Notice of Solicitation of Applications for Inviting Applications for the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program for Fiscal Year 2023, 53448-53452 [2022-18779]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Rural Business-Cooperative Service

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 168 (Wednesday, August 31, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53448-53452]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-18779]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

[Docket #: RBS-22-BUSINESS-0019]


Notice of Solicitation of Applications for Inviting Applications 
for the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program for Fiscal Year 2023

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (Agency), an agency of 
the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Rural Development 
(RD), is making an initial announcement to invite applications for 
loans and grants under the Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance Program 
(RMAP) for fiscal year (FY) 2023, subject to the availability of 
funding. This notice is being issued prior to the passage of a FY 23 
Appropriations Act, which may or may not provide funding for this 
program, in order to allow applicants sufficient time to leverage 
financing, prepare and submit their applications, and give the Agency 
time to process applications within FY23. 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. RMAP provides the following types of support: loan 
only, combination loan and technical assistance grant, and subsequent 
technical assistance grants to Microenterprise Development 
Organizations (MDO). An announcement will be made on the Agency 
website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/federal-funding-opportunities 
regarding any amount received in the FY23 appropriations. All 
applicants are responsible for any expenses incurred in developing 
their applications or any costs incurred prior to the obligation date.

DATES: The deadlines for completed applications to be received in the 
USDA RD State Office for quarterly funding competitions are no later 
than 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on: First Quarter, September 30, 2022; 
Second Quarter, December 31, 2022; Third Quarter, March 31, 2023; and 
Fourth Quarter, June 30, 2023. If the due date falls on a Saturday, 
Sunday, or Federal holiday, the application is due the next business 
day.
    The subsequent microlender technical assistance grant (existing 
MDOs with a microentrepreneur revolving loan fund)

[[Page 53449]]

will be made, non-competitively, based on the microlender's 
microlending activity and availability of funds. To determine the 
microlender technical assistance grant awards for FY23, if available, 
the Agency will use the microlender's outstanding balance of microloans 
as of June 30, 2023, to calculate the eligible grant amount. MDOs that 
are in compliance with the terms of their loan agreement may apply for 
this annual grant.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted electronically to the USDA RD 
State Office for the state where the project is located. Applicants are 
encouraged to contact their respective RD State Office for an email 
contact to submit an electronic application prior to the submission 
deadline date(s). A list of the USDA RD State Office contacts can be 
found at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices.
    This funding opportunity will be made available for informational 
purposes on www.grants.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shamika Johnson at 
[email protected], Program Management Division, Business 
Programs, Rural Business-Cooperative Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Mail Stop 3226, Room 5160-S, 
Washington, DC 20250-3226, or call (202) 720-1400. For further 
information on this notice, please contact the USDA RD State Office in 
the State in which the applicant's headquarters is located. A list of 
RD State Office contacts is provided at the following link: https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-us/state-offices.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Overview

    Federal Agency Name: Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
    Funding Opportunity Title: Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance 
Program.
    Announcement Type: Initial Announcement.
    Assistance Listing (formally Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 
Number): 10.870.
    Funding Opportunity Number (grants.gov): RD-RBCS-23-RMAP.
    Dates: The deadlines for completed applications to be received in 
the USDA RD State Office for quarterly funding competitions are no 
later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on: First Quarter, September 30, 
2022; Second Quarter, December 31, 2022; Third Quarter, March 31, 2023, 
and Fourth Quarter, June 30, 2023.
    Administrative: If two or more applications have the same score and 
funds are not available to fund both projects, the Administrator may 
prioritize applications to help the program achieve overall geographic 
diversity.
    The Agency encourages applicants to consider projects that will 
advance the following key priorities:
     Assisting rural communities recover economically through 
more and better market opportunities and through improved 
infrastructure;
     Ensuring all rural residents have equitable access to RD 
programs and benefits from RD funded projects; and
     Reducing climate pollution and increasing resilience to 
the impacts of climate change through economic support to rural 
communities.
    More details on the key priorities may be found at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/priority-points.

I. Program Description

    (a) Purpose of the Program. The purpose of RMAP is to support the 
development and ongoing success of rural Microentrepreneurs and 
Microenterprises, each as defined in 7 CFR 4280.302. The regulation can 
be accessed online at https://www.ecfr.gov. To accomplish this purpose, 
RMAP provides direct loans and grants to MDOs. Loan funds are used by 
the MDO to establish or recapitalize a revolving loan program for 
making microloans to a rural microentrepreneur business. Grant funds 
are used by the MDO to provide technical assistance and 
entrepreneurship training to rural individuals and businesses.
    (b) Statutory Authority. RMAP is authorized by section 379E of the 
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (Pub. L. 87-128), as 
amended, and is codified as 7 U.S.C. 2008s. Regulations are contained 
in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart D and can be found online at https://www.ecfr.gov. Assistance provided to rural areas under this program may 
include the provision of loans and grants to rural MDOs for the 
provision of microloans to rural microenterprises and 
microentrepreneurs; provision of business-based training and technical 
assistance to rural microborrowers and potential microborrowers; and 
other such activities as deemed appropriate by the Secretary to ensure 
the development and ongoing success of rural microenterprises. Awards 
are made on a competitive basis using specific selection criteria 
contained in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart D.
    (c) Definition of Terms. The definitions applicable to this notice 
are published at 7 CFR 4280.302.
    (d) Application Awards. 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 D, and as indicated in 
this notice. However, the Agency advises all interested parties that 
the applicant bears the burden in preparing and submitting an 
application in response to this notice whether or not funding is 
appropriated for this program in FY 2023. Information required to be in 
the application is specified in 7 CFR 4280.315. For entities applying 
for program loan funds to become an RMAP microlender only, the 
following items are also required: (1) Form RD 1910-11, ``Applicant 
Certification Federal Collection Policies for Consumer or Commercial 
Debts;'' available at https://forms.sc.egov.usda.gov/efcommon/eFileServices/eForms/RD1910-11.PDF; (2) Demonstration that the 
applicant is eligible to apply to participate in this program; and (3) 
Certification by the applicant that it cannot obtain sufficient credit 
elsewhere to fund the activities called for under this program with 
similar rates and terms.
    Current MDO entities may be eligible for subsequent annual 
microlender technical assistance grants that are awarded subject to 
funding availability and determined non-competitively based on Agency 
appropriations for the fiscal year. The MDO must submit a prescribed 
worksheet, listing the outstanding balance of their microloans and 
unexpended grant funds as of June 30, 2023, and a letter certifying 
that their organization still meets all the requirements set forth in 7 
CFR part 4280, subpart D, and that no significant changes have occurred 
within the last year that would affect its ability to carry out the MDO 
functions. In addition, all MDOs who request Subsequent Annual 
Microlender Technical Assistance Grants must complete their reporting 
into the Lenders Interactive Network Connection (LINC) for the Federal 
fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2023 which will verify the outstanding 
balance of their microloans as stated in their request for grant funds. 
The deadline for reporting into LINC and requesting a technical 
assistance grant is no later than 4:30 p.m. (Eastern time) on August 1, 
2023.

II. Federal Award Information

    Type of Awards: Loans and/or Grants.
    Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2023.
    Available Funds. Anyone interested in submitting an application for 
funding under these Programs is encouraged to consult the RD Notices of 
Solicitation of Applications website at https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/federal-funding-opportunities.

[[Page 53450]]

    Maximum Award: The Agency anticipates the following maximum amounts 
per award: Loans--$500,000; Grants--$100,000.
    Application Funding Competition Dates: First Quarter, September 30, 
2022; Second Quarter, December 31, 2022; Third Quarter, March 31, 2023 
and Fourth Quarter, June 30, 2023.

III. Eligibility Information

    (a) Eligible Applicants. Eligible applicants are domestic 
organizations that are non-profit entities, Indian tribes (25 U.S.C. 
5304(c)) or public institutions of higher education. Eligible 
applicants must provide training and technical assistance, make 
microloans, facilitate access to capital, or have an effective plan or 
program to deliver such services. The applicant must meet the 
eligibility requirements in 7 CFR 4280.310 and must not be delinquent 
on any Federal debt or otherwise disqualified from participation in 
this program to be 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 also prior to 
funding any grant award. All other restrictions in this notice will 
apply.
    (b) Cost Sharing or Matching. The Federal share of the eligible 
project cost of a microborrower's project funded under this notice 
shall not exceed 75 percent. The cost share requirement shall be met by 
the microlender in accordance with the requirements specified in 7 CFR 
4280.311(d).
    The MDO is required to provide a match of not less than 15 percent 
of the total amount of the grant in the form of matching funds, 
indirect costs, or in-kind goods or services.
    (c) Other Eligibility Requirements. Applications will only be 
accepted from eligible MDOs. Eligible MDOs must score a minimum of 60 
points out of 100 points to be considered to receive an award. 
Applicable scoring criteria is described in 7 CFR 4280.316. Awards for 
each Federal fiscal quarter will be based on ranking with the highest-
scoring applications being funded first, subject to available funding.
    (d) Completeness Eligibility. All applications must be submitted as 
a complete application, in one package. Applications will not be 
considered for funding if they do not provide sufficient information to 
determine eligibility or are otherwise not suitable for evaluation. 
Such applications will be withdrawn and not considered for funding.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    (a) Address to Request Application Package. For further 
information, entities wishing to apply for assistance should contact 
the RD State Office as identified in the ADDRESSES section of this 
notice to obtain an electronic copy of the application package.
    An MDO may submit an initial application for a loan with a 
microlender technical assistance grant, or an initial or subsequent 
loan-only (without a microlender technical assistance grant). Loan 
applications must be submitted electronically to the State Office where 
the project is located and must be organized in the same order set 
forth in 7 CFR 4280.315. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact 
their respective RD State Office for an email contact to submit an 
electronic application prior to the submission deadline date(s).
    (b) Content and Form of Application Submission. An application must 
contain all of the required elements outlined in 7 CFR 4280.315. Each 
application must address the applicable scoring criteria presented in 7 
CFR 4280.316 for the type of funding being requested.
    (c) System for Award Management and Unique Entity Identifier.
    (i) At the time of application, each applicant must have an active 
registration in the System for Award Management (SAM) before submitting 
its application in accordance with 2 CFR part 25. In order to register 
in SAM, entities will be required to create a Unique Entity Identifier 
(UEI). Instructions for obtaining the UEI are available at https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.
    (ii) 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.
    (iii) Applicants must ensure they complete the Financial Assistance 
General Certifications and Representations in SAM.
    (iv) Applicants must provide a valid UEI in its application, unless 
determined exempt under 2 CFR 25.110.
    (v) The Agency will not make an award until the applicant has 
complied with all SAM requirements including providing the UEI. 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.
    The Agency will not make an award until the applicant has complied 
with all applicable UEI 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.
    (d) Submission Dates and Times. Competitions for the available loan 
and grant funds will be made quarterly for applications that are 
received no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on: First Quarter, 
September 30, 2022; Second Quarter, December 31, 2022; Third Quarter, 
March 31, 2023; and Fourth Quarter, June 30, 2023.
    Unless withdrawn by the applicant, completed applications that 
receive a score of at least 60 (the minimum required to be considered 
for funding) but have not yet been funded, will be retained by the 
Agency for consideration in subsequent reviews through a total of four 
consecutive quarterly reviews. Applications that remain unfunded after 
four quarterly reviews, including the initial quarter in which the 
application was competed, will not be considered further for an award.
    (e) Explanation of Dates. Applications must be in the USDA RD State 
Office by the dates and times as indicated above to compete for 
available funds in that fiscal quarter. If the due date falls on a 
Saturday, Sunday, or Federal holiday, the application is due the next 
business day.
    (f) Intergovernmental Review. This program is subject to Executive 
Order 12372, which requires intergovernmental consultation with State 
and local officials. Intergovernmental consultation will occur for the 
assistance to MDOs in accordance with the process and procedures 
outlined in 2 CFR part 415, subpart C. Assistance to rural 
microenterprises will not require intergovernmental review. 
Applications from Federally recognized Indian tribes are not subject to 
this requirement.
    Rural Development will conduct intergovernmental consultation using 
RD Instruction 1970-I ``Intergovernmental Review,'' available in any RD 
office, on the internet at https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/1970i.pdf and in 2 CFR part 415, subpart C. Note that not all States 
have chosen to participate in the intergovernmental review process. A 
list

[[Page 53451]]

of participating States is available at the following website: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/management/office-federal-financial-management/.
    (g) Funding Restrictions. No funds made available under this notice 
shall be used for those ineligible purposes outlined in 7 CFR 
4280.313(e).

V. Application Review Information

    (a) Criteria. All eligible and complete applications for new loan 
and grant funds will be evaluated and scored based on the selection 
criteria and weights contained in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart D. A copy of 
the regulation can be accessed online at https://www.ecfr.gov. 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. An application must 
receive at least 60 points in the scoring criteria stated in 7 CFR 
4280.316 to be considered for funding in the quarter in which it is 
scored.
    (b) Review and Selection Process. The State Offices will review 
applications to determine if they are eligible for assistance based on 
requirements contained in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart D. If determined 
eligible, the application will be submitted to the National Office, 
where it will be reviewed and prioritized by ranking each application 
received in that quarter, from highest to lowest score order. All 
applications will be funded from the highest to lowest score until 
funds have been exhausted for each funding cycle. Funding of projects 
is subject to the MDO's satisfactory submission of the additional items 
required by that subpart and the USDA RD Letter of Conditions.

VI. Federal Award Administration Information

    (a) Award Notices. Successful applicants will receive notification 
for funding from the USDA RD State Office. Applicants must comply with 
all applicable statutes and regulations before the award will be 
approved. Provided the application and eligibility requirements have 
not changed, an application not selected will be reconsidered for three 
subsequent funding competitions for a total of four competitions. If an 
application is withdrawn, it can be resubmitted and will be evaluated 
as a new application. Unsuccessful applications will receive 
notification by mail, detailing why the application was unsuccessful.
    (b) Administrative and National Policy Requirements. Additional 
requirements that apply to MDOs selected for this program can be found 
in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart D. The USDA and the Agency have adopted the 
USDA grant regulations at 2 CFR chapter IV. This regulation 
incorporates the new Office of Management and Budget regulations 2 CFR 
part 200 and 2 CFR part 400 for monitoring and servicing RMAP funding.
    (c) National Environmental Policy Act. All recipients under this 
Notice are subject to the requirements of 7 CFR part 1970.
    (d) Reporting. In addition to any reports required by 2 CFR part 
200 and 2 CFR part 400, the MDO must provide reports as required by 7 
CFR part 4280, subpart D. All recipients of Federal financial 
assistance are required to report information about first-tier sub-
awards and executive compensation (see 2 CFR part 170). You will be 
required to have the necessary processes and systems in place to comply 
with the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 
(Pub. L. 109-282) reporting requirements (see 2 CFR 170.200(b), unless 
you are exempt under 2 CFR 170.110(b)).
    Intermediaries must collect and maintain data provided by Ultimate 
Recipients on race, sex, and national origin and must also ensure that 
Ultimate Recipients collect and maintain this data. Race and ethnicity 
data will be collected in accordance with OMB Federal Register notice, 
``Revisions to the Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on 
Race and Ethnicity'' (62 FR 58782), October 30, 1997. Sex data will be 
collected in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 
1972. These items should not be submitted with the application but 
should be available upon request by the Agency.
    The applicant and the Ultimate Recipients must comply with Title VI 
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments 
of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, 
Executive Order 12250, Executive Order 13166 Limited English 
Proficiency (LEP), and 7 CFR part 1901, subpart E.

VII. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

    For general questions about this notice, please contact your USDA 
RD State Office as provided in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.

VIII. Buy America

    Awards under this announcement for Infrastructure projects to Non-
Federal entities, defined pursuant to 2 CFR 200.1 as any State, local 
government, Indian tribe, Institution of Higher Education, or nonprofit 
organization, shall be governed by the requirements of Section 70914 of 
the Build America, Buy America Act (BABA) within the Infrastructure, 
Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and its implementing regulations. 
Recipients of an award of Federal financial assistance from a program 
for infrastructure are hereby notified that none of the funds provided 
under this award may be used for a project for infrastructure unless:
    (1) All iron and steel used in the project are produced in the 
United States. This means all manufacturing processes, from the initial 
melting stage through the application of coatings, occurred in the 
United States.
    (2) All manufactured products used in the project are produced in 
the United States. This means the manufactured product was manufactured 
in the United States, and the cost of the components of the 
manufactured product that are mined, produced, or manufactured in the 
United States is greater than 55 percent of the total cost of all 
components of the manufactured product, unless another standard for 
determining the minimum amount of domestic content of the manufactured 
product has been established under applicable law or regulation.
    (3) All construction materials (excludes cement and cementitious 
materials, aggregates such as stone, sand, or gravel, or aggregate 
binding agents or additives) are manufactured in the United States. 
This means that all manufacturing processes for the construction 
material occurred in the United States.
    The Buy America preference only applies to articles, materials, and 
supplies that are consumed in, incorporated into, or affixed to an 
infrastructure project. As such, it does not apply to tools, equipment, 
and supplies, such as temporary scaffolding, brought to the 
construction site and removed at or before the completion of the 
infrastructure project. Nor does a Buy America preference apply to 
equipment and furnishings, such as movable chairs, desks, and portable 
computer equipment, that are used at or within the finished 
infrastructure project, but are not an integral part of the structure 
or permanently affixed to the infrastructure project.

IV. Paperwork Reduction Act

    In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the 
information collection requirements associated with RMAP, as covered in 
this notice, have been approved by OMB under OMB Control Number 0570-
0062.

[[Page 53452]]

V. Nondiscrimination Statement

    In accordance with Federal civil rights law and 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.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-program-discrimination-complaint-form.pdf 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 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;
    (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, USDA Rural 
Development.
[FR Doc. 2022-18779 Filed 8-30-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P