[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 172 (Wednesday, September 5, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46455-46457]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-22280]


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ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

[FRL-7049-2]


National Tribal Conference on Environmental Management

AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency.

ACTION: Notice to Solicit Proposals from Federally-recognized Indian 
Tribes and Intertribal Consortia.

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SUMMARY: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is requesting 
proposals from federally-recognized Indian Tribes or Intertribal 
consortia to host the 6th National Tribal Conference on Environmental 
Management. EPA will be the official sponsor. The Tribal Conference 
will provide an opportunity for tribal leaders, tribal environmental 
managers, tribal organizations, Federal agencies, and other interested 
entities/persons to share information about tribal environmental 
programs and discuss issues of vital interest to Indian country. EPA is 
seeking to broaden the scope of the conference to be even more 
inclusive of the multi-media environmental issues being addressed by 
Tribes to establish stronger tribal networks and relationships across 
environmental efforts in Indian country, identify shared lessons 
learned, and familiarize Tribes with the full extent of tribal and EPA 
program environmental activities. EPA will award a cooperative 
agreement to the selected host Tribe to co-sponsor the conference, 
including personnel, planning, facilities and management expenses.

DATES: Submit proposals on or before October 12, 2001.

ADDRESSES: Mail proposals via U.S. Postal Service (including express 
and priority mail) to: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Attn: 
Clara Mickles, American Indian Environmental Office, Mailcode: 4101, 
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Washington, DC 20460. Mail proposals via 
commercial overnight delivery service (e.g., FedEx, DHL, UPS, etc.) to: 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Attn: Clara Mickles, American 
Indian Environmental Office, 9th Floor, Room 913 East Tower, 401 M. 
Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20460.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Felicia Wright at (202) 260-4410, 
Caren

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Rothstein-Robinson at (202) 260-0065, Claudia Walters at (202) 564-6762 
or Clara Mickles at (202) 260-7519, for pre-application assistance or 
questions about the conference.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:   

I. Background

    Starting in 1992, the U.S. EPA has co-sponsored five bi-annual 
NTCEM conferences to provide an opportunity for tribal leaders, tribal 
environmental program managers, tribal organizations, Federal agencies, 
and other interested entities to share information about tribal 
environmental programs and discuss issues of vital interest to Indian 
Country. Topics at past conferences have helped to build tribal 
capacity in the following areas:
     Managing environmental programs (including integrated 
waste programs);
     Grant assistance to Tribes;
     Addressing concerns about human health risks and 
subsistence;
     Contracting, research, and business development 
opportunities;
     Technology (GIS) and natural resource management; and
     Air, water, and waste management issues.
    The conference has traditionally been held in late Spring. Here is 
a listof previous conference locations and dates:
(1) Cherokee Nation, NC (May 19-20, 1992)
(2) Cherokee Nation, NC (May 23-26, 1994)
(3) Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Nation, MT 
(May 1996)
(4) Prairie Island Indian Community, MN (May 19-21, 1998)
(5) Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, OR (June, 2000)
    The most recent conference, hosted by the Confederated Tribes of 
Siletz Indians in Lincoln City, Oregon, was very successful in content 
as well as in attendance. Over 600 people attended this conference. 
Past conferences have drawn 500-700 participants representing more than 
200 Tribes, Native Alaskans, Inter-tribal Consortia, and organizations. 
The conference agenda included all aspects of tribal environmental 
issues. For copies of past conference agendas, please see FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT section of this notice, or send email to 
[email protected]. Any significant clarifications to this request 
for proposals will be posted on EPA's American Indian Environmental 
Office's web page at http://www.epa.gov/
indian/.

II. 2002 Host Responsibilities

    The tribal host will be the primary lead for this conference, 
including developing the conference agenda, handling conference 
logistics (such as registration, transportation and administering/
making decisions regarding travel scholarships for tribal participants 
travel), developing conference materials, and in making sure that 
priority environmental issues of interest to tribes are represented. 
The host tribe will also take the lead role in developing a conference 
theme based on uniting tribal environmental efforts to protect human 
health and the environment in Indian country and tribal homelands.

III. Coordination With Other Federal Agencies and Tribal 
Organizations

    EPA is coordinating with other federal agencies (including the 
Department of Interior, the Department of Health and Human Services, 
and the Department of Defense) and our key tribal partners (including 
the Tribal Operations Committee, Tribal Pesticide Program Council, 
Tribal Science Council, Tribal Association on Solid Waste and Emergency 
Response, and many other broader-based intertribal organizations and 
consortia) to strengthen the multi-media character of this conference. 
These groups will be invited to hold their own independently-sponsored 
meetings according to their own procedures around the other on-going 
conference events. For example, the National Tribal Environmental 
Council (NTEC) has advised EPA that they are planning to coordinate 
around and co-locate their annual meeting the same week as this 
conference. Once the conference host is selected, we encourage other 
organizations to contact the host to coordinate similar joint efforts.

IV. Evaluation Criteria

    EPA is requesting proposals from Federally-recognized Indian Tribes 
or intertribal consortia to host the National Tribal Conference On 
Environmental Management through a cooperative agreement with EPA (the 
applicable Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 66.604). To 
be eligible to receive a cooperative agreement under the authorities 
listed in today's Notice, an intertribal consortium must meet the 
definition of eligibility in the Environmental Program Grants for 
Tribes Final Rule, at 40 CFR 35.504 (66 FR 3782, January 16, 2001), and 
are a non-profit organization within the meaning of OMB Circular A-122. 
The funding amount for the cooperative agreement is subject to the 
availability of funds in EPA. Prior cooperative agreement awards for 
co-hosting the tribal conference have been in the amount of $350,000. 
EPA will negotiate the final amount of the reward with the selected 
tribal host.
    Tribes or intertribal consortia that wish to submit proposals must 
first meet two mandatory factors described below under the Evaluation 
Criteria. If your Tribe or intertribal consortium meets these mandatory 
factors, EPA will score your proposal based on how well you meet the 
evaluation criteria. Please make sure you address the mandatory factors 
first and then provide detailed information on all the listed criteria 
in your proposal. Submissions which do not address a particular 
criterion will receive a zero score for that criterion. EPA will 
evaluate all submissions according to the listed criteria.
    All proposals must come from a tribal government or intertribal 
consortium. We strongly encourage direct involvement by staff from your 
environmental program/department, facility managers, and members of the 
local business community/chamber of commerce. EPA will award a grant to 
the selected tribal host to cover personnel, planning, and management 
expenses. EPA reserves the right to reject all proposals and make 
alternative arrangements for the conference. Clearly mark any 
information you consider confidential. Please submit a description of 
your facilities and a summary of your capabilities for each of the 
criteria below.

A. Mandatory Factors

     Have a conference center or other suitable meeting 
facilities capable of holding at least four concurrent sessions and a 
plenary session that will accommodate 700 people.
     Demonstrate the ability to effectively manage EPA 
financial assistance (i.e., an adequate financial management system 
with effective accounting procedures that maintain fiscal control).

B. Evaluation Criteria

     Conference Facilities: Proposed conference center (or 
other suitable meeting facility) is capable of holding at least four 
concurrent sessions and a plenary session for 700 people; facilities 
should have adequate amenities to comfortably accommodate large groups 
of people. Lodging for 700 people should be available within a 
reasonable travel time, preferably within 15 minutes of conference 
facilities. Tribes that do not have facilities located on their lands 
can outline a plan to utilize nearby facilities that meet the 
logistical needs described in the criteria. (Maximum of 25 points)

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     Bonus of up to 10 additional points for conference 
facilities/amenities that are tribally-owned or located on tribal land.
     Conference management: Demonstrate capability to manage 
all aspects of a major conference, including conference planning, 
logistics, booking, registration, travel, on-site events, contractual 
support, closeout activities, and an ability to effectively manage EPA 
financial assistance (i.e., an adequate financial management system 
with effective accounting procedures that maintain fiscal control). EPA 
will award a grant to the selected host Tribe to cover personnel, 
planning, and management expenses. (Maximum of 25 points)
     Conference Transportation: Demonstrate that: (1) Airline 
transportation is economically feasible for most conference 
participants; (2) the conference facilities are located within 90 
minutes of a major airport; and (3) ground transportation can be 
provided for attendees to and from the airport and around the meeting 
sites (e.g., between meeting facility and offsite locations such as 
hotels, special event locations, etc.). (Maximum of 18 points)
     Conference Materials: Capability to produce and distribute 
conference materials, such as a conference logo, registration 
materials, signs/banners, an agenda booklet, and handouts. (Maximum of 
15 points)
     Vendor Area: Use of an area in close proximity to the 
meeting area(s) capable of accommodating 25 or more vendors, providing 
exhibit booth space of 8' X 8' or 10' X 10' per vendor and access to 
electrical and telephone service. (Maximum of 12 points)
     Recycling: Commitment to use, to the maximum extent 
possible, products with recycled content and to collect recyclables at 
the conference. (Maximum of 5 points)
    Total: 100 points with potential for up to 110 total points, 
including bonus.
    In addition to soliciting proposals for the 2002 conference, we 
encourage you to submit suggestions or ideas for potential agenda 
topics that your Tribe would like to see addressed at the conference. 
We will forward suggestions to the selected tribal host. We also 
encourage you to attend the conference regardless of whether you are 
interested in hosting the event.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 136, 15 U.S.C. 2601, 33 U.S.C. 1254, 42 
U.S.C. 300f, 33 U.S.C. 1254, 42 U.S.C. 300f, 42 U.S.C. 6981, 42 
U.S.C. 7403, 42 U.S.C. 13101 and 13102.

    Dated: August 27, 2001.
Stephen D. Luftig,
Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of Solid Waste 
and Emergency Response.
[FR Doc. 01-22280 Filed 9-4-01; 8:45 am]
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