Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program

The Distressed Area Recompete Pilot Program (Recompete Pilot Program) aims to alleviate persistent economic distress and support long-term, comprehensive economic development and job creation in places with a high prime-age (25 to 54 years) employmen

The Recompete Pilot Program invests in distressed communities to create, and connect workers to, good jobs in places that need them most. The program specifically targets distressed communities to spur a new chapter of opportunity in those areas. They may be urban, suburban, or rural, but they have low labor force participation rates that are holding back prosperity. EDA ran its pilot competition in two phases through two separate Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs). In the Phase 1 NOFO, EDA funded Strategy Development Grants and approved Recompete Plans for certain regions. Under the Phase 2 NOFO, EDA awarded Implementation funding.

Eligible applicants under this NOFO include: (i) a unit of local government; (ii) the District of Columbia; (iii) a territory of the United States; (iv) a Tribal government; (v) political subdivisions of a State or other entity, including a special-purpose entity engaged in economic development activities; (vi) a public entity or nonprofit organization, acting in cooperation with the officials of a political subdivision of a State or other entity described in (v); (vii) an economic development district; and (viii) a coalition of any of the above entities that serve or are contained within an eligible geographic area.

The Recompete Pilot Program will invest in distressed communities to create, and connect workers to, good jobs in places that need them most. The program specifically targets distressed communities to spur a new chapter of opportunity in those areas. They may be urban, suburban, or rural, but they have low labor force participation rates that are holding back prosperity. EDA will run this competition in two phases through two separate Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs). In this Phase 1 NOFO, EDA will fund Strategy Development Grants and will approve Recompete Plans for certain regions. Applicants to this Phase 1 NOFO must choose whether they are pursuing a Strategy Development Grant, approval of a Recompete Plan, or both. Strategy Development Grants are funded. Recompete Plan approval, on the other hand, is unfunded, but is a prerequisite to applying to the Phase 2 NOFO. Under the Phase 2 NOFO EDA will award Implementation funding. Thus, if an applicant would like to compete for Implementation funding under the upcoming Phase 2 NOFO, it should at minimum apply for Recompete Plan approval under this Phase 1 NOFO (the applicant can also apply for a Strategy Development Grant if it so chooses). In a future Phase 2 NOFO, applicants with approved Recompete Plans will compete for funding for Implementation projects. EDA will provide technical assistance during the period between Phase 1 announcements and the Phase 2 application deadline to all applicants who receive Strategy Development Grants and/or whose Recompete Plans are approved. EDA may reimburse pre-award project costs under this NOFO but only with advance approval by the Grants Officer. Under no circumstances will EDA or DOC be held responsible for application preparation expenditures, which are distinguished from pre-award project costs. It is DOC policy that funds may not be used to pay for management fees in excess of costs or profits, unless statutorily authorized. Additionally, the use of project funds to make equity or hybrid investments in businesses is not an allowable cost.

The Recompete Pilot Program will invest in distressed communities to create, and connect workers to, good jobs in places that need them most. The program specifically targets distressed communities to spur a new chapter of opportunity in those areas. They may be urban, suburban, or rural, but they have low labor force participation rates that are holding back prosperity. EDA will run this competition in two phases through two separate Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs). In this Phase 1 NOFO, EDA will fund Strategy Development Grants and will approve Recompete Plans for certain regions. Applicants to this Phase 1 NOFO must choose whether they are pursuing a Strategy Development Grant, approval of a Recompete Plan, or both. Strategy Development Grants are funded. Recompete Plan approval, on the other hand, is unfunded, but is a prerequisite to applying to the Phase 2 NOFO. Under the Phase 2 NOFO EDA will award Implementation funding. Thus, if an applicant would like to compete for Implementation funding under the upcoming Phase 2 NOFO, it should at minimum apply for Recompete Plan approval under this Phase 1 NOFO (the applicant can also apply for a Strategy Development Grant if it so chooses). In a future Phase 2 NOFO, applicants with approved Recompete Plans will compete for funding for Implementation projects. EDA will provide technical assistance during the period between Phase 1 announcements and the Phase 2 application deadline to all applicants who receive Strategy Development Grants and/or whose Recompete Plans are approved. EDA may reimburse pre-award project costs under this NOFO but only with advance approval by the Grants Officer. Under no circumstances will EDA or DOC be held responsible for application preparation expenditures, which are distinguished from pre-award project costs. It is DOC policy that funds may not be used to pay for management fees in excess of costs or profits, unless statutorily authorized. Additionally, the use of project funds to make equity or hybrid investments in businesses is not an allowable cost.

Period of Performance: The period of performance for a given Phase 1 Strategy Development project may vary depending on the scope of work. EDA expects that most projects will range from 18 to 36 months. EDA expects that all projects will proceed efficiently and expeditiously.

a. Strategy Development Grant Review. All complete applications for Strategy Development Grants will undergo a two-step review. First, they will be reviewed by at least three individuals and scored against the criteria in the NOFO. EDA will sort the resultant scores into tiers of similarly scored applications, and top tiers will advance to a second level review by an investment review committee (IRC) of at least three reviewers who did not participate in the initial scoring. The IRC will review the awards collectively using the same criteria listed above as well as relevant selection criteria. Based on this group evaluation, the IRC will recommend to the Grants Officer which applications to fund and how to apply the selection factors. b. Recompete Plan Review. All Recompete Plans will undergo a two-step review. First, they will be evaluated by at least three reviewers and scored against the criteria in the NOFO. EDA will sort the resultant scores into tiers of similarly scored applications, and top tiers will advance to a second level review by an IRC of at least three reviewers who did not participate in the initial scoring. The IRC will review the applications collectively using the same criteria listed above and relevant selection criteria. Based on this group evaluation, the IRC will recommend a list for the Grants Officer of recommended Recompete Plan approvals and how to apply the selection factors. Only applicants with approved Recompete Plans will be permitted to apply for Implementation funding under the forthcoming Recompete Pilot NOFO.

Strategy Development Grant applications recommended for funding and Recompete Plans recommended for approval that are also deemed fully compliant with applicable rules and regulations will be forwarded for final selection review and approval by the Grants Officer. The Grants Officer will select a portfolio of Strategy Development Grants to fund and Recompete Plans to approve based on the recommendations of the respective IRCs and the selection factors listed in the NOFO. The final portfolio may differ from the recommendations of the respective IRCs to ensure the selection factors are adequately met. The Grants Officer will prepare a final list of recommendations for funding and approved Recomplete Plans and document the rationale for his or her selections.