Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 37 / Thursday, February 24, 2011 / Notices 10321 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Utilities Service 

Announcement of Solicitation of 

Applications and Grant Application 

Deadlines 

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of Solicitation of 

Applications. 

SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service 

(RUS), an agency of the United States 

Department of Agriculture (USDA), 

announces its Distance Learning and 

Telemedicine (DLT) grant program 

application window for Fiscal Year (FY) 

2011 subject to the availability of 

funding. This notice is being issued 

prior to passage of a final appropriations 

act to allow potential applicants time to 

submit proposals and give the Agency 

time to process applications within the 

current fiscal year. RUS will publish a 

subsequent notice identifying the 

amount received in the final 

appropriations act, if any. Expenses 

incurred in developing applications will 

be at the applicant’s risk. For FY 2010, 

Congress appropriated approximately 

$30 million. In addition to announcing 

the application window, RUS 

announces the minimum and maximum 

amounts for DLT grants applicable for 

the fiscal year and a change in scoring 

necessitated by changes in the 

Empowerment Zone (EZ), Enterprise 

Community (EC) and Champion 

Community (CC) designations. Finally, 

the Agency notes that the Food, 

Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 

(Pub. L. 110–234) expressly added the 

category of libraries under Sec. 2333 

(c)(1) of the Food, Agriculture, 

Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 

U.S.C. Sec. 950aaa–2(a)(1)) in order to 

clearly establish that libraries are 

eligible to be recipients of DLT Loans 

and Grants. This confirms the 

longstanding Agency policy of 

considering libraries to be eligible 

entities under the DLT Program. The 

regulation for the DLT Grant Program 

can be found at 7 CFR part 1703, 

subpart E. 

DATES: You may submit completed 

applications for grants on paper or 

electronically in accordance with the 

following deadlines: 

• Paper submissions: Paper copies 

must be postmarked and mailed, 

shipped, or sent overnight no later than 

April 25, 2011 to be eligible for FY 2011 

grant funding. Late or incomplete 

applications will not be eligible for FY 

2011 grant funding. 

• Electronic submissions: Electronic 

copies must be received by April 25, 

2011 to be eligible for FY 2011 grant 

funding. Late or incomplete 

applications will not be eligible for FY 

2011 grant funding. 

ADDRESSES: Copies of the FY 2011 

Application Guides and materials for 

the DLT grant program may be obtained 

at the following sources: 

(1) The DLT Web site: http:// 

www.rurdev.usda.gov/ 

UTP_DLTResources.html and 

(2) You may also request application 

guides and materials from RUS by 

contacting the DLT Program at 202– 

720–0413. 

Completed applications may be 

submitted in the following ways: 

(1) Paper: Paper applications are to be 

submitted to the Rural Utilities Service, 

Telecommunications Program, 1400 

Independence Ave., SW., Room 2845, 

STOP 1550, Washington, DC 20250– 

1550. Applications should be marked 

‘‘Attention: Acting Director, Advanced 

Services Division.’’ 

(2) Electronic: Electronic applications 

may be submitted through Grants.gov. 

Information on how to submit 

applications electronically is available 

on the Grants.gov Web site (http:// 

www.grants.gov). Applicants must 

successfully pre-register with Grants.gov 

to use the electronic applications 

option. Application information may be 

downloaded from Grants.gov without 

preregistration. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Acting Director, Advanced Services 

Division, Telecommunications 

Programs, Rural Utilities Service. 

Telephone: 202–720–0413, fax: 202– 

720–1051. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Overview 

Federal Agency: Rural Utilities 

Service (RUS). 

Funding Opportunity Title: Distance 

Learning and Telemedicine Grants. 

Announcement Type: Notice of Funds 

Availability. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

(CFDA) Number: 10.855. 

DATES: You may submit completed 

applications for grants on paper or 

electronically according to the following 

deadlines: 

• Paper copies must be postmarked 

and mailed, shipped, or sent overnight 

no later than April 25, 2011 to be 

eligible for FY 2011 grant funding. Late 

or incomplete applications are not 

eligible for FY 2011 grant funding. 

Electronic copies must be received by 

April 25, 2011 to be eligible for FY 2011 

grant funding. Late or incomplete 

applications are not eligible for FY 2011 

grant funding. 

Items in Supplementary Information 

I. Funding Opportunity: Brief introduction to 

the DLT program. 

II. Minimum and Maximum Application 

Amounts: Projected Available Funding. 

III. Eligibility Information: Who is eligible, 

what kinds of projects are eligible, what 

criteria determine basic eligibility. 

IV. Application and Submission Information: 

Where to get application materials, what 

constitutes a completed application, how 

and where to submit applications, 

deadlines, items that are eligible. 

V. Application Review Information: 

Considerations and preferences, scoring 

criteria, review standards, selection 

information. 

VI. Award Administration Information: 

Award notice information, award 

recipient reporting requirements. 

VII. Agency Contacts: Web, phone, fax, email, contact name. 

I. Funding Opportunity 

Distance learning and telemedicine 

grants are specifically designed to 

provide access to education, training 

and health care resources for people in 

rural America. 

The Distance Learning and 

Telemedicine (DLT) Program provides 

financial assistance to encourage and 

improve telemedicine services and 

distance learning services in rural areas 

through the use of telecommunications, 

computer networks, and related 

advanced technologies to be used by 

students, teachers, medical 

professionals, and rural residents. 

The grants, which are awarded 

through a competitive process, may be 

used to fund telecommunicationsenabled information, audio and video 

equipment and related advanced 

technologies which extend educational 

and medical applications into rural 

locations. Grants are made for projects 

where the benefit is primarily delivered 

to end users that are not at the same 

location as the source of the education 

or health care service. 

As in years past, the FY 2011 DLT 

Grant Application Guide has been 

updated based on Program experience. 

Details of changes from the FY 2010 

Application Guide are highlighted 

throughout this Notice and are 

described in full in the FY 2011 

Application Guide. All applicants must 

carefully review and exactly follow the 

FY 2011 Application Guide and sample 

materials when compiling a DLT grant 

application. 

II. Maximum and Minimum Amount of 

Applications 

Under 7 CFR 1703.124, the 

Administrator has determined the 

maximum amount of a grant to be made 

available to an application in FY 2011 


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10322 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 37 / Thursday, February 24, 2011 / Notices 

is $500,000, and the minimum amount 

of a grant is $50,000. 

The Agency will make awards and 

execute documents appropriate to the 

project prior to any advance of funds to 

successful applicants. 

DLT grants cannot be renewed. Award 

documents specify the term of each 

award. The Agency will make awards 

and execute documents appropriate to 

the project prior to any advance of funds 

to successful applicants. Applications 

from existing DLT awardees are 

acceptable (grant applications must be 

submitted during the application 

window) and will be evaluated as new 

applications. 

III. Eligibility Information 

A. Who is eligible for a grant ? (See 7 

CFR 1703.103.) 

1. Only entities legally organized as 

one of the following are eligible for DLT 

financial assistance: 

a. An incorporated organization or 

partnership, 

b. An Indian Tribe or Tribal 

organization, as defined in 25 USC 450b 

(b) and (c), 

c. A State or local unit of government, 

d. A consortium, as defined in 7 CFR 

1703.102, or 

e. Other legal entity, including a 

private corporation organized on a forprofit or not-for-profit basis. 

2. Individuals are not eligible for DLT 

program financial assistance directly. 

3. Electric and telecommunications 

borrowers under the Rural 

Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 

950aaa et seq.) are not eligible for grants. 

B. What are the basic eligibility 

requirements for a project? 

1. Required matching contributions 

for grants: See 7 CFR 1703.125(g) and 

the FY 2011 Application Guide for 

information on required matching 

contributions. 

a. Grant applicants must demonstrate 

matching contributions, in cash or in 

kind (new, non-depreciated items), of at 

least fifteen (15) percent of the total 

amount of financial assistance 

requested. Matching contributions must 

be used for eligible purposes of DLT 

grant assistance (see 7 CFR 1703.121, 

paragraphs IV.H.1.b of this Notice and 

the FY 2011 Application Guide). 

b. Greater amounts of eligible 

matching contributions may increase an 

applicant’s score (see 7 CFR 

1703.126(b)(4), paragraph V.B.2.c of this 

notice, and the FY 2011 Application 

Guide). 

c. Applications that do not provide 

evidence of the required fifteen percent 

match will be declared ineligible and 

returned. See paragraphs IV.H.1.c and 

V.B.2.c of this Notice, and the FY 2011 

Application Guide for specific 

information on documentation of 

matching contributions. 

d. Applications that do not document 

all matching contributions in form and 

substance satisfactory to the Agency as 

described in the Application Guide are 

subject to budgetary adjustment by the 

Agency, which may result in rejection of 

an application as ineligible due to 

insufficient match. 

2. The DLT grant program is designed 

to bring the benefits of distance learning 

and telemedicine to residents of rural 

America (see 7 CFR 1703.103(a)(2)). 

Therefore, in order to be eligible, 

applicants must: 

a. Operate a rural community facility; 

or 

b. 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. 

3. Rurality. 

a. All projects proposed for DLT grant 

assistance must meet a minimum 

rurality threshold, to ensure that 

benefits from the projects flow to rural 

residents. The minimum eligibility 

score is 20 points. Please see Section IV 

of this notice, 7 CFR 1703.126(a)(2), and 

the FY 2011 Application Guide for an 

explanation of the rurality scoring and 

eligibility criterion. 

b. Each application must apply the 

following criteria to each of its end-user 

sites, and hubs that are also proposed as 

end-user sites, in order to determine a 

rurality score. The rurality score is the 

average of all end-user sites’ rurality 

scores. 

Criterion Character Population DLT 

points 

Exceptionally Rural Area ................................... Area not within an Urbanized Area or Urban 

Cluster.

≤ 5,000 .......................................... 45 

Rural Area ......................................................... Area in an Urban Cluster ................................. > 5,000 and ≤ 10,000 .................... 30 

Mid-Rural Area .................................................. Area in an Urban Cluster ................................. >10,000 and ≤ 20,000 ................... 15 

Urban Area ........................................................ Area in an Urbanized Area or Urban Cluster .. > 20,000 ........................................ 0 

c. The rurality score is one of the 

competitive scoring criteria applied to 

grant applications. 

4. Projects located in areas covered by 

the Coastal Barrier Resources Act (16 

U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) are not eligible for 

financial assistance from the DLT 

Program. Please see 7 CFR 

1703.123(a)(11), 7 CFR 1703.132(a)(5), 

and 7 CFR 1703.142(b)(3). 

C. Where To Find Full Discussion of a 

Complete Application 

See Section IV of this Notice and the 

FY 2011 Application Guide for a 

discussion of the items that comprise a 

complete application. For requirements 

of completed applications you may also 

refer to 7 CFR 1703.125 for grant 

applications. The FY 2011 Application 

Guide provides specific, detailed 

instructions for each item that 

constitutes a complete application. The 

Agency strongly emphasizes the 

importance of including every required 

item (as explained in the FY 2011 

Application Guide) and strongly 

encourages applicants to follow the 

instructions carefully, using the 

examples and illustrations in the FY 

2011 Application Guide. Applications 

which do not include all items that 

determine project eligibility and 

applicant eligibility by the application 

deadline will be returned as ineligible. 

Scoring and eligibility information not 

provided by the application deadline 

will not be solicited or considered by 

the Agency. Applications that do not 

include all items necessary for scoring 

will be scored as is. Please see the FY 

2011 Application Guide for a full 

discussion of each required item and for 

samples and illustrations. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

A. Where To get Application 

Information 

FY 2011 Application Guides, copies 

of necessary forms and samples, and the 

DLT Program regulation are available 

from these sources: 

1. The Internet: http:// 

www.rurdev.usda.gov/ 

UTP_DLTResources.html. 


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2. The DLT Program for paper copies 

of these materials: 202–720–0413. 

B. New and Emphasized in FY 2011 

1. The USDA designation of 

Enterprise Community (EC) expired on 

December 31, 2009. The Champion 

Community designation ended in FY 

2010. The Empowerment Zone 

designation was extended through 

December 31, 2011 on December 17, 

2010 (See Pub. L. 111–312 at Sect. 753). 

As a consequence, points will be 

awarded only for sites located in USDA 

Empowerment Zones. Please refer to the 

FY 2011 Application Guide for 

complete details on this change. 

2. Applicants are reminded that end 

user sites are to be rural facilities. See 

7 CFR 1703.102, Definitions, ‘‘End User’’ 

and ‘‘End User Site.’’ We have 

experienced an increase in the number 

of applications which attempt to 

include urban educational and medical 

facilities as end user sites. Urban 

facilities can serve as hub sites, but not 

end user sites. For projects with nonfixed end user sites, only those end user 

sites outside urban areas can be funded. 

The FY 2011 Application Guide again 

contains clarifying language to elaborate 

on this provision of the regulation. 

3. If a grant application includes a site 

that is included in any other DLT grant 

application for FY 2011, or a site that 

has been included in any DLT grant 

funded in FY 2010 or FY 2009, the 

application should contain a detailed 

explanation of the related applications 

or grants. The Agency must make a 

nonduplication finding for each grant 

approved, and apparent but 

unexplained duplication of funding for 

a site can prevent such a finding. 

C. What constitutes a completed 

application? 

1. For DLT Grants: 

a. Detailed information on each item 

in the table in paragraph IV.C.1.g. of this 

Notice can be found in the sections of 

the DLT Program regulation listed in the 

table, and the DLT grant Application 

Guide. Applicants are strongly 

encouraged to read and apply both the 

regulation and the Applications Guide, 

which elaborates and explains the 

regulation. 

(1). When the table refers to a 

narrative, it means a written statement, 

description or other written material 

prepared by the applicant, for which no 

form exists. The Agency recognizes that 

each project is unique and requests 

narratives to allow applicants to explain 

their request for financial assistance. 

(2). When documentation is 

requested, it means letters, 

certifications, legal documents or other 

third-party documentation that provide 

evidence that the applicant meets the 

listed requirement. For example, to 

confirm rurality scores, applicants use 

printouts from the official Census Web 

site. Leveraging documentation 

generally will be letters of commitment 

from the funding sources. In-kind 

matches must be items purchased after 

the application deadline date that are 

essential to the project and 

documentation from the donor must 

demonstrate the relationship of each 

item to the project’s function. Evidence 

of legal existence is sometimes proven 

by submitting articles of incorporation. 

The examples here are not intended to 

limit the types of documentation that 

must be submitted to fulfill a 

requirement. DLT Program regulations 

and the Application Guide provide 

specific guidance on each of the items 

in the table. 

b. The DLT Application Guide and 

ancillary materials provide all necessary 

sample forms and worksheets. 

c. While the table in paragraph 

IV.C.1.g of this Notice includes all items 

of a completed application, the Agency 

may ask for additional or clarifying 

information for applications which, as 

submitted by the deadline, appear to 

clearly demonstrate that they meet 

eligibility requirements. The Agency 

will not solicit or accept eligibility or 

scoring information submitted after the 

application deadline. 

d. Submit the required application 

items in the order provided in the FY 

2011 Application Guide. The FY 2011 

Application Guide specifies the format 

and order of all required items. 

Applications that are not assembled and 

tabbed in the order specified prevent 

timely determination of eligibility. 

Given the high volume of program 

interest, incorrectly assembled 

applications, and applications with 

inconsistency among submitted copies, 

will be returned as ineligible. 

e. DUNS Number. As required by the 

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 field for 

you to use when supplying your DUNS 

number. Obtaining a DUNS number 

costs nothing and requires a short 

telephone call to Dun and Bradstreet. 

Please see http://www.grants.gov/ 

applicants/request_duns_number.jsp for 

more information on how to obtain a 

DUNS number or how to verify your 

organization’s number. 

f. Central Contractor Registration 

(CCR). 

(a) In accordance with 2 CFR part 25, 

applicants, whether applying 

electronically or by paper, must be 

registered in the CCR prior to submitting 

an application. Applicants may register 

for the CCR at https:// 

www.uscontractorregistration.com/ or 

by calling 1–877–252–2700. Completing 

the CCR registration process takes up to 

five business days, and applicants are 

strongly encouraged to begin the process 

well in advance of the deadline 

specified in this notice. 

(b) The CCR registration must remain 

active, with current information, at all 

times during which an entity has an 

application under consideration by an 

agency or has an active Federal Award. 

To remain registered in the CCR 

database after the initial registration, the 

applicant is required to review and 

update, on an annual basis from the date 

of initial registration or subsequent 

updates, its information in the CCR 

database to ensure it is current, accurate 

and complete. 

g. Compliance with other Federal 

statutes. The applicant must provide 

evidence of compliance with other 

Federal statutes and regulations, 

including, but not limited to the 

following: 

(i) 7 CFR part 15, subpart A— 

Nondiscrimination in Federally 

Assisted Programs of the Department of 

Agriculture—Effectuation of Title VI of 

the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 

(ii) 7 CFR part 3015—Uniform Federal 

Assistance Regulations. 

(iii) 7 CFR part 3017—Governmentwide Debarment and Suspension (Nonprocurement). 

(iv) 7 CFR part 3018—New 

Restrictions on Lobbying. 

(v) 7 CFR part 3021—Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free 

Workplace. 

h. Table of Required Elements of a 

Completed Grant Application. 


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10324 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 37 / Thursday, February 24, 2011 / Notices 

Application item 

Required items 

Grants (7 CFR 1703.125 

and 7 CFR 1703.126) Comment 

SF–424 (Application for Federal Assistance form) ........... Yes ..................................... Completely filled out 

Site Worksheet ................................................................. Yes ..................................... Agency worksheet 

Survey on Ensuring Equal Opportunity for Applicants ..... Optional .............................. OMB Form 

Evidence of Legal Authority to Contract with the Government.Yes ..................................... Documentation 

Evidence of Legal Existence ............................................ Yes ..................................... Documentation 

Executive Summary .......................................................... Yes ..................................... Narrative 

Telecommunications System Plan and Scope of Work ... Yes ..................................... Narrative & documentation such as maps and diagrams 

Budget ............................................................................... Yes ..................................... Agency Worksheets with documentation 

Financial Information/Sustainability .................................. Yes ..................................... Narrative 

Statement of Experience .................................................. Yes ..................................... Narrative 3-page, single-spaced limit 

Rurality Worksheet ........................................................... Yes ..................................... Agency worksheet with documentation 

National School Lunch Program (NSLP) Worksheet ....... Yes ..................................... Agency worksheet with documentation 

Leveraging Evidence and Funding Commitments from all 

Sources.

Yes ..................................... Agency worksheet and source documentation 

Empowerment Zone designation ...................................... Yes ..................................... Documentation 

Request for Additional NSLP ............................................ Optional .............................. Agency Worksheet and narrative 

Need for and Benefits derived from Project ..................... Yes ..................................... Narrative & documentation 

Innovativeness of the Project ........................................... Yes ..................................... Narrative & documentation 

Cost Effectiveness of Project ........................................... Yes ..................................... Narrative & documentation 

Consultation with the USDA State Director, Rural Development, and evidence that application conforms to 

State Strategic Plan, if any.

Yes ..................................... Documentation 

Certifications: 

Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination ........................ Yes ..................................... Recommend using Agency’s sample form 

Architectural Barriers ........................................................ Yes ..................................... Recommend using Agency’s sample form 

Flood Hazard Area Precautions ....................................... Yes ..................................... Recommend using Agency’s sample form 

Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970.Yes ..................................... Recommend using Agency’s sample form 

Drug-Free Workplace ....................................................... Yes ..................................... Recommend using Agency’s sample form 

Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters—Primary Covered Transactions.Yes ..................................... Recommend using Agency’s sample form 

Lobbying for Contracts, Grants, Loans, and Cooperative 

Agreements.

Yes ..................................... Recommend using Agency’s sample form 

Non-Duplication of Services ............................................. Yes ..................................... Recommend using Agency’s sample form 

Environmental Impact/Historic Preservation Certification Yes ..................................... Recommend using Agency’s sample form 

D. How many copies of an application 

are required? 

1. Applications submitted on paper. 

a. Submit the original application and 

two (2) copies to RUS. 

b. Submit one (1) additional copy to 

the State government single point of 

contact (SPOC) (if one has been 

designated) at the same time as you 

submit the application to the Agency. 

See http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/ 

grants/spoc.html for an updated listing 

of State government single points of 

contact. 

2. Electronically submitted 

applications. Grant applications may be 

submitted electronically. Please 

carefully read the FY 2011 Application 

Guide for guidance on submitting an 

electronic application. In particular, we 

ask that you identify and number each 

page in the same way you would a 

paper application so that we can 

assemble them as you intended. 

a. The additional paper copies are not 

necessary if you submit the application 

electronically through Grants.gov. 

b. Submit one (1) copy to the State 

government single point of contact (if 

one has been designated) at the same 

time as you submit the application to 

the Agency. See http:// 

www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/ 

spoc.html for an updated listing of State 

government single points of contact. 

E. How and Where To Submit an 

Application 

Grant applications may be submitted 

on paper or electronically. 

1. Submitting applications on paper. 

a. Address paper applications to the 

Telecommunications Program, RUS, 

United States Department of 

Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave., 

SW., Room 2845, STOP 1550, 

Washington, DC 20250–1550. 

Applications should be marked 

‘‘Attention: Acting Director, Advanced 

Services Division.’’ 

b. Paper grant applications must show 

proof of mailing or shipping by the 

deadline consisting of one of the 

following: 

(i) A legibly dated U.S. Postal Service 

(USPS) postmark; 

(ii) A legible mail receipt with the 

date of mailing stamped by the USPS; or 

(iii) A dated shipping label, invoice, 

or receipt from a commercial carrier. 

c. Due to screening procedures at the 

Department of Agriculture, packages 

arriving via regular mail through the 

USPS are irradiated, which can damage 

the contents and delay delivery to the 

DLT Program. RUS encourages 

applicants to consider the impact of this 

procedure in selecting their application 

delivery method. 

2. Electronically submitted 

applications. 

a. Applications will not be accepted 

via fax or electronic mail. 

b. Electronic applications for grants 

will be accepted if submitted through 

the Federal government’s Grants.gov 

initiative at http://www.grants.gov. 

c. How to use Grants.gov. 

(i) Grants.gov contains full 

instructions on all required passwords, 

credentialing and software. 

(ii) Central Contractor Registry. 

Submitting an application through 

Grants.gov requires that you list your 

organization in the Central Contractor 

Registry (CCR). Setting up a CCR listing 

takes up to five business days, so the 


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Agency strongly recommends that you 

obtain your organization’s DUNS 

number and CCR listing well in advance 

of the deadline specified in this notice. 

(iii) Credentialing and authorization 

of applicants. Grants.gov will also 

require some credentialing and online 

authentication procedures. These 

procedures may take several business 

days to complete, further emphasizing 

the need for early action by applicants 

to complete the sign-up, credentialing 

and authorization procedures at 

Grants.gov before you submit an 

application at that Web site. 

(iv) Some or all of the CCR 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. 

d. RUS encourages applicants who 

wish to apply through Grants.gov to 

submit their applications in advance of 

the deadlines. 

e. If a system problem occurs or you 

have technical difficulties with an 

electronic application, please use the 

customer support resources available at 

the Grants.gov Web site. 

F. Deadlines 

1. Paper grant applications must be 

postmarked and mailed, shipped, or 

sent overnight no later than April 25, 

2011 to be eligible for FY 2011 grant 

funding. Late applications, applications 

which do not include proof of mailing 

or shipping as described in paragraph 

IV.E.1.b., and incomplete applications 

are not eligible for FY 2011 grant 

funding. 

2. Electronic grant applications must 

be received by April 25, 2011 to be 

eligible for FY 2011 funding. Late or 

incomplete applications will not be 

eligible for FY 2011 grant funding. 

G. Intergovernmental Review 

The DLT grant program is subject to 

Executive Order 12372, 

‘‘Intergovernmental Review of Federal 

Programs.’’ As stated in paragraph 

IV.D.1. of this Notice, a copy of a DLT 

grant application must be submitted to 

the State single point of contact if one 

has been designated. Please see http:// 

www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/ 

spoc.html to determine whether your 

State has a single point of contact. 

H. Funding Restrictions 

1. Eligible purposes. 

a. For grants, rural end-user sites may 

receive financial assistance; hub sites 

(rural or non-rural) may also receive 

financial assistance if they are necessary 

to provide DLT services to end-user 

sites. Please see the Application Guide 

and 7 CFR 1703.101(h). 

b. To fulfill the policy goals laid out 

for the DLT Program in 7 CFR 1703.101, 

the following table lists purposes for 

financial assistance and whether each 

purpose is generally considered to be 

eligible for the form of financial 

assistance. Please consult the FY 2011 

Application Guide and the regulations 

(7 CFR 1703.102 for definitions, in 

combination with the portions of the 

regulation cited in the table) for detailed 

requirements for the items in the table. 

RUS strongly recommends that 

applicants exclude ineligible items from 

the grant and match portions of grant 

application budgets. However, some 

items ineligible for funding or matching 

contributions may be vital to the project. 

RUS encourages applicants to document 

those costs in the application’s budget. 

Please see the FY 2011 Application 

Guide for a recommended budget 

format, and detailed budget compilation 

instructions. 

Grants 

Lease or purchase of new eligible DLT equipment and facilities ................................................... Yes, equipment only. 

Acquire new instructional programming that is capital asset ......................................................... Yes. 

Technical assistance, develop instructional programming that is a capital asset, engineering or 

environmental studies.

Yes, up to 10% of the grant. 

Telemedicine or distance learning equipment or facilities necessary to the project ...................... Yes. 

Vehicles using distance learning or telemedicine technology to deliver services .......................... No. 

Teacher-student links located at the same facility .......................................................................... No.

Links between medical professionals located at the same facility ................................................. No. 

Site development or building alteration ........................................................................................... No. 

Land of building purchase ............................................................................................................... No. 

Building Construction ...................................................................................................................... No. 

Acquiring telecommunications transmission facilities ..................................................................... No. 

Internet services, telecommunications services or other forms of connectivity ............................. No. 

Salaries, wages, benefits for medical or educational personnel .................................................... No. 

Salaries or administrative expenses of applicant or project ........................................................... No. 

Recurring project costs or operating expenses .............................................................................. No, (equipment & facility leases are not recurring project costs). 

Internet services, telecom services, and other forms of connectivity ............................................. No. 

Equipment to be owned by the LEC or other telecommunications service provider, if the provider is the applicant.No. 

Duplicative distance learning or telemedicine services .................................................................. No. 

Any project that for its success depends on additional DLT financial assistance or other financial assistance that is not assured.No. 

Application Preparation Costs ......................................................................................................... No. 

Other project costs not in regulation ............................................................................................... No. 

Cost (amount) of facilities providing distance learning broadcasting ............................................. No. 

Reimburse applicants or others for costs incurred prior to RUS receipt of completed application No. 

c. Discounts. The DLT Program 

regulation has long stated that 

manufacturers’ and service providers’ 

discounts are not eligible matches. The 

Agency will not consider as eligible any 

proposed match from a vendor, 

manufacturer, or service provider whose 

products or services will be used in the 

DLT project as described in the 

application. In recent years, the Agency 

has noted a trend of vendors, 

manufacturers and other service 

providers offering their own products 

and services as in-kind matches for a 

project when their products or services 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
10326 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 37 / Thursday, February 24, 2011 / Notices 

will also be purchased with either grant 

or cash match funds for that project. 

Such activity is a discount and is 

therefore not an eligible match. 

Similarly, if a vendor, manufacturer or 

other service provider proposes a cash 

match (or any in-kind match) when 

their products or services will be 

purchased with grant or match funds, 

such activity is a discount and is not an 

eligible match. The Agency actively 

discourages such matching proposals 

and will adjust budgets as necessary to 

remove any such matches, which may 

reduce an application’s score or result 

in the application’s ineligibility due to 

insufficient match. 

2. Eligible Equipment & Facilities. 

Please see the FY 2011 Application 

Guide which supplies a wealth of 

information and examples of eligible 

and ineligible items. In addition, see 7 

CFR 1703.102 for definitions of eligible 

equipment, eligible facilities and 

telecommunications transmission 

facilities as used in the table above. 

3. Apportioning budget items. Many 

DLT applications propose to use items 

for a blend of specific DLT eligible 

project purposes and other purposes. 

RUS will now fund such items, if the 

applicants attribute the proportion (by 

percentage of use) of the costs of each 

item to the project’s DLT purpose or to 

other purposes to enable consideration 

for a grant of the portion of the item that 

is for DLT usage. See the FY 2011 

Application Guide for detailed 

information on how to apportion use 

and apportioning illustrations. 

V. Application Review Information 

A. Special Considerations or Preferences 

1. American Samoa, Guam, Virgin 

Islands, and Northern Mariana Islands 

applications are exempt from the 

matching requirement up to a match 

amount of $200,000 (see 48 U.S.C. 

1469a; 91 Stat. 1164). 

2. 7 CFR 1703.112 directs that RUS 

Telecommunications Borrowers receive 

expedited consideration of a loan 

application or advance under the Rural 

Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 

901–950aa, et. seq.) if the loan funds in 

question are to be used in conjunction 

with a DLT grant (See 7 CFR 1737 for 

loans and 7 CFR 1744 for advances). 

B. Criteria 

1. Grant application scoring criteria 

(total possible points: 215). See 7 CFR 

1703.125 for the items that will be 

reviewed during scoring, and 7 CFR 

1703.126 for scoring criteria. 

2. Grant applications are scored 

competitively subject to the criteria 

listed below. 

a. Rurality category—Rurality of the 

proposed service area (up to 45 points). 

b. NSLP category—percentage of 

students eligible for the NSLP in the 

proposed service area (objectively 

demonstrates economic need of the 

area) (up to 35 points). 

c. Leveraging category—matching 

funds above the required matching level 

(up to 35 points). Please see paragraph 

III.B of this Notice for a brief 

explanation of matching contributions. 

d. EZ category—project overlap with 

Empowerment Zones (EZ) current as of 

the application deadline (up to 10 

points), April 25, 2011. In the past, an 

applicant could earn up to 15 points in 

this category; 10 points for one or more 

sites located in either an EZ or 

Enterprise Community and 5 points for 

one or more sites located in a Champion 

Community. The USDA designation of 

Enterprise Community expired in 2009. 

The Champion Community designation 

expired in 2010. The Empowerment 

Zone designation was extended through 

December 31, 2011 on December 17, 

2010. As a consequence, points will be 

awarded in this category only for sites 

located in an Empowerment Zone. 

Other USDA designations such as REAP 

zones are not eligible for points in this 

category. Please refer to the FY 2011 

Application Guide for complete details 

on this change. 

e. Need for services proposed in the 

application, and the benefits that will be 

derived if the application receives a 

grant (up to 55 points). 

(i) Additional NSLP category—up to 

10 of the possible 55 possible points are 

to recognize economic need not 

reflected in the project’s National 

School Lunch Program (NSLP) score, 

and can be earned only by applications 

whose overall NSLP eligibility is less 

than 50%. To be eligible to receive 

points under this, the application must 

include an affirmative request for 

consideration of the possible 10 points, 

and compelling documentation of 

reasons why the NSLP eligibility 

percentage does not represent the 

economic need of the proposed project 

beneficiaries. 

(ii) Needs and Benefits category—up 

to 45 of the 55 possible points under 

this criterion are available to all 

applicants. Points are awarded based on 

the required narrative crafted by the 

applicant. RUS encourages applicants to 

carefully read the cited portions of the 

Program regulation and the FY 2011 

Application Guide for full discussions 

of this criterion. 

f. Innovativeness category—level of 

innovation demonstrated by the project 

(up to 15 points). 

g. Cost Effectiveness category—system 

cost-effectiveness (up to 35 points). As 

a clear indication of cost-effectiveness, 

the agency will give significant weight 

to cooperation and coordination with 

any of the Beacon Communities, which 

were established under the Beacon 

Community Collaborative Program by 

the Office of the National Coordinator to 

improve clinical outcomes, population 

health, and reduce health costs 

nationwide. Information on the Beacon 

Communities is available from http:// 

www.beaconcommunityprogram.com. 

C. Grant Review Standards 

1. In addition to the scoring criteria 

that rank applications against each 

other, the Agency evaluates grant 

applications for possible awards on the 

following items, according to 7 CFR 

1703.127: 

a. Financial feasibility. 

b. Technical considerations. If the 

application contains flaws that would 

prevent the successful implementation, 

operation or sustainability of a project, 

the Agency will not award a grant. 

c. Other aspects of proposals that 

contain inadequacies that would 

undermine the ability of the project to 

comply with the policies of the DLT 

Program. 

2. Applications which do not include 

all items that determine project 

eligibility and applicant eligibility by 

the application deadline will be 

returned as ineligible. Applications that 

do not include all items necessary for 

scoring will be scored as is. Please see 

the FY 2011 Application Guide for a full 

discussion of each required item and for 

samples and illustrations. The Agency 

will not solicit or consider eligibility or 

scoring information submitted after the 

application deadline. 

3. The FY 2011 grant Application 

Guide specifies the format and order of 

all required items. Applications that are 

not assembled and tabbed in the order 

specified and incorrectly assembled 

applications will be returned as 

ineligible. 

4. Most DLT grant projects contain 

numerous project sites. The Agency 

requires that site information be 

consistent throughout an application. 

Sites must be referred to by the same 

designation throughout all parts of an 

application. The Agency has provided a 

site worksheet that requests the 

necessary information, and can be used 

as a guide by applicants. RUS strongly 

recommends that applicants complete 

the site worksheet, listing all requested 

information for each site. Applications 

without consistent site information will 

be returned as ineligible. 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 37 / Thursday, February 24, 2011 / Notices 10327 

5. DLT grant applications which have 

non-fixed end-user sites, such as 

ambulance and home health care 

services, are now scored using a 

simplified scoring method that finds the 

relative rurality of the applicant’s entire 

service area. See the FY 2011 

Application Guide for specific guidance 

on this method of scoring. When an 

application contains non-fixed sites, it 

must be scored using the non-fixed site 

scoring method. 

D. Selection Process 

1. Grants. Applications are ranked by 

final score, and by application purpose 

(education or medical). RUS selects 

applications based on those rankings, 

subject to the availability of funds. RUS 

may allocate grant awards between 

medical and educational purposes, but 

is not required to do so. In addition, the 

Agency has the authority to limit the 

number of applications selected in any 

one State, or for one project, during a 

fiscal year. See 7 CFR 1703.127. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

A. Award Notices 

RUS generally notifies by mail 

applicants whose projects are selected 

for awards. The Agency follows the 

award letter with an agreement that 

contains all the terms and conditions for 

the grant. A copy of the standard 

agreement is posted on the RUS Web 

site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/ 

UTP_DLTResources.html. The 

agreement will be updated for FY 2011 

grants to incorporate new regulatory 

requirements for grant agreements 

pertaining to Central Contractor 

Registration and DUNS numbers (2 CFR 

Subtitle A, chapter 1, and part 25, 

Financial Assistance Use of Universal 

Identifier and Central Contractor 

Registration) and subawards and 

executive compensation (2 CFR part 170 

RIN 0348–AB61, Requirements for 

Federal Funding Accountability and 

Transparency Act Implementation). An 

applicant must execute and return the 

agreement, accompanied by any 

additional items required by the 

agreement, within the number of days 

shown in the selection notice letter. 

B. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements 

The items listed in Section IV of this 

notice, and the DLT Program regulation, 

FY 2011 Application Guide and 

accompanying materials implement the 

appropriate administrative and national 

policy requirements. 

C. Reporting 

1. Performance reporting. All 

recipients of DLT financial assistance 

must provide annual performance 

activity reports to RUS until the project 

is complete and the funds are expended. 

A final performance report is also 

required; the final report may serve as 

the last annual report. The final report 

must include an evaluation of the 

success of the project in meeting DLT 

Program objectives. See 7 CFR 1703.107. 

2. Financial reporting. All recipients 

of DLT financial assistance must 

provide an annual audit, beginning with 

the first year in which a portion of the 

financial assistance is expended. Audits 

are governed by United States 

Department of Agriculture audit 

regulations. Please see 7 CFR 1703.108. 

3. 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 part 170, § 170.110(b). The 

reporting requirements under the 

Transparency Act pursuant to 2 CFR 

part 170 are as follows: 

a. First Tier Sub-Awards of $25,000 or 

more in non-Recovery Act funds (unless 

they are exempt under 2 CFR part 170) 

must be reported by the Recipient to 

http://www.fsrs.gov no later than the 

end of the month following the month 

the obligation was made. 

b. The Total Compensation of the 

Recipient’s Executives (5 most highly 

compensated executives) must be 

reported by the Recipient (if the 

Recipient meets the criteria under 2 CFR 

part 170) to http://www.ccr.gov by the 

end of the month following the month 

in which the award was made. 

c. The Total Compensation of the 

Subrecipient’s Executives (5 most 

highly compensated executives) must be 

reported by the Subrecipient (if the 

Subrecipient meets the criteria under 2 

CFR part 170) to the Recipient by the 

end of the month following the month 

in which the subaward was made. 

4. Record Keeping and Accounting. 

The grant contract will contain 

provisions relating to record keeping 

and accounting requirements. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

A. Web site: http:// 

www.rurdev.usda.gov/UTP_DLT.html. 

The DLT Web site maintains up-to-date 

resources and contact information for 

DLT programs. 

B. Telephone: 202–720–0423. 

C. Fax: 202–720–1051. 

D. E-mail: dltinfo@wdc.usda.gov. 

E. Main point of contact: Acting 

Director, Advanced Services Division, 

Telecommunications Program, Rural 

Utilities Service. 

Dated: February 15, 2011. 

Jonathan Adelstein, 

Administrator, Rural Utilities Service. 

[FR Doc. 2011–4137 Filed 2–23–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Foreign-Trade Zones Board 

[Docket 13–2011] 

Foreign-Trade Zone 182—Fort Wayne, 

IN, Application for Reorganization 

Under Alternative Site Framework 

An application has been submitted to 

the Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) Board 

(the Board) by the City of Fort Wayne, 

grantee of FTZ 182, requesting authority 

to reorganize the zone under the 

alternative site framework (ASF) 

adopted by the Board (74 FR 1170, 1/12/ 

09 (correction 74 FR 3987, 1/22/09); 75 

FR 71069–71070, 11/22/10). The ASF is 

an option for grantees for the 

establishment or reorganization of 

general-purpose zones and can permit 

significantly greater flexibility in the 

designation of new ‘‘usage-driven’’ FTZ 

sites for operators/users located within 

a grantee’s ‘‘service area’’ in the context 

of the Board’s standard 2,000-acre 

activation limit for a general-purpose 

zone project. The application was 

submitted pursuant to the Foreign-Trade 

Zones Act, as amended (19 U.S.C. 81a– 

81u), and the regulations of the Board 

(15 CFR part 400). It was formally filed 

on February 18, 2011. 

FTZ 182 was approved by the Board 

on December 23, 1991 (Board Order 549, 

57 FR 1450, 1/14/1992) and expanded 

on October 14, 1997 (Board Order 928, 

62 FR 55573, 10/27/1997). 

The current zone project includes the 

following sites: Site 1 (0.37 acres)—315 

E. Wallace Street, Fort Wayne (Allen 

County); Site 2 (0.4 acres)—2122 Bremer 

Road, Fort Wayne (Allen County); Site 

3 (443 acres)—Fort Wayne International 

Airport, 3801 Ferguson Road, Fort 

Wayne (Allen County); and, Site 4 (41 

acres)—Riverfork Industrial Park, 1515 

Riverfork Drive West, Huntington 

(Huntington County). 

The grantee’s proposed service area 

under the ASF would be Adams, Allen, 

DeKalb, Huntington, Noble, Wabash, 

Wells and Whitley Counties, Indiana, as 

described in the application. If 

approved, the grantee would be able to 

serve sites throughout the service area 


emcdonald on DSK2BSOYB1PROD with NOTICES