28616 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 119 / Wednesday, June 20, 2018 / Notices 

grant agreement. The grant agreement 

will contain the terms and conditions 

for the grant. The applicant must 

execute and return the grant agreement, 

accompanied by any additional items 

required by the award letter or grant 

agreement. 

2. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements 

a. This notice, the 7 CFR part 1776, 

and the application guide implement 

the appropriate administrative and 

national policy requirements. Grant 

recipients are subject to the 

requirements in 7 CFR part 1776. 

b. Direct Federal grants, sub-award 

funds, or contracts under the HWWS 

Grant Program shall not be used to fund 

inherently religious activities, such as 

worship, religious instruction, or 

proselytization. Therefore, organizations 

that receive direct assistance should 

take steps to separate, in time or 

location, their inherently religious 

activities from the services funded 

under the HWWS Grant Program. 

Regulations for the Equal Treatment for 

Faith-based Organizations are contained 

in 7 CFR part 16, which includes the 

prohibition against Federal funding of 

inherently religious activities. 

3. Reporting 

a. Performance Reporting. All 

recipients of HWWS Grant Program 

financial assistance must provide 

quarterly performance activity reports to 

RUS until the project is complete and 

the funds are expended. A final 

performance report is also required. The 

final report may serve as the last annual 

report. The final report must include an 

evaluation of the success of the project. 

b. Financial Reporting. All recipients 

of HWWS Grant Program financial 

assistance must provide an annual 

audit, beginning with the first year a 

portion of the financial assistance is 

expended. The Non-Federal Entity 

(formerly called Grantee) will provide 

an audit report or financial statements 

as follows: 

c. Non-Federal Entities expending 

$750,000 or more Federal funds per 

fiscal year will submit an audit 

conducted in accordance with 2 CFR 

part 200 or successor guidance. The 

audit will be submitted within nine 

months after the Non-Federal Entity’s 

fiscal year ends. Additional audits may 

be required if the project period covers 

more than one fiscal year. 

d. Non-Federal Entities expending 

less than $750,000 will provide annual 

financial statements covering the grant 

period, consisting of the organization’s 

statement of income and expense and 

balance sheet signed by an appropriate 

official of the organization. Financial 

statements will be submitted within 90 

days after the Non-Federal Entity’s fiscal 

year ends. 

e. Recipient and Subrecipient 

Reporting. The applicant must have the 

necessary processes and systems in 

place to comply with the reporting 

requirements for first-tier sub-awards 

and executive compensation under the 

Federal Funding Accountability and 

Transparency Act of 2006 in the event 

the applicant receives funding unless 

such applicant is exempt from such 

reporting requirements pursuant to 2 

CFR 170.110(b). The reporting 

requirements under the Transparency 

Act pursuant to 2 CFR part 170 are as 

follows: 

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

more in non-Recovery Act funds (unless 

they are exempt under 2 CFR part 170) 

must be reported by the Recipient to 

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

end of the month following the month 

the obligation was made. 

ii. The Total Compensation of the 

Recipient’s Executives (five most highly 

compensated executives) must be 

reported by the Recipient (if the 

Recipient meets the criteria under 2 CFR 

part 170) to https://www.sam.gov/ 

portal/public/SAM/ by the end of the 

month following the month in which 

the award was made. 

iii. The Total Compensation of the 

Subrecipient’s Executives (5 most 

highly compensated executives) must be 

reported by the Subrecipient (if the 

Subrecipient meets the criteria under 2 

CFR part 170) to the Recipient by the 

end of the month following the month 

in which the subaward was made. 

G. Agency Contacts 

1. Website: http://www.rd.usda.gov/ 

programs-services/household-waterwell-system-grants. 

2. Phone: Derek Jones, 202–720–9640. 

3. Fax: 202–690–0649. 

4. Email: derek.jones@wdc.usda.gov. 

5. Main point of contact: Derek Jones, 

Community Programs Specialist, Water 

and Environmental Programs, Rural 

Utilities Service, Rural Development, 

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

H. USDA Non-Discrimination Statement 

In accordance with Federal civil 

rights law and U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) civil rights 

regulations and policies, the USDA, its 

Agencies, offices, and employees, and 

institutions participating in or 

administering USDA programs are 

prohibited from discriminating based on 

race, color, national origin, religion, sex, 

gender identity (including gender 

expression), sexual orientation, 

disability, age, marital status, family/ 

parental status, income derived from a 

public assistance program, political 

beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior 

civil rights activity, in any program or 

activity conducted or funded by USDA 

(not all bases apply to all programs). 

Remedies and complaint filing 

deadlines vary by program or incident. 

Persons with disabilities who require 

alternative means of communication for 

program information (e.g., Braille, large 

print, audiotape, American Sign 

Language, etc.) should contact the 

responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET 

Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and 

TTY) or contact USDA through the 

Federal Relay Service at (800) 877–8339. 

Additionally, program information may 

be made available in languages other 

than English. 

To file a program discrimination 

complaint, complete the USDA Program 

Discrimination Complaint Form, AD– 

3027, found online at http://

www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_

cust.html and at any USDA office or 

write a letter addressed to USDA and 

provide in the letter all of the 

information requested in the form. To 

request a copy of the complaint form, 

call (866) 632–9992. Submit your 

completed form or letter to USDA by: 

(1) Mail: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20250–9410; 

(2) fax: (202) 690–7442; or 

(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. 

USDA is an equal opportunity 

provider, employer, and lender. 

Dated: June 1, 2018. 

Kenneth L. Johnson, 

Administrator, Rural Utilities Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–13237 Filed 6–19–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Utilities Service 

Announcement of Grant and Loan 

Application Deadlines 

AGENCY: Rural Utilities Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of funds availability and 

solicitation of applications (NOFA). 

SUMMARY: The Rural Utilities Service 

(RUS) announces its Revolving Fund 

Program (RFP) application window and 

funds availability for Fiscal Year (FY) 

2018. The Agency will make available 

$1,000,000 in grant funds to qualified 

private, non-profit organizations to 

establish a lending program for eligible 

entities. The Agency encourages 


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applications that will support 

recommendations made in the Rural 

Prosperity Task Force report to help 

improve life in rural America. 

www.usda.gov/ruralprosperity. 

Applicants are encouraged to consider 

projects that provide measurable results 

in helping rural communities build 

robust and sustainable economies 

through strategic investments in 

infrastructure, partnerships and 

innovation. Key strategies include: 

• Achieving e-Connectivity for Rural 

America 

• Developing the Rural Economy 

• Harnessing Technological Innovation 

• Supporting a Rural Workforce 

• Improving Quality of Life 

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 July 20, 2018 to be eligible 

for FY 2018 grant funding. Late or 

incomplete applications will not be 

eligible for FY 2018 grant funding. Prior 

to official submission of applications, 

applicants may request technical 

assistance or other application guidance 

from the Agency, as long as such 

requests are made prior to July 5, 2018. 

The Agency will not solicit or consider 

scoring or eligibility information that is 

submitted after the application 

deadline. The Agency reserves the right 

to contact applications to seek 

clarification information on materials 

contained in the submitted application. 

• Electronic copies must be received 

by July 20, 2018 to be eligible for FY 

2018 grant funding. Late or incomplete 

applications will not be eligible for FY 

2018 grant funding. Prior to official 

submission of applications, applicants 

may request technical assistance or 

other application guidance from the 

Agency, as long as such requests are 

made prior to July 5, 2018. The Agency 

will not solicit or consider scoring or 

eligibility information that is submitted 

after the application deadline. The 

Agency reserves the right to contact 

applications to seek clarification 

information on materials contained in 

the submitted application. 

ADDRESSES: You may obtain application 

guides and materials for the RFP 

program at the Water and 

Environmental Programs (WEP) website: 

http://www.rd.usda.gov/programsservices/water-waste-disposal-revolvingloan-funds. You may also request 

application guides and materials by 

contacting Derek Jones at (202) 720– 

9640. 

Submit electronic grant applications 

at http://www.grants.gov/ and follow the 

instructions on the website. 

Submit completed paper applications 

for RFP grants to: Rural Utilities Service, 

Rural Development, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue 

SW, STOP 1570, Room 2233–S, 

Washington, DC 20250–1570. 

Applications should be marked 

Attention: Derek Jones, Water and 

Environmental Programs. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Derek Jones, Community Programs 

Specialist, Water and Environmental 

Programs, Rural Utilities Service, Rural 

Development, U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, 1400 Independence Avenue 

SW, STOP 1570, Room 2233–S, 

Washington, DC 20250–1570; 

Telephone: (202) 720–9640: Fax: (202) 

690–0649. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Overview 

Federal Agency: Rural Utilities 

Service (RUS), USDA. 

Funding Opportunity Title: Grant 

Program to Establish a Fund for 

Financing Water and Wastewater 

Projects (Revolving Fund Program 

(RFP)). 

Announcement Type: Notice of Funds 

Availability (NOFA). 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.864. 

Due Date for Applications: 

Applications must be mailed, shipped 

or submitted electronically through 

Grants.gov no later than July 20, 2018 to 

be eligible for FY 2018 grant funding. 

See Section D of this notice for details. 

The RFP is authorized under section 

306(a)(2)(B) of the Consolidated Farm 

and Rural Development Act (Con Act), 

7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(2)(B). Eligible entities 

for the revolving loan fund will be the 

same entities eligible, under paragraph 

1 or 2 of Section 306(a) of the Con Act, 

7 U.S.C. 1926(a)(1) or (b)(2), to obtain a 

loan, loan guarantee, or grant from the 

RUS Water, Waste Disposal, and 

Wastewater loan and grant programs. 

Items in Supplementary Information 

A. Program Description: Brief introduction 

to the RFP. 

B. Federal Award Information: Available 

funds. 

C. Eligibility Information: Who is eligible, 

what kinds of projects are eligible, what 

criteria determine basic eligibility. 

D. 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. 

E. Application Review Information: 

Considerations and preferences, scoring 

criteria, review standards, selection 

information. 

F. Federal Award Administration 

Information: Award notice information, 

award recipient reporting requirements. 

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts: 

website, phone, fax, email, contact name. 

H. Other Information: Non-discrimination 

Statement. 

A. Program Description 

Drinking water systems are basic and 

vital to both health and economic 

development. With dependable water 

facilities, rural communities can attract 

families and businesses that will invest 

in the community and improve the 

quality of life for all residents. Without 

dependable water facilities, the 

communities cannot sustain economic 

development. 

RUS provides financial and technical 

assistance to help communities bring 

safe drinking water and sanitary, 

environmentally sound waste disposal 

facilities to rural Americans. It supports 

the sound development of rural 

communities and the growth of our 

economy without endangering the 

environment. 

The RFP was established under 7 

U.S.C. part 1783 to assist communities 

with water or wastewater systems. 

Qualified private, non-profit 

organizations, who are selected for 

funding, will receive RFP grant funds to 

establish a lending program for eligible 

entities. Eligible entities for the 

revolving loan fund will be those 

entities eligible under 7 U.S.C.1926(a)(1) 

and (2) to obtain a loan, loan guarantee, 

or grant from the Water and Waste 

Disposal loan and grant programs 

administered by RUS. As grant 

recipients, the non-profit organizations 

will set up a revolving loan fund to 

provide loans to finance 

predevelopment costs of water or 

wastewater projects, or short-term small 

capital projects not part of the regular 

operation and maintenance of current 

water and wastewater systems. The 

amount of financing to an eligible entity 

shall not exceed $100,000 and shall be 

repaid in a term not to exceed 10 years. 

The rate shall be determined in the 

approved grant work plan. 

B. Federal Award Information 

Available funds: $1,000,000. 

C. Eligibility Information 

1. Eligible Applicants 

An applicant is eligible to apply for 

the RFP grant if it: 

a. Is a private, non-profit organization; 

b. Is legally established and located 

within one of the following: 

i. A state within the United States; 


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ii. The District of Columbia; 

iii. The Commonwealth of Puerto 

Rico; or 

iv. A United States territory; 

c. Has the legal capacity and authority 

to carry out the grant purpose; 

d. Has a proven record of successfully 

operating a revolving loan fund to rural 

areas; 

e. Has capitalization acceptable to the 

Agency, and is composed of at least 51 

percent of the outstanding interest or 

membership being citizens of the United 

States or individuals who reside in the 

United States after being legally 

admitted for permanent residence; 

f. Has no delinquent debt to the 

Federal government or no outstanding 

judgments to repay a Federal debt; 

g. Demonstrates that it possesses the 

financial, technical, and managerial 

capability to comply with Federal and 

state laws and requirements; and, 

h. Is not a corporation that has been 

convicted of a felony (or had an officer 

or agent acting on behalf of the 

corporation convicted of a felony) 

within the past 24 months. Any 

Corporation that has any unpaid Federal 

tax liability that has been assessed, for 

which all judicial and administrative 

remedies have been exhausted or have 

lapsed, and that is not being paid in a 

timely manner pursuant to an agreement 

with the authority responsible for 

collecting the tax liability is not eligible. 

2. Cost Sharing or Matching 

Applicants must contribute at least 20 

percent of funds from sources other than 

the proceeds of an RFP grant to pay part 

of the cost of a loan recipient’s project. 

In-kind contribution will not be 

considered. 

3. Other: The Basic Eligibility 

Requirements for a Project 

a. The following activities are 

authorized under the RFP statute: 

i. Grant funds must be used to 

capitalize a revolving fund program for 

the purpose of providing direct loan 

financing to eligible entities for predevelopment costs associated with 

proposed or with existing water and 

wastewater systems, or, 

ii. Short-term costs incurred for 

equipment replacement, small-scale 

extension of services, or other small 

capital projects that are not part of the 

regular operations and maintenance 

activities of existing water and 

wastewater systems. 

b. Grant funds may not be used to pay 

any of the following: 

i. Payment of the Grant Recipient’s 

administrative costs or expenses, or, 

ii. Delinquent debt owed to the 

Federal Government. 

D. Application and Submission 

Information 

1. Address To Request Application 

Package 

a. The internet: http://

www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/ 

water-waste-disposal-revolving-loanfunds or Grants.gov website: http://

www.grants.gov/. 

b. For paper copies of these materials, 

you may call (202) 720–9583. 

2. Content and Form of Application 

Submission 

a. You may file an application in 

either paper or electronic format. To be 

considered for support, you must be an 

eligible entity and must submit a 

complete application by the deadline 

date. Applicants should consult the cost 

principles and general administrative 

requirements for grants pertaining to 

their organizational type in order to 

prepare the budget and complete other 

parts of the application. You also must 

demonstrate compliance (or intent to 

comply), through certification or other 

means, with a number of public policy 

requirements. Applications should be 

prepared in conformance with 7 CFR 

part 1783, and departmental and other 

applicable regulations including 2 CFR 

parts 180, 182, 200, 400 and 421, or any 

successor regulations. 

Whether you file a paper or an 

electronic application, you will need a 

DUNS number and must be registered in 

the System for Award Management 

(SAM). Detailed information on 

obtaining a DUNS number and 

registering for SAM may be found in 

section D(3). 

b. Applicants must complete and 

submit the following forms to apply for 

a RFP grant: 

i. Standard Form 424, ‘‘Application 

for Federal Assistance.’’ 

ii. Standard Form 424A, ‘‘Budget 

Information—Non-Construction 

Programs.’’ 

iii. Standard Form 424B, 

‘‘Assurances—Non-Construction 

Programs.’’ 

iv. Standard Form LLL, ‘‘Disclosure of 

Lobbying Activity.’’ 

v. Form RD 400–1, ‘‘Equal 

Opportunity Agreement.’’ 

vi. Form RD 400–4, ‘‘Assurance 

Agreement (Under Title VI, Civil Rights 

Act of 1964).’’ 

c. The project proposal should outline 

the project in sufficient detail to provide 

a reader with a complete understanding 

of how the loan program will work. 

Explain what you will accomplish by 

lending funds to eligible entities. 

Demonstrate the feasibility of the 

proposed loan program in meeting the 

objectives of this grant program. The 

proposal should cover the following 

elements: 

i. Present a brief project overview. 

Explain the purpose of the project, how 

it relates to RUS’s purposes, how you 

will carry out the project, what the 

project will produce, and who will 

direct it. 

ii. Describe why the project is 

necessary. Demonstrate that eligible 

entities need loan funds. Quantify the 

number of prospective borrowers or 

provide statistical or narrative evidence 

that a sufficient number of borrowers 

will exist to justify the grant award. 

Describe the service area. Address 

community needs. 

iii. Clearly state your project goals. 

Your objectives should clearly describe 

the goals and be concrete and specific 

enough to be quantitative or observable. 

They should also be feasible and relate 

to the purpose of the loan program. 

iv. The narrative should cover in more 

detail the items briefly described in the 

Project Summary. It should establish the 

basis for any claims that you have 

substantial expertise in promoting the 

safe and productive use of revolving 

funds. In describing what the project 

will achieve, you should tell the reader 

if it also will have broader influence. 

The narrative should address the 

following points: 

(1) Document your ability to 

administer and service a revolving fund 

in accordance with the provisions of 7 

CFR part 1783. 

(2) Document your ability to commit 

financial resources to establish the RFP 

with funds your organization controls. 

This documentation should describe the 

sources of funds other than the RFP 

grant that will be used to pay your 

operational costs and provide financial 

assistance for projects. 

(3) Demonstrate that you have secured 

commitments of significant financial 

support from other funding sources, if 

appropriate. 

(4) List the fees and charges that 

borrowers will be assessed. 

v. The work plan must describe the 

tasks and activities that will be 

accomplished with available resources 

during the grant period. It must show 

the work you plan to do to achieve the 

anticipated outcomes, goals, and 

objectives set out for the RFP. The plan 

must: 

(1) Describe the work to be performed 

by each person. 

(2) Give a schedule or timetable of 

work to be done. 

(3) Show evidence of previous 

experience with the techniques to be 

used or their successful use by others. 


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(4) Outline the loan program to 

include the following: Specific loan 

purposes, a loan application process, 

priorities, borrower eligibility criteria, 

limitations, fees, interest rates, terms, 

and collateral requirements. 

(5) Provide a marketing plan. 

(6) Explain the mechanics of how you 

will transfer loan funds to the 

borrowers. 

(7) Describe follow-up or continuing 

activities that should occur after project 

completion such as monitoring and 

reporting borrowers’ accomplishments. 

(8) Describe how the results will be 

evaluated. The evaluation criteria 

should be in line with the project 

objectives. 

(9) List all personnel responsible for 

administering this program along with a 

statement of their qualifications and 

experience. 

vi. The written justification for 

projected costs should explain how 

budget figures were determined for each 

category. It should indicate which costs 

are to be covered by grant funds and 

which costs will be met by your 

organization or other organizations. The 

justification should account for all 

expenditures discussed in the narrative. 

It should reflect appropriate costsharing contributions. The budget 

justification should explain the budget 

and accounting system proposed or in 

place. The administrative costs for 

operating the budget should be 

expressed as a percentage of the overall 

budget. The budget justification should 

provide specific budget figures, 

rounding off figures to the nearest 

dollar. Applicants should consult 2 CFR 

200, Subpart E, ‘‘Cost Principals,’’ for 

information about appropriate costs for 

each budget category. 

vii. In addition to completing the 

standard application forms, you must 

submit: 

(1) Supplementary material that 

demonstrate that your organization is 

legally recognized under state or Tribal 

and Federal law. Satisfactory 

documentation includes, but is not 

limited to, certificates from the 

Secretary of State, or copies of state 

statutes or laws establishing your 

organization. Letters from the IRS 

awarding tax-exempt status are not 

considered adequate evidence. 

(2) A certified list of directors and 

officers with their respective terms. 

(3) Evidence of tax exempt status from 

the IRS. 

(4) The most recent audit of your 

organization. 

(5) The following financial 

statements: 

(a) Pro forma balance sheet at start-up 

and for at least three additional years; 

Balance sheets, income statements, and 

cash flow statements for the last three 

years. 

(b) If your organization has been 

formed less than three years, the 

financial statements should be 

submitted for the periods from 

inception to the present. Projected 

income and cash flow statements for at 

least three years supported by a list of 

assumptions showing the basis for the 

projections. The projected income 

statement and balance sheet must 

include one set of projections that 

shows the revolving loan fund only and 

a separate set of projections that shows 

your organization’s total operations. 

(6) Additional information to support 

and describe your plan for achieving the 

grant objectives. The information may 

be regarded as essential for 

understanding and evaluating the 

project and may be found in letters of 

support, as resolutions, policies, and 

other relevant documents. The 

supplements may be presented in 

appendices to the proposal. 

d. Compliance with other federal 

statutes. The applicant must provide 

evidence of compliance with other 

federal statutes, including but not 

limited to the following: 

i. Debarment and suspension 

information is required in accordance 

with 2 CFR part 417 (Nonprocurement 

Debarment and Suspension) 

supplemented by 2 CFR part 180, if it 

applies. The section heading is ‘‘What 

information must I provide before 

entering into a covered transaction with 

the Federal Government?’’ located at 2 

CFR 180.335. It is part of OMB’s 

Guidance for Grants and Agreements 

concerning Government-wide 

Debarment and Suspension. 

ii. All of your organization’s known 

workplaces by including the actual 

address of buildings (or parts of 

buildings) or other sites where work 

under the award takes place. Workplace 

identification is required under the 

drug-free workplace requirements in 

Subpart B of 2 CFR part 421, which 

adopts the Government-wide 

implementation (2 CFR part 182) of the 

Drug-Free Workplace Act. 

iii. 2 CFR parts 200 and 400 (Uniform 

Assistance Requirements, Cost 

Principles and Audit Requirements for 

Federal Awards). 

iv. 2 CFR part 182 (Governmentwide 

Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace 

(Financial Assistance)) and 2 CFR part 

421 (Requirements for Drug Free 

Workplace (Financial Assistance)). 

v. Executive Order 13166, ‘‘Improving 

Access to Services for Persons with 

Limited English Proficiency.’’ For 

information on limited English 

proficiency and agency-specific 

guidance, go to http://www.LEP.gov. 

e. Requirements for numbers of copies 

of submitted applications. 

i. Send or deliver paper applications 

by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) or 

courier delivery services to: USDA, 

Rural Development, Rural Utilities 

Service, Water and Environmental 

Programs, 1400 Independence Avenue 

SW, Attention: Derek Jones, Mail STOP 

1570, Room 2233–S, Washington, DC 

20250–1570. 

ii. For paper applications mail or 

ensure delivery of an original paper 

application (no stamped, photocopied, 

or initialed signatures) and two copies 

by the deadline date. The application 

and any materials sent with it become 

Federal records by law and cannot be 

returned to you. 

iii. Electronically submitted 

applications: 

(1) Applications will not be accepted 

by fax or electronic mail. 

(2) Electronic applications for grants 

will be accepted if submitted through 

Grants.gov. 

(3) Applicants must preregister 

successfully with Grants.gov to use the 

electronic applications option. 

Application information may be 

downloaded from Grants.gov without 

preregistration. 

(4) Applicants who apply through 

Grants.gov should submit their 

electronic applications before the 

deadline. 

(5) Grants.gov contains full 

instructions on all required passwords, 

credentialing, and software. Follow the 

instructions at Grants.gov for registering 

and submitting an electronic 

application. 

(6) Grants.gov has two preregistration 

requirements: A DUNS number and an 

active registration in the SAM. See 

section D(3) below for instructions on 

obtaining a DUNS number and 

registering in the SAM. 

3. Unique Entity Identifier and System 

for Award Management (SAM) 

The applicant for a grant must supply 

a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal 

Numbering System (DUNS) number as 

part of an application. The Standard 

Form 424 (SF–424) contains a field for 

the DUNS number. The applicant can 

obtain the DUNS number free of charge 

by calling Dun and Bradstreet. Please 

see http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform for 

more information on how to obtain a 

DUNS number or how to verify your 

organization’s number. In accordance 

with 2 CFR part 25, whether applying 

electronically or by paper, the applicant 

must register in the System for Award 

Management (SAM) prior to submitting 


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an application. Applicants may register 

for the SAM at https://www.sam.gov/ 

portal/SAM/#1. The SAM registration 

must remain active with current 

information at all times while RUS is 

considering an application or while a 

Federal Grant award or loan is active. 

To remain registered in the SAM 

database the applicant must review and 

update the information in the SAM 

database annually from date of initial 

registration or from the date of the last 

update. The applicant must ensure that 

the information in the database is 

current, accurate, and complete. 

4. Submission Dates and Times 

You may submit completed 

applications for grants on paper or 

electronically according to the following 

deadlines: 

a. Paper copies must be postmarked 

and mailed, shipped, or sent overnight 

no later than July 20, 2018 to be eligible 

for FY 2018 grant funding. Late or 

incomplete applications will not be 

eligible for FY 2018 grant funding. 

b. Electronic copies must be received 

by July 20, 2018 to be eligible for FY 

2018 grant funding. Late or incomplete 

applications will not be eligible for FY 

2018 grant funding. 

5. Funding Restrictions 

Grant proceeds may be used solely to 

establish the revolving loan fund to 

provide loans to eligible entities for: 

Pre-development costs associated with 

proposed or existing water and 

wastewater projects, and short-term 

costs incurred for replacement 

equipment or other small capital 

projects not part of regular operations 

and maintenance of existing water and 

wastewater systems. Grant recipients 

may not use grant funds in any manner 

inconsistent with the purposes 

described in 7 CFR 1783.12 or in the 

terms of the grant agreement. 

Administrative expenses may, however, 

be paid or reimbursed from revolving 

loan fund assets that are not RFP grant 

funds, including revolved funds and 

funds originally contributed by the grant 

recipient. 

E. Application Review Information 

Within 30 days of receiving your 

application, RUS will send you a letter 

of acknowledgment. Your application 

will be reviewed for completeness to 

determine if you included all of the 

items required. If your application is 

incomplete or ineligible, RUS will 

return it to you with an explanation. A 

review team, composed of at least two 

RUS staff members, will evaluate all 

applications and proposals. They will 

make overall recommendations based 

on factors such as eligibility, application 

completeness, and conformity to 

application requirements. They will 

score the applications based on criteria 

in the following section. 

1. Criteria 

All applications that are complete and 

eligible will be ranked competitively 

based on the following scoring criteria: 

a. Degree of expertise and successful 

experience in making and servicing 

commercial loans, with a successful 

record, for the following number of full 

years: 

i. At least 1 but less than 3 years—5 

points. 

ii. At least 3 but less than 5 years— 

10 points. 

iii. At least 5 but less than 10 years— 

20 points. 

v. 10 or more years—30 points. 

b. Extent to which the work plan 

demonstrates a well thought out, 

comprehensive approach to 

accomplishing the objectives of this 

part, clearly defines who will be served 

by the project, clearly articulates the 

problem/issues to be addressed, 

identifies the service area to be covered 

by the RFP loans and appears likely to 

be sustainable; Up to 40 points. 

c. Percentage of applicant 

contributions. Points allowed under this 

paragraph will be based on written 

evidence of the availability of funds 

from sources other than the proceeds of 

an RFP grant to pay part of the cost of 

a loan recipient’s project. In-kind 

contributions will not be considered. 

Funds from other sources as a 

percentage of the RFP grant and points 

corresponding to such percentages are 

as follows: 

i. Less than 20 percent—ineligible. 

ii. At least 20 percent but less than 50 

percent—10 points. 

iii. 50 percent or more—20 points. 

d. Extent to which the goals and 

objectives are clearly defined, tied to the 

work plan, and are measurable; Up to 15 

points. 

e. Lowest ratio of projected 

administrative expenses to loans 

advanced; Up to 10 points. 

f. The evaluation methods for 

considering loan applications and 

making RFP loans are specific to the 

program, clearly defined, measurable, 

and are consistent with program 

outcomes; Up to 20 points. 

g. Administrator’s discretion points 

up to 10 points may be awarded. To the 

maximum extent possible, there should 

be an emphasis on high poverty areas in 

rural communities and rural areas with 

the lowest incomes, particularly those 

areas with emphasis to areas where at 

least 45 percent of children qualify for 

the National School Lunch Program. 

Factors include: 

i. Directs loans to the smallest 

communities with the lowest incomes 

emphasizing areas where according to 

the American Community Survey data 

by census tracts show that at least 20 

percent of the population is living in 

poverty. 

ii. Directs loans to areas which lack 

running water, flush toilets, and modern 

sewage disposal systems, and areas 

which have open sewers and high rates 

of disease caused by poor sanitation, in 

particular, Colonias or Substantially 

Underserved Trust Areas. 

iii. Directs loans that emphasize 

energy and water efficient components 

to reduce costs and increase 

sustainability of rural systems. 

2. Review and Selection Process 

RUS will rank all qualifying 

applications by their final score. 

Applications will be selected for 

funding, based on the highest scores and 

the availability of funding for RFP 

grants. Each applicant will be notified 

in writing of the score its application 

receives. This year administrative 

discretion points may be awarded for 

work plans that: 

a. Direct loans to the smallest 

communities with the lowest incomes 

emphasizing areas where according to 

the American Community Survey data 

by census tracts show that at least 20 

percent of the population is living in 

poverty. 

b. Direct loans to areas that lack 

running water, flush toilets, and modern 

sewage disposal systems, and areas 

which have open sewers and high rates 

of disease caused by poor sanitation, in 

particular, Colonias or Substantially 

Underserved Trust Areas. 

c. Direct loans that emphasize energy 

and water efficient components to 

reduce costs and increase sustainability 

of rural systems. 

d. In making its decision about your 

application, RUS may determine that 

your application is: 

i. Eligible and selected for funding, 

ii. Eligible but offered fewer funds 

than requested, 

iii. Eligible but not selected for 

funding, or 

iv. Ineligible for the grant. 

e. In accordance with 7 CFR part 

1900, subpart B, you generally have the 

right to appeal adverse decisions. Some 

adverse decisions cannot be appealed. 

For example, if you are denied RUS 

funding due to a lack of funds available 

for the grant program, this decision 

cannot be appealed. However, you may 

make a request to the National Appeals 

Division (NAD) to review the accuracy 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 119 / Wednesday, June 20, 2018 / Notices 28621 

of our finding that the decision cannot 

be appealed. The appeal must be in 

writing and filed at the appropriate 

regional office, which can be found at 

www.nad.usda.gov or by calling (703) 

305–1166. 

F. Federal Award Administration 

Information 

1. Federal Award Notices 

RUS generally notifies by mail 

applicants whose projects are selected 

for awards. However, the receipt of an 

award letter does not serve to authorize 

the applicant to commence performance 

under the award. RUS follows the award 

letter with an agreement containing 

terms and conditions for the grant. 

Applicants selected for funding will 

complete and return grant agreement, 

which outlines the terms and conditions 

of the grant award. 

2. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements 

The items listed in Section D of this 

notice, the RFP program regulation and 

departmental and other regulations 

including 2 CFR parts 180, 182, 200, 

400, 421, and any successor regulations 

implement the appropriate 

administrative and national policy 

requirements, which include but are not 

limited to: 

a. SF–270, ‘‘Request for Advance or 

Reimbursement,’’ will be completed by 

the Non-Federal Entity and submitted to 

either the state or national office no 

more frequently than monthly. 

b. Upon receipt of a properly 

completed SF–270, the funds will be 

requested through the field office 

terminal system. Ordinarily, payment 

will be made within 30 days after 

receipt of a proper request for 

reimbursement. 

c. Non-Federal Entities may use 

women- and minority-owned banks (a 

bank which is owned at least 50 percent 

by women or minority group members) 

for the deposit and disbursement of 

funds. 

3. Reporting 

a. Any change in the scope of the 

project, budget adjustments of more 

than 10 percent of the total budget, or 

any other significant change in the 

project must be reported to and 

approved by the approval official by 

written amendment to the grant 

agreement. Any change not approved 

may be cause for termination of the 

grant. 

b. Non-Federal Entities shall 

constantly monitor performance to 

ensure that time schedules are being 

met, projected work by time periods is 

being accomplished, and other 

performance objectives are being 

achieved. The Non-Federal Entity will 

provide project reports as follows: 

i. SF–425, ‘‘Financial Status Report 

(short form),’’ and a project performance 

activity report will be required of all 

Non-Federal Entities on a quarterly 

basis, due 30 days after the end of each 

quarter. 

ii. A final project performance report 

will be required with the last SF–425 

due 90 days after the end of the last 

quarter in which the project is 

completed. The final report may serve 

as the last quarterly report. 

iii. All multi-State Non-Federal 

Entities are to submit an original of each 

report to the National Office. NonFederal Entities serving only one State 

are to submit an original of each report 

to the State Office. The project 

performance reports should detail, 

preferably in a narrative format, 

activities that have transpired for the 

specific time period. 

c. Financial reporting. The NonFederal Entity will provide an audit 

report or financial statements as follows: 

i. Non-Federal Entities expending 

$750,000 or more Federal funds per 

fiscal year will submit an audit 

conducted in accordance with 2 CFR 

part 200. The audit will be submitted 

within nine months after the NonFederal Entity’s fiscal year. Additional 

audits may be required if the project 

period covers more than one fiscal year. 

ii. Non-Federal Entities expending 

less than $750,000 will provide annual 

financial statements covering the grant 

period, consisting of the organization’s 

statement of income and expense and 

balance sheet signed by an appropriate 

official of the organization. Financial 

statements will be submitted within 90 

days after the Non-Federal Entity’s fiscal 

year. 

iii. Recipient and Subrecipient 

Reporting. The applicant must have the 

necessary processes and systems in 

place to comply with the reporting 

requirements for first-tier sub-awards 

and executive compensation under the 

Federal Funding Accountability and 

Transparency Act of 2006 in the event 

the applicant receives funding unless 

such applicant is exempt from such 

reporting requirements pursuant to 2 

CFR part 170, § 170.110(b). The 

reporting requirements under the 

Transparency Act pursuant to 2 CFR 

part 170 are as follows: 

(1) First Tier Sub-Awards of $25,000 

or more in non-Recovery Act funds 

(unless they are exempt under 2 CFR 

part 170) must be reported by the 

Recipient to http://www.fsrs.gov no later 

than the end of the month following the 

month the obligation was made. 

(2) The Total Compensation of the 

Recipient’s Executives (five most highly 

compensated executives) must be 

reported by the Recipient (if the 

Recipient meets the criteria under 2 CFR 

part 170) to https://www.sam.gov/ 

portal/SAM/#1 by the end of the month 

following the month in which the award 

was made. 

(3) The Total Compensation of the 

Subrecipient’s Executives (five most 

highly compensated executives) must be 

reported by the Subrecipient (if the 

Subrecipient meets the criteria under 2 

CFR part 170) to the Recipient by the 

end of the month following the month 

in which the subaward was made. 

G. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts 

1. Website: http://www.rd.usda.gov/ 

programs-services/water-waste-disposalrevolving-loan-funds. The RUS website 

maintains up-to-date resources and 

contact information for the RFP. 

2. Phone: (202) 720–9640. 

3. Fax: (202) 690–0649. 

4. Email: derek.jones@wdc.usda.gov. 

5. Main point of contact: Derek Jones, 

Community Programs Specialist, Water 

and Environmental Programs, Rural 

Utilities Service, Rural Development, 

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

H. Other Information 

1. USDA Non-Discrimination Statement 

In accordance with Federal civil 

rights law and U.S. Department of 

Agriculture (USDA) civil rights 

regulations and policies, the USDA, its 

Agencies, offices, and employees, and 

institutions participating in or 

administering USDA programs are 

prohibited from discriminating based on 

race, color, national origin, religion, sex, 

gender identity (including gender 

expression), sexual orientation, 

disability, age, marital status, family/ 

parental status, income derived from a 

public assistance program, political 

beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior 

civil rights activity, in any program or 

activity conducted or funded by USDA 

(not all bases apply to all programs). 

Remedies and complaint filing 

deadlines vary by program or incident. 

Persons with disabilities who require 

alternative means of communication for 

program information (e.g., Braille, large 

print, audiotape, American Sign 

Language, etc.) should contact the 

responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET 

Center at (202) 720–2600 (voice and 

TTY) or contact USDA through the 

Federal Relay Service at (800) 877–8339. 

Additionally, program information may 

be made available in languages other 

than English. 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES
28622 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 119 / Wednesday, June 20, 2018 / Notices 

To file a program discrimination 

complaint, complete the USDA Program 

Discrimination Complaint Form, AD– 

3027, found online at http://

www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_

cust.html and at any USDA office or 

write a letter addressed to USDA and 

provide in the letter all the information 

requested in the form. To request a copy 

of the complaint form, call (866) 632– 

9992. Submit your completed form or 

letter to USDA by: 

(1) Mail: U.S. Department of 

Agriculture, Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 

Independence Avenue SW, Washington, 

DC 20250–9410; 

(2) fax: (202) 690–7442; or 

(3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. 

USDA is an equal opportunity 

provider, employer, and lender. 

Dated: June 1, 2018. 

Kenneth L. Johnson, 

Administrator, Rural Utilities Service. 

[FR Doc. 2018–13235 Filed 6–19–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–15–P 

COMMISSION ON CIVIL RIGHTS 

Notice of Public Meeting of the Nevada 

Advisory Committee 

AGENCY: U.S. Commission on Civil 

Rights. 

ACTION: Announcement of meeting. 

SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given, 

pursuant to the provisions of the rules 

and regulations of the U.S. Commission 

on Civil Rights (Commission) and the 

Federal Advisory Committee Act 

(FACA) that a meeting of the Nevada 

Advisory Committee (Committee) to the 

Commission will be held at 1:00 p.m. 

(Pacific Time) Thursday, June 21, 2018, 

for the purpose of discussing 

community policing and crime 

reduction efforts as recommended in the 

President’s report on 21st Century 

policing. 

DATES: The meeting will be held on 

Thursday, June 21, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. 

PT. 

ADDRESSES: Public call information: 

Dial: 877–260–1479 

Conference ID: 5720042 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ana 

Victoria Fortes (DFO) at afortes@

usccr.gov or (213) 894–3437. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This 

meeting is available to the public 

through the following toll-free call-in 

number: 877–260–1479, conference ID 

number: 5720042. Any interested 

member of the public may call this 

number and listen to the meeting. 

Callers can expect to incur charges for 

calls they initiate over wireless lines, 

and the Commission will not refund any 

incurred charges. Callers will incur no 

charge for calls they initiate over landline connections to the toll-free 

telephone number. Persons with hearing 

impairments may also follow the 

proceedings by first calling the Federal 

Relay Service at 1–800–877–8339 and 

providing the Service with the 

conference call number and conference 

ID number. 

Members of the public are entitled to 

make comments during the open period 

at the end of the meeting. Members of 

the public may also submit written 

comments; the comments must be 

received in the Regional Programs Unit 

within 30 days following the meeting. 

Written comments may be mailed to the 

Western Regional Office, U.S. 

Commission on Civil Rights, 300 North 

Los Angeles Street, Suite 2010, Los 

Angeles, CA 90012. They may be faxed 

to the Commission at (213) 894–0508, or 

emailed Ana Victoria Fortes at afortes@

usccr.gov. Persons who desire 

additional information may contact the 

Regional Programs Unit at (213) 894– 

3437. 

Records and documents discussed 

during the meeting will be available for 

public viewing prior to and after the 

meeting at http://facadatabase.gov/ 

committee/meetings.aspx?cid=261. 

Please click on the ‘‘Meeting Details’’ 

and ‘‘Documents’’ links. Records 

generated from this meeting may also be 

inspected and reproduced at the 

Regional Programs Unit, as they become 

available, both before and after the 

meeting. Persons interested in the work 

of this Committee are directed to the 

Commission’s website, http://

www.usccr.gov, or may contact the 

Regional Programs Unit at the above 

email or street address. 

Agenda 

I. Welcome 

II. Approve minutes from May 31, 2018 

meeting 

III. Discuss civil rights issues related to 

community policing and crime reduction 

efforts 

IV. Public Comment 

V. Next Steps 

VI. Adjournment 

Exceptional Circumstance: Pursuant 

to 41 CFR 102–3.150, the notice for this 

meeting is given less than 15 calendar 

days prior to the meeting because of the 

exceptional circumstance of staffing 

limitations that require immediate 

action. 

Dated: June 15, 2018. 

David Mussatt, 

Supervisory Chief, Regional Programs Unit. 

[FR Doc. 2018–13251 Filed 6–19–18; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Bureau of Industry and Security 

Sensors and Instrumentation 

Technical Advisory Committee; Notice 

of Partially Closed Meeting 

The Sensors and Instrumentation 

Technical Advisory Committee (SITAC) 

will meet on July 24, 2018, 9:30 a.m., in 

the Herbert C. Hoover Building, Room 

3884, 14th Street between Constitution 

and Pennsylvania Avenues NW, 

Washington, DC. The Committee 

advises the Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Export Administration on 

technical questions that affect the level 

of export controls applicable to sensors 

and instrumentation equipment and 

technology. 

Agenda 

Public Session 

1. Welcome and Introductions. 

2. Remarks from the Bureau of Industry 

and Security Management. 

3. Industry Presentations. 

4. New Business. 

Closed Session 

5. Discussion of matters determined to 

be exempt from the provisions 

relating to public meetings found in 

5 U.S.C. app. 2 10(a)(1) and 10(a)(3). 

The open session will be accessible 

via teleconference to 20 participants on 

a first come, first serve basis. To join the 

conference, submit inquiries to Ms. 

Yvette Springer at Yvette.Springer@

bis.doc.gov no later than July 17, 2018. 

A limited number of seats will be 

available during the public session of 

the meeting. Reservations are not 

accepted. To the extent that time 

permits, members of the public may 

present oral statements to the 

Committee. The public may submit 

written statements at any time before or 

after the meeting. However, to facilitate 

distribution of public presentation 

materials to the Committee members, 

the Committee suggests that the 

materials be forwarded before the 

meeting to Ms. Springer. 

The Assistant Secretary for 

Administration, with the concurrence of 

the General Counsel, formally 

determined on February 13, 2018 

pursuant to Section 10(d) of the Federal 

Advisory Committee Act, as amended (5 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES