Notice2023-26802
Business and Industry (B&I) Priority Scoring Notice for Fiscal Year 2024
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
December 7, 2023
Effective
October 1, 2023
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentRural Business-Cooperative Service
Abstract
The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS), Rural Housing Service (RHS), and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), agencies of the Rural Development (RD) mission area within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), hereinafter collectively referred to as the Agency, offer loan guarantees through four programs: Community Facilities (CF) administered by the RHS; Water and Waste Disposal (WWD) administered by the RUS; and Business and Industry (B&I) and Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) administered by the RBCS. This notice is establishing a minimum priority score of 20 points, not including administrative points, for B&I loan guarantees for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, to be used when applying for guaranteed loans. This notice is being published prior to the passage of an FY 2024 appropriation.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 234 (Thursday, December 7, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 234 (Thursday, December 7, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 85207-85208]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26802]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
[Docket No. RBS-23-BUSINESS-0027]
Business and Industry (B&I) Priority Scoring Notice for Fiscal
Year 2024
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS), Rural Housing
Service (RHS), and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), agencies of the
Rural Development (RD) mission area within the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA), hereinafter collectively referred to as the Agency,
offer loan guarantees through four programs: Community Facilities (CF)
administered by the RHS; Water and Waste Disposal (WWD) administered by
the RUS; and Business and Industry (B&I) and Rural Energy for America
Program (REAP) administered by the RBCS. This notice is establishing a
minimum priority score of 20 points, not including administrative
points, for B&I loan guarantees for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024, to be used
when applying for guaranteed loans. This notice is being published
prior to the passage of an FY 2024 appropriation.
DATES: The minimum priority score in this notice is effective October
1, 2023.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information specific to this
notice contact Brenda Griffin, Chief, Underwriting Branch, Rural
Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Development, USDA, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-1522. Telephone: (202)
720-6802. Email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#723000171c16135c35001b14141b1c32070116135c151d04"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="622010070c06034c25100b04040b0c22171106034c050d14">[email protected]</span></a>. For information regarding
implementation, contact your respective Rural Development State Office
listed here: <a href="http://www.rd.usda.gov/browse-state">http://www.rd.usda.gov/browse-state</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with 7 CFR 5001.315(c)(2), for
FY 2024 the Agency is establishing a minimum priority score of 20
points, not including administrative points, for B&I loan guarantees
due to strong demand for program funds. Priority points for B&I loan
guarantee applications will be awarded in accordance with the
priorities outlined in 7 CFR 5001.318, B&I Priority Point System. At
the time of application, lenders must provide necessary information
related to determining the priority score. To the greatest extent
possible, lenders should consider the established priorities of the
Agency
[[Page 85208]]
when submitting projects for a loan guarantee. All applications that
meet the minimum priority score will be processed on an ongoing basis
and funds will be awarded continuously through August 30, 2024, subject
to the availability of funding.
Beginning on September 3, 2024, all remaining unfunded B&I
applications will compete for funds remaining after all state
allocations are pooled into the National Office. Applications that do
not meet the minimum applicable score will be allowed to compete in
this funding competition if funding remains available. Any applications
that remain unfunded after the funding competition will be handled as
described in 7 CFR 5001.315(e).
Administrative Points
In the event there are not enough funds available to fund all
applications during the funding competition beginning on September 3,
2024, projects that have a tie score can be awarded administrative
points as outlined in 7 CFR 5001.318(e). These Administrative points
will be awarded to applications that help meet the FY2024 Rural
Development Priorities to;
1. Assist rural communities to recover economically through more
and better market opportunities and through improved infrastructure.
2. Ensure all rural residents have equitable access to RD programs
and benefits from RD funded projects.
3. Reduce climate pollution and increase resilience to the impacts
of climate change through economic support for rural communities.
The Agency will verify that the project is located in an area that
addresses these three priorities using the maps at <a href="https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points/rural-development-priorities-fy-2024">https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points/rural-development-priorities-fy-2024</a>.
If a tie remains, the Agency will give priority to the project that
will create and/or save the most jobs.
Non-Discrimination 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, and 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, etc.) should contact the responsible
Agency or USDA through the 711 Relay Service. Program information may
be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should
complete a Form, AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form,
which can be obtained online at <a href="https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf">https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf</a>, from any USDA office, by calling (866)
632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must
contain the complainant's name, address, telephone number, and a
written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient
detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about
the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed
AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
(1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC
20250-9410; or
(2) Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202)690-7442; or
(3) email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2252504d4550434f0c4b4c5643494762575146430c454d54"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="dfafadb0b8adbeb2f1b6b1abbeb4ba9faaacbbbef1b8b0a9">[email protected]</span></a>.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Karama Neal,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA Rural
Development.
[FR Doc. 2023-26802 Filed 12-6-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P
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