[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 2 (Tuesday, January 4, 1994)]
[Notices]
[Pages 452-455]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-27]


[[Page Unknown]]

[Federal Register: January 4, 1994]


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Part IV





Department of Commerce





_______________________________________________________________________



National Telecommunications and Information Administration



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Public Telecommunications Facilities Program: Availability of Funds; 
Notice
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Telecommunications and Information Administration
[Docket No. 931228-3328]

 
Public Telecommunications Facilities Program: Availability of 
Funds

AGENCY: National Telecommunications and Information Administration 
(NTIA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.

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SUMMARY: The National Telecommunications and Information Administration 
(NTIA), U.S. Department of Commerce, announces that applications are 
available for planning and construction grants for public 
telecommunications facilities under the Public Telecommunications 
Facilities Program (PTFP), which is administered by NTIA.
    Applicants for grants under the PTFP must file their applications 
on or before March 17, 1994. NTIA anticipates making grant awards by 
September 30, 1994.
    Approximately $21.3 million is available in fiscal year 1994 for 
grants. The amount of a grant award will vary depending on the project 
of the applicant. NTIA awarded $20.8 million in funds to 105 projects 
for fiscal year 1993. The awards ranged from $1,898 to $968,989.
    Final Rules and Policy Statement for the Public Telecommunications 
Facilities Program were published on November 22, 1991 (56 FR 59168-
59192, No. 226). These rules, codified at 15 CFR part 2301, will be in 
effect for 1994 applications.
    Prospective PTFP applicants should be aware that NTIA is in the 
process of establishing a new National Information Infrastructure grant 
program to be called the Information Infrastructure Grants Program 
(IIGP). The IIGP's funds may be used for the planning and construction 
of telecommunications networks or the purchase of telecommunications 
services and facilities for the provision of educational, cultural, 
health care, public information, public safety or other social 
services. The Congress appropriated $26 million dollars for the IIGP in 
FY 1994. Formal announcement of the IIGP will be made at a later date. 
The new IIGP is separate from the already-existing grant program, the 
PTFP, which is the subject of this Notice. The PTFP or its predecessor-
agencies have been in operation since 1962; the present PTFP program 
has been in place since 1978.

DATES: Pursuant to Sec. 2301.5(c) of the PTFP Final Rules (56 FR 59176 
(1991), codified at 15 CFR part 2301), the Administrator of NTIA hereby 
establishes the closing date for the filing of applications for grants 
under the PTFP. The closing date selected for the submission of 
applications for 1994 is March 17, 1994. Applications delivered by mail 
or by hand must be delivered to the address referenced below by 5 p.m. 
on or before March 17, 1994. Applicants whose applications are not 
received by the deadline will be notified that their applications will 
not be considered in the current grant cycle and will be returned.

ADDRESSES: To obtain an application package, submit completed 
applications, or send any other correspondence, write to: Office of 
Telecommunications and Information Applications, NTIA/DOC, 14th Street 
and Constitution Avenue, NW., room H-4625, Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dr. Charles Rush, Acting Associate Administrator, telephone: (202) 482-
5802.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Eligibility

    A. To be eligible to apply for and receive a construction grant, an 
applicant must be:
    (1) A public or noncommercial educational broadcast station;
    (2) A noncommercial telecommunications entity;
    (3) A system of public telecommunications entities;
    (4) A nonprofit foundation, corporation, institution, or 
association organized primarily for educational or cultural purposes; 
or,
    (5) A state or local government or agency, or a political or 
special purpose subdivision of a state.
    B. To be eligible to apply for and receive a planning grant, an 
applicant must be:
    (1) Any of the organizations described in paragraph A of this 
section; or,
    (2) A nonprofit foundation, corporation, institution, or 
association organized for any purpose except primarily religious.
    C. An applicant that is eligible under paragraphs A or B of this 
section may file an application with the Agency for a planning or 
construction grant to achieve the following:
    (1) The provision of new public telecommunications facilities to 
extend service to areas currently not receiving public 
telecommunications services;
    (2) The expansion of the service areas of existing public 
telecommunications entities;
    (3) The establishment of new public telecommunications entities 
serving areas currently receiving public telecommunications services; 
or,
    (4) The improvement of the capabilities of existing licensed public 
broadcast stations to provide public telecommunications services.
    D. Applicants must certify whether they are delinquent on any 
Federal debt. No award of Federal funds shall be made to an applicant 
who has an outstanding delinquent Federal debt until either:
    (1) The delinquent account is paid in full,
    (2) A negotiated repayment schedule is established and at least one 
payment is received, or
    (3) Other arrangements satisfactory to the Department of Commerce 
are made. Delinquent accounts include debts incurred by sub-units of 
the applicant other than the sub-unit that is applying to NTIA, and 
includes debts owed to any agency of the Federal government, not just 
to the Department or NTIA.
    E. An applicant whose proposal requires an authorization from the 
FCC must be eligible to receive such authorization.

II. Program Goals and Priorities

    The Goals of this program as stated in section 390 of the 
Communications Act (47 U.S.C. 390) are:
    ``To assist through matching grants, in the planning and 
construction of public telecommunications facilities in order to 
achieve the following objectives:
    (1) Extend delivery of public telecommunications services to as 
many citizens of the United States as possible by the most efficient 
and economical means, including the use of broadcast and nonbroadcast 
technologies;
    (2) Increase public telecommunications services and facilities 
available to, operated by, and owned by minorities and women; and
    (3) Strengthen the capability of existing public television and 
radio stations to provide public telecommunications services to the 
public.''
    The Agency has established the following priorities for the PTFP:

Special Applications

    NTIA possesses the discretionary authority to recommend awarding 
grants to eligible broadcast and nonbroadcast applicants whose 
proposals are so unique or innovative that they do not clearly fall 
within the priorities listed below. Innovative projects submitted under 
this category must address demonstrated and substantial community needs 
(e.g., service to identifiable ethnic or linguistic minority audiences, 
service to the blind or deaf, electronic text, and nonbroadcast 
projects offering educational or instructional services).

Priority 1--Provision of Public Telecommunications Facilities for First 
Radio and Television Signals to a Geographic Area

    There are three subcategories:
    A. Projects that include local origination capacity. This 
subcategory includes the planning or construction of new facilities 
that can provide a full range of radio and/or television programs 
including material that is locally produced.
    B. Projects that do not include local origination capacity. This 
subcategory includes projects such as increases in tower height and/or 
power of existing stations and construction of translators, cable 
networks, and repeater transmitters that will result in providing 
public telecommunications services to previously unserved areas.
    C. Projects that provide first nationally distributed programming. 
This subcategory includes projects that provide satellite downlink 
facilities to noncommercial radio and television stations that would 
bring nationally distributed programming to a geographic area for the 
first time.
    Priority 1 and its subcategories apply only to grant applicants 
proposing to plan or construct new facilities to bring public 
telecommunications services to geographic areas that are presently 
unserved.

Priority 2--Replacement of Basic Equipment of Existing Essential 
Broadcast Stations

    Projects eligible for consideration under this category include the 
urgent replacement of obsolete or worn out equipment in existing 
broadcast stations that provide either the only public 
telecommunications signal or the only locally originated public 
telecommunications signal to a geographical area.

Priority 3--Establishment of a First Local Origination Capacity in a 
Geographical Area

    Projects in this category include the planning or construction of 
facilities to bring the first local origination capacity to an area 
already receiving public telecommunications services.

Priority 4--Replacement and Improvement of Basic Equipment for Existing 
Broadcast Stations

    Projects eligible for consideration under this category include the 
replacement of obsolete or worn-out equipment and the upgrading of 
existing origination or delivery capacity to current industry 
performance standards. There are two subcategories:
    A. Under Priority 4A, NTIA will consider applications to replace 
urgently needed equipment from public broadcasting stations that do not 
meet the Priority 2 criteria because they do not provide either the 
only public telecommunications signal or the only locally originated 
public telecommunications signal to a geographic area. NTIA will also 
consider applications that improve as well as replace urgently needed 
production-related equipment at public radio and television stations 
that do not qualify for Priority 2 consideration but that produce, on a 
continuing basis, significant amounts of programming distributed 
nationally to public radio or television stations.
    This subcategory will also enable the acquisition of satellite 
downlinks for public radio stations in areas already served by one or 
more full-service public radio stations. The applicant must demonstrate 
that it will broadcast a program schedule that does not merely 
duplicate what is already available in its service area.
    The final projects included in this subcategory would enable the 
acquisition of the necessary items of equipment to bring the inventory 
of an already-operating station to the basic level of equipment 
requirements established by PTFP.
    B. This subcategory includes the improvement and non-urgent 
replacement of equipment at any public broadcasting station.

Priority 5--Augmentation of Existing Broadcast Stations

    Projects in this category would equip an existing station beyond a 
basic capacity to broadcast programming from distant sources and to 
originate local programming.
    A. Projects to equip auxiliary studios at remote locations, or to 
provide mobile origination facilities. An applicant must demonstrate 
that significant expansion in public participation in programming will 
result.
    B. Projects to augment production capacity beyond basic level in 
order to provide programming or related materials for other than local 
distribution. This subcategory would provide equipment for the 
production of programming for regional or national use.

III. Application Forms and Regulations

    To apply for a PTFP grant, an applicant must file a timely and 
complete application on a current form approved by the Agency. No 
previous versions of the PTFP Application Form may be used. (In 
accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act, the current application 
form has been cleared under OMB control no. 0660-0003.)
    All persons and organizations on the PTFP's mailing list will be 
sent a copy of the current application form and the Final Rules. Those 
not on the mailing list may obtain copies by contacting the PTFP at the 
address above. Prospective applicants should read the Final Rules 
carefully before submitting applications. Applicants whose applications 
were deferred will be mailed pertinent PTFP materials and instructions 
for requesting reactivation.
    Applicants should note that they must comply with the provisions of 
Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal 
Programs.'' The Executive Order requires applicants for financial 
assistance under this program to file a copy of their application with 
the Single Points of Contact (SPOC) of all states relevant to the 
project. Applicants are required to serve a copy of their completed 
application on the appropriate SPOC on or before March 17, 1994. 
Applicants are encouraged to contact the appropriate SPOC well before 
the NTIA closing date.
    NTIA requires that all applicants whose proposed projects need 
authorization from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must 
tender an application to the FCC for such authority on or before March 
17, 1994. (An application is tendered to the FCC when it has been 
received by the Secretary of the FCC.) However, applicants are urged to 
submit it with as much lead time before the PTFP closing date as 
possible. The greater the lead time, the better the chance the FCC 
application will be processed to coincide with NTIA's grant cycle. NTIA 
may return the application of any applicant which fails to tender an 
application to the FCC for any necessary authority on or before March 
17, 1994.
    Effective October 1, 1988, OMB Circular A-102, as it applies to 
grant recipients, has been superseded by Department of Commerce 
regulations, Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and 
Cooperative Agreements with State and Local Governments (53 FR 8034, 
codified at 15 CFR 24 (1988)). Applicants should note that PTFP grant 
recipients, depending on their type of organization, are subject to the 
provisions of diverse Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars; 
i.e., A-87 ``Cost Principles for State and Local Governments,'' A-21 
``Cost Principles for Educational Institutions,'' A-110, A-122, A-128, 
as implemented by 15 CFR part 29a, and A-133, as implemented by 15 CFR 
part 29b.
    Indirect costs for construction applications are not supported by 
this program. The total dollar amount of the indirect costs proposed in 
a planning application under this program must not exceed the indirect 
cost rate negotiated and approved by a cognizant Federal agency prior 
to the proposed effective date of the award or 100 percent of the total 
proposed direct costs dollar amount in the application, whichever is 
less.
    All non-profit applicants are subject to a name check review 
process. Name checks are intended to reveal if any key individuals 
associated with the applicant have been convicted of or are presently 
facing criminal charges such as fraud, theft, perjury, or other matters 
which significantly reflect on the applicant's management honesty or 
financial integrity. Potential grant recipient organizations may also 
be subject to reviews of Dun and Bradstreet data or other similar 
credit checks.
    All primary applicants must submit a completed Form CD-511, 
``Certifications Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other 
Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements and 
Lobbying.'' Applicants are further advised that:

(1) Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension

    Prospective participants (as defined at 15 CFR part 26, section 
105) are subject to 15 CFR part 26, ``Nonprocurement Debarment and 
Suspension'' and the related section of the certification form;

(2) Drug-Free Workplace

    Grantees (as defined at 15 CFR part 26, section 605) are subject to 
15 CFR part 26, subpart F, ``Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free 
Workplace (Grants)'' and the related section of the certification form;

(3) Anti-Lobbying

    Persons (as defined at 15 CFR part 28, section 105) are subject to 
the lobbying provisions of 31 U.S.C. 1352, ``Limitation on use of 
appropriated funds to influence certain Federal contracting and 
financial transactions,'' and the lobbying section of the certification 
form prescribed above applies to applications/bids for grants, 
cooperative agreements, and contracts for more than $100,000, and loans 
and loan guarantees for more than $150,000, or the single family 
maximum mortgage limit for affected programs, whichever is greater; and

(4) Anti-Lobbying Disclosures

    Any applicant that has paid or will pay for lobbying using any 
funds must submit an SF-LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,'' as 
required under 15 CFR part 28, Appendix B.
    For awards granted by NTIA, the recipient shall require applicants/
bidders for subgrants, contracts, subcontracts, or other lower tier 
covered transactions at any tier under the grant award to submit, if 
applicable, a completed Form CD-512, ``Certifications Regarding 
Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion--Lower 
Tier Covered Transactions and Lobbying'' and disclosure form, SF-LLL, 
``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities.'' Form CD-512 is intended for the 
use of recipients and should not be transmitted to the Department. SF-
LLL completed by any tier recipient or subrecipient should be submitted 
to the Department in accordance with the instructions contained in the 
award document.
    If an application is selected for funding, the Department of 
Commerce has no obligation to provide any additional future funding in 
connection with that award. Renewal or amendment of an award to 
increase funding or to extend the period of performance is at the total 
discretion of the Department.
    Recipients and subrecipients are subject to all Federal laws and 
Federal and DOC policies, regulations, and procedures applicable to 
Federal financial assistance awards. In addition, unsatisfactory 
performance by the applicant under prior Federal awards may result in 
the application not being considered for funding.
    Applicants are reminded that a false statement on the application 
is grounds for denial or termination of funds and grounds for possible 
punishment by a fine or imprisonment as provided in 18 U.S.C. 1001.
    If applicants incure any costs prior to an award being made, they 
do so solely at their own risk of not being reimbursed by the 
Government. Notwithstanding any verbal or written assurance that may 
have been received, there is no obligation on the part of DOC to cover 
preaward costs.

IV. Funding Criteria

    All PTFP funding criteria are equal in weight. In determining 
whether to approve or defer a construction grant application, in whole 
or in part, and the amount of such grant, the Agency will evaluate all 
the information in the application file and consider, in no order of 
priority, the following factors:
    (a) The extent to which the project meets the program purposes set 
forth in the Final Rules, 15 CFR 2301.2, as well as the specific 
program priorities set forth in the Appendix of those Rules;
    (b) The adequacy and continuity of financial resources for long-
term operational support;
    (c) The extent to which non-Federal funds will be used to meet the 
total cost of the project;
    (d) The extent to which the applicant has:
    (1) Assessed specific educational, informational, and cultural 
needs of the community(-ies) to be served, and the extent to which the 
proposed service will not duplicate service already available;
    (2) Evaluated alternative technologies and the bases upon which the 
technology was selected;
    (3) Provided significant documentation of its equipment 
requirements, and the urgency of acquisition or replacement;
    (4) Provided documentation of an increasing pattern of substantial 
non-Federal financial support;
    (5) Provided other evidence of community support, such as letters 
from elected or appointed policy-making officials, and from agencies 
for which the applicant produces or will produce programs or other 
materials;
    (e) The extent to which the evidence supplied in the application 
reasonably assures an increase in public telecommunications services 
and facilities available to, operated by, and owned or controlled by 
minorities and women;
    (f) The extent to which various items of eligible apparatus 
proposed are necessary to, and capable of, achieving the objectives of 
the project and will permit the most efficient use of the grant funds;
    (g) The extent to which the eligible equipment requested meets 
current broadcast industry performance standards;
    (h) The extent to which the applicant will have available 
sufficient qualified staff to operate and maintain the facility and 
provide services of professional quality;
    (i) The extent to which the applicant has planned and coordinated 
the proposed services with other telecommunications entities in the 
service area;
    (j) The extent to which the project implements local, statewide or 
regional public telecommunications systems plans, if any; and,
    (k) The readiness of the FCC to grant any necessary authorization.
    In determining whether to approve or defer a planning grant 
application, in whole or in part, and the amount of such grant, the 
Agency will evaluate all the information in the application file and 
consider, in no order of priority, the following factors:
    (a) The extent to which the applicant's interests and purposes are 
consistent with the purposes of the Act and the priorities of the 
Agency;
    (b) The qualifications of the proposed project planner;
    (c) The extent to which the project's proposed procedural design 
assures that the applicant would adequately:
    (1) Obtain financial, human and support resources necessary to 
conduct the plan;
    (2) Coordinate with other telecommunications entities at the local, 
state, regional and national levels;
    (3) Evaluate alternative technologies and existing services; and
    (4) Receive participation by the public to be served (and by 
minorities and women in particular) in the project planning;
    (d) Any pre-planning studies conducted by the applicant showing the 
technical feasibility of the proposed planning project (such as the 
availability of a frequency assignment, if necessary, for the project); 
and,
    (e) The feasibility of the proposed procedure and timetable for 
achieving the expected results.

V. Matching Requirements

    (a) Planning grants. A Federal grant for the planning of a public 
telecommunications facility shall be in an amount determined by the 
Agency and set forth in the award document and the attachments thereto. 
The Agency may provide up to 100 percent of the funds necessary for the 
planning of a public telecommunications construction project.
    (b) Construction grants.
    (1) A Federal grant award for the construction of a public 
telecommunications facility shall be an amount determined by the Agency 
and set forth in the award document. Such amount may not exceed 75 
percent of the amount determined by the Agency to be the reasonable and 
necessary cost of such project.

    Special Note: As originally stated in the August 20, 1987, PTFP 
Final Rules, and as reaffirmed and clarified in a November 22, 1991, 
PTFP Policy Statement, NTIA has established a policy which is 
intended to encourage stations to increase from 25% to 50% the 
matching percentage in their proposals for equipment replacement, 
improvement, and augmentation. The Agency has emphasized that 
applicants proposing to provide first service to a geographic area 
encounter considerable ineligible costs, including construction or 
renovation of buildings or other similar expenses. NTIA, therefore, 
expects to continue funding projects to extend service at up to 75% 
of the total project cost. Applicants from small community-licensed 
stations, or those who can show that a station licensed to a large 
institution cannot obtain direct or in-kind support from the larger 
institution, also will not be subject to this preference. Otherwise, 
a showing of extraordinary need or an emergency situation will be 
taken into consideration as justification for grants of up to 75% of 
the project cost, but the presumption of 50% funding will be the 
general rule for applications calling for the replacement, 
improvement, or augmentation of equipment.

    (2) No part of the grantee's matching share of the eligible project 
costs may be met with funds paid by the Federal government, except 
where the use of such funds to meet a Federal matching requirement is 
specifically and expressly authorized by Federal statute.
    (3) Funds supplied to an applicant by the Corporation for Public 
Broadcasting may not be used for the required non-Federal matching 
purposes, except upon a clear and compelling showing of need.
    (4) The expenditure of any local matching funds prior to the 
Closing Date will be disallowed.
    (5) The Applicants should note that expenditure of local matching 
funds prior to the award of a grant is at the applicant's own risk. The 
exact amount of the match will not be known with certainty until the 
final award agreement is negotiated. Therefore, should the applicant's 
expenditure of non-Federal funds exceed the non-Federal share which 
will be established in the final award agreement, then either the 
Federal share of the total project cost may be reduced by a 
corresponding amount, or no Federal award may be offered.

VI. Selection Process and Project Period

    PTFP grants are awarded on the basis of a competitive review 
process. This includes several grant review panels, which apply the 
Funding Criteria listed in section V above. The Agency determines the 
selection of grantees according to the Priorities listed in section III 
above and the evaluation of the applications by the various review 
panels.
    Planning grant award periods customarily do not exceed one year, 
whereas construction grant award periods commonly range up to two 
years. Although these time frames are generally applied to the award of 
all PTFP grants, variances in project periods may be based on specific 
circumstances of an individual proposal.

    Authority: The Public Telecommunications Financing Act of 1978, 
Pub. L. 95-567, 92 Stat. 2405 (as amended), 47 U.S.C. 390-394, 397-
399b (1988).
Dr. Charles Rush,
Acting Associate Administrator, Office of Telecommunications and 
Information Applications.
[FR Doc. 94-27 Filed 1-3-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-60-M