[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 10, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Page 2000]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-617]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

U.S. Geological Survey


Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC); Application Notice 
Announcing the Opening Date for Transmittal of Applications for Funding 
Assistance Under the FGDC National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) 
Cooperative Agreements Program (CAP) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2001

AGENCY: U.S. Geological Survey, Interior.

ACTION: Notice inviting applications for the NSDI Cooperative 
Agreements Program awards for fiscal year 2001, with performance to 
begin in August 2001.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of the NSDI Cooperative Agreements Program is to 
facilitate and foster partnerships, alliances and technology within and 
among various public and private entities to assist in building the 
NSDI. The NSDI consists of technologies, policies, organizations and 
people necessary to promote cost-effective production, ready 
availability, and greater utilization of high quality geospatial data 
among a variety of sectors, disciplines and communities.
    The FY 2001 NSDI Cooperative Agreements Program will fund projects 
in five categories of activities (1) metadata implementation 
assistance, (2) metadata trainer assistance, (3) clearinghouse 
integration with web mapping, and (4) U.S. and Canadian framework 
collaborative projects. Applications may be submitted by Federal 
agencies, State and local government agencies, educational 
institutions, private firms, non-profit foundations, and Federally 
acknowledged or state-recognized Native American tribes or groups. 
Applications from Federal agencies will not be competed against 
applications from other sources. Authority for this program is 
contained in the Organic Act of march 3, 1879, 43 U.S.C. 31 and 
Executive Order 12906.

DATES: The program announcements and application forms for the FY 2001 
NSDI Cooperative Agreements Program are expected to be available on or 
about January 15, 2001. Applications must be received on or before 
March 15, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Copies of Program Announcement #00HQPA0004 for the NSDI 
Cooperative Agreements Program, may be obtained by writing to Patricia 
Masterson, U.S. Geological Survey, Office of Federal Acquisition and 
Grants, National Assistance Programs Branch, MS 205G, 12201 Sunrise 
Valley Drive, Reston, VA 20192. Requests must be in writing; verbal 
requests will not be honored. Copies of each Program Announcement will 
be available through the Internet at www.usgs.gov/contracts/index.html 
and www.fgdc.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For the NSDI Cooperative Agreements 
Program contact Ms. Patricia Masterson, U.S. Geological Survey, Office 
of Federal Acquisition and Grants, National Programs Assistance Branch, 
Mail Stop 205G, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia 20192; 
(703) 648-7356, fax (703) 648-7359, email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the NSDI Cooperative Agreements 
Program a total of $1,000,000 is available for award.
    2001 NSDI Cooperative Agreement Program Categories:
    Category 1: ``Don't Duck Metadata:'' Metadata Implementation and 
Creation Assistance. The objectives for this category are the 
documentation of geospatial data through metadata creation and serving 
that documentation on the Internet through a NSDI clearinghouse. Under 
this category funds are provided for organizations needing assistance 
in receiving metadata training and in metadata creation.
    Category 2: ``Don't duck Metadata:'' Metadata Trainer Assistance. 
Funding in this category is for those organizations and individuals 
that can provide training assistance to other organizations in becoming 
skilled and knowledgeable in metadata creation.
    Category 3: Clearinghouse Integration with Web Mapping provides 
funding to extend existing Clearinghouse Nodes with OpenGIS Consortium 
(OGC) Web Mapping Specification capabilities in a consistent way. These 
specifications allow map servers to create and send standard map images 
over the internet as GIF, PNG or JPEG in a manner that lets client 
software overlay and display multiple maps from multiple servers. 
Funding will be provided to assist organizations extending their 
existing Clearinghouse nodes with OGC-compliant web mapping service 
capability.
    Category 4: Canadian/U.S. Framework Collaborative Project will 
support collaborative framework projects between organizations in the 
U.S. and Canada to coordinate, create, maintain and share basic 
geospatial data to support decision-making. The information content of 
the framework includes the data themes of geodetic control, digital 
orthoimagery, elevation, transportation, hydrography, governmental 
units, and cadastral data. The FGDC in partnership with the 
GeoConnections of Natural Resources Canada will fund lead organizations 
in their respective countries in collaborative cross-border projects.

    Dated: January 3, 2001.
Hedy J Rossmeissl,
Senior Program Advisor, U.S. Geological Survey.
[FR Doc. 01-617 Filed 1-9-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-Y7-M