Proposal Application, Selection, and Notification Processes

PURPOSE: This rule establishes the procedures for submitting proposals, identifies requirements for filing a proposal for Missouri Housing Trust Fund funds, and establishes criteria and priorities for the approval or disapproval of such proposals. (1) The trust fund department shall, from time-to-time, adopt a proposal application form to be used by all agencies requesting Missouri Housing Trust Fund (MHTF) funds. Any proposal application form so adopted shall meet the following requirements: (A) The form adopted shall first require the approval of the trust fund manager and the director; and (B) The form adopted must provide all information necessary to allow the commission to select proposals based on the requirements and criteria the commission may adopt in the allocation plan and notice of funding availability (NOFA) adopted pursuant to 4 CSR 170-7.300(2). (2) The commission shall, from time-to-time, adopt an allocation plan and MHTF NOFA for the MHTF. After approving drafts of the allocation plan and MHTF NOFA, the commission shall hold public hearings on the same. Once public hearings have been completed, and all comments have been considered, the commission will finalize and approve the allocation plan and MHTF NOFA. (3) Within thirty (30) days after the commission adopts an allocation plan and MHTF NOFA, the trust fund department will issue an application proposal guide which shall, at a minimum, detail the requirements for the proposal application form, the criteria to be used by the commission in selecting proposals, and a timeline for the proposal review and selection process including all pertinent deadlines related to the application process. (4) Review and approval of proposals submitted under the MHTF NOFA. (A) Each proposal application form submitted under the MHTF NOFA shall first be independently reviewed and scored by two (2) separate staff members of the trust fund department selected by the trust fund manager. The two (2) staff members evaluating and scoring the proposals shall evaluate such proposals using the criteria established by the commission in the allocation plan and MHTF NOFA, as well as the criteria set forth in the application proposal guide. Once each staff member has completed independently reviewing and scoring each proposal, the proposals and preliminary scores shall be provided to the trust fund manager for final review. The trust fund manager shall review each proposal and the preliminary scores tabulated by each of the two (2) staff members for completeness and accuracy. In performing this final review, the trust fund manager shall have the ability and discretion to correct errors in preliminary scores, reconcile discrepancies in the preliminary scores and otherwise adjust the results of the preliminary scores in order to ensure that the final score attributed to each proposal fully and accurately reflects its content. Once final scores are assigned to each proposal, the trust fund department will prepare recommendations for funding based on score and the allocation plan, and such recommendations will be presented to the commission, at a time established by the commission, for approval of selected proposals. 1. If any proposal involves an owner who is not in good standing with the commission under any other program administered by the commission, the proposal shall be subject to such penalties as may be set forth in the application proposal guide. 2. No proposal application form submitted after the deadline will be considered for funding. 3. If any proposal involves an owner, sponsor, or partner who is involved in any other property funded in whole or in part by MHTF funds and such property is in a current state of non-compliance with MHTF guidelines based on a determination made pursuant to 4 CSR 170-7.500, the proposal shall be subject to such penalties as may be set forth in the application proposal guide. 4. If, as of the application deadline, any proposal application form submitted to the commission is incomplete, the application shall be considered, but shall be subject to such penalties as may be set forth in the application proposal guide. (B) The commission may approve or disapprove any proposals submitted and/or recommended by the trust fund department at its discretion, and all decisions of the commission regarding the disposition of a proposal shall be final. (C) All applicants shall be notified of the commission’s disposition of their proposal by mail or such other means as the commission may deem appropriate provided that the method of notification used is reasonably likely to apprise all applicants as to the disposition of their applications. Successful applicants will receive a written reservation from the commission which shall set forth the covenants, terms, and conditions upon which MHTF funds are being awarded. AUTHORITY: section 215.030(5), (12), and (19), RSMo 2000.* Material in this rule originally filed as 4 CSR 170-7.030 and 4 CSR 170-7.040. Original rule filed Nov. 30, 2011, effective June 30, 2012. *Original authority: 215.030, RSMo 1969, amended 1974, 1982, 1985, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1998.