36.17.610    CRITERIA FOR RANKING GOVERNMENTAL AND TRIBAL RENEWABLE RESOURCE GRANT APPLICATIONS

(1) For each grant cycle, the bureau shall publish with its guidelines the numerical points to be awarded.

(2) Points are awarded and deducted based on the following criteria.

(a) Points must be awarded for renewable resource benefits related to the project. If a project has no renewable resource benefits, it is ineligible for a grant.

(b) Points must be awarded for public benefits. If a project has no public benefits, it is ineligible for a grant.

(c) Tie breaker preference must be given to projects that have an equal score and that:

(i) implement the state water plan priorities; and/or

(ii) will mitigate human health or safety problems.

(d) No points may be awarded for financial feasibility. Points will be deducted for errors or omissions in this section. If a project is determined to not be financially feasible, it is ineligible for a grant.

(e) If a project is determined to have adverse environmental impacts that cannot be mitigated and do not preserve the state's renewable resources per 85-1-601, MCA, it is ineligible for a grant.

(f) No points may be awarded for technical feasibility. Points will be deducted for errors or omissions in this section. If a project is determined to not be technically feasible, it is ineligible for a grant. Technical feasibility includes, but is not limited to:

(i) adequacy of the alternative analysis;

(ii) adequacy of cost estimates for potential alternatives and the preferred alternative;

(iii) preferred alternative selection;

(iv) thoroughness and feasibility of the project's implementation plan and schedules; and

(v) quality of supporting technical data submitted with the application.

(g) Points may be deducted from applications for which there have been past management problems, prior project completion issues, or such other concerns as identified in the published guidelines for the grant cycle. If a management plan is not adequate to support the project, it is ineligible for a grant.

(3) Applications shall be assigned a net ranking score based on the points gained or lost. Once the applications have been ranked, the bureau shall review all of the rankings and shall recommend to the director a funding priority list of all of the applications.

(a) The priority list will be used to determine department funding recommendations and will be incorporated in a report to the Legislature recommending government and tribal grant applications for funding and the amount of grant award suggested.

(b) Funding recommendations are made to maximize benefit to Montanans and will be based on the total amount of grant funds available, the amount of grant funds requested, and the total project cost.

History: 85-1-612, MCA; IMP, 85-1-601, 85-1-605, 85-1-612, 85-1-616, MCA; NEW, 2012 MAR p. 746, Eff. 4/13/12.