[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 110 (Wednesday, June 7, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36268-36269]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-14237]



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Part IV





Department of Agriculture





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Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service



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Small Business Innovation Research Grants Program for Fiscal Year 2001; 
Request for Proposals and Request for Input; Notice

  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 110 / Wednesday, June 7, 2000 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service


Small Business Innovation Research Grants Program for Fiscal Year 
2001; Request for Proposals and Request for Input

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

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Program Solicitation and Request for 
Proposals for Fiscal Year 2001 Small Business Innovation Research 
Grants Program and Request for Input.

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SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given that under the authority of the Small 
Business Innovation Development Act of 1982, as amended (15 U.S.C. 638) 
and section 630 of the Act making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural 
Development, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending 
September 30, 1987, and for other purposes, as made applicable by 
section 101(a) of Public Law Number 99-591, 100 Stat. 3341, the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture (USDA) expects to award project grants for 
certain areas of research to science-based small business firms through 
phase I of its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grants 
Program.
    By this notice, the Cooperative State Research, Education, and 
Extension Service (CSREES) additionally solicits stakeholder input from 
any interested party regarding the Fiscal Year 2001 SBIR Grants Program 
Request for Proposals for use in the development of the next request 
for proposals for this program.

DATES: All phase I proposals must be received at USDA on or before 
August 31, 2000. Proposals not received on or before this date will not 
be considered for funding.

ADDRESSES: All proposals must be submitted to the following address: 
Small Business Innovation Research Program; c/o Proposal Services Unit; 
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; U.S. 
Department of Agriculture; STOP 2245; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.; 
Washington, DC 20250-2245.
    Note: The address for hand-delivered proposals or proposals 
submitted using an express mail or overnight courier service is: Small 
Business Innovation Research Program; c/o Proposal Services Unit; 
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; U.S. 
Department of Agriculture; Room 303, Aerospace Center; 901 D Street, 
SW.; Washington, D.C. 20024. Telephone: (202) 401-5048.
    Written user input comments should be submitted by mail to: Office 
of Extramural Programs; Competitive Research Grants and Awards 
Management; USDA-CSREES; Stop 2299; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.; 
Washington, DC 20250-2299; or via e-mail to: [email protected]. In 
your comments, please include the name of the program and the fiscal 
year of the request for proposals to which you are responding.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Charles F. Cleland; Director, SBIR 
Program; Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service; 
STOP 2243; 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.; Washington, DC 20250-2243. 
Telephone: (202) 401-4002. Facsimile: (202) 401-6070.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This program will be administered by the 
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. Firms 
with strong scientific research capabilities in the topic areas listed 
below are encouraged to participate. Objectives of the three-phase 
program include stimulating technological innovation in the private 
sector, strengthening the role of small businesses in meeting Federal 
research and development needs, increasing private sector 
commercialization of innovations derived from USDA-supported research 
and development efforts, and fostering and encouraging participation of 
women-owned and socially and economically disadvantaged small business 
concerns in technological innovation.
    The total amount expected to be available for phase I of the SBIR 
Program in fiscal year (FY) 2001 is approximately $5,500,000. The 
solicitation is being announced to allow adequate time for potential 
recipients to prepare and submit applications by the closing date of 
August 31, 2000. The research to be supported is in the following topic 
areas:
    1. Forests and Related Resources.
    2. Plant Production and Protection.
    3. Animal Production and Protection.
    4. Air, Water and Soils.
    5. Food Science and Nutrition.
    6. Rural and Community Development.
    7. Aquaculture.
    8. Industrial Applications.
    9. Marketing and Trade.
    The award of any grants under the provisions of this program is 
subject to the availability of appropriations.
    This program is subject to the provisions found at 7 CFR part 3403. 
These provisions set forth procedures to be followed when submitting 
grant proposals, rules governing the evaluation of proposals and the 
awarding of grants, and regulations relating to the post-award 
administration of grant projects. In addition, USDA Uniform Federal 
Assistance Regulations (7 CFR part 3015), Governmentwide Debarment and 
Suspension (Non-procurement) and Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-
Free Workplace (Grants) regulations (7 CFR part 3017), Restrictions on 
Lobbying regulations (7 CFR part 3018), and Debt Management regulations 
(7 CFR part 3) apply to this program. Copies of 7 CFR parts 3403, 3015, 
3017, 3018, and 3 may be obtained by writing or calling the office 
indicated below.
    The program solicitation, which contains research topic 
descriptions and detailed instructions on how to apply, may be obtained 
by writing or calling the following office: Proposal Services Unit; 
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. Application 
materials also may be requested via Internet by sending a message with 
your name, mailing address (not e-mail) and telephone number to 
[email protected] which states that you wish to receive a copy of the 
application materials for the FY 2001 Small Business Innovation 
Research Grants Program. The materials will then be mailed to you (not 
e-mailed) as quickly as possible. Please note that applicants who 
submitted SBIR proposals for FY 2000 or who have recently requested 
placement on the list for FY 2001 will automatically receive a copy of 
the FY 2001 program solicitation.

Stakeholder Input

    CSREES is soliciting comments regarding this solicitation of 
applications from any interested party. These comments will be 
considered in the development of the next request for proposals for the 
program. Such comments will be forwarded to the Secretary or his 
designee for use 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)(2)). Written comments should be submitted by mail to: 
Policy and Program Liaison Staff; Office of Extramural Programs; USDA-
CSREES; STOP 2299; 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W.; Washington, D.C. 
20250-2299; or via e-mail to: [email protected]. (This e-

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mail address is intended only for receiving stakeholder input comments 
regarding this RFP, and not for requesting information or forms.)
    In your comments, please indicate that you are responding to the FY 
2001 Small Business Innovation Research Grants Program. Comments are 
requested within six months from the issuance of the solicitation of 
applications. Comments received after that date will be considered to 
the extent practicable.

    Done at Washington, DC, this 30th day of May, 2000.
Charles W. Laughlin,
Administrator, Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension 
Service.
[FR Doc. 00-14237 Filed 6-6-00; 8:45 am]
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