Inviting Applications for Value-Added Producer Grants, 20607-20614 [2016-08028]
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minutes, can be found by visiting the
Board’s Web site at: https://
www.fs.usda.gov/main/blackhills/
workingtogether/advisorycommittees.
DATES: The meeting will be held on
Wednesday, April 20, 2016, at 1:00 p.m.
All meetings are subject to
cancellation. For updated status of
meeting prior to attendance, please
contact the person listed under For
Further Information Contact.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at
the Mystic Ranger District, 8221 South
Highway 16, Rapid City, South Dakota.
Written comments may be submitted
as described under Supplementary
Information. All comments, including
names and addresses, when provided,
are placed in the record and available
for public inspection and copying. The
public may inspect comments received
at the Black Hills National Forest
Supervisor’s Office. Please call ahead to
facilitate entry into the building.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Scott Jacobson, Board Coordinator, by
phone at 605–440–1409 or by email at
sjjacobson@fs.fed.us.
Individuals who use
telecommunication devices for the deaf
(TDD) may call the Federal Information
Relay Service (FIRS) at 1–800–877–8339
between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.,
Eastern Standard Time, Monday
through Friday.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
purpose of the meeting is to provide:
(1) Over-snow and Non-motorized
Working Group Report update;
(2) Elk Management Report;
(3) Heritage and Sacred Site update;
(4) Forest Health Working Group
Recommendation for FY 16–18;
(5) Motorized Trails and Permit Fees;
(6) Fire Season 2016 Outlook; and
(7) Election.
The meeting is open to the public.
The agenda will include time for people
to make oral statements of three minutes
or less. Individuals wishing to make an
oral statement should submit a request
in writing by April 11, 2016, to be
scheduled on the agenda. Anyone who
would like to bring related matters to
the attention of the Board may file
written statements with the Board’s staff
before or after the meeting. Written
comments and time requests for oral
comments must be sent to Scott
Jacobson, Black Hills National Forest
Supervisor’s Office, 1019 North Fifth
Street, Custer, South Dakota 57730; by
email to sjjacobson@fs.fed.us, or via
facsimile to 605–673–9208.
Meeting Accommodations: If you are
a person requiring reasonable
accommodation, please make requests
in advance for sign language
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interpreting, assistive listening devices,
or other reasonable accommodation for
access to the facility or proceedings by
contacting the person listed in the
section titled For Further Information
Contact. All reasonable accommodation
requests are managed on a case by case
basis.
Dated: March 28, 2016.
Craig Bobzien,
Forest Supervisor.
[FR Doc. 2016–08151 Filed 4–7–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3411–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Inviting Applications for Value-Added
Producer Grants
Rural Business-Cooperative
Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
This Notice announces that
the Rural Business-Cooperative Service
(Agency) is accepting fiscal year (FY)
2016 applications for the Value-Added
Producer Grant (VAPG) program.
Approximately $44 million is available
to help agricultural producers enter into
value-added activities for FY 2016,
including approximately $30.25 million
available through the Agricultural Act of
2014 (2014 Farm Bill), $10.75 million
through the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2016 and $3
million in carryover funding.
DATES: You must submit your
application by July 1, 2016 or it will not
be considered for funding. Paper
applications must be postmarked and
mailed, shipped or sent overnight by
this date. You may also hand carry your
application to one of our field offices,
but it must be received by close of
business on the deadline date.
Electronic applications are permitted
via https://www.grants.gov only, and
must be received before midnight
Eastern Time, June 24, 2016. Late
applications are not eligible for grant
funding under this Notice.
ADDRESSES: You should contact your
USDA Rural Development 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 about the application
process. Application materials are
available at https://www.rd.usda.gov/
programs-services/value-addedproducer-grants.
If you want to submit an electronic
application, follow the instructions for
SUMMARY:
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20607
the VAPG funding announcement on
https://www.grants.gov. Please review
the Grants.gov Web site at https://
grants.gov/web/applicants/organizationregistration.html for instructions on the
process of registering your organization
as soon as possible to ensure you are
able to meet the electronic application
deadline. If you want to submit a paper
application, send it to the State Office
located in the State where your project
will primarily take place. You can find
State Office Contact information at
https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/
state-offices.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Grants Division, Cooperative Programs,
Rural Business-Cooperative Service,
United States Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue
SW., MS 3253, Room 4008-South,
Washington, DC 20250–3253, or call
202–690–1374.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Agency Name: USDA Rural
Business-Cooperative Service.
Funding Opportunity Title: ValueAdded Producer Grant.
Announcement Type: Initial funding
request.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Number: 10.352.
Dates: Application Deadline. You
must submit your complete paper
application by July 1, 2016 or it will not
be considered for funding. Electronic
applications must be received by https://
www.grants.gov no later than midnight
Eastern Time, June 24, 2016 or it will
not be considered for funding.
Paperwork Reduction Act
In accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act, the paperwork burden
associated with this Notice has been
approved by the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control
Number 0570–0039.
A. Program Description
The VAPG program is authorized
under section 231 of the Agriculture
Risk Protection Act of 2000 (Pub. L.
106–224), as amended by section 6203
of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L.
113–79) (see 7 U.S.C. 1632a). Applicants
must adhere to the requirements
contained in the program regulation, 7
CFR 4284, subpart J, which is
incorporated by reference in this Notice.
The objective of this grant program is
to assist viable Independent Producers,
Agricultural Producer Groups, Farmer
and Rancher Cooperatives, and
Majority-Controlled Producer-Based
Businesses in starting or expanding
value-added activities related to the
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processing and/or marketing of ValueAdded Agricultural Products. Grants
will be awarded competitively for either
planning or working capital projects
directly related to the processing and/or
marketing of value-added products.
Generating new products, creating and
expanding marketing opportunities, and
increasing producer income are the end
goals of the program. All proposals must
demonstrate economic viability and
sustainability in order to compete for
funding.
Funding priority will be made
available to Beginning Farmers and
Ranchers, Veteran Farmers and
Ranchers, Socially-Disadvantaged
Farmers and Ranchers, Operators of
Small and Medium-Sized Farms and
Ranches structured as Family Farms or
Ranches, Farmer or Rancher
Cooperatives, and projects proposing to
develop a Mid-Tier Value Chain. See 7
CFR 4284.923 for Reserved Funds
eligibility and 7 CFR 4284.924 for
Priority Scoring eligibility.
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Definitions
The terms you need to understand are
defined in 7 CFR 4284.902.
B. Federal Award Information
Type of Instrument: Grant.
Fiscal Year 2016 Funds: $10.75
million.
Approximate Number of Awards:
Approximately 300.
Available Total Funding:
Approximately $44 million.
Maximum Award Amount:
Planning—$75,000; Working Capital—
$250,000.
Project Period: Up to 36 months
depending on the complexity of the
project.
Anticipated Award Date: September
30, 2016.
Reservation of Funds: Ten percent of
available funds for applications will be
reserved for applications submitted by
Beginning and Socially-Disadvantaged
Farmers or Ranchers, and an additional
ten percent of available funds for
applications from farmers or ranchers
proposing development of Mid-Tier
Value Chains. Reserved funds not
obligated prior to June 30, 2016, will be
used for the VAPG general competition.
If this is the case, Beginning and
Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers or
Ranchers and applicants proposing MidTier Value Chains will compete with
other eligible VAPG applications.
C. Eligibility Information
Applicants must comply with the
program regulation 7 CFR part 4284
subpart J in order to meet all of the
following eligibility requirements.
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Applications which fail to meet any of
these requirements by the application
deadline will be deemed ineligible and
will not be evaluated further.
1. Eligible Applicants
You must demonstrate that you meet
all the applicant eligibility requirements
of 7 CFR 4284.920 and 4284.921. This
includes meeting the definition
requirements at 7 CFR 4284.902 for one
of the following applicant types:
Independent Producer, Agricultural
Producer Group, Farmer or Rancher
Cooperative or Majority-Controlled
Producer-Based Business and also
meeting the Emerging Market,
Citizenship, Legal Authority and
Responsibility, Multiple Grants and
Active Grants requirements of the
section. Required documentation to
support eligibility is contained at 7 CFR
4284.931.
Federally-recognized Tribes and tribal
entities must demonstrate that they
meet the definition requirements for one
of the four eligible applicant types.
Rural Development State Offices and
posted application toolkits will provide
additional information on Tribal
eligibility.
Per 7 CFR 4284.921, an applicant is
ineligible if they have been debarred or
suspended or otherwise excluded from
or ineligible for participation in Federal
assistance programs under Executive
Order 12549, ‘‘Debarment and
Suspension.’’ In addition, an applicant
will be considered ineligible for a grant
due to an outstanding judgment
obtained by the U.S. in a Federal Court
(other than U.S. Tax Court), is
delinquent on the payment of Federal
income taxes, or is delinquent on
Federal debt.
An Applicant may submit only one
application in response to a solicitation,
and must explicitly direct that it
compete in either the general funds
competition or in one of the named
reserved funds competitions. Multiple
applications from separate entities with
identical or greater than 75 percent
common ownership, or from a parent,
subsidiary or affiliated organization
(with ‘‘affiliation’’ defined by Small
Business Administration regulation 13
CFR 121.103, or successor regulation)
are not permitted. Further, Applicants
who have already received a Planning
Grant for the proposed project cannot
receive another Planning Grant for the
same project. Applicants who have
already received a Working Capital
Grant for the proposed project cannot
receive any additional grants for that
project (Proposals from previous award
recipients should be substantially
different in terms of products and/or
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markets and should not merely be
extensions of previously funded
projects).
2. Cost-Sharing or Matching
There is a matching funds
requirement of at least $1 for every $1
in grant funds provided by the Agency
(matching funds plus grant funds must
equal proposed Total Project Costs).
Matching funds may be in the form of
cash or eligible in-kind contributions
and may be used only for eligible
project purposes. Tribal applicants may
utilize grants made available under
Public Law 93–638, the Indian SelfDetermination and Education
Assistance Act of 1975, as their
matching contribution, and should
check with appropriate tribal authorities
regarding the availability of such
funding.
Matching funds must be available at
time of application and must be
certified and verified as described in 7
CFR 4284.931(b)(3) and (4). Note that
matching funds must also be discussed
as part of the scoring criterion
Commitments and Support as described
in section E.1. (c).
3. Project Eligibility
You must demonstrate that you meet
all the project eligibility requirements of
7 CFR 4284.922.
(a) Product eligibility. Applicants for
both planning and working capital
grants must meet all requirements at 7
CFR 4284.922(a), including that your
value-added product must result from
one of the five methodologies identified
in the definition of Value-Added
Agricultural Product at 7 CFR 4284.902.
In addition, you must demonstrate that,
as a result of the project, the customer
base for the agricultural commodity or
value-added product will be expanded,
by including a baseline of current
customers for the commodity, and an
estimated target number of customers
that will result from the project; and
that, a greater portion of the revenue
derived from the marketing or
processing of the value-added product is
available to the applicant producer(s) of
the agricultural commodity, by
including a baseline of current revenues
from the sale of the agricultural
commodity and an estimate of increased
revenues that will result from the
project.
(b) Purpose eligibility. Applicants for
both planning and working capital
grants must meet all requirements at 7
CFR 4284.922(b) regarding maximum
grant amounts, verification of matching
funds, eligible and ineligible uses of
grant and matching funds, a substantive
work plan and budget.
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(i) Planning Grants. A planning grant
is used to fund development of a
defined program of economic planning
activities to determine the viability of a
potential value-added venture, and
specifically for the purpose of paying for
a qualified consultant to conduct and
develop a feasibility study, business
plan, and/or marketing plan associated
with the processing and/or marketing of
a value-added agricultural product.
Planning grant funds may not be used
to fund working capital activities.
(ii) Working Capital Grants. This type
of grant provides funds to operate a
value-added project, specifically to pay
the eligible project expenses related to
the processing and/or marketing of the
value-added product that are eligible
uses of grant funds. Working capital
funds may not be used for planning
purposes.
(c) Reserved Funds Eligibility. To
qualify for Reserved Funds as a
Beginning or Socially-Disadvantaged
Farmer or Rancher or if you propose to
develop a Mid-Tier Value Chain, you
must meet the requirements found at 7
CFR 4284.923. If your application is
eligible, but is not awarded under the
Reserved Funds, it will automatically be
considered for general funds in that
same fiscal year, as funding levels
permit.
(d) Priority Points. To qualify for
Priority Points for projects that
contribute to increasing opportunities
for Beginning Farmers or Ranchers,
Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers or
Ranchers, or if you are an Operator of
a Small- or Medium-sized Farm or
Ranch structured as a Family Farm, a
Veteran Farmer or Rancher, propose a
Mid-Tier Value Chain project, or are a
Farmer or Rancher Cooperative, you
must meet the applicable eligibility
requirements at 7 CFR 4284.923 and
4284.924 and must address the relevant
proposal evaluation criterion.
Priority points will also be awarded
during the scoring process to eligible
Agricultural Producer Groups, Farmer
or Cooperatives, and MajorityControlled Producer-Based Business
Ventures that best contribute to creating
or increasing marketing opportunities
for Beginning Farmers or Ranchers,
Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers or
Ranchers, and/or Veteran Farmers or
Ranchers. You must meet the eligibility
requirements at 7 CFR 4284.923 and
4284.924 and must address the relevant
proposal evaluation criterion.
4. Eligible Uses of Grant and Matching
Funds
Eligible uses of grant and matching
funds are discussed, along with
examples, in 7 CFR 4284.923. In
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general, grant and cost-share matching
funds have the same use restrictions and
must be used to fund only the costs for
eligible purposes as defined at 7 CFR
4284.923 (a) and (b).
5. Ineligible Uses of Grant and Matching
Funds
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 personal, professional, financial or
other interest in the outcome of the
project; including organizational
conflicts, and conflicts that restrict open
and free competition for unrestrained
trade. A list (not all inclusive) of
ineligible uses of grant and matching
funds is found in 7 CFR 4284.926.
D. Application and Submission
Information
1. Address To Request Applications
The application toolkit, regulation,
and official program notification for this
funding opportunity can be obtained
online at https://www.rd.usda.gov/
programs-services/value-addedproducer-grants. You may also contact
your USDA Rural Development State
Office by visiting https://www.rd.usda.
gov/contact-us/state-offices. You may
also obtain a copy by calling 202–690–
1374. The toolkit contains an
application checklist, templates,
required grant forms, and instructions.
Although the Agency highly
recommends their use, use of the
templates in the toolkit is not
mandatory.
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
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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.
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 your project
will primarily take place. You can find
State Office Contact information at:
https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/
state-offices. An optional-use Agency
application template is available online
at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programsservices/value-added-producer-grants.
Your application must contain all of
the required forms and proposal
elements described in 7 CFR 4284.931,
unless otherwise clarified in this Notice.
You are encouraged, but not required to
utilize the Application Toolkits found at
https://www.rd.usda.gov/programsservices/value-added-producer-grants,
however, you must become familiar
with the program regulation at 7 CFR
part 4284, subpart J in order to submit
a successful application. Basic
application contents are outlined below:
• Standard Form (SF)–424,
‘‘Application for Federal Assistance,’’ to
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 the
DUNS number in your application, it
will not be considered for funding.
• SF–424A, ‘‘Budget InformationNon-Construction Programs.’’ This form
must be completed and submitted as
part of the application package.
• SF–424B, ‘‘Assurances—NonConstruction Programs.’’ This form must
be completed, signed, and submitted as
part of the application package.
• 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,
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or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Corporations
include both for profit and non-profit
entities.
• 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.
• Executive Summary and Abstract. A
one-page Executive Summary
containing the following information:
Legal name of applicant entity,
application type (planning or working
capital), applicant type, amount of grant
request, a summary of your project, and
whether you are submitting a simplified
application, and whether you are
requesting Reserved Funds. Also
include a separate abstract of up to 100
words briefly describing your project.
• Eligibility discussion.
• Work plan and budget.
• Performance evaluation criteria.
• Proposal evaluation criteria.
• Certification and verification of
matching funds.
• Reserved Funds and Priority Point
documentation (as applicable).
• Appendices containing required
supporting documentation.
3. Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal
Numbering System (DUNS) and System
for Awards Management (SAM)
In order to be eligible (unless you are
accepted 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.
If you have not fully complied with
all applicable DUNS and SAM
requirements, the Agency may
determine that the applicant is not
qualified to receive a Federal award and
the Agency may use that determination
as a basis for making an award to
another applicant. Please refer to
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Section F. 2. for additional submission
requirements that apply to grantees
selected for this program.
4. Submission Dates and Times
Application Deadline Date: July 1,
2016.
Explanation of Deadlines: Paper
applications must be postmarked and
mailed, shipped, or sent overnight by
July 1, 2016. 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
application is due the next business
day. Late applications will
automatically be considered ineligible
and will not be evaluated further.
Electronic applications must be
received at https://www.grants.gov no
later than midnight Eastern time, June
24, 2016 to be eligible for FY 2016 grant
funding. Please review the Grants.gov
Web site, https://grants.gov/applicants/
organization_registration.jsp for
instructions on the process of registering
your organization as soon as possible to
ensure you are able to meet the
electronic application deadline.
Grants.gov will not accept applications
submitted after the deadline.
5. Intergovernmental Review
Executive Order (EO) 12372,
Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs, 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 must
submit your application directly for
review. Any comments obtained
through the SPOC must be provided to
RD 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,
RD will submit your application to the
SPOC or other appropriate agency or
agencies.
6. Funding Restrictions
Funding limitations and reservations
found in the program regulation at 7
CFR 4284.927 will apply, including:
(a) Use of Funds. Grant funds may be
used to pay up to 50 percent of the total
eligible project costs, subject to the
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limitations established for maximum
total grant amount. Grant funds may not
be used to pay any costs of the project
incurred prior to the date of grant
approval. Grant and matching funds
may only be used for eligible purposes.
(see examples of eligible and ineligible
uses in 7 CFR 4284.923 and 4284.924,
respectively).
(b) Grant Term (project period). Your
project timeframe or grant period can be
a maximum of 36 months in length from
the date of award. Your proposed grant
period should begin no earlier than the
anticipated award announcement date
in this notice and should end no later
than 36 months following that date. If
you receive an award, your grant period
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
that date of award. The length of your
grant period should be based on your
project’s complexity, as indicated in
your application work plan. For
example, it is expected that most
planning grants can be completed
within 12 months.
(c) Program Income. If income
(Program Income) is earned during the
grant period as a result of the project
activities, it is subject to the
requirements in 2 CFR 200.80, and must
be managed and reported accordingly.
(d) Majority Controlled ProducerBased Business. The aggregate amount
of awards to Majority Controlled
Producer-Based Businesses in response
to this announcement shall not exceed
10 percent of the total funds obligated
for the program during the fiscal year.
(e) Reserved Funds. Ten percent of all
funds available for FY 2016 will be
reserved to fund projects that benefit
Beginning Farmers or Ranchers, or
Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers or
Ranchers. In addition, 10 percent of
total funding available will be used to
fund projects that propose development
of Mid-Tier Value Chains as part of a
Local or Regional Supply Chain
Network. See related definitions in 7
CFR 4284.902.
(f) Disposition of Reserved Funds Not
Obligated. For this announcement, any
reserved FY 2015 funds that have not
been obligated by June 30, 2016, will be
available to the Secretary to make VAPG
grants in accordance with 7 CFR
4284.927(d).
7. Other Submission Requirements
(a) National Environmental Policy Act
This notice has been reviewed in
accordance with 7 CFR part 1940,
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subpart G, ‘‘Environmental Program,’’ or
successor regulation. 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. Individual awards
under this Notice are hereby classified
as Categorical Exclusions according to 7
CFR 1940.310(e), which do not require
any additional documentation.
(b) 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.
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E. Application Review Information
Applications will be reviewed and
processed as described at 7 CFR
4284.940. The Agency will review your
application to determine if it is
complete and eligible. If at any time, the
Agency determines 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. Funding of successfully appealed
applications will be limited to available
FY 2016 funds.
The Agency will only score
applications in which the applicant and
project are eligible, which are complete
and sufficiently responsive to program
requirements, and in which the Agency
agrees on the likelihood of financial
feasibility for working capital requests.
We will score your application
according to the procedures and criteria
specified in 7 CFR 4284.942, and with
tiered scoring thresholds as specified
below.
1. Scoring 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 the criterion, or do
not sufficiently communicate relevant
project information, you will receive
lower scores. VAPG is a competitive
program, so you will receive scores
based on the quality of your responses.
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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 50 points.
The Agency application toolkit
provides additional instruction to help
you to respond to the criteria below.
(a) Nature of the Proposed Venture
(graduated score 0–30 points).
For both planning and working
capital grants, you should discuss the
technological feasibility of the project,
as well as operational efficiency,
profitability, and overall economic
sustainability resulting from the project.
In addition, demonstrate the potential
for expanding the customer base for the
agricultural commodity or value-added
product, and the expected increase in
revenue returns to the producer-owners
providing the majority of the raw
agricultural commodity to the project.
You should reference third-party data
and other information that specifically
supports your value-added project;
discuss the value-added process you are
proposing; potential markets and
distribution channels; the value to be
added to the raw commodity through
the value-added process; cost and
availability of inputs, your experience
in marketing the proposed or similar
product; business financial statements;
and any other relevant information that
supports the viability of your project.
Working capital applicants should
demonstrate that these outcomes will
result from the project. Planning grant
applicants should describe the expected
results, and the reasons supporting
those expectations.
Points will be awarded as follows:
(i) 0 points will be awarded if you do
not substantively address the criterion.
(ii) 1–5 points will be awarded if you
do not address each of the following:
technological feasibility, operational
efficiency, profitability, and overall
economic sustainability.
(iii) 6–13 points will be awarded if
you address technological feasibility,
operational efficiency, profitability, and
overall economic sustainability, but do
not reference third-party information
that supports the success of your
project.
(iv) 14–22 points will be awarded if
you address technological feasibility,
operational efficiency, profitability, and
overall economic sustainability,
supported by third-party information
demonstrating a reasonable likelihood
of success.
(v) 23–30 points will be awarded if all
criterion components are well
addressed, supported by third-party
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information, and demonstrate a high
likelihood of success.
(b) Qualifications of Project Personnel
(graduated score 0–20 points).
You must identify all individuals who
will be responsible for completing the
proposed tasks in the work plan,
including the roles and activities that
owners, staff, contractors, consultants or
new hires may perform; and show that
these individuals have the necessary
qualifications and expertise, including
those hired to do market or feasibility
analyses, or to develop a business
operations plan for the value-added
venture. You must include the
qualifications of those individuals
responsible for leading or managing the
total project (applicant owners or
project managers), as well as those
individuals responsible for actually
conducting the various individual tasks
in the work plan (such as consultants,
contractors, staff or new hires). You
must discuss the commitment and the
availability of any consultants or other
professionals to be hired for the project.
If staff or consultants have not been
selected at the time of application, you
must provide specific descriptions of
the qualifications required for the
positions to be filled. Applications that
demonstrate the strong credentials,
education, capabilities, experience and
availability of project personnel that
will contribute to a high likelihood of
project success will receive more points
than those that demonstrate less
potential for success in these areas.
Points will be awarded as follows:
(i) 0 points will be awarded if you do
not substantively address the criterion.
(ii) 1–4 points will be awarded if
qualifications and experience of all staff
is not addressed and/or if necessary
qualifications of unfilled positions are
not provided.
(iii) 5–9 points will be awarded if all
project personnel are identified but do
not demonstrate qualifications or
experience relevant to the project.
(iv) 10–14 will be awarded if most key
personnel demonstrate strong
credentials and/or experience, and
availability indicating a reasonable
likelihood of success.
(v) 15–20 points will be awarded if all
personnel demonstrate strong, relevant
credentials or experience, and
availability indicating a high likelihood
of project success.
(c) Commitments and Support
(graduated score 0–10 points).
Producer commitments to the project
will be evaluated based on the number
of independent producers currently
involved in the project; and the nature,
level and quality of their contributions,
including matching contributions. End-
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user commitments will be evaluated on
the basis of potential or identified
markets and the potential amount of
output to be purchased, as indicated by
letters of intent or contracts from
potential buyers referenced within the
application. Other third-party
commitments to the project will be
evaluated based on the critical and
tangible nature of their contribution to
the project, such as technical assistance,
storage, processing, marketing, or
distribution arrangements that are
necessary for the project to proceed; and
the level and quality of these
contributions. All cash or in-kind
contributions from producers, end
users, or other contributors should be
discussed. End-user commitments may
include contracts or letters of intent or
interest in purchasing the value-added
product. Letters of commitment by
producers, end-users, and third-parties
should be summarized as part of your
response to this criterion, and the letters
should be included in Appendix B.
Applications that demonstrate the
project has strong direct financial
support in the form of cash matching
contributions and strong technical and
logistical support to successfully
complete the project will receive more
points than those that demonstrate less
potential for success in these areas.
Points will be awarded as follows:
(i) 0 points will be awarded if you do
not substantively address the criterion.
(ii) 1–3 points will be awarded if you
are the only producer participating in
the project, AND show real, direct
support from at least one end-user or
third-party contributor.
(iii) 4–6 points will be awarded if you,
as the applicant, are the only producer
participating in the project, AND show
strong financial commitment in the form
of cash matching contributions to the
project AND measurable commitment or
interest in purchasing the value-added
product from at least one end-user; AND
commitment or tangible support from at
least one other third-party contributor;
OR you, as the applicant, demonstrate
participation from multiple producers,
AND measurable commitment or
interest in purchasing the value-added
product from at least one end-user; AND
commitment or tangible support from at
least one third party contributor.
(iv) 7–10 points will be awarded if
you, as the applicant, show strong
financial commitment to the project in
the form of cash matching contributions,
AND participation from additional
producers, AND measurable
commitment or interest from multiple
end-users, AND commitment or tangible
support from multiple third-party
contributors.
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(d) Work Plan and Budget (graduated
score 0–20 points).
You must submit a comprehensive
work plan and budget (for full details,
see 7 CFR 4284.922(b)(5)). Your work
plan must provide specific and detailed
descriptions of the tasks and the key
project personnel that will accomplish
the project’s goals. The budget must
present a detailed breakdown of all
estimated costs of project activities and
allocate those costs among the listed
tasks. You must show the source and
use of both grant and matching funds for
all tasks. Matching funds must be spent
at a rate equal to, or in advance of, grant
funds. 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. Working capital
applications must include an estimate of
program income expected to be earned
during the grant period (see 2 CFR
200.307).
Points will be awarded as follows:
(i) 0 points will be awarded if you do
not substantively address the criterion.
(ii) 1–7 points will be awarded if the
work plan and budget do not account
for all project goals, tasks, costs,
timelines, and responsible personnel.
(iii) 8–14 points will be awarded if
you provide a clear, comprehensive
work plan detailing all project goals,
tasks, timelines, costs, and responsible
personnel in a logical and realistic
manner that demonstrates a reasonable
likelihood of success.
(iv) 15–20 points will be awarded if
you provide a clear, comprehensive
work plan detailing all project goals,
tasks, timelines, costs, and responsible
personnel in a logical and realistic
manner that demonstrates a high
likelihood of success.
(e) Priority Points up to 10 points
(lump sum 0 or 5 points plus, graduated
score 0–5 points).
It is recommended that you use the
Agency application package when
applying for priority points and refer to
the requirements specified in 7 CFR
4284.924. Priority points may be
awarded in both the general funds and
Reserved Funds competitions.
(i) 5 points will be awarded if you
meets the requirements for one of the
following categories and provide the
documentation described in 7 CFR
4284.923 and 4284.924 as applicable:
Beginning Farmer or Rancher, SociallyDisadvantaged Farmer or Rancher,
Veteran Farmer or Rancher, or Operator
of a Small or Medium-sized Farm or
Ranch that is structured as a Family
Farm, Farmer or Rancher Cooperative,
or are proposing a Mid-Tier Value Chain
project.
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(ii) Up to 5 priority points will be
awarded if you are an Agricultural
Producer Group, Farmer or Rancher
Cooperative, or Majority-Controlled
Producer-Based Business Venture
(referred to below as ‘‘applicant group’’)
whose project ‘‘best contributes to
creating or increasing marketing
opportunities’’ for Operators of Smalland Medium-sized Farms and Ranches
that are structured as Family Farms,
Beginning Farmers and Ranchers,
Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers and
Ranchers, and Veteran Farmers and
Ranchers (referred to below as ‘‘priority
groups’’). For each of the priority point
levels below, applications must
demonstrate how the proposed project
will contribute to new or increased
marketing opportunities for respective
priority groups. Guidance on relevant
information required to adequately
demonstrate this requirement can be
found in program application package.
(A) 2 priority points will be awarded
if the existing membership of the
applicant group is comprised of either
more than 50 percent of any one of the
four priority groups or more than 50
percent of any combination of the four
priority groups.
(B) 1 priority point will be awarded if
the existing membership of the
applicant group is comprised of two or
more of the priority groups. One point
is awarded regardless of whether a
group’s membership is comprised of
two, three, or all four of the priority
groups.
(C) 2 priority points will be awarded
if the applicant’s proposed project will
increase the number of priority groups
that comprise applicant membership by
one or more priority groups. However,
if an applicant group’s membership is
already comprised of all four priority
groups, such an applicant would not be
eligible for points under this criterion
because there is no opportunity to
increase the number of priority groups.
Note also that this criterion does not
consider either the percentage of the
existing membership that is comprised
of the four priority groups or the
number of priority groups currently
comprising the applicant group’s
membership.
(f) Priority Categories (graduated score
0–10 points).
The Administrator of the Agency may
choose to award up to 10 points to an
application to improve the geographic
diversity of awardees in a fiscal year.
2. Review and Selection Process
The Agency will select applications
for award under this Notice in
accordance with the provisions
specified in 7 CFR 4284.950(a).
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If your application is eligible and
complete, it will be qualitatively scored
by at least two reviewers based on
criteria specified in section E.1. of this
Notice. One of these reviewers will be
an experienced RD employee from your
servicing State Office and at least one
additional reviewer will be a nonFederal, independent reviewer, who
must meet the following qualifications.
Independent reviewers must have at
least bachelor’s degree in one or more of
the following fields: Agri-business,
agricultural economics, agriculture,
animal science, business, marketing,
economics or finance; and a minimum
of 8 years of experience in an
agriculture-related field (e.g. farming,
marketing, consulting, or research; or as
university faculty, trade association
official or non-Federal government
official in an agriculturally-related
field). Each reviewer will score
evaluation criteria (a) through (d) and
the totals for each reviewer will be
added together and averaged. The RD
State Office reviewer will also assign
priority points based on criterion (e) in
section E.1. of this Notice. These will be
added to the average score. The sum of
these scores will be ranked highest to
lowest and this will comprise the initial
ranking.
The Administrator of the Agency may
choose to award up to 10 Administrator
priority points based on criterion (f) in
section E.1. of this Notice. These points
will be added to the cumulative score
for a total possible score of 100.
A final ranking will be obtained based
solely on the scores received for criteria
(a) through (e). A minimum score of 50
points is required for funding.
Applications for Reserved Funds will be
funded in rank order until funds are
depleted. Unfunded reserve
applications will be returned to the
general funds where applications will
be funded in rank order until the funds
are expended. Funding for Majority
Controlled Producer-Based Business
Ventures is limited to 10 percent of total
grant funds expected to be obligated as
a result of this Notice. These
applications will be funded in rank
order until the funding limitation has
been reached. Grants to these applicants
from Reserved Funds will count against
this funding limitation. In the event of
tied scores, the Administrator shall have
discretion in breaking ties.
If your application is ranked, but not
funded, it will not be carried forward
into the next competition.
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F. Federal Award Administration
Information
1. Federal Award Notices
If you are selected for funding, you
will receive a signed notice of Federal
award by postal mail, containing
instructions on requirements necessary
to proceed with execution and
performance of the award.
If you are not selected for funding,
you will be notified in writing via postal
mail and informed of any review and
appeal rights. Funding of successfully
appealed applications will be limited to
available FY 2016 funding.
2. Administrative and National Policy
Requirements
Additional requirements that apply to
grantees selected for this program can be
found in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart J; the
Grants and Agreements regulations of
the Department of Agriculture codified
in 2 CFR parts 180, 400, 415, 417, 418,
421; 2 CFR parts 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
report information about first-tier subawards and executive compensation
(see 2 CFR part 170). You will be
required to have the necessary processes
and systems in place to comply with the
Federal Funding Accountability and
Transparency Act of 2006 (Pub.L. 109–
282) reporting requirements (see 2 CFR
170.200(b), unless you are exempt under
2 CFR 170.110(b)). More information on
these requirements can be found at
https://www.rd.usda.gov/programsservices/value-added-producer-grants.
The following additional
requirements apply to grantees selected
for this program:
(a) Agency approved Grant
Agreement.
(b) Letter of Conditions.
(c) Form RD 1940–1, ‘‘Request for
Obligation of Funds.’’
(d) Form RD 1942–46, ‘‘Letter of
Intent to Meet Conditions.’’
(e) Form AD–1047, ‘‘Certification
Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and
Other Responsibility Matters—Primary
Covered Transactions.’’
(f) Form AD–1048, ‘‘Certification
Regarding Debarment, Suspension,
Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion—
Lower Tier Covered Transactions.’’
(g) Form AD–1049, ‘‘Certification
Regarding a Drug-Free Workplace
Requirement (Grants).’’
(h) Form AD–3031, ‘‘Assurance
Regarding Felony Conviction or Tax
Delinquent Status for Corporate
Applicants.’’ Must be signed by
corporate applicants who receive an
award under this Notice.
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20613
(i) Form RD 400–4, ‘‘Assurance
Agreement.’’
(j) SF LLL, ‘‘Disclosure of Lobbying
Activities,’’ if applicable.
(k) Use Form SF 270, ‘‘Request for
Advance or Reimbursement.’’
3. Reporting
After grant approval and through
grant completion, you will be required
to provide the following, as indicated in
the Grant Agreement:
(a) A SF–425, ‘‘Federal Financial
Report,’’ and a project performance
report will be required on a semiannual
basis (due 45 working days after end of
the semiannual period). For the
purposes of this grant, semiannual
periods end on March 31st and
September 30th. The project
performance reports shall include the
elements prescribed in the grant
agreement.
(b) A final project and financial status
report within 90 days after the
expiration or termination of the grant.
(c) Provide outcome project
performance reports and final
deliverables.
G. 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/value-addedproducer-grants. You may also contact
National Office staff: Tracey Kennedy,
VAPG Program Lead, tracey.kennedy@
wdc.usda.gov, or Shantelle Gordon,
shantelle.gordon@wdc.usda.gov, or call
the main line at 202–690–1374.
H. Nondiscrimination Statement
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) prohibits discrimination against
its customers, employees, and
applicants for employment on the bases
of race, color, national origin, age,
disability, sex, gender identity, religion,
reprisal, and where applicable, political
beliefs, marital status, familial or
parental status, sexual orientation, or all
or part of an individual’s income is
derived from any public assistance
program, or protected genetic
information in employment or in any
program or activity conducted or funded
by the Department. (Not all prohibited
bases will apply to all programs and/or
employment activities.)
If you wish to file an employment
complaint, you must contact your
agency’s EEO Counselor (PDF) within
45 days of the date of the alleged
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discriminatory act, event, or in the case
of a personnel action. Additional
information can be found online at
https://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_
filing_file.html.
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/complaint_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
you 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: April 4, 2016.
Samuel Rikkers,
Administrator, Rural Business—Cooperative
Service.
[FR Doc. 2016–08028 Filed 4–7–16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–XY–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Rural Broadband Access Loans and
Loan Guarantees Program
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
Notice of Solicitation of
Applications (NOSA).
AGENCY:
ACTION:
The Rural Utilities Service
(RUS), an agency of the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA),
announces that it is accepting
applications for fiscal year (FY) 2016 for
the Rural Broadband Access Loan and
Loan Guarantee program (the Broadband
Program).
In addition to announcing the
application window, RUS announces
the minimum and maximum amounts
for broadband loans for FY 2016.
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SUMMARY:
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Applications under this NOSA
will be accepted immediately and must
be submitted through the Agency’s
online application system no later than
July 7, 2016 to be eligible for FY 2016
broadband loan funding. Applications
are subject to the requirements of the
interim final regulation published in the
Federal Register at Vol. 80, No. 146 on
Thursday, July 30, 2015.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For
further information contact Shawn
Arner, Deputy Assistant Administrator,
Loan Originations and Approval
Division, Rural Utilities Service, STOP
1597, 1400 Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20250–1597,
Telephone: (202) 720–0800, or email:
Shawn.Arner@wdc.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:
General Information
The Rural Broadband Access Loan
and Loan Guarantee Program (the
Broadband Program) is authorized by
the Rural Electrification Act (7 U.S.C.
901 et seq.), as amended by the
Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113–
79) also referred to as the 2014 Farm
Bill.
During FY 2016, loans will be made
available for the construction,
improvement, and acquisition of
facilities and equipment to provide
service at the broadband lending speed
for eligible rural areas. Applications
must be submitted in accordance with
the interim final rule published July 30,
2015.
For questions about the requirements
of completing an application please use
the RUS contact listed in the FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of
this notice.
Application requirements: All
requirements for submission of an
application under the Broadband
Program have been set forth in the
interim regulation published July 30,
2015.
Application Materials: Application
materials for the Broadband Program are
available at https://www.rd.usda.gov/
programs-services/farm-bill-broadbandloans-loan-guarantees.
Application Submission: All
applications must be submitted through
the Agency’s online application system
located at https://www.rd.usda.gov/
programs-services/rd-apply. Paper
applications will not be accepted.
Minimum and Maximum Loan
Amounts
Loans under this authority will not be
made for less than $100,000. The
maximum loan amount that will be
considered for FY 2016 is $10,000,000.
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Required Definitions for Broadband
Program Regulation
The interim regulation for the
Broadband Program requires that certain
definitions affecting eligibility be
revised and published from time to time
by the agency in the Federal Register.
For the purposes of this NOSA, the
agency will be revising the definition of
Broadband Service established therein,
such that for applications under this
window, existing Broadband Service
shall mean the minimum rate-of-data
transmission of ten megabits
downstream and one megabit upstream
for both fixed and mobile broadband
service. On the other hand, the rate at
which applicants must propose to offer
new broadband service, the Broadband
Lending Speed, will be a minimum
bandwidth of ten megabits downstream
and one megabit upstream for both fixed
and mobile service to the customer.
Priority for Approving Loan
Applications
Applications for FY 2016 will be
accepted from April 8, 2016 through
July 7, 2016. Although review of
applications will start when they are
submitted, all applications submitted by
July 7, 2016, will be evaluated and
ranked together on the basis of the
number of unserved households in the
proposed funded service area. Subject to
available funding, eligible applications
that propose to serve the most unserved
households will receive funding offers
before other eligible applications that
have been submitted.
Applications will not be accepted
after July 7, 2016, until a new funding
window has been opened with the
publication of an additional NOSA in
the Federal Register.
Paperwork Reduction Act
In accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, the information
collection requirements associated with
Broadband loans, as covered in this
NOSA, have been approved by the
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) under OMB Control Number
0572–0130.
USDA Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with Federal civil
rights law and U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights
regulations and policies, the USDA, its
Agencies, offices, and employees, and
institutions participating in or
administering USDA programs are
prohibited from discriminating based on
race, color, national origin, religion, sex,
gender identity (including gender
expression), sexual orientation,
disability, age, marital status, family/
E:\FR\FM\08APN1.SGM
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 68 (Friday, April 8, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20607-20614]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-08028]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Inviting Applications for Value-Added Producer Grants
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This Notice announces that the Rural Business-Cooperative
Service (Agency) is accepting fiscal year (FY) 2016 applications for
the Value-Added Producer Grant (VAPG) program. Approximately $44
million is available to help agricultural producers enter into value-
added activities for FY 2016, including approximately $30.25 million
available through the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Bill), $10.75
million through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 and $3
million in carryover funding.
DATES: You must submit your application by July 1, 2016 or it will not
be considered for funding. Paper applications must be postmarked and
mailed, shipped or sent overnight by this date. You may also hand carry
your application to one of our field offices, but it must be received
by close of business on the deadline date. Electronic applications are
permitted via https://www.grants.gov only, and must be received before
midnight Eastern Time, June 24, 2016. Late applications are not
eligible for grant funding under this Notice.
ADDRESSES: You should contact your USDA Rural Development 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
about the application process. Application materials are available at
https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/value-added-producer-grants.
If you want to submit an electronic application, follow the
instructions for the VAPG funding announcement on https://www.grants.gov. Please review the Grants.gov Web site at https://grants.gov/web/applicants/organization-registration.html for
instructions on the process of registering your organization as soon as
possible to ensure you are able to meet the electronic application
deadline. If you want to submit a paper application, send it to the
State Office located in the State where your project will primarily
take place. You can find State Office Contact information at https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Grants Division, Cooperative Programs,
Rural Business-Cooperative Service, United States Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., MS 3253, Room 4008-South,
Washington, DC 20250-3253, or call 202-690-1374.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Agency Name: USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
Funding Opportunity Title: Value-Added Producer Grant.
Announcement Type: Initial funding request.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.352.
Dates: Application Deadline. You must submit your complete paper
application by July 1, 2016 or it will not be considered for funding.
Electronic applications must be received by https://www.grants.gov no
later than midnight Eastern Time, June 24, 2016 or it will not be
considered for funding.
Paperwork Reduction Act
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, the paperwork
burden associated with this Notice has been approved by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control Number 0570-0039.
A. Program Description
The VAPG program is authorized under section 231 of the Agriculture
Risk Protection Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-224), as amended by section
6203 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79) (see 7 U.S.C.
1632a). Applicants must adhere to the requirements contained in the
program regulation, 7 CFR 4284, subpart J, which is incorporated by
reference in this Notice.
The objective of this grant program is to assist viable Independent
Producers, Agricultural Producer Groups, Farmer and Rancher
Cooperatives, and Majority-Controlled Producer-Based Businesses in
starting or expanding value-added activities related to the
[[Page 20608]]
processing and/or marketing of Value-Added Agricultural Products.
Grants will be awarded competitively for either planning or working
capital projects directly related to the processing and/or marketing of
value-added products. Generating new products, creating and expanding
marketing opportunities, and increasing producer income are the end
goals of the program. All proposals must demonstrate economic viability
and sustainability in order to compete for funding.
Funding priority will be made available to Beginning Farmers and
Ranchers, Veteran Farmers and Ranchers, Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers
and Ranchers, Operators of Small and Medium-Sized Farms and Ranches
structured as Family Farms or Ranches, Farmer or Rancher Cooperatives,
and projects proposing to develop a Mid-Tier Value Chain. See 7 CFR
4284.923 for Reserved Funds eligibility and 7 CFR 4284.924 for Priority
Scoring eligibility.
Definitions
The terms you need to understand are defined in 7 CFR 4284.902.
B. Federal Award Information
Type of Instrument: Grant.
Fiscal Year 2016 Funds: $10.75 million.
Approximate Number of Awards: Approximately 300.
Available Total Funding: Approximately $44 million.
Maximum Award Amount: Planning--$75,000; Working Capital--$250,000.
Project Period: Up to 36 months depending on the complexity of the
project.
Anticipated Award Date: September 30, 2016.
Reservation of Funds: Ten percent of available funds for
applications will be reserved for applications submitted by Beginning
and Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers or Ranchers, and an additional ten
percent of available funds for applications from farmers or ranchers
proposing development of Mid-Tier Value Chains. Reserved funds not
obligated prior to June 30, 2016, will be used for the VAPG general
competition. If this is the case, Beginning and Socially-Disadvantaged
Farmers or Ranchers and applicants proposing Mid-Tier Value Chains will
compete with other eligible VAPG applications.
C. Eligibility Information
Applicants must comply with the program regulation 7 CFR part 4284
subpart J in order to meet all of the following eligibility
requirements. Applications which fail to meet any of these requirements
by the application deadline will be deemed ineligible and will not be
evaluated further.
1. Eligible Applicants
You must demonstrate that you meet all the applicant eligibility
requirements of 7 CFR 4284.920 and 4284.921. This includes meeting the
definition requirements at 7 CFR 4284.902 for one of the following
applicant types: Independent Producer, Agricultural Producer Group,
Farmer or Rancher Cooperative or Majority-Controlled Producer-Based
Business and also meeting the Emerging Market, Citizenship, Legal
Authority and Responsibility, Multiple Grants and Active Grants
requirements of the section. Required documentation to support
eligibility is contained at 7 CFR 4284.931.
Federally-recognized Tribes and tribal entities must demonstrate
that they meet the definition requirements for one of the four eligible
applicant types. Rural Development State Offices and posted application
toolkits will provide additional information on Tribal eligibility.
Per 7 CFR 4284.921, an applicant is ineligible if they have been
debarred or suspended or otherwise excluded from or ineligible for
participation in Federal assistance programs under Executive Order
12549, ``Debarment and Suspension.'' In addition, an applicant will be
considered ineligible for a grant due to an outstanding judgment
obtained by the U.S. in a Federal Court (other than U.S. Tax Court), is
delinquent on the payment of Federal income taxes, or is delinquent on
Federal debt.
An Applicant may submit only one application in response to a
solicitation, and must explicitly direct that it compete in either the
general funds competition or in one of the named reserved funds
competitions. Multiple applications from separate entities with
identical or greater than 75 percent common ownership, or from a
parent, subsidiary or affiliated organization (with ``affiliation''
defined by Small Business Administration regulation 13 CFR 121.103, or
successor regulation) are not permitted. Further, Applicants who have
already received a Planning Grant for the proposed project cannot
receive another Planning Grant for the same project. Applicants who
have already received a Working Capital Grant for the proposed project
cannot receive any additional grants for that project (Proposals from
previous award recipients should be substantially different in terms of
products and/or markets and should not merely be extensions of
previously funded projects).
2. Cost-Sharing or Matching
There is a matching funds requirement of at least $1 for every $1
in grant funds provided by the Agency (matching funds plus grant funds
must equal proposed Total Project Costs). Matching funds may be in the
form of cash or eligible in-kind contributions and may be used only for
eligible project purposes. Tribal applicants may utilize grants made
available under Public Law 93-638, the Indian Self-Determination and
Education Assistance Act of 1975, as their matching contribution, and
should check with appropriate tribal authorities regarding the
availability of such funding.
Matching funds must be available at time of application and must be
certified and verified as described in 7 CFR 4284.931(b)(3) and (4).
Note that matching funds must also be discussed as part of the scoring
criterion Commitments and Support as described in section E.1. (c).
3. Project Eligibility
You must demonstrate that you meet all the project eligibility
requirements of 7 CFR 4284.922.
(a) Product eligibility. Applicants for both planning and working
capital grants must meet all requirements at 7 CFR 4284.922(a),
including that your value-added product must result from one of the
five methodologies identified in the definition of Value-Added
Agricultural Product at 7 CFR 4284.902. In addition, you must
demonstrate that, as a result of the project, the customer base for the
agricultural commodity or value-added product will be expanded, by
including a baseline of current customers for the commodity, and an
estimated target number of customers that will result from the project;
and that, a greater portion of the revenue derived from the marketing
or processing of the value-added product is available to the applicant
producer(s) of the agricultural commodity, by including a baseline of
current revenues from the sale of the agricultural commodity and an
estimate of increased revenues that will result from the project.
(b) Purpose eligibility. Applicants for both planning and working
capital grants must meet all requirements at 7 CFR 4284.922(b)
regarding maximum grant amounts, verification of matching funds,
eligible and ineligible uses of grant and matching funds, a substantive
work plan and budget.
[[Page 20609]]
(i) Planning Grants. A planning grant is used to fund development
of a defined program of economic planning activities to determine the
viability of a potential value-added venture, and specifically for the
purpose of paying for a qualified consultant to conduct and develop a
feasibility study, business plan, and/or marketing plan associated with
the processing and/or marketing of a value-added agricultural product.
Planning grant funds may not be used to fund working capital
activities.
(ii) Working Capital Grants. This type of grant provides funds to
operate a value-added project, specifically to pay the eligible project
expenses related to the processing and/or marketing of the value-added
product that are eligible uses of grant funds. Working capital funds
may not be used for planning purposes.
(c) Reserved Funds Eligibility. To qualify for Reserved Funds as a
Beginning or Socially-Disadvantaged Farmer or Rancher or if you propose
to develop a Mid-Tier Value Chain, you must meet the requirements found
at 7 CFR 4284.923. If your application is eligible, but is not awarded
under the Reserved Funds, it will automatically be considered for
general funds in that same fiscal year, as funding levels permit.
(d) Priority Points. To qualify for Priority Points for projects
that contribute to increasing opportunities for Beginning Farmers or
Ranchers, Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers or Ranchers, or if you are an
Operator of a Small- or Medium-sized Farm or Ranch structured as a
Family Farm, a Veteran Farmer or Rancher, propose a Mid-Tier Value
Chain project, or are a Farmer or Rancher Cooperative, you must meet
the applicable eligibility requirements at 7 CFR 4284.923 and 4284.924
and must address the relevant proposal evaluation criterion.
Priority points will also be awarded during the scoring process to
eligible Agricultural Producer Groups, Farmer or Cooperatives, and
Majority-Controlled Producer-Based Business Ventures that best
contribute to creating or increasing marketing opportunities for
Beginning Farmers or Ranchers, Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers or
Ranchers, and/or Veteran Farmers or Ranchers. You must meet the
eligibility requirements at 7 CFR 4284.923 and 4284.924 and must
address the relevant proposal evaluation criterion.
4. Eligible Uses of Grant and Matching Funds
Eligible uses of grant and matching funds are discussed, along with
examples, in 7 CFR 4284.923. In general, grant and cost-share matching
funds have the same use restrictions and must be used to fund only the
costs for eligible purposes as defined at 7 CFR 4284.923 (a) and (b).
5. Ineligible Uses of Grant and Matching Funds
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 personal,
professional, financial or other interest in the outcome of the
project; including organizational conflicts, and conflicts that
restrict open and free competition for unrestrained trade. A list (not
all inclusive) of ineligible uses of grant and matching funds is found
in 7 CFR 4284.926.
D. Application and Submission Information
1. Address To Request Applications
The application toolkit, regulation, and official program
notification for this funding opportunity can be obtained online at
https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/value-added-producer-grants.
You may also contact your USDA Rural Development State Office by
visiting https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices. You may also
obtain a copy by calling 202-690-1374. The toolkit contains an
application checklist, templates, required grant forms, and
instructions. Although the Agency highly recommends their use, use of
the templates in the toolkit is not mandatory.
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.
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 your project will primarily take
place. You can find State Office Contact information at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices. An optional-use Agency
application template is available online at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/value-added-producer-grants.
Your application must contain all of the required forms and
proposal elements described in 7 CFR 4284.931, unless otherwise
clarified in this Notice. You are encouraged, but not required to
utilize the Application Toolkits found at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/value-added-producer-grants, however, you must become
familiar with the program regulation at 7 CFR part 4284, subpart J in
order to submit a successful application. Basic application contents
are outlined below:
Standard Form (SF)-424, ``Application for Federal
Assistance,'' to 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 the
DUNS number in your application, it will not be considered for funding.
SF-424A, ``Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs.''
This form must be completed and submitted as part of the application
package.
SF-424B, ``Assurances--Non-Construction Programs.'' This
form must be completed, signed, and submitted as part of the
application package.
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,
[[Page 20610]]
or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Corporations include both for profit and
non-profit entities.
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.
Executive Summary and Abstract. A one-page Executive
Summary containing the following information: Legal name of applicant
entity, application type (planning or working capital), applicant type,
amount of grant request, a summary of your project, and whether you are
submitting a simplified application, and whether you are requesting
Reserved Funds. Also include a separate abstract of up to 100 words
briefly describing your project.
Eligibility discussion.
Work plan and budget.
Performance evaluation criteria.
Proposal evaluation criteria.
Certification and verification of matching funds.
Reserved Funds and Priority Point documentation (as
applicable).
Appendices containing required supporting documentation.
3. Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) and System
for Awards Management (SAM)
In order to be eligible (unless you are accepted 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.
If you have not fully complied with all applicable DUNS and SAM
requirements, the Agency may determine that the applicant is not
qualified to receive a Federal award and the Agency may use that
determination as a basis for making an award to another applicant.
Please refer to Section F. 2. for additional submission requirements
that apply to grantees selected for this program.
4. Submission Dates and Times
Application Deadline Date: July 1, 2016.
Explanation of Deadlines: Paper applications must be postmarked and
mailed, shipped, or sent overnight by July 1, 2016. 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 application is due the next
business day. Late applications will automatically be considered
ineligible and will not be evaluated further.
Electronic applications must be received at https://www.grants.gov
no later than midnight Eastern time, June 24, 2016 to be eligible for
FY 2016 grant funding. Please review the Grants.gov Web site, https://grants.gov/applicants/organization_registration.jsp for instructions on
the process of registering your organization as soon as possible to
ensure you are able to meet the electronic application deadline.
Grants.gov will not accept applications submitted after the deadline.
5. Intergovernmental Review
Executive Order (EO) 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs, 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 must
submit your application directly for review. Any comments obtained
through the SPOC must be provided to RD 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, RD will submit your
application to the SPOC or other appropriate agency or agencies.
6. Funding Restrictions
Funding limitations and reservations found in the program
regulation at 7 CFR 4284.927 will apply, including:
(a) Use of Funds. Grant funds may be used to pay up to 50 percent
of the total eligible project costs, subject to the limitations
established for maximum total grant amount. Grant funds may not be used
to pay any costs of the project incurred prior to the date of grant
approval. Grant and matching funds may only be used for eligible
purposes. (see examples of eligible and ineligible uses in 7 CFR
4284.923 and 4284.924, respectively).
(b) Grant Term (project period). Your project timeframe or grant
period can be a maximum of 36 months in length from the date of award.
Your proposed grant period should begin no earlier than the anticipated
award announcement date in this notice and should end no later than 36
months following that date. If you receive an award, your grant period
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 that date of award. The length of your grant period
should be based on your project's complexity, as indicated in your
application work plan. For example, it is expected that most planning
grants can be completed within 12 months.
(c) Program Income. If income (Program Income) is earned during the
grant period as a result of the project activities, it is subject to
the requirements in 2 CFR 200.80, and must be managed and reported
accordingly.
(d) Majority Controlled Producer-Based Business. The aggregate
amount of awards to Majority Controlled Producer-Based Businesses in
response to this announcement shall not exceed 10 percent of the total
funds obligated for the program during the fiscal year.
(e) Reserved Funds. Ten percent of all funds available for FY 2016
will be reserved to fund projects that benefit Beginning Farmers or
Ranchers, or Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers or Ranchers. In addition,
10 percent of total funding available will be used to fund projects
that propose development of Mid-Tier Value Chains as part of a Local or
Regional Supply Chain Network. See related definitions in 7 CFR
4284.902.
(f) Disposition of Reserved Funds Not Obligated. For this
announcement, any reserved FY 2015 funds that have not been obligated
by June 30, 2016, will be available to the Secretary to make VAPG
grants in accordance with 7 CFR 4284.927(d).
7. Other Submission Requirements
(a) National Environmental Policy Act
This notice has been reviewed in accordance with 7 CFR part 1940,
[[Page 20611]]
subpart G, ``Environmental Program,'' or successor regulation. 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.
Individual awards under this Notice are hereby classified as
Categorical Exclusions according to 7 CFR 1940.310(e), which do not
require any additional documentation.
(b) 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
Applications will be reviewed and processed as described at 7 CFR
4284.940. The Agency will review your application to determine if it is
complete and eligible. If at any time, the Agency determines 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. Funding of successfully appealed applications
will be limited to available FY 2016 funds.
The Agency will only score applications in which the applicant and
project are eligible, which are complete and sufficiently responsive to
program requirements, and in which the Agency agrees on the likelihood
of financial feasibility for working capital requests. We will score
your application according to the procedures and criteria specified in
7 CFR 4284.942, and with tiered scoring thresholds as specified below.
1. Scoring 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 the
criterion, or do not sufficiently communicate relevant project
information, you will receive lower scores. VAPG 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 50 points.
The Agency application toolkit provides additional instruction to
help you to respond to the criteria below.
(a) Nature of the Proposed Venture (graduated score 0-30 points).
For both planning and working capital grants, you should discuss
the technological feasibility of the project, as well as operational
efficiency, profitability, and overall economic sustainability
resulting from the project. In addition, demonstrate the potential for
expanding the customer base for the agricultural commodity or value-
added product, and the expected increase in revenue returns to the
producer-owners providing the majority of the raw agricultural
commodity to the project. You should reference third-party data and
other information that specifically supports your value-added project;
discuss the value-added process you are proposing; potential markets
and distribution channels; the value to be added to the raw commodity
through the value-added process; cost and availability of inputs, your
experience in marketing the proposed or similar product; business
financial statements; and any other relevant information that supports
the viability of your project. Working capital applicants should
demonstrate that these outcomes will result from the project. Planning
grant applicants should describe the expected results, and the reasons
supporting those expectations.
Points will be awarded as follows:
(i) 0 points will be awarded if you do not substantively address
the criterion.
(ii) 1-5 points will be awarded if you do not address each of the
following: technological feasibility, operational efficiency,
profitability, and overall economic sustainability.
(iii) 6-13 points will be awarded if you address technological
feasibility, operational efficiency, profitability, and overall
economic sustainability, but do not reference third-party information
that supports the success of your project.
(iv) 14-22 points will be awarded if you address technological
feasibility, operational efficiency, profitability, and overall
economic sustainability, supported by third-party information
demonstrating a reasonable likelihood of success.
(v) 23-30 points will be awarded if all criterion components are
well addressed, supported by third-party information, and demonstrate a
high likelihood of success.
(b) Qualifications of Project Personnel (graduated score 0-20
points).
You must identify all individuals who will be responsible for
completing the proposed tasks in the work plan, including the roles and
activities that owners, staff, contractors, consultants or new hires
may perform; and show that these individuals have the necessary
qualifications and expertise, including those hired to do market or
feasibility analyses, or to develop a business operations plan for the
value-added venture. You must include the qualifications of those
individuals responsible for leading or managing the total project
(applicant owners or project managers), as well as those individuals
responsible for actually conducting the various individual tasks in the
work plan (such as consultants, contractors, staff or new hires). You
must discuss the commitment and the availability of any consultants or
other professionals to be hired for the project. If staff or
consultants have not been selected at the time of application, you must
provide specific descriptions of the qualifications required for the
positions to be filled. Applications that demonstrate the strong
credentials, education, capabilities, experience and availability of
project personnel that will contribute to a high likelihood of project
success will receive more points than those that demonstrate less
potential for success in these areas.
Points will be awarded as follows:
(i) 0 points will be awarded if you do not substantively address
the criterion.
(ii) 1-4 points will be awarded if qualifications and experience of
all staff is not addressed and/or if necessary qualifications of
unfilled positions are not provided.
(iii) 5-9 points will be awarded if all project personnel are
identified but do not demonstrate qualifications or experience relevant
to the project.
(iv) 10-14 will be awarded if most key personnel demonstrate strong
credentials and/or experience, and availability indicating a reasonable
likelihood of success.
(v) 15-20 points will be awarded if all personnel demonstrate
strong, relevant credentials or experience, and availability indicating
a high likelihood of project success.
(c) Commitments and Support (graduated score 0-10 points).
Producer commitments to the project will be evaluated based on the
number of independent producers currently involved in the project; and
the nature, level and quality of their contributions, including
matching contributions. End-
[[Page 20612]]
user commitments will be evaluated on the basis of potential or
identified markets and the potential amount of output to be purchased,
as indicated by letters of intent or contracts from potential buyers
referenced within the application. Other third-party commitments to the
project will be evaluated based on the critical and tangible nature of
their contribution to the project, such as technical assistance,
storage, processing, marketing, or distribution arrangements that are
necessary for the project to proceed; and the level and quality of
these contributions. All cash or in-kind contributions from producers,
end users, or other contributors should be discussed. End-user
commitments may include contracts or letters of intent or interest in
purchasing the value-added product. Letters of commitment by producers,
end-users, and third-parties should be summarized as part of your
response to this criterion, and the letters should be included in
Appendix B. Applications that demonstrate the project has strong direct
financial support in the form of cash matching contributions and strong
technical and logistical support to successfully complete the project
will receive more points than those that demonstrate less potential for
success in these areas.
Points will be awarded as follows:
(i) 0 points will be awarded if you do not substantively address
the criterion.
(ii) 1-3 points will be awarded if you are the only producer
participating in the project, AND show real, direct support from at
least one end-user or third-party contributor.
(iii) 4-6 points will be awarded if you, as the applicant, are the
only producer participating in the project, AND show strong financial
commitment in the form of cash matching contributions to the project
AND measurable commitment or interest in purchasing the value-added
product from at least one end-user; AND commitment or tangible support
from at least one other third-party contributor; OR you, as the
applicant, demonstrate participation from multiple producers, AND
measurable commitment or interest in purchasing the value-added product
from at least one end-user; AND commitment or tangible support from at
least one third party contributor.
(iv) 7-10 points will be awarded if you, as the applicant, show
strong financial commitment to the project in the form of cash matching
contributions, AND participation from additional producers, AND
measurable commitment or interest from multiple end-users, AND
commitment or tangible support from multiple third-party contributors.
(d) Work Plan and Budget (graduated score 0-20 points).
You must submit a comprehensive work plan and budget (for full
details, see 7 CFR 4284.922(b)(5)). Your work plan must provide
specific and detailed descriptions of the tasks and the key project
personnel that will accomplish the project's goals. The budget must
present a detailed breakdown of all estimated costs of project
activities and allocate those costs among the listed tasks. You must
show the source and use of both grant and matching funds for all tasks.
Matching funds must be spent at a rate equal to, or in advance of,
grant funds. 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. Working capital
applications must include an estimate of program income expected to be
earned during the grant period (see 2 CFR 200.307).
Points will be awarded as follows:
(i) 0 points will be awarded if you do not substantively address
the criterion.
(ii) 1-7 points will be awarded if the work plan and budget do not
account for all project goals, tasks, costs, timelines, and responsible
personnel.
(iii) 8-14 points will be awarded if you provide a clear,
comprehensive work plan detailing all project goals, tasks, timelines,
costs, and responsible personnel in a logical and realistic manner that
demonstrates a reasonable likelihood of success.
(iv) 15-20 points will be awarded if you provide a clear,
comprehensive work plan detailing all project goals, tasks, timelines,
costs, and responsible personnel in a logical and realistic manner that
demonstrates a high likelihood of success.
(e) Priority Points up to 10 points (lump sum 0 or 5 points plus,
graduated score 0-5 points).
It is recommended that you use the Agency application package when
applying for priority points and refer to the requirements specified in
7 CFR 4284.924. Priority points may be awarded in both the general
funds and Reserved Funds competitions.
(i) 5 points will be awarded if you meets the requirements for one
of the following categories and provide the documentation described in
7 CFR 4284.923 and 4284.924 as applicable: Beginning Farmer or Rancher,
Socially-Disadvantaged Farmer or Rancher, Veteran Farmer or Rancher, or
Operator of a Small or Medium-sized Farm or Ranch that is structured as
a Family Farm, Farmer or Rancher Cooperative, or are proposing a Mid-
Tier Value Chain project.
(ii) Up to 5 priority points will be awarded if you are an
Agricultural Producer Group, Farmer or Rancher Cooperative, or
Majority-Controlled Producer-Based Business Venture (referred to below
as ``applicant group'') whose project ``best contributes to creating or
increasing marketing opportunities'' for Operators of Small- and
Medium-sized Farms and Ranches that are structured as Family Farms,
Beginning Farmers and Ranchers, Socially-Disadvantaged Farmers and
Ranchers, and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers (referred to below as
``priority groups''). For each of the priority point levels below,
applications must demonstrate how the proposed project will contribute
to new or increased marketing opportunities for respective priority
groups. Guidance on relevant information required to adequately
demonstrate this requirement can be found in program application
package.
(A) 2 priority points will be awarded if the existing membership of
the applicant group is comprised of either more than 50 percent of any
one of the four priority groups or more than 50 percent of any
combination of the four priority groups.
(B) 1 priority point will be awarded if the existing membership of
the applicant group is comprised of two or more of the priority groups.
One point is awarded regardless of whether a group's membership is
comprised of two, three, or all four of the priority groups.
(C) 2 priority points will be awarded if the applicant's proposed
project will increase the number of priority groups that comprise
applicant membership by one or more priority groups. However, if an
applicant group's membership is already comprised of all four priority
groups, such an applicant would not be eligible for points under this
criterion because there is no opportunity to increase the number of
priority groups. Note also that this criterion does not consider either
the percentage of the existing membership that is comprised of the four
priority groups or the number of priority groups currently comprising
the applicant group's membership.
(f) Priority Categories (graduated score 0-10 points).
The Administrator of the Agency may choose to award up to 10 points
to an application to improve the geographic diversity of awardees in a
fiscal year.
2. Review and Selection Process
The Agency will select applications for award under this Notice in
accordance with the provisions specified in 7 CFR 4284.950(a).
[[Page 20613]]
If your application is eligible and complete, it will be
qualitatively scored by at least two reviewers based on criteria
specified in section E.1. of this Notice. One of these reviewers will
be an experienced RD employee from your servicing State Office and at
least one additional reviewer will be a non-Federal, independent
reviewer, who must meet the following qualifications. Independent
reviewers must have at least bachelor's degree in one or more of the
following fields: Agri-business, agricultural economics, agriculture,
animal science, business, marketing, economics or finance; and a
minimum of 8 years of experience in an agriculture-related field (e.g.
farming, marketing, consulting, or research; or as university faculty,
trade association official or non-Federal government official in an
agriculturally-related field). Each reviewer will score evaluation
criteria (a) through (d) and the totals for each reviewer will be added
together and averaged. The RD State Office reviewer will also assign
priority points based on criterion (e) in section E.1. of this Notice.
These will be added to the average score. The sum of these scores will
be ranked highest to lowest and this will comprise the initial ranking.
The Administrator of the Agency may choose to award up to 10
Administrator priority points based on criterion (f) in section E.1. of
this Notice. These points will be added to the cumulative score for a
total possible score of 100.
A final ranking will be obtained based solely on the scores
received for criteria (a) through (e). A minimum score of 50 points is
required for funding. Applications for Reserved Funds will be funded in
rank order until funds are depleted. Unfunded reserve applications will
be returned to the general funds where applications will be funded in
rank order until the funds are expended. Funding for Majority
Controlled Producer-Based Business Ventures is limited to 10 percent of
total grant funds expected to be obligated as a result of this Notice.
These applications will be funded in rank order until the funding
limitation has been reached. Grants to these applicants from Reserved
Funds will count against this funding limitation. In the event of tied
scores, the Administrator shall have discretion in breaking ties.
If your application is ranked, 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, containing instructions on
requirements necessary to proceed with execution and performance of the
award.
If you are not selected for funding, you will be notified in
writing via postal mail and informed of any review and appeal rights.
Funding of successfully appealed applications will be limited to
available FY 2016 funding.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Additional requirements that apply to grantees selected for this
program can be found in 7 CFR part 4284, subpart J; the Grants and
Agreements regulations of the Department of Agriculture codified in 2
CFR parts 180, 400, 415, 417, 418, 421; 2 CFR parts 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 report information about first-tier sub-awards and
executive compensation (see 2 CFR part 170). You will be required to
have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Pub.L.
109-282) reporting requirements (see 2 CFR 170.200(b), unless you are
exempt under 2 CFR 170.110(b)). More information on these requirements
can be found at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/value-added-producer-grants.
The following additional requirements apply to grantees selected
for this program:
(a) Agency approved Grant Agreement.
(b) Letter of Conditions.
(c) Form RD 1940-1, ``Request for Obligation of Funds.''
(d) Form RD 1942-46, ``Letter of Intent to Meet Conditions.''
(e) Form AD-1047, ``Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension,
and Other Responsibility Matters--Primary Covered Transactions.''
(f) Form AD-1048, ``Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension,
Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered
Transactions.''
(g) Form AD-1049, ``Certification Regarding a Drug-Free Workplace
Requirement (Grants).''
(h) Form AD-3031, ``Assurance Regarding Felony Conviction or Tax
Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants.'' Must be signed by
corporate applicants who receive an award under this Notice.
(i) Form RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement.''
(j) SF LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,'' if applicable.
(k) Use Form SF 270, ``Request for Advance or Reimbursement.''
3. Reporting
After grant approval and through grant completion, you will be
required to provide the following, as indicated in the Grant Agreement:
(a) A SF-425, ``Federal Financial Report,'' and a project
performance report will be required on a semiannual basis (due 45
working days after end of the semiannual period). For the purposes of
this grant, semiannual periods end on March 31st and September 30th.
The project performance reports shall include the elements prescribed
in the grant agreement.
(b) A final project and financial status report within 90 days
after the expiration or termination of the grant.
(c) Provide outcome project performance reports and final
deliverables.
G. 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/value-added-producer-grants. You may also contact National Office staff: Tracey
Kennedy, VAPG Program Lead, tracey.kennedy@wdc.usda.gov, or Shantelle
Gordon, shantelle.gordon@wdc.usda.gov, or call the main line at 202-
690-1374.
H. Nondiscrimination Statement
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination
against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the
bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender
identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs,
marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all
or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance
program, or protected genetic information in employment or in any
program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all
prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment
activities.)
If you wish to file an employment complaint, you must contact your
agency's EEO Counselor (PDF) within 45 days of the date of the alleged
[[Page 20614]]
discriminatory act, event, or in the case of a personnel action.
Additional information can be found online at https://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_file.html.
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/complaint_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 you 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: April 4, 2016.
Samuel Rikkers,
Administrator, Rural Business--Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2016-08028 Filed 4-7-16; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P