[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 43 (Friday, March 3, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11712-11717]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-5175]



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Part VI





Department of Agriculture





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Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service



Special Research Grants Program--Pest Management Alternatives Research: 
Special Program Addressing Food Quality Protection Act Issues for 
Fiscal Year 2000; Request for Proposals; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 43 / Friday, March 3, 2000 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service


Special Research Grants Program--Pest Management Alternatives 
Research: Special Program Addressing Food Quality Protection Act Issues 
for Fiscal Year 2000; Request for Proposals

AGENCY: Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, 
USDA.

ACTION: Notice of request for proposals and request for input.

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SUMMARY: The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 
Service (CSREES) requests proposals for competitive grant awards under 
the Special Research Grants Program titled ``Pest Management 
Alternatives Program: Addressing Food Quality Protection Act Issues for 
Fiscal Year 2000.'' This program addresses anticipated changes in pest 
management on food, feed, livestock, and ornamental commodities 
resulting from implementation of the Food Quality Protection Act of 
1996 (FQPA) and related regulatory actions.
    The goals of this program are to develop, test, and implement pest 
management alternatives and possible mitigation strategies to ensure 
that crop producers have reliable methods of managing pests considered 
a high priority under the Food Quality Protection Act (FQPA) and 
related regulatory actions.
    By this notice, CSREES additionally solicits stakeholder input from 
any interested party. These comments will be considered in the 
development of the next request for proposals for this program. Such 
comments will be used in meeting the requirements of section 103(c)(2) 
of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 
1998.

DATES: Proposals must be received on or before April 17, 2000.
    User comments are requested within six months from the issuance of 
the request for proposals. Comments received after that date will be 
considered to the extent practicable (see Section VII. C.).

ADDRESSES: Proposals submitted through the U.S. mail should be sent to 
the following address: Special Research Grants Program--Pest Management 
Alternatives Research; + Proposal Services Unit; Office of Extramural 
Programs; Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; 
U.S. Department of Agriculture; STOP 2245; 1400 Independence Avenue, 
SW; Washington, DC 20250-2245.
    Hand-delivered proposals (brought in person by the applicant or 
through a courier service) must be delivered to the following address: 
Special Research Grants Program--Pest Management Alternatives Research; 
`` Proposal Services Unit; Office of Extramural Programs; Cooperative 
State Research, Education, and Extension Service; U.S. Department of 
Agriculture; Room 303, Aerospace Center; 901 D Street, SW; Washington, 
DC 20024. The telephone number is (202) 401-5048. Proposals transmitted 
via a facsimile (fax) machine will not be accepted.
    Written user comments should be submitted by mail to: Policy and 
Program Liaison Staff; Office of Extramural Programs; USDA-CSREES; STOP 
2299; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 20250-2299; or via 
e-mail to: [email protected]. (This e-mail address is intended only 
for receiving stakeholder comments regarding this RFP, and not for 
requesting information or forms.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Steve Yaninek, Cooperative State 
Research, Education, and Extension Service; U.S. Department of 
Agriculture; STOP 2220; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 
20250-2220. Telephone: (202) 401-6702; fax number: (202) 401-6869; e-
mail address: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

Part I. General Information
    A. Legislative Authority
    B. Eligibility
    C. Applicant Peer Review Requirements
Part II. Program Description
    A. Purpose of the Program
    B. Available Funding
    C. Program Description
Part III. Proposal Format
    A. Application for Funding (Form CSREES-661)
    B. Table of Contents
    C. Executive Summary
    D. Problem Statement
    E. Objectives
    F. Research, Education, and Technology Transfer Plan
    G. Literature Cited
    H. User Involvement
    I. Facilities and Equipment
    J. Collaborative Arrangements
    K. Personnel Support
    L. Budget
    M. Additions to Project Description
    N. Current and Pending Support
    O. Assurance Statement(s)
    P. Peer Review Certification
    Q. Other Cerifications
    R. Compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act
Part IV. How to Obtain Application Materials
Part V. Submission of a Proposal
    A. What to Submit
    B. Where and When to Submit
    C. Acknowledgment of Proposals
      Part VI. Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria
    A. Selection Process
    B. Evaluation Criteria
      Part VII. Supplementary Information
    A. Confidentiality
    B. Other Federal Statutes and Regulations that Apply
    C. Stakeholder Input
    D. Additional Information

Part I. General Information

A. Legislative Authority

    This program is administered by CSREES, United States Department of 
Agriculture (USDA). The authority is contained in section (c)(1)(A) of 
the Competitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act, in section 
2 of Pub. L. No. 89-106, as amended (7 U.S.C. 450i(c)(1)(A)). Under 
this authority, subject to the availability of funds, the Secretary may 
make grants, for periods not to exceed three years, to State 
agricultural experiment stations, all colleges and universities, other 
research institutions and organizations, Federal agencies, private 
organizations or corporations, and individuals for the purpose of 
conducting research to facilitate or expand promising breakthroughs in 
areas of the food and agricultural sciences of importance to the United 
States.

B. Eligibility

    Proposals may be submitted by State agricultural experiment 
stations, all colleges and universities, other research institutions 
and organizations, Federal agencies, private organizations or 
corporations, and individuals.
    Proposals from scientists affiliated with non-United States 
organizations are not eligible for funding nor are scientists who are 
directly or indirectly engaged in the development of pest management 
tactics for profit; however, their collaboration with funded projects 
is encouraged.

C. Applicant Peer Review Requirements

    Subsection (c)(5) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities 
Research Grant Act, as amended (7 U.S.C. 450i(c)(5)), requires 
applicants to conduct a scientific peer review of a proposed research 
project in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Secretary 
prior to the Secretary making a grant award under this authority. 
Regulations implementing this requirement are set forth in 7 CFR 
3400.20. The regulations impose the following requirements for 
scientific

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peer review by applicants of proposed research projects:
    1. Credible and independent. Review arranged by the grantee must 
provide for a credible and independent assessment of the proposed 
project. A credible review is one that provides an appraisal of 
technical quality and relevance sufficient for an organizational 
representative to make an informed judgment as to whether the proposal 
is appropriate for submission for Federal support. To provide for an 
independent review, such review may include USDA employees, but should 
not be conducted solely by USDA employees.
    2. Notice of completion and retention of records. A notice of 
completion of the review shall be conveyed in writing to CSREES either 
as part of the submitted proposal or prior to the issuance of an award, 
at the option of CSREES. The written notice constitutes certification 
by the applicant that a review in compliance with these regulations has 
occurred. Applicants are not required to submit results of the review 
to CSREES; however, proper documentation of the review process and 
results should be retained by the applicant.
    3. Renewal and supplemental grants. Review by the grantee is not 
automatically required for renewal or supplemental grants as defined in 
7 CFR 3400.6. A subsequent grant award will require a new review if, 
according to CSREES, either the funded project has changed 
significantly, other scientific discoveries have affected the project, 
or the need for the project has changed. Note that a new review is 
necessary when applying for another standard or continuation grant 
after expiration of the grant term.

Part II. Program Description

A. Purpose of the Program

    The Pest Management Alternatives Program (PMAP) was established to 
support the development and implementation of pest management 
alternatives when regulatory action by the Environmental Protection 
Agency (EPA) or voluntary cancellation by the registrant results in the 
unavailability of certain agricultural pesticides or pesticide uses. 
These activities pertain to pesticides identified for possible 
regulatory action under section 210 of the FQPA, Pub. L. No. 104-170, 
which amended the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, 
or through EPA's pesticide re-registration program. The program has 
been developed pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) 
between USDA and EPA signed August 15, 1994, and amended April 18, 
1996, which establishes a coordinated framework for these two agencies 
to support programs that make alternative pest management materials 
available to agricultural producers. In this MOU, USDA and EPA agreed 
to cooperate in conducting the research, technology transfer, and 
registration activities necessary to address pest management 
alternatives needed in agriculture.

B. Available Funding

    The amount available for support of this program in fiscal year 
(FY) 2000 is approximately $1,500,000. It is anticipated that EPA will 
also provide support to the program. Section 711 of the Agriculture, 
Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies 
Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2000, Pub. L. No. 106-78, prohibits 
CSREES from paying indirect costs on competitively awarded agricultural 
research, education, or extension grants that exceed 19 percent of 
total Federal funds provided for each award.

C. Program Description

    This competitive grants program supports efforts to modify existing 
pest management approaches or develop new methods that address needs 
created by the implementation of FQPA and related regulatory actions. 
In FY 2000, CSREES will provide funding for projects that: (1) Identify 
and develop replacement or mitigation technologies for pesticides with 
uses that may change or be eliminated through FQPA implementation or 
related regulatory action, (2) Demonstrate promising alternative pest 
management strategies in the field in close collaboration with 
interested growers and grower groups, and (3) Support outreach 
activities that promote the implementation of pest management 
alternatives through education and extension. Proposals that include 
combinations of the three objectives will also be considered.
    The EPA priorities for FQPA tolerance reassessment and 
reregistration review should be considered in determining needed 
alternative pest control chemistries and practices. The EPA priorities 
are given in a November 18, 1999, Federal Register notice ``Pesticide 
Reregistration Performance Measures and Goals'' (64 FR 63036, Nov. 18, 
1 999) available on EPA web site at: http://www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/EPAFR-CONTENTS/1999/November/Day-18/contents.htm. This notice provides the 
schedule for completion of regulatory review for high priority 
chemicals. The overall priorities for FQPA review are given on the EPA 
web site at: http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/fqpa/toleran.htm.
    Activities funded by the PMAP could address work needed to 
facilitate grower knowledge and adoption of reduced risk pesticides 
that are newly-registered or are candidates for registration. Recently-
registered chemical pesticides are identified in annual reports on the 
web site of the EPA Office of Pesticide Programs at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides. Chemical pesticides that are candidates for 
registration in fiscal year 2000 are named in the interim work plan of 
the EPA Registration Division. The interim work plan is available on 
the web site at: http://www.epa.gov/opprd001/workplan. Twenty-five new 
chemicals are included in the work plan in addition to many new uses 
for 64 already-registered chemicals. The work plan provides the trade 
name, crops, and company for each chemical and identifies those 
chemicals that qualified for the EPA reduced-risk status. Biopesticides 
that are recently-registered and those under consideration for 
registration are identified on the web site at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/biopesticides.
    Updates to EPA pesticide priority review and registration lists are 
available at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides. EPA also issues an 
electronic newsletter that will announce updates. Sign-up information 
for the electronic newsletter is available at: http://www.epa.gov/pesticides.
    Proposals should show substantial evidence that producers, 
commodity groups, and other affected user groups are actively involved 
in some or all of the following activities: (a) Needs assessment, (b) 
Priority setting, (c) Project design; and that they will be supportive 
of the project if it is funded. Public-private partnerships and 
matching resources from non-Federal sources, including producer or 
commodity groups, are encouraged. All proposals must include an 
outreach component. The amount of outreach activities increases from 
Objective I to Objective III below. Proposals should show potential for 
commercialization (including product registration if necessary) of any 
new technologies that are developed.
    The three project objectives in FY 2000 are as follows:
    I. Replacement or Mitigation Technologies: The focus should be on 
modification of existing approaches or introduction of new methods, 
especially biologically based methods, that can be rapidly brought to 
bear on pest management challenges resulting from implementation of 
FQPA and related regulatory actions. Durability and

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practicality of the proposed pest management option(s) or mitigation 
procedure(s), and compatibility with integrated pest management 
systems, are critical. Both technological and economic feasibility 
should be considered. Pest management alternatives or risk mitigation 
options identified should address various risk concerns including 
dietary, occupational and non-occupational exposure, ground and surface 
water, and other ecological risks. Applicants must document that a crop 
profile has been or is being developed for the crop targeted in the 
proposal, or provide compelling evidence otherwise as to the importance 
of their proposed research.
    II. Demonstration Projects: The focus should be on technologies or 
mitigation strategies that have been developed and show promise, but 
require field demonstration.
    III. Outreach Activities: A new objective of the program in FY 2000 
is to promote the exchange of pest management information related to 
FQPA implementation and related regulatory actions between researchers, 
extension agents, growers, and any other affected parties by offering 
one time support for publications, website development, regional 
workshops or other relevant activities during the FY 2000 funding 
cycle. The total available funding for proposals addressing only 
outreach activities will be no more than 10% of the total program 
budget.

    Note: In FY 2000, PMAP is complemented by two new FQPA-related 
pest management competitive grant programs administered by CSREES 
under the Integrated Research, Education, and Extension Competitive 
Grants Program, under section 406 of the Agricultural Research, 
Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7626). These 
programs are the Crops at Risk (CAR) from FQPA Implementation 
program and the FQPA Risk Mitigation for Major Food Crop Systems 
program (RAMP). Both programs extend the horizon for successful 
development of alternatives from generally less than 2 years in the 
case of PMAP to between 2 to 4 years for CAR, and up to 5 years for 
RAMP. CAR will support intermediate-term research and implementation 
that provides a transition for the most vulnerable crops or cropping 
systems at risk because of FQPA, while RAMP will support multi-
state, long-term, biointensive research to enhance stability and 
sustainability of pest management systems of major food crop systems 
also at risk because of FQPA. Also note that the development of 
replacements for methyl bromide is supported by the Methyl Bromide 
Transitions Program, another new program under the Integrated 
Research, Education, and Extension Competitive Grants Program. That 
program is designed to support the discovery and implementation of 
practical pest management alternatives for commodities affected by 
the methyl bromide phase-out. PMAP will not consider proposals that 
are better suited for one of these new programs. Contact Steve 
Yaninek (telephone: (202) 401-6702; fax: (202) 401-6869; e-mail 
address: [email protected]) if you have questions about which 
program is most appropriate for your proposal.

Part III. Proposal Format

    Each project description shall be complete in itself. The 
administrative provisions governing the Special Research Grants 
Program, 7 CFR Part 3400, set forth instructions for the preparation of 
grant proposals. The following requirements deviate from those 
contained in section 3400.4(c). The following provisions of this 
solicitation shall apply. Proposals should adhere to the format 
requirements for the specific objective addressed by the proposal 
format below. Sections A. through F. should be no more than 12 pages in 
length, numbered, and single-spaced with text on one side of the page 
using a 12 point (10 cpi) type font size and one-inch margins.

A. Application for Funding (Form CSREES-661)

    All proposals must contain an Application for Funding (Form CSREES-
661), which must be signed by the proposed principal investigator(s) 
and by the cognizant Authorized Organizational Representative (AOR) who 
possesses the necessary authority to commit the applicant's time and 
other relevant resources. Principal investigators who do not sign the 
proposal cover sheet will not be listed on the grant document in the 
event an award is made. The title of the proposal must be brief (80-
character maximum), yet represent the major emphasis of the project. 
Because this title will be used to provide information to those who may 
not be familiar with the proposed project, highly technical words or 
phraseology should be avoided where possible. In addition, phrases such 
as ``investigation of'' or ``research on'' should not be used.

B. Table of Contents

    For ease in locating information, each proposal must contain a 
detailed table of contents just after the proposal cover page. The 
Table of Contents should include page numbers for each component of the 
proposal. Pagination should begin immediately following the Table of 
Contents.

C. Executive Summary

    Describe the project in terms that can be understood by a diverse 
audience of university personnel, producers, various public and private 
groups, budget staff, and the general public. This should be on a 
separate page, no more than one page in length and have the following 
format: Name(s) of principal investigator(s) and institutional 
affiliation, project title, key words, and project summary.

D. Problem Statement

    Identify the pest management problem addressed, its significance, 
and options for solution. Identify the commodity(ies) and the 
pesticides that will be addressed by the proposed project. EPA has 
published in the Federal Register several lists of pesticides they 
consider priorities (see Part II.C. for details). Proposals that 
address pesticides on these lists will have priority (see Part VI.A.). 
Describe the production area addressed (including acreage), frequency 
and severity of losses to pests controlled with priority pesticides, 
and the potential applicability to other production regions. As 
appropriate, proposals should address issues as they relate to current 
integrated pest management and crop production practices, technologic 
and economic feasibility of potential new practices, and their 
potential durability.

E. Objectives

    Provide clear, concise, complete, and logically arranged statements 
of the specific aims of the proposed effort.

F. Research, Education, and Technology Transfer Plan

    This section is needed only if the proposed project includes 
development of replacement or mitigation technologies (Objective I.). 
Proposals should provide a credible detailed plan for the research, 
education, and technology transfer required for implementation within 
the next two to four years of the alternative solution in the field, 
and should identify milestones.

G. Literature Cited

    A concise list of key references cited in the proposal should be 
included in this section.

H. User Involvement

    Describe the role of producers, commodity groups, and other end-
users in identifying the need for the work being proposed, and their 
anticipated involvement in the project if funded. Competitive proposals 
will demonstrate involvement of affected user groups in project design, 
implementation, and funding.

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I. Facilities and Equipment

    All facilities and major items of equipment that are available for 
use or assignment to the proposed research project during the requested 
period of support should be described. In addition, items of 
nonexpendable equipment not currently accessible and necessary to 
conduct and successfully complete the proposed project should be listed 
with the amount and justification for each item.

J. Collaborative Arrangements

    If the nature of the proposed project requires collaboration or 
subcontractual arrangements with other research scientists, 
corporations, organizations, agencies, or entities, the applicant must 
identify the collaborator(s) and provide a full explanation of the 
nature of the collaboration. Funding contributions by collaborators 
that will be used to accomplish the stated objectives should be 
identified. Evidence (i.e., letters of intent) should be provided to 
assure peer reviewers that the collaborators involved have agreed to 
render this service. In addition, the proposal must indicate whether or 
not such a collaborative arrangement(s) has the potential for 
conflict(s) of interest.

K. Personnel Support

    To assist peer reviewers in assessing the competence and experience 
of the proposed project staff, key personnel who will be involved in 
the proposed project must be clearly identified. For each principal 
investigator involved, and for all senior associates and other 
professional personnel who are expected to work on the project, whether 
or not funds are sought for their support, the following should be 
included:
    (i) An estimate of the time commitments necessary.
    (ii) Curriculum vitae. The curriculum vitae should be limited to a 
presentation of academic and research credentials, or commodity 
production knowledge or experience with that commodity (e.g., 
educational, employment and professional history, and honors and 
awards). Unless pertinent to the project, to personal status, or to the 
status of the organization, meetings attended, seminars given, or 
personal data such as birth date, marital status, or community 
activities should not be included. Each vita shall be no more than two 
pages in length, excluding the publication lists.
    (iii) Publication list(s). A chronological list of all publications 
in refereed journals during the past four years, including those in 
press, must be provided for each professional project member for whom a 
curriculum vitae is provided. Authors should be listed in the same 
order as they appear on each paper cited, along with the title and 
complete reference as these items usually appear in journals.

L. Budget

    A detailed budget is required for each year of requested support. 
In addition, a summary budget is required detailing requested support 
for the overall project period. A copy of the form which must be used 
for this purpose (Form CSREES-55), along with instructions for 
completion, is included in the Application Kit and may be reproduced as 
needed by applicants. Funds may be requested under any of the 
categories listed, provided that the item or service for which support 
is requested may be identified as necessary for successful conduct of 
the proposed project, is allowable under applicable Federal cost 
principles, and is not prohibited under any applicable Federal statute. 
However, the recovery of indirect costs under this program may not 
exceed the lesser of the grantee institution's official negotiated 
indirect cost rate or the equivalent of 19 percent of total Federal 
funds awarded. This limitation also applies to the recovery of indirect 
costs by any sub-awardee or subcontractor, and should be reflected in 
the sub-recipient budget. Successful PIs, or their designated 
representative, and an end-user/beneficiary of the proposed activities 
will be required to participate in one regional outreach activity, i.e. 
workshop, field day, or growers meeting, approved by the CSREES program 
manager during the course of the project. Participation in regional 
workshops supported by this program should be given priority when 
planning outreach commitments. Travel support for two individuals per 
project to meet this requirement should be included in the budget. 
Proposals that request more than 10% of the total program budget (see 
Part II.B.) are required to provide additional justification and will 
be strictly scrutinized during the review process.

    Note: For projects awarded under the authority of Sec. 
2(c)(1)(A), no funds will be awarded for the renovation or 
refurbishment of research spaces; the purchase or installation of 
fixed equipment in such spaces; or for the planning, repair, 
rehabilitation, acquisition, or construction of a building or 
facility.

M. Additions to Project Description

    The Administrator of CSREES, the members of peer review groups, and 
the relevant program staff expect each project description to be 
complete given the page limit established in this section (Proposal 
Format). However, if the inclusion of additional information is 
necessary to ensure the equitable evaluation of the proposal (e.g., 
photographs that do not reproduce well, reprints, and other pertinent 
materials that are deemed to be unsuitable for inclusion in the text of 
the proposal), then 20 copies of the materials should be submitted. 
Each set of such materials must be identified with the name of the 
submitting organization, and the name(s) of the principal 
investigator(s). Information may not be appended to a proposal to 
circumvent page limitations prescribed for the project description. 
Extraneous materials will not be used during the peer review process.

    Note: Specific organizational management information relating to 
an applicant shall be submitted on a one-time basis prior to the 
award of a grant for this program if such information has not been 
provided previously under this or another program for which the 
sponsoring agency is responsible. If necessary, USDA will contact an 
applicant to request organizational management information once a 
proposal has been recommended for funding.

N. Current and Pending Support

    All proposals must contain Form CSREES-663 listing this proposal 
and any other current public or private research support (including in-
house support) to which key personnel identified in the proposal have 
committed portions of their time, whether or not salary support for the 
person(s) involved is included in the budget for each project. 
Analogous information must be provided for any pending proposals that 
are being considered by, or that will be submitted in the near future 
to, other possible sponsors, including other USDA programs or agencies. 
Concurrent submission of identical or similar proposals to other 
possible sponsors will not prejudice proposal review or evaluation by 
the Administrator of CSREES for this purpose. However, a proposal that 
duplicates or overlaps substantially with a proposal already reviewed 
and funded (or that will be funded) by another organization or agency 
will not be funded under this program.

O. Assurance Statement(s)

    If it is anticipated that the research project will involve 
recombinant DNA or RNA research, experimental vertebrate animals, or 
human subjects, an Assurance Statement, Form CSREES-662, must be 
completed and included in the proposal. Please note that grant funds 
will not be released until CSREES receives and approves documentation

[[Page 11716]]

indicating approval by the appropriate institutional committee(s) 
regarding DNA or RNA research, animal care, or the protection of human 
subjects, as applicable.

P. Peer Review Certification

    By signing the Application for Funding form, the AOR of the 
applicant institution is providing the required certification that the 
full proposal has received a credible and independent peer review 
arranged by the institution (see Part I.C.).

Q. Other Certifications

    Note that by signing the Application for Funding form the applicant 
is providing the required certifications set forth in 7 CFR Part 3017, 
regarding Debarment and Suspension and Drug-Free Workplace, and 7 CFR 
Part 3018, regarding Lobbying. The certification forms are included in 
this application package for informational purposes only. These forms 
should not be submitted with your proposal since by signing the Form 
CSREES-661 your organization is providing the required certifications.
    If the project will involve a subcontractor or consultant, the 
subcontractor/consultant should submit a Form AD-1048 to the grantee 
organization for retention in their records. This form should not be 
submitted to USDA.

R. Compliance With the National Environmental Policy Act

    As outlined in 7 CFR part 3407 (CSREES's implementing regulations 
of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), as amended (42 
U.S.C. 4321 et seq.)), environmental data or documentation for the 
proposed project is to be provided to CSREES in order to assist CSREES 
in carrying out its responsibilities under NEPA. These responsibilities 
include determining whether the project requires an Environmental 
Assessment (EA) or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) or whether 
it can be excluded from this requirement on the basis of one or more of 
the categorical exclusions listed in 7 CFR 3407.6. To assist CSREES in 
this determination, the applicant should review the categories defined 
for exclusion to ascertain whether the proposed project may fall within 
one of the exclusions.
    Form CSREES-1234, NEPA Exclusions Form (copy in Application Kit), 
indicating the applicant's opinion of whether or not the project falls 
within one or more categorical exclusions, along with supporting 
documentation, must be included in the proposal. The information 
submitted in association with NEPA compliance should be identified in 
the Table of Contents as ``NEPA Considerations'' and Form CSREES-1234 
and supporting documentation should be placed after the Form CSREES-
661, Application for Funding, in the proposal.
    Even though the applicant considers that a proposed project may 
fall within a categorical exclusion, CSREES may determine that an EA or 
an EIS is necessary for an activity if substantial controversy on 
environmental grounds exists or if other extraordinary conditions or 
circumstances are present that may cause such activity to have a 
significant environmental effect.

Part IV. How To Obtain Application Materials

    Copies of this solicitation, the administrative provisions for the 
Program (7 CFR part 3400), and the Application Kit, which contains 
required forms, certifications, and instructions for preparing and 
submitting applications for funding, may be obtained by contacting: 
Proposal Services Unit; Office of Extramural Programs; Cooperative 
State Research, Education, and Extension Service; U.S. Department of 
Agriculture; STOP 2245; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW; Washington, DC 
20250-2245; telephone: (202) 401-5048. When contacting the Proposal 
Services Unit, please indicate that you are requesting forms for the 
Special Research Grants Program--Pest Management Alternatives Research: 
Special Program Addressing Food Quality Protection Act Issues.
    Application materials may also be requested via Internet by sending 
a message with your name, mailing address (not e-mail) and telephone 
number to [email protected] that states that you wish to receive a copy 
of the application materials for the FY 2000 Special Research Grants 
Program--Pest Management Alternatives Research: Special Program 
Addressing Food Quality Protection Act Issues. The materials will then 
be mailed to you (not e-mailed) as quickly as possible.

Part V. Submission of a Proposal

A. What To Submit

    An original and 20 copies of a proposal must be submitted. Each 
copy must be stapled securely in the upper left-hand corner (DO NOT 
BIND). All copies of the proposal must be submitted in one package.

B. Where and When To Submit

    Proposals must be received on or before April 17, 2000. Proposals 
submitted by mail must be sent to the following address: Special 
Research Grants--Pest Management Alternatives Program; c/o Proposal 
Services Unit; Office of Extramural Programs; Cooperative State 
Research, Education, and Extension Service; U.S. Department of 
Agriculture; Mail STOP 2245; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW; Washington, 
DC 20250-2245; telephone: (202) 401-5048.
    Proposals to be delivered by Express mail, courier service, or by 
hand must be sent to the following address: Special Research Grants--
Pest Management Alternatives; c/o Proposal Services Unit; Office of 
Extramural Programs; Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service; U.S. Department of Agriculture; Room 303; 901 D 
Street, SW; Washington, DC 20024; telephone: (202) 401-5048.

C. Acknowledgment of Proposals

    The receipt of all proposals will be acknowledged in writing or by 
e-mail, therefore applicants are encouraged to provide e-mail 
addresses, where designated, on the Form CSREES-661. The acknowledgment 
will contain an identifying proposal number. Once your proposal has 
been assigned a proposal number, please cite that number in future 
correspondence.

Part VI. Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria

A. Selection Process

    Priority will be given to proposals that address pesticides 
currently under regulatory review or being evaluated by EPA (see Part 
II.C.). Proposals will be evaluated for relevancy (Criterion 1, 30 
points) by representatives from USDA, EPA, farm and commodity 
organizations, environmental groups, and consumer groups. Methodology 
and scientific rigor (Criteria 2-6, 70 points) will be evaluated by a 
panel with appropriate expertise. Panel members will include 
representatives with appropriate scientific backgrounds from land-grant 
universities (including IPM, IR-4, and NAPIAP), USDA, EPA, and other 
organizations as needed. Funding determinations will be based on, 
subject to the availability of funds, the proposals receiving the 
highest combined relevancy and scientific merit scores.

B. Evaluation Criteria

    1. Relevance to Program Objectives (30 points). Factors that will 
be considered include: importance of the crop/pest combination 
(particularly agronomic and economic considerations), number of crops 
and

[[Page 11717]]

pesticides addressed, user involvement in planning and implementation, 
potential for rapid integration (within 3 years) into production 
practices, and demonstration of consideration of existing IPM programs.
    2. Importance of the Problem (Problem Statement)(particularly 
ecological and agronomic considerations)(10 points)
    3. Appropriateness of Methods in Meeting Objectives (15 points)
    4. Potential to Reduce Reliance (15 points)
    5. Level of User Involvement (10 points)
    6. Appropriateness of the Budget (10 points)

Part VII. Supplementary Information

A. Confidentiality

    CSREES receives grant proposals in confidence and will protect the 
confidentiality of their contents to the maximum extent permitted by 
law. Information contained in unfunded proposals will remain the 
property of the applicant. However, CSREES will retain one copy of all 
proposals received for a one year period; extra copies will be 
destroyed.
    When a proposal results in a grant, it becomes a part of the public 
record, available to the public upon specific request under the Freedom 
of Information Act (FOIA). Information that the Secretary of 
Agriculture determines to be of a privileged nature will be held in 
confidence to the extent permitted by law. Therefore, any information 
that the applicant wishes to have considered as privileged should be 
clearly marked by the applicant with the term ``confidential 
proprietary information.''

B. Other Federal Statutes and Regulations That Apply

    This program is subject to the administrative provisions for the 
Special Research Grants Program found in 7 CFR part 3400, which set 
forth procedures to be followed when submitting grant proposals, rules 
governing the evaluation of proposals, the processes regarding the 
awarding of grants, and regulations relating to the post-award 
administration of such grants. However, where there are differences 
between this RFP and the administrative provisions, this RFP shall take 
precedence to the extent that the administrative provisions authorize 
such deviations. Other Federal statutes and regulations apply to grant 
proposals considered for review or to grants awarded under this 
program. These include, but are not limited to:
    7 CFR part 3019--USDA Uniform Administrative Requirements for 
Grants and Other Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education, 
Hospitals, and Other Non-Profit Organizations; and
    7 CFR part 3052--Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-
Profit Organizations.

C. Stakeholder Input

    CSREES is soliciting comments regarding this solicitation of 
applications from any interested party. In your comments, please 
include the name of the program and the fiscal year request for 
proposals to which you are responding. These comments will be 
considered in the development of the next request for proposals for the 
program. Such comments will be used in meeting the requirements of 
section 103(c)(2) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Education Reform Act of 1998, 7 U.S.C. 7613(c). Comments should be 
submitted as provided for in the ``Addresses'' and ``Dates'' portions 
of this Notice.

D. Additional Information

    For reasons set forth in the final rule-related Notice to 7 CFR 
part 3015, Subpart V, (48 FR 29115, June 24, 1983) this program is 
excluded from the scope of Executive Order No. 12372 which requires 
intergovernmental consultation with State and local officials. Under 
the provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, as amended (44 
U.S.C. chapter 35), the collection of information requirements 
contained in this Notice have been approved under OMB Document No. 
0524-0022.

    Done at Washington, D.C., this 28th day of February, 2000.
Charles W. Laughlin,
Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 
Service.
[FR Doc. 00-5175 Filed 3-2-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-22-P