Inviting Applications for the Delta Health Care Services Grant Program, 53765-53773 [2015-22546]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Rural Business-Cooperative Service

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 173 (Tuesday, September 8, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53765-53773]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-22546]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service


Inviting Applications for the Delta Health Care Services Grant 
Program

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This Notice announces that the Rural Business-Cooperative 
Service (Agency) is accepting fiscal year (FY) 2015 applications for 
the Delta Health Care Services Grant (DHCS) Program as authorized by 
the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act of 2015 
(Pub.L. 113-235). Approximately $5 million is available to be 
competitively awarded. The purpose of this program is to provide 
financial assistance to address the continued unmet health needs in the 
Delta Region through cooperation among health care professionals, 
institutions of higher education, research institutions and economic 
development entities in the Delta Region. The Agency is encouraging 
applications that grants to projects based in or serving census tracts 
with poverty rates greater than or equal to 20 percent. This emphasis 
will support Rural Development's (RD) mission of improving the quality 
of life for Rural Americans and its commitment to directing resources 
to those who most need them.

DATES: You must submit completed applications for grants according to 
the following deadlines:
     Paper copies must be postmarked and mailed, shipped, or 
sent overnight no later than December 7, 2015.
     Electronic copies must be received by December 2, 2015. 
Late applications are not eligible for funding under this Notice and 
will not be evaluated.

ADDRESSES: You should contact your USDA Rural Development State Office 
(State Office) if you have questions about eligibility or submission 
requirements. You are encouraged to contact your State Office well in 
advance of the application deadline to discuss your project and to ask 
any questions regarding the application process. A list of State Office 
contacts can be found at https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices.
    A supplementary application guide has also been created for your 
assistance. You may obtain application guides and materials for this 
Notice in the following ways:
     Through the Internet at the RBS Cooperative Programs Web 
site: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/delta-health-care-services-grants
     By requesting application guides and materials from your 
local State Office. A list of State Office contacts can be found at 
https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices.

Alabama

USDA Rural Development State Office, Sterling Centre, Suite 601, 4121 
Carmichael Road, Suite 601, Montgomery, AL 36106-3683, (334) 279-3400/
TDD (334) 279-3495.

Arkansas

USDA Rural Development State Office, 700 West Capitol Avenue, Room 
3416, Little Rock, AR 72201-3225, (501) 301-3200/TDD (501) 301-3279.

Illinois

USDA Rural Development State Office, 2118 West Park Court, Suite A, 
Champaign, IL 61821, (217) 403-6200/TDD (217) 403-6240.

Kentucky

USDA Rural Development State Office, 771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200, 
Lexington, KY 40503, (859) 224-7435/TDD (859) 224-7422.

Louisiana

USDA Rural Development State Office, 3727 Government Street, 
Alexandria, LA 71302, (318) 473-7960/TDD (318) 473-7655.

Mississippi

USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Suite 831, 100 
West Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39269, (601) 965-5457/TDD (601) 965-
5850.

Missouri

USDA Rural Development State Office, 601 Business Loop 70 West, Parkade 
Center, Suite 235, Columbia, MO 65203, (573) 876-9321/TDD (573) 876-
9480.

Tennessee

USDA Rural Development State Office, 3322 West End Avenue, Suite 300, 
Nashville, TN 37203-1084, (615) 783-1321.

    You must submit either:
     A complete paper application to the State Office located 
in the State where the project will primarily take place, https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices (see list above), or
     A complete electronic grant application at https://www.grants.gov/ (Grants.gov). Please review the Grants.gov Web site at 
https://grants.gov/applicants/organization_registration.jsp, for 
instructions on the process of registering your organization as soon as 
possible to ensure you are able to meet the application deadline.

[[Page 53766]]


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Grants Division, Cooperative Programs, 
Rural Business-Cooperative Programs, 1400 Independence Ave. SW., STOP 
3253, Washington, DC 20250-3253; or call (202) 690-1376.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Overview

    Federal Agency: USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS).
    Funding Opportunity Title: Delta Health Care Services Grant 
Program.
    Announcement Type: Initial funding announcement.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.874.
    Dates: You must submit your complete application by December 7, 
2015 or it will not be considered for funding. Electronic copies must 
be received by www.grants.gov no later than midnight Eastern time 
December 2, 2015 or it will not be considered for funding.

Executive Order (EO) 13175 Consultation and Coordination With Indian 
Tribal Governments

    This Executive Order imposes requirements on RD in the development 
of regulatory policies that have tribal implications or preempt tribal 
laws. RD has determined that this Notice does not have a substantial 
direct effect on one or more Indian tribe(s) or on either the 
relationship or the distribution of powers and responsibilities between 
the Federal Government and the Indian tribes. Thus, this Notice is not 
subject to the requirements of Executive Order 13175. Tribal 
Consultation inquiries and comments should be directed to RD's Native 
American Coordinator at aian@wdc.usda.gov or (720) 544-2911.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act requires Federal agencies to seek and 
obtain Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approval before 
undertaking a collection of information directed to ten or more 
persons. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 
U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Agency conducted an analysis to determine the 
number of applications the Agency estimates that it will receive under 
the Delta Health Care Services Grant Program. It was determined that 
the estimated number of applications was fewer than nine and in 
accordance with 5 CFR 1320, thus no OMB approval is necessary at this 
time.

A. Program Description

    This Notice announces the availability of funds for the DHCS grant 
program, which is authorized under Section 379G of the Consolidated 
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2008u). The primary objective 
of the program is to provide financial assistance to address the 
continued unmet health needs in the Delta Region through cooperation 
among health care professionals, institutions of higher education, 
research institutions, and other individuals and entities in the Delta 
Region. Grants are awarded on a competitive basis. The maximum award 
amount per grant is $500,000.
Definitions
    The terms and conditions provided in this Notice are applicable to 
this Notice only. In addition, the term ``you'' referenced throughout 
this Notice should be understood to mean the applicant and the terms 
``we,'' ``us,'' and ``our'' should be understood to mean Rural 
Business-Cooperative Services, Rural Development, USDA.
    Academic Health and Research Institute means one of the following:
     A combination of a medical school, one or more other 
health profession schools or educational training programs (such as 
allied health, dentistry, graduate studies, nursing, pharmacy, public 
health, veterinary medicine), and one or more owned or affiliated 
teaching hospitals or health systems; or
     A health care nonprofit organization or health system, 
including nonprofit medical and surgical hospitals, that conduct health 
related research exclusively for scientific or educational purposes.
    Conflict of Interest means a situation in which a person or entity 
has competing personal, professional, or financial interests that make 
it difficult for the person or business to act impartially. Regarding 
use of both grant and Federal procurement standards prohibit 
transactions that involve a real or apparent conflict of interest for 
owners, employees, officers, agents, or their immediate family members 
having a financial or other interest in the outcome of the project; or 
that restrict open and free competition for unrestrained trade. 
Specifically, project funds may not be used for services or goods going 
to, or coming from, a person or entity with a real or apparent conflict 
of interest, including, but not limited to, owner(s) and their 
immediate family members. An example of conflict of interest occurs 
when the consortium member's employees, board of directors, or the 
immediate family of either, have the appearance of a professional or 
personal financial interest in the recipients receiving the benefits or 
services of the grant.
    Consortium means a group of three or more entities that are 
regional Institutions of Higher Education, Academic Health and Research 
Institutes, and/or Economic Development Entities located in the Delta 
Region that have at least one year of prior experience in addressing 
the health care issues in the region. At least one of the consortium 
members must be legally organized as an incorporated organization or 
other legal entity and have legal authority to contract with the 
Federal government.
    Delta Region means the 252 counties and parishes within the states 
of Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, 
Missouri, and Tennessee that are served by the Delta Regional 
Authority. (The Delta Region may be adjusted by future Federal 
statute.) To view the areas identified within the Delta Region visit 
https://dra.gov/about-dra/dra-states.
    Economic Development Entity means any public or non-profit 
organization whose primary mission is to stimulate local and regional 
economies within the Delta Region by increasing employment 
opportunities and duration of employment, expanding or retaining 
existing employers, increasing labor rates or wage levels, reducing 
outmigration, and/or creating gains in other economic development-
related variables such as land values. These activities shall primarily 
benefit low- and moderate-income individuals in the Delta Region.
    Health System means the complete network of agencies, facilities, 
and all providers of health care to meet the health needs of a specific 
geographical area or target populations.
    Institution of Higher Education means either a postsecondary (post-
high school) educational institution that awards a bachelor's degree or 
provides not less than a 2-year program that is acceptable for full 
credit toward such a degree, or a postsecondary vocational institution 
that provides a program of training to prepare students for gainful 
employment in a recognized occupation.
    Nonprofit Organization means any organization or institution, 
including an accredited institution of higher education, no part of the 
net earnings of which may inure, to the benefit of any private 
shareholder or individual.
    Project Funds means grant funds requested plus any other 
contributions to the proposed project.
    Rural and rural area means any area of a State:
     Not in a city or town that has a population of more than 
50,000 inhabitants, according to the latest

[[Page 53767]]

decennial census of the United States; and
     The contiguous and adjacent urbanized area,
     Urbanized areas that are rural in character as defined by 
7 U.S.C. 1991 (a) (13), as amended by Section 6018 of the Food, 
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, Public Law 110-246 (June 18, 
2008).
     For the purposes of this definition, cities and towns are 
incorporated population centers with definite boundaries, local self-
government, and legal powers set forth in a charter granted by the 
State.
    State means each of the 50 states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 
the Virgin Islands of the United States, Guam, American Samoa, the 
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and, as may be determined 
by the Secretary to be feasible, appropriate and lawful, the Federated 
States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the 
Republic of Palau.

B. Federal Award Information

Type of Award: Grant
Total Funding for DHCS: $5,312,610.00
Maximum DHCS Award: $500,000
Minimum DHCS Award: $50,000
Project Period: Up to 24 months
Anticipated Award Date: March 1, 2016

C. Eligibility Information

    Applicants must meet all of the following eligibility requirements. 
Your application will not be considered for funding if it does not 
provide sufficient information to determine eligibility or is missing 
required elements. Applicants that fail to submit the required elements 
by the application deadline will be deemed ineligible and will not be 
evaluated further. Information submitted after the application deadline 
will not be accepted.
1. Eligible Applicants
    Grants funded through DHCS may be made to a Consortium as defined 
in Paragraph A of this Notice. Consortiums are eligible to receive 
funding through this Notice. One member of the Consortium must be 
designated as the lead entity by the other members of the Consortium 
and have legal authority to contract with the Federal government.
    The lead entity is the recipient (See 2 CFR 200.86) of the DHCS 
grant funds and accountable for monitoring and reporting on the project 
performance and financial management of the grant. In addition, the 
lead entity (recipient) is responsible for subrecipient monitoring and 
management in accordance with 2 CFR 200.330 and 200.331, respectively. 
The remaining consortium members are subrecipients (See 2 CFR 200.93). 
They may receive subawards (See 2 CFR 200.94) from the recipient and 
are responsible for monitoring and reporting the project performance 
and financial management of their subaward to the recipient.
    (a) An applicant is ineligible if they do not submit ``Evidence of 
Eligibility'' and ``Consortium Agreements'' as described in Section 
D.2. of this Notice.
    (b) An applicant is ineligible if they have been debarred or 
suspended or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for participation in 
Federal assistance programs under Executive Order 12549, ``Debarment 
and Suspension.'' The Agency will check the System for Award Management 
(SAM) to determine if the applicant has been debarred or suspended. In 
addition, an applicant will be considered ineligible for a grant due to 
an outstanding judgment obtained by the U.S. in a Federal Court (other 
than U.S. Tax Court), is delinquent on the payment of Federal income 
taxes, or is delinquent on Federal debt. The applicant must certify as 
part of the application that they do not have an outstanding judgement 
against them. The Agency will check the Credit Alert Interactive Voice 
Response System (CAIVRS) to verify this.
    (c) Any corporation (i) that has been convicted of a felony 
criminal violation under any Federal law within the past 24 months or 
(ii) that has any unpaid Federal tax liability that has been assessed, 
for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted 
or have lapsed, and that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant 
to an agreement with the authority responsible for collecting the tax 
liability, is not eligible for financial assistance provided with funds 
appropriated by the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations 
Act, 2015, unless a Federal agency has considered suspension or 
debarment of the corporation and has made a determination that this 
further action is not necessary to protect the interests of the 
Government.
    (d) Applications will be deemed ineligible if the application 
includes any funding restrictions identified under Section D.6.
    (e) Applications will be deemed ineligible if the application is 
not complete in accordance with the requirements stated in Section 
C.3.g.
2. Cost Sharing or Matching
    Matching funds are not required. However, if you are adding any 
other contributions to the proposed Project, you must provide 
documentation indicating who will be providing the matching funds, the 
amount of funds, when those funds will be provided, and how the funds 
will be used in the project budget. Examples of acceptable 
documentation include: A signed letter from the source of funds stating 
the amount of funds, when the funds will be provided, and what the 
funds can be used for or a signed resolution from your governing board 
authorizing the use of a specified amount of funds for specific 
components of the project. The matching funds you identify must be 
specifically dedicated to the project and cannot include your 
organization's general operating budget. No credit will be given for 
in-kind donations of time, goods, and/or services from any 
organization, including the applicant organization. Additionally, we 
will not consider program income or expected revenue as other 
contributions, unless a commitment letter from the organization that 
will be paying the fees provides a letter stating the amount of the 
funds that will be paid, when they will be paid, and what they can be 
used for, if applicable. If you choose, you may use a template to 
summarize the matching funds. The template is available either from 
your Rural Development State Office or the program Web site at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/delta-health-care-services-grants.
3. Other Eligibility Requirements
    The following additional eligibility requirements apply to this 
program:
    (a) Use of Funds. An application must propose to use Project funds, 
including grant and other contributions committed under the evaluation 
criteria for eligible purposes. Eligible Project purposes include the 
development of:
     Health care services;
     health education programs;
     health care job training programs; and
     the development and expansion of public health-related 
facilities in the Delta Region.
    (b) Project Area. The proposed Project must take place in a Rural 
Area within the Delta Region as defined in this Notice. However, the 
applicant need not propose to serve the entire Delta Region.
    (c) Project Input. Your proposed Project must be developed based on 
input from local governments, public health care providers, and other 
entities in the Delta Region.
    (d) Grant Period. All grant funds are limited to a 24-month 
performance period. Your proposed grant period should begin no earlier 
than the anticipated award announcement date, March 1, 2016, and should 
end no later than 24 months following that date. If you receive an 
award, your grant period

[[Page 53768]]

will be revised to begin on the actual date of award--the date the 
grant agreement is executed by the Agency--and your grant period end 
date will be adjusted accordingly. Your Project activities must begin 
within 90 days of the date of award. If you request funds for a time 
period beginning before March 1, 2016, and/or ending later than 24 
months from that date, your application will be ineligible. The length 
of your grant period should be based on your Project's complexity, as 
indicated in your application work plan.
    (e) Multiple Grant Requests. The Consortium, including its members, 
is limited to submitting one application for funding under this Notice. 
We will not accept applications from Consortiums that include members 
who are also members of other Consortiums that have submitted 
applications for funding under this Notice. If we discover that a 
Consortium member is a member of multiple Consortiums with applications 
submitted for funding under this Notice, all applications will be 
considered ineligible for funding.
    (f) Performance on Existing DHCS Awards. If the lead entity, or any 
of its Consortium members, has an existing DHCS award, they must be 
performing satisfactorily to be considered eligible for a funding under 
this Notice. Satisfactory performance includes, but is not limited to, 
being up-to-date on all financial and performance reports and being 
current on all tasks as approved in the work plan. The Agency will use 
its discretion to make this determination.
    (g) Completeness. Your application must provide all of the 
information requested in Section D.2. of this Notice. Applications 
lacking sufficient information to determine eligibility and scoring 
will be deemed ineligible and will not be considered for scoring.
    (h) Indirect Costs. Your negotiated indirect cost rate approval 
does not need to be included in your application, but you will be 
required to provide it if a grant is awarded. Approval for indirect 
costs that are requested in an application without an approved indirect 
cost rate agreement is at the discretion of the Agency.

D. Application and Submission Information

    Please see instructions below on how to access and submit a 
complete application for this funding opportunity.
1. Address To Request Application Package
    The application guide and copies of necessary forms for the DHCS 
Grant Program are available from these sources:
     The Internet at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/delta-health-care-services-grants, https://www.grants.gov, or
     For paper copies of these materials, please call (202) 
690-1376.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission
    You may submit your application in paper form or electronically 
through Grants.gov. Your application must contain all required 
information.
    To submit an application electronically, you must follow the 
instructions for this funding announcement at https://www.grants.gov. 
Please note that we cannot accept emailed or faxed applications.
    You can locate the Grants.gov downloadable application package for 
this program by using a keyword, the program name, or the Catalog of 
Federal Domestic Assistance Number for this program.
    When you enter the Grants.gov Web site, you will find information 
about submitting an application electronically through the site, as 
well as the hours of operation.
    To use Grants.gov, you must already have a DUNS number and you must 
also be registered and maintain registration in SAM. We strongly 
recommend that you do not wait until the application deadline date to 
begin the application process through Grants.gov.
    You must submit all of your application documents electronically 
through Grants.gov. Applications must include electronic signatures. 
Original signatures may be required if funds are awarded.
    After electronically submitting an application through Grants.gov, 
you will receive an automatic acknowledgement from Grants.gov that 
contains a Grants.gov tracking number.
    If you want to submit a paper application, send it to the State 
Office located in the State where you are headquartered. You can find 
State Office contact information at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices.
    You are strongly encouraged, but not required, to utilize the DHCS 
Application Guide found at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/delta-health-care-services-grants. The guide provides specific guidance 
on each of the items listed and also provides all necessary forms and 
sample worksheets.
    The organization submitting the application will be considered the 
lead entity. The Contact/Program Manager must be associated with the 
lead entity submitting the application.
    A completed application must include the following:
    (a) Form SF-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance.''--The 
application for federal assistance must be completed by the lead entity 
as described in Section C.1. of this Notice. Your application must 
include your DUNS number and SAM (CAGE) code and expiration date. 
Because there are no specific fields for a CAGE code and expiration 
date, you may identify them anywhere you want to on the form. If you do 
not include the CAGE code and expiration date and DUNS number in your 
application, it will not be considered for funding. The form must be 
signed by an authorized representative.
    (b) Form SF-424A, ``Budget Information--Non-Construction 
Programs.'' This form must be completed and submitted as part of the 
application package for non-construction projects.
    (c) Form SF-424B, ``Assurances--Non-Construction Programs.'' This 
form must be completed, signed, and submitted as part of the 
application package for non-construction projects.
    (d) Form SF-424C, ``Budget Information--Construction Programs.'' 
This form must be completed, signed, and submitted as part of the 
application package for construction projects.
    (e) Form SF-424D, ``Assurances--Construction Programs.'' This form 
must be completed, signed, and submitted as part of the application 
package for construction projects.
    (f) A project abstract. You must provide a brief summary of the 
proposed Project, not to exceed 250 words, suitable for dissemination 
to the public and to Congress.
    (g) Executive summary. You must provide a more detailed description 
of your project containing the following information; (1) Legal name of 
lead applicant, (2) consortium members, (3) applicant type (including 
consortium members) (4) application type (development of health care 
services, health education programs, health care job care training 
programs, or the development and/or expansion of health related 
facilities, (5) a summary of your project, (6) project goals and (7) 
how you intend to use the grant funds. Limit two pages.
    (h) Evidence of eligibility. You must provide evidence of the 
Consortium's eligibility to apply under this Notice. This section must 
include a detailed summary demonstrating how each Consortium member 
meets the

[[Page 53769]]

definition of an eligible entity as defined under Definitions of this 
Notice.
    (i) Consortium agreements. The application must include a formal 
written agreement with each Consortium member that addresses the 
negotiated arrangements for administering the Project to meet Project 
goals, the Consortium member's responsibilities to comply with 
administrative, financial, and reporting requirements of the grant, 
including those necessary to ensure compliance with all applicable 
Federal regulations and policies, and facilitate a smooth functioning 
collaborative venture. Under the agreement, each Consortium member must 
perform a substantive role in the Project and not merely serve as a 
conduit of funds to another party or parties. This agreement must be 
signed by an authorized representative of the lead entity and an 
authorized representative of each partnering consortium entity.
    (j) Scoring documentation. You must address and provide 
documentation for each scoring criterion, specifically (1) the rurality 
of the project area and communities served, (2) the community needs and 
benefits derived from the project, (3) and project management and 
organization capability. See Section E.1.
    (k) Work Plan and Budget. You must provide a work plan and budget 
that includes the following: (1) The specific activities; such as 
programs, services, trainings, and/or construction-related activities 
for a facility to be performed under the Project, (2) the estimated 
line item costs associated with each activity, including grant funds 
and other necessary sources of funds; (3) the key personnel who will 
carry out each activity (including each Consortium member's role), and 
(4) the specific time frames for completion of each activity.
    An eligible start and end date for the project and for individual 
project tasks must be clearly shown and may not exceed Agency specified 
timeframes for the grant period. You must show the source and use of 
both grant and other contributions for all tasks. Other contributions 
must be spent at a rate equal to, or in advance of, grant funds.
    (l) Financial information and sustainability. You must provide 
current financial statements and a narrative description demonstrating 
sustainability of the project, all of which show sufficient resources 
and expertise to undertake and complete the project and how the project 
will be sustained following completion. Applicants must provide 3 years 
of pro-forma financial statements for the project.
    (m) Evidence of legal authority and existence. The lead entity must 
provide evidence of its legal existence and authority to enter into a 
grant agreement with the Agency and perform the activities proposed 
under the grant application.
    (n) Evidence of input solicited from local stakeholders. The 
application must include documentation detailing support solicited from 
local government, public health care providers and other entities in 
the Delta Region. Evidence of support can include; but is not limited 
to surveys conducted amongst rural residents and stakeholders, notes 
from focus groups, or letters of support from local entities.
    (o) Service area maps. You must provide maps with sufficient detail 
to show the area that will benefit from the proposed facilities and 
services and the location of the facilities improved or purchased with 
grant funds if applicable.
    (p) Form AD-3030. Form AD-3030, ``Representations Regarding Felony 
Conviction and Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants,'' if you 
are a corporation. A corporation is any entity that has filed articles 
of incorporation in one of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the 
Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and the Republic 
of the Marshall Islands, or the various territories of the United 
States including American Samoa, Guam, Midway Islands, the Commonwealth 
of the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin 
Islands. Corporations include both for profit and non-profit entities.
    (q) Certification of no current outstanding Federal judgment. You 
must certify that there are no current outstanding Federal judgments 
against your property and that you will not use grant funds to pay for 
any judgment obtained by the United States. To satisfy the 
Certification requirement, you should include this statement in your 
application: ``[INSERT NAME OF APPLICANT] certifies that the United 
States has not obtained an unsatisfied judgment against its property 
and will not use grant funds to pay any judgments obtained by the 
United States.'' A separate signature is not required.
    (r) Form RD-1940-20, ``Request for Environmental Information.'' You 
must submit a completed Form RD 1940-20, ``Request for Environmental 
Information,'' and a description of anticipated environmental issues or 
concerns for all construction related applications. The form can be 
found at: https://forms.sc.egov.usda.gov/efcommon/eFileServices/eForms/RD1940-20.PDF. Additional environmental documentation may be requested 
in accordance with 7 CFR part 1940 Exhibit H. The submission of the 
Form RD 1940-20 alone does not constitute compliance with 7 CFR part 
1940.
3. DUNS Number and SAM Registration
    In order to be eligible (unless you are exempted under 2 CFR 
25.110(b), (c) or (d), you are required to:
    (a) Provide a valid DUNS number in your application, which can be 
obtained at no cost via a toll-free request line at (866) 705-5711;
    (b) Register in SAM before submitting your application. You may 
register in SAM at no cost at https://www.sam.gov/portal/public/SAM/; 
and
    (c) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current 
information at all times during which you have an active Federal award 
or an application or plan under consideration by a Federal awarding 
agency.
    The Agency may not make a Federal award to you until you have 
complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM requirements. If you have not 
fully complied with requirements by the time the Agency is ready to 
make a Federal award, the Agency may determine that the applicant is 
not qualified to receive a Federal award and the Agency may use this 
determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.
4. Submission Date and Time
    Application Deadline Date: December 7, 2015.
    Explanation of Deadlines: Complete paper applications must be 
postmarked and mailed, shipped, or sent overnight by December 7, 2015. 
The Agency will determine whether your application is late based on the 
date shown on the postmark or shipping invoice. You may also hand carry 
your application to one of our field offices, but it must be received 
by close of business on the deadline date. If the due date falls on a 
Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday, the reporting package is due the 
next business day. Late applications are not eligible for funding.
    Electronic applications must be RECEIVED by https://www.grants.gov 
by midnight Eastern time December 2, 2015, to be eligible for funding. 
Please review the Grants.gov Web site at https://grants.gov/applicants/organization_registration.jsp for instructions on the process of 
registering your organization as soon as possible to ensure you are 
able to meet the electronic application deadline. Grants.gov will not 
accept applications submitted after the deadline.

[[Page 53770]]

5. Intergovernmental Review
    Executive Order (EO) 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs, applies to this program. This EO requires that Federal 
agencies provide opportunities for consultation on proposed assistance 
with State and local governments. Many States have established a Single 
Point of Contact (SPOC) to facilitate this consultation. A list of 
States that maintain a SPOC may be obtained at https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants_spoc. If your State has a SPOC, you may 
submit your application directly for review. Any comments obtained 
through the SPOC must be provided to Rural Development for 
consideration as part of your application. If your State has not 
established a SPOC or you do not want to submit your application to the 
SPOC, Rural Development will submit your application to the SPOC or 
other appropriate agency or agencies.
    You are also encouraged to contact Cooperative Programs at 202-690-
1376 or cpgrants@wdc.usda.gov if you have questions about this process.
6. Funding Restrictions
    The use of project funds, including grant funds and other 
contributions, cannot be used for ineligible purposes. In addition, you 
shall not use project funds for the following:
    (a) To duplicate current services or to replace or to substitute 
support previously provided. If the current service is inadequate, 
however, project funds may be used to expand the level of effort or a 
service beyond what is currently being provided;
    (b) To pay for costs to prepare the application for funding under 
this Notice;
    (c) To pay for costs of the project incurred prior to the effective 
date of the period of performance;
    (d) To pay expenses for applicant employee training;
    (e) Fund political activities;
    (f) To pay for assistance to any private business enterprise which 
does not have at least 51 percent ownership by those who are either 
citizens of the United States or reside in the United States after 
being legally admitted for permanent residence;
    (g) To pay any judgment or debt owed to the United States.
    (h) Engage in any activities that are considered a Conflict of 
Interest, as defined by this Notice; or
    (i) Fund any activities prohibited by 2 CFR 200.
    In addition, your application will not be considered for funding if 
it does any of the following:
     Requests more than the maximum grant amount: or
     Proposes ineligible costs that equal more than 10 percent 
of the project funds.
    If you include funds in your budget that are for ineligible 
purposes, we will consider the application for funding if the 
ineligible purposes total 10 percent or less of an applicant's project 
funds. However, if the application is successful, those ineligible 
costs must be removed from the work plan and budget and replaced with 
eligible costs before we will make the grant award, or the grant award 
will be reduced accordingly. If we cannot determine the percentage of 
ineligible costs, the application will not be considered for funding.
7. Other Submission Requirements
    (a) You should not submit your application in more than one format. 
You must choose whether to submit your application in hard copy or 
electronically. Applications submitted in hard copy should be mailed or 
hand-delivered to the State Office where the project will primarily 
take place. You can find State Office contact information at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices. To submit an application 
electronically, you must follow the instructions for this funding 
announcement at https://www.grants.gov. A password is not required to 
access the Web site.
    (b) National Environmental Policy Act.
    This Notice has been reviewed in accordance with 7 CFR part 1940, 
subpart G, ``Environmental Program.'' We have determined that an 
Environmental Impact Statement is not required because the issuance of 
regulations and instructions, as well as amendments to them, describing 
administrative and financial procedures for processing, approving, and 
implementing the Agency's financial programs is categorically excluded 
in the Agency's National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) regulation 
found at 7 CFR 1940.310(e)(3) of subpart G, ``Environmental Program.'' 
We have determined that this Notice does not constitute a major Federal 
action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment. 
Non-construction projects applying under this Notice are hereby 
classified as Categorical Exclusions according to 7 CFR 1940.310(e), 
the award of financial assistance for planning purposes, management and 
feasibility studies, or environmental impact analyses, which do not 
require any additional documentation.
    (c) Civil Rights Compliance Requirements.
    All grants made under this Notice are subject to Title VI of the 
Civil Rights Act of 1964 as required by the USDA (7 CFR part 15, 
subpart A) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

E. Application Review Information

    We will review your application to determine if it is complete and 
eligible. If at any time we determine that your application is 
ineligible, you will be notified in writing as to the reasons it was 
determined ineligible and you will be informed of your review and 
appeal rights.
    We will only score applications in which the lead entity, 
partnering Consortium member entities, and the project are eligible. 
The applications must also be complete and sufficiently responsive to 
program requirements.
    We will review each application to determine if it is eligible for 
funding and complete, based on the requirements of this Notice as well 
as other applicable Federal regulations.
    Applications that are determined to be eligible and complete will 
be evaluated based on the criteria described below.
1. Criteria
    For each criterion, you must show how the Project has merit and why 
it is likely to be successful. If you do not address all parts of a 
criterion your application will be deemed ineligible. If you do not 
sufficiently communicate relevant Project information, you will receive 
lower scores. DHCS is a competitive program, so you will receive scores 
based on the quality of your responses. Simply addressing the criteria 
will not guarantee higher scores. The maximum number of points that can 
be awarded to your application is 100. For this announcement, the 
minimum score requirement for funding is 60 points. It is at the 
Agency's discretion to fund applications with a score of 59 or less if 
it is in the best interest of the Federal government.
    The evaluation criteria are detailed in the DHCS Grant Application 
Guide which can be found at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/delta-health-care-services-grants. You must address each evaluation 
criterion outlined in this Notice. Any criterion not substantively 
addressed will receive zero points. There are three criteria totaling 
100 points. They are listed below:
    (a) Rurality of the Project and communities served (maximum of 30 
points)--The rurality of the communities served by the Project is an

[[Page 53771]]

objective criterion that measures the rurality of the Project's service 
area. It is determined by the population of the community. The rurality 
calculation provided in the application will be checked and, if 
necessary, corrected by us.

 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                 Community Having a Population
                    Level                     ------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                             Over               Not in excess of      Points
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1............................................  0..............................             5,000              30
2............................................  5,001..........................            20,000              20
3............................................  20,001.........................            50,000              10
4............................................  50,001 or located in an          ................               0
                                                Urbanized Area.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (b) The Community Needs and Benefits derived from the Project 
(maximum of 30 points)--We will assess how the Project's purpose and 
goals benefit the residents in the Delta Region. This criterion will be 
scored based on the documentation in support of the community needs for 
health services and public health-related facilities and the benefits 
to people living in Delta Regional derived from the implementation of 
the proposed Project. It should lead clearly to the identification of 
the Project participant pool and the target population for the Project, 
and provide convincing links between the Project and the benefits to 
the community to address its health needs. RBS will consider:
    (1) The extent of the applicant's documentation explaining the 
health care needs, issues, and challenges facing the service area. 
Include what problems the residents face and how the Project will 
benefit the residents in the region.
    (2) The extent to which the applicant is able to show the 
relationship between the Project's design, outcome, and benefits.
    (3) The extent to which the applicant explains the Project and its 
implementation and provides milestones which are well-defined and can 
be realistically completed.
    (4) The extent to which the applicant clearly outlines a plan to 
track, report, and evaluate performance outcomes.
    Applicants should attempt to quantify benefits in terms of outcomes 
from the Project; that is, ways in which peoples' lives, or the 
community, will be improved. Provide estimates of the number of people 
affected by the benefits arising from the project. The Agency has also 
established annual performance measures to evaluate the DHCS program. 
Use this section to provide estimates on the following performance 
measures as part of your narrative:
     Number of businesses assisted;
     Number of jobs created;
     Number of jobs saved;
     Number of individuals assisted/trained.
    It is permissible to have a zero in a performance element. When you 
calculate jobs created, estimates should be based upon actual jobs to 
be created by your organization as a result of the DHCS funding or 
actual jobs to be created by businesses as a result of assistance from 
your organization. When you calculate jobs saved, estimates should be 
based only on actual jobs that would have been lost if your 
organization did not receive DHCS funding or actual jobs that would 
have been lost without assistance from your organization.
    You can also suggest additional performance elements for example 
where job creation or jobs saved may not be a relevant indicator. These 
additional criteria should be specific, measurable performance elements 
that could be included in an award document.
    (c) The Project Management and Organization Capability (maximum of 
40 points)--We will evaluate the Consortium's experience, past 
performance, and accomplishments addressing health care issues to 
ensure effective Project implementation. This criterion will be scored 
based on the documentation of the Project's management and 
organizational capability. RBS will consider:
    (1) The degree to which the organization has a sound management and 
fiscal structure including: well-defined roles for administrators, 
staff, and established financial management systems.
    (2) The extent to which the applicant identifies and demonstrates 
that qualifications, capabilities, and educational background of the 
identified key personnel (at a minimum the Project Manager) who will 
manage and implement programs are relevant and will contribute to the 
success of the Project.
    (3) The extent to which the applicant demonstrates current 
successful and effective experience (or recent past experience) 
addressing the health care issues in the Delta Region.
    (4) The extent to which the applicant has experience managing 
grant-funded programs.
    (5) The extent to which the applicant is able to correlate and 
support the budget to the project phases and implementation timeline.
    (6) The extent to which administrative/management costs are 
balanced with funds designated for the provision of programs and 
services.
    (7) The extent and depth of membership in the applicant's 
Consortium of regional institutions of higher education, academic 
health and research institutes and economic development entities 
located in the Delta Region.
2. Review and Selection Process
    The State Offices will review applications to determine if they are 
eligible for assistance based on requirements in this Notice and other 
applicable Federal regulations. If determined eligible, your 
application will be scored by a panel of National and State Office 
employees in accordance with the point allocation specified in this 
Notice. A recommendation will be submitted to the Administrator to fund 
applications in highest ranking order, subject to availability of 
funds. It is at the Agency's discretion to fund applications with a 
score of 59 or less if it is in the best interest of the Federal 
government. If your application is evaluated, but not funded, it will 
not be carried forward into the next competition.

F. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notices
    If you are selected for funding, you will receive a signed notice 
of Federal award by postal mail from the State Office where your 
application was submitted, containing instructions on requirements 
necessary to proceed with execution and performance of the

[[Page 53772]]

award. You must comply with all applicable statutes, regulations, and 
notice requirements before the grant award will be approved. We 
recognize that each funded Project is unique and therefore the terms 
and conditions of each award may vary. We will notify applicants whose 
applications are selected for funding by sending a letter of 
conditions, which must be met before the award can be finalized.
    Once the conditions of the award are met, we will issue a grant 
agreement, which must be signed by the lead entity and us before the 
period of performance can begin. The lead entity may administer the 
award using the traditional subaward approach to the other Consortium 
members.
    If you are not selected for funding, you will be notified in 
writing via postal mail and informed of any review and appeal rights. 
See 7 CFR part 11 for USDA National Appeals Division procedures. 
Funding of successfully appealed applications will be limited to 
available FY 2015 funding. You must comply with all applicable 
statutes, regulations, and notice requirements before the grant will be 
approved.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
    Additional requirements that apply to grantees selected for this in 
program can be found in 2 CFR parts 180, 200, 400, 415, 417, 418, 421, 
25, and 170; and 48 CFR 31.2, and successor regulations to these parts. 
In addition, all recipients of Federal financial assistance are 
required to comply with the Federal Funding Accountability and 
Transparency Act of 2006 and must report information about sub-awards 
and executive compensation (see 2 CFR part 170). These recipients must 
also maintain their registration in the SAM database as long as their 
grants are active. These regulations may be obtained at https://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/.
    The following additional requirements apply to grantees selected 
for this program:
     Agency-approved Grant Agreement.
     Letter of Conditions.
     Form RD 1940-1, ``Request for Obligation of Funds.''
     Form RD 1942-46, ``Letter of Intent to Meet Conditions.''
     Form AD-1047, ``Certification Regarding Debarment, 
Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters--Primary Covered 
Transactions.''
     Form AD-1048, ``Certification Regarding Debarment, 
Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered 
Transactions.''
     Form AD-1049, ``Certification Regarding a Drug-Free 
Workplace Requirement (Grants).''
     Form AD-3031, ``Assurance Regarding Felony Conviction or 
Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants.''
     Form RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement.''
     RD Instruction 1940-Q, Exhibit A-1, ``Certification for 
Contracts, Grants and Loans''
     SF-LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities'' if 
applicable.
3. Reporting
    (a) Federal Financial Reports.
    (1) An SF-425, ``Federal Financial Report,'' must be submitted 
listing expenditures according to agreed upon budget categories, on a 
semiannual basis. Reporting periods end each August 31 and February 28. 
Reports are due 30 days after the reporting period ends.
    (2) A final project and financial status report within 90 days 
after the expiration or termination of the grant.
    (3) Provide outcome project performance reports and final 
deliverables.
    (b) Performance Reports.
    Semiannual performance reports should compare accomplishments to 
the objectives stated in the proposal. Identify all tasks completed to 
date and provide documentation supporting the reported results. If the 
original schedule provided in the work plan is not being met, the 
report should discuss the problems or delays that may affect completion 
of the project. Objectives for the next reporting period should be 
listed. Compliance with any special condition on the use of award funds 
should be discussed. Reports are due as provided in paragraph 3.a. of 
this section.
    (c) Subrecipient Reporting.
    The lead entity 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 170.110(b). The reporting requirements 
under the Transparency Act pursuant to 2 CFR part 170 are as follows:
    (1) 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.
    (2) The Total Compensation of the Recipient's Executives (five 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.
    (3) The Total Compensation of the Subrecipient's Executives (five 
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. Further details regarding these 
requirements can be obtained at https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title02/2cfr170_main_02.tpl.
    (d) Closeout.
    Grant closeout activities include a letter to the grantee with 
final instructions and reminders for amounts to be de-obligated for any 
unexpended grant funds, final project performance reports due, 
submission of outstanding deliverables, audit requirements, or other 
outstanding items of closure.
    (e) Report for Public Distribution.
    You must provide a report suitable for public distribution that 
describes the accomplishments made during this project. We may use this 
report as a success story to promote this program.

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

    If you have questions about this Notice, please contact the State 
Office as identified in the ADDRESSES section of this Notice. You are 
also encouraged to visit the application Web site for application 
tools, including an application guide and templates. The Web site 
address is: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/delta-health-care-services-grants.

H. Other Information

Nondiscrimination Statement
    USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on 
the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where 
applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, 
religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, 
reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived 
from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to 
all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means 
for communication of program information (Braille, large print, 
audiotape, etc.) should contact

[[Page 53773]]

USDA's Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
    If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of 
discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form 
(PDF) found online at https://www.ascr.usda.gov/complain_filing_cust.html or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 
to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the 
information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form 
or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, 
Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 
20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442, or email at program.intake@usda.gov.
    Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech 
disabilities and who wish to file either an EEO or program complaint, 
please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339 
or (800) 845-6136 (in Spanish).
    Persons with disabilities who wish to file a program complaint, 
please see information above on how to contact us by mail directly or 
by email. If you require alternative means of communication for program 
information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.), please 
contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

    Dated: August 28, 2015.
Samuel H. Rikkers,
Acting Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Programs.
[FR Doc. 2015-22546 Filed 9-4-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P