Section 109.40  Local Administering Agency Designation

a)         The following local entities are eligible to apply for designation as LAAs under the LIHEAP:

1)         Any organization which was officially designated as a Community Action Agency under the provisions of Section 210 of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, as amended.

2)         Any non-profit private community organization determined by the Department to be capable of planning, conducting and administering an Energy Assistance or Weatherization Program according to the guidelines established by the Department in accordance with this Section.

3)         A unit or combination of units of general purpose local governments of the State.

b)         In designating LAAs, the Department will comply with those rules and regulations set forth in 45 CFR 96 (October 1, 1990 edition) and 10 CFR 440.15 (January 1, 1991 edition) which provide the federal standards governing LAA selection for the Energy Assistance Program (the HHS and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) weatherization assistance program).  LAAs must be designated by the Department, in accordance with this Section, to operate the DOE funded component of the Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program (IHWAP) in order to be eligible to receive financial assistance for the IHWAP covered by this Part.

c)         When designating LAAs to carry out LIHEAP, the Department shall give special consideration in the designation of such agencies to any local public or private non-profit agency which was receiving federal funds under any low-income energy assistance program or weatherization program, if the agency demonstrates that it meets the requirements of Section 2605 (a)(2)(b)(6) of Title VII of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981.  Special consideration shall mean: when service and accounting capability measures are compared and found to be equal or within 20% of equal, the specially considered agency will be selected.

(Source:  Recodified at 29 Ill. Reg. 2791, effective February 3, 2005)