7 CFR § 4280.116 - Grant applications—general.

(a) General. Separate applications must be submitted for RES and EEI projects. An original, hardcopy or electronic, of each application is required.

(b) Application content. Applications for RES projects or EEI projects must contain the information specified in § 4280.118 unless the requirements of either § 4280.119(a) or § 4280.120(a) are met. If the requirements of § 4280.119(a) are met, the application may contain the information specified in § 4280.119(b). If the requirements of § 4280.120(a) are met, the application may contain the information specified in § 4280.120(b). For RES Projects only, the Agency may require a feasibility study based on the scope of the project to the applicant's overall operations, including new facilities with significant impacts on an existing operation, or when the application information or technical report does not provide sufficient documentation and analysis of the project's engineering, technical, financial, or market feasibility, or the economic viability of the project including any feedstock or off-take agreements, that are needed to evaluate whether a project will be successful. The elements of an acceptable feasibility study may vary by project scope and should be prepared by a qualified and independent third party.

(c) Evaluation of applications. The Agency will evaluate each RES and EEI grant application and make a determination as to whether the application meets the criteria specified in paragraphs (c)(1) through (4).

(1) The application is complete, as defined in § 4280.103;

(2) The Applicant is eligible according to § 4280.112;

(3) The project is eligible according to § 4280.113; and

(4) The proposed project has technical merit as determined under § 4280.117.