ARKANSAS PORT, INTERMODAL, AND WATERWAY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM RULES
ARKANSAS WATERWAYS COMMISSION
Agency 0341
101 E. Capitol Avenue, Suite 370 - Little Rock, AR 72201
1.0GENERAL INFORMATIONThe Arkansas Waterways Commission was established by Act 242 of 1967 and its powers and duties were amended by Act 414 of 1973. The Commission's general authority is codified at Ark. Code Ann. § 15-23-201. The Arkansas Waterways Commission is the sole state agency responsible for developing, promoting and protecting waterborne transportation in Arkansas. The Commission also promotes economic development for ports on the five commercially navigable rivers of the state: the Arkansas, Mississippi, Ouachita, Red and White Rivers.
1.1PROGRAM NAMEThese rules govern the Arkansas Port, Intermodal, and Waterway Development Grant Program.
The Arkansas Port, Intermodal, and Waterway Development Grant Program is authorized by Ark. Code Ann. § 15-23-305 and § 19-5-1253.
2.0PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONThe Arkansas Port, Intermodal, and Waterway Development Grant Program provides financial assistance to port authorities and intermodal authorities for the purpose of funding port development projects. The goals of the program are to provide public funds to build land-side infrastructure and to dredge ports and waterways. Funding this infrastructure will provide jobs and competitive transportation costs for moving cargo, thereby minimizing highway congestion, improving safety, and reducing maintenance costs related to Arkansas's highways. This program will also allow Arkansas products to reach additional markets.
3.0TYPE OF AWARD3.1 The total maximum funding will be limited to the amount of money made available to the Commission for the program.3.2 Grant recipients must expend funds within one year from receiving the grant.3.3 There is no minimum amount of funding that may be applied for by an eligible applicant. The maximum amount that may be applied for by an eligible applicant is the maximum amount of funds available.3.4 There is no maximum of number of awards that can be received for an eligible applicant in one state fiscal year.3.5 Funds granted may not exceed ninety percent (90%) of construction costs or fifty percent (50%) of dredging costs.4.0ELIGIBILITY4.1 ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA4.1.1 Eligible applicants are an Arkansas public port authority or public intermodal authority. A port facility can include an intermodal facility and maritime-related industrial park infrastructure development.4.1.2 Eligible projects are construction, improvement, capital facility rehabilitation, and expansion of a public port facility. Dredging projects are also eligible.4.1.3 Planning projects and feasibility studies shall not be eligible.4.1.4 Funds granted may not exceed ninety percent (90%) of the cost of construction or fifty percent (50%) of dredging costs.4.1.5 Eligible projects may be projects that were completed with in a year prior to the grant application.4.2 CONFLICT OF INTEREST4.2.1 No Director, officer or employee of the Arkansas Waterways Commission, for purpose of personal gain, shall have or attempt to have, directly or indirectly, any interest in any contract or agreement of the Commission in connection with the Arkansas Port, Intermodal, and Waterway Development Grant Program.4.2.2 It shall not be a conflict of interest for the Commission to permit any port, intermodal or waterway with which a Director of the Commission is affiliated to participate in any program of the Commission, provided that such Director shall promptly disclose the nature of the affiliation to the Commission.5.0APPLICATION PROCESS5.1 Applications for the Arkansas Port, Intermodal, and Waterways Development Grant shall be submitted on the form prescribed by the Commission.5.2 A Resolution passed by the board of the grant applicant must be enclosed with the application. The Resolution must have the signature of the Chair of the board.5.3 The Commission reserves the right to request additional information as required for evaluation.6.0EVALUATIONProjects will be evaluated by the Commission, which may request the assistance of appropriate representatives from academia, private enterprise, or the public sector. Applications meeting the eligibility requirements will be evaluated on the basis of the evaluation criteria outlined below.
6.1EVALUATION CRITERIA6.1.1 The qualified applicant and the associated enterprise must have the support and resources available to ensure a reasonable probability of project success if a development grant is awarded.6.1.2 The proposed development project must have commercial feasibility. The development should provide the port, intermodal or waterway with the ability to compete more effectively in the marketplace.6.1.3 The proposed project must have a time frame of no longer than one year of the year the award is given.6.2APPLICATION REVIEW6.2.1 A member of the Commission's staff shall review each application to determine that eligibility requirements have been met.6.2.2 The Waterways Commission will review and evaluate each eligible application in terms of the purpose of the Arkansas Port, Intermodal, and Waterway Development Grant Program.7.0GRANT AWARDS7.1 The Arkansas Waterways Commission shall make the final decision to select recipients of funding from the Arkansas Port, Intermodal, and Waterway Development Grant Program. Funding decisions will be based on information derived from the Program review.7.2 The Arkansas Waterways Commission will notify all applicants, selected or not, within 15 business days of the Commission's decision.7.3 The Arkansas Waterways Commission will notify the state Treasurer's office and the Treasurer's office will mail warrants for approved projects within 30 days of the announcement of grant awards.7.4 Grant recipients shall establish a separate bank account for grant funds and matching funds. Before grant award is remitted, grant recipient must demonstrate that the cash match is in this account.7.5 Grant recipients must expend grant funds within one year from receiving the grant. Grant funds shall be utilized and expended by the applicant solely and exclusively for the payment of authorized and allowable costs and expenses of the Project for which assistance was approved.7.6 If all grant funds are not utilized and expended by the applicant for the specific Project for which such funds were furnished within one year, the grant recipient shall return or otherwise pay or reimburse to the Commission any and all such unused funds or any amounts of funds used and expended for unauthorized or unallowable purposes; or the applicant may submit a request to the Executive Director of the Arkansas Waterways Commission to use leftover funds for another project. The Commissioners of the Arkansas Waterways Commission shall approve or disapprove the request.8.0GRANT REPORTING8.1 Grantees shall complete a quarterly expenditure report and sign it certifying the accurate expenditure of funds.8.2 Grantees shall complete a final expenditure report and sign it certifying the accurate expenditure of funds.8.3 Grantees must submit final expenditure report to the Arkansas Waterways Commission within 10 days after the end of the state fiscal year or 30 days after making the final expenditure of the grant, whichever is earlier.8.2 All reports shall be subject to review by the state Legislative Audit.9.0FREEDOM OF INFORMATIONAll information submitted in applications is subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act.
095.00.16 Ark. Code R. 001