[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 223 (Friday, November 17, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 69514-69516]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-29512]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[OPP-200003; FRL-6751-8]


Technical Resource Center for Integrated Pest Management in 
Schools and Day Care Centers; Solicitation of Grant Proposals

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: EPA is soliciting pre-application grant proposals and is 
prepared to provide up to $100,000 for the establishment of a Technical 
Resource Center for promoting the adoption of integrated pest 
management (IPM) in schools and day care centers. This Center will be 
regionally based (region of the country and target states to be 
identified by the applicant). The Center will provide information, 
guidance, education, training and other tools necessary for schools and 
day care centers to successfully launch and sustain IPM programs geared 
at reducing children's exposure to pests and pesticides. EPA will award 
a cooperative agreement with up to $100,000 in initial funding, with 
the possibility of additional future funding depending on the 
availability of funds budgeted for this purpose. Selection of the 
successful grantee will be made based on the evaluation of the pre-
application proposal and the results of oral interviews with 
prospective grantees. This notice describes eligibility, activities, 
application procedures and requirements, and evaluation criteria.

DATES: All pre-applications must be received on or before December 15, 
2000.

ADDRESSES: Submit pre-application proposals to: Katherine J. Seikel, 
Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division (7511C), Office of 
Pesticide Programs (OPP), Environmental Protection Agency, Ariel Rios 
Bldg., 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For general information contact: 
Katherine J. Seikel, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division 
(7511C), Office of Pesticide Programs, Environmental Protection Agency, 
Ariel Rios Bldg., 1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW., Washington, DC 20460; 
telephone numbers: (703) 308-8272; e-mail address: 
[email protected].

 SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

 I. Does this Notice Apply to Me?

    This action is directed to all entities eligible to receive funding 
pursuant to the assistance award authority of FIFRA section 20. If you 
have any questions regarding the applicability of this action to a 
particular entity, consult the person listed under FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT.

II. Scope and Purpose

    The cooperative agreement to be funded pursuant to this 
announcement will provide funding for activities designed to foster the 
adoption and maintenance of IPM programs in schools and day care 
centers in a particular region of the country, and in states to be 
selected by the grantee. Thus, we anticipate this center being 
regional--not national--in scope. Applicants are expected to provide 
information on how and why they have targeted a particular region of 
the country for IPM in schools, and on the number of schools and day 
care centers in the region they intend to serve (so EPA can gauge the 
scope and feasibility of the project plan).
    Applicants should provide information on the status of IPM 
implementation in this region as it exists today. Applicants should 
also outline specific goals and include a strategic plan for changing 
the status quo as a result of activities funded under this assistance 
agreement. Applicants are encouraged to provide clear-cut, measurable 
goals for their work under this cooperative agreement. An example would 
be the number of schools and day care centers in the target region, the 
number of those schools and day care centers currently practicing IPM, 
and the number of schools/day care centers which the grantee will have 
engaged in the establishment of IPM programs by the end of the first 
year of this cooperative agreement.
    The expected duration of this project is 1-2 years. The applicant 
has the flexibility to propose the start and end dates.

III. Eligibility

    Eligible recipients are all entities eligible to receive grants 
under the authority of FIFRA section 20, as amended by Public Law 106-
074. Eligible entities include, but are not limited to States, tribes, 
institutions of higher learning, non-profit

[[Page 69515]]

organizations, for-profit businesses, and individuals.

A. General Requirements

    1. There are no requirements for matching funding under this grant 
program. However, applicants are encouraged to seek funding from 
sources other than EPA to supplement the income of this Center. 
Applicants must identify, as part of this proposal, any funds from 
other sources (private or public) that will be used to carry out 
proposed grant projects.
    2. If the applicant has conducted, or is currently working on a 
related project(s), please provide a brief description of those 
projects and funding sources in the application.

B. Administrative Reporting Requirements

    The applicant must provide EPA with the original plus three copies 
of the Semi-annual progress reports. These reports must include:
    1. Total financial expenditures for the quarter, with costs broken 
down by cost element, i.e. direct labor, travel costs, supplies, 
equipment sub contract costs, sub grantee costs, indirect costs.
    2. For direct labor, provide the names and percentage time devoted 
to the project for each person assigned to the assistance agreement.
    3. For travel costs, provide names of travelers, destinations, and 
purpose of trip(s).
    4. For indirect costs (overhead, fringe benefits, general and 
administrative expenses, etc.), provide the base of allocation, the 
name of the cognizant audit Agency and the period for which final rates 
were negotiated.
    5. Total estimated expenditures for the next quarter, with costs 
broken down by cost element and anticipated activities for the upcoming 
quarter.
    6. Explanation of expenditures that are significantly higher or 
lower than projected in the original budget estimate. If expenditures 
are higher than originally estimated, explain how project activities 
will be accomplished within the originally budgeted amount or, 
alternatively, provide a projection of any anticipated shortfall or 
activities that must be reduced or curtailed to stay within the budget.
    7. Justification for any anticipated changes to personnel assigned 
to the project or changes to the level of effort to be devoted by 
approved personnel. Provide curricula vitae for any proposed additions 
or replacements to the project team.
    8. A summary statement of funds available for the budget period, 
expenditures by quarter for all quarters included in the budget period, 
and funds remaining in the budget period.
    9. Explanation of any difficulties encountered during the reporting 
period or foreseen for future reporting periods that might hinder the 
recipient's accomplishment of planned project activities.
    10. Technical progress, including an accounting of all work shops 
attended and held, training provided, consultations, tally of phone 
calls to 800 number, amount and nature of all written materials 
distributed to outside parties, number of facilities that have launched 
new IPM programs, and any other measures that can serve as measures of 
grantee progress toward institutionalization of IPM programs in schools 
falling within its target zone. The technical progress report should 
also provide information on obstacles encountered, unforseen 
difficulties or any other indicators that program objectives may not be 
accomplished on time and reasonably in conformance with anticipated 
project costs.
    In addition to periodic progress reports, the grantee shall furnish 
the EPA Project Officer ALL materials developed or maintained by the 
Center. The Government reserves the right to cite, distribute, and 
otherwise use these materials for public purposes which extend beyond 
the scope of this assistance agreement.

IV. Authority

    The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), 
section 20, Research, as amended by Pubic Law 106-074 authorizes EPA to 
award grants for the purpose of conducting research, development, and 
monitoring as necessary, ``Provided that, notwithstanding any other 
provisions of law, beginning in FY 2000 [October 1, 1999] and 
thereafter, grants awarded under section 20 of FIFRA, as amended, shall 
be available for research, development, monitoring, public education, 
training, demonstrations, and studies.''

V. Activities to be Funded

    EPA will provide financial assistance in the form of a cooperative 
agreement to fund a Technical Resource Center for IPM in schools to 
fund activities proposed by the grantee, in consultation with EPA. 
These activities may include:
    1. Establishing programs to increase public awareness of IPM and 
undertaking all such actions as may be necessary to aggressively 
promote the adoption of IPM programs by schools and day care centers in 
the target region.
    2. Creating awareness of IPM to prospective school administrators 
or other decision-makers through effective use of outreach and other 
communications strategies. (This might include publication of 
newsletters, development of a web page, providing a toll-free telephone 
line, etc.).
    3. Coordinating development and distribution of guidance and other 
resources necessary for successful implementation of IPM in schools and 
day care centers falling within the region targeted by the grantee. 
This could include user friendly best practices, ``how-to'' guides, 
pest specific management tips, etc. Much of this guidance already 
exists; therefore, it is expected that the center would devote 
substantially more effort toward assessing the value of existing tools 
for schools (guidance, handbook, video and audio tapes, etc.) and 
determining which is best suited for widespread distribution than on 
developing new materials.
    4. Building and maintaining a library of all applicable state-
developed school IPM materials.
    5. Establishing a core group of nationally recognized school IPM 
trainers and consultants. Providing training and work shops for groups 
such as school administrators, facilities services staff, food services 
staff, and teachers.
    6. Maintaining a database and communications network. This could 
involve some new development but should, to the extent possible, draw 
upon existing resources to avoid re-inventing the wheel and to maximize 
the application of grant funds toward the diffusion of IPM in targeted 
schools districts. In all likelihood, this will require establishing a 
toll free 800 number to handle call-ins.
    7. Finding and filling information gaps to facilitate adoption of 
IPM in schools.
    8. Developing training efforts such as a national short course on 
IPM at the Center's location, symposia and on-site visits for 
coordinators of new and existing programs, etc.
    9. Measuring the effectiveness of local IPM efforts through use of 
model guidelines for IPM training and implementation or other methods 
developed by the cooperator.
    10. Creating guidance for schools to self-evaluate (or for outside 
parties to evaluate) schools' implementation of IPM.
    11. Providing assistance to the State Pest Control Associations and 
the National Pest Management Association in training Pest Control 
Operators on school IPM implementation.

[[Page 69516]]

VI. Pre-Application Requirements, Procedures, and Schedule

    Applicants must submit a proposal for the pre-application 
procedure. The pre-application, as described in this unit, consists of 
two parts--a work plan and a budget.
    The Agency will use the applicant's work plan and budget to select 
projects to be funded under this grant program. After EPA conducts a 
review of all pre-applications, it may, at its discretion, conduct 
interviews, either telephonically or in person, with applicants. The 
results of the interview, along with written material accompanying the 
proposal submission, will be used to determine the successful 
applicant. The successful applicant will be contacted and requested to 
submit other documents (such as the ``Application for Federal 
Assistance'' form, a ``Budget Information: Non-Construction Programs'' 
form, and other required forms) to complete the application process.
    All applicants must submit one original and three copies of the 
pre-application (double-sided copies). Pre-applications must be 
reproducible (for example, stapled in the upper left-hand corner, on 
white paper, and with page numbers). The deadline for EPA's receipt of 
pre-applications is December 15, 2000.
    The pre-application consists of the following two parts.
    1.  Work plan. The work plan must describe the proposed project. 
The work plan must be no more than 15-typed pages in length (excluding 
resumes). One page is one side of a single-spaced typed page. The pages 
must be letter size (10 or 12 characters per inch (cpi) and must have 
margins that are at least 1 inch.
    Resumes of key personnel shall be included in an appendix to the 
proposal and should include references (names, phone numbers or other 
contact information) for previous or current grants or contracts within 
the last 5 years. The appendix must be no more than 10 pages total and 
follows the same paging and spacing description as provided above.)
    2.  Budget. The budget should include the following categories of 
costs:
    A. Personnel
    B. Fringe benefits
    C. Travel
    D. Equipment
    E. Supplies
    F. Contractual
    G. Other
    H. Total direct charges (sum of personnel, fringe benefits, travel, 
equipment, supplies, contractual, and other)
    I. Indirect charges and total (sum of total direct charges and 
indirect charges)

VII. Evaluation Criteria

    EPA will review all applications. Applications will be reviewed for 
quality, strength, and completeness against the following criteria:
    1.  Management plan and technical approach. This will include, 
among other things, the plan for making use of available resources to 
stock the center, plan for becoming financially self-sufficient, 
strategy for determining the order of priority for introducing IPM into 
various states and school districts, etc. Applicant must include 
reasonable and attainable goals and an approach that is clearly 
detailed. The plan should include expected outcomes and procedures that 
will be used to evaluate progress toward achievement of these outcomes. 
Applicant should provide information on projects of similar scope and 
magnitude that he/she has managed.
    2.  Technical expertise. This includes qualifications, education, 
training and field experience of all staff assigned to the project. The 
applicant should describe positions of staff, roles and 
responsibilities, and their qualifications. Applicant should include 
documentation of qualified expert staff who may be used as a reference 
but may not be directly compensated.
    3. Budget and schedule. This budget and schedule will be evaluated 
to ensure they are reasonable, clear, and consistent with the intended 
use of the funds. Applicants should assume that this project will be 
funded for 18 months to 2 years only. The availability of funds for 
additional time periods is not known at this point in time. EPA's role 
is to provide start-up funding for the center. It is anticipated that 
the center will ultimately become self-sustaining.

VIII. Submission to Congress and the Comptroller General

    Under the Agency's current interpretation of the definition of a 
``rule,'' grant solicitations such as this which are competitively 
awarded on the basis of selection criteria, are considered rules for 
the purpose of the Congressional Review Act (CRA). The CRA, 5 U.S.C. 
801 et seq., as added by the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement 
Fairness Act of 1996 (SBREFA), generally provides that before a rule 
may take effect, the agency promulgating the rule must submit a rule 
report, which includes a copy of the rule, to each House of the 
Congress and to the Comptroller General of the United States. EPA will 
submit a report containing this rule and other required information to 
the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, and the Comptroller 
General of the United States prior to publication of the rule in the 
Federal Register. This rule is not a ``major rule'' as defined by 5 
U.S.C. 804(2).

List of Subjects

    Environmental protection, children's health, pesticides.

    Dated: November 8, 2000.
Janet L. Andersen,
Director, Biopesticides and Pollution Prevention Division, Office of 
Pesticide Programs.
[FR Doc. 00-29512 Filed 11-16-00; 8:45 am]
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