Inviting Applications for Socially-Disadvantaged Groups Grants, 26426-26433 [2017-11739]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Rural Business-Cooperative Service

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 108 (Wednesday, June 7, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26426-26433]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-11739]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service


Inviting Applications for Socially-Disadvantaged Groups Grants

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This Notice announces that the Rural Business-Cooperative 
Service (Agency) is accepting fiscal year (FY) 2017 applications for 
the Socially-Disadvantaged Groups Grant (SDGG) program. The Agency will 
publish the program funding level on the SDGG Web site located at 
https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/socially-disadvantaged-groups-grant. Expenses incurred in developing applications are the 
responsibility of the applicant.
    The purpose of this program is to provide technical assistance to 
Socially-Disadvantaged Groups in rural areas. Eligible applicants 
include Cooperatives, Groups of Cooperatives, and Cooperative 
Development Centers. This program supports Rural Development's (RD) 
mission of improving the quality of life for rural Americans and 
commitment to directing resources to those who most need them.

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 1, 2017. You may also hand carry your 
application to one of our field offices, but it must be received by 
close of business on the deadline date.
    Electronic copies must be received by https://www.grants.gov no 
later than midnight Eastern Time July 25, 2017. Late applications are 
not eligible for funding under this Notice and will not be evaluated.

ADDRESSES: You should contact the USDA Rural Development State Office 
(State Office) located in the State where you are headquartered if you 
have questions. Contact information for State Offices can be found at: 
https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices. You are encouraged to 
contact your State Office well in advance of the application deadline 
to discuss your project and ask any questions about the application 
process. Program guidance as well as application templates may be 
obtained at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/socially-disadvantaged-groups-grant or by contacting your State Office.

[[Page 26427]]

    If you want to submit an electronic application, follow the 
instructions for the SDGG funding announcement located at https://www.grants.gov. Please review the Grants.gov Web site at https://grants.gov/applicants/organization_registration.jsp for instructions on 
the process of registering your organization as soon as possible to 
ensure you are able to meet the electronic application deadline. You 
are strongly encouraged to file your application early and allow 
sufficient time to manage any technical issues that may arise. If you 
want to submit a paper application, send it to the State Office located 
in the State where you are headquartered. If you are headquartered in 
Washington, DC, please contact the Grants Division, Cooperative 
Programs, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, at (202) 690-1374 for 
guidance on where to submit your application.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Grants Division, Cooperative Programs, 
Rural Business-Cooperative Service, United States Department of 
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., MS 3253, Room 4208-South, 
Washington, DC 20250-3250, or call 202-690-1374.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Overview

    Federal Agency Name: USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
    Funding Opportunity Title: Socially-Disadvantaged Groups Grant.
    Announcement Type: Initial Notice.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.871.
    Dates: Application Deadline. You must submit your complete 
application by August 1, 2017, or it will not be considered for 
funding. Electronic applications must be received by https://www.grants.gov no later than midnight Eastern Time, July 25, 2017, or 
it will not be considered for funding.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, the paperwork 
burden associated with this Notice has been approved by the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control Number 0570-0052.

A. Program Description

    The SDGG program is authorized by section 310B (e)(11) of the 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932 (e)(11)). 
The primary objective of the SDGG program is to provide Technical 
Assistance to Socially-Disadvantaged Groups. Grants are available for 
Cooperative Development Centers, individual Cooperatives, or Groups of 
Cooperatives that serve Socially-Disadvantaged Groups and where a 
majority of their board of directors or governing board is comprised of 
individuals who are members of Socially-Disadvantaged Groups.
Definitions
    The definitions you need to understand are as follows:
    Agency--Rural Business-Cooperative Service, an agency of the United 
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development or a 
successor agency.
    Conflict of Interest--A situation in which a person or entity has 
competing personal, professional, or financial interests that make it 
difficult for the person or business to act impartially. Federal 
procurement standards prohibit transactions that involve a real or 
apparent conflict of interest for owners, employees, officers, agents, 
or their immediate family members having a financial or other interest 
in the outcome of the project; or that restrict open and free 
competition for unrestrained trade. Specifically, project funds may not 
be used for services or goods going to, or coming from, a person or 
entity with a real or apparent conflict of interest, including, but not 
limited to, owner(s) and their immediate family members. Examples of 
conflicts of interest include using grant funds to pay a member of the 
applicant's board of directors to provide proposed Technical Assistance 
to Socially-Disadvantaged Groups; pay a cooperative member to provide 
proposed Technical Assistance to other members of the same cooperative; 
and pay an immediate family member of the applicant to provide proposed 
Technical Assistance to Socially-Disadvantaged Groups.
    Cooperative--A business or organization owned by and operated for 
the benefit of those using its services and where a majority of the 
board of directors or governing board is comprised of individuals who 
are members of Socially-Disadvantaged Groups. Profits and earnings 
generated by the cooperative are distributed among the members, also 
known as user-owners.
    Cooperative Development Center--A nonprofit corporation or 
institution of higher education operated by the grantee for cooperative 
or business development and where a majority of the board of directors 
or governing board is comprised of individuals who are members of 
Socially-Disadvantaged Groups. It may or may not be an independent 
legal entity separate from the grantee.
    Feasibility Study--An analysis of the economic, market, technical, 
financial, and management feasibility of a proposed Project.
    Group of Cooperatives--A group of Cooperatives whose primary focus 
is to provide assistance to Socially-Disadvantaged Groups and where a 
majority of the board of directors or governing board is comprised of 
individuals who are members of Socially-Disadvantaged Groups.
    Operating Cost--The day-to-day expenses of running a business; for 
example: Utilities, rent on the office space a business occupies, 
salaries, depreciation, marketing and advertising, and other basic 
overhead items.
    Participant Support Costs--Direct costs for items such as stipends 
or subsistence allowances, travel allowances, and registration fees 
paid to or on behalf of participants or trainees (but not employees) in 
connection with conferences, or training projects.
    Project--Includes all activities to be funded by the Socially-
Disadvantaged Groups 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 7 
U.S.C. 1991(a)(13).
    (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 Business-
Cooperative Services, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Utilities 
Service and any successors.
    Socially-Disadvantaged Group--A group whose members have been 
subjected to racial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of their 
identity as members of a group without regard to their individual 
qualities.

[[Page 26428]]

    State--Includes each of the 50 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 purpose 
of assisting Cooperatives or groups that want to form Cooperatives such 
as market research, product and/or service improvement, legal advice 
and assistance, Feasibility Study, business planning, marketing plan 
development, and training.

B. Federal Award Information

    Type of Award: Competitive Grant.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2017.
    Total Funding: $3,000,000.
    Maximum Award: $175,000.
    Project Period: 1 year.
    Anticipated Award Date: September 29, 2017.

C. Eligibility Information

    Applicants must meet all of the following eligibility requirements. 
Applications which fail to meet any of these requirements by the 
application deadline will be deemed ineligible and will not be 
evaluated further.
    1. Eligible Applicants. Grants may be made to individual 
Cooperatives, Groups of Cooperatives, and Cooperative Development 
Centers that serve Socially-Disadvantaged Groups and where a majority 
of the board of directors or governing board is comprised of 
individuals who are members of Socially-Disadvantaged Groups. 
Federally-recognized Tribes and tribal entities must demonstrate that 
they meet all definition requirements for one of the three eligible 
applicant types. You must be able to verify your legal structure in the 
State in which you are incorporated. Grants may not be made to public 
bodies or to individuals.
    (a) An applicant is ineligible if they have been debarred or 
suspended or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in 
Federal assistance programs under Executive Order 12549, ``Debarment 
and Suspension.'' In addition, an applicant will be considered 
ineligible for a grant due to an outstanding judgment obtained by the 
U.S. in a Federal Court (other than U.S. Tax Court), is delinquent on 
the payment of Federal income taxes, or is delinquent on Federal debt.
    (b) Any corporation (i) that has been convicted of a felony 
criminal violation under any Federal law within the past 24 months or 
(ii) that has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, 
for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted 
or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant 
to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax 
liability, is not eligible for financial assistance provided with funds 
appropriated by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Pub. L. 114-
113), unless a Federal agency has considered suspension or debarment of 
the corporation and has made a determination that this further action 
is not necessary to protect the interests of the Government.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching. No matching funds are required.
    3. Other Eligibility Requirements.
    Use of Funds: Your application must propose Technical Assistance 
that will benefit Socially-Disadvantaged Groups. Cooperatives that are 
recipients of Technical Assistance must have a membership that consists 
of a majority of members from Socially-Disadvantaged Groups. Please 
review section D (6) of this Notice, ``Funding Restrictions,'' 
carefully.
    Project Eligibility: The proposed Project must only serve members 
of Socially-Disadvantaged Groups in Rural Areas.
    Grant Period Eligibility: Your application must include a grant 
period of one-year or less or it will not be considered for funding. 
The proposed time frame should begin no earlier than the grant award 
date and end no later than December 31, 2018. However, you should note 
that the anticipated award date is September 29, 2017, so your proposed 
start date should be after September 29, 2017. Projects must be 
completed within the 12-months or less time frame. The Agency may 
approve requests to extend the grant period for up to an additional 12 
months at its discretion. Further guidance on grant period extensions 
will be provided in the award document.
    However, you may not have more than one active SDGG during the same 
grant period. If you receive another SDGG during the next grant cycle, 
the first grant must be closed before funds can be obligated for the 
new grant. Applications that request funds for a time period ending 
after December 31, 2018, will not be considered for funding.
    Satisfactory Performance Eligibility: If you have an existing SDGG 
award, you must be performing satisfactorily to be considered eligible 
for a new SDGG award. Satisfactory performance includes being up-to-
date on all financial and performance reports and being current on all 
tasks as approved in the work plan. The Agency will use its discretion 
to make this determination. In addition, if you have an existing award 
from the Rural Cooperative Development Grant (RCDG) program, you must 
discuss the status of your existing RCDG award at application time and 
be performing satisfactorily to be considered for a new SDGG award.
    Completeness Eligibility: Your application must provide all of the 
information requested in Section D (2) of this Notice. Applications 
lacking sufficient information to determine eligibility and scoring 
will be considered ineligible.
    Multiple Grant Eligibility: You may only submit one SDGG grant 
application each funding cycle.

D. Application and Submission Information

1. Address To Request Application Package
    The application template for applying on paper for this funding 
opportunity is located at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/socially-disadvantaged-groups-grant. Use of the application template is 
strongly recommended to assist you with the application process. You 
may also contact your USDA Rural Development State Office for more 
information. Contact information for State Offices is located at https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices. You may also obtain an 
application package by calling 202-690-1374.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
    You may submit your application in paper form or electronically 
through Grants.gov. Your application must contain all required 
information.
    To submit an application electronically, you must follow the 
instructions for this funding announcement at https://www.grants.gov. 
Please note that we cannot accept emailed or faxed applications.
    You can locate the Grants.gov downloadable application package for 
this program by using a keyword, the program name, or the Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this program.
    When you enter the Grants.gov Web site, you will find information 
about submitting an application electronically through the site, as 
well as the hours of operation.

[[Page 26429]]

    To use Grants.gov, you must already have a DUNS number and you must 
also be registered and maintain registration in SAM. We strongly 
recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to 
begin the application process through Grants.gov.
    You must submit all of your application documents electronically 
through Grants.gov. Applications must include electronic signatures. 
Original signatures may be required if funds are awarded.
    After electronically submitting an application through Grants.gov, 
you will receive an automatic acknowledgement from Grants.gov that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number.
    If you want to submit a paper application, send it to the State 
Office located in the State where you are headquartered. You can find 
State Office contact information at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices.
    Your application must also contain the following required forms and 
proposal elements:
    (a) Form SF-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance,'' to include 
your DUNS number and SAM Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) code 
and expiration date. Because there are no specific fields for a CAGE 
code and expiration date, you may identify them anywhere you want to on 
the form. If you do not include your DUNS number in your application, 
it will not be considered for funding.
    (b) Form SF-424A, ``Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs.'' 
This form must be completed and submitted as part of the application 
package.
    (c) Form SF-424B, ``Assurances--Non-Construction Programs.'' This 
form must be completed, signed, and submitted as part of the 
application package.
    (d) Form AD-3030, ``Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and 
Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants,'' if you are a 
corporation. A corporation is any entity that has filed articles of 
incorporation in one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the 
Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and the Republic 
of the Marshall Islands, or the various territories of the United 
States including American Samoa, Guam, Midway Islands, the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin 
Islands. Corporations include both for profit and non-profit entities.
    (e) You must certify that there are no current outstanding Federal 
judgments against your property and that you will not use grant funds 
to pay for any judgment obtained by the United States. You must also 
certify that you are not delinquent on the payment of Federal income 
taxes, or any Federal debt. To satisfy the Certification requirement, 
you should include this statement in your application: ``[INSERT NAME 
OF APPLICANT] certifies that the United States has not obtained an 
unsatisfied judgment against its property, is not delinquent on the 
payment of Federal income taxes, or any Federal debt, and will not use 
grant funds to pay any judgments obtained by the United States.'' A 
separate signature is not required.
    (f) Table of Contents. Your application must contain a detailed 
Table of Contents (TOC). The TOC must include page numbers for each 
part of the application. Page numbers should begin immediately 
following the TOC.
    (g) 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.
    (h) Eligibility Discussion. A detailed discussion, not to exceed 
four pages, must describe how you meet the following requirements:
    (1) Applicant Eligibility. You must describe how you meet the 
definition of a Cooperative, Group of Cooperatives, or Cooperative 
Development Center. Your application must show that your individual 
Cooperative, Group of Cooperatives or Cooperative Development Center 
serves Socially-Disadvantaged Groups and a majority of the board of 
directors or governing board is comprised of individuals who are 
members of Socially-Disadvantaged Groups. Your application must include 
a list of your board of directors/governing board and the percentage of 
board of directors/governing board that are members of Socially-
Disadvantaged Groups. NOTE: Your application will not be considered for 
funding if you fail to show that a majority of your board of directors/
governing board is comprised of individuals who are members of 
Socially-Disadvantaged Groups.
    If applying as a Cooperative or a Group of Cooperatives, you must 
verify your incorporation and status in the State that you have applied 
by providing the State's Certificate of Good Standing and your Articles 
of Incorporation. You may also submit your By-laws if they provide 
additional information not included in your Articles of Incorporation 
that will verify your status as a Cooperative or a Group of 
Cooperatives. If applying as a nonprofit corporation, you must provide 
evidence of your status as a nonprofit corporation in good standing and 
your Articles of Incorporation. If applying as an institution of higher 
education, you must qualify as an Institution of Higher Education as 
defined at 20 U.S.C. 1001. You must apply as only one type of 
applicant. The requested verification documents should be included in 
Appendix A of your application. If they are not included, your 
application will not be considered for funding.
    (2) Use of Funds. You must provide a brief discussion on how the 
proposed Project activities meet the definition of Technical Assistance 
and identify the Socially-Disadvantaged Groups that will be assisted.
    (3) Project Area. You must provide specific information that 
details the location of the Project area and explain how the area meets 
the definition of ``Rural Area.''
    (4) Grant Period. You must provide a time frame for the proposed 
Project and discuss how the Project will be completed within that time 
frame. You must have a time frame of one year or less.
    (5) Satisfactory Performance. If you have an existing SDGG and/or 
RCDG award, you must discuss the current status of the award(s).
    (6) Indirect Costs. Your negotiated indirect cost rate approval 
does not need to be included in your application, but you will be 
required to provide it if a grant is awarded. Approval for indirect 
costs that are requested in an application without an approved indirect 
cost rate agreement is at the discretion of the Agency.
    (i) Scoring Criteria. Each of the scoring criteria in this Notice 
must be addressed in narrative form, with a maximum of three pages for 
each individual scoring criterion, unless otherwise specified. Failure 
to address each scoring criteria will result in the application being 
determined ineligible.
    (j) The Agency has established annual performance evaluation 
measures to evaluate the SDGG program. You must provide estimates on 
the following performance evaluation measures as part of your 
narrative:
     Number of cooperatives assisted; and
     Number of socially disadvantaged groups assisted.
3. DUNS Number and SAM
    In order to be eligible (unless you are excepted under 2 CFR 
25.110(b), (c) or (d), you are required to:
    (a) Provide a valid DUNS number in your application, which can be 
obtained at no cost via a toll-free request line at (866) 705-5711;

[[Page 26430]]

    (b) Register in SAM before submitting your application. You may 
register in SAM at no cost at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/. 
You must provide your SAM Cage Code and expiration date or evidence 
that you have begun the SAM registration process at time of 
application, and
    (c) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current 
information at all times during which you have an active Federal award 
or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding 
agency.
    If you have not fully complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM 
requirements, the Agency may determine that the applicant is not 
qualified to receive a Federal award and the Agency may use that 
determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant. 
Please refer to Section F. 2 for additional submission requirements 
that apply to grantees selected for this program.
4. Submission Dates and Times
    Application Deadline Date: August 1, 2017.
    Explanation of Deadlines: Paper applications must be postmarked and 
mailed, shipped, or sent overnight by August 1, 2017. The Agency will 
determine whether your application is late based on the date shown on 
the postmark or shipping invoice. You may also hand carry your 
application to one of our field offices, but it must be received by 
close of business on the deadline date. If the due date falls on a 
Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday, the reporting package is due the 
next business day. Late applications are not eligible for funding and 
will not be evaluated further.
    Electronic applications must be RECEIVED by https://www.grants.gov 
by midnight Eastern Time July 25, 2017, to be eligible for funding. 
Please review the Grants.gov Web site at https://grants.gov/applicants/organization_registration.jsp for instructions on the process of 
registering your organization as soon as possible to ensure you are 
able to meet the electronic application deadline. Grants.gov will not 
accept applications submitted after the deadline.
5. Intergovernmental Review
    Executive Order (EO) 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs, is listed as applying to this program, however since this 
program is comprised of the provision of technical assistance which is 
of a non-construction nature the intergovernmental review process is 
not required.
    You are also encouraged to contact Cooperative Programs at 202-690-
1374 or cpgrants@wdc.usda.gov if you have questions about this process.
6. Funding Restrictions
    Grant funds must be used for Technical Assistance. No funds made 
available under this solicitation shall be used to:
    (a) Plan, repair, rehabilitate, acquire, or construct a building or 
facility, including a processing facility;
    (b) Purchase, rent, or install fixed equipment, including 
processing equipment;
    (c) Purchase vehicles, including boats;
    (d) Pay for the preparation of the grant application;
    (e) Pay expenses not directly related to the funded Project;
    (f) Fund political or lobbying activities;
    (g) To fund any activities considered unallowable by the applicable 
grant cost principles, including 2 CFR part 200, subpart E and the 
Federal Acquisition Regulation;
    (h) Fund architectural or engineering design work for a specific 
physical facility;
    (i) 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;
    (j) Fund research and development;
    (k) Purchase land;
    (l) Duplicate current activities or activities paid for by other 
Federal grant programs;
    (m) Pay costs of the Project incurred prior to the date of grant 
approval;
    (n) Pay for assistance to any private business enterprise that 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;
    (o) Pay any judgment or debt owed to the United States;
    (p) Pay any Operating Costs of the Cooperative, Group of 
Cooperatives, or Cooperative Development Center not directly related to 
the Project;
    (q) Pay expenses for applicant employee training or professional 
development not directly related to the Project; or
    (r) Pay for any goods or services from a person who has a Conflict 
of Interest with the grantee.
    (s) Pay for Technical Assistance provided to a Cooperative that 
does not have a membership that consists of a majority of members from 
Socially-Disadvantaged Groups.
    In addition, your application will not be considered for funding if 
it does any of the following:
     Requests more than the maximum grant amount;
     Proposes ineligible costs that equal more than 10 percent 
of total grant funds requested; or
     Proposes Participant Support Costs that equal more than 10 
percent of total grant funds requested.
    We will consider your application for funding if it includes 
ineligible costs of 10 percent or less of total grant funds requested, 
as long as it is determined eligible otherwise. However, if your 
application is successful, those ineligible costs must be removed and 
replaced with eligible costs before the Agency will make the grant 
award or the amount of the grant award will be reduced accordingly. If 
we cannot determine the percentage of ineligible costs, your 
application will not be considered for funding.
7. Other Submission Requirements
    (a) You should not submit your application in more than one format. 
You must choose whether to submit your application in hard copy or 
electronically. Applications submitted in hard copy should be mailed or 
hand-delivered to the State Office located in the State where you are 
headquartered. You can find State Office contact information at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices. To submit an application 
electronically, you must follow the instructions for this funding 
announcement at https://www.grants.gov. A password is not required to 
access the Web site.
    (b) 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 
Agency's National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulation found at 7 
CFR 1970.53(f). We have determined that this Notice does not constitute 
a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human 
environment.
    The Agency will review each grant application to determine its 
compliance with 7 CFR part 1970. The applicant may be asked to provide 
additional information or documentation to assist the Agency with this 
determination.

[[Page 26431]]

    (c) 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.

E. Application Review Information

1. Scoring Criteria
    All eligible and complete applications will be evaluated based on 
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. Evaluators will base scores only on the information 
provided or cross-referenced by page number in each individual scoring 
criterion. SDGG is a competitive program, so you will receive scores 
based on the quality of your responses. Simply addressing the criteria 
will not guarantee higher scores. The total points possible for the 
criteria are 100.
    (a) Technical Assistance (maximum score of 25 points). A panel of 
USDA employees will evaluate your application to determine your ability 
to assess the needs of and provide effective Technical Assistance to 
Socially-Disadvantaged Groups. You must discuss the:
    (1) Needs of the Socially-Disadvantaged Groups to be assisted and 
explain how those needs were determined,
    (2) Proposed Technical Assistance to be provided to the Socially-
Disadvantaged Groups; and
    (3) Expected outcomes of the proposed Technical Assistance, 
including how Socially-Disadvantaged Groups will benefit from 
participating in the Project. You will score higher on this criterion 
if you provide examples of past projects that demonstrate successful 
outcomes in identifying specific needs and providing Technical 
Assistance to Socially-Disadvantaged Groups.
    (b) Experience (maximum score of 25 points). A panel of USDA 
employees will evaluate your experience, commitment and availability 
for identified staff or consultants in providing Technical Assistance, 
as defined in this Notice. You must describe the Technical Assistance 
experience for each identified staff member or consultant, as well as 
years of experience in providing that assistance. You must also discuss 
the commitment and the availability of identified staff, consultants, 
or other professionals to be hired for the project--especially those 
who may be consulting on multiple SDGG/RCDG projects. If staff or 
consultants have not been selected at the time of application, you must 
provide specific descriptions of the qualifications required for the 
positions to be filled. In addition, resumes for each individual staff 
member or consultant must be included as an attachment in Appendix B. 
The attachments will not count toward the maximum page total. We will 
compare the described experience in this section and in the resumes to 
the work plan to determine relevance of the experience. Applications 
that do not include the attached resumes will not be considered for 
funding.
    Applications that demonstrate strong credentials, education, 
capabilities, experience and availability of Project personnel that 
will contribute to a high likelihood of Project success will receive 
more points than those that demonstrate less potential for success in 
these areas.
    Points will be awarded as follows:
    (i) 0 points will be awarded if you do not substantively address 
the criterion.
    (ii) 1-9 points will be awarded if qualifications and experience of 
some, but not all, staff is addressed and/or if necessary 
qualifications of unfilled positions are not provided.
    (iii) 10-14 points will be awarded if all project personnel are 
identified but do not demonstrate qualifications or experience relevant 
to the project.
    (iv) 15-19 will be awarded if most, but not all, key personnel 
demonstrate strong credentials and/or experience, and availability 
indicating a reasonable likelihood of success.
    (v) 20-25 points will be awarded if all personnel demonstrate 
strong, relevant credentials or experience, and availability indicating 
a high likelihood of project success.
    (c) Commitment (maximum of 10 points). A panel of USDA employees 
will evaluate your commitment to providing Technical Assistance to 
Socially-Disadvantaged Groups in Rural Areas. You must list the number 
and location of Socially-Disadvantaged Groups that will directly 
benefit from the assistance provided. You must also define and describe 
the underserved and economically distressed areas within your service 
area and provide current and relevant statistics that support your 
description of the service area. Projects located in persistent poverty 
counties as defined by USDA's Economic Research Service will score 
higher on this factor.
    (d) Work Plan/Budget (maximum of 25 points)--Six page limit. Your 
work plan must provide specific and detailed descriptions of the tasks 
and the key project personnel that will accomplish the project's goals. 
Budget will be reviewed for completeness. You must list what tasks are 
to be done, when it will be done, who will do it, and how much it will 
cost. Reviewers must be able to understand what is being proposed and 
how the grant funds will be spent. The budget must be a detailed 
breakdown of estimated costs. These costs should be allocated to each 
of the tasks to be undertaken. The amount of grant funds requested will 
be reduced if the applicant does not have justification for all costs.
    A panel of USDA employees will evaluate your work plan for detailed 
actions and an accompanying timetable for implementing the proposal. 
Clear, logical, realistic, and efficient plans that allocate costs to 
specific tasks using applicable budget object class categories provided 
on the Form SF-424A will result in a higher score. You must discuss at 
a minimum:
    (i) Specific tasks to be completed using grant funds;
    (ii) How customers will be identified;
    (iii) Key personnel; and
    (iv) The evaluation methods to be used to determine the success of 
specific tasks and overall project objectives. Please provide 
qualitative methods of evaluation. For example, evaluation methods 
should go beyond quantitative measurements of completing surveys or 
number of evaluations.
    (e) Local support (maximum of 10 points). A panel of USDA employees 
will evaluate your application for local support of the Technical 
Assistance activities. Your discussion on local support should include 
previous and/or expected local support and plans for coordinating with 
other developmental organizations in the proposed service area or with 
state and local government institutions. You will score higher if you 
demonstrate strong support from potential beneficiaries and other 
developmental organizations. You may also submit a maximum of 10 
letters of support or intent to coordinate with the application to 
verify your discussion.
    Points will be awarded as follows:
    (i) 0 points are awarded if you do not adequately address this 
criterion.
    (ii) 1-5 points are awarded if you demonstrate support from 
potential beneficiaries and other developmental organizations in your 
discussion but do not provide letters of support.
    (iii) Additional 1 point is awarded if you provide 2-3 support 
letters that show support from potential beneficiaries and/or support 
from local organizations.

[[Page 26432]]

    (iv) Additional 2 points are awarded if you provide 4-5 support 
letters that show support from potential beneficiaries and/or support 
from local organizations.
    (v) Additional 3 points are awarded if you provide 6-7 support 
letters that show support from potential beneficiaries and/or support 
from local organizations.
    (vi) Additional 4 points are awarded if you provide 8-9 support 
letters that show support from potential beneficiaries and/or support 
from local organizations.
    (vii) Additional 5 points are awarded if you provide 10 support 
letters that show support from potential beneficiaries and/or support 
from local organizations.
    You may submit a maximum of 10 letters of support. Support letters 
should come from potential beneficiaries and other local organizations. 
Letters received from Congressional members and Technical Assistance 
providers will not be included in the count of support letters 
received. Additionally, identical form letters signed by multiple 
potential beneficiaries and/or local organizations will not be included 
in the count of support letters received. Support letters should be 
included as an attachment to the application in Appendix C and will not 
count against the maximum page total. Additional letters from industry 
groups, commodity groups, Congressional members, 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.
    (f) Administrator Discretionary Points (maximum of 5 points). The 
Administrator of the Agency may choose to award up to 5 points to an 
application to improve the geographic diversity of awardees or to 
prioritize projects that provide assistance to unserved or underserved 
Rural Areas in a fiscal year.
2. Review and Selection Process
    The State Offices will review applications to determine if they are 
eligible for assistance based on requirements in this Notice, and other 
applicable Federal regulations. If determined eligible, your 
application will be scored by a panel of USDA employees in accordance 
with the point allocation specified in this Notice. The panel will 
consist of USDA employees with expertise in providing Technical 
Assistance to Socially-Disadvantaged Groups. The review panel will 
convene to reach a consensus on the scores for each of the eligible 
applications. A recommendation will be submitted to the Administrator 
to fund applications in highest ranking order. The Administrator of the 
Agency may choose to award up to 5 Administrator priority points based 
on criterion (f) in section E.1. of this Notice. These points will be 
added to the cumulative score for a total possible score of 100. 
Applications that cannot be fully funded may be offered partial funding 
at the Agency's discretion. If your application is ranked and not 
funded, it will not be carried forward into the next competition.

F. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notices
    If you are selected for funding, you will receive a signed notice 
of Federal award by postal mail, containing instructions on 
requirements necessary to proceed with execution and performance of the 
award.
    If you are not selected for funding, you will be notified in 
writing via postal mail and informed of any review and appeal rights. 
Funding of successfully appealed applications will be limited to 
available FY 2017 funding.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
    Additional requirements that apply to grantees selected for this 
program can be found in 2 CFR parts 200, 215, 400, 415, 417, 418, and 
421. All recipients of Federal financial assistance are required to 
report information about first-tier subawards and executive 
compensation (See 2 CFR part 170). You will be required to have the 
necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the Federal 
Funding Accountability and Transparency Act reporting requirements (See 
2 CFR 170.200(b), unless you are exempt under 2 CFR 170.110(b)). These 
regulations may be obtained at https://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/.
    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 AD-3031, ``Assurance Regarding Felony Conviction or 
Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants.'' Must be signed by 
corporate applicants who receive an award under this Notice.
     Form RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement.''
     SF LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,'' if 
applicable.
3. Reporting
    After grant approval and through grant completion, you will be 
required to provide the following:
    a. A SF-425, ``Federal Financial Report,'' and a project 
performance report will be required on a semiannual basis (due 30 
working days after end of the semiannual period). For the purposes of 
this grant, semiannual periods end on March 31st and September 30th. 
The project performance reports shall include the following: A 
comparison of actual accomplishments to the objectives established for 
that period;
    b. Reasons why established objectives were not met, if applicable;
    c. Reasons for any problems, delays, or adverse conditions, if any, 
which have affected or will affect attainment of overall project 
objectives, prevent meeting time schedules or objectives, or preclude 
the attainment of particular objectives during established time 
periods. This disclosure shall be accompanied by a statement of the 
action taken or planned to resolve the situation; and
    d. Objectives and timetable established for the next reporting 
period.
    e. Provide a final project and financial status report within 90 
days after the expiration or termination of the grant.
    f. Provide outcome project performance reports and final 
deliverables.

G. 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. You may also contact 
National Office staff: Susan Horst, SDGG Program Lead, 
Susan.Horst@wdc.usda.gov, or call 202-690-1374.

[[Page 26433]]

H. Other Information

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'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 https://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html 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: program.intake@usda.gov.

    Dated: May 26, 2017.
Chadwick O. Parker,
Acting Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-11739 Filed 6-6-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P