Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 23 / Monday, February 4, 2008 / Notices 6467 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Housing Service 

Request for Proposals: The National 

Emergency or Disaster Grants To 

Assist Low-Income Migrant and 

Seasonal Farmworkers 

Announcement Type: Initial Notice of 

Funds Available (NOFA) inviting 

proposals from qualified applicants. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

Number (CFDA): 10.405 

SUMMARY: The Rural Housing Service 

(RHS) announces the availability of 

funds and the timeframe to submit 

applications for grants to provide 

emergency services to areas where the 

Secretary of Agriculture determines that 

a local, state, or national emergency or 

disaster has caused low-income migrant 

or seasonal farmworkers to lose income, 

be unable to work, or to stay at home or 

return home in anticipation of work 

shortages. For purposes of this NOFA, 

emergency services include any service 

that can be provided under the Robert 

T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 

Emergency Assistance Act (Pub. L. 93–

288), as amended (Stafford Act), that 

also meets the requirements of 42 U.S.C. 

5177a. For instance the Stafford Act and 

41 U.S.C. 5177a would permit the 

following services: 

• Activities to support state and local 

emergency assistance; 

• Coordination of disaster relief 

provided by federal and non-federal 

organizations; 

• Technical and advisory assistance 

to state and local governments; 

• Emergency assistance through 

federal agencies; 

• Debris removal through grants to 

state and local governments; 

• Grants to individuals and 

households for temporary housing and 

uninsured personal needs; and 

• Distribution of medicine, food and 

consumables. 

Additionally, for this NOFA, the types 

of services could include, but are not 

limited to, assistance in meeting rent or 

mortgage payments, utility bills, child 

care, transportation, school supplies, 

food, repair or rehabilitation of 

farmworker housing, facilities related to 

farmworker housing such as an 

infirmary for emergency care of a child 

care facility, and the rehabilitation of 

existing farmworker housing units. 

Please go to http:// 

www.rurdev.usda.gov/rd/disasters to 

determine if your area has been 

identified by the Secretary of 

Agriculture as a national emergency or 

disaster area or contact your local Rural 

Development office. 

DATES: The deadline for receipt of all 

applications in response to this NOFA 

is 5 p.m., Eastern Time, on April 4, 

2008. The application closing deadline 

is firm as to date and hour. The Agency 

will not consider any application that is 

received after the closing deadline. 

Applicants intending to mail 

applications must provide sufficient 

time to permit delivery on or before the 

closing deadline. Acceptance by a post 

office or private mailer does not 

constitute delivery. Facsimile (FAX), 

and postage due applications will not be 

accepted. 

ADDRESSES: Applications should be 

submitted to USDA Rural Housing 

Service; Attention: Henry Searcy, Jr., 

Senior Loan Specialist, Multi-Family 

Housing Processing Division STOP 0781 

(Room 1263–S), or Bonnie EdwardsJackson, Senior Loan Specialist, MultiFamily Housing Processing Division, 

STOP 0781 (Room 1239–S), U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Rural 

Housing Service, 1400 Independence 

Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250–0781. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Henry Searcy by telephone at (202) 720–

1753 or Bonnie Edwards-Jackson at 

(202) 690–0759 or via e-mail at 

Henry.Searcy@wdc.usda.gov or 

Bonnie.Edwards@wdc.usda.gov. (Please 

note the phone numbers are not toll-free 

numbers.) 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Paperwork Reduction Act 

The reporting requirements contained 

in this notice have been approved by the 

Office of Management and Budget under 

Control Number 0575–0045. 

Overview 

Public Law 110–28 appropriated 

$16,000,000 to provide emergency 

grants to assist low-income migrant and 

seasonal farmworkers to carryout 

section 2281 of the Food, Agriculture, 

Conservation and Trade Act of 1990 (42 

U.S.C. 5177a). Section 2281 of the above 

act allows the Secretary of Agriculture 

to provide emergency grants to assist 

low-income migrant and seasonal 

farmworkers. 

Program Administration 

I. Funding Opportunities Description 

This NOFA requests applications for 

the purpose of providing emergency 

services to low-income migrant and 

seasonal farmworkers. Eligibility for 

grants for emergency services is limited 

to public agencies or private 

organizations with tax exempt status 

under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 

United States Code that have experience 

in providing emergency services to lowincome migrant and seasonal 

farmworkers. These funds are to be 

administered in areas where the 

Secretary of Agriculture determines that 

a local, state, or national emergency or 

disaster has occurred. 

This NOFA will fund service 

providers to administer all services 

permitted under the Stafford Act and 42 

U.S.C. 5177a. These services could 

include, but are not limited to, 

providing assistance in meeting rent or 

mortgage payments, paying utility bills, 

child care, transportation, school 

supplies or food; repair or rehabilitation 

of farmworker housing or facilities 

related to farmworker housing such as 

an infirmary for emergency care or a 

child care facility. 

The term ‘‘low-income migrant or 

seasonal farmworker’’ means an 

individual (1) who has, during any 

consecutive 12 month period within the 

preceding 24 month period, performed 

farm work for wages, (2) who has 

received not less than one-half of such 

individual’s total income, or been 

employed at least one-half of total work 

time in farm work, (3) whose annual 

family income within the 12 month 

period referred to in paragraph (1) does 

not exceed the higher of the poverty 

level or 70 percent of the lower living 

standard income level, (4) is a person 

lawfully admitted for permanent 

residence. 

The ‘‘lower living standard income 

level’’ referred to in paragraph (3) is 

defined under section 101(24) of the 

Workforce Investment Act (Pub. L. 105–

220). This act is administered by the 

Department of Labor. Tables designating 

the ‘‘lower living standard income 

level’’ are published in the Federal 

Register by Health and Human Services. 

The most recent publication can be 

found in the Federal Register on June 

24, 2007 at 72 FR 15. 

II. Award Information 

The U.S. Troop Readiness, Veterans’

Care, Katrina Recovery and Iraq 

Accountability Appropriations Act 2007 

Public Law 110–28, made available 

$16,000,000 to provide emergency 

services to low-income migrant and 

seasonal farmworkers where the 

Secretary of Agriculture determines that 

a local, state, or national emergency or 

disaster has caused low-income migrant 

or seasonal farmworkers to lose income, 

be unable to work, or to stay at home or 

return home in anticipation of work 

shortages. 

III. Eligibility Information 

The applicant must: 

(1) Be eligible to receive a grant for 

the above assistance the applicant must 


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6468 Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 23 / Monday, February 4, 2008 / Notices 

be a broad-based nonprofit organization 

(which may include faith-based 

organizations), a nonprofit organization 

of farmworkers, a community 

organization, a federally recognized 

Indian tribe, or an agency or political 

subdivision of a State or local 

government, or a public agency (such as 

a housing authority). 

(2) Be unable to provide the necessary 

services from its own resources. 

(3) Possess the legal and actual 

capacity, ability, and experience to 

incur and carry out the undertakings 

and obligations incurred. 

(4) Legally obligate itself not to divert 

income to any other business, 

enterprise, or purpose. 

(5) Have experience in providing 

emergency services to low-income 

migrant and seasonal farmworkers. 

(6) Be either a public agency or 

private organization with tax exempt 

status under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 

United States Code. 

(7) Not be debarred or suspended. 

IV. Equal Opportunity and 

Nondiscrimination Requirements 

(1) In accordance with the Fair 

Housing Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights 

Act of 1964, the Equal Credit 

Opportunity Act, the Age 

Discrimination Act of 1975, Executive 

Order 12898, the Americans with 

Disabilities Act, and section 504 of the 

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, neither the 

Grantor nor the Agency will 

discriminate against any employee, 

proposed intermediary or proposed 

ultimate recipient on the basis of sex, 

marital status, race, color, religion, 

national origin, age, sexual orientation, 

physical or mental disability (provided 

the proposed intermediary or proposed 

ultimate recipient has the capacity to 

contract), because all or part of the 

proposed intermediary’s or proposed 

ultimate recipient’s income is derived 

from public assistance of any kind, or 

because the proposed intermediary or 

proposed ultimate recipient has in good 

faith exercised any right under the 

Consumer Credit Protection Act, with 

respect to any aspect of a credit 

transaction anytime Agency loan funds 

are involved. 

(2) The policies and regulations 

contained in 7 CFR part 1901, subpart 

E apply to this program. 

(3) The Rural Housing Service 

Administrator will assure that equal 

opportunity and nondiscrimination 

requirements are met in accordance 

with the Fair Housing Act, Title VI of 

the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal 

Credit Opportunity Act, the Age 

Discrimination Act of 1975, Executive 

Order 12898, the Americans with 

Disabilities Act, and section 504 of the 

Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 

(4) All housing must meet the 

accessibility requirements found at 7 

CFR 3560.60(d). 

V. Application and Submission 

Information 

The application process will be the 

submission of an application. In the 

event that a proposal is selected for 

further processing and the applicant 

declines, the next highest ranked 

unfunded application may be selected. 

At the time of final grant approval, the 

Agency and grant recipients shall enter 

into an Agency approved grant 

agreement. 

Application Requirements 

The application must contain the 

following: 

Experience of applicant providing 

emergency services. Greater than 10 

years experience providing emergency 

services (15 points). Between 6 years 

and 10 years experience providing 

emergency services (10 points). Less 

than 5 years (1) A summary page listing 

the following items. This information 

should be double-spaced between items 

and not be in narrative form. 

(a) Applicant’s name. 

(b) Applicant’s Taxpayer 

Identification Number. 

(c) Applicant’s address. 

(d) Applicant’s telephone number. 

(e) Name of applicant’s contact 

person, telephone number, and address. 

(f) Amount of grant requested. 

(g) The applicant’s Dun and 

Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering 

System (DUNS) number. As required by 

the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB), all non-individual grant 

applicants must provide a DUNS 

number when applying for Federal 

grants, on or after October 1, 2003. 

Organizations can receive a DUNS 

number at no cost by calling the 

dedicated toll-free DUNS Number 

request line at 1–866–705–5711. 

Additional information concerning this 

requirement is provided in a policy 

directive issued by OMB and published 

in the Federal Register on June 27, 2003 

(68 FR 38402–38405). 

(2) A narrative describing the 

applicant’s ability to meet the eligibility 

requirements stated in this NOFA. 

(3) A detailed Statement of Work. 

(4) A current, dated, financial 

statement signed by a certified public 

accountant showing the applicant’s 

assets and liabilities with information 

on the repayment schedule and status of 

all debts. 

(5) An organizational plan that 

includes a staffing chart complete with 

employee names, job titles, salaries, 

hours, timelines, and duties to achieve 

the objective of the grant program. 

(6) A detailed budget plan projecting 

the applicant’s monthly and annual 

income and expenses the grantee will 

incur. Costs will be limited to those that 

are allowed under 7 CFR part 3015, and 

7 CFR part 3016 or 3019 as applicable. 

(7) A narrative describing the 

applicant’s knowledge, demonstrated 

ability and practical experience in 

delivering direct emergency assistance 

to low-income migrant and seasonal 

farmworkers. In addition, to ensure the 

funds are equitably distributed, and that 

there is no duplication of efforts, 

applicants must clearly identify the 

geographic area that they intend to serve 

and provide documentation that they 

have the experience and ability to 

service those areas. 

VI. Application Review Information 

All applications will be evaluated by 

a grant committee. The grant committee 

will make recommendations to the 

Agency Administrator concerning 

eligibility determinations and the 

selection of applications based on the 

selection criteria contained in this 

NOFA and the availability of funds. The 

Administrator will inform applicants of 

the status of their application within 30 

days of the closing date of the NOFA. 

Applications for grants to provide 

emergency services to low-income 

migrant and seasonal farmworkers will 

be evaluated by the types of assistance 

to be provided. Because the types of 

assistance may differ depending on the 

geographic area the committee will 

recommend to the Administrator three 

Technical Assistance (TA) providers. 

Each TA provider would be responsible 

for a region (western, central and 

eastern region). 

Selection Criteria 

Applications to provide emergency 

services to low-income migrant and 

seasonal farmworkers will be scored on 

the following basis: 

(1) The number of low-income 

migrant and seasonal farmworkers to be 

assisted by the proposal. Greater than 

100 farmworkers—not counting nonfarmworker family members (25 points). 

Between 50 and 100 farmworkers—not 

counting non-farmworker family 

members (15 points). Less than 50 

farmworkers but more than 25—not 

counting non-farmworker family 

members (5 points). 

(2) Economic and social benefits to 

low-income migrant and seasonal 

farmworkers and their families from the 

services to be provided. Providing rental 

and mortgage assistance (10 points). 


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Federal Register / Vol. 73, No. 23 / Monday, February 4, 2008 / Notices 6469 

Providing other authorized services (10 

points). 

VII. Appeal Process 

All adverse determinations regarding 

applicant eligibility and the awarding of 

points as part of the selection process 

are appealable. Instructions on the 

appeal process will be provided at the 

time an applicant is notified of the 

adverse action. 

USDA is an equal opportunity 

provider, employer and lender. To file 

a complaint of discrimination write 

USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW., 

Washington, DC 20250–9410 or call 

(800) 795–3272 (voice) or (202) 720–

6382 (TDD). 

Dated: January 24, 2008. 

Russell T. Davis, 

Administrator, Rural Housing Service. 

[FR Doc. E8–1951 Filed 2–1–08; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–XV–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Housing Service 

Notice for Request for Proposals for 

Guaranteed Loans Under the Section 

538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing 

Program (GRRHP) for Fiscal Year 2008 

AGENCY: Rural Housing Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice. 

SUMMARY: This is a request for proposals 

for guaranteed loans under the section 

538 Guaranteed Rural Rental Housing 

Program (GRRHP) pursuant to 7 CFR 

3565.4 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 subject 

to the availability of funding. FY 2008 

funding for the section 538 program is 

$129,090,000. Applicants will submit 

proposals in the form of ‘‘RESPONSES.’’

The commitment of program dollars 

will be made to applicants of selected 

responses that have fulfilled the 

necessary requirements for obligation. 

Expenses incurred in developing 

applications will be at the applicant’s 

risk. The following paragraphs outline 

the timeframes, eligibility requirements, 

lender responsibilities, and the overall 

response and application processes. 

The GRRHP operates under 7 CFR 

part 3565. The GRRHP Origination and 

Servicing Handbook (HB–1–3565) is 

available to provide lenders and the 

general public with guidance on 

program administration. HB–1–3565, 

which contains a copy of 7 CFR part 

3565 in Appendix 1, can be found at the 

Agency’s Instructions Web site address 

http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/ 

hblist.html#hbw6. 

Eligible lenders are invited to submit 

responses for the new construction of 

affordable rural rental housing, the 

acquisition with rehabilitation of 

affordable rural rental housing, the 

revitalization, repair, and transfer (as 

stipulated in 7 CFR 3560.406) of 

existing direct section 515 housing 

(transfer costs are subject to Agency 

approval and must be an eligible use of 

loan proceeds as listed in 7 CFR 

3565.205), and properties involved in 

the Agency’s multi-family preservation 

and revitalization program (MPR). 

Equity payments, as stipulated in 7 CFR 

3560.406, in connection with the 

transfer of existing direct section 515 

housing, are an eligible use of loan 

proceeds. In order to be considered, 

direct section 515 housing and MPR 

projects must need repairs and undergo 

revitalization of a minimum of $6,500 

per unit. 

The Agency will review responses 

submitted by eligible lenders, on the 

lender’s letterhead, and signed by both 

the prospective borrower and lender. 

Although a complete application is not 

required in response to this Notice of 

request for proposals, eligible lenders 

may submit a complete application 

concurrently with the response. 

However, submitting a complete 

application will not have an effect on 

the respondent’s score. 

DATES: As long as funds remain 

available, eligible responses to this 

notice will be accepted and eligible 

requests will be obligated per this 

guidance until September 26, 2008, 12 

P.M. Eastern Time. Complete 

applications that are received by the 

Agency prior to April 25, 2008 will be 

given priority ranking and scoring. A 

notice will be placed in the Federal 

Register if all FY 2008 funds are 

committed prior to September 26, 2008. 

Selected responses that develop into 

complete applications and meet all 

Federal environmental requirements 

will receive commitments to the extent 

an appropriation act provides funding 

for GRRHP for FY 2008 until all funds 

are expended. 

The Agency will select the responses 

that meet eligibility criteria and invite 

lenders to submit complete applications 

to the Agency. Those responses that are 

selected that subsequently submit 

complete applications that meet all 

program requirements and are received 

prior to or on April 25, 2008, but score 

less than 25 points, or score 25 points 

or more, but have a development cost 

ratio equal to or greater than 70 percent, 

may be selected for obligation after 

April 25, 2008, with the highest scoring 

responses receiving priority subject to 

availability of funds. After April 25, 

2008, responses that develop into 

complete applications that meet all 

program requirements will be selected 

for further processing regardless of 

score, subject to the availability of 

funding. 

The USDA Rural Development will 

prioritize the obligation requests 

received after April 25, 2008, using the 

highest score and the procedures 

outlined as follows. Once a complete 

application is received and approved by 

the State Office, an obligation request 

for 2008 funds will be submitted [via 

fax] by the State Office to the National 

Office. Obligation requests submitted to 

the National Office will be accumulated, 

but not obligated, throughout the week 

until the weekly obligation request 

submission deadline of midnight 

Eastern Time every Thursday. To the 

extent that funds remain available, the 

National Office will obligate the 

requests accumulated through the 

weekly request submission deadline of 

the previous week by the following 

Tuesday (i.e., requests received from 

Friday, May 16, 2008, to Thursday, May 

22, 2008, will be obligated by Tuesday, 

May 27, 2008). However, requests 

received prior to April 25, 2008, that are 

not eligible for obligation until after 

April 25, 2008, will be obligated no 

earlier than Tuesday, April 29, 2008. 

Funds will be allocated in scoring order, 

with the highest scoring requests being 

obligated first, until all funds are 

exhausted. In the event of a tie, priority 

will be given to the request for the 

project that: 1st—has the highest 

percentage of leveraging (lowest Loan to 

Cost); 2nd—is in the smaller rural 

community. Eligible responses to this 

Notice received before the September 

26, 2008, deadline, or before FY 2008 

funds are exhausted (whichever occurs 

first) will be processed to the point of 

a complete application, and if approved, 

will be scored in the 2009 funding cycle 

provided there are no significant 

program changes. 

Eligible lenders mailing a response or 

application must provide sufficient time 

to permit delivery to the Submission 

Address on or before the closing 

deadline date and time. Acceptance by 

a U.S. Post Office or private mailer does 

not constitute delivery. Postage due 

responses and applications will not be 

accepted. 

Submission Address: Eligible lenders 

will send responses to the contact 

person in the State Office where the 

project will be located. The lender will 

also send a copy of its response (copies 

of ‘‘Lender Certification’’ letter and 

‘‘Project Specific Data’’ sheets only; do 

not include any application supporting 


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