FY2021 DLT App Guide.pdf

Distance Learning and Telemedicine Grant Program

Application Guide Fiscal Year 2021

Rural Utilities Service Telecommunications Program

April

DISTANCE LEARNING & TELEMEDICINE PROGRAM

GRANT APPLICATION GUIDE

FISCAL YEAR 2021

RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE

RURAL DEVELOPMENT

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

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(202) 720-1127 (TDD).

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender.

Table of Contents

General Information:

Changes for FY 2021:

Eligible Grant Purposes:

Ineligible Grant Purposes:

Additional Eligibility Criteria:

Other Considerations

Rural Areas

Online Education Services

Grant Limits

Grant Review Process

Completing the Grant Application

A. Standard Form 424

B. Site Worksheet

C. Executive Summary

D. Scoring Criteria Documentation

E. Matching Requirements

Match Documentation Specifics -

F. Scope of Work

G. Financial Information and Sustainability

H. Statement of Experience

I. Telecommunications System Plan

J. Compliance with other Federal Statutes

K. Evidence of Legal Existence and Authority to Contract with the Federal Government .. 27

L. Environmental Impact and Historic Preservation

M. Consultation with USDA State Director

N. Supplemental Information

Appendix A - Forms

Appendix B: Determining Rurality using the Census Website and the DLT Map

Introduction and General Information

Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program

General Information:

Distance learning means a real-time, interactive, telecommunications link to an end-user through the use of eligible equipment to provide educational programs, instruction, or information originating in one area, whether rural or not, to students and teachers who are located in rural areas.

Telemedicine means a real-time, interactive, telecommunications link to an end-user through the use of eligible equipment which electronically links medical professionals at separate sites in order to exchange health care information in audio, video, graphic, or other format for the purpose of providing improved health care services primarily to residents of rural areas.

The Distance Learning and Telemedicine (DLT) Grant Program is specifically designed to assist rural communities in acquiring distance learning and telemedical technologies so that local teachers, and medical service providers who serve rural residents can link to other teachers, medical professionals, and other needed expertise located at distances too far to access otherwise. Since 1994, the DLT Grant Program has helped to establish hundreds of distance learning and telemedicine systems improving quality of life for thousands of residents in rural communities all across the United States.

!! BEFORE GETTING STARTED!!

All applicants must read:

7 CFR 1734, Subpart A and B

Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) published on the DLT Program

Website and in Grants.gov on April 5, 2021.

DLT Program Website: https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/distance-learning-telemedicine-grants;

The regulation MUST be used in conjunction with this Application Guide. Should any differences result in the interpretation of this Application Guide and the regulation, the regulation takes precedence.

For additional information concerning this grant program, please contact:

Loan Origination and Approval Division, Telecommunications Program

(202) 720-0800 or Email: dltinfo@usda.gov https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/distance-learning-telemedicine-grants https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/distance-learning-telemedicine-grants mailto:dltinfo@usda.gov

When and Where to Submit Application:

GRANT applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 pm EDT on

June 4, 2021

Applications must be submitted ELECTRONICALLY via www.grants.gov. Applications will not be accepted on paper or electronic mail.

Prior to official submission of applications, applicants may request technical assistance or other application guidance from the Agency, if such requests are made at least 15 days prior to the due date listed in FOA. 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.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) strongly encourages applicants to obtain all necessary sign-ups, credentials and authorizations well in advance of the deadline including the required

SAM.gov registration and financial assistance certifications and representations. Grants.gov requires some one-time credentialing and online authentication procedures. These procedures may take several business days to complete. Several requirements on Grants.gov and SAM.gov call for an annual update; applicants should also ensure that their credentials and authorizations are up to date.

The Grants.gov website, like all web facilities, has finite capacity. If several federal grant programs have the same application deadline date, periods of site overloading can be experienced. Please plan accordingly.

Please follow the instructions on Grants.gov. If applicants experience a technical problem retrieving or submitting an electronic application, they should contact the Grants.gov customer support resources. RUS staffers do not control the technical aspects of Grants.gov and won't be able to help if an applicant experiences a problem. However, RUS is available to answer questions about the Program and the contents of an application.

Grants.gov applications must be submitted by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the closing date.

https://www.grants.gov/

Additional Registration Requirements for all Applicants:

Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System Registration – As required by the

Office of Management and Budget (OMB), all applicants for grants must supply a Dun and

Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number when applying. The Standard

Form 424 (SF–424) contains a blank to enter the DUNS number. The DUNS number can be obtained free of charge by calling Dun & Bradstreet.

Please see: https://www.grants.gov/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html for more information on how to obtain a DUNS number or how to verify an organization’s number. Note that the DUNS number must belong to the Applicant, not an affiliate, subsidiary, or parent company.

System for Award Management and Grants.gov Registration – Applicants must register in the System for Award Management (SAM) PRIOR to registering in Grants.gov, which is required to submit an application. Applicants must also make the certifications and representations required of entities which are applying for or have received funding under any

Federal financial assistance project or program in order to be eligible for a DLT grant. A SAM registration that lacks the Financial Assistance General Certifications and Representations will cause an application to be rejected as ineligible.

Registration with SAM is free of charge at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/. Please keep in mind that it can take up to 12-15 business days to register as a new potential grantee with SAM, then an additional 24 hours for Grants.gov to recognize the SAM information. Applicants should plan accordingly and begin the process well in advance of the application deadline.

Throughout the RUS application review and the active Federal grant funding period, the SAM registration with Financial Assistance General Certifications and Representations 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.

If an applicant has a current SAM registration but did not make the Financial Assistance General

Certifications and Representations at the time of establishment or renewal of its registration, it should log into SAM and add those certifications and representations before submitting a grant application. Note that it can take an additional 10 business days for SAM to recognize the update to the registration.

Please check the applicant's SAM registration for accuracy prior to submitting an application.

https://www.grants.gov/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html https://www.grants.gov/applicants/organization-registration/step-1-obtain-duns-number.html https://www.sam.gov/SAM/

Changes for FY 2021:

1. To increase the range of applicants that will be successful in FY 2021, only one application per applicant is eligible for approval. If an applicant submits more than one application, then the Agency will only consider the application with the highest score.

2. The Agency has clarified that it will not transfer awards to another entity because the applicant has later determined that it cannot close the award, execute the standard Grant

Agreement, which is publicly available, nor hold the grant assets in its name. (see page 6)

3. The Economic Need scoring has been modified to calculate an average Economic Need score based on the score of each individual end-user site, rather than assigning a score based on the average of the SAIPE poverty percentage of each end-user site. (see page 16)

4. Special Consideration points are no longer provided for STEM education or service in an

Opportunity Zone. However, 20 points may now be awarded for properly documented service to be provided on Tribal Lands. (see page 17)

Eligibility Requirements

Applicant Eligibility

To be eligible for a grant, an organization must:

1. Be legally organized as an incorporated organization, an Indian tribe or tribal organization, as defined in 25 U.S.C. 5304, a state or local unit of government, a consortium, or other legal entity, including a private corporation organized on a for-profit or not-for-profit basis. Each applicant must provide evidence of its legal capacity to contract with the Rural Utilities Service to obtain the grant and comply with all applicable requirements, in accordance with 7 CFR part 1734.4(a).

Consortium: A consortium is a combination or group of entities formed to undertake the purposes for which the distance learning and telemedicine financial assistance is being requested.

• If the applicant is an existing established consortium with the legal ability to contract with the Federal Government, that organization can apply in the name of the formal consortium.

• If the applicant is an informal consortium which by itself lacks the legal capacity to contract with the Federal Government, either one entity must serve as the host organization which will apply on behalf of the consortium and be designated as the project owner with all awardee responsibilities or each individual entity must contract with RUS in its own behalf.

2. Either operate a rural community facility or deliver distance learning or telemedicine services to entities that operate a rural community facility or to residents of rural areas at rates calculated to ensure that the benefit of the financial assistance is passed through to such entities or to residents of rural areas.

Grant applications that are written by vendors who are mentioned in the application as vendors to be used on the project to be funded by the DLT award are ineligible as a violation of the competition rules in 2 CFR 200.319. Such vendors are also prohibited from bidding on the project because of conflict of interest. Additionally, applicants must fully understand the procurement requirements of 2 CFR part 200 Subpart D and the DLT regulations when compiling an application for submission, and must avoid the use of predetermined equipment as a violation of the bidding requirements unless they have adequately demonstrated in the application that no other equipment is available for the intended purpose.

Equipment vendors, manufacturers, system integrators, and other businesses whose purpose in the proposal is to sell equipment or technological services to support applicants cannot themselves be applicants or affiliates of the applicant. If the grant writer for the application is paid by a vendor, manufacturer, system integrator, or other business, the vendor, manufacturer, system integrator or other business becomes an affiliate of the applicant and cannot participate in the project.

Applicants are required to provide evidence of their ability to contract with RUS to obtain the grant and comply with all applicable requirements, in accordance with 7 CFR 1734.4(a). It is incumbent on applicants to determine the appropriate entity to apply for the grant. Entities created by educational or medical institutions for the purpose of applying for and managing grants, such as university or hospital foundations, should not be applicants unless they can own and manage grant-funded equipment as required by the Grant Agreement and applicable regulations, including 2 CFR Part 200. Accordingly, RUS will not transfer awards to another entity because the applicant has later determined that it cannot close the award, execute the standard Grant Agreement, which is publicly available, nor hold the grant assets in its name.

Note: Electric or telecommunications borrowers financed through the Rural Utilities Service are eligible for grants.

Eligible Grant Purposes:

There are three categories of eligible purposes:

1. Acquiring, by lease or purchase, eligible equipment. If leased, the cost of the lease during the three-year life of the grant is eligible.

The following are examples of eligible equipment. This list is not exhaustive. Neither does it convey blanket eligibility. A computer is not automatically eligible. It must be used for an eligible purpose. The purpose of the DLT Grant program is to deliver education or medical care to end users at remote sites via telecommunications, not simply to furnish educational or medical technology.

• Computer hardware and software

• Site licenses and maintenance contracts

• Extended warranties (up to 3 years)

• Audio and video equipment

• Computer network components

• Telecommunications terminal equipment

• Data terminal equipment

• Interactive audio/video equipment

• Inside wiring

• Broadband facilities, if owned by the applicant (limited to 20% of grant)

In general, equipment not electronically interconnected to the grant and match funded equipment is not eligible. The application must demonstrate that the predominant purpose (50% or more of use) of every line-item in the grant and match budget meets the DLT Grant definition of distance learning or telemedicine. NOTE: All equipment purchased for this Project must be new or non-depreciated.

2. Acquiring instructional programming that is a capital asset (including the purchase or lease of instructional programming already on the market). Renewals of instructional programming are not eligible nor is classroom equipment (such as laboratory equipment).

Also, expenses (such as those for tuition, fees for coursework on a per course basis, or fees for cultural events or virtual field trips) are not capital assets and therefore, are not eligible.

3. Providing technical assistance and instruction for using eligible equipment, including any related software, developing instructional programming that is a capital asset, and providing engineering or environmental studies relating to the establishment or expansion of the phase of the project to be financed with the grant. The costs for this category cannot exceed 10% of the grant amount requested.

Ineligible Grant Purposes:

The following purposes are considered ineligible grant purposes (see 7 CFR 1734.23):

• To pay for medical or educational equipment not having telemedicine or distance learning as its essential function, including telephone systems

• To pay for Electronic Medical Records (EMR) systems

• To pay salaries, wages, or employee benefits to medical or educational personnel

• To pay for the salaries or administrative expenses of the applicant or the project

• To purchase equipment that will be owned by the local exchange carrier or another telecommunications service provider unless that service provider is the applicant

• To duplicate facilities providing distance learning or telemedicine services in place or to reimburse the applicant or others for costs incurred prior to RUS' receipt of the completed application

• To pay costs of preparing the application package for financial assistance under this program

• For projects whose sole objective is to provide links between teachers and students or between medical professionals who are located at the same facility or campus environment

• For site development and the destruction or alteration of buildings

• For the purchase of land, buildings, or building construction

• For projects located in areas covered by the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (16 U.S.C.

3501 et seq.)

• For any purpose that the Administrator has not specifically approved

• Except for leases provided for in §1734.21, to pay the cost of recurring or operating expenses for the project, including but not limited to broadband connection fees

• For any other purposes not specifically contained in §1734.21.

Additionally, except as otherwise provided in §1734.12, grants shall not be used to finance a project, in part, when the success of the project is dependent upon the receipt of additional financial assistance under this subpart or is dependent upon the receipt of other financial assistance that is not assured.

Additional Eligibility Criteria:

1. Minimum Rurality Score: In order to be eligible to receive a grant, an application must receive a minimum of 20 points as an average score for all hub/end-user and end-user sites included in the project. See instructions under Section D-1 for calculating the

Rurality Score.

2. Matching Contribution: The grant applicant’s matching contribution must total at least

15 percent of the grant amount requested and be used for eligible grant purposes. See instructions under Section E for more information on the Matching Contribution.

Other Considerations:

Rural Areas: The intent of the DLT program is to benefit rural areas (populations of 20,000 or less and not contiguous and adjacent to urban areas > 50,000). While some projects could include end-users in more urbanized areas, the Agency will evaluate projects based on their benefit to rural areas.

Online Education Services: Because this program is intended to fund end-user equipment at specifically identified sites, applications which propose to provide only web-based services which are universally available are ineligible. This type of project does not have a defined service area and the beneficiaries can be located anywhere, including urban areas.

Grant Limits

The minimum Grant amount which can be requested is $50,000. The maximum Grant amount which can be requested is $1,000,000.

Grant Review Process

1. Grant Receipt: Completed applications must be submitted through https://www.grants.gov by the specified submission date to be considered for funding.

2. Incomplete Applications: RUS may request additional information that would not change the application or scoring, in order to complete the appropriate documents covering financial assistance.

3. Scoring: All complete applications will be scored in accordance with the criteria set forth in this guide, on the program website and the Grants.gov website.

4. Ineligible Applications: Applicants with applications that are deemed ineligible will be notified in writing regarding application deficiencies.

5. Appeals: Only RUS Telecommunications and Electric Borrowers may appeal the decision to reject their applications. Any appeal must be made, in writing, within 10 days after the applicant is notified of the determination to deny the application.

https://www.grants.gov/

6. Selection Process: Applications will be selected for approval based on scores assigned, availability of funds, and the provisions of § 1734.27. To increase the range of applicants that will be successful in FY 2021, only ONE application per applicant is eligible for approval. If an applicant submits more than one application, then the Agency will only consider the application with the highest score.

Regardless of the number of points an application receives, the Administrator may take any of the following actions:

a) Limit the number of applications selected for projects located in any one State during a fiscal year.

b) Limit the number of selected applications for a particular type of project.

c) Select an application receiving fewer points than another if there are insufficient funds during a particular funding period to select the higher scoring application.

7. Legal Documents: All grantees will be required to execute a standard DLT Grant

Agreement. A standard form of this agreement can be found on our website under the To

Apply tab at: http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/distance-learning-telemedicine-grants

Completing the Grant Application

This section addresses all the information that must be submitted in order for an application to be deemed complete and considered for funding. Please make sure that all the necessary information is included in the appropriate section. All the required forms and certifications are included on the DLT website, shown in Appendix A to this Guide, or are available through

SAM.gov.

A. Standard Form 424

B. Site Worksheet

C. Executive Summary of the Project

D. Scoring Criteria Documentation (3 Worksheets plus Needs & Benefits discussion)

E. Matching Requirements (Worksheet plus correspondence)

F. Scope of Work (Including Budget Worksheet)

G. Financial Information and Sustainability

H. Statement of Experience

I. Telecommunications System Plan

J. Compliance with other Federal Statutes

K. Evidence of Legal Authority and Existence

L. Environmental Impact and Historic Preservation

M. Consultation with USDA State Director

N. Supplemental Information http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/distance-learning-telemedicine-grants

A. Standard Form 424

The SF-424 is provided by Grants.gov as a required form. Every other application element must be attached to the SF-424. See page 34 for more details.

B. Site Worksheet

The Site Worksheet is a required attachment that lists all the locations to receive grant-funded equipment or function as a critical part of the proposed project. Please use the following definitions on the Site Worksheet when distinguishing a site as a Hub, Hub/End-User or End-

User Site. These designations should be used consistently on the Site Worksheet and the Rurality and Economic Need Worksheets.

Hub Sites: A hub site is a facility that is part of a network or telecommunications system that provides educational or medical services to hub/end-user or end-user sites. A pure hub receives no end-user benefits. The site is usually a connection management point or is exclusively an educational or medical source of distance learning or telemedicine.

End-User Site: An end-user site is a facility that is part of a network or telecommunications system that is utilized by end-users. For a site to be included as an end-user site for scoring purposes, the applicant must demonstrate equipment purchased will be installed or placed at the site and the site will only receive benefits or services from other networked sites.

A Hub/End-User site performs both functions: a hub which also accommodates end-users.

Non-fixed End-User Sites: If equipment funded by the grant will be used in rural residents' homes or in mobile facilities, the project will be deemed a non-fixed end-user site application, since the end-user sites will change constantly. The location of the hub site that serves the non-fixed end-user sites will serve as a proxy for the addresses of the end-users. If the project includes both non-fixed and fixed end-user sites, it will be described as a Hybrid application. Note: the addresses of individual homes of prospective students or patients for non-fixed project should not be provided on the site worksheet. These addresses will not be used for scoring purposes, and such personally identifiable information should not be included in the application.

Some of the information requested on the Site Worksheets such as congressional districts can be obtained at the US Census web site. Further guidance on navigating the US Census website is available in Appendix B.

C. Executive Summary

The Executive Summary gives reviewers their first overall view of the project area, the problems that residents face, and how the proposed project will address those problems. This is the applicant's opportunity to discuss the core aspects of the project. It should contain a concise description of the project including:

1. A description of why the project is needed.

2. An explanation of how the applicant will address the need cited, why the applicant requires the financial assistance, the types of education or medical services to be offered by the projects, and the benefits to rural residents.

3. A description of the applicant, documenting eligibility.

4. An explanation of the total project cost including a breakdown of the grant required and the source of matching contribution and other financial assistance for the remainder of the project.

5. A statement specifying whether the project is either a distance learning or telemedicine facility as defined in § 1734.3. If the project provides both distance learning and telemedicine services, the applicant must identify the predominant use of the system.

6. A statement specifying whether the project is requesting special consideration points for

Opioid or other Substance Use Disorder treatment or Tribal Lands. If no special consideration is being requested, applicant should state “No special consideration requested.”

7. A general overview of the telecommunications system to be developed, including the types of equipment, technologies, and facilities used.

8. A description of the participating hubs and end-user sites and the number of rural residents that will be served by the project at each end-user site.

9. Discussion of the relationship of the applicant with participating hubs and end-user sites and if the application is being filed as an informal consortium. If application is for an informal consortium with all entities requesting ownership of their sites' equipment, a single fiscal agent must be identified as the applicant and all entities must provide certifications and documentation under Sections J and K, respectively, including SAM registrations with Financial Assistance General Certifications and Representations.

10. A certification by the applicant that facilities to be constructed with the grant do not duplicate adequate established telemedicine or distance learning services.

11. A listing of the location of each end-user site (city, town, village, borough, or rural areas) plus the State.

At the end of the Executive Summary, please provide a section titled “Publicly Releasable

Project Description” which contains the following information:

1. Title of the Project

2. Description of the proposed hub/end-user and end-user site(s)

3. A brief description of project

4. Total estimated population affected by proposed project

Any information included in this section may be released to interested parties inquiring about an application, so please provide an adequate description of the project, but do not include any information that the applicant would not want released to the public. A long description is not needed, but an informative one is. Refer to descriptions of past awards on the DLT website for some insight into how to write the description for the application.

D. Scoring Criteria Documentation

The DLT Grant Program is a competitive program. Applications are scored in objective and subjective categories. The table below lists each DLT category, and the maximum points available.

Objective Criteria

D-1 Rurality: This category is based on Census population data.

(up to 40 points)

D-2 Economic Need: This category is based on poverty data from the U.S.

(up to 30 points) Census Bureau’s Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates

(SAIPE) Program.

D-3 Special Consideration: RUS will offer special consideration to applications that

(up to 20 points) have the primary purpose of Opioid or other Substance Use

Disorder treatment or that serve Tribal Lands.

Subjective Criteria

D-4 Need for Services and These criteria evaluate the specific needs for the

Project Benefits technology in the proposed service territory, how the

(Needs & Benefits): proposed project will address those needs and benefit the

(up to 30 points) residents of the area affected, and the community involvement in the planning and implementation of the project.

D-1 Rurality – Up to 40 Points

The Rurality score is based on the population size of each community where an end-user site is located and the proximity of urban areas to the site. For non-fixed end-user site projects and projects which contain non-fixed components, the Rurality score will be based on the population and the proximity of urban areas to the Hub site. Applicants should use Census population data from the Census Website (Appendix B) that cites the 2010 Census as its source for population statistics. The determination of the proximity of urban areas should be made using the DLT Map

(Appendix B), which is also based on the 2010 Census.

Please use the Rurality Worksheet to calculate the Rurality Score. The Worksheet is available as an Excel worksheet at: https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/dltworksheetsfy2021.xlsx.

Include the population statistics and rurality calculations for all sites, including those designated as (pure) hubs. Use the following definitions for assistance in designating the type of site:

Hub Sites: A hub site is a facility that is part of a network or telecommunications system that provides educational or medical services to end-user sites. A pure hub receives no end-user benefits. The site is usually a connection management point or is exclusively an educational or medical source of distance learning or telemedicine.

End-User Site: An end-user site is a facility that is part of a network or telecommunications system that is utilized by end-users. In order for a site to be included as an end-user site for scoring purposes, the applicant must demonstrate equipment purchased will be installed or placed at the site.

A Hub/End-User site performs both functions: a hub which also accommodates end-users.

The following classifications define the various population levels determining the Rurality score.

EXCEPTIONALLY RURAL AREA – 5,000 and under: 40 Points. Any area of the

USA not included within the boundaries of any incorporated or unincorporated city, village, or borough having a population in excess of 5,000 inhabitants and not part of an urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to a city or town having a population in excess of

50,000 inhabitants.

RURAL AREA – 5,001-10,000: 30 Points. Any area of the USA included within the boundaries of any incorporated or unincorporated city, village, or borough having a population over 5,000 and not in excess of 10,000 inhabitants and not part of an https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/dltworksheetsfy2021.xlsx

MID-RURAL AREA – 10,001-20,000: 20 Points. Any area of the USA included within the boundaries of any incorporated or unincorporated city, village, or borough having a population over 10,000 and not in excess of 20,000 inhabitants and not part of an

URBAN AREA - Over 20,000: 0 Points. Any area of the USA included within the population in excess of 20,000 inhabitants or part of an urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to a city or town having a population in excess of 50,000 inhabitants.

Use the Rurality Worksheet to enter: 1) the name given to the site; 2) the town, city, or Census

Designated Place where the site is located; 3) the population (2010 Census) of the town, city or

Census Designated Place; 4) whether or not the site is in an urbanized area contiguous and adjacent to a city or town with population > 50,000; 5) the name and population of the adjacent urban city or town (if any); and 6) the Rurality score (as derived from the Scoring Table).

Although pure hubs are not included in the calculation, except in the case of Non-fixed end-user applications and hybrid applications, the Agency will need this data to recalculate the score if there appear to be end-user beneficiaries at the site. Place the sites in the same order and use the same numbering as on the Site Worksheet (which will also be used on the Economic Need

Worksheet).

If any end-user sites are not within the boundaries of a town or a place that can be identified by the 2010 Census, there is a possibility that the community is so rural that it is not associated with any Census-recognized community. If this is the case, the location would be considered by the

RUS DLT Program as ‘Census Rural’ and be reported as an “Exceptionally Rural Area" (unless it is contiguous and adjacent to an urban area > 50,000).

Combining Individual Scores for an Overall Rurality Score

After all the sites and corresponding populations have been entered on the Rurality Worksheet, calculate the estimated score by taking the average of the scores for sites designated as end-users or hub/end-users. Do not include pure hubs in the calculation. Exception: Non-fixed end-user applications only use hub sites in the calculation and Hybrid Projects use hub sites for the non-fixed portion of the service area.

Minimum Rurality Score: In order to be eligible to receive a grant, an application must receive a minimum of 20 points as an average score for all hub/end-user and end-user sites included in the project.

Rounding: Scores should be shown with their decimals rounded to 2 decimal places (i.e.,

20.49999 rounds to 20.50).

D-2 Economic Need – Up to 30 Points

Economic Need is measured by the County SAIPE poverty percentage, all ages, data found at

US Census SAIPE data. The dataset released December 2020, which has data for 2019, is the information to use for the Economic Need calculation. A spreadsheet with the necessary data has also been downloaded to the DLT website. This criterion will be used to evaluate the relative financial need of the applicant, community, and project. All applicants are required to provide the applicable SAIPE poverty percentage based on the counties where the hub, hub/end-user and end-user sites (as defined in §1734.3) are located.

Please use the Economic Need Worksheet to calculate the score. The Worksheet is available as an Excel worksheet at https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/dltworksheetsfy2021.xlsx

The Economic Need score is based on SAIPE data for the COUNTY where the hub/end-user and end-user sites are located. Exception: Non-fixed end-user applications only use Hub sites in the calculation and Hybrid Projects use Hub sites for the Non-fixed portion of the service area.

The SAIPE data used is from the column “poverty percentage, all ages.”

Determining the Economic Need Score:

The project Economic Need Score percentage will be determined by the average of the scores for all of the end-user sites. For purposes of averaging, if a hub is also utilized as an end-user site, the hub will be considered as an end-user site. The sites will receive points as follows:

County poverty percentage > 30 percent - 30 points

County poverty percentage > 20 percent but < 30 percent - 20 points

County poverty percentage > 10 percent but < 20 percent - 10 points

County poverty percentage < 10 percent - 0 points

Sites located within geographic areas for which no SAIPE data exist will be determined to have a poverty percentage of 30%. Such geographic areas include territories and certain other locations eligible for funding through the DLT program.

Combining Individual Scores for an Overall Economic Need Score

After all the sites and corresponding populations have been entered on the Economic Need

Worksheet, calculate the estimated score by taking the average of the scores for sites designated as end-users or hub/end-users. Do not include pure hubs in the calculation. Exception: Non-fixed end-user applications only use hub sites in the calculation and Hybrid Projects use hub sites for the non-fixed portion of the service area.

Rounding: Scores should be shown with their decimals rounded to 2 decimal places (i.e.,

12.49999 rounds to 12.50).

https://www.census.gov/data/datasets/2019/demo/saipe/2019-state-and-county.html https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/SAIPE_countylevel_summary_Released122019.xlsx

D-3 Special Consideration – up to 20 Points

Special consideration points will be awarded for projects in the four following areas. Applicants may only receive special consideration points in one area.

• Opioid or other Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment (10 points): RUS will award

10 special consideration points to applications that have opioid or other substance use disorder treatment as their primary purpose. The Executive Summary and the Needs and

Benefits sections of the application should support the claim that this is the primary purpose of the application.

For the purpose of the DLT program, opioid or other SUD treatment is defined as the interactive communication between medical or educational professionals and people with

SUD or their families, other treatment professionals or those who interact with people with

SUD.

Opioid or other SUD treatment eligible purposes include:

• Counseling of people with SUD

• Treatment of people with SUD

• Training of medical professionals, counselors or first responders in the interaction with people with SUD

• Education programs addressing SUD

• Tribal Lands (20 points): RUS will award 20 special consideration points to projects that have at least one end-user site providing service to Federally Recognized Indian Tribes on

Tribal Lands. Non-tribal applicants must submit a tribal resolution authorizing the proposed service on tribal lands included as part of the application. If a resolution is not provided, no points will be awarded.

Federally Recognized Indian Tribes are those on the list published in the Federal Register by the Bureau of Indian Affairs on January 30, 2020 (pp. 5462-5467) or a subsequent updated list published by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the Federal Register prior to the closing date for grant applications. Tribal Lands means any land that is held in trust by the

United States for Native Americans, is subject to restrictions on alienation imposed by the

United States on Indian lands, or is owned by a Regional Corporation or a Village

Corporation, as such terms are defined in section 3(g) and 3(j) of the Alaska Native Claims

Settlement Act, respectively (43 U.S.C. 1602(g), (j)).

• Eligibility for Special Consideration points should be identified using the Special

Consideration Worksheet. The worksheet is also available as an Excel worksheet at:

https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/dltworksheetsfy2021.xlsx.

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-01-30/pdf/2020-01707.pdf

D-4 Need for Service and Project Benefits – Up to 30 Points

These criteria measure the extent to which the proposed project meets the need for distance learning or telemedicine services in rural areas. They also evaluate benefits derived from the services proposed by the project, and local community involvement in planning, implementing, and providing financial assistance to the project.

Need for Services

Clearly state the economic, geographic, educational, or health care challenges facing the project’s respective communities and provide any documentation that demonstrates the challenges. Use verifiable data and statistics to substantiate and quantify these challenges.

Address why the applicant cannot afford the project without a grant.

Document support for the project provided by professionals in the educational or health care fields. The more specific their professional opinion is regarding the situation and the proposed project as a solution, the more compelling it is. Substantiate the underserved educational or health care nature of the project’s proposed service area. Demonstrate demand by rural residents and other beneficiaries for the educational or medical services that the project would provide.

Show that the project is designed to meet local community needs.

Benefits Derived from Services

In addition to documenting the need for services, describe how the project would assist the community in solving these challenges. Document the specific benefits of the project and quantify them in terms of expected outcomes. Tie the benefits of the project DIRECTLY to the stated needs the project is intended to address. Provide measurable targets or goals such as estimates of the number of people that will benefit from the project.

Examples

For a distance learning project that serves secondary schools, provide the number of schools and students that will benefit. The applicant should also document all other benefits provided by the project with quantifiable goals when possible such as:

• four-year foreign language availability up from 300 to 1,200 students

• AP chemistry offered for first time to entire district

• expanded educational facility use, such as evening vocational training

• a reduction in the rate of high school dropouts from 17% to 12%

For a telemedicine project that serves a group of hospitals, provide the number of health care facilities and the number of patients expected to benefit. The applicant should also document all other benefits provided by the project such as:

• time and monetary savings to the community from telemedicine diagnoses

• 400 patients receiving at-home monitoring

• 4 doctors retained in the community or medical staff trained

• lives saved due to prompt medical diagnoses

Document any ancillary benefits or multiple uses that would create added value in the rural communities which the project will serve. Examples include training, information resources, library assets, adult education, lifetime learning, and job creation. If applicable, address particular community problems such as out-migration and the extent to which the project would reduce or prevent population loss.

Local community involvement in planning, implementing, and financial assistance of the

Address the participation by local residents and organizations in planning and developing the project. Include evidence of this participation in the application. Examples of evidence of community involvement include community meetings, public forums, and surveys. Willingness of local end-users or community-based organizations to contribute to the costs of completing, operating, or maintaining the project is a strong indication of community support.

Documentation of support includes letters of financial and non-financial commitment towards the project from local organizations.

E. Matching Requirements

The grant applicant’s minimum matching contribution must equal 15% of the grant amount requested. Matching contributions generally must be in the form of cash. However, in-kind contributions solely for the purposes listed in §1734.21 may be substituted for cash and appropriately identified on the budget worksheet.

Please use the Matching Worksheet to calculate the match percentage. The Worksheet is available as an Excel worksheet at https://www.rd.usda.gov/sites/default/files/dltworksheetsfy2021.xlsx. Additionally, documentation submitted in support of the application should reflect all financial support for the project from non-Federal sources as required by §1734.22. The applicant must provide evidence, from authorized representatives of the sources, of a commitment that the funds are available and will be used for the project. Each match entry on the Matching Worksheet must be supported by a signed letter from the entity proposing the match unless the match is being provided by the applicant.

Special Matching Provisions for American Samoa, Guam, the Virgin Islands, and the

Northern Mariana Islands. Under Federal law, applications from these areas are exempt from matching requirements up to $200,000. The maximum DLT Grant in FY 2021 is $1,000,000 and the required minimum match is 15%, or $150,000. This means that for the FY 2021 DLT Grant

Program, these areas are not required to provide a minimum match.

Eligible purposes for in-kind matching funds are identical to eligible purposes for a DLT grant.

For a line-item identified as in-kind to be eligible for match funding, the application must demonstrate:

1. The match is used for eligible purposes;

2. That none of the use is to benefit sites not shown in the scoring; and

3. That the predominant purpose (over 50% of use) of that line-item is for purposes which meet the DLT grant definition of distance learning or telemedicine.

If any part of an in-kind line-item is for ineligible purposes, the line-item cannot be budgeted for match. To be eligible, items proposed as match must be integral to the project in exactly the same way as items the applicant proposes to obtain with the grant. The technology purchased with DLT grant monies or credited as in-kind match items are intended to build distance learning or telemedicine systems that would not otherwise be financially possible if not for the grant.

Federal funds are not eligible as matching funds, unless specifically authorized otherwise by Federal statute. E-rate funds are federal funds and cannot be applied as matching funds to a DLT project.

Special Matching Provisions for projects located in eligible counties under Counties in

Appalachia. If counties in the proposed project are any of the counties eligible under this provision, Appalachian Regional Commission ("ARC") funds may be used as a matching contribution. Please see www.arc.gov for a list of eligible counties. Applying ARC funds as a match requires coordination with ARC State Program Managers and States in the Region. See the ARC Members, Partners and Staff link also at www.arc.gov for ARC State Program

Managers contact information. DLT applicants considering an ARC match are strongly encouraged to contact their ARC State Program Manager(s) early in the process to explore the feasibility of an ARC grant.

Use of non-Federal Grants as Matching Funds: To document the match, include a copy of the announcement letter from the grantor. The letter from the grantor must be explicit about the purpose of the grant and not have limitations or exclusions, and the funds must be available at the time of application submission. If another grant is to be used as matching funds toward the

DLT Grant application, include a letter from the grantor stating that the money in that grant is available and can be applied to the purposes of the DLT Grant.

https://www.arc.gov/index.asp https://www.arc.gov/index.asp

Types of Matching Funds

Cash

Most applicants propose to provide a cash match for the project. When this occurs, reimbursements for approved purposes are made on a pro-rata basis with the applicant being reimbursed for the approved Grant Percentage of the presented invoiced cost.

In-Kind Match

An in-kind match must be integral to and necessary for the DLT project, not simply a technology purchase made in the same timeframe. Unlike cash, in-kind matches are tied directly to the eligibility of the proposed in-kind item. If an item is not eligible or not integral to and necessary for the project, the item will be removed from the grant and match budget and the proposed match will not be credited. This could make the application ineligible.

In-kind items must be non-depreciated or new assets, not installed, with established monetary values.

Costs incurred by the applicant, or others on behalf of the applicant, for facilities or equipment installed, or other services rendered prior to submission of a completed application, shall not be considered as an eligible in-kind matching contribution.

In-kind match from vendors, in the form of equipment; is not eligible.

Funding Commitments

The applicant must provide, in form and substance satisfactory to RUS, funding agreements that have been obtained to ensure completion of the project. These agreements, which must be placed in this section of the Application, shall be sufficient to ensure:

a) Payment of all proposed expenditures for the project;

b) All required matching contribution as required by 1734.22;

c) Any additional funding provided in accordance with §1734.25(g).

Match Documentation Specifics - The applicant must document the project’s proposed matching funds in form and substance satisfactory to the Agency. The documentation must be placed under Section E of the application. Each proposed match entry on the Matching

Worksheet must be supported by a signed letter from the entity proposing the match except when the match is provided by the applicant.

1. Be signed by a person capable of obligating the donor organization. Include the printed name and title of the person signing the letter. The letter must clearly indicate the name of the donor organization and state that the funds are committed to the proposed

DLT project as described in the Budget and elsewhere in the application.