85 FR 62691 Published NOFA TAT-RWTS PilotGrantProgr 10-5-2020

Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 193 / Monday, October 5, 2020 / Notices
administering the licensing system
under this regulation.
The regulation at 7 CFR 6.33(a) also
provides that the Licensing Authority
will announce the annual fee for each
license and that such fee will be set out
in a notice to be published in the
Federal Register. Accordingly, this
notice sets out the fee for the licenses to
be issued for the 2021 calendar year.
Pursuant to the Congressional Review
Act (5 U.S.C. 801 et seq.), the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs
designated this rule as not a major rule,
as defined by U.S.C. 804(2).
Notice: The total cost to the
Department of Agriculture of
administering the licensing system for
2021 has been estimated to be
$653,500.00 and the estimated number
of licenses expected to be issued is
2,250. Of the total cost, $383,500.00
represents staff and supervisory costs
directly related to administering the
licensing system, and $270,000.00
represents other miscellaneous costs,
including travel, publications, forms,
and Automatic Data Processing (ADP)
system support.
Accordingly, notice is hereby given
that the fee for each license issued to a
person or firm for the 2021 calendar
year, in accordance with 7 CFR 6.33,
will be $290 per license.
Aileen Mannix,
Licensing Authority.
[FR Doc. 2020–21903 Filed 10–2–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410–10–P

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Utilities Service
Notice of Funds Availability for the
Technical Assistance and Training for
Innovative Regional Wastewater
Treatment Solutions Grant Pilot
Program
Rural Utilities Service, USDA.
Notice of funds availability.

AGENCY:
ACTION:

Rural Utilities Services (RUS),
a Rural Development agency of the
United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA), announces the availability of
up to $5 million in competitive grants
to eligible entities to fund a new pilot
program. This pilot program, called the
Technical Assistance and Training for
Innovative Regional Wastewater
Treatment Solutions (TAT/RWTS) Grant
Pilot Program, was authorized by the
Further Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2020, for the study and design of
innovative treatment solutions of
regional wastewater systems for
historically impoverished communities

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SUMMARY:

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that have had difficulty installing
traditional wastewater treatment
systems due to soil conditions.
DATES: Applications for TAT/RWTS
grant(s) must be submitted
electronically through Grants.gov by
11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time by
November 4, 2020. Applications
received after 11:59 p.m. Eastern
Daylight Time on November 4, 2020
will not be considered.
ADDRESSES:
Application Submission: The
application system for electronic
submissions will be available at http://
www.grants.gov/.
Electronic submissions: Electronic
submissions of applications will allow
for the expeditious review of an
Applicant’s proposal. As a result, all
applicants must file their application
electronically.
For additional information contact:
Lois East: Telephone (660) 492–4268,
email: [email protected]. Persons with
disabilities that require alternative
means for communication should
contact the U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Target Center at
(202) 720–2600 (voice).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Authority:
This solicitation is issued pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 301; 7 U.S.C. 1989; 16 U.S.C.
1005; and Division B, Title VII General
Provisions, Section 783 of the Further
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020
(Pub. L. 116–94).
Overview
Federal Agency: Rural Utilities
Service (RUS), (USDA).
Funding Opportunity Title: Technical
Assistance and Training for Innovative
Regional Wastewater Treatment
Solutions (TAT/RWTS) Grant Pilot
Program.
Announcement Type: Notice of Funds
Availability.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) Number: Technical
Assistance and Training and Training
for Innovative Regional Wastewater
Treatment Solutions (TAT/RWTS) Grant
Pilot Program—10.761.
Due Date for Applications:
Applications for TAT/RWTS grant(s)
must be received by 11:59 p.m. on
November 4, 2020. Applications
received after 11:59 p.m. Eastern
Daylight Time on November 4, 2020
will not be considered.
Items in Supplementary Information
I. Program Overview
II. Federal Award Information
III. Definitions
IV. Eligibility Information
V. Application and Submission Information
VI. Application Review Information

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VII. Federal Award Administration
Information
VIII. Federal Awarding Agency Contacts
IX. Other Information

I. Program Overview
A. Background
Wastewater systems are basic and
vital to both health and economic
development. With environmentally
sound waste disposal, rural
communities can attract families and
businesses that will invest in the
community and improve the quality of
life for all residents. Without safe and
clean wastewater facilities, communities
cannot sustain economic development
or ensure the mitigation of health risks
that can arise from poor sanitation.
USDA’s Rural Development Agencies,
comprising the Rural Utilities Service
(RUS), Rural Business-Cooperative
Service (RB–CS), and Rural Housing
Service (RHS), are leading the way in
helping rural America improve the
quality of life and increase the economic
opportunities for rural people. RUS
provides financing for much-needed
infrastructure or infrastructure
improvements to rural communities,
which includes Water and
Environmental Programs (WEP). WEP
provides the technical assistance and
financing necessary to develop,
improve, and operate drinking water
and waste disposal systems. Safe
drinking water and sanitary waste
disposal systems are vital to public
health, and to the economic vitality of
rural America. WEP is proud to be the
only federal program exclusively
focused on the water and waste
infrastructure needs of rural
communities with populations of 10,000
or less. Additionally, WEP provides
funding to organizations that provide
technical assistance and training to rural
communities to support water and
waste activities and is administered
through National Office staff in
Washington, DC, and a network of field
staff in each state.
On December 20, 2019, Congress
passed the Further Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2020, which
established a pilot program, the
Technical Assistance and Training for
Innovative Regional Wastewater
Treatment Solutions (TAT/RWTS) Grant
Pilot Program, to assist communities
with wastewater systems. Specifically,
Congress was concerned about raw
sewage discharge in some rural
communities, particularly historically
impoverished communities that have
had difficulty utilizing Rural
Development programs. Rural
Development was directed to develop a
program to solve untreated raw sewage

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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 193 / Monday, October 5, 2020 / Notices

issues with innovative technologies and
strategic management and regulatory
models. The program is to address rural
wastewater management including
county needs assessments, testing
wastewater options, defining funding
mechanisms for remediation and
developing regulatory guidance.
Congress appropriated $5 million in
grant funding for the TAT/RWTS Grant
Pilot Program in the Further
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020,
which is made available under this
notice.
B. Program Description
Qualified regional consortiums will
receive TAT/RWTS grant funds to
identify and evaluate economically
feasible, innovative regional solutions to
wastewater treatment concerns for
historically impoverished communities
in areas which have had difficulty
installing traditional wastewater
treatment systems due to soil
conditions. Grants are for wastewaterrelated technical assistance, including
such services as feasibility studies,
preliminary design assistance and
supervision, oversight, or training for
the development of an application for
financial assistance.
Grantees will be expected to provide
the Agency with a detailed report to
include the area to be served, the issues
with the present method of wastewater
discharge, the alternatives and
innovative solutions to the wastewater
issue, the long-term cost and effect of
the solution, the affordability including
possible funding sources, potential
treatment, staff training needs, and
lifecycle cost analysis.
II. Federal Award Information
A. Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.761
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) Title: Technical
Assistance and Training for Innovative
Regional Wastewater Treatment
Solutions (TAT/RWTS) Grant Pilot
Program.
B. Funds Available
Under the TAT/RWTS Grant Pilot
Program, up to $5 million is made
available to eligible applicants, to
remain available until expended.

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C. Approximate Number of Awards
The number of awards will depend on
the number of eligible applicants and
the total amount of requested funds. The
Agency intends/expects to make
approximately 2–3 awards in this fiscal
year, to remain available until
expended.

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D. Type of Instrument

IV. Eligibility Information

Awards to successful applicants will
be in the form of grants, for up to 100
percent of total eligible project costs, but
not to exceed $5 million, whichever is
less.

A. Eligible Applicants
Regional consortia located in the
United States and its territories may
apply for this grant program. Eligible
entities would include a consortium of
regional institutions of higher
education, academic health and
research institutes, or economic
development entities located in the
region identified to be served that have
experience in addressing these issues in
the region. The consortium must
include a regional university, or the
proposed scope of work must include
coordinating with a regional university,
to solve untreated raw sewage issues
with innovative technologies and
strategic management and regulatory
models.
Applicants must include all proposed
activity under a single application.
Application requirements and other
important information is available at
Grants.gov and on the TAT/RWTS web
page https://www.rd.usda.gov/
programs-services/water-waste-disposaltechnical-assistance-training-grants.
An applicant is eligible to apply for
the TAT/RWTS grant if it:
(1) Is a consortium (as defined in the
definitions section of this notice);
(2) Is legally established and located
within one of the following:
(a) A state within the United States;
(b) The District of Columbia;
(c) The Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico; or
(d) A United States territory;
(3) Has the legal capacity and
authority to carry out the grant purpose;
(4) Has no delinquent debt to the
federal government or no outstanding
judgments to repay a federal debt;
(5) Demonstrates that it possesses the
financial, technical, and managerial
capability to comply with federal and
state laws and requirements; and,
(6) 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.

III. Definitions
The terms and conditions provided in
this Notice of Solicitation of
Application (NOSA) are applicable to
and for purposes of this NOSA only.
Unless otherwise provided in the award
documents, all financial terms not
defined herein shall have the meaning
as defined by Generally Accepted
Accounting Principles (GAAP).
Consortium means regional
institutions of higher education,
academic health and research institutes,
or economic development entities, or
combination thereof, located in the
region identified to be served that have
experience in addressing these issues in
the region.
Eligible Project Costs means only
those costs incurred during the grant
period and that are directly related to
the use and purposes of the TAT/RWTS
Grant Pilot Program.
GAAP means accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States
of America.
Historically impoverished area means
an area meeting persistent poverty
guidelines, which according to Section
740 of the General Provisions of the
Further Consolidated Appropriations
Act, 2020, Public Law 116–94, dated
December 20, 2019, is any county that
has had 20 percent or more of its
population living in poverty over the
past 30 years, as measured by the 1990
and 2000 decennial censuses, and 2007–
2011 American Community Survey 5year average.
Rural means cities, towns, or
unincorporated areas that individually
have populations of no more than
10,000 inhabitants as adjusted by
exclusion of individuals incarcerated on
a long-term or regional basis and the
exclusion of the first 1,500 individuals
who reside in housing located on a
military base, according to the most
recent decennial Census of the United
States. The area to be served may be
made up of combinations of these
eligible areas. If the applicable
population figure cannot be obtained
from the most recent decennial Census,
RD will determine the applicable
population figure based on available
population data.

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B. Eligible Project
The goal of the TAT/RWTS Grant
Pilot Program is to find regional
solutions to longstanding wastewater
treatment problems where soil
conditions make traditional wastewater

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treatment ineffective and economically
unfeasible. Grant funds must be used to
identify and evaluate economically
feasible innovative regional solutions to
wastewater treatment concerns for
historically impoverished rural
communities in areas which have had
difficulty installing traditional
wastewater treatment systems due to
soil conditions.
C. Eligible Project Costs
Eligible Project Costs are those costs
defined in Section III. Grant funds must
be used to identify and evaluate
innovative regional solutions to
wastewater treatment solutions for
historically impoverished communities
in areas which have had difficulty
installing traditional wastewater
treatment systems due to soil
conditions.
The work product must be related to
the purpose above and be related to a
proposed project that meets the
following requirements:
(1) MUST be regional in scope; and be
for one of the following:
(2) To construct, enlarge, extend or
otherwise improve rural wastewater
facilities; or
(3) To construct or relocate public
buildings, roads, bridges, fences, or
utilities; and to make other public
improvements necessary for the
successful operation or protection of
facilities authorized in paragraph (2) of
this section; or
(4) To relocate private buildings,
roads, bridges, fences, or utilities, and to
make other private improvements
necessary for the successful operation or
protection of facilities authorized in
paragraph (2) of this section.

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D. Ineligible Project Costs
Grant funds may not be used to:
(1) Fund political or lobbying
activities;
(2) Pay for work already completed;
(3) Purchase real estate or vehicles,
improve or renovate office space, or
repair and maintain privately owned
property;
(4) Construct or furnish a building;
(5) Intervene in the federal regulatory
or adjudicatory proceedings;
(6) Sue the Federal Government or
any other government entities;
(7) Pay for any other costs that are not
allowable under 2 CFR part 200, as
adopted by USDA through 2 CFR part
400;
(8) Make contributions or donations to
others;
(9) Fund projects that duplicate
technical assistance given to implement
action plans under the National Forest
Dependent Rural Communities

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Economic Diversification Act of 1990 (7
U.S.C. 6613). Applicants cannot receive
both grants made under this part and
grants that the Forest Service makes to
implement the action plans for five
continuous years from the date of grant
approval by the Forest Services;
(10) To pay an outstanding judgment
obtained by the United States in a
Federal Court (other than in the United
States Tax Court), which has been
recorded. An applicant will be ineligible
to receive a grant until the judgment is
paid in full or otherwise satisfied; and
(11) Any project that creates a conflict
of interest or an appearance of a conflict
of interest.
V. Application and Submission
Information
A. Electronic Application and
Submission
Applications must be submitted
electronically using www.grants.gov. No
other form of application will be
accepted. Application and supporting
materials are available at Grants.gov.
B. Content and Form of Application
Submission
You must submit your application
electronically through Grants.gov. Your
application must contain all required
information.
To apply electronically, you must
follow the instructions for this funding
announcement at http://
www.grants.gov. Please note that we
cannot accept applications through mail
or courier delivery, in-person delivery,
email, or fax.
You can locate the Grants.gov
downloadable application package for
this program by using a keyword, the
program name, or the Catalog of Federal
Domestic Assistance Number for this
program.
When you enter the Grants.gov
website, you will find information about
applying electronically through the site,
as well as the hours of operation.
To use Grants.gov, you must already
have a Data Universal Number System
(DUNS) number and you must also be
registered and maintain registration in
System for Award Management (SAM).
We strongly recommend that you do not
wait until the application deadline date
to begin the application process through
Grants.gov (see paragraph (a) below for
more on flexibility).
You must submit all application
documents electronically through
Grants.gov. Applications must include
electronic signatures. Original
signatures may be required if funds are
awarded.
After applying electronically through
Grants.gov, you will receive an

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automatic acknowledgement from
Grants.gov that contains a Grants.gov
tracking number.
(1) Applicants must complete and
submit the following forms to apply for
a TAT/RWTS grant:
(a) Standard Form SF–424,
‘‘Application for Federal Assistance,’’ to
include your DUNS number. You must
also provide your SAM Commercial and
Government Entity (CAGE) Code and
expiration date under the applicant
eligibility discussion in your proposal
narrative. If you do not include the
CAGE code and expiration date and the
DUNS number in your application, it
will not be considered for funding. In
accordance with OMB Memoranda M–
20–26, the Agency can accept an
application without an active SAM
registration. However, the registration
must be completed before an award is
made. Current registrants in SAM with
active registrations expiring before May
16, 2020 will be afforded a one-time
extension of 60 days.
(b) Form SF–424A, ‘‘Budget
Information for Non-Construction
Programs.’’ This form must be
completed and submitted as part of the
application package. You no longer
must complete the Form SF 424B,
‘‘Assurances Non-Construction
Programs’’ as a part of your application.
This information is now collected
through your registration or annual
recertification in sam.gov through the
Financial Assistance General
Certifications and Representation.
(c) Form RD 400–1, ‘‘Equal
Opportunity Agreement;’’
(d) Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (if
applicable, applicant must include
approved cost agreement rate schedule);
(e) Certification regarding Forest
Service grant; and
(2) All applications shall be
accompanied by the following
supporting documentation in concise
written narrative form:
(a) Evidence of applicant’s legal
existence and authority;
(b) Evidence of tax-exempt status from
the Internal Revenue Service (IRS);
(c) A short statement of applicant’s
experience in providing services similar
to those proposed;
(d) A brief description of successfully
completed projects including the need
that was identified and objectives
accomplished;
(e) The latest financial information to
show the applicant’s financial capacity
to carry out the proposed work;
(f) A list of proposed services to be
provided;
(g) An estimated breakdown of costs
(direct and indirect) including those to
be funded by grantee as well as other

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sources. Sufficient detail should be
provided to permit the approving
official to determine reasonableness,
applicability, and eligibility;
(h) Evidence that a financial
management system is in place or
proposed;
(i) A description of the type of
technical assistance to be provided and
the tasks to be contracted;
(j) A description of how the
effectiveness and results of the proposed
TAT/RWTS project will be measured;
(k) Number of personnel on staff or to
be contracted to provide the service and
their experience with similar projects;
(l) A statement indicating the
maximum number of months it would
take to complete the project; and
(m) Explanation of the cost
effectiveness of the project.
(3) Applicants must submit a flexible
work plan/project proposal.
The proposal will outline the project
in sufficient detail to provide a reader
with a clear understanding of how the
proposed TAT/RWTS project will
address the technical assistance needs
of RUS eligible sewer utilities in
historically impoverished communities
in areas which have had difficulty
installing traditional wastewater
treatment systems due to soil
conditions.
(4) The applicant must provide
evidence of compliance with other
federal statutes, including but not
limited to the following:
(a) 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
a Federal agency?’’ located at 2 CFR
180.335. It is part of OMB’s Guidance
for Grants and Agreements concerning
Government-wide Debarment and
Suspension.
(b) 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 Governmentwide
implementation (2 CFR part 182) of the
Drug-Free Workplace Act.
(c) 2 CFR parts 200 and 400 (Uniform
Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles and Audit Requirements for
Federal Awards).
(d) 2 CFR part 182 (Governmentwide
Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace
(Financial Assistance)) and 2 CFR part

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421 (Requirements for Drug Free
Workplace (Financial Assistance)).
(e) 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.
C. DUNS Number and SAM
To be eligible (unless you are
excepted under 2 CFR 25.110(b), (c) or
(d)), you are required to do the
following:
(1) Provide a valid DUNS number in
your application. The DUNS number
can be obtained at no cost via a toll-free
request line at (866) 705–5711;
(2) Register in SAM before submitting
your application. You may register in
SAM at no cost at https://www.sam.gov/
portal/public/SAM/. You must provide
your SAM CAGE Code and expiration
date. When registering in SAM, you
must indicate you are applying for a
federal financial assistance project or
program or are currently the recipient of
funding under any federal financial
assistance project or program; and
(3) Maintain active and current SAM
registration. The SAM registration must
remain active with current information
at all times while the Agency is
considering an application or while a
federal grant award or loan is active. To
maintain the registration 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.
Applicants must ensure they complete
the Financial Assistance General
Certifications and Representations in
SAM.
If you have not fully complied with
all applicable DUNS and SAM
requirements, the Agency may
determine that the applicant is not
qualified to receive a federal award and
the Agency may use that determination
as a basis for making an award to
another applicant. In accordance with
OMB Memoranda M–20–26, the Agency
can accept an application without an
active SAM registration. However, the
registration must be completed before
an award is made. Current registrants in
SAM with active registrations expiring
before May 16, 2020 will be afforded a
one-time extension of 60 days. Please
refer to Section F for additional
submission requirements that apply to
grantees selected for this program.

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D. Submission Dates and Times
In order to be considered for funding,
applications must be received by the
specified date in the DATES section at the
beginning of this notice. RUS will
acknowledge the application’s receipt
by email to the applicant. The
application will be reviewed for
completeness to determine if it contains
all of the items required. In order to be
considered for funds under this notice,
applications must be deemed complete
and must be received by Grants.gov by
the deadline specified in the DATES
section of this notice.
E. Intergovernmental Review
Executive Order (E.O.) 12372,
Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs, applies to this program. This
E.O. 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.
For a list of states that maintain a SPOC,
please see the White House website:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/wpcontent/uploads/2017/11/SPOC-Feb.2018.pdf . If your state has a SPOC, you
may submit a copy of the application
directly for review. Any comments
obtained through the SPOC must be
provided to your State Office for
consideration as part of your
application. If your state has not
established a SPOC, or if you do not
want to submit a copy of the
application, our State Offices will
submit your application to the SPOC or
other appropriate agency or agencies.
F. Compliance With Other Federal
Statutes and Other Submission
Requirements
(1) Other Federal Statutes. The
applicant must certify to compliance
with other Federal Statutes and
regulations by completing the Financial
Assistance General Certification and
Representations in SAM, including, but
not limited to the following:
(a) 7 CFR part 15, subpart A—
Nondiscrimination in Federally
Assisted Programs of the Department of
Agriculture—Effectuation of Title VI of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Civil Rights
compliance includes, but is not limited
to the following:
(i) Collect and maintain data provided
by ultimate recipients on race, sex, and
national origin and ensure that ultimate
recipients collect and maintain this
data. Race and ethnicity data will be
collected in accordance with Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) Federal
Register Notice, ‘‘Revisions of the

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Standards for the Classification of
Federal Data on Race and Ethnicity’’
(published October 30, 1997 at 62 FR
58782). Sex data will be collected in
accordance with Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972. These
items should not be submitted with the
application but should be available
upon request by RUS; and
(b) The applicant and the ultimate
recipient must comply with Title VI of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of
the Education Amendments of 1972, the

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973, the Age Discrimination Act of
1975, Executive Order 12250, and 7 CFR
1901, subpart E;
(b) 2 CFR parts 200 and 400 (Uniform
Administrative Requirements, Cost
Principles and Audit Requirements for
Federal Awards), or any successor
regulations;
(c) 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/; and
(d) Federal Obligation Certification on
Delinquent Debt.
VI. Application Review Information
A. Criteria
All applications that are complete and
eligible will be scored and ranked
competitively. The categories for scoring
criteria used are the following:

Scoring criteria

Points

(1) Scope of Assistance: Proposed services to be provided .....................................................................................
(2) Degree of Expertise: Applicant’s experience in providing services similar to those proposed and/or description of successfully completed projects including the need that was identified and objectives accomplished.
(3) Applicant Resource (staff vs. contract personnel) ...............................................................................................
(4) Goals/Objectives: Goals/objectives are clearly defined and tied to need, results and measurable outcomes ...
(5) Extent to which the work plan clearly articulates a well-thought-out approach to accomplishing objectives;
and clearly defines how the applicant would respond to historically impoverished communities in areas which
have had difficulty installing traditional wastewater treatment systems due to soil conditions.
(6) Financial Controls .................................................................................................................................................
(7) Project Duration: Maximum number of months it would take to complete the project ........................................
(8) Innovative Approach to Identifying and Targeting Wastewater Treatment ..........................................................
(9) Direct Efforts Towards Identified Communities in Historically Impoverished Counties .......................................
(10) Direct Efforts Towards Identified Communities in the Mid-South Region ..........................................................

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B. Review and Selection Process
(1) Incomplete or ineligible
applications. If the application is
incomplete or ineligible, RUS will
return it to the applicant with an
explanation. The RUS reserves the right
to request additional information once
an application is determined to be
complete to minimize the risk of
duplication of other federal efforts. The
RUS grant offered to the successful
applicant will be based on the
submitted application and may be more
narrowly tailored than the submitted
application to meet rural community
needs at the time of the offer or over the
course of the grant period.
(2) The Reviewers. A review team will
evaluate all applications and proposals
based on the scoring criteria in
paragraph A. of this section.
(3) Ranking of Qualifying
Applications. Qualified applications
will be ranked by their final score and
selected for funding based on the
highest scores. Due to the short
application window and pilot nature of
the program, the Agency expects to
award a small number of grants under
this notice. The Agency reserves the
right to make no grant awards if all
applications are incomplete and/or
score below 65 points. Each applicant
will be notified via email of the
Agency’s funding decision.
(4) Other Agency Determinations. In
making its decision about your

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application, RUS may determine that
your application is:
(a) Eligible and selected for funding;
(b) Eligible and offered fewer funds
than requested;
(c) Eligible but not selected for
funding; or
(d) Ineligible for the grant.
(5) Appeal Request. In accordance
with 7 CFR part 1900, subpart B, the
applicant generally has the right to
appeal adverse decisions. Some adverse
decisions cannot be appealed such as an
award being denied RUS funding due to
a lack of funds available for the grant
program. However, an applicant may
make a request to the National Appeals
Division (NAD) to review the accuracy
of the 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.
(6) Grant Agreement. Applicants
selected for funding will complete a
grant agreement suitable to RUS, which
outlines the terms and conditions of the
grant award. Pursuant to the grant
agreement, grant funds may be released
over the course of the grant period in
reimbursement of the performance of
eligible, approved activities which do
not duplicate similar federal efforts or
tasks. The grant agreement may also
include reporting and pre-approval
requirements consistent with 7 CFR part
1775 which if not met, may result in a

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Up to 15 points.
Up to 15 points.
Up to 10 points.
Up to 10 points.
Up to 10 points.
Up
Up
Up
Up
Up

to
to
to
to
to

5 points.
5 points.
10 points.
10 points.
10 points.

delay in reimbursement, disallowance
of expense or a suspension of the grant.
(7) Reimbursement. Grantees will be
reimbursed as follows:
(a) SF–270, ‘‘Request for Advance or
Reimbursement,’’ will be completed by
the grantee and submitted to the
National Office along with the work
product.
(b) Upon receipt of a properly
completed SF–270, payment will
ordinarily be made within 30 days.
(c) 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 approving official by
written amendment to the Grant
Agreement. Any change not approved
may be cause for termination of the
grant.
C. Other Requirements
In order to be considered for funds,
complete applications must be received
by the deadline specified in the DATES
section of this Notice.
(1) Insufficient funds. If available
funds are insufficient to fund the total
amount of an application:
(a) The applicant will be notified and
given the option to lower the grant
request and accept the remaining funds.
If the applicant agrees to lower the grant
request, the applicant must certify that
the purposes of the project will be met
and provide the remaining total funds
needed to complete the project.

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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 193 / Monday, October 5, 2020 / Notices

(b) If two or more applications have
the same priority score, both applicants
will be notified and given the option to
lower the grant requests and accept the
remaining funds. If an applicant agrees
to lower its grant request, the applicant
must certify that the purposes of the
project will be met and provide the
remaining total funds needed to
complete the project.
(2) Award considerations. All award
considerations will be on a
discretionary basis. In determining the
amount of an award, the RUS will
consider the amount requested, subject
to available funds.
(3) Notification of funding
determination. Applicants will be
informed in writing by the RUS as to the
funding determination of the
application.
VII. Federal Award Administration
Information
A. Federal Award Notices
(1) TAT/RWTS grants will be
administered in accordance with
Departmental Regulations, and as
otherwise specified in this Notice.
(2) Applicants selected for funding
will receive a signed notice of Federal
award containing instructions on
requirements necessary to proceed with
execution and performance of the
award.
(3) Applicants not selected for
funding will be notified in writing and
informed of any review and appeal
rights. Awards to successfully appealed
applications will be limited to available
funding.

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B. Administrative and National Policy
Requirements
Additional requirements that apply to
grantees selected for this program can be
found in the Grants and Agreements
regulations of the Department of
Agriculture codified in 2 CFR parts 180,
400, 415, 417, 418, 421; 2 CFR parts 25
and 170; and 48 CFR 31.2.
In addition, all recipients of federal
financial assistance are required to
report information about first tier
subawards and executive compensation
(see 2 CFR part 170). You will be
required to have the necessary processes
and systems in place to comply with the
Federal Funding Accountability and
Transparency Act of 2006 (Pub. L. 109–
282) reporting requirements (see 2 CFR
170.200(b), unless you are exempt under
2 CFR 170.110(b)).
The following additional
requirements apply to grantees selected
for this program:
• Execution of an agency approved
Grant Agreement.

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• Acceptance of a written Letter of
Conditions.
• Submission of Form RD 1940–1,
‘‘Request for Obligation of Funds.’’
• Submission of Form RD 1942–46,
‘‘Letter of Intent to Meet Conditions.’’
• SF LLL, ‘‘Disclosure of Lobbying
Activities,’’ if applicable.
You no longer must complete the
following forms for acceptance of a
federal award. This information is now
collected through your registration or
annual recertification in SAM.gov in the
Financial Assistance General
Certifications and Representations
section:
• Form RD 400–4, ‘‘Assurance
Agreement.’’
• 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 Drug-Free Workplace
Requirements (Grants).’’
• Form AD–3031, ‘‘Assurance
Regarding Felony Conviction or Tax
Delinquent Status for Corporate
Applicants.’’
C. Reporting
Grantees 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.
(1) SF–269 ‘‘Financial Status Report
(short form)’’ and a project performance
activity report will be required of all
grantees on a quarterly basis, due 30
days after the end of each quarter.
(2) A final project performance report
will be required with the last SF–269
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.
(3) All grantees are to submit an
original of each report to the National
Office. The project performance reports
should detail, in a narrative format,
activities that have transpired for the
specific time period.
(4) The grantee will provide an audit
report or financial statements in
accordance with Uniform Audit
Requirements for Federal Awards at 2
CFR part 200, subpart F.
VIII. Federal Awarding Agency
Contacts
For further information, contact: Lois
East: telephone (660) 492–4268, email:
[email protected]. Persons with

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disabilities that require alternative
means for communication should
contact the USDA Target Center at (202)
720–2600 (voice).
IX. Other Information
A. Paperwork Reduction Act
The Information Collection and
Recordkeeping requirements contained
in this rule have been approved by an
emergency clearance under OMB
Control Number 0572–NEW. In
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
chapter 35), RUS invites comments on
this information collection for which
the Agency intends to request approval
from the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB). RUS invites comments
on any aspect of this collection of
information including suggestions for
reducing the burden. Comments may be
submitted regarding this information
collection by the following method:
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to
https://www.regulations.gov and, in the
lower ‘‘Search Regulations and Federal
Actions’’ box, select ‘‘RUS’’ from the
agency drop-down menu, then click on
‘‘Submit.’’ In the Docket ID column,
select Docket No. RUS–20–WATER–
0035 to submit or view public
comments and to view supporting and
related materials available
electronically. Information on using
Regulations.gov, including instructions
for accessing documents, submitting
comments, and viewing the docket after
the close of the comment period, is
available through the site’s ‘‘User Tips’’
link. Comments on this information
collection must be received by
December 4, 2020.
Copies of all forms, regulations, and
instructions referenced in this NOSA
may be obtained from RUS. Data
furnished by the applicants will be used
to determine eligibility for program
benefits. Furnishing the data is
voluntary; however, the failure to
provide data could result in program
benefits being withheld or denied.
The Information Collection and
Recordkeeping requirements contained
in this NOFA have been approved by an
emergency clearance under OMB
Control Number 0572–NEW. In
accordance with the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C.
chapter 35), RUS invites comments on
this information collection for which
the agency intends to request approval
from the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB).
Comments on this notice must be
received by December 4, 2020.
Comments are invited on (a) whether
the collection of information is

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Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 193 / Monday, October 5, 2020 / Notices
necessary for the proper performance of
the functions of the agency, including
whether the information will have
practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the
agency’s estimate of burden including
the validity of the methodology and
assumptions used; (c) ways to enhance
the quality, utility and clarity of the
information to be collected; and (d)
ways to minimize the burden of the
collection of information on those who
are to respond, including through the
use of appropriate automated,
electronical, mechanical, or other
technological collection techniques or
other forms of information technology.
Title: Technical Assistance and
Training for Innovative Regional
Wastewater Treatment Solutions (TAT/
RWTS) Grant Pilot Program.
Type of Request: New collection.
Abstract: The TAT/RWTS Grant Pilot
Program was authorized by the Further
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020,
for the study and design of innovative
treatment solutions of regional
wastewater systems for historically
impoverished communities that have
had difficulty installing traditional
wastewater treatment systems due to
soil conditions. Qualified regional
consortiums will receive TAT/RWTS
grant funds to identify and evaluate
economically feasible, innovative
regional solutions to wastewater
treatment concerns for historically
impoverished communities in areas
which have had difficulty installing
traditional wastewater treatment
systems due to soil conditions. Grants
are for wastewater-related technical
assistance, including such services as
feasibility studies, preliminary design
assistance and supervision, oversight, or
training for the development of an
application for financial assistance.
Grantees will be expected to provide
the Agency with a detailed report to
include the area to be served, the issues
with the present method of wastewater
discharge, the alternatives and
innovative solutions to the wastewater
issue, the long-term cost and effect of
the solution, the affordability including
possible funding sources, potential
treatment, staff training needs, and
lifecycle cost analysis.
Estimate of Burden: Public reporting
burden for this collection of information
is estimated to average 4.5 hours per
response.
Respondents: Regional consortia of
higher education, academic health and
research institutes, or economic
development entities.
Estimated Number of Respondents: 3.
Estimated Number of Responses per
Respondent: 1.

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Estimated Total Annual Burden and
Record Keeping Hours on Respondents:
242 hours.
Copies of this information collection
can be obtained from MaryPat Daskal,
Regulatory Division Team 2, Rural
Development Innovation Center, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, 1400
Independence Ave. SW, Stop 1522,
Washington, DC 20250. Phone: 202–
720–7853.
All responses to this information
collection and recordkeeping notice will
be summarized and included in the
request for OMB approval. All
comments will also become a matter of
public record.
B. Nondiscrimination Statement
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
(USDA) prohibits discrimination against
its customers, employees, and
applicants for employment on the basis
of race, color, national origin, age,
disability, sex, gender identity, reprisal
and where applicable, political beliefs,
marital status, familiar or parental
status, religion, sexual orientation, or all
or part of an individual’s income is
derived from any public assistance
program, or protected genetic
information in employment or in any
program or activity conducted or funded
by the Department. (Not all prohibited
bases will apply to all programs and/or
employment activities.)
If you wish to file a Civil Rights
program complaint of discrimination,
complete the USDA Program
Discrimination Complaint Form (PDF),
found online at http://
www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_
cust.html, or complete the form at any
USDA office, or call (866) 632–9992 to
request the form. You may also write a
letter containing all of the information
requested in the form. Send your
completed complaint form or letter to us
by mail at U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Director, Office of
Adjudication, 1400 Independence
Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250–
9410, by fax (202) 690–7442 or email at
[email protected].
Individuals who are deaf, hard of
hearing or have speech disabilities and
wish to file either an EEO or program
complaint, please contact USDA
through the Federal Relay Service at
(800) 877–8339 or (800) 845–6136 (in
Spanish).
Persons with disabilities, who wish to
file a program complaint, please see
information above on how to contact us
directly by mail or by email. If you
require alternative means of
communication for program
information, (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, etc.) please contact USDA’s

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62697

TARGET Center at (202) 720–2600
(voice and TDD).
Chad A. Rupe,
Administrator, Rural Utilities Service.
[FR Doc. 2020–21924 Filed 10–2–20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration
[C–533–839]

Carbazole Violet Pigment 23 From the
Republic of India: Final Results of
Countervailing Duty Administrative
Review; 2017
Enforcement and Compliance,
International Trade Administration,
Department of Commerce.
SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce
(Commerce) determines that Pidilite
Industries Limited (Pidilite) a producer/
exporter of carbazole violet pigment 23
(CVP 23) from the Republic of India
(India) received countervailable
subsidies during the period of review
January 1, 2017 through December 31,
2017.
AGENCY:

DATES:

Applicable October 5, 2020.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Gene H. Calvert, AD/CVD Operations,
Office VII, Enforcement and
Compliance, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of
Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20230; telephone:
(202) 482–3586.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background
Commerce published the Preliminary
Results of this administrative review on
February 11, 2020.1 On April 24, 2020,
Commerce exercised its discretion to
toll all deadlines in administrative
reviews by 50 days.2 On July 21, 2020,
Commerce tolled all deadlines in
administrative reviews by an additional
60 days.3 The deadline for the final
results of this review is now September
28, 2020. For a history of all events that
occurred since the Preliminary Results,
1 See Carbazole Violet Pigment 23 from the
Republic of India: Preliminary Results of
Countervailing Duty Administrative Review; 2017,
85 FR 7730 (February 11, 2020) (Preliminary
Results), and accompanying Preliminary Decision
Memorandum.
2 See Memorandum, ‘‘Tolling of Deadlines for
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty
Administrative Reviews in Response to Operational
Adjustments Due to COVID–19,’’ dated April 24,
2020.
3 See Memorandum, ‘‘Tolling of Deadlines for
Antidumping and Countervailing Duty
Administrative Reviews,’’ dated July 21, 2020.

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