[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 13, Volume 1] [Revised as of January 1, 2003] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 13CFR304.1] [Page 550-551] TITLE 13--BUSINESS CREDIT AND ASSISTANCE CHAPTER III--ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PART 304--GENERAL SELECTION PROCESS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA--Table of Contents Sec. 304.1 Project proposal, application, selection and evaluation for programs under PWEDA. (a) Local projects. If you are or represent a party eligible to be an applicant, and are interested in a public works, economic adjustment, planning, local technical assistance or university center project grant, you should contact the appropriate Economic Development Representative (EDR) (or EDA Regional or headquarters office), identified in the NOFA. The EDR or other EDA official is available to provide program information, including the current published NOFA; provide a proposal form approved by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and provide assistance as needed in filling out the proposal form. (1) After submission of the proposal to the appropriate EDR or Regional Office of EDA, the appropriate Regional Office Project Review Committee (PRC), consisting of at least three EDA officials, will review the proposal. The EDR or other appropriate EDA official will evaluate the proposal under Sec. 304.2, program specific sections of this rule, and the NOFA, if applicable, before submitting it to the EDA Regional Office for its review. (2) After review by the PRC, EDA will send a letter in a timely manner to each submitter advising either that: (i) EDA invites the submitter to prepare and present a formal application on a standard application form, with attachments for the type of grant being requested; or (ii) EDA returns the proposal because of specified deficiencies and suggests [[Page 551]] resubmission when the deficiencies are cured; or (iii) EDA denies the proposal for specifically stated reasons. (b) National technical assistance, training, research, or evaluation projects. If you are or represent a party eligible to be an applicant, and are interested in a national technical assistance, training, research, or evaluation project under PWEDA, you should make initial contact with EDA in Washington, D.C., at locations identified in the NOFA, for information and assistance concerning proposals and to obtain program information, including a copy of the current NOFA, and OMB approved proposal form. After submission of the proposal to the appropriate EDA Washington, D.C. office, generally, three or more technically knowledgeable EDA officials will review the proposal for relevance and quality. (1) If EDA determines that the proposal is acceptable under Sec. 304.2, program specific sections of this chapter, and the NOFA, if applicable, EDA may by letter invite the submitter to provide an application with a more detailed and comprehensive project narrative. (2) If EDA determines that the proposal is not acceptable because of specified deficiencies, EDA will so notify the submitter in writing in a timely manner. (c) Additional criteria, or priority consideration factors for assistance, may be set forth in a NOFA. (d) EDA expects that applications will generally be submitted within 30 days after receipt of an invitation letter. EDA's invitation to submit an application does not assure EDA funding. [64 FR 5357, Feb. 3, 1999, as amended at 64 FR 69874, Dec. 14, 1999]