Virginia Law

A. In order to claim the grant, an application must be submitted to the department on a prescribed form. Applicants shall provide other documents as prescribed by the department.

B. Local zone administrators must verify that the location of the business is in the enterprise zone in a manner prescribed by the department.

C. The accuracy and validity of information provided in such applications, including that related to permanent full-time positions, wage rates, and provision of health benefits are to be attested to by an independent certified public accountant licensed in Virginia through an agreed-upon procedures engagement conducted in accordance with current attestation standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, using procedures provided by the department as assurance that the firm has met the criteria for qualification prescribed in this section.

D. Business firms with base year employment of 100 or fewer permanent full-time positions and that create in a qualification year 25 or fewer grant eligible positions seeking to qualify for job creation grants as provided for in § 59.1-547 of the Code of Virginia shall be exempt from the attestation requirement for that qualification year. The permanent full-time positions, wage rates, and provision of health benefits of such business firms shall be subject to verification by the department.

E. In order to request job creation grants, business firms shall submit the application form, final attestation report, if an attestation is required, and all required documentation to the department by no later than April 1 of the calendar year subsequent to the qualification year.

F. If the April 1 due date falls on a weekend or holiday, applications are due the next business day.

G. Applications submitted by April 1 without the required attestation report shall be considered late applications and processed according to subsection I of this section.

H. The department shall notify the business in writing of any incomplete or missing required documentation or request written clarification from the business firm on information provided by no later than May 15. Business firms must respond to any unresolved issues by no later than June 1. If the department does not meet its May 15 date for notification, then businesses must respond to any unresolved issues within 10 calendar days of the actual notification.

I. Any applications with the required final attestation report and required documentation submitted after the April 1 due date but before May 15 of the calendar year subsequent to the qualification year will be held until the department determines that funds remain and it will not have to prorate grant awards. At such time, the department will review and process such applications and any applications pursuant to subsection F of this section on a first-come first served basis.

J. The department shall award job creation grants and notify all applicants by June 30 as to the amount of the grant they shall receive.

K. Applications must be received by the department, as specified by the department, no later than the date specified in this section.

L. Applicants may only apply for grants that they are otherwise eligible to claim for such calendar year, subject to the limitations provided by 13VAC5-112-400.