Application Review and Decision

PURPOSE: This rule establishes the process the board will use to review and make decisions regarding applications for financial assistance in the form of grants and loans from the Missouri 911 service trust fund. (1) Application Review. The board or its designated members or appointees will review all applications. Applications meeting the minimum requirements will be scored and ranked based on the scoring to aid the board in deciding which applications to approve and the amount and type of financial assistance to award approved applicants. If more than one (1) application receives the same score, then the tied applications will be ranked in the order determined to best accomplish the purposes listed in section 650.330.1.(16), RSMo. (2) Application Scoring. (A) Project Narrative. The project narrative shall be scored as follows: 1. One (1) point shall be awarded for each portion required by 11 CSR 90-2.020(4)(A)1., 2., 3., and 5. that is determined to contain adequate information; 2. One (1) point shall be awarded for each separate purpose listed in 11 CSR 90-2.020(4)(A)4.A.-F. that is determined to be adequately identified and described; and 3. Points for portions of the project narrative required by 11 CSR 90-2.020(4)(A)6. shall be awarded as follows: A. For the portion required by 11 CSR 90-2.020(4) (A)6.A., three (3) points if the application adequately describes specific, feasible activities and identifies parties responsible for completing the activities. Fewer than three (3) points may be awarded for answers that are determined to be partially adequate; B. For the portion required by 11 CSR 90-2.020(4)(A)6.B., one (1) point for including in the application one (1) or more public safety answering points (PSAPs) located in a jurisdiction with a current 911 level of basic for up to five (5) points, one (1) point for consolidating a PSAPs for up to five (5) points, one (1) point for consolidating 911 services within a region, one (1) point for moving one (1) or more PSAPs up one 911 service levels for up to five (5) points, and one (1) point for meeting the National Emergency Number Association (NENA i3) Solution Standard for Emergency Services IP Network; C. For the portion required by 11 CSR 90-2.020(4) (A)6.C., one (1) point for providing a work plan and timeline that adequately identifies activities and proposed start and completion dates; D. For the portion required by 11 CSR 90-2.020(4)(A)6.D., one (1) point for providing an adequate plan for reporting progress and expenditures to the board; and E. For the portion required by 11 CSR 90-2.020(4)(A)6.E., one (1) point for adequately describing how the activities identified in the application will be sustained beyond the completion date of the funded project. One (1) additional point may be awarded if the application shows above average confidence of sustainability and a second additional point may be awarded if the application shows high confidence of sustainability. (B) Technical Assistance Report Scoring. The technical assistance report required by 11 CSR 90-2.020(4)(B) shall be scored one (1) to three (3) points depending on the board’s or its reviewer’s determination as to the level of reasonableness and feasibility of the budget and the adequacy of the justification for the total project cost. (3) Application Decisions. (A) The board will make all final decisions regarding applications. The board will strive to approve or disapprove applications within sixty (60) calendar days after the close of each application window and decide the amount and type of financial assistance to award each approved applicant and transmit to its 911 services authority for project implementation. (B) The board will disapprove all applications that it determines do not meet the minimum requirements. (C) The board will make final decisions on applications meeting the minimum requirements on a case-by-case basis based on the board’s determination, in its sole discretion, of which projects best promote the purposes of the fund set forth in section 650.330.4.(16)(a)-(f), RSMo. In situations where the board offers a loan when a grant was requested, the board reserves the right to request any additional documents or information needed to ascertain if the match requirement is met. (D) The board or its designee will notify each applicant and its 911 services authority in writing of the board’s decision regarding the application. If the board disapproves an application, the writing will advise of the protest procedure in 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.