a) The Department will evaluate:

1. 1) The adequacy of the application submitted (i.e., its compliance with the requirements of this Subpart C and the RFP).

2. 2) The project's proposed activities and services to participants.

   1. 3) The applicant's, PAIP's and their staffs' qualifications to provide the planned activities and services.
3. 4) The soundness of the project budget.
4. 5) The adequacy of the project justification.

5. 6) The capacity of the applicant organization to carry out the project.

   1. 7) Other reasonable criteria deemed necessary as set forth in the RFP.

b) Application Adequacy

1. 1) Grant applications must be submitted in the format prescribed by the Department.
2. 2) Based on the application submitted and further information requested by the Department, grant applications will be deemed adequate or inadequate for grant funding. All adequate applications will be eligible for a grant award.

c) Department Reservations

1. 1) Reject applications that are incomplete.

   1. 2) Reject any applications, after evaluation, based on the evaluation standards in subsection (a).
2. 3) Award grants for an amount less than that requested.

3. 4) Negotiate awards after the application process.

   1. 5) Grant awards to projects deemed most favorable to the interest of the State. Examples of factors that would be in the best interest of the State include, but are not limited to, established collaboratives and/or strong working relationships within the community; existence of police records on domestic violence within the community; and data on the incidence of domestic violence in the community.

The Department reserves the right to: