[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 212 (Thursday, October 31, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 56262-56263]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-27838]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration


National Award for the Advancement of Motor Vehicle Research and 
Development

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Announcement of award; request for nominations.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the National Award for the Advancement 
of Motor Vehicle Research and Development, describes its background and 
basis, and solicits nominations for the award. It also identifies the 
required content for nominations and describes the evaluation process 
and criteria to be used in making selections.

DATES: Nominations must be received not later than December 13, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Send complete nominations with supporting information to 
William A. Boehly, Associate Administrator for Research and 
Development, NRD-01, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 
400 Seventh St. SW, Washington, DC 20590. For further information, 
contact Louis J. Brown, Jr., Special Assistant for Technology Transfer 
Policy and Programs, NRD-01, National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration, Washington, DC 20590, phone: 202-366-5199, fax: 202-
366-5930.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Intermodal Surface Transportation 
Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 established a National Award for the 
Advancement of Motor Vehicle Research and Development. It set the basis 
for the award as follows:
    The Secretary of Transportation shall periodically make and present 
the award to domestic motor vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, or 
Federal laboratory personnel who, in the opinion of the Secretary of 
Transportation, have substantially improved domestic motor vehicle 
research and development in safety, energy savings, or environmental 
impact. No person may receive the award more than once every 5 years. 
(15 USC 3711c.)
    This announcement is to solicit nominations for the National Award 
for the Advancement of Motor Vehicle Research and Development and to 
provide relevant information. It is the fourth year of competition for 
the award; the third competition having closed on December 15, 1995 
after having been announced by Federal Register notice (60 FR 55645, 
Wednesday, November 1, 1995). The award consists of a medal and 
citation from the Secretary of Transportation. It will be presented at 
an appropriate ceremony.
    Nominators: Any person may nominate individuals or organizations he 
or she believes are worthy of receiving the award by reason of 
accomplishments.
    Eligibility: Eligibility for the National Award for the Advancement 
of Motor Vehicle Research and Development is limited to domestic motor 
vehicle manufacturers, domestic suppliers to the motor vehicle 
industry, their employees, and personnel of Federal laboratories. See 
the Definitions section below for the definitions of the following 
terms:

Domestic motor vehicle manufacturer,
Domestic supplier, and

[[Page 56263]]

Federal laboratory.

    Qualifying Work: The award will recognize work that has 
substantially improved domestic motor vehicle research and development 
in the areas of motor vehicle safety, motor vehicle energy savings, or 
environmental impacts of motor vehicles. The work may be a singular one 
time accomplishment or it may be a series of accomplishments that have 
had substantial effect over time. Examples of the types of achievements 
that fall into the three categories are:
    1. Safety Improvement--Vehicular technology that reduces the 
likelihood of crashes (crash avoidance) or the likelihood of serious 
injury when a crash occurs (crashworthiness) or otherwise improves the 
chances of post-crash survival/recovery of crash victims. This could 
include research and development of instrumentation or biomechanics.
    2. Energy Savings--Technology that saves energy in the production 
or operation of motor vehicles by such means as light weight 
structures, engine and drive train improvements, reductions in tire 
rolling resistance or aerodynamic drag, and modifications of fuel 
characteristics.
    3. Improvements in Environmental Quality--Motor vehicle technology 
that reduces emissions, reduces solid waste, reduces hazardous waste, 
reduces noise (e.g., tire noise), as well as technology that reduces 
waste byproducts of motor vehicle production, operation, or scrappage.

Required Contents of Nomination

     Names and identification of specific individuals or 
organizations being nominated.
     Identification of nominator(s) with title(s), address(es) 
and phone number(s). At least one nominator must sign the nomination.
     Description of accomplishments, including the nature of 
the specific research and development accomplishment and reasons why it 
constitutes substantial improvement. Identify involvement of 
organization or individual(s) nominated.
     References for improvements (patents, awards, papers, 
other recognition).
     Establish eligibility of nominees. Individuals must be 
past or current employees of organization at which research and 
development was accomplished.
     Establish that improved technology is for motor vehicles 
offered for sale in the United States.
    Limitation on length of nomination: The nomination is limited to 10 
numbered pages of 8.5 inch by 11.0 inch paper with one inch margins and 
font size not less than 12 point.
    Send an original and three copies of the complete nomination to 
William A. Boehly, Associate Administrator for Research and 
Development, NRD-01, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 
400 Seventh St. SW, Washington, DC 20590. Nomination will be returned 
to the nominator if it includes a written request.
    Evaluation process and criteria: NHTSA and other Federal agency 
staff will make an initial screening of all nominations received on or 
before December 13, 1996 to ensure that they contain the required 
information and meet the statutory requirements for eligibility and 
field of work. Subsequently, a special panel will evaluate the 
nominations. NHTSA intends that the evaluation panel will include 
experts in the fields of energy savings and environmental impact in 
addition to motor vehicle safety. The panel will make its evaluations 
according to the following criteria:
    1. Quality of cited work.
    2. Contribution of cited work to improved safety, energy savings or 
environmental quality.
    3. Involvement of nominees with cited work.
    The Secretary of Transportation will then select the awardee from 
among the nominees receiving high evaluations from the evaluation 
panel. The Secretary may also decide not to make an award. His decision 
is final.

Definitions

    For the purposes of determining eligibility for the National Award 
for the Advancement of Motor Vehicle Research and Development, the 
following definitions will apply:

    Domestic motor vehicle manufacturer--a company engaged in the 
production and sale of motor vehicles in the United States and that 
has majority ownership or control by individuals who are citizens of 
the United States. [Definition based on that of ``United States-
owned company'' in Section 15 U.S.C. 278n(j)(2) as added by Public 
Law 102-245.]
    Domestic supplier--a company that supplies research and 
development, design services, materials, parts and/or items of 
equipment or machinery to a motor vehicle manufacturer or 
subcontractor to a motor vehicle manufacturer or whose products are 
used in new motor vehicles and that has majority ownership or 
control by individuals who are citizens of the United States.
    Personnel of Federal laboratory--Individuals employed by the 
Federal Government at a facility engaging in research and 
development activities or employed by a contractor at such a 
facility that is owned by the Federal Government and operated by 
that contractor.
Ricardo Martinez,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 96-27838 Filed 10-30-96; 8:45 am]
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