[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 141 (Wednesday, July 22, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44273-44275]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-15821]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Rural Business-Cooperative Service
[Docket No. RBS-20-Business-0028]
Stakeholder Listening Sessions on New Rural Innovation Stronger
Economy (RISE) Regulation
AGENCY: Rural Business-Cooperative Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBCS) is hosting three
listening sessions for public input about the new Rural Innovation
Stronger Economy (RISE) program and regulation. The RISE program will
assist rural job accelerator partnerships in improving the ability of
distressed rural communities to create high-wage jobs, accelerate the
formation of new businesses, and help rural communities identify and
maximize local assets. This rule will be published as a direct-final
regulation after addressing comments received from the listening
sessions and written comments in response to this request for
information. RBCS is currently drafting the RISE regulation and
requests input on application implementation and project priorities to
reach the desired outcomes.
DATES: Listening sessions will be held on: July 28, 2020 at 2pm EDT
virtually at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5379245598321536014.
July 30, 2020 at 2pm EDT virtually at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2719620429219806478.
ADDRESSES: Comments submitted in response to this notice may be
submitted online Via the Federal eRulmaking Portal. Go to http://
[[Page 44274]]
www.regulations.gov and search for the Docket ID RBS-20-Business-0028.
Follow the online instructions for submitting comments. All comments
received will be posted without change and will be publicly available
on regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Will Dodson, Business Loan and Grant
Analyst, USDA, Rural Development, STOP 3226 1400 Independence Avenue
SW, Washington, DC 20250-3224, telephone (202) 762-0592, email
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Overview of RISE
The RISE Program is authorized in Section 6424 of the 2018 Farm
Bill (Pub.L. 115-34) as a new grant program. The intent of RISE is to
encourage partnerships and development of innovation centers that will
provide innovative approaches to developing workforces in rural areas.
The program currently proposes the following assistance: grants for the
innovation center to establish job accelerators and to establish and
support job accelerators and related programs. RISE has two major
goals. The first goal includes improving the ability of distressed
rural communities to create high-wage jobs, accelerate the formation of
new businesses with high-growth potential, and strengthen regional
economies, including by helping to build capacity in the applicable
region to achieve those goals. The second goal is to help rural
communities identify and maximize local assets and connect to regional
opportunities, networks, and industry clusters that demonstrate high
growth potential. Eligible entities are those comprised of key
community and regional stakeholders in a working group that focuses on
shared goals and the needs of industry clusters that are identified as
existing, emerging, or declining. The partnership must include one or
more of the following entities: Indian tribes; institution of higher
education; private entity; or government entity. The partnership must
also include a lead application from one of the following types of
entities: district organization; Indian tribe or consortium of Indian
tribes; state and local government or political subdivisions;
institution of higher education or a consortium of institutions of
higher education; or public or private nonprofit organization.
As per Section 6424 of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, the
competitive grant awards will be limited to no greater than 80 percent
of the project cost, with a minimum grant amount of $500,000 and a
maximum grant of $2,000,000. The grant scope of work period is four
years and no more than 10% of the award can be utilized for indirect
costs associated with administering the award. Funds may be used for
constructing, purchasing, or equipping a building to serve as an
innovation center or for program support of a job accelerator which
assists the objectives of the jobs accelerator in meeting the
requirements of the program.
This notice and listening sessions request information on various
portions of the regulation as it is being developed. The public input
provided in response to this notice from interested stakeholders will
advise RBCS to the RISE program funding priorities and efficient
process for program implementation.
Instructions
Response to this notice is voluntary. Each individual or
institution is requested to submit only one response as directed in the
ADDRESSES section of this notice. Submission must not exceed 10 pages
in 12 point or larger font, with a page number provided on each page.
Responses should include the name of the person(s) or organization(s)
filing the comment. Comments containing references, studies, research,
and other empirical data that are not widely published should include
copies or electronic links of the referenced materials. Comments
containing profanity, vulgarity, threats, or other inappropriate
language or content will not be considered. Comments submitted in
response to this notice are subject to Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA). Responses to this notice may also be posted, without change, on
a Federal website.
Therefore, we request that no business proprietary information,
copyrighted information, or personally identifiable information be
submitted in response to this notice. In accordance with FAR 15-202(3),
responses to this notice are not offers and cannot be accepted by the
Government to form a binding contract. Additionally, the U.S.
Government will not pay for response preparation or for the use of any
information contained in the response.
To inform the Federal government's decision-making and establish
the Nation's guiding principles in the promotion of the RISE Program,
USDA now seeks public input on how U.S. Government action might
appropriately support the expansion of a nationwide effort. To that
end, responders are specifically requested to answer one or more of the
following questions in their submissions. Consortia responses are also
encouraged.
1. USDA Rural Development is seeking feedback for the RISE
application in terms of required application materials and input to
demonstrate how an applicant's proposal meets the objectives of RISE.
2. One of the RISE Program's objectives is to improve the ability
of distressed rural communities to create high-wage jobs, accelerate
the formation of new businesses with high-growth potential, and
strengthen regional economies, including by helping to build capacity
in the applicable region to achieve those goals. The Agency is seeking
input on how RISE can qualify successful applications in this regard.
What are potential successful benchmarks? How should these be
evaluated?
3. Another RISE Program objective is to help rural communities
identify and maximize local assets. The Agency is seeking input on how
RISE can qualify successful applications in this regard. What are
potential successful benchmarks? How should these be evaluated?4.
Additionally, the RISE Program is authorized to help rural communities
connect to regional opportunities, networks, and industry clusters that
demonstrate high growth potential. The Agency is seeking input on how
RISE can qualify successful applications in this regard. What are
potential successful benchmarks?
5. Please provide any suggestions on how USDA, Rural Development
should monitor and service the awarded grants, and which emphasis
factors should be included in evaluating outcomes of the RISE Program.
6. The RISE Program provides statutory selection criteria including
the ability of the partnership to link rural communities to markets,
networks, industry clusters and other regional opportunities and
assets. How can the Agency quantify this criteria?
7. The RISE Program provides statutory selection criteria including
the prospects for the proposed center and related programming to have
sustainability beyond the full maximum length of assistance under RISE,
i.e. 4 years. How can the Agency quantify this criteria?
8. The RISE Program provides statutory selection criteria, which
measures the commitment of participating core stakeholders in the jobs
accelerator partnerships, including a demonstration that investment
organizations and institutions of higher education, applied research
institutions, workforce development entities and
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community-based organizations are committed. How can the Agency
quantify this criteria?
Non-Discrimination Statement
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its
Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in, or
administering, USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based
on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity
(including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age,
marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public
assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for
prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or
funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and
complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of
communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print,
audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible
Agency or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or
contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
Additionally, program information may be made available in languages
other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA
Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or
write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the
information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint
form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA
by: (1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC
20250-9410; (2) Fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) Email:
[email protected].
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
Mark Brodziski,
Acting Administrator, Rural Business-Cooperative Service.
[FR Doc. 2020-15821 Filed 7-21-20; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-15-P