[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 27 (Tuesday, February 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6834-6837]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-3317]


      

[[Page 6833]]

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Part VIII





Environmental Protection Agency





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Mobile Source Outreach Assistance Competition; Fiscal Year 1998: 
Solicitation Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 27 / Tuesday, February 10, 1998 / 
Notices  

[[Page 6834]]



ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-5957-5]


Mobile Source Outreach Assistance Competition; Fiscal Year 1998: 
Solicitation Notice

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: Today's notice announces the availability of funding and 
solicits proposals from state, local and tribal air pollution control 
agencies for mobile source-related outreach projects. The funding will 
be allocated by EPA's Office of Mobile Sources through the competitive 
process described in this notice.

DATES: The deadline for submitting final proposals is March 26, 1998. 
In addition, to allow for efficient management of the competitive 
process, OMS is requesting that agencies submit an Intent to Apply by 
February 20, 1998. (Instructions for submitting final proposals and 
Intents to Apply are found in Section X. below).

ADDRESSES: This proposal can also be found on the Office of Mobile 
Sources Web Page: ``www.epa.gov/omswww/'' click on ``What's New?'' 
Addresses for submitting proposals can be found in Section X. below.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Susan Bullard, Director of Outreach 
and Communication, US EPA Office of Mobile Sources, 401 M. Street SW, 
(mail code 6401), Washington, DC 20460. Telephone (202) 260-2614; Fax 
(202) 260-6011; or email ``[email protected]''.

Contents by Section

Section I.  Overview and Deadlines
Section II.  Eligible Organizations
Section III.  Funding Issues
Section IV.  Program Emphasis
Section V.  Criteria
Section VI.  Evaluation and Selection
Section VII.  Proposals
Section VIII.  Current OMS-Funded Outreach Projects
Section IX.  Other Items of Interest
Section X.  How to Apply
Section XI.  OMS Program Contact

Section I. Overview and Deadlines

A. Overview

    Over the past year, OMS has entered into agreements and established 
partnerships with a number of organizations to (1) provide national 
support for community-based mobile source public education efforts and, 
(2) encourage responsible choices for organizational and individual 
actions through public education. Current outreach projects funded 
through OMS (listed in Section VIII(U) below) emphasize transportation 
choices; education of vehicle owners and drivers of the future; car 
care and the role of the automotive technician; and, related projects 
such as ozone mapping and small engines. EPA's Office of Mobile Sources 
has set aside funds from the State and Tribal Assistance Grants (STAG) 
funds to provide support to community-based mobile source-related 
outreach projects. This notice solicits proposals for outreach projects 
which directly support state and local air management organizations in 
their efforts to improve air quality from mobile sources. Proposals 
will be accepted from state, local, tribal and multi-state air 
management agencies which are identified under Section 302(b) of the 
Clean Air Act.
    Interested persons call also obtain copies of this solicitation at 
no charge by accessing ``What's New?'' on the OMS Website, ``http://
www.epa.gov/omswww.''.

B. What Are the Deadlines for This Competition?

    In order to efficiently manage the selection process, the Office of 
Mobile Sources requests that an informal ``Intent to Apply'' be 
submitted by February 20, 1998. An ``Intent to Apply'' simply states in 
the form of e-mail, phone, or fax that your organization intends to 
submit a proposal to be received by the deadline. The deadline for 
submitting completed proposals (original and six copies) is March 26, 
1998.

Section II. Eligible Organizations

C. Who Is Eligible To Submit Proposals?

    According to funding policies associated with the State and Tribal 
Assistance Grants regulations (STAG funds), proposals can be accepted 
only from air pollution control agencies as defined under Section 
302(b) of the Clean Air Act (for projects to be undertaken will have 
replicability to other communities nationally), as well as multi-state 
organizations supporting Section 302(b) agencies and collaborations of 
air pollution control agencies.
    Interested air management organizations which are not air pollution 
control agencies as defined under Section 302(b) of the Clean Air Act 
are encouraged to create partnerships with eligible organizations. In 
that situation, the eligible organization would be required to submit 
the final proposal and serve as the funding recipient if selected.

Section III. Funding Issues

D. What Is the Amount of Available Funding?

    Approximately $575K

E. How Will Funds Be Allocated?

    The competition process will be managed by OMS and selected 
cooperative agreements will be awarded by EPA's Regional offices and 
funded through either Section 103 (multi-state organizations) or 
Section 105 authority (state and local air pollution control agencies.)

F. How Many Agreements Will Be Awarded?

    Approximately six agreements will be awarded, none to exceed 
$150,000. The total dollar amount of the final awards must be within 
available funding.

G. Are Matching Funds Required?

    Possibly. Clean Air Act Section 105 mandates that eligible agencies 
provide matching funds of at least 40%. Therefore, if an air pollution 
control agency submits a proposal for which they do not already have 
sufficient matching funds, they must include a statement in their 
proposal indicating that the match could be met if their proposal is 
selected. Organizations unable to meet a required match must be 
considered ineligible. (This requirement does not apply to multi state 
organizations.) Organizations which are unclear as to their matching 
status are recommended to contact their EPA Regional Grant Coordinator.

H. Can Funding Be Used To Acquire Services or Fund Partnerships?

    Yes--subgrants and other procurement services are allowed. Because 
the method used to fund subgrants is not a federal matter, procedures 
governing your organization's procurement practices must be followed. 
Please indicate any intent to enter into such agreements in the 
proposal.

Section IV. Program Emphasis

I. Program Emphasis

--Voluntary Measures
--Transportation choices
--Car care (testing, repair, maintenance)
--Environmental education for youth. Other mobile source issues 
(including but not limited to: on-board diagnostics, diesel, 
particulate matter, heavy duty engines; nonroad engines; ozone mapping/
forecasting )

[[Page 6835]]

Section V. Criteria

J. Primary Criteria

--Addresses environmental goals of improved air quality from mobile 
sources
--Presents a strong public health message
--Demonstrates national or regional applicability
--Demonstrates effectiveness of delivery mechanism to reach targeted 
audience
--Exhibits clearly--stated and appropriate levels of funding
--Includes effective measurement/evaluation methods
--Reflects the potential for sustainability

K. Other Factors To Be Considered

     Innovation in public awareness
     Effectiveness of collaborative activities and partnerships 
with other stakeholders needed to effectively develop or implement the 
project
     Integration with existing programs
     Willingness to coordinate with other OMS-funded outreach 
activities

L. Presentation Criteria

--Completeness
--Action-oriented
--Clearly-stated objectives
--Reasonable time frames

Section VI. Evaluation and Selection

M. The Evaluation Team Is Chosen to Address a Full Range of Mobile 
Source and EPA Program Expertise.

    In addition, each EPA Regional office is given the opportunity to 
review those proposals generated by eligible organizations within that 
Region. The Evaluation Team will base its evaluation on the criteria 
referenced in this Request for Proposal. Completed evaluations will be 
referred to a Selection Committee representing OMS senior managers and 
Regional representatives who are responsible for final selection. To 
ensure equity and objectivity throughout the process, the OMS Program 
Contact (listed below) and staff who facilitate the process and 
participate in pre-application assistance, do not serve as members of 
either the Evaluation Team or the Selection Committee.

Section VII. Proposals

N. What Must Be Included in the Proposal?

    Proposals should be approximately 5-7 pages in length and must 
include:
    (1) A brief statement that candidate organization is defined as an 
air pollution control agency under Section 302(b) of the Clean Air Act
    (2) A statement that any required match could be met
    (3) A concise statement of project background/objectives 
highlighting relationship to improving air quality from mobile sources
    (4) A detailed project summary--description of specific actions to 
be undertaken, including estimated time line for each task
    (5) Associated work products to be developed
    (6) Explanation of project benefits
    (7) Detailed explanation of how project outcomes will be designed 
for replication in other communities
    (8) A detailed budget estimate (clearly explain how funds will be 
used, including estimated cost for each task)
    (9) Projected time frame for project from initiation through 
completion
    (10) Project contact(s) (provide name, organization, phone, fax, 
and e-mail where available)
    (11) Other relevant information to assist in the selection process

O. Will 2-Year Proposals Be Considered?

    Yes. If a proposal with a 2-year project period is submitted, OMS 
requires that the budget and cost estimate be designed to indicate what 
will be accomplished in each of the first and second years.

P. May an Eligible Organization Submit More Than One Proposal?

    An organization may submit more than one proposal only if the 
proposals are for different projects.

Q. May an Eligible Organization Resubmit a Proposal Which Was Submitted 
to the Mobile Source Outreach Assistance Competition in 1997, but Was 
Not Selected?

    Yes. The proposals received by OMS in 1997 were generally of very 
high quality. Clearly, all proposals of merit could not be selected due 
to finite resources available.

R. May an Eligible Organization Submit a Proposal for This Fiscal Year, 
Even if It Was Awarded Funding Under This Program in Its First Year?

    Yes. Applicants awarded funding in last year's competition may 
submit new proposals to fund a different project. This program is 
designed to provide seed money to initiate new projects or advance 
existing projects that are new in some way (e.g. new audiences, new 
locations, new approaches.)

S. Does This Funding Expire at the End of FY 98?

    No. The statute states that State and Tribal Assistance Grants 
(STAG) for environmental programs remain available until expended.

T. Ineligible Proposals

    Proposals will be determined to be ineligible if: (1) The candidate 
organization is not currently defined as an air pollution control 
agency under Section 302(b) of the Clean Air Act; (2) a required match 
cannot be met; (3) the proposal is incomplete; or (4) the proposal is 
postmarked after the deadline.

Section VIII. Current OMS-Funded Outreach Projects

U. OMS/Section 105-Funded Mobile Source Outreach Projects Currently 
Underway

    To minimize the possibility for duplication of effort, leverage 
resources and maximize the possibility for networking as proposals are 
developed, the following provides brief sketches of mobile source-
related outreach projects currently funded through the Office of Mobile 
Sources.
The Seven Projects Selected Through the FY 97 Mobile Source Outreach 
Assistance Competition Are Indicated With (* * *)
    Other projects listed are funded from the Office of Mobile Sources 
program funds. Contacts are provided for further information. Projects 
are categorized as for clarity.
Transportation Choices
``A Tour of the Urban Environment'' (* * *). Illinois EPA and the 
Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, Contact: Betsy Tracey, 217/782-
0408

    The project is designed to:

--enhance the air quality and mobile source component of ``A Tour of 
the Urban Environment''--a permanent environmental science exhibit at 
the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry
--present basic science, describe health effects, explain citizen role 
in contributing to mobile source emissions, explain ``calls to action'' 
such as ``Ozone Action Days,'' foster critical problem-solving and 
decision-making skills
--create ``real'' meteorological station measuring actual ambient 
conditions outside the Museum, an interactive learning device (computer 
with CD Rom) and supporting materials to illustrate the relationship 
between meteorology and ozone. The user can become an ozone forecaster
--projected to open on Earth Day, 1998


[[Page 6836]]


``Chattanooga Lifestyle Campaign: Improving Chattanooga's Air Quality 
Through Voluntary Citizen Transportation Choices''(* * *). Chattanooga-
Hamilton County Air Pollution Control Board, Contact: Angela Turner, 
423/867-4321

    Working with the Global Action Plan (GAP), the project goal will be 
to enhance the mobile source component of Chattanooga's Household 
EcoTeam Project. The project includes:

--4-month tracking of specific actions to reduce auto emissions through 
transportation choices in 50 households
--peer support and handbook to support family involvement
--follow up research to determine sustainability of new transportation 
practices
--two-part national technology transfer--invitational conference for 
local, state and federal air quality managers after demonstration 
period; broad-based outreach through presentations at meetings and 
conferences

EPA/DOT Transportation/Air Quality Initiative. Contacts: Kathy Daniel 
(DOT/FHWA), 202/366-6276, Joann Jackson-Stephens (EPA/OMS), 734/668-
4276, Abbe Marner (DOT/FTA), 202/366-4317

    This collaborative effort is:

--community-based with support from federal agencies to increase public 
awareness of impact of travel behavior on air quality, encourage the 
public to make informed transportation choices, and increase the 
driving public's awareness of alternative modes of transportation
--building on results from 3 pilot community sites--Dover, DE; 
Milwaukee, WI; and San Francisco, CA
--designed to include coalition-building at the national and local 
levels, environmental education for youth, production of consistent, 
effective informational materials for public and media, and evaluation 
of changes in public awareness and actions
--nationally available to additional sites nationally in Spring, 1999

``Youth VMT Initiative: Community-Based Solutions to Community-Defined 
Problems''. Academy for Educational Development (AED), Contacts: Rick 
Bossi, 202/884-8898

    The purpose of this youth-based program, which begins with 3 pilot 
sites in Kansas City, Boston, and Tampa is to:

--create a replicable and sustainable program for involving youth and 
families in reducing growth in vehicle miles traveled (VMT)
--enable youth to communicate about travel choices, solve problems and 
make sound travel decisions to minimize VMT
--share successful practices, lessons learned and tools developed in 
the pilot sites with other communities
--serve as a blueprint for communities interested in including a youth 
component in efforts to reduce emissions from mobile sources

``Interactive Information Kiosk'' (* * *). Ventura County Air Pollution 
Control Board, Contact: Barbara Page, 805/645-1415

    This initiative will:

--develop a stand-alone bilingual interactive information kiosk for the 
public focusing on transportation-related air quality issues with 
content which reflects national, state and local issues
--produce products including a prototype kiosk (providing other air 
quality management agencies with 60-70% of actual programming needed to 
produce a similar kiosk for their citizens--video, graphics, animation) 
and an instructional handbook
--be delivered in Summer, 1998
Youth Education
``I.D.L.E. in Dade'' (* * *). Dade County Department of Environmental 
Resources Management, Contact: Jenny May, 305/372-6495

    The program will:

--educate new drivers on the air quality impacts of driving, use of 
alternative fuels and transportation choices
--encourage responsible maintenance and driving practices
--teach critical-thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills 
through educational videos, informational handouts, creative hands-on 
demonstrations and design contests

``Public Education and Outreach on Mobile Source Emissions and Driving 
Smart''. Environmental Health Center of the National Safety Council, 
Contact: Nyki Brandon-Palermo, 202/974-2484

    Networking and coordinating with other similar projects across the 
country, this effort will:

--develop a driver education curriculum module for new drivers linking 
benefits of responsible maintenance to responsible driving for use in 
15,000+ public and private driver education programs nationwide

Driver Education Pilot. NESCAUM, Contact: Natoschia Scruggs, 617/367-
8540

    This effort will:

--pilot the driver education curriculum module (developed by the 
Environmental Health Center--see above) in several locations in the 
northeast
Car Care and the Role of the Auto Technician
``Car Care for Clean Air'' Contacts: Mia Zmud, Weber State University, 
801/536-4095

    This pilot project is designed to:

--raise public awareness of ways in which automotive service affects 
air quality
--create coalitions to identify ways to improve vehicle maintenance 
practices--elevating the number, skill sets, performance and image of 
vehicle maintenance technicians
--encourage environmentally-sound transportation choices in 
anticipation of 2002 Olympics and beyond

``Air Pollution, Motor Vehicles and Public Health.'' American Lung 
Association (ALA), Contact: Katherine Pruitt, 202/785-3355

    Mini-grants, provided to 17 local lung associations (through ALA 
competitive process) for public education efforts, will:

--send a strong public health message focused on children and asthma 
designed to raise public awareness of air quality and the impact of 
mobile sources
--be in place for ozone season, 1998

``The Air Repair Communications Project'' (* * *). Missouri Department 
of Natural Resources, Contact: Kerry Cordray, 573-751-4817

    A bi-state effort in partnership with the American Lung Association 
of Eastern Missouri, the ``Air Repair Communications Project'' will:

--focus on enhanced inspection and maintenance
--create replicable materials including media kits, psas, exhibits, 
articles for newsletters, brochure to educate on enhanced I/M, theater 
screen slides, video to be distributed through Blockbuster;
--undertake activities including car care clinics, community 
presentations, training and materials development for transportation 
management associations, participation at commuter fairs, open houses 
for public information exchange; make I/M program information available 
through posting on the WWW and other outreach tools.

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Related Projects
``Integrate the Televised Ozone Map with Mobile Source Outreach 
Initiatives'' (* * *). NESCAUM/MARAMA/OTC Collaboration, Contact: 
Natoschia Scruggs, NESCAUM, 617/367-8540

    This project will:

--expand the scope of the animated ozone map to 14 states represented 
by the NESCAUM, MARAMA, and the OTC
--encourage region-wide distribution and use of the map, conduct public 
outreach to inform and motivate voluntary mobile source ozone abatement 
actions, and development of outreach materials for meteorologists and 
the public
--provide technical assistance to other regions of the country 
interested in the benefits of ozone mapping and forecasting, through 
creation of a web site and other outreach activities

Ozone and Particulate Matter Outreach. STAPPA/ALAPCO, Contact: Gail 
Lewkowitz, 202/624-7864

    STAPPA/ALAPCO will develop dynamic education and outreach materials 
to help state and local air agencies communicate the ozone and PM 
decisions and potential implications to elected officials, the media 
and the public. The project will:

--produce an informational video on PM 2.5 and disseminate to every 
state and local air agency. The video will be designed to educate 
important constituents including state and local elected officials, 
civic and business groups and high school and college students--
available in January 1998
--develop a modular PM implementation tool kit providing a variety of 
materials including communication tools to assist state and local 
agencies in explaining how the new PMfine standard will be implemented 
as well as potential implications

``Cash for Clippers'' (* * *). Maryland Department of the Environment, 
Contact: Anna Nardolillo, 410/631-3240

    This program will:

--educate consumers about pollution prevention, ground-level ozone, 
MDE's forecasting program, and the impact of lawn and garden equipment
--offer rebates toward purchase of non-gasoline powered lawn mowers
--develop economic incentives to prevent pollution, foster creativity 
and innovation within the private and public sectors

Section IX. Other Items of Interest

V. Is There Other Information I Should Have?

    Yes.

--Submission of a proposal does not guarantee funding.
--Only those organizations selected will be required to submit a 
complete ``Application for Federal Assistance and Budget Information 
(SF 424 and SF 424A) to the appropriate EPA Regional Office.''

Section X. How to Apply

X. How Do I Apply?

    Completed proposals (original + 6) should be sent via regular mail 
to:

Susan Bullard, Director of Outreach and Communication, US EPA Office of 
Mobile Sources, Mail Code 6401, 401 M Street SW, Washington, DC 20460

    Note: Proposals may be faxed, but must be followed by a hard 
copy original and 6 copies.

    Proposals to be sent through express mail must be sent to the 
following address:

Susan Bullard, Director of Outreach and Communication, US EPA Office of 
Mobile Sources, Room W737, 401 M Street, SW, Washington, DC. 20460, 
(202) 260-2614, (202) 260-7645 (backup number for expressed proposals 
only)

    Deadline for Submitting Final Proposals--March 26, 1998.

Section XI. OMS Program Contact

Susan Bullard, Director of Outreach and Communication, EPA Office of 
Mobile Sources, 401 M Street, SW (Mail Code 6401), Washington, DC 
20460, (Phone) 202/260-2614, (Fax) 202/260-6011, 
``[email protected]''

    Dated: January 27, 1998.
Richard D. Wilson,
Program Official.
[FR Doc. 98-3317 Filed 2-9-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6560-50-U