Notice2022-14028
Notice of Funds Availability for the Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge (RPIC) for Fiscal Year 2022
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
June 30, 2022
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentRural Business-Cooperative ServiceRural Housing ServiceRural Utilities Service
Abstract
The Under Secretary for Rural Development (RD) is seeking applications, for the Rural Development Cooperative Agreement Program, herein referred to as the Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge (RPIC), from eligible entities to provide technical assistance and training to rural communities for placemaking planning and implementation. This funding opportunity will be administered by the USDA Rural Development Innovation Center and is authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, to provide up to $4 million in competitive cooperative agreement funds. This announcement lists the information needed to submit an application.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 125 (Thursday, June 30, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 125 (Thursday, June 30, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39053-39063]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-14028]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Rural Housing Service
Rural Utilities Service
[Docket No. RBS-22-COOP-0016]
Notice of Funds Availability for the Rural Placemaking Innovation
Challenge (RPIC) for Fiscal Year 2022
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS), Rural Utilities
Service (RUS), Rural Housing Service (RHS), USDA.
ACTION: Notice of funds availability.
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SUMMARY: The Under Secretary for Rural Development (RD) is seeking
applications, for the Rural Development Cooperative Agreement Program,
herein referred to as the Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge
(RPIC), from eligible entities to provide technical assistance and
training to rural communities for placemaking planning and
implementation. This funding opportunity will be administered by the
USDA Rural Development Innovation Center and is authorized by the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022, to provide up to $4 million in
competitive cooperative agreement funds. This announcement lists the
information needed to submit an application.
DATES: Applications for RPIC cooperative agreement(s) must be submitted
electronically through <a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a> by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
by August 15, 2022. Applications received after 11:59 p.m. Eastern
Daylight Time on August 15, 2022 will not be considered.
ADDRESSES: Application Submission: The application system for
electronic submissions will be available at <a href="https://www.grants.gov/">https://www.grants.gov/</a>.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: USDA Rural Development, Innovation
Center, via email at: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#ecbea8c2bebca5afac999f888dc28b839a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="edbfa9c3bfbda4aead989e898cc38a829b">[email protected]</span></a>, or via phone at: Gregory Dale
(202) 568-9558 or Sherri McCarter (615) 982-2078. Persons with
disabilities who require alternative means for communication should
contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Target Center at
(202) 720-2600 (voice). The last day for accepting questions on this
notice will be August 12, 2022. Questions submitted after this deadline
cannot be guaranteed a timely answer in advance of the closing date of
this notice.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Authority: This solicitation is authorized pursuant to 7 U.S.C.
2204b(b)(4); Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022.
Overview
Federal Agency: Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS), Rural
Utilities Service (RUS), and Rural Housing Service (RHS), (USDA).
Funding Opportunity Title: Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge
(RPIC).
Announcement Type: Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA).
Assistance Listing Number: Rural Development Cooperative Agreement
Program--10.890.
Due Date for Applications: Applications for RPIC cooperative
agreement(s) must be received by 11:59 p.m. on August 15, 2022.
Applications received after 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on August
15, 2022 will not be considered.
Rural Development: Key Priorities
The Agency encourages applicants to consider projects that will
advance the following key priorities (more details available at <a href="https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points">https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points</a>)
<bullet> Assisting rural communities recover economically from the
impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly disadvantaged
communities;
<bullet> Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to RD
programs and benefits from RD funded projects; and
<bullet> Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to
the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural
communities.
For further information, visit <a href="https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points">https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points</a>.
Items in Supplementary Information
I. Program Overview
II. Federal Award Information
III. Definitions
IV. Eligibility Information
V. Application and Submission Information
VI. Application Review Information
VII. Federal Award Administration Information
VIII. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
IX. Other Information
I. Program Overview
A. Background
The Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge (RPIC) provides planning
support, technical assistance, and training to communities to foster
placemaking activities in rural communities. Funds can help enhance
capacity for broadband access, preserve cultural and historic
structures, and support the development of transportation, housing, and
recreational spaces. Applicants must demonstrate existing and proposed
partnerships with public, private, philanthropic, Tribal and community
partners to provide assistance in implementing the placemaking plan.
This funding announcement supports the delivery of technical assistance
and training in visioning, planning, and assisting communities to
implement placemaking efforts in rural communities under the Rural
Placemaking Innovation Challenge.
[[Page 39054]]
B. Program Description
RD is authorized to administer cooperative agreement awards in
accordance with 7 U.S.C. 2204b(b)(4). The intention of RPIC is to
provide cooperative agreement funding to eligible applicants working to
promote public-private, philanthropic partnerships in rural and Tribal
communities that encourage economic and social development. These
projects are intended to support rural America and align with the
mission of existing USDA RD programs to increase rural economic growth
and improve the quality of life in rural America by supporting
essential services such as housing, economic and community development,
and required infrastructure.
For the purpose of this notice, Technical Assistance and Training
for Placemaking is defined in Part III.
RPIC operates under the following concepts:
<bullet> Creating livable communities is important for community
developers and practitioners who implement these strategies in rural
communities and areas.
<bullet> Placemaking practices include both innovative and adaptive
as well as established technical processes and solutions.
<bullet> Partnerships are a key element to the RPIC and must be
developed with public, private, and philanthropic organizations
creating new collaborative approaches, learning together, and bringing
those learned strategies into rural and Tribal communities.
<bullet> Placemaking contributes to long-term investment and
therefore supports a community's resiliency, social stability, and
collective identity.
<bullet> Broadband is an essential component to supporting
placemaking initiatives.
Placemaking is a collaborative engagement process that helps
leaders from rural and Tribal communities create quality places where
people will want to live, work, play and learn. By bringing together
partners from public, private, Tribal and philanthropic communities,
and technology sectors, placemaking is a wrap-around approach to
community and economic development that incorporates creativity,
infrastructure initiatives, and vibrant public spaces. Key elements of
quality places can include a mix of uses; effective public spaces;
broadband capacity; preservation of historic places; transportation
options; diverse house options; and a respect of community heritage,
arts, culture, creativity, recreation and green space.
II. Federal Award Information
A. Assistance Listing Number: 10.890.
Assistance Listing Title: Rural Development Cooperative Agreement
Program.
B. Funds Available
The amount available for RPIC in FY 2022 is up to $4 million. Lead
applicants may not submit more than one application but may identify
more than one community with which they are providing placemaking
assistance. The maximum award amount for any one applicant is $250,000.
RD reserves the right to withhold the awarding of any funds if no
application receives a minimum score of at least 60 points. There is no
commitment by USDA to fund any application that does not achieve the
minimum score.
This funding opportunity lists the information needed to apply for
these funds and announces that RD is accepting FY 2022 applications to
support RPIC. Rural Development may at its discretion, increase the
total level of funding available in this funding round or in any
category in this funding round from any available source provided the
awards meet the requirements of the statute which made the funding
available to the agency.
C. Approximate Number of Awards
The Agency anticipates that it may select one, multiple, or no
award recipients from this funding opportunity. Applicants may not
submit more than one application.
D. Type of Instrument
RD is authorized to administer cooperative agreement awards in
accordance with 7 U.S.C. 2204b(b)(4) for the Rural Placemaking
Innovation Challenge.
E. Period of Performance
The maximum Period of Performance is 2 years. Applicants should
anticipate a Period of Performance beginning October 1, 2022 and ending
no later than September 30, 2024.
III. Definitions
The terms and conditions provided in this Notice of Funds
Availability (NOFA) are applicable to and for the purposes of this NOFA
only. Unless otherwise provided in the award documents, all financial
terms not defined herein shall have the meaning as defined by Generally
Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
Capacity is defined as previous experience with state or federal
grant administration and demonstrated experience in economic
development and placemaking technical assistance.
Multi-jurisdictional means more than one jurisdiction where
jurisdiction refers to a unit of government or other entity with
similar powers, such as a city, county, district, special purpose
district, township, town, borough, parish, village, state, Tribe, etc.
Multi-sectoral means intentional collaboration between two or more
sectors (e.g., utility, health, housing, community services, etc.) to
accomplish goals and achieve outcomes in communities and regions.
Placemaking is a collaborative engagement process that helps
leaders from rural communities create quality places where people will
want to live, work, play and learn. By bringing together partners from
public, private, Tribal, philanthropic communities, and technology
sectors, placemaking is a wrap-around approach to community and
economic development that incorporates creativity, infrastructure
initiatives, and vibrant public spaces.
Placemaking Plan is a written document that describes the strategic
plan for the community to implement the goals and objectives identified
through the placemaking planning process.
Quality of life means a measure of human well-being that can be
identified though economic and social indicators. Modern utilities,
affordable housing, efficient transportation, and reliable employment
are economic indicators that must be integrated with social indicators
such as access to medical services, public safety, education, and
community resilience to empower rural communities to thrive.
Region (Four Regions) means:
<bullet> The Northeast includes Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey,
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
<bullet> The Midwest includes Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin,
Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Nebraska, and Kansas.
<bullet> The South includes Kentucky, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas,
Louisiana, Texas, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands and Oklahoma.
<bullet> The West includes Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New
Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska,
Hawaii, and U.S. Pacific Island Territories.
RPIC Cooperative Agreement is the instrument used to fund the
support of
[[Page 39055]]
Rural Development's goals of increasing rural economic growth. In a
cooperative agreement, federal employees participate more closely in
project activities, often working side-by-side with the cooperator.
Cooperators are expected to have expertise in placemaking and
partnerships that will enable a rural community, area, or region to
implement a placemaking strategy and improve the quality of life for
its citizens.
Rural area is RBCS's Rural Area definition as described in Section
343(a)(13)(A) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act which
defines ``rural area'' as any area other than (1) a city or town that
has a population of greater than 50,000 inhabitants and (2) any
urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to such city or town described
in subparagraph (1) above.
Rural Partners Network (RPN) is an alliance of federal agencies and
civic partners working to expand rural prosperity through job creation,
infrastructure development, and community improvement. More information
about RPN is available at <a href="https://www.rural.gov/">https://www.rural.gov/</a>.
Rural Partners Network Community Networks are community networks
within the Rural Partners Network (RPN) and are identified and
described on the RPN website, <a href="https://www.rural.gov/">https://www.rural.gov/</a>.
Sector means stakeholders from areas such as business, health,
education, and/or workforce; or from organization types such as public,
Tribal communities, private, non-profit, and/or philanthropy.
Substantial involvement means when the Recipient and USDA RD
participate together in the management and/or performance of the
activity/project during post-award. This collaboration is programmatic
in nature and may provide benefits (e.g., technical expertise,
knowledge, etc.) that would otherwise be unavailable to the Recipient.
Technical Assistance (TA) for Placemaking means the applicant
participates in the process of providing targeted support for the
delivery of placemaking planning and implementation in partnership with
identified rural communities.
Training for Placemaking means the applicant provides training to
the community on the components relating to the placemaking planning
process, and implementation around placemaking and community and
economic development processes. Training may be in the form of
information, workshops, and/or mentoring.
Tribe means the term as defined in the Federally Recognized Indian
Tribe List Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-454; 108 Stat. 4791, 4792). An
American Indian or Alaska Native Tribe, band, nation, pueblo, village,
or community that the Secretary of the Interior acknowledges to exist
as an Indian Tribe under the Federally Recognized Tribe List Act of
1994 (25 U.S.C. 479a-1).
Tribal Entity includes all entities falling into the eligible legal
structures, including but not limited to: Tribal owned corporations,
intertribal non-profits and associations, Alaska Native Corporations,
Native entities within the State of Alaska recognized by and eligible
to receive services from the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau
of Indian Affairs, Native Hawaiian organizations including Homestead
Associations, State recognized tribes/non-profits, and individually-
owned Native American entities.
Commonly used Acronyms:
DCI Distressed Communities Index
FY Fiscal Year
HBCU Historically Black Colleges and Universities
LOC Letter of Conditions
NEPA National Environmental Policy Act
NICRA Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement
RD Rural Development
RDCA Rural Development Cooperative Agreement
RPIC Rural Placemaking Innovation Challenge
SAM System for Award Management
SBA Small Business Administration
UEI Unique Entity Identifier
USDA United States Department of Agriculture
CFR Code of Federal Regulation
SPOC Single Point of Contact
IV. Eligibility Information
A. Applicants
Applicants must meet 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 and
will not be evaluated further and will not receive a federal award.
Applicants may not submit more than one application.
Applicant Eligibility: Federally recognized Tribes and Tribal
Entities (See Part III); institutions of higher education (including
1862 Land-Grant Institutions, 1890 Land-Grant Institutions, 1994 Land-
Grant Institutions, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and Historically
Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)); nonprofit organizations with
501(c)(3) IRS status; public bodies; or small private entities meeting
the size standards established by the U.S. Small Business
Administration (SBA).
Entities are not eligible if they have been debarred or suspended
or otherwise excluded from, or ineligible for, participation in federal
assistance programs under 2 CFR parts 180 and 417. In addition, an
applicant will be considered ineligible for a cooperative agreement due
to an outstanding judgment obtained by the U.S. in a federal court
(other than U.S. Tax Court) or if the applicant is delinquent on the
payment of federal income taxes or federal debt.
B. Eligible Project
The proposed project must include a component that allows for
active participation by the Cooperator and substantial involvement by
RD in the specified tasks outlined in the applicant's project proposal.
Examples of measurable substantial involvement include, but are not
limited to, the following: joint convenings of community members,
partners, and stakeholders; joint delivery of training for RD programs;
and the development of training sessions and outreach materials. It is
the intent of this project to engage RD staff in the placemaking
process, and it is the responsibility of the applicant to identify
specific tasks where RD staff can provide measurable, substantial
involvement in the project. If tasks are not identified, the
application will not be eligible for funding.
The project must also directly benefit a rural area. All ultimate
beneficiaries and/or subrecipients must be located in rural areas, and
any activities or tasks must occur in rural areas.
Duplication of services is not allowed. Applicants must demonstrate
that they are providing services either to new customers or new
services to current customers. If the applicant's workplan and budget
are duplicative of a previous and/or existing RPIC award, the
application will not be considered for funding. RD will make this
determination.
C. Cost Sharing and Matching Funds Verification
(1) A minimum 15 percent match of the federal grant amount
requested for the cooperative agreement award is required for all
applications. Matching commitments may be made in cash by the applying
organization, or a combination of cash and confirmed funding
commitments with third-party in-kind contributions as defined in 2
[[Page 39056]]
CFR 200.306. This minimum match of at least 15 percent of the federal
amount requested must be committed for a period of not less than the
cooperative agreement performance period. Cost sharing/matching must be
committed at the time of application submission.
(2) Applicants may recruit one or more private, philanthropic, and/
or eligible public partner(s) to provide the matching 15 percent (in
cash and/or in-kind contributions) of the applicant's proposed federal
funding request (i.e., the federal grant amount requested), or the
applicant can provide the full match as its own cash contribution. It
is permissible to provide a combination of third-party in-kind
contribution (as defined in 2 CFR 200.306) from a partner and cash
contribution from the applicant, but it is not permissible for the
applicant to provide its own in-kind contribution as part of the match
combination. If the applicant is going to provide its own match
contribution, that match must be documented as a cash contribution.
(3) RPIC Project Verification of Matching Funds: The RPIC Matching
Funds Letter must be signed by the donating organization's authorized
representative on the organization's letterhead and must identify the
amount of matching funds or in-kind services/goods, the time period
during which matching contribution will be available, and the source of
the funds, as applicable (e.g., cash on hand, bank statement(s) etc.).
<bullet> If providing an in-kind match, the third-party contributor
must provide details on how those in-kind sources will be identified
and tracked by the contributor.
<bullet> The contributor must also attach/stipulate the value of
each of the goods or services (including the indirect/direct costs)
being offered.
<bullet> If using calculated hours for estimating any in-kind
service, the contributor must also provide how the value was arrived at
for calculating the total cost for the in-kind match and associated
personnel, as applicable.
Additional details about cost sharing or matching funds/
contributions are located at 2
CFR 200.306. Applicant matching funds must be included in the
budget justification. For matching funds offered by project partners, a
separate Matching Funds Letter is required for each cash and/or third-
party in-kind match contribution. Matching Funds Letters must be signed
by the authorized organizational representative of the contributing
organization and the applicant organization, which must include:
<bullet> the name, address, and telephone number of the
contributor,
<bullet> the name of the applicant organization,
<bullet> the title of the project for which the contribution is
made,
<bullet> the dollar amount of the contribution, and
<bullet> a statement that the contributor commits to furnish the
contribution during the cooperative agreement period.
Applications without signed written commitments are considered
incomplete and will be ineligible. The value of applicant contributions
to the project is established according to Federal cost principles.
Applicants should refer to 2 CFR 200.306 for additional guidance on
matching funds, in-kind contributions, and allowable costs.
(4) Optional Seed Grant Matching Funds Contribution and
Verification: The applicant MUST provide documentation of a third-party
matching funds contribution if participating in the Optional Seed Grant
scoring criteria. These matching funds are separate from the verified
matched funds required for the RPIC application. The Matching Funds
Letter for the optional seed grants MUST specifically state that the
funds are being allocated to the Innovation Seed Grant. The letter may
be conditioned to the applicant receiving the award. (Failing to
provide verification of match for the optional seed grant disqualifies
the applicant from this optional scoring criteria).
D. Funding Restrictions
The following funding restrictions also apply to this program:
(1) Pre-award costs are not authorized.
(2) Use of Funds. Award funds should be calculated based on the
federal amount requested by the applicant. A minimum of 15 percent
match is required (refer to Part IV, Section C, Cost Sharing and
Matching Funds Verification).
(3) The applicant may not use its administrative overhead or
indirect costs as any part of its matching funds contribution. Using an
indirect cost rate or administrative overhead for a matching fund
contribution will be deemed as an ineligible use of funds for the
cooperative agreement.
(4) Program Income. If you expect to earn Program Income during the
Period of Performance, you must identify the amount and how you expect
to use it (e.g., matching funds) in your application. If your
application is funded, unexpected Program Income or Program Income
earned in excess of the amount you identify in your application will be
deducted from the Federal share of the project in accordance with 2 CFR
200.307(e)(1).
E. Ineligible Application Information
(1) In addition to costs identified as unallowable by 2 CFR part
200 or 400, the following costs are prohibited for this program.
Neither award funds nor matching funds can be used to pay for the
following types of expenses (this is not a comprehensive list of
unallowable costs, see 2 CFR part 200):
(a) Construction (in any form).
(b) Intermediary preparation of strategic plans for recipients.
(c) Grants to individuals.
(d) 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.
(e) Purchasing real estate.
(f) Using cooperative agreement assistance or matching funds for
individual development accounts.
(g) Purchasing vehicles.
(h) To pay an outstanding judgment obtained by the United States in
a federal court (other than in the United States Tax court), which has
been recorded. An applicant will be ineligible to receive an award
until the judgment is paid in full or otherwise satisfied.
(2) Applications will first be reviewed to determine if applicants
meet the eligibility requirements and compliance with the funding
restrictions in this notice. If we determine that your application is
ineligible, we will discontinue processing it, which means that we will
not evaluate it further nor provide any scoring information.
V. Application and Submission Information
A. Electronic Application and Submission
Applications must be submitted electronically using <a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a>. No
other form of application will be accepted. Application and supporting
materials are available at <a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a>. Your application must contain
all required information.
To apply electronically, you must follow the instructions for this
funding announcement at <a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a>. Please note that we will not accept
applications through mail or courier delivery, in-person delivery,
email, or fax.
You can locate the <a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a> downloadable application package for
this program by using a keyword, the program name, or the Assistance
Listing Number for this program.
When you enter the <a href="https://www.grants.gov/">https://www.grants.gov/</a> website, you will find
[[Page 39057]]
information about applying electronically through the site as well as
the hours of operation.
To use <a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a>, you must already have a 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. To
register in SAM, entities will be required to create a Unique Entity
Identifier (UEI). Instructions for obtaining the UEI are available at
<a href="https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration">https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration</a>. We strongly recommend that
you do not wait until the application deadline date to begin the
application process through <a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a>.
RD is not responsible for any technical malfunction or website
problems related to <a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a>. If issues are encountered with
<a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a>, please contact the <a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a> help desk at (800) 518-4726
or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#b4c7c1c4c4dbc6c0f4d3c6d5dac0c79ad3dbc2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e99a9c9999869b9da98e9b88879d9ac78e869f">[email protected]</span></a>. The applicant assumes the risk of any delays in
application submission through <a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a>.
Submitting an application through <a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a> requires completing a
variety of tasks and steps. There are also several preliminary
registration steps before the applicant can submit the application. It
is recommended that the instructions for registering be reviewed as
soon as possible but at least two weeks before the planned application
submission date.
You must submit all application documents electronically through
<a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a>. Applications must include electronic signatures. Original
signatures may be required if funds are awarded.
After applying electronically through <a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a> you will receive
an automatic acknowledgement from <a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a> that contains a <a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a>
tracking number.
B. Content and Form of Application Submission
For an application to be considered complete, the applicant must
complete and submit the forms and supporting documentation contained in
this section in addition to the written narrative proposal information
in Part VI.
Each page must be on numbered, letter-sized (8 \1/2\'' x 11'')
paper utilizing a white background that has 1'' margins, and the text
of the application must be typed, single spaced, black, and in a font
no smaller than 12 point.
(1) Applicants must complete and submit the following forms to
apply for an RPIC cooperative agreement:
(a) Standard Form 424, ``Application for Federal Assistance--Non-
construction.''
(b) Standard Form 424A, ``Budget Information--Non-Construction
Programs.''
(c) Standard Form 424B, ``Assurances--Non-Construction Programs.''
(d) Execute Form RD 400-1 ``Equal Opportunity Agreement.''
(2) All applications shall be accompanied by the following
supporting documentation in concise written narrative form:
(a) Civil Rights Compliance Requirements: All awards made under
this notice are subject to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as
required by 7 CFR part 15, subpart A, section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and the
Age Discrimination Act of 1975.
(b) Evidence of applicant's legal existence and authority in the
form of organizational documents such as: Articles of Incorporation,
By-Laws, or Charter.
(c) Evidence of tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service
(IRS), if applicable.
(d) List of current principals and consultants, including first and
last names.
(e) Applicants applying as a small private entity must provide a
written self-certification which includes the entity's NAICS code or
industry, number of employees or average annual revenue, and how the
applicant meets the U.S. SBA small business size standards for their
industry (<a href="https://www.sba.gov/size-standards">https://www.sba.gov/size-standards</a>).
(f) Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement, if applicable.
(g) Written Proposal--The written proposal should be assembled into
one or more pdf file(s) and should conform to the order in which the
Evaluation Criteria are presented in Part VI Section B. The completed
pdf file(s) should be uploaded into <a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a> as an attachment to the
application. The maximum limit for the written narrative section is 25
pages. Information exceeding 25 pages for the written narrative may not
be considered for evaluation by the scoring panel.
C. System for Award Management (SAM) and Unique Entity Identifier
To be eligible (unless you are excepted under 2 CFR 25.110(b), (c)
or (d)), you are required to do the following:
(1) 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. To register in SAM,
entities will be required to create a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).
Instructions for obtaining the UEI are available at <a href="https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration">https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration</a>.
(2) Register in SAM before submitting your application. You may
register in SAM at no cost at <a href="https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/">https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/</a>.
You must provide your SAM CAGE Code and expiration date. Entities
registering for the first time will also be assigned a UEI as part of
the registration process. When registering in SAM, you must indicate
you are applying for a federal financial assistance project or program
or are currently the recipient of funding under any federal financial
assistance project or program; and
(3) Maintain active and current SAM registration. The SAM
registration must remain active with current information at all times
while the Agency is considering an application or while a federal
grant/cooperative agreement 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 the 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. Applicants must ensure they complete the Financial Assistance
General Certifications and Representations in SAM.
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.
D. Submission Dates and Times
In order to be considered for funds under this notice, applications
must be deemed complete and must be received by <a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a> by the
deadline specified in the DATES section of this notice.
E. 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
[[Page 39058]]
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: <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SPOC-4-13-20.pdf">https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/SPOC-4-13-20.pdf</a>
Submit one copy of the application to the SPOC, if one has been
designated, at the same time as application submission to the Agency.
If the project is located in more than one state, submit a copy to each
applicable SPOC. Any comments obtained through the SPOC must be
provided to the individuals identified in the ``FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT'' section of this Notice for consideration as part of your
application. If your state has not established a SPOC you may submit
your application directly to the Agency. Tribes are exempt from this
requirement.
F. Compliance with Other Federal Statutes and Other Submission
Requirements
(1) Other Federal Statutes. The applicant must certify to
compliance with other Federal Statutes and regulations by completing
the Financial Assistance General Certification and Representations in
SAM, including, but not limited to the following:
(a) 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. Civil Rights compliance
includes, but is not limited to the following:
(i) Collect and maintain data provided by ultimate recipients on
race, sex, and national origin and ensure that ultimate recipients
collect and maintain this data.
(ii) Race and ethnicity data will be collected in accordance with
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Federal Register Notice,
``Revisions of the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on
Race and Ethnicity'' (published October 30, 1997, at 62 FR 58782); 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 RD.
(b) The applicant and the ultimate 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, and 7 CFR part 1901, subpart E.
(c) 2 CFR parts 200 and 400 (Uniform Administrative Requirements,
Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards), or any
successor regulation.
(d) Executive Order 13166, ``Improving Access to Services for
Persons with Limited English Proficiency.'' For information on limited
English proficiency and agency-specific guidance, go to <a href="https://www.lep.gov/">https://www.lep.gov/</a>.
(e) Federal Obligation Certification on Delinquent Debt.
(2) Risk Review: RD may request additional documentation from
selected applicants in order to evaluate the financial, management, and
performance risk posed by awardees as required by 2 CFR 200.206. Based
on this risk review, RD may apply special conditions that correspond to
the degree of risk assessed.
(3) National Environmental Policy Act: This notice has been
reviewed in accordance with 7 CFR part 1970, ``Environmental Policies
and Procedures.'' We have 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
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulation found at 7 CFR
1970.53(f). It has been determined that this Funding opportunity does
not constitute a major Federal action significantly affecting the
quality of the human environment.
G. Indirect Costs
Organizations that have an active Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate
Agreement (NICRA) with the Federal Government must use the rate
identified in the NICRA to determine the indirect costs to be charged
to this funding. Current NICRAs must be uploaded under Other
Attachments (listed as an Optional Form) in the <a href="http://Grants.gov">Grants.gov</a> Opportunity
Application Package. Entities without a NICRA may use a de minimis rate
of up to 10 percent indirect costs rate. (Refer to 2 CFR 200.414 for
additional information regarding indirect costs).
VI. Application Review Information
A. General
The projects should address how existing assets can be leveraged in
support of a placemaking vision and how the projects will be evaluated
(e.g., how projects are evaluated for funding strategies and sources,
construction of new assets to be identified in the planning process).
Awardees will be Cooperators and are required to participate
substantially in the project alongside RD staff to bring expertise in
placemaking technical assistance, to bring partnerships that will
enable a rural community, area, or region to ultimately implement a
placemaking strategy, and to improve the quality of life for its
citizens.
Applicants are expected to provide proposals under this notice that
include cooperation through substantial and measurable involvement by
both the Cooperator and USDA RD staff. Proposals will support multi-
sectoral or multi-jurisdictional projects in rural communities and
demonstrate how placemaking technical assistance will be provided to
develop implementation plans that can be aligned with the mission of
USDA RD to improve quality of life and economic growth. The proposal
must provide a detailed description of (i) the area to be served and
(ii) how such area fits the definition of a region, multi-sectoral, or
multi-jurisdictional rural area. Applicants must identify which Region
or Regions are included in their proposal. If applicants propose to
serve more than one Region, they must identify a primary Region.
Applicants for RPIC should be prepared to develop, be in the
process of developing, or have developed a placemaking plan in
partnership with public, private, Tribes, or philanthropic partners
with the focus on local or regional revitalization towards economic
vitality and quality of life impacts. The plans should identify
potential projects that can be funded through RD programs and other
federal, state, local or private sector resources. Placemaking plans
developed through this funding opportunity should focus on one or more
of the quality-of-life indicators as defined in Part III.
Applicants are expected to submit placemaking proposals under this
notice that include multi-sectoral or multi-jurisdictional planning
partnerships within at least one Region (as defined in Part III) that
will provide measurable results in helping rural communities create
greater social and cultural vitality in rural communities. RPIC
projects should also support rural communities' ability to qualify for
priority funding under Section 379H of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act, ``Strategic Economic and Community Development,'' (7
U.S.C. 2008v).
For the purpose of RPIC, rural placemaking is: (1) rooted in
emphasizing partnerships and collaboration among multiple public,
private, Tribal, philanthropic and
[[Page 39059]]
community partners; (2) focused on combining federal, Tribal, state,
and local resources to make wide-ranging quality-of-life impacts as
opposed to separate, piecemeal, incremental improvements; and (3) based
on placemaking processes to create quality places where people want to
live, work, play and learn. The goal is to create greater social and
cultural vitality in rural communities. Key elements of quality places
may include a mix of uses; effective public spaces; broadband
capability; transportation options; multiple housing options;
disposition and rehabilitation of vacant structures; preservation of
historic properties; and respect of community heritage, arts, culture,
creativity, recreation, and green space.
Additionally, the applications will be reviewed for completeness.
For an application to be considered complete, the applicant must
complete and submit the written narrative proposal information and the
required forms contained in Parts V and VI of this NOFA. If we
determine that your application is not complete, we will discontinue
processing it, which means that we will not evaluate it further nor
provide any scoring information.
B. Scoring Process
If your application is determined to be eligible and complete, we
will further evaluate it based on the scoring criteria listed in Part
VI, Section B. All applications will be competitively scored and
ranked. The minimum score requirement for a cooperative agreement award
under this funding opportunity is 60 points.
(1) Number of Awards: The Agency anticipates that it may select
one, multiple, or no award recipients from this funding opportunity.
The Agency reserves the right to withhold the awarding of any funds if
no application receives a minimum score of at least 60 points.
(2) Evaluation Criteria: (refer to Summary Table of Evaluation
Criteria) Proposed projects will be evaluated based only on information
provided in the application. Points will be given only for factors that
are well documented in the application package and, in the opinion of
RD, meet the objectives outlined in each of the evaluation criteria.
References to websites or publications will not be reviewed. Full
documentation and support of application criteria is encouraged.
(3) The entire written narrative proposal includes the following
sections in this order:
(a) Executive Summary--Provide the applicant entity name, duration
of project (in months), amount of federal funding requested, amount of
non-federal cost-share/match funding committed, and project title.
Identify geographic locations (including the primary region in which
the applicant determines where the most significant work takes place)
and describe, in non-technical language, the placemaking approach to be
used including the objectives and strategies to be utilized; the
public, private, Tribal and philanthropic partnerships developed or to
be developed; the approach to be employed (including the role of
participating partners); how impact will be quantified; and the
predicted benefits or deliverables of the project(s).
(b) Work Plan--Soundness of Approach (0-35 points). The applicant
can receive up to 35 points for soundness of placemaking approach in
their work plan. The maximum 35 points for this criterion will be based
on the following:
(i) Work Plan Approach--project objectives/background/tasks with
timeline and timeframes
<bullet> Project Objective(s): Description of objective(s)--clearly
defined.
<bullet> Project Background: Description of the types and general
locations of rural communities to be served through this project--
Geographic Location or Project Areas (include Region description).
<bullet> Describe project area(s) as multi-sectoral or multi-
jurisdictional. Applicants must include their ability to support rural
planning activities on a multi-sectoral or multi-jurisdictional basis
and how they will effectively serve these communities based on key
personnel, established timeframes, and budget.
<bullet> Project Key Tasks with Timeline and Timeframes:
--Applicants are required to include Work Plan Chart(s) that lists
major task(s) by key personnel involved, time period of the task(s),
substantial involvement of RD staff, expected deliverables, and budget
associated with tasks.
--Applicants may provide timelines to demonstrate how the technical
assistance will be delivered to rural communities and describe any
supporting innovative and/or traditional placemaking approaches
associated to tasks.
(ii) Implementation of Workplan--Planning through the
Implementation Phase
<bullet> Project Implementation:
Applicant should include details on how the technical assistance
will be provided for the placemaking planning process and how it will
coach/mentor the community to bring the plan to full implementation.
(iii) Alignment of Budget/Budget Justification to Workplan
<bullet> Detailed Budget Justification should align with the tasks
detailed in the workplan. Discuss how the budget specifically supports
the proposed activities discussed in the Project Key Tasks (as
described above). Justify project costs including personnel and any
limited consultant salaries with description of duties. The budget
justification should include both the federal funds requested and the
applicant's matching funds. The format of the budget's narrative can be
in a chart, spreadsheet, table, etc., but it should be readable on
letter-size, printable pages. The information needs to be presented in
such a way that the reviewers can readily understand what expenses are
incurred to support the project. Statement(s) of work for any
subcontractors and consultants must be included as part of the
application. (Note: consultants and subcontracts must only be used on a
limited basis where not more than 49% of the federal grant amount
requested can be contracted out to provide the proposed assistance. The
majority of the primary work under the cooperative agreement MUST be
performed by the applicant).
(c) Organizational Capacity & Qualifications (0-20 points). The
applicant can receive up to 20 points based on organizational capacity
and qualifications. The maximum 20 points for this criterion will be
based on the following:
(i) The applicant should specify years of experience in placemaking
activities, types of communities previously served, and experience in
performance evaluation.
(ii) The applicant's proposal should demonstrate that the applicant
has identified appropriate key personnel, both in terms of number of
personnel and qualifications of personnel and should provide specific
detail of qualifications of key personnel relating to placemaking.
Capacity of personnel to access data for needs assessments and access
to planners and other technical experts will be evaluated.
(iii) All eligible applicants must demonstrate the capacity to
deliver and support rural placemaking planning activities within at
least one of the four regions found in Part III. Capacity is defined as
previous experience with federal grant administration and demonstrated
experience in economic development and placemaking technical
assistance.
[[Page 39060]]
(d) Partnerships (0-25 points). The applicant can receive up to 25
points for quantity and quality of the applicant's existing public,
private, Tribal, and philanthropic partnerships and proposed new
partnerships for this effort. The applicant should demonstrate their
ability to leverage new partners that have had limited engagement with
RD projects or priorities to leverage resources, enhance technical
assistance, and/or increase reach to target areas. The maximum 25
points for this criterion will be based on the following:
(i) The applicant should provide a list of existing and/or
potential partners who will commit to the project as well as a
description of the sectors they represent (i.e., public, private,
Tribal, philanthropic), and
(ii) The applicant should describe in detail how they will engage
with these partners to support the project, including how they will
leverage partner resources.
(e) Targeted Impact: Planning for Broadband Infrastructure,
Deployment, and/or Access. (0-10 points). The applicant can receive up
to 10 points for focusing on the following Targeted Impact. The
applicant should propose how the project will plan for broadband
infrastructure and/or e-connectivity opportunities within targeted
areas. Please note that construction is not an allowable cost within
the RPIC program.
(A) Describe how the applicant's proposal will help one or more of
the targeted communities plan for broadband infrastructure around the
USDA-RD ReConnect Program or other RD Broadband programs (provided that
community is eligible for that program); or
(B) If one or more of the targeted communities have a USDA-RD
ReConnect funded project, or other RD Broadband projects, describe how
the applicant's proposal will provide follow-up and support for future
broadband development or deployment; or
(C) If none of the targeted communities are participating in any RD
Broadband programs, describe how the applicant will work with
stakeholders to address broadband development and deployment, or
broadband access or e-connectivity.
(f) Performance Measures (0-10 points). The applicant can receive
up to 10 points based on the proposed performance measures to evaluate
the progress and impact of the proposed project.
The criterion will be based on the applicant's proposal and should
include a description for how the results of the technical assistance
will be measured, including the quality-of-life indicators (set forth
in Part III) and the benchmarks to be used for measuring effectiveness.
Indicators to be used should be specific and be quantifiable.
(g) Optional Innovation Seed Grant (0-5 or 0-10 points) To foster
public, private, Tribal and philanthropic engagement, not only through
RPIC but for the community itself, the Innovation Seed Grant must be
matched by no less than 50% match with additional external funding to
support the community's project. The external funds can be from public,
private, Tribal, philanthropic, or other federal, state, and local
partners. There are two ways to be scored based on how an applicant
plans to implement the Innovation Seed Grant: the applicant could
receive either up to 5 points, or up to 10 points. Note that
Cooperators that implement seed grants as a part of their proposal will
be subject to the relevant subaward/subrecipient components from 2 CFR
part 200.
(i) Scoring the Innovation Seed Grant:
<bullet> The applicant must specify Option 1 or 2.
<bullet> The applicant should provide a brief narrative of how the
Innovation Seed Grant will be developed, administered, and implemented.
<bullet> It is expected that the Cooperators, in collaboration with
the communities they are serving, will develop criteria for evaluating
the Innovation Seed Grant for approval by a Seed Grant Committee. For
evaluation of these criteria, applicants may provide sample criteria on
how Seed Grants could be evaluated for:
--Innovation,
--Whether the project has been highlighted in the Placemaking Plan, and
--The probability of success and sustainability with identified
outcomes to be achieved.
<bullet> The applicant MUST provide documentation of third-party
matching funds contributions. These matching funds are separate from
the verified matched funds required for the RPIC application. The
Matching Funds Letter for the seed grants MUST specifically state that
the funds are being allocated to the Innovation Seed Grant. The letter
may state that the match is contingent on the applicant receiving the
award. (Failing to provide verification of match disqualifies the
applicant from this optional scoring criteria).
(ii) Option 1--0 to 5 points Innovation Seed Grant:
<bullet> Applicants may receive up to 5 points in scoring if their
proposal and budget provide for a system of funding an Innovation Seed
Grant. The seed grants are to be utilized to fund a new and innovative
project that is highlighted in the placemaking plan. These seed grants
are considered small financial awards for the purpose of getting a
specific project implemented in the plan. The applicant can set aside,
from the applicant's award, funds for an Innovation Seed Grant. The
maximum RPIC funds that can be set-aside for this purpose is 10
percent.
<bullet> Individual Innovation Seed Grants may be no more than
$5,000 from RPIC funds, to an ultimate recipient in a community or for
an entity applying for the grant. The seed grant must have matching
funds (CASH MATCH ONLY) of at least 50 percent from public, private,
Tribal or philanthropic support; however, the applicant may have
contributions from partnerships in excess of the minimum 50 percent
match requirement.
OR
(iii) Option 2--0 to 10 points Innovation Seed Grant:
<bullet> Applicants may receive up to 10 points in scoring if their
proposal and budget provide for a system of funding an Innovation Seed
Grant that funds a new and innovative project that is highlighted in
the placemaking plan and focuses on the Targeted Impact listed in Part
VI, Section B (e) (Targeted Impact). The system should describe how the
seed grant promotes and connects to the Targeted Impact. These seed
grants are considered small financial awards for the purpose of getting
a specific project implemented. The applicant can set aside, from the
applicant's award, funds for an Innovation Seed Grant. The maximum RPIC
funds that can be set-aside for this purpose is 10 percent.
<bullet> Individual Seed Grants may be no more than $5,000 from
RPIC funds, to an ultimate recipient in a community or for an entity
applying for the grant. The Seed Grant must have matching funds of at
least 50 percent from public, private, Tribal or philanthropic support;
however, the applicant may have contributions from partnerships in
excess of the minimum 50 percent match requirement.
(h) Agency Discretionary Points (0-10 points):
The Agency may choose to award up to 10 points to an application
that seeks to advance one or more of the USDA Rural Development Key
Priorities (RD Key Priorities) as the set forth at: <a href="https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points">https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points</a>, and described in the SUPPLEMETARY
INFORMATION, Overview section of this
[[Page 39061]]
notice. These points will be assigned as follows:
i. The applicant may receive 3 points, if it is determined that the
applicant plans to advance one of the RD Key Priorities.
ii. The applicant may receive 6 points if it is determined that the
applicant plans to advance two of the RD Key Priorities.
iii. The applicant may receive 10 points if it is determined that
the applicant plans to advance three of the RD Key Priorities.
The applicant does not need to provide additional information under
this category. Information in the applicant's proposal will be used to
score this category, if applicable.
The Agency may, in individual cases, make an exception to any
requirement or provision of this notice, which is determined to be in
the Government's interest.
(i) Verification of Matching Funds. The applicant must include
Matching Commitment Letters signed by the donating organization's
authorized representative on the organization's letterhead that
identifies the amount of matching funds or in-kind services, the time
period during which matching funds will be available, and the source of
the funds (e.g., cash on hand). See Part IV, Section C (Cost Sharing
and Matching Funds Verification) for more information. If participating
in the Optional Innovation Seed Grant, the applicant must submit
separate Matching Funds Commitment Letters that specifically annotate
that the funds are allocated to the Innovation Seed Grant. The funds
are a cash commitment to the seed grant.
(j) Letters of Support (e.g., additional resource commitment from
partners);
(k) Appendix--Graphics, References, Citations, Negotiated Indirect
Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) if applicable, organizational documents,
self-certifications, etc. (Note: material added in this section may not
be evaluated as part of the competitive scoring process).
Summary Table of Evaluation Criteria
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Criteria Points
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Work Plan/Soundness of Approach... 0-35 points
a. Work Plan Approach-project .................................
objectives/background/tasks with
timelines and timeframes.
b. Implementation of workplan.... .................................
c. Alignment of budget/budget .................................
justification to workplan.
2. Organizational Capacity/ 0-20 points
Qualifications.
a. Years of experience and .................................
processes employed in
placemaking activities.
b. Key personnel/number and .................................
qualifications relating to
placemaking-access to data for
needs assessments.
c. Capacity to deliver .................................
placemaking planning, grant
administration experience.
3. Partnerships...................... 0-25 points
a. Extent of existing partnerships (# .................................
of partners/public, private, Tribal,
philanthropic partners).
b. Value that partnerships will .................................
bring to placemaking project,
including existing partners and
leveraging new partners for the
proposed project.
4. Targeted Impact................... 0-10 points
Planning for Broadband .................................
Infrastructure/Deployment/Access.
5. Performance Measures.............. 0-10 points
Measures used for evaluating .................................
quality of life indicators and
benchmarks used for measuring
effectiveness.
Optional Innovation Seed Grant....... 0-10 points
Option--1 Innovation Seed Grant-- .................................
offering seed grants for new and
innovative projects highlighted
in the Placemaking Plan; or.
Option--2 Innovation Seed Grant-- .................................
offering seed grants for new and
innovative projects highlighted
in the Placemaking Plan that
specifically address the
Targeted Impact priority.
Agency Discretionary Points 0-10 points
(Note: Applicant does not need
to provide additional
information for this category).
------------------------------------------------------------------------
C. Review and Selection Process
(1) Incomplete or ineligible applications. Applications that are
incomplete or ineligible will not be considered for funding (Reference
Part V and Part VI).
(2) The Reviewers. All eligible applications will be evaluated by
an Application Review Panel using the criteria described in Part VI of
this notice. Panel members will be appointed by RD and will be
qualified to evaluate the applications based on the type of work
proposed by the applicant.
(3) Selection of Qualifying Applications. Applications will be
selected in the following order:
(a) First, the highest scoring application in each of the four
Regions will be selected.
(b) Second, the highest scoring Tribe or Tribal Entity Application,
which has not already been selected as one of the highest scoring
applications in one of the regions, will be selected.
(c) Third, up to four of the highest scoring Applications serving
one or more communities within the Rural Partners Network (RPN)
Community Networks can be selected. (RPN Community Networks are listed
on the RPN website: Rural Partners Network [verbar] <a href="http://Rural.gov">Rural.gov</a>).
(d) Fourth, the remaining applications, regardless of Region,
Tribal status, or RPN community, will be selected starting with the
highest scoring application, until all available funds are exhausted.
(e) Applications, at or near the funding line, may be funded in
part, if RD believes an appropriate benefit can result from partial
funding and if the applicant agrees to the amount of partial funding.
In the event RD considers partial funding to be appropriate, the
applicant will be contacted to negotiate the final work plan and budget
prior to award approval.
(4) Appeal Request. The applicant will be notified in writing
regarding the reason(s) for any adverse decisions and will be provided
a description of the options for review.
(5) Cooperative Agreement. Applicants selected for funding will
complete a Cooperative/Grant agreement suitable to the Agency, which
outlines the terms and conditions of the Cooperative Agreement award.
Pursuant to the agreement, funds will be released over the course of
the Cooperative Agreement period in the form of a reimbursement for the
performance of eligible, approved activities. The agreement may also
include reporting requirements which, if not met, may result in a delay
in reimbursement,
[[Page 39062]]
disallowance of expenses, or a suspension of the Agreement.
(6) Reimbursement.
(a) SF-270, ``Request for Advance or Reimbursement,'' will be
completed by the cooperator and submitted to RD along with supporting
documentation.
(b) Upon receipt of a properly completed SF-270, payment will
ordinarily be made within 30 days.
(c) 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 approving
official. Any change not approved may be cause for termination of the
Cooperative Agreement.
VII. Federal Award Administration Information
A. Federal Award Notices
(1) Successful applicants will be notified in writing by the Agency
with a Letter of Conditions (LOC). The LOC is a notice of selection and
does not indicate that an award has been approved, nor is it an
authorization to begin performance on the award. While there may be
special conditions that apply on a case-by-case basis, the conditions
as stated in Part VII, Section B (Administrative and National Policy
Requirements) are standard for all successful applicants.
(2) Once the conditions described in the LOC have been met, the
award will be approved through the execution of Form RD 4280-2 in
conjunction with the Rural Development Cooperative Agreement (RDCA)
Program Attachment. If an applicant is unable to meet the conditions of
the award within 90 calendar days, the award will be withdrawn.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
(1) The following requirements apply to grantees selected for this
program:
(a) Complete Form RD 1942-46, ``Letter of Intent to Meet
Conditions.''
(b) Complete Form RD 1940-1, ``Request for Obligations of Funds.''
(c) Complete FMMI Vendor Code Request Form.
(d) Provide a copy of your organization's Negotiated Indirect Cost
Rate Agreement, if applicable.
(e) Certify that all work completed for the award will benefit a
rural area.
(f) Certify that you will comply with the Federal Funding
Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 and report information
about subawards and executive compensation.
(g) Certify that the U.S. has not obtained an outstanding judgement
against your organization in a Federal Court (other than in the United
States Tax Court).
(h) Execute Form SF-424B, ``Assurance--Non-Construction Programs.''
(i) Execute Form SF-LLL, ``Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying,'' if
applicable, or certify that your organization does not lobby.
(2) The applicant must provide evidence of compliance with other
federal statutes, including, but not limited to, the following:
(a) Debarment and suspension information as required in accordance
with 2 CFR part 417 (Non-procurement Debarment and Suspension)
supplemented by 2 CFR part 180, if applicable. The information required
under section heading: ``What information must I provide before
entering into a covered transaction with a Federal agency?'' located at
2 CFR 180.335 is part of OMB's Guidance for Grants and Agreements
concerning Government-wide Debarment and Suspension.
(b) All of your organization's known workplaces by including the
actual addresses 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 Subpart B of 2
CFR part 421, which adopts the Governmentwide implementation (2 CFR
part 182) of the Drug-Free Workplace Act.
(c) 2 CFR parts 200 and 400 (Uniform Administrative Requirements,
Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards).
(d) 2 CFR part 182 (Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free
Workplace (Financial Assistance)) and 2 CFR part 421 (Requirements for
Drug Free Workplace (Financial Assistance)).
(e) Executive Order 13166, ``Improving Access to Services for
Persons with Limited English Proficiency.'' For information on limited
English proficiency and agency-specific guidance, go to <a href="https://www.lep.gov">https://www.lep.gov</a>.
(3) The following forms for acceptance of a federal award are now
collected through your registration or annual recertification in
<a href="http://SAM.gov">SAM.gov</a> in the Financial Assistance General Certifications and
Representations section:
<bullet> Form RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement.''
<bullet> Form AD-1047, ``Certification Regarding Debarment,
Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters-Primary Covered
Transactions.''
<bullet> Form AD-1048, ``Certification Regarding Debarment,
Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion. Lower Tier Covered
Transactions.''
<bullet> Form AD-1049, ``Certification Regarding Drug-Free
Workplace Requirements (Grants).''
<bullet> Form AD-3031, ``Assurance Regarding Felony Conviction or
Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants.''
C. Reporting
Grantees shall constantly monitor performance to ensure that time
schedules are being met, projected work by time periods are being
accomplished, and other performance objectives are being achieved.
(1) SF-PPR ``Performance Progress Report,'' must be submitted
quarterly based on the following time periods: January 1--March 31,
April 1--June 30, July 1--September 30, and October 1--December 31.
Quarterly reports are due within 30 calendar days of the end of the
reporting period. A final report is due within 90 calendar days of the
completion of the project or the end of the period of performance,
whichever comes first. Both quarterly and final performance reports
must be submitted electronically to RD.
(2) Financial Report: Form SF-425, ``Federal Financial Report''
must be submitted quarterly based on the following time periods:
January 1--March 31, April 1--June 30, July 1--September 30, October
1--December 31. Quarterly reports are due within 30 calendar days of
the end of the reporting period. A final report is due within 90
calendar days of the completion of the project or the end of the period
of performance, whichever comes first. Both quarterly and final reports
must be submitted electronically to RD.
(3) Report Suitable for Public Distribution: A report suitable for
public distribution that describes the accomplishments of the project
is due within 90 calendar days of the completion of the project. There
is no format prescribed for this report, but it is expected that it
will be 1-2 pages in length and describe the project in such a way that
a member of the public not familiar with the project would gain an
understanding of the impact of the project.
VIII. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
For further information, contact: Gregory Dale (202) 568-9558 or
Sherri McCarter (615) 982-2078, email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#8bd9cfa5d9dbc2c8cbfef8efeaa5ece4fd"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e3b1a7cdb1b3aaa0a396908782cd848c95">[email protected]</span></a>. Persons with
disabilities who require alternative means for communication should
contact the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice).
[[Page 39063]]
IX. Other Information
A. Paperwork Reduction Act
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
information collection requirement contained in this notice is approved
by the Office of Management and Budget under OMB Control Number 0570-
0074.
B. Nondiscrimination Statement
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its
agencies, 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.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of
communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, American Sign Language) should contact the responsible
Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or
contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
Additionally, program information may be made available in languages
other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at <a href="http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html">http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html</a>, and at any USDA office,
or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of
the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the
complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or
letter 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;
(2) Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bfcfcdd0d8cdded291d6d1cbded4daffcaccdbde91d8d0c9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a5d5d7cac2d7c4c88bcccbd1c4cec0e5d0d6c1c48bc2cad3">[email protected]</span></a>.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Justin Maxson,
Deputy Under Secretary, Rural Development, U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
[FR Doc. 2022-14028 Filed 6-29-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P
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This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.