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FEDERAL
AWARDING AGENCY NAME: United States
Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Rural Utilities Service (RUS).
FUNDING
OPPORTUNITY TITLE: Community Connect Grant Program.
ANNOUNCEMENT
TYPE:
Funding Opportunity Announcement.
FUNDING
OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: RDRUS-CC-2019.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.863.
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS),
an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), hereinafter
referred to as RUS or the Agency, announces its Community Connect Grant Program
application window for Fiscal Year (FY) 2019.
This announcement is being issued
prior to the passage of a final appropriations act to allow potential
applicants time to submit proposals and give the Agency time to process
applications within the current fiscal year. The Agency will publish the amount
of funding received in any continuing resolution or the final appropriations
act on its website at https://www.rd.usda.gov/newsroom/notices-solicitation-applications-nosa.
Expenses incurred in developing
applications will be at the applicant’s own risk.
A nationally competitive program,
the Community Connect Grant Program attracts hundreds of submissions during the
60-day application window. If program funding is available for the fiscal year,
the Agency is often only able to finance a small fraction of the applications. To
increase the range of applicants that will be successful in FY 2019, only ONE application
per applicant is eligible for approval. If an applicant submits more than one
proposal, then the Agency will only consider the application with the highest
score.
Application Due Date: April 15, 2019.
Submissions: Submit completed
applications for grants according to the following deadlines:
• Paper submissions: Paper submissions
must be postmarked and mailed, shipped, or sent overnight no later than April
15, 2019 to be eligible for funding under this grant opportunity. Late or incomplete
applications will not be eligible for funding under this grant opportunity.
• Electronic submissions: Electronic
submissions must be received no later
than April 15, 2019 to be eligible for funding under this grant opportunity.
Late or incomplete applications will not be eligible for funding under this
grant opportunity.
FOR
MORE INFORMATION:
Questions about this announcement can be directed to Shawn Arner, Deputy
Assistant Administrator, Office of Loan Origination and Approval, Rural
Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, telephone: (202) 720-0800,
email: community.connect@wdc.usda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION:
A. Program Description
The Community Connect Grant Program provides
financial assistance to eligible applicants that will provide service at or
above the Broadband Grant Speed to all premises in rural, economically-challenged
communities where broadband service does not exist. The Broadband Grant Speed
for FY 2019 is defined in Section C. The deployment of broadband services on a
“community-oriented connectivity” basis stimulates economic development and
provides enhanced educational and health care opportunities in rural areas. RUS
will give priority to rural areas that demonstrate the greatest need for
broadband services, based on the criteria contained herein.
The regulation for the Community
Connect Grant Program can be found at 7 CFR part 1739. The Agriculture
Improvement Act of 2018, Pub. L. 115-334, has modified the name of the defined
term Critical Community Facilities to
Essential Community Facilities. There
are no substantive changes to the definition.
All applicants should carefully
review and prepare their applications according to instructions in the FY 2019 Community
Connect Grant Program Application Guide (Application Guide) and program
resources. This Application Guide can be found at https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-connect-grants.
Expenses incurred in developing applications will be at the applicant’s own
risk.
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
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Developing the Rural Economy
-
Harnessing Technological Innovation
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Supporting a Rural Workforce
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Improving Quality of Life
B. Federal Award
Information
Pursuant to 7 CFR part 1739.2, the
Administrator has established that the minimum grant amount of $100,000 and the
maximum grant amount of $3,000,000 will be applied to this grant opportunity.
The Agency will make awards, and the
awardees will be required to execute the required grant documents before
funding will be advanced. Award documents specify the term of each award. The
standard grant agreement is available at https://www.rd.usda.gov/files/CCGrantAgreement_052316.pdf.
While prior Community Connect grants
cannot be renewed, existing Community Connect awardees can submit applications for
new projects. The Agency will evaluate project proposals from existing awardees
as new applications. Only one grant application per applicant is eligible for
approval under this grant opportunity.
C.
Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants (See 7 CFR part 1739.10)
a. Only entities legally organized
as one of the following are eligible for Community Connect Grant Program
financial assistance:
i. An incorporated organization;
ii. An Indian tribe or tribal
organization, as defined in 25 U.S.C. 5304;
iii. A State;
iv. A unit of local government;
v. Any other legal entity, including
a cooperative, private corporation, or limited liability company organized on a
for-profit or not-for-profit basis.
b. Applicants must have the legal
capacity and authority to enter into contracts, to comply with applicable
federal statutes and regulations, and to own and operate the broadband
facilities as proposed in their application.
c. Applicants must have a Dun and
Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number and an active
registration, with current information, in the System for Award Management
(SAM) at https://www.sam.gov. Further information regarding DUNS number
acquisition and SAM registration can be found in Sections D (3) and D (4) of
this document.
d. Corporations that have been
convicted of a Federal felony within the past 24 months are not eligible. Any
corporation that has been assessed to have any unpaid federal tax liability,
for which all judicial and administrative remedies have been exhausted or have
lapsed and 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.
2.
Cost Sharing or Matching
The Community Connect Grant Program
requires matching contributions for grants. See 7 CFR part 1739.14 and the Application
Guide for information on required matching contributions.
a. Grant applicants must demonstrate
matching contributions in cash of at least 15 percent of the requested grant amount.
Matching contributions must be used solely for the project and must not include
any financial assistance from federal sources unless there is a federal
statutory exception specifically authorizing the federal financial assistance
to be considered as such.
b. Applications that do not provide sufficient
documentation of the required 15 percent match will be deemed ineligible.
3. Funding
Restrictions
a. Eligible grant purposes. See 7 CFR part 1739.12.
Grant funds may be used to finance
the following:
i. The construction, acquisition, or
leasing of facilities, including spectrum, land or buildings used to deploy
service at the Broadband Grant Speed to all residential and business customers
located within the Proposed Funded Service Area and all participating Essential
Community Facilities, as defined in 7 C.F.R. 3570.53;
ii. The improvement, expansion,
construction, or acquisition of a Community Center that furnishes free internet
access at the Broadband Grant Speed and provides Computer Access Points. Grant
funds for the Community Center must not exceed the lesser of 10 percent of the requested
grant amount or $150,000; and
iii. The cost of bandwidth necessary
to provide service free of charge at the Broadband Grant Speed to each Essential
Community Facility for the first two years of operation.
b. Ineligible grant purposes. See 7 CFR part 1739.13.
Grant funds may not be used to finance:
i. The duplication of lines,
facilities, or systems providing Broadband Service.
ii. Operating expenses not
specifically permitted in 7 CFR part 1739.12.
4. Other
Eligible projects must propose to fulfill the following requirements
(see 7 CFR parts 1739.3 and 1739.11 for more information):
a. Proposed Funded Service Area
(PFSA). The applicant must define a contiguous geographic area within one or
more eligible Rural Areas, in which Broadband Service does not exist and where
the applicant proposes to offer service at the Broadband Grant Speed to all
residential and business customers.
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A Rural Area refers to any area, as
confirmed by the most recent decennial Census of the United States, which is
not located within a city, town, or incorporated area that has a population of
greater than 20,000 inhabitants; or an urbanized area contiguous and adjacent
to a city or town that has a population of greater than 50,000 inhabitants. For
purposes of the definition of Rural Area, an urbanized area means a densely
populated territory as defined in the most recent decennial Census.
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Broadband Service exists if the
rate-of-data transmission in an area is at least 10 megabits per second (Mbps)
downstream and 1 Mbps upstream for fixed or mobile broadband service. RUS will validate
that Broadband Service does not exist in areas that applicants describe as
having no broadband access or access that is less than 10 Mbps downstream plus
1 Mbps upstream.
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The Broadband Grant Speed, which is
the minimum bandwidth that an applicant must provide to every customer in the
PFSA, is 25 Mbps downstream and 3 Mbps upstream for fixed and mobile service.
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A PFSA must not overlap with service
areas of current RUS borrowers and grantees.
b. Essential Community Facilities. The
applicant must propose to offer free service at the Broadband Grant Speed to
all participating Essential Community Facilities located within the PFSA for at
least two years.
c. Community Center. The applicant
must provide a Community Center within the PFSA. Grant funds must be used to
provide a minimum of 2, and up to 10, Computer Access Points at the Community
Center. The Community Center must also provide wireless access at the Broadband
Grant Speed, free of all charges, to all users for at least two years.
D.
Application and Submission Information
The Application Guide provides
specific, detailed instructions for each item in a complete application. The
Agency emphasizes the importance of including every item and strongly
encourages applicants to follow the instructions carefully, using the examples
and illustrations in the Application Guide. 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 March 29,
2019. Agency contact information can be found in Section G of this document.
The Agency will not solicit or
consider new scoring or eligibility information that is submitted after the
application deadline. The Agency reserves the right to contact applicants to
seek clarification on materials contained in the submitted application. See
the Application Guide for a full discussion of each item. For requirements of completed grant
applications, refer to 7 CFR part 1739.15.
For FY 2019, one proposal per
applicant is eligible for approval. If an applicant submits more than one
proposal, then the Agency will only consider the application with the highest score.
1. Address to Request Application Package. The Application Guide and
copies of forms and resources are available as follows:
a. Electronic copies are available at
https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-connect-grants.
b. Paper copies are available from the
Rural Utilities Service, Office of Loan Origination and Approval, 202-720-0800.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission.
a. Carefully review the Application
Guide and 7 CFR part 1739, which detail all relevant forms and worksheets. A table summarizing the components of a
complete application can be found in this section.
b. Submission of Application
Items. Given the high volume of program
interest, applicants should submit the application items in the order indicated
in the Application Guide. Applications
that are not assembled and tabbed in the specified order prevent timely determination
of eligibility. For applications with
inconsistencies among submitted copies, the Agency will base its evaluation on
the original signed application received.
c. Table of Application Items.
Application Item
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Regulation
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Comments
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Application for Federal Assistance Form (SF-424 Standard Form)
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7 CFR part 1739.15(a)
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Form provided in Application Guide
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SAM Registration Information
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7 CFR parts 1739.10 and 1739.15(j)
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Worksheet provided in Application Guide
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Executive Summary of the Project
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7 CFR parts 1739.15(b) and 1739.9
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Narrative, including a publicly releasable section that describes the population served
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Scoring Criteria Documentation
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7 CFR part 1739.15(c)
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Narrative & Documentation
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System Design
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7 CFR part 1739.15(d)
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Narrative & Documentation
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Network Diagram
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7 CFR part 1739.15(d)
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Documentation
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Environmental Questionnaire
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7 CFR part 1970
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Narrative & Documentation
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Service Area Map
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7 CFR part 1739.15(e)
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Provided in RUS web-based Mapping Tool
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Service Area Demographics
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7 CFR part 1739.15(e)
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Documentation
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Scope of Work
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7 CFR part 1739.15(f)
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Narrative & Documentation
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Construction Build-out and Project Milestones
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7 CFR part 1739.15(f)
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Worksheet provided in Application Guide
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Project Budget
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7 CFR part 1739.15(f)
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Worksheet provided in Application Guide
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Community-oriented Connectivity Plan
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7 CFR part 1739.15(g)
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Narrative
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Financial Information and Sustainability
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7 CFR part 1739.15(h)
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Narrative & Documentation
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Statement of Experience
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7 CFR part 1739.15(i)
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Narrative
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Additional Funding
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7 CFR part 1739.15(k)
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Narrative & Documentation
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Compliance with other Federal Statutes
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7 CFR part 1739.15(l)
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Form provided in Application Guide
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Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination
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7 CFR part 1739.15(l)(1)
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Form provided in Application Guide
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Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970
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49 CFR Part 24 and 7 CFR part 21
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Form provided in Application Guide
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Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters
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7 CFR part 1739.15(l)
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Form provided in Application Guide
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Lobbying for Contracts, Grants, Loans, and Cooperative Agreements
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7 CFR part 1739.15(l)
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Form provided in Application Guide
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Drug-Free Workplace
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7 CFR part 1739.15(l)
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Form provided in Application Guide
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Architectural Barriers
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7 CFR part 1739.15(l)
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Form provided in Application Guide
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Flood Hazard Area Precautions
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7 CFR part 1739.15(l)
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Form provided in Application Guide
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Non-Duplication of Services
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7 CFR part 1739.15(l)
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Form provided in Application Guide
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Federal Collection Policies for Commercial Debt
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7 CFR part 1739.15(l)
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Form provided in Application Guide
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Assurance Regarding Felony Conviction or Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants
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7 CFR part 1739.15(l)
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Form provided in Application Guide (corporate applicants-only)
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d. Number
of copies of submitted applications.
i. Paper submissions.
Submit the original application and two
paper copies to RUS, as well as one digital copy on a Flash Drive.
ii. Electronic submissions. Submit the electronic
application once. Do not send a paper
copy to RUS. Applicants should identify
and number each page in the same manner as the paper application.
3. Dun and
Bradstreet Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number. The
applicant for a grant must supply a DUNS number as part of the application. The applicant can obtain the DUNS number free
of charge by calling Dun and Bradstreet. Go to http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform for more information on DUNS number
acquisition or confirmation.
4. System for Award Management (SAM). Prior to submitting a paper or an electronic
application,
the applicant must register in SAM at https://www.sam.gov.
Throughout the RUS application review
and the active Federal grant funding period, SAM registration must be active
with current data at all times. To
maintain active SAM registration, the applicant must review and update the
information in the SAM database annually from the date of initial registration
or from the date of the last update. The
applicant must ensure that the information in the database is current,
accurate, and complete.
5. Submission
Dates and Times.
a. Paper applications must be
postmarked and mailed, shipped, or sent overnight no later than April 15, 2019,
to be eligible for funding under this grant opportunity. Late applications,
applications which do not include proof of mailing or shipping, and incomplete
applications are not eligible for funding under this grant opportunity.
i. Address paper applications to the
Telecommunications Program, RUS, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1400
Independence Ave., SW, Room 2844, STOP 1597, Washington, DC 20250-1597.
Applications should be marked, “Attention: Deputy Assistant Administrator,
Office of Loan Origination and Approval.”
ii. Paper applications must show proof of mailing or shipping by the
deadline consisting of one of the following:
A. A legibly dated U.S. Postal
Service (USPS) postmark;
B. A legible mail receipt with the date of mailing stamped
by the USPS; or
C. A dated shipping label, invoice, or receipt from a
commercial carrier.
iii. Due to screening procedures at
the USDA, packages arriving via regular mail through the USPS are irradiated,
which can damage the contents and delay delivery to RUS. RUS encourages applicants to consider the
impact of this procedure when selecting their application delivery method.
b. Electronic grant applications
must be received no later than April 15, 2019, to be eligible for funding under
this grant opportunity. Late or
incomplete applications will not be eligible for funding under this grant
opportunity.
i. Applications will not be accepted
via fax or electronic mail.
ii. Electronic applications for
grants must be submitted through the Federal Government’s Grants.gov initiative
at https://www.grants.gov.
iii.
Grants.gov requires some credentialing and online authentication procedures. These procedures may take several business
days to complete. Therefore, the
applicant should complete the registration, credentialing, and authorization
procedures at Grants.gov before submitting an application. Instructions on all
required passwords, credentialing, and software are available on Grants.gov.
iv. If system errors or technical
difficulties occur, use the customer support resources available at the
Grants.gov website.
c.
If the submission deadline falls on Saturday, Sunday, or a Federal holiday, the
application is due the next business day.
E.
Application Review Information
1. Criteria.
Grant applications are evaluated for financial and technical
feasibility, in accordance with 7 CFR 1739.16. An application that contains
flaws that would prevent the successful implementation, operation, or
sustainability of the project will not be approved for an award.
In addition, grant applications are scored competitively. The
Agency will consider the following criteria based on a scale of 100 possible
points. See 7 CFR part 1739.17 and the Application Guide for more information
on the scoring criteria.
a.
Needs Category (up to 50 points). The Agency analyzes the challenges related to
the following criteria and the ways in which the project proposes to address
these issues:
i. Economic characteristics.
ii. Educational challenges.
iii. Health care needs.
iv. Public safety issues.
b.
Stakeholder Involvement Category (up to 40 points). The Agency analyzes the
extent of the project planning, development, and support from local residents,
institutions, and Essential Community Facilities. Documentation
must include evidence of community-wide involvement, as exemplified by
community meetings, public forums, and surveys. In addition, applicants should provide evidence of local residents’
participation in the project planning and
development.
c.
Experience Category (up to 10 points). The Agency analyzes the management
team’s level of experience and past success of broadband systems operation.
d.
In making a final selection among and between applications with comparable
rankings and geographic distribution, the Administrator may take into
consideration the characteristics of the PFSA. Applicants should therefore
specifically address the criteria identified in 7 CFR part 1739.17(d).
2. Review and Selection Process.
a. Grant applications are ranked by the
final score. Grants are awarded in rank order, subject to the availability of
funds and consistent with 7 CFR 1739.17. It should be noted that an application
receiving fewer points can be selected over an application receiving more
points in the event that there are insufficient funds available to cover the
costs of the higher scoring application, as stated in 7 CFR 1739.16(f).
b. The Agency reserves the right to
offer the applicant a lower amount than the amount proposed in the application,
as stated in 7 CFR 1739.16(g).
c. If the Agency receives more than
one proposal from the same applicant, then the Agency will only consider the
application with the highest score.
F.
Federal Award Administration Information
1. Federal Award Notices.
RUS notifies applicants whose
projects are selected for awards by mailing or emailing a copy of an award
letter. The receipt of an award letter
does not authorize the applicant to commence performance under the award. After sending the award letter, the Agency
will send an agreement that contains all the terms and conditions for the
grant. An applicant must execute and return the grant agreement, accompanied by
any additional items required by the agreement, within the number of days specified
in the selection notice letter.
2. Administrative and National
Policy Requirements.
The items listed in this announcement,
the Community Connect Grant Program regulation, the Application Guide, and program
resources implement the appropriate administrative and national policy
requirements, which include but are not limited to:
a. Executing a Community Connect Grant
Agreement.
b. Using Form SF 270, “Request for
Advance or Reimbursement,” to request reimbursements (along with the submission
of receipts for expenditures, timesheets, and any other documentation to
support the request for reimbursement).
c. Providing project performance activity reports
by January 31st the year following the first advance of funds and
continuing in subsequent years until the expiration or completion of the award.
d. Ensuring that records are
maintained to document all activities and expenditures utilizing Community
Connect grant funds and matching funds (receipts for expenditures are to be
included in this documentation).
e. Providing a final project
performance report.
f. Complying with policies,
guidance, and requirements as described in the following applicable Code of
Federal Regulations, and any successor regulations:
i. 2 CFR parts 200 and 400 (Uniform
Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for
Federal Awards). The government must be provided an exclusive first lien on all
grant assets during the service obligation of the grant, and thereafter any
sale or disposition of grant assets must comply with the Uniform Administrative
Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards,
codified in 2 CFR part 200. Note that this part will apply to ALL grant funds
of an Awardee, regardless of the entity status or type of organization.
ii. 2 CFR parts 417 and 180
(Government-wide Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension).
g. Signing Form AD-3031, “Assurance
Regarding Felony Conviction or Tax Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicants”
(for corporate applicants only).
h. Complying with Executive Order
13166, “Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English
Proficiency.” For information on limited
English proficiency and agency-specific guidance, go to https://www.LEP.gov.
i. Accountability and Compliance
with Civil Rights Laws. The regulation
found at 7 CFR part 1901 Subpart E contains policies and procedures for
implementing the regulations of the Department of Agriculture issued pursuant
to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act
of 1968, Title IX, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Executive
Order 13166, Executive Order 11246, and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of
1974, as they relate to the Rural Development. Nothing herein shall be interpreted to
prohibit preference to American Indians on Indian Reservations.
The policies contained in this subpart apply
to recipients. As recipients of federal financial assistance, awardees are
required to comply with the applicable federal, state and local laws. Title VI
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
prohibits discrimination by recipients of federal financial assistance.
Recipients are required to adhere to specific outreach activities. These
outreach activities include contacting community organizations and leaders that
include minority leaders; advertising in local newspapers and other media throughout
the entire service area; and including the nondiscrimination slogan, “This is
an Equal Opportunity Program. Discrimination is prohibited by Federal Law,” in
methods that may include, but not be limited to, advertisements, public
broadcasts, and printed materials, such as brochures and pamphlets. All
recipients must submit and have on file a valid Form RD 400-1 (Equal
Opportunity Agreement); and RD Form 400-4 (Assurance Agreement).
By signing Form 400-4, recipients
affirm that they will operate the program free from discrimination. The recipient will maintain the race and
ethnic data on the board members and beneficiaries of the program. The recipient will provide alternative forms
of communication to persons with limited English proficiency. The Agency will
conduct Civil Rights Compliance Reviews on recipients to identify the
collection of racial and ethnic data on program beneficiaries. In addition, the Compliance Review will ensure
that equal access to the program benefits and activities are provided for
persons with disabilities and language barriers.
3.
Reporting.
a. Performance reporting. All recipients of Community Connect financial
assistance must provide annual performance activity reports to RUS until the
project is complete and the funds are expended. A final performance report is also required;
the final report may serve as the last annual report. The final report must include an evaluation of
the success of the project in meeting the Community Connect Grant Program
objectives. See 7 CFR part 1739.19 for additional information on
these reporting requirements.
b. Financial reporting. All recipients of Community Connect financial
assistance must provide an annual audit, beginning with the first year in which
a portion of the financial assistance is expended. Audits are governed by USDA audit regulations.
See
7 CFR part 1739.20 and 2 CFR part 200, Subpart F for a description
of the audit requirements.
c. Recipient and Sub-recipient
Reporting. The applicant must have the
necessary processes and systems in place to comply with the reporting
requirements for first-tier sub-awards and executive compensation under the
Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 in the event the
applicant receives funding, unless such applicant is exempt from such reporting
requirements pursuant to 2 CFR part 170.110(b). The reporting requirements under the
Transparency Act pursuant to 2 CFR part 170 are as follows:
i. First Tier Sub-Awards of $25,000
or more (unless they are exempt under 2 CFR part 170) must be reported by the recipient
to https://www.fsrs.gov no later than the end of the month
following the month the obligation was made. Please note that currently underway is a
consolidation of eight federal procurement systems, including the Federal Sub-award
Reporting System (FSRS), into one system, the System for Award Management
(SAM). As a result, the FSRS will soon
be consolidated into and accessed through https://www.sam.gov.
ii. The total compensation of the recipient’s
executives (the five most highly compensated executives) must be reported by
the recipient (if the recipient meets the criteria under 2 CFR part 170) to https://www.sam.gov
by the end of the month
following the month in which the award was made.
iii. The total compensation of the sub-recipient’s
executives (the five most highly compensated executives) must be reported by
the sub-recipient (if the sub-recipient meets the criteria under 2 CFR part 170)
to the recipient by the end of the month following the month in which the sub-award
was made.
d. Record Keeping and Accounting. The agreement will contain provisions related
to record keeping and accounting requirements.
G.
Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
1. Website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/community-connect-grants.
The Community Connect website maintains up-to-date resources and contact
information for the Community Connect Grant Program.
2. Telephone: 202-720-0800
3. Email: community.connect@wdc.usda.gov
4. Main point of contact: Shawn Arner, Deputy Assistant Administrator,
Office of Loan Origination and Approval, Rural Utilities Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture.
H.
Other Information
1.
USDA Non-Discrimination 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/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 How
to File a Program Discrimination Complaint 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)
mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410;
(2)
fax: (202) 690-7442; or
(3)
email: program.intake@usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity
provider, employer, and lender.
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