Delta Regional Authority

The Delta Regional Authority (DRA), consisting of the Federal Co-Chairman and the Governors of the eight participating member states:

• Patrick H. “Pete” Johnson - Federal Co-Chairman,
• Governor Bob Riley - State Co-Chairman, Louisiana,
• Governor Mike Beebe Arkansas,
• Governor Ernie Fletcher Kentucky,
• Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Louisiana,
• Governor Haley Barbour Mississippi,
• Governor Matt Blunt Missouri,
• Governor Rod R. Blagojevich Illinois,
• Governor Phil Bredeson Tennessee

will make available to its Members of Congress, the Region’s 44 local development districts (LDDs) and the general public its pre-application package for the DRA 2008 Federal Grant Program.

The DRA’s 2008 “Uniform Pre-Application Package” will include the:

• Cover Letter,
• Simplified Process and Timeline,
• DRA 2008 Uniform Grant Pre-Application Form,
• Application for Federal Assistance – Standard Form 424, 424a & 424b nonconstruction projects or 424c & 424d construction projects.
• “Attachment A.1 – Distressed Counties” — Determined by the Delta Regional Authority in September, 2008.
• 1. If the project assists a private entity to locate and create jobs or an existing entity is involved in the retention of jobs, then a completed Participation Agreement is required. The Participation Agreement is posted as a document on the DRA website www.dra.gov under the Federal Grant Program. Failure to provide the Participation Agreement will result in an incomplete pre-application and disqualification.

The DRA 2008 “Uniform Pre-Application Package” can also be accessed through DRA’s web site or by the following:

• DRA's web site:www.dra.gov, "DRA 2008 Federal Grant Program", or by
• Calling: 1-888-GO TO DRA,
• Your Local Development District: For a list of the Region’s LDD contacts, please refer to www.dra.gov “DRA 2008 Federal Grant Program”
• Writing: DRA 2008 Federal Grant Program – Pre-Application Team

Delta Regional Authority
236 Sharkey Avenue – Suite 400
Clarksdale, MS 38614

Please note: DRA will periodically update its site with new information, clarification, etc., and it will be to your advantage to frequently refer back to the online DRA 2008 Federal Grant Program information for updates.

The LDDs will be the “front-line” facilitators, within their districts, to publicize, educate and provide technical assistance for the DRA 2008 Federal Grant Program’s pre-application process. Specifically, commencing October 10, each LDD will begin publicizing the DRA 2008 Federal Grant Program through their hosting of public-information forums plus all other means appropriate to their respective client bases.

Each LDD will be the principal contact for the provision of technical and pre-application assistance to the pre-applicants in its area throughout this one hundred four (104)-day period, from announcement to pre-application deadline.

On a separate but important note, most DRA 2008 Federal Grant Program projects will be administered by agencies other than the DRA. These agencies are referred to as “Administering Agencies”. If either USDA Rural Development or the Economic Development Administration is a participant in the project, then DRA will have a supplement grant an the applicable for mentioned Agency will administer the DRA supplement grant. Otherwise, the Local Development district will administer the DRA portion of the project.

Please note: these services (publicity, education and technical assistance for pre-application preparation) to be provided by the Region’s LDDs will be provided at no cost to the public, as the Delta Regional Authority has allocated the funds to, and has an agreement with, each LDD specifically for these purposes.

The Local Development will hold public forums to educated and assist the public concerning the Delta Regional Authority 2008 Federal Grant Program.

Please note: All pre-application packages must be received by the Local Development District no later than Noon CDT, January 08, 2008. The Local Development Districts will screen the pre-applications for completeness. Packages received after that time will automatically be deemed ineligible for DRA 2008 Federal Grant funds, with no recourse.

PRE-APPLICATIONS WILL ONLY BE ACCEPTED THROUGH YOUR LOCAL DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT, WHICH MUST BE LISTED ON THE LDD TRANSMITTAL COVER LETTER.

All submitted pre-application packages MUST include both the completed “Uniform Pre-Application Form” and the appropriate Federal Standard Forms 424 and (424a & 424b non-construction or 424c & 424d construction).

Please include in your submission to DRA:

1. One set of originals for DRA review,
2. One set of copies, which DRA will send to the participating state member and
3. One set of copies, which DRA will send to the (prospective) Administering Agency

And please send the packages to your Local Development District office.

Local Development Districts package complete Pre-Applications and send original plus one copy to DRA. Local Development Districts will also send a copy to their Governor’s office DRA contact at the same time.

Please note: Failure to submit complete pre-application packages and/or the requisite number of copies will automatically render the submission automatically ineligible for DRA 2008 Federal Grant funds, with no recourse.

Project eligibility for the DRA 2008 Federal Grant Program will be completed no later than February 22 and will be determined by the Federal Co-Chairman, based on:

1. The eligibility guidelines as prescribed by the U.S. Congress in the “Delta Regional Authority Act of 2000”, as amended (Attachment A — Eligibility),
2. Delta Regional Authority policy promulgations (Attachment A.1 – Distressed Counties) and
3. The “Clarification Notes” described both on the “Uniform Pre-Application Form” and which may subsequently be described at www.dra.gov “DRA 2008 Federal Grant Program (please check for any updated “Clarifications”).

Upon completion of his eligibility determinations, the Federal Co-Chairman will forward that list to each participating state member, and he will also notify the pre-applicants and the Administering Agencies.

Each state’s Governor will select his projects for DRA 2008 Federal Grant funding from the Federal Co-Chairman’s list of eligible pre-applications.

With the singular independence as prescribed by the “Delta Regional Authority Act of 2000”, as amended, each Governor will select his projects for funding, and will do so within the context of his own Authority-approved state plan and priorities.

When the Governors have selected their projects, these selections basically become “pre-certified” for DRA 2008 funding, needing now an application (“business plan”) sufficient to satisfy the Authority and the (if needed) Administering Agency that the project will work as described and be able to comply with all appropriate federal regulations.

As Governors make their selections, they will forward their lists to the Federal Co-Chairman, who will in turn, invite these full application for these “pre-certified” projects.

As stated above, in the main, projects funded through the DRA 2008 Federal Grant Program will be administered by other federal agencies. Specifically, each Administering Agency’s involvement will be:

• Federal Administering Agencies will receive the Federal Co-Chairman’s list of the eligible projects, which the Administering Agency may be requested to administer, when he forwards this list to the participating state members.
• The Federal Administering Agency will certify that it will administer such projects according to their identified programs.
• Administering Agency will send DRA appropriate processing checklist and required documents for each project to be included in the full application packet and inform DRA of proposed funding for each project, if any.

Using the DRA 2008 Federal Grant “Uniform Grant Application Form”, which will include the Administering Agency’s required checklists and documents, the Federal Co-Chairman will invite a full application from each participating state’s lists of eligible and pre-certified projects.

Using the packages provided by the Federal Co-Chairman, and the 40 days allowed, each applicant must complete such application packages and have the DRA receive their application packages – no later than 5pm CDT, May 21, 2008:

• One set of originals for DRA review,
• One set of copies, which DRA will send to the participating state member and
• One set of copies, which DRA will send to the (prospective) Administering Agency

Applicants shall send their packages to:

DRA 2008 Federal Grant Program – Review Team
Delta Regional Authority
236 Sharkey Avenue – Suite 400
Clarksdale, MS 38614

Beginning May 21, all applications shall be received to the DRA Central Office, and the DRA staff will conduct a final review of the details, while working collaboratively and collegially with each applicant.

By July 11, DRA staff will have forwarded all the completed application reviews to each Governor for the state’s “evaluation and certification” as prescribed by the “Delta Regional Authority Act of 2000”, as amended.

Upon receiving each application for their state, and on or before July 25, each participating Governor shall evaluate and certify each application through his appropriate review process. The Governors will then forward their lists of evaluated and certified applications to the Federal Co-Chairman.

On July 29, in Memphis, TN, each application will be voted on and approved by the participating state members and the Federal Co-Chairman, together, the Delta Regional Authority. Once projects are approved, the administration of each project will proceed in accordance with the “Memorandum of Agreement” between DRA and the appropriate Administering Agencies.

On July 31, the Members of Congress from the Region will be notified by the Federal Co-Chairman of all projects funded in their states and districts.

On August 4, the Governors of the Region will be notified by the Federal Co-Chairman of all projects funded in their states.

By September 15, most DRA Board-approved projects will be closed and all will be funded. The Administering Agencies will then provide DRA with copies of appropriate closing documents.