[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 27 (Wednesday, February 10, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 6674-6675]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-3154]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Office of the Secretary


Tribal Self-Governance Notice of Availability of Self-Governance 
BIA Negotiation and Non-BIA Planning/Negotiation Grants

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

ACTION: Notice of grants availability.

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

SUMMARY: In this notice, the Office of Self-Governance (OSG) announces 
the availability of fiscal year 1999 negotiation grants to negotiate 
BIA programs (up to 10 grants of no more than $20,000 each) and 
planning/negotiation grants to plan for and negotiate DOI and non-BIA 
programs (up to 5 grants of no more than $20,000). The timeframes for 
application and selection are specified in this announcement.

DATES: Applications must be submitted by March 31, 1999.

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 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 annual funding agreements of programs 
operated by the Department of the Interior. The Tribal Self-Governance 
Act of 1994 (Pub. L. 103-413) 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 otherwise available to 
Indians or when there is an historical, cultural, or geographic 
connection to an Indian tribe.

    The purpose of this notice is to announce the availability of BIA 
negotiation and non-BIA planning/negotiation grants in accordance with 
the self-governance interim rule published in the Federal Register on 
April 23, 1996. The applicable interim rules were established at 25 CFR 
1001.7, 1001.8, and 1001.10 and will be used to govern the application 
and selection process for tribes/consortia to receive fiscal year 1999 
BIA negotiation and non-BIA negotiation/planning grants as specified in 
this notice. Applicants should be guided by the requirements in 25 CFR 
1001.7, 1001.8, and 1010.10 in preparing their applications. Copies of 
the Interim rules published in the Federal Register on April 23, 1996, 
may be obtained from the information contact person identified in this 
notice.
    Subject to the discretion of the Director, Office of Self-
Governance, the following types of grants are available to tribes/
consortia in 1999 with the deadlines as stated below:
    (1) Negotiation Grants to Negotiate BIA Programs: Up to 10 grants 
of no more than $20,000 may be made available. As announced in the 
Federal Register published on December 1, 1998, the closing date for 
submitting completed applications to begin participation in tribal 
self-governance in fiscal year 2000 or calendar year 2000 is march 1, 
1999. Applications requesting to be included in the applicant pool to 
begin participation in tribal self-governance may be submitted at any 
time. Tribes/consortia selected from the applicant pool to begin 
participation in tribal self-governance in fiscal year 2000 or calendar 
year 2000, may be eligible to receive a negotiation grant. Each 
selected tribe/consortium will be notified by March 17, 1999, and must 
submit a written application for a negotiation grant, no later than 
March 31, 1999, indicating its intention to

[[Page 6675]]

negotiate a BIA annual funding agreement for 2000.
    (2) Planning/Negotiation Grants to Plan for and Negotiate Non-BIA 
Programs: Up to five grants of no more than $20,000 may be made 
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 March 31, 1999. No later than May 
1, 1999, each applicant will be notified by letter from the Director, 
Office of Self-Governance whether it has been selected to receive a 
planning/negotiation grant to negotiate non-BIA programs.
    In order to provide sufficient time for tribes/consortia to 
effectively use the negotiation grants and planning/negotiation grants 
for non-BIA programs, the following target dates have been established 
for the awarding of grants:
    (1) Negotiation Grants for BIA Programs: Since agreements for the 
2000 fiscal year need to be signed and submitted by July 1, 1999, to 
allow sufficient time to prepare for negotiations, new participating 
tribes will be selected and awarded negotiation grants by May 1, 1999.
    (2) Planning/Negotiation Grants for Non-BIA Programs: Since 
agreements for the 2000 fiscal year need to be signed and submitted by 
July 1, 1999, to allow sufficient time for planning and negotiation of 
DOI non-BIA programs, planning/negotiation grants for non-BIA programs 
will be awarded by May 15, 1999.

Submitting Applications

    (1) Applications must be submitted in accordance with the interim 
rule published in the Federal Register on April 23, 1996, and by the 
deadlines identified in this announcement.
    (2) Applications which are 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: February 4, 1999.
William A. Sinclair,
Director, Office of Self-Governance.
[FR Doc. 99-3154 Filed 2-9-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-02-M