[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 79 (Tuesday, April 23, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Page 17908]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-9739]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary


Tribal Self-Governance Notice of Availability of Self-Governance 
Negotiation/Planning Grants

AGENCY: Office of Self-Governance, Office of the Secretary, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In this notice, the Office of Self-Governance (OSG) announces 
the availability of fiscal year 1996 (1) negotiation grants (up to 20 
grants of $40,000 each); (2) advance planning grants (up to 10 grants 
of $50,000 each); and (3) negotiation/planning grants to negotiate for 
DOI non-BIA programs (up to 10 grants of no more than $40,000 each). 
The timeframes for application and selection vary with each type of 
grant and are specified in this announcement.

DATES: Applications must be submitted in accordance with the table 
below:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                              Deadline for submitting   
              Type of grant                         application         
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Negotiation.............................  May 10, 1996.                 
Advance Planning........................  July 31, 1996.                
Negotiation/Planning....................  May 15. 1996.                 
------------------------------------------------------------------------

ADDRESSES: Completed applications for grants should be sent to the 
Director, Office of Self-Governance, U.S. Department of the Interior, 
Mail Stop 2548, 1849 C Street NW, Washington DC 20240.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dr. Kenneth D. Reinfeld, U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of 
Self-Governance, 1849 C Street NW, Mail Stop 2548, Washington DC 20240, 
202-219-0240.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The tribal self-governance program is 
designed to promote self determination by allowing tribes to assume 
more control through negotiated agreements of programs operated by the 
Department of the Interior. The new law allows for negotiations to be 
conducted for programs operated by BIA and for programs operated by 
other bureaus and offices within the Department that are available to 
Indians or when there is an historical cultural, or geographic 
connection to an Indian tribe.
    One of the criteria for entry into self-governance negotiations is 
the completion of a self-governance planning activity. For this 
purpose, the Congress has provided funding for planning and negotiation 
grants.
    The purpose of this notice is to announce the availability of 
planning and negotiation grants in accordance with the self-governance 
interim rule published elsewhere in today's Federal Register.
    The following types of grants are available to tribes in 1996 with 
the deadlines as stated below:
    (1) Negotiation Grants: Up to 20 grants of $40,000 are available. 
As announced in the Federal Register on February 1, 1996, the closing 
date for submitting completed applications to begin participation in 
tribal self-governance in fiscal year 1996 or calendar year 1996 is 
April 29, 1996. Applications requesting to be included in the applicant 
pool to begin participation in tribal self-governance may be submitted 
at any time. Subject to the availability of funds, all tribes/consortia 
selected from the applicant pool to begin participation in tribal self-
governance in fiscal year 1996 or calendar year 1997, will be eligible 
to receive a negotiation grant. Selected tribes/consortia will be 
notified by May 3, 1996, an must submit written applications for a 
negotiation grant no later than May 10, 1996, by indicating their 
intention to negotiate and annual funding agreement with any bureau 
within DOI for 1997.
    (2) Advance Planning Grants: Up to 10 grants of $50,000 are 
available. The closing date for submitting applications to receive a 
grant to plan for future participation in the tribal self-governance 
program is July 31, 1996.
    (3) Negotiation/Planning Grants to Negotiate Non-BIA Programs: Up 
to 10 grants of no more than $40,000 are available. The closing date 
for submitting applications to receive a negotiation/planning grant for 
existing self-governance tribes to negotiate for DOI non-BIA programs 
is May 15, 1996.
    In order to provide sufficient time for tribes to effectively use 
the planning and negotiation grants, the following dates have been 
identified for the awarding of grants:
    (1) Negotiation Grants: Since agreements for the 1997 fiscal year 
need to be signed and submitted by July 1, 1996, to allow sufficient 
time to prepare for negotiations, new participating tribes will be 
selected and awarded negotiation grants by May 15, 1996.
    (2) Advance Planning Grants: In order to avoid delays in planning 
activity and future participation in tribal self-governance, advance 
planning grants must be awarded to tribes/consortia by August 30, 1996.
    (3) Negotiation/Planning Grants to Negotiate Non-BIA Programs: 
Since agreements for the 1997 fiscal year need to be signed and 
submitted by July 1, 1996, to allow sufficient time to prepare for 
negotiation of DOI non-BIA programs, negotiation/planning grants for 
existing self-governance tribes to negotiate non-BIA programs must be 
awarded by May 22, 1996.

Submitting Applications

    (1) Applications must be submitted in accordance with the interim 
rule published elsewhere today in the Federal Register and by the 
deadlines identified in this announcement.
    (2) Applications may be mailed or hand-delivered.
    (3) Applications which are mailed must be postmarked no later than 
the date given in this notice for the particular type of grant being 
applied for.

    Dated: April 4, 1996.
Ada E. Deer,
Assistant Secretary--Indian Affairs.
[FR Doc. 96-9739 Filed 4-22-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-02-M