WEP RFP FOA 2021 final.pdf

FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY NAME: United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Utilities Service (RUS).

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY TITLE: Revolving Funds for Financing Water and

Wastewater Projects (Revolving Fund Program (RFP))

ANNOUNCEMENT TYPE: Funding Opportunity Announcement.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY NUMBER: RDRUS-21-01-RFP.

CATALOG OF FEDERAL DOMESTIC ASSISTANCE (CFDA) NUMBER: 10.864.

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS), an agency of the United States Department of

Agriculture (USDA), herein referred to as RUS or the Agency, announces its Grant

Program to Establish a Fund for Financing Water and Wastewater Projects (Revolving

Funds Program (RFP)) application window for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021.

APPLICATION DUE DATE: July 16, 2021

SUBMISSIONS: Submit completed applications for grants according to the following deadlines:

• Electronic submissions: Only electronic applications submitted via https://www.grants.gov/ (Grants.gov) will be accepted. No applications or supporting documentation submitted via courier, fax, or electronic mail will be accepted. Electronic applications must be time-stamped or received no later than 11:59 July 16, 2021, to be eligible for FY 2021 grant funding. Late or incomplete applications will not be eligible for FY 2021 grant funding. Applications must be submitted to https://www.grants.gov/.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Questions about this announcement can be directed to https://www.grants.gov/

Lois E. East, Community Programs Specialist, Water and Environmental Programs, Rural

Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, email: lois.east@usda.gov or telephone: (660) 492-4268.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Program Description

Drinking water systems are vital to both health and economic development.

With dependable water facilities, rural communities can attract families and businesses that will invest in the community and improve the quality of life for all residents.

Without dependable water facilities, the communities cannot sustain economic development.

RUS provides financial and technical assistance to help communities bring safe drinking water and sanitary, environmentally sound waste disposal facilities to rural

Americans. It supports the sound development of rural communities and the growth of our economy without endangering the environment.

The RFP was established under 7 U.S.C. part 1783 to assist communities with water or wastewater systems. Qualified private, non-profit organizations who are selected for funding will receive RFP grant funds to establish a lending program for eligible entities.

Eligible entities for the revolving loan fund will be those entities eligible under 7

U.S.C.1926(a)(1) and (2) to obtain a loan, loan guarantee, or grant from the Water and

Waste Disposal Loans and Grants program administered by RUS. As grant recipients, the qualified non-profit organizations will set up a revolving loan fund to provide loans to finance predevelopment costs of water or wastewater projects, or short-term small capital projects not part of the regular operation and maintenance of current water and wastewater systems. The total amount of financing to an eligible entity shall not exceed

$200,000 and shall be repaid in a term not to exceed 10 years. The rate shall be determined in the approved grant work plan.

B. Federal Award Information mailto:lois.east@usda.gov

The Agency will make awards, and the successful applicants will be required to execute documents appropriate to the project before funding will be advanced. Award documents specify the term of each award. Prior RFP grants cannot be renewed;

however, existing RFP awardees can submit applications for new projects which will be evaluated as new applications. Grant applications must be submitted during the application window.

C. Eligibility Information

1. Eligible Applicants

a. An applicant is eligible to apply for the RFP grant if it:

i. Is a qualified private, non-profit organization;

ii. Is legally established and located within one of the following:

(1) A state within the United States;

(2) The District of Columbia;

(3) The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; or

(4) A United States territory;

b. Has the legal capacity and authority to carry out the grant purpose;

c. Has a proven record of successfully operating a revolving fund to rural areas;

d. Has capitalization acceptable to the Agency, and is composed of at least 51 percent of the outstanding interest or membership being citizens of the United States or individuals who reside in the United States after being legally admitted for permanent residence;

e. Has no delinquent debt to the Federal government or no outstanding judgments to repay a Federal debt;

f. Demonstrates that it possesses the financial, technical, and managerial capability to comply with Federal and state laws and requirements; and,

g. Is not a corporation that has been convicted of a felony (or had an officer or agent acting on behalf of the corporation convicted of a felony) within the past 24 months. Any corporation 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.

2. Cost Sharing or Matching

Applicants must contribute at least 20 percent of funds from sources other than the proceeds of an RFP grant to pay part of the cost of a loan recipient’s project. In-kind contributions will not be considered.

3. Other: The basic eligibility requirements for a project

a. The following activities are authorized under the RFP statute:

i. Grant funds must be used to capitalize a revolving fund program for the purpose of providing direct loan financing to eligible entities for pre-development costs associated with proposed or with existing water and wastewater systems, or,

ii. Short-term costs incurred for equipment replacement, small-scale extension of services, or other small capital projects that are not part of the regular operations and maintenance activities of existing water and wastewater systems.

b. Grant funds may not be used to pay any of the following:

i. Payment of the Grant Recipient's administrative costs or expenses, or,

ii. Delinquent debt owed to the Federal Government.

D. Application and Submission Information

The Application Guide provides specific, detailed instructions for each item of 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 11:59 PM Eastern time July 16, 2021.

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 part1783.

1. Where to Get Application Information

The RFP Grant Application Guide (Application Guide), copies of necessary forms and samples, and the RFP Grant Program regulation are available at https://www.grants.gov/ or Revolving Funds for Financing Water and Wastewater Projects

| Rural Development (usda.gov).

2. Content and Form of Application Submission

a. You must file an application in electronic format. To be considered for support, you must be an eligible entity and must submit a complete application by the deadline date. Applicants should consult the cost principles and general administrative requirements for grants pertaining to their organizational type in order to prepare the budget and complete other parts of the application. You also must demonstrate compliance (or intent to comply), through certification or other means, with a number of public policy requirements. Applications should be prepared in conformance with 7 CFR part1783, and departmental and other applicable regulations including 2 CFR parts 180, 182, 200, 400 and 421, or any successor regulations.

You will need a DUNS number and must be registered in the System for Award Management

(SAM). Detailed information on obtaining a DUNS number and registering for SAM may be found in section D(3).

b. Applicants must complete and submit the following forms to apply for an RFP grant:

i. Standard Form 424, “Application for Federal Assistance.”

ii. Standard Form 424A, “Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs.”

iii. Standard Form LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activity.”

iv. Form RD 400-1, “Equal Opportunity Agreement.”

c. Project proposal. The project proposal should outline the project in sufficient detail to provide a reader with a complete understanding of how the loan program will work. Explain what you will accomplish by lending funds to eligible entities. Demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed loan program in meeting the objectives of this grant https://www.grants.gov/ https://rd.usda.gov/programs-services/revolving-funds-for-financing-water-and-wastewater-projects https://rd.usda.gov/programs-services/revolving-funds-for-financing-water-and-wastewater-projects program. The proposal should cover the following elements:

i. Present a brief project overview. Explain the purpose of the project, how it relates to RUS’s purposes, how you will carry out the project, what the project will produce, and who will direct it.

ii. Describe why the project is necessary. Demonstrate that eligible entities need loan funds. Quantify the number of prospective borrowers or provide statistical or narrative evidence that a sufficient number of borrowers will exist to justify the grant award. Describe the service area. Address community needs.

iii. Clearly state your project goals. Your objectives should clearly describe the goals and be concrete and specific enough to be quantitative or observable. They should also be feasible and relate to the purpose of the loan program.

iv. The narrative should cover in more detail the items briefly described in the

Project Summary. It should establish the basis for any claims that you have substantial expertise in promoting the safe and productive use of revolving funds. In describing what the project will achieve, you should tell the reader if it also will have broader influence. The narrative should address the following points:

(1) Document your ability to administer and service a revolving fund in accordance with the provisions of 7 CFR part 1783.

(2) Document your ability to commit financial resources to establish the

RFP with funds your organization controls. This documentation should describe the sources of funds other than the RFP grant that will be used to pay your operational costs and provide financial assistance for projects.

(3) Demonstrate that you have secured commitments of significant financial support from other funding sources, if appropriate.

(4) List the fees and charges that borrowers will be assessed.

v. The work plan must describe the tasks and activities that will be accomplished with available resources during the grant period. It must show the work you plan to do to achieve the anticipated outcomes, goals, and objectives set out for the

RFP. The plan must:

(1) Describe the work to be performed by each person.

(2) Give a schedule or timetable of work to be done.

(3) Show evidence of previous experience with the techniques to be used or their successful use by others.

(4) Outline the loan program to include the following: specific loan purposes, the loan application process, priorities, borrower eligibility criteria, limitations, fees, interest rates, terms, and collateral requirements.

(5) Provide a marketing plan.

(6) Explain the mechanics of how you will transfer loan funds to the borrowers.

(7) Describe follow-up or continuing activities that should occur after project completion such as monitoring and reporting borrowers’ accomplishments.

(8) Describe how the results will be evaluated. The evaluation criteria should be in line with the project objectives.

(9) List all personnel responsible for administering this program along with a statement of their qualifications and experience.

vi. The written justification for projected costs should explain how budget figures were determined for each category. It should indicate which costs are to be covered by grant funds and which costs will be met by your organization or other organizations. The justification should account for all expenditures discussed in the narrative. It should reflect appropriate cost-sharing contributions. The budget justification should explain the budget and accounting system proposed or in place. The administrative costs for operating the budget should be expressed as a percentage of the overall budget. The budget justification should provide specific budget figures, rounding off figures to the nearest dollar. Applicants should consult 2 CFR 200, Subpart E, “Cost

Principals,” for information about appropriate costs for each budget category.

vii. In addition to completing the standard application forms, you must submit:

(1) Supplementary material that demonstrate that your organization is legally recognized under state or Tribal and Federal law. Satisfactory documentation includes, but is not limited to, certificates from the

Secretary of State, or copies of state statutes or laws establishing your organization. Letters from the IRS awarding tax-exempt status are not considered adequate evidence.

(2) A certified list of directors and officers with their respective terms.

(3) Evidence of tax-exempt status from the IRS.

(4) The most recent audit of your organization’s financial statements, conducted by an independent auditor,

(5) The following financial statements:

(a) Balance sheets, income statements, and cash flow statements for the last three years. If the organization has been formed less than three years, the financial statement should be submitted for the periods from inception to the present.

(b) A pro forma balance sheet at start-up and for at least three additional years.

(c) If your organization has been formed less than three years, the financial statements should be submitted for the periods from inception to the present. Projected income and cash flow statements for at least three years supported by a list of assumptions showing the basis for the projections. The projected income statement and balance sheet must include one set of projections that shows the revolving loan fund only and a separate set of projections that shows your organization's total operations.

(6) Additional information to support and describe your plan for achieving the grant objectives. The information may be regarded as essential for understanding and evaluating the project and may be found in letters of support, as resolutions, policies, and other relevant documents. The supplements may be presented in appendices to the proposal.

d. Compliance with other federal statutes. The applicant must provide evidence of compliance with other federal statutes, including but not limited to the following:

i. Debarment and suspension information is required in accordance with 2 CFR part 417 (Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension) supplemented by 2 CFR part180, if it applies.

ii. All of your organization’s known workplaces by including the actual address of buildings (or parts of buildings) or other sites where work under the award takes place. Workplace identification is required under the drug-free workplace requirements in Subpart B of 2 CFR part421, which adopts the Government-wide implementation (2 CFR part 182) of the Drug-Free Workplace Act.

iii. 2 CFR parts 200 and 400 (Uniform Assistance Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards).

iv. 2 CFR part 182 (Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace

(Financial Assistance)) and 2 CFR part421 (Requirements for Drug Free Workplace

(Financial Assistance)).

v. 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.

e. Requirements for numbers of copies of submitted applications.

i. The application must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov/. Paper, faxed, and emailed applications or supporting documentation will not be accepted.

Therefore, there are no longer requirements for the duplication of the submission of any required items.

ii. Electronically submitted applications:

(1). Applications will not be accepted by fax or electronic mail.

(2). Electronic applications for grants will be accepted if submitted through Grants.gov.

(3). Applicants must preregister successfully with Grants.gov to use the electronic applications option. Application information may be downloaded from Grants.gov without preregistration.

(4). Applicants who apply through Grants.gov should submit their electronic applications before the deadline.

(5). Grants.gov contains full instructions on all required passwords, credentialing, and software. Follow the instructions at Grants.gov for registering and submitting an electronic application.

(6). Grants.gov has two preregistration requirements: A DUNS number and an active registration in the SAM. See section D(3) below for instructions on obtaining a DUNS number and registering in the SAM.

https://www.lep.gov./

3. Checklist of Items in Completed Application Packages

DUNS Number. The applicant for a grant must supply a Dunn and Bradstreet

Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number as part of an application. The

Standard Form 424 (SF-424) contains a field for the DUNS number. The applicant can obtain the DUNS number free of charge by calling Dun and Bradstreet. Please see https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform for more information on how to obtain a DUNS number or how to verify your organization’s number.

a. Prior to submitting an application, the applicant must register in the System for Award Management (SAM) and indicate they are applying for a Federal financial assistance project or program or are currently the recipient of funding under any Federal financial assistance project or program.

i. Applicants may register for the SAM at: https://www.sam.gov/SAM/.

ii. The SAM registration must remain active with current information at all times while RUS is considering an application or while a Federal Grant Award or loan is active. To maintain the registration in the SAM database the applicant must review and update the information in the SAM database annually from 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. Applicants must ensure they complete the

Financial Assistance General Certifications and Representations in SAM.

iii. Your organization must be listed in the SAM. If you have not used Grants.gov before, you will need to register with the SAM and the Credential Provider. New registrations can take three to five business days to process. Updating or renewing an active registration has a shorter turnaround, 24 hours. Registrations in SAM are active for one year. The SAM registers your organization, housing your organizational information and allowing Grants.gov to use the information to verify your identity. The

DUNS number, Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN), and name and address of the applicant organization must match SAM data files.

b. The electronic application process requires forms with the prefixes RD and

Standard Form (SF) as well as supporting documents and certifications such as the following application items:

i. SF-424, “Application for Federal Assistance.”

ii. SF-424A, “Budget Information—Non-Construction Programs.”

https://fedgov.dnb.com/webform http://www.sam.gov/

iii. Standard Form LLL, “Disclosure of Lobbying Activity.”

iv. Form RD 400-1, “Equal Opportunity Agreement.”

v. Project Proposal, including a Project Summary, Needs Assessment, Project Goals and Objectives, Project Narrative.

vi. Work Plan

vii. Budget and Budget Justification

viii. Evidence of Legal Authority and Existence (Certificate of Good Standing from the Secretary of State, Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws including

Amendments)

ix. Documentation of private non-profit status and Internal Revenue Service

(IRS) Tax Exempt Status.

x. List of Directors and Officers.

xi. Financial information and sustainability (narrative).

xii. Assurances and certifications of compliance with other Federal Statutes.

The SF-424 and SF-424A must be completed and signed where appropriate by an official of your organization who has authority to legally obligate the organization. SF are used government wide. In addition to the sources listed in section A, the forms may be accessed electronically through the RD website at https://www.rd.usda.gov/resources/forms. See section V, “Application Review Information,” for instructions and guidelines on preparing

Items vii through x.

4. Compliance with Other Federal Statutes.

The applicant must certify to compliance with other Federal statutes and regulations by completing the Financial Assistance General Certifications and

Representations in SAM, including, but not limited to the following:

a. 7 CFR part15, subpart A—Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted

Programs of the Department of Agriculture—Effectuation of Title VI of the Civil Rights

Act of 1964. Civil Rights compliance includes, but is not limited to the following:

b. Assurance Agreement. Each prospective recipient must sign RUS Form 266, 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;

https://www.rd.usda.gov/resources/forms and that no person will be discriminated against based on race, color or national origin, in regard to any program or activity for which the recipient receives Federal financial assistance; and that nondiscrimination statements are in advertisements and brochures.

c. Collect and maintain data provided by ultimate recipients on race, sex, and national origin and ensure that 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” (published October 30, 1997 at 62 FR 58782). 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.

d. 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, the

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Executive Order 12250, and 7 CFR part1901, subpart E.

e. 2 CFR part417 – Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension

(Nonprocurement), or any successor regulations.

f. Subpart F of 2 CFR part200—Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements f or Federal Awards.

g. Subpart B of 2 CFR part421, which adopts the Governmentwide implementation (2 CFR part182) of the Drug-Free Workplace Act.

h. 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. Federal Obligation Certification on Delinquent Debt.

5. Required number of Application Copies

a. The application must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Paper, faxed, and emailed applications or supporting documentation will not be accepted.

Therefore, there are no longer requirements for the duplication of the submission of any required items.

https://www.lep.gov/

b. You must be registered with Grants.gov before you can submit a grant application. If you have not used Grants.gov before, you will need to register with the

System for Award Management (SAM). You will need a DUNS number to access or register at any of the services. The registration processes may take several business days to complete. Follow the instructions at Grants.gov for registering and submitting an electronic application. RUS may request original signatures on electronically submitted documents later.

c. SAM registers your organization and stores your organizational information, which allows Grants.gov to use it to verify your identity. You may register online at www.sam.gov. If system errors or technical difficulties occur, use the customer support resources available at the Grants.gov website. All electronic documents must be submitted in Excel, Word, or PDF format.

d. SAM registration must remain active with current information at all times while the Agency is considering an application or while a Federal award is active. To maintain the registration in the SAM database, the applicant must review and update the information in the SAM database annually from 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. Applicants must ensure they complete the Financial

Assistance General Certifications and Representations in SAM.

6. How and Where to Submit an Application

Applications must be submitted electronically. Applications and supporting material will not be accepted via courier, fax, or email. To submit an application, the following applies:

a. Electronic applications for grants must be submitted through Grants.gov at: https://www.grants.gov/.

b. Applicants must preregister successfully with Grants.gov to use the electronic applications option. Application information may be downloaded from Grants.gov without preregistration.

c. Applicants must submit their electronic applications before the deadline. The electronic application will receive a time-stamp that will be used to determine if it was received on or before the established deadline.

http://www.sam.gov/

d. Grants.gov contains full instructions on all required passwords, credentialing, and software. Follow the instructions at Grants.gov for registering and submitting an electronic application.

e. Grants.gov has two preregistration requirements: a DUNS number and an active registration in SAM. See the “Checklist of Items in Completed Application

Packages” for instructions on obtaining a DUNS number and registering in the SAM.

f. You must be registered with Grants.gov before you can submit an electronic grant application by going to the Grants.gov website at: https://www.grants.gov.

g. Organization registration user guides and checklists are also available at Grants.gov.

h. Grants.gov requires some credentialing and online authentication procedures.

When an applicant organization is registered with SAM, the organization designates a point of contact who receives a password authorizing the person to designate staff members who are allowed to submit applications electronically through Grants.gov.

These authorized organization representatives must be registered with Grants.gov to receive a username and password to submit applications. These procedures may take several business days to complete.

i. Some or all of the SAM and Grants.gov registration, credentialing and authorizations require updates. If you have previously registered at Grants.gov to submit applications electronically, please ensure that your registration, credentialing, and authorizations are up to date well in advance of the grant application deadline.

j. To use Grants.gov:

(1) Follow the instructions on the website to find grant information.

(2) Download a copy of an application package.

(3) Complete the package off-line.

(4) Upload and submit the application via the Grants.gov website.

(5) If a system problem or technical difficulty occurs with an electronic application, please use the customer support resources available at the

Grants.gov website.

(6) RUS encourages applicants to take early action to complete the sign-up, credentialing, and authorization procedures at Grants.gov before submitting an application at the website.

https://www.grants.gov./

7. Deadlines.

The deadline for application submissions is 11:59 PM Eastern July 16, 2021.

Applications must have an electronic date and time stamp by 11:59 PM Eastern time of

July 16, 2021, to be considered on time. RUS will not accept applications by courier, fax, or email. Applications that do not meet the criteria above are considered late applications and will not be considered. RUS will notify each late applicant that its application will not be considered.

8. Funding Restrictions

Grant proceeds may be used solely to establish the revolving loan fund to provide loans to eligible entities for: pre-development costs associated with proposed or existing water and wastewater projects, and short-term costs incurred for replacement equipment or other small capital projects not part of regular operations and maintenance of existing water and wastewater systems. Grant recipients may not use grant funds in any manner inconsistent with the purposes described in 7 CFR§1783.12 or in the terms of the grant agreement. Administrative expenses may, however, be paid or reimbursed from revolving loan fund assets that are not RFP grant funds, including revolved funds and funds originally contributed by the grant recipient.

E. Application Review Information

Within 30 days of receiving your application, RUS will send you a letter of acknowledgment. Your application will be reviewed for completeness to determine if you included all of the items required. If your application is incomplete or ineligible, RUS will return it to you with an explanation. A review team composed of at least two RUS staff members will evaluate all applications and proposals. They will make overall recommendations based on factors such as eligibility, application completeness, and conformity to application requirements. They will score the applications based on criteria in the following section.

1. Criteria. All applications that are complete and eligible will be ranked competitively based on the following scoring criteria:

a. Degree of expertise and successful experience in making and servicing commercial loans, with a successful record, for the following number of full years:

i. At least 1 but less than 3 years – 5 points.

ii. At least 3 but less than 5 years – 10 points.

iii. At least 5 but less than 10 years – 20 points.

iv. 10 or more years – 30 points.

b. Extent to which the work plan demonstrates a well thought out, comprehensive approach to accomplishing the objectives of this part, clearly defines who will be served by the project, clearly articulates the problem/issues to be addressed, identifies the service area to be covered by the RFP loans and appears likely to be sustainable; up to 40 points.

c. Percentage of applicant contributions. Points allowed under this paragraph will be based on written evidence of the availability of funds from sources other than the proceeds of an RFP grant to pay part of the cost of a loan recipient’s project. In-kind contributions will not be considered. Funds from other sources as a percentage of the

RFP grant and points corresponding to such percentages are as follows:

i. Less than 20 percent - ineligible.

ii. At least 20 percent but less than 50 percent - 10 points.

iii. 50 percent or more – 20 points.

d. Extent to which the goals and objectives are clearly defined, tied to the work plan, and are measurable; up to 15 points.

e. Lowest ratio of projected administrative expenses to loans advanced; up to 10 points.

f. The evaluation methods for considering loan applications and making

RFP loans are specific to the program, clearly defined, measurable, and are consistent with program outcomes; up to 20 points.

g. Administrator’s discretion; up to 10 points may be awarded. Factors include:

i. Creative outreach ideas for marketing the RFP to rural residents;

ii. Amount of funds requested in relation to the amount of needs demonstrated in the proposal;

iii. If applicable, excellent utilization of previous revolving loan fund;

iv. Optimizing agency resources, including the targeting of monies to historically underserved areas.

2. Review and Selection Process

Applications will be ranked, and grants awarded based upon the scoring results and funding availability. Each applicant will be notified in writing of the score its application receives.

In making its decision about your application, RUS may determine that your application is:

a. Eligible and selected for funding,

b. Eligible but offered fewer funds than requested,

c. Eligible but not selected for funding, or

d. Ineligible for the grant.

In accordance with 7 CFR 1900, subpart B, you generally have the right to appeal adverse decisions. Some adverse decisions cannot be appealed. For example, if you are denied RUS funding due to a lack of funds available for the grant program, this decision cannot be appealed. However, you may make a request to the National Appeals Division

(NAD) to review the accuracy of our finding that the decision cannot be appealed. The appeal must be in writing and filed at the appropriate regional office, which can be found at https://www.nad.usda.gov by calling (877) 487-3262.

F. Federal Award Administration Information

1. Federal Award Notices

RUS generally notifies by mail applicants whose projects are selected for awards.

However, the receipt of an award letter does not serve to authorize the applicant to commence performance under the award. RUS will notify a successful applicant by an award letter accompanied by a grant agreement and multi-tier action environmental compliance agreement. The grant agreement will contain the terms and conditions for the grant; the multi-tier action environmental compliance agreement will detail the

Recipient’s responsibilities in meeting the Agency’s Environmental Policies and https://www.nad.usda.gov/

Procedures, 7 CFR 1970, in particular §1970.55 which applies to multi-tier actions or relending actions. The multi-tier action environmental compliance agreement acknowledges that further “tiered” environmental review may be required and coordinated by the Recipient prior to approving Subrecipient applications for re-lending purposes. The applicant must execute and return the agreements, accompanied by any additional items required by the award letter or grant agreement.

2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

The items listed in Section D of this notice, the RFP program regulation and departmental and other regulations including 2 CFR parts 180, 182, 200, 400, 421 and any successor regulations implement the appropriate administrative and national policy requirements, which include but are not limited to:

a. SF-270, “Request for Advance or Reimbursement,” will be completed by the

Non-Federal Entity and submitted to either the state or national office no more frequently than monthly.

b. Upon receipt of a properly completed SF-270, the funds will be requested through the field office terminal system. Ordinarily, payment will be made within 30 days after receipt of a proper request for reimbursement.

c. Non-Federal Entities may use women- and minority-owned banks (a bank which is owned at least 50 percent by women or minority group members) for the deposit and disbursement of funds.

3. Reporting

a. Any change in the scope of the project, budget adjustments of more than

10 percent of the total budget, or any other significant change in the project must be reported to and approved by the approval official by written amendment to the grant agreement. Any change not approved may be cause for termination of the grant.

b. Non-Federal Entities shall constantly monitor performance to ensure that time schedules are being met, projected work by time periods is being accomplished, and other performance objectives are being achieved. The Non-Federal Entity will provide project reports as follows:

i. SF-425, “Financial Status Report (short form),” and a project performance activity report will be required of all Non-Federal Entities on a quarterly basis, due 30 days after the end of each quarter.

ii. A final project performance report will be required with the last SF-425 due 90 days after the end of the last quarter in which the project is completed. The final report may serve as the last quarterly report.

iii. All multi-State Non-Federal Entities are to submit an original of each report to the National Office. Non-Federal Entities serving only one State are to submit an original of each report to the State Office. The project performance reports should detail, preferably in a narrative format, activities that have transpired for the specific time period.

c. Financial reporting. The Non-Federal Entity will provide an audit report or financial statements as follows:

i. Non-Federal Entities expending $750,000 or more Federal funds per fiscal year will submit an audit conducted in accordance with 2 CFR 200. The audit will be submitted within nine months after the Non-Federal Entity’s fiscal year.

Additional audits may be required if the project period covers more than one fiscal year.

ii. Non-Federal Entities expending less than $750,000 will provide annual financial statements covering the grant period, consisting of the organization’s statement of income and expense and balance sheet signed by an appropriate official of the organization. Financial statements will be submitted within 90 days after the

Non-Federal Entity’s fiscal year.

iii. Recipient and Subrecipient 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 170, §170.110(b). The reporting requirements under the Transparency Act pursuant to 2 CFR 170 are as follows:

(1) First Tier Sub-Awards of $25,000 or more in non-Recovery Act funds (unless they are exempt under 2 CFR 170) must be reported by the Recipient to https://www.fsrs.gov no later than the end of the https://www.fsrs.gov/ month following the month the obligation was made.

(2) The Total Compensation of the Recipient’s Executives (five most highly compensated executives) must be reported by the Recipient (if the

Recipient meets the criteria under 2 CFR 170) to https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ by the end of the month following the month in which the award was made.

(3) The Total Compensation of the Subrecipient’s Executives (five most highly compensated executives) must be reported by the

Subrecipient (if the Subrecipient meets the criteria under 2 CFR 170) to the Recipient by the end of the month following the month in which the subaward was made.

d. Multi-tier Action Environmental Compliance Agreement Reporting.

Recipients must maintain environmental documentation associated with implementation of the multi-tier action environmental compliance agreement. The

Recipient must retain documentation for up to seven (7) years and make it available for Agency verification upon request as required by 7 CFR §1970.55(b).

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts

1. Website: https://rd.usda.gov/programs-services/revolving-funds-for-financing-water-and-wastewater-projects

2. Phone: Lois E. East, 660-492-4268.

3. E-mail: lois.east@usda.gov

4. Main point of contact: Lois E. East, Community Programs Specialist, Water and

Environmental Programs, Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

H. Non-Discrimination Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights laws 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, http://www.sam.gov/SAM/ mailto:lois.east@usda.gov 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 | USDA 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) Email: OAC@usda.gov.

https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint https://www.usda.gov/oascr/how-to-file-a-program-discrimination-complaint