The CEDS PEG is designed to assist evaluators in assessing the viability and likely funding success of proposed CEDS projects. It is a multi-tiered process which takes into account:

• MSRC CEDS goals
• Code of Federal Regulations (CFRs)
• EDA Evaluation Criteria
• EDA Investment Priorities
• EDA and MSRC Funding Priorities

The applicable CFR’s, Supplemental EDA Evaluation Criteria, and EDA Investment Priorities are available on the U.S. Economic Development Administration website.

Note: Even though projects may not qualify for EDA funding, they are welcome for submittal and evaluation for inclusion in the CEDS based on their benefit as a regional project.

CEDS PEG fits within the overall CEDS project flow as depicted in Figure 1. Figure 2 is the CEDS PEG flow. The following discusses the specific steps in the CEDS PEG process.

 Step 1: Meets CEDS Goals

The project must address one or more of the following CEDS goals:

1. Goal 1: Ensure that there is sufficient public infrastructure (e.g. telecommunications, IT, incubators, water and wastewater treatment capability, roads, transportation, education facilities, health care facilities, technology training centers, and public parks) and investment capital to foster the development and prosperity of our existing and new industry sectors and clusters.
2. Goal 2: Support a regional identity and marketing plan that leverages our competitive advantages, protects our natural resources, honors our rural heritage, and takes proactive measures to diversify the economy.
3. Goal 3: Encourage programs that accelerate the development and expansion of companies that apply new concepts and technologies in innovative ways.
4. Goal 4: Strengthen and diversify agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and support newest techniques in aquaculture and agriculture.
5. Goal 5: Support opportunities for continuous learning and workforce development.
6. Goal 6: Provide regional data and technology services needed for present and future infrastructure planning and construction.
7. Goal 7: Define and develop strategies to enhance the quality of life (QoL) for the Mid-Shore workforce.

If the project does not address one or more of the CEDS goals it must be rewritten to address the goals, referred to one of the counties for submission, or discarded.

Step 2: Meets CFR 301.8 Application Evaluation Criteria from 13 CFR Ch. III (Dec. 1, 2017)

The following is excerpted from CFR section 301.8:

EDA will screen all applications for the feasibility of the budget presented and conformance with EDA’s statutory and regulatory requirements. EDA will assess the economic development needs of the affected Region in which the proposed Project will be located (or will service), as well as the capability of the Eligible Applicant to implement the proposed Project. EDA will also review applications for conformance with program-specific evaluation criteria set out in the applicable FFO.

Projects that do not meet the above criteria should be rewritten or discarded.

Step 3: Meets EDA Investment Priorities

The following is excerpted from the EDA website:

Through its competitive grant process, EDA evaluates all project applications to determine the extent to which they:

• Align with EDA’s investment priorities
• Effectively address the creation and/or retention of high-quality jobs, and
• Document that the applicant can or will leverage other resources, both public and private, and demonstrate the applicant’s capacity to commence the proposed project promptly, to use funds quickly and effectively, and provide a clear scope of work that includes a description of specific, measurable project outputs.

EDA’s investment priorities provide an overarching framework to ensure its grant investment portfolio – ranging from planning to infrastructure construction -- contributes to local efforts to build, improve, or better leverage economic assets that allow businesses to succeed and regional economies to prosper and become more resilient. Competitive grant applications will be responsive to the evaluation criteria listed under each individual funding announcement, including at least one of the below investment priorities. For more information on the investment priorities, please read the Investment Priorities Definitions (PDF) which defines a number of the key concepts introduced below:

1. Equity: Economic development planning or implementation projects that advance equity across America through investments that directly benefit 1) one or more traditionally underserved populations (PDF), including but not limited to women, Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders or 2) underserved communities within geographies that have been systemically and/or systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic prosperity such as Tribal Lands, Persistent Poverty Counties (XLSX), and rural areas with demonstrated, historical underservice.
   
   For more information on these populations and geographies see: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/20/executive-order-advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government/.
    
2. Recovery & Resilience: Economic development planning or implementation projects that build economic resilience to and long-term recovery from economic shocks, like those experienced by coal and power plant communities, or other communities impacted by the decline of an important industry or a natural disaster, that may benefit from economic diversification-focused resilience.
    
3. Workforce Development: Economic development planning or implementation projects that support workforce education and skills training activities directly connected to the hiring and skills needs of the business community and that result in well-paying, quality jobs (PDF).
    
4. Manufacturing: Economic development planning or implementation projects that encourage job creation, business expansion, technology and capital upgrades, and productivity growth in manufacturing, including efforts that contribute to the competitiveness and growth of domestic suppliers or to the domestic production of innovative, high-value products and production technologies.
    
5. Technology-Based Economic Development: Economic development planning or implementation projects that foster regional knowledge ecosystems that support entrepreneurs and startups, including the commercialization of new technologies, that are creating technology-driven businesses and high-skilled, well-paying jobs of the future.
    
6. Environmentally-Sustainable Development: Economic development planning or implementation projects that help address the climate crisis including through the development and implementation of green products (PDF), green processes (PDF), including green infrastructure, green buildings (PDF), and green places (PDF), including an emphasis on density in the vicinity of the development.
    
7. Exports & FDI: Economic development planning or implementation projects that enhance or build community assets to support growth in US exports or increased foreign direct investment.

Projects that do not meet one or more of the above criteria should be rewritten or discarded.

Step 4: Evaluate Priority

This step involves the prioritizing of the projects that have reached this final step. There are two levels of funding priorities—those established by EDA and those established by the MSRC. The following list the funding priorities:

EDA (A-D)
MSRC (D-I)

1. Proposals that enhance regional competitiveness and support long-term development of the regional economy; for example:
   1. Upgrade core business infrastructure
      1. Transportation infrastructure
      2. Communications infrastructure
      3. Specialized training program infrastructure
   2. Reflect and implement a regional strategy that involves all stakeholders
      1. Support regional benchmarking initiatives;
      2. Encourage a common vision and collaboration among firms, universities, and training centers to implement a regional strategy;
      3. Reflect strong leadership committed to regional economic development; and
      4. Encourage a formal organization structure and process for working on economic issues and maintaining consensus.
   3. Encourage cluster development
      1. Establish research and industrial parks that encourage innovation-based competition; and
      2. Implement cluster-focused and innovation-focused business development efforts
2. Proposals to help communities plan and implement economic adjustment strategies in response to sudden and severe economic dislocations (e.g. major lay-offs and/or plant closures, trade impacts, defense restructuring, or disasters).
3. Proposals that support technology-led economic development; for example, proposals that:
   1. Reflect the important role of research and development capacity of universities in regional economic development; and
   2. Create and support technology transfers.
4. Proposals that advance community and faith-based social entrepreneurship in redevelopment strategies for areas of chronic economic distress.
5. Obvious regional benefits
6. Addresses barriers to economic development as identified by the CEDS
7. Creates and/or retains jobs
8. Solves a pressing infrastructure or economic development need
9. Potential for broad based community and political support.

Step 5: Assigning Priorities

Each project will be assigned a 1 or 0 for each of the following listed above:

A 1
A 2
A 3
B
C 1
C 2
D
E
F
G
H
I

The maximum possible score is 12 and projects shall be prioritized on the bases of their score:

High Priority 8-12 points
Medium Priority 4-7 points
Low Priority 1-3 points