Federal Assistance Clearinghouse

State and Local Review Process

Missouri’s Intergovernmental Review Process was established to fully implement and utilize the opportunities provided to the state by Presidential Executive Order 12372, “Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,” which supercedes the authority of OMB Circular A-95. Governor Christopher S. Bond signed Missouri Executive Order 83-6 initiating the State and Local Review and Comment Process.

The review process was designed with the assistance of the Governor’s Task Force on State and Local Review and Comment Process. This group included local elected officials, special interest groups representing local governments, and representatives from the Legislative and Executive branches of state government.

Under Missouri Executive Order 83-6, the Office of Administration, Commissioner's Office, Intergovernmental Relations Section has been designated as the state’s Single Point of Contact (SPOC) and is charged with implementing the State and Federal Executive Orders and federal agency regulations. The SPOC shall be known as the State Clearinghouse.

Purpose

The Missouri Federal Assistance Clearinghouse was established to provide an opportunity for state agencies, regional planning commissions/councils of governments and local governments to find out about and comment on grant applications, direct federal development and environmental assessments and impact statements before they are funded or approved.

The primary functions of the Clearinghouse include:

• Evaluating the significance of proposed federal or federally assisted projects to state, areawide or local plans and programs, as appropriate.
• Receiving and disseminating project notifications to appropriate state agencies and regional clearinghouses.
• Assuring, pursuant to section 102(2)(c) of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, that appropriate state, metropolitan, regional, or local agencies which are authorized to develop and enforce environmental standards are informed of and are given opportunity to review and comment on the environmental significance of proposed projects for which federal assistance is sought.
• Providing public agencies charged with enforcing state and local laws the opportunity to review and comment on the project for which assistance is sought.
• Providing liaison between federal agencies contemplating direct federal development projects and the state or areawide agencies or local governments having plans or programs that might be affected by the proposed project.
• Eliminating duplication and informing the public of project activity throughout the state.

Review Procedure

The State Clearinghouse works with the state's Regional Planning Agencies (see list of regional planning commissions/councils of government below) who have been designated as regional review clearinghouses that conduct reviews of grant applications on a local level.

The Missouri Federal Assistance Clearinghouse primarily reviews all programs which federal agencies have indicated are eligible for review under Presidential Executive Order 12372.

To determine if an application will require Clearinghouse review, an applicant should check the listing. Go to the Drop Down menu "Select Domain" and choose "Assistance Listings". Type in the CFDA of the grant you are applying for. Select the Grant Title and scroll down to “Preapplication Coordination”. This section will tell you if your grant is eligible for review under Executive Order 12372. If there is any uncertainty about whether or not a specific application must be submitted to the Clearinghouse, the applicant should contact the Clearinghouse before submitting the project.

Missouri Federal Assistance Clearinghouse
Office of Administration
Missouri State Capitol Building, Room 125
201 West Capitol Avenue, P.O. Box 809
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Phone: (573) 751-0337
igr@oa.mo.gov

One copy of the application that will be filed with the federal agency should be submitted to the Missouri Federal Assistance Clearinghouse and one copy to the appropriate Regional Clearinghouse.

The application to the State Clearinghouse should include the 424 Federal Assistance Form including the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number; Program Narrative or Executive Summary or Abstract; Site Location Map and Drawing (if construction project or water and/or sewer project). You should not send your full application. You may fax or e-mail information.

Upon receipt of an application and the assignment of a State Application Identifier (SAI) number, a sixty-day review period is in effect (a federal agency will allow state and local officials thirty to sixty days for review and comment). The State Clearinghouse prints a Weekly Index which includes pertinent information of all applications received for federal assistance and direct federal development and distributes to appropriate State and Regional Review Agents. Reviewers may request additional information or additional time for review of a particular application. The State Clearinghouse compiles reviewing agencies' comments and issues a sign-off letter on the project to the applicant. The applicant then forwards a copy of the clearance letter to the federal funding agency.

Regional Clearinghouses