(a) A State or Tribal Organization seeking a grant for the establishment, expansion, or improvement of a State or Tribal veterans cemetery must submit a preapplication to the Director, Veterans Cemetery Grants Service, through http://www.cem.va.gov/cem/scg__grants.asp.

(b) No detailed drawings, plans, or specifications are required with the preapplication. As a part of the preapplication, the State or Tribal Organization must submit each of the following:

(1) Standard Form 424 (Application for Federal Assistance) and Standard Form 424C (Budget Information) signed by the authorized representative of the State. These forms document the amount of the grant requested, which may not exceed 100 percent of the estimated cost of the project to be funded with the grant.

(2) A program narrative describing the objectives of the project, the need for a grant, the method of accomplishment, the projected interment rate, and the results or benefits expected to be obtained from the assistance requested.

(3) If a site has been selected, a description of the geographic location of the project (i.e., a map showing the location of the project and all appropriate geographic boundaries, and any other supporting documentation, as needed).

(4) A design concept describing the major features of the project including the number and types of gravesites, such as columbarium niches.

(5) Any comments or recommendations made by the State's or Tribal Organization's “Single Point of Contact” reviewing agency.

(6) VA Form 40-0895-2 (Certification of Compliance with Provisions of the Davis-Bacon Act) to certify that the State or Tribal Organization has obtained the latest prevailing wage rates for Federally funded projects. Any construction project fully or partially funded with Federal dollars must comply with those rates for specific work by trade employees (e.g., electricians, carpenters).

(7) VA Form 40-0895-3 (State or Tribal Government Cemetery Grants Service Space Program Analysis—Buildings) to provide information on the proposed size of cemetery buildings, based on VA guidance on the net and gross square footage standards for cemetery buildings. This standard is based on a workload of 1-6 burials per day.

(8) VA Form 40-0895-6 (Certification of State or Tribal Government Matching Architectural and Engineering Funds to Qualify for Group 1 on the Priority List) to provide documentation that the State or Tribal Organization has authority to support the project and the resources necessary to initially fund the architectural and engineering portion of the project development. Once the grant is awarded, VA will reimburse the applicant for all allowable architectural and engineering costs.

(9) VA Form 40-0895-7 (Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters—Primary Covered Transactions (State or Tribal Government)) to ensure that the applicant has not been debarred or suspended, and is eligible to participate in the VA grant process and receive Federal funds.

(10) VA Form 40-0895-8 (Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace Requirements for Grantees Other Than Individuals) to ensure that the applicant complies with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 at the location where the construction will occur.

(11) VA Form 40-0895-9 (Certification Regarding Lobbying) to ensure that the applicant complies with Public Law 101-121 regarding the prohibition against any payments to anyone that influences or attempts to influence an officer or Member of Congress in connection with the award of a grant.

(12) VA Form 40-0895-10 (Certification of Compliance with Federal Requirements—State or Tribal Government Construction Grant) to ensure that the applicant complies with all requirements of part 39.

(13) VA Form 40-0895-15 (Certification of Cemetery Maintained in Accordance with National Cemetery Administration Standards) to ensure that any cemetery established, expanded, or improved through a grant will be operated and maintained in accordance with the operational standards of NCA.

(c) In addition, the State or Tribal Organization must submit written assurance of each of the following conditions:

(1) Any cemetery established, expanded, or improved through a grant will be used exclusively for the interment or memorialization of eligible persons, as set forth in §39.10(a), whose interment or memorialization is not contrary to the conditions of the grant (see §39.10(b) and 38 U.S.C. 2408(d) and 2411).

(2) Title to the site is or will be vested solely in the State or held in trust for the Tribal Organization on trust land.

(3) The State or Tribal Organization possesses legal authority to apply for the grant and to finance and construct the proposed facilities; i.e., legislation or similar action has been duly adopted or passed as an official act of the applicant's governing body, authorizing the filing of the application, including all understandings and assurances contained therein, and directing and authorizing the person identified as the official representative of the State or Tribal Organization to act in connection with the application and to provide such additional information as may be required.

(4) The State or Tribal Organization will assist VA in assuring that the grant complies with section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470), Executive Order 11593 (identification and protection of historic properties), and the Archaeological and Historic Preservation Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 469a-1 et seq.).

(5) The State or Tribal Organization will obtain approval by VA of the final construction drawings and specifications before the project is advertised or placed on the market for bidding; it will construct the project, or cause the project to be constructed, to completion in accordance with the application and approved plans and specifications; it will submit to the Director of the Veterans Cemetery Grants Service, for prior approval, changes that alter any cost of the project, use of space, or functional layout; and it will not enter into a construction contract for the project or undertake other activities until the requirements of the grant program have been met.

(6) The State or Tribal Organization will comply with the Federal requirements in 2 CFR parts 180, 200, and 801 and submit Standard Form 424D (Assurances—Construction Programs).

(7) The State or Tribal Organization will prepare an Environmental Assessment to determine whether an Environmental Impact Statement is necessary, and certify that funds are available to finance any costs related to preparation of the Environmental Assessment.

(d) The State or Tribal Organization must submit a copy of the State or Tribal Organization action authorizing the establishment, maintenance, and operation of the facility as a veterans cemetery in accordance with 38 CFR 39.10(a). If the State or Tribal Organization action is based on legislation, enacted into law, then the legislation must be submitted.

(e) Upon receipt of a complete preapplication for a grant, including all necessary assurances and all required supporting documentation, VA will determine whether the preapplication conforms to all requirements listed in paragraphs (a) through (d) of this section, including whether it contains sufficient information necessary to establish the project's priority. VA will notify the State or Tribal Organization of any nonconformity. If the preapplication does conform, VA shall notify the State or Tribal Organization that the preapplication has been found to meet the preapplication requirements, and the proposed project will be included in the next scheduled ranking of projects, as indicated in §39.3(d).

(The Office of Management and Budget has approved the information collection requirements in this section under control numbers 4040-0004, 4040-0008, 4040-0009, and 2900-0559)

(Authority: 25 U.S.C. 450b(l); 38 U.S.C. 501, 2408, 2411)

[75 FR 34005, June 16, 2010, as amended at 77 FR 4474, Jan. 30, 2012; 80 FR 43322, July 22, 2015]