Federal Register: NOTICES : Inviting Applications for the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2008

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

NOTICE: NOTICES

DOCUMENT ACTION: Notice.

SUBJECT CATEGORY: Inviting Applications for the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2008

DOCUMENT SUMMARY: This Notice announces the availability of approximately $33.077 million of loan funds under the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant (REDLG) program for fiscal year (FY) 2008. This notice is being issued to allow applicants sufficient time to leverage financing, submit applications, and give the Agency time to process applications within the current fiscal year. The Agency will publish a subsequent notice identifying the amount of funding received for grants, if any, and the final maximum dollar amount for grant awards. The awards made as a result of this notice are effective for loans made during the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2007, and ending September 30, 2008. REDLG loans and grants are to assist in economically developing rural areas.

SUMMARY: Inviting Applications for the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2008,

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Overview

Federal Agency: Rural BusinessCooperative 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: For First and Second Quarters, January 31, 2008, Third Quarter, March 31, 2008, and Fourth Quarter, June 30, 2008.
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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 4280, subpart A. Information required to be in the application include an SF424, ``Application for Federal Assistance;'' a Resolution of the Board of Directors; AD1047, ``Debarment/Suspension
Certification;'' Assurance statement for the Uniform Act; Restrictions on Lobbying, AD 1049; ``Certification Regarding DrugFree Workplace Requirements;'' Seismic certification (if construction); RD 194020, ``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 Award: Loan.

Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2008.

Maximum Anticipated Award: $740,000.

Anticipated Award Date: First and Second Quarters, March 14, 2008, Third Quarter, May 14, 2008, and Fourth Quarter, August 15, 2008. 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 program 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 2008 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 NOFA 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 tollfree request line at 18667055711.

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, they 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.

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 05700024.

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 zeropoint 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 Date: First and Second Quarters, January 31, 2008, Third Quarter, March 31, 2008, and Fourth Quarter, June 30, 2008.

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
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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 the 7 CFR 4280, subpart A.

VII. Agency Contacts

For general questions about this announcement, please contact your Rural Development State Office identified in this NOFA.

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) 7202600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 202509410, or call (800) 7953272 (voice), or (202) 7206382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.''

Dated: January 29, 2008.
Ben Anderson,
Administrator, Rural BusinessCooperative Service.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT Melvin Padgett, Loan Specialist, USDA Rural Development, STOP 3225, Room 6866, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 202503225. Telephone: (202) 7201495, FAX: (202) 720 2213.