[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 125 (Wednesday, June 29, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38110-38115]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-16262]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Announcement of Small, Socially-Disadvantaged Producer Grant
(SSDPG) Application Deadlines in Fiscal Year 2011
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of funding availability.
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SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service is seeking applications
for the SSDPG program pursuant to section 310B(e) of the Consolidated
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932). As provided in the
Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of
2011 (H.R. 1473), approximately $3.456 million in competitive grant
funds is available. USDA Rural Development Cooperative Programs hereby
requests proposals from eligible cooperatives and associations of
cooperatives for a competitively awarded grant to fund technical
assistance to small, socially-disadvantaged agricultural producers in
rural areas. The maximum award per grant is $200,000.
DATES: Completed applications for grants must be submitted on paper or
electronically according to the following deadlines:
Paper copies must be postmarked and mailed, shipped, or sent
overnight no later than August 15, 2011, to be eligible for FY 2011
grant funding. Late applications are not eligible for FY 2011 grant
funding.
Electronic copies must be received by August 15, 2011, to be
eligible for FY 2011 grant funding. Late applications will not eligible
for FY 2011 grant funding.
ADDRESSES: Application materials for the SSDPG program may be obtained
at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_SSDPG.html or by contacting the
applicant's USDA Rural Development State Office. Contact information
for State Offices can be found at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/recd_map.html.
Paper applications must be submitted to the USDA Rural Development
State Office where the applicant is located. Electronic applications
must be submitted through the Grants.gov Web site at http://www.grants.gov, following the instructions found on this Web site.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Visit the program Web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_SSDPG.html for application assistance or
contact a USDA Rural Development State Office. Applicants are strongly
encouraged to contact their State Offices well in advance of the
deadline to discuss their Projects and ask any questions about the
application process.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Agency: USDA Rural Business Cooperative Service.
Funding Opportunity Title: Small, Socially-Disadvantaged Producer
Grant.
Announcement Type: Initial announcement.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.771.
DATES: Application Deadline: Completed applications for grants may be
submitted on paper or electronically according to the following
deadlines:
Paper copies must be postmarked and mailed, shipped, or sent
overnight no later than August 15, 2011, to be eligible for FY 2011
grant funding. Late applications are not eligible for FY 2011 grant
funding.
Complete electronic copies must be received by August 15, 2011, to
be eligible for FY 2011 grant funding. Late applications are not
eligible for FY 2011 grant funding.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Formerly known as the Small, Minority Producer Grant Program, the
primary objective of the SSDPG program is to provide technical
assistance to small, socially-disadvantaged agricultural producers
through eligible cooperatives and associations of cooperatives. Grants
are awarded on a competitive basis. The maximum award amount per grant
is $200,000.
Definitions
Agency--Rural Business-Cooperative Service, an agency of the United
States
[[Page 38111]]
Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development or a successor
agency.
Agricultural Commodity--An unprocessed product of farms, ranches,
nurseries, and forests. Agricultural commodities include: Livestock,
poultry, and fish; fruits and vegetables; grains, such as wheat,
barley, oats, rye, triticale, rice, corn, and sorghum; legumes, such as
field beans and peas; animal feed and forage crops; seed crops; fiber
crops, such as cotton; oil crops, such as safflower, sunflower, corn,
and cottonseed; trees grown for lumber and wood products; nursery stock
grown commercially; Christmas trees; ornamentals and cut flowers; and
turf grown commercially for sod. Agricultural commodities do not
include horses or animals raised as pets, such as cats, dogs, and
ferrets.
Association of Cooperatives--An association of cooperatives whose
primary focus is to provide assistance to small, socially-disadvantaged
agricultural producers and where the governing board and/or membership
is comprised of at least 75 percent socially-disadvantaged agricultural
producers.
Conflict of Interest--A situation in which the ability of a person
or entity to act impartially would be questionable due to competing
professional or personal interests. An example of conflict of interest
occurs when the grantee's employees, board of directors, including
their immediate family, have a legal or personal financial interest in
the recipients receiving the benefits or services of the grant.
Cooperative--A farmer- or rancher-owned and -controlled business,
organized and chartered as a cooperative, from which benefits are
derived and distributed equitably on the basis of use by each of the
farmer or rancher owners whose primary focus is to provide assistance
to small, socially-disadvantaged agricultural producers and where the
governing board and/or membership is comprised of at least 75 percent
socially-disadvantaged producers.
Cooperative Programs--The office within Rural Business-Cooperative
Service, and any successor organization, that administers programs
authorized by the Cooperative Marketing Act of 1926 (7 U.S.C. 451 et
seq.) and such other programs identified in USDA regulations.
Economic Development--The economic growth of an area as evidenced
by increase in total income, employment opportunities, decreased out-
migration of population, value of production, increased diversification
of industry, higher labor force participation rates, increased duration
of employment, higher wage levels, or gains in other measurements of
economic activity, such as land values.
Feasibility Study--An analysis of the economic, market, technical,
financial, and management feasibility of a proposed Project.
Operating Cost--The day-to-day expenses of running a business; for
example: Utilities, rent, salaries, depreciation, product production
costs, marketing and advertising, and other basic overhead items.
Project--Includes all activities to be funded by the Small
Socially-Disadvantaged Producer Grant.
Rural and Rural Area--Any area of a State--
(1) Not in a city or town that has a population of more than 50,000
inhabitants, according to the latest decennial census of the United
States; and
(2) The contiguous and adjacent urbanized area,
(3) Urbanized areas that are rural in character as defined by
U.S.C. 1991 (a) (13), as amended by Section 6018 of the Food,
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, Public Law 110-246 (June 18,
2008).
(4) For the purposes of this definition, cities and towns are
incorporated population centers with definite boundaries, local self-
government, and legal powers set forth in a charter granted by the
State. Notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph, within
the areas of the County of Honolulu, Hawaii, and the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the Secretary may designate any part of the areas as a
rural area if the Secretary determines that the part is not urban in
character, other than any area included in the Honolulu census
designated place (CDP) or the San Juan CDP.
Rural Development--A mission area within USDA consisting of the
Office of Under Secretary for Rural Development, Rural Development
Business and Cooperative Programs, Rural Development Housing Programs,
and Rural Development Utilities Programs and any successors.
Small, Socially-Disadvantaged Producer--Socially-disadvantaged
persons or at least 75 percent socially-disadvantaged producer-owned
entities including farmers, ranchers, loggers, agricultural harvesters,
and fishermen, that have averaged $250,000 or less in annual gross
sales of agricultural products in the last 3 years.
Socially-Disadvantaged Producer--Individual agricultural producer
who is a member of a group whose members have been subjected to racial,
ethnic or gender prejudice, without regard for their individual
qualities.
State--Includes each of the several states, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, Guam, American
Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and, as may be
determined by the Secretary to be feasible, appropriate and lawful, the
Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands
and the Republic of Palau.
Technical Assistance--An advisory service performed for the benefit
of a small, socially-disadvantaged producer such as market research;
product and/or service improvement; legal advice and assistance;
feasibility study, business plan, and marketing plan development; and
training. Technical assistance does not include the operating costs of
a cooperative being assisted.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Grant.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2011.
Approximate Total Funding: $3.456 million.
Approximate Number of Awards: 18.
Floor of Award Range: None.
Ceiling of Award Range: $200,000.
Anticipated Award Date: September 15, 2011.
Budget Period Length: 12 months.
Project Period Length: 12 months.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Applicants must be a cooperative or an association of cooperatives
as defined in this Notice, and must be able to verify their legal
structure as a cooperative in the state in which they are incorporated.
Individuals are not eligible for this program.
B. Cost Sharing or Matching
No matching funds are required.
C. Other Eligibility Requirements
Use of Funds: Funds may only be used for technical assistance
Projects as defined in this notice.
Project Area Eligibility: The Project proposed must take place in a
rural area as defined in this Notice.
Grant Period Eligibility: If awarded, grant funds must be expended
in 12 months. Applications must have a time frame of no more than 365
days with the time period beginning no earlier than the grant award
date and ending no later than December 31, 2012. However, applicants
should note that the anticipated award date is September 15 and
proposed start dates should not fall prior to this date. Projects must
be
[[Page 38112]]
completed within the 12-month time frame. The Agency will not approve
requests to extend the grant period. Applications that request funds
for a time period ending after December 31, 2012, will not be
considered for funding.
Completeness Eligibility: Applications lacking sufficient
information to determine eligibility and scoring will be considered
ineligible. Applications that are non-responsive to this notice will be
considered ineligible.
Multiple Grant Eligibility: An applicant may not submit more than
one grant application in any one funding cycle.
Activity Eligibility: Applications must propose technical
assistance, as defined in this Notice, to benefit their members or
other small socially-disadvantaged producers who are not members, in
order to be considered for funding. Applications having ineligible
costs equaling more than 10 percent of total Project costs will be
determined ineligible and will not be considered for funding.
Applications having ineligible costs of 10 percent or less of total
Project costs and which are selected for funding must remove all
ineligible costs from the budget and replace them with eligible
activities or the amount of the grant award will be reduced
accordingly. Applicants may not submit applications that duplicate
current activities or activities paid for by other funded grant
programs.
IV. Application and Submission Information
A. Address To Request Application Package
The application package for applying on paper for this funding
opportunity can be obtained at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_SSDPG.html. Alternatively, applicants may contact their USDA Rural
Development State Office. Contact information for State Offices can be
found at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/recd_map.html.
For electronic applications, applicants must visit http://www.grants.gov and follow the instructions.
B. Content and Form of Submission
Applications must be submitted on paper or electronically. An
application guide may be viewed at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_SSDPG.html. It is recommended that applicants use the template provided
on the Web site. The template can be filled out electronically and
printed out for submission with the required forms for paper submission
or it can be filled out electronically and submitted as an attachment
through http://www.grants.gov.
If the application is submitted electronically, the applicant must
follow the instructions given at the Internet address: http://www.grants.gov. Applicants are advised to visit the site well in
advance of the application deadline if they plan to apply
electronically to ensure that they have obtained the proper
authentication and have sufficient computer resources to complete the
application.
Applicants must complete and submit the following elements. The
Agency will screen all applications for eligibility and determine
whether the application is complete and sufficiently responsive to the
requirements set forth in this Notice to allow for an informed review.
Information submitted as part of the application will be protected to
the extent permitted by law.
1. Form SF-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance,'' must be
completed, signed, and must include a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal
Numbering System (DUNS) number and maintain registration in the Central
Contractor Registration (CCR) database in accordance with 2 CFR Part
25. The DUNS number is a nine-digit identification number which
uniquely identifies business entities. There is no charge. To obtain a
DUNS number, access http://www.dnb.com/us/ or call 866-705-5711.
Similarly, applicants may register for the CCR at http://www.ccr.gov.
Assistance with CCR registration is available by calling 1-866-606-
8220. The CCR CAGE Code and expiration date may be handwritten on the
SF-424. For more information, see the SSDPG Web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_SSDPG.html or contact the USDA Rural
Development State Office at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/recd_map.html.
2. Form SF-424A, ``Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs.''
This form must be completed and submitted as part of the application
package.
3. Form SF-424B, ``Assurances--Non-Construction Programs.'' This
form must be completed, signed, and submitted as part of the
application package.
4. Table of Contents. For ease of locating information, each
application must contain a detailed Table of Contents (TOC) immediately
following the SF-424B. The TOC must include page numbers for each
component of the application. Pagination should begin immediately
following the TOC.
5. Executive Summary. A summary of the proposal, not to exceed one
page, must briefly describe the Project, tasks to be completed and
other relevant information that provides a general overview of the
Project.
6. Eligibility Discussion: A detailed discussion, not to exceed
four pages, must describe how the applicant meets the following
requirements:
(i) Applicant Eligibility: The applicant must describe how they
meet the definition of a cooperative or an association of cooperatives
as defined in this Notice. The applicant must also verify their
incorporation as a cooperative or an association of cooperatives in the
state they have applied by providing the state's Certificate of Good
Standing, and their Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws. The
applicant must apply as only one type of applicant.
(ii) Use of Funds: The applicant must provide a detailed discussion
on how the proposed Project activities meet the definition of technical
assistance.
(iii) Project Area: The applicant must provide specific information
on where the Projects are planned to be located and that the areas meet
the definition of ``rural area.''
(iv) Grant Period: The applicant must provide a time frame for the
proposed Project and discuss how the Project will be completed within
that time frame.
7. Budget/Work plan: The applicant must describe, in detail not to
exceed four pages, the purpose of the grant, what type of assistance
will be provided, and the total amount of funds needed for each
Project. The budget must also present a breakdown of estimated costs
associated with each task/activity for each Project. The amount of
grant funds requested will be adjusted if the applicant does not have
justification for all costs.
8. Evaluation Criteria: Each of the evaluation criteria referenced
in this notice must be addressed, specifically and individually on
separate pages, in narrative form, not to exceed a total of two pages
for each evaluation criteria. Failure to address each evaluation
criteria will result in the application being determined ineligible.
C. Submission Dates and Times
Application Deadline Date: August 15, 2011.
Explanation of Deadlines: Paper applications must be POSTMARKED and
mailed, shipped, or sent overnight by the deadline date. Electronic
applications must be RECEIVED by http://www.grants.gov by the deadline
date. If the Applicant's application does not meet the deadline, it
will not be considered for funding. Applicants will be notified if
their application did not meet the submission deadline.
[[Page 38113]]
D. National Environmental Policy Act
This NOFA has been reviewed in accordance with 7 CFR Part 1940,
subpart G, ``Environmental Program.'' Rural Development has determined
that an Environmental Impact Statement is not required because the
issuance of regulations and instructions, as well as amendments to
them, describing administrative and financial procedures for
processing, approving, and implementing the Agency's financial programs
is categorically excluded in the Agency's National Environmental Policy
Act (NEPA) regulation found at 7 CFR 1940.310(e)(3) of subpart G,
``Environmental Program.'' Thus, in accordance with NEPA (42 U.S.C.
4321-4347), Rural Development has determined that this NOFA does not
constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality
of the human environment. Furthermore, individual awards under this
NOFA are hereby classified as Categorical Exclusions according to 7 CFR
1940.310(e), the award of financial assistance for planning purposes,
management and feasibility studies, or environmental impact analyses,
which do not require any additional documentation.
E. Civil Rights Compliance Requirements
All grants made under this Notice are subject to Title VI of the
Civil Rights Act of 1964 as required by the USDA (7 CFR Part 15,
subpart A) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
F. Intergovernmental Review of Applications
Executive Order (EO) 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs, applies to this program. This EO 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. A list of
states that maintain a SPOC may be obtained at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc. If your state has a SPOC, you may
submit your application directly for review. Any comments obtained
through the SPOC must be provided to Rural Development for
consideration as part of your application. If your state has not
established a SPOC or you do not want to submit your application to the
SPOC, Rural Development will submit your application to the SPOC or
other appropriate agency or agencies.
You are also encouraged to contact Cooperative Programs at 202-720-
8460 or [email protected] if you have questions about this process.
G. Funding Restrictions
Grant funds must be used for technical assistance. No funds made
available under this solicitation shall be used to:
1. Plan, repair, rehabilitate, acquire, or construct a building or
facility, including a processing facility;
2. Purchase, rent, or install fixed equipment, including processing
equipment;
3. Purchase vehicles, including boats;
4. Pay for the preparation of the grant application;
5. Pay expenses not directly related to the funded Project;
6. Fund political or lobbying activities;
7. Fund any activities prohibited by 7 CFR Parts 3015 or 3019;
8. Fund architectural or engineering design work for a specific
physical facility;
9. Fund any direct expenses for the production of any commodity or
product to which value will be added, including seed, rootstock, labor
for harvesting the crop, and delivery of the commodity to a processing
facility;
10. Fund research and development;
11. Purchase land;
12. Duplicate current activities or activities paid for by other
funded grant programs.
13. Pay costs of the Project incurred prior to the date of grant
approval;
14. Pay for assistance to any private business enterprise, which
does not have at least 51 percent ownership by those who are either
citizens of the United States or reside in the United States after
being legally admitted for permanent residence;
15. Pay any judgment or debt owed to the United States;
16. Pay the operating costs of cooperative and/or association of
cooperatives;
17. Pay expenses for applicant employee training; or
18. Pay for any goods or services from a person who has a conflict
of interest with the grantee.
H. Other Submission Requirements
Applicants may submit their paper application for a grant to their
Rural Development State Office listed under the ADDRESSES section.
Applicants may submit their application electronically at http://www.grants.gov. Applications may not be submitted by electronic mail or
facsimile. Each application submission must contain all required
documents in one envelope, if sent by mail or express delivery service.
V. Application Scoring Criteria Review Information
A. Criteria
All eligible and complete applications will be evaluated based upon
the following criteria. Failure to address any one of the following
criteria by the application deadline will result in the application
being determined ineligible and the application will not be considered
for funding. The total points possible for the criteria are 50. Any
application receiving less than 30 total points will not be funded.
1. Technical Assistance. (0-15 points) The application will be
evaluated to determine the applicant's ability to assess the needs of
small socially-disadvantaged producers, plan and conduct appropriate
and effective technical assistance, and identify the expected outcomes
of that assistance.
(i) 0 points will be awarded if the applicant does not
substantively address this criterion.
(ii) 5 points will be awarded if the applicant demonstrates
weakness in addressing this criterion.
(iii) 10 points will be awarded if the applicant demonstrates they
meet part but not all of the criterion.
(iv) 15 points will be awarded if the applicant identifies specific
needs of the socially-disadvantaged producers to be assisted; clearly
articulates a logical and detailed plan of assistance for addressing
those needs; and discusses realistic outcomes of planned assistance.
2. Experience. (0-15 points) Points will be awarded based upon
length of experience of identified staff or consultants in providing
technical assistance, as defined in this Notice. Applicants must
describe the specific type of technical assistance experience for each
identified staff member or consultant, as well as years of experience
in providing that assistance. In addition, resumes for each individual
staff member or consultant must be included as an attachment, listing
their experience for the type of technical assistance proposed. The
attachments will not count toward the maximum page total. The Agency
will compare the described experience to the work plan to determine
relevance of experience.
(i) 0 points will be awarded if the staff or consultants
demonstrate no relevant experience in providing technical assistance;
(ii) 5 points will be awarded if at least one of the identified
staff or consultants demonstrates more than two years of experience in
providing relevant technical assistance;
[[Page 38114]]
(iii) 10 points will be awarded if at least one of the identified
staff or consultants demonstrates 5 or more years of experience in
providing relevant technical assistance; or
(iv) 15 points will be awarded if all of the identified staff or
consultants demonstrate 5 or more years of experience in providing
relevant technical assistance.
3. Commitment. (0-15 points) The Agency will evaluate the
applicant's commitment to providing technical assistance to small,
socially-disadvantaged producers in rural areas. Points will be awarded
based upon the number of socially-disadvantaged producers being
assisted. Applicants must list the number and location of small,
socially-disadvantaged producers that will directly benefit from the
assistance provided.
(i) 0 points will be awarded if the applicant does not
substantively address this criterion.
(ii) 5 points will be awarded if the proposed Project will benefit
1-10 small, socially-disadvantaged producers;
(iii) 10 points will be awarded if the proposed Project will
benefit 11-50 small, socially-disadvantaged producers; or
(iv) 15 points will be awarded if the proposed Project will benefit
more than 50 small, socially-disadvantaged producers.
4. Local support. (0-5 points) Applications will be reviewed for
local support for the technical assistance activities of the
cooperative. Applicants that demonstrate strong support from potential
beneficiaries and other developmental organizations will receive more
points than those not evidencing such support.
(i) 0 points will be awarded if the applicant does not
substantively address this criterion.
(ii) 1 point will be awarded if the applicant provides or
references 2-3 support letters that demonstrate substantive support
from potential beneficiaries and/or support from local organizations.
(iii) 2 points will be awarded if the applicant provides or
references 4-5 support letters that demonstrate substantive support
from potential beneficiaries and/or support from local organizations.
(iv) 3 points will be awarded if the applicant provides or
references 6-7 support letters that demonstrate substantive support
from potential beneficiaries and/or support from local organizations.
(v) 4 points will be awarded if the applicant provides or
references 8-9 support letters that demonstrate substantive support
from potential beneficiaries and/or support from local organizations.
(vi) 5 points will be awarded if the applicant provides or
references 10 support letters that demonstrate substantive support from
potential beneficiaries and/or support from local organizations.
The applicant may submit a maximum of 10 letters of support. These
letters should be included as an attachment to the application and will
not count against the maximum page total. Additional letters from
industry groups, commodity groups, local and state government, and
similar organizations should be referenced, but not included in the
application package. When referencing these letters, provide the name
of the organization, date of the letter, the nature of the support, and
the name and title of the person signing the letter.
B. Review and Selection Process
The Agency will screen all proposals to determine whether the
application is eligible and sufficiently responsive to the requirements
set forth in this Notice to allow for an informed review. Applications
will be screened for eligibility and scored by the applicable State
Office, then submitted to the National Office for review and ranking.
The National Office will review the scores based upon the point
allocation specified in this Notice. Applications will be funded in
scoring rank order and submitted to the Administrator in rank order
with funding level recommendations. The Administrator will break
scoring ties based on Agency priorities for geographic distribution of
grants, and serving underserved groups and underserved areas.
C. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Award Date: The announcement of award selections is expected to
occur on or about September 15, 2011, subject to funding.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
Successful applicants will receive a notification of tentative
selection for funding from Rural Development. Applicants must comply
with all applicable statutes, regulations, and this notice before the
grant award will receive final approval.
Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification, including appeal
rights, by mail.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
7 CFR Parts 3015, 3019, and subparts A and F of 7 CFR Part 4284 are
applicable to grants made under this notice. These regulations may be
obtained at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html.
The following additional requirements apply to grantees selected
for this program:
Agency approved Grant Agreement.
Letter of Conditions.
Form RD 1940-1, ``Request for Obligation of Funds.''
Form RD 1942-46, ``Letter of Intent to Meet Conditions.''
Form AD-1047, ``Certification Regarding Debarment,
Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters--Primary Covered
Transactions.''
Form AD-1048, ``Certification Regarding Debarment,
Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion-Lower Tier Covered
Transactions.''
Form AD-1049, ``Certification Regarding a Drug-Free
Workplace Requirement (Grants).''
Form RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement.''
Additional information on these requirements can be found at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_SSDPG.html.
Fund Disbursement: The Agency will determine, based on 7 CFR Parts
3015, 3016 and 3019, as applicable, whether disbursement of a grant
will be by advance or reimbursement. As needed, but not more frequently
than once every 30 days, an original of SF-270, ``Request for Advance
or Reimbursement,'' may be submitted to Rural Development. Recipient's
request for advance shall not be made in excess of reasonable outlays
for the month covered.
Reporting Requirements: Grantees must provide Rural Development
with an original or an electronic copy that includes all required
signatures of the following reports. The reports should be submitted to
the Agency contact listed on the Grant Agreement and Letter of
Conditions. Failure to submit satisfactory reports on time may result
in suspension or termination of the grant. Grantees will submit:
1. Form SF-425. A ``Federal Financial Report,'' listing
expenditures according to agreed upon budget categories, on a semi-
annual basis. Reporting periods end each March 31 and September 30.
Reports are due 30 days after the reporting period ends.
2. Semi-annual performance reports comparing accomplishments to the
objectives stated in the proposal, identifying all tasks completed to
date
[[Page 38115]]
and providing documentation supporting the reported results. If the
original schedule provided in the work plan is not being met, the
report should discuss the problems or delays that may affect completion
of the Project. Objectives for the next reporting period should be
listed. Compliance with any special condition on the use of award funds
must be discussed. Reports are due as provided in paragraph (1) of this
section. Supporting documentation must also be submitted for completed
tasks. The supporting documentation for completed tasks includes, but
is not limited to, feasibility studies, marketing plans, business
plans, articles of incorporation, and bylaws as they relate to the
assistance provided.
3. Final Project performance reports comparing accomplishments to
the objectives stated in the proposal, identifying all tasks completed,
and providing documentation supporting the reported results. If the
original schedule provided in the work plan was not met, the report
must discuss the problems or delays that affected completion of the
Project. Compliance with any special condition on the use of award
funds must be discussed. Supporting documentation for completed tasks
must also be submitted. The supporting documentation for completed
tasks includes, but is not limited to, feasibility studies, marketing
plans, business plans, articles of incorporation, and bylaws as they
relate to the assistance provided. The final performance report is due
within 90 days of the completion of the Project. The report must also
include a summary at the end of the report with the number of small
socially-disadvantaged producers assisted to assist in documenting the
annual performance goals of the SSDPG program for Congress.
VII. Agency Contacts
For general questions about this announcement and for program
technical assistance, please contact the appropriate State Office as
indicated in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
VIII. Non-Discrimination Statement
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination
in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color,
national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital
status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation,
genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or
part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance
program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with
disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program
information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact
USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director,
Office of Adjudication and Compliance, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-
6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Dated: June 21, 2011.
Judith A. Canales,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-16262 Filed 6-28-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P