Announcement of Grant Application Deadlines; Deadlines and Funding Levels, 29409-29414 [2014-11703]
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 99 / Thursday, May 22, 2014 / Notices
to restrictions imposed by the United
States;
(c) Trust Asset and Accounting
Management System data, maintained
by the Department of the Interior,
Bureau of Indian Affairs;
(d) Official maps of the Department of
Hawaiian Homelands of the State of
Hawaii identifying land that has been
given the status of Hawaiian home lands
under the provisions of section 204 of
the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act,
1920;
(e) Official records of the U.S.
Department of the Interior, the State of
Alaska, or such other documentation of
ownership as the RUS may determine to
be satisfactory, showing that title is
owned by a Regional Corporation or a
Village Corporation as such terms are
defined in the Alaska Native Claims
Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.);
and
(f) Any other evidence submitted by
the applicant that is satisfactory to RUS
to establish that area where the end-user
site is located is a trust area or a tribal
jurisdictional area within the meaning
of 38 U.S.C. 3765(1).
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C. Review Standards
1. All applications for grants must be
delivered to Rural Utilities Service at
the address and by the date specified in
this notice or electronically submitted
by the deadline (see also 7 CFR 1739.2)
to be eligible for funding. Rural Utilities
Service will review each application for
conformance with the provisions of this
part. Rural Utilities Service may contact
the applicant for additional information
or clarification.
2. Incomplete applications as of the
deadline for submission will not be
considered. If an application is
determined to be incomplete, the
applicant will be notified in writing and
the application will be returned with no
further action.
3. Applications conforming with this
part will then be evaluated
competitively by a panel of Rural
Utilities Service employees selected by
the Administrator of Rural Utilities
Service, and will be awarded points as
described in the scoring criteria in 7
CFR 1739.17. Applications will be
ranked and grants awarded in rank
order until all grant funds are expended.
D. Selection Process
Grant applications are ranked by final
score. Rural Utilities Service selects
applications based on those rankings,
subject to the availability of funds and
consistent with 7 CFR 1739.17.
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VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
Rural Utilities Service recognizes that
each funded project is unique, and
therefore may attach conditions to
different projects’ award documents.
Rural Utilities Service generally notifies
applicants whose projects are selected
for awards by emailing a scanned copy
of an award letter. Rural Utilities
Service follows the award letter with a
grant agreement that contains all the
terms and conditions for the grant. An
applicant must execute and return the
grant agreement, accompanied by any
additional items required by the grant
agreement.
B. Administrative and National Policy
Requirements
The items listed in paragraph IV.B.2.l.
of this notice, and the Community
Connect Grant Program regulation,
application guide and accompanying
materials implement the appropriate
administrative and national policy
requirements.
C. Reporting
1. Performance reporting. All
recipients of Community Connect Grant
Program financial assistance must
provide annual performance activity
reports to RUS until the project is
complete and the funds are expended. A
final performance report is also
required; the final report may serve as
the last annual report. The final report
must include an evaluation of the
success of the project. See 7 CFR
1739.19.
2. Financial reporting. All recipients
of Community Connect Grant Program
financial assistance must provide an
annual audit, beginning with the first
year a portion of the financial assistance
is expended. Audits are governed by
United States Department of Agriculture
audit regulations. See 7 CFR 1739.20.
3. Recipient and Subrecipient
Reporting. The applicant must have the
necessary processes and systems in
place to comply with the reporting
requirements for first-tier sub-awards
and executive compensation under the
Federal Funding Accountability and
Transparency Act of 2006 in the event
the applicant receives funding unless
such applicant is exempt from such
reporting requirements pursuant to 2
CFR part 170, § 170.110(b). The
reporting requirements under the
Transparency Act pursuant to 2 CFR
part 170 are as follows:
a. First Tier Sub-Awards of $25,000 or
more (unless they are exempt under 2
CFR Part 170) must be reported by the
Recipient to https://www.fsrs.gov no later
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29409
than the end of the month following the
month the obligation was made.
b. The Total Compensation of the
Recipient’s Executives (5 most highly
compensated executives) must be
reported by the Recipient (if the
Recipient meets the criteria under 2 CFR
Part 170) to https://www.sam.gov by the
end of the month following the month
in which the award was made.
c. The Total Compensation of the
Subrecipient’s Executives (5 most
highly compensated executives) must be
reported by the Subrecipient (if the
Subrecipient meets the criteria under 2
CFR Part 170) to the Recipient by the
end of the month following the month
in which the subaward was made.
VII. Agency Contacts
A. Web site: https://www.rurdev.usda.
gov/utp_commconnect.html. This Web
site maintains up-to-date resources and
contact information for the Community
Connect Grant Program.
B. Phone: (202) 690–4673.
C. Fax: (202) 690–4389.
D. Main point of contact: Kenneth
Kuchno, Director, Broadband Division,
Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department
of Agriculture.
Dated: May 5, 2014.
John Charles Padalino,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–11704 Filed 5–21–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Announcement of Grant Application
Deadlines; Deadlines and Funding
Levels
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
Notice of Funds Availability.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Rural Utilities Service
(RUS), an agency of the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA),
announces its Public Television Station
Digital Transition Grant Program
application window for fiscal year (FY)
2014. The FY 2014 funding for the
Public Television Station Digital
Transition Grant Program is $2,000,000.
DATES: You may submit completed
applications for grants on paper or
electronically according to the following
deadlines:
• Paper copies must carry proof of
shipping no later than July 7, 2014 to be
eligible for FY 2014 grant funding. Late
applications are not eligible for FY 2014
grant funding.
• Electronic copies must be received
by July 7, 2014 to be eligible for FY 2014
SUMMARY:
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grant funding. Late applications are not
eligible for FY 2014 grant funding.
ADDRESSES: You may obtain the
application guide and materials for the
Public Television Station Digital
Transition Grant Program at the
following sources:
• The Internet at https://www.rurdev.
usda.gov/UTP_DTV.html.
• You may also request the
application guide and materials from
RUS by contacting the appropriate
individual listed in Section VII of the
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of
this notice.
Completed applications may be
submitted the following ways:
• Paper: Submit completed paper
applications for grants to the:
Telecommunications Program, Rural
Utilities Service, 1400 Independence
Ave. SW., Room 2844, STOP 1550,
Washington, DC 20250–1550.
Applications should be marked
‘‘Attention: Director, Advanced Services
Division.’’
• Electronic: Submit electronic grant
applications to Grants.gov at the
following Web address: https://
www.grants.gov/ (Grants.gov), and
follow the instructions you find on that
Web site.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Petra Schultze, Financial Analyst,
Advanced Services Division,
Telecommunications Program, Rural
Utilities Service, email: petra.schultze@
wdc.usda.gov, telephone: (202) 690–
4493, fax: (202) 720–1051. Additional
point of contact: Norberto Esteves,
Acting Director, Advanced Services
Division at norberto.esteves@
wdc.usda.gov or at same phone numbers
listed previously.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Agency: Rural Utilities
Service (RUS).
Funding Opportunity Title: Public
Television Station Digital Transition
Grant Program.
Announcement Type: Initial
announcement.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.861.
Dates: Deadline for completed grant
applications submitted electronically or
on paper no later than July 7, 2014.
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Items in Supplementary Information
I. Funding Opportunity: Brief introduction
to the Public Television Station Digital
Transition Grant Program.
II. Award Information: Maximum amounts.
III. Eligibility Information: Who is eligible,
what kinds of projects are eligible, and what
criteria determine basic eligibility.
IV. Application and Submission
Information: Where to get application
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materials, what constitutes a completed
application, how and where to submit
applications, deadlines, and items that are
eligible.
V. Application Review Information:
Considerations and preferences, scoring
criteria, review standards, selection
information.
VI. Award Administration: Award notice
information, award recipient reporting
requirements.
VII. Agency Contacts: Web, phone, fax,
email, contact name.
I. Funding Opportunity
As part of the nation’s transition to
digital television, the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
required all television broadcasters to
have converted their transmitters to
broadcast digital signals by June 12,
2009. While stations must broadcast
their main transmitter signal in digital,
many rural stations have yet to complete
a full digital transition of their stations
across all equipment. Rural stations
often have translators serving small or
isolated areas and some of these have
not completed the transition to digital.
The 2009 FCC deadline did not apply
to translators, and in 2011 the FCC
adopted a final deadline for analog-todigital conversion of all translators by
September 1, 2015. Because of this,
translators have been allowed to
continue broadcasting in analog, and
stations are still in the process of
converting some of their translators to
digital. Some rural stations also have
not fully converted their production and
studio equipment to digital, which has
impaired their ability to provide the
same quality local programming that
they provided in analog. The digital
transition has also created some service
gaps where households that received an
analog signal are now unable to receive
a digital signal. For rural households the
digital transition has meant in some
cases diminished over-the-air public
television service. These rural
households are the focus of the
Agency’s Public Television Station
Digital Transition Grant Program.
Most applications to the Public
Television Station Digital Transition
Grant Program have sought assistance
towards the goal of replicating analog
coverage areas through transmitter and
translator transitions. The first priority
has been to initiate digital broadcasting
from their main transmitters. As many
stations have completed the digital
transition of their transmitters, the focus
has shifted to power upgrades and
translators, as well as digital program
production equipment and
multicasting/data casting equipment.
There are some rural stations that may
need to install translators to provide fill-
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in service to areas that previously
received analog but are now unable to
receive digital. In FY 2013, 7 awards
were made, including the following
project purposes: Transmitter
equipment, translators, studio and
production equipment, master control
equipment, and microwave equipment.
When compared with the first few years
of the program, as the digital transition
progresses, more applications were
received for translators and master
control and production equipment, than
for transmitters. However, some stations
may remain that have not achieved full
analog parity in program management
and creation. Continuation of reliable
public television service to all current
patrons understandably is still the focus
for many broadcasters.
It is important for public television
stations to be able to tailor their
programs and services (e.g., education
services, public health, homeland
security, and local culture) to the needs
of their rural constituents. If public
television programming is lost, many
school systems may be left without
educational programming they count on
for curriculum compliance.
This notice has been formatted to
conform to a policy directive issued by
the Office of Federal Financial
Management (OFFM) of the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB),
published in the Federal Register on
June 23, 2003, (68 FR 37370). This
Notice does not change the Public
Television Station Digital Transition
Grant Program regulation (7 CFR part
1740).
II. Award Information
A. Available Funds for Grants
1. The amount available for grants for
FY 2014 is $2,000,000. The maximum
amount for grants under this program is
$750,000 per public television station
per year.
2. Assistance instrument: Grant
documents appropriate to the project
will be executed with successful
applicants prior to any advance of
funds.
B. Public Television Station Digital
Transition Grants
Prior grants cannot be renewed nor
extended; however, past grantees may
submit new applications for projects not
covered under the prior grant. Award
documents specify the term length of
each award.
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III. Eligibility Information
A. Who is eligible for grants? (See 7 CFR
1740.3)
1. Public television stations which
serve rural areas as defined in 7 CFR
1740.2 are eligible for Public Television
Station Digital Transition Grants. A
public television station is a
noncommercial educational television
broadcast station that is qualified for
Community Service Grants by the
Corporation for Public Broadcasting
under section 396(k) of the
Communications Act of 1934.
2. Individuals are not eligible for
Public Television Station Digital
Transition Grant Program financial
assistance directly.
3. Corporations that have been
convicted of a felony (or had an officer
or agency acting on behalf of the
corporation convicted of a felony)
within the past 24 months are not
eligible. Any corporation 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.
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B. What are the basic eligibility
requirements for a project?
1. Grants shall be made to perform
digital transition of television
broadcasting stations serving rural areas.
Grant funds may be used to acquire,
lease, and/or install facilities and
software necessary to the digital
transition. Specific purposes include:
a. Digital transmitters, translators, and
repeaters, including all facilities
required to initiate digital television
(DTV) broadcasting. All broadcast
facilities acquired with grant funds shall
be capable of delivering DTV
programming and high definition
television (HDTV) programming, at both
the interim and final channel and power
authorizations. There is no limit to the
number of transmitters or translators
that may be included in an application;
b. Power upgrades of existing DTV
transmitter equipment, including
replacement of existing low-power
digital transmitters with digital
transmitters capable of delivering the
final authorized power level;
c. Studio-to-transmitter links;
d. Equipment to allow local control
over digital content and programming,
including master control equipment;
e. Digital program production
equipment, including cameras, editing,
mixing and storage equipment;
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f. Multicasting and data casting
equipment;
g. Cost of the lease of facilities, if any,
for up to three years; and,
h. Associated engineering and
environmental studies necessary to
implementation.
2. Matching contributions: There is no
requirement for matching funds in this
program (see 7 CFR 1740.5).
3. The following are not eligible for
grant funding (see 7 CFR 1740.7):
a. Funding for ongoing operations or
for facilities that will not be owned by
the applicant, except for leased facilities
as provided above;
b. Costs of salaries, wages, and
employee benefits of public television
station personnel unless they are for
construction or installation of eligible
facilities;
c. Facilities for which other grant
funding from any other source has been
approved; and,
d. Expenditures made prior to the
application deadline specified in this
Notice of Funds Availability.
C. Summary Discussion of a Completed
Application
See paragraph IV.B of this notice for
a summary discussion of the items that
make up a completed application. You
will find more complete information in
the FY 2014 Public Television Station
Digital Transition Grant Program
Application Guide. You may also refer
to 7 CFR 1740.9 for completed grant
application requirements.
IV. Application and Submission
Information
A. Where To Get Application
Information
The application guide, copies of
necessary forms and samples, and the
Public Television Station Digital
Transition Grant Program regulation are
available from these sources:
1. The Internet: https://www.rurdev.
usda.gov/UTP_DTV.html, or https://
www.grants.gov.
2. The RUS Advanced Services
Division, for paper copies of these
materials call (202) 690–4493.
B. What constitutes a completed
application?
1. Detailed information on each item
required can be found in the Public
Television Station Digital Transition
Grant Program regulation and
application guide. Applicants are
strongly encouraged to read and apply
both the regulation and the application
guide. This Notice does not change the
requirements for a completed
application specified in the program
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regulation. The program regulation and
application guide provide specific
guidance on each of the items listed and
the application guide provides all
necessary forms and sample worksheets.
2. A completed application must
include the following documentation,
studies, reports and information, in a
form satisfactory to RUS. Applications
should be prepared in conformance
with the provisions in 2 CFR part 180,
and 2 CFR part 182, 7 CFR part 1740,
subpart A, and applicable USDA
regulations including 7 CFR parts 3015,
3016, and 3019. Applicants must use
the application guide for this program,
which contains instructions and all
necessary forms, as well as other
important information, in preparing
their application. Completed
applications must include the following:
a. An application for Federal
assistance, Standard Form 424.
b. An executive summary, not to
exceed two pages, describing the public
television station, its service area and
offerings, its current digital transition
status, and the proposed project.
c. Evidence of the applicant’s
eligibility to apply under this Notice,
demonstrating that the applicant is a
Public Television Station as defined in
this Notice, and that it is required by the
FCC to perform the digital transition.
d. A spreadsheet showing the total
project cost, with a breakdown of items
sufficient to enable RUS to determine
individual item eligibility.
e. A coverage contour map showing
the digital television coverage area of
the application project. This map must
show the counties (or county)
comprising the Core Coverage Area by
shading and by name. Partial counties
included in the applicant’s Core
Coverage Area must be identified as
partial and must contain an attachment
with the applicant’s estimate of the
percentage that its coverage contour
comprises of the total area of the county.
If the application is for a translator, the
coverage area may be estimated by the
applicant through computer modeling
or some other reasonable method, and
this estimate is subject to acceptance by
RUS. (In the Application Guide, see
Section C.3, Project Core Coverage Area
Map(s).)
f. The applicant’s own calculation of
its Rurality score, supported by a
worksheet showing the population of its
Core Coverage Area, and the urban and
rural populations within the Core
Coverage Area. The data source for the
urban and rural components of that
population must be identified. If the
application includes computations
made by a consultant or other
organization outside the public
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television station, the application shall
state the details of that collaboration. (In
the Application Guide, see Section D.
Scoring Documentation.)
g. The applicant’s own calculation of
its Economic Need score, supported by
a worksheet showing the National
School Lunch Program (NSLP)
eligibility levels for all school districts
within the Core Coverage Area and
averaging these eligibility percentages.
The application must include a
statement from the state or local
organization that administers the NSLP
program certifying that the school
district scores used in the computations
are accurate. Applicants are to use the
most recent data available. Some official
NSLP data is posted on state and/or
local government Web sites, in which
case a printout of the data may be
provided as long as it documents the
Web site source. (In the Application
Guide, see Section D. Scoring
Documentation.)
h. If applicable, a presentation not to
exceed five pages demonstrating the
Critical Need for the project.
i. Evidence that the FCC has
authorized the initiation of digital
broadcasting at the project sites. In the
event that an FCC construction permit
has not been issued for one or more
sites, RUS may include those sites in the
grant, and make advance of funds for
that site conditional upon the
submission of a construction permit.
j. Compliance with other Federal
statutes. The applicant must provide
evidence or certification that it is in
compliance with all applicable Federal
statutes and regulations, including, but
not limited to the following (sample
certifications are provided in the
application guide):
(i) Equal Opportunity and
Nondiscrimination;
(ii) Architectural barriers;
(iii) Flood hazard area precautions;
(iv) Uniform Relocation Assistance
and Real Property Acquisition Policies
Act of 1970;
(v) Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1998
(41 U.S.C. 701);
(vi) Debarment, Suspension; and
Other Responsibility Matters—Primary
Covered Transactions;
(vii) Lobbying for Contracts, Grants,
Loans, and Cooperative Agreements
Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment (31
U.S.C. 1352).
(viii) Representations Regarding
Felony Conviction and Tax Delinquent
Status for Corporate Applicants.
k. Environmental impact and historic
preservation. The applicant must
provide details of the digital transition’s
impact on the environment and historic
preservation, and comply with 7 CFR
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part 1794, which contains the Agency’s
policies and procedures for
implementing a variety of federal
statutes, regulations, and executive
orders generally pertaining to the
protection of the quality of the human
environment. This must be contained in
a separate section entitled
‘‘Environmental Impact of the Digital
Transition,’’ and must include the
Environmental Questionnaire/
Certification, available from RUS,
describing the impact of its digital
transition. Submission of the
Environmental Questionnaire/
Certification alone does not constitute
compliance with 7 CFR part 1794.
3. DUNS Number. As required by the
OMB, all applicants for grants must
supply a Dun and Bradstreet Data
Universal Numbering System (DUNS)
number when applying. The Standard
Form 424 (SF–424) contains a field for
you to use when supplying your DUNS
number. The applicant can obtain the
DUNS number free of charge by calling
Dun and Bradstreet. Please see https://
fedgov.dnb.com/webform for more
information on how to obtain a DUNS
number or how to verify your
organization’s number.
4. In accordance with 2 CFR part 25,
all applicants, whether applying
electronically or by paper, must be
registered in the System for Award
Management (SAM) (formerly Central
Contractor Registry, (CCR)), prior to
submitting an application.
a. Applicants may register for the
SAM at https://www.sam.gov/.
b. The SAM registration must remain
active with current information at all
times while RUS is considering an
application or while a Federal Grant
Award or loan is active. To maintain the
registration in the SAM database the
applicant must review and update the
information in the SAM database
annually from date of initial registration
or from the date of the last update. The
applicant must ensure that the
information in the database is current,
accurate, and complete.
C. How many copies of an application
are required?
1. Applications submitted on paper:
Submit the original application and two
(2) copies to RUS.
2. Electronically submitted
applications: The additional paper
copies for RUS are not necessary if you
submit the application electronically
through https://www.grants.gov.
D. How and where to submit an
application?
Grant applications may be submitted
on paper or electronically.
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1. Submitting applications on paper.
a. Address paper applications for
grants to the Telecommunications
Program, RUS, 1400 Independence Ave.
SW., Room 2844, STOP 1550,
Washington, DC 20250–1550.
Applications should be marked
‘‘Attention: Director, Advanced Services
Division.’’
b. Paper applications must show proof
of mailing or shipping consisting of one
of the following:
(i) A legibly dated postmark applied
by the U.S. Postal Service;
(ii) A legible mail receipt with the
date of mailing stamped by the USPS; or
(iii) A dated shipping label, invoice,
or receipt from a commercial carrier.
c. Non-USPS-applied postage dating,
i.e. dated postage meter stamps, do not
constitute proof of the date of mailing.
d. Due to screening procedures at the
Department of Agriculture, packages
arriving via the USPS are irradiated,
which can damage the contents. RUS
encourages applicants to consider the
impact of this procedure in selecting
their application delivery method.
2. Electronically Submitted
Applications.
a. Applications will not be accepted
via facsimile machine transmission or
electronic mail.
b. Electronic applications for grants
will be accepted if submitted through
the Federal government’s Grants.gov
initiative at https://www.grants.gov.
c. How to use Grants.gov:
(i) Navigate your Web browser to
https://www.grants.gov.
(ii) Follow the instructions on that
Web site to find grant information.
(iii) Download a copy of the
application package.
(iv) Complete the package off-line.
(v) Upload and submit the application
via the Grants.gov Web site.
d. Grants.gov contains full
instructions on all required passwords,
credentialing and software.
e. RUS encourages applicants who
wish to apply through Grants.gov to
submit their applications in advance of
the deadline. Difficulties encountered
by applicants filing through Grants.gov
will not justify filing deadline
extensions.
f. If a system problem occurs or you
have technical difficulties with an
electronic application, please use the
customer support resources available at
the Grants.gov Web site.
E. Deadlines
1. Paper applications must be
postmarked and mailed, shipped, or
sent overnight no later than July 7, 2014
to be eligible for FY 2014 grant funding.
Late applications are not eligible for FY
2014 grant funding.
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2. Electronic grant applications must
be received by July 7, 2014 to be eligible
for FY 2014 funding. Late applications
are not eligible for FY 2014 grant
funding.
V. Application Review Information
A. Criteria
1. Grant applications are scored
competitively and subject to the criteria
listed below.
2. Grant application scoring criteria
are detailed in 7 CFR 1740.8. There are
100 points available, broken down as
follows:
a. The Rurality of the Project (up to
50 points);
b. The Economic Need of the Project’s
Service Area (up to 25 points), and;
c. The Critical Need for the project,
and of the applicant, including the
benefits derived from the proposed
service (up to 25 points).
B. Review Standards
1. All applications for grants must be
delivered to RUS at the address and by
the date specified in this notice to be
eligible for funding. RUS will review
each application for conformance with
the provisions of this part. RUS may
contact the applicant for additional
information or clarification.
2. Incomplete applications as of the
deadline for submission will not be
considered. If an application is
determined to be incomplete, the
applicant will be notified in writing and
the application will be returned and
will not be considered for FY 2014
funding.
3. Applications conforming with this
part will be evaluated competitively by
a panel of RUS employees selected by
the Administrator of RUS, and will be
awarded points as described in the
scoring criteria in 7 CFR 1740.8.
Applications will be ranked and grants
awarded in rank order until all grant
funds are expended.
4. Regardless of the score an
application receives, if the RUS
determines that the Project is
technically or financially infeasible, the
Agency will notify the applicant, in
writing, and the application will be
returned and will not be considered for
FY 2014 funding.
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
C. Scoring Guidelines
1. The applicant’s calculated scores in
Rurality and Economic Need will be
checked and, if necessary, corrected by
RUS.
2. The Critical Need score will be
determined by RUS based on
information presented in the
application. The Critical Need score is
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19:36 May 21, 2014
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based on the reviewer’s assessment of
the supporting arguments made in the
application. The score aims to assess
how the specific digital transition
purpose fits with the unique need of the
television station as it moves all of its
equipment through the digital
transition. This score is intended to
capture, from the rural public’s
standpoint, the necessity and usefulness
of the proposed project. This scoring
category will also recognize that at a
specific time, some transition purposes
are perceived to be more essential than
others and that, over time, this
perception changes. For example,
during the transition from analog to
digital transmitters, which concluded
on June 12, 2009, a first time transition
of a primary transmitter was the most
essential project that could be
undertaken for most stations and would
have been scored accordingly. Now that
all transmitters have completed the
transition to digital, the focus may shift
to some of the other eligible purposes
such as translators, studio and
production equipment, and master
control equipment. But what equipment
specifically is most essential may vary
from station to station. For example,
local production equipment can be a
high priority especially if it produces an
area’s only local news or if the station
has been historically active in
producing local programming.
Repositioning a digital transmitter on a
tower can also be a high priority in
cases where the original analog coverage
area was not adequately replicated after
the transition. The Critical Need score is
also relative since each application is
scored in comparison to other
applications in the competition. These
various factors explain why a similar
application may receive a different
Critical Need score in different years of
this program.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
The Agency generally notifies
applicants whose projects are selected
for awards by faxing an award letter or
emailing a PDF facsimile of the award
letter. The Agency follows the award
letter with a grant agreement that
contains the terms and conditions for
the grant. A copy of the standard
agreement is posted on the RUS Web
site at https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/
UTP_DTVResources.html.
An applicant must execute and return
the grant agreement, accompanied by
any additional items required by the
grant agreement.
B. Administrative and National Policy
Requirements. The items listed in the
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
29413
program regulation at 7 CFR 1740.9(j)
implement the appropriate
administrative and national policy
requirements.
C. Reporting
1. All recipients of Public Television
Station Digital Transition Grant Program
financial assistance must provide
semiannual performance activity reports
to RUS until the project is complete and
the funds are expended. A final
performance report is also required; the
final report may serve as the last
semiannual report. The final report
must include an evaluation of the
success of the project.
2. Recipient and Subrecipient
Reporting.
The applicant must have the
necessary processes and systems in
place to comply with the reporting
requirements for first-tier sub-awards
and executive compensation under the
Federal Funding Accountability and
Transparency Act of 2006 in the event
the applicant receives funding unless
such applicant is exempt from such
reporting requirements pursuant to 2
CFR part 170, § 170.110(b). The
reporting requirements under the
Transparency Act pursuant to 2 CFR
part 170 are as follows:
a. First Tier Sub-Awards of $25,000 or
more in non-Recovery Act funds (unless
they are exempt under 2 CFR part 170)
must be reported by the Recipient to
https://www.fsrs.gov no later than the
end of the month following the month
the obligation was made. Please note
that currently underway is a
consolidation of eight federal
procurement systems, including the
Sub-award Reporting System (FSRS),
into one system, the System for Award
Management (SAM). As a result the
FSRS will soon be consolidated into and
accessed through SAM at https://www.
sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/.
b. The Total Compensation of the
Recipient’s Executives (5 most highly
compensated executives) must be
reported by the Recipient (if the
Recipient meets the criteria under 2 CFR
part 170) to www.sam.gov by the end of
the month following the month in
which the award was made.
c. The Total Compensation of the
Subrecipient’s Executives (5 most
highly compensated executives) must be
reported by the Subrecipient (if the
Subrecipient meets the criteria under 2
CFR part 170) to the Recipient by the
end of the month following the month
in which the sub-award was made.
3. Systems Necessary to Meet
Reporting Requirements.
The applicant must have the
necessary processes and systems in
E:\FR\FM\22MYN1.SGM
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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 99 / Thursday, May 22, 2014 / Notices
place to comply with the reporting
requirements for first-tier sub-awards
and executive compensation under the
Federal Funding Accountability and
Transparence Act of 2006 in the event
the applicant receives funding unless
such applicant is exempt from such
reporting requirements pursuant to 2
CFR part 170, § 170.110(b).
VII. Agency Contacts
A. Web site: https://www.usda.gov/
rus/. The Web site maintains up-to-date
resources and contact information for
the Public Television Station Digital
Transition Grant Program.
B. Phone: (202) 690–4493.
C. Fax: (202) 720–1051.
D. Main points of contact: Petra
Schultze, Financial Analyst, Advanced
Services Division, Telecommunications
Program, RUS, telephone: (202) 690–
4493, fax: (202) 720–1051, or email:
petra.schultze@wdc.usda.gov.
Additional point of contact at the same
telephone number, or email:
norberto.esteves@wdc.usda.gov:
Norberto Esteves, Acting Director,
Advanced Services Division.
Dated: May 1, 2014.
John Charles Padalino,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2014–11703 Filed 5–21–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Foreign-Trade Zones Board
[B–39–2014]
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
Foreign-Trade Zone 207—Richmond,
Virginia; Application for
Reorganization Under Alternative Site
Framework
An application has been submitted to
the Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) Board
(the Board) by the Capital Region
Airport Commission, grantee of FTZ
207, requesting authority to reorganize
the zone under the alternative site
framework (ASF) adopted by the Board
(15 CFR Sec. 400.2(c)). The ASF is an
option for grantees for the establishment
or reorganization of general-purpose
zones and can permit significantly
greater flexibility in the designation of
new ‘‘subzones’’ or ‘‘usage-driven’’ FTZ
sites for operators/users located within
a grantee’s ‘‘service area’’ in the context
of the Board’s standard 2,000-acre
activation limit for a general-purpose
zone project. The application was
submitted pursuant to the Foreign-Trade
Zones Act, as amended (19 U.S.C. 81a–
81u), and the regulations of the Board
VerDate Mar<15>2010
19:36 May 21, 2014
Jkt 232001
(15 CFR part 400). It was formally
docketed on May 16, 2014.
FTZ 207 was approved by the Board
on March 31, 1995 (Board Order 733, 60
FR 18394–18395, 4/11/95) and
expanded on September 9, 2005 (Board
Order 1413, 70 FR 55107, 9/20/05). The
current zone includes the following
sites: Site 1 (2,044 acres)—Richmond
International Airport Complex, 1
Richard E. Byrd Terminal Drive,
Richmond, Henrico County; Site 2 (211
acres)—Southpoint Business Park, 8100
Quality Dr., Prince George, Prince
George County; and, Site 3 (11 acres)—
Lewiston Industrial Park, 11293 Central
Drive, Ashland, Hanover County.
The grantee’s proposed service area
under the ASF would be the Counties of
Amelia, Appomattox, Brunswick,
Buckingham, Caroline, Charles City,
Charlotte, Chesterfield, Cumberland,
Dinwiddie, Essex, Greensville,
Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, King and
Queen, King George, King William,
Lancaster, Lunenburg, Mecklenburg,
Middlesex, New Kent, Northumberland,
Nottoway, Powhatan, Prince Edward,
Prince George, Richmond and
Westmoreland and the Cities of Colonial
Heights, Emporia, Hopewell, Petersburg
and Richmond, as described in the
application. If approved, the grantee
would be able to serve sites throughout
the service area based on companies’
needs for FTZ designation. The
proposed service area is within and
adjacent to the Richmond Customs and
Border Protection port of entry.
The applicant is requesting authority
to reorganize its existing zone project to
include all of the existing sites as
‘‘magnet’’ sites. The ASF allows for the
possible exemption of one magnet site
from the ‘‘sunset’’ time limits that
generally apply to sites under the ASF,
and the applicant proposes that Site 1
be so exempted. No subzones/usagedriven sites are being requested at this
time. The application would have no
impact on FTZ 207’s previously
authorized subzones.
In accordance with the Board’s
regulations, Kathleen Boyce of the FTZ
Staff is designated examiner to evaluate
and analyze the facts and information
presented in the application and case
record and to report findings and
recommendations to the Board.
Public comment is invited from
interested parties. Submissions (original
and 3 copies) shall be addressed to the
Board’s Executive Secretary at the
address below. The closing period for
their receipt is July 21, 2014. Rebuttal
comments in response to material
submitted during the foregoing period
may be submitted during the subsequent
15-day period to August 5, 2014.
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
A copy of the application will be
available for public inspection at the
Office of the Executive Secretary,
Foreign-Trade Zones Board, Room
21013, U.S. Department of Commerce,
1401 Constitution Avenue NW.,
Washington, DC 20230–0002, and in the
‘‘Reading Room’’ section of the Board’s
Web site, which is accessible via
www.trade.gov/ftz. For further
information, contact Kathleen Boyce at
Kathleen.Boyce@trade.gov or (202) 482–
1346.
Dated: May 16, 2014.
Andrew McGilvray,
Executive Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2014–11889 Filed 5–21–14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Foreign-Trade Zones Board
[Order No. 1936]
Reorganization/Expansion of ForeignTrade Zone 235 Under Alternative Site
Framework, Lakewood, New Jersey
Pursuant to its authority under the ForeignTrade Zones Act of June 18, 1934, as
amended (19 U.S.C. 81a–81u), the ForeignTrade Zones Board (the Board) adopts the
following Order:
Whereas, the Board adopted the
alternative site framework (ASF) (15
CFR 400.2(c)) as an option for the
establishment or reorganization of
zones;
Whereas, the Township of Lakewood,
grantee of Foreign-Trade Zone 235,
submitted an application to the Board
(FTZ Docket B–96–2013, docketed
November 7, 2013) for authority to
reorganize and expand under the ASF
with a service area of the Counties of
Ocean, Middlesex, Monmouth, Union
and Burlington, within and adjacent to
the Philadelphia Customs and Border
Protection port of entry, FTZ 235’s
existing Sites 1 and 2 would be
categorized as magnet sites, and the
grantee proposes two initial usagedriven sites (Sites 7 and 8);
Whereas, notice inviting public
comment was given in the Federal
Register (78 FR 66813–68814, 11–15–
2013) and the application has been
processed pursuant to the FTZ Act and
the Board’s regulations; and,
Whereas, the Board adopts the
findings and recommendation of the
examiner’s report, and finds that the
requirements of the FTZ Act and the
Board’s regulations are satisfied;
Now, therefore, the Board hereby
orders:
E:\FR\FM\22MYN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 99 (Thursday, May 22, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 29409-29414]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-11703]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Announcement of Grant Application Deadlines; Deadlines and
Funding Levels
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of Funds Availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency of the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA), announces its Public
Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program application window
for fiscal year (FY) 2014. The FY 2014 funding for the Public
Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program is $2,000,000.
DATES: You may submit completed applications for grants on paper or
electronically according to the following deadlines:
Paper copies must carry proof of shipping no later than
July 7, 2014 to be eligible for FY 2014 grant funding. Late
applications are not eligible for FY 2014 grant funding.
Electronic copies must be received by July 7, 2014 to be
eligible for FY 2014
[[Page 29410]]
grant funding. Late applications are not eligible for FY 2014 grant
funding.
ADDRESSES: You may obtain the application guide and materials for the
Public Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program at the
following sources:
The Internet at https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/UTP_DTV.html.
You may also request the application guide and materials
from RUS by contacting the appropriate individual listed in Section VII
of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this notice.
Completed applications may be submitted the following ways:
Paper: Submit completed paper applications for grants to
the: Telecommunications Program, Rural Utilities Service, 1400
Independence Ave. SW., Room 2844, STOP 1550, Washington, DC 20250-1550.
Applications should be marked ``Attention: Director, Advanced Services
Division.''
Electronic: Submit electronic grant applications to
Grants.gov at the following Web address: https://www.grants.gov/
(Grants.gov), and follow the instructions you find on that Web site.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Petra Schultze, Financial Analyst,
Advanced Services Division, Telecommunications Program, Rural Utilities
Service, email: petra.schultze@wdc.usda.gov, telephone: (202) 690-4493,
fax: (202) 720-1051. Additional point of contact: Norberto Esteves,
Acting Director, Advanced Services Division at
norberto.esteves@wdc.usda.gov or at same phone numbers listed
previously.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Agency: Rural Utilities Service (RUS).
Funding Opportunity Title: Public Television Station Digital
Transition Grant Program.
Announcement Type: Initial announcement.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.861.
Dates: Deadline for completed grant applications submitted
electronically or on paper no later than July 7, 2014.
Items in Supplementary Information
I. Funding Opportunity: Brief introduction to the Public
Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program.
II. Award Information: Maximum amounts.
III. Eligibility Information: Who is eligible, what kinds of
projects are eligible, and what criteria determine basic
eligibility.
IV. Application and Submission Information: Where to get
application materials, what constitutes a completed application, how
and where to submit applications, deadlines, and items that are
eligible.
V. Application Review Information: Considerations and
preferences, scoring criteria, review standards, selection
information.
VI. Award Administration: Award notice information, award
recipient reporting requirements.
VII. Agency Contacts: Web, phone, fax, email, contact name.
I. Funding Opportunity
As part of the nation's transition to digital television, the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) required all television
broadcasters to have converted their transmitters to broadcast digital
signals by June 12, 2009. While stations must broadcast their main
transmitter signal in digital, many rural stations have yet to complete
a full digital transition of their stations across all equipment. Rural
stations often have translators serving small or isolated areas and
some of these have not completed the transition to digital.
The 2009 FCC deadline did not apply to translators, and in 2011 the
FCC adopted a final deadline for analog-to-digital conversion of all
translators by September 1, 2015. Because of this, translators have
been allowed to continue broadcasting in analog, and stations are still
in the process of converting some of their translators to digital. Some
rural stations also have not fully converted their production and
studio equipment to digital, which has impaired their ability to
provide the same quality local programming that they provided in
analog. The digital transition has also created some service gaps where
households that received an analog signal are now unable to receive a
digital signal. For rural households the digital transition has meant
in some cases diminished over-the-air public television service. These
rural households are the focus of the Agency's Public Television
Station Digital Transition Grant Program.
Most applications to the Public Television Station Digital
Transition Grant Program have sought assistance towards the goal of
replicating analog coverage areas through transmitter and translator
transitions. The first priority has been to initiate digital
broadcasting from their main transmitters. As many stations have
completed the digital transition of their transmitters, the focus has
shifted to power upgrades and translators, as well as digital program
production equipment and multicasting/data casting equipment. There are
some rural stations that may need to install translators to provide
fill-in service to areas that previously received analog but are now
unable to receive digital. In FY 2013, 7 awards were made, including
the following project purposes: Transmitter equipment, translators,
studio and production equipment, master control equipment, and
microwave equipment. When compared with the first few years of the
program, as the digital transition progresses, more applications were
received for translators and master control and production equipment,
than for transmitters. However, some stations may remain that have not
achieved full analog parity in program management and creation.
Continuation of reliable public television service to all current
patrons understandably is still the focus for many broadcasters.
It is important for public television stations to be able to tailor
their programs and services (e.g., education services, public health,
homeland security, and local culture) to the needs of their rural
constituents. If public television programming is lost, many school
systems may be left without educational programming they count on for
curriculum compliance.
This notice has been formatted to conform to a policy directive
issued by the Office of Federal Financial Management (OFFM) of the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), published in the Federal
Register on June 23, 2003, (68 FR 37370). This Notice does not change
the Public Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program
regulation (7 CFR part 1740).
II. Award Information
A. Available Funds for Grants
1. The amount available for grants for FY 2014 is $2,000,000. The
maximum amount for grants under this program is $750,000 per public
television station per year.
2. Assistance instrument: Grant documents appropriate to the
project will be executed with successful applicants prior to any
advance of funds.
B. Public Television Station Digital Transition Grants
Prior grants cannot be renewed nor extended; however, past grantees
may submit new applications for projects not covered under the prior
grant. Award documents specify the term length of each award.
[[Page 29411]]
III. Eligibility Information
A. Who is eligible for grants? (See 7 CFR 1740.3)
1. Public television stations which serve rural areas as defined in
7 CFR 1740.2 are eligible for Public Television Station Digital
Transition Grants. A public television station is a noncommercial
educational television broadcast station that is qualified for
Community Service Grants by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
under section 396(k) of the Communications Act of 1934.
2. Individuals are not eligible for Public Television Station
Digital Transition Grant Program financial assistance directly.
3. Corporations that have been convicted of a felony (or had an
officer or agency acting on behalf of the corporation convicted of a
felony) within the past 24 months are not eligible. Any corporation
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.
B. What are the basic eligibility requirements for a project?
1. Grants shall be made to perform digital transition of television
broadcasting stations serving rural areas. Grant funds may be used to
acquire, lease, and/or install facilities and software necessary to the
digital transition. Specific purposes include:
a. Digital transmitters, translators, and repeaters, including all
facilities required to initiate digital television (DTV) broadcasting.
All broadcast facilities acquired with grant funds shall be capable of
delivering DTV programming and high definition television (HDTV)
programming, at both the interim and final channel and power
authorizations. There is no limit to the number of transmitters or
translators that may be included in an application;
b. Power upgrades of existing DTV transmitter equipment, including
replacement of existing low-power digital transmitters with digital
transmitters capable of delivering the final authorized power level;
c. Studio-to-transmitter links;
d. Equipment to allow local control over digital content and
programming, including master control equipment;
e. Digital program production equipment, including cameras,
editing, mixing and storage equipment;
f. Multicasting and data casting equipment;
g. Cost of the lease of facilities, if any, for up to three years;
and,
h. Associated engineering and environmental studies necessary to
implementation.
2. Matching contributions: There is no requirement for matching
funds in this program (see 7 CFR 1740.5).
3. The following are not eligible for grant funding (see 7 CFR
1740.7):
a. Funding for ongoing operations or for facilities that will not
be owned by the applicant, except for leased facilities as provided
above;
b. Costs of salaries, wages, and employee benefits of public
television station personnel unless they are for construction or
installation of eligible facilities;
c. Facilities for which other grant funding from any other source
has been approved; and,
d. Expenditures made prior to the application deadline specified in
this Notice of Funds Availability.
C. Summary Discussion of a Completed Application
See paragraph IV.B of this notice for a summary discussion of the
items that make up a completed application. You will find more complete
information in the FY 2014 Public Television Station Digital Transition
Grant Program Application Guide. You may also refer to 7 CFR 1740.9 for
completed grant application requirements.
IV. Application and Submission Information
A. Where To Get Application Information
The application guide, copies of necessary forms and samples, and
the Public Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program
regulation are available from these sources:
1. The Internet: https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/UTP_DTV.html, or
https://www.grants.gov.
2. The RUS Advanced Services Division, for paper copies of these
materials call (202) 690-4493.
B. What constitutes a completed application?
1. Detailed information on each item required can be found in the
Public Television Station Digital Transition Grant Program regulation
and application guide. Applicants are strongly encouraged to read and
apply both the regulation and the application guide. This Notice does
not change the requirements for a completed application specified in
the program regulation. The program regulation and application guide
provide specific guidance on each of the items listed and the
application guide provides all necessary forms and sample worksheets.
2. A completed application must include the following
documentation, studies, reports and information, in a form satisfactory
to RUS. Applications should be prepared in conformance with the
provisions in 2 CFR part 180, and 2 CFR part 182, 7 CFR part 1740,
subpart A, and applicable USDA regulations including 7 CFR parts 3015,
3016, and 3019. Applicants must use the application guide for this
program, which contains instructions and all necessary forms, as well
as other important information, in preparing their application.
Completed applications must include the following:
a. An application for Federal assistance, Standard Form 424.
b. An executive summary, not to exceed two pages, describing the
public television station, its service area and offerings, its current
digital transition status, and the proposed project.
c. Evidence of the applicant's eligibility to apply under this
Notice, demonstrating that the applicant is a Public Television Station
as defined in this Notice, and that it is required by the FCC to
perform the digital transition.
d. A spreadsheet showing the total project cost, with a breakdown
of items sufficient to enable RUS to determine individual item
eligibility.
e. A coverage contour map showing the digital television coverage
area of the application project. This map must show the counties (or
county) comprising the Core Coverage Area by shading and by name.
Partial counties included in the applicant's Core Coverage Area must be
identified as partial and must contain an attachment with the
applicant's estimate of the percentage that its coverage contour
comprises of the total area of the county. If the application is for a
translator, the coverage area may be estimated by the applicant through
computer modeling or some other reasonable method, and this estimate is
subject to acceptance by RUS. (In the Application Guide, see Section
C.3, Project Core Coverage Area Map(s).)
f. The applicant's own calculation of its Rurality score, supported
by a worksheet showing the population of its Core Coverage Area, and
the urban and rural populations within the Core Coverage Area. The data
source for the urban and rural components of that population must be
identified. If the application includes computations made by a
consultant or other organization outside the public
[[Page 29412]]
television station, the application shall state the details of that
collaboration. (In the Application Guide, see Section D. Scoring
Documentation.)
g. The applicant's own calculation of its Economic Need score,
supported by a worksheet showing the National School Lunch Program
(NSLP) eligibility levels for all school districts within the Core
Coverage Area and averaging these eligibility percentages. The
application must include a statement from the state or local
organization that administers the NSLP program certifying that the
school district scores used in the computations are accurate.
Applicants are to use the most recent data available. Some official
NSLP data is posted on state and/or local government Web sites, in
which case a printout of the data may be provided as long as it
documents the Web site source. (In the Application Guide, see Section
D. Scoring Documentation.)
h. If applicable, a presentation not to exceed five pages
demonstrating the Critical Need for the project.
i. Evidence that the FCC has authorized the initiation of digital
broadcasting at the project sites. In the event that an FCC
construction permit has not been issued for one or more sites, RUS may
include those sites in the grant, and make advance of funds for that
site conditional upon the submission of a construction permit.
j. Compliance with other Federal statutes. The applicant must
provide evidence or certification that it is in compliance with all
applicable Federal statutes and regulations, including, but not limited
to the following (sample certifications are provided in the application
guide):
(i) Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination;
(ii) Architectural barriers;
(iii) Flood hazard area precautions;
(iv) Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition
Policies Act of 1970;
(v) Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1998 (41 U.S.C. 701);
(vi) Debarment, Suspension; and Other Responsibility Matters--
Primary Covered Transactions;
(vii) Lobbying for Contracts, Grants, Loans, and Cooperative
Agreements Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment (31 U.S.C. 1352).
(viii) Representations Regarding Felony Conviction and Tax
Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants.
k. Environmental impact and historic preservation. The applicant
must provide details of the digital transition's impact on the
environment and historic preservation, and comply with 7 CFR part 1794,
which contains the Agency's policies and procedures for implementing a
variety of federal statutes, regulations, and executive orders
generally pertaining to the protection of the quality of the human
environment. This must be contained in a separate section entitled
``Environmental Impact of the Digital Transition,'' and must include
the Environmental Questionnaire/Certification, available from RUS,
describing the impact of its digital transition. Submission of the
Environmental Questionnaire/Certification alone does not constitute
compliance with 7 CFR part 1794.
3. DUNS Number. As required by the OMB, all applicants for grants
must supply a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)
number when applying. The Standard Form 424 (SF-424) contains a field
for you to use when supplying your DUNS number. The applicant can
obtain the DUNS number free of charge by calling Dun and Bradstreet.
Please see https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform for more information on how to
obtain a DUNS number or how to verify your organization's number.
4. In accordance with 2 CFR part 25, all applicants, whether
applying electronically or by paper, must be registered in the System
for Award Management (SAM) (formerly Central Contractor Registry,
(CCR)), prior to submitting an application.
a. Applicants may register for the SAM at https://www.sam.gov/.
b. The SAM registration must remain active with current information
at all times while RUS is considering an application or while a Federal
Grant Award or loan is active. To maintain the registration in the SAM
database the applicant must review and update the information in the
SAM database annually from date of initial registration or from the
date of the last update. The applicant must ensure that the information
in the database is current, accurate, and complete.
C. How many copies of an application are required?
1. Applications submitted on paper: Submit the original application
and two (2) copies to RUS.
2. Electronically submitted applications: The additional paper
copies for RUS are not necessary if you submit the application
electronically through https://www.grants.gov.
D. How and where to submit an application?
Grant applications may be submitted on paper or electronically.
1. Submitting applications on paper.
a. Address paper applications for grants to the Telecommunications
Program, RUS, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., Room 2844, STOP 1550,
Washington, DC 20250-1550. Applications should be marked ``Attention:
Director, Advanced Services Division.''
b. Paper applications must show proof of mailing or shipping
consisting of one of the following:
(i) A legibly dated postmark applied by the U.S. Postal Service;
(ii) A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped by the
USPS; or
(iii) A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a commercial
carrier.
c. Non-USPS-applied postage dating, i.e. dated postage meter
stamps, do not constitute proof of the date of mailing.
d. Due to screening procedures at the Department of Agriculture,
packages arriving via the USPS are irradiated, which can damage the
contents. RUS encourages applicants to consider the impact of this
procedure in selecting their application delivery method.
2. Electronically Submitted Applications.
a. Applications will not be accepted via facsimile machine
transmission or electronic mail.
b. Electronic applications for grants will be accepted if submitted
through the Federal government's Grants.gov initiative at https://www.grants.gov.
c. How to use Grants.gov:
(i) Navigate your Web browser to https://www.grants.gov.
(ii) Follow the instructions on that Web site to find grant
information.
(iii) Download a copy of the application package.
(iv) Complete the package off-line.
(v) Upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov Web site.
d. Grants.gov contains full instructions on all required passwords,
credentialing and software.
e. RUS encourages applicants who wish to apply through Grants.gov
to submit their applications in advance of the deadline. Difficulties
encountered by applicants filing through Grants.gov will not justify
filing deadline extensions.
f. If a system problem occurs or you have technical difficulties
with an electronic application, please use the customer support
resources available at the Grants.gov Web site.
E. Deadlines
1. Paper applications must be postmarked and mailed, shipped, or
sent overnight no later than July 7, 2014 to be eligible for FY 2014
grant funding. Late applications are not eligible for FY 2014 grant
funding.
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2. Electronic grant applications must be received by July 7, 2014
to be eligible for FY 2014 funding. Late applications are not eligible
for FY 2014 grant funding.
V. Application Review Information
A. Criteria
1. Grant applications are scored competitively and subject to the
criteria listed below.
2. Grant application scoring criteria are detailed in 7 CFR 1740.8.
There are 100 points available, broken down as follows:
a. The Rurality of the Project (up to 50 points);
b. The Economic Need of the Project's Service Area (up to 25
points), and;
c. The Critical Need for the project, and of the applicant,
including the benefits derived from the proposed service (up to 25
points).
B. Review Standards
1. All applications for grants must be delivered to RUS at the
address and by the date specified in this notice to be eligible for
funding. RUS will review each application for conformance with the
provisions of this part. RUS may contact the applicant for additional
information or clarification.
2. Incomplete applications as of the deadline for submission will
not be considered. If an application is determined to be incomplete,
the applicant will be notified in writing and the application will be
returned and will not be considered for FY 2014 funding.
3. Applications conforming with this part will be evaluated
competitively by a panel of RUS employees selected by the Administrator
of RUS, and will be awarded points as described in the scoring criteria
in 7 CFR 1740.8. Applications will be ranked and grants awarded in rank
order until all grant funds are expended.
4. Regardless of the score an application receives, if the RUS
determines that the Project is technically or financially infeasible,
the Agency will notify the applicant, in writing, and the application
will be returned and will not be considered for FY 2014 funding.
C. Scoring Guidelines
1. The applicant's calculated scores in Rurality and Economic Need
will be checked and, if necessary, corrected by RUS.
2. The Critical Need score will be determined by RUS based on
information presented in the application. The Critical Need score is
based on the reviewer's assessment of the supporting arguments made in
the application. The score aims to assess how the specific digital
transition purpose fits with the unique need of the television station
as it moves all of its equipment through the digital transition. This
score is intended to capture, from the rural public's standpoint, the
necessity and usefulness of the proposed project. This scoring category
will also recognize that at a specific time, some transition purposes
are perceived to be more essential than others and that, over time,
this perception changes. For example, during the transition from analog
to digital transmitters, which concluded on June 12, 2009, a first time
transition of a primary transmitter was the most essential project that
could be undertaken for most stations and would have been scored
accordingly. Now that all transmitters have completed the transition to
digital, the focus may shift to some of the other eligible purposes
such as translators, studio and production equipment, and master
control equipment. But what equipment specifically is most essential
may vary from station to station. For example, local production
equipment can be a high priority especially if it produces an area's
only local news or if the station has been historically active in
producing local programming. Repositioning a digital transmitter on a
tower can also be a high priority in cases where the original analog
coverage area was not adequately replicated after the transition. The
Critical Need score is also relative since each application is scored
in comparison to other applications in the competition. These various
factors explain why a similar application may receive a different
Critical Need score in different years of this program.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
The Agency generally notifies applicants whose projects are
selected for awards by faxing an award letter or emailing a PDF
facsimile of the award letter. The Agency follows the award letter with
a grant agreement that contains the terms and conditions for the grant.
A copy of the standard agreement is posted on the RUS Web site at
https://www.rurdev.usda.gov/UTP_DTVResources.html.
An applicant must execute and return the grant agreement,
accompanied by any additional items required by the grant agreement.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. The items
listed in the program regulation at 7 CFR 1740.9(j) implement the
appropriate administrative and national policy requirements.
C. Reporting
1. All recipients of Public Television Station Digital Transition
Grant Program financial assistance must provide semiannual performance
activity reports to RUS until the project is complete and the funds are
expended. A final performance report is also required; the final report
may serve as the last semiannual report. The final report must include
an evaluation of the success of the project.
2. Recipient and Subrecipient Reporting.
The applicant must have the necessary processes and systems in
place to comply with the reporting requirements for first-tier sub-
awards and executive compensation under the Federal Funding
Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 in the event the applicant
receives funding unless such applicant is exempt from such reporting
requirements pursuant to 2 CFR part 170, Sec. 170.110(b). The
reporting requirements under the Transparency Act pursuant to 2 CFR
part 170 are as follows:
a. First Tier Sub-Awards of $25,000 or more in non-Recovery Act
funds (unless they are exempt under 2 CFR part 170) must be reported by
the Recipient to https://www.fsrs.gov no later than the end of the month
following the month the obligation was made. Please note that currently
underway is a consolidation of eight federal procurement systems,
including the Sub-award Reporting System (FSRS), into one system, the
System for Award Management (SAM). As a result the FSRS will soon be
consolidated into and accessed through SAM at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/.
b. The Total Compensation of the Recipient's Executives (5 most
highly compensated executives) must be reported by the Recipient (if
the Recipient meets the criteria under 2 CFR part 170) to www.sam.gov
by the end of the month following the month in which the award was
made.
c. The Total Compensation of the Subrecipient's Executives (5 most
highly compensated executives) must be reported by the Subrecipient (if
the Subrecipient meets the criteria under 2 CFR part 170) to the
Recipient by the end of the month following the month in which the sub-
award was made.
3. Systems Necessary to Meet Reporting Requirements.
The applicant must have the necessary processes and systems in
[[Page 29414]]
place to comply with the reporting requirements for first-tier sub-
awards and executive compensation under the Federal Funding
Accountability and Transparence Act of 2006 in the event the applicant
receives funding unless such applicant is exempt from such reporting
requirements pursuant to 2 CFR part 170, Sec. 170.110(b).
VII. Agency Contacts
A. Web site: https://www.usda.gov/rus/ rus/. The Web site maintains up-
to-date resources and contact information for the Public Television
Station Digital Transition Grant Program.
B. Phone: (202) 690-4493.
C. Fax: (202) 720-1051.
D. Main points of contact: Petra Schultze, Financial Analyst,
Advanced Services Division, Telecommunications Program, RUS, telephone:
(202) 690-4493, fax: (202) 720-1051, or email:
petra.schultze@wdc.usda.gov. Additional point of contact at the same
telephone number, or email: norberto.esteves@wdc.usda.gov: Norberto
Esteves, Acting Director, Advanced Services Division.
Dated: May 1, 2014.
John Charles Padalino,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2014-11703 Filed 5-21-14; 8:45 am]
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