17820 Federal Register / Vol. 72, No. 68 / Tuesday, April 10, 2007 / Notices 

are available to fill single copy requests 

at the address stated above. 

No administrative action on the 

proposal will be initiated until 30 days 

after the date of this publication in the 

Federal Register. 

Dated: April 3, 2007. 

Richard Sims, 

State Conservationist. 

[FR Doc. E7–6740 Filed 4–9–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–16–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Natural Resources Conservation 

Service 

Notice of Meeting of the Agricultural 

Air Quality Task Force 

AGENCY: Natural Resources 

Conservation Service (NRCS), USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of meeting. 

SUMMARY: The Agricultural Air Quality 

Task Force (AAQTF) will meet to 

continue discussions on air quality 

issues relating to agriculture. 

DATES: The meeting will convene at 8 

a.m. on Tuesday, May 8, 2007, through 

12 p.m. on Thursday, May 10, 2007. A 

public comment period will be held on 

May 9, 2007. Individuals making oral 

presentations should register in person 

at the meeting site and must bring with 

them 50 copies of any materials they 

would like distributed. Written 

materials for AAQTF’s consideration 

prior to the meeting, must be received 

by Ms. Michele Laur (address given 

below) no later than Monday, April 16, 

2007. 

ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at 

the Hyatt Regency Islandia/Hyatt 

Mission Bay, 1441 Quivira Road, San 

Diego, California, 92109; telephone: 

(619) 224–1234. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Questions 

and comments should be directed to 

Michele Laur, Designated Federal 

Officer. Ms. Laur may be contacted at 

USDA Natural Resources Conservation 

Service, Post Office Box 2890, Room 

6165-South, Washington, DC 20013; 

telephone: (202) 720–1858: e-mail: 

Michele.Laur@wdc.usda.gov. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of 

this meeting is given under the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 

2. Additional information concerning 

AAQTF may be found on the Internet at 

http://www.airquality.nrcs.usda.gov/ 

AAQTF/. 

Draft Agenda of the May 8–10, 2007, 

Meeting of AAQTF 

Tuesday, May 8, Beginning at 8 a.m. 

A. Welcome to San Diego, California 

B. Discussion of Subcommittee Action 

Plans and Activities 

C. Discussion of Biofuels and Other 

Environmental Issues 

Wednesday, May 9 and Thursday, May 

10 

D. Discussion of Subcommittee Action 

Plans and Activities 

E. Discussion of California Air Quality 

Issues 

F. Discussion of Ozone 

G. Discussion of Climate Change 

H. Next Meeting, Time and Place 

I. Public Comments 

(Time will be reserved on May 9, 

2007, in the afternoon to receive public 

comment. Individual presentations will 

be limited to 5 minutes). 

Procedural 

This meeting is open to the public. At 

the discretion of the Chair, members of 

the public may give oral presentations 

during the meeting. Those persons 

wishing to make oral presentations 

should register in person at the meeting 

site. Those wishing to distribute written 

materials at the meeting itself, in 

conjunction with spoken comments, 

must bring 50 copies of the materials 

with them. Written materials for 

distribution to AAQTF members prior to 

the meeting must be received by Ms. 

Michelle Laur no later than Monday, 

April 16, 2007. 

Information on Services for Individuals 

With Disabilities 

For information on facilities or 

services for individuals with 

disabilities, or to request special 

assistance at the meeting, please contact 

Ms. Laur. USDA prohibits 

discrimination in its programs and 

activities on the basis of race, color, 

national origin, gender, religion, age, 

sexual orientation, or disability. 

Additionally, discrimination on the 

basis of political beliefs and marital or 

family status is also prohibited by 

statutes enforced by USDA (not all 

prohibited bases apply to all programs). 

Persons with disabilities who require 

alternate means for communication of 

program information (Braille, large 

print, audio tape, etc.) should contact 

the USDA’s Target Center at (202) 720–

2000 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal 

opportunity provider and employer. 

Signed in Washington, DC on March 30, 

2007. 

Arlen L. Lancaster, 

Chief. 

[FR Doc. E7–6737 Filed 4–9–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–16–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Utilities Service 

Announcement of Funding Availability 

and Solicitation of Applications 

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability 

and Solicitation of Applications. 

SUMMARY: The United States Department 

of Agriculture (USDA) Rural 

Development administers rural utilities 

programs through the Rural Utilities 

Service. USDA Rural Development 

announces its Distance Learning and 

Telemedicine (DLT) grant, combination 

loan-grant and loan program application 

windows for Fiscal Year (FY) 2007, and 

a new initiative within the combination 

loan-grant program for the conversion of 

medical recordkeeping systems to 

emerging electronic formats. 

In addition to announcing the 

application windows, the Agency 

announces the available funding, and 

the minimum and maximum amounts 

for DLT grants, combination loan-grants 

and loans applicable for the fiscal year. 

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 June 11, 2007 to be eligible 

for FY 2007 grant funding. Late or 

incomplete applications will not be 

eligible for FY 2007 grant funding. 

• Electronic copies must be received 

by June 11, 2007 to be eligible for FY 

2007 grant funding. Late or incomplete 

applications will not be eligible for FY 

2007 grant funding. 

ADDRESSES: You may obtain copies of 

the FY 2007 application guides and 

materials for the DLT grant program at 

the DLT Web site: http://www.usda.gov/ 

rus/telecom/dlt/dlt.htm. For your 

reference, you may also request last 

year’s FY 2006 application guide and 

materials by contacting the DLT 

Program at (202) 720–0413. 

Submit completed paper applications 

for grants to the United States 

Department of Agriculture, Rural 

Development, Telecommunications 

Program, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., 

Room 2845, STOP 1550, Washington, 

DC 20250–1550. Applications should be 


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marked ‘‘Attention: Director, Advanced 

Services Division.’’

Submit electronic grant applications 

at http://www.grants.gov (Grants.gov), 

following the instructions you find on 

that Web site. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Director, Advanced Services Division, 

Telecommunications Program, USDA 

Rural Development, United States 

Department of Agriculture, 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, 

Combination Loan-grants, and Loans. 

Announcement Type: Initial 

announcement. 

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 June 11, 2007 to be eligible 

for FY 2007 grant funding. Late or 

incomplete applications are not eligible 

for FY 2007 grant funding. 

• Electronic copies must be received 

by June 11, 2007 to be eligible for FY 

2007 grant funding. Late or incomplete 

applications are not eligible for FY 2007 

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 

loans and 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 by students, teachers, 

medical professionals, and rural 

residents. 

Grants, which are awarded through a 

competitive process, may be used to 

fund telecommunications-enabled 

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 2007 grant 

application guide has been changed to 

reflect recent changes in technology and 

application trends. Details of changes 

from the FY 2006 application guide are 

highlighted throughout this Notice and 

described in full in the FY 2007 

application guide. All applicants must 

carefully review and exactly follow the 

FY 2007 application guide and sample 

materials when compiling a DLT grant 

application. 

Applications for loans and 

combination loan-grants are not 

competitively scored. In addition to the 

items listed for grants, loans and 

combination loan-grants may be used to 

fund projects where the benefit is 

primarily at the same location as the 

source of the service. Loans and 

combination loan-grants may also fund 

construction of necessary transmission 

facilities on a technology-neutral basis. 

Examples of such facilities include 

satellite uplinks, microwave towers and 

associated structures, T–1 lines, DS–3 

lines, and other similar facilities. Loan 

funds may also be used to obtain mobile 

units and for some building 

construction. Please see 7 CFR part 

1703, subparts D, E, F and G for 

specifics. 

II. Maximum and Minimum Amount of 

Applications; Projected Available 

Funding 

Under 7 CFR 1703.124, the 

Administrator has determined the 

maximum amount of an application for 

a grant in FY 2007 is $500,000 and the 

minimum amount of a grant is $50,000. 

The anticipated amount available to 

fund grant awards in FY 2007 is $15 

million. 

The USDA Rural Development will 

make awards and execute documents 

appropriate to the project prior to any 

advance of funds to successful 

applicants. 

Combination loan-grants will be 

offered at a loan-to-grant ratio of 9:1, i.e. 

$9 in loan to $1 in grant. Under 7 CFR 

1703.133, the maximum amount of an 

application for a combination loan-grant 

in FY 2007 is $20 million and the 

minimum amount of a combination 

loan-grant is $50,000. For this program, 

the Administrator has determined that 

$45,000,000 in loans, paired with 

$5,000,000 in grants, for a total of 

$50,000,000, will be available. 

For projects that are for electronic 

medical records systems, combination 

loan-grants will be offered at a special 

rate. The loan-to-grant ratio for the 

special ratio combination loan-grant 

program will be 4:1, i.e. $4 in loan to $1 

in grant. Under 7 CFR 1703.133, the 

Administrator has determined that 

maximum amount of a special ratio 

combination loan-grant application is $1 

million, and the minimum amount is 

$50,000. For this special ratio program, 

$20,000,000 in loans will be paired with 

$5,000,000 in grants, for a total available 

of $25,000,000. 

The Administrator has determined 

that $62,900,000 will be available for 

DLT loans. Under 7 CFR 1703.143, the 

maximum amount of an application for 

a loan in FY 2007 is $20 million and the 

minimum amount of a loan is $50,000. 

DLT grants, combination loan-grants 

and loans cannot be renewed. Award 

documents specify the term of each 

award. Applications to extend existing 

projects are welcomed (grant 

applications must be submitted during 

the application window) and will be 

evaluated as new applications. 

III. Eligibility Information 

A. Who is eligible for grants, 

combination loan-grants, and loans? 

(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 U.S.C. 

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 


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or combination loan-grants, but are 

eligible for loans. 

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 2007 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.G.1.b of this Notice and 

the FY 2007 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.d of this 

notice, and the FY 2007 application 

guide). 

c. Applications that do not provide 

evidence of the required fifteen percent 

match which helps determine eligibility 

will be declared ineligible and returned. 

See paragraphs IV.G.1.c and V.B.2.d of 

this Notice, and the FY 2007 application 

guide for specific information on 

documentation of matching 

contributions. 

d. Applications that do not document 

all matching contributions are subject to 

budgetary adjustment by USDA Rural 

Development, which may culminate in 

rejection of an application as ineligible 

due to insufficient match. 

3. The DLT loan, combination loangrant and grant programs are designed 

to flow 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. 

4. 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 2007 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.

≤ 5000 ......................................................... 45 

Rural Area ................................................... Area in an Urban Cluster ............................ > 5000 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. See Section IV of this Notice and 

the FY 2007 application guide for a 

discussion of the items that make up a 

complete application. For requirements 

of completed applications you may also 

refer to 7 CFR 1703.125 for grant 

applications, 7 CFR 1703.134 for 

combination loan-grant applications, 

and 7 CFR 1703.144 for loan 

applications. The FY 2007 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 2007 

application guide) and strongly 

encourages applicants to follow the 

instructions exactly, using the examples 

and illustrations in the FY 2007 

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. 

Applications that do not include all 

items necessary for scoring will be 

scored as is. Please see the FY 2007 

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 2007 application guides, copies of 

necessary forms and samples, and the 

DLT Program regulation are available 

from these sources: 

1. The Internet: http://www.usda.gov/ 

rus/telecom/dlt/dlt.htm. 

2. The DLT Program for paper copies 

of these materials: (202) 720–0413. 

B. What’s new for FY 2007? 

1. For DLT Grants, USDA Rural 

Development clarifies end-user 

identification for portable and 

residential end-user projects such as 

ambulance and home health care 

applications. A simplified method of 

calculating rurality and National School 

Lunch Program (NSLP) scores for these 

applications will eliminate the need for 

identification and scoring of every 

community an applicant serves. Past 

applications from these applicants have 

contained hundreds of pages of 

community identification and scoring 

supporting documents. This was 

burdensome for applicants and 

increased the possibility of end-user site 

inconsistency, a cause of ineligibility for 

some in the FY 2006 DLT grant 

program. 

2. For DLT Combination loan grants, 

USDA Rural Development adds a 

special ratio combination loan-to-grant 

funding program to address the growing 

lag in implementation of electronic 

medical records systems in rural 

hospitals and healthcare networks. The 

new ratio is available only to projects 

whose entire cost is directly attributable 

to the conversion to or extension of an 

electronic medical records system. 

3. The standard rate DLT Combination 

loan-grant program adopts a new 

funding ratio of $9 loan for each $1 

grant, to simplify post-grant 

administration. 


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4. For DLT rurality scoring, a new 

measurement tool is used to improve 

accuracy and consistency of scoring. 

Rurality scoring is now referenced to the 

U.S. Census current Urbanized Area and 

Urban Cluster designations. This will 

prevent scoring anomalies caused by 

jurisdictional peculiarities of different 

states. 

C. What constitutes a completed 

application? 

1. For DLT Grants: 

a. Detailed information on each item 

in the table in paragraph IV.C.1.f. 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 application guide. 

(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. USDA Rural Development 

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 

Enterprise Zone (EZ) designations, 

applicants use various types of 

documents, such as letters from 

appropriate government bodies and 

copies of appropriate USDA Web pages. 

Leveraging documentation sometimes 

includes letters of commitment from 

other funding sources. In-kind matches 

must be items 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. 

None of the foregoing examples is 

intended to limit the types of 

documentation that may 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 

forms and sample worksheets. 

c. While the table in paragraph 

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

of a completed application, USDA Rural 

Development may ask for additional or 

clarifying information for applications 

which, as submitted by the deadline, 

appear to clearly demonstrate that they 

meet eligibility requirements. 

d. Submit the required application 

items in the order provided in the FY 

2007 application guide. The FY 2007 

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 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/ 

RequestaDUNS for more information on 

how to obtain a DUNS number or how 

to verify your organization’s number. 

f. 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 (Non-procurement). 

(iv) 7 CFR part 3018—New 

Restrictions on Lobbying. 

(v) 7 CFR part 3021—

Governmentwide Requirements for 

Drug-Free Workplace 

g. Table of Required Elements of a 

Completed Grant Application. 

Application item 

REQUIRED items 

Grants (7 CFR 

1703.125 and 

CFR 1703.126) 

Comment 

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

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

Objective Scoring Worksheet ..................................................................................... Yes ................... RUS worksheet. 

Rural Calculation Table .............................................................................................. Yes ................... RUS worksheet. 

National School Lunch Program Determination ......................................................... Yes ................... RUS worksheet; must include source 

documentation. 

EZ/EC or Champion Communities designation .......................................................... Yes ................... Documentation. 

Documented Need for Services/Benefits Derived from Services .............................. Yes ................... Narrative & documentation, if necessary. 

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

Budget ........................................................................................................................ Yes ................... Table or spreadsheet; Recommend 

using the RUS format. 

Leveraging Evidence and Funding Commitments from All Sources ......................... Yes ................... RUS worksheet and source documentation. 

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

System/Project Cost Effectiveness ............................................................................. Yes ................... Narrative & documentation. 

Telecommunications System Plan ............................................................................. Yes ................... Narrative & documentation; maps or diagrams, if appropriate. 

Proposed Scope of Work ........................................................................................... Yes ................... Narrative or other appropriate format. 

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

Consultation with the USDA State Director, Rural Development .............................. Yes ................... Documentation. 

Application conforms with State Strategic Plan per USDA State Director, Rural Development, (if plan exists).Yes ................... Documentation. 

Certifications 

Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination .................................................................. Yes ................... Recommend using the RUS sample 

form. 


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Application item 

REQUIRED items 

Grants (7 CFR 

1703.125 and 

CFR 1703.126) 

Comment 

Architectural Barriers .................................................................................................. Yes ................... Recommend using the RUS sample 

form. 

Flood Hazard Area Precautions ................................................................................. Yes ................... Recommend using the RUS sample 

form. 

Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970 Yes ................... Recommend using the RUS sample 

form. 

Drug-Free Workplace ................................................................................................. Yes ................... Recommend using the RUS sample 

form. 

Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters—Primary Covered 

Transactions.

Yes ................... Recommend using the RUS sample 

form. 

Lobbying for Contracts, Grants, Loans, and Cooperative Agreements ..................... Yes ................... Recommend using the RUS sample 

form. 

Non Duplication of Services ....................................................................................... Yes ................... Recommend using the RUS sample 

form. 

Environmental Impact/Historic Preservation Certification .......................................... Yes ................... Recommend using the RUS sample 

form. 

Federal Obligations on Delinquent Debt .................................................................... Yes ................... Recommend using the RUS sample 

form. 

Evidence of Legal Authority to Contract with the Government (documentation) ....... Yes ................... Recommend using the RUS sample 

form. 

Evidence of Legal Existence (documentation) ........................................................... Yes ................... Recommend using the RUS sample 

form. 

Supplemental Information (if any) .............................................................................. Optional ............ Narrative, documentation or other appropriate format. 

2. For combination loan-grant and 

loan applications: 

a. Detailed information on each item 

in the table in paragraph IV.C.2.f. of this 

Notice can be found in the sections of 

the DLT Program regulation listed in the 

table, and the DLT application guide. 

Applicants are strongly encouraged to 

read and apply both the regulation and 

the application guide. 

(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. USDA Rural Development 

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, evidence of 

legal existence is sometimes proven by 

applicants who submit articles of 

incorporation. This example is not 

intended to limit the types of 

documentation that may 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 

forms and sample worksheets. 

c. While the table in paragraph 

IV.C.2.f. of this Notice includes all items 

of a completed application for each 

program, USDA Rural Development may 

ask for additional or clarifying 

information. 

d. Submit the required application 

items in the listed order. 

e. DUNS Number. As required by the 

OMB, all applicants for combination 

loan-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 

the DLT Web site or Grants.gov for more 

information on how to obtain a DUNS 

number or how to verify your 

organization’s number. 

f. Table of required items in a 

combination loan-grant or loan 

application: 

Application item 

REQUIRED items 

Combination 

loan/grants (7 

CFR 

1703.134) 

Loans 

Completed SF–424 (Application for Federal Assistance form) .................................................................................. Yes ............... Yes. 

Executive Summary (narrative) .................................................................................................................................. Yes ............... Yes. 

Rural Calculation Table .............................................................................................................................................. Yes ............... Yes. 

Budget (table or other appropriate format) ................................................................................................................. Yes ............... Yes. 

Financial Information/Sustainability (narrative) ........................................................................................................... Yes ............... Yes. 

Pro Forma Financial Data (documentation) ............................................................................................................... Yes ............... Yes. 

Ability to execute a note with maturity greater than 1 year (documentation) ............................................................ Yes ............... Yes. 

Budget ......................................................................................................................................................................... Yes ............... Yes. 

Revenue/expense reports and balance sheet (documentation: table or other appropriate format ........................... Yes \1\ .......... Yes \1\. 

Balance sheet (table or other appropriate format) for a partnership, corporation, company, other entity; or consortia of such entities (documentation)..Yes\2\ ........... Yes \2\. 

Property list (collateral/adequate security (documentation)) ...................................................................................... Yes ............... Yes. 


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Application item 

REQUIRED items 

Combination 

loan/grants (7 

CFR 

1703.134) 

Loans 

Depreciation Schedule ................................................................................................................................................ Yes ............... Yes. 

Revenue source(s) for each hub and end-user site (documentation). ...................................................................... Yes ............... Yes. 

Economic analysis of rates—if applicant proposes to provide services for another entity ....................................... Yes ............... Yes. 

Telecommunications System Plan (narrative & documentation; maps or diagrams, if appropriate .......................... Yes ............... Yes. 

Scope of Work (narrative or other appropriate format) .............................................................................................. Yes ............... Yes. 

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

Certifications: 

*Equal Opportunity and Nondiscrimination ................................................................................................................. All Yes .......... All Yes. 

*Architectural Barriers 

*Flood Hazard Area Precautions 

*Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property 

Acquisitions Policies Act of 1970 

*Drug Free Workplace 

*Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters—Primary Covered Transactions 

*Lobbying for Contracts, Grants, Loans, and Cooperative Agreements 

*Non-Duplication of Services 

*Environmental Impact/Historic Preservation Certification 

*Environmental Impact/Historic Preservation Questionnaire 

*Federal Obligations on Delinquent Debt 

Evidence of Legal Authority to Contract with the Government (documentation) ....................................................... Yes ............... Yes. 

Evidence of Legal Existance (documentation). .......................................................................................................... Yes ............... Yes. 

Supplemental Information (if any) (narrative, documentation or other appropriate format.) ..................................... Optional ........ Optional. 

D. How many copies of an application 

are required? 

1. Applications submitted on paper. 

a. Submit the original application and 

two (2) copies to USDA Rural 

Development. 

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. USDA Rural Development 

cannot accept loan applications 

electronically at this time. Only grants 

and combination loan-grants may be 

requested electronically. 

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 and combination loan-grant 

applications may be submitted on paper 

or electronically. 

1. Submitting applications on paper. 

a. Address paper applications to the 

Telecommunications Program, USDA 

Rural Development, United States 

Department of Agriculture, 1400 

Independence Ave., SW., Room 2845, 

STOP 1550, Washington, DC 20250–

1550. Applications should be marked 

‘‘Attention: 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. USDA Rural 

Development 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 

and combination loan-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 

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. USDA Rural Development 

encourages applicants who wish to 

apply through Grants.gov to submit 

their applications in advance of the 

deadlines. 


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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 June 11, 

2007 to be eligible for FY 2007 grant 

funding. Late applications, applications 

which do not include proof of mailing 

or shipping as described in paragraph 

IV.E.b., and incomplete applications are 

not eligible for FY 2007 grant funding. 

2. Electronic grant applications must 

be received by June 11, 2007 to be 

eligible for FY 2007 funding. Late or 

incomplete applications will not be 

eligible for FY 2007 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, 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 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 2007 

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. 

USDA Rural Development 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. USDA Rural 

Development encourages applicants to 

document those costs in the 

application’s budget. Please see the FY 

2007 application guide for a 

recommended budget format, and 

detailed budget compilation 

instructions. 

Grants Combination 

loan-grants Loans 

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

Acquire instructional programming .................................. Yes .................................... Yes. 

Technical assistance, develop instructional programming, engineering or environmental studies.Yes, up to 10% of the 

grant.

Yes, up to 10% of the financial assistance. 

Medical or education equipment or facilities necessary 

to the project.

Yes. 

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

Teacher-student links located at the same facility .......... No ...................................... Yes, if part of a broader DLT network that meets other 

eligible program purposes. 

Links between medical professionals located at the 

same facility.

No ...................................... Yes, if part of a broader 

DLT network that meets 

other eligible program 

purposes.

Site development or building alteration ........................... No ...................................... Yes, if the activity meets other program purposes. 

Land of building purchase ............................................... No ...................................... Yes, if the activity meets other program purposes. 

Building Construction ....................................................... No ...................................... Yes, if the activity meets other program purposes. 

Acquiring telecommunications transmission facilities ..... No ...................................... Yes, if other telecommunications carriers will not install 

in a reasonable time period and at an economically 

viable cost to the project. 

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) 

Yes, for the first two years 

after approval (equipment & facility leases 

are not recurring project 

costs). 

Equipment to be owned by the LEC or other telecommunications service provider, if the provider is 

the applicant.

No ...................................... Yes. 

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 Yes, for the first two years 

of operation. 


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Grants Combination 

loan-grants Loans 

Cost of facilities providing distance learning broadcasting (amount).No Yes, financial assistance 

directly proportional to 

the distance learning 

portion of use. 

Reimburse applicants of others for costs incurred prior 

to USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT 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 

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. 

d. For special ratio combination loangrant applications, the only eligible 

purpose is for the conversion to 

electronic medical records systems, or 

for the extension of an existing 

electronic medical records system to a 

new rural location. 

2. Eligible Equipment & Facilities. 

Please see 7 CFR 1703.102 for 

definitions of eligible equipment, 

eligible facilities and 

telecommunications transmission 

facilities as used in the table above. In 

addition, the FY 2007 application guide 

supplies a wealth of information and 

examples of eligible and ineligible 

items. 

3. Apportioning budget items. Many 

DLT applications propose to use items 

for a blend of specific DLT project 

purposes and other purposes. USDA 

Rural Development 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 2007 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 USDA 

Rural Development 

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, loan, or combination 

loan-grant (See 7 CFR 1737 for loans 

and 7 CFR 1744 for advances). 

B. Criteria 

1. Grant application scoring criteria 

(total possible points: 235). 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. 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) 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. USDA Rural Development 

encourages applicants to carefully read 

the cited portions of the Program 

regulation and the FY 2007 application 

guide for full discussions of this 

criterion. 

(ii) 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. 

b. Rurality of the proposed service 

area (up to 45 points). 

c. Percentage of students eligible for 

the NSLP in the proposed service area 

(objectively demonstrates economic 

need of the area) (up to 35 points). 

d. Leveraging resources above the 

required matching level (up to 35 

points). Please see paragraph III.B of this 

Notice for a brief explanation of 

matching contributions. 

e. Level of innovation demonstrated 

by the project (up to 15 points). 

f. System cost-effectiveness (up to 35 

points). 

g. Project overlap with Empowerment 

Zone, Enterprise Communities or 

Champion Communities designations 

(up to 15 points). 

C. Grant Review Standards 

1. In addition to the scoring criteria 

that rank applications against each 

other, USDA Rural Development 

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, 

USDA Rural Development 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 2007 application guide for a full 


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discussion of each required item and for 

samples and illustrations. The USDA 

Rural Development will not request 

missing items that affect the 

application’s score. 

3. The FY 2007 grant application 

guide specifies the format and order of 

all required items. Applications that are 

not assembled and tabbed in the order 

specified. Incorrectly assembled 

applications will be returned as 

ineligible. 

4. Most DLT grant projects contain 

numerous project sites. USDA Rural 

Development requires that site 

information be consistent throughout an 

application. Sites must be referred to by 

the same designation throughout all 

parts of an application. USDA Rural 

Development has provided a site 

worksheet that requests the necessary 

information, and can be used as a guide 

by applicants. USDA Rural 

Development 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. 

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 

service area. See the FY 2007 

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). USDA Rural 

Development selects applications based 

on those rankings, subject to the 

availability of funds. USDA Rural 

Development may allocate grant awards 

between medical and educational 

purposes, but is not required to do so. 

In addition, USDA Rural Development 

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. 

2. Combination loan-grants and loans. 

a. Combination loan-grant 

applications and loan applications are 

evaluated on the basis of technical, 

financial, economic and other criteria. 

b. USDA Rural Development 

evaluates applications’ financial 

feasibility using the following 

information. Please see paragraph 

IV.C.2. of this Notice for the items that 

constitute a completed combination 

loan-grant or loan application. Also, see 

7 CFR part 1703 subpart F for 

combination loan-grants and 7 CFR part 

1703 subpart G for loans: 

(1) Applicant’s financial ability to 

complete the project; 

(2) Project feasibility; 

(3) Applicant’s financial information; 

(4) Project sustainability; 

(5) Ability to repay the loan portion 

of a combination loan-grant, including 

revenue sources; 

(6) Collateral for which the applicant 

has perfected a security interest; and 

(7) Adequate security for a loan or the 

loan portion of a combination loangrant. 

(c) USDA Rural Development also 

evaluates the following project and 

application characteristics: 

(1) Services to be provided by the 

project. 

(2) Project cost. 

(3) Project design. 

(4) Rurality of the proposed service 

area. Please see paragraph III.B.4. of this 

Notice for information on determining 

rurality. 

(5) Other characteristics. 

d. Selection process. Based on the 

review standards listed above and in the 

DLT Program regulation, USDA Rural 

Development will process successful 

combination loan-grant and loan 

applications on a first-in, first-out basis, 

dependent upon the availability of 

funds. Please see 7 CFR 1703.135 for 

combination loan-grant application 

processing and selection; and 7 CFR 

1703.145 for loan application processing 

and selection. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

A. Award Notices 

USDA Rural Development generally 

notifies applicants whose projects are 

selected for awards by faxing an award 

letter. USDA Rural Development follows 

the award letter with an agreement that 

contains all the terms and conditions for 

the grant, combination loan-grant or 

loan. USDA Rural Development 

recognizes that each funded project is 

unique, and therefore may attach 

conditions to different projects’ award 

documents. 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 2007 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 USDA Rural 

Development 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 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. Record Keeping and Accounting 

The loan, or grant contract will contain 

provisions relating to record keeping 

and accounting requirements. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

A. Web site: http://www.usda.gov/rus/ 

telecom/dlt/dlt.htm. The DLT Web site 

maintains up-to-date resources and 

contact information for DLT programs. 

B. Phone: 202–720–0413. 

C. Fax: 202–720–1051. 

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

E. Main point of contact: Orren E. 

Cameron III, Director, Advanced 

Services Division, Telecommunications 

Program, Rural Development, United 

States Department of Agriculture. 

Dated: March 13, 2007. 

James M. Andrew, 

Administrator, Rural Utilities Service. 

[FR Doc. E7–6544 Filed 4–9–07; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–15–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Utilities Service 

Announcement of Grant Application 

Deadlines and Funding Levels 

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of funds availability. 

SUMMARY: The United States Department 

of Agriculture (USDA) Rural 

Development administers loan and grant 

programs through the Rural Utilities 

Service. USDA Rural Development 

announces the Public Television Digital 

Transition Grant Program funding level 

and application window for fiscal year 

(FY) 2007. 

DATES: You may submit completed 

applications for grants on paper or 

electronically according to the following 

deadlines: 


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