<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".03" citation="COMAR 14.04.11.03" title_num="14" subtitle_num="04" chapter_num="11" heading="Procedures and Guidelines for Award Decisions.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>In General. TEDCO shall select eligible applicants for an award under the Program based on a written application, applicant’s proposal, and TEDCO’s diligence.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Application Process.</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>In General. TEDCO shall make available to the public on or through its website:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>An application process for awards under the Program; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Deadlines, if any, to submit the applications.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>Required Information. Through an application, an applicant shall provide a grant proposal including information sufficient for TEDCO to establish eligibility for an award, including:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Whether the applicant meets the eligibility requirements as set forth in the Act and under Regulation .02 of this chapter;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Detailed description of the grant proposal including, but not limited to, current and proposed financial budgets, business proposal, and the project’s potential impact on growth of the entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem in the State;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>The address of applicant’s principal business operations in the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson MSA and a copy of the lease, license agreement, deed, or other document that evidences the applicant’s right to occupy the physical location of the principal business operations;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(d)">
        <text>Reasonable metrics of the project’s potential impact; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(e)">
        <text>Any other information required to evaluate program criteria.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(3)">
      <text>Preliminary Evaluation of Eligibility. The Program:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Shall perform an initial review of each application in accordance with the Act and Regulation .02 of this chapter; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>May review the application for program criteria under §B(5) of this regulation and may examine the applicant’s grant proposal, business plan, budget, metrics, and other information.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(4)">
      <text>Eligibility Determination. Within 45 days from the date an applicant submits the application to the program, the program shall notify the applicant if TEDCO finds the applicant ineligible for an award under Regulation .02 of this chapter.</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(5)">
      <text>Program Criteria. The Program shall consider the following criteria as the basis of a scoring rubric to evaluate eligible applicants:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Whether the applicant’s grant proposal is viable, and has a reasonable probability for success;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>The analysis of the grant proposal’s metrics and potential impact; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>Adherence to the application process.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(6)">
      <text>Diligence. Program diligence may include:</text>
      <paragraph num="(a)">
        <text>Review of applicant’s grant proposal, budgets, and metrics;</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(b)">
        <text>Validation of claims and assumptions made in the application; and</text>
      </paragraph>
      <paragraph num="(c)">
        <text>An applicant’s presentation and interview.</text>
      </paragraph>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Scoring. The Program shall score each applicant in accordance with a uniform scoring rubric based on the program criteria.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>Final Approval. The Chief Executive Officer or a Chief Executive Officer’s designee, shall base TEDCO’s final decision regarding an award to an eligible applicant on:</text>
    <paragraph num="(1)">
      <text>The application; and</text>
    </paragraph>
    <paragraph num="(2)">
      <text>The aggregate scores from the evaluation of the program criteria under §C of this regulation.</text>
    </paragraph>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="E.">
    <text>Rejected Applicants. If an applicant is rejected for a grant award, the program shall notify the applicant in writing.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="F.">
    <text>Award Amount. In accordance with the Act, program award amounts are $50,000 to each qualifying applicant, subject to funding availability.</text>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>