above for
instructions on obtaining a DUNS number and registering in the SAM.
C. A complete application must meet the following requirements:
1. To be considered for support, you must be an eligible entity and
must submit a complete application by the deadline date. You should
consult the cost principles and general administrative requirements for
grants pertaining to their organizational type in order to prepare the
budget and complete other parts of the application. You also must
demonstrate compliance (or intent to comply), through certification or
other means, with a number of public policy requirements.
2. Applicants must complete and submit the following forms to apply
for a RFP grant:
(a) Standard Form 424, ``Application for Federal Assistance''
(b) Standard Form 424A, ``Budget Information--Non-Construction
Programs''
[[Page 16765]]
(c) Standard Form 424B, ``Assurances--Non-Construction Programs''
(d) Standard Form LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activity''
(e) Form RD 400-1, ``Equal Opportunity Agreement''
(f) Form RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement (Under Title VI, Civil Rights
Act of 1964)
3. The project proposal should outline the project in sufficient
detail to provide a reader with a complete understanding of how the
loan program will work. Explain what you will accomplish by lending
funds to eligible entities. Demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed
loan program in meeting the objectives of this grant program. The
proposal should cover the following elements:
(a) Present a brief project overview. Explain the purpose of the
project, how it relates to RUS's purposes, how you will carry out the
project, what the project will produce, and who will direct it.
(b) Describe why the project is necessary. Demonstrate that
eligible entities need loan funds. Quantify the number of prospective
borrowers or provide statistical or narrative evidence that a
sufficient number of borrowers will exist to justify the grant award.
Describe the service area. Address community needs.
(c) Clearly state your project goals. Your objectives should
clearly describe the goals and be concrete and specific enough to be
quantitative or observable. They should also be feasible and relate to
the purpose of the loan program.
(d) The narrative should cover in more detail the items briefly
described in the Project Summary. It should establish the basis for any
claims that you have substantial expertise in promoting the safe and
productive use of revolving funds. In describing what the project will
achieve, you should tell the reader if it also will have broader
influence. The narrative should address the following points:
(1) Document your ability to administer and service a revolving
fund in accordance with the provisions of 7 CFR part 1783.
(2) Document your ability to commit financial resources to
establish the RFP with funds your organization controls. This
documentation should describe the sources of funds other than the RFP
grant that will be used to pay your operational costs and provide
financial assistance for projects.
(3) Demonstrate that you have secured commitments of significant
financial support from other funding sources, if appropriate.
(4) List the fees and charges that borrowers will be assessed.
(e) The work plan must describe the tasks and activities that will
be accomplished with available resources during the grant period. It
must show the work you plan to do to achieve the anticipated outcomes,
goals, and objectives set out for the RFP. The plan must:
(1) Describe the work to be performed by each person.
(2) Give a schedule or timetable of work to be done.
(3) Show evidence of previous experience with the techniques to be
used or their successful use by others.
(4) Outline the loan program to include the following: Specific
loan purposes, a loan application process; priorities, borrower
eligibility criteria, limitations, fees, interest rates, terms, and
collateral requirements.
(5) Provide a marketing plan.
(6) Explain the mechanics of how you will transfer loan funds to
the borrowers.
(7) Describe follow-up or continuing activities that should occur
after project completion such as monitoring and reporting borrowers'
accomplishments.
(8) Describe how the results will be evaluated. The evaluation
criteria should be in line with the project objectives.
(9) List all personnel responsible for administering this program
along with a statement of their qualifications and experience.
(f) The written justification for projected costs should explain
how budget figures were determined for each category. It should
indicate which costs are to be covered by grant funds and which costs
will be met by your organization or other organizations. The
justification should account for all expenditures discussed in the
narrative. It should reflect appropriate cost-sharing contributions.
The budget justification should explain the budget and accounting
system proposed or in place. The administrative costs for operating the
budget should be expressed as a percentage of the overall budget. The
budget justification should provide specific budget figures, rounding
off figures to the nearest dollar. Applicants should consult OMB
Circular A-122: ``Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations,'' or
successor guidance for information about appropriate costs for each
budget category.
(g) In addition to completing the standard application forms, you
must submit:
(1) Supplementary material that demonstrate that your organization
is legally recognized under state and Federal law. Satisfactory
documentation includes, but is not limited to, certificates from the
Secretary of State, or copies of state statutes or laws establishing
your organization. Letters from the IRS awarding tax-exempt status are
not considered adequate evidence.
(2) A certified list of directors and officers with their
respective terms.
(3) Evidence of tax exempt status from the IRS.
(4) Debarment and suspension information required in accordance 2
CFR 417, if it applies. The section heading is ``What information must
I provide before entering into a covered transaction with the
Department of Agriculture?'' It is part of the Department of
Agriculture's rules on Government-wide Debarment and Suspension.
(5) All of your organization's known workplaces by including the
actual address of buildings (or parts of buildings) or other sites
where work under the award takes place. Workplace identification is
required under the drug-free workplace requirements in accordance with
2 CFR 421. The section heading is ``How and when must I identify
workplaces?'' It is part of the Department of Agriculture's rules on
Government-wide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial
Assistance).
(6) The most recent audit of your organization.
(7) The following financial statements:
i. A pro forma balance sheet at start-up and for at least three
additional years; Balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow
statements for the last three years.
ii. If your organization has been formed less than three years, the
financial statements should be submitted for the periods from inception
to the present. Projected income and cash flow statements for at least
three years supported by a list of assumptions showing the basis for
the projections. The projected income statement and balance sheet must
include one set of projections that shows the revolving loan fund only
and a separate set of projections that shows your organization's total
operations.
(8) Additional information to support and describe your plan for
achieving the grant objectives. The information may be regarded as
essential for understanding and evaluating the project and may be found
in letters of support, resolutions, policies, and other relevant
documents. The supplements may be presented in appendices to the
proposal.
[[Page 16766]]
V. Application Review Information
A. Within 30 days of receiving your application, RUS will send you
a letter of acknowledgment. Your application will be reviewed for
completeness to determine if you included all of the items required. If
your application is incomplete or ineligible, RUS will return it to you
with an explanation.
B. A review team, composed of at least two members, will evaluate
all applications and proposals. They will make overall recommendations
based on factors such as eligibility, application completeness, and
conformity to application requirements. They will score the
applications based on criteria in the next section.
C. All applications that are complete and eligible will be ranked
competitively based on the following scoring criteria:
1. Degree of expertise and successful experience in making and
servicing commercial loans, with a successful record, for the following
number of full years:
(a) At least 1 but less than 3 years--5 points
(b) At least 3 but less than 5 years--10 points
(c) At least 5 but less than 10 years--20 points
(d) 10 or more years--30 points
2. Extent to which the work plan demonstrates a well thought out,
comprehensive approach to accomplishing the objectives of this part,
clearly defines who will be served by the project, clearly articulates
the problem/issues to be addressed, identifies the service area to be
covered by the RFP loans and appears likely to be sustainable; Up to 40
points.
3. Percentage of applicant contributions. Points allowed under this
paragraph will be based on written evidence of the availability of
funds from sources other than the proceeds of an RFP grant to pay part
of the cost of a loan recipient's project. In-kind contributions will
not be considered. Funds from other sources as a percentage of the RFP
grant and points corresponding to such percentages are as follows:
(a) Less than 20%--ineligible
(b) At least 20% but less than 50%--10 points
(c) 50% or more--20 points
4. Extent to which the goals and objectives are clearly defined,
tied to the work plan, and are measurable; Up to 15 points.
5. Lowest ratio of projected administrative expenses to loans
advanced; Up to 10 points.
6. The evaluation methods for considering loan applications and
making RFP loans are specific to the program, clearly defined,
measurable, and are consistent with program outcomes; Up to 20 points.
7. Administrator's discretion points may be awarded based on the
following:
Emphasis on High Poverty Areas. To the maximum extent possible,
high attention should be made on directing loans to rural communities
and rural areas with the lowest incomes with emphasis to areas where at
least 45% of children qualify for the National School Lunch Program.
This emphasis will support Rural Development's goal of providing 15% of
its funding by 2015 to these areas of need.
Factors include:
(a) Directs loans to the smallest communities with the lowest
incomes emphasizing areas where according to the American Community
Survey data by census tracts show that at least 20% of the population
is living in poverty. This emphasis will support Rural Development's
goal of providing 20% of its funding by 2016 to these areas of need.
(b) Directs loans to areas which lack running water, flush toilets,
and modern sewage disposal systems, and areas which have open sewers
and high rates of disease caused by poor sanitation, in particular,
colonias or Substantially Underserved Trust Areas.
(c) Directs loans that emphasize energy and water efficient
components to reduce costs and increase sustainability of rural
systems;
Up to 10 points.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. RUS will rank all qualifying applications by their final score.
Applications will be selected for funding, based on the highest scores
and the availability of funding for RFP grants. Each applicant will be
notified in writing of the score its application receives.
B. In making its decision about your application, RUS may determine
that your application is:
1. Eligible and selected for funding,
2. Eligible but offered fewer funds than requested,
3. Eligible but not selected for funding, or
4. Ineligible for the grant.
C. In accordance with 7 CFR Part 1900, subpart B, you generally
have the right to appeal adverse decisions. Some adverse decisions
cannot be appealed. For example, if you are denied RUS funding due to a
lack of funds available for the grant program, this decision cannot be
appealed. However, you may make a request to the National Appeals
Division (NAD) to review the accuracy of our finding that the decision
cannot be appealed. The appeal must be in writing and filed at the
appropriate Regional Office, which can be found at http://www.nad.usda.gov/ or by calling (703) 305-1166.
D. Applicants selected for funding will complete a grant agreement,
which outlines the terms and conditions of the grant award.
E. Grantees will be reimbursed as follows:
1. SF-270, ``Request for Advance or Reimbursement,'' will be
completed by the grantee and submitted to either the State or National
Office not more frequently than monthly.
2. Upon receipt of a properly completed SF-270, the funds will be
requested through the field office terminal system. Ordinarily, payment
will be made within 30 days after receipt of a proper request for
reimbursement.
3. Grantees are encouraged to use women- and minority-owned banks
(a bank which is owned at least 50 percent by women or minority group
members) for the deposit and disbursement of funds.
F. Any change in the scope of the project, budget adjustments of
more than 10 percent of the total budget, or any other significant
change in the project must be reported to and approved by the approval
official by written amendment to the grant agreement. Any change not
approved may be cause for termination of the grant.
G. Grantees shall constantly monitor performance to ensure that
time schedules are being met, projected work by time periods is being
accomplished, and other performance objectives are being achieved. The
Grantee will provide project reports as follows:
1. SF-269, ``Financial Status Report (short form),'' and a project
performance activity report will be required of all grantees on a
quarterly basis, due 30 days after the end of each quarter.
2. A final project performance report will be required with the
last SF-269 due 90 days after the end of the last quarter in which the
project is completed. The final report may serve as the last quarterly
report.
3. All multi-State grantees are to submit an original of each
report to the National Office. Grantees serving only one State are to
submit an original of each report to the State Office. The project
performance reports should detail, preferably in a narrative format,
activities that have transpired for the specific time period.
[[Page 16767]]
H. The grantee will provide an audit report or financial statements
as follows:
1. Grantees expending $500,000 or more Federal funds per fiscal
year will submit an audit conducted in accordance with OMB Circular A-
133, or successor guidance. The audit will be submitted within 9 months
after the grantee's fiscal year. Additional audits may be required if
the project period covers more than one fiscal year.
2. Grantees expending less than $500,000 will provide annual
financial statements covering the grant period, consisting of the
organization's statement of income and expense and balance sheet signed
by an appropriate official of the organization. Financial statements
will be submitted within 90 days after the grantee's fiscal year.
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 in non-Recovery Act
funds (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. Please note that currently
underway is a consolidation of eight federal procurement systems,
including the Sub-award Reporting System (FSRS), into one system, the
System for Award Management (SAM). As result the FSRS will soon be
consolidated into and accessed through https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/.
(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 https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/ 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/water. The Rural Utilities
Service Web site maintains up-to-date resources and contact information
for the RFP.
B. Phone: 202-720-9589.
C. Fax: 202-690-0649.
D. Email: [email protected].
E. Main point of contact: Joyce M. Taylor, Community Programs
Specialist, Water and Environmental Programs, Water Programs Division,
Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Dated: February 26, 2014.
John Charles Padalino,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-06622 Filed 3-25-14; 8:45 am]
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