SELECT TENNESSEE CERTIFIED SITES GRANT PROGRAM

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1 November 2014 Version 2.0 GRANT CRITERIA: The non-competitive Select Tennessee Certified Sites Grant Program ($7,500) is available to Tier Two Counties and Tier Three Counties designated by TN Jobs Tax Credit Map (see attached map) and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. This is a reimbursable grant for up to 80 percent of eligible expenses incurred in the process of achieving certification for a site through the Select Tennessee Certified Sites Program. Each grant has a maximum award amount of $7,500. Counties may only be awarded one grant during a two-year period. In order to be eligible, a county must have at least one site that has progressed in the certification process through the site visit stage. Funds may be used on multiple sites in a county, but may only be used for studies that apply to sites that have been approved as viable candidates for certification. All grant applications must identify expenses incurred in the process of preparing sites to attract industry established through the guidelines of the Select Tennessee Certified Sites Program. The preparation of technical studies, plans, reports and surveys for sites pursuing certification is of substantial importance in the process of recruitment and/or retention of companies to Tennessee. Grant application must be submitted by an entity of local government, such as a city mayor s office, the county mayor s office, or the county s Industrial Development Board. In non-metropolitan counties, the application must be accompanied by a letter from the county s Joint Economic and Community Development Board (JEDCB) supporting the application and acknowledging that the Board has taken an affirmative vote for the use of these grant funds. The Select Tennessee Grant is a reimbursable grant and all expenditures must take place within the timeframe of the grant period as designated by the grant contract unless the applicant has received permission to incur costs prior to the execution of the grant agreement by completing a Request to Incur Cost form (RTIC). ECD will review the details and scope of the project to determine whether to grant permission to incur costs. If the RTIC is

2 approved, ECD will send the Grantee a Permission to Incur Cost letter which establishes the start date of the potential grant agreement, assuming that a grant is eventually awarded. Note that receipt of a Permission to Incur Cost letter does not indicate or guarantee that a grant will be awarded. Grant Contract Packets will be sent directly to the grant administrator for signatures. When Grant Contract Packets are returned to ECD and processed, the Grant administrator will be notified of approval of contract and expenditures can begin. Note: Expenditures made before contract approval will not be reimbursed, unless a RTIC letter has been issued and the grant is subsequently approved. ELIGIBLE PROJECTS: STCSP grants are provided only for the following studies, reports, and surveys prepared in accordance to the Select Tennessee Certified Site program guidelines. Category 1 (Class A) Boundary Survey Topographic Survey (2-foot or better interval that can accurately be mapped at a 1 to 100 foot scale) Environmental Site Assessment (Phase 1 or 2) Wetland Determination/Delineation Hydrologic Determination Endangered Species Survey Archaeological Survey Geotechnical Study Engineering Plans and Studies INELIGIBLE PROJECTS: Studies, reports and surveys not included in the list of eligible projects cannot be reimbursed.

3 SELECT TENNESSEE CERTIFIED APPLICATION PROCESS All grant applications from non-metropolitan counties submitted to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (ECD) must include a letter of support from the county s Joint Economic and Community Development Board (JEDCB). (Note: This letter should come from the county mayor in counties with a metropolitan form of government.) This letter should indicate the JEDCB s support for the grant application and acknowledge that the Board has taken an affirmative vote for the use of the grant funds as presented in the application. The letter should also identify each site(s) and the associated study for which reimbursed is sought, acknowledge that the site(s) has successfully completed the site visit stage, and identify the local government entity who will apply for and administer the grant. The application should be accompanied by copies of the quote for each study/report to be reimbursed; a detailed budget; ACH form; voided Check; W-9 form; Title VI and all contact information. The completed studies, reports, and survey(s) will be required to be submitted with associated invoices for reimbursement. AWARD AND ANNOUNCEMENT Select Tennessee Grant Applications will be reviewed by the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Grants and Loan Committee. All contracts will be sent directly to grantee for signature and returned to ECD for final signatures and approvals. All contracts must be signed by all parties before work can be performed, unless the applicant has received permission to incur costs prior to the execution of the grant agreement by completing a Request to Incur Cost form (RTIC). Counties participating in the Select Tennessee Grant Program will be required to submit proper documentation for grant expenditures, failure to follow specified uses or accounting requirements may result in loss of Grant reimbursements.

4 SCHEDULE Grant applications may be submitted at any time once the site has proceeded past the site visit stage of the process and has been approved as a good candidate for certification by the independent site selection consultant hired by ECD to review the site. Upon receipt of a complete application, the application will be presented to the Grants and Loan Committee at its next meeting for consideration. CONTACT AND SUBMITTAL INFORMATION: Please this completed PDF document and required attachments to Kendrick Curtis, Director of Community and Rural Development, at the address below: Kendrick.Curtis@tn.gov If you have questions, please Kendrick at the address above.

5 SELECT TENNESSEE CERTIFIED APPLICATION County Name: Tier designation: If seeking reimbursement for studies prepared for different sites, list each site and provide its identification number below. Site(s): Name & Number Example: 20012A001 Site Total Reimbursement ECD Study: Number: Cost: Percentage Grant: TOTAL AMOUNT OF GRANT: Grantee: Grant administrator: Street Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: FEIN-Federal Employer Identification # Attachments-Grant Check List (The following information is required) 1. Letter from the chairman of the county s Joint Economic Development Board or, in the case of metropolitan counties, the county mayor. The letter should address the following: Identify the site and associated study to be reimbursed and the firm preparing the study;

6 Acknowledge the board has taken an affirmative vote supporting the application; Acknowledge that the site has completed the Select Tennessee site visit; and The local government entity who will administer the grant. 2. Quote(s) for each study, report and/or surveys to be reimbursed. 3. A detailed budget. 4. ACH form. 5. Voided Check. 6. W-9 form. 7. Title VI form. Budget: (Please itemize each expense for which you will seek reimbursement.) Expense/Study Total Expense Site Number TOTAL FOR ALL EXPENSES

7 VOIDED CHECK: (Please affix a voided check and scan this page.)