Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant for Fiscal Year 2019
| Citation | 84 FR 12190 |
| Record Number | 2019-06203 |
| Published date | 01 April 2019 |
| Section | Notices |
| Court | Agriculture Department,Rural Housing Service |
Federal Register, Volume 84 Issue 62 (Monday, April 1, 2019)
[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 62 (Monday, April 1, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12190-12193]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-06203]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
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Federal Register / Vol. 84, No. 62 / Monday, April 1, 2019 /
Notices
[[Page 12190]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Housing Service
Community Facilities Technical Assistance and Training Grant for
Fiscal Year 2019
AGENCY: Rural Housing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice of solicitation of applications.
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SUMMARY: This Notice announces that the Rural Housing Service (Agency)
is accepting Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 applications for the Community
Facilities Technical Assistance and Training (TAT) Grant program. The
Agency will publish the amount of funding received in the final
appropriations act on its website at https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/notices-solicitation-applications-nosas. Awards will be made from
available funding on or before September 15, 2019.
DATES: The Agency must receive applications in paper postmarked and
mailed, shipped, or sent overnight by 5:00 Eastern Daylight Time on
June 17, 2019. Electronic applications must be submitted via grants.gov
by Midnight Eastern time on June 10, 2019. Prior to official submission
of applications, applicants may request technical assistance or other
application guidance from the Agency, as long as such requests are made
prior to June 5, 2019. Technical assistance is not meant to be an
analysis or assessment of the quality of the materials submitted, a
substitute for agency review of completed applications, nor a
determination of eligibility, if such determination requires in-depth
analysis. The Agency will not solicit or consider scoring or
eligibility information that is submitted after the application
deadline. The Agency reserves the right to contact applicants to seek
clarification information on materials contained in the submitted
application.
ADDRESSES: Applications will be submitted to the USDA Rural Development
State Office in the state where the applicant's headquarters is
located. A listing of each State Office can be found at https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/CF_State_Office_Contacts.pdf. If you want to
submit an electronic application, follow the instructions for the TAT
funding announcement on http://www.grants.gov. For those applicants
located in the District of Columbia, applications will be submitted to
the National Office in care of Shirley Stevenson, 1400 Independence
Ave. SW, STOP 0787, Room 0175-S, Washington, DC 20250. Electronic
applications will be submitted via http://www.grants.gov. All
applicants can access application materials at http://www.grants.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The Rural Development office in which
the applicant is located. A list of the Rural Development State Office
contacts can be found at https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/CF_State_Office_Contacts.pdf. Applicants located in Washington DC can
contact Shirley Stevenson at (202) 205-9685 or via email at
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Rural Housing Service, an Agency of the
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) herein referred to as
the Agency, published a final rule with comment in the Federal Register
on January 14, 2016, implementing Section 6006 of the Agriculture Act
of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79) which provides authority to make Community
Facilities Technical Assistance and Training (TAT) Grants. The final
rule became effective on March 14, 2016, and is found at 7 CFR 3570,
subpart F. A correction amendment was published in the Federal Register
on May 6, 2016. The purpose of this Notice is to solicit applications
for the FY 2019 TAT Grant Program.
The Agency encourages applications that will help improve life in
rural America. (See information on the Interagency Task Force on
Agriculture and Rural Prosperity found at www.usda.gov/ruralprosperity.) Applicants are encouraged to consider projects that
provide measurable results in helping rural communities build robust
and sustainable economies through strategic investments in
infrastructure, partnerships and innovation. Key strategies include:
Achieving e-Connectivity for Rural America
Developing the Rural Economy
Harnessing Technological Innovation
Supporting a Rural Workforce
Improving Quality of Life
To combat a key threat to economic prosperity, rural workforce and
quality of life, the Agency also encourages applications that will
support the Administration's goal to reduce the morbidity and mortality
associated with Substance Use Disorder (including opioid misuse) in
high-risk rural communities by strengthening the capacity to address
prevention, treatment and/or recovery at the community, county, state,
and/or regional levels. See https://www.cdc.gov/pwid/vulnerable-counties-data.html. Key strategies include:
Prevention: Reducing the occurrence of Substance Use
Disorder (including opioid misuse) and fatal substance-related
overdoses through community and provider education and harm reduction
measures, such as the strategic placement of overdose reversing
devices;
Treatment: Implementing or expanding access to evidence-
based treatment practices for Substance Use Disorder (including opioid
misuse), such as medication-assisted treatment (MAT); and
Recovery: Expanding peer recovery and treatment options
that help people start and stay in recovery.
State Director and Administrator discretionary points will be
awarded to applications that address these Agency Goals.
Paperwork Reduction Act
The paperwork burden has been cleared by the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) under OMB Control Number 0575-0198.
National Environmental Policy Act
All recipients under this Notice are subject to the requirements of
7 CFR part 1970. However, awards for technical assistance and training
under this Notice are classified as a Categorical Exclusion according
to 7 CFR 1970.53(b), and usually do not require any additional
documentation. The Agency will review each grant application to
determine its compliance
[[Page 12191]]
with 7 CFR part 1970. The applicant may be asked to provide additional
information or documentation to assist the Agency with this
determination.
Executive Order (E.O.) 13175 Consultation and Coordination With Indian
Tribal Governments
This Executive Order imposes requirements on Rural Development in
the development of regulatory policies that have tribal implications or
preempt tribal laws. Rural Development has determined that this Notice
does not have a substantial direct effect on one or more Indian
tribe(s) or on either the relationship or the distribution of powers
and responsibilities between the Federal Government and Indian tribes.
Thus, this Notice is not subject to the requirements of Executive Order
13175. Tribal Consultation inquiries and comments should be directed to
RD's Native American Coordinator at [email protected] or (720) 544-
2911.
Overview
Federal Agency: Rural Housing Service.
Funding Opportunity Title: Community Facilities Technical
Assistance and Training Grant.
Announcement Type: Notice of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA).
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 10.766.
Dates: To apply for funds, the Agency must receive mailed-in
applications by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on June 17, 2019.
Electronic applications must be submitted via grants.gov by Midnight
Eastern time on June 10, 2019. The Agency will not consider any
application received after this deadline. Prior to official submission
of applications, applicants may request technical assistance or other
application guidance from the Agency, as long as such requests are made
prior to June 5, 2019. Technical assistance is not meant to be an
analysis or assessment of the quality of the materials submitted, a
substitute for agency review of completed applications, nor a
determination of eligibility, if such determination requires in-depth
analysis. The Agency will not solicit or consider scoring or
eligibility information that is submitted after the application
deadline. The Agency reserves the right to contact applicants to seek
clarification information on materials contained in the submitted
application.
Availability of Notice: This Notice is available through the USDA
Rural Development site at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/notices-solicitation-applications-nosas.
I. Funding Opportunity Description
A. Purpose
Congress authorized the Community Facilities Technical Assistance
and Training Grant program in Title VI, Section 6006 of the
Agricultural Act of 2014 (Pub. L. 113-79). Program regulations can be
found at 7 CFR part 3570, subpart F, which are incorporated by
reference in this Notice. The purpose of this Notice is to seek
applications from entities that will provide technical assistance and/
or training with respect to essential community facilities programs. It
is the intent of this program to assist entities in rural areas in
accessing funding under the Rural Housing Service's Community
Facilities Programs in accordance with 7 CFR part 3570, subpart F.
Funding priority will be made to private, nonprofit or public
organizations that have experience in providing technical assistance
and training to rural entities.
II. Award Information
Type of Awards: Grants will be made to eligible entities who will
then provide technical assistance and/or training to eligible ultimate
recipients.
Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2019 Technical Assistance Training (TAT)
Grant funds.
Available Funds: The Agency is publishing the amount of funding
received in the appropriations act on its website at https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/notices-solicitation-applications-nosas. Up to
ten percent of the available funds may be awarded to the highest
scoring Ultimate Recipient(s) as long as they score a minimum score of
at least 70.
Award Amounts: Grant awards for Technical Assistance Providers
assisting Ultimate Recipients within one state may not exceed $150,000.
Grant awards made to Ultimate Recipients will not exceed $50,000. The
Agency reserves the right to reduce funding amounts based on the
Agency's determination of available funding or other Agency funding
priorities.
Award Dates: Awards will be made from available funding on or
before September 15, 2019.
III. Eligibility Information
Both the applicant and the use of funds must meet eligibility
requirements. The applicant eligibility requirements can be found at 7
CFR 3570.262. Eligible project purposes can be found at 7 CFR 3570.263.
Ineligible project purposes can be found at 7 CFR 3570.264.
Restrictions substantially similar to Sections 743, 744, 745, and 746
of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (Pub. L. 114-113) will
apply unless noted on the Rural Development website (https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-facilities-technical-assistance-and-training-grant). Any corporation (i) that has been
convicted of a felony criminal violation under any Federal law within
the past 24 months or (ii) 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 for
financial assistance provided with funds, unless a Federal agency has
considered suspension or debarment of the corporation and has made a
determination that this further action is not necessary to protect the
interests of the Government. In addition, none of the funds
appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other Act may
be available for a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement with an
entity that requires employees or contractors of such entity seeking to
report fraud, waste, or abuse to sign internal confidentiality
agreements or statements prohibiting or otherwise restricting such
employees or contractors from lawfully reporting such waste, fraud, or
abuse to a designated investigative or law enforcement representative
of a Federal department or agency authorized to receive such
information. Additionally, no funds appropriated in this or any other
Act may be used to implement or enforce the agreements in Standard
Forms 312 and 4414 of the Government or any other nondisclosure policy,
form, or agreement if such policy, form, or agreement does not contain
the following provisions: ``These provisions are consistent with and do
not supersede, conflict with, or otherwise alter the employee
obligations, rights, or liabilities created by existing statute or
Executive order relating to (1) classified information, (2)
communications to Congress, (3) the reporting to an Inspector General
of a violation of any law, rule, or regulation, or mismanagement, a
gross waste of funds, an abuse of authority, or a substantial and
specific danger to public health or safety, or (4) any other
whistleblower protection.''
IV. Application and Submission Information
The requirements for submitting an application can be found at 7
CFR 3570.267. All Applicants can access application materials at http://www.grants.gov. Applications must be received by the Agency by the due
date
[[Page 12192]]
listed in the DATES section of this Notice. Applications received after
that due date will not be considered for funding. Paper copies of the
applications will be submitted to the State Office in which the
applicant is headquartered. Electronic submissions should be submitted
at http://www.grants.gov. A listing of the Rural Development State
Offices may be found at https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/CF_State_Office_Contacts.pdf. For applicants whose headquarters are in
the District of Columbia, they will submit their application to the
National Office in care of Shirley Stevenson, 1400 Independence Ave.
SW, STOP 0787, Room 0175-S, Washington, DC 20250. Both paper and
electronic applications must be received by the Agency by the deadlines
stated in the DATES section of this Notice. The use of a courier and
package tracking for paper applications is strongly encouraged. An
applicant can only submit one application for funding.
Application information for electronic submissions may be found at
http://www.grants.gov.
Applications will not be accepted via FAX or electronic email.
V. Application Processing
Applications will be processed and scored in accordance with this
NOSA and 7 CFR 3570.273. Those applications receiving the highest
points using the scoring factors found at 7 CFR 3570.273 will be
selected for funding. Up to 10% of the available funds may be awarded
to the highest scoring Ultimate Recipient(s) as long as they score a
minimum score of at least 70. In the case of a tie, the first tie
breaker will go to the applicant who scores the highest on matching
funds. If two or more applications are still tied after using this tie
breaker, the next tie breaker will go to the applicant who scores the
highest in the multi-jurisdictional category.
Once the successful applicants are announced, the State Office will
be responsible for obligating the grant funds, executing all obligation
documents, and the grant agreement, as provided by the agency.
VI. Federal Award Administration Information
1. Federal Award Notice. Within the limit of funds available for
such purpose, the awarding official of the Agency shall make grants in
ranked order to eligible applicants under the procedures set forth in
this Notice and the grant regulation 7 CFR 3570, subpart F.
Successful applicants will receive a letter in the mail containing
instructions on requirements necessary to proceed with execution and
performance of the award. This letter is not an authorization to begin
performance. In addition, selected applicants will be requested to
verify that components of the application have not changed at the time
of selection and on the award date, if requested by the Agency.
The award is not approved until all information has been verified,
and the awarding official of the Agency has signed Form RD 1940-1,
``Request for Obligation of Funds'' and the grant agreement.
Unsuccessful and ineligible applicants will receive written
notification of their review and appeal rights.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. Grantees will
be required to do the following:
(a) Execute a Grant Agreement.
(b) Execute Form RD 1940-1.
(c) Use Form SF 270, ``Request for Advance or Reimbursement'' to
request reimbursement. Provide receipts for expenditures, timesheets,
and any other documentation to support the request for reimbursement.
(d) Provide financial status and project performance reports as set
forth at 7 CFR 3570.276.
(e) Maintain a financial management system that is acceptable to
the Agency.
(f) Ensure that records are maintained to document all activities
and expenditures utilizing CF TAT grant funds and any matching funds,
if applicable. Receipts for expenditures will be included in this
documentation.
(g) Provide audits or financial information as set forth in 7 CFR
3570.277.
(h) Complete Form 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement.'' Each prospective
recipient must sign Form RD 400-4, Assurance Agreement, which assures
USDA that the recipient is in compliance with Title VI of the Civil
Rights Act of 1964, 7 CFR part 15 and other Agency regulations. It also
assures that no person will be discriminated against based on race,
color or national origin, in regard to any program or activity for
which the re-lender receives Federal financial assistance. Finally, it
assures that nondiscrimination statements are in the recipient's
advertisements and brochures.
(i) Collect and maintain data provided by ultimate recipients on
race, sex, and national origin and ensure Ultimate Recipients collect
and maintain this data. Race and ethnicity data will be collected in
accordance with OMB Federal Register notice, ``Revisions to the
Standards for the Classification of Federal Data on Race and
Ethnicity,'' (62 FR 58782), October 30, 1997. Sex data will be
collected in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of
1972. These items should not be submitted with the application but
should be available upon request by the Agency.
(j) Provide a final performance report as set forth at 7 CFR
3570.276(a)(7).
(k) Identify and report any association or relationship with Rural
Development employees.
(l) The applicant and the ultimate recipient must comply with Title
VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education
Amendments of 1972, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Age Discrimination Act of 1975,
Executive Order 12250, Executive Order 13166 Limited English
Proficiency (LEP), and 7 CFR part 1901, subpart E. The grantee must
comply with policies, guidance, and requirements as described in the
following applicable Code of Federal Regulations and any successor
regulations:
(1) 2 CFR parts 200 and 400 (Uniform Administrative Requirements,
Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards).
(2) 2 CFR parts 417 and 180 (Government-wide Debarment and
Suspension (Nonprocurement)).
(m) Form AD-3031, ``Assurance Regarding Felony Conviction or Tax
Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants'' must be signed by
corporate applicants who receive an award under this Notice.
3. Reporting.
Reporting requirements for this grant as set forth at 7 CFR
3570.276.
VII. Federal Awarding Agency Contact
Contact the Rural Development state office in the state where the
applicant's headquarters is located. A list of Rural Development State
Offices can be found at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/CF_State_Office_Contacts.pdf. For Applicants located in Washington DC,
please contact Shirley Stevenson at (202) 205-9685 or via email at
[email protected].
VIII. Nondiscrimination Statement
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its
Agencies, offices, and 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/
[[Page 12193]]
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.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of
communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible
Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or
contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
Additionally, program information may be made available in languages
other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or
write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the
information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint
form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA
by:
(1) By mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW,
Washington, DC 20250-9410;
(2) Fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3) Email: [email protected].
Richard A. Davis,
Acting Administrator, Rural Housing Service.
[FR Doc. 2019-06203 Filed 3-29-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XV-P
