[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 45 (Friday, March 7, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11122-11123]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-5446]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

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) 2003

AGENCY: Geological Survey, Department of the Interior.

ACTION: Notice inviting applications for the NSDI Cooperative 
Agreements Program Awards for FY 2003, with performance to begin in 
August 2003 through September 2004.

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SUMMARY: The purpose of the NSDI Cooperative Agreements Program is to 
facilitate and foster partnerships, alliances, and technology within 
the 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 2003 NSDI Cooperative Agreements Program will fund projects 
in five categories of activities: (1) Metadata implementation 
assistance, (2) metadata trainer assistance, (3) metadata outreach, (4) 
clearinghouse integration with OpenGIS services, and (5) U.S. and 
Canadian Spatial Data Infrastructure development. Applications may be 
submitted by Federal agencies, State and local government agencies, 
educational institutions, private firms, non-profit foundations, and 
Federally acknowledge 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 2003 
NSDI Cooperative Agreements Program are expected to be available on or 
about March 3, 2003. Applications must be received on or before May 2, 
2003.

ADDRESSES: Copies of each Program Announcement 03HQPA0006 for 
the NSDI Cooperative Agreements Program will be available through the 
Internet at http://www.usgs.gov/contracts/index.html and http://www.fgdc.gov. Copies of Program Announcement 03HQPA0006 may 
also be obtained by writing to Karen Staubs, U.S. Geological Survey, 
Office of Acquisition and Grants, National Assistance Programs Branch, 
MS 205G, 12201 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia 20192, or 
emailing [email protected]. Requests must be in writing; verbal requests 
will not be honored.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

    For NSDI technical information contact: David Painter, U.S. 
Geological Survey, Federal Geographic Date Committee, MS 590, 12201 
Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Virginia 20192; 703-648-5513, fax 703-
648-5755, e-mail [email protected].
    For the NSDI Cooperative Agreements Program contact: Ms. Karen 
Staubs, U.S. Geological Survey, Office of Acquisition and Grants, 
National Assistance Programs Branch, MS 205G, 12201 Sunrise Valley 
Drive, Reston, Virginia 20192; 703-648-7393, fax 703-648-7901, e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under the NSDI Cooperative Agreements 
Program a total of $1,000,000 is available for award.
    2003 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

[[Page 11123]]

in this category is for those organizations and individual that can 
provide training assistance to other organizations in becoming skilled 
and knowledgeable in metadata creation.
    Category 3: ``Don't Duck Metadata:'' Metadata Outreach Assistance. 
Funding in this category is for organizations with robust metadata 
programs to extend their programs and assist other organizations with 
resources and staff in innovative approaches to the implementation and 
service of metadata.
    Category 4: Clearinghouse Integration with OpenGIS services will 
provide funding to extend existing Clearinghouse Nodes with OpenGIS 
Consortium (OGC) complaint web mapping service capabilities and related 
standards-based services in a consistent way.
    Category 5: Canadian/U.S. Spatial Data Infrastructure Project will 
provide funding assistance to support a collaborative project between 
organizations in the U.S. and Canada to coordinate, create, maintain 
and share geospatial data to support decision-making over a common 
geography. The FGDC in partnership with the GeoConnections of Natural 
Resources Canada will fund lead organizations in their respective 
countries in a collaborative cross-border project.

    Dated: January 15, 2003.
Patricia P. Dunham,
Deputy Chief, Office of Administrative Policy and Services.
[FR Doc. 03-5446 Filed 3-6-03; 8:45 am]
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