SELECTION OF RECIPIENTS; APPLICATIONS AND PROPOSALS

(a) The commission shall select grant recipients based on the submission of applications or proposals by nonprofit and governmental entities. The executive commissioner shall develop criteria for evaluating those applications or proposals and the selection of grant recipients. The selection criteria must: (1) evaluate and score: (A) fiscal controls for the project; (B) project effectiveness; (C) project cost; and (D) an applicant's previous experience with grants and contracts; (2) address whether the services proposed in the application or proposal would duplicate services already available in the applicant's service area; (3) address the possibility of and method for making multiple awards; and (4) include other factors that the executive commissioner considers relevant. (b) If the commission is appropriated money to implement this subchapter and Section 547.0201 for a state fiscal year in an amount that exceeds the total amount of grants awarded under this subchapter in the previous state fiscal year, the commission, in selecting grant recipients for the excess amount, must accept applications or proposals from applicants that were not selected as grant recipients under this subchapter in the previous state fiscal year or applicants that were selected as grant recipients but require additional funding for the recipient's community mental health program for purposes of this subchapter.