Description
Section 2391(d) of Title 10, United States Code (10 U.S.C. § 2391(d)), authorizes the Secretary of Defense to “make grants, conclude cooperative agreements, and supplement funds available under Federal programs administered by agencies other than the Department of Defense, to assist State and local governments to address deficiencies in community infrastructure supportive of a military installation.” Community infrastructure projects are transportation projects, community support facilities (e.g., schools, hospitals, police, fire, and emergency response), and utility infrastructure projects (e.g., water, wastewater, telecommunications, electric, gas, etc.) that are located off of a military installation or on property under the jurisdiction of a Secretary of a military department that is subject to a real estate agreement (including a lease or easement), and are owned by a State or local government or a not-for-profit, member owned utility service. This Notice identifies the criteria established for the selection of community infrastructure projects. Proposals will be competitively scored across these criteria, identified in Section E., paragraph 1. of this Notice. $100 million in funding is available for this program and will expire if they are not obligated prior to the close of business on September 30, 2023. Project proposals must include the endorsement of the local installation commander representing the installation benefitting from the proposed project. Proposals for projects that will contribute to the training of cadets enrolled in an independent program at a covered educational institution must include the endorsement of an installation commander for an installation benefitting from the proposed project, regardless of the distance between the covered educational institution and the installation benefitting from the project. Endorsement letters should indicate either the installation’s or covered educational institution’s need for the project and the benefitting installation’s willingness to support the civilian execution of the project to the extent practicable, including assisting the Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation with the technical review of any required National Environmental Policy Act environmental planning documents for the proposed project.