Notice of Solicitation of Applications for Inviting Applications for the Intermediary Relending Program for Fiscal Year 2021, 78821-78824 [2020-26771]
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78821
Notices
Federal Register
Vol. 85, No. 235
Monday, December 7, 2020
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER
contains documents other than rules or
proposed rules that are applicable to the
public. Notices of hearings and investigations,
committee meetings, agency decisions and
rulings, delegations of authority, filing of
petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are
examples of documents appearing in this
section.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
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December 2, 2020.
The Department of Agriculture has
submitted the following information
collection requirement(s) to OMB for
review and clearance under the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995,
Public Law 104–13. Comments are
requested regarding: Whether the
collection of information is necessary
for the proper performance of the
functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of burden including
the validity of the methodology and
assumptions used; ways to enhance the
quality, utility and clarity of the
information to be collected; and ways to
minimize the burden of the collection of
information on those who are to
respond, including through the use of
appropriate automated, electronic,
mechanical, or other technological
collection techniques or other forms of
information technology.
Comments regarding this information
collection received by January 6, 2021
will be considered. Written comments
and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be
submitted within 30 days of the
publication of this notice on the
following website www.reginfo.gov/
public/do/PRAMain. Find this
particular information collection by
selecting ‘‘Currently under 30-day
Review—Open for Public Comments’’ or
by using the search function.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor a collection of information
unless the collection of information
displays a currently valid OMB control
number and the agency informs
potential persons who are to respond to
the collection of information that such
persons are not required to respond to
the collection of information unless it
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displays a currently valid OMB control
number.
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Title: Advanced Biofuel Payment
Program.
OMB Control Number: 0570–0063.
Summary of Collection: Section 9005
of Title IX of the Food, Conservation,
and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Bill)
authorizes Rural Business-Cooperative
Service (RBS) to enter into contracts to
make payments to eligible entities to
support and ensure an expanding
production of advanced biofuels. To
receive payments under the Program,
eligible entities are producers of
advanced biofuels that meet all of the
requirements of the Program. Eligible
entities can be an individual or legal
entity, including a corporation,
company, foundation, association, labor
organization, firm, partnership, society,
joint stock company, group of
organizations, or non-profit that
produces an advanced biofuel and that
sells the advanced biofuel on the
commercial market.
Need and Use of the Information:
Advanced biofuel producers seeking to
participate in the Program must enroll
in the Program by submitting an
application (Form RD 4288–1), which
includes specific information about the
producer and the producer’s advanced
biofuel biorefineries. This information
will be used to determine whether the
advanced biofuel producer is eligible to
participate in the Program and whether
the advanced biofuel being produced is
eligible for payments under the
Program. Form RD 4288–1 will also be
used by the Agency to sign-up advance
biofuel producers in subsequent fiscal
years (FY) and to obtain information to
help determine payment rates.
Once an advanced biofuel producer
has been approved for participation in
the Program, the producer and the
Agency will enter into a contract (Form
RD 4288–2). Once the contract is signed,
the advanced biofuel producer will
submit payment requests (Form RD–
4288–3), preferably on a quarterly basis.
The information in the payment request
forms will be used by the Agency to
determine payments to the advanced
biofuel producers.
Description of Respondents: Business
or other for-profit; Individuals.
Number of Respondents: 206.
Frequency of Responses: Reporting:
Quarterly, Annually.
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Total Burden Hours: 1,339.
Levi S. Harrell,
Departmental Information Collection
Clearance Officer.
[FR Doc. 2020–26803 Filed 12–4–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–XY–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
[Docket No. RBS–20–BUSINESS–0035]
Notice of Solicitation of Applications
for Inviting Applications for the
Intermediary Relending Program for
Fiscal Year 2021
Rural Business-Cooperative
Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
This Notice is to invite
applications under the Intermediary
Relending Program (IRP) for fiscal year
(FY) 2021, subject to availability of
funding. This Notice is being issued in
order to allow applicants enough time to
leverage financing, prepare and submit
their applications, and give the Agency
time to process applications within FY
2021. The Agency anticipates a
forthcoming IRP rulemaking that will
incorporate the program statutory
requirements established in the
Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018
(2018 Farm Bill) and will improve and
streamline process and efficiency in
program administration.
Successful applications will be
selected by the Agency for funding and
subsequently awarded to the extent that
funding may ultimately be made
available through appropriations. An
announcement on the website at https://
www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/fy2021appropriated-funding will identify the
amount received in the appropriations.
All applicants are responsible for any
expenses incurred in developing their
applications.
DATES: The deadlines for completed
applications to be received in the USDA
Rural Development State Office for
quarterly funding competitions is no
later than 4:30 p.m. (local time) on: First
Quarter—September 30, 2020, Second
Quarter—December 31, 2020, Third
Quarter—March 31, 2021 and Fourth
Quarter—June 30, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Applications must be
submitted to the USDA Rural
SUMMARY:
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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 235 / Monday, December 7, 2020 / Notices
Development State Office for the state
where the project is located.
Applications may be submitted in paper
or electronic format to the appropriate
Rural Development State Office and
must be received by 4:30 p.m. local time
on the deadline date(s). Applicants are
encouraged to contact their respective
Rural Development State Office for an
email contact to submit an electronic
application prior to the submission
deadline date(s). A list of the USDA
Rural Development State Office contacts
can be found at: https://
www.rd.usda.gov/page/state-offices.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori
Hood at (202) 720–9815, lori.hood@
usda.gov or David Chestnut at (202)
692–5233, david.chestnut@usda.gov,
Program Management Division,
Business Programs, Rural BusinessCooperative Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue
SW, MS 3226, Room 4202–S,
Washington, DC 20250–3226, or call
(202) 720–1400. For further information
on this notice, please contact the USDA
Rural Development State Office in the
State in which the applicant’s
headquarters is located. A list of Rural
Development State Office contacts is
provided at the following link: https://
www.rd.usda.gov/page/state-offices.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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Overview
Solicitation Opportunity Type:
Intermediary Relending Program.
Announcement Type: Solicitation of
Applications for FY 2021 funds.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Number: 10.767.
Dates: Applications are received on a
continuous basis and compete for
available funds on a quarterly basis. To
compete for regular IRP funds,
applications must be received in the
USDA Rural Development State Office
no later than 4:30 p.m. (local time) on:
First Quarter—September 30, 2020,
Second Quarter—December 31, 2020,
Third Quarter—March 31, 2021 and
Fourth Quarter—June 30, 2021.
Set-Aside Funding Dates: The Further
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020
(Pub. L. 116–94) authorized set-aside
funding to projects and intermediaries
serving Federally-Recognized Native
American Tribes, for Mississippi Delta
Region Counties (as determined in
accordance with Pub. L. 100–460).
Eligible applicants for the set-aside
funds must demonstrate that at least 75
percent of the benefits of an approved
loan in this program will assist ultimate
recipients in the designated areas. The
completed application deadline for the
Federally Recognized Native American
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Tribes and Mississippi Delta Region
Counties projects is May 31, 2021.
Completed applications for the Rural
Empowerment Zone/Enterprise
Communities/Rural Economic Area
Partnership projects must be submitted
by July 15, 2021.
Anticipated Award Date—
Empowerment Zones/Enterprise
Communities/Rural Economic Area
Partnership Funding: August 1, 2021.
Renewal or Supplemental Awards:
None.
A. Program Description
1. Eligible Applicants
Loans may be made to any entity that
is identified by USDA Rural
Development as an eligible borrower in
accordance with 7 CFR 4274.307.
1. Purpose of the Program. The
purpose of the program is to provide
direct loans to intermediaries that
establish revolving loan programs for
the purpose of providing loans to
ultimate recipients for business facilities
and community developments in a rural
area as outlined in 7 CFR 4274.301(b).
All applicable program requirements in
their entirety can be found at 7 CFR part
4274 subpart D.
2. Statutory Authority. This program
is authorized under the Consolidated
Farm and Rural Development Act
(ConAct) (7 U.S.C. 1936b et seq.) and 7
CFR part 4274, subpart D. Awards under
the IRP program will be made on a
competitive basis using specific
selection criteria contained in 7 CFR
4274.344(c).
3. Definition of Terms. The definitions
applicable to this notice are published
at 7 CFR 4274.302(a).
4. Application Awards. The Agency
will review, evaluate and score
applications received in response to this
notice based on the provisions found in
7 CFR 4274.343 and 4274.344, subpart
D, and as indicated in this notice.
However, the Agency advises that all
interested parties bear the burden in
preparing and submitting an application
in response to the notice whether or not
funding is appropriated for this Program
in FY 2021.
B. Federal Award Information
Type of Award: Loan.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2021.
Available Funds: Anyone interested
in submitting an application for funding
under this Program is encouraged to
consult the Rural Development Notices
of Solicitation of Applications website
at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/
notices-solicitation-applications-nosas.
Maximum Award: The Agency
anticipates a maximum award of $1
Million for eligible Intermediaries
submitting a loan request.
Anticipated Award Dates—Regular
Funding: First Quarter—November 30,
2020, Second Quarter—February 28,
2021, Third Quarter—May 31, 2021,
Fourth Quarter—August 31, 2021.
Anticipated Award Date—Federally
Recognized Native American Tribes and
Mississippi Delta Region Counties
Funding: June 15, 2021.
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C. Eligibility Information
2. Cost Share or Matching
The IRP revolving fund share of the
eligible project cost of an ultimate
recipient’s project funded under this
Notice shall not exceed the lesser of: (a)
$250,000, or (b) 75 per cent of the total
cost of the ultimate recipient’s project
for which the loan is being made. The
cost share requirement shall be met by
the intermediary in accordance with the
requirements specified in 7 CFR
4274.331(b).
3. Other
Applications will only be accepted
from eligible intermediaries that
establish, or have established, revolving
loan programs for the purpose of
providing loans to ultimate recipients
for business facilities and community
developments in a rural area.
There are no ‘‘responsiveness’’ or
‘‘threshold’’ eligibility criteria for these
loans. However, not more than one loan
will be approved by the Agency for an
intermediary in any single fiscal year
unless the additional request is from
this program’s set-aside funding.
4. Completeness Eligibility
Applications will not be considered
for funding if they do not provide
enough information to determine
eligibility, are not suitable for
evaluation or are missing required
elements as stated in 7 CFR 4274.343.
D. Application and Submission
Information
1. Address To Request Application
Package
For further information, entities
wishing to apply for assistance should
contact the USDA Rural Development
State Office provided in the ADDRESSES
section of this notice, to obtain copies
of the application package and also are
encouraged to contact their respective
Rural Development State office for an
email contact so submit an electronic
application prior to the submission
deadline date(s). Please note that
applicants may locate the downloadable
application package for this program by
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the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Number, which is 10.767.
All applicants must have a Dun and
Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering
System (DUNS) number which can be
obtained at no cost via a toll-free request
line at 1–866–705–5711 or online at
https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.
2. Content and Form of Submission
An application must contain all the
required elements and each selection
priority criterion outlined in 7 CFR
4274.343 must be addressed in the
application. An original copy of the
application must be filed with a Rural
Development State Office for the state
where the Intermediary is located.
The applicant documentation and
forms needed for a complete application
are located in 7 CFR 4274.343 There are
no specific formats or limitations on the
number of pages required for an
application narrative, and applicants
may request any Agency forms and
addresses from the ADDRESSES section of
this notice. Any form that requires an
original signature, but is signed
electronically in the application
submission, must be signed in ink by
the authorized person prior to the
disbursement of funds.
3. Submission Dates and Times
Applications must be in the USDA
Rural Development State Office by the
dates and times as indicated above to
compete for available funds in that
fiscal quarter. If the due date falls on a
Saturday, Sunday or federal holiday, the
application is due the next business
day. The Agency will determine the
application receipt date based on the
actual date postmarked.
E. Application Review Information
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1. Criteria
All eligible and complete applications
will be evaluated and scored based on
the selection criteria and weights
contained in 7 CFR 4274.344(c). Failure
to address any one of the criteria by the
application deadline will result in the
application being determined ineligible,
and the application will not be
considered for funding.
2. Review and Selection Process
The Rural Development State Offices
will review applications to determine if
they are eligible for assistance based on
the requirements contained in 7 CFR
part 4274, subpart D. If determined
eligible, your application will be
submitted to the National Office for
funding competition with all eligible
applications received by the application
deadline. The Agency Administrator
reserves the right to award additional
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19:48 Dec 04, 2020
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discretionary points under 7 CFR
4274.344(c)(6).
In order to distribute funds among the
greatest number of projects possible,
applications will be reviewed, organized
and funded by ranking each state’s
highest-scoring project in order from
highest to lowest subject for competition
with ranked applications from other
states for the available funding.
F. Federal Award Administration
Information
1. Federal Award Notices
Successful applicants will receive
notification for funding from the USDA
Rural Development State Office.
Applicants must comply with all
applicable statutes and regulations
before the loan award will be approved.
An eligible application competing for
regular IRP funds, but not selected, will
be reconsidered in three subsequent
quarterly funding competitions, for a
total of four competitions, provided the
application and eligibility requirements
have not changed. After competing in
four quarterly competitions, any
unsuccessful applicant for regular funds
will receive written notification
indicating that their application will no
longer be considered for funding.
Applicants competing for set-aside
funding have only one application
period per fiscal year. Unsuccessful
applicants for set-aside funding will
receive written notification indicating
that their application was not
successful. An unsuccessful applicant
for set-aside funding may elect, in
writing, to submit their project for IRP
regular fund competitions commencing
with the next quarterly application
period.
2. Administrative and National Policy
Requirements
Additional requirements that apply to
intermediaries selected for this Program
can be found in 7 CFR part 4274,
subpart D. All successful applicants will
be notified by letter which will include
a Letter of Conditions, and a Letter of
Intent to Meet Conditions, which are not
approval determinations. The loan will
be considered approved when all
conditions in the Letter of Conditions
have been met and the Agency obligates
the funding for the Project.
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–
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78823
282) reporting requirements (see 2 CFR
170.200(b), unless you are exempt under
2 CFR 170.110(b)).
Intermediaries must collect and
maintain data provided by Ultimate
Recipients on race, sex, and national
origin and ensure Ultimate Recipients
collect and maintain this data. Race and
ethnicity data will be collected in
accordance with OMB Federal Register
notice, ‘‘Revisions to the Standards for
the Classification of Federal Data on
Race and Ethnicity’’ (62 FR 58782),
October 30, 1997. Sex data will be
collected in accordance with Title IX of
the Education Amendments of 1972.
These items should not be submitted
with the application but should be
available upon request by the Agency.
The applicant and the Ultimate
Recipient must comply with Title VI of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of
the Education Amendments of 1972,
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973, Age Discrimination Act of 1975,
Executive Order 12250, Executive Order
13166 Limited English Proficiency
(LEP), and 7 CFR part 1901, subpart E.
G. Other Information
Paperwork Reduction Act
In accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995, the information
collection requirement contained in this
notice is approved by OMB under OMB
Control Number 0570–0070.
Federal Funding Accountability and
Transparency Act
All applicants, in accordance with 2
CFR part 25, must have a DUNS
number, which can be obtained at no
cost via a toll-free request line at (866)
705–5711 or online at https://
fedgov.dnb.com/webform. All recipients
of Federal financial assistance are
required to report information about
first-tier sub-awards and executive total
compensation in accordance with 2 CFR
part 170.
Nondiscrimination 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/
parental status, income derived from a
public assistance program, political
beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior
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civil rights activity, in any program or
activity conducted or funded by USDA
(not all bases apply to all programs).
Remedies and complaint filing
deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require
alternative means of communication for
program information (e.g., Braille, large
print, audiotape, American Sign
Language, etc.) should contact the
responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET
Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and
TTY) or contact USDA through the
Federal Relay Service at (800) 877–8339.
Additionally, program information may
be made available in languages other
than English.
To file a program discrimination
complaint, complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form, AD–
3027, found online at https://
www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_
cust.html and at any USDA office or
write a letter addressed to USDA and
provide in the letter all of the
information requested in the form. To
request a copy of the complaint form,
call (866) 632–9992. Submit your
completed complaint form or complaint
letter to USDA by:
(1) Mail: U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, Washington,
DC 20250–9410; or
(2) Email: program.intake@usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity
provider, employer, and lender.
Rebeckah Adcock,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative
Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–26771 Filed 12–4–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–XY–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Census Bureau
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Agency Information Collection
Activities; Submission to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
Review and Approval; Comment
Request; American Community Survey
Methods Panel Tests
The Department of Commerce will
submit the following information
collection request to the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) for
review and clearance in accordance
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995, on or after the date of publication
of this notice. We invite the general
public and other Federal agencies to
comment on proposed, and continuing
information collections, which helps us
assess the impact of our information
collection requirements and minimize
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Jkt 253001
the public’s reporting burden. Public
comments were previously requested
via the Federal Register on November
17, 2017 (Vol. 82, No. 221, p. 54317–
54320) during a 60-day comment
period. This notice allows for an
additional 30 days for public comments.
Agency: U.S. Census Bureau.
Title: American Community Survey
Methods Panel Tests: Regional Office
internet Letter Test and Initial Mailing
Pressure Seal Test.
OMB Control Number: 0607–0936.
Form Number(s): ACS–1, ACS
internet, ACS CAPI.
Type of Request: Regular submission.
Request for a Nonsubstantive Change of
a Currently Approved Collection.
Number of Respondents: 182,400.
Average Hours per Response: 40
minutes.
Burden Hours: No additional burden
hours are requested under this
submission.
Needs and Uses: The American
Community Survey (ACS) collects
detailed socioeconomic data from about
3.5 million housing units in the United
States and 36,000 in Puerto Rico each
year. The ACS also collects detailed
socioeconomic data from about 195,000
residents living in group quarters.
Residents of sampled housing units are
invited to self-respond to the ACS
through a series of up to five mailings,
sent over a period of approximately six
and a half weeks. The Census Bureau
selects a subsample of the housing units
that do not respond by internet, mail, or
through the Telephone Questionnaire
Assistance (TQA). This subsample of
housing units is assigned to the
Computer-Assisted Personal Interview
(CAPI) nonresponse follow-up data
collection mode. During CAPI, field
representatives call or visit these
subsampled addresses to attempt to
complete an interview.
An ongoing data collection effort with
an annual sample of this magnitude
requires that the ACS continue research,
testing, and evaluations aimed at
reducing respondent burden, improving
data quality, reducing data collection
costs, and improving the ACS
questionnaire content and related data
collection materials. The ACS Methods
Panel is a research program designed to
address and respond to issues and
survey needs. This request documents
two Methods Panel tests: The Initial
Mailing Pressure Seal Test and the
Regional Office internet Letter Test.
The Initial Mailing Pressure Seal Test
is designed to test the use of a pressure
seal mailer in the first mailing sent to
sampled housing units. The purpose of
the test is to understand the effect on
self-response of sending a pressure seal
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mailer instead of the initial mail
package that is currently sent. Evidence
from mailings sent in 2020 suggest that
the pressure seal mailer may be more
effective at soliciting an internet
response than a mail package containing
a letter, brochure, and instruction card.
However, several confounding factors
could have caused an increase in selfresponse other than the mail type. First,
the 2020 Census was conducting the
nonresponse follow-up operation and
advertising about the importance of
responding to the 2020 Census, which
some respondents confuse with the
ACS. Second, the initial mail package
lets respondents know that if they are
unable to complete the survey online,
then we will send a paper questionnaire
in a few weeks. This message was
omitted from the pressure seal mailer.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic,
we were unable to mail paper ACS
questionnaires to all nonresponding
households. We theorize that telling
respondents that they will have another
opportunity to respond later delays
response. Finally, the internet User ID
in the initial mail package is included
on the instruction card, not in the letter.
In the pressure seal mailer, the User ID
is included very clearly in a call-out
box. We theorize that making the log-in
instructions clear and easy to find
increases internet response.
The proposed test will include four
experimental treatments and a control:
An initial mail package (control), a
modified initial mail package, and three
variations of the pressure seal mailer.
Addresses not part of the test will
receive the initial mail package. The
experimental design of this test allows
the Census Bureau to assess the impact
of using a pressure seal mailer instead
of an initial mail package and how
information about a paper questionnaire
being mailed impacts response rates.
To field this test, the Census Bureau
plans to use the ACS production sample
(clearance number: 0607–0810). Thus,
there is no increase in burden from this
test since each treatment will include
the same number of mailings and result
in the same burden estimate per
interview (40 minutes). The Census
Bureau proposes this test to be
conducted in late spring or summer of
2021 (pending operational constraints)
and adhere to the same data collection
protocols as production ACS.
The ACS sample design randomly
assigns housing units in each monthly
sample panel to one of 24 groups of
approximately 12,000 addresses each.
Each group, called a methods panel
group, is representative of the full
monthly sample. Each monthly sample
is a representative subsample of the
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 235 (Monday, December 7, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 78821-78824]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-26771]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
[Docket No. RBS-20-BUSINESS-0035]
Notice of Solicitation of Applications for Inviting Applications
for the Intermediary Relending Program for Fiscal Year 2021
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This Notice is to invite applications under the Intermediary
Relending Program (IRP) for fiscal year (FY) 2021, subject to
availability of funding. This Notice is being issued in order to allow
applicants enough time to leverage financing, prepare and submit their
applications, and give the Agency time to process applications within
FY 2021. The Agency anticipates a forthcoming IRP rulemaking that will
incorporate the program statutory requirements established in the
Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018 (2018 Farm Bill) and will improve
and streamline process and efficiency in program administration.
Successful applications will be selected by the Agency for funding
and subsequently awarded to the extent that funding may ultimately be
made available through appropriations. An announcement on the website
at https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/fy2021-appropriated-funding will
identify the amount received in the appropriations.
All applicants are responsible for any expenses incurred in
developing their applications.
DATES: The deadlines for completed applications to be received in the
USDA Rural Development State Office for quarterly funding competitions
is no later than 4:30 p.m. (local time) on: First Quarter--September
30, 2020, Second Quarter--December 31, 2020, Third Quarter--March 31,
2021 and Fourth Quarter--June 30, 2021.
ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted to the USDA Rural
[[Page 78822]]
Development State Office for the state where the project is located.
Applications may be submitted in paper or electronic format to the
appropriate Rural Development State Office and must be received by 4:30
p.m. local time on the deadline date(s). Applicants are encouraged to
contact their respective Rural Development State Office for an email
contact to submit an electronic application prior to the submission
deadline date(s). A list of the USDA Rural Development State Office
contacts can be found at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/page/state-offices.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lori Hood at (202) 720-9815,
[email protected] or David Chestnut at (202) 692-5233,
[email protected], Program Management Division, Business
Programs, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, MS 3226, Room 4202-S,
Washington, DC 20250-3226, or call (202) 720-1400. For further
information on this notice, please contact the USDA Rural Development
State Office in the State in which the applicant's headquarters is
located. A list of Rural Development State Office contacts is provided
at the following link: https://www.rd.usda.gov/page/state-offices.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Solicitation Opportunity Type: Intermediary Relending Program.
Announcement Type: Solicitation of Applications for FY 2021 funds.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.767.
Dates: Applications are received on a continuous basis and compete
for available funds on a quarterly basis. To compete for regular IRP
funds, applications must be received in the USDA Rural Development
State Office no later than 4:30 p.m. (local time) on: First Quarter--
September 30, 2020, Second Quarter--December 31, 2020, Third Quarter--
March 31, 2021 and Fourth Quarter--June 30, 2021.
Set-Aside Funding Dates: The Further Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2020 (Pub. L. 116-94) authorized set-aside funding to projects and
intermediaries serving Federally-Recognized Native American Tribes, for
Mississippi Delta Region Counties (as determined in accordance with
Pub. L. 100-460). Eligible applicants for the set-aside funds must
demonstrate that at least 75 percent of the benefits of an approved
loan in this program will assist ultimate recipients in the designated
areas. The completed application deadline for the Federally Recognized
Native American Tribes and Mississippi Delta Region Counties projects
is May 31, 2021. Completed applications for the Rural Empowerment Zone/
Enterprise Communities/Rural Economic Area Partnership projects must be
submitted by July 15, 2021.
A. Program Description
1. Purpose of the Program. The purpose of the program is to provide
direct loans to intermediaries that establish revolving loan programs
for the purpose of providing loans to ultimate recipients for business
facilities and community developments in a rural area as outlined in 7
CFR 4274.301(b). All applicable program requirements in their entirety
can be found at 7 CFR part 4274 subpart D.
2. Statutory Authority. This program is authorized under the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (ConAct) (7 U.S.C. 1936b et
seq.) and 7 CFR part 4274, subpart D. Awards under the IRP program will
be made on a competitive basis using specific selection criteria
contained in 7 CFR 4274.344(c).
3. Definition of Terms. The definitions applicable to this notice
are published at 7 CFR 4274.302(a).
4. Application Awards. The Agency will review, evaluate and score
applications received in response to this notice based on the
provisions found in 7 CFR 4274.343 and 4274.344, subpart D, and as
indicated in this notice. However, the Agency advises that all
interested parties bear the burden in preparing and submitting an
application in response to the notice whether or not funding is
appropriated for this Program in FY 2021.
B. Federal Award Information
Type of Award: Loan.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2021.
Available Funds: Anyone interested in submitting an application for
funding under this Program is encouraged to consult the Rural
Development Notices of Solicitation of Applications website at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/notices-solicitation-applications-nosas.
Maximum Award: The Agency anticipates a maximum award of $1 Million
for eligible Intermediaries submitting a loan request.
Anticipated Award Dates--Regular Funding: First Quarter--November
30, 2020, Second Quarter--February 28, 2021, Third Quarter--May 31,
2021, Fourth Quarter--August 31, 2021.
Anticipated Award Date--Federally Recognized Native American Tribes
and Mississippi Delta Region Counties Funding: June 15, 2021.
Anticipated Award Date--Empowerment Zones/Enterprise Communities/
Rural Economic Area Partnership Funding: August 1, 2021.
Renewal or Supplemental Awards: None.
C. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants
Loans may be made to any entity that is identified by USDA Rural
Development as an eligible borrower in accordance with 7 CFR 4274.307.
2. Cost Share or Matching
The IRP revolving fund share of the eligible project cost of an
ultimate recipient's project funded under this Notice shall not exceed
the lesser of: (a) $250,000, or (b) 75 per cent of the total cost of
the ultimate recipient's project for which the loan is being made. The
cost share requirement shall be met by the intermediary in accordance
with the requirements specified in 7 CFR 4274.331(b).
3. Other
Applications will only be accepted from eligible intermediaries
that establish, or have established, revolving loan programs for the
purpose of providing loans to ultimate recipients for business
facilities and community developments in a rural area.
There are no ``responsiveness'' or ``threshold'' eligibility
criteria for these loans. However, not more than one loan will be
approved by the Agency for an intermediary in any single fiscal year
unless the additional request is from this program's set-aside funding.
4. Completeness Eligibility
Applications will not be considered for funding if they do not
provide enough information to determine eligibility, are not suitable
for evaluation or are missing required elements as stated in 7 CFR
4274.343.
D. Application and Submission Information
1. Address To Request Application Package
For further information, entities wishing to apply for assistance
should contact the USDA Rural Development State Office provided in the
ADDRESSES section of this notice, to obtain copies of the application
package and also are encouraged to contact their respective Rural
Development State office for an email contact so submit an electronic
application prior to the submission deadline date(s). Please note that
applicants may locate the downloadable application package for this
program by
[[Page 78823]]
the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number, which is 10.767.
All applicants must have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal
Numbering System (DUNS) number which can be obtained at no cost via a
toll-free request line at 1-866-705-5711 or online at https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform.
2. Content and Form of Submission
An application must contain all the required elements and each
selection priority criterion outlined in 7 CFR 4274.343 must be
addressed in the application. An original copy of the application must
be filed with a Rural Development State Office for the state where the
Intermediary is located.
The applicant documentation and forms needed for a complete
application are located in 7 CFR 4274.343 There are no specific formats
or limitations on the number of pages required for an application
narrative, and applicants may request any Agency forms and addresses
from the ADDRESSES section of this notice. Any form that requires an
original signature, but is signed electronically in the application
submission, must be signed in ink by the authorized person prior to the
disbursement of funds.
3. Submission Dates and Times
Applications must be in the USDA Rural Development State Office by
the dates and times as indicated above to compete for available funds
in that fiscal quarter. If the due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or
federal holiday, the application is due the next business day. The
Agency will determine the application receipt date based on the actual
date postmarked.
E. Application Review Information
1. Criteria
All eligible and complete applications will be evaluated and scored
based on the selection criteria and weights contained in 7 CFR
4274.344(c). Failure to address any one of the criteria by the
application deadline will result in the application being determined
ineligible, and the application will not be considered for funding.
2. Review and Selection Process
The Rural Development State Offices will review applications to
determine if they are eligible for assistance based on the requirements
contained in 7 CFR part 4274, subpart D. If determined eligible, your
application will be submitted to the National Office for funding
competition with all eligible applications received by the application
deadline. The Agency Administrator reserves the right to award
additional discretionary points under 7 CFR 4274.344(c)(6).
In order to distribute funds among the greatest number of projects
possible, applications will be reviewed, organized and funded by
ranking each state's highest-scoring project in order from highest to
lowest subject for competition with ranked applications from other
states for the available funding.
F. Federal Award Administration Information
1. Federal Award Notices
Successful applicants will receive notification for funding from
the USDA Rural Development State Office. Applicants must comply with
all applicable statutes and regulations before the loan award will be
approved. An eligible application competing for regular IRP funds, but
not selected, will be reconsidered in three subsequent quarterly
funding competitions, for a total of four competitions, provided the
application and eligibility requirements have not changed. After
competing in four quarterly competitions, any unsuccessful applicant
for regular funds will receive written notification indicating that
their application will no longer be considered for funding. Applicants
competing for set-aside funding have only one application period per
fiscal year. Unsuccessful applicants for set-aside funding will receive
written notification indicating that their application was not
successful. An unsuccessful applicant for set-aside funding may elect,
in writing, to submit their project for IRP regular fund competitions
commencing with the next quarterly application period.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Additional requirements that apply to intermediaries selected for
this Program can be found in 7 CFR part 4274, subpart D. All successful
applicants will be notified by letter which will include a Letter of
Conditions, and a Letter of Intent to Meet Conditions, which are not
approval determinations. The loan will be considered approved when all
conditions in the Letter of Conditions have been met and the Agency
obligates the funding for the Project.
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)).
Intermediaries must collect and maintain data provided by Ultimate
Recipients on race, sex, and national origin and ensure Ultimate
Recipients collect and maintain this data. Race and ethnicity data will
be collected in accordance with OMB Federal Register notice,
``Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on
Race and Ethnicity'' (62 FR 58782), October 30, 1997. Sex data will be
collected in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972. These items should not be submitted with the application but
should be available upon request by the Agency.
The applicant and the Ultimate Recipient must comply with Title VI
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments
of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Executive
Order 12250, Executive Order 13166 Limited English Proficiency (LEP),
and 7 CFR part 1901, subpart E.
G. Other Information
Paperwork Reduction Act
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
information collection requirement contained in this notice is approved
by OMB under OMB Control Number 0570-0070.
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act
All applicants, in accordance with 2 CFR part 25, must have a DUNS
number, which can be obtained at no cost via a toll-free request line
at (866) 705-5711 or online at https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. All
recipients of Federal financial assistance are required to report
information about first-tier sub-awards and executive total
compensation in accordance with 2 CFR part 170.
Nondiscrimination 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/parental status, income derived from a public assistance
program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior
[[Page 78824]]
civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded
by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint
filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of
communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible
Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or
contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
Additionally, program information may be made available in languages
other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at https://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or
write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the
information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint
form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed complaint form or
complaint letter to USDA by:
(1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC
20250-9410; or
(2) Email: [email protected].
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Rebeckah Adcock,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-26771 Filed 12-4-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P
