[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 210 (Monday, October 30, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64674-64682]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-27816]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 000927276-0276-01; I.D. No. 101000CH]
RIN 0648-ZA94


Coastal Services Center Broad Area Announcement

AGENCY: National Ocean Service (NOS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of availability of Federal assistance.

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SUMMARY: The NOAA Coastal Services Center announces the availability of 
Federal assistance for Fiscal Year (FY) 2001 in the following areas: 
Landscape Characterization and Restoration, Integration and 
Development, and Special Projects. This announcement provides 
guidelines for these program areas and includes details for the 
technical program, evaluation criteria, and selection procedures of 
each program. Selected recipients will enter into either a cooperative 
agreement with the Center or receive a grant depending upon the amount 
of the Center's involvement in the project-- substantial involvement 
means a cooperative agreement, while independent work requires a grant.

DATES: Each program area has specific dates for application and 
proposal deadlines. Refer directly to that program area description 
under SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION. Applicants are required to prepare 
separate packages for each proposal submitted.

ADDRESSES: Send all proposals to: NOAA Coastal Services Center, 2234 
South Hobson Avenue, Charleston, SC 29405-2413. Landscape 
Characterization and Restoration proposals should be sent to the 
attention of Pace Wilber. Integration and Development proposals should 
be sent to the attention of Cindy Fowler. Special Project proposals 
should be sent to the attention of Jan Kucklick. Upon receipt of 
proposals, the Center's Program Managers must ensure proposals are time 
stamped.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Administrative questions should be 
directed to Violet Legette, (843)-740-1222 or Violet. [email protected]. 
Technical point of contact for Landscape Characterization and 
Restoration is Pace Wilber, (843)-740-1235 or [email protected]. 
Technical point of contact for Integration and Development is Cindy 
Fowler,(843)-740-1249 or [email protected]. Technical point of 
contact for Special Projects, Special Projectsf or the Pacific Islands, 
and Technical Assistantship for the Pacific Islands is Jan Kucklick, 
(843)-740-1279 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Authority

    Statutory authority for these programs is provided under 16 U.S.C. 
1456c (Technical Assistance); 15 U.S.C. 1540 (Cooperative Agreements); 
33 U.S.C. 1442 (research program respecting possible long-range effects 
of pollution, over fishing, and man-induced changes of ocean 
ecosystems); 33 U.S.C. 883a (surveys and other activities); 33 U.S.C. 
883b (dissemination of data); 33 U.S.C. 883c (geomagnetic data 
collection, correlation, and dissemination); and 33 U.S.C. 883d 
(improvement of methods, instruments, and equipments; investigations 
and research).

Compliance

    The recipients must comply with Executive Order 12906 regarding any 
and all geospatial data collected or produced under grants or 
cooperative agreements. This includes documenting all geospatial data 
in accordance with the Federal Geographic Data Committee Content 
Standard for digital geospatial data.

Electronic Access

    All applicants are required to submit a NOAA grants application 
package and project proposal. The standard NOAA grants application 
package (which includes forms SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, SF-424C, SF-
424D, CD-511, CD-512, and SF-LLL) can be obtained from the NOAA grants 
Website at http://www.rdc.noaa.gov/grants/pdf/. Funding will be subject 
to the availability of Federal appropriations.

Minority Serving Institutions

    Pursuant to Executive Orders 12876, 12900, and 13021, the 
Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
(DOC/NOAA) is strongly committed to broadening the participation of 
Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving 
Institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities in its educational 
and research programs. The DOC/NOAA vision, mission, and goals are to 
achieve full participation by Minority Serving Institutions in order to 
advance the development of human potential, to strengthen the nation's 
capacity to provide high-quality education, and to increase 
opportunities for MSIs to participate in and benefit from Federal 
Financial Assistance programs. DOC/NOAA encourages all applicants to 
include meaningful participation of MSIs.

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance

    The NOAA Coastal Services Center Program is listed in the Catalog 
of Federal Domestic Assistance under Number 11.473.

General Background

    Guiding the conservation and management of coastal resources is a 
primary function of NOAA. NOAA accomplishes this goal through a variety 
of mechanisms, including collaboration with the coastal resource 
management programs of the nation's states and territories. The mission 
of the NOAA Coastal Services Center (Center) is to foster and sustain 
the environmental and economic well-being of the coast by linking 
people, information, and technology. The goal of the Center is to build 
capabilities throughout the nation to address pressing issues of 
coastal health and change by promoting coastal resource conservation 
and efficient and sustainable commercial and residential development. 
Landscape Characterization And Restoration - Information Resource For A 
West Coast United States Watershed

Project Description

    NOAA's Coastal Services Center seeks proposals from tribal, 
regional, state, or local government agencies; academic

[[Page 64675]]

institutions; or nonprofit organizations for a 2-year cooperative 
agreement under which a cooperator and the Center will jointly develop 
a digital information resource for an estuarine watershed, group of 
watersheds, or management area within the states of California, Oregon, 
Washington, or Alaska. Cooperators can choose any estuarine watershed 
or coastal management area within these states. The information 
resource must focus on one or more resource management needs of the 
chosen watershed or management area and emphasize examinations of 
ecosystem function through the integration of physical, ecological, and 
socioeconomic analyses. The cooperator will choose the management needs 
that will be focused on, for example a regional habitat restoration 
plan, non-point source pollution management plan, long-term dredged 
material management plan, species recovery plan, or detailed 
environmental description. The information resource must clearly help 
coastal managers make resource management, regulatory, or land-use 
planning decisions. Total anticipated funding is $270,000 over two 
years and is subject to the availability of FY 2001 and FY 2002 
appropriations. Only one award is anticipated from this announcement.

Background

    This announcement is a call for proposals for work under the 
Center's Landscape Characterization and Restoration (LCR) Program. The 
goal of the program is to help Federal, state, and local coastal 
managers include ecosystem processes in their resource management, 
regulatory, and land-use planning decisions. The program and program 
partners will work towards this goal by examining interrelationships 
among ecological, land use, human demographic, and socioeconomic trends 
in coastal watersheds and by developing tools needed to integrate those 
relationships into management practices.
    The program's principal products are environmental 
characterizations of watersheds that integrate the ecological and 
socioeconomic information needed to address management issues 
identified by cooperators. Final products are in a digital format and 
distributed via CD-ROM and the Internet and include a spatial database, 
a customized Geographic Information System interface, and a narrative 
that provides a detailed overview of the focal management issues, how 
the accompanying information was used to examine potential solutions, 
and how the overall product can be used in future examinations. The 
program and its cooperators are currently working on, or have 
completed, characterizations of Otter Island (South Carolina), the ACE 
Basin (South Carolina), Kachemak Bay (Alaska), and Rookery Bay/Belle 
Meade (Florida), and coastal Rhode Island. Overviews of the program and 
these projects are available through the Internet at http://www.csc.noaa.gov/lcr/ .

Roles and Responsibilities

    By working in a cooperative partnership, the unique skills, 
capabilities, and experiences of the Center and the cooperator will be 
combined and offer an opportunity for each organization to further its 
goals. In their proposals, potential cooperators shall explicitly 
propose the respective roles and responsibilities of the Center and the 
cooperator. General areas of responsibilities that the Center has had 
in past projects include: development of spatial models, analyses, and 
data to address the identified management issues; design of GIS and 
HTML architectures; and compilation of final products onto a CD-ROM and 
Internet site. Any questions about appropriate roles for the Center can 
be directed to [email protected].
    General areas of responsibility that cooperators have included the 
following: identifying the management issues that guide development of 
the information resource; identifying the information needed to address 
the issues; developing partnerships with other members of the coastal 
management community; developing and collecting the information (text, 
tables, graphics, charts, and maps) and tools (organizational structure 
and models) needed to address the management issues; developing 
metadata; and determining how the products should be organized to 
maximize usefulness within the coastal management community.

Project Proposals

    The Center must receive one original and two copies of the 
proposals by 5 pm (Eastern time) on January 12, 2001. Proposals 
postmarked January 12, 2001, but not received until after January 12, 
2001, will not be accepted. In addition to providing the following 
information, the cooperator must submit a complete NOAA grants package 
(with signed originals). No e-mail or fax copies will be accepted. All 
project proposals must total no more than 10 pages (double spaced, 12-
point font, and exclusive of appendices). Appendices should be limited 
to materials that directly support the main body of the proposal; e.g., 
support letters, resumes, lists of data sources, maps. All appendix 
material must be unbound.
    All proposals must include the sections listed here:
    Goal, Objective(s), and Geographic Area. Identify the specific 
geographic area that will be examined. Identify the specific management 
objective(s) of the project, including description of current 
management goals that are not being achieved, how products from this 
cooperative agreement will significantly address that deficiency, and 
the benefits that will result to the cooperators, partners, public, and 
coastal management community.
    Background/Introduction. Provide sufficient background information 
for reviewers to independently assess the local significance and 
regional importance of the management objectives that will be addressed 
by the project. Summarize the status of any existing efforts by the 
cooperator and partners to address these objectives.
    Audience. Identify potential users of the product, how those users 
will incorporate the product in their management of coastal resources, 
and identify any training that will be needed for users to make full 
use of the information resource.
    Project Description/Methodology. Provide a general work plan that 
divides the project into discrete steps, identifies critical decision 
points, and discusses any obstacles to completing the project that may 
require special planning, and explicitly outlines the respective roles 
of the cooperator, partners, and Center. One of the initial tasks of 
the cooperative agreement will be for the Center and the cooperator to 
prepare a detailed task plan that explains how the resources of all 
parties will be leveraged to produce the products. The work plan 
requested for this part of the proposal should demonstrate that the 
cooperator and partners have sufficient local knowledge of the 
management problems to lead a innovative effort directed towards 
developing appropriate solutions.
    Project Partners and Support. Identify project partners and 
describe their respective roles. Include a letter from partners 
acknowledging their participation in the project. Describe the 
resources the cooperators and partners have for conducting the project, 
including personnel qualifications (education, experience, and time 
available to work on the project), facilities, equipment, and, to the 
extent practicable, the information and tools already available. 
Describe how widely the project is supported within the

[[Page 64676]]

coastal management community and offer evidence of that support.
    Milestone Schedule. List target milestones, time lines, and 
describe how each milestone addresses project objectives.
    Project Budget. Provide a detailed budget description that follows 
the categories and formats in the NOAA grants package and a brief 
narrative justification of the budget.

Evaluation Criteria (with Weights) and Selection Process

    Review panels will be established using two NOAA and at least two 
non-NOAA reviewers to assist in the evaluation of the proposals. All 
proposals received will be ranked according to score and the selecting 
official (Center Director) will use those scores to aid in making the 
final decision. The selecting official may also consider program policy 
factors in the final decision to ensure that Center projects are 
balanced geographically and institutionally. Evaluation criteria are:
    Significance (20 points). How well the proposal demonstrates the 
local significance and regional importance of the issues(s) or 
management objective(s) that will guide development of the information 
resource. At a minimum, the proposal must identify management goals 
that currently are not being achieved, describe how products from this 
cooperative agreement will significantly address that deficiency, and 
state the benefits that will result to the public and coastal 
management community.
    Technical Approach (25 points). How well the proposal divides the 
project into discrete tasks that make effective use of the technical 
capabilities of the cooperator, partner(s), and Center. This factor 
also includes the technical merit of the process that the cooperator 
has outlined for developing the information resource.
    Innovation (25 points). How well the proposed work will integrate 
technology; socioeconomic, physical, and ecological information; and 
public participation to accomplish project goals and objectives.
    Outcomes (10 points). How well the applicant demonstrates that the 
project outcomes will significantly address the management issue(s) 
targeted by the project and that the collective resources of the 
applicant and partners will ensure projected outcomes are met.
    Partnerships (10 points). How well the proposal demonstrates that 
the project is broadly supported by the coastal management community, 
that a broad group of coastal managers and constituent will benefit 
from contributing to design and assembly of product(s); that a broad 
group of coastal managers will use the product(s).
    Cost Efficiency (10 points). How well the applicant demonstrates 
that the budget is commensurate with project needs and that the 
partnerships employed will improve the overall cost effectiveness of 
the project and value of the products.

Selection Schedule

    Proposals will be reviewed once during the year. The following 
schedule lists the dates for the project selection and award process 
for grants and/or cooperative agreements:
    Proposal Deadline (with completed grant package) - January 12, 
2001.
    Earliest Approximate Grant start date - August 1, 2001. Note: All 
deadlines are for receipt by close of business (5 p.m. Eastern time) on 
the dates identified. Receipt of proposal and grant package (with 
original signatures) will be time stamped. E-mail or fax copies will 
not be accepted. One original and two copies of the proposal and grant 
paperwork are required.

Funding Availability

    Specific funding available for awards will be finalized after NOAA 
funds for FY 2001 are appropriated. Total funding available for this 
cooperative agreement with the LCR program is anticipated to be 
$270,000 over 2 years. One award is anticipated from this announcement. 
Publication of this document does not obligate NOAA toward any specific 
grant or cooperative agreement or to obligate all or any parts of the 
available funds.

Cost Sharing

    There is no requirement for cost sharing in response to these 
guidelines, however, proposals that include cost sharing will likely 
score highly under evaluation criteria that examines cost efficiency.

Eligibility Criteria

    Eligible applicants are institutions of higher educations, 
hospitals, other non-profits, commercial organizations, foreign 
governments, organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments, international organizations, and state, local and Indian 
tribal governments. Federal agencies or institutions are not eligible 
to receive Federal assistance under this announcement, but may be 
project partners. Note: Federal agencies or institutions who are 
project partners must demonstrate that they have legal authority to 
receive funds from another Federal agency in excess of their 
appropriation. Because this announcement is not proposing to procure 
goods or services from applicants, the Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 1535) is 
not an appropriate legal basis.

Authority

    Statutory authority for these programs is provided under 16 U.S.C. 
1456c (Technical Assistance); 15 U.S.C. 1540 (Cooperative Agreements); 
and 33 U.S.C. 1442 (research program respecting possible long-range 
effects of pollution, overfishing, and man-induced changes of ocean 
ecosystems).

Integration And Development - Bathymetric Data Collection Project 
Description

    The NOAA Coastal Services Center seeks proposals from state, local 
or regional resource management agencies, port authorities, and 
academic institutions for projects that conduct new acquisition and 
supporting documentation of bathymetric data. Private companies and 
agencies in partnership with the previously mentioned collaborators are 
also invited to submit proposals. The intent of this program is to 
support high quality hydrographic digital data collection efforts for 
public resource management needs and can be used to supplement current 
NOAA NOS nautical chart data collection programs. It is expected that 
this funding will supplement agencies who are already considering 
hydrographic surveys for beach renourishment projects, sand and 
sediment transport studies, fisheries management, benthic habitat 
evaluations, dredging, dredge disposal siting projects, and other 
related projects.
    A major objective of this program is to rescue, document, and make 
available bathymetric data for marine applications. The geographic 
extent of desired data is from the area (on-shore) of tidal influence 
out to the Exclusive Economic Zone. Maximum anticipated funding for FY 
2001 is $200,000 and it is intended that this funding will be 
distributed amongst multiple projects. The award level is contingent on 
methodology, the level of detail, and the geographic scope of the 
project. See evaluation criteria for cost sharing requirements.

Background

    Under the NOAA, NOS strategic efforts to support safe navigation, 
hydrographic surveys are conducted to produce nautical charts. For 
safety reasons, these surveys are conducted using strict hydrographic 
survey procedures (refer to the following

[[Page 64677]]

Uniform Resource Locator (ULR) for more information about these 
procedures): http://chartmaker.ncd.noaa.gov/ocs/text/prodserv.htm .
    In addition to its intended charting purpose, hydrographic survey 
data is very useful to the coastal and ocean resource management 
community in the production of bathymetry. Moreover, hydrographic 
survey requirements for resource management need not be as rigorous as 
navigation surveys that protect life and limb. Supporting this 
community is an additional mandate of NOS under its coastal stewardship 
strategic goal. Due to financial constraints, NOS has only been able to 
commit to new surveys in major commercial shipping areas. Near shore 
and estuarine areas not generally deemed a navigational hazard are 
currently not routinely surveyed. Many of these areas are of interest 
to the coastal resource managers for projects related to dredging, 
dredge disposal, habitat studies, sediment transport, and beach 
renourishment projects.
    NOAA is interested in supplementing its current hydrographic survey 
data collection with data from non-NOAA sources to meet strategic 
goals. In addition, NOAA is interested in helping non-NOAA sources 
acquire data using standards and documentation that will increase the 
usability and longevity of the data. NOAA is committed to helping 
third-party data creators document and make these data available to the 
marine community using standards and protocols outlined by the Federal 
Geographic Data Committee (FGDC). Specifically, NOAA is interested in 
helping foster the development of high quality accurate digital 
bathymetric data for use in desktop GIS for coastal and ocean resource 
management and updating nautical charts.

Project Proposals

    The Center must receive one original and two copies of the 
proposals by 5 p.m. (Eastern time) on January 12, 2001. Proposals 
postmarked January 12, 2001, but not received until after January 12, 
2001, will not be accepted. In addition to providing the following 
information, the cooperator must submit a complete NOAA grants package 
(with signed originals). No e-mail or fax copies will be accepted. All 
project proposals must total no more than 10 pages (double spaced, 12-
point font, and exclusive of appendices). Appendices should be limited 
to materials that directly support the main body of the proposal; e.g., 
support letters, resumes, lists of data sources, maps. All appendix 
material must be unbound. All projects proposals must include the 
sections listed here:
    Project Description/Methodology. This section should address the 
general work plan and deliverables. Methodology should address specific 
methods of data collection and documentation that as a minimum include 
the methods of sounding, methods of correcting for motion of the survey 
platform, methods of horizontal positioning, and methods of corrections 
for tide. In addition, proposal should include limits of survey area 
and density of line spacing and sounding interval. Proposal should 
include a section of chart that outlines the survey area and 
orientation to the depth contour. Database format must be adequately 
described and include a supplemental descriptor file or metadata that 
contains the information necessary for completing an FGDC-compliant 
metadata record for the survey.
    Project Partners and Subcontractors. Proposal should identify 
project partners and describe their respective roles. Include a letter 
from partners and subcontractors acknowledging their participation and 
area of responsibility. All projects must have a state, local, or 
regional coastal resource management agency as a primary participant.
    Milestone Schedule. Proposal should list target milestones and 
their respective time lines.
    Project Budget. Proposal should provide a detailed budget breakdown 
that follows the categories and formats in the NOAA grants package and 
a brief narrative that justifies each item.

Evaluation Criteria (With Weights) and Selection Process

    Review panels will be established using two NOAA and two non-NOAA 
experts in the field of hydrographic survey methodology, tidal 
correction, and spatial data acquisition. All proposals received will 
be ranked according to score and the selecting official (Center 
Director) will use those scores to aid in making the final decision. 
The selecting official may also consider program policy factors in the 
final decision to ensure Center projects are balanced geographically 
and institutionally. Evaluation criteria are:
    Technical Merit (65 points). The proposal will be judged on the 
methodology used to collect the data. This includes the corrections for 
vessel motion (heave, roll and pitch), equipment used, and method of 
sounding, and corrections for tide. It is expected that differential 
Global Positioning System (GPS) will be used as the method of 
horizontal positioning, but this should be specifically addressed. 
Though not required, any corrections for sound velocity (in shallow 
water) or settlement and squat could positively influence this 
weighting.
    Data Density, Geographic Scope, and Orientation (10 points). This 
weighting will be based on the level of detail of the survey. Project 
description should include a map or graphic that outlines the intended 
spatial extent of the survey, the density of the line spacing or number 
of soundings, and the orientation of the survey platform to the depth 
contour.
    Data Delivery Mechanism and Documentation (10 points). Project will 
be judged on the database schema and documentation of the delivered 
data. Points will be awarded or deleted for the inclusion or absence of 
a coherent metadata strategy.
    Theme (10 points). The purpose or theme of the survey will be part 
of the weighting criteria. As stated earlier, one of the objectives of 
the Center is to foster improved bathymetric data access for the 
coastal and ocean resource community. Projects deemed to fall within 
this scope will be given additional weight. Additional weight will be 
given for the project's demonstrated applicability to coastal or ocean 
resource management.
    Cost-Sharing (5 points). There is no requirement for cost sharing; 
however, additional points will be awarded in proportion to the amount 
of cost sharing proposed. Applicant will have to cost share at least 10 
percent to receive 1 point, 20 percent to receive 2 points, 30 percent 
to receive 3 points, 40 percent to receive 4 points, and 50 percent to 
receive 5 points.

Selection Schedule

    Proposals will be reviewed once during the year. The following 
schedule lists the dates for the project selection and award process 
for grants and/or cooperative agreements:
    Proposal Deadline (with completed grant package) - January 12, 
2001.
    Earliest Approximate Grant Start Date - August 1, 2001.
    Note: All deadlines are for receipt by close of business (5 p.m. 
Eastern time) on the dates identified. Receipt of proposal and grant 
package (with original signatures) will be time stamped. E-mail or fax 
copies will not be accepted. One original and two copies of the 
proposal and grant paperwork are required.

Funding Available

    Specific funding available for awards will be finalized after NOAA 
funds for FY 2001 are appropriated. Total funding

[[Page 64678]]

available for this grant or cooperative agreement with the Integration 
and Development program is anticipated to be no more than $200,000 and 
funding will be distributed over multiple projects. Publication of this 
notice does not obligate NOAA toward any specific grant or cooperative 
agreement or to obligate all or any parts of the available funds.

Cost Sharing

    There is no requirement for cost sharing in response to these 
guidelines; however, proposals that include cost sharing will likely 
score highly under the cost sharing criteria noted here.

Eligibility Criteria

    Eligible applicants are institutions of higher educations, 
hospitals, other non-profits, foreign governments, organizations under 
the jurisdiction of foreign governments, international organizations, 
and state, local and Indian tribal governments. Commercial 
organizations that have a formal collaborative partnership with a state 
or local resource coastal management office are encouraged to apply. 
Federal agencies or institutions are not eligible to receive Federal 
assistance under this notice, but may be project partners.
    Note: Federal agencies or institutions who are project partners 
must demonstrate that they have legal authority to receive funds from 
another federal agency in excess of their appropriation. Because this 
announcement is not proposing to procure goods or services from 
applicants, the Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 1535) is not an appropriate 
legal basis.

Authority

    Statutory authority for these programs is 33 U.S.C. 883a (surveys 
and other activities) and 33 U.S.C. 883c (geomagnetic data; collection, 
correlation, and dissemination).

Special Projects

    The NOAA Coastal Services Center is seeking proposals for special 
technical, management, or planning projects that relate to growth 
management in coastal areas or human use of coastal resources. Project 
proposals are due January 12, 2001, (with earliest start date of August 
1, 2001). See Selection Schedule following. Anticipated funding in FY 
2001 will be between $50,000 and $150,000. Two to six projects will be 
funded in the $20,000 to $25,000 range for 1 year with the potential 
for option years (depending on the availability of funds through the 
federal appropriation process). Projects above $25,000 will not be 
considered.

Background

    The Center conducts a variety of projects that directly apply to 
the state and local coastal management community. The goal of Special 
Projects is to provide assistance to the local coastal management 
community for technical or management issues on specific topics 
relating directly to growth management in coastal areas or human use of 
coastal resources.
    In FY 2001, the Center expects to award grants and cooperative 
agreements (for those projects with substantial Center involvement) to 
organizations across the United States with proven abilities to 
implement practical solutions at a state and local level. Proposed 
study topics must relate to growth management in coastal areas or to 
human use of coastal resources. All project proposals received that 
meet the topic criteria will be reviewed for technical merit and 
management relevance.

Project Proposals

    The Center must receive one original and two copies of the 
proposals by 5 p.m. (Eastern time) on January 12, 2001. Proposals 
postmarked January 12, 2001, but not received until after January 12, 
2001, will not be accepted. In addition to providing the following 
information, the cooperator must submit a complete NOAA grants package 
(with signed originals). No e-mail or fax copies will be accepted. All 
project proposals must total no more than 10 pages (double spaced, 12-
point font, and exclusive of appendices). Appendices should be limited 
to materials that directly support the main body of the proposal; e.g., 
support letters, resumes, lists of data sources, maps. All appendix 
material must be unbound. All projects proposals must include the 
sections listed here:
    Goals and Objectives. Identify broad project goals and quantifiable 
objectives.
    Background/Introduction. State the problem and summarize existing 
efforts at all levels.
    Audience. Describe specifics of how the project will contribute to 
improving or resolving an issue with the primary target audience. The 
target audience must be explicitly stated.
    Project Description/Methodology. Describe the specifics of the 
projects (3 page maximum).
    Project Partners. Identify project partners and their respective 
roles.
    Milestones and Outcomes. List target milestones, Time lines, and 
desired outcomes in terms of products and services.
    Project Budget. Proposal should provide a detailed budget breakdown 
that follows the categories and formats in the NOAA grant package and a 
brief narrative that justifies each item.

Evaluation Criteria (With Weights) and Selection Process

    Review panels will be established using two NOAA and at least two 
non-NOAA reviewers to assist in the evaluation of the proposals. All 
proposals received will be ranked according to score and the selecting 
official (Center Director) will use those scores to aid in making the 
final decision. The selecting official also may consider program policy 
factors in the final decision to ensure Center projects are balanced 
geographically and institutionally. Evaluation criteria are:
    Management Relevance (30 points)
    Does the proposed project (directly or indirectly) address a 
critical national, regional, state, or local management need relating 
directly to growth management of coastal areas or human use of coastal 
resources?
    Does the project involve partnerships with the state coastal 
management agency, National Estuarine Research Reserve, and/or National 
Marine Sanctuary?
    Does the proposed project have a clearly defined management 
audience and do the products have clearly defined users?
    Technical Merit (35 points)
    Is the approach technically sound?
    Does the proposed project build on existing knowledge?
    Are the project goals and objectives clear and concise?
    Does the proposed project provide for long-term maintenance or 
sustainability of products and services?
    Is the approach innovative?

Applicability and Effectiveness of Products and their Delivery (25 
points)

    Will the proposed project produce useful (and easily used) 
products, services, or an understanding for the target audience and 
users?
    Is project time line and project design likely to be flexible and 
responsive to public and user input?
    Is an evaluation process built into the project? Is it appropriate?

Efficiency and Overall Qualifications (10 points)

    Is the budget commensurate with the project needs?
    Are the proposers capable of conducting a project of the scope and 
scale proposed? (i.e., Are there adequate professional, facility, and 
administrative capabilities?)

[[Page 64679]]

Selection Schedule

    Proposals will be reviewed once during the year. The following 
schedule lists the dates for the project selection and award process 
for grants and/or cooperative agreements:
    Proposal Deadline (with completed grant package) January 12, 2001.
    Earliest Appropriate Grant Start Date - August 1, 2001
    Note: All deadlines are for receipt by close of business (5 p.m. 
Eastern time) on the dates identified. Receipt of proposal and grant 
package (with original signatures) will be time stamped. E-mail or fax 
copies will not be accepted. One original and two copies of the 
proposal and grant paperwork are required.

Funding Availability

    Specific funding available for the award will be finalized after 
NOAA funds for FY 2001 are appropriated. Publication of this document 
does not obligate NOAA toward any specific grant or cooperative 
agreement or to obligate all or any parts of the available funds.

Cost Sharing

    There is no requirement for cost sharing in response to this 
program announcement and no additional weight will be given to 
proposals with cost sharing.

Eligibility Criteria

    Eligible applicants are institutions of higher educations, 
hospitals, other non-profits, commercial organizations, foreign 
governments, organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments, international organizations, and state, local and Indian 
tribal governments. Federal agencies or institutions are not eligible 
to receive Federal assistance under this announcement, but may be 
project partners.
    Note: Federal agencies or institutions who are project partners 
must demonstrate that they have legal authority to receive funds from 
another Federal agency in excess of their appropriation. Because this 
announcement is not proposing to procure goods or services from 
applicants, the Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 1535) is not an appropriate 
legal basis.

Authority

    Statutory Authority for these programs is provided under 16 U.S.C. 
1456C (Technical Assistance).

Special Projects for the Pacific Islands

Project Description

    NOAA's Coastal Services Center is seeking proposals for special 
technical, management, or planning projects that directly apply to the 
goals of the Pacific Island coastal management community. Projects 
topics should relate to one or more of the four themes of the Coastal 
Services Center: Habitat, Hazards, Coastal Communities, or National 
Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI). Project proposals are due January 
12, 2001, (with earliest start date August 1, 2001). See ``Selection 
Schedule'' following. Anticipated funding in FY 2001 will be between 
$50,000 and $500,000. Projects will be funded in the $25,000 to $75,000 
range for 1 year with the potential for options years (depending on the 
availability of funds through the Federal appropriation process).

Background

    The Coastal Services Center conducts a variety of projects that 
directly apply to the state and local coastal management community. The 
goal of this program is to provide assistance to the Pacific Island 
coastal management community for technical or management issues on a 
very broad range of topics related to coastal resources and their wise 
management.
    In FY 2001, the Center expects to award grants and cooperative 
agreements (for those projects with substantial Center involvement) to 
organizations with proven abilities to implement practical solutions in 
the Pacific Islands at a state and local level. Proposed study topics 
must relate to one or more of the Center's themes: Habitat, Hazards, 
Coastal Communities, or NSDI.

Project Proposal

    The Center must receive one original and two copies of the 
proposals by 5 p.m. (Eastern time) on January 12, 2001. Proposals 
postmarked January 12, 2001, but not received until after January 12, 
2001, will not be accepted. In addition to providing the following 
information, the cooperator must submit a complete NOAA grants package 
(with signed originals). No e-mail or fax copies will be accepted. All 
project proposals must total no more than 10 pages (double spaced, 12-
point font, and exclusive of appendices). Appendices should be limited 
to materials that directly support the main body of the proposal; e.g., 
support letters, resumes, lists of data sources, and maps. All appendix 
materials must be unbound. All projects proposals must include the 
sections listed here:
    Goals and Objectives. Identify broad project goals and quantifiable 
objectives.
    Background/Introduction. State the problem and summarize existing 
efforts at all levels.
    Audience. Describe specifics of how the project will contribute to 
improving or resolving an issue with the primary target audience. The 
target audience must be explicitly stated.
    Project Description/Methodology. Describe the specifics of the 
projects (3 page maximum).
    Project Partners. Identify project partners and their respective 
roles.
    Milestones and Outcomes. List target milestones, time lines, and 
desired outcomes in terms of products and services.
    Project Budget. Proposal should provide a detailed budget breakd 
own that follows the categories and formats in the NOAA grant package 
and a brief narrative that justifies each item.

Evaluation Criteria (With Weights) and Selection Process

    Review panels will be established using two NOAA and at least two 
non-NOAA reviewers to assist in the evaluation of the proposals. All 
proposals received will be ranked according to score and the selecting 
official (Center Director will use those scores to aid in making the 
final decision. The selection official also may consider program policy 
factors in the final decision to ensure Center projects are balanced 
geographically and institutionally.

Evaluation criteria are: Management Relevance (30 points)

    Does the proposed project (directly or indirectly) address a 
critical national, regional, state, or local management need relating 
directly to growth management of coastal areas or human use of coastal 
resources?
    Does the project involve partnerships with the state coastal 
management agency, National Estuarine Research Reserve, and/or National 
Marine Sanctuary?
    Does the proposed project have a clearly defined management 
audience and do the products have clearly defined users?

Technical Merit (35 points)

    Is the approach technically sound?
    Does the proposed project build on existing knowledge?
    Are the project goals and objectives clear and concise?
    Does the proposed project provide for long-term maintenance or 
sustainability of products and services?
    Is the approach innovative?

[[Page 64680]]

Applicability and Effectiveness of Products and their Delivery (25 
points)

    Will the proposed project produce useful (and easily used) 
products, services, or an understanding for the target audience and 
users?
    Is project time line and project design likely to be flexible and 
responsive to public and user input?
    Is an evaluation process built into the project? Is it appropriate?

Efficiency and Overall Qualifications (10 points)

    Is the budget commensurate with the project needs?
    Are the proposers capable of conducting a project of the scope and 
scale proposed (i.e., Are there adequate professional, facility, and 
administrative capabilities?)

Selection Schedule

    Proposals will be reviewed once during the year. The following 
schedule lists the dates for the project selection and award process 
for grants and/or cooperative agreements:
    Proposal Deadline (with completed grant package) - January 12, 2001
    Earliest Approximate Grant Start Date - August 1, 2001
    Note: All deadlines are for receipt by close of business (5 p.m. 
Eastern time) on the dates identified. Receipt of proposal and grant 
package (with original signatures) will be time stamped. E-mail or fax 
copies will not be accepted. One original and two copies of the 
proposal and grant paperwork are required.

Funding Available

    Specific funding available for awards will be finalized after NOAA 
funds for FY 2001 are appropriated. Publication of this notice does not 
obligate NOAA toward any specific grant or cooperative agreement or to 
obligate all or any parts of the available funds.

Cost Sharing

    There are no requirements for cost sharing in response to this 
program announcement and no additional weight will be given to 
proposals with cost sharing.

Eligibility Criteria

    Eligible applicants are institutions of higher educations, 
hospitals, other non-profits, commercial organizations, foreign 
governments, organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments, international organizations, and state, local and Indian 
tribal governments. Federal agencies or institutions are not eligible 
to receive Federal assistance under this notice, but may be project 
partners. Note: Federal agencies or institutions who are project 
partners must demonstrate that they have legal authority to receive 
funds from another Federal agency in excess of their appropriation. 
Because this announcement is not proposing to procure goods or services 
from applicants, the Economy Act (31 U.S.C 1535) is not an appropriate 
legal basis.

Authority

    Statutory Authority for these programs is provided under 16 U.S.C. 
1456C (Technical Assistance).

Technical Assistantship For The Pacific Islands

Project Description

    The NOAA Coastal Services Center is seeking proposals for the 
development and administration of 2-year grants to support post-
graduate students working for the Pacific Island coastal zone 
management programs. This includes those programs in Hawaii, Guam, 
American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas. Project 
proposals are due January 12, 2001 (with earliest start date August 1, 
2001). See Selection Schedule following. Total anticipated funding in 
FY 2001 will be between $75,000 and $300,000. Each assistantship will 
be funded in the $75,000 to $100,000 range to cover both years of one 
student. It is anticipated that one to four students will be placed in 
FY 2001. There must be a balance in location of student placement so 
that over any given several year period, all four Pacific coastal zone 
management programs will receive a student.
    All project proposals must define how students will be selected and 
placed, must provide a mechanism for determining where students are 
placed, and must include a mechanism to ensure that the skills and 
expertise of the selected students match the needs and requirements of 
the selected Pacific Island coastal zone management program.
    This would be a cooperative agreement between the Center and the 
cooperator for 2 years with the option to extend for 4 years (depending 
on the availability of funds through the Federal appropriations 
process).

Background

    The goal of this program is to provide assistance to the Pacific 
Island coastal zone management agencies on technical and management 
issues that directly relate to the agencies' needs and requirements. 
This program is administratively and programmatically distinct from the 
NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship program. In FY 2001, the Center 
expects to award one to two cooperative agreements to design, 
implement, and administer this program.

Roles and Responsibilities

    These projects are intended to be cooperative in nature. The 
following items identify the minimum project participation expected by 
the Center and the project applicant. Additional roles and 
responsibilities should be identified by the applicant.
    Coastal Services Center shall have primary responsibility for 
ensuring that the needs and requirements of the selected Pacific Island 
coastal zone management agency are being met through this assistantship 
program. To this end, the Center will:
    Provide information to the applicant on the needs of the Pacific 
Island coastal zone management agency prior to the recruiting of the 
assistants, and
    Serve as a reviewer on all student applications to help ensure that 
the selected students' expertise match with the needs of the Pacific 
Island coastal zone management programs. The applicant shall have 
primary responsibility for the following activities associated with 
this program:
    Design process for recruitment and selection.
    Select Pacific Island coastal zone management programs(s) for 
student placement.
    Announce and select assistants.
    Support and administer assistants - This shall include all 
activities related to the financial support and administration of the 
assistants. These activities include arranging for and supporting 
medical insurance, worker's compensation insurance, state and federal 
income tax withholdings, and FICA withholdings; coordinating and 
providing reimbursement for moving expenses, salary disbursement to the 
assistants; and coordinating and supporting and travel for the 
assistants. The Coastal Services Center and the Applicant shall share 
joint responsibility for the following activities associated with this 
program:
    Publicize the program. This shall include general announcement and 
publicity measures to provide general information about the program, 
specific announcements of the selection processes, and specific 
announcements of the results of the selection processes. Newsletters, 
facts sheets, Web sites, and conference poster sessions should all be 
considered potential publicity mechanisms.

[[Page 64681]]

    Solicit other partners. To ensure the continued success and further 
development of the program, both organizations should consider 
recruiting other partners to provide financial support and 
opportunities for future assistants.

Project Proposals

    The Center must receive one original and two copies of the 
proposals by 5 p.m. (Eastern time) on January 12, 2001. Proposals 
postmarked January 12, 2001, but not received until after January 12, 
2001, will not be accepted. In addition to providing the following 
information, the cooperator must submit a complete NOAA grants package 
(with signed originals). No e-mail or fax copies will be accepted. All 
project proposals must total no more than 10 pages (double- spaced, 12-
point font, and exclusive of appendices). Appendices should be limited 
to materials that directly support the main body of the proposal; e.g., 
support letters, resumes, lists of data sources, maps. All appendix 
material must be unbound. All projects proposals must include the 
sections listed here:
    Goals and Objectives. Identify broad project goals and quantifiable 
objectives.
    Background/Introduction. State the problem and summarize existing 
efforts at all levels.
    Audience. Describe specifics of how the project will contribute to 
improving or resolving an issue with the primary target audience. The 
target audience must be explicitly stated.
    Project Description/Methodology. Describe the specifics of the 
process for development and administration (4 pages maximum).
    Project Partners. Identify project partners and their respective 
roles.
    Milestones and Outcomes. List target milestones, time lines, and 
desired outcomes in terms of products and services.
    Project Budget. Proposal should provide a detailed budget breakdown 
that follows the categories and formats in the NOAA grant package and a 
brief narrative that justifies each item. Salary, per diem, travel, and 
benefits of selected students must be included in the budget.

Evaluation Criteria (With Weights) and Selection Process

    Review panels will be established using two NOAA and at least two 
non-NOAA reviewers to assist in the evaluation of the proposals. All 
proposals received will be ranked according to score and the selecting 
official (Center Director) will use those scores to aid in making the 
final decision. The selecting official also may consider program policy 
factors in the final decision to ensure Center projects are balanced 
geographically and institutionally. Evaluation criteria are:

Technical Relevance (70 points)

    Does the approach identify an effective mechanism for defining how 
students will be selected and placed?
    Does the approach identify an effective mechanism for determining 
where students are placed?
    Does the approach identify an effective mechanism for ensuring that 
the skills and expertise of the selected students match the needs and 
requirements of the selected Pacific Island coastal zone management 
program?
    Is an evaluation process built into the project? Is it appropriate?
    Does the project involve partnerships with the state coastal 
management agency, National Estuarine Research Reserve, and/or National 
Marine Sanctuary?

Efficiency and Overall (30 points)

    Is the budget commensurate with the project needs? on existing 
knowledge?
    Are the proposers capable of conducting a project of the scope and 
scale proposed? (i.e., Are there adequate professional, facility, and 
administrative capabilities?)

Selection Schedule

    Special projects will be reviewed once during the year. The 
following schedule lists the dates for the project selection and award 
process for grants and/or cooperative agreements:
    Proposal Deadline (with complete grant package) January 12, 2001. 
Earliest Approximate Grant start date August 1, 2001.
    Note: All deadlines are for receipt by close of business (5 p.m. 
Eastern time) on the dates identified. Receipt of proposal and grant 
package (with original signatures) will be time stamped. E-mail or fax 
copies will not be accepted. One original and two copies of the 
proposal and grant paperwork are required.

Funding Available

    Specific funding available for awards will be finalized after NOAA 
funds for FY 2001 are appropriated. Publication of this announcement 
does not obligate NOAA toward any specific grant or cooperative 
agreement or to obligate all or any parts of the available funds.

Cost Sharing

    There is no requirement for cost sharing in response to this 
program announcement and no additional weight will be given to 
proposals with cost sharing.

Eligibility Criteria

    Eligible applicants are institutions of higher educations, 
hospitals, other non-profits, commercial organizations, foreign 
governments, organizations under the jurisdiction of foreign 
governments, international organizations, and state, local and Indian 
tribal governments. Federal agencies or institutions are not eligible 
to receive federal assistance under this notice, but may be project 
partners. Note: Federal agencies or institutions who are project 
partners must demonstrate that they have legal authority to receive 
funds from another Federal agency in excess of their appropriation. 
Because this announcement is not proposing to procure goods or services 
from applicants, the Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 1535) is not an appropriate 
legal basis.

Authority

    Statutory Authority for these programs is provided under 16 U.S.C. 
1456c (Technical Assistance).

General Information For All Programs

Indirect Costs

    The total dollar amount of the indirect costs proposed in an 
application under any of these programs must not exceed the current 
indirect cost rate negotiated and approved by the applicant's cognizant 
federal agency, prior to the proposed effective date of the award or 
100 percent of the total proposed direct costs dollar amount in the 
application, whichever is less. If a rate has not been established, one 
will be negotiated by the Department of Commerce (DOC) Office of 
Inspector General.

Federal Policies and Procedures

    Recipients and sub-recipients are subject to all Federal laws and 
Federal and DOC policies, regulations, and procedures applicable to 
Federal assistance awards.

Name Check Review

    All non-profit and for-profit applicants are subject to a name 
check review process. Name checks are intended to reveal if any key 
individuals associated with the recipient have been convicted of, or 
are presently facing, criminal charges such as fraud, theft, perjury, 
or other matters that significantly reflect on the recipient's 
management, honesty, or financial integrity.

[[Page 64682]]

Past Performance

    Unsatisfactory performance under prior federal awards may result in 
an application not being considered for funding.

Pre-Award Activities

    If applicants incur any costs prior to an award being made, they do 
so solely at their own risk of not being reimbursed by the government. 
Notwithstanding any verbal or written assurance that may have been 
received, there is no obligation on the part of DOC to cover pre-award 
costs should an award not be made or funded at a level less than 
requested.

No Obligation for Future Funding

    If the application is selected for funding, DOC has no obligation 
to provide any additional future funding in connection with that award. 
Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of 
performance is at the total discretion of DOC.

Delinquent Federal Debts

    No award of Federal funds shall be made to an applicant who has an 
outstanding delinquent Federal debt until either:
    (i) The delinquent account is paid in full,
    (ii) A negotiated repayment schedule is established and at least 
one payment is received, or
    (iii) Other arrangements satisfactory to DOC are made.

Primary Applicant Certifications

    All organizations or individuals preparing grant applications must 
submit a completed Form CD-511 ``Certifications Regarding Debarment, 
Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace 
Requirements and Lobbying,'' and explanations are hereby provided:

Non-Procurement Debarment and Suspension

    Prospective participants (as defined at 15 CFR 26.105) are subject 
to 15 CFR part 26, ``Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension'' and the 
related section of the certification form prescribed above applies.

Drug-Free Workplace

    Grantees (as defined at 15 CFR 26.605) are subject to 15 CFR part 
26, subpart F, ``Government-wide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace 
(Grants)'' and the related section of the certification form prescribed 
here applies.

Anti-Lobbying

    Persons (as defined at 15 CFR 28.105) are subject to the lobbying 
provisions of 31 U.S.C. 1352, ``Limitation on use of appropriated funds 
to influence certain Federal contracting and financial transactions,'' 
and the lobbying section of the certification form prescribed above 
applies to application/bids for grants, cooperative agreements, and 
contracts for more than $100,000, and loans and loan guarantees for 
more than $150,000.

Anti-Lobbying Disclosures

    Any applicant that has paid or will pay for lobbying using any 
funds must submit an SF-LLL form, ``Disclosure of Lobbying 
Activities,'' as required under 15 CFR part 28, Appendix B.

Lower-Tier Certifications

    Recipients shall require applicants/bidders for sub-grants, 
contracts, subcontracts, or other lower-tier-covered transactions at 
any tier under the award to submit, if applicable, a completed Form CD-
512, ``Certifications Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility 
and Voluntary Exclusion-Lower Tier Covered Transactions and Lobbying'' 
and disclosure form, SF-LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities.'' 
Form CD-512 is intended for the use of recipients and should not be 
transmitted to DOC. SF-LLL submitted by any tier recipient or sub-
recipient should be submitted to DOC in accordance with the 
instructions contained in the aware document.

False Statements

    A false statement on an application is grounds for denial or 
termination of funds and grounds for possible punishment by a fine or 
imprisonment as provided in 18 U.S.C. 1001.

Intergovernmental Review

    Applications under this program are subject to Executive Order 
12372,``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''

Buy American-made Equipment or Products

    Applicants are hereby notified that they will be encouraged, to the 
greatest extent practicable, to purchase American-made equipment and 
products with funding provided under this program in accordance with 
Congressional intent.

Classification

    This action has been determined to be not significant for purposes 
of Executive Order 12866.
    Prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required 
by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for this notice 
concerning grants, cooperative agreements, benefits, and contracts. 
Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis is not required for 
purposes of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.
    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required 
to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to, a penalty for failure 
to comply with a collection of information subject to the requirements 
of the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) unless that collection of 
information displays a currently valid OMB control number. This notice 
contains a collection-of-information requirements subject to the PRA. 
The collection-of-information has been approved by OMB, OMB Control 
Numbers 0348-0041, 0348-0042, 0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, 0348-
0046, and 0605-0001.

    Dated: October 23, 2000.
Margaret A. Davidson,
Acting Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone 
Management.
[FR Doc. 00-27816 Filed 10-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE: 3510-22-S