Request for Proposals: Fiscal Year 2008 Funding Opportunity for Research on the Economic Impact of Cooperatives, 49985-49990 [E8-19599]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Rural Business-Cooperative Service

[Federal Register Volume 73, Number 165 (Monday, August 25, 2008)]
[Notices]
[Pages 49985-49990]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E8-19599]



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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service


Request for Proposals: Fiscal Year 2008 Funding Opportunity for 
Research on the Economic Impact of Cooperatives

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Initial notice of request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service programs are administered 
through USDA Rural Development. USDA Rural Development announces the 
availability of $491,535 in competitive cooperative agreement funds for 
fiscal year (FY) 2008 to conduct research on the national economic 
impact of all types of cooperatives. USDA Rural Development hereby 
requests proposals from institutions of higher education interested in 
applying for a competitively awarded cooperative research agreement. 
This funding is a follow on to funding awarded in FY 2006 and FY 2007, 
the intent of which was to encourage research on the critical issue of 
the economic value of cooperatives. Funding for FY 2008 is expected to 
expand upon research undertaken with FY 2006 and FY 2007 funds.

DATES: Interested parties may submit completed applications for the 
cooperative agreement on paper or electronically according to the 
following deadlines:
    Paper copies must be received by September 19, 2008, to be eligible 
for FY 2008 funding. Electronic copies must be received by September 
19, 2008, to be eligible for FY 2008 funding. Late applications are not 
eligible for FY 2008 funding.

ADDRESSES: Applicants may obtain application forms, guides, and 
materials for the cooperative agreement at https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/
rbs/coops/reic.htm or by contacting USDA Rural Development at (202) 
720-8460, (TDD: (800) 877-8339, Federal Information Relay Service) and 
ask for the cooperative research agreement application kit.
    Submit completed paper applications for a cooperative agreement to 
USDA Rural Development's Cooperative Programs, Attn: Cooperative 
Research, Mail STOP 3250, Room 4016-South, 1400 Independence Avenue, 
SW., Washington, DC 20250-3250. The phone number that should be used 
for FedEx packages is (202) 720-7558.
    Submit electronic applications at https://www.grants.gov, following 
the instructions found on this Web site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Visit the program Web site at https://
www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/reic.htm, which contains application 
guidance, including an Application Guide and application forms. Or you 
may contact USDA Rural Development at (202) 720-8460 (TDD: (800) 877-
8339 Federal Information Relay Service).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Paperwork Reduction Act

    Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq., OMB must 
approve all ``collections of information'' by USDA Rural Development. 
The Act defines ``collection of information'' as a requirement for 
``answers to * * * identical reporting or recordkeeping requirements 
imposed on ten or more persons * * *.'' (44 U.S.C. 3502(3)(A)). Because 
the RFP is expected to receive less than 10 respondents, the Paperwork 
Reduction Act does not apply.

Overview

    Federal Agency: Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
    Funding Opportunity Title: Research on the Economic Impact of 
Cooperatives.
    Announcement Type: Initial announcement.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.778
    Dates: You may submit completed applications for the cooperative 
agreement on paper or electronically according to the following 
deadlines:
    Paper copies must be received by September 19, 2008, to be eligible 
for FY 2008 funding. Late applications are not eligible for FY 2008 
funding.
    Electronic copies must be received by September 19, 2008, to be 
eligible for FY 2008 funding. Late applications are not eligible for FY 
2008 funding.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    This solicitation is issued pursuant to the Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2008 (Pub. L. 110-161) directing funds ``for a 
cooperative research agreement with a qualified academic institution to 
conduct research on the national economic impact of all types of 
cooperatives.'' The Secretary of Agriculture has delegated the 
program's administration to USDA Rural Development.
    The primary objective of this cooperative research agreement 
program is to facilitate university research on the national economic 
impact of cooperatives. This cooperative research agreement is a 
continuation of research conducted in USDA Rural Development 
cooperative research agreements RD-06-01 and RBS-07-31. As further 
described below, data generated and results produced in cooperative 
research agreements RD-06-01 and RBS-07-31 will be accessible to the 
institution awarded this cooperative research agreement. To the extent 
that this research program will generate further data, existing Web-
based methodologies will be used to enable cooperatives to enter 
financial and other impact data on a periodic basis; apply the 
methodology to collect data updates estimates of economic impact of 
cooperatives; analyze the impact of cooperatives on local wealth 
creation and retention, and analyze the total returns to investment in 
cooperatives. Methodologies will need to account for cooperative 
organizational complexity, such as a single organization's several 
local, regional, and national locations, as well as sector differences.
    The cooperative agreement proposal must address specifically, and 
in detail sufficient to assess the effectiveness of proposed work, how 
the following deliverables will be provided:
    1. An analysis of how and the extent to which cooperatives 
facilitate the creation and retention of wealth within the local 
communities they serve. The analysis should include the identification 
of cooperative models and practices that could enhance cooperative 
contribution to local wealth creation. An estimate of cooperative 
wealth creation should be made for the U.S. and for each of the 
following four categories or classes of cooperatives:
    i. Commercial sales or marketing--includes farm supply and 
marketing, grocery and consumer goods, business-to-business, the 
emerging ethanol and biofuels related industry, and manufacturing.
    ii. Social and public services--includes housing, health care, day 
care/elder care, transportation, and educational services.
    iii. Financial services--includes credit unions, banks, and mutual 
insurance.
    iv. Utilities--includes electric, telephone, water, waste, and 
other regulated utilities.
    2. An analysis of the total returns to investment in cooperatives, 
including returns to the cooperative businesses at the enterprise level 
as well as the impact of cooperative returns and services to the 
cooperatives' members at their enterprise levels. Total returns to 
investment should be analyzed using the same classification scheme as 
describe in Deliverable 1 above.

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    3. Development of sound methodologies to utilize available and 
newly-generated data to identify and measure the economic impacts of 
cooperatives as to the following:
    i. Local and regional significance and impact analysis using 
appropriate input-output, social accounting matrix, and multiplier 
tools;
    ii. Differential economic impacts of cooperatives as compared to 
other types of organizations performing the same general functions, 
including but not limited to (a) the differential impacts of local 
ownership versus ownership from outside the region and (b) any special 
economic impacts generated by the patron-oriented characteristics of 
cooperative businesses;
    iii. Whether a non-cooperative business enterprise would exist in 
the local or regional economy if the cooperative did not exist;
    iv. Displacement or replacement of other businesses by 
cooperatives;
    v. Departure of a cooperative including a cooperative's replacement 
by another type of business; and
    vi. Impact on local, regional, and national tax generation and on 
infrastructure.
    4. Because output of the FY 2006 research will likely not be 
available before January 2009, USDA Rural Development will arrange for 
the winner of this competition to obtain updates and preliminary data 
from the University of Wisconsin, the FY 2006 and FY 2007 award 
recipient, as progress is being made on the FY 2006 and FY 2007 
research. Data available to the FY 2008 award recipient will include:
    i. number and headquarters location of cooperatives,
    ii. volume measures appropriate for each sector (revenues, dollar 
value, and other appropriate size indicators),
    iii. number of persons impacted by the cooperative (members, 
patrons, or investors), and
    iv. number of full-time equivalent jobs and other economic impact 
variables.
    v. Cooperative data will be identified using the North American 
Industry Classification System (NAICS).
    5. Economic impact analyses as described in deliverables 3 and 4 
above to be conducted on a sector basis. Sectors to be analyzed 
include:
    i. Housing,
    ii. health care,
    iii. daycare/elder care,
    iv. financial services,
    v. grocery/consumer retail,
    vi. business-to-business (wholesaling, manufacturing),
    vii. agricultural marketing (including organic and conventional),
    viii. agricultural supplies and services,
    ix. public services (including transportation and education),
    x. renewable energy, and
    xi. utilities.
    6. The population of a database for individual cooperative and 
summary data collected and additional data generated as necessary to 
obtain economic impacts as described in deliverables 3 and 4 above. The 
database is to be delivered to USDA Rural Development. USDA Rural 
Development will work with the grantee to integrate data from this 
deliverable into existing database applications.
    7. The performance of subcontracting services, oversight, and 
financial controls for the overall project.
    8. The submission of quarterly progress reports and quarterly 
financial reports to USDA Rural Development; and
    9. The preparation and submission of publishable quality written 
reports for Deliverables 1 through 5 to USDA Rural Development.
    USDA Rural Development will competitively award one cooperative 
agreement to fund the collection and analysis of data to determine the 
national economic impact of cooperatives. An institution of higher 
education may subcontract or collaborate with others on the research 
and data collection. A formal consortium of academic institutions is 
allowed.

Definitions

    The definitions at 7 CFR 3019.2 are incorporated by reference.

II. Award Information

    Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2008.
    Approximate Total Funding: $491,535.
    Approximate Number of Awards: 1.
    Approximate Average Award: $491,535.
    Floor of Award Range: None.
    Ceiling of Award Range: $491,535.
    Anticipated Award Date: September 25, 2008.
    Budget Period Length: 24 months.
    Project Period Length: 24 months.

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

    Applicants must be institutions of higher education. Proposals may 
be submitted by public or private colleges or universities, research 
foundations maintained by a college or university, or private nonprofit 
organizations funded by a group of colleges or universities.

B. Cost Sharing or Matching

    Matching funds are not required but are highly encouraged. 
Applicants must verify in their applications that matching funds are 
available for the time period of the agreement if the matching funds 
are required to complete the project. Matching funds must be provided 
by either the applicant or by a third party in the form of cash or in-
kind contributions. Matching funds must be spent on eligible expenses 
and must be from eligible sources.

C. Other Eligibility Requirements

    Indirect Cost Eligibility: Public Law 110-161, ``Consolidated 
Appropriations Act, 2008'' continues the provision which states ``No 
funds appropriated by this Act may be used to pay negotiated indirect 
cost rates on cooperative agreements or similar arrangements between 
the United States Department of Agriculture and nonprofit institutions 
in excess of 10 percent of the total direct cost of the agreement when 
the purpose of such cooperative arrangements is to carry out programs 
of mutual interest between the two parties.'' Indirect costs in excess 
of 10 percent of the direct cost, therefore, will be ineligible for 
funding.
    Activity Eligibility: A cooperative agreement reflects a 
relationship between the United States Government and an eligible 
recipient where the principal purpose of the relationship is the 
transfer of money, property, services, or anything of value to the 
eligible recipient to carry out the desired research; and substantial 
involvement is anticipated between USDA Rural Development acting for 
the United States Government and the eligible recipient during the 
performance of the research in the agreement. A cooperative agreement 
is not a grant. Therefore, the project proposed must include a 
description of USDA Rural Development's substantial participation. USDA 
Rural Development may subsequently negotiate the nature of its 
participation before the cooperative agreement is executed.
    Applicants that propose budgets that include more than 10 percent 
of total project costs that are ineligible for the program will be 
ineligible, and the application will not be considered for funding. 
However, if an application with 10 percent or less of ineligible costs 
is selected for funding, all ineligible costs must be removed from the 
project and replaced with eligible activities or the amount of the 
award will be reduced accordingly.
    Cooperative Agreement Period Eligibility: Applications that have a 
timeframe of more than 24 months will

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be considered ineligible and will not be considered for funding. 
Applications that request funds for a time period ending after 
September 30, 2010, will not be considered for funding.
    Completeness Eligibility: Applications without sufficient 
information to determine eligibility will not be considered for 
funding. Applications that are missing any required elements (in whole 
or in part) will not be considered for funding.

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Address To Request Application Package

    If you plan to apply using a paper application, you can obtain the 
application package for this funding opportunity at https://
www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/reic.htm. If you plan to apply 
electronically, you must visit https://www.grants.gov and follow the 
instructions.

B. Content and Form of Submission

    You may submit your application in paper or in an electronic 
format. You may view the Application Guide at https://
www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/reic.htm.
    If you submit your application in paper form, you must submit one 
signed original of your complete application along with two additional 
copies.
    If you submit your application electronically, you must follow the 
instructions given at https://www.grants.gov. Applicants are advised to 
visit the site well in advance of the application deadline if they plan 
to apply electronically to insure that they have obtained the proper 
authentication and have sufficient computer resources to complete the 
application.
    An application must contain all of the following elements. Any 
application that is missing any element or contains an incomplete 
element will not be considered for funding:
    1. Form SF-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance.'' In order 
for this form to be considered complete, it must contain the legal name 
of the applicant, the applicant's Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number, the applicant's complete mailing 
address, the name and telephone number of a contact person, the 
employer identification number (EIN), the start and end dates of the 
project, the Federal funds requested, other funds that will be used as 
matching funds, an answer to the question, ``Is applicant delinquent on 
any Federal debt?'', the name and signature of an authorized 
representative, the telephone number of the authorized representative, 
and the date the form was signed. Other information requested on the 
form may be applicable, but the above-listed information is required 
for an application to be considered complete.
    The DUNS number is a nine-digit identification number, which 
uniquely identifies business entities. Applicants can receive a DUNS 
number at no cost by accessing https://www.dnb.com/us/ or calling (866) 
705-5711.
    2. Form SF-424A, ``Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs.'' 
In order for this form to be considered complete, the applicant must 
fill out Sections A, B, C, and D. The applicant must include both 
Federal and any matching funds to be included.
    3. Form SF-424B, ``Assurances--Non-Construction Programs.'' In 
order for this form to be considered complete, the form must be signed 
by an authorized official and include the title, name of applicant, and 
date.
    4. Title Page. The title page must include the title of the project 
as well as any other relevant identifying information. The length 
should not exceed one page.
    5. Table of Contents. For ease of locating information, each 
proposal must contain a detailed Table of Contents immediately 
following the title page.
    6. Executive Summary. A summary of the proposal, not to exceed one 
page, must briefly describe the project, including goals, tasks to be 
completed, and other relevant information that provides a general 
overview of the project. In the event an applicant submits more than 
one page for this element, only the first page submitted will be 
considered.
    7. Eligibility Discussion. A detailed discussion, not to exceed 
four pages, will describe how the applicant meets the eligibility 
requirements. In the event that more than four pages are submitted, 
only the first four pages will be considered.
    i. Applicant Eligibility. The applicant must first describe how it 
meets the definition of an institution of higher education.
    ii. Purpose Eligibility. The applicant must describe how the 
project purpose is eligible for funding. The project purpose is 
comprised of two components. First, the applicant must describe how the 
proposed project consists of activities needed to determine the 
national economic impact of all types of cooperatives. Second, the 
applicant must demonstrate that the combined activities are sufficient 
to estimate the national economic impact of all types of cooperatives.
    8. Proposal Narrative. The narrative must include the following 
information:
    i. Project Title. The title of the proposed project must be brief, 
not to exceed 75 characters, yet describe the essentials of the 
project. It should match the project title submitted on the SF-424. The 
project title does not need to appear on a separate page. It can be 
included on the title page and/or on the information sheet.
    ii. Information Sheet. A separate one-page information sheet 
listing each of the evaluation criteria referenced in this funding 
announcement followed by the page numbers of all relevant material 
contained in the proposal that address or support each criterion.
    iii. Goals of the Project. A clear statement of the ultimate goals 
of the project must be included. There must be an explanation of how 
economic benefit will be measured.
    iv. Workplan. The narrative must contain a description of the 
project and set forth the tasks involved in reasonable detail. The 
description should specify the activity, who will perform the activity, 
during what timeframe the activity will take place, and the cost of the 
activity. Please note that one of the proposal evaluation criteria 
evaluates the workplan and budget. Applicants should only submit the 
workplan and budget once, either in this section or as part of the 
workplan/budget evaluation criterion discussion.
    v. Proposal Evaluation Criteria. Each of the proposal evaluation 
criteria referenced in this funding announcement must be addressed, 
specifically and individually, in narrative form.
    9. Certification of Judgment. Applicants must certify that the 
United States has not obtained a judgment against them. No Federal 
funds shall be used to pay a judgment obtained by the United States. It 
is suggested that applicants use the following language for the 
certification. ``[INSERT NAME OF APPLICANT] certifies that the United 
States has not obtained a judgment against it.'' A separate signature 
is not required.
    10. Verification of Matching Funds. Applicants must provide a 
budget to support the workplan showing all sources and uses of funds 
during the project period. Applicants will be required to verify any 
and all matching funds, both cash and in-kind. All proposed matching 
funds must be specifically documented in the application. If the 
matching funds are to be provided by an in-kind contribution

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from the applicant, the application must include a signed letter from 
an authorized representative of the applicant verifying the goods or 
services to be donated, when the goods and services will be donated, 
and the value of the goods or services. Applicants should note that 
only goods or services for which no expenditure is made can be 
considered in-kind. If the applicant is paying for goods and services 
as part of the matching funds contribution, the expenditure is 
considered a cash match, and should be verified as such. If the 
matching funds are to be provided by a third party in cash, the 
application must include a signed letter from that third party 
verifying how much cash will be donated and when it will be donated. 
Verification of funds donated outside the proposed time period of the 
cooperative agreement will not be accepted. If the matching funds are 
to be provided by a third party in-kind donation, the application must 
include a signed letter from the third party verifying the goods or 
services to be donated, when the goods and services will be donated, 
and the value of the goods or services. Verification of in-kind 
contributions donated outside the proposed time period of the 
cooperative agreement will not be accepted. Verification of in-kind 
contributions that are over-valued will not be accepted. The valuation 
process for the in-kind funds does not need to be included in the 
application, especially if it is lengthy, but the applicant must be 
able to demonstrate how the valuation was achieved at the time of 
notification of tentative selection for the award. If the applicant 
cannot satisfactorily demonstrate how the valuation was determined, the 
award may not be made.
    If matching funds are in cash, they must be spent on goods and 
services that are eligible expenditures for this cooperative agreement 
program. If matching funds are in-kind contributions, the donated goods 
or services must be considered eligible expenditures for this program. 
The matching funds must be spent or donated during the agreement 
period. (See 7 CFR parts 3015 and 3019 for funds use eligibility 
rules.)
    If acceptable verification for all proposed matching funds is 
missing from the application by the application deadline, the 
application will receive zero points for the Funding Match part of the 
evaluation criteria.

C. Submission Dates and Times

    Application Deadline Date: September 19, 2008.
    Explanation of Deadlines: Paper applications must be RECEIVED by 
the deadline date (see Section IV.F. for the address). Final electronic 
applications must be RECEIVED by https://www.grants.gov by the deadline 
date. If your application does not meet the deadline above, it will not 
be considered for funding. You will be notified whether or not your 
application was received on time.

D. Intergovernmental Review of Applications

    Executive Order 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs, does not apply to this program.

E. Funding Restrictions

    Funding restrictions apply to both Federal funds and matching 
funds. Funds may only be used for activities related to determining the 
economic impact of cooperatives.
    No funds made available under this solicitation shall be used to:
    1. Pay for the preparation of the cooperative agreement 
application;
    2. Pay expenses not directly related to the funded project;
    3. Fund political or lobbying activities;
    4. Fund any activities prohibited by 7 CFR parts 3015 or 3019;
    5. Duplicate current services or replace or substitute support 
previously provided;
    6. Pay costs of the project incurred prior to the date of agreement 
approval; or
    7. Pay any judgment or debt owed to the United States.

F. Other Submission Requirements

    You may submit your paper application for a cooperative agreement 
to USDA Rural Development's Cooperative Programs, Attn: Cooperative 
Research, Mail STOP 3250, Room 4016-South, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-3250. The phone number that should be used for 
FedEx packages is (202) 720-7558. You may also choose to submit your 
application electronically at https://www.grants.gov. Final applications 
may not be submitted by electronic mail, facsimile, or by hand-
delivery. Any application submission in a non-electronic format must 
contain all required documents in one envelope.

V. Application Review Information

A. Criteria

    All eligible and complete applications will be evaluated based on 
the following criteria and maximum point allowances. Failure to address 
any one of the following criteria by the application deadline will 
result in a determination of incomplete and the application will not be 
considered for funding. The total points available for the set of 
criteria are 100.
    1. Relevance of the project proposal (30 points). Proposals will be 
evaluated on how directly they address the stated objective of 
demonstrating economic impact of all types of cooperatives in the 
United States. Factors to be weighed by evaluators in scoring a 
proposal's relevance will include the:
     Definition of clear and objective measures of impact;
     Definition of specific measurement strategies for 
obtaining impact measures from each major cooperative sector and each 
category of persons impacted by cooperatives; and
     Description of sound data collection and analysis 
methodology.
    2. Quality of Workplan (30 points). The quality evaluation 
criterion will be based on whether the proposal outlines a sound plan 
of work that will meet the objectives in a timely and cost-efficient 
manner. Factors to be weighed by evaluators in scoring a proposal's 
workplan will include:
     How well the steps for carrying out the work are defined;
     The logic of the sequence of proposed steps and the 
likelihood they will achieve their intended result;
     The establishment of clear benchmarks and timetables to 
measure the progress of the project;
     The detail, accuracy, and reasonableness of the project's 
proposed budget; and
     The ability to replicate measures from the FY 2006 and FY 
2007 funding cycles.
    3. Quality of personnel and management plan (20 points). The 
quality of the management plan and the personnel involved in carrying 
out the proposed project will evaluate the capabilities of the 
individuals and institutions to implement the work plan in an effective 
manner. Factors to be weighed by evaluators in scoring a proposal's 
personnel and management plan will include the:
     Experience of project leaders and the lead institution in 
managing complex research projects;
     Demonstration of a clear understanding of business models 
and general economic development;
     Management controls, progress measurements, and reporting 
systems within a structured project management plan; and
     Experience and relevant skills of researchers, 
consultants, and

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subcontractors assigned to carry out specific roles in the project.
    4. Funding match and cooperative community support (20 points). 
Points will be awarded on the basis of the percentage match provided by 
the applicant and the level of support for the proposal from the 
cooperative community as evidenced by contribution of resources to the 
match and other indications of support.
     Up to 20 points will be awarded for matching funds 
provided by or arranged for by the applicant. Two points will be 
awarded for each 5 percent match, up to a maximum of 20 points for a 50 
percent match.

B. Review and Selection Process

    Each application will be initially reviewed by Rural Development 
personnel for eligibility and to determine whether all required 
elements are complete. A list of required elements follows:
     SF-424
     SF-424A
     SF-424B
     Title Page
     Table of Contents
     Executive Summary
     Applicant Eligibility Discussion
     Purpose Eligibility Discussion
     Project Title
     Information Sheet
     Goals of the Project
     Work Plan
     Proposal Evaluation Criterion 1
     Proposal Evaluation Criterion 2
     Proposal Evaluation Criterion 3
     Proposal Evaluation Criterion 4
     Certification of Judgment
     Verification of any Matching Funds
    Any incomplete or ineligible applications will not be further 
evaluated or considered for funding.
    All eligible and complete proposals will be evaluated by a team of 
at least three reviewers based on criteria 1 through 4 described in 
paragraph A of this section. Reviewers will represent the Rural 
Development broad mission area, and will include at least three 
employees of USDA.
    Once the scores for criteria 1 through 4 have been independently 
completed by the three reviewers, the scores will be used to rank the 
proposals. If the three reviewers rank the best proposal differently 
then, with the aid of a facilitator, the three reviewers will develop a 
consensus ranking. If the three reviewers cannot reach a consensus, two 
additional reviewers will review the proposals and be added to the 
rankings. A final ranking will be obtained based on the consensus 
rankings of the three member review panel, or, if appointed, the 
average of the five reviewers' rankings. Final award recommendation 
will be sent to the Under Secretary for Rural Development for final 
selection concurrence.
    After the award selection is made, all applicants will be notified 
of the status of their applications by mail. The awardee must meet all 
statutory and regulatory program requirements in order to receive the 
award. In the event that an awardee cannot meet the requirements, the 
award will be withdrawn.

C. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates

    Award Date: The announcement of award selection is expected to 
occur on or about September 25, 2008.

VI. Award Administration Information

A. Award Notices

    The successful applicant will receive a notification of tentative 
selection for funding from USDA Rural Development. The applicant must 
sign a mutually agreed to cooperative agreement and comply with all 
applicable statutes, regulations, and this notice before the award will 
receive final approval.
    Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification, including 
mediation procedures and appeal rights, by mail.

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

    This award is subject to 7 CFR parts 3015 and 3019. These 
regulations may be accessed at https://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/cfr-
table-search.html#page1.
    The following additional documentation requirements apply to the 
awardee selected for this program:
     Agency Approved Cooperative Agreement
     Form RD 1940-1, ``Request for Obligation of Funds''
     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 Requirements (Grants)''
     Form RD 400-1, ``Equal Opportunity Agreement''
     Form RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement''
    Additional information on these requirements can be found at http:/
/www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/reic.htm.
    Reporting Requirements: You must provide USDA Rural Development 
with an original or an electronic copy that includes all required 
signatures of the following reports. The reports should be submitted to 
the Agency contact listed on your Cooperative Agreement. Failure to 
submit satisfactory reports on time may result in suspension or 
termination of your award.
    1. Form SF-269 or SF-269A. A ``Financial Status Report,'' listing 
expenditures according to agreed upon budget categories, on a quarterly 
basis. Reporting periods end each December 31, March 31, June 30, and 
September 30. Reports are due 30 days after the reporting period ends.
    2. Quarterly performance reports that compare accomplishments to 
the objectives stated in the proposal. Identify all tasks completed to 
date and provide documentation supporting the reported results. If the 
original schedule provided in the workplan is not being met, the report 
should discuss the problems or delays that may affect completion of the 
project. Objectives for the next reporting period should be listed. 
Compliance with any special condition on the use of award funds should 
be discussed. Reporting periods end each December 31, March 31, June 
30, and September 30. Reports are due 30 days after the reporting 
period ends. Supporting documentation must also be submitted for 
completed tasks. The supporting documentation for completed tasks 
include, but are not limited to, questionnaire or interview guides, 
publications of research findings, summaries of data collected, and any 
other documentation related to how funds were spent.
    3. Final Project performance reports that compare accomplishments 
to the objectives stated in the proposal. Identify all tasks completed 
and provide documentation supporting the reported results. If the 
original schedule provided in the workplan was not met, the report must 
discuss the problems or delays that affected completion of the project. 
Compliance with any special condition on the use of award funds should 
be discussed. Supporting documentation for completed tasks must also be 
submitted. The supporting documentation for completed tasks include, 
but are not limited to, publications of research findings, summaries of 
data collected, documentation of data and software delivered to USDA 
Rural Development, and any other documentation related to how funds 
were spent. The final performance report is due within 90 days of the 
completion of the project.

[[Page 49990]]

VII. Agency Contacts

    For general questions about this announcement and for program 
technical assistance, please contact the USDA Rural Development's 
Cooperative Programs, Mail STOP 3250, Room 4016-South, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-3250, Telephone: (202) 
720-8460 (TDD: (800) 877-8339 Federal Information Relay Service), e-
mail: cpgrants@wdc.usda.gov.

VIII. Non-Discrimination Statement

    USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on 
the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where 
applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, 
religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, 
reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived 
from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to 
all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means 
for communication of program information (Braille, large print, 
audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 
(voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, 
Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202) 
720-6382 (TDD). ``USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and 
lender.''

    Dated: August 4, 2008.
Ben Anderson,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. E8-19599 Filed 8-22-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P