Inviting Applications for Rural Business Opportunity Grants, 10710-10713 [E9-5407]
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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 47 / Thursday, March 12, 2009 / Notices
Malheur National Forest, 431 Patterson
Bridge Road, P.O. Box 909, John Day,
OR 97845. The Responsible Official will
decide if the proposed project will be
implemented and will document the
decision and reasons for the decision in
a Record of Decision. That decision will
be subject to Forest Service Appeal
Regulations. The responsibility for
preparing the DEIS and FEIS has been
delegated to Brooks Smith, District
Ranger, Blue Mountain Ranger District.
Preliminary Issues
Preliminary issues identified include
the potential effect of the proposed
action on: Soils, water quality and fish
habitat, snags and down wood,
disturbance to cultural resources,
potential for noxious weed expansion,
threatened, endangered and sensitive
aquatic, terrestrial and plant species,
potential loss of economic value of trees
damaged by insects or wildfire, and the
safety and use of the area by public and
land managers.
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Scoping Process
This notice of intent initiates the
scoping process, which guides the
development of the environmental
impact statement. Public participation
will be especially important at several
points during the analysis, beginning
with the scoping process (40 CFR
1501.7). Initial scoping began with the
project listed in the 2009 Winter Edition
of the Malheur National Forest’s
Schedule of Proposed Actions. A Public
meeting has been planned for April 8,
2009 to discuss the project. Also,
correspondence with tribes, government
agencies, organizations, and individuals
who have indicated their interest will be
conducted.
It is important that reviewers provide
their comments at such times and in
such manner that they are useful to the
agency’s preparation of the
environmental impact statement.
Therefore, comments should be
provided prior to the close of the
comment period and should clearly
articulate the reviewer’s concerns and
contentions. The submission of timely
and specific comments can affect a
reviewer’s ability to participate in
subsequent administrative appeal or
judicial review.
Dated: March 6, 2009.
Doug Gochnour,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. E9–5364 Filed 3–11–09; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
National Tree-Marking Paint Committee
Meeting
Forest Service, USDA.
Notice of meeting.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
SUMMARY: The National Tree-marking
Paint Committee will meet in Chicago,
Illinois, on May 12–14, 2009. The
purpose of the meeting is to discuss
activities related to improvements in,
concerns about, and the handling and
use of tree-marking paint by personnel
of the Forest Service and the
Department of the Interior Bureau of
Land Management.
DATES: The meeting will be held May
12–14, 2009, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
the Hyatt Regency Chicago, 151 East
Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601.
Persons who wish to file written
comments before or after the meeting
must send written comments to Dave
Haston, Chairman, National Treemarking Paint Committee, Forest
Service, USDA, San Dimas Technology
and Development Center, 444 East
Bonita Avenue, San Dimas, CA 91773,
or electronically to dhaston@fs.fed.us.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dave Haston, Sr. Project Leader, San
Dimas Technology and Development
Center, Forest Service, USDA, (909)
599–1267, extension 294 or
dhaston@fs.fed.us.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
National Tree-marking Paint Committee
comprises representatives from the
Forest Service National Headquarters,
each of the nine Forest Service regions,
the Forest Products Laboratory, the
Forest Service San Dimas Technology
and Development Center, and the
Bureau of Land Management. The
General Services Administration and
the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health are ad hoc members
and provide technical advice to the
committee.
A field trip will be held on May 12
and is designed to supplement
information related to tree-marking
paint. This year the National Treemarking Paint Committee will conduct
a security inspection of the paint
manufacturer and therefore the field trip
is only open to committee members.
The main session of the meeting,
which is open to public attendance, will
be held on May 13–14.
Closed Sessions
While certain segments of this
meeting are open to the public, there
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will be two closed sessions during the
meeting. The first closed session is
planned for approximately 10 a.m. to 12
p.m. on May 13, 2009. This session is
reserved for individual paint
manufacturers to present products and
information about tree-marking paint for
consideration in future testing and use
by the agency. Paint manufacturers also
may provide comments on tree-marking
paint specifications or other
requirements. This portion of the
meeting is open only to paint
manufacturers, the Committee, and
Committee staff to ensure that trade
secrets will not be disclosed to other
paint manufacturers or to the public.
Paint manufacturers wishing to make
presentations to the Tree-marking Paint
Committee during the closed session
should contact the Committee
chairperson at the telephone number
listed at FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT in this notice. The second
closed session is planned for
approximately 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on May
14, 2009. This session is reserved for
Steering Committee members only.
Any person with special access needs
should contact the Chairperson to make
those accommodations. Space for
individuals who are not members of the
National Tree-marking Paint Committee
is limited and will be available to the
public on a first-come, first-served basis.
Dated: March 6, 2009.
Richard W. Sowa,
Acting Associate Deputy Chief, National
Forest System.
[FR Doc. E9–5341 Filed 3–11–09; 8:45 am]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Inviting Applications for Rural
Business Opportunity Grants
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative
Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: The Rural BusinessCooperative Service (RBS), an Agency
within the Rural Development mission
area, announces the availability of
grants of up to $50,000 per application
from the Rural Business Opportunity
Grant (RBOG) program for fiscal year
(FY) 2009, to be competitively awarded.
For multi-state projects, grant funds of
up to $150,000 will be available on a
competitive basis. These limits do not
apply to specific funding for certain
specifically designated rural areas as
discussed below. This notice is being
issued prior to passage of a final
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Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 47 / Thursday, March 12, 2009 / Notices
appropriations bill, which may or may
not provide funding for this program, to
allow applicants sufficient time to apply
for and obtain leverage financing,
submit applications, and give the
Agency time to process applications
within the current fiscal year. The
Agency will publish a subsequent notice
identifying the amount received in the
appropriations, if any. Expenses
incurred in developing applications will
be at the applicant’s risk.
The deadline for the receipt of
applications in the Rural Development
State Office is March 31, 2009. The
RBOG appropriation for FY 2009 may
provide specific funding for rural areas
designated: Federally Recognized Native
American Tribes’ (FRNAT),
Empowerment Zones, Enterprise
Communities, and Rural Economic Area
Partnerships, and these applications
must also be received in the Rural
Development State Office by March 31,
2009. The Agency reserves the right to
extend this application deadline. Any
applications received at a Rural
Development State Office after these
dates for this type of assistance will not
be considered for FY 2009 funding.
DATES:
Entities wishing to apply for
assistance should contact a Rural
Development State Office for further
information and copies of the
application package. Submit
applications to the USDA Rural
Development State Office in the state
where your project is located. A list of
the USDA Rural Development State
Office addresses and telephone numbers
are as follows:
ADDRESSES:
District of Columbia
USDA Rural Development, Specialty Lenders
Division, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Room 6867, STOP 3225, Washington, DC
20250–3225, (202) 720–1400.
A list of Rural Development State Offices
follows:
Alabama
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Sterling Centre, Suite 601, 4121
Carmichael Road, Montgomery, AL 36106–
3683, (334) 279–3400/TDD (334) 279–3495.
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Alaska
USDA Rural Development State Office, 800
West Evergreen, Suite 201, Palmer, AK
99645–6539, (907) 761–7705/TDD (907)
761–8905.
Arizona
USDA Rural Development State Office, 230
N. 1st Ave., Suite 206, Phoenix, AZ 85003,
(602) 280–8701/TDD (602) 280–8705.
Arkansas
USDA Rural Development State Office, 700
West Capitol Avenue, Room 3416, Little
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Rock, AR 72201–3225, (501) 301–3200/
TDD (501) 301–3279.
California
USDA Rural Development State Office, 430 G
Street, # 4169, Davis, CA 95616–4169,
(530) 792–5800/TDD (530) 792–5848.
Colorado
USDA Rural Development State Office, 655
Parfet Street, Room E–100, Lakewood, CO
80215, (720) 544–2903/TDD (720) 544–
2976.
Delaware-Maryland
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1221
College Park Drive, Suite 200, Dover, DE
19904, (302) 857–3580/TDD (302) 857–
3585.
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Maine
USDA Rural Development State Office, 967
Illinois Avenue, Suite 4, P.O. Box 405,
Bangor, ME 04402–0405, (207) 990–9160/
TDD (207) 942–7331.
Massachusetts/Rhode Island/Connecticut
USDA Rural Development State Office, 451
West Street, Suite 2, Amherst, MA 01002–
2999, (413) 253–4300/TDD (413) 253–4590.
Michigan
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3001
Coolidge Road, Suite 200, East Lansing, MI
48823, (517) 324–5190/TDD (517) 324–
5169.
Minnesota
Florida/Virgin Islands
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4440
NW 25th Place, P.O. Box 147010,
Gainesville, FL 32614–7010, (352) 338–
3400/TDD (352) 338–3499.
USDA Rural Development State Office, 375
Jackson Street, Suite 410, St. Paul, MN
55101–1853, (651) 602–7800/TDD (651)
602–3799.
Georgia
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Stephens Federal Building, 355 E. Hancock
Avenue, Athens, GA 30601–2768, (706)
546–2162/TDD (706) 546–2034.
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Federal Building, Suite 831, 100 West
Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39269, (601)
965–4316/TDD (601) 965–5850.
Hawaii
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Federal Building, Room 311, 154
Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720, (808)
933–8380/TDD (808) 933–8321.
USDA Rural Development State Office, 601
Business Loop 70 West, Parkade Center,
Suite 235, Columbia, MO 65203, (573)
876–0976/TDD (573) 876–9480.
Idaho
USDA Rural Development State Office, 9173
West Barnes Drive, Suite A1, Boise, ID
83709, (208) 378–5600/TDD (208) 378–
5644.
USDA Rural Development State Office, 900
Technology Boulevard, Suite B, P.O. Box
850, Bozeman, MT 59771, (406) 585–2580/
TDD (406) 585–2562.
Illinois
USDA Rural Development State Office, 2118
West Park Court, Suite A, Champaign, IL
61821, (217) 403–6200/TDD (217) 403–
6240.
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Federal Building, Room 152, 100
Centennial Mall North, Lincoln, NE 68508,
(402) 437–5551/TDD (402) 437–5093.
Indiana
USDA Rural Development State Office, 5975
Lakeside Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN
46278, (317) 290–3100/TDD (317) 290–
3343.
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1390
South Curry Street, Carson City, NV
89703–5146, (775) 887–1222/TDD (775)
885–0633.
Iowa
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Federal Building, Room 873, 210 Walnut
Street, Des Moines, IA 50309, (515) 284–
4663/TDD (515) 284–4858.
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Jersey
USDA Rural Development State Office, 8000
Midlantic Drive, 5th Floor North, Suite
500, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054, (856) 787–7700/
TDD (856) 787–7784.
Kansas
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1303
S.W. First American Place, Suite 100,
Topeka, KS 66604–4040, (785) 271–2700/
TDD (785) 271–2767.
New Mexico
Kentucky
USDA Rural Development State Office, 771
Corporate Drive, Suite 200, Lexington, KY
40503, (859) 224–7300/TDD (859) 224–
7422.
New York
Louisiana
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3727
Government Street, Alexandria, LA 71302,
(318) 473–7921/TDD (318) 473–7655.
North Carolina
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USDA Rural Development State Office, 6200
Jefferson Street, NE., Room 255,
Albuquerque, NM 87109, (505) 761–4950/
TDD (505) 761–4938.
USDA Rural Development State Office, The
Galleries of Syracuse, 441 South Salina
Street, Suite 357, Syracuse, NY 13202–
2541, (315) 477–6400/TDD (315) 477–6447.
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4405
Bland Road, Suite 260, Raleigh, NC 27609,
(919) 873–2000/TDD (919) 873–2003.
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North Dakota
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Federal Building, Room 208, 220 East
Rosser, P.O. Box 1737, Bismarck, ND
58502–1737, (701) 530–2037/TDD (701)
530–2113.
Washington
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1835
Black Lake Boulevard SW., Suite B,
Olympia, WA 98512–5715, (360) 704–
7740/TDD (360) 704–7760.
West Virginia
USDA Rural Development State Office, 75
High Street, Room 320, Morgantown, WV
26505–7500, (304) 284–4860/TDD (304)
284–4836.
Ohio
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Federal Building, Room 507, 200 North
High Street, Columbus, OH 43215–2418,
(614) 255–2400/TDD (614) 255–2554.
Oklahoma
USDA Rural Development State Office, 100
USDA, Suite 108, Stillwater, OK 74074–
2654, (405) 742–1000/TDD (405) 742–1007.
Oregon
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1201
NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 801, Portland, OR
97232, (503) 414–3300/TDD (503) 414–
3387.
Pennsylvania
USDA Rural Development State Office, One
Credit Union Place, Suite 330, Harrisburg,
PA 17110–2996, (717) 237–2299/TDD (717)
237–2261.
Puerto Rico
USDA Rural Development State Office, IBM
Building, Suite 601, 654 Munos Rivera
Avenue, San Juan, PR 00918–6106, (787)
766–5095/TDD (787) 766–5332.
South Carolina
USDA Rural Development State Office, Strom
Thurmond Federal Building, 1835
Assembly Street, Room 1007, Columbia, SC
29201, (803) 765–5163/TDD (803) 765–
5697.
South Dakota
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Federal Building, Room 210, 200 Fourth
Street, SW., Huron, SD 57350, (605) 352–
1100/TDD (605) 352–1147.
Tennessee
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3322
West End Avenue, Suite 300, Nashville,
TN 37203–1084, (615) 783–1300.
Texas
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Federal Building, Suite 102, 101 South
Main, Temple, TX 76501, (254) 742–9700/
TDD (254) 742–9712.
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Utah
USDA Rural Development State Office,
Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, 125
South State Street, Room 4311, Salt Lake
City, UT 84138, (801) 524–4320/TDD (801)
524–3309.
Vermont/New Hampshire
USDA Rural Development State Office, City
Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main Street,
Montpelier, VT 05602, (802) 828–6000/
TDD (802) 223–6365.
Virginia
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1606
Santa Rosa Road, Suite 238, Richmond, VA
23229–5014, (804) 287–1550/TDD (804)
287–1753.
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Wisconsin
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4949
Kirschling Court, Stevens Point, WI 54481,
(715) 345–7600/TDD (715) 345–7614.
Wyoming
USDA Rural Development State Office, 100
East B, Federal Building, Room 1005, P.O.
Box 11005, Casper, WY 82602–5006, (307)
233–6700/TDD (307) 233–6733.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Agency: Rural BusinessCooperative Service (RBS).
Funding Opportunity Type: Rural
Business Opportunity Grants.
Announcement Type: Initial
Solicitation Announcement.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Number: 10.773.
Dates: Application Deadline:
Completed applications for these funds
must be received in the Rural
Development State Office no later than
March 31, 2009, to be eligible for FY
2009 grant funding. Applications
received after this date will not be
eligible for FY 2009 grant funding.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
The RBOG program is authorized
under section 306(a)(11) of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (CONACT) (7 U.S.C.
1926(a)(11)). The Rural Development
State Offices administer the RBOG
program on behalf of USDA Rural
Development at the State level. The
primary objective of the program is to
improve the economic conditions of
rural areas. Assistance provided to rural
areas under this program may include
technical assistance for business
development and economic
development planning. To ensure that a
broad range of communities have the
opportunity to benefit from the program,
no grant will exceed $50,000, unless it
is a multi-State project where funds may
not exceed $150,000. As indicated in
the summary, these limits do not apply
to specified funding for rural areas
designated: FRNAT’s, Empowerment
Zones, Enterprise Communities, and
Rural Economic Area Partnerships.
Awards are made on a competitive
basis using specific selection criteria
contained in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart
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G. Information required to be in the
application package include an SF–424,
‘‘Application for Federal Assistance;’’
applicant’s organizational documents;
Scope of Work Narrative; Income Sheet;
Balance Sheet or current audit if
available; AD–1047, ‘‘Certification
Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and
Other Responsibility Matters—Primary
Covered Transactions;’’ AD–1048,
‘‘Certification Regarding Debarment,
Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary
Exclusion—Lower Tier Covered
Transactions;’’ AD–1049, ‘‘Certification
Regarding Drug-Free Workplace
Requirements;’’ Restrictions on
Lobbying, RD 400–1, ‘‘Equal
Opportunity Agreement;’’ and RD 400–
4, ‘‘Assurance Agreement.’’ See 7 CFR
4284.639 for additional application
requirements. Information required to
be in the application package are
contained in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart
G. The State Director may assign up to
15 discretionary points to an
application, and the Agency
Administrator may assign up to 20
additional discretionary points for
projects funded from the National Office
reserve. Discretionary points awarded
by the State Director or Administrator
must be based on geographic
distribution of funds, special
importance for implementation of a
strategic plan in partnership with other
organizations, or extraordinary potential
for success due to superior project plans
or qualifications of the grantee. To
ensure the equitable distribution of
funds, a maximum of two projects from
each State that score the greatest
number of points based on the selection
criteria and discretionary points will be
considered by the National Office for
funding. Applications will be
tentatively scored by the State Offices
and submitted to the National Office for
final review and selection.
The National Office will review the
scores based on the grant selection
criteria and weights contained in 7 CFR
part 4284, subpart G. All applicants will
be notified by USDA Rural Development
of the Agency’s decision on the awards.
Definitions
The definitions are published at 7
CFR 4284.603.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Grant.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2009.
Total Funding: To be determined by
appropriations bill, if any.
Approximate Number of Awards: To
be determined by amount received in
appropriations bill, if any.
Maximum Award: $50,000 (except as
otherwise specifically provided herein).
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Anticipated Award Date: June 30,
2009.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Grants may be made to public bodies,
nonprofit corporations, Indian tribes on
Federal or State reservations and other
federally recognized tribal groups, and
cooperatives with members that are
primarily rural residents and that
conduct activities for the mutual benefit
of the members.
B. Cost Sharing or Matching
Matching funds are not required.
C. Other Eligibility Requirements
Applications will only be accepted for
projects to assist in promoting
sustainable economic development in
rural communities.
D. Completeness Eligibility
Applications will not be considered
for funding if they do not provide
sufficient information to determine
eligibility or are missing required
elements.
IV. Fiscal Year 2009 Application and
Submission Information
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A. Address To Request Application
Package
For further information, entities
wishing to apply for assistance should
contact the Rural Development State
Office identified in this notice to obtain
copies of the application package.
Applicants are encouraged to submit
applications through the Grants.gov
Web site at: https://www.grants.gov.
Applications may be submitted in either
electronic or paper format. Users of
Grants.gov will be able to download a
copy of the application package,
complete it offline, and then upload and
submit the application via the
Grants.gov Web site. Applications may
not be submitted by electronic mail.
• 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. USDA Rural Development
strongly recommends that you do not
wait until the application deadline date
to begin the application process through
Grants.gov. Applicants must have a Dun
and Bradstreet Data Universal
Numbering System (DUNS) number
which can be obtained at no cost via a
toll-free request line at 1–866–705–
5711.
• You may submit all documents
electronically through the Web site,
including all information typically
included on the application for RBOGs
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and all necessary assurances and
certifications.
• After electronically submitting an
application through the Web site, the
applicant will receive an automatic
acknowledgment from Grants.gov that
contains a Grants.gov tracking number.
• USDA Rural Development may
request that the applicant provide
original signatures on forms at a later
date.
• If applicants experience technical
difficulties on the closing date and are
unable to meet the deadline, you may
submit a paper copy of your application
to your respective Rural Development
State Office. Paper applications
submitted to a Rural Development State
Office must meet the closing date and
local time deadline.
Please note that applicants must
locate the downloadable application
package for this program by the Catalog
of Federal Domestic Assistance Number
or FedGrants Funding Opportunity
Number, which can be found at https://
www.fedgrants.gov.
In accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, the information
collection requirement contained in this
Notice is approved by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) under
OMB Control Number 0570–0024.
B. Content and Form of Submission
An application must contain all of the
required elements. Each application
received in a Rural Development State
Office will be reviewed to determine if
it is consistent with the eligible
purposes contained in section 306 of the
CONACT. Each selection priority
criterion outlined in 7 CFR 4284.639,
must be addressed in the application.
Failure to address any of the criteria
will result in a zero-point score for that
criterion and will impact the overall
evaluation of the application. Copies of
7 CFR part 4284, subpart G, will be
provided to any interested applicant
making a request to a Rural
Development State Office listed in this
notice, or can be obtained at the Rural
Development Web link: https://
www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/
regs_toc.html.
C. Submission Dates and Times
Application Deadline date: March 31,
2009.
Explanation of Deadlines:
Applications for funds must be in the
Rural Development State Office by the
deadline date.
V. Application Review Information
The National Office will score
applications based on the grant
selection criteria and weights contained
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in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart G and will
select a grantee subject to the grantee’s
satisfactory submission of the additional
items required by 7 CFR part 4284,
subpart G and the RBS Letter of
Conditions.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
Successful applicants will receive
notification for funding from the Rural
Development State Office. Applicants
must comply with all applicable statutes
and regulations before the grant award
will be approved. Unsuccessful
applications will receive notification by
mail.
B. Administrative and National Policy
Requirements
Additional requirements that apply to
grantees selected for this program can be
found in the 7 CFR part 4284, subpart
G.
VII. Agency Contacts
For general questions about this
announcement, please contact your
USDA Rural Development State Office
identified in this notice.
Nondiscrimination Statement
‘‘The U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) prohibits discrimination in all
its programs and activities on the basis
of race, color, national origin, age,
disability, and where applicable, sex,
marital status, familial status, parental
status, religion, sexual orientation,
genetic information, political beliefs,
reprisal, or because all or part of an
individual’s income is derived from any
public assistance program. (Not all
prohibited bases apply to all programs.)
Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means for communication of
program information (Braille, large
print, audiotape, etc.) should contact
USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720–
2600 (voice and TDD).
To file a complaint of discrimination,
write to USDA, Director, Office of
Adjudication and Compliance, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, D.C. 20250–9410, or call
(800) 795–3272 (voice), or (202) 720–
6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal
opportunity provider, employer, and
lender.’’
Dated: March 4, 2009.
Pat Fiala,
Acting Administrator, Rural BusinessCooperative Service.
[FR Doc. E9–5407 Filed 3–11–09; 8:45 am]
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 47 (Thursday, March 12, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10710-10713]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-5407]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Inviting Applications for Rural Business Opportunity Grants
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), an Agency within
the Rural Development mission area, announces the availability of
grants of up to $50,000 per application from the Rural Business
Opportunity Grant (RBOG) program for fiscal year (FY) 2009, to be
competitively awarded. For multi-state projects, grant funds of up to
$150,000 will be available on a competitive basis. These limits do not
apply to specific funding for certain specifically designated rural
areas as discussed below. This notice is being issued prior to passage
of a final
[[Page 10711]]
appropriations bill, which may or may not provide funding for this
program, to allow applicants sufficient time to apply for and obtain
leverage financing, submit applications, and give the Agency time to
process applications within the current fiscal year. The Agency will
publish a subsequent notice identifying the amount received in the
appropriations, if any. Expenses incurred in developing applications
will be at the applicant's risk.
DATES: The deadline for the receipt of applications in the Rural
Development State Office is March 31, 2009. The RBOG appropriation for
FY 2009 may provide specific funding for rural areas designated:
Federally Recognized Native American Tribes' (FRNAT), Empowerment
Zones, Enterprise Communities, and Rural Economic Area Partnerships,
and these applications must also be received in the Rural Development
State Office by March 31, 2009. The Agency reserves the right to extend
this application deadline. Any applications received at a Rural
Development State Office after these dates for this type of assistance
will not be considered for FY 2009 funding.
ADDRESSES: Entities wishing to apply for assistance should contact a
Rural Development State Office for further information and copies of
the application package. Submit applications to the USDA Rural
Development State Office in the state where your project is located. A
list of the USDA Rural Development State Office addresses and telephone
numbers are as follows:
District of Columbia
USDA Rural Development, Specialty Lenders Division, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., Room 6867, STOP 3225, Washington, DC
20250-3225, (202) 720-1400.
A list of Rural Development State Offices follows:
Alabama
USDA Rural Development State Office, Sterling Centre, Suite 601,
4121 Carmichael Road, Montgomery, AL 36106-3683, (334) 279-3400/TDD
(334) 279-3495.
Alaska
USDA Rural Development State Office, 800 West Evergreen, Suite 201,
Palmer, AK 99645-6539, (907) 761-7705/TDD (907) 761-8905.
Arizona
USDA Rural Development State Office, 230 N. 1st Ave., Suite 206,
Phoenix, AZ 85003, (602) 280-8701/TDD (602) 280-8705.
Arkansas
USDA Rural Development State Office, 700 West Capitol Avenue, Room
3416, Little Rock, AR 72201-3225, (501) 301-3200/TDD (501) 301-3279.
California
USDA Rural Development State Office, 430 G Street, 4169,
Davis, CA 95616-4169, (530) 792-5800/TDD (530) 792-5848.
Colorado
USDA Rural Development State Office, 655 Parfet Street, Room E-100,
Lakewood, CO 80215, (720) 544-2903/TDD (720) 544-2976.
Delaware-Maryland
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1221 College Park Drive, Suite
200, Dover, DE 19904, (302) 857-3580/TDD (302) 857-3585.
Florida/Virgin Islands
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4440 NW 25th Place, P.O. Box
147010, Gainesville, FL 32614-7010, (352) 338-3400/TDD (352) 338-
3499.
Georgia
USDA Rural Development State Office, Stephens Federal Building, 355
E. Hancock Avenue, Athens, GA 30601-2768, (706) 546-2162/TDD (706)
546-2034.
Hawaii
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 311, 154
Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720, (808) 933-8380/TDD (808) 933-
8321.
Idaho
USDA Rural Development State Office, 9173 West Barnes Drive, Suite
A1, Boise, ID 83709, (208) 378-5600/TDD (208) 378-5644.
Illinois
USDA Rural Development State Office, 2118 West Park Court, Suite A,
Champaign, IL 61821, (217) 403-6200/TDD (217) 403-6240.
Indiana
USDA Rural Development State Office, 5975 Lakeside Boulevard,
Indianapolis, IN 46278, (317) 290-3100/TDD (317) 290-3343.
Iowa
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 873, 210
Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50309, (515) 284-4663/TDD (515) 284-
4858.
Kansas
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1303 S.W. First American Place,
Suite 100, Topeka, KS 66604-4040, (785) 271-2700/TDD (785) 271-2767.
Kentucky
USDA Rural Development State Office, 771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200,
Lexington, KY 40503, (859) 224-7300/TDD (859) 224-7422.
Louisiana
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3727 Government Street,
Alexandria, LA 71302, (318) 473-7921/TDD (318) 473-7655.
Maine
USDA Rural Development State Office, 967 Illinois Avenue, Suite 4,
P.O. Box 405, Bangor, ME 04402-0405, (207) 990-9160/TDD (207) 942-
7331.
Massachusetts/Rhode Island/Connecticut
USDA Rural Development State Office, 451 West Street, Suite 2,
Amherst, MA 01002-2999, (413) 253-4300/TDD (413) 253-4590.
Michigan
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 200,
East Lansing, MI 48823, (517) 324-5190/TDD (517) 324-5169.
Minnesota
USDA Rural Development State Office, 375 Jackson Street, Suite 410,
St. Paul, MN 55101-1853, (651) 602-7800/TDD (651) 602-3799.
Mississippi
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Suite 831,
100 West Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39269, (601) 965-4316/TDD (601)
965-5850.
Missouri
USDA Rural Development State Office, 601 Business Loop 70 West,
Parkade Center, Suite 235, Columbia, MO 65203, (573) 876-0976/TDD
(573) 876-9480.
Montana
USDA Rural Development State Office, 900 Technology Boulevard, Suite
B, P.O. Box 850, Bozeman, MT 59771, (406) 585-2580/TDD (406) 585-
2562.
Nebraska
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 152, 100
Centennial Mall North, Lincoln, NE 68508, (402) 437-5551/TDD (402)
437-5093.
Nevada
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1390 South Curry Street, Carson
City, NV 89703-5146, (775) 887-1222/TDD (775) 885-0633.
New Jersey
USDA Rural Development State Office, 8000 Midlantic Drive, 5th Floor
North, Suite 500, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054, (856) 787-7700/TDD (856)
787-7784.
New Mexico
USDA Rural Development State Office, 6200 Jefferson Street, NE.,
Room 255, Albuquerque, NM 87109, (505) 761-4950/TDD (505) 761-4938.
New York
USDA Rural Development State Office, The Galleries of Syracuse, 441
South Salina Street, Suite 357, Syracuse, NY 13202-2541, (315) 477-
6400/TDD (315) 477-6447.
North Carolina
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4405 Bland Road, Suite 260,
Raleigh, NC 27609, (919) 873-2000/TDD (919) 873-2003.
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North Dakota
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 208, 220
East Rosser, P.O. Box 1737, Bismarck, ND 58502-1737, (701) 530-2037/
TDD (701) 530-2113.
Ohio
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 507, 200
North High Street, Columbus, OH 43215-2418, (614) 255-2400/TDD (614)
255-2554.
Oklahoma
USDA Rural Development State Office, 100 USDA, Suite 108,
Stillwater, OK 74074-2654, (405) 742-1000/TDD (405) 742-1007.
Oregon
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 801,
Portland, OR 97232, (503) 414-3300/TDD (503) 414-3387.
Pennsylvania
USDA Rural Development State Office, One Credit Union Place, Suite
330, Harrisburg, PA 17110-2996, (717) 237-2299/TDD (717) 237-2261.
Puerto Rico
USDA Rural Development State Office, IBM Building, Suite 601, 654
Munos Rivera Avenue, San Juan, PR 00918-6106, (787) 766-5095/TDD
(787) 766-5332.
South Carolina
USDA Rural Development State Office, Strom Thurmond Federal
Building, 1835 Assembly Street, Room 1007, Columbia, SC 29201, (803)
765-5163/TDD (803) 765-5697.
South Dakota
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 210, 200
Fourth Street, SW., Huron, SD 57350, (605) 352-1100/TDD (605) 352-
1147.
Tennessee
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3322 West End Avenue, Suite
300, Nashville, TN 37203-1084, (615) 783-1300.
Texas
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Suite 102,
101 South Main, Temple, TX 76501, (254) 742-9700/TDD (254) 742-9712.
Utah
USDA Rural Development State Office, Wallace F. Bennett Federal
Building, 125 South State Street, Room 4311, Salt Lake City, UT
84138, (801) 524-4320/TDD (801) 524-3309.
Vermont/New Hampshire
USDA Rural Development State Office, City Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main
Street, Montpelier, VT 05602, (802) 828-6000/TDD (802) 223-6365.
Virginia
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1606 Santa Rosa Road, Suite
238, Richmond, VA 23229-5014, (804) 287-1550/TDD (804) 287-1753.
Washington
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1835 Black Lake Boulevard SW.,
Suite B, Olympia, WA 98512-5715, (360) 704-7740/TDD (360) 704-7760.
West Virginia
USDA Rural Development State Office, 75 High Street, Room 320,
Morgantown, WV 26505-7500, (304) 284-4860/TDD (304) 284-4836.
Wisconsin
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4949 Kirschling Court, Stevens
Point, WI 54481, (715) 345-7600/TDD (715) 345-7614.
Wyoming
USDA Rural Development State Office, 100 East B, Federal Building,
Room 1005, P.O. Box 11005, Casper, WY 82602-5006, (307) 233-6700/TDD
(307) 233-6733.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Agency: Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS).
Funding Opportunity Type: Rural Business Opportunity Grants.
Announcement Type: Initial Solicitation Announcement.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.773.
Dates: Application Deadline: Completed applications for these funds
must be received in the Rural Development State Office no later than
March 31, 2009, to be eligible for FY 2009 grant funding. Applications
received after this date will not be eligible for FY 2009 grant
funding.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
The RBOG program is authorized under section 306(a)(11) of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (CONACT) (7 U.S.C.
1926(a)(11)). The Rural Development State Offices administer the RBOG
program on behalf of USDA Rural Development at the State level. The
primary objective of the program is to improve the economic conditions
of rural areas. Assistance provided to rural areas under this program
may include technical assistance for business development and economic
development planning. To ensure that a broad range of communities have
the opportunity to benefit from the program, no grant will exceed
$50,000, unless it is a multi-State project where funds may not exceed
$150,000. As indicated in the summary, these limits do not apply to
specified funding for rural areas designated: FRNAT's, Empowerment
Zones, Enterprise Communities, and Rural Economic Area Partnerships.
Awards are made on a competitive basis using specific selection
criteria contained in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart G. Information required
to be in the application package include an SF-424, ``Application for
Federal Assistance;'' applicant's organizational documents; Scope of
Work Narrative; Income Sheet; Balance Sheet or current audit if
available; AD-1047, ``Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension,
and Other Responsibility Matters--Primary Covered Transactions;'' AD-
1048, ``Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility
and Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered Transactions;'' AD-1049,
``Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements;''
Restrictions on Lobbying, RD 400-1, ``Equal Opportunity Agreement;''
and RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement.'' See 7 CFR 4284.639 for
additional application requirements. Information required to be in the
application package are contained in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart G. The
State Director may assign up to 15 discretionary points to an
application, and the Agency Administrator may assign up to 20
additional discretionary points for projects funded from the National
Office reserve. Discretionary points awarded by the State Director or
Administrator must be based on geographic distribution of funds,
special importance for implementation of a strategic plan in
partnership with other organizations, or extraordinary potential for
success due to superior project plans or qualifications of the grantee.
To ensure the equitable distribution of funds, a maximum of two
projects from each State that score the greatest number of points based
on the selection criteria and discretionary points will be considered
by the National Office for funding. Applications will be tentatively
scored by the State Offices and submitted to the National Office for
final review and selection.
The National Office will review the scores based on the grant
selection criteria and weights contained in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart G.
All applicants will be notified by USDA Rural Development of the
Agency's decision on the awards.
Definitions
The definitions are published at 7 CFR 4284.603.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Grant.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2009.
Total Funding: To be determined by appropriations bill, if any.
Approximate Number of Awards: To be determined by amount received
in appropriations bill, if any.
Maximum Award: $50,000 (except as otherwise specifically provided
herein).
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Anticipated Award Date: June 30, 2009.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Grants may be made to public bodies, nonprofit corporations, Indian
tribes on Federal or State reservations and other federally recognized
tribal groups, and cooperatives with members that are primarily rural
residents and that conduct activities for the mutual benefit of the
members.
B. Cost Sharing or Matching
Matching funds are not required.
C. Other Eligibility Requirements
Applications will only be accepted for projects to assist in
promoting sustainable economic development in rural communities.
D. Completeness Eligibility
Applications will not be considered for funding if they do not
provide sufficient information to determine eligibility or are missing
required elements.
IV. Fiscal Year 2009 Application and Submission Information
A. Address To Request Application Package
For further information, entities wishing to apply for assistance
should contact the Rural Development State Office identified in this
notice to obtain copies of the application package.
Applicants are encouraged to submit applications through the
Grants.gov Web site at: https://www.grants.gov. Applications may be
submitted in either electronic or paper format. Users of Grants.gov
will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it
offline, and then upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov
Web site. Applications may not be submitted by electronic mail.
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. USDA Rural Development strongly
recommends that you do not wait until the application deadline date to
begin the application process through Grants.gov. Applicants must have
a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number
which can be obtained at no cost via a toll-free request line at 1-866-
705-5711.
You may submit all documents electronically through the
Web site, including all information typically included on the
application for RBOGs and all necessary assurances and certifications.
After electronically submitting an application through the
Web site, the applicant will receive an automatic acknowledgment from
Grants.gov that contains a Grants.gov tracking number.
USDA Rural Development may request that the applicant
provide original signatures on forms at a later date.
If applicants experience technical difficulties on the
closing date and are unable to meet the deadline, you may submit a
paper copy of your application to your respective Rural Development
State Office. Paper applications submitted to a Rural Development State
Office must meet the closing date and local time deadline.
Please note that applicants must locate the downloadable
application package for this program by the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Number or FedGrants Funding Opportunity Number, which can be
found at https://www.fedgrants.gov.
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
information collection requirement contained in this Notice is approved
by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control Number
0570-0024.
B. Content and Form of Submission
An application must contain all of the required elements. Each
application received in a Rural Development State Office will be
reviewed to determine if it is consistent with the eligible purposes
contained in section 306 of the CONACT. Each selection priority
criterion outlined in 7 CFR 4284.639, must be addressed in the
application. Failure to address any of the criteria will result in a
zero-point score for that criterion and will impact the overall
evaluation of the application. Copies of 7 CFR part 4284, subpart G,
will be provided to any interested applicant making a request to a
Rural Development State Office listed in this notice, or can be
obtained at the Rural Development Web link: https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/
regs/regs_toc.html.
C. Submission Dates and Times
Application Deadline date: March 31, 2009.
Explanation of Deadlines: Applications for funds must be in the
Rural Development State Office by the deadline date.
V. Application Review Information
The National Office will score applications based on the grant
selection criteria and weights contained in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart G
and will select a grantee subject to the grantee's satisfactory
submission of the additional items required by 7 CFR part 4284, subpart
G and the RBS Letter of Conditions.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
Successful applicants will receive notification for funding from
the Rural Development State Office. Applicants must comply with all
applicable statutes and regulations before the grant award will be
approved. Unsuccessful applications will receive notification by mail.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Additional requirements that apply to grantees selected for this
program can be found in the 7 CFR part 4284, subpart G.
VII. Agency Contacts
For general questions about this announcement, please contact your
USDA Rural Development State Office identified in this notice.
Nondiscrimination Statement
``The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits
discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race,
color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex,
marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual
orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or
because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any
public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all
programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for
communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape,
etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and
TDD).
To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director,
Office of Adjudication and Compliance, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice), or (202)
720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and
lender.''
Dated: March 4, 2009.
Pat Fiala,
Acting Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. E9-5407 Filed 3-11-09; 8:45 am]
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