La. Admin. Code tit. 25 § IX-921

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section IX-921 - Land WCF Application Preparation, Review and Selection Process

A. Applications for Land WCF funds must be submitted to the DOR through an online application available on the Louisiana State Parks website. Applications must be submitted by April 1 (annually). Receipt of an application initiates an extensive and highly competitive process involving DOR preparation of the federal application package, securing clearinghouse approval, evaluation and rating. Project applications will be ranked by score from the open project selection process (OPSP) and forwarded to the National Park Service for federal approval. Assistance is available from the DOR staff for completion of the online application at any time throughout the year.

1. Initial Evaluation. DOR staff initially review all application submittals on the first business day following April 1 annually. Identification of all required documents is completed. Applications with substantial missing required documentation are not eligible for further consideration. Sponsors of projects found to have existing compliance issues are also ineligible to apply until actions are completed to meet National Park Service standards. Sponsors of existing active projects are also not eligible to apply until formal federal closeout procedures by the National Park Service are finalized upon completion of the scope of work for the active project. All project sponsors of applications deemed ineligible are notified in writing in regards to the eligibility to participate. Proposed project sites are visited for initial inspection and evaluation by DOR staff.

2. Review and Preparation of Application. Eligible applicants with complete documentation are evaluated through the OPSP and ranked in priority order. The OPSP is developed in accordance with the most recent publication of the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan and approved by the National Park Service (NPS). This determination of suitability results in a priority order of projects for consideration. Projects are presented to the State Parks and Recreation Commission (SPARC) for review. Upon determination of eligible federal Land WCF monies, all eligible projects are forwarded to the NPS regional office within the limits of funding.

3. Development projects must be a single scope of work. Initial applications for projects that require additional phases should indicate the master plan for the entire development. Supporting documents submitted for the first of a series of phases should indicate the entire master development plan for the facility. To receive funding assistance for subsequent phases of development, the active project must be completed and a new application submitted identifying the elements that will be addressed in the current phase. Supporting documents from the original application can be used to minimize duplication. Approval of the initial project does not imply guarantee of assistance in subsequent phases.

4. Subsequent phases to achieve elements of a master plan in an existing LandWCF project are prioritized in accordance with the open project selection process. This objective scoring system prioritizes all applications in accordance with LandWCF regulations, which are then funded to the full extent of available federal funds. The prioritization is validated by the SPARC prior to submission to the National Park Service for federal review and approval.

5. Submission. The approved application is placed in final form and officially submitted as an application of the state of Louisiana to the NPS Southeast Regional Office. At this point, the application is dependent on federal action for its further progress.

6. Recommendation. As funds become available, priority projects are recommended in their established order through the SPARC to the SLO. If all LandWCF monies have been obligated at the time, the project will be held in a standby basis pending release of additional monies. As funds do become available, the application (already qualified) is then recommended in its turn to NPS for obligation of funds. Applications will be recommended for obligation only in an appropriate number to utilize efficiently those funds available at that specific time.

7. Once the desired amount of funds is "obligated" to the subject project by NPS, a project agreement will be executed for this purpose between the NPS and the state, and a state agreement will be executed between the state and the local government sponsor. If found not acceptable for some reason, the application will be rejected by NPS and returned to the applicant, via the state, with reasons for such rejection.

8. Termination. The qualified application, with funds obligated to its subject project, is ready for funding and implementation. This is the final step in the preprocessing procedure, and the application will then be terminated in one of two ways: by successful completion of the project or by deactivating, if for some reason the project cannot be successfully completed. Post processing of applications for successfully completed projects will include progress reports and billings for work performed and accounting for funds expended. The process is concluded with formal notification by NPS of final settlement.

La. Admin. Code tit. 25, § IX-921

Promulgated by the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, Office of State Parks, LR 36:1232 (June 2010), amended LR 39:1268 (May 2013), Amended LR 43299 (2/1/2017).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 56:1681-1704, R.S. 56:1801-1809 and R.S. 36:201-209.