Application Requirements and Submission Procedure

PURPOSE: This rule prescribes the content of and procedure for applying for financial assistance in the form of grants and loans from the Missouri 911 service trust fund, the proceeds of which are to be used to finance a portion of the costs incurred in implementing projects to improve 911 services. (1) Application Window. All application windows shall be established by the board as it deems appropriate and be published on its website, https://www.missouri911.org. The board reserves the right to extend published application windows as it deems appropriate. For each application window, the board shall exercise its discretion to determine the total amount of financial assistance available from the fund, allocate the available amounts between grants and loans, establish any percent of match in local funds required for applications seeking grants, and determine the maximum amount of financial assistance available per application. The board will publish this information on its website before the start of each application window. (2) Application Submission Procedure. (A) Deadline. Applications for all application windows shall be submitted to the board by the deadline established and published by the board. Applications may be submitted by electronic mail or certified or registered mail. Electronic mail shall be sent to admin@missouri911.org and certified and registered mail shall be sent to “Missouri 911 Service Board” at PO Box 2126, Jefferson City, MO 65102. The board presently lacks the ability to receive applications by hand delivery because it does not maintain a physical office. The board prefers to receive electronic copies of applications by electronic mail. (B) Format. Applicants must provide one (1) electronic version of their applications, including the accompanying documents. (C) Joint Applications. Applications submitted by two (2) or more eligible applicants must contain all information required for each applicant and its 911 services authority and a memorandum of understanding between all eligible applicants and their 911 services authorities. The board encourages joint applications. (D) Rejection Criteria. The board will reject applications that are untimely. The board may extend the application deadline for up to seventy-two (72) hours. Any extension will apply to all applications. The board will notify applicants and their 911 services authorities in writing regarding applications it deems incomplete and allow fourteen (14) calendar days for the submission of information necessary to complete such applications. The board may reject applications that remain incomplete for longer than fourteen (14) days after notice is sent. (3) General Requirements. (A) Who may apply. Applications may be submitted by eligible applicants singly, or in combination with one (1) or more other eligible applicants. (B) Signature and Certification. All applications shall be prepared by the 911 services authority that will incur some or all the costs to implement the 911 communications service project in the application. All applications will be signed by an authorized representative of each applicant and an authorized member of its 911 services authority. By signing the application— 1. Applicants authorize the board to transmit directly to their 911 services authorities any portion of an award of financial assistance that is for costs to be incurred by their 911 services authorities in implementing approved projects; 2. Applicants and 911 services authorities certify that any financial assistance obtained from the fund will be expended only for purposes specified in the approved application or the project agreement. 3. 911 services authorities certify that they, on behalf of their eligible applicants, will repay any portion of a loan made that is transmitted directly to them by the board, with interest, and will annually budget an amount sufficient to make any payments required by the board under section 650.335, RSMo. Eligible applicants make the same certification with respect to any portion of a loan transmitted to them for costs to be incurred by them in implementing approved projects. (C) Funding Limits and Sources. The maximum amount of grants, loans, or a combination of grants and loans that may be requested in a single application, as set by the board for each application window, shall be the same regardless of the number of eligible applicants included in an application. (D) Project Costs Disclosure. Applications shall include all necessary costs, including those of any third party, required for the full implementation of the project. For all projects in which not all project costs will be incurred and paid by the applicants’ 911 services authorities, the applications also shall identify all other sources that will incur or pay project costs, the specific project costs to be incurred or paid by each source, and the total project costs to be incurred or paid by each source. (E) Limit on Number of Applications. The board reserves the right to limit the number of applications that may be submitted per applicant per application window. The limit applies to joint applications. (F) Project Completion Deadline. Applications must demonstrate that the proposed project is able to be completed no later than one (1) year after the board first remits any financial assistance from the fund for project implementation. (G) Grounds for Rejection or Disapproval. The board may reject applications signed by applicants or 911 services authorities owing money to the fund under a loan agreement previously approved by the board or that have not yet completed a project that was previously approved by the board. (4) Application Contents. Applications shall contain a Project Narrative and a Technical Assistance Report that includes a proposed budget. (A) Project Narrative Requirements. The project narrative shall include the following information for all applicants and their 911 services authorities signing the application: 1. Identifying and contact information. The names, addresses, titles, locations addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses of the eligible applicants’ governing bodies and the 911 services authorities’ primary contact individuals; 2. Constituent information. The number of constituents to be served by the entire project, the 911 services authorities’ 911 levels as of the date of the application and upon project completion; 3. Funding request information. State a preference for a grant, loan, or combination of the two (2), the total amount of financial assistance requested, and the amount of each type of financial assistance requested (only if both types are requested). The board reserves the right to extend an offer for either type of financial assistance or a combination of the two (2) regardless of the type of funding requested and to less than the requested amount; 4. Funding Purpose. Identify the statutory purposes for which the requested financial assistance will be used— A. Implementation of 911 services in counties of the state where services do not exist or to improve existing 911 systems; B. Promotion of consolidation of public safety answering points (PSAPs), where appropriate; C. Mapping or addressing all county locations; D. Ensuring primary access and texting abilities to 911 services for disabled residents; E. Implementation of initial emergency medical dispatch services, including prearrival instructions in counties where those services are not offered as of the date the application is submitted; and F. Development and implementation of an emergency services internet protocol network that can be shared by all public safety agencies; 5. Personnel information. State the name and title of key personnel performing the project for which financial assistance is sought. For any vacant job positions, provide a job description instead of a name; and 6. Service description. Provide a detailed description of the services to be provided for each purpose identified in (4)(A)-(F) of this rule for which financial assistance is requested. The description must include the following information: A. A summary of the activities to occur and the key personnel responsible for each activity; B. A description of how the application addresses one (1) or more of the Award Priority Areas; C. A work plan and timeline that identifies activities, and proposed start and completion dates; D. A plan for the 911 services authorities to report progress and expenditures to the board. At a minimum, the plan must require the 911 services authorities to submit to the board progress and expenditure reports on a quarterly basis and a final project report and financial reconciliation no later than thirty (30) calendar days after project completion; and E. A brief description of how the activities identified in the application will be sustained by the 911 services authorities beyond the completion date of the project. (B) Technical Assistance Report. The technical assistance report shall contain— 1. A detailed budget and justification for the total cost of the funded project, including the following: A. Capital expenses incurred by the 911 services authorities, the applicants, or any other source for the purchase of materials, equipment, and supplies; B. Operating expenses incurred by the 911 services authorities, the applicants, or any other source for personnel, administration, and operations; C. Training expenses, incurred by the 911 services authorities, the applicants, or any other source for programs, facilities, travel, and trainers; and D. Other direct costs incurred by the 911 services authorities, the applicants, or any other source for the funded project; 2. The suggested format for the budget is a spreadsheet that contains or is accompanied by notes describing how amounts of expenses incurred by the 911 services authorities, the applicants, or any other source align with the activity timeline in the narrative proposal; 3. Financial records and other documents demonstrating that the applicants, through their 911 services authorities or otherwise, have the ability to operate and maintain ongoing 911 services after project completion; 4. Written certification, such as a resolution, that the governing bodies of the applicants have approved the applicants entering into a project agreement with the board if the application is approved and a copy of the approvals. Applicants indicating that approval of their governing bodies is not required must submit proof acceptable to the board; 5. For applications requesting a loan, financial records, and other documents or information demonstrating that the applicants, through their 911 services authorities or otherwise, are providing at least a fifty percent (50%) match of the amount of loan sought and that the total project cost will be recovered during the loan repayment period; and 6. For applications requesting a grant, financial records, and other documents or information demonstrating that the applicants, through their 911 services authorities or otherwise, are providing at least the minimum percent match of the amount of grant sought as is required by the board for the application window. AUTHORITY: sections 650.330 and 650.335, RSMo Supp. 2020.* Emergency rule filed May 6, 2020, effective May 21, 2020, expired Feb. 25, 2021. Original rule filed May 7, 2020, effective Dec. 30, 2020. *Original authority: 650.330, RSMo 1997, amended 2017, 2018, 2019 and 650.335, RSMo 2018.