Minnesota Administrative Rules

5203.0060 SAFETY ACCOUNT GRANT PROGRAM.

Subpart 1.

Scope.

This part establishes the conditions under which the commissioner shall award grants for costs of implementing safety recommendations made to eligible applicants.

Subp. 2.

Proposal.

An eligible applicant shall submit a proposal in the form specified by the commissioner. The commissioner may request additional information from the applicant if it is necessary to clarify the proposal. A proposal must include the following information:

A.

the names, qualifications, and addresses of the applicant and other project participants;

B.

a description of the proposed project, including:

(1)

a work plan that includes a list of project activities, an implementation schedule with specific timelines, and persons involved in completing each activity;

(2)

the location of the proposed project if it involves capital equipment or necessary real property;

(3)

the current status of the proposed project; and

(4)

a description or identification of employees that the proposed project will benefit in terms of reducing risk of injury;

C.

a financial report, including:

(1)

an itemized description of the proposed project costs, including the total estimated cost, the total grant eligible costs, the amount of grant funding requested, and a discussion of the economic feasibility of implementing the proposed project;

(2)

an itemized description of the proposed project financing, including the applicant contributions, other government contributions, private contributions, and, where applicable, any projected revenues from the proposed project; and

(3)

a business plan that demonstrates ongoing financial commitment over the projected life of the proposed project to be funded by the grant;

D.

information demonstrating, where applicable, the technical feasibility of the proposed project, including preliminary design and engineering plans for capital expenditures; and

E.

information demonstrating that the project will comply with applicable regulations, including a list of permits required for the project.

Subp. 3.

Evaluation of proposals.

The commissioner shall evaluate each proposal that is determined to be eligible and complete, and shall award grants to those projects that, in the commissioner's view, best satisfy the following criteria:

A.

the proposed project is technically and economically feasible and is consistent with the recommendations resulting from the on-site safety survey of the employer;

B.

the applicant has the experience and knowledge to complete the proposed project and is committed to implementing the proposed project in a timely manner upon receipt of a grant award;

C.

the proposed project is consistent with the objective of reducing risk of injury to employees;

D.

the proposed project has the necessary financial commitment to cover all proposed project costs;

E.

the applicant has demonstrated that the proposed project has the support of all public entities that are involved in the proposed project; and

F.

the proposed project complies with federal, state, and local regulations.

Subp. 4.

Proposal preference.

Proposals shall be evaluated in order of need and desirability on the basis of the following factors and in the descending order as listed:

A.

a project that impacts a site of employment which provides goods producing, manufacturing, or processing jobs for a significant proportion of the workers in the area;

B.

a project for operating a site where jobs have been lost or are in jeopardy because of problems relating to safety shortcomings addressed by the proposal; and

C.

other projects that meet the criteria specified elsewhere.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 14.388; 79.253

History:

17 SR 3361; 28 SR 1169

Published Electronically:

June 11, 2008