82 FR 45256 - Inviting Applications for Technical Assistance and Training Grants

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service

Federal Register Volume 82, Issue 187 (September 28, 2017)

This Notice announces that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) is accepting applications for the Technical Assistance and Training Grant Program (TAT). RUS is providing an amount of funding to be determined to provide technical assistance and training grants for disaster recovery (TAT/DR) to RUS eligible water and sewer utilities serving areas subject to Presidential disaster declarations in effect on or after the date of this notice which are beyond the scope or capacity of existing grant agreements or contracts with the RUS and do not duplicate other federal assistance to water and sewer utilities in the affected areas. No single award will exceed $600,000 and more than one grant may be made. Expenses incurred in developing applications will be at the applicant's risk. Once funding for TAT has been determined, RUS will publish the program funding level on the Rural Development Web site https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water- waste-disposal-technical-assistance-training-grants.

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 187 (Thursday, September 28, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45256-45260]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2017-20852]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Rural Utilities Service


Inviting Applications for Technical Assistance and Training 
Grants

AGENCY: Rural Development, Rural Utilities Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA).

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SUMMARY: This Notice announces that the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) 
is accepting applications for the Technical Assistance and Training 
Grant Program (TAT). RUS is providing an amount of funding to be 
determined to provide technical assistance and training grants for 
disaster recovery (TAT/DR) to RUS eligible water and sewer utilities 
serving areas subject to Presidential disaster declarations in effect 
on or after the date of this notice which are beyond the scope or 
capacity of existing grant agreements or contracts with the RUS and do 
not duplicate other federal assistance to water and sewer utilities in 
the affected areas. No single award will exceed $600,000 and more than 
one grant may be made. Expenses incurred in developing applications 
will be at the applicant's risk. Once funding for TAT has been 
determined, RUS will publish the program funding level on the Rural 
Development Web site https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/water-waste-disposal-technical-assistance-training-grants.

DATES: Applications for TAT/DR grant(s) must be received by October 18, 
2017. Reminder of competitive grant application deadline: Applications 
must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov no later than 20 
days after this announcement appears in the Federal Register.

ADDRESSES: You may submit electronic grant applications at http://www.grants.gov/ (Grants.gov), following the instructions you find on 
that Web site.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Anita O'Brien, Loan Specialist, Water 
Program Division, Rural Utilities Service, U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, by email at [email protected] or by telephone: 
(202) 690-3789.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Overview

    Federal Agency: Rural Utilities Service (RUS).
    Funding Opportunity Title: Technical Assistance and Training for 
Disaster Recovery (TAT/DR).
    Announcement Type: Funding Level Announcement and Solicitation of 
Applications.
    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1926 (a)(14); Pub. L. 109-97, 119 Stat. 2120.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.761.
    Dates: You must submit completed application for a TAT/DR grant 
before October 18, 2017.

[[Page 45257]]

    Reminder of competitive grant application deadline: Applications 
must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov no later than 20 
days after this announcement appears in the Federal Register to be 
eligible for funding.

Items in Supplementary Information

    I. Funding Opportunity: Brief Introduction to the Technical 
Assistance and Training for Disaster Recovery (TAT/DR) Grants.
    Drinking water and wastewater systems are basic and vital to both 
health and economic development. With dependable water facilities and 
environmentally sound waste disposal, 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 and 
wastewater facilities, the communities cannot sustain economic 
development. RUS supports the sound development of rural communities 
and the growth of our economy without endangering the environment. RUS 
provides financial and technical assistance to help communities bring 
safe drinking water and sanitary, environmentally sound waste disposal 
facilities to rural Americans in greatest need.
    The Technical Assistance and Training (TAT) Grant Program has been 
established under 7 CFR part 1775 to assist communities with water or 
wastewater systems through free technical assistance and/or training 
provided by the grant recipients. Qualified private non-profit 
organizations will receive TAT grant funds to identify and evaluate 
solutions to water and waste disposal problems in rural areas, assist 
applicants in preparing applications for water and waste grants made at 
the State level offices, and improve operation and maintenance of 
existing water and waste disposal facilities in rural areas.

    II. Federal Award Information: Available funds, maximum amounts; 
$1,000,000
    III. Eligibility Information: Who is eligible, what kinds of 
projects are eligible, what criteria determine basic eligibility
    IV. Application and Submission Information: Where to apply; what 
constitutes a completed application; how to submit applications; 
deadlines; and, items that are eligible
    V. Application Review Information: Considerations and preferences; 
scoring criteria; review standards; and selection information
    VI. Federal Award Administration Information: Award notice 
information and award recipient reporting requirements
    VII. Agency Contacts: Web, phone, email, and contact name
    VIII. USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

I. Funding Opportunity

    Drinking water and sewer systems are basic and vital to public 
health, the environment and economic development. Hurricanes, floods, 
forest fires and other natural disasters have severely damaged water 
systems in multiple states. Without dependable water supply, rural 
communities in these states will not attract families and businesses to 
return and invest in rural disaster damaged communities.
    The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) supports rural prosperity, 
quality of life, economic development and stewardship of the 
environment. RUS provides financial and technical assistance to help 
communities bring safe drinking water and sanitary, environmentally 
sound waste disposal facilities to rural Americans in greatest need.
    The additional funding made available under this notice for TAT/DR 
grants will allow rural communities to rebuild water and sewer 
infrastructure damaged by recent disasters and enhance the security of 
the RUS loan portfolio. Qualified private, non-profit organizations 
with expertise and a record of experience in providing technical 
assistance and training to RUS eligible water and sewer utilities may 
apply to receive a grant to provide technical assistance to RUS 
eligible water and sewer utilities in areas covered by a Presidential 
disaster declaration on or after the date of this notice. Grants are 
for disaster recovery related technical assistance, including such 
services as helping eligible rural water and sewer utilities complete 
Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) claims, and file 
insurance recovery claims, address and cure outstanding delinquencies, 
and assisting new and returning RUS applicants prepare applications for 
water and waste disposal loans and grants as needed.

II. Award Information

    Available funds: To be determined.

III. Eligibility Information

A. What are the basic eligibility requirements for applying?
    An organization is eligible to receive a TAT grant if it:
    a. Is a private, non-profit organization that has tax-exempt status 
from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS);
    b. Is legally established and located within one of the following:
     A state within the United States
     the District of Columbia
     the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico
     a United States territory
    c. Has the legal capacity and authority to carry out the grant 
purpose;
    d. Has a proven record of successfully providing technical 
assistance and/or training to rural areas;
    e. 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;
    f. Has no delinquent debt to the federal government or no 
outstanding judgments to repay a federal debt;
    g. Demonstrates that it possesses the financial, technical, and 
managerial capability to comply with federal and State laws and 
requirements;
    h. Contracts with a nonaffiliated organization for not more than 49 
percent of the grant to provide the proposed assistance.

(For more specific information see 7 CFR 1775.35.)

    The applying entity (Applicant) must:
    1. Be a private, national, non-profit organization that has tax-
exempt status from the United States Internal Revenue Service (IRS);
    2. Be legally established and located within The United States of 
America;
    3. Have the legal capacity and authority to carry out the grant 
purposes;
    4. Have no delinquent debt to the Federal Government or no 
outstanding judgments to repay a Federal debt;
    5. Have proven expertise and experience delivering technical 
assistance and training to RUS eligible water and sewer utilities.
B. What are the basic eligibility requirements for a project?
    The qualified applicant must provide technical assistance to RUS 
eligible water and sewer utilities in rural areas covered by a 
Presidential disaster declaration existing on or after the date of this 
notice on disaster recovery related matters meeting the objectives and 
purposes of the program under 7 CFR part 1775.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    A. Where to get application information: http://www.grants.gov.
    B. Applicants will need a Dun and Bradstreet (D&B) Data Universal 
Numbering System (DUNS) number.

[[Page 45258]]

You must provide your DUNS number on the SF-424, ``Application for 
Federal Assistance.'' To verify that your organization has a DUNS 
number or to receive one at no cost, call the dedicated toll-free 
request line at 1-866-705-5711 or access the Web site http://www.dunandbradstreet.com. You will need the following information when 
requesting a DUNS number:
    a. Legal Name of the Applicant;
    b. Headquarters name and address of the Applicant;
    c. The names under which the Applicant is doing business as (dba) 
or other name by which the organization is commonly recognized;
    d. Physical address of the Applicant;
    e. Mailing address (if separate from headquarters and/or physical 
address) of the Applicant;
    f. Telephone number;
    g. Contact name and title;
    h. Number of employees at the physical location.
    C. The application and any materials sent with it become Federal 
records by law and cannot be returned to you.
    D. You must file an electronic application at the Web site: 
www.grants.gov. 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 Central Contractor Registry (CCR) and 
the Credential Provider. 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.
    The CCR registers your organization, housing your organizational 
information and allowing Grants.gov to use it to verify your identity. 
You may register for the CCR by calling the CCR Assistance Center at 1-
888-227-2423 or you may register online at: http://www.ccr.gov.
    The Credential Provider gives you or your representative a username 
and password, as part of the Federal Government's e-Authentication to 
ensure a secure transaction. You will need the username and password 
when you register with Grants.gov or use Grants.gov to submit your 
application. You must register with the Central Provider through 
Grants.gov: https://apply.grants.gov/OrcRegister.
E. What constitutes a completed application?
    1. To be considered for assistance, you must be an eligible entity 
and must submit a complete application by the deadline date. You must 
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 as 
demonstrated in the forms below.
    2. Applicants must complete and submit the following forms to apply 
for a Technical Assistance and Training grant:
    (a) Standard Form 424, ``Application for Federal Assistance''
    (b) Standard Form 424A, ``Budget Information--Non-Construction 
Programs''
    (c) Standard Form 424B, ``Assurances--Non-Construction Programs''
    (d) Standard Form LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activity''
    (e) AD-3030, ``Representations Regarding felony Conviction and Tax 
Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicant''
    (f) AD-3031, ``Assurance Regarding Felony Conviction or Tax 
Delinquent Status for Corporate Applicant''
    (g) Form RD 400-1, ``Equal Opportunity Agreement''
    (h) Form RD 400-4, ``Assurance Agreement (Under Title VI, Civil 
Rights Act of 1964)
    (i) Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if applicable, applicant must 
include approved cost agreement rate schedule)
    (j) Certification regarding Forest Service grant.
    3. All applications shall be accompanied by the following 
supporting documentation in concise written narrative form:
    (a) Evidence of applicant's legal existence and authority.
    (b) Evidence of tax exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service 
(IRS).
    (c) A short statement of applicant's experience in providing 
services similar to those proposed.
    (d) A brief description of successfully completed projects 
including the need that was identified and objectives accomplished.
    (e) The latest financial information to show the applicant's 
financial capacity to carry out the proposed work.
    (f) A list of proposed services to be provided.
    (g) An estimated breakdown of costs (direct and indirect) including 
those to be funded by grantee as well as other sources. Sufficient 
detail should be provided to permit the approval official to determine 
reasonableness, applicability, and eligibility.
    (h) Evidence that a Financial Management System is in place or 
proposed.
    (i) A description of national reach and capability.
    (ii) A description of the type of technical assistance and/or 
training to be provided and the tasks to be contracted.
    (iii) A description of how the effectiveness and results of the 
proposed TAT/DR project will be measured.
    (iv) A clear explanation of how the proposed services differ from 
other similar services being provided in the same area and measures to 
be taken to avoid duplication of federal effort.
    (v) Number of personnel on staff or to be contracted to provide the 
service and their experience with similar projects.
    (vi) A statement indicating the maximum number of months it would 
take to complete the project.
    (vii) Explanation of the cost effectiveness of project.
    4. Applicants must also submit a flexible work plan/project 
proposal that will outline the project in sufficient detail to provide 
a reader with a clear understanding of how the proposed TAT/DR project 
will address the technical assistance needs of RUS eligible water and 
sewer utilities in affected rural disaster areas that exist at the time 
of this notice or that may emerge during the term of the grant 
agreement.
    5. 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 part 180, if it applies. The section heading is 
``What information must I provide before entering into a covered 
transaction with the Federal Government?'' located at 2 CFR 180.335. It 
is part of OMB's Guidance for Grants and Agreements concerning 
Government-wide Debarment and Suspension.
    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 part 421, which adopts the Government-wide

[[Page 45259]]

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 part 421 (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 http://www.LEP.gov.
    6. Unique entity identifier and System for Award Management (SAM). 
The applicant for a grant must supply a Dun 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 http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform for more 
information on how to obtain a DUNS number or how to verify your 
organization's number.
    In accordance with 2 CFR part 25, whether applying electronically 
or by paper, the applicant must register in the System for Award 
Management (SAM) prior to submitting an application. Applicants may 
register for the SAM at https://www.sam.gov/portal/SAM/#1. 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 remain registered 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.

V. Application Review Information

    A. RUS will acknowledge the application's receipt by email to the 
applicant. The application will be reviewed for completeness to 
determine if it contains all of the items required. If the application 
is incomplete or ineligible, RUS will return it to the Applicant with 
an explanation. The RUS reserves the right to request additional 
information once an application is determined to be complete to address 
specific disaster recovery needs that are known or anticipated at the 
time of evaluation or to minimize the risk of duplication of other 
federal efforts. The RUS grant offer to a successful applicant will be 
based on the submitted application and may be more narrowly tailored 
than the submitted application to meet rural community needs at the 
time of the offer or over the course of the grant period.
    B. A review team, composed of at least two 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 paragraph C of this section.
    C. All applications that are complete and eligible will be scored 
and ranked competitively. The categories for scoring criteria used are 
the following:

 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Scoring criteria                          Points
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Scope of Assistance......................  Up to 15.
2. Degree of expertise......................  Up to 15.
3. Applicant Resource (staff and contract     Up to 10.
 personnel).
4. Goals/Objectives: Goals/objectives are     Up to 10.
 clearly defined and tied to need, results
 and measurable outcomes.
5. Extent to which the work plan clearly      Up to 20.
 articulates a well thought out approach to
 accomplishing objectives; and clearly
 defines how the applicant would respond to
 communities served by the TAT/DR grant.
6. Financial Controls.......................  Up to 5.
7. Type of technical assistance applicant is  Up to 20.
 providing.
8. Project duration.........................  Up to 5.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

VI. Award Administration Information

    A. RUS will rank all qualifying applications by their final score. 
Applications will be selected for funding based on the highest scores. 
No grant will exceed $600,000. The agency expects to award a small 
number of grants under this notice. The agency reserves the right to 
make no grant awards if all applications are incomplete and/or 
scorebelow 65 points. Each applicant will be notified via email of the 
agency's funding decision.
    B. In making its decision about your application, RUS may determine 
that your application is:
    1. Eligible and selected for funding;
    2. Eligible and offered fewer funds than requested;
    3. Eligible but not selected for funding; or
    4. Ineligible for the grant.
    C. Given the exigency of the need to respond to recent hurricanes, 
tornados, floods, forest fires and other presidentially declared 
emergencies, appeals of the funding decisions under this notice shall 
be made exclusively to the Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service 
within 10 business days of receiving email notice of the funding 
decision. The Administrator's decision shall be final and non-
reviewable by the National Appeals Division.
    D. Applicants selected for funding will complete a grant agreement 
suitable to RUS, which outlines the terms and conditions of the grant 
award. Pursuant to the grant agreement, grant funds may be released 
over the course of the grant period in reimbursement for the 
performance of eligible, approved activities which do not duplicate 
similar federal efforts or tasks. The grant agreement may also include 
reporting and pre-approval requirements consistent with 7 CFR part 1775 
which if not met, may result in a delay in reimbursement, disallowance 
of expense or a suspension of the grant.
    E. Grantees will be reimbursed as follows:
    1. SF-270, ``Request for Advance or Reimbursement,'' will be 
completed by the grantee and submitted to either the State or National 
Office not more frequently than monthly.
    2. Upon receipt of a properly completed SF-270, payment will 
ordinarily be made within 30 days.
    F. 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.

[[Page 45260]]

    G. Project reporting.
    1. Grantees 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.
    2. SF-269, ``Financial Status Report (short form),'' and a project 
performance activity report will be required of all grantees on a 
quarterly basis, due 30 days after the end of each quarter.
    3. A final project performance report will be required with the 
last SF-269 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.
    4. All grantees are to submit an original of each report to the 
National Office. The project performance reports should detail, in a 
narrative format, activities that have transpired for the specific time 
period.
    H. The grantee will provide an audit report or financial statements 
in accordance with Uniform Audit Requirements for Federal Awards at 2 
CFR part 200, subpart F.

VII. Agency Contacts

    A. Web site: http://www.usda.gov/rus/water. The RUS' Web site 
maintains up-to-date resources and contact information for Technical 
Assistance and Training Grants program.
    B. Phone: 202-720-9586.
    C. Email: [email protected].
    D. Main point of contact: Anita O'Brien, Loan Specialist, Water and 
Environmental Programs, Water Programs Division, Rural Utilities 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

VIII. USDA Non-Discrimination Statement

    In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its 
agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or 
administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on 
race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including 
gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital 
status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance 
program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil 
rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA 
(not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing 
deadlines vary by program or incident.
    Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of 
communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, 
audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible 
agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or 
contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. 
Additionally, program information may be made available in languages 
other than English.
    To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA 
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or 
write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the 
information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint 
form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA 
by: (1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant 
Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW., Stop 9410, 
Washington, DC 20250-9410; (2) Fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) Email: 
[email protected]. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, 
employer, and lender.

    Dated: September 25, 2017.
Christopher A. McLean,
Acting Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-20852 Filed 9-27-17; 8:45 am]
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