2023-2024 LDD Community 

Support Pilot Program

Notice of Funding Availability
2

2023-2024 LDD Community Support Pilot Program: Notice of Funding Availability

The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) is publishing this notice of funding availability

(NOFA) to provide an overview of the guidelines and requirements for the LDD

Community Support Program.

• Proposals Due: May 11, 2023

Applications for this program are limited to the 45 LDDs in DRA’s service area.

Funding for this program has been made available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure

Law (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, PL 117-58) signed by President Biden.

For questions about the program, please email pilotprogram@dra.gov.
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Table of Contents

I. DRA Overview ........................................................... 4

II. Program Overview ...................................................... 4

A. Program Objectives

B. Program Priorities

III. Eligibility Information ................................................... 6

A. Eligible Use

B. Ineligible Use

IV. Application Information ............................................... 6

A. Application Format

B. Required Forms

C. Review Process

V. Award Information ....................................................... 8

VI. Cost-Sharing Information .............................................. 8

VII.Reporting ................................................................... 8

A. 2023 Reporting Deadlines

VIII. Administrative Program Requirements ...................... 9

A. Legal Requirements

B. Administrative Standards and Provisions

C. Special Program Requirements

D. Definitio

IX. Appendix ................................................................... 18

A. Economically Distressed

B. Persistent Poverty

C. Underserved Communities
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I. DRA Overview

DRA was established by Congress in 2000 as a formal framework for joint

Federal-State collaboration to serve the eight-state Mississippi River Delta and

Alabama Black Belt regions. DRA promotes economic growth and opportunity by

investing in human and critical infrastructure in economically distressed communities.

DRA’s investment priorities include transportation infrastructure, other basic public

infrastructure like water and sewer, small business development with an emphasis on

entrepreneurship, and job training. DRA invests in these areas through grant programs

and strategic partnerships that are open to local units of government, tribal entities,

non-profits, and public institutions of higher learning. DRA evaluates the impact 

these investments by gauging four basic metrics:

• Jobs Created

• Jobs Retained

• Individuals Trained

• Families Affect

The eight states that comprise DRA’s region include Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois,

Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee.

II. Program Overview

The LDD Community Support Pilot Program will target capacity-building and

community support resources to the 45 LDDs within DRA’s service area. DRA

recognizes the importance of LDDs and their connection to local communities across

the region. The services LDDs provide from grant writing, planning, and project

implementation are invaluable services that local communities with limited capacity

often rely on. However, the recent increase in federal funds available to local

communities means LDDs will face an increased workload to reach and assist as many

communities as possible. The purpose of this program is to provide LDDs with

additional resources to help the communities they serve develop, implement, and

evaluate projects. The COVID-19 pandemic delayed economic development projects

and exacerbated issues that many under-resourced communities faced, but federal

funds that have been appropriated in its wake such as the CARES Act, American

Rescue Plan, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Inflation Reduction Act, disast

supplemental appropriations, and annual appropriation laws have the potential to be
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transformative for communities across the region by helping them address issues such

as decaying infrastructure. This program will enhance the region’s ability to compete

for and leverage resources.

A. Program Objectives

The goal of the LDD Community Support Program is to foster an environment

conducive to economic growth in one of the nation’s most economically distressed

regions by bolstering access to resources for local communities. This goal is specifi

more clearly by the following objectives that define DRA’s strategic investment in t

program:

• To provide LDDs with resources to fill capacity gaps and effectively undertake

additional workload associated with increased federal funding.

• To increase the number of applications submitted for federal, state, and/or DRA

funding.

• To increase the number of applications submitted by economically distressed,

isolated areas of distress, and persistent poverty counties and parishes.

• To increase the delivery and total dollar amount of DRA resources and other

resources in the most economically distressed and underserved areas of the

Mississippi River Delta and Alabama Black Belt Regions.

• To increase the total amount of matching funds leveraged within the DRA’s service

area.

B. Program Priorities

The following program priorities are in alignment with DRA’s enabling statute, Equity

Action Plan, Regional Development Plan IV, and initiatives implemented by the

Biden-Harris Administration.

• Provide support to economically distressed, isolated areas of distress, and persistent

poverty areas.

• Facilitate partnerships and provide support to underserved groups like, but not

limited to, rural communities and Historically Black Colleges and Universities

(HBCUs).

• Provide support to disadvantaged communities with longstanding critical and human

infrastructure needs like water, sewer, and workforce development.
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LDDs are encouraged to submit proposals that reflect these priorities. LDDs also ha

the autonomy to submit proposals that speak to unique challenges and needs in

economically distressed, isolated areas of distress, or persistent poverty communities

in their service area.

III. Eligibility Information

This program is only open to the 45 LDDs in DRA’s service area.

A. Eligible Use

Funds from this program must be used for existing staff, contracting services, or n

staff. Any costs associated with working directly on this program such as equippi

existing or new staff, staff hours, travel expenses, and marketing expenses ar

applicable use of the funds. Funds may be used for staffing and contracting co

associated with developing applications for federal grant programs, including but not

limited to Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) grant programs. For a listing of BIL grant

programs, please visit www.build.gov.

B. Ineligible Use

Funds cannot be used for anything outside the scope of the program. For example, the

funds cannot be used to hire new staff or contractors that are working primarily 

projects in non-distressed communities.

If you have questions about eligible or ineligible use, please email

pilotprogram@dra.gov.

IV. Application Information

A. Application Format:

LDDs can find the application by visiting, LDD Community Support Pilot Program - Delta

Regional Authority (dra.gov) . The following sections are included in the application:

1. Project Information: In this section, LDDs will be required to provide an overview of

their capacity-building needs, project goals and objectives, and the project service

area.
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2. Work Plan: LDDs will be required to describe project activities, key personnel

assigned to each task, and a timeline for the completion of activities.

3. Budget and Budget Narrative: LDDs will be required to list each budgetary item and

provide justification for each ite

a. The Budget Narrative must provide a description of costs associated with each

line item. The Budget Narrative should also include a section describing any

leveraged resources provided (as applicable) to support grant activities.

Leveraged resources are all resources, both cash and in-kind, in excess of this

award. Valuation of leveraged resources follows the same requirements as match.

Applicants are encouraged to leverage resources to increase stakeholder

investment in the project and broaden the impact of the project itself.

b. Each category should include the total estimated cost for the period of

performance. Use the following guidance for preparing the Budget Narrative.

c. Personnel: List all staff positions by title (both current and proposed) including t

roles and responsibilities. For each position give the annual salary, the percentage

of time devoted to the project, and the amount of each position’s salary funded by

the grant.

d. Fringe Benefits: Provide a breakdown of the amounts and percentages th

comprise fringe benefit costs such as health insurance, FICA, retirement, et

e. Travel: For grantee staff only, specify the purpose, number of staff travel

mileage, per diem, estimated number of in-state and out-of-state trips, and other

estimated costs for each type of travel.

f. Equipment: Identify each item of equipment you expect to purchase that has an

estimated acquisition cost of $5,000 or more per unit (or if your capitalization level

is less than $5,000, use your capitalization level) and a useful lifetime of more than

one year (see 2 CFR 200.1 for the definition of Equipment). List the item, quantit

and the unit cost per item.

g. Items with a unit cost of less than $5,000 are supplies, not “equipment.” In

general, we do not permit the purchase of equipment during the last funded year

of the grant.

h. Supplies: Identify the cost of supplies (e.g., general office supplies, desk/chai

laptops/printers, other specialty items) in the detailed budget per category. Except

for general office supplies, list the item, quantity, and the unit cost per it

Supplies include all tangible personal property other than “equipment.”

i. Contractual: Under the Contractual line item, delineate contracts and subawards

separately. Contracts are defined according to 2 CFR 200.1 as a legal instrume

by which a non-federal entity purchases property or services needed to carry out

the project or program under a federal award. A subaward, defined by 2 C
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200.1 means an award provided by a pass-through entity to a subrecipient for the

subrecipient to carry out part of a federal award received by the pass-through

entity. It does not include payments to a contractor or payments to an individual

that is a beneficiary of a federal progra

j. For each proposed contract and subaward, specify the purpose and activities to

be provided, and the estimated cost.

k. Other: Provide clear and specific detail, including costs, for each item so that 

can determine whether the costs are necessary, reasonable, and allocable. List

items, such as stipends or incentives, not covered elsewhere.

B. Required Forms

LDDs will be required to sign a Memorandum of Agreement.

C. Review Process

Once DRA approves the scope of work and the budget, LDDs will be able to begin

project activities.

V. Award Information

DRA is making approximately $2.97 million available in FY23. These resources were

appropriated in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs

Act, PL 117-58) signed by President Biden. LDDs will be awarded funds pro rata.

DRA’s funding methodology will calculate the number of economically distressed

counties or parishes and isolated areas of distress each LDD represents within DRA’s

service area. The period of performance is up to 24 months.

VI. Cost-Sharing Information

There will be no match requirement to participate in this program.

VII. Reporting

LDDs will be required to submit an annual report that includes a financial review of t

budget execution. LDDs that do not submit a report for work done in 2023 will not be

eligible to receive an award for 2024. LDDs should submit reports that reflect DRA
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objectives and priorities for the program. Metrics for this program include the

following:

1. Total number of applications and program investments directed to economically

distressed, isolated areas of distress, and persistent poverty counties/parishes.

2. Total number of program investments directed to underserved communities. LDDs

can also include partnerships in underserved communities that have emerged or

strengthened through funding from this program.

3. Total number of program investments in economically distressed communities for

critical and human infrastructure projects.

Reports should be emailed to pilotprogram@dra.gov.

A. 2023 Reporting Deadline

● Exactly 12 months after the date of the award

VIII. Administrative Program Requirements

All grantees will be subject to all applicable federal laws and regulations, including the

OMB Uniform Guidance, and the terms and conditions of the award. The grant(s)

awarded under this RFP will be subject to the following administrative standards and

provisions.

I. Non-Profit Organizations, Educational Institutions, For-profit entities and St

Local, and Indian Tribal Governments–2 CFR Part 200 (Uniform Administrative

Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards)

II. All recipients must comply with the applicable provisions of the Workforce

Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Public Law No. 113-328, 128 Stat. 1425

(codified as amended at 29 U.S.C. 3101 et. seq.) and the applicable provisions 

the regulations at 20 CFR Part 675 et. seq. Note that 20 CFR Part 683

(Administrative Provisions) allows unsuccessful applicants to file administrati

appeals.
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III. All entities must comply with 29 CFR Part 93 (New Restrictions on Lobbying), 29

CFR Part 94 (Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Financial

Assistance)), 2 CFR Part 180 (OMB Guidance to Agencies on Government-wide

Debarment and Suspension (Non-procurement)), and, where applicable, 2 CFR Part

200 (Audit Requirements).

IV. All entities, as applicable, must comply with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs

Act (IILA) and the Build America, Buy America Act (the Act), Pub. L. No. 117-58, §§

70901-52, as well as the Executive Memorandum M-22-11, dated April 18, 2022,

Initial Implementation Guidance on Application of Buy America Preference in

Federal Financial Assistance Programs for Infrastructure.

The LLD Community Support Pilot Program financial assistance awards are n

required to adhere to Buy America, Build America preference requirements.

The Act requires the following Buy America preference:

1. All iron and steel used in the project are produced in the United States. This means

all manufacturing processes, from the initial melting stage through the application

of coatings, occurred in the United States.

2. All manufactured products used in the project are produced in the United States.

This means the manufactured product was manufactured in the United States, and

the cost of the components of the manufactured product that are mined, produced,

or manufactured in the United States is greater than 55 percent of the total cost of

all components of the manufactured product, unless another standard for

determining the minimum amount of domestic content of the manufactured product

has been established under applicable law or regulation.

3. All construction materials are manufactured in the United States. This means that

all manufacturing processes for the construction material occurred in the United

States.

Pursuant to Section 70914(c) of the Act, DRA may waive the application of a Buy

America preference under an infrastructure program in any case in which the FCC of

DRA finds tha

1. applying the domestic content procurement preference would be inconsistent with

the public interest (a “public interest waiver”);
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2. types of iron, steel, manufactured products, or construction materials are not

produced in the United States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities or

a satisfactory quality (a “nonavailability waiver”); or

3. the inclusion of iron, steel, manufactured products, or construction materials

produced in the United States will increase the cost of the overall project by more

than 25 percent (an “unreasonable cost waiver”).

Before applying a Buy America preference to a covered program that will affect Trib

Communities, DRA will follow the consultation policies established through Executive

Order 13175, Consultation and Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments, and

consistent with policies set forth in the Presidential Memorandum of January 26, 2021,

on Tribal Consultation and Strengthening Nation-Nation Relationships.

I. Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Handicap in Programs or Activities Receiving

Federal Financial Assistance.

II. Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Age in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal

Financial Assistance from the DRA pursuant to the Age Discrimination Act of 1975,

as amended. The Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of age by recipients of

Federal financial assistance and in federally assisted programs or activities, b

permits the use of certain age distinctions and factors other than age that meet the

requirements of the Act and this part

III. Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities

Receiving Federal Financial Assistance pursuant to Title IX of the Education

Amendments of 1972, as amended (except sections 904 and 906 of those

Amendments) (20 U.S.C. 1681, 1682, 1683, 1685, 1686, 1687, 1688), which is

designed to eliminate (with certain exceptions) discrimination on the basis of sex in

any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance, whether 

not such program or activity is offered or sponsored by an educational institution 

defined in these Title IX regulation

IV. Implementation of the Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity Provisions of the

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act.

V. Labor Standards for the Registration of Apprenticeship Programs, and Equal

Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship and Training, as applicable.

VI. DRA will follow the procedures outlined in the agency’s Freedom of Information Act

(FOIA) policy. If DRA receives a FOIA request for your application, the procedures in
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DRA’s FOIA policies for responding to requests for commercial/business

information submitted to the government will be followed, as well as all FOIA

exemptions and procedures. See generally 5 U.S.C. § 552

VII. DRA programs are covered programs under the Biden Administration’s Justice40

Initiative. As part of Justice40, DRA will identify the benefits of covered program

determine how covered programs distribute benefits, and calculate and report 

reaching the 40-percent goal of the Initiative. Benefits include direct and indire

investments (and program outcomes) that positively impact disadvantaged

communities. Therefore, all entities must comply with reporting, data collection,

and evaluation involved with the Justice40 Initiative.

A. Other Legal Requirements

I. Religious Activities

DRA notes that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb,

applies to all federal law and its implementation. If an applicant organization is a

faith-based organization that makes hiring decisions on the basis of religious belief, it

may be entitled to receive federal financial assistance under this grant solicitation a

maintain that hiring practice. Religious organizations are eligible on the same basis as

any other organization, to seek DRA support or participate in DRA programs for which

they are otherwise eligible.

II. Lobbying

Lobbying or Fundraising the U.S. Government with Federal Funds In accordance with

Section 18 of the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-65) (2 U.S.C. §

1611), non-profit entities incorporated under Internal Revenue Service Code secti

501(c)(4) that engage in lobbying activities are not eligible to receive federal funds and

grants. No activity, including awareness-raising and advocacy activities, may include

fundraising for, or lobbying of, U.S. federal, state, or local governments (see 2 CFR

200.450for more information).

III. Transparency Act Requirements

You must ensure that you have the necessary processes and systems in place to

comply with the reporting requirements of the Federal Funding Accountability and

Transparency Act of 2006 (Pub. Law 109-282, as amended by the Government Funding

Transparency Act of 2008, Pub. Law 110-252, Title VI, Chap. 2, Sec. 6202), as follows.
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1. Except for those excepted from the Transparency Act under sub-paragraphs 1, 2,

and 3 below, you must ensure that you have the necessary processes and systems

in place to comply with the subaward and executive total compensation reporting

requirements of the Transparency Act, should you receive funding.

2. Upon award, you will receive detailed information on the reporting requirements of

the Transparency Act, as described in 2 CFR Part 170, Appendix A, which can be

found at https://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-22705.pdf.

The following types of awards are not subject to the Federal Funding Accountability

and Transparency Act.

1. Federal awards to individuals who apply for or receive federal awards as natural

persons (e.g., unrelated to any business or non-profit organization he or she m

own or operate in his or her name);

2. Federal awards to entities that had a gross income, from all sources, of less than

$300,000 in the entities' previous tax year; and

3. Federal awards, if the required reporting would disclose classified informatio

IV. Safeguarding Data Including Personally Identifiable Information (PI

Applicants submitting applications in response to this RFP must recognize that

confidentiality of PII and other sensitive data is of paramount importance to the Del

Regional Authority and must be observed except where disclosure is allowed by the

prior written approval of the Grant Officer or by court order. By submitting

application, you are assuring that all data exchanges conducted through or during the

course of performance of this grant will be conducted in a manner consistent with

applicable federal law and TEGL 39-11 (issued June 28, 2012). All such activity

conducted by recipient(s) will be performed in a manner consistent with applicable

state and federal laws.

By submitting a grant application, you agree to take all necessary steps to protect such

confidentiality by complying with the following provisions that are applicable 

governing the handling of confidential information: You must ensure that PII a

sensitive data developed, obtained, or otherwise associated with DRA funded grants is

securely transmitted.

I. To ensure that such PII is not transmitted to unauthorized users, all PII and other

sensitive data transmitted via e-mail or stored on CDs, DVDs, thumb drives, etc.,

must be encrypted using a Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2
14

compliant and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) validated

cryptographic module. You must not e-mail unencrypted sensitive PII to any entity,

including DRA or contractors.

II. You must take the steps necessary to ensure the privacy of all PII obtained from

participants and/or other individuals and to protect such information from

unauthorized disclosure. You must maintain such PII in accordance with the DRA

standards for information security and any updates to such standards we provide

to you. Grantees who wish to obtain more information on data security should

contact their Federal Project Offic

III. You must ensure that any PII used during the performance of your grant has been

obtained in conformity with applicable federal and state laws governing the

confidentiality of informatio

IV. You further acknowledge that all PII data obtained through your DRA grant must be

stored in an area that is physically safe from access by unauthorized persons at all

times and the data will be processed using recipient-issued equipment, managed

information technology (IT) services, and designated locations approved by DRA.

Accessing, processing, and storing of DRA grant PII data on personally owned

equipment, at off-site locations, (e.g., employee’s home), and non-recipie

managed IT services, (e.g., Yahoo mail), is strictly prohibited unless approved by

DRA.

V. Your employees and other personnel who will have access to sensitive /

confidential / Proprietary / private data must be advised of the confidential na

of the information, the safeguards required to protect the information, and that

there are civil and criminal sanctions for noncompliance with such safeguards that

are contained in federal and state laws.

VI. You must have policies and procedures in place under which your employees and

other personnel, before being granted access to PII, acknowledge their

understanding of the confidential nature of the data and the safeguards with whi

they must complying their handling of such data, as well as the fact that they may

be liable to civil and criminal sanctions for improper disclosure.

VII. You must not extract information from data supplied by DRA for any purpose not

stated in the grant agreement.
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VIII. Access to any PII created by the DRA grant must be restricted to only those

employees of the grant recipient who need it in their official capacity to perf

duties in connection with the scope of work in the grant agreement.

IX. All PII data must be processed in a manner that will protect the confidentiality of t

records/ documents and is designed to prevent unauthorized persons from

retrieving such records by computer, remote terminal, or any other means. Data

may be downloaded to, or maintained on, mobile or portable devices only if the

data are encrypted using NIST validated software products based on FIPS 140-2

encryption. In addition, wage data may be accessed only from secure locations.

X. PII data obtained by the recipient through a request from DRA must not be

disclosed to anyone but the individual requestor, except as permitted by the Grant

Officer or by court ord

VIII. You must permit DRA to make onsite inspections during regular business hours

for the purpose of conducting audits and/or conducting other investigations to

assure that you are complying with the confidentiality requirements describ

above. In accordance with this responsibility, you must make records applicable to

this Agreement available to authorized persons for the purpose of inspection,

review, and/or audit.

IX. You must retain data received from DRA only for the period of time required to use

it for assessment and other purposes, or to satisfy applicable federal records

retention requirements, if any. Thereafter, you agree that all data will be destroyed,

including the degaussing of magnetic tape files and deletion of electronic dat

• Record Retention

You must follow federal guidelines on record retention, which require that you maintain

all records pertaining to grant activities for a period of at least three years from the date

of submission of the final expenditure report. See 2 CFR 200.333-.337 for mo

specific information, including information about the start of the record retention peri

for awards that are renewed quarterly or annually, and when the records must be

retained for more than three years.

• Use of Contracts and Subawards

You must abide by the following definitions of contract, contractor, subaward, a

subrecipient.
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Contract: Contract means a legal instrument by which a non-federal entity (defined as

state or local government, Indian tribe, institution of higher education (IHE), non-prof

organization, for-profit entity, foreign public entity, or a foreign organization that carri

out a federal award as a recipient or subrecipient) purchases property or services

needed to carry out the project or program under a federal award. The term as used in

this RFP does not include a legal instrument, even if the non-federal entity considers it

a contract, when the substance of the transaction meets the definition of a feder

award or subaward (see definition of Subaward below

Contractor: Contractor means an entity that receives a contract as defined above 

Contract.

Subaward: Subaward means an award provided by a pass-through entity (defined as

non-federal entity that provides a subaward to a subrecipient to carry out part of a

federal program) to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out part of a federal

award received by the pass-through entity. It does not include payments to a

contractor or payments to an individual that is a beneficiary of a federal program.

subaward may be provided through any form of legal agreement, including an

agreement that the pass-through entity considers a contract.

Subrecipient: Subrecipient means a non-federal entity that receives a subaward from a

pass-through entity to carry out part of a federal program, but does not include an

individual that is a beneficiary of such program. A subrecipient may also be a recipie

of other federal awards directly from a federal awarding agency.

You must follow the provisions at 2 CFR 200.330-.332 regarding subrecipient

monitoring and management. Also see 2 CFR 200.308(c)(6) regarding prior approval

requirements for subawards. When awarding subawards, you are required to comply

with provisions on government-wide suspension and debarment found at 2 CFR Part

180 and codified at 2 CFR Part 299

• Closeout of Grant Award

Any entity that receives an award under this Announcement must close its grant with

DRA at the end of the final year of the gran

B. Other Administrative Standards and Provisions

Except as specifically provided in this RFP, our acceptance of an application and 

award of federal funds to sponsor any programs(s) does not provide a waiver of any

grant requirements and/or procedures. For example, the OMB Uniform Guidance
17

requires that an entity’s procurement procedures ensure that all procurement

transactions are conducted, as much as practical, to provide full and open competition.

If an application identifies a specific entity to provide goods or services, the a

does not provide the justification or basis to sole-source the procurement (i.e., avo

competition).

C. Special Program Requirements

DRA Evaluation

As a condition of grant award, grantees are required to participate in an evaluation, if

undertaken by DRA. The evaluation may include an implementation assessment across

grantees, an impact and/or outcomes analysis of all or selected sites within or across

grantees, and a benefit/cost analysis or assessment of return on investmen

Conducting an impact analysis could involve random assignment (which involves

random assignment of eligible participants into a treatment group that would receive

program services or enhanced program services, or into control group(s) that would

receive no program services or program services that are not enhanced). We may

require applicants to collect data elements to aid the evaluation. As a part of the

evaluation, as a condition of award, grantees must agree to:

(1) make records available to the evaluation contractor on participants, employers, and

funding;

(2) provide access to program operating personnel, participants, and operational and

financial records, and any other relevant documents to calculate program costs a

benefits; a

(3) in the case of an impact analysis, facilitate the assignment by lottery of participants

to program services, including the possible increased recruitment of potential

participants; and

(4) follow evaluation procedures as specified by the evaluation contractor under t

direction

of DRA.

Performance Goals

Please note that applicants will be held to outcomes provided, and failure to meet

those outcomes may result in technical assistance or other intervention by DRA, and

may also have a significant impact on decisions about future grants with DR
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D. Definitio

Construction materials

Construction materials includes an article, material, or supply – other than an item of

primarily iron or steel; a manufactured product; cement and cementitious materials;

aggregates such as stone, sand, or gravel; or aggregate binding agents or additives –

that is or consists primarily of:

• non-ferrous metals;

• plastic and polymer-based products (including polyvinylchloride, composite

building materials, and polymers used in fiber optic cables

• glass (including optic glass);

• lumber; or

• drywall.

Domestic content procurement preference means all iron and steel used in the project

are produced in the United States; the manufactured products used in the project are

produced in the United States; or the construction materials used in the project are

produced in the United States.

Infrastructure:

Infrastructure includes, a minimum, the structure, facilities, and equipment for, in the

United States (1) roads, highways, and bridges; (2) public transportation; (3) dams,

ports, harbors, and other maritime systems; (4) intercity passenger and freight

railroads; (5) freight and intermodal facilities; (6) airports; (7) water systems; including

drinking water and wastewater systems; (8) electrical transmission facilities and

systems; (9) utilities; (10) broadband infrastructure; and (11) buildings and real property.

Infrastructure includes facilities that generate, transport, and distribute energy.

Project:

Project means the construction alteration, maintenance, or repair of infrastructure in the

United States.

IX. Appendix

A. Economically Distressed

DRA defines, pursuant to its statute, 7 USC 2009aa-5, a distressed community as

county, parish, or an isolated area of distress in a non-distressed county or parish
19

which are “the most severely and persistently distressed and underdeveloped and has

high rates of poverty or unemployment.” This definition is applicable to all of DRA’s

covered programs. A complete list of economically distressed counties and parishes

and isolated areas of distress in non-distressed counties and parishes can be found

here.

B. Persistent Poverty

DRA applies the USDA Economic Research Service’s definition of persistent poverty to

identify persistent poverty counties and parishes across the region. Persistent poverty

counties and parishes are counties and parishes that have experienced a poverty rate

of 20% or greater for at least 30 years.

State County/Parish

AL Barbour County

AL Bullock County

AL Butler County

AL Choctaw

County

AL Clarke County

AL Conecuh

County

AL Dallas County

AL Escambia

County

AL Greene County

AL Hale County

AL Lowndes

County

AL Macon County

AL Marengo

County

AL Monroe County

AL Perry County
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ALPickens County

AL Sumter County

ALWilcox County

AR Bradley County

AR Chicot County

AR Crittenden

County

AR Desha County

AR Je

ffers

County

ARLee County

AR Mississippi

County

AR Monroe County

AR Phillips County

ARPoinsett County

AR

St.Francis

County

AR Searcy County

AR

Woodru

County

IL Alexander

County

IL Jackson County

ILPulaski County

KYFulton County

LA AcadiaParish

LAAvoyellesParish

LA BienvilleParish

LA

Catahoula Parish

LA ClaiborneParish
21

LA Concordia Parish

LA East

Carroll

Parish

LA East

Feliciana

Parish

LA

Evangeline Parish

LAFranklinParish

LA LincolnParish

LA MadisonParish

LA Morehouse Parish

LA Natchitoches Parish

LA OrleansParish

LA OuachitaParish

LA Red RiverParish

LA RichlandParish

LA

St. Helena Parish

LA

St. Landry

Parish

LA

Tangipahoa Parish

LATensasParish

LA

Washington Parish

LA

WestCarroll

Parish

LAWinnParish

MS Adams County

MS Amite County

MSAttala County
22

MS Benton County

MS Bolivar County

MS Claiborne

County

MS Coahoma

County

MS Copiah County

MS Covington

County

MSFranklin County

MS Grenada County

MS Holmes County

MS Humphreys

County

MS Issaquena

County

MS Jasper County

MS Je

ffers

County

MS Je

fferson Dav

County

MS Lafayett

e

County

MSLefle County

MS Marion County

MS Marshall County

MS Montgomer

y

County

MSPanola County

MSPike County

MS Quitman County

MS Sharkey County

MS Simpson

County
23

MS Sun

flow

County

MS

Tallahatchie

County

MSTunica County

MSWalthall County

MS

Washington

County

MS

Wilkinson

County

MS

Yalobusha

County

MSYazoo County

MOCarter County

MO Dunklin County

MO Mississippi

County

MO New Madrid

County

MO Oregon County

MO

Pemiscot

County

MO Reynolds

County

MO Ripley County

MO Shannon

County

MOTexas County

MO

Washington

County

MOWayne County

MOWright County

TN Lake County
24

C. Underserved Communities

DRA applies the definition of underserved communities used in Executive Ord

13985, titled “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities

Through the Federal Government.” This E.O. defines underserved communities a

“populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities,

that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of

economic, social, and civic life...” The E.O. lists individuals that belong to

underserved communities as, “Black, Latino, and indigenous and Native American

persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of colo

members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer

(LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and

persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality