(a) CCC intends to make awards to responsive applicants able to fully meet the requirements of the program subject to the priority criteria outlined below.

(b) To the extent that it is unable to make awards to all fully qualified applicants due to the limited quantity of commodities that will be available under this subpart, CCC reserves the right to both make awards on a prorated basis and to prioritize awards on the criteria listed below. CCC will consider the following factors in accepting offers for participation:

(1) The extent to which an eligible entity is already a participant in existing FNS administered programs with priority placed upon those entities that are not participating in such programs;

(2) The ability of the eligible entity to receive, store, and distribute at least 20,000 pounds of food per shipment and any other requirements as outlined in the NOCA, as determined by CCC, to successfully implement the proposed program activity;

(3) The eligible entity's operational and financial capability to receive and distribute commodities provided by CCC under this subpart;

(4) The scope of the proposed program activity in terms of its intended use of such commodities in low income areas, as determined by CCC using United States Census Bureau data and information available from federal means tested programs; and

(5) Any other criteria specified in the NOCA.

(c) An eligible entity may submit only one program proposal in response to a NOCA for the same geographic area.