1. a) Application Process

   1. 1) The Department will post one or more NOFO on the GATA Grantee Portal seeking applications contingent upon available funds. Applicants shall submit their application materials by the deadlines set forth by DCEO in the Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO) which will be at least 30 days after posting the NOFO.
   2. 2) Applicants are required to submit the following:

   3. A) the name of the applicant;

      1. B) whether the applicant is a unit of local government, independently owned for-profit grocery store, co-operative grocery store, or not-for-profit grocery store;
   4. C) the operating name of the grocery store;

   5. D) the location of the grocery store;

      1. E) a detailed explanation of how the grocery store proposes to use any award;
      2. F) two or more letters in support of the application from entities that represent the relevant community, with at least one such letter coming from a local elected official;

      3. G) for an applicant seeking a grant or other financial assistance for a new grocery store in a food desert, as described in Section 645.30(b), the applicant should submit a detailed financial plan that includes:

         1. i) the grocery store's projected costs, revenues, and profits;
         2. ii) the amount and sources of other investments in the planned grocery store;
         3. iii) the long-term assets, including but not limited to real property and equipment, that the grocery store has already secured or still needs; and
         4. iv) the projected number of employees of the grocery store.

      4. H) for an applicant seeking a grant or other financial assistance to establish a new store in a food desert for an independently owned for-profit grocery store, co-operative grocery store, not-for-profit grocery store or municipality-owned grocery store as described in Section 645.30(c), a detailed financial plan that includes:

         1. i) The grocery store's projected costs, revenues, and profits;
         2. ii) The amount and sources of other investments in the planned grocery store;
         3. iii) The long-term assets, including but not limited to real property and equipment, that the grocery store has already secured or still needs; and
         4. iv) The projected number of employees of the grocery store; and

2. I) for an independently owned for-profit grocery store, co-operative grocery store, municipally owned grocery store, or not-for-profit grocery store, a detailed explanation of the ownership and operation structure, including the location of all primary owners.

   1. b) Grant Award Selection

      1. 1) Grants will be awarded by DCEO to grantees following a merit review by DCEO pursuant to GATA requirements (44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.350). In evaluating applications, the Department will consider all requirements as set forth in this Part.

      2. 2) In reviewing applications, the Department will prioritize applicants that:

         1. A) are units of local government;

            1. B) are seeking to establish, or have already established and are operating, grocery stores with local ownership;
            2. C) are seeking to establish, or have already established and are operating, grocery stores with less than $5 million in annual revenue;
         2. 3) In addition, the Department may prioritize applicants by geography, where applications involving areas of higher poverty, lower income, or greater geographic distance from the nearest grocery store receive greater consideration.
         3. 4) Applicants may appeal any denial pursuant to the process described in 44 Ill. Adm. Code 7000.350(g).

      3. c) Grant Disbursements

         Disbursement of grant funds from the Department will be made in accordance with a schedule included in the grant agreement. The Department will disburse funds based on the outcomes outlined in the grant agreement.

3. d) Grant Performance, Monitoring and Reporting Requirements

   1. e) Grant Extensions

      1. f) Records Retention

         A grant recipient shall maintain, for the period of time set forth in the GATA rules (44 Ill. Adm. Code 430(a) and (b)), adequate books, all financial records and supporting documents, statistical records, and all other records pertinent to the program. If any litigation, claim, or audit is started before the expiration of the retention period, the records must be retained until all litigation, claims or audit exceptions involving the records have been resolved and final action taken. Grant recipients shall be responsible for ensuring that contractors and subrecipients comply with the retention requirements.

      Contingent upon the availability of funds and consistent with GATA as applicable, the Department may negotiate grant extensions and add funds for grant projects that were originally competitively awarded and performed successfully.

   Grant recipient shall comply with all GATA and Department requirements for grant performance, administration, monitoring and reporting, including monitoring any subrecipients.

4. g) Project Labor Agreement

   Pursuant to the Project Labor Agreements Act [30 ILCS 571] and Executive Order 02-19, the Department will evaluate each application to determine if a project labor agreement would advance the State's interests of cost, efficiency, quality, safety, timeliness, skilled labor force, labor stability, or the State's policy to advance minority-owned and women-owned businesses and minority and female employment. If a project labor agreement would advance those interests, then the Department may require one as part of the agreement.

Grant opportunities and awards will be administered in a manner that complies with all State requirements applicable to each funding opportunity, including, but not limited to, GATA and all applicable State laws. Applicants and grant recipients shall review all application materials and grant award documents which will include the specific applicable requirements for the grant opportunity. The Department reserves the right to suspend or terminate a grant agreement or withhold any future year funding for non-compliance with these provisions.