Notice of Funding Opportunity for Calendar Year 2022 Disaster Circuit Rider Technical Assistance Grants Program; Water and Environmental Programs, 66797-66802 [2023-21129]
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 187 / Thursday, September 28, 2023 / Notices
(expiration date 9/30/26). The Food
Programs Reporting System is the
Federal system State agencies use to
report FNS Program data to FNS.
Therefore, this information collection
estimates burden hours associated with
P–EBT that are above the currently
approved hours in 0584–0594 for forms
FNS–292B, FNS–366A, and SF–425 for
normal Program operations.
In order to determine eligibility and
benefit levels for P–EBT, State agencies
must collect data from schools,
including lists of students that have
been determined eligible for free and
reduced price meals. This information is
used to determine the benefit levels
children are eligible to receive, which
will vary depending on the FY of the
approved plan. Per Public Law 117–2,
during the summer months all children
eligible for free or reduced price meals
that are enrolled in schools that
participate in the National School
Lunch Program are considered eligible
for P–EBT. This requires all schools to
provide the State agency with a list of
children who have been determined
eligible for free and reduced price
meals.
FNS will provide funding to each
State’s SNAP State agency for 100% of
P–EBT-related school level
administrative costs. Such funding will
be available for the necessary,
allowable, and reasonable State agency
costs associated with the administration
of P–EBT incurred during FY 2020–
2023. In order to receive this funding,
schools must report to their State agency
on the school level costs incurred to
administer P–EBT.
This submission seeks OMB approval
of this revision to an existing collection
(OMB Control #0584–0660, expiration
11/30/2023) for activities associated
with administering P–EBT.
The currently approved burden for
this collection is 3,684,928 burden
hours. Because the majority of State and
territories are expected to have
completed normal issuance of benefits
by November 30, 2023, FNS estimates
the new burden at 20,109 burden hours,
which is a decrease of approximately
3,664,849 hours. Only one State has an
approved plan that entails data
collection and eligibility verification
from schools past November 30, 2023;
the burdens of the remaining States past
this date are only for monthly reporting
of benefit issuances due to
contingencies or corrections.
The currently approved total annual
responses are 10,379,211; we are
requesting 20,109, which is a decrease
of 10,359,102 total annual responses.
Affected Public: State Government,
Schools, Individual/Households.
Respondents include State agencies
(including District of Columbia, and
Territories), schools, and participants.
Estimated Number of Respondents:
The total estimated number of
respondents is 114,336. This includes:
State agencies (49), schools (287),
Individuals/Households (114,000
participants).
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: The total estimated number
of responses per respondent for this
collection is 8.
Estimated Total Annual Responses:
The total estimated number of annual
responses for this collection is 115,374.
Estimated Time per Response: The
estimated time per response averages
approximately 10.6 minutes (0.176
hours) for all participants.
Estimated Total Annual Burden on
Respondents: The estimated total
annual burden on respondents for this
collection is 20,109 hours.
See the table below for the estimated
total annual burden for each type of
respondent.
Tameka Owens,
Assistant Administrator, Food and Nutrition
Service.
TABLE—ESTIMATED TOTAL ANNUAL BURDEN ON RESPONDENTS
Frequency of
response
Total annual
responses
Responses
per
respondent
Hours per
response
Annual burden
(hours)
Instruments
Form
Individuals/Households.
Schools ......................
P–EBT Application
Submission.
Student Eligibility
Data.
P–EBT Local Level
Administrative Cost
Reporting to State.
N/A .............
114,000
1
114,000
1
0.166666667
19,038
N/A .............
287
1
287
1
0.5
143.5
N/A .............
287
1
287
1
1
143.5
...................................
Monthly P–EBT Reporting to FNS.
P–EBT Quarterly Administrative Cost
Report (100% funding).
....................
FNS–292B ..
287
49
2
12
574
588
2
1
1.5
1
287
588
SF–425 .......
49
4
196
4
1
196
...................................
....................
49
16
800
5
2
784
...................................
....................
114,336
19
115,374
8
3.67
20,109
Schools Subtotal
State Agencies ..........
SA Subtotal ........
Grand Total
[FR Doc. 2023–21515 Filed 9–27–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–30–P
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Number of
respondents
Respondent category
ACTION:
Rural Utilities Service
SUMMARY:
[Docket #: RUS–23–WATER–0013]
Notice of Funding Opportunity for
Calendar Year 2022 Disaster Circuit
Rider Technical Assistance Grants
Program; Water and Environmental
Programs
AGENCY:
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Notice.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
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Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
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The Rural Utilities Service
(RUS or the Agency), a Rural
Development (RD) mission area of the
United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA), announces acceptance of
applications under the Calendar Year
(CY) 2022 Disaster Circuit Rider
Technical Assistance (CY 2022 Disaster
CRTA) Grants Program. The Agency will
have up to $8,000,000 in grant funding
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provided through the Disaster Relief
Supplemental Appropriations Act,
2023. Grant funds will be made
available to qualified organizations to
provide technical assistance on a
national basis to rural communities and
federally recognized tribes with water
infrastructure systems damaged by CY
2022 Presidentially declared disasters.
Purposes include supporting eligible
communities, including federally
recognized tribes, identified through the
Presidential disaster declarations by
providing on-site technical assistance to
support post-disaster mitigation of
eligible events, to identify and evaluate
solutions to impacted water,
wastewater, stormwater and solid waste
challenges, help communities develop
and prepare applications for water and
waste loans and grants, deliver training
and other resources to operators,
managers, and other system personnel,
and pay certain expenses associated
with the provision of such services.
Applicants are responsible for any
expenses incurred in developing their
application.
Electronic applications must be
submitted between September 28, 2023
and 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on October
30, 2023. Late or incomplete
applications will not be accepted.
ADDRESSES: Applications and
supporting information must be
submitted electronically through
Grants.gov via https://www.grants.gov.
Instructions and additional resources, to
include an application guide, are
available at https://www.rd.usda.gov/
programs-services/water-environmentalprograms/calendar-year-2022-disastercircuit-rider-technical-assistance-grantsprogram under the ‘‘To Apply’’ tab.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Penny Douglas, Grant Manager, Water
and Environmental Programs, RUS,
USDA, by phone at (202) 253–0504 or
by email at Water-RD@usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
DATES:
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Overview
Federal Awarding Agency Name:
Rural Utilities Service.
Funding Opportunity Title: Calendar
Year 2022 Disaster Circuit Rider
Technical Assistance Grants Program.
Announcement Type: Notice of
Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
Funding Opportunity Number: RD–
RUS–CY22DisasterCRTA.
Assistance Listing: 10.761, Technical
Assistance and Training Grants.
Dates: Completed electronic
applications must be submitted through
www.grants.gov between September 28,
2023 and 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on
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October 30, 2023. Late or incomplete
applications will not be accepted.
Rural Development Key Priorities: 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.
A. Program Description
1. Purpose of the Program. The CY
2022 Disaster CRTA Grants Program is
designed to award funding to qualified
organizations that will provide technical
assistance on a national basis to water,
wastewater, stormwater, and solid waste
systems in rural areas with populations
of up to 35,000. Grant funds must be
used to support water infrastructure
systems damaged by Presidentially
declared disasters in CY 2022. Eligible
uses of funds include providing on-site
technical assistance to support postdisaster mitigation of eligible events, to
identify and evaluate solutions to water,
wastewater, stormwater, and solid waste
challenges, help communities develop
and prepare applications for water and
waste loans and grants, deliver training
and other resources to operators,
managers, and other system personnel,
and pay certain expenses associated
with the provision of such services. For
the most current list of Presidentially
declared disasters, visit the United
States (U.S.) Department of Homeland
Security, Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) website at:
https://www.fema.gov/disaster/
declarations.
2. Statutory and Regulatory Authority.
The CY22 CRTA Grants Program is
authorized pursuant to section
306(a)(22) of the Consolidated Farm and
Rural Development Act (Pub. L. 87–
128); Division N of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. L. 117–
328); and 2 CFR parts 200 and 400,
Uniform and Administrative
Requirements, Cost Principles, and
Audit Requirements for Federal Awards.
This program is implemented under the
provisions of 7 CFR 1775, Technical
Assistance Grants, Subpart A, General
Provisions, and B, Grant Application
Processing, and this NOFO. Other
federal statutes and regulations are
listed at 7 CFR 1775.8, Other Federal
statutes.
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3. Definitions. The definitions
applicable to this notice are published
at 7 CFR 1775.2, Definitions, and this
Notice. The terms and conditions
provided in this Notice are applicable to
and for purposes of this Notice only.
This Notice takes precedence related to
any definition found both within both 7
CFR 1775 and this Notice.
Actual Capacity. Possess the
necessary resources to provide technical
assistance to water infrastructure
systems through its own staff or be
assisted by an affiliate or member
organization which has such
background and experience, and which
agrees in writing that it will provide the
assistance for the duration of the grant
performance period, or contract with a
nonaffiliated organization for not more
than 49 percent of the grant to provide
the proposed assistance.
Affiliated Organization. A company
that is related to another company,
usually by being in the position of a
member or a subordinate role (must be
verified by organizational
documentation). Two companies may be
affiliated if one company has control
over the other or if both are controlled
by a third company. One corporation
can be affiliated with another
corporation by shareholdings, by
holding a minority interest, or one
corporation might be a subsidiary of
another.
Agency. RUS or its successors, and
the USDA RD employees acting on
behalf of RUS in accordance with the
appropriate delegations of authority.
Calendar Year 2022. The dates
beginning January 1, 2022, and ending
December 31, 2022.
Federally Recognized Tribe. Any
Indian or Alaska Native tribe, band,
nation, pueblo, village or community as
defined by the Federally Recognized
Indian Tribe List Act (List Act) of 1994
(Pub. L. 103–454).
Prefabricated Homes Communities.
Mobile, manufactured, and modular
homes that share a private public water
and/or sewer system.
Presidentially Declared Disaster. A
declaration made in accordance with
applicable statues by the President that
a disaster exists, necessitating assistance
in the recovery of the impacted area.
Rural or Rural Area. Any area in a
city, town, or unincorporated area with
a population not in excess of 35,000
inhabitants, according to the latest
Agency-implemented decennial census
of the United States. The population of
the community is as adjusted by the
exclusion of individuals incarcerated on
a long-term or regional basis, and the
exclusion of the first 1,500 individuals
who reside in housing located on a
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military base. The area to be served may
be made up of combinations of these
eligible areas. If the applicable
population figure cannot be obtained
from the most recent decennial Census,
RUS will determine the applicable
population figure based on available
population data. Facilities receiving
technical assistance under this grant
program may be located in non-rural
areas. However, funds may be used to
benefit only that portion of the facility
serving rural areas, regardless of facility
location.
4. Application of Awards. The Agency
will review, evaluate, and score
applications received in response to this
Notice as indicated here and with
further clarification found in the CY
2022 Disaster CRTA Grants Program
Application Guide. Awards under the
CY 2022 Disaster CRTA Grants Program
will be made on a competitive basis
using specific selection criteria
contained in the Notice and further
detailed in the Application Guide. The
Agency advises all interested parties
that the applicant bears the full burden
in preparing and submitting an
application in response to this notice.
B. Federal Award Information
Type of Award: Grant.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2023.
Available Funds: Up to $8,000,000.
RUS may at its discretion increase the
total level of funding available in this
funding round from any available
source provided the awards meet the
requirements of the statute which made
the funding available to the Agency.
Award Amounts: No minimum or
maximum award amount.
Anticipated Award Date: September
30, 2023.
Performance Period: Projects begin as
denoted in the Grant Agreement and
may go up to 24 months. Applicant
must reference the performance period
in its project narrative.
Renewal or Supplemental Awards:
This is a new program; no prior grants
have been awarded under the CY 2022
CRTA Grants Program.
Type of Assistance Instrument: Grant
Agreement.
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C. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants. CY 2022
Disaster CRTA grant funding is available
to associations, including corporations
not operated for profit, Indian tribes on
Federal and State reservations and other
federally recognized Indian tribes, and
public and quasi-public agencies.
Additionally, an applicant must:
(a) Be legally established prior to
submitting the application and be
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located within a State as defined in
§ 1775.2, and
(b) Possess and document legal
authority to receive and administer a
federal award, and to provide the
proposed technical assistance on a
national basis, to eligible communities,
including federally recognized tribes,
and
(c) Document proven technical,
managerial and financial capacity and
experience to carry out the objectives of
this program and to comply with state
and federal laws and regulations, as
evidenced by the applicant’s satisfactory
accomplishment of technical assistance
similar to that proposed, and
(d) Have no delinquent debt to the
federal government or outstanding
judgments to repay a federal debt, and
(e) Not be a corporation that has been
convicted of a felony or had an officer
or agent acting on behalf of the
corporation convicted of a felony,
within the past 24 months. Any
corporation that has any unpaid federal
tax liability that has been assessed, for
which all judicial and administrative
remedies have been exhausted or have
lapsed, and that is not being paid in a
timely manner pursuant to an agreement
with the authority responsible for
collecting the tax liability is not eligible.
2. Eligible Grant Purposes. Technical
assistance that may be provided to
eligible communities, including
federally recognized tribes, through the
CY 2022 Disaster CRTA Grants program
includes:
(a) Short-term disaster and emergency
assistance, including on-site technical
assistance and troubleshooting;
(b) Identifying and evaluating longterm solutions, inclusive of Risk and
Resilience Assessments, Emergency
Response Plans, and other planning
documentation;
(c) Providing training and other
resources to operators and management;
and,
(d) Application development,
including any technical work such as
feasibility, engineering, and
environmental reports.
(e) Certain other technical assistance
efforts that support the resiliency and
capacity of eligible systems.
3. Cost Sharing or Matching. No cost
sharing or matching requirement is
associated with this grant.
D. Application and Submission
Information
1. Address to Request Application
Package. Application information is
available at www.grants.gov and https://
www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/
water-environmental-programs/
calendar-year-2022-disaster-circuit-
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rider-technical-assistance-grantsprogram.
2. Content and Form of Application
Submission. To be considered for
funding, applicants must meet the
eligibility criteria outlined in this notice
and must submit a complete application
by the deadline date. Applicants should
consult the cost principles and general
administrative requirements found in 2
CFR part 200 for grants pertaining to
their organizational type to prepare the
budget and complete other parts of the
application. Applications should be
prepared in conformance with program
regulations, and departmental and other
applicable regulations including 2 CFR
parts 180, 182, 200, 400, 417, 418, and
421, or any successor regulations.
Applications should be prepared in
accordance with the requirements of
this Notice, further elaborated on in the
CY 2022 Disaster CRTA Grants
Application Guide (Application Guide).
The Application Guide provides
specific, detailed instructions for each
item of a complete application. The
Agency emphasizes the importance of
including every item and strongly
encourages applicants to follow the
instructions carefully, using examples
and illustrations in the Application
Guide. Applicants should ensure they
are using the most updated version of
the application guide before submitting
an application. Any updates to the
application guide will be posted at
www.Grants.gov and https://
www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/
water-environmental-programs/
calendar-year-2022-disaster-circuitrider-technical-assistance-grantsprogram. The items at 7 CFR
1775.10(c)(3), (4), and (5) are no longer
required to be separately submitted as
part of the application, as they are
covered under the Financial Assistance
General Certifications and
Representations referenced in item 3(c)
of this notice.
3. System for Award Management and
Unique Entity Identifier.
(a) 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 obtain a
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).
Instructions for obtaining the UEI are
available at https://sam.gov/content/
entity-registration.
(b) Applicant 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
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consideration by a Federal awarding
agency.
(c) Applicant must ensure the
Financial Assistance General
Certifications and Representations are
completed in SAM.
(d) Applicant must provide a valid
UEI in its application, unless
determined exempt under 2 CFR 25.110.
(e) 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.
4. Submission Dates and Times.
Completed applications must be
submitted through www.grants.gov
between September 28, 2023 and 11:59
p.m. Eastern Time on October 30, 2023.
Late or incomplete applications will not
be accepted. If the submission deadline
falls on Saturday, Sunday, or a Federal
holiday, the application is due the next
business day.
The Agency will not solicit or
consider new scoring or eligibility
information that is submitted after the
application deadline. RUS also reserves
the right to ask applicants for clarifying
information and additional verification
of assertions in the application.
5. Intergovernmental Review.
Executive Order (E.O.) 12372,
Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs, does not apply to this
program.
6. Funding Restrictions. Applications
must be for eligible purposes as defined
above, and in consideration of any
restrictions found within 7 CFR 1775.5,
Limitations and this Notice. Funds
under this program must be used to
address impacts from Presidentially
declared disasters that occurred in
Calendar Year 2022.
7. Other Submission Requirements.
Applications must be submitted
electronically through https://
www.Grants.gov. RUS may request
original signatures later for any
electronically signed documents. All
electronic documents must be submitted
in Excel, Word, or PDF format. If system
errors or technical difficulties occur, use
the customer support resources
available at the Grants.gov website.
E. Application Review Information
1. Criteria. All applications that are
complete and eligible will be scored and
ranked competitively. The categories for
scoring criteria used are the following:
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(a) Applicant’s Experience:
Experience level in developing and
implementing successful technical
assistance or training programs similar
to the proposed project (up to 15
points).
More than ten years (15 points)
Six to ten years (10 points)
Up to five years (5 points)
No experience (0 points)
(b) Applicant’s Actual Capacity: Use
of grant funds for grantee’s staff versus
contract personnel to carry out the
technical assistance or training (up to 15
points).
At least 75 percent staff (15 points)
50 percent to 74.99 percent staff (10
points)
Fewer than 50 percent staff (0 points)
(c) Population of the proposed area or
areas to be served—based on the 2010
U.S. Census, available at this link:
https://go.usa.gov/xMwbH (up to 15
points).
Fewer than 5,500 (15 points)
5,500 to 9,999 (10 points)
10,000 or more (0 points)
(d) Application Development.
Technical Assistance is for predevelopment or activities related to an
application filed under the CY 2022
Disaster Water Grant Program (RD–
RUS–CY22DISASTER available at
https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/
view-opportunity.html?oppId=348809).
(up to 15 points)
(e) Needs assessment. Clearly
addresses and defines the need(s) and is
supported by data. (up to 10 points)
(f) Goals and objectives. Establishes
and defines clear measurable goals and
objectives, which are tied to the need as
defined in the Needs Assessment. (up to
10 points)
(g) Work Plan. Clearly articulates a
well-thought-out approach to
accomplishing objectives and clearly
identifies who will be benefitted by the
technical assistance. Includes a
timeframe for completing the goals and
objectives. (up to 30 points possible)
(h) Evaluation Methods. Outlines
evaluation method(s) specific to each
activity, which are clearly defined,
measurable, and stipulate expected
project outcome(s. (up to 10 points)
(i) Administrative Discretionary
Points. In order to be considered for
Administrator Discretionary Points, the
applicant must provide adequate
documentation to address that the
project is located in a Disadvantaged
Community or a Distressed Community.
A Disadvantaged Community will be
determined by the Agency by using the
Council on Environmental Quality’s
Climate and Economic Justice Screening
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Tool (which is incorporated into the
USDA look-up map) which identifies
communities burdened by climate
change and environmental injustice.
Additionally, all communities within
the boundaries of Federally Recognized
Tribes and Alaska Native Villages will
also be determined to be Disadvantaged
Communities by the Agency. A
Distressed Community will be
determined by the Agency by using the
Economic Innovation Group’s
Distressed Communities Index (which is
incorporated into the USDA look-up
map), which uses several socioeconomic measures to identify
communities with low economic wellbeing. To determine if your project is
located in a Disadvantaged Community
or a Distressed Community, please use
the following USDA look-up map:
https://ruraldevelopment.
maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/
index.html?id=4acf083be4c44bb
7864d90f97de0c788. The Administrator
Discretionary Points will be awarded
solely on these criteria. (15 points)
2. Review and Selection Process. RUS
will acknowledge the application’s
receipt via an email to the applicant
within 30 days of the closing of the
application window. The following
actions will be taken:
(a) Incomplete or ineligible
applications as of the deadline for
submission will not be considered. If an
application is determined to be
incomplete or ineligible, the applicant
will be notified in writing.
(b) Complete, eligible applications
will be evaluated competitively by a
review team, composed of at least three
RUS employees. They will make overall
recommendations based on the program
elements found in 7 CFR part 1775 and
this Notice, including review criteria
presented in Section E above. They will
award points as described in the scoring
criterion within this notice. Each
application will receive a score based on
the averages of the reviewers’ scores and
discretionary points awarded by the
RUS Administrator. RUS reserves the
right to request additional information
once an application is determined to be
complete to minimize the risk of
duplication of other federal efforts.
(c) Applications will be ranked, and
grants awarded based upon the scoring
results and funding availability. RUS
reserves the right to offer the applicant
less than the grant funding requested. At
RUS’s discretion, projects scoring too
low may not be awarded funding even
if funding remains available.
(d) Regardless of the score an
application receives, if RUS determines
that the project is technically infeasible,
RUS will notify the applicant, in
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writing, and no further action will be
taken.
F. Federal Award Administration
Information
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1. Federal Award Notices
(a) Application Outcomes. There are
four possible outcomes following the
submission of an application under the
CY 2022 Disaster CRTA Grant Program.
RUS reserves the right to make no grant
awards if all applications are ineligible,
incomplete or do not meet the
established program objectives and
priorities. RUS may determine that the
application is:
(1) Eligible and selected for funding at
the requested amount,
(2) Eligible but offered fewer funds
than requested,
(3) Eligible but not selected for
funding, or
(4) Ineligible for the grant.
(b) Award Notices. Applicants
selected for funding will be sent an
award letter, accompanied by a grant
agreement, which outlines the terms
and conditions of the award, and other
applicable documents. Pursuant to the
grant agreement, grant funds may be
released over the course of the grant
period in reimbursement for the
performance of eligible, approved
activities which do not duplicate similar
federal efforts or tasks. The grant
agreement may also include reporting
and pre-approval requirements which if
not met, may result in a delay in
reimbursement, disallowance of
expense, or a suspension of the grant.
(c) Payments/Reimbursements.
Grantees will be reimbursed as
delineated at 7 CFR 1775.18, this
Notice, and the Grant Agreement.
(d) Scope of Services. Any change in
the scope of the project, budget
adjustments of more than 10 percent, or
other modifications must get written
prior approval in accordance with 7
CFR 1775.19, this Notice, and the Grant
Agreement.
(e) Prevailing Wages. All laborers,
apprentices and mechanics employed
by contractors and subcontractors on
projects funded directly by or assisted
in whole or in part by and through the
Federal Government pursuant to this
Act shall be paid wages at rates not less
than those prevailing on projects of a
character similar in the locality as
determined by the Secretary of Labor in
accordance with United States Code,
Title 40, Chapter 31, Subchapter IV (also
known as the Davis-Bacon Act). Further
details on eligible applicants and
projects may be found in the relevant
regulations listed in Section C of this
Notice.
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18:09 Sep 27, 2023
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2. Administrative and National Policy
Requirements. This Notice is subject to
the terms and requirements of
Departmental and other regulations,
including 2 CFR parts 180, 182, 200,
400, 417, 418, 421 and any successor
regulations implementing the
appropriate administrative and national
policy requirements.
3. Reporting. Performance reporting,
including applicable forms, narratives,
and other documentation, are to be
completed and submitted in accordance
with the provisions of 7 CFR 1775.20,
this Notice, and the Grant Agreement.
Further, all grantees must submit an
audit or financial information covering
the defined period of performance as
outlined in 7 CFR 1775.21, this Notice,
and the Grant Agreement.
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
For general questions about this
notice please see point of contact listed
in FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
section of this notice.
H. Other Information
1. Paperwork Reduction Act. In
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
chapter 35), the information collection
requirements associated with this
program, as covered in this notice, have
been approved by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) under
OMB Control Number 0572–0138.
2. National Environmental Policy Act.
All recipients under this notice are
subject to the requirements of 7 CFR
part 1970. However, awards for
technical assistance under this notice
are classified as a Categorical Exclusion
in accordance with 7 CFR 1970.53(b),
and usually do not require any
additional documentation. RUS will
review each grant application to
determine its compliance with 7 CFR
part 1970. The applicant may be asked
to provide additional information or
documentation to assist RUS with this
determination.
3. Federal Funding Accountability
and Transparency Act. All applicants,
in accordance with 2 CFR part 25, must
be registered in SAM and have a UEI
number as stated in Section D.3 of this
notice. All recipients of Federal
financial assistance are required to
report information about first-tier subawards and executive total
compensation in accordance with 2 CFR
part 170.
4. Civil Rights Act. All grants made
under this notice are subject to Title VI
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as
required by USDA (7 CFR part 15
subpart A, Nondiscrimination in
Federally-Assisted Programs of the
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Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
66801
Department of Agriculture, which is the
effectuation of title VI of the Civil Rights
Act of 1964) and section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, title VIII of
the Civil Rights Act of 1968, title IX of
the Education Amendments Act of 1972,
Executive Order 13166 (Limited English
Proficiency), Executive Order 11246
(Equal Employment Opportunity), and
the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of
1974.
5. 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, or the 711
Relay Service.
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/ad-3027.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 (ASCR) about
the nature and date of an alleged civil
rights violation.
The completed Form AD–3027 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
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Federal Register / Vol. 88, No. 187 / Thursday, September 28, 2023 / Notices
(3) Email: program.intake@usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity
provider, employer, and lender.
Christopher A. McLean,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service,
USDA Rural Development.
[FR Doc. 2023–21129 Filed 9–27–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–15–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Foreign-Trade Zones Board
[Order No. 2151]
ddrumheller on DSK120RN23PROD with NOTICES1
Reorganization of Foreign-Trade Zone
29 (Expansion of Service Area) Under
Alternative Site Framework; Louisville,
Kentucky
Pursuant to its authority under the
Foreign-Trade Zones Act of June 18,
1934, as amended (19 U.S.C. 81a–81u),
the Foreign-Trade Zones Board (the
Board) adopts the following Order:
Whereas, the Foreign-Trade Zones
(FTZ) Act provides for ‘‘. . . the
establishment . . . of foreign-trade
zones in ports of entry of the United
States, to expedite and encourage
foreign commerce, and for other
purposes,’’ and authorizes the Board to
grant to qualified corporations the
privilege of establishing foreign-trade
zones in or adjacent to U.S. Customs
and Border Protection ports of entry;
Whereas, the Board adopted the
alternative site framework (ASF) (15
CFR 400.2(c)) as an option for the
establishment or reorganization of
zones;
Whereas, the Louisville & Jefferson
County Riverport Authority, grantee of
Foreign-Trade Zone 29, submitted an
application to the Board (FTZ Docket B–
3–2023, docketed January 9, 2023) for
authority to expand the service area of
the zone to include Christian, Todd,
Logan, Simpson, Warren, Allen, and
Barren Counties, Kentucky and to
include two additional subzones (for
Southern Kentucky Warehousing &
Fulfillment, LLC and Envision AESC
Bowling Green LLC), as described in the
application, adjacent to the Nashville
Customs and Border Protection port of
entry;
Whereas, notice inviting public
comment was given in the Federal
Register (88 FR 2322–2323, January 13,
2023) and the application has been
processed pursuant to the FTZ Act and
the Board’s regulations; and,
Whereas, the Board adopts the
findings and recommendations of the
examiner’s report, and finds that the
requirements of the FTZ Act and the
Board’s regulations would be satisfied if
VerDate Sep<11>2014
18:09 Sep 27, 2023
Jkt 259001
approval is limited to the proposed
subzone for Envision AESC Bowling
Green LLC;
Now, therefore, the Board hereby
approves subzone status at the facility of
Envision AESC Bowling Green LLC,
located in Bowling Green, Kentucky
(Subzone 29T), as described in the
application and Federal Register notice,
subject to the FTZ Act and the Board’s
regulations, including section 400.13.
Dated: September 22, 2023.
Lisa W. Wang,
Assistant Secretary for Enforcement and
Compliance, Alternate Chairman, ForeignTrade Zones Board.
[FR Doc. 2023–21188 Filed 9–27–23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–DS–P
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Bureau of Industry and Security
Order Renewing Temporary Denial of
Export Privileges; UTair Aviation JSC,
Khanty-Mansiysk Airport, Tyumen
Region, Russia 628012
Pursuant to section 766.24 of the
Export Administration Regulations, 15
CFR parts 730–774 (‘‘EAR’’ or ‘‘the
Regulations’’),1 I hereby grant the
request of the Office of Export
Enforcement (‘‘OEE’’) to renew the
temporary denial order (‘‘TDO’’) issued
in this matter on October 3, 2022. I find
that renewal of this order is necessary
in the public interest to prevent an
imminent violation of the Regulations
and that renewal for an extended period
is appropriate because UTair Aviation
JSC (‘‘UTair’’) has engaged in a pattern
of repeated, ongoing and/or continuous
apparent violations of the EAR.
I. Procedural History
On April 7, 2022, I signed an order
denying UTair’s export privileges for a
period of 180 days on the ground that
issuance of the order was necessary in
1 On August 13, 2018, the President signed into
law the John S. McCain National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, which
includes the Export Control Reform Act of 2018, 50
U.S.C. 4801–4852 (‘‘ECRA’’). While section 1766 of
ECRA repeals the provisions of the Export
Administration Act, 50 U.S.C. App. 2401 et seq.
(‘‘EAA’’), (except for three sections which are
inapplicable here), section 1768 of ECRA provides,
in pertinent part, that all orders, rules, regulations,
and other forms of administrative action that were
made or issued under the EAA, including as
continued in effect pursuant to the International
Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1701
et seq. (‘‘IEEPA’’), and were in effect as of ECRA’s
date of enactment (August 13, 2018), shall continue
in effect according to their terms until modified,
superseded, set aside, or revoked through action
undertaken pursuant to the authority provided
under ECRA. Moreover, section 1761(a)(5) of ECRA
authorizes the issuance of temporary denial orders.
50 U.S.C. 4820(a)(5).
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 4703
Sfmt 4703
the public interest to prevent an
imminent violation of the Regulations.
The order was issued ex parte pursuant
to section 766.24(a) of the Regulations
and was effective upon issuance.2 This
temporary denial order was
subsequently renewed in accordance
with section 766.24(d) of the
Regulations.3 The renewal order issued
on October 3, 2022 and was effective
upon issuance.4 A second renewal order
issued on March 29, 2023 and was also
effective upon issuance.5
On September 5, 2023, BIS, through
OEE, submitted a written request for
renewal of the TDO that issued on
March 29, 2023. The written request
was made more than 20 days before the
TDO’s scheduled expiration and, given
the temporary suspension of
international mail service to Russia,
OEE has attempted to deliver a copy of
the renewal request to UTair by
alternative means in accordance with
sections 766.5 and 766.24(d) of the
Regulations. No opposition to the
renewal of the TDO has been received.
II. Renewal of the TDO
A. Legal Standard
Pursuant to section 766.24, BIS may
issue an order temporarily denying a
respondent’s export privileges upon a
showing that the order is necessary in
the public interest to prevent an
‘‘imminent violation’’ of the
Regulations, or any order, license or
authorization issued thereunder. 15
CFR766.24(b)(1) and 766.24(d). ‘‘A
violation may be ‘imminent’ either in
time or degree of likelihood.’’ 15 CFR
766.24(b)(3). BIS may show ‘‘either that
a violation is about to occur, or that the
general circumstances of the matter
under investigation or case under
criminal or administrative charges
demonstrate a likelihood of future
violations.’’ Id. As to the likelihood of
future violations, BIS may show that the
violation under investigation or charge
‘‘is significant, deliberate, covert and/or
likely to occur again, rather than
technical or negligent[.]’’ Id. A ‘‘lack of
information establishing the precise
2 The TDO was published in the Federal Register
on April 12, 2022 (87 FR 21616).
3 At the time of the renewal, section 766.24(d)
provided that BIS may seek renewal of a temporary
denial order for additional 180-day renewal
periods, if it believes that renewal is necessary in
the public interest to prevent an imminent
violation. Renewal requests are to be made in
writing no later than 20 days before the scheduled
expiration date of a temporary denial order.
4 The October 3, 2022 renewal order was
published in the Federal Register on October 7,
2022 (87 FR 60987).
5 The March 29, 2023 renewal order was
published in the Federal Register on April 4, 2023
(88 FR 19911).
E:\FR\FM\28SEN1.SGM
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 187 (Thursday, September 28, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66797-66802]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-21129]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
[Docket #: RUS-23-WATER-0013]
Notice of Funding Opportunity for Calendar Year 2022 Disaster
Circuit Rider Technical Assistance Grants Program; Water and
Environmental Programs
AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service (RUS or the Agency), a Rural
Development (RD) mission area of the United States Department of
Agriculture (USDA), announces acceptance of applications under the
Calendar Year (CY) 2022 Disaster Circuit Rider Technical Assistance (CY
2022 Disaster CRTA) Grants Program. The Agency will have up to
$8,000,000 in grant funding
[[Page 66798]]
provided through the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act,
2023. Grant funds will be made available to qualified organizations to
provide technical assistance on a national basis to rural communities
and federally recognized tribes with water infrastructure systems
damaged by CY 2022 Presidentially declared disasters. Purposes include
supporting eligible communities, including federally recognized tribes,
identified through the Presidential disaster declarations by providing
on-site technical assistance to support post-disaster mitigation of
eligible events, to identify and evaluate solutions to impacted water,
wastewater, stormwater and solid waste challenges, help communities
develop and prepare applications for water and waste loans and grants,
deliver training and other resources to operators, managers, and other
system personnel, and pay certain expenses associated with the
provision of such services. Applicants are responsible for any expenses
incurred in developing their application.
DATES: Electronic applications must be submitted between September 28,
2023 and 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on October 30, 2023. Late or
incomplete applications will not be accepted.
ADDRESSES: Applications and supporting information must be submitted
electronically through Grants.gov via https://www.grants.gov.
Instructions and additional resources, to include an application guide,
are available at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-environmental-programs/calendar-year-2022-disaster-circuit-rider-technical-assistance-grants-program under the ``To Apply'' tab.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Penny Douglas, Grant Manager, Water
and Environmental Programs, RUS, USDA, by phone at (202) 253-0504 or by
email at [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Awarding Agency Name: Rural Utilities Service.
Funding Opportunity Title: Calendar Year 2022 Disaster Circuit
Rider Technical Assistance Grants Program.
Announcement Type: Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
Funding Opportunity Number: RD-RUS-CY22DisasterCRTA.
Assistance Listing: 10.761, Technical Assistance and Training
Grants.
Dates: Completed electronic applications must be submitted through
www.grants.gov between September 28, 2023 and 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time
on October 30, 2023. Late or incomplete applications will not be
accepted.
Rural Development Key Priorities: 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.
A. Program Description
1. Purpose of the Program. The CY 2022 Disaster CRTA Grants Program
is designed to award funding to qualified organizations that will
provide technical assistance on a national basis to water, wastewater,
stormwater, and solid waste systems in rural areas with populations of
up to 35,000. Grant funds must be used to support water infrastructure
systems damaged by Presidentially declared disasters in CY 2022.
Eligible uses of funds include providing on-site technical assistance
to support post-disaster mitigation of eligible events, to identify and
evaluate solutions to water, wastewater, stormwater, and solid waste
challenges, help communities develop and prepare applications for water
and waste loans and grants, deliver training and other resources to
operators, managers, and other system personnel, and pay certain
expenses associated with the provision of such services. For the most
current list of Presidentially declared disasters, visit the United
States (U.S.) Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) website at: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/declarations.
2. Statutory and Regulatory Authority. The CY22 CRTA Grants Program
is authorized pursuant to section 306(a)(22) of the Consolidated Farm
and Rural Development Act (Pub. L. 87-128); Division N of the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Pub. L. 117-328); and 2 CFR
parts 200 and 400, Uniform and Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards. This program is
implemented under the provisions of 7 CFR 1775, Technical Assistance
Grants, Subpart A, General Provisions, and B, Grant Application
Processing, and this NOFO. Other federal statutes and regulations are
listed at 7 CFR 1775.8, Other Federal statutes.
3. Definitions. The definitions applicable to this notice are
published at 7 CFR 1775.2, Definitions, and this Notice. The terms and
conditions provided in this Notice are applicable to and for purposes
of this Notice only. This Notice takes precedence related to any
definition found both within both 7 CFR 1775 and this Notice.
Actual Capacity. Possess the necessary resources to provide
technical assistance to water infrastructure systems through its own
staff or be assisted by an affiliate or member organization which has
such background and experience, and which agrees in writing that it
will provide the assistance for the duration of the grant performance
period, or contract with a nonaffiliated organization for not more than
49 percent of the grant to provide the proposed assistance.
Affiliated Organization. A company that is related to another
company, usually by being in the position of a member or a subordinate
role (must be verified by organizational documentation). Two companies
may be affiliated if one company has control over the other or if both
are controlled by a third company. One corporation can be affiliated
with another corporation by shareholdings, by holding a minority
interest, or one corporation might be a subsidiary of another.
Agency. RUS or its successors, and the USDA RD employees acting on
behalf of RUS in accordance with the appropriate delegations of
authority.
Calendar Year 2022. The dates beginning January 1, 2022, and ending
December 31, 2022.
Federally Recognized Tribe. Any Indian or Alaska Native tribe,
band, nation, pueblo, village or community as defined by the Federally
Recognized Indian Tribe List Act (List Act) of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-454).
Prefabricated Homes Communities. Mobile, manufactured, and modular
homes that share a private public water and/or sewer system.
Presidentially Declared Disaster. A declaration made in accordance
with applicable statues by the President that a disaster exists,
necessitating assistance in the recovery of the impacted area.
Rural or Rural Area. Any area in a city, town, or unincorporated
area with a population not in excess of 35,000 inhabitants, according
to the latest Agency-implemented decennial census of the United States.
The population of the community is as adjusted by the exclusion of
individuals incarcerated on a long-term or regional basis, and the
exclusion of the first 1,500 individuals who reside in housing located
on a
[[Page 66799]]
military base. The area to be served may be made up of combinations of
these eligible areas. If the applicable population figure cannot be
obtained from the most recent decennial Census, RUS will determine the
applicable population figure based on available population data.
Facilities receiving technical assistance under this grant program may
be located in non-rural areas. However, funds may be used to benefit
only that portion of the facility serving rural areas, regardless of
facility location.
4. Application of Awards. The Agency will review, evaluate, and
score applications received in response to this Notice as indicated
here and with further clarification found in the CY 2022 Disaster CRTA
Grants Program Application Guide. Awards under the CY 2022 Disaster
CRTA Grants Program will be made on a competitive basis using specific
selection criteria contained in the Notice and further detailed in the
Application Guide. The Agency advises all interested parties that the
applicant bears the full burden in preparing and submitting an
application in response to this notice.
B. Federal Award Information
Type of Award: Grant.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2023.
Available Funds: Up to $8,000,000. RUS may at its discretion
increase the total level of funding available in this funding round
from any available source provided the awards meet the requirements of
the statute which made the funding available to the Agency.
Award Amounts: No minimum or maximum award amount.
Anticipated Award Date: September 30, 2023.
Performance Period: Projects begin as denoted in the Grant
Agreement and may go up to 24 months. Applicant must reference the
performance period in its project narrative.
Renewal or Supplemental Awards: This is a new program; no prior
grants have been awarded under the CY 2022 CRTA Grants Program.
Type of Assistance Instrument: Grant Agreement.
C. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants. CY 2022 Disaster CRTA grant funding is
available to associations, including corporations not operated for
profit, Indian tribes on Federal and State reservations and other
federally recognized Indian tribes, and public and quasi-public
agencies. Additionally, an applicant must:
(a) Be legally established prior to submitting the application and
be located within a State as defined in Sec. 1775.2, and
(b) Possess and document legal authority to receive and administer
a federal award, and to provide the proposed technical assistance on a
national basis, to eligible communities, including federally recognized
tribes, and
(c) Document proven technical, managerial and financial capacity
and experience to carry out the objectives of this program and to
comply with state and federal laws and regulations, as evidenced by the
applicant's satisfactory accomplishment of technical assistance similar
to that proposed, and
(d) Have no delinquent debt to the federal government or
outstanding judgments to repay a federal debt, and
(e) Not be a corporation that has been convicted of a felony or had
an officer or agent acting on behalf of the corporation convicted of a
felony, within the past 24 months. Any corporation that has any unpaid
federal tax liability that has been assessed, for which all judicial
and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have lapsed, and
that is not being paid in a timely manner pursuant to an agreement with
the authority responsible for collecting the tax liability is not
eligible.
2. Eligible Grant Purposes. Technical assistance that may be
provided to eligible communities, including federally recognized
tribes, through the CY 2022 Disaster CRTA Grants program includes:
(a) Short-term disaster and emergency assistance, including on-site
technical assistance and troubleshooting;
(b) Identifying and evaluating long-term solutions, inclusive of
Risk and Resilience Assessments, Emergency Response Plans, and other
planning documentation;
(c) Providing training and other resources to operators and
management; and,
(d) Application development, including any technical work such as
feasibility, engineering, and environmental reports.
(e) Certain other technical assistance efforts that support the
resiliency and capacity of eligible systems.
3. Cost Sharing or Matching. No cost sharing or matching
requirement is associated with this grant.
D. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package. Application information
is available at www.grants.gov and https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-environmental-programs/calendar-year-2022-disaster-circuit-rider-technical-assistance-grants-program.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission. To be considered for
funding, applicants must meet the eligibility criteria outlined in this
notice and must submit a complete application by the deadline date.
Applicants should consult the cost principles and general
administrative requirements found in 2 CFR part 200 for grants
pertaining to their organizational type to prepare the budget and
complete other parts of the application. Applications should be
prepared in conformance with program regulations, and departmental and
other applicable regulations including 2 CFR parts 180, 182, 200, 400,
417, 418, and 421, or any successor regulations.
Applications should be prepared in accordance with the requirements
of this Notice, further elaborated on in the CY 2022 Disaster CRTA
Grants Application Guide (Application Guide). The Application Guide
provides specific, detailed instructions for each item of a complete
application. The Agency emphasizes the importance of including every
item and strongly encourages applicants to follow the instructions
carefully, using examples and illustrations in the Application Guide.
Applicants should ensure they are using the most updated version of the
application guide before submitting an application. Any updates to the
application guide will be posted at www.Grants.gov and https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-environmental-programs/calendar-year-2022-disaster-circuit-rider-technical-assistance-grants-program. The items at 7 CFR 1775.10(c)(3), (4), and (5) are no longer
required to be separately submitted as part of the application, as they
are covered under the Financial Assistance General Certifications and
Representations referenced in item 3(c) of this notice.
3. System for Award Management and Unique Entity Identifier.
(a) 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 obtain a Unique Entity Identifier
(UEI). Instructions for obtaining the UEI are available at https://sam.gov/content/entity-registration.
(b) Applicant 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
[[Page 66800]]
consideration by a Federal awarding agency.
(c) Applicant must ensure the Financial Assistance General
Certifications and Representations are completed in SAM.
(d) Applicant must provide a valid UEI in its application, unless
determined exempt under 2 CFR 25.110.
(e) 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.
4. Submission Dates and Times. Completed applications must be
submitted through www.grants.gov between September 28, 2023 and 11:59
p.m. Eastern Time on October 30, 2023. Late or incomplete applications
will not be accepted. If the submission deadline falls on Saturday,
Sunday, or a Federal holiday, the application is due the next business
day.
The Agency will not solicit or consider new scoring or eligibility
information that is submitted after the application deadline. RUS also
reserves the right to ask applicants for clarifying information and
additional verification of assertions in the application.
5. Intergovernmental Review. Executive Order (E.O.) 12372,
Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs, does not apply to this
program.
6. Funding Restrictions. Applications must be for eligible purposes
as defined above, and in consideration of any restrictions found within
7 CFR 1775.5, Limitations and this Notice. Funds under this program
must be used to address impacts from Presidentially declared disasters
that occurred in Calendar Year 2022.
7. Other Submission Requirements.
Applications must be submitted electronically through https://
www.Grants.gov. RUS may request original signatures later for any
electronically signed documents. All electronic documents must be
submitted in Excel, Word, or PDF format. If system errors or technical
difficulties occur, use the customer support resources available at the
Grants.gov website.
E. Application Review Information
1. Criteria. All applications that are complete and eligible will
be scored and ranked competitively. The categories for scoring criteria
used are the following:
(a) Applicant's Experience: Experience level in developing and
implementing successful technical assistance or training programs
similar to the proposed project (up to 15 points).
More than ten years (15 points)
Six to ten years (10 points)
Up to five years (5 points)
No experience (0 points)
(b) Applicant's Actual Capacity: Use of grant funds for grantee's
staff versus contract personnel to carry out the technical assistance
or training (up to 15 points).
At least 75 percent staff (15 points)
50 percent to 74.99 percent staff (10 points)
Fewer than 50 percent staff (0 points)
(c) Population of the proposed area or areas to be served--based on
the 2010 U.S. Census, available at this link: https://go.usa.gov/xMwbH
(up to 15 points).
Fewer than 5,500 (15 points)
5,500 to 9,999 (10 points)
10,000 or more (0 points)
(d) Application Development. Technical Assistance is for pre-
development or activities related to an application filed under the CY
2022 Disaster Water Grant Program (RD-RUS-CY22DISASTER available at
https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=348809).
(up to 15 points)
(e) Needs assessment. Clearly addresses and defines the need(s) and
is supported by data. (up to 10 points)
(f) Goals and objectives. Establishes and defines clear measurable
goals and objectives, which are tied to the need as defined in the
Needs Assessment. (up to 10 points)
(g) Work Plan. Clearly articulates a well-thought-out approach to
accomplishing objectives and clearly identifies who will be benefitted
by the technical assistance. Includes a timeframe for completing the
goals and objectives. (up to 30 points possible)
(h) Evaluation Methods. Outlines evaluation method(s) specific to
each activity, which are clearly defined, measurable, and stipulate
expected project outcome(s. (up to 10 points)
(i) Administrative Discretionary Points. In order to be considered
for Administrator Discretionary Points, the applicant must provide
adequate documentation to address that the project is located in a
Disadvantaged Community or a Distressed Community. A Disadvantaged
Community will be determined by the Agency by using the Council on
Environmental Quality's Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool
(which is incorporated into the USDA look-up map) which identifies
communities burdened by climate change and environmental injustice.
Additionally, all communities within the boundaries of Federally
Recognized Tribes and Alaska Native Villages will also be determined to
be Disadvantaged Communities by the Agency. A Distressed Community will
be determined by the Agency by using the Economic Innovation Group's
Distressed Communities Index (which is incorporated into the USDA look-
up map), which uses several socio-economic measures to identify
communities with low economic well-being. To determine if your project
is located in a Disadvantaged Community or a Distressed Community,
please use the following USDA look-up map: https://ruraldevelopment.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/?id=4acf083be4c44bb7864d90f97de0c788. The Administrator
Discretionary Points will be awarded solely on these criteria. (15
points)
2. Review and Selection Process. RUS will acknowledge the
application's receipt via an email to the applicant within 30 days of
the closing of the application window. The following actions will be
taken:
(a) Incomplete or ineligible applications as of the deadline for
submission will not be considered. If an application is determined to
be incomplete or ineligible, the applicant will be notified in writing.
(b) Complete, eligible applications will be evaluated competitively
by a review team, composed of at least three RUS employees. They will
make overall recommendations based on the program elements found in 7
CFR part 1775 and this Notice, including review criteria presented in
Section E above. They will award points as described in the scoring
criterion within this notice. Each application will receive a score
based on the averages of the reviewers' scores and discretionary points
awarded by the RUS Administrator. RUS reserves the right to request
additional information once an application is determined to be complete
to minimize the risk of duplication of other federal efforts.
(c) Applications will be ranked, and grants awarded based upon the
scoring results and funding availability. RUS reserves the right to
offer the applicant less than the grant funding requested. At RUS's
discretion, projects scoring too low may not be awarded funding even if
funding remains available.
(d) Regardless of the score an application receives, if RUS
determines that the project is technically infeasible, RUS will notify
the applicant, in
[[Page 66801]]
writing, and no further action will be taken.
F. Federal Award Administration Information
1. Federal Award Notices
(a) Application Outcomes. There are four possible outcomes
following the submission of an application under the CY 2022 Disaster
CRTA Grant Program. RUS reserves the right to make no grant awards if
all applications are ineligible, incomplete or do not meet the
established program objectives and priorities. RUS may determine that
the application is:
(1) Eligible and selected for funding at the requested amount,
(2) Eligible but offered fewer funds than requested,
(3) Eligible but not selected for funding, or
(4) Ineligible for the grant.
(b) Award Notices. Applicants selected for funding will be sent an
award letter, accompanied by a grant agreement, which outlines the
terms and conditions of the award, and other applicable documents.
Pursuant to the grant agreement, grant funds may be released over the
course of the grant period in reimbursement for the performance of
eligible, approved activities which do not duplicate similar federal
efforts or tasks. The grant agreement may also include reporting and
pre-approval requirements which if not met, may result in a delay in
reimbursement, disallowance of expense, or a suspension of the grant.
(c) Payments/Reimbursements. Grantees will be reimbursed as
delineated at 7 CFR 1775.18, this Notice, and the Grant Agreement.
(d) Scope of Services. Any change in the scope of the project,
budget adjustments of more than 10 percent, or other modifications must
get written prior approval in accordance with 7 CFR 1775.19, this
Notice, and the Grant Agreement.
(e) Prevailing Wages. All laborers, apprentices and mechanics
employed by contractors and subcontractors on projects funded directly
by or assisted in whole or in part by and through the Federal
Government pursuant to this Act shall be paid wages at rates not less
than those prevailing on projects of a character similar in the
locality as determined by the Secretary of Labor in accordance with
United States Code, Title 40, Chapter 31, Subchapter IV (also known as
the Davis-Bacon Act). Further details on eligible applicants and
projects may be found in the relevant regulations listed in Section C
of this Notice.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. This Notice is
subject to the terms and requirements of Departmental and other
regulations, including 2 CFR parts 180, 182, 200, 400, 417, 418, 421
and any successor regulations implementing the appropriate
administrative and national policy requirements.
3. Reporting. Performance reporting, including applicable forms,
narratives, and other documentation, are to be completed and submitted
in accordance with the provisions of 7 CFR 1775.20, this Notice, and
the Grant Agreement. Further, all grantees must submit an audit or
financial information covering the defined period of performance as
outlined in 7 CFR 1775.21, this Notice, and the Grant Agreement.
G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
For general questions about this notice please see point of contact
listed in For Further Information Contact section of this notice.
H. Other Information
1. Paperwork Reduction Act. In accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the information
collection requirements associated with this program, as covered in
this notice, have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) under OMB Control Number 0572-0138.
2. National Environmental Policy Act. All recipients under this
notice are subject to the requirements of 7 CFR part 1970. However,
awards for technical assistance under this notice are classified as a
Categorical Exclusion in accordance with 7 CFR 1970.53(b), and usually
do not require any additional documentation. RUS will review each grant
application to determine its compliance with 7 CFR part 1970. The
applicant may be asked to provide additional information or
documentation to assist RUS with this determination.
3. Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act. All
applicants, in accordance with 2 CFR part 25, must be registered in SAM
and have a UEI number as stated in Section D.3 of this notice. All
recipients of Federal financial assistance are required to report
information about first-tier sub-awards and executive total
compensation in accordance with 2 CFR part 170.
4. Civil Rights Act. All grants made under this notice are subject
to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as required by USDA (7 CFR
part 15 subpart A, Nondiscrimination in Federally-Assisted Programs of
the Department of Agriculture, which is the effectuation of title VI of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964) and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973, title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, title IX of the
Education Amendments Act of 1972, Executive Order 13166 (Limited
English Proficiency), Executive Order 11246 (Equal Employment
Opportunity), and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974.
5. 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, or the 711 Relay
Service.
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/ad-3027.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 (ASCR) about
the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation.
The completed Form AD-3027 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
[[Page 66802]]
(3) Email: [email protected].
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Christopher A. McLean,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service, USDA Rural Development.
[FR Doc. 2023-21129 Filed 9-27-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P
