[Federal Register: March 15, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 50)]
[Notices]
[Page 13340-13343]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15mr06-45]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
Inviting Rural Business Enterprise Grant Program Preapplications
for Technical Assistance for Rural Transportation Systems
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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[[Page 13341]]
SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS), an Agency within
the Rural Development mission area, announces the availability of two
individual grants: one single $495,000 grant from the passenger
transportation funds appropriated for the RBS Rural Business Enterprise
Grant (RBEG) program and another single $247,500 grant from the
Federally Recognized Native American Tribes' (FRNAT) funds appropriated
for RBS under the RBEG program for fiscal year (FY) 2006. Each grant is
to be competitively awarded to a qualified national organization. These
grants are to provide technical assistance for rural transportation.
DATES: The deadline for receipt of preapplications in the Rural
Development State Office is April 14, 2006. Preapplications received at
a Rural Development State Office after that date would not be
considered for FY 2006 funding.
ADDRESSES: For further information, entities wishing to apply for
assistance should contact a Rural Development State Office to obtain
copies of the pre-application package. A list of Rural Development
State Offices follows:
District of Columbia
Rural Development Business Programs, USDA, Specialty Lenders
Division, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., STOP 3225, Room 6867,
Washington, DC 20250-3225, (202) 720-1400.
Alabama
USDA Rural Development State Office, Sterling Centre, Suite 601,
4121 Carmichael Road, Montgomery, AL 36106-3683, (334) 279-3400.
Alaska
USDA Rural Development State Office, 800 West Evergreen, Suite 201,
Palmer, AK 99645-6539, (907) 761-7705.
Arizona
USDA Rural Development State Office, 230 N. First Avenue, Suite 206,
Phoenix, AZ 85003-1706, (602) 280-8700.
Arkansas
USDA Rural Development State Office, 700 West Capitol Avenue, Room
3416, Little Rock, AR 72201-3225, (501) 301-3200.
California
USDA Rural Development State Office, 430 G Street, Agency 4169,
Davis, CA 95616-4169, (530) 792-5800/TDD (530) 792-5848.
Colorado
USDA Rural Development State Office, 655 Parfet Street, Room E-100,
Lakewood, CO 80215, (720) 544-2903/TDD (720) 544-2976.
Delaware-Maryland
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1221 College Park Drive, Suite
200, Dover, DE 19904, (302) 857-3580/TDD (302) 857-3585.
Florida/Virgin Islands
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4440 NW 25th Place, P.O. Box
147010, Gainesville, FL 32614-7010, (352) 338-3400/TDD (352) 338-
3450.
Georgia
USDA Rural Development State Office, Stephens Federal Building, 355
E. Hancock Avenue, Athens, GA 30601-2768, (706) 546-2162.
Hawaii
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 311, 154
Waianuenue Avenue, Hilo, HI 96720, (808) 933-8380/(808) 933-8321.
Idaho
USDA Rural Development State Office, 9173 West Barnes Drive, Suite
A1, Boise, ID 83709, (208) 378-5600/TDD (208) 378-5644.
Illinois
USDA Rural Development State Office, 2118 West Park Court, Suite A,
Champaign, IL 61821, (217) 403-6200/TDD (217) 403-6240.
Indiana
USDA Rural Development State Office, 5975 Lakeside Boulevard,
Indianapolis, IN 46278, (317) 290-3100/TDD (317) 290-3340.
Iowa
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 873, 210
Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50309 (515) 284-4663/TDD (515) 284-
4858
Kansas
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1303 SW First American Place,
Suite 100, Topeka, KS 66604-4040, (785) 271-2700/TDD (785) 271-2767.
Kentucky
USDA Rural Development State Office, 771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200,
Lexington, KY 40503, (859) 224-7300/TDD (859) 224-7422.
Louisiana
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3727 Government Street,
Alexandria, LA 71302, (318) 473-7920/TDD (318) 473-7655.
Maine
USDA Rural Development State Office, 967 Illinois Avenue, Suite 4,
P.O. Box 405, Bangor, ME 04402-0405, (207) 990-9160/TDD (207) 942-
7331.
Massachusetts/Rhode Island/Connecticut
USDA Rural Development State Office, 451 West Street, Suite 2,
Amherst, MA 01002-2999, (413) 253-4300/TDD (413) 253-4318.
Michigan
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3001 Coolidge Road, Suite 200,
East Lansing, MI 48823, (517) 324-5100/TDD (517) 337-6795.
Minnesota
USDA Rural Development State Office, 410 AgriBank Building, 375
Jackson Street, St. Paul, MN 55101-1853, (651) 602-7800/TDD (651)
602-3799.
Mississippi
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Suite 831,
100 West Capitol Street, Jackson, MS 39269, (601) 965-4316/TDD (601)
965-5850.
Missouri
USDA Rural Development State Office, 601 Business Loop 70 West,
Parkade Center, Suite 235, Columbia, MO 65203, (573) 876-0976/TDD
(573) 876-9480.
Montana
USDA Rural Development State Office, 900 Technology Blvd., Unit 1,
Suite B, P.O. Box 850, Bozeman, MT 59771, (406) 585-2580/TDD (406)
585-2562.
Nebraska
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 152, 100
Centennial Mall North, Lincoln, NE 68508, (402) 437-5551/TDD (402)
437-5093.
Nevada
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1390 South Curry Street, Carson
City, NV 89703-9910, (775) 887-1222/TDD (775) 885-0841.
New Jersey
USDA Rural Development State Office, 5th Floor North, Suite 500,
8000 Midlantic Drive, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054, (856) 787-7700/TDD (856)
787-7784.
New Mexico
USDA Rural Development State Office, 6200 Jefferson Street NE, Room
255, Albuquerque, NM 87109, (505) 761-4950/TDD (505) 761-4976.
New York
USDA Rural Development State Office, The Galleries of Syracuse, 441
South Salina Street, Suite 357, Syracuse, NY 13202-2541, (315) 477-
6400/TDD (315) 477-6447.
North Carolina
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4405 Bland Road, Suite 260,
Raleigh, NC 27609, (919) 873-2000/TDD (919) 873-2003.
North Dakota
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 208, 220
East Rosser, P.O. Box 1737, Bismarck, ND 58502-1737, (701) 530-2037/
TDD (701) 530-2113.
Ohio
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 507, 200
North High Street, Columbus, OH 43215-2418, (614) 255-2400/TDD (614)
255-2554.
Oklahoma
USDA Rural Development State Office, 100 USDA, Suite 108,
Stillwater, OK 74074-2654, (405) 742-1000/TDD (405) 742-1007.
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Oregon
USDA Rural Development State Office, 101 SW Main Street, Suite 1410,
Portland, OR 97204-3222, (503) 414-3300/TDD (503) 414-3387.
Pennsylvania
USDA Rural Development State Office, One Credit Union Place, Suite
330, Harrisburg, PA 17110-2996, (717) 237-2299/TDD (717) 237-2261.
Puerto Rico
USDA Rural Development State Office, IBM Building, 654 Munoz Rivera
Avenue, Suite 601, San Juan, PR 00918-6106, (787) 766-5095/TDD (787)
766-5332.
South Carolina
USDA Rural Development State Office, Strom Thurmond Federal
Building, 1835 Assembly Street, Room 1007, Columbia, SC 29201, (803)
765-5163/TDD (803) 765-5697.
South Dakota
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Room 210, 200
4th Street, SW., Huron, SD 57350, (605) 352-1100/TDD (605) 352-1147.
Tennessee
USDA Rural Development State Office, 3322 West End Avenue, Suite
300, Nashville, TN 37203-1084, (615) 783-1300.
Texas
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, Suite 102,
101 South Main Street, Temple, TX 76501, (254) 742-9700/TDD (254)
742-9712.
Utah
USDA Rural Development State Office, Wallace F. Bennett Federal
Building, 125 South State Street, Room 4311, Salt Lake City, UT
84138, (801) 524-4320/TDD (801) 524-3309.
Vermont/New Hampshire
USDA Rural Development State Office, City Center, 3rd Floor, 89 Main
Street, Montpelier, VT 05602, (802) 828-6000/TDD (802) 223-6365.
Virginia
USDA Rural Development State Office, Culpeper Building, Suite 238,
1606 Santa Rosa Road, Richmond, VA 23229, (804) 287-1550/TDD (804)
287-1753.
Washington
USDA Rural Development State Office, 1835 Black Lake Boulevard, SW.,
Suite B, Olympia, WA 98512-5715, (360) 704-7740.
West Virginia
USDA Rural Development State Office, Federal Building, 75 High
Street, Room 320, Morgantown, WV 26505-7500, (304) 284-4860/TDD
(304) 284-4836.
Wisconsin
USDA Rural Development State Office, 4949 Kirschling Court, Stevens
Point, WI 54481, (715) 345-7600/TDD (715) 345-7614.
Wyoming
USDA Rural Development State Office, 100 East B, Federal Building,
Room 1005, P.O. Box 11005, Casper, WY 82602-5006, (307) 261-6300/TDD
(307) 233-6733.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The passenger transportation portion of the
RBEG program is authorized by section 310B(c)(2) of the Consolidated
Farm and Rural Development Act (CONACT) (7 U.S.C. 1932(c)(2)). The RBEG
program is administered on behalf of RBS at the State level by the
Rural Development State Offices. The primary objective of the program
is to improve the economic conditions of rural areas. Assistance
provided to rural areas under this program may include on-site
technical assistance to local and regional governments, public transit
agencies, and related nonprofit and for-profit organizations in rural
areas; the development of training materials; and the provision of
necessary training assistance to local officials and agencies in rural
areas.
Awards under the RBEG passenger transportation program are made on
a competitive basis using specific selection criteria contained in 7
CFR part 1942, subpart G, and in accordance with section 310B(c)(2) of
the CONACT. That subpart also contains the information required to be
in the application package. For the FRNAT grant, at least 75 percent of
the benefits of the project must be received by members of Federally
Recognized Tribes. The project that scores the greatest number of
points based on the selection criteria and Administrator's points will
be selected for each grant. Preapplications will be tentatively scored
by the State Offices and submitted to the National Office for review,
final scoring, and selection.
To be considered ``national,'' a qualified organization is required
to provide evidence that it operates in multi-State areas. There is not
a requirement to use the grant funds in a multi-State area. Under this
notice, grants will be made to qualified, private, non-profit
organizations for the provision of technical assistance and training to
rural communities for the purpose of improving passenger transportation
services or facilities. Public bodies are not eligible for passenger
transportation RBEG grants.
The information collection requirements contained within this
Notice have received approval by the Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) under OMB Control Number 0570-0022 (7 CFR part 1942, subpart G).
Fiscal Year 2006 Preapplications Submission
Each application received in a Rural Development State Office will
be reviewed to determine if this application is consistent with the
eligible purposes contained in section 310B(c)(2) of the CONACT. Each
selection priority criterion outlined in 7 CFR part 1942, subpart G,
section 1942.305(b)(3), must be addressed in the application. Failure
to address any of the criteria will result in a zero-point score for
that criterion and impact the overall evaluation of the application.
Copies of 7 CFR part 1942, subpart G, will be provided to any
interested applicant making a request to a Rural Development State
Office listed in this notice. All projects to receive technical
assistance through these passenger transportation grant funds are to be
identified when the preapplications are submitted to the Rural
Development State Office. Multiple project preapplications must
identify each individual project, indicate the amount of funding
requested for each individual project, and address the criteria as
stated above for each individual project. For multiple-project
preapplications, the average of the individual project scores will be
the score for that application.
All eligible preapplications, along with tentative scoring sheets
and the Rural Development State Director's recommendation, will be
referred to the National Office no later than May 25, 2006, for final
scoring and selection for an award.
The National Office will score preapplications based on the grant
selection criteria and weights contained in 7 CFR part 1942, subpart G
and will select a grantee subject to the grantee's satisfactory
submission of a formal application and related materials in the manner
and timeframe established by RBS in accordance with 7 CFR part 1942,
subpart G. It is anticipated that the grantees will be selected by July
7, 2006. All applicants will be notified by RBS of the Agency's
decision on the awards.
Nondiscrimination 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
[[Page 13343]]
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: February 23, 2006.
Jackie J. Gleason,
Acting Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. E6-3761 Filed 3-14-06; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-XY-P