Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 15 - Mississippi Department of Health › Part 20 - Bureau of Public Water Supply › Subpart 72 - Public Water Supply › Chapter 5 - REGULATIONS GOVERNING AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT RURAL WATER ASSOCIATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROGRAM › Subchapter 2 - Program Requirements › Rule 15-20-72-5.2.7 - Application Ranking System

Current through June 25, 2024
The department shall use the following system for ranking
						the grant applications received. The ranking system includes the following
						factors:
1. The environmental impact of
					 the proposed project;
2. The
					 proposed project's ability to address noncompliance with state/federal
					 requirements;
3. The extent to
					 which the project promotes economic development;
4. The number of people served by the project
					 (both new and existing users);
5.
					 Impacts of the proposed project on disadvantaged/ overburdened
					 communities;
6. The grant
					 applicant's prior efforts to secure funding to address the proposed project's
					 objectives;
7. The grant
					 applicant's proposed contribution of other funds or in-kind cost-sharing to the
					 proposed project;
8. The grant
					 applicant's long-term plans for the financial and physical operation and
					 maintenance of the project; and
9.
					 The grant applicant's capacity to initiate construction in a timely manner and
					 complete the proposed project by the deadline specified by rules and guidelines
					 of the United States Department of the Treasury (USDT) for ARPA funds.
These factors will be quantified based on the point
						allocations within each of the ranking categories defined below. A maximum of
						100 points can be received by the combined total points within the nine ranking
						categories. As Item B. notes, an additional 10 points may be obtained if
						consolidation/regionalization of systems are involved.
A. The environmental impact of the proposed
					 project will be quantified based on a High (1), Moderate (3), or Low (5)
					 assessment with a maximum of 5 points in this category.
B. The proposed project's ability to address
					 noncompliance with state/federal requirements project will receive up to 30
					 points based on project category. For the first round of funding, an additional
					 ten points will be added to any project combining consolidation/regionalization
					 of public water systems with one of the other categories listed.
For projects submitted in the second round of funding, an
						additional fifteen points will be added to any project combining
						consolidation/regionalization of public water systems with one of the other
						categories listed. In order to receive the additional weight, the systems that
						will consolidate shall be in a proximity of each other as determined by the
						department. In addition to these additional consolidation points, an additional
						10 points shall be added to any application with at least one system that has
						consolidated after January 1, 2018, and before application to this program and
						is otherwise eligible.
RANK
PROJECT
									 CATEGORY
30
Primary Drinking Water
									 Standards
Project facilitates compliance with Primary
									 Drinking Water Standards. Project must correct deficiencies resulting in
									 non-compliance with the primary drinking water standards.
28
One Well
Project to provide additional water supply to
									 systems that have neither a backup well nor an MSDH-approved emergency tie-in
									 to another system to ensure safe drinking water; thereby protecting the health
									 of the existing population.
26
Pressure Deficiencies
Project to correct documented deficiencies that
									 result in existing systems routinely failing to maintain minimum acceptable
									 dynamic pressure.
24
Source Water Protection
									 Projects
Project to manage potential sources of
									 contaminants/pollutants and/or prevent contaminants/pollutants from reaching
									 sources of drinking water.
22
Capacity Expansion to Serve the
									 Unserved
Project to either expand existing system
									 capacity or construct a new drinking water system to serve existing
									 residences/businesses in currently unserved areas safe drinking water (source,
									 treatment and/or distribution).
20
Back-up Water Supply Sources
									 Projects
Project to provide additional supply to systems
									 with insufficient back-up water supply sources to ensure safe drinking water,
									 and thereby protect the health of the existing population.
18
Existing Facilities Upgrades (Meeting
									 Primary Standards)
Project to rehabilitate, replace, protect or
									 upgrade deteriorated, worn, aged or obsolete equipment, facilities, etc., to
									 assure continued, dependable operation of water systems where such systems are
									 already meeting Primary Drinking Water Standards.
16
Secondary Drinking Water Standards
									 Projects
Project to provide treatment that brings
									 systems into compliance with Secondary Drinking Water Regulations.
14
Consolidation Projects
Project to consolidate separate systems into a
									 single system for purposes other than those related to meeting primary
									 standards.
12
Fluoride Addition
This category is for projects that either
									 rehabilitate existing fluoride treatment facilities at well or treatment plant
									 sites or add new facilities to existing well or treatment plants.
10
Other
Project does not meet the criteria of any
									 category listed above.
C. The extent to which the project promotes
					 economic development will be quantified based on assessment of yes (5) or no
					 (0) with a maximum of 5 points within this category.
D. The number of people served by the project
					 will be quantified based on population range.
Population
									 Range
Ranking
0 - 3,300
15
3,300 - 6,600
12
6,600 - 9,900
10
9,900 - 13,200
8
13,200 - 16,500
4
16,500 - 19,800
3
19,800 - 23,100
3
23,100 - 26,400
4
26,400 - 29,700
8
29,700 - 33,000
10
33,000 - 36,300
12
36,300 - Above
15
E. Impacts of the proposed project on
					 disadvantaged communities will be quantified based on Median Household Income
					 (MHI).
MHI Range
Ranking
$0.00
-
$20,144.00
15
$20,144.00
-
$23,073.67
13
$23,073.67
-
$26,003.33
11
$26,003.33
-
$28,933.00
8
$28,933.00
-
$31,862.67
7
$31,862.67
-
$34,792.34
6
$34,792.34
-
$37,722.00
5
$37,722.00
-
$40,651.67
4
$40,651.67
-
$43,581.34
3
$43,581.34
-
$46,511.00
2
$46,511.00
-
Above
1
F. The grant applicant's prior efforts to
					 fund the project will be quantified based on assessment of yes (5) or no (0)
					 with a maximum of 5 points within this category.
G. The grant applicant's proposed
					 contribution will be quantified based on a percentage range of the projects
					 total cost with a maximum of 5 points within this category.
Percentage
									 Range
Ranking
1% - 4%
1
5% - 9%
3
10% - Above
5
H. The grant applicant's long-term plans for
					 the financial and physical operation and maintenance of the project will be
					 quantified based on an assessment. Applicants with no plan will receive a zero
					 (0). Applicants with a long-term plan will receive five (5). Applicants
					 certifying the development of a asset management plan by the end of the project
					 will receive ten (10) with a maximum of 10 points within this
					 category.
I. The grant applicant's
					 capacity to complete the proposed project by the deadline specified by rules
					 and guidelines of the USDT for ARPA funds will be quantified based on an
					 assessment. Applicants able to meet this requirement will be quantified at 10
					 with a maximum of 10 points within this category. Applicants unable to meet
					 this requirement will be disqualified.
J. If necessary, the following will be used
					 as the basis for breaking any ties that occur.
a) Projects to primarily correct a MSDH
					 documented failure to meet primary drinking water standards or a MSDH
					 documented significant deficiency will be given preference.
b) If there are no projects to correct a MSDH
					 documented failure to meet primary drinking water standards or a MSDH
					 documented significant deficiency, projects primarily for consolidation will be
					 given preference.
c) If there are
					 no projects primarily for consolidation, projects with the lowest Median
					 Household Income Range will be given preference.
d) If all projects have the same Median
					 Household Income Range, projects with the lowest Population will be given
					 preference.
e) If all projects have
					 the same Population Range, projects extending potable water service to new
					 users will be given preference.