[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 68 (Tuesday, April 9, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 17050-17054]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-8554]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

[Docket No. 020325068-2068-01]
RIN 0648-ZB17


Request for Proposals for FY 2002--NOAA Educational Partnership 
Program With Minority Serving Institutions: Environmental 
Entrepreneurship Program

AGENCY: Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR), National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Commerce.

ACTION:  Notice of request for proposals.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) in the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), United States 
Department of Commerce is soliciting proposals for the NOAA Educational 
Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions (EPP/MSI): 
Environmental Entrepreneurship Program. The goal of the program is to 
strengthen the capacity of Minority Serving Institutions to foster 
student careers, entrepreneurship opportunities and advanced academic 
study in NOAA related sciences.
    In Fiscal Year 2002, NOAA plans to make available a total of 
$3,000,000 to support the EPP/MSI Environmental Entrepreneurship 
Program. The program will provide funds on a competitive basis to 
support projects at eligible Minority Serving Institutions, for up to 
three years duration, in the following two categories:
    (1) Program Development and Enhancement--approximately six grants 
or cooperative agreements, each up to $250,000 total for up to three 
years, to support the development and enhancement of outreach, 
education, applied research and training programs that will strengthen 
MSIs and their partners capacity to foster student careers, 
entrepreneurship opportunities and advanced academic study in NOAA 
related sciences.
    (2) Environmental Demonstration Projects--approximately six grants 
or cooperative agreements, each up to $300,000 total for up to three 
years to support the engagement of MSI faculties and students in field 
demonstration projects focused on applying environmentally sound 
methods and technologies to address NOAA related environmental issues.

DATES: A Letter of Intent to aid NOAA in planning the review of 
proposals is requested by April 30, 2002 but is not required. Proposals 
must be received by 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Savings Time) on May 
30, 2002 (See Section VI. Instructions for Application: Timetable).

ADDRESSES: Proposals should be submitted to: Jewel M. Griffin-Linzey, 
EPP/MSI Environmental Entrepreneurship Program, National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, Room 11877, SSMC3 (R/SG), 1315 East-West 
Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jewel M. Griffin-Linzey, NOAA EPP/MSI: 
Entrepreneurship Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration, SSMC3 (R/SG), 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 
20910. Tel. (301) 713-1495; e-mail: jewel.[email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Program Authority

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1540, 49 U.S.C. 44720, 33 U.S.C. 883a and 
883d, 33 U.S.C. 1442, 16 U.S.C. 1854(e), 16 U.S.C. 661, 16 U.S.C. 
753(a), 16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq., 16 U.S.C. 1431, and Executive Orders 
12876, 12900 and 13021. Catalog of Federal Assistance Number: 
11.481--Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving 
Institutions.

II. Program Description

Background

    NOAA provides science, technology, and services to describe and 
predict changes in the Earth's environment, and conserve and manage 
wisely the Nation's coastal and marine resources to ensure sustainable 
economic opportunities. The agency has made a commitment to expand and 
strengthen its partnerships with Minority Serving Institutions that 
will serve as a catalyst to meet its principal goals of environmental 
stewardship, assessment, and prediction. In accordance with NOAA's 
overall mission, and with the policy of NOAA and the U.S. Department of 
Commerce to foster environmental education, research and economic 
sustainability, the purposes of the NOAA EPP/MSI Environmental 
Entrepreneurship Program are to support:
    1. Educational Opportunities. To prepare students with the 
necessary academic training, technical skills and experiences that will 
enable them to pursue careers, entrepreneurship opportunities and 
advanced academic study in environmental fields related to NOAA's 
mission.
    2. Capacity Building. To develop or enhance the capacity of 
environmental related academic programs at MSIs in order to ensure they 
are effective pipelines through which students and faculty can gain the 
necessary experience to make environmentally and economically sound 
decisions.
    3. Partnerships. To facilitate or strengthen MSI partnerships, 
where appropriate, with NOAA programs and facilities, community 
colleges and universities, industry, governments (state, local, 
commonwealth, territorial and tribal), and organizations (public, 
nonprofit, or private) that foster cooperative education and training 
activities for students and faculties.
    4. Community Economic Development. To support MSIs and partners in 
preparing students with the necessary knowledge, skills, tools and 
technology that may be applied outside the classroom to ensure 
environmentally sustainable and economically viable local communities. 
The goal is to foster environmental entrepreneurship opportunities that 
empower students to become stewards of natural resources and the 
environment and to transfer knowledge gained to address environmental 
problems of importance in their local communities.

Rationale

    The recruitment of minorities, particularly underrepresented 
minorities, in the fields of science and engineering, lags behind 
expectations. According to the most recent data compiled by the 
National Science Foundation (NFS), ``Women, Minorities and Persons with 
Disabilities in Science and Engineering: 2000,'' the percentage of 
minority scientists and engineers in the workforce ranges from 0.3 
percent for American Indians to about 3.0 percent each for African-
Americans and Hispanics. The quality and nature of academic experiences 
at each point of the educational pipeline are crucial to bringing more 
minorities into environmental science and engineering fields. 
Bachelors, Masters and Doctoral degrees are the underpinnings of 
environmental science career achievement and employment. At both the 
undergraduate and graduate levels,

[[Page 17051]]

Hispanics, African Americans, and Native Americans complete fewer 
degrees, relative to their demographic composition in the population, 
than majority ethnic groups. At the Bachelors level, NSF data show that 
African Americans received about 7.4 percent of the Bachelors degrees 
in science and engineering in 1996, Hispanics received 6.4 percent, and 
American Indians/Alaskan Natives receive 0.6 percent. At the Master's 
level, African Americans receive about 5.0 percent of the science and 
engineering degrees, Hispanics about 4.0 percent, and American Indians 
0.4 percent. In FY 1998, MSIs received only 5.8 percent of Department 
of Commerce grants to institutions of higher education.
NOAA EPP/MSI Environmental Entrepreneurship Program
    The goal of the NOAA EPP/MSI Environmental Entrepreneurship Program 
is to strengthen the capacity of Minority Serving Institutions to 
foster student careers, entrepreneurship opportunities, and advanced 
academic study in NOAA-related sciences.
    Proposals should be firmly grounded in ``environmental fields'' 
related to NOAA's mission. The term ``environmental fields'' is defined 
as those environmental, natural sciences (i.e., biology, earth 
sciences), physical and social sciences (i.e., economics, anthropology, 
geography, and history), engineering, professional and technical fields 
that are relevant to NOAA's mission which is to ``describe and predict 
changes in the Earth's environment, and conserve and manage wisely the 
Nation's coastal and marine resources.'' (See http://www.noaa.gov/)
    Proposals should identify mechanisms to be employed that enhance 
MSIs capacity to foster student opportunities, interest in, and pursuit 
of careers, entrepreneurship and advanced study in NOAA-related 
sciences.
    Proposals will be accepted that address one of the following 
categories:
    (1) Program Development and Enhancement--approximately six grants 
or cooperative agreements, each up to $250,000 total for up to three 
years to support the development and enhancement of effective outreach, 
education, applied research and training programs at eligible MSIs 
directly related to NOAA's mission. Developing and enhancing outreach, 
education, applied research and training capabilities at MSIs is 
intended to expand opportunities for students to develop the technical 
skills, training, and experiences needed to pursue careers, 
entrepreneurship opportunities and advanced academic study in NOAA-
related environmental fields. Activities funded under this element may 
include, but are not limited to: atmospheric, environmental and oceanic 
science courses and curriculum enhancement; practical learning 
experiences for students such as, hands-on training and applied 
research; and other activities designed to foster student careers, 
entrepreneurship opportunities and advanced academic study related to 
NOAA's mission.
    (2) Environmental Demonstration Projects--approximately six grants 
or cooperative agreements, each up to $300,000 total for up to three 
years, to support the engagement of MSI faculty and students in 
demonstration projects that apply environmentally sound methods and 
technologies to address NOAA related environmental issues. Field 
demonstration projects should encourage partnerships that enable 
students to address challenging environmental issues such as, enhancing 
and restoring coastal and estuarine habitats, preventing marine 
pollution, reducing coastal hazards, assessing marine protected areas, 
protecting coral reefs, reducing the spread of invasive species, 
restoring fisheries and fisheries habitat, developing and expanding 
aquaculture, planning community waterfront revitalization, mitigating 
and assessing impacts of weather and climate variability, improving the 
prediction of weather and climate phenomena, or employing remotely 
sensed data and information systems to support environmental monitoring 
and prediction. The intent is to involve students in collaborative 
field projects that will empower them to pursue careers, 
entrepreneurship opportunities and advanced academic study, and promote 
environmental sustainability and economic viability in their local 
communities. Projects should (where appropriate) involve students with 
academic training across the broad array of environmental fields needed 
to implement field projects. Engaging students in applied research to 
understand the nature and extent of environmental degradation within 
communities and to test and monitor methods for preventing, 
controlling, and reducing the degradation of natural environments is 
encouraged.

Partnerships

    For proposals submitted in the Program, applicants should build on 
existing expertise of academic and applied research programs, as 
appropriate. Innovative approaches to issues are sought that take 
maximum advantage of the synergies, strong linkages and collaborations 
with partners such as other universities, community colleges, research 
institutions, industry, government and nongovernmental agencies, and 
other organizations (public, nonprofit, or private). Partnerships 
should facilitate the entry of MSI students into careers such as, 
entrepreneurs, scientists, resource managers, and community leaders in 
environmental fields related to NOAA's mission. While partnerships are 
encouraged, where appropriate. There is no requirement for a partner or 
a requirement for the applicant to provide matching funds. NOAA retains 
the right to allocate funds differently than indicated above if the 
number of proposals received is not balanced across these two 
categories, or the proposal quality does not warrant the stated 
allocation. In such cases, funds may be shifted between the two funding 
categories.

Proposals

    Proposals must be submitted by an eligible MSI (see Section III. 
Eligibility) and are expected to have a rigorous work plan, a strong 
rationale, and clearly identified and achievable goals. Proposals 
should emphasize innovative approaches to encouraging, preparing, and 
graduating MSI students trained in environmental fields and related 
professional career fields. Projects should strive for multiple-year 
participation by students and include effective use of role models and 
mentors. A plan for evaluating the outcome of the project should be 
included.

III. Eligibility

    Minority Serving Institutions eligible to submit proposals include 
institutions of higher education identified by the Department of 
Education as:
    (i) Historically black Colleges and Universities,
    (ii) Hispanic-Serving Institutions,
    (iii) Tribal Colleges and Universities, on the most recent ``2001 
United States Department of Education Accredited Post-Secondary 
Minority Institutions'' list: http://www.ed.gov/offices/ocr/minorityinst.pdf

IV. Evaluation Criteria

    The evaluation criteria for proposals submitted for support under 
the NOAA EPP/MSI Environmental Entrepreneurship Program are weighted as 
follows:
    (1) Technical and Educational Merit (40 percent): The degree to 
which the activity will advance or transfer knowledge and understanding 
of environmental fields, education, or

[[Page 17052]]

professional fields as they relate to NOAA's mission; the 
qualifications of the applicant (individual or team) to conduct the 
project, including the ability to involve individuals from the MSI's 
student population successfully in the project; the degree to which the 
activity explores creative and original concepts; the overall design 
and organization of the planned activity; the strength of the proposed 
partnerships, if any, to help meet the goals of the project; and the 
sufficiency of resources for the plan of work.
    (2) Impact of Proposed Project (60 percent): The contributions the 
project will make to enhancing the capability of the MSI to bring 
education, applied research and hands-on training opportunities to its 
student and faculty populations in the environmental and professional 
fields related to NOAA's mission; the benefit accruing to a faculty 
member and the institution from participation in the NOAA EPP/MSI: 
Environmental Entrepreneurship Program; the degree to which the 
proposed activity develops mechanisms that will broaden and sustain the 
capacity of MSIs to prepare students in NOAA related environmental 
fields; the extent to which the proposed activity will enhance and 
improve outreach, education, training, and applied research at MSIs; 
and the adequacy of the plan for evaluating the outcome of the project. 
For environmental demonstration projects, the degree to which the 
project is expected to prevent, control, and reduce degradation to 
habitats will be considered.

V. Selection Procedures

    An independent peer review panel comprised of a broad 
representation of experts in the science and MSI academic community 
will conduct the review of the proposals. The panel members will rank 
proposals in accordance with the above evaluation criteria (Section 
IV). The panel members will provide individual evaluations on 
proposals, but there will be no consensus recommendation. The panel 
rankings and evaluations will be considered by NOAA may also consider 
programmatic or geographic balance and budget availability in the final 
selection of proposals, hence, awards may not necessarily be made to 
the panel's highest-scored proposal. Unsuccessful applications will be 
notified and provided with feedback that can assist applicants develop 
improved proposals in the future. Successful applications may be asked 
to modify objectives, work plans, budget levels, or project duration 
prior to final approval of an appropriate type of financial assistance 
award. The award will be a grant (e.g., whereby no substantial 
involvement is anticipated between DOC and the recipient during the 
project performance) or cooperative agreement award that requires 
substantial involvement (e.g., collaboration, participation, or 
intervention by DOC in the management of the project).

VI. Instructions for Application

Timetable

    April 30, 2002--Letters of Intent: To aid NOAA in planning the 
review of proposals, potential Principal Investigators are strongly 
encouraged to submit an optional Letter of Intent by April 30, 2002. 
Letters of Intent should be e-mailed (no attachments) to jewel. 
[email protected]. Information contained should include a brief 
description of the scope of the work, the parties involved, and an 
estimated budget. The Letters of Intent should not exceed one page.
    May 30, 2002--Proposals are due no later than 5 p.m. (Eastern 
Daylight Savings Time), May 30, 2002. (See Section VII. How to submit 
for further details.)
    June 2002--Successful applicants can expect to be notified by the 
end of June 2002. Successful applicants may be asked to provide revised 
narratives and/or budgets that would be due before the end of June 
2002.
    October 1, 2002--Funds will be awarded through a grant or 
cooperative agreement with an expected start date of October 1, 2002.

Proposed Guidelines

    All proposals should be typewritten on 8\1/2\ x 11 paper with at 
least a 10-point font and may not exceed 20 pages. Tables and visual 
materials, including charts, graphs, maps, photographs and other 
pictorial presentations are included in the page limitation; literature 
citations are not included in the page limitation. All information 
needed for review of the proposal should be included in the main text; 
no appendices are permitted. The following information should be 
included:
    (1) Signed title page: The title page should be signed by the 
Principal Investigator and the institutional representative and should 
clearly identify the program area being addressed by starting the 
project title with ``NOAA EPP/MSI: Environmental Entrepreneurship 
Program'' followed by either ``Program Development and Enhancement'' or 
``Environmental Demonstration Project,'' depending upon the particular 
type of financial assistance award for which you are applying. The 
Principal Investigator and institutional representative should be 
identified by full name, title, organization, telephone number, e-mail 
and mailing address. The total amount of Federal funds being requested 
should be listed for each budget period.
    (2) Abstract: It is critical that the abstract accurately describe 
the essential elements of the project being proposed. The abstract 
should include: 1. Title: Use the exact title as it appears in the rest 
of the application. 2. Investigators: List the names and affiliations 
of each investigator who will significantly contribute to the project. 
Start with the Principal Investigator. 3. Funding request for each year 
of the project as well as total funding requested. 4. Project Period: 
Start and completion dates. Proposals should request a start date of 
October 1, 2002. 5. Objectives, Methodology, and Rationale: This should 
include a concise statement of the objectives of the project, the 
scientific or educational methodology to be used, and the rationale for 
the work proposed.
    (3) Project Description
    (a) Introduction/Background/Justification: What is the problem or 
opportunity being addressed and what is its scientific, technical, 
educational, or socioeconomic importance to the region or nation?
    (b) Technical Plan: What are the goals, objectives, and anticipated 
approach of the proposed project? While a detailed work plan is not 
expected, the proposal should present evidence that there has been 
thoughtful consideration of the approach to the problem under study. If 
a partner is involved, what capabilities does the partner possess that 
will benefit the project, faculty member and students?
    (c) Output/Anticipated Benefits: What measures will be used to 
evaluate the outcome of the proposed project? Upon completion of the 
project, what are the anticipated benefits to the MSI, its students, 
and the environmental community?
    (d) Literature Cited: Should be included here, but does not count 
against the page limit.
    (4) Budget and Budget Justification: Form SF424A Budget Information 
Non-Construction Programs and budget justification narrative are 
required. There should be an annual budget for each year of the project 
as well as a cumulative budget for the entire project. Subcontracts 
should have a separate budget. Each annual budget should include a 
separate budget justification page that itemizes all budget items in 
sufficient detail to enable reviewers to

[[Page 17053]]

evaluate the appropriateness of the funding requested. (Please see the 
NOAA budget guidelines at http://www.rdc.noaa.gov/~grants/
BUDGTGUD.PDF).
    (5) Current and Pending Support: Applicants must provide 
information on all their current and pending Federal support for 
ongoing projects and proposal, including potential subsequent funding 
in the case of continuing grants. The proposed project and all other 
projects or activities using Federal assistance and requiring a portion 
of time of the principal investigator or other senior personnel should 
be included. The relationship between the proposed project and these 
other projects should be described, and the number of person-months per 
year to be devoted to the projects must be stated.
    (6) Vitae (two pages maximum per investigator).
    (7) Letters of commitment from partnering organizations (if 
applicable). Letters of commitment from partners must be included as an 
attachment to the application. The letters from partnering 
organizations should describe their commitment, identify key 
participants, and state briefly their role in the project.
    (8) Standard Application Forms: Proposals submitted in response to 
this solicitation must be complete and submitted in accordance with 
instructions in the standard NOAA Grants Application package. 
Applicants may obtain all required application forms through the NOAA 
internet site http:/www.rdc.noaa.gov/~grants/pdf or from Ms. Arlene 
Simpson Porter, NOAA Grants Management Division, (301) 713-0962 ext. 
152, [email protected].
    (a) Standard Form 424, Application for Federal Assistance;SF424A 
Budget Information Non-Construction Programs; SF424B Assurances Non-
Construction, (Rev 4-88). Please note that both the Principal 
Investigator and an administrative contract should be identified in 
Section 5 of the SF424 or Section 10, applications should enter 
``11.481'' for the CFDA Number and ``NOAA Educational Partnership 
Program with Minority Serving Institutions'' for the title. The Form 
must contain the original signature of an authorized representative of 
the applying institution.
    (b) Primary Applicant Certifications. All primary applicants must 
submit a completed Form CD-511, ``Certifications Regarding Debarment, 
Suspension and Other Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace 
Requirements and Lobbying,''and the following explanations are hereby 
provided:
    (i) Non-Procurement Debarment and Suspension. Prospective 
participants (as defined at 15 CFR Part 26, Section 105) are subject to 
15 CFR Part 26, ``Non-Procurement Debarment and Suspension'' and the 
related section of the certification form prescribed above applies;
    (ii) Drug-Free Workplace. Grantees (as defined at 15 CFR Part 26, 
Section 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 above applies;
    (iii) Anti-Lobbying. Persons (as defined at 15 CFR Part 28, Section 
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 applications/bids 
for grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts for more than 
$100,000, and loans and loan guarantees for more than $150,000; and
    (iv) Anti-Lobbying Disclosures. Any applicant that has paid or will 
pay for lobbying using any funds must submit an SF-LLL, ``Disclosure of 
Lobbying Activities,'' as required under 15 CFR Part 28, Appendix B.
    (c) 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.'' ORM CD-512 is intended for the 
use of recipients and should not be transmitted to the Department of 
Commerce (DOC). SF-LLL submitted by any tier recipient or sub recipient 
should be submitted to DOC in accordance with the instructions 
contained in the award document.

VII. How To Submit

    Only three copies of the Federally required forms are needed. 
Although investigators are not required to submit more than three 
copies of the proposal, the normal review process utilizes 12 copies. 
If investigators wish all reviewers to receive color, unusually sized 
(other than 8.5  x  11"), or otherwise unusual materials submitted as 
part of the proposal, they should submit sufficient proposal copies for 
the full process.
    Proposals must be received by 5 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Savings 
Time) on May 30, 2002. The address to send proposals to is: Jewel M. 
Griffin-Linzey, NOAA EPP/MSI: Environmental Entrepreneurship Program, 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Room 11837, SSMC3 (R/
SG), 1315 East-West Highway, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Facsimile 
transmissions and electronic mail submission of proposals will not be 
accepted.

VIII. Other Requirements

    The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for 
Grants and Cooperative Agreement contained in the Federal Register 
notice of October 1, 2001 (66 FR 49917) are applicable to this 
solicitation. However, please note that the Department of Commerce will 
not implement the requirements of Executive Order 13202 (66 FR 49921), 
pursuant to guidance issued by the Office of Management and Budget in 
light of a court opinion which found that the Executive Order was not 
legally authorized. See Building and Construction Trades Department v. 
Allbaugh, 172 F. Supp. 2d 138 (D.D.C. 2001). This decision is currently 
on appeal. When the case has been finally resolved, the Department will 
provide further information on implementation of Executive Order 13202.
    For awards receiving funding for the collection or production of 
geospatial data (e.g., GIS data layers), the recipient will comply to 
the maximum extent practicable with E.O. 12906, Coordinating Geographic 
Data Acquisition and Access, The National Spatial Data Infrastructure, 
59 Fed., Reg. 17671 (April 11, 1994). The award recipient shall 
document all new geospatial data collected or produced using the 
standard development by the Federal Geographic Data Center, and make 
that standardized documentation electronically accessible. The standard 
can be found at the following Internet website: (http://www.fgdc.gov/standards/standards/html).

Classification

    Prior notice and an opportunity for public comments are not 
required by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for this 
notice concerning grants, benefits, and contracts, 5 USC 553 (a)(2). 
Therefore, this rule is not subject to the analytical requirements of 
the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 USC 601 et. seq.

[[Page 17054]]

    This action has been determined to be not significant for purposes 
of E.O. 12866.
    This notice contains collection of information requirements subject 
to the Paperwork Reduction Act. Standard Forms 424, 424A, 424B and SF-
LLL have been approved by OMB under the respective control numbers 
0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, and 0348-0046. Notwithstanding any 
other provision of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor 
shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a 
collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork 
Reduction Act, unless that collection of information displays a 
currently valid OMB Control Number.

    Dated: April 4, 2002.
Louisa Koch,
Deputy Assistant Administrator, NOAA Research.
[FR Doc. 02-8554 Filed 4-8-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-KD-M