[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 124 (Wednesday, June 27, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34314-34318]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-16040]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration


Discretionary Cooperative Agreements With Community-Based 
Organizations To Support Seat Belt and Child Safety Seat Use Among 
Sport Utility Vehicle Occupants

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION: Announcement of Discretionary Cooperative Demonstration 
Projects in

[[Page 34315]]

conjunction with the Buckle Up America Campaign to increase seat belt 
and child restraint education and use among occupants of sport utility 
vehicles.

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SUMMARY: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 
announces a cooperative agreement program to provide funding to two 
communities in support of the Buckle Up America (BUA) campaign. The 
goal of this campaign is to increase the national seat belt use rate 
from 71 percent (November 2000) to 90 percent by 2005. NHTSA solicits 
applications from community-based organizations or coalitions 
interested in developing and implementing a community demonstration 
project characterized by a public information and education program 
coupled with highly visible law enforcement efforts designed to 
increase seat belt and child restraint use among occupants of sport 
utility vehicles (SUVs). Community-based organizations or coalitions of 
community organizations, state and local government agencies and non-
profit organizations that promote injury prevention and safety programs 
are encouraged to apply.

DATES: Applications must be received by the office designated below on 
or before 2 p.m. on Wednesday, August 1, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Applications must be submitted to the National Highway 
Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Contracts and Procurement 
(NAD-30), ATTN: Dianne Proctor, 400 7th Street, SW., Room 5301, 
Washington, DC 20590. All applications submitted must include a 
reference to NHTSA Cooperative Agreement Program No. DTNH22-01-H-05257.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: General administrative questions may 
be directed to Dianne Proctor, Office of Contracts and Procurement, by 
e-mail at [email protected], or by phone at (202) 366-9562. 
Programmatic questions should be directed to Dr. Joseph Tonning, 
Occupant Protection Division, NHTSA (NTS-12), 400 7th Street, SW., 
Washington DC 20590, by e-mail at [email protected], or by phone 
at (202) 366-2695. Interested applicants are advised that no separate 
application package exists beyond the contents of this announcement.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    In April 1997, the Buckle Up America (BUA) Campaign was established 
to increase the seat belt and child safety seat use rate nationwide. 
The current goals of the campaign are to increase the national seat 
belt use rate to 90 percent and to reduce the number of child occupant 
fatalities (0-4 years of age) by 25 percent (using 653 fatalities in 
1996 as a baseline) by 2005. Traffic crashes are the single leading 
cause of death for Americans 1-24 years old and the third leading cause 
of death for Americans 25-44 years old. On average, every 13 minutes, 
someone in America dies in a traffic crash; every 10 seconds, someone 
is injured. Each year, these crashes result in $150 billion in economic 
costs, including $17 billion in medical care and emergency services 
expenses and $107 billion in lost productivity and property loss. The 
BUA Campaign advocates a four-part strategy: (1) Building public-
private partnerships; (2) enacting strong legislation; (3) maintaining 
high visibility enforcement; and (4) conducting effective public 
education. Central to the campaign's success is the implementation of 
two major law enforcement mobilizations each year. These mobilizations, 
known as Operation ABC: America Buckles Up Children, are held in 
conjunction with the Air Bag & Seat Belt Safety Campaign in May and 
November, during the Memorial Day and Thanksgiving Day holidays.
    Of the 32,061 vehicle occupant fatalities that occurred in 1999 in 
passenger cars and light trucks, 3,016 (9 percent) occurred in sport 
utility vehicles (SUVs). Concerns about the safety of SUVs have been 
publicized for several years. These concerns mainly deal with the 
increased propensity for rollover crashes in SUVs. Most SUVs have a 
higher center of gravity (due to a higher ground clearance) than other 
vehicle types. This higher center of gravity makes SUVs more likely to 
roll over. According to a 1998 NHTSA report, SUVs are twice as likely 
to roll over in a crash than passenger cars. Crash data in 1999 show 
that rollovers occurred in 37.8 percent of SUV crashes involving 
fatalities, compared to 25.7 percent of fatal pickup truck crashes and 
18.6 percent of fatal van crashes. Among various vehicle types, 
passenger cars had the lowest rollover occurrence in fatal crashes: 
15.8 percent.
    Not only do SUVs have a higher rollover rate compared to passenger 
cars, SUVs also have a higher fatality rate in these rollover crashes. 
Sixty-three percent of SUV occupants killed in 1999 died when their 
vehicle rolled over, compared to 23 percent of passenger car occupants 
when their vehicle rolled over. Moreover, rollover deaths among 
passenger car occupants decreased between 1999 and 2000, but rollover 
deaths among occupants of SUVs increased 2.8 percent from 1,898 in 1999 
to 1,951 in 2000. Light trucks (such as SUVs) also have a higher 
ejection rate in crashes compared to other vehicle types. NHTSA data 
from 1996-99 show that, for fatal crashes, the ejection rate for 
occupants of light trucks is twice that for occupants of passenger 
cars. Many fatalities seen among SUV occupants could have been 
prevented had more of these occupants been restrained in seat belts or 
age-appropriate child safety seats. Of the 3,016 SUV occupants who died 
in 1999, two-thirds (1,997) were completely unrestrained.
    A 2000 NHTSA report found that for occupants of light trucks, lap/
shoulder seat belts, when used, reduce the risk of fatal injury by 60 
percent and moderate-to-critical injury by 65 percent. Seat belts are 
even more effective in reducing fatalities in rollover crashes: this 
same report estimates that seat belts, when used, are 80 percent 
effective in decreasing fatalities in these crashes. Rollover crashes 
claimed the lives of 1,898 SUV occupants in 1999--almost two-thirds of 
all SUV occupant fatalities that year. Despite the effectiveness of 
seat belts in reducing fatalities and injuries, however, the national 
seat belt use rate among occupants in the front seating positions of 
SUVs/vans in November 2000 was only 74 percent. This rate of seat belt 
use varies significantly among geographical regions: 82 percent in the 
West, 72 percent in the South, 71 percent in the Northeast, and 70 
percent in the Midwest.
    A 1998 survey revealed some demographic information about SUV 
purchasers/leasers. The average SUV customer is male (64 percent), 
married (76 percent), aged 45 years, in a household with an income of 
$94,400, and the head of the household (84 percent). A 1998 NHTSA 
telephone survey indicated that 67 percent of SUV owners surveyed had 
completed at least some college. Although the primary SUV customer is 
male, women are beginning to enter the SUV market because of their 
perception that SUVs are safer and provide better visibility. Owners of 
minivans and SUVs are more likely to have children than owners of any 
other automotive category.
    Occupants of SUVs historically have had relatively high rates of 
seat belt use, compared to occupants of other vehicle types. However, 
increasing seat belt use among SUV occupants is important because SUVs 
are an increasingly popular form of transportation in America. The SUV 
market accounted for 7 percent of vehicle sales in 1990, compared to 19 
percent in 1999, and is

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expected to continue as one of the fastest growing segments of the 
motor vehicle industry. The growth in SUV sales, the increased rollover 
risk, and the higher likelihood of children being transported in these 
vehicles all lend support to the importance of this initiative in 
helping to meet the goals of the BUA Campaign.

Objectives

    To help achieve the goals of the BUA Campaign, NHTSA is planning 
two cooperative demonstration projects designed to increase seat belt 
and child restraint use among owners and occupants of SUVs. Cooperative 
Agreements will be awarded in two geographically separate communities 
for this purpose. Each project will consist of a two-part strategy of 
public information and education supported by a highly visible law 
enforcement component. The objective of increasing restraint use and 
decreasing fatalities and injuries of SUV occupants will be met by:
    1. Developing and Implementing a Community-Wide Public Information 
and Education Campaign. The cooperative agreement recipient will be 
expected to coordinate an intense, community-wide public information 
and education campaign that focuses on the effectiveness of seat belts 
and child safety seats in preventing deaths and injuries in motor 
vehicle crashes. This campaign should convey the importance of being 
properly restrained whenever riding in any vehicle, but the need for 
SUV occupants to be properly restrained at all times shall be given 
special emphasis due to the increased risk of rollover crashes in SUVs. 
A major element of this campaign will be that motorists must adhere to 
their State's seat belt and child passenger safety laws to avoid 
receiving a traffic citation. The public information and education 
campaign should also contain messages regarding safe driving techniques 
for SUVs to avoid rollover crashes and should discuss factors (such as 
sharp curves or adverse weather conditions) which can increase the 
chances of a rollover crash. The recipient will be expected to form 
partnerships with representatives in educational, judicial, law 
enforcement, public health, and media agencies and organizations within 
the community to disseminate these campaign messages. Additional 
partnerships with local business, medical, and emergency services 
communities should also be developed. Such agencies and organizations 
can then work within their respective professional areas to provide 
education and generate support for the campaign. Partnerships should 
also be established with organizations representing diverse populations 
within the community. All public information and education materials 
and campaign messages must be approved by NHTSA's Contracting Officer's 
Technical Representative (COTR) prior to release. For more information 
on effective public information and education campaigns to increase 
seat belt use, visit http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/airbags/buckleplan/cases/NorthCarolina.html.
    2. Periodic ``Waves'' of High Visibility Enforcement. In addition 
to the community-based public information and education campaign 
described above, a plan that emphasizes periodic waves of high 
visibility enforcement of seat belt and child restraint laws will be 
developed. Indeed, strong, highly visible enforcement of restraint laws 
by local agencies will be at the core of this demonstration project to 
increase seat belt and child restraint use. No State has ever achieved 
a high seat belt or child restraint use without strong enforcement of 
such laws. To forge such a plan, this cooperative demonstration project 
should seek assistance from the Governor's SHSA representative, State 
police, and local law enforcement officials in the demonstration 
community. Enforcement activities shall focus on increasing restraint 
use among occupants of all vehicle types. It should be emphasized that, 
during enforcement waves and throughout this program, SUVs shall not be 
targeted for restraint use violations more than other vehicle types. 
However, law enforcement personnel will also be informed about the 
increased risk of rollover crashes in SUVs and the effectiveness of 
restraints in preventing deaths and injuries and, as a result of the 
public information and education campaign, law enforcement officers 
will be better able to give a rationale for a traffic stop when SUV 
occupants are not restrained. During such stops, law enforcement 
officers can (1) reiterate the 80 percent effectiveness of seat belts 
in reducing fatalities in SUV rollover crashes and (2) remind SUV 
drivers of safe driving techniques to avoid rollover crashes. 
Enforcement activities shall include, but shall not be limited to, 
participation in the national Operation ABC Mobilizations held each May 
and November. The case for conducting highly visible enforcement is 
well documented. The increase in Canada's seat belt use rate, after 
well-publicized enforcement efforts, is an excellent example of 
enforcement success: in July 2000, the seat belt use among drivers of 
passenger cars in Canada was 92.2 percent.

NHTSA Involvement

    NHTSA will be involved in all activities undertaken as part of the 
cooperative agreement program and will:
    1. Provide a Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) 
to participate in the planning and administration of the cooperative 
agreements and to approve all campaign and public information materials 
prior to release;
    2. Provide information and technical assistance from government 
sources, within available resources and as determined appropriate by 
the COTR;
    3. Act as a liaison between the cooperative agreement recipients 
and with other government and private agencies as appropriate; and
    4. Stimulate the exchange of ideas and information among the 
cooperative agreement recipients through periodic meetings.

Availability of Funds and Period of Support

    It is anticipated that two cooperative agreements will be awarded 
for a period of 24 months. The application should address what is 
proposed and can be accomplished during this period which includes 
evaluation and preparation of the final report. Funding will be in the 
amount of $350,000 for each demonstration, with $75,000 provided in 
fiscal year 2001 for each demonstration and the remaining $275,000 for 
each demonstration to be provided in fiscal year 2002, subject to the 
availability of funds. NHTSA estimates that the award of the two 
cooperative agreements will occur by September 30, 2001.
    Federal monies allocated for cooperative agreements are not 
intended to cover all of the costs that will be incurred in the process 
of completing a demonstration project. Therefore, applicants should 
describe their commitment of financial and/or in-kind resources that 
will be used to complete their proposed demonstration project. 
Allowable uses of federal funds shall be governed by the applicable 
federal cost principles.

Eligibility Requirements

    In order to be eligible to participate in this cooperative 
agreement program, an applicant must be an agency or organization 
poised to conduct a community-wide public information and education 
campaign and to participate in or coordinate law enforcement 
mobilizations designed to

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increase seat belt and child restraint use. Community-based coalitions 
or organizations that promote injury prevention, especially traffic 
safety may apply. Such community coalitions/organizations include, but 
are not limited to: law enforcement agencies, public health and safety 
organizations, education organizations, media groups, organizations 
representing diverse populations, local private-sector organizations, 
and non-profit organizations. Applicants must represent a demonstration 
community with a population of at least 200,000 but not exceeding 
600,000 based upon Census 2000 data of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Application Procedure

    Each applicant must submit one original and two copies of their 
application package to: NHTSA, Office of Contracts and Procurement 
(NAD-30), ATTN: Dianne Proctor, 400 7th Street, SW., Room 5301, 
Washington, D.C. 20590. Submission of four additional copies will 
expedite processing, but is not required. Applications must be typed on 
one side of the page only. Applications must include a reference to 
NHTSA Cooperative Agreement Program No. DTNH22-01-H-05257. Only 
complete application packages received on or before 2:00 p.m. on 
Wednesday, August 1, 2001 will be considered.

Application Contents

    1. The application package must be submitted with OMB Standard Form 
424 (Rev. 7-97), Application for Federal Assistance, including 424A, 
Budget Information--Nonconstruction Program, and 424B Assurances--
Nonconstruction Programs, with the required information filled in and 
the certified assurances included. The OMB Standard Forms SF-424, SF-
242A and SF424B may be downloaded directly from the OMB website at 
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/. While the Form 424-A deals with 
budget information, and Section B identifies Budget Categories, the 
available space does not permit a level of detail which is sufficient 
to provide for a meaningful evaluation of the proposed costs. A 
supplemental sheet should be provided which presents a detailed 
breakdown of the proposed costs (direct labor, including labor 
categories, level of effort and rate; direct material, including 
itemized equipment; travel and transportation, including projected 
trips and number of people traveling; subcontracts/subgrants with 
similar cost detail, if known; and overhead costs), as well as any 
resources which the applicant and/or other coalition participant 
proposes to contribute in support of this effort. The budget should be 
a two-year plan.
    2. The application package must also include a program narrative 
statement which does not exceed 25 pages, excluding letters of 
endorsement and resumes, and which addresses the following:
    a. A description of the demonstration community which includes 
demographic information and a description of law enforcement agencies 
that have traffic enforcement jurisdiction in the community. The 
proportion of SUVs in the demonstration community in relation to other 
vehicle types (pickup trucks, passenger cars, and minivans) in that 
community should be provided based on data regarding the number of 
registered vehicles in the community.
    b. A detailed explanation of the proposed plan to develop and 
conduct a community-wide public information and education campaign 
regarding the extreme importance of seat belt use among occupants of 
all vehicle types, but especially among SUV occupants. The plan shall 
identify strategies for participation in Operation ABC Mobilizations 
and plans to conduct waves of highly publicized seat belt and child 
passenger safety enforcement. A description of efforts to address 
training needs (i.e., differential enforcement or diversity 
sensitivity) should be included; such knowledge would help law 
enforcement officers in partnering with the community when the 
demonstration project is underway. This section shall include a list of 
project activities in chronological order to show the schedule or 
planned accomplishments and their target dates. The applicant shall 
identify the various participating community agencies/organizations and 
their involvement in the demonstration project. Letters of support from 
participating community partners shall be included. Documentation of 
existing public and/or political support must be included (e.g., 
endorsement of applicable law enforcement agencies, community health 
organizations, Mayor or other chief executive officer, etc.). In 
addition, a letter demonstrating support and coordination with State 
plans must be provided by the Governor's Representative or his/her 
designee in the State Highway Safety Agency (SHSA).
    c. An evaluation section which describes how the recipient will 
evaluate and measure the project activities and outcomes. Increases in 
observed seat belt and child safety seat use among SUV occupants are 
the ultimate measures of success. However, evaluation of the specific 
elements of the public education and information component and law 
enforcement component of the program should be performed to provide an 
assessment of the program's effectiveness.
    (1) Data for measuring the activities and effectiveness of the 
public information and education campaign include, but are not limited 
to: (i) Level of earned media coverage; (ii) level of paid media 
coverage, and (iii) results of pre- and post-program surveys (on-site 
or telephonic) regarding awareness of occupant restraint issues, 
especially those for SUV occupants. Data sources should be identified 
and collection and analysis approaches should be described. Sample data 
collection forms and instructions (in-person, telephone, and seat belt 
observation survey forms) are available from NHTSA that can be 
customized by the recipient. A booklet entitled Achieving a High Seat 
Belt Use Rate: A Guide for Selective Traffic Enforcement Programs is 
available at http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/research/index.html.
    (2) Data for measuring the activities and effectiveness of law 
enforcement efforts include, but are not limited to: (i) The number of 
seat belt and child safety seat citations issued; (ii) the number of 
officer hours or special enforcement efforts during the mobilization or 
enforcement periods, DWI arrests, and other non traffic related crimes; 
(iii) increases in the number of law enforcement personnel trained to 
enforce occupant protection laws; (iv) community participation in 
Operation ABC Mobilizations; (v) increased perception of ongoing 
enforcement and public education activities (may be obtained from the 
on-site or telephone surveys conducted to measure effectiveness of the 
PI&E campaign in the preceding paragraph); (vi) incentive programs to 
complement enforcement efforts, and (vii) pre- and post-program 
observational seat belt surveys. Data sources should be identified and 
collection and analysis approaches should be described.
    d. A detailed description of the applicant's previous involvement 
in community-based coalitions to promote injury prevention and 
especially traffic safety in the past and how this experience will 
assist the applicant in the demonstration project. The applicant should 
describe any prior media campaigns and/or work with media professionals 
in conducting public outreach, as well as any past participation in 
highly publicized enforcement or participation in Operation ABC 
Mobilizations. Prior

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experience in working with educational, judicial, law enforcement, and 
public health and safety organizations within the community should be 
described, as well as partnerships with organizations representing 
diverse populations within the community.
    e. A personnel section which identifies the proposed project 
coordinator and other key personnel necessary to perform the public 
information campaign, enforcement activities and evaluation component 
shall be provided. This section shall include a description of their 
qualifications, the nature of their contribution, their respective 
organizational responsibilities, and the proposed level of their 
effort.

Review Process and Criteria

    Initially, each application will be reviewed to confirm that the 
applicant meets the eligibility requirements and that the application 
contains all of the information required by the Application Contents 
section of this notice. Each complete application from an eligible 
applicant will then be evaluated by a NHTSA Technical Evaluation 
Committee. The applications will be evaluated using the following 
criteria:
    1. Project Plan: The overall soundness and feasibility of the 
demonstration community project plan and the potential effectiveness of 
the described public information and education campaign and highly 
visible law enforcement activities to increase seat belt and child 
safety seat use among occupants of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) (50 
percent).
    2. The applicant's planned partnerships with other community 
agencies/organizations promotes the requisite participation among those 
groups considered necessary to conduct an effective community 
demonstration project. In addition, the applicant's prior successful 
experience with community-based coalitions demonstrates the necessary 
organizational skills to effectively coordinate the proposed project 
(30 percent).
    3. The proposed personnel resources demonstrate effective project 
coordination capability and the requisite breadth of expertise to 
successfully perform the described activities that will result in 
increasing seat belt and child safety seat use among occupants of sport 
utility vehicles (SUVs) (20 percent).

Terms and Conditions of Award

    1. Prior to award, the recipients must comply with the 
certification requirements of 49 CFR part 20, Department of 
Transportation New Restriction on Lobbying, and 49 CFR part 29, 
Department of Transportation Government-wide Debarment and Suspension 
(Nonprocurement) and Government-wide Requirements for Drug-Free 
Workplace (Grants).
    2. During the effective period of the cooperative agreements 
awarded as a result of this Notice, the agreements shall be subject to 
NHTSA's General Provisions for Assistance Agreements (7/95).
    3. Reporting Requirements and Deliverables
    a. Quarterly Reports, which shall be due 15 days after the end of 
each quarter, shall be submitted to document project efforts and 
results. The reports should include up-to-date information summarizing 
accomplishments during the quarter including: data gathered to-date 
(such as earned and paid media events, observation and awareness 
surveys, and enforcement data); obstacles or problems encountered and 
proposed solutions; noteworthy activities, events or successes; and 
funds and in-kind contributions expended to date. The quarterly reports 
will form the basis for the final report to disseminate the lessons 
learned and successes of the recipient. The COTR will approve invoices 
upon receipt of each quarterly report.
    b. Draft Final Report: The recipient shall prepare a draft Final 
Report that includes a complete description of the overall project 
implementation, including a project time-line; the activities 
conducted, including partners; data collection efforts; evaluation 
methodology; and findings from the program evaluation. In terms of 
information transfer, it is important to know what worked and what did 
not work, under what circumstances, and what can be done to avoid 
potential problems in future projects. The report should provide 
information that will be helpful in assembling a ``Best Practices'' 
guide for use by other communities. The grantee shall submit the draft 
Final Report to the COTR 60 days prior to the end of the performance 
period. The COTR will review the draft report and provide comments to 
the grantee within 30 days of receipt of the document.
    c. Final Report: The grantee shall revise the draft Final Report to 
reflect the COTR's comments. The revised final report shall be 
delivered to the COTR 15 days before the end of the performance period. 
For the final report, the Grantee shall supply the COTR:
    --A camera ready version of the document as printed.
    --A copy, on appropriate media (diskette, Syquest disk, etc.), of 
the document in the original program format that was used for the 
printing process.


    Note: Some documents require several different original program 
languages (e.g., PageMaker was the program format for the general 
layout and design and Power Point was used for charts and yet 
another was used for photographs, etc.). Each of these component 
parts should be available on disk, properly labeled with the program 
format and the file names. For example, Power Point files should be 
clearly identified by both a descriptive name and file name (e.g., 
1994 Fatalities--chart1.ppt).


    --A complete version of the assembled document in portable document 
format (PDF) for placement of the report on the world wide web (WWW). 
This will be a file usually created with the Adobe Exchange program of 
the complete assembled document in the PDF format that will actually be 
placed on the WWW. The document would be completely assembled with all 
colors, charts, side bars, photographs, and graphics. This can be 
delivered to NHTSA on a standard 1.44 diskette (for small documents) or 
on any appropriate archival media (for large documents) such as a CD 
ROM, TR-1 Mini cartridge, Syquest disk, etc.
    --Four additional hard copies of the final document.
    d. The recipients may be requested to conduct an oral presentation 
of their respective project activities for the COTR and other 
interested NHTSA personnel. For planning purposes, assume that these 
presentations will be conducted at the NHTSA Office of Traffic and 
Injury Control Programs, Washington, D.C. An original and three copies 
of briefing materials shall be submitted to the COTR.

    Issued on: June 21, 2001.
Susan Gorcowski,
Acting Associate Administrator for Traffic Safety Programs.
[FR Doc. 01-16040 Filed 6-26-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-59-P