[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 46 (Monday, March 10, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10871-10874]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-5868]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Revised Procedures for Selecting and Funding Federal Aid in Sport 
Fish and Wildlife Restoration Administrative Projects

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Service is announcing procedures for obtaining funding for 
Federal Aid administrative projects and availability of an estimated 
$2,000,000 for Wildlife Restoration projects and $2,000,000 for Sport 
Fish projects. This year's program changes the application deadline, 
updates focus areas, and clarifies documentation needs from the 
previous year.

DATES: Applications/proposals must be received by May 1, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Proposals must be submitted to: U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service, Chief, Division of Federal Aid, MS 140 ARLSQ, 4401 North 
Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22203.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Mr. Robert E. Lange, Jr., Chief, Division of Federal Aid, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service; (703) 358-2156.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Service publishes a notice in the 
Federal Register each year announcing the deadline for project 
propsoals, the amount of money available for Sport Fish and Wildlife 
Restoration projects, and the focus areas identified for the year. 
Focus areas are used to promote and encourage efforts that address 
priority needs of the State fish and wildlife agencies.
    The focus areas contained in this notice were developed in 
cooperation with the Grants-in-Aid Committee of the International 
Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies and represent that group's 
assessment of priority projects. The focus areas are provided as a 
guide so that applicants will know the types of projects that will 
likely score higher in the rankings.
    Changes made since last year's program include a new application 
deadline of May 1, 1997, revised focus areas, and the requirement for 
applicants to submit a completed Application for Federal Assistance 
(Standard Form 424) including Budget Information--Non-Construction 
Programs (Standard Form 424A) and Assurances--Non-Construction Programs 
(Standard Form 424B).
    States, local governments, charitable and educational institutions, 
and other authorized recipients are authorized to apply for grants 
according to these procedures. The Department of the Interior has 
promulgated rules (43 CFR Part 12) adopting common rules developed by 
the Office of Management and Budget as required by OMB Circulars A-102 
and A-110 that contain administrative requirements that apply to these 
grants. This annual grant program does not contain information 
collection requirements for which approval by the Office of Management 
and Budget under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, as specified in 
43 CFR Part 12.4 are required. The information collection requirements 
for this grant program are those necessary to comply with 43 CFR Part 
12, which include (a) project narrative; and (b)

[[Page 10872]]

compliance with Federal laws, regulations, and policies. Record keeping 
includes the tracking of costs and accomplishments, monotoring progress 
and evaluating accomplishments, and reporting requirements. The 
Standard Form 424 series prescribed by OMB Circulars A-102 and A-110 
have the OMB clearance number 0348-0043.

    Dated: February 28, 1997.
Jay L. Gerst,
Acting Director.

Procedures for Selecting and Funding Federal Aid in Sport Fish and 
Wildlife Restoration Administrative Projects

A. Purpose

    This statement establishes procedures for selecting administrative 
projects to be funded by the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration and 
Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration programs. These projects are funded 
by grants to States, local governments, charitable and educational 
institutions, or other authorized recipients to accomplish public 
purposes relating to administering the Sport Fish and Wildlife 
Restoration Programs and to facilitate the efforts of the States in 
implementing these programs.

B. Background

    The mission of the two grant programs is to strengthen the ability 
of State and Territorial fish and wildlife agencies to meet effectively 
the consumptive and nonconsumptive needs of the public for fish and 
wildlife resources. The Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act and 
the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act authorize the Secretary of 
the Interior to cooperate with the States and to use administrative 
funds for carrying out the purposes of the Acts. The Fish and Wildlife 
Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661) provides the authority to provide 
financial assistance to Federal, State, and public or private parties 
to facilitate fish and wildlife programs.
    Administrative funds are deducted each year from the total amounts 
of funds available under the Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration Act 
and the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act. The statutory 
provisions related to administrative deductions are as follows:
Federal Aid in Sport Fish Restoration (SFR)
    Federal Aid Administrative Funds for sport fish restoration may not 
exceed 6 percent of the deposits in the SFR Account of the Aquatic 
Resources Trust Fund. These funds may be used for administrative 
projects for the ``conduct of necessary investigations, administration, 
and the execution of this Act and for the aiding in the formulation, 
adoption, or administration of any compact between two or more States 
for the conservation and management of migratory fishes in marine or 
fresh waters.'' (Section 4 of the Act as amended by P.L. 98-369, 16 
U.S.C. 777c)
Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration (WR)
    Federal Aid Administrative Funds for wildlife restoration may not 
exceed 8 percent of the excise tax receipts deposited in the WR Fund. 
These funds may be used for the ``administration and execution of this 
Act and the Migratory Bird Conservation Act.'' (Section 4 of the Act, 
16 U.S.C. 669c)
    After making administrative deductions as specified above, the 
remainder of the funds will be apportioned to the States in accordance 
with the formulas contained in the Acts. The Service will strive to 
minimize administrative deductions in order to maximize apportionments 
to the States.

C. Availability of Funds

    In fiscal year 1998, the amounts of funds estimated to be available 
for administrative projects are $2,000,000 for sport fish restoration 
and $2,000,000 for wildlife restoration.

D. Interstate Compacts

    The Service also will make available a total of $600,000 annually, 
without competition, for funding The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries 
Commission, Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission, and pacific States 
marine Fisheries Commission, as authorized by law. Requests for 
additional amounts that may be eligible, must compete with other 
proposals for Administrative Funds. Proposals will be subject to all of 
the requirements in Section E.

E. Eligibility Requirements

    The Service's Division of Federal Aid will review each proposal to 
determine if proposals are eligible for funding. To be eligible for 
funding, proposals must meet the following:
    1. Authority--The project being proposed must be consistent with 
the missions of the programs authorized by the SFR/WR laws and 
regulations.
    2. Scope--The problem or need addressed in the proposal is of 
direct concern to one-half or more of the States or of national 
significance, but confined to a lesser geographic area. The scope of 
marine resources proposals must also address a need that is of direct 
concern to a majority of States on a specific coast.
    3. Significance--The problem or need addressed is deserving of the 
level of attention proposed.
    4. Feasibility--The proposed objectives can be attained in the 
amount of time and with the personnel and resources requested.
    5. Cost-effectiveness--The expected results of accomplishing the 
proposal are worth the costs to be expended.
    6. Period--The maximum duration for any approved projects will be 
three years. New proposals may be submitted to extend a project beyond 
the original three-year period.
    7. Documentation--Proposals must address each section of the 
documentation as listed under Submission Requirements, Section G.

F. Application Process

    1. All proposals including funding requests for administrative 
projects must be submitted to the Chief, Division of Federal Aid, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, 4401 North Fairfax Drive, ARLSQ. 140, 
Arlington, Virginia, 22203. Proposals originating within the Service 
must have prior approval by the appropriate Regional Director or 
Assistant Director.
    2. Each year, a Notice will be published in the Federal Register 
announcing the deadline for submitting proposals. The Notice will also 
announce total funds available for wildlife and sport fish restoration 
projects. A table with the approximate dates for each step of the 
process is provided in Appendix A.

G. Submission Requirements

    An original and two copies of each proposal for Federal Aid 
Administrative funds must be submitted in the following format:
    1. Application for Federal Assistance Standard form 424 is 
prescribed by Office of Management and Budget Circular A-110 and the 
common rule (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and 
Cooperative Agreements to States and Local Government). The SF 424 
consists of a coversheet, the SF 424A consists of a budget sheet, and 
the SF 424B consists of compliance assurances. Proposals received 
without these forms will not be accepted.
    2. Title--A short descriptive name of the proposal.
    3. Objective--What will this proposal do? State a concise statement 
of the purpose of the proposal in quantified terms where possible.
    4. Need--Why address this problem?
    a. State the problem or need that this proposal is intended to 
address. Make

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references to any focus areas that the proposal addresses.
    b. Describe the number of states affected by the project, how they 
will benefit, and expressed support for the proposal. If the proposal 
is confined to a specific geographic area, describe the national 
significance of the proposal.
    c. Brief status report on the history of previous work conducted by 
the proposer or others to address this need.
    5. Expected Results or Benefits--What will be gained by funding 
this proposal? Describe the significance of accomplishing the project 
relative to the stated need. Relate benefits of satisfactorily 
completing the project to the States' fish and wildlife programs. In 
addition to stating how the results will be useful, describe provisions 
for making the product or results available and usable to those 
affected by the problem of need. Benefits should be expressed in 
quantified terms, i.e., angler days, harvest per unit effort, 
improvements to State administration, dollars saved, etc.
    6. Approach--How will the proposed project be conducted? Describe 
how the work will be conducted including a description of techniques 
and methods to be used, milestones, and a schedule of accomplishments.
    7. Resumes--What are the qualifications of key personnel? Include 
resumes and names of key individuals who will be involved in the 
project, stating their particular qualifications for undertaking the 
project.
    8. Project Costs--Submit a completed SF 424A, Budget Information--
Non-Construction Programs. Multi-year proposals must include an 
itemized budget showing funds required for each severable part of the 
proposal. A severable part is defined as that portion of a proposal 
that results in a completed product or service.

H. Focus Areas

    Focus areas are those specific areas in which the States are 
seeking information and assistance in administering or implementing the 
Sport Fish and Wildlife Restoration programs. Focus areas will be 
announced each year by the Service, based on recommendations from the 
Grants-In-Aid Committee (GIAC) in accordance with the bylaws of the 
International Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (IAFWA). Each 
year, the GIAC will be asked to submit recommendations for focus areas 
after its September meeting. Each year a Federal Register Notice will 
announce the Focus Areas, along with the amount of funds available for 
administrative projects.
    The following focus areas were identified as priority needs of the 
States and those proposals addressing these needs will likely be given 
priority by the States during the ranking in 1997.
1. Outreach
    Providing public information on fishing, hunting, trapping, and 
wildlife-associated recreation.
    a. Provide innovative approaches to introducing people to hunting 
and fishing including emphasis on families.
    b. Create public awareness of the value of Sport Fish and Wildlife 
Restoration Funds.
    c. Focus public attention on and enhance public awareness of the 
economic value of managing fish and wildlife resources for both 
consumptive and non-consumptive recreation.
    d. Provide better understanding of how to reach constituents with 
information.
2. Education
    Teaching or training people about fish and wildlife resources and 
the responsible use of the resources.
    a. Advance the public's understanding of importance of actively 
managing fish and wildlife resources.
    b. Promote natural resources and environmental education of ``K 
through 12'' students.
    c. Advance public understanding of the importance of biological 
diversity in maintaining diverse hunting and fishing opportunities.
    d. Provide for continuing education and training for state fish and 
wildlife biologists.
3. Management
    Handling, directing, manipulating, and managing fish and wildlife 
populations and providing improved public access to these populations. 
These focus areas relate to hands-on responsibilities of fish and 
wildlife management agencies.
    a. Restore, create, enhance, and protect fish and wildlife.
    b. Protect, create, and enhance fish and wildlife recreational 
opportunities.
    c. Provide, enhance, or maintain public access to fish and wildlife 
resources.
4. Research
    Conducting investigations, inquiries, searches, examinations, and 
experiments for the discovery and interpretation of facts.
    a. Evaluate effectiveness of incorporating constituent involvement 
and information in fish and wildlife resource management.
    b. Measure effectiveness of habitat restoration, creation, and 
enhancement techniques.
5. Administration
    Providing service, supervisory, and management responsibilities 
that directly link to supporting fish and wildlife agency affairs.
    a. Provide better understanding of constituents and their needs.
    b. Measure changing social, economic, and political environment 
within which fish and wildlife must be managed.
    c. Advance automated licensing and fiscal data collections for fish 
and wildlife agencies.

I. Proposal Review and Selection Process

    1. Each proposal will be reviewed for eligibility as defined in 
section E. The review will be conducted by the Washington Office staff. 
The final determination for eligibility will be made at a meeting that 
includes staff from Washington, with the Chair of the GIAC as an 
observer.
    2. All applicants will be notified that their proposal has been 
determined eligible or ineligible.
    3. Copies of eligible proposals will be forwarded to the Chair, 
GIAC, along with lists of ongoing grants and ineligible proposals. The 
Chair, GIAC, will forward copies to the voting members of the GIAC.
    4. Voting members of the GIAC will review and rate each eligible 
proposal high, medium or low.
    5. All ratings from GIAC voting members and comments from Service 
Offices will be returned to the Division of Federal Air in Washington.
    6. The Division of Federal Aid will summarize the ratings and 
comments.
    7. A summary of the comments and ratings will be provided to the 
Chair, GIAC, for review at the GIAC September meeting.
    8. During the September meeting of IAFWA, the GIAC will evaluate 
and rank eligible proposals based on the needs of the States. The GIAC 
will forward its rankings and recommendations to the Service in 
accordance with IAFWA procedures.
    9. The Division of Federal Aid will summarize and consolidate all 
rankings and comments and develop recommendations for proposal 
selections and awards. The recommendations may be for partial funding 
of any proposal.
    10. The Aid Division's recommendations will be forwarded to the 
Director of the Service. The Director will review the recommendations 
and make the final decision on project selections and funding.

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    11. The Service will notify each eligible applicant in writing of 
the final disposition of their proposal.
    12. The Director will notify the Regional Directors and the Chair, 
GIAC, of the proposals selected for funding.

J. Lobbying Restrictions

    During the review of proposals, grant applicants may not engage in 
any activities that might be considered as attempts to influence 
Federal reviewers or approving officials. If the activities are 
determined to be lobbying, the proposal will be disqualified for 
Federal Aid Administrative Funds.

K. Awards and Funding

    1. The Service's Division of Contracting and General Services will 
prepare and sign the formal award agreements. The Federal Aid Office, 
may provide technical assistance to the Division of Contracting and 
General Services in finalizing the award agreements. The formal award 
agreements will be forwarded to the awardees for signature and must be 
signed by the Service and authorized awardee officials before they 
become valid agreements. This process may require up to 60 days to 
complete. The Service is not responsible for costs incurred prior to 
the effective date of a signed agreement; therefore, the starting date 
for all projects should be planned accordingly.
    2. All funding must comply with the bone fide need rule established 
by 31 USC 1502a requiring that the entire amount of a project must be 
obligated in the fiscal year the grant is approved unless the project 
is severable. A project is severable only if it can be separated into 
components that independently meet a separate need.
    3. Non-profit grantees must maintain a financial management system 
in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget Circular A-110. 
State and local governments must maintain a financial management system 
in accordance with OMB Circular A-102 and 43 CFR Part 12.

L. Project Administration

    Proposals awarded funding will be assigned to a Project Officer. 
Project Officers are those persons representing the Contracting Officer 
on technical matters relating to the responsibilities of the grantee. 
They provide assistance that includes:
    1. Assisting Service contracting officials in completing the award 
agreement;
    2. Serving as the Service's point of contact after the award 
agreement is signed;
    3. Receiving and approving bills; and
    4. Monitoring project performance and assuring that the awardee 
adheres to the award agreement.

                                          Summary of Events--Appendix A                                         
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                Target date                                                 Event                               
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March 14...................................  Federal Register Notice announcing availability of Federal Aid     
                                              Funds and focus areas for grant applications.                     
May 1......................................  Washington Office receives proposals.                              
June 16....................................  Washington Office with assistance from the Regions determines      
                                              eligibility (Chair of the Grants-In-Aid Committee (GIAC)          
                                              participates as an observer).                                     
July 1.....................................  Service forwards copies of eligible proposals to voting members of 
                                              the GIAC (includes summary list of ongoing grants and list of     
                                              ineligible proposals)                                             
July 1.....................................  Service sends letters to all applicants informing them that their  
                                              proposal is eligible or ineligible.                               
August 15..................................  Voting members of the GIAC forward comments and ratings to Chief,  
                                              FA (Ratings of High, Medium or Low).                              
September 1................................  Chief, FA, summarizes comments and ratings and forwards to Chair,  
                                              GIAC, for review at the September meeting.                        
September 15...............................  GIAC reviews and ranks proposals and forwards rankings and         
                                              recommendations to Service, along with recommendations for Focus  
                                              Areas for the following years.                                    
October 31.................................  Federal Aid summarizes all rankings and recommendations for        
                                              consideration by the Director.                                    
November 15................................  Director selects proposals for funding.                            
November 30................................  Federal Aid notifies applicants and Chair, GIAC, of the final      
                                              disposition of proposals.                                         
March 1....................................  Contracting and General Services awards grants.                    
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[FR Doc. 97-5868 Filed 3-7-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-55-M