To be considered eligible for funding, any application must receive a minimum adjusted mean score of more than 60 percent of the maximum points available. However, eligibility does not guarantee funding. The commission may also choose to award extra points to libraries that have not received funding within a specified time frame to be determined by the agency or that have limited resources. To reduce the impact of scores that are exceedingly high or low, or otherwise outside the range of scores from other reviewers, agency staff will tabulate the panel's work using calculations such as an adjusted mean score.
  (1) Applications will be ranked in priority order by score for consideration by the commission.
  (2) If insufficient funds remain to fully fund the next application, the staff may negotiate a reduced grant with the next ranked applicant.
  (3) If the panel recommends funding an application that, for legal, fiscal, or other reasons, is unacceptable to the staff, a contrary recommendation will be made. The applicant will be informed of this situation prior to presentation to the commission and may negotiate a revision to the application. A positive recommendation to the commission will be contingent upon successfully completing these negotiations prior to the commission meeting.
  (4) If the panel is unable to produce a set of recommendations for funding, the agency staff will use the same evaluation procedures to develop recommendations to the commission.

Source Note: The provisions of this §2.115 adopted to be effective March 12, 2024, 49 TexReg 1458