[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 30 (Monday, February 14, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8334-8337]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-3198]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Inviting Applications for the Rural Economic Development Loan and
Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2011
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This Notice is to invite applications for loans and grants
under the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) program
pursuant to 7 CFR part 4280, subpart A for Fiscal Year (FY) 2011
subject to the availability of funding. The commitment of program
dollars will be made to applicants of selected responses that have
fulfilled the necessary requirements for obligation. Expenses incurred
in developing applications will be at the applicant's risk.
Historically, on an annual basis, Congress has appropriated $33 million
for loans and $10 million for grants for these programs. This Notice is
being issued prior to passage of a FY 2011 Appropriations Act, which
may or may not provide an appropriation for these programs, to allow
applicants sufficient time to leverage financing, submit applications,
and give the Agency time to process applications within FY 2011. A
subsequent notice identifying the amount received in the appropriations
will be published, if any.
DATES: The deadline for receipt of applications in the USDA Rural
Development State Office is: Third Quarter, March 31, 2011; and Fourth
Quarter, June 30, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Submit applications in paper format to the USDA Rural
Development State Office in the state where your project is located. A
list of the USDA Rural Development State Offices addresses and
telephone numbers are as follows:
Alabama
USDA Rural Development State Office, Sterling Centre, Suite 601,
4121 Carmichael Road, Montgomery, AL 36106-3683, (334) 279-3400/TDD
(334) 279-3495.
Alaska
USDA Rural Development State Office, 800 West Evergreen, Suite 201,
Palmer, AK 99645-6539, (907) 761-7707/TDD (907) 761-8905.
Arizona
USDA Rural Development State Office, 230 North First Avenue, Suite
206, Phoenix, AZ 85003-1706, (602) 280-8702/TDD (602) 280-8705.
Arkansas
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, 700 West
Capitol Avenue, Room 3416, Little Rock, AR 72201-3225, (501) 301-
3200/TDD (501) 301-3279.
California
USDA Rural Development State Office, 430 G Street, Agency 4169,
Davis, CA 95616-4169, (530) 792-5800/TDD (530) 792-5848.
Colorado
USDA Rural Development State Office, Denver Federal Center, Building
56, Room 2300, P.O. Box 25426, Denver, CO 80225-0426, (720) 544-
2903/TDD (800) 659-3656.
Delaware/Maryland
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1221 College Park Drive, Suite
200, Dover, DE 19904, (302) 857-3580/TDD (302) 857-3585.
Florida/Virgin Islands
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4440 NW 25th Place, P.O. Box
147010, Gainesville, FL 32614-7010, (352) 338-3400/TDD (352) 338-
3499.
Georgia
USDA Rural Development State Office, Stephens Federal Building, 355
East Hancock Avenue, Stop 300, Athens, GA 30601-2768, (706) 546-
2162/TDD (706) 546-2034.
Hawaii
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 311, 154
Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720, (808) 933-8302/TDD (808) 933-
8321.
Idaho
USDA Rural Development State Office, 9173 West Barnes Drive, Suite
A1, Boise, ID 83709, (208) 378-5601/TDD (208) 378-5644.
Illinois
USDA Rural Development State Office, 2118 West Park Court, Suite A,
Champaign, IL 61821, (217) 403-6200/TDD (217) 403-6240.
Indiana
USDA Rural Development State Office, 5975 Lakeside Boulevard,
Indianapolis, IN 46278, (317) 290-3100 ext. 4/TDD (317) 290-3343.
Iowa
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 873, 210
Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50309, (515) 284-4663/TDD (515) 284-
4858.
Kansas
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1303 SW First American Place,
Suite 100, Topeka, KS 66604-4040, (785) 271-2700/TDD (785) 271-2767.
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Kentucky
USDA Rural Development State Office, 771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200,
Lexington, KY 40503, (859) 224-7300/TDD (859) 224-7422.
Louisiana
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3727 Government Street,
Alexandria, LA 71302, (318) 473-7920/TDD (318) 473-7655.
Maine
USDA Rural Development State Office, 967 Illinois Avenue, Suite 4,
P.O. Box 405, Bangor, ME 04402-0405, (207) 990-9160/TDD (207) 942-
7331.
Massachusetts/Rhode Island/Connecticut
USDA Rural Development State Office, 451 West Street, Amherst, MA
01002-2999, (413) 253-4300/TDD (413) 253-4590.
Michigan
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 200,
East Lansing, MI 48823, (517) 324-5190/TDD (517) 324-5169.
Minnesota
USDA Rural Development State Office, 375 Jackson Street, Suite 410,
St. Paul, MN 55101-1853, (651) 602-7800/TDD (651) 602-3799.
Mississippi
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Suite 831,
100 West Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39269, (601) 965-4211/TDD (601)
965-5850.
Missouri
USDA Rural Development State Office, 601 Business Loop 70 West,
Parkade Center, Suite 235, Columbia, MO 65203, (573) 876-0987/TDD
(573) 876-9480.
Montana
USDA Rural Development State Office, 2229 Boot Hill Court, Bozeman,
MT 59715, (406) 585-2580/TDD (406) 585-2562.
Nebraska
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 152, 100
Centennial Mall North, Lincoln, NE 68508, (308)632-2195/TDD (402)
437-5093.
Nevada
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1390 South Curry Street, Carson
City, NV 89703-9910, (775) 887-1222/TDD (775) 885-0633.
New Jersey
USDA Rural Development State Office, 8000 Midlantic Drive, 5th Floor
North, Suite 500, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054, (856) 787-7700/TDD (856)
787-7784.
New Mexico
USDA Rural Development State Office, 6200 Jefferson Street, Room
255, Albuquerque, NM 87109, (505) 761-4950/TDD (505) 761-4938.
New York
USDA Rural Development State Office, The Galleries of Syracuse, 441
South Salina Street, Suite 357, Syracuse, NY 13202-2541, (315) 477-
6435/TDD (315) 477-6447.
North Carolina
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4405 Bland Road, Suite 260,
Raleigh, NC 27609, (919) 873-2015/TDD (919) 873-2003.
North Dakota
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 208, 220
East Rosser, P.O. Box 1737, Bismarck, ND 58502-1737, (701) 530-2037/
TDD (701) 530-2113.
Ohio
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 507, 200
North High Street, Columbus, OH 43215-2418, (614) 255-2400/TDD (614)
255-2554.
Oklahoma
USDA Rural Development State Office, 100 USDA, Suite 108,
Stillwater, OK 74074-2654, (405) 742-1000/TDD (405) 742-1007.
Oregon
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1201 Northeast Lloyd Blvd.,
Suite 801, Portland, OR 97232, (503) 414-3305/TDD (503) 414-3387.
Pennsylvania
USDA Rural Development State Office, One Credit Union Place, Suite
330, Harrisburg, PA 17110-2996, (717) 237-2262/TDD (717) 237-2261.
Puerto Rico
USDA Rural Development State Office, 654 Munos Rivera Avenue, Suite
601, San Juan, PR 00918-6106, (787) 766-5095/TDD (787) 766-5332.
South Carolina
USDA Rural Development State Office, Strom Thurmond Federal
Building, 1835 Assembly Street, Room 1007, Columbia, SC 29201, (803)
765-5163/TDD (803) 765-5697.
South Dakota
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 210, 200
Fourth Street, SW, Huron, SD 57350, (605) 352-1100/TDD (605) 352-
1147.
Tennessee
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3322 West End Avenue, Suite
300, Nashville, TN 37203-1071, (615) 783-1300.
Texas
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Suite 102,
101 South Main, Temple, TX 76501, (254) 742-9700/TDD (254) 742-9712.
Utah
USDA Rural Development State Office, Wallace F. Bennett Federal
Building, 125 South State Street, Room 4311, Salt Lake City, UT
84138, (801) 524-4321/TDD (801) 524-3309.
Vermont/New Hampshire
USDA Rural Development State Office, City Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main
Street, Montpelier, VT 05602, (802) 828-6080/TDD (802) 223-6365.
Virginia
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1606 Santa Rosa Road, Suite
238, Richmond, VA 23229-5014, (804) 287-1552/TDD (804) 287-1753.
Washington
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1835 Black Lake Boulevard SW,
Suite B, Olympia, WA 98512-5715, (360) 704-7740/TDD (360) 704-7760.
West Virginia
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1550 Earl Core Road, Suite 101,
Morgantown, WV 26505, (304) 284-4860/TDD (304) 284-4836.
Wisconsin
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4949 Kirschling Court, Stevens
Point, WI 54481, (715) 345-7600/TDD (715) 345-7614.
Wyoming
USDA Rural Development State Office, P.O. Box 11005, 100 East B,
Federal Building, Room 1005, Casper, WY 82601, (307) 233-6703/TDD
(307) 233-6733.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Rural Development State Office
identified in this Notice where the project will be located.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview
Federal Agency: Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
Funding Opportunity Type: Rural Economic Development Loans and
Grants.
Announcement Type: Initial Announcement.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.854.
Dates: Application Deadline: Completed applications must be
received in the State Office as follows: Third Quarter, March 31, 2011;
and Fourth Quarter, June 30, 2011.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
The regulations for these programs are at 7 CFR part 4280, subpart
A. The primary objective of the program is to promote rural economic
development and job creation projects. Assistance provided to rural
areas, as defined, under this program may include business startup
costs, business expansion, business incubators, technical assistance
feasibility studies, advanced telecommunications services and computer
networks for medical, educational, and job training services and
community facilities projects for economic development. Awards are made
on a competitive basis using specific selection criteria contained in 7
CFR part 4280, subpart A. Information
[[Page 8336]]
required to be in the application includes an SF-424, ``Application for
Federal Assistance;'' a Resolution of the Board of Directors; AD-1047,
``Debarment/Suspension Certification;'' Assurance Statement for the
Uniform Act; Restrictions on Lobbying, AD 1049, ``Certification
Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements;'' Form RD 400-1, ``Equal
Opportunity Agreement;'' Form RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement;''
Seismic Certification (if construction); Form RD 1940-20, ``Request for
Environmental Information;'' RUS Form 7,``Financial and Statistical
Report;'' and RUS Form 7a, ``Investments, Loan Guarantees, and Loans,''
or similar information; and written narrative of project description.
Applications will be tentatively scored by the State Offices and
submitted to the National Office for review.
Definitions
The definitions are published at 7 CFR 4280.3.
II. Award Information
Type of Awards: Loans and Grants.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2011.
Maximum Anticipated Award: This amount depends on the amount
Congress appropriates, but the Agency anticipates the following
amounts: Loans--$740,000; Grant--$300,000.
Anticipated Award Dates: Third Quarter, June 15, 2011; and Fourth
Quarter, September 15, 2011.
III. Eligibility Information
A. Eligible Applicants
Loans and grants may be made to any entity that is identified by
USDA Rural Development as an eligible borrower under the Rural
Electrification Act. In accordance with 7 CFR 4280.13, applicants that
are not delinquent on any Federal debt or otherwise disqualified from
participation in these programs are eligible to apply. An applicant
must be eligible under 7 U.S.C. 940c.
B. Cost Sharing or Matching
For loans, either the Ultimate Recipient or the Intermediary must
provide supplemental funds for the project equal to at least 20 percent
of the loan to the Intermediary. For grants, the Intermediary must
provide supplemental funds for the project equal to at least 20 percent
of the grant to the Intermediary.
C. Other Eligibility Requirements
Applications will only be accepted for projects that promote rural
economic development and job creation.
D. Completeness Eligibility
Applications will not be considered for funding if they do not
provide sufficient information to determine eligibility or are missing
required elements.
IV. Fiscal Year 2011 Application and Submission Information
A. Address To Request Application Package
For further information, entities wishing to apply for assistance
should contact the Rural Development State Office identified in this
Notice to obtain copies of the application package.
Applicants are encouraged to submit applications through the
Grants.gov Web site at: http://www.grants.gov. Applications may be
submitted in either electronic or paper format. Users of Grants.gov
will be able to download a copy of the application package, complete it
off line, and then upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov
Web site. Applications may not be submitted by electronic mail.
When you enter the Grants.gov Web site, you will find
information about submitting an application electronically through the
site as well as the hours of operation. USDA Rural Development strongly
recommends that you do not wait until the application deadline date to
begin the application process through Grants.gov. To use Grants.gov,
applicants must have a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering
System (DUNS) number which can be obtained at no cost via a toll-free
request line at 1-866-705-5711 or at http://www.dnb.com.
You may submit all documents electronically through the
Web site, including all information typically included on the
application for REDLGs and all necessary assurances and certifications.
After electronically submitting an application through the
Web site, the applicant will receive an automatic acknowledgement from
Grants.gov that contains a Grants.gov tracking number.
USDA Rural Development may request that the applicant
provide original signatures on forms at a later date.
If applicants experience technical difficulties on the
closing date and are unable to meet the deadline, you may submit a
paper copy of your application to your respective Rural Development
State Office. Paper applications submitted to a Rural Development State
Office must meet the closing date and local time deadline.
Please note that applicants must locate the downloadable
application package for this program by the Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance Number or FedGrants Funding Opportunity Number, which can be
found at http://www.grants.gov.
B. Content and Form of Submission
An application must contain all of the required elements. Each
selection priority criterion outlined in 7 CFR 4280.42(b), must be
addressed in the application. Failure to address any of the criteria
will result in a zero-point score for that criterion and will impact
the overall evaluation of the application. Copies of 7 CFR part 4280,
subpart A, will be provided to any interested applicant making a
request to a Rural Development State Office listed in this notice.
C. Submission Dates and Times
Application Deadline Dates: Third Quarter, March 31, 2011, and
Fourth Quarter, June 30, 2011.
Explanation of Deadlines: Applications must be in the Rural
Development State Office by the deadline dates as indicated above.
V. Application Review Information
The National Office will score applications based on the grant
selection criteria and weights contained in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart A,
and will select an Intermediary subject to the Intermediary's
satisfactory submission of the additional items required by 7 CFR part
4280, subpart A and the USDA Rural Development Letter of Conditions.
VI. Award Administration Information
A. Award Notices
Successful applicants will receive notification for funding from
the Rural Development State Office. Applicants must comply with all
applicable statutes and regulations before the loan/grant award will be
approved. Provided the application requirements have not changed, an
application not selected will be reconsidered in three subsequent
funding competitions for a total of four competitions. If an
application is withdrawn, it can be resubmitted and will be evaluated
as a new application.
B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements
Additional requirements that apply to Intermediary's selected for
this program can be found in 7 CFR part 4280, subpart A. Applicable
provisions of 7 CFR parts 3015, 3019, and 3052 also apply.
VII. Agency Contacts
For general questions about this announcement, please contact your
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Rural Development State Office identified in this Notice.
VIII. Paperwork Reduction Act
In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, the
information collection requirement contained in this Notice is approved
by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control Number
0570-0024.
Nondiscrimination 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,
marital 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 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 Adjudication and Compliance, 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, employer, and
lender.''
Dated: February 1, 2011.
Judith A. Canales,
Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-3198 Filed 2-11-11; 8:45 am]
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