(b) Annual report. All rural Empowerment Zones and Enterprise Communities shall submit an annual report to USDA for each calendar year which includes an executive summary and benchmark progress report as follows:

1. (1) Executive summary. The executive summary shall identify the progress and setbacks experienced in efforts to achieve benchmark goals. Activities other than those expressly included in the strategic plan should also be noted in order to provide an understanding of where the community stands with respect to implementation of the strategic plan. Furthermore, the executive summary should address the following:

   1. (i) Identify the most significant accomplishments to date.
   2. (ii) Describe the level of community participation and overall support for the EZ/EC initiative.
   3. (iii) List and describe new partnerships or alliances formed.
   4. (iv) Identify problems or obstacles not otherwise anticipated in the strategic plan.
   5. (v) Describe solutions developed or efforts to address the problems and obstacles.
   6. (vi) Identify practices or concepts which were found especially effective in implementing the strategic plan.
2. (2) Benchmark progress report. For each benchmark goal the community will provide a current measure of the baseline condition which is the subject of targeted improvement and whether the current measure represents an improvement from the baseline condition as initially stated in the strategic plan. For each benchmark activity the community will provide a status report in form and substance acceptable to USDA.