Notice of Solicitation of Applications for Inviting Applications for the Rural Business Development Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2022, 53270-53276 [2021-20810]
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well as economic statistics,
environmental statistics related to
agriculture, and also to conduct the
Census of Agriculture. Pollinators
(honey bees, bats, butterflies,
hummingbirds, etc.) are vital to the
agricultural industry for pollinating
numerous food crops for the world’s
population. Concern for honey bee
colony mortality has risen since the
introduction of Varroa mites in the
United States in the late 1980s and the
appearance of Colony Collapse Disorder
in the past decade.
In June 2014, the Obama
Administration issued a Presidential
Memorandum directing federal agencies
to take steps to protect and restore
domestic populations of pollinators.
The memorandum established the
Pollinator Health Task Force (Task
Force), which is co-chaired by the
United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) and Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) and includes leaders from
14 executive branch departments,
agencies, and offices. The Task Force’s
plan involved conducting research and
collecting data for the following
categories: Status & Trends, Habitats,
Nutrition, Pesticides, Native Plants,
Collections, Genetics, Pathogens,
Decision Tools, and Economics. The
pollinators have been classified into
Honey Bee, Native Bee, Wasp, Moth/
Butterfly, Fly, and Vertebrate. The
departments that conducted the bulk of
the research were the Department of the
Interior (DOI), the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), the National
Science Foundation (NSF), the
Smithsonian Institute (SI), and the
United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA).
NASS was given the tasks of
collecting economic data related to
honey bees and quantifying the number
of colonies that were lost or reduced.
NASS is approved to conduct the
annual Bee and Honey Inquiry
(operations with five or more colonies)
and the quarterly Colony Loss Survey
(operations with five or more colonies)
under OMB #0535–0153. In 2019,
funding for the Cost of Pollination
Survey were cut and the survey was
suspended. Under the 2022 Senate
Appropriations Bill, funding is provided
for the reinstatement of the Cost of
Pollination Survey. Provided the Bill is
signed into law as written; NASS will
resume data collection on this survey in
2022.
NASS will collect economic data from
crop farmers who rely on pollinators for
their crops (fruits, nuts, vegetables, etc.).
Data relating to the targeted crops are
collected for the total number of acres
that rely on honey bee pollination, the
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number of honey bee colonies that were
used on those acres, and any cash fees
associated with honey bee pollination.
Crop Farmers are also asked if
beekeepers who were hired to bring
their bees to their farm were notified of
pesticides used on the target acres, how
many acres they were being hired to
pollinate, and how much they were
being paid to pollinate the targeted
crops.
Authority: These data will be
collected under the authority of 7 U.S.C.
2204(a). Individually identifiable data
collected under this authority are
governed by Section 1770 of the Food
Security Act of 1985 as amended, 7
U.S.C. 2276, which requires USDA to
afford strict confidentiality to nonaggregated data provided by
respondents. This Notice is submitted in
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–113)
and the Office of Management and
Budget regulations at 5 CFR part 1320.
This survey is also conducted in
accordance with the Confidential
Information Protection and Statistical
Efficiency Act of 2018, Title III of Public
Law 115–435, codified in 44 U.S.C. Ch.
35.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 15 minutes per
response. Publicity materials and an
instruction sheet for reporting via
internet will account for 5 minutes of
additional burden per respondent.
Respondents who refuse to complete a
survey will be allotted 2 minutes of
burden per attempt to collect the data.
Once a year, NASS will contact
approximately 18,000 crop farmers who
rely on honey bees to pollinate their
fruit, nut, vegetable, and other crops.
NASS will conduct the annual survey
using a mail and internet approach. This
will be followed up with phone and
personal enumeration for nonrespondents. NASS will attempt to
obtain at least an 80% response rate.
Respondents: Farmers.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
18,000.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: With an estimated
response rate of approximately 80%, we
estimate the burden to be 5,340 hours.
Comments: Comments are invited on:
(a) Whether the proposed collection of
information is necessary for the proper
performance of the functions of the
agency, including whether the
information will have practical utility;
(b) the accuracy of the agency’s estimate
of the burden of the proposed collection
of information including the validity of
the methodology and assumptions used;
(c) ways to enhance the quality, utility,
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and clarity of the information to be
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the
burden of the collection of information
on those who are to respond, through
the use of appropriate automated,
electronic, mechanical, technological, or
other forms of information technology
collection methods. All responses to
this notice will become a matter of
public record and be summarized in the
request for OMB approval.
Signed at Washington, DC, September 17,
2021.
Kevin L. Barnes,
Associate Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2021–20856 Filed 9–24–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–20–P
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
[Docket #: RBS–21–BUSINESS–0032]
Notice of Solicitation of Applications
for Inviting Applications for the Rural
Business Development Grant
Programs for Fiscal Year 2022
Rural Business-Cooperative
Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
This notice is given to invite
applications for grants under the Rural
Business Development Grant (RBDG)
Program for fiscal year (FY) 2022,
subject to the availability of funding.
This notice is being issued in order to
allow applicants sufficient time to
leverage financing, prepare and submit
their applications, and give the Agency
time to process applications within FY
2022. 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/noticessolicitation-applications-nosas will
identify the amount available in FY
2022 for RBDG applications. All
applicants are responsible for any
expenses incurred in developing their
applications.
DATES: Complete applications may be
submitted in paper or electronic format
and must be received by 4:30 p.m. local
time on February 28, 2022, in the USDA
Rural Development State Office for the
State where the Project is located. A list
of the USDA Rural Development State
Offices can be found at: https://
www.rd.usda.gov/about-rd/state-offices.
ADDRESSES: This funding announcement
will also be announced on
www.Grants.gov. Applications must be
SUMMARY:
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submitted to the USDA Rural
Development State Office for the State
where the Project is located. For Projects
involving multiple states, the
application must be filed in the Rural
Development State Office where the
Applicant is located. 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. A list of the USDA Rural
Development State Office contacts can
be found at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/
about-rd/state-offices.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa
Sharp at lisa.sharp@usda.gov, or Cindy
Mason at cindy.mason@usda.gov,
Program Management Division, Rural
Business-Cooperative Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, MS 3226,
Room 5160-South, Washington, DC
20250–3226, or call (202) 720–1400. For
further information on submitting
program applications under this notice,
please contact the USDA Rural
Development State Office in the State
where 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/about-rd/state-offices.
Overview
Solicitation Opportunity Type: Rural
Business Development Grant.
Announcement Type: Initial
Solicitation Announcement.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Number: 10.351.
Dates: The deadline for completed
applications to be received in the USDA
Rural Development State Office has
been established as no later than 4:30
p.m. (local time) on February 28, 2022.
A list of the USDA Rural Development
State Offices can be found at: https://
www.rd.usda.gov/about-rd/state-offices.
Set Aside Funding: The Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub. L. 116–
260), designated funding for FederallyRecognized Native American Tribes,
Rural Empowerment Zone/Enterprise
Communities/Rural Economic Area
Partnerships, projects in Persistent
Poverty Counties (as discussed below),
Native American Persistent Poverty
areas and for Strategic Economic and
Community Development (SECD)
projects in FY 2021. Set aside funding
may ultimately be made available
through appropriations in FY 2022
where continued emphasis is given to
financial assistance for projects located
in these areas. Eligible applicants for the
Native American and Rural
Empowerment Zone/Enterprise
Communities/Rural Economic Area
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Partnership set aside funds, if available,
must demonstrate that at least 75
percent of the benefits of an approved
grant will assist beneficiaries in the
designated areas. Eligible applicants for
the Persistent Poverty Counties, Native
American Persistent Poverty areas, and
the SECD set-aside funds, if available,
must demonstrate that 100 percent of
the benefits of an approved grant will
assist beneficiaries in the designated
areas. The completed application
deadline for these set aside funds, if
available, is consistent with the RBDG
application deadline date of February
28, 2022. Applicants for set aside funds
must indicate that they are applying for
set aside funds and may not submit a
duplicate application for regular RBDG
funds. If funding for an anticipated set
aside program is not appropriated in FY
2022, or if any eligible applications for
set aside funding are not funded due to
insufficient funds, such applications
will be allowed to compete for available
FY 2022 regular RBDG funds in the
State where the Project is located.
Persistent poverty counties: The
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021
(Pub. L. 116–260) designated funding
for projects in Persistent Poverty
Counties. ‘‘Persistent Poverty Counties’’
as defined in Section 736 is ‘‘any county
that has had 20 percent or more of its
population living in poverty over the
past 30 years, as measured by the 1990
and 2000 decennial censuses, and 2007–
2011 American Community Survey 5year average, or any territory or
possession of the United States’’.
Another provision in Section 736
expands the eligible population in
Persistent Poverty Counties to include
any county seat of such a Persistent
Poverty County that has a population
that does not exceed the authorized
population limit by more than 10
percent. This provision expands the
current 50,000 population limit to
55,000 for only county seats located in
Persistent Poverty Counties. Therefore,
beneficiaries of technical assistance
services located in county seats of
Persistent Poverty Counties with
populations up to 55,000 (per the 2010
Census) are eligible.
A. Program Description
1. Purpose of the Program. The
purpose of the program is to promote
economic development and job creation
projects through the awarding of grant
funds to eligible entities. Applications
will compete in two separate categories,
business opportunity grants and
business enterprise grants, for use in
funding various business and
community projects that serve rural
areas.
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Business opportunity projects must be
in compliance with eligible uses as
stated in 7 CFR 4280.417(a)(1) that
include the establishment of business
support centers or providing funds for
job training and leadership development
in rural areas. Business opportunity
projects must be consistent with any
local and area-wide strategic plans for
community and economic development,
coordinated with other economic
development activities in the project
area, and consistent with any Rural
Development State Strategic Plan.
Business enterprise projects must be
in compliance with 7 CFR
4280.417(a)(2) and are used to finance
or develop small and emerging
businesses in rural areas. Enterprise
grant purposes include projects for the
acquisition and development of land,
access streets and roads, the conversion
or modernization of buildings,
capitalization of revolving loan funds
and the purchase of machinery and
equipment for businesses located in a
rural area.
The Agency encourages applicants to
consider projects that will advance the
key priorities below:
• Assisting Rural communities
recover economically from the impacts
of the COVID–19 pandemic, particularly
disadvantaged communities.
• Ensuring all rural residents have
equitable access to RD programs and
benefits from RD funded projects.
• Reducing climate pollution and
increasing resilience to the impacts of
climate change through economic
support to rural communities.
2. Statutory and Regulatory Authority.
The RBDG Program is authorized under
7 U.S.C. 1932(c) and implemented by 7
CFR part 4280, subpart E. Assistance
provided under the RBDG Program will
be made to eligible entities and will be
used for funding various business
opportunity projects and business
enterprise projects, as applicable, that
serve Rural Areas.
3. Definition of Terms. The definitions
applicable to this notice are published
at 7 CFR 4280.403.
4. Application Awards. Awards under
the RBDG Program will be made on a
competitive basis using specific
selection criteria contained in 7 CFR
part 4280, subpart E. The Agency will
review, evaluate, and score applications
received in response to this notice based
on the provisions found in 7 CFR part
4280, subpart E, and as indicated in this
notice. The Agency advises all
interested parties that the applicant
bears the full burden in preparing and
submitting an application in response to
this notice whether or not funding is
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appropriated for this Program in FY
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B. Federal Award Information
Type of Awards: Grants.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2022.
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.
Anticipated Award Dates: Set Aside
awards, if applicable: May 31, 2022.
Regular awards: August 31, 2022.
Performance Period: June 1, 2022,
through September 30, 2024.
Renewal or Supplemental Awards:
None.
C. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants.
Grants may be made to a Public Body/
Government Entity, an Indian Tribe, or
a Nonprofit entity primarily serving
rural areas. In accordance with 7 CFR
4280.416(d), applicants that are not
delinquent on any Federal debt or not
otherwise disqualified from
participation in these Programs are
eligible to apply. The Agency will check
the System for Award Management
(SAM) to determine if the applicant has
been debarred or suspended at the time
of application and prior to the awarding
of grant funds.
2. Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal
Numbering System and System for
Award Management.
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 (866) 705–5711 or at https://
fedgov.dnb.com/webform or any
subsequent unique entity identifier
number. Each applicant applying for
loan or grant funds must (i) be registered
in the System for Award Management
(SAM) before submitting its application
and (ii) provide a valid unique entity
identifier in its application, unless
determined exempt under 2 CFR 25.110.
Applicants must maintain an active
SAM registration, with current, accurate
and complete information, at all times
during which it has an active Federal
award or an application under
consideration by a Federal awarding
agency. Applicants must ensure they
complete the Financial Assistance
General Certifications and
Representations in SAM.
The Agency will not make an award
until the applicant has complied with
all applicable DUNS (unique entity
identifier) and SAM requirements. If an
applicant has not fully complied with
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the requirements by the time the Agency
is ready to make an award, the agency
may determine that the applicant is not
qualified to receive a Federal award and
use that determination as a basis for
making a Federal award to another
applicant.
All other restrictions in this notice
will apply.
The Agency requires information to
make an eligibility determination
through applications that must include,
but are not limited to, the following:
(a) An original and one copy of SF–
424, ‘‘Application For Federal
Assistance (For Non-construction)’’ and
an original Form RD 400–4, ‘‘Assurance
Agreement’’;
(b) Copies of applicant’s
organizational documents showing the
applicant’s legal existence and authority
to perform the activities under the grant;
(c) A proposed scope of work,
including a description of the proposed
Project. Grant funds may be used for
projects identified in 7 CFR 4280.417(a)
as either a business opportunity type
grant or a business enterprise type grant.
The scope of work must include details
of the proposed activities to be
accomplished and timeframes for
completion of each task, the number of
months duration of the Project, and the
estimated time it will take from grant
approval to beginning of Project
implementation. In accordance with 7
CFR 4280.421, a Project must reasonably
be expected to be completed within 1
full year after it has begun;
(d) A written narrative that includes,
at a minimum, the following items:
(1) An explanation of why the Project
is needed, the benefits of the proposed
Project, and how the Project meets the
eligible grant purposes;
(2) Area to be served, identifying each
governmental unit, i.e., town, county,
Indian reservation, etc., to be affected by
the Project;
(3) Description of how the Project will
coordinate Economic Development
activities with other Economic
Development activities within the
Project area;
(4) Business to be assisted, if
appropriate, and Economic
Development to be accomplished;
(5) An explanation of how the
proposed Project will result in newly
created, increased, or supported jobs in
the area and the number of projected
new and supported jobs within the next
3 years;
(6) A description of the applicant’s
demonstrated capability and experience
in providing the proposed Project
assistance or similar Economic
Development activities, including
experience of key staff members and
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persons who will be providing the
proposed Project activities and
managing the Project;
(7) The method and rationale used to
select the areas and businesses that will
receive the service;
(8) A brief description of how the
work will be performed including
whether organizational staff or
consultants or contractors will be used;
(9) Please note that no assistance or
funding can be provided to hemp
producers or processors unless they
have a valid license issued from an
approved State, Tribal or Federal plan
as per Section 10113 of the Agriculture
Improvement Act of 2018, Public Law
115–334. Verification of valid hemp
licenses will occur at the time of award;
and
(10) Other information the Agency
may request to assist in making a grant
award determination.
(e) The latest 3 years of financial
information to show the applicant’s
financial capacity to carry out the
proposed work. If the applicant is less
than 3 years old, at a minimum, the
information should include all balance
sheet(s), income statement(s), and cash
flow statement(s) since the date of the
applicant’s formation. A current
financial statement of the applicant,
within 90 days of the application
submission, is required;
(f) Intergovernmental review
comments from the State Single Point of
Contact, or evidence that the State has
elected not to review the program under
Executive Order 12372. Applications
from federally recognized tribes are
exempt from this requirement;
(g) Documentation regarding the
availability and amount of other funds
to be used in conjunction with the funds
from the RBDG award;
(h) A budget which includes salaries,
fringe benefits, consultant costs, indirect
costs, and other appropriate direct costs
for the Project; and
(i) RBDG construction project grants
must conform with 7 CFR part 1924,
subpart A and the environmental
policies and procedures of 7 CFR part
1970.
3. General Processing and Scoring
Provisions.
The Agency will review each
application for assistance in accordance
with the scoring provisions and program
priorities established in 7 CFR 4280.435.
The Agency will assign each application
a priority rating based on the total score
and will select applications for funding
based on the priority ratings and the
total funds available to the program for
opportunity-type projects and
enterprise-type projects.
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(a) The Agency will score each
application based on the information
contained in the application and its
supporting information. All applications
submitted for funding must be in one
package and contain sufficient
information to permit the Agency to
complete a thorough priority rating.
Agency employees may not consider
any information that is not provided by
the applicant in writing for scoring
purposes. Applications will not be
considered for funding if they do not
provide sufficient information to
determine eligibility or are missing
required elements. Points will be
awarded to an eligible application as
follows:
• Leveraging. If the grant will fund a
critical element of a larger program of
Economic Development, without which
the overall program either could not
proceed or would be far less effective,
or if the program to be assisted by the
grant will also be partially funded from
other sources, points will be awarded if
Rural Development’s funding is: (i) Less
than 20 percent of the project costs—30
points; (ii) between 20 percent and up
to 50 percent of the project—20 points;
(iii) between 51 percent and up to 75
percent of the project—10 points. The
application must contain a firm
commitment in writing of other funding
for the project or points will not be
awarded to the application for
leveraging.
• Demographics. Points will be
awarded for each of the following
criteria met by the community or
communities that will receive the
benefit of the grant, up to a total of 40
points from all categories: (i)
Communities experiencing trauma due
to a major natural disaster that occurred
not more than 3 years prior to the filing
of the application for assistance will be
awarded 15 points; (ii) Communities
that have suffered a loss of 20 percent
or more in their total jobs caused by the
closure of a military facility or other
employers within the last 3 years will be
awarded 15 points; (iii) Communities
that have experienced Long-Term
poverty as demonstrated by being a
former Rural empowerment zone, Rural
economic area partnership zone, Rural
enterprise community, champion
community, or a persistent poverty
county as determined by USDA’s
Economic Research Service will receive
10 points; and (iv) If the community has
experienced Long-Term population
decline as demonstrated by the latest
three decennial censuses, 10 points will
be awarded.
• Population. Points will be awarded
if the proposed project(s) will be located
in a community of: (i) Under 5,000
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population—15 points; (ii) Between
5,000 and up to 15,000 population—10
points; or (iii) Between 15,001 and
25,000 population—5 points.
• Unemployment. If the proposed
project will be located in areas where
the unemployment rate: (i) Exceeds the
State rate by 25 percent or more—20
points will be awarded; (ii) exceeds the
State rate by less than 25 percent—10
points will be awarded; or (iii) is equal
to or less than the State unemployment
rate—0 points will be awarded.
• Median household income. If the
proposed project(s) will be located in
areas where Median Household Income
(MHI) as prescribed by section 673(2) of
the Community Services Block Grant
Act (42 U.S.C 106) for a family of 4 for
the State is: (i) Less than or equal to the
poverty line—25 points will be
awarded; (ii) More than the poverty line
but less than 65 percent of State MHI—
15 points will be awarded; (iii) Between
65 and 85 percent of the State MHI—10
points will be awarded; or (iv) If the
area has greater than 85 percent of the
State MHI—0 points will be awarded.
• Experience. If the applicant
provides evidence of successful
experience in the type of activity
proposed based on its current
employees’ resumes demonstrating: (i)
10 or more years of experience—30
points will be awarded; (ii) At least 5
but less than 10 years of experience—20
points will be awarded; (iii) At least 3
years but less than 5 years of
experience—10 points will be awarded;
or (iv) At least 1 but less than 3 years
of experience—5 points will be
awarded.
• Small business start-up or
expansion. If the Applicant has
evidence that small business
development will be supported by
startup or expansion as a result of the
activities to be carried out under the
grant by written evidence provided to
the Agency from a small, or a Small and
Emerging Business that includes the
number of jobs that will be supported
and created, 5 points will be awarded
for each letter up to a total of 25 points.
Letters must address the specific
business producing the letter, the
connection to the project activities and
provide further information relative to
job creation and support to meet the
letter of support criteria. Generic or
duplicated letters are not acceptable
under this criterion.
• Jobs created or supported. Points
will be awarded if the anticipated
development, expansion, or furtherance
of business enterprises as a result of the
proposed Project will create and/or
support existing jobs associated with the
affected businesses. The number of jobs
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must be evidenced by a written
commitment from the business(es) to be
assisted. Points will be awarded based
on the ratio of jobs to be supported by
the amount of grant funds. For projects
supporting: (i) One job for less than
$5,000 of grant funds—25 points will be
awarded; (ii) one job for $5,000 but less
than $10,000 of grant funds—20 points;
(iii) one job for $10,000 but less than
$15,000—15 points; (iv) one job for
$15,000 but less than $20,000—10
points; or (v) one job for $20,000 but
less than $25,000 of grant funds—5
points will be awarded.
• Size of grant request. Projects
utilizing grant funds of: (i) Less than
$100,000—25 points will be awarded;
(ii) $100,000 to $200,000—15 points
will be awarded; or (iii) more than
$200,000 but equal to or less than
$500,000—10 points will be awarded.
No points will be awarded to
applications of $500,000 or greater.
• Indirect cost. If the applicant is not
requesting grant funds to cover their
administrative or indirect costs, 5 points
will be awarded.
• Discretionary points. Either the
State Director or Administrator may
assign up to 50 discretionary points to
an application when under their
approval authority. Assignment of
discretionary points must include a
written justification. Permissible
justifications are geographic distribution
of funds, special Secretary of
Agriculture initiatives such as Priority
Communities, or a state’s strategic goals.
The number of points to be awarded
will be determined by the impact of the
project on the stated initiative.
Discretionary points may only be
assigned to initial grants. However, in
the case where two Projects have the
same score, the State Director may add
one point to the Project that best fits the
State’s strategic plan regardless of
whether the Project is an initial or
subsequent grant. The following are
examples of special Secretary of
Agriculture initiatives that can support
obtaining discretionary points.
(i) Assisting rural communities
recover economically from the impacts
of the COVID–19 pandemic, particularly
disadvantaged communities. Applicant
may receive priority points if the project
is located in or serving one of the top
10% of counties or county equivalents
based upon county risk score in the
United States. The website, https://
www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points, has
the data to confirm if your location
qualifies or not.
(ii) Ensuring all rural residents have
equitable access to RD programs and
benefits from RD funded projects.
Applicant may receive priority points if
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the project is located in or serving a
community with score 0.75 or above on
the CDC Social Vulnerability Index. The
website, https://www.rd.usda.gov/
priority-points, has the data to confirm
if your location qualifies or not.
(iii) Reduce climate pollution and
increasing resilience to the impacts of
climate change through economic
support to rural communities.
Applicants may receive points if the
project is located in or serving coal, oil
and gas, and power plant communities
whose economic well-being ranks in the
most distressed tier of the Distressed
Communities Index. The website,
https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points,
has the data to confirm if your location
qualifies or not. Or, applicants may
receive points by demonstrating how
proposed climate-impact projects
improve the livelihoods of community
residents and meet pollution mitigation
or clean energy goals.
(b) Unfunded applications. The
Agency will notify eligible applicants in
writing if RBDG funds are not available.
The applicant is permitted to respond in
writing that they wish their application
to be reconsidered in the next fiscal
year. The applicant may provide
additional updated information to the
Agency prior to the next fiscal year’s
application deadline for their project.
(c) Unfunded applications for set
aside funding. The Agency will notify
eligible applicants in writing if set aside
funds are not available. Applications
that are eligible for set aside funds but
are unfunded due to the availability of
funds will be allowed to compete for
available FY 2022 regular RBDG funds
in the State where the Project is located.
For Projects involving multiple states,
the application will be returned to the
Rural Development State Office where
the Applicant is located and will
compete for funds in that State. The
Agency will notify eligible applicants in
writing if their application will not be
funded in FY 2022 due to insufficient
funds in the set aside and regular RBDG
programs.
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.
Prior to official submission of grant
applications, applicants may request
technical assistance or other application
guidance from the Agency, as long as
such requests are made prior to
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February 11, 2022. Technical assistance
is not meant to be an analysis or
assessment of the quality of the
materials submitted, a substitute for
agency review of completed
applications, nor a determination of
eligibility.
The Agency will not solicit or
consider scoring or eligibility
information that is submitted after the
application deadline. The Agency
reserves the right to contact applicants
to seek clarification information on
materials contained in the submitted
application.
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 February 28, 2022.
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). 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: (866) 705–5711 or at https://
fedgov.dnb.com/webform. Each
applicant applying for grant funds
(unless the applicant is an individual or
Federal awarding agency that is
excepted from the requirements under 2
CFR 25.110(b) or (c) or has an exception
approved by the Federal awarding
agency under 2 CFR 25.110(d)) is
required to: (i) Be registered in the
System for Award Management (SAM)
before submitting its application; (ii)
provide a valid unique entity identifier
in its application; and (iii) continue to
maintain an active SAM registration
with current information at all times
during which it has an active Federal
award or an application or plan under
consideration by a Federal awarding
agency. The Federal awarding agency
may not make a Federal award to an
applicant until the applicant has
complied with all applicable unique
entity identifier and SAM requirements
and, if an applicant has not fully
complied with the requirements by the
time the Federal awarding agency is
ready to make a Federal award, the
Federal awarding agency may determine
that the applicant is not qualified to
receive a Federal award and use that
determination as a basis for making a
Federal award to another applicant.
2. Content and Form of Application
Submission.
An application must contain all of the
required elements and be submitted in
one package. Each selection priority
criterion outlined in 7 CFR 4280.427
must be addressed in the application.
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Failure to address any of the criterion
will result in a zero-point score for that
criterion and will impact the overall
evaluation of the application. An
original copy of the application must be
filed with the Rural Development State
Office for the State where the Project is
located. For Projects involving multiple
states, the application must be filed in
the Rural Development State Office
where the Applicant is located.
The applicant documentation and
forms needed for a complete application
are located in the PROGRAM
DESCRIPTION section of this notice,
and in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart E, a
copy of which will be provided to any
interested applicant making a request to
a Rural Development State Office. There
are no specific formats required per this
notice, and applicants may request
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.
(a) There are no specific limitations
on the number of pages or other
formatting requirements other than
those described in the PROGRAM
DESCRIPTION section.
(b) There are no specific limitations
on the number of pages, font size and
type face, margins, paper size, and the
sequence or assembly requirements but
the application package should be well
organized and include a table of
contents, if appropriate.
(c) The component pieces of this
application should contain original
signatures on the original application.
3. Submission Dates and Times.
(a) Application Deadline Dates:
Applications must be submitted to the
appropriate Rural Development State
Office no later than 4:30 p.m. (local
time) on February 28, 2022.
(b) The deadline date means that the
completed application package must be
received in the USDA Rural
Development State Office by the
established deadline date and time. All
application documents identified in this
notice are required in the submission to
be considered a complete application.
The Agency will determine the
application receipt date for paper
applications based on the actual date
postmarked. The date of receipt for
electronic application submissions will
be the date received in the Rural
Development State Office by the
designated Agency staff person.
(c) If completed applications are not
received by the February 28, 2022,
deadline, the application will neither be
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reviewed nor considered for funding
under any circumstances.
(d) Indirect costs will be permitted in
accordance with applicable law and in
accordance with 2 CFR part 200. PreFederal award costs will only be
permitted with prior written approval
by the Agency.
(e) Applicants may submit
applications in hard copy or electronic
format as previously indicated in the
Application and Submission
Information section of this notice. If the
applicant wishes to hand deliver its
application, the addresses for these
deliveries are located in the ADDRESSES
section of this notice.
(f) 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).
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 part 4280, subpart
E. 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
requirements contained in 7 CFR
4280.416 and 7 CFR 4280.417. Funding
of projects is subject to the availability
of funds and Applicant’s satisfactory
submission of the items required by 7
CFR part 4280, subpart E and this
Notice, in addition to any conditions
specifically outlined in any issued
USDA Rural Development Letter of
Conditions if available funds are to be
awarded.
Applications for set aside funds, if
available, will compete at the National
Office in their respective categories.
Applications for regular RBDG projects
will compete at the state level in their
respective category, business
opportunity grants or business
enterprise grants, for funding made
available through Rural Development
State allocated funds. Applications will
be reviewed, prioritized by score, and
funded by ranking each Project in
highest to lowest score order until
available funds are exhausted. If funds
are exhausted at the state level, each
State’s highest scoring unfunded
business enterprise project will have the
opportunity to compete for funding
through a final national competition.
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18:08 Sep 24, 2021
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F. Federal Award Administration
Information
1. Federal Award Notices.
Successful applicants will receive
notification for funding from the Rural
Development State Office. Applicants
must comply with all applicable statutes
and regulations before the grant award
can be approved and funded. If an
application is withdrawn by the
applicant, it can be resubmitted later
and will be evaluated as a new
application in the period submitted.
2. Administrative and National Policy
Requirements.
Additional requirements that apply to
grantees selected for this Program can be
found in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart E.
Awards are subject to USDA grant
regulations at 2 CFR part 400 which
incorporated the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) regulations at 2 CFR
part 200.
All successful applicants will be
notified by letter which will include a
Letter of Conditions and a Letter of
Intent to Meet Conditions. This letter is
not an authorization to begin
performance, but it is a notification that
grant funds may be awarded subject to
conditions. The grant will be considered
officially awarded when all conditions
in the Letter of Conditions have been
met and the Agency obligates the
funding for the Project. If the applicant
wishes to consider beginning their
project performance prior to the grant
being officially closed, all pre-award
costs must be approved in writing and
in advance by the Agency.
Additional requirements that apply to
grantees selected for these Programs can
be found in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart E,
the Grants and Agreements regulations
of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
codified in 2 CFR 400.1 to 400.2 and 2
CFR parts 415 to 422, 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). The applicant 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 the recipient is exempt under 2
CFR 170.110(b)).
The following additional
requirements apply to grantees selected
for these Programs:
(a) Form RD 4280–2 ‘‘Rural BusinessCooperative Service Financial
Assistance Agreement.’’
(b) Letter of Conditions.
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53275
(c) Form RD 1940–1, ‘‘Request for
Obligation of Funds.’’
(d) Form RD 1942–46, ‘‘Letter of
Intent to Meet Conditions.’’
(e) SF LLL, ‘‘Disclosure of Lobbying
Activities,’’ if applicable.
(f) Grantees will use Form SF 270,
‘‘Request for Advance or
Reimbursement’’ when requesting grant
funds from the Agency.
3. Reporting.
(a) A Financial Status Report and a
Project performance activity report will
be required of all grantees on a quarterly
basis until initial funds are expended
and yearly thereafter, if applicable,
based on the Federal fiscal year.
Grantees must continuously monitor
performance to ensure that time
schedules are being met, projected work
by time periods is being accomplished,
and other performance objectives are
being achieved. Grantees must submit
an original of each report to the Agency
no later than 30 days after the end of the
quarter. The grantee will complete the
Project within the total time available to
it in accordance with the Scope of Work
and any necessary modifications thereof
prepared by the grantee and approved
by the Agency. A final Project
performance report will be required
with the final Financial Status Report.
The final report may serve as the last
quarterly report. The final report must
provide complete information regarding
the jobs created and supported as a
result of the RBDG grant if applicable.
The Project performance reports must
include, but not be limited to, the
following:
(1) A comparison of actual
accomplishments to the objectives
established for that period.
(2) Problems, delays, or adverse
conditions, if any, which have affected
or will affect attainment of overall
Project objectives, prevent meeting time
schedules or objectives, or preclude the
attainment of particular Project work
elements during established time
periods. This disclosure shall be
accompanied by a statement of the
action taken or planned to resolve the
situation.
(3) Objectives and timetable
established for the next reporting
period.
(4) Any special reporting
requirements, such as jobs supported
and created, businesses assisted, or
economic development which results in
improvements in median household
incomes, and any other specific
requirements, will be placed in the
reporting section of the Letter of
Conditions.
(5) Within 90 days after the
conclusion of the Project, the grantee
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will provide a final Project evaluation
report. The last quarterly payment will
be withheld until the final report is
received and approved by the Agency.
Even though the grantee may request
reimbursement on a monthly basis, the
last 3 months of reimbursements will be
withheld until a final report, Project
performance, and financial status report
are received and approved by the
Agency.
(b) In addition to any reports required
by 2 CFR part 200 and 2 CFR 400.1 to
400.2, and 2 CFR parts 415 to 422, the
grantee must provide reports as required
by 7 CFR part 4280, subpart E.
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)
For general questions about this
announcement, please contact your
USDA Rural Development State Office
provided in the ADDRESSES section of
this notice.
H. Civil Rights 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, Title VIII
of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, Title IX,
Executive Order 13166 (Limited English
Proficiency), Executive Order 11246,
and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of
1974.
I. Other Information
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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. Similarly, all
applicants applying for grant funds
must be registered in SAM prior to
submitting an application. Applicants
may register for the SAM at https://
www.sam.gov/SAM. All recipients of
Federal financial grant 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 laws and U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights
regulations and policies, the USDA, its
Mission Areas, agencies, staff offices,
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18:08 Sep 24, 2021
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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 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.
Program information may be made
available in languages other than
English. Persons with disabilities who
require alternative means of
communication to obtain program
information (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, American Sign Language)
should contact the responsible Mission
Area, agency, or staff office; the USDA
TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600
(voice and TTY); or the Federal Relay
Service at (800) 877–8339.
To file a program discrimination
complaint, a complainant should
complete a Form AD–3027, USDA
Program Discrimination Complaint
Form, which can be obtained online at
https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/
ad-3027, from any USDA office, by
calling (866) 632–9992, or by writing a
letter addressed to USDA. The letter
must contain the complainant’s name,
address, telephone number, and a
written description of the alleged
discriminatory action in sufficient detail
to inform the Assistant Secretary for
Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature
and date of an alleged civil rights
violation. The completed AD–3027 form
or letter must be submitted 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) Fax: (833) 256–1665 or (202) 690–
7442; or
(3) Email: program.intake@usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity
provider, employer, and lender.
Karama Neal,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative
Service.
[FR Doc. 2021–20810 Filed 9–24–21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–XY–P
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COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS
Notice of Public Meetings of the
Maryland Advisory Committee
U.S. Commission on Civil
Rights.
ACTION: Announcement of planning
meeting and briefings.
AGENCY:
Notice is hereby given,
pursuant to the provisions of the rules
and regulations of the U.S. Commission
on Civil Rights (Commission), and the
Federal Advisory Committee Act
(FACA), that briefings of the Maryland
Advisory Committee to the Commission
will convene by WebEx virtual platform
and conference call on Tuesday,
October 5, 2021, at 12:00 p.m. (ET) for
continued planning on the water
affordability project. The Committee
will also convene briefings by WebEx
virtual platform and conference at 12:00
p.m. (ET) on Tuesday, November 2;
Thursday, November 4; Tuesday,
November 9; and Tuesday, November
16, 2021. The purpose of the briefings
is to hear from government officials,
advocates, experts, academicians, the
public, and others on water accessibility
and affordability in Maryland.
DATES: Tuesday, October 5; Tuesday,
November 2; Thursday, November 4;
Tuesday, November 9; and Tuesday,
November 16, 2021; 12:00 p.m. (ET).
SUMMARY:
Public WebEx Conference Links (Video
and Audio)
Link for 10/5/21 (Tuesday); 12:00 p.m.
(ET): https://bit.ly/2XBJZbg
Link for 11/2, 11/9, and 11/16/21
(Tuesdays); 12:00 p.m. (ET): https://
bit.ly/3CgyiWn
Link for 11/4/21 (Thursday); 12:00 p.m.
(ET): https://bit.ly/2Z4fF9Q
IF PHONE ONLY on 10/5/21: 1–800–
360–9505; Access code: 1998 18 3090
IF PHONE ONLY on 11/2/21, 11/9/21,
11/16/21: 1–800–360–9505; Access
code: 2764 724 3858
IF PHONE ONLY on 11/4/21: 1–800–
360–9505; Access code: 2760 387
4133
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Barbara Delaviez at ero@usccr.gov or by
phone at 202–381–8915.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The
meeting is available to the public
through the web link above. If joining
only via phone, callers can expect to
incur charges for calls they initiate over
wireless lines, and the Commission will
not refund any incurred charges.
Individuals who are deaf, deafblind and
hard of hearing may also follow the
proceedings by first calling the Federal
Relay Service at 1–800–877–8339 and
providing the Service with conference
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 184 (Monday, September 27, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53270-53276]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-20810]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
[Docket #: RBS-21-BUSINESS-0032]
Notice of Solicitation of Applications for Inviting Applications
for the Rural Business Development Grant Programs for Fiscal Year 2022
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This notice is given to invite applications for grants under
the Rural Business Development Grant (RBDG) Program for fiscal year
(FY) 2022, subject to the availability of funding. This notice is being
issued in order to allow applicants sufficient time to leverage
financing, prepare and submit their applications, and give the Agency
time to process applications within FY 2022. 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/notices-solicitation-applications-nosas will
identify the amount available in FY 2022 for RBDG applications. All
applicants are responsible for any expenses incurred in developing
their applications.
DATES: Complete applications may be submitted in paper or electronic
format and must be received by 4:30 p.m. local time on February 28,
2022, in the USDA Rural Development State Office for the State where
the Project is located. A list of the USDA Rural Development State
Offices can be found at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/about-rd/state-offices.
ADDRESSES: This funding announcement will also be announced on
www.Grants.gov. Applications must be
[[Page 53271]]
submitted to the USDA Rural Development State Office for the State
where the Project is located. For Projects involving multiple states,
the application must be filed in the Rural Development State Office
where the Applicant is located. 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.
A list of the USDA Rural Development State Office contacts can be found
at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/about-rd/state-offices.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lisa Sharp at [email protected], or
Cindy Mason at [email protected], Program Management Division, Rural
Business-Cooperative Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400
Independence Avenue SW, MS 3226, Room 5160-South, Washington, DC 20250-
3226, or call (202) 720-1400. For further information on submitting
program applications under this notice, please contact the USDA Rural
Development State Office in the State where 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/about-rd/state-offices.
Overview
Solicitation Opportunity Type: Rural Business Development Grant.
Announcement Type: Initial Solicitation Announcement.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.351.
Dates: The deadline for completed applications to be received in
the USDA Rural Development State Office has been established as no
later than 4:30 p.m. (local time) on February 28, 2022. A list of the
USDA Rural Development State Offices can be found at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/about-rd/state-offices.
Set Aside Funding: The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (Pub.
L. 116-260), designated funding for Federally-Recognized Native
American Tribes, Rural Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Communities/Rural
Economic Area Partnerships, projects in Persistent Poverty Counties (as
discussed below), Native American Persistent Poverty areas and for
Strategic Economic and Community Development (SECD) projects in FY
2021. Set aside funding may ultimately be made available through
appropriations in FY 2022 where continued emphasis is given to
financial assistance for projects located in these areas. Eligible
applicants for the Native American and Rural Empowerment Zone/
Enterprise Communities/Rural Economic Area Partnership set aside funds,
if available, must demonstrate that at least 75 percent of the benefits
of an approved grant will assist beneficiaries in the designated areas.
Eligible applicants for the Persistent Poverty Counties, Native
American Persistent Poverty areas, and the SECD set-aside funds, if
available, must demonstrate that 100 percent of the benefits of an
approved grant will assist beneficiaries in the designated areas. The
completed application deadline for these set aside funds, if available,
is consistent with the RBDG application deadline date of February 28,
2022. Applicants for set aside funds must indicate that they are
applying for set aside funds and may not submit a duplicate application
for regular RBDG funds. If funding for an anticipated set aside program
is not appropriated in FY 2022, or if any eligible applications for set
aside funding are not funded due to insufficient funds, such
applications will be allowed to compete for available FY 2022 regular
RBDG funds in the State where the Project is located.
Persistent poverty counties: The Consolidated Appropriations Act,
2021 (Pub. L. 116-260) designated funding for projects in Persistent
Poverty Counties. ``Persistent Poverty Counties'' as defined in Section
736 is ``any county that has had 20 percent or more of its population
living in poverty over the past 30 years, as measured by the 1990 and
2000 decennial censuses, and 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-year
average, or any territory or possession of the United States''. Another
provision in Section 736 expands the eligible population in Persistent
Poverty Counties to include any county seat of such a Persistent
Poverty County that has a population that does not exceed the
authorized population limit by more than 10 percent. This provision
expands the current 50,000 population limit to 55,000 for only county
seats located in Persistent Poverty Counties. Therefore, beneficiaries
of technical assistance services located in county seats of Persistent
Poverty Counties with populations up to 55,000 (per the 2010 Census)
are eligible.
A. Program Description
1. Purpose of the Program. The purpose of the program is to promote
economic development and job creation projects through the awarding of
grant funds to eligible entities. Applications will compete in two
separate categories, business opportunity grants and business
enterprise grants, for use in funding various business and community
projects that serve rural areas.
Business opportunity projects must be in compliance with eligible
uses as stated in 7 CFR 4280.417(a)(1) that include the establishment
of business support centers or providing funds for job training and
leadership development in rural areas. Business opportunity projects
must be consistent with any local and area-wide strategic plans for
community and economic development, coordinated with other economic
development activities in the project area, and consistent with any
Rural Development State Strategic Plan.
Business enterprise projects must be in compliance with 7 CFR
4280.417(a)(2) and are used to finance or develop small and emerging
businesses in rural areas. Enterprise grant purposes include projects
for the acquisition and development of land, access streets and roads,
the conversion or modernization of buildings, capitalization of
revolving loan funds and the purchase of machinery and equipment for
businesses located in a rural area.
The Agency encourages applicants to consider projects that will
advance the key priorities below:
Assisting Rural communities recover economically from the
impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly disadvantaged
communities.
Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to RD
programs and benefits from RD funded projects.
Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to
the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural
communities.
2. Statutory and Regulatory Authority. The RBDG Program is
authorized under 7 U.S.C. 1932(c) and implemented by 7 CFR part 4280,
subpart E. Assistance provided under the RBDG Program will be made to
eligible entities and will be used for funding various business
opportunity projects and business enterprise projects, as applicable,
that serve Rural Areas.
3. Definition of Terms. The definitions applicable to this notice
are published at 7 CFR 4280.403.
4. Application Awards. Awards under the RBDG Program will be made
on a competitive basis using specific selection criteria contained in 7
CFR part 4280, subpart E. The Agency will review, evaluate, and score
applications received in response to this notice based on the
provisions found in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart E, and as indicated in
this notice. The Agency advises all interested parties that the
applicant bears the full burden in preparing and submitting an
application in response to this notice whether or not funding is
[[Page 53272]]
appropriated for this Program in FY 2022.
B. Federal Award Information
Type of Awards: Grants.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2022.
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.
Anticipated Award Dates: Set Aside awards, if applicable: May 31,
2022. Regular awards: August 31, 2022.
Performance Period: June 1, 2022, through September 30, 2024.
Renewal or Supplemental Awards: None.
C. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants.
Grants may be made to a Public Body/Government Entity, an Indian
Tribe, or a Nonprofit entity primarily serving rural areas. In
accordance with 7 CFR 4280.416(d), applicants that are not delinquent
on any Federal debt or not otherwise disqualified from participation in
these Programs are eligible to apply. The Agency will check the System
for Award Management (SAM) to determine if the applicant has been
debarred or suspended at the time of application and prior to the
awarding of grant funds.
2. Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System and System
for Award Management.
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 (866) 705-5711 or at https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform or any subsequent unique entity identifier number. Each
applicant applying for loan or grant funds must (i) be registered in
the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting its application
and (ii) provide a valid unique entity identifier in its application,
unless determined exempt under 2 CFR 25.110. Applicants must maintain
an active SAM registration, with current, accurate and complete
information, at all times during which it has an active Federal award
or an application under consideration by a Federal awarding agency.
Applicants must ensure they complete the Financial Assistance General
Certifications and Representations in SAM.
The Agency will not make an award until the applicant has complied
with all applicable DUNS (unique entity identifier) and SAM
requirements. If an applicant has not fully complied with the
requirements by the time the Agency is ready to make an award, the
agency may determine that the applicant is not qualified to receive a
Federal award and use that determination as a basis for making a
Federal award to another applicant.
All other restrictions in this notice will apply.
The Agency requires information to make an eligibility
determination through applications that must include, but are not
limited to, the following:
(a) An original and one copy of SF-424, ``Application For Federal
Assistance (For Non-construction)'' and an original Form RD 400-4,
``Assurance Agreement'';
(b) Copies of applicant's organizational documents showing the
applicant's legal existence and authority to perform the activities
under the grant;
(c) A proposed scope of work, including a description of the
proposed Project. Grant funds may be used for projects identified in 7
CFR 4280.417(a) as either a business opportunity type grant or a
business enterprise type grant. The scope of work must include details
of the proposed activities to be accomplished and timeframes for
completion of each task, the number of months duration of the Project,
and the estimated time it will take from grant approval to beginning of
Project implementation. In accordance with 7 CFR 4280.421, a Project
must reasonably be expected to be completed within 1 full year after it
has begun;
(d) A written narrative that includes, at a minimum, the following
items:
(1) An explanation of why the Project is needed, the benefits of
the proposed Project, and how the Project meets the eligible grant
purposes;
(2) Area to be served, identifying each governmental unit, i.e.,
town, county, Indian reservation, etc., to be affected by the Project;
(3) Description of how the Project will coordinate Economic
Development activities with other Economic Development activities
within the Project area;
(4) Business to be assisted, if appropriate, and Economic
Development to be accomplished;
(5) An explanation of how the proposed Project will result in newly
created, increased, or supported jobs in the area and the number of
projected new and supported jobs within the next 3 years;
(6) A description of the applicant's demonstrated capability and
experience in providing the proposed Project assistance or similar
Economic Development activities, including experience of key staff
members and persons who will be providing the proposed Project
activities and managing the Project;
(7) The method and rationale used to select the areas and
businesses that will receive the service;
(8) A brief description of how the work will be performed including
whether organizational staff or consultants or contractors will be
used;
(9) Please note that no assistance or funding can be provided to
hemp producers or processors unless they have a valid license issued
from an approved State, Tribal or Federal plan as per Section 10113 of
the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, Public Law 115-334.
Verification of valid hemp licenses will occur at the time of award;
and
(10) Other information the Agency may request to assist in making a
grant award determination.
(e) The latest 3 years of financial information to show the
applicant's financial capacity to carry out the proposed work. If the
applicant is less than 3 years old, at a minimum, the information
should include all balance sheet(s), income statement(s), and cash flow
statement(s) since the date of the applicant's formation. A current
financial statement of the applicant, within 90 days of the application
submission, is required;
(f) Intergovernmental review comments from the State Single Point
of Contact, or evidence that the State has elected not to review the
program under Executive Order 12372. Applications from federally
recognized tribes are exempt from this requirement;
(g) Documentation regarding the availability and amount of other
funds to be used in conjunction with the funds from the RBDG award;
(h) A budget which includes salaries, fringe benefits, consultant
costs, indirect costs, and other appropriate direct costs for the
Project; and
(i) RBDG construction project grants must conform with 7 CFR part
1924, subpart A and the environmental policies and procedures of 7 CFR
part 1970.
3. General Processing and Scoring Provisions.
The Agency will review each application for assistance in
accordance with the scoring provisions and program priorities
established in 7 CFR 4280.435. The Agency will assign each application
a priority rating based on the total score and will select applications
for funding based on the priority ratings and the total funds available
to the program for opportunity-type projects and enterprise-type
projects.
[[Page 53273]]
(a) The Agency will score each application based on the information
contained in the application and its supporting information. All
applications submitted for funding must be in one package and contain
sufficient information to permit the Agency to complete a thorough
priority rating. Agency employees may not consider any information that
is not provided by the applicant in writing for scoring purposes.
Applications will not be considered for funding if they do not provide
sufficient information to determine eligibility or are missing required
elements. Points will be awarded to an eligible application as follows:
Leveraging. If the grant will fund a critical element of a
larger program of Economic Development, without which the overall
program either could not proceed or would be far less effective, or if
the program to be assisted by the grant will also be partially funded
from other sources, points will be awarded if Rural Development's
funding is: (i) Less than 20 percent of the project costs--30 points;
(ii) between 20 percent and up to 50 percent of the project--20 points;
(iii) between 51 percent and up to 75 percent of the project--10
points. The application must contain a firm commitment in writing of
other funding for the project or points will not be awarded to the
application for leveraging.
Demographics. Points will be awarded for each of the
following criteria met by the community or communities that will
receive the benefit of the grant, up to a total of 40 points from all
categories: (i) Communities experiencing trauma due to a major natural
disaster that occurred not more than 3 years prior to the filing of the
application for assistance will be awarded 15 points; (ii) Communities
that have suffered a loss of 20 percent or more in their total jobs
caused by the closure of a military facility or other employers within
the last 3 years will be awarded 15 points; (iii) Communities that have
experienced Long-Term poverty as demonstrated by being a former Rural
empowerment zone, Rural economic area partnership zone, Rural
enterprise community, champion community, or a persistent poverty
county as determined by USDA's Economic Research Service will receive
10 points; and (iv) If the community has experienced Long-Term
population decline as demonstrated by the latest three decennial
censuses, 10 points will be awarded.
Population. Points will be awarded if the proposed
project(s) will be located in a community of: (i) Under 5,000
population--15 points; (ii) Between 5,000 and up to 15,000 population--
10 points; or (iii) Between 15,001 and 25,000 population--5 points.
Unemployment. If the proposed project will be located in
areas where the unemployment rate: (i) Exceeds the State rate by 25
percent or more--20 points will be awarded; (ii) exceeds the State rate
by less than 25 percent--10 points will be awarded; or (iii) is equal
to or less than the State unemployment rate--0 points will be awarded.
Median household income. If the proposed project(s) will
be located in areas where Median Household Income (MHI) as prescribed
by section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C
106) for a family of 4 for the State is: (i) Less than or equal to the
poverty line--25 points will be awarded; (ii) More than the poverty
line but less than 65 percent of State MHI--15 points will be awarded;
(iii) Between 65 and 85 percent of the State MHI--10 points will be
awarded; or (iv) If the area has greater than 85 percent of the State
MHI--0 points will be awarded.
Experience. If the applicant provides evidence of
successful experience in the type of activity proposed based on its
current employees' resumes demonstrating: (i) 10 or more years of
experience--30 points will be awarded; (ii) At least 5 but less than 10
years of experience--20 points will be awarded; (iii) At least 3 years
but less than 5 years of experience--10 points will be awarded; or (iv)
At least 1 but less than 3 years of experience--5 points will be
awarded.
Small business start-up or expansion. If the Applicant has
evidence that small business development will be supported by startup
or expansion as a result of the activities to be carried out under the
grant by written evidence provided to the Agency from a small, or a
Small and Emerging Business that includes the number of jobs that will
be supported and created, 5 points will be awarded for each letter up
to a total of 25 points. Letters must address the specific business
producing the letter, the connection to the project activities and
provide further information relative to job creation and support to
meet the letter of support criteria. Generic or duplicated letters are
not acceptable under this criterion.
Jobs created or supported. Points will be awarded if the
anticipated development, expansion, or furtherance of business
enterprises as a result of the proposed Project will create and/or
support existing jobs associated with the affected businesses. The
number of jobs must be evidenced by a written commitment from the
business(es) to be assisted. Points will be awarded based on the ratio
of jobs to be supported by the amount of grant funds. For projects
supporting: (i) One job for less than $5,000 of grant funds--25 points
will be awarded; (ii) one job for $5,000 but less than $10,000 of grant
funds--20 points; (iii) one job for $10,000 but less than $15,000--15
points; (iv) one job for $15,000 but less than $20,000--10 points; or
(v) one job for $20,000 but less than $25,000 of grant funds--5 points
will be awarded.
Size of grant request. Projects utilizing grant funds of:
(i) Less than $100,000--25 points will be awarded; (ii) $100,000 to
$200,000--15 points will be awarded; or (iii) more than $200,000 but
equal to or less than $500,000--10 points will be awarded. No points
will be awarded to applications of $500,000 or greater.
Indirect cost. If the applicant is not requesting grant
funds to cover their administrative or indirect costs, 5 points will be
awarded.
Discretionary points. Either the State Director or
Administrator may assign up to 50 discretionary points to an
application when under their approval authority. Assignment of
discretionary points must include a written justification. Permissible
justifications are geographic distribution of funds, special Secretary
of Agriculture initiatives such as Priority Communities, or a state's
strategic goals. The number of points to be awarded will be determined
by the impact of the project on the stated initiative. Discretionary
points may only be assigned to initial grants. However, in the case
where two Projects have the same score, the State Director may add one
point to the Project that best fits the State's strategic plan
regardless of whether the Project is an initial or subsequent grant.
The following are examples of special Secretary of Agriculture
initiatives that can support obtaining discretionary points.
(i) Assisting rural communities recover economically from the
impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly disadvantaged
communities. Applicant may receive priority points if the project is
located in or serving one of the top 10% of counties or county
equivalents based upon county risk score in the United States. The
website, https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points, has the data to
confirm if your location qualifies or not.
(ii) Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to RD
programs and benefits from RD funded projects. Applicant may receive
priority points if
[[Page 53274]]
the project is located in or serving a community with score 0.75 or
above on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index. The website, https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points, has the data to confirm if your
location qualifies or not.
(iii) Reduce climate pollution and increasing resilience to the
impacts of climate change through economic support to rural
communities. Applicants may receive points if the project is located in
or serving coal, oil and gas, and power plant communities whose
economic well-being ranks in the most distressed tier of the Distressed
Communities Index. The website, https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points, has the data to confirm if your location qualifies or not. Or,
applicants may receive points by demonstrating how proposed climate-
impact projects improve the livelihoods of community residents and meet
pollution mitigation or clean energy goals.
(b) Unfunded applications. The Agency will notify eligible
applicants in writing if RBDG funds are not available. The applicant is
permitted to respond in writing that they wish their application to be
reconsidered in the next fiscal year. The applicant may provide
additional updated information to the Agency prior to the next fiscal
year's application deadline for their project.
(c) Unfunded applications for set aside funding. The Agency will
notify eligible applicants in writing if set aside funds are not
available. Applications that are eligible for set aside funds but are
unfunded due to the availability of funds will be allowed to compete
for available FY 2022 regular RBDG funds in the State where the Project
is located. For Projects involving multiple states, the application
will be returned to the Rural Development State Office where the
Applicant is located and will compete for funds in that State. The
Agency will notify eligible applicants in writing if their application
will not be funded in FY 2022 due to insufficient funds in the set
aside and regular RBDG programs.
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.
Prior to official submission of grant applications, applicants may
request technical assistance or other application guidance from the
Agency, as long as such requests are made prior to February 11, 2022.
Technical assistance is not meant to be an analysis or assessment of
the quality of the materials submitted, a substitute for agency review
of completed applications, nor a determination of eligibility.
The Agency will not solicit or consider scoring or eligibility
information that is submitted after the application deadline. The
Agency reserves the right to contact applicants to seek clarification
information on materials contained in the submitted application.
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 February 28, 2022. 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). 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: (866) 705-5711 or at https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform. Each applicant applying for grant funds (unless
the applicant is an individual or Federal awarding agency that is
excepted from the requirements under 2 CFR 25.110(b) or (c) or has an
exception approved by the Federal awarding agency under 2 CFR
25.110(d)) is required to: (i) Be registered in the System for Award
Management (SAM) before submitting its application; (ii) provide a
valid unique entity identifier in its application; and (iii) continue
to maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all
times during which it has an active Federal award or an application or
plan under consideration by a Federal awarding agency. The Federal
awarding agency may not make a Federal award to an applicant until the
applicant has complied with all applicable unique entity identifier and
SAM requirements and, if an applicant has not fully complied with the
requirements by the time the Federal awarding agency is ready to make a
Federal award, the Federal awarding agency may determine that the
applicant is not qualified to receive a Federal award and use that
determination as a basis for making a Federal award to another
applicant.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission.
An application must contain all of the required elements and be
submitted in one package. Each selection priority criterion outlined in
7 CFR 4280.427 must be addressed in the application. Failure to address
any of the criterion will result in a zero-point score for that
criterion and will impact the overall evaluation of the application. An
original copy of the application must be filed with the Rural
Development State Office for the State where the Project is located.
For Projects involving multiple states, the application must be filed
in the Rural Development State Office where the Applicant is located.
The applicant documentation and forms needed for a complete
application are located in the PROGRAM DESCRIPTION section of this
notice, and in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart E, a copy of which will be
provided to any interested applicant making a request to a Rural
Development State Office. There are no specific formats required per
this notice, and applicants may request 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.
(a) There are no specific limitations on the number of pages or
other formatting requirements other than those described in the PROGRAM
DESCRIPTION section.
(b) There are no specific limitations on the number of pages, font
size and type face, margins, paper size, and the sequence or assembly
requirements but the application package should be well organized and
include a table of contents, if appropriate.
(c) The component pieces of this application should contain
original signatures on the original application.
3. Submission Dates and Times.
(a) Application Deadline Dates: Applications must be submitted to
the appropriate Rural Development State Office no later than 4:30 p.m.
(local time) on February 28, 2022.
(b) The deadline date means that the completed application package
must be received in the USDA Rural Development State Office by the
established deadline date and time. All application documents
identified in this notice are required in the submission to be
considered a complete application. The Agency will determine the
application receipt date for paper applications based on the actual
date postmarked. The date of receipt for electronic application
submissions will be the date received in the Rural Development State
Office by the designated Agency staff person.
(c) If completed applications are not received by the February 28,
2022, deadline, the application will neither be
[[Page 53275]]
reviewed nor considered for funding under any circumstances.
(d) Indirect costs will be permitted in accordance with applicable
law and in accordance with 2 CFR part 200. Pre-Federal award costs will
only be permitted with prior written approval by the Agency.
(e) Applicants may submit applications in hard copy or electronic
format as previously indicated in the Application and Submission
Information section of this notice. If the applicant wishes to hand
deliver its application, the addresses for these deliveries are located
in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
(f) 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).
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 part
4280, subpart E. 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 requirements
contained in 7 CFR 4280.416 and 7 CFR 4280.417. Funding of projects is
subject to the availability of funds and Applicant's satisfactory
submission of the items required by 7 CFR part 4280, subpart E and this
Notice, in addition to any conditions specifically outlined in any
issued USDA Rural Development Letter of Conditions if available funds
are to be awarded.
Applications for set aside funds, if available, will compete at the
National Office in their respective categories. Applications for
regular RBDG projects will compete at the state level in their
respective category, business opportunity grants or business enterprise
grants, for funding made available through Rural Development State
allocated funds. Applications will be reviewed, prioritized by score,
and funded by ranking each Project in highest to lowest score order
until available funds are exhausted. If funds are exhausted at the
state level, each State's highest scoring unfunded business enterprise
project will have the opportunity to compete for funding through a
final national competition.
F. Federal Award Administration Information
1. Federal Award Notices.
Successful applicants will receive notification for funding from
the Rural Development State Office. Applicants must comply with all
applicable statutes and regulations before the grant award can be
approved and funded. If an application is withdrawn by the applicant,
it can be resubmitted later and will be evaluated as a new application
in the period submitted.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements.
Additional requirements that apply to grantees selected for this
Program can be found in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart E. Awards are subject
to USDA grant regulations at 2 CFR part 400 which incorporated the
Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regulations at 2 CFR part 200.
All successful applicants will be notified by letter which will
include a Letter of Conditions and a Letter of Intent to Meet
Conditions. This letter is not an authorization to begin performance,
but it is a notification that grant funds may be awarded subject to
conditions. The grant will be considered officially awarded when all
conditions in the Letter of Conditions have been met and the Agency
obligates the funding for the Project. If the applicant wishes to
consider beginning their project performance prior to the grant being
officially closed, all pre-award costs must be approved in writing and
in advance by the Agency.
Additional requirements that apply to grantees selected for these
Programs can be found in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart E, the Grants and
Agreements regulations of the U.S. Department of Agriculture codified
in 2 CFR 400.1 to 400.2 and 2 CFR parts 415 to 422, 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). The applicant 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
the recipient is exempt under 2 CFR 170.110(b)).
The following additional requirements apply to grantees selected
for these Programs:
(a) Form RD 4280-2 ``Rural Business-Cooperative Service Financial
Assistance 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) SF LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,'' if applicable.
(f) Grantees will use Form SF 270, ``Request for Advance or
Reimbursement'' when requesting grant funds from the Agency.
3. Reporting.
(a) A Financial Status Report and a Project performance activity
report will be required of all grantees on a quarterly basis until
initial funds are expended and yearly thereafter, if applicable, based
on the Federal fiscal year. Grantees must continuously monitor
performance to ensure that time schedules are being met, projected work
by time periods is being accomplished, and other performance objectives
are being achieved. Grantees must submit an original of each report to
the Agency no later than 30 days after the end of the quarter. The
grantee will complete the Project within the total time available to it
in accordance with the Scope of Work and any necessary modifications
thereof prepared by the grantee and approved by the Agency. A final
Project performance report will be required with the final Financial
Status Report. The final report may serve as the last quarterly report.
The final report must provide complete information regarding the jobs
created and supported as a result of the RBDG grant if applicable. The
Project performance reports must include, but not be limited to, the
following:
(1) A comparison of actual accomplishments to the objectives
established for that period.
(2) Problems, delays, or adverse conditions, if any, which have
affected or will affect attainment of overall Project objectives,
prevent meeting time schedules or objectives, or preclude the
attainment of particular Project work elements during established time
periods. This disclosure shall be accompanied by a statement of the
action taken or planned to resolve the situation.
(3) Objectives and timetable established for the next reporting
period.
(4) Any special reporting requirements, such as jobs supported and
created, businesses assisted, or economic development which results in
improvements in median household incomes, and any other specific
requirements, will be placed in the reporting section of the Letter of
Conditions.
(5) Within 90 days after the conclusion of the Project, the grantee
[[Page 53276]]
will provide a final Project evaluation report. The last quarterly
payment will be withheld until the final report is received and
approved by the Agency. Even though the grantee may request
reimbursement on a monthly basis, the last 3 months of reimbursements
will be withheld until a final report, Project performance, and
financial status report are received and approved by the Agency.
(b) In addition to any reports required by 2 CFR part 200 and 2 CFR
400.1 to 400.2, and 2 CFR parts 415 to 422, the grantee must provide
reports as required by 7 CFR part 4280, subpart E.
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contact(s)
For general questions about this announcement, please contact your
USDA Rural Development State Office provided in the ADDRESSES section
of this notice.
H. Civil Rights 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, Title
VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, Title IX, Executive Order 13166
(Limited English Proficiency), Executive Order 11246, and the Equal
Credit Opportunity Act of 1974.
I. 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.
Similarly, all applicants applying for grant funds must be registered
in SAM prior to submitting an application. Applicants may register for
the SAM at https://www.sam.gov/SAM. All recipients of Federal financial
grant 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 laws and U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its
Mission Areas, agencies, staff offices, 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 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.
Program information may be made available in languages other than
English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of
communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large
print, audiotape, American Sign Language) should contact the
responsible Mission Area, agency, or staff office; the USDA TARGET
Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY); or the Federal Relay Service
at (800) 877-8339.
To file a program discrimination complaint, a complainant should
complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form,
which can be obtained online at https://www.ocio.usda.gov/document/ad-3027, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a
letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant's
name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the
alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date
of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or
letter must be submitted 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) Fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
(3) Email: [email protected].
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Karama Neal,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2021-20810 Filed 9-24-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P
