§ 4279.267 - Selecting guarantee applications.

§ 4279.267 Selecting guarantee applications.

(a) Allocation of budget authority. In administering this Program's budgetary authority each fiscal year, the Agency will allocate up to, but no more, than 50 percent of its budgetary authority, excluding funding for Biobased Product Manufacturing Projects, to fund applications received by the end of the first application window, including those carried over from the previous application period. Any funds not obligated to support applications submitted by the end of the first application window will be available to support applications received by the end of the second window, including those carried over from the previous application period. The Agency, therefore, will have a minimum of 50 percent of each fiscal year's budgetary authority for this Program available to support applications received by the end of the second application window. Administrative procedures for the funding of Biobased Product Manufacturing Projects will be made available by a Notice published in the Federal Register.

(b) Ranking of applications. The Agency will rank all complete eligible applications to create a priority list of scored Phase 1 applications for the Program. Unless otherwise specified in a notice published in the Federal Register, the Agency will rank applications by approximately October 31 for complete and eligible applications received on or before October 1 and by approximately April 30 for complete and eligible applications received on or before April 1. All Phase 1 applications received on or before October 1 and April 1 will be ranked by the Agency and will be competed against the other applications received on or before such date.

(c) Selection of applications for funding. The Agency will invite applicants to submit Phase 2 applications based on the criteria specified in paragraphs (c)(1) through (3) of this section. The Agency will notify, in writing, Lenders whose applications have been selected.

(1) Ranking. The Agency will consider the score an application has received compared to the scores of other applications in the priority list created under paragraph (b) of this section, with highest scoring applications receiving first consideration for invitation to the phase 2 submittal. A minimum score of 55 points is required in order to be considered for a guarantee.

(2) Availability of budgetary authority. The Agency will consider the size of the request relative to the budgetary authority that remains available to the Program during the fiscal year.

(i) If there is insufficient budgetary authority during a particular funding period to select a higher scoring application, the Agency may elect to select the next highest scoring application for further processing. Before this occurs, the Agency will provide the Borrower of the higher scoring application the opportunity to reduce the amount of its request to the amount of budgetary authority available. If the Borrower agrees to lower its request, it must certify that the purposes of the Project can be met, and the Agency must determine the Project is financially feasible at the lower amount.

(ii) If the amount of funding required is greater than 25 percent of the Program's outstanding budgetary authority, the Agency may elect to select the next highest scoring application for further processing, provided the higher scoring Borrower is notified of this action and given an opportunity to revise their application and resubmit it for an amount less than or equal to 25 percent of the Program's outstanding budgetary authority.

(3) Availability of other funding sources. If other financial assistance is needed for the Project, the Agency will consider the availability of other funding sources. If the Lender cannot demonstrate that funds from these sources are available at the time of selecting applications for funding or potential funding, the Agency may instead select the next highest scoring application for further processing ahead of the higher scoring application.

(d) Ranked applications not selected for phase 2. A ranked application that is not invited to submit phase 2 in the application cycle in which it was submitted will be carried forward one additional application cycle, which may be in the next fiscal year. The Agency will notify the Lender in writing.