[Federal Register: February 8, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 27)]
[Notices]
[Page 7514-7520]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr08fe08-29]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Announcement of Small, Minority Producer Grant Program
Application Deadlines
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of solicitation of applications.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service announces the
availability of approximately $1.463 million in competitive grant funds
for fiscal year (FY) 2008 for cooperatives and associations of
cooperatives to assist small, minority agricultural producers. USDA
Rural Development Cooperative Programs hereby requests proposals from
eligible cooperatives and associations of cooperatives for a
competitively awarded grant to fund technical assistance to small,
minority agricultural producers in rural areas. The maximum award per
grant is $175,000.
DATES: Applications for grants must be submitted on paper or
electronically according to the following deadlines:
Paper copies must be postmarked and mailed, shipped, or sent
overnight no later than April 8, 2008, to be eligible for FY 2008 grant
funding. Late applications are not eligible for FY 2008 grant funding.
Electronic copies must be received by April 8, 2008, to be eligible
for FY 2008 grant funding. Late applications will not be eligible for
FY 2008 grant funding.
ADDRESSES: Application materials for the Small, Minority Producers
Grant Program (SMPG) may be obtained at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/smpg/smpg.htm
or by contacting the applicant's USDA Rural
Development State Office at (202) 720-4323 and pressing ``1''.
Submit electronic grant applications at http://www.grants.gov,
following the instructions found on this Web site. Submit completed
paper applications for a grant to the applicant's State Office as
follows:
A list of Rural Development State Offices follows:
Alabama
USDA Rural Development, Sterling Centre, Suite 601, 4121 Carmichael
Road, Montgomery, AL 36106-3683, (334) 279-3623.
Alaska
USDA Rural Development, 800 West Evergreen, Suite 201, Palmer, AK
99645-6539, (907) 761-7722.
Arizona
USDA Rural Development, 230 North First Avenue, Suite 206, Phoenix,
AZ 85003-1706, (602) 280-8717.
Arkansas
USDA Rural Development, 700 West Capitol Avenue, Room 3416, Little
Rock, AR 72201-3225, (501) 301-3280.
California
USDA Rural Development, 430 G Street, AGCY 4169, Davis, CA 95616,
(530) 792-5829.
Colorado
USDA Rural Development, 655 Parfet Street, Room E-100, Lakewood, CO
80215, (720) 544-2903.
Delaware/Maryland
USDA Rural Development, 1221 College Park Drive, Suite 200, Dover,
DE 19904, (302) 857-3580.
Florida/Virgin Islands
USDA Rural Development, 4440 NW. 25th Place, Gainesville, FL 32606,
(352) 338-3482.
Georgia
USDA Rural Development, 111 East Spring St., Monroe, GA 30655, (770)
267-1413, Ext. 113.
Hawaii
USDA Rural Development, Federal Building, Room 311, 154 Waianuenue
Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720, (808) 933-8313.
Idaho
USDA Rural Development, 9173 West Barnes Drive, Suite A1, Boise, ID
83709, (208) 378-5623.
Illinois
USDA Rural Development, 2118 West Park Court, Suite A, Champaign, IL
61821, (217) 403-6202.
Indiana
USDA Rural Development, 5975 Lakeside Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46278,
(317) 290-3100.
[[Page 7515]]
Iowa
USDA Rural Development, 873 Federal Building, 210 Walnut Street, Des
Moines, IA 50309, (515) 284-4714.
Kansas
USDA Rural Development, 1303 SW First American Place, Suite 100,
Topeka, KS 66604-4040, (785) 271-2744.
Kentucky
USDA Rural Development, 771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200, Lexington,
KY 40503, (859) 224-7435.
Louisiana
USDA Rural Development, 3727 Government St., Alexandria, LA 71302,
(318) 473-7960.
Maine
USDA Rural Development, 967 Illinois Avenue, Suite 4, P.O. Box 405,
Bangor, ME 04402-0405, (207) 990-9168.
Massachusetts/Rhode Island/Connecticut
USDA Rural Development, 451 West Street, Suite 2, Amherst, MA 01002-
2999, (413) 253-4319.
Michigan
USDA Rural Development, 3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 200, East Lansing,
MI 48823, (517) 324-5157.
Minnesota
USDA Rural Development, 375 Jackson St., Suite 410, St. Paul, MN
55101, (651) 602-7814.
Mississippi
USDA Rural Development, Federal Building, Suite 831, 100 West
Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39269, (601) 965-5457.
Missouri
USDA Rural Development, 601 Business Loop 70 West, Parkade Center,
Suite 235, Columbia, MO 65203, (573) 876-9320.
Montana
USDA Rural Development, 900 Technology Blvd., Suite B, P.O. Box 850,
Bozeman, MT 59771, (406) 585-2540.
Nebraska
USDA Rural Development, 100 Centennial Mall North, Room 152 Federal
Building, Lincoln, NE 68508, (402) 437-5554.
Nevada
USDA Rural Development, 1390 S. Curry St., Carson City, NV 89703,
(775) 887-1222, Ext. 19.
New Jersey
USDA Rural Development, 8000 Midlantic Drive, Suite 500N, Mt.
Laurel, NJ 08054, (856) 787-7753.
New Mexico
USDA Rural Development, 6200 Jefferson Street, NE, Room 255,
Albuquerque, NM 87109, (505) 761-4952.
New York
USDA Rural Development, 441 S. Salina St., Suite 357, Syracuse, NY
13202, (315) 477-6400.
North Carolina
USDA Rural Development, 4405 Bland Road, Suite 260, Raleigh, NC
27609, (919) 873-2040.
North Dakota
USDA Rural Development, Federal Building, Room 208, 220 East Rosser
Avenue, P.O. Box 1737, Bismarck, ND 58502-1737, (701) 530-2065.
Ohio
USDA Rural Development, Federal Building, Room 507, 200 North High
Street, Columbus, OH 43215-2418, (614) 255-2425.
Oklahoma
USDA Rural Development, 100 USDA, Suite 108, Stillwater, OK 74074-
2654, (405) 742-1036.
Oregon
USDA Rural Development, 1201 NE Lloyd Blvd., Suite 801, Portland, OR
97232-1274, (503) 414-3366.
Pennsylvania
USDA Rural Development, One Credit Union Place, Suite 330,
Harrisburg, PA 17110-2996, (717) 237-2182.
Puerto Rico
USDA Rural Development, IBM Building, 654 Munoz Rivera Avenue, Suite
601, Hato Rey, PR 00918-6106, (787) 766-5091, Ext. 251.
South Carolina
USDA Rural Development, Strom Thurmond Federal Building, 1835
Assembly Street, Room 1007, Columbia, SC 29201, (803) 765-5881.
South Dakota
USDA Rural Development, Federal Building, Room 210, 200 4th Street,
SW, Huron, SD 57350, (605) 352-1142.
Tennessee
USDA Rural Development, 3322 West End Avenue, Suite 300, Nashville,
TN 37203-1084, (615) 783-1341.
Texas
USDA Rural Development, 101 South Main Street, Suite 102, Temple, TX
76501, (254) 742-9780.
Utah
USDA Rural Development, Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building, 125
South State Street, Room 4311, Salt Lake City, UT 84138, (801) 524-
4328.
Vermont/New Hampshire
USDA Rural Development, City Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main Street,
Montpelier, VT 05602, (802) 828-6069.
Virginia
USDA Rural Development, 1606 Santa Rosa Road, Suite 238, Richmond,
VA 23229, (804) 287-1594.
Washington
USDA Rural Development, 1835 Black Lake Blvd. SW., Suite B, Olympia,
WA 98512, (360) 704-7729.
West Virginia
USDA Rural Development, 75 High Street, Room 320, Morgantown, WV
26505-7500, (304) 252-8644, Ext. 146.
Wisconsin
USDA Rural Development, 4949 Kirschling Court, Stevens Point, WI
54481, (715) 345-7610.
Wyoming
USDA Rural Development, Dick Cheney Federal Building, 100 East B
Street, Room 1005, P.O. Box 11005, Casper, WY 82602-5006, (307) 233-
6700.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Visit the program Web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/smpg/smpg.htm
for application assistance
or contact a USDA Rural Development State Office. Applicants are
strongly encouraged to contact their State Offices well in advance of
the deadline to discuss their projects and ask any questions about the
application process.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Agency: USDA Rural Business Cooperative Service.
Funding Opportunity Title: Small, Minority Producer Grant.
Announcement Type: Initial announcement.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.771.
DATES: Application Deadline: Completed applications for grants may be
submitted on paper or electronically according to the following
deadlines:
Paper copies must be postmarked and mailed, shipped, or sent
overnight no later than April 8, 2008, to be eligible for FY 2008 grant
funding. Late applications are not eligible for FY 2008 grant funding.
Complete electronic copies must be received by April 8, 2008, to be
eligible for FY 2008 grant funding. Late applications are not eligible
for FY 2008 grant funding.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
This notice is issued pursuant to the Agriculture, Rural
Development, Food and Drug and Related Agencies Appropriations Act 2008
that authorizes not to exceed $1.463 million for cooperatives or
associations of cooperatives whose primary focus is to provide
assistance to small, minority producers and whose governing board and/
or membership is comprised of at least 75 percent minority. The
Secretary of Agriculture has delegated the
[[Page 7516]]
program's administration to USDA Rural Development Cooperative
Programs.
The primary objective of this grant program is to provide technical
assistance to small, minority agricultural producers through eligible
minority cooperatives and minority associations of cooperatives. Grants
are awarded on a competitive basis. The maximum award amount per grant
is $175,000.
Definitions
Agency--Rural Business-Cooperative Service, an agency of the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development or a
successor agency.
Agricultural Commodity--An unprocessed product of farms, ranches,
nurseries, and forests. Agricultural commodities include: livestock,
poultry, and fish; fruits and vegetables; grains, such as wheat,
barley, oats, rye, triticale, rice, corn, and sorghum; legumes, such as
field beans and peas; animal feed and forage crops; seed crops; fiber
crops, such as cotton; oil crops, such as safflower, sunflower, corn,
and cottonseed; trees grown for lumber and wood products; nursery stock
grown commercially; Christmas trees; ornamentals and cut flowers; and
turf grown commercially for sod. Agricultural commodities do not
include horses or animals raised as pets, such as cats, dogs, and
ferrets.
Cooperative Programs--The office within USDA Rural Development, and
its successor organization, that administers programs authorized by the
Cooperative Marketing Act of 1926 (7 U.S.C. 451, et seq.) and such
other programs identified in USDA regulations.
Economic Development--The economic growth of an area as evidenced
by increase in total income, employment opportunities, decreased out-
migration of population, value of production, increased diversification
of industry, higher labor force participation rates, increased duration
of employment, higher wage levels, or gains in other measurements of
economic activity, such as land values.
Feasibility Study--An analysis of the economic, market, technical,
financial, and management feasibility of a proposed Project.
Minority--Individuals who have been subjected to racial, ethnic,
gender prejudice or cultural bias within American society because of
their identities as members of groups and without regard to their
individual qualities. Minority groups are Women, African Americans,
American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asian and Pacific
Islanders.
Minority Association of Cooperatives--An association of
cooperatives whose primary focus is to provide assistance to small,
minority agricultural producers and where the governing board and/or
membership is comprised of at least 75 percent minority.
Minority Cooperative--A farmer- or rancher-owned and -controlled
business, organized and chartered as a cooperative, from which benefits
are derived and distributed equitably on the basis of use by each of
the farmer or rancher owners whose primary focus is to provide
assistance to small, minority agricultural producers and where the
governing board and/or membership is comprised of at least 75 percent
minority.
Operating Cost--The day-to-day expenses of running a business; for
example: utilities, rent, salaries, depreciation, product production
costs, marketing and advertising, and other basic overhead items.
Project--Includes all activities to be funded by the Small Minority
Agricultural Producer Grant and any matching funds.
Small, Minority Agricultural Producer--Minority persons or 100
percent minority-owned entities, including farmers, ranchers, loggers,
agricultural harvesters, and fishermen, with gross annual sales of not
more than $250,000 that engage in the production or harvesting of an
agricultural commodity.
Rural and Rural Area--Includes all of the territory of a State that
is not within the outer boundary of any city or town having a
population of 50,000 or more and the urbanized area contiguous and
adjacent to such city or town, as defined by the U.S. Bureau of the
Census using the latest decennial census of the United States.
Rural Development--A mission area within USDA consisting of the
Office of Under Secretary for Rural Development, Rural Development
Business and Cooperative Programs, Rural Development Housing Programs,
and Rural Development Utilities Programs and their successors.
State--Includes each of the several States, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, Guam, American
Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and, as may be
determined by the Secretary to be feasible, appropriate and lawful, the
Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands
and the Republic of Palau.
Technical Assistance--An advisory service performed for the benefit
of a small, minority agricultural producer such as market research;
product and/or service improvement; legal advice and assistance;
feasibility study, business plan, and marketing plan development; and
training. Technical assistance does not include the operating costs of
a cooperative being assisted.
II. Award Information
Type of Award: Grant.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2008.
Approximate Total Funding: $1.463 million.
Approximate Number of Awards: 8.
Approximate Average Award: $175,000.
Floor of Award Range: None.
Ceiling of Award Range: $175,000.
Anticipated Award Date: September 1, 2008.
Budget Period Length: 12 months.
Project Period Length: 12 months.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Applicants must be a minority cooperative or a minority association
of cooperatives as defined in this Notice, and must be able to verify
their legal structure as a cooperative in the State in which they are
incorporated. Individuals are not eligible for this program.
B. Cost Sharing or Matching
No matching funds are required.
C. Other Eligibility Requirements
Use of Funds: Funds may only be used for technical assistance
projects as defined in this notice.
Project Area Eligibility: The Project proposed must take place in a
rural area.
Grant Period Eligibility: If awarded, funds must be expended in 1
year. Applications must have a time frame of no more than 365 days with
the time period beginning no earlier than October 1, 2008 and ending no
later than December 31, 2009. Projects must be completed within the 1-
year time frame. The Agency will not approve requests to extend the
grant period. Applications that request funds for a time period ending
after December 31, 2009, will not be considered for funding.
Completeness Eligibility: Applications lacking sufficient
information to determine eligibility and scoring will be considered
ineligible. Applications that are non-responsive to this notice will be
considered ineligible.
Multiple Grant Eligibility: An applicant may not submit more than
one
[[Page 7517]]
grant application in any one funding cycle.
Activity Eligibility: Applications must propose technical
assistance, as defined in this notice, to benefit their members or
other small minority agricultural producers who are not members, in
order to be considered for funding. Applications having ineligible
costs equaling more than 10 percent of total project costs will be
determined ineligible and will not be considered for funding.
Applications having ineligible costs of 10 percent or less of total
project costs and which are selected for funding, must remove all
ineligible costs from the budget and replace them with eligible
activities or the amount of the grant award will be reduced
accordingly. Applicants may not submit applications that duplicate
current activities or activities paid for by other federally funded
grant programs.
IV. Application and Submission Information
A. Address to Request Application Package
The application package for applying on paper for this funding
opportunity can be obtained at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/smpg/smpg.htm.
Alternatively, applicants may contact their USDA Rural
Development State Office using the above list. For electronic
applications, applicants must visit http://www.grants.gov and follow
the instructions.
B. Content and Form of Submission
Applications must be submitted on paper or electronically. An
application guide may be viewed at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/smpg/smpg.htm.
It is recommended that applicants use the template
provided on the Web site. The template can be filled out electronically
and printed out for submission with the required forms for paper
submission or it can be filled out electronically and submitted as an
attachment through http://www.grants.gov.
If the application is submitted electronically, the applicant must
follow the instructions given at the Internet address: http://www.grants.gov.
Applicants are advised to visit the site well in
advance of the application deadline if they plan to apply
electronically to ensure that they have obtained the proper
authentication and have sufficient computer resources to complete the
application.
Applicants must complete and submit the following elements. The
Agency will screen all applications for eligibility and to determine
whether the application is complete and sufficiently responsive to the
requirements set forth in this notice to allow for an informed review.
Information submitted as part of the application will be protected to
the extent permitted by law.
1. Form SF-424, ``Application for Federal Assistance.'' The form
must be completed, signed and submitted as part of the application
package.
Please note that applicants are required to have a Dun and
Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number. The DUNS
number is a nine-digit identification number, which uniquely identifies
business entities. There is no charge. To obtain a DUNS number, access
http://www.dnb.com/us/ or call 866-705-5711. For more information, see the SMPG Web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/smpg/smpg.htm
/smpg/smpg.htm
or by contacting the applicant's USDA Rural Development State Office.
In addition to the DUNS number, an applicant must provide a legal
Employment Identification Number.
2. Form SF-424A, ``Budget Information-Non-Construction Programs.''
This form must be completed and submitted as part of the application
package.
3. Form SF-424B, ``Assurances--Non-Construction Programs.'' This
form must be completed, signed, and submitted as part of the
application package.
4. Table of Contents. For ease of locating information, each
application must contain a detailed Table of Contents (TOC) immediately
following the SF-424B. The TOC must include page numbers for each
component of the application. Pagination should begin immediately
following the TOC.
5. Executive Summary: A summary of the proposal, not to exceed one
page, must briefly describe the project, tasks to be completed and
other relevant information that provides a general overview of the
project.
6. Eligibility Discussion: A detailed discussion, not to exceed
four pages, must describe how the applicant meets the following
requirements.
(i) Applicant Eligibility: Applicants must be minority cooperatives
or minority associations of cooperatives and must describe how they
meet the definition of a ``minority cooperative'' or ``minority
association of cooperative'' as defined in the Definitions section of
this Notice. Applicant must also verify their incorporation as a
cooperative or an association of cooperatives in the State they have
applied by providing the State's Certificate of Good Standing, and
their Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws. The applicant must apply
as only one type of applicant.
(ii) Use of Funds: The applicant must provide a detailed discussion
on how the proposed project activities meet the definition of technical
assistance.
(iii) Project Area: The applicant must provide specific information
on where the projects are planned to be located and that the areas meet
the definition of ``rural area.''
(iv) Grant Period: The applicant must provide a time frame for the
proposed project and discuss how the project will be completed within
that time frame.
7. Budget/Work plan: The applicant must describe, in detail not to
exceed four pages, the purpose of the grant, what type of assistance
will be provided, and the total amount of funds needed to assist for
each project. The budget must also present a breakdown of estimated
costs associated with each task/activity for each project. The amount
of grant funds requested will be adjusted if the applicant does not
have justification for all costs.
8. Evaluation Criteria: Each of the evaluation criteria referenced
in this notice must be addressed, specifically and individually on
separate pages, in narrative form, not to exceed a total of two pages
for each evaluation criteria. Failure to address each evaluation
criteria will result in the application being determined ineligible.
C. Submission Dates and Times
Application Deadline Date: April 8, 2008.
Explanation of Deadlines: Paper applications must be postmarked and
mailed, shipped, or sent overnight by the deadline date (see Section
IV.F. for the address). Electronic applications must be received by
http://www.grants.gov by the deadline date. Courier applications must
be delivered by the deadline date. If the Applicant's application does
not meet the deadline, it will not be considered for funding.
Applicants will be notified if their application did not meet the
submission deadline.
D. Intergovernmental Review of Applications
Executive Order (EO) 12372, Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs, applies to this program. This EO requires that Federal
agencies provide opportunities for consultation on proposed assistance
with State and local governments. Many states have established a Single
Point of Contact (SPOC) to facilitate this consultation. A list of
States that maintain an SPOC may be obtained at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/
[[Page 7518]]
spoc.html. If your State has an SPOC, you may submit your application
directly for review. Any comments obtained through the SPOC must be
provided to Rural Development for consideration as part of your
application. If your State has not established an SPOC or you do not
want to submit your application, Rural Development will submit your
application to the SPOC or other appropriate agency or agencies.
You are also encouraged to contact Cooperative Programs at 202-720-
7558 or cpgrants@wdc.usda.gov if you have questions about this process.
E. Funding Restrictions
Grant funds must be used for technical assistance. No funds made
available under this solicitation shall be used to:
1. Plan, repair, rehabilitate, acquire, or construct a building or
facility, including a processing facility;
2. Purchase, rent, or install fixed equipment, including processing
equipment;
3. Purchase vehicles, including boats;
4. Pay for the preparation of the grant application;
5. Pay expenses not directly related to the funded project;
6. Fund political or lobbying activities;
7. Fund any activities prohibited by 7 CFR parts 3015 and 3019;
8. Fund architectural or engineering design work for a specific
physical facility;
9. Fund any direct expenses for the production of any commodity or
product to which value will be added, including seed, rootstock, labor
for harvesting the crop, and delivery of the commodity to a processing
facility;
10. Fund research and development;
11. Purchase land;
12. Duplicate current services or replace or substitute support
previously provided;
13. Pay costs of the project incurred prior to the date of grant
approval;
14. Pay for assistance to any private business enterprise, which
does not have at least 51 percent ownership by those who are either
citizens of the United States or reside in the United States after
being legally admitted for permanent residence;
15. Pay any judgment or debt owed to the United States;
16. Pay the operating costs of cooperative and/or association of
cooperatives; or
17. Pay expenses for applicant employee training.
F. Other Submission Requirements
Applicants may submit their paper application for a grant to their
Rural Development State Office listed under the Addresses section.
Applicants may submit their application electronically at http://www.grants.gov.
Applications may not be submitted by electronic mail,
facsimile, or hand-delivery. Each application submission must contain
all required documents in one envelope, if sent by mail or express
delivery service.
V. Application Scoring Criteria Review Information
A. Criteria
All eligible and complete applications will be evaluated based upon
the following criteria. Failure to address any one of the following
criteria by the application deadline will result in the application
being determined ineligible and the application will not be considered
for funding. The total points possible for the criteria are 50. Any
application receiving less than 30 total points will not be funded.
1. Technical Assistance. (0-15 points) The application will be
evaluated to determine the applicant's ability to assess the needs of
small minority producers, plan and conduct appropriate and effective
assistance, and identify the expected outcomes of that assistance.
(i) 0 points will be awarded if the applicant does not
substantively address this criterion.
(ii) 1-4 points will be awarded if the applicant demonstrates
weakness in addressing this criterion.
(iii) 5-10 points will be awarded if the applicant demonstrates
they meet part but not all of the criterion.
(iv) 15 points will be awarded if the applicant identifies specific
needs of the minority producers to be assisted; clearly articulates a
logical and detailed plan of assistance for addressing those needs; and
discusses realistic outcomes of planned assistance.
2. Experience. (0-15 points) Points will be awarded based upon
length of experience of identified staff or consultants in providing
technical assistance, as defined in this notice. Applicants must
describe the specific type of technical assistance experience for each
identified staff member or consultant, as well as years of experience
in providing that assistance. In addition, resumes for each individual
staff member or consultant must be included as an attachment, listing
their experience for the type of technical assistance proposed. The
attachments will not count toward the maximum page total. The Agency
will compare the described experience to the work plan to determine
relevance of experience.
(i) 0 points will be awarded if the staff or consultants
demonstrate no relevant experience in providing technical assistance;
(ii) 5 points will be awarded if at least one of the identified
staff or consultants demonstrates more than two years of experience in
providing relevant technical assistance;
(iii) 10 points will be awarded if at least one of the identified
staff or consultants demonstrates 5 or more years of experience in
providing relevant technical assistance; or
(iv) 15 points will be awarded if all of the identified staff or
consultants demonstrate 5 or more years of experience in providing
relevant technical assistance.
3. Commitment. (0-15 points) The Agency will evaluate the
applicant's commitment to providing technical assistance to minority
producers in rural areas. Points will be awarded based upon the number
of agricultural, minority producers being assisted. Applicants must
list the number and location of small, minority agricultural producers
that will directly benefit from the assistance provided.
(i) 0 points will be awarded if the applicant does not
substantively address this criterion.
(ii) 5 points will be awarded if the proposed project will benefit
1-10 producers;
(iii) 10 points will be awarded if the proposed project will
benefit 11-50 producers; or
(iv) 15 points will be awarded if the proposed project will benefit
more than 50 producers.
4. Local support. (0-5 points) Applications will be reviewed for
local support for the technical assistance activities of the
cooperative. Applicants that demonstrate strong support from potential
beneficiaries and other developmental organizations will receive more
points than those not evidencing such support.
(i) 0 points will be awarded if the applicant does not
substantively address this criterion.
(ii) 1 point will be awarded if the applicant provides or
references 2-3 support letters that demonstrate substantive support
from potential beneficiaries and/or support from local organizations.
(iii) 2 points will be awarded if the applicant provides or
references 4-5 support letters that demonstrate substantive support
from potential beneficiaries and/or support from local organizations.
[[Page 7519]]
(iv) 3 points will be awarded if the applicant provides or
references 6-7 support letters that demonstrate substantive support
from potential beneficiaries and/or support from local organizations.
(v) 4 points will be awarded if the applicant provides or
references 8-9 support letters that demonstrate substantive support
from potential beneficiaries and/or support from local organizations.
(vi) 5 points will be awarded if the applicant provides or
references 10 support letters that demonstrate substantive support from
potential beneficiaries and/or support from local organizations.
The applicant may submit a maximum of 10 letters of support. These
letters should be included as an attachment to the application and will
not count against the maximum page total. Additional letters from
industry groups, commodity groups, local and state government, and
similar organizations should be referenced, but not included in the
application package. When referencing these letters, provide the name
of the organization, date of the letter, the nature of the support, and
the name and title of the person signing the letter.
B. Review and Selection Process
The Agency will screen all proposals to determine whether the
application is eligible and sufficiently responsive to the requirements
set forth in this notice to allow for an informed review. Applications
will be screened for eligibility and scored by the State Offices, then
submitted to the National Office for review and ranking. The National
Office will review the scores based upon the point allocation specified
in this notice. Applications will be funded in scoring rank order and
will be submitted to the Administrator in rank order with funding level
recommendations. The Administrator will break scoring ties based on
Agency priorities.
C. Anticipated Announcement and Award Dates
Award Date: The announcement of award selections is expected to
occur on or about September 1, 2008.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
Successful applicants will receive a notification of tentative
selection for funding from Rural Development. Applicants must comply
with all applicable statutes, regulations, and this notice before the
grant award will receive final approval.
Unsuccessful applicants will receive notification, including appeal
rights, by mail.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
7 CFR parts 3015, 3019, and subparts A and F of part 7 CFR 4284 are
applicable to grants made under this notice. These regulations may be
obtained at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html.
The following additional requirements apply to grantees selected
for this program:
Agency approved Grant Agreement.
Letter of Conditions.
Form RD 1940-1, ``Request for Obligation of Funds.''
Form RD 1942-46, ``Letter of Intent to Meet Conditions.''
Form AD-1047, ``Certification Regarding Debarment,
Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters--Primary Covered
Transactions.''
Form AD-1048, ``Certification Regarding Debarment,
Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered
Transactions.''
Form AD-1049, ``Certification Regarding a Drug-Free
Workplace Requirements (Grants).''
Form RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement.''
Additional information on these requirements can be found at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/smpg/smpg.htm
.
Fund Disbursement: The Agency will determine, based on 7 CFR Parts
3015, 3016 and 3019, as applicable, whether disbursement of a grant
will be by advance or reimbursement. As needed, but not more frequently
than once every 30 days, an original of SF-270, ``Request for Advance
or Reimbursement,'' may be submitted to Rural Development. Recipient's
request for advance shall not be made in excess of reasonable outlays
for the month covered.
Reporting Requirements: Grantees must provide Rural Development
with an original or an electronic copy that includes all required
signatures of the following reports. The reports should be submitted to
the Agency contact listed on the Grant Agreement and Letter of
Conditions. Failure to submit satisfactory reports on time may result
in suspension or termination of the grant. Grantees will submit:
1. Form SF-269 or SF-269A. A ``Financial Status Report,'' listing
expenditures according to agreed upon budget categories, on a semi-
annual basis. Reporting periods end each March 31 and September 30.
Reports are due 30 days after the reporting period ends.
2. Semi-annual performance reports comparing accomplishments to the
objectives stated in the proposal, identifying all tasks completed to
date and providing documentation supporting the reported results. If
the original schedule provided in the work plan is not being met, the
report should discuss the problems or delays that may affect completion
of the Project. Objectives for the next reporting period should be
listed. Compliance with any special condition on the use of award funds
must be discussed. Reports are due as provided in paragraph (1) of this
section. Supporting documentation must also be submitted for completed
tasks. The supporting documentation for completed tasks includes, but
is not limited to, feasibility studies, marketing plans, business
plans, articles of incorporation, and bylaws as they relate to the
assistance provided.
3. Final project performance reports comparing accomplishments to
the objectives stated in the proposal, identifying all tasks completed,
and providing documentation supporting the reported results. If the
original schedule provided in the work plan was not met, the report
must discuss the problems or delays that affected completion of the
project. Compliance with any special condition on the use of award
funds must be discussed. Supporting documentation for completed tasks
must also be submitted. The supporting documentation for completed
tasks includes, but is not limited to, feasibility studies, marketing
plans, business plans, articles of incorporation, and bylaws as they
relate to the assistance provided. The final performance report is due
within 90 days of the completion of the project. The report must also
include a summary at the end of the report with the number of small
minority agricultural producers assisted to assist in documenting the
annual performance goals of the SMPG program for Congress.
VII. Agency Contacts
For general questions about this announcement and for program
technical assistance, please contact the appropriate State Office as
indicated in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.
VIII. Non-Discrimination Statement
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination
in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color,
national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, martial
status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation,
genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or
part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance
program. (Not all
[[Page 7520]]
prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who
require alternative means for communication of program information
(Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET
Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of
discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-
3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity
provider and employer.
Dated: January 31, 2008.
Ben Anderson,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. E8-2327 Filed 2-7-08; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P