30268 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 121 / Thursday, June 25, 2009 / Notices 

• Consolidated Farm and Rural 

Development Act, Section 310B (7 

U.S.C. 1932) 

• 7 CFR Part 4279, Subparts A and B 

• Part 4287, Subpart B. Business and 

Industry Guaranteed Loan Program. 

5. Rural Business Enterprise Grant 

(RBEG) Program 

USDA Rural Development will 

provide disaster designated RBEG grant 

funds for rural disaster recovery projects 

that finance and facilitate development 

of small and emerging rural businesses 

help fund distance learning networks, 

and help fund employment related adult 

education programs in rural areas 

affected by hurricanes, floods, and other 

natural disasters occurring during 

calendar year 2008 as follow: 

RBEG 2008 disaster funds: $4,850,000 

To assist with business development, 

RBEGs may fund a broad array of 

activities, and may include acquisition, 

development, and/or renovation of real 

estate; purchase of machinery and 

equipment; capitalization of revolving 

loan funds; training; and technical 

assistance. Eligible activities are 

delineated in 7 CFR 1942–G. 

Eligibility Requirements. Applicants 

eligible for RBEG funds are public 

bodies and private non-profit 

corporations serving rural areas. States, 

counties, cities, townships, and 

incorporated towns and villages, 

boroughs, authorities, districts, 

including Faith-based and 

neighborhood organizations and private 

non-profit corporations, and Indian 

tribes on Federal and state reservations 

which will serve rural areas. ‘‘Rural 

area’’ for this program is defined as all 

areas other than cities or towns of more 

than 50,000 people and the contiguous 

and adjacent urbanized area of such 

cities or towns. Applications will not be 

considered for funding if they do not 

provide sufficient information to 

determine eligibility or are missing 

required elements. 

Priority. There is no maximum level 

of grant funding, but smaller projects are 

given higher priority. 

Applicable Statutory or Regulatory 

Authority. 

• Consolidated Farm and Rural 

Development Act, Sec. 310B(c) (7 U.S.C. 

1932(c)(2)) 

• 7 CFR Part 1942, Subpart G, Rural 

Business Enterprise Grant Program 

6. Water and Waste Loans and Grants 

General. USDA Rural Development’s 

Water and Environmental Programs 

(WEP) provide a wide variety of grant, 

loan and loan guarantee assistance to 

rural residents, communities and utility 

systems. Details on eligible applicants 

and projects may be found in the 

relevant regulations listed in the 

‘‘Applicable Statutory and Regulatory 

Authority’’ section below. 

Disaster Act Authorization. The 

Disaster Act authorizes WEP to provide 

grants and loans to eligible applicants in 

rural areas affected by hurricanes, floods 

and other natural disasters occurring 

during 2008 for which the President has 

declared a major disaster under Title IV 

of the Robert. T. Stafford Disaster Relief 

and Emergency Assistance Act of 1974. 

Funding is available as follows: 

Water and Waste Funds 

2008 Disasters loan funds: 

$49,589,603 

2008 Disasters grant funds: 

$15,000,000 

Emergency Community Water 

Assistance Grants: $2,000,000 

Waiver(s) Pursuant to Section 

10101(c) of the Disaster Act. None. 

Applicable Statutory or Regulatory 

Authority. 

• Consolidated Farm and Rural 

Development Act, Section 306 (7 U.S.C. 

1926(a)(1), (2), and (24)) and Section 

306A (7 U.S.C. 1926a). 

• 7 CFR Part 1778, Emergency and 

Imminent Community Water Assistance 

Grants. 

• 7 CFR 1779, Water and Waste 

Disposal Programs Guaranteed Loans. 

(An Interim Rule, 7 CFR 5001, has been 

published in the Federal Register, but is 

not effective as of the date of this 

Notice). 

• 7 CFR 1780, Water and Waste Loans 

and Grants. 

Further Information. Information for 

the Water and Environmental Programs’ 

Direct Loan and Grant programs may be 

obtained by contacting your USDA 

Rural Development State Office as listed 

in the ADDRESSES section of this Notice. 

Civil Rights 

Programs referenced in this Notice are 

subject to applicable Civil Rights Laws. 

These laws include the Equal Credit 

Opportunity Act, Title VI of the Civil 

Rights Act of 1964, Title VIII of the Civil 

Rights Act of 1968, as amended in 1988, 

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 

1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 

1975. 

Non-Discrimination Statement 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(USDA) prohibits discrimination in all 

its programs and activities on the basis 

of race, color, national origin, age, 

disability, and where applicable, sex, 

marital status, familial status, parental 

status, religion, sexual orientation, 

genetic information, political beliefs, 

reprisal, or because all or part of an 

individual’s income is derived from any 

public assistance program. (Not all 

prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 

Persons with disabilities who require 

alternative means for communication of 

program information (Braille, large 

print, audiotape, etc.) should contact 

USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720– 

2600 (voice and TDD). To file a 

complaint of discrimination, write to 

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). ‘‘USDA is an equal 

opportunity provider, employer, and 

lender.’’ 

Dated: May 29, 2009. 

Dallas Tonsager, 

Under Secretary. 

[FR Doc. E9–14953 Filed 6–24–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–XY–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Rural Business-Cooperative Service 

Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) 

for the Small, Socially-Disadvantaged 

Producer Grant Program in Fiscal Year 

2009 

AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative 

Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability. 

SUMMARY: The Rural BusinessCooperative Service announces the 

availability of approximately $1.463 

million in competitive grant funds for 

fiscal year (FY) 2009 for cooperatives or 

associations of cooperatives to assist 

small, socially-disadvantaged 

agricultural producers. USDA Rural 

Development Cooperative Programs 

hereby requests proposals from eligible 

cooperatives and associations of 

cooperatives for a competitively 

awarded grant to fund technical 

assistance to small, sociallydisadvantaged agricultural producers in 

rural areas. The maximum award per 

grant is $175,000. 

DATES: Applications for grants must be 

submitted on paper or electronically 

according to the following deadlines: 

Paper copies must be postmarked and 

mailed, shipped, or sent overnight no 

later than August 10, 2009, to be eligible 

for FY 2009 grant funding. Late 

applications are not eligible for FY 2009 

grant funding. 

Electronic copies must be received by 

August 10, 2009, to be eligible for FY 

2009 grant funding. Late applications 

will not be eligible for FY 2009 grant 

funding. 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 121 / Thursday, June 25, 2009 / Notices 30269 

ADDRESSES: Application materials for 

the Small, Socially-Disadvantaged 

Producers Grant Program (SSDPG) may 

be obtained at http:// 

www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/ssdg/ 

ssdpg.htm or by contacting the 

applicant’s USDA Rural Development 

State Office. Contact information for 

State Offices can be found at http:// 

www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/rcdg/ 

Contacts.htm. 

Paper applications must be submitted 

to the USDA Rural Development State 

Office where the applicant is located. 

Electronic applications must be 

submitted through the Grants.gov Web 

site at http://www.grants.gov, following 

the instructions found on this Web site. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Visit 

the program Web site at http:// 

www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/ssdpg/ 

ssdpg.htm for application assistance or 

contact a USDA Rural Development 

State Office. Applicants are strongly 

encouraged to contact their State Offices 

well in advance of the deadline to 

discuss their projects and ask any 

questions about the application process. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Overview 

Federal Agency: USDA Rural Business 

Cooperative Service. 

Funding Opportunity Title: Small, 

Socially-Disadvantaged Producer Grant. 

Announcement Type: Initial 

announcement. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance Number: 10.771. 

Dates: Application Deadline: 

Completed applications for grants may 

be submitted on paper or electronically 

according to the following deadlines: 

Paper copies must be postmarked and 

mailed, shipped, or sent overnight no 

later than August 10, 2009, to be eligible 

for FY 2009 grant funding. Late 

applications are not eligible for FY 2009 

grant funding. 

Complete electronic copies must be 

received by August 10, 2009, to be 

eligible for FY 2009 grant funding. Late 

applications are not eligible for FY 2009 

grant funding. 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

This notice is issued pursuant to the 

Omnibus Appropriations Act Public 

Law No. 111–8 (March 11, 2009) that 

authorizes, not to exceed, $1.463 

million for cooperatives or associations 

of cooperatives whose primary focus is 

to provide assistance to small, sociallydisadvantaged producers and whose 

governing board and/or membership is 

comprised of at least 75 percent small, 

socially disadvantaged producers. The 

Secretary of Agriculture has delegated 

the program’s administration to USDA 

Rural Development Cooperative 

Programs. 

Formerly known as the Small, 

Minority Producer Grant Program, the 

primary objective of the SSDPG program 

is to provide technical assistance to 

small, socially-disadvantaged 

agricultural producers through eligible 

cooperatives and associations of 

cooperatives. Grants are awarded on a 

competitive basis. The maximum award 

amount per grant is $175,000. 

Definitions 

Agency—Rural Business-Cooperative 

Service, an agency of the United States 

Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

Rural Development or a successor 

agency. 

Agricultural Commodity—An 

unprocessed product of farms, ranches, 

nurseries, and forests. Agricultural 

commodities include: livestock, poultry, 

and fish; fruits and vegetables; grains, 

such as wheat, barley, oats, rye, triticale, 

rice, corn, and sorghum; legumes, such 

as field beans and peas; animal feed and 

forage crops; seed crops; fiber crops, 

such as cotton; oil crops, such as 

safflower, sunflower, corn, and 

cottonseed; trees grown for lumber and 

wood products; nursery stock grown 

commercially; Christmas trees; 

ornamentals and cut flowers; and turf 

grown commercially for sod. 

Agricultural commodities do not 

include horses or animals raised as pets, 

such as cats, dogs, and ferrets. 

Association of Cooperatives—An 

association of cooperatives whose 

primary focus is to provide assistance to 

small, socially-disadvantaged 

agricultural producers and where the 

governing board and/or membership is 

comprised of at least 75 percent 

socially-disadvantaged agricultural 

producers. 

Conflict of Interest—A situation in 

which the ability of a person or entity 

to act impartially would be questionable 

due to competing professional or 

personal interests. An example of 

conflict of interest occurs when the 

grantee’s employees, board of directors, 

including their immediate family, have 

a legal or personal financial interest in 

the recipients receiving the benefits or 

services of the grant. 

Cooperative—A farmer- or rancherowned and -controlled business, 

organized and chartered as a 

cooperative, from which benefits are 

derived and distributed equitably on the 

basis of use by each of the farmer or 

rancher owners whose primary focus is 

to provide assistance to small, sociallydisadvantaged agricultural producers 

and where the governing board and/or 

membership is comprised of at least 75 

percent socially-disadvantaged 

producers. 

Cooperative Programs—The office 

within USDA Rural Development, and 

its successor organization, that 

administers programs authorized by the 

Cooperative Marketing Act of 1926 (7 

U.S.C. 451 et seq.) and such other 

programs identified in USDA 

regulations. 

Economic Development—The 

economic growth of an area as 

evidenced by increase in total income, 

employment opportunities, decreased 

out-migration of population, value of 

production, increased diversification of 

industry, higher labor force 

participation rates, increased duration 

of employment, higher wage levels, or 

gains in other measurements of 

economic activity, such as land values. 

Feasibility Study—An analysis of the 

economic, market, technical, financial, 

and management feasibility of a 

proposed Project. 

Operating Cost—The day-to-day 

expenses of running a business; for 

example: Utilities, rent, salaries, 

depreciation, product production costs, 

marketing and advertising, and other 

basic overhead items. 

Project—Includes all activities to be 

funded by the Small SociallyDisadvantaged Agricultural Producer 

Grant and any matching funds. 

Rural and Rural Area—Any area of a 

State— 

(1) Not in a city or town that has a 

population of more than 50,000 

inhabitants, according to the latest 

decennial census of the United States; 

and 

(2) The contiguous and adjacent 

urbanized area, 

(3) Urbanized areas that are rural in 

character as defined by U.S.C. 

1991(a)(13), as amended by section 6018 

of the Food, Conservation, and Energy 

Act of 2008, Public Law 110–246 (June 

18, 2008). 

(4) For the purposes of this definition, 

cities and towns are incorporated 

population centers with definite 

boundaries, local self-government, and 

legal powers set forth in a charter 

granted by the State. Notwithstanding 

any other provision of this paragraph, 

within the areas of the County of 

Honolulu, Hawaii, and the 

Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the 

Secretary may designate any part of the 

areas as a rural area if the Secretary 

determines that the part is not urban in 

character, other than any area included 

in the Honolulu census designated place 

(CDP) or the San Juan CDP. 

Rural Development—A mission area 

within USDA consisting of the Office of 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
30270 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 121 / Thursday, June 25, 2009 / Notices 

Under Secretary for Rural Development, 

Rural Development Business and 

Cooperative Programs, Rural 

Development Housing Programs, and 

Rural Development Utilities Programs 

and their successors. 

Small, Socially-Disadvantaged 

Agricultural Producer—Sociallydisadvantaged persons or 100 percent 

socially-disadvantaged producer-owned 

entities, including farmers, ranchers, 

loggers, agricultural harvesters, and 

fishermen, that have averaged $250,000 

or less in annual gross sales of 

agricultural products in the last 3 years. 

Socially-Disadvantaged Producer— 

Individual agricultural producers who 

have been subjected to racial, ethnic or 

gender prejudice because of their 

identity as members of a group, without 

regard for their individual qualities. 

State—Includes each of the several 

states, the Commonwealth of Puerto 

Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United 

States, Guam, American Samoa, the 

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana 

Islands, and, as may be determined by 

the Secretary to be feasible, appropriate 

and lawful, the Federated States of 

Micronesia, the Republic of the 

Marshall Islands and the Republic of 

Palau. 

Technical Assistance—An advisory 

service performed for the benefit of a 

small, socially-disadvantaged 

agricultural producer such as market 

research; product and/or service 

improvement; legal advice and 

assistance; feasibility study, business 

plan, and marketing plan development; 

and training. Technical assistance does 

not include the operating costs of a 

cooperative being assisted. 

II. Award Information 

Type of Award: Grant. 

Fiscal Year Funds: FY 2009. 

Approximate Total Funding: $1.463 

million. 

Approximate Number of Awards: 8. 

Approximate Average Award: 

$175,000. 

Floor of Award Range: None. 

Ceiling of Award Range: $175,000. 

Anticipated Award Date: September 

1, 2009. 

Budget Period Length: 12 months. 

Project Period Length: 12 months. 

III. Eligibility Information 

A. Eligible Applicants 

Applicants must be a cooperative or 

an association of cooperatives as 

defined in this Notice, and must be able 

to verify their legal structure as a 

cooperative in the state in which they 

are incorporated. Individuals are not 

eligible for this program. 

B. Cost Sharing or Matching 

No matching funds are required. 

C. Other Eligibility Requirements 

Use of Funds: Funds may only be 

used for technical assistance projects as 

defined in this notice. 

Project Area Eligibility: The Project 

proposed must take place in a rural area 

as defined in this Notice. 

Grant Period Eligibility: If awarded, 

grant funds must be expended in 1 year. 

Applications must have a time frame of 

no more than 365 days with the time 

period beginning no earlier than 

October 1, 2009, and ending no later 

than December 31, 2010. Projects must 

be completed within the 1-year time 

frame. The Agency will not approve 

requests to extend the grant period. 

Applications that request funds for a 

time period ending after December 31, 

2010, will not be considered for 

funding. 

Completeness Eligibility: Applications 

lacking sufficient information to 

determine eligibility and scoring will be 

considered ineligible. Applications that 

are non-responsive to this notice will be 

considered ineligible. 

Multiple Grant Eligibility: An 

applicant may not submit more than one 

grant application in any one funding 

cycle. 

Activity Eligibility: Applications must 

propose technical assistance, as defined 

in this notice, to benefit their members 

or other small socially-disadvantaged 

agricultural producers who are not 

members, in order to be considered for 

funding. Applications having ineligible 

costs equaling more than 10 percent of 

total project costs will be determined 

ineligible and will not be considered for 

funding. Applications having ineligible 

costs of 10 percent or less of total 

project costs and which are selected for 

funding, must remove all ineligible 

costs from the budget and replace them 

with eligible activities or the amount of 

the grant award will be reduced 

accordingly. Applicants may not submit 

applications that duplicate current 

activities or activities paid for by other 

federally funded grant programs. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

A. Address To Request Application 

Package 

The application package for applying 

on paper for this funding opportunity 

can be obtained at http:// 

www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/ssdpg/ 

ssdpg.htm. Alternatively, applicants 

may contact their USDA Rural 

Development State Office. Contact 

information for State Offices can be 

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

rbs/coops/rcdg/Contacts.htm. 

For electronic applications, applicants 

must visit http://www.grants.gov and 

follow the instructions. 

B. Content and Form of Submission 

Applications must be submitted on 

paper or electronically. An application 

guide may be viewed at http:// 

www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/ssdpg/ 

ssdpg.htm. It is recommended that 

applicants use the template provided on 

the Web site. The template can be filled 

out electronically and printed out for 

submission with the required forms for 

paper submission or it can be filled out 

electronically and submitted as an 

attachment through http:// 

www.grants.gov. 

If the application is submitted 

electronically, the applicant must follow 

the instructions given at the Internet 

address: http://www.grants.gov. 

Applicants are advised to visit the site 

well in advance of the application 

deadline if they plan to apply 

electronically to ensure that they have 

obtained the proper authentication and 

have sufficient computer resources to 

complete the application. 

Applicants must complete and submit 

the following elements. The Agency will 

screen all applications for eligibility and 

to determine whether the application is 

complete and sufficiently responsive to 

the requirements set forth in this notice 

to allow for an informed review. 

Information submitted as part of the 

application will be protected to the 

extent permitted by law. 

1. Form SF–424, ‘‘Application for 

Federal Assistance.’’ The form must be 

completed, signed and submitted as part 

of the application package. 

Please note that applicants are 

required to have a Dun and Bradstreet 

Data Universal Numbering System 

(DUNS) number. The DUNS number is 

a nine-digit identification number, 

which uniquely identifies business 

entities. There is no charge. To obtain a 

DUNS number, access http:// 

www.dnb.com/us/ or call 866–705– 

5711. For more information, see the 

SSDPG Web site at http:// 

www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/ssdpg/ 

ssdpg.htm or by contacting the 

applicant’s USDA Rural Development 

State Office. In addition to the DUNS 

number, an applicant must provide their 

Employment Identification Number. 

2. Form SF–424A, ‘‘Budget 

Information—Non-Construction 

Programs.’’ This form must be 

completed and submitted as part of the 

application package. 

3. Form SF–424B, ‘‘Assurances—NonConstruction Programs.’’ This form 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 121 / Thursday, June 25, 2009 / Notices 30271 

must be completed, signed, and 

submitted as part of the application 

package. 

4. Table of Contents. For ease of 

locating information, each application 

must contain a detailed Table of 

Contents (TOC) immediately following 

the SF–424B. The TOC must include 

page numbers for each component of the 

application. Pagination should begin 

immediately following the TOC. 

5. Executive Summary. A summary of 

the proposal, not to exceed one page, 

must briefly describe the project, tasks 

to be completed and other relevant 

information that provides a general 

overview of the project. 

6. Eligibility Discussion: A detailed 

discussion, not to exceed four pages, 

must describe how the applicant meets 

the following requirements. 

(i) Applicant Eligibility: Applicants 

must be cooperatives or associations of 

cooperatives comprised of small, 

socially-disadvantaged agricultural 

producers and must describe how they 

meet the definition as defined in the 

Definitions section of this Notice. 

Applicant must also verify their 

incorporation as a cooperative or an 

association of cooperatives in the state 

they have applied by providing the 

state’s Certificate of Good Standing, and 

their Articles of Incorporation and ByLaws. The applicant must apply as only 

one type of applicant. 

(ii) Use of Funds: The applicant must 

provide a detailed discussion on how 

the proposed project activities meet the 

definition of technical assistance. 

(iii) Project Area: The applicant must 

provide specific information on where 

the projects are planned to be located 

and that the areas meet the definition of 

‘‘rural area.’’ 

(iv) Grant Period: The applicant must 

provide a time frame for the proposed 

project and discuss how the project will 

be completed within that time frame. 

7. Budget/Work Plan: The applicant 

must describe, in detail not to exceed 

four pages, the purpose of the grant, 

what type of assistance will be 

provided, and the total amount of funds 

needed to assist for each project. The 

budget must also present a breakdown 

of estimated costs associated with each 

task/activity for each project. The 

amount of grant funds requested will be 

adjusted if the applicant does not have 

justification for all costs. 

8. Evaluation Criteria: Each of the 

evaluation criteria referenced in this 

notice must be addressed, specifically 

and individually on separate pages, in 

narrative form, not to exceed a total of 

two pages for each evaluation criteria. 

Failure to address each evaluation 

criteria will result in the application 

being determined ineligible. 

C. Submission Dates and Times 

Application Deadline Date: August 

10, 2009. 

Explanation of Deadlines: Paper 

applications must be Postmarked and 

mailed, shipped, or sent overnight by 

the deadline date (see section IV.F. for 

the address). Electronic applications 

must be Received by http:// 

www.grants.gov by the deadline date. 

Courier applications must be delivered 

by the deadline date. If the Applicant’s 

application does not meet the deadline, 

it will not be considered for funding. 

Applicants will be notified if their 

application did not meet the submission 

deadline. 

D. National Environmental Policy Act 

All grants made under this NOFA are 

subject to the requirements of 7 CFR 

1940 subpart G. Applications for 

technical assistance are generally 

excluded from the environmental 

review process by 1940.333, provided 

the assistance is not related to the 

development of a specific site. 

E. Intergovernmental Review of 

Applications 

Executive Order (EO) 12372, 

Intergovernmental Review of Federal 

Programs, applies to this program. This 

EO requires that Federal agencies 

provide opportunities for consultation 

on proposed assistance with State and 

local governments. Many states have 

established a Single Point of Contact 

(SPOC) to facilitate this consultation. A 

list of states that maintain an SPOC may 

be obtained at http://

www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/

spoc.html. If your state has an SPOC, 

you may submit your application 

directly for review. Any comments 

obtained through the SPOC must be 

provided to Rural Development for 

consideration as part of your 

application. If your state has not 

established a SPOC or you do not want 

to submit your application to the SPOC, 

Rural Development will submit your 

application to the SPOC or other 

appropriate agency or agencies. 

You are also encouraged to contact 

Cooperative Programs at 202–720–8460 

or cpgrants@wdc.usda.gov if you have 

questions about this process. 

F. Funding Restrictions 

Grant funds must be used for 

technical assistance. No funds made 

available under this solicitation shall be 

used to: 

1. Plan, repair, rehabilitate, acquire, or 

construct a building or facility, 

including a processing facility; 

2. Purchase, rent, or install fixed 

equipment, including processing 

equipment; 

3. Purchase vehicles, including boats; 

4. Pay for the preparation of the grant 

application; 

5. Pay expenses not directly related to 

the funded project; 

6. Fund political or lobbying 

activities; 

7. Fund any activities prohibited by 7 

CFR parts 3015 and 3019; 

8. Fund architectural or engineering 

design work for a specific physical 

facility; 

9. Fund any direct expenses for the 

production of any commodity or 

product to which value will be added, 

including seed, rootstock, labor for 

harvesting the crop, and delivery of the 

commodity to a processing facility; 

10. Fund research and development; 

11. Purchase land; 

12. Duplicate current services or 

replace or substitute support previously 

provided; 

13. Pay costs of the project incurred 

prior to the date of grant approval; 

14. Pay for assistance to any private 

business enterprise, which does not 

have at least 51 percent ownership by 

those who are either citizens of the 

United States or reside in the United 

States after being legally admitted for 

permanent residence; 

15. Pay any judgment or debt owed to 

the United States; 

16. Pay the operating costs of 

cooperative and/or association of 

cooperatives; 

17. Pay expenses for applicant 

employee training; or 

18. Pay for any goods or services from 

a person who has a conflict of interest. 

G. Other Submission Requirements 

Applicants may submit their paper 

application for a grant to their Rural 

Development State Office listed under 

the ADDRESSES section. Applicants may 

submit their application electronically 

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

may not be submitted by electronic 

mail, facsimile, or hand-delivery. Each 

application submission must contain all 

required documents in one envelope, if 

sent by mail or express delivery service. 

V. Application Scoring Criteria Review 

Information 

A. Criteria 

All eligible and complete applications 

will be evaluated based upon the 

following criteria. Failure to address any 

one of the following criteria by the 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
30272 Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 121 / Thursday, June 25, 2009 / Notices 

application deadline will result in the 

application being determined ineligible 

and the application will not be 

considered for funding. The total points 

possible for the criteria are 50. Any 

application receiving less than 30 total 

points will not be funded. 

1. Technical Assistance. (0–15 points) 

The application will be evaluated to 

determine the applicant’s ability to 

assess the needs of small sociallydisadvantaged producers, plan and 

conduct appropriate and effective 

assistance, and identify the expected 

outcomes of that assistance. 

(i) 0 points will be awarded if the 

applicant does not substantively address 

this criterion. 

(ii) 1–4 points will be awarded if the 

applicant demonstrates weakness in 

addressing this criterion. 

(iii) 5–10 points will be awarded if the 

applicant demonstrates they meet part 

but not all of the criterion. 

(iv) 15 points will be awarded if the 

applicant identifies specific needs of the 

socially-disadvantaged producers to be 

assisted; clearly articulates a logical and 

detailed plan of assistance for 

addressing those needs; and discusses 

realistic outcomes of planned 

assistance. 

2. Experience. (0–15 points) Points 

will be awarded based upon length of 

experience of identified staff or 

consultants in providing technical 

assistance, as defined in this notice. 

Applicants must describe the specific 

type of technical assistance experience 

for each identified staff member or 

consultant, as well as years of 

experience in providing that assistance. 

In addition, re ́sume ́s for each individual 

staff member or consultant must be 

included as an attachment, listing their 

experience for the type of technical 

assistance proposed. The attachments 

will not count toward the maximum 

page total. The Agency will compare the 

described experience to the work plan 

to determine relevance of experience. 

(i) 0 points will be awarded if the staff 

or consultants demonstrate no relevant 

experience in providing technical 

assistance; 

(ii) 5 points will be awarded if at least 

one of the identified staff or consultants 

demonstrates more than two years of 

experience in providing relevant 

technical assistance; 

(iii) 10 points will be awarded if at 

least one of the identified staff or 

consultants demonstrates 5 or more 

years of experience in providing 

relevant technical assistance; or 

(iv) 15 points will be awarded if all of 

the identified staff or consultants 

demonstrate 5 or more years of 

experience in providing relevant 

technical assistance. 

3. Commitment. (0–15 points) The 

Agency will evaluate the applicant’s 

commitment to providing technical 

assistance to socially-disadvantaged 

producers in rural areas. Points will be 

awarded based upon the number of 

agricultural, socially-disadvantaged 

producers being assisted. Applicants 

must list the number and location of 

small, socially-disadvantaged 

agricultural producers that will directly 

benefit from the assistance provided. 

(i) 0 points will be awarded if the 

applicant does not substantively address 

this criterion. 

(ii) 5 points will be awarded if the 

proposed project will benefit 1–10 

producers; 

(iii) 10 points will be awarded if the 

proposed project will benefit 11–50 

producers; or 

(iv) 15 points will be awarded if the 

proposed project will benefit more than 

50 producers. 

4. Local support. (0–5 points) 

Applications will be reviewed for local 

support for the technical assistance 

activities of the cooperative. Applicants 

that demonstrate strong support from 

potential beneficiaries and other 

developmental organizations will 

receive more points than those not 

evidencing such support. 

(i) 0 points will be awarded if the 

applicant does not substantively address 

this criterion. 

(ii) 1 point will be awarded if the 

applicant provides or references 2–3 

support letters that demonstrate 

substantive support from potential 

beneficiaries and/or support from local 

organizations. 

(iii) 2 points will be awarded if the 

applicant provides or references 4–5 

support letters that demonstrate 

substantive support from potential 

beneficiaries and/or support from local 

organizations. 

(iv) 3 points will be awarded if the 

applicant provides or references 6–7 

support letters that demonstrate 

substantive support from potential 

beneficiaries and/or support from local 

organizations. 

(v) 4 points will be awarded if the 

applicant provides or references 8–9 

support letters that demonstrate 

substantive support from potential 

beneficiaries and/or support from local 

organizations. 

(vi) 5 points will be awarded if the 

applicant provides or references 10 

support letters that demonstrate 

substantive support from potential 

beneficiaries and/or support from local 

organizations. 

The applicant may submit a 

maximum of 10 letters of support. These 

letters should be included as an 

attachment to the application and will 

not count against the maximum page 

total. Additional letters from industry 

groups, commodity groups, local and 

State government, and similar 

organizations should be referenced, but 

not included in the application package. 

When referencing these letters, provide 

the name of the organization, date of the 

letter, the nature of the support, and the 

name and title of the person signing the 

letter. 

B. Review and Selection Process 

The Agency will screen all proposals 

to determine whether the application is 

eligible and sufficiently responsive to 

the requirements set forth in this notice 

to allow for an informed review. 

Applications will be screened for 

eligibility and scored by the State 

Offices, then submitted to the National 

Office for review and ranking. The 

National Office will review the scores 

based upon the point allocation 

specified in this notice. Applications 

will be funded in scoring rank order and 

will be submitted to the Administrator 

in rank order with funding level 

recommendations. The Administrator 

will break scoring ties based on Agency 

priorities. 

C. Anticipated Announcement and 

Award Dates 

Award Date: The announcement of 

award selections is expected to occur on 

or about September 1, 2009. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

A. Award Notices 

Successful applicants will receive a 

notification of tentative selection for 

funding from Rural Development. 

Applicants must comply with all 

applicable statutes, regulations, and this 

notice before the grant award will 

receive final approval. 

Unsuccessful applicants will receive 

notification, including appeal rights, by 

mail. 

B. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements 

7 CFR parts 3015, 3019, and subparts 

A and F of part 7 CFR 4284 are 

applicable to grants made under this 

notice. These regulations may be 

obtained at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/ 

cfr/index.html. 

The following additional 

requirements apply to grantees selected 

for this program: 

• Agency approved Grant Agreement. 

• Letter of Conditions. 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 74, No. 121 / Thursday, June 25, 2009 / Notices 30273 

• Form RD 1940–1, ‘‘Request for 

Obligation of Funds.’’ 

• Form RD 1942–46, ‘‘Letter of Intent 

to Meet Conditions.’’ 

• Form AD–1047, ‘‘Certification 

Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and 

Other Responsibility Matters—Primary 

Covered Transactions.’’ 

• Form AD–1048, ‘‘Certification 

Regarding Debarment, Suspension, 

Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion— 

Lower Tier Covered Transactions.’’ 

• Form AD–1049, ‘‘Certification 

Regarding a Drug-Free Workplace 

Requirements (Grants).’’ 

• Form RD 400–4, ‘‘Assurance 

Agreement.’’ 

Additional information on these 

requirements can be found at http:// 

www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/ssdpg/ 

ssdpg.htm. 

Fund Disbursement: The Agency will 

determine, based on 7 CFR parts 3015, 

3016 and 3019, as applicable, whether 

disbursement of a grant will be by 

advance or reimbursement. As needed, 

but not more frequently than once every 

30 days, an original of SF–270, ‘‘Request 

for Advance or Reimbursement,’’ may 

be submitted to Rural Development. 

Recipient’s request for advance shall not 

be made in excess of reasonable outlays 

for the month covered. 

Reporting Requirements: Grantees 

must provide Rural Development with 

an original or an electronic copy that 

includes all required signatures of the 

following reports. The reports should be 

submitted to the Agency contact listed 

on the Grant Agreement and Letter of 

Conditions. Failure to submit 

satisfactory reports on time may result 

in suspension or termination of the 

grant. Grantees will submit: 

1. Form SF–269 or SF–269A. A 

‘‘Financial Status Report,’’ listing 

expenditures according to agreed upon 

budget categories, on a semi-annual 

basis. Reporting periods end each March 

31 and September 30. Reports are due 

30 days after the reporting period ends. 

2. Semi-annual performance reports 

comparing accomplishments to the 

objectives stated in the proposal, 

identifying all tasks completed to date 

and providing documentation 

supporting the reported results. If the 

original schedule provided in the work 

plan is not being met, the report should 

discuss the problems or delays that may 

affect completion of the Project. 

Objectives for the next reporting period 

should be listed. Compliance with any 

special condition on the use of award 

funds must be discussed. Reports are 

due as provided in paragraph (1) of this 

section. Supporting documentation 

must also be submitted for completed 

tasks. The supporting documentation for 

completed tasks includes, but is not 

limited to, feasibility studies, marketing 

plans, business plans, articles of 

incorporation, and bylaws as they relate 

to the assistance provided. 

3. Final project performance reports 

comparing accomplishments to the 

objectives stated in the proposal, 

identifying all tasks completed, and 

providing documentation supporting 

the reported results. If the original 

schedule provided in the work plan was 

not met, the report must discuss the 

problems or delays that affected 

completion of the project. Compliance 

with any special condition on the use of 

award funds must be discussed. 

Supporting documentation for 

completed tasks must also be submitted. 

The supporting documentation for 

completed tasks includes, but is not 

limited to, feasibility studies, marketing 

plans, business plans, articles of 

incorporation, and bylaws as they relate 

to the assistance provided. The final 

performance report is due within 90 

days of the completion of the project. 

The report must also include a summary 

at the end of the report with the number 

of small socially disadvantaged 

agricultural producers assisted to assist 

in documenting the annual performance 

goals of the SSDPG program for 

Congress. 

VII. Agency Contacts 

For general questions about this 

announcement and for program 

technical assistance, please contact the 

appropriate State Office as indicated in 

the Addresses section of this notice. 

VIII. Non-Discrimination Statement 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(USDA) prohibits discrimination in all 

its programs and activities on the basis 

of race, color, national origin, age, 

disability, and where applicable, sex, 

marital status, familial status, parental 

status, religion, sexual orientation, 

genetic information, political beliefs, 

reprisal, or because all or part of an 

individual’s income is derived from any 

public assistance program. (Not all 

prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 

Persons with disabilities who require 

alternative means for communication of 

program information (Braille, large 

print, audiotape, etc.) should contact 

USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720– 

2600 (voice and TDD). To file a 

complaint of discrimination, write to 

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). USDA is an equal 

opportunity provider and employer. 

Dated June 19, 2009. 

Judith A. Canales, 

Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative 

Service. 

[FR Doc. E9–14954 Filed 6–24–09; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–XY–P 

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

International Trade Administration 

[A–570–947] 

Certain Steel Grating from the People’s 

Republic of China: Initiation of 

Antidumping Duty Investigation 

AGENCY: Import Administration, 

International Trade Administration, 

Department of Commerce. 

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 25, 2009. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Thomas Martin at (202) 482–3936 or 

Robert Bolling at (202) 482–3434, AD/ 

CVD Operations, Office 4, Import 

Administration, International Trade 

Administration, U.S. Department of 

Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution 

Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20230. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

The Petition 

On May 29, 2009, the Department of 

Commerce (‘‘the Department’’) received 

a petition concerning imports of certain 

steel grating (‘‘CSG’’) from the People’s 

Republic of China (‘‘the PRC’’) filed in 

proper form by Fisher & Ludlow and 

Alabama Metal Industries Corporation 

(‘‘AMICO’’) (collectively ‘‘Petitioners’’). 

See the Petitions for the Imposition of 

Antidumping and Countervailing 

Duties: Certain Steel Grating from the 

PRC submitted on May 29, 2009 (‘‘the 

Petition’’). On June 4, 2009, and on June 

11, 2009, the Department issued 

requests for additional information and 

clarification involving certain areas of 

the Petition. Based on the Department’s 

requests, Petitioners filed additional 

information on June 9, 2009, and June 

15, 2009. Specifically, Petitioners filed 

two submissions on June 9, 2009, one 

regarding general issues of the petition, 

and one containing clarifications 

specific to the antidumping allegation 

(hereinafter ‘‘Supplement to the AD/ 

CVD Petitions’’ and ‘‘Supplement to the 

AD Petition’’ respectively). Petitioners 

also filed two submissions on June 15, 

2009, again one containing more 

clarifications on general issues of the 

petition, and one providing requested 

clarification pertaining to the 

antidumping allegations (hereinafter 

‘‘Second Supplement to the AD/CVD 

Petitions’’ and ‘‘Second Supplement to 

the AD Petition’’ respectively). 


sroberts on PROD1PC70 with NOTICES